Spirit Bound Teaser Quote 2

Spirit Bound Teaser Quote number 2 is now live from Penguin Australia!

Kiss of Death by Rachel Caine

"Claire Danvers has a few things on her mind. First of all there is the laundry, which is now an unfortunate shade of pink. Then there is her boyfriend, Shane, who is never far from her thoughts. Finally, there is her best friend Eve's relationship problems. As if life as a student wasn't complicated enough, Claire just happens to be studying in Morganville. A town run by vampires.

Trouble seems to follow Claire and her friends like a shadow and tonight is no exception to the rule. They must find the most difficult documents for a vampire to acquire; people passes that will allow 'bad ass' Morley and his friends to leave Morganville. But it's proving incredibly problematic, and with the odds seemingly stacked against them, the biggest question of all is...

Will they survive?"

This is the 8th book in the Morganville Vampires series. It's been a series that's been hit or miss for me, I've often read them and felt there was something missing. The previous book, Fade Out, I didn't much like at all, but I have a hard time dropping a series, even if I'm not much liking it any more. I'm glad I didn't, because this is one of my favourite Morganville books.

It starts out a little slow, with a couple things happening that seem unconnected to anything else in the book, and a little too much Eve/Michael and Shane/Claire. But by the 1/3 mark it picked up, and just got better. This book is really different because for the first time, the gang are outside of Morganville. They may not like it much, but they're used to Morganville rules, even Claire who only moved there a year or so ago. Living in Morganville changes you, and it's something these guys have to learn to deal with. But just because they're out of Morganville for a little while, doesn't mean the trouble stops following them. In no time at all, they're back in trouble, way over their heads. But whats new there?

Once it got going, I really did enjoy this book. It flowed well with a strong plot, and there were a couple things I really didn't see coming. I really liked Claire in this one, she really showed how strong she is and how much she's grown from the girl she was in Glass Houses when she was just arriving in Morganville. It was a tense ride towards the end, with some interesting character development and some surprising outcomes. Overall, definitely one of the best Morganville books to date. I'm now looking forward to the next one, Ghost Town, in November.

Rating: 8/10

Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves

"Love...can be a dangerous thing.

Hanna simply wants to be loved. With a head plagued by hallucinations a medicine cabinet full of pills, and a closet stuffed with frilly violet dresses, Hanna's tired of being the outcast, the weird girl, the freak. So she runs away to Portero, Texas, in search of a new home. But Portero is a stranger town than Hanna expects.

As she tries to make a place for herself, she discovers dark secrets that would terrify any normal soul. Good thing for Hanna, she's far from normal. As this crazy girl meets an even crazier town, only two things are certain: Anything can happen and no one is safe."

I heard about this book after author Karen Mahoney mentioned on Twitter that it was one of the best books she'd ever read. I checked it out, thought it sounded interesting so bought it. I wasn't disappointed!

I was hooked from the very start, Hanna creeping through the dark, looking for her mothers house, the mother she's never met, and having a conversation with her dead father. Color me intrigued, and it only got better and stranger from there. Her mother doesn't want Hanna around, but Hanna makes a deal with her: if she can't make a place for herself in town (make friends etc) within two weeks, then she'll leave. And so Hanna starts school in an attempt to find that place in Portero. But almost instantly she begins to realise that Portero may just be stranger than her.

I completely love this book. It's fast paced, dark, funny, serious and you're never sure what's going to happen next. Or if what is happening, is actually happening. Is it reality or in Hanna's head? Hanna is forthright, brash but with a sensitive side. Mostly, she desperately wants to belong, to be loved, for people to see her as normal again. In a genre filled with sappy, weak 'heroines' who care only about The Guy loving them, Hanna is a breath of fresh air. She's a very different character to anyone I've read before and her issues are very real. There is a love interest in this book and while he's a big part, he's not the main focus. Hanna's attempts to get her mom to love her are heartfelt and painful, but very well played out. Wyatt (the love interest) is tough and smart, thought not so much when it comes to girls. Which is very entertaining.

This book wouldn't be for everyone. It's definitely up there on the strange and crazy scales. But it's a well written story with plenty of action, interesting characters and lots to get your teeth in to. I had a very, very hard time putting it down. It is a stand alone book, but I will definitely be looking out for other books by this author! A great read, would highly recommend it. 9/10

Spirit Bound Teaser Quotes!

Penguin Australia, the Aussie publishers of Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series, are going to be posting 7 quote from Spirit Bound from now until it's release. They're free of spoilers, names and context, so lots to guess about them. The first one went up on YouTube yesterday, and will be up every three days. Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPW9GUY_ch0

Maddyme on Rachel Vincent's forum first pointed these out to me, and I wasn't going to watch them. I hate reading spoilers before a book is out, and quotes out of context drive me crazy. But Richelle blogged the first one last night, and I couldn't help myself, I had to see what it was. I have my suspicions on who says this particular one, but for now I'm keeping my speculation to myself. Feel free to speculate in comments though if you want. Or here on the Richelle fan forum. I'm soo desperate for this book!! Only 20 more days to go!!

New Books!!!

Yesterday was my 22nd birthday and it was an awesome day. I did indeed go on a total splurge for new books. 18 in total as it turned out. Safe to say I'm not going to be short of new reading material for a little while ;)

I bought 7 books when I was out, came home and ordered another 11 online. 9 of those turned up today from Amazon (prime membership at work) and the other 2 will arrive some point next week seeing as they had to come from Book Depository not Amazon but it's all good. So a run down of the titles that will be read and (almost certainly) reviewed on here:

Bluemoon by Alyson Noel
Shadowland by Alyson Noel
How to Ruin a Summer Vacation by Simone Elkeles
Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves
Mark of the Demon by Diana Rowland
Soulless by Gail Carriger
Rumours by Anna Godbersen
Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning
Valiant by Holly Black
Kitty and the Midnight Hour by Carrie Vaughn
Evernight by Claudia Gray
Incarceron by Catherine Fisher
Vacations from Hell (anthology featuring Libba Bray, Cassandra Clare, Claudia Gray and more)
Magic to the Bone by Devon Monk
The Better Part of Darkness by Kelly Gay
Dark Lover by J. R. Ward

And the others were some general YA fiction and a horse book, none of which are likely to make the blog ;) I'm currently reading The Luxe by Anna Godbersen and very much liking it. But I'm still very anxious to get in to this new pile of books! They're calling to me...

Oh and also, Book Depository had 'The Demon in Me' the first in the new Living in Eden series by Michelle Rowen instock today, so that's been ordered to and will also be here some time next week. Yay!

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

"The pack circled around me, tongues and teeth and growls.

When a local boy is killed by wolves, Grace's small town becomes a place of fear and suspicion. But Grace can't help being fascinated by the pack, and by one yellow-eyed wolf in particular. There's something about him - something almost human. Then she meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away..."

Shiver is the first book in the Wolves of Mercy Falls series. When she was about 13, Grace was attacked by the local pack of wolves, but survived. Since then she's always been completely fascinated by them. When a local boy is killed by the pack, most of the town turns against them, but Grace is determined to protect them. There is one wolf in particular who's been the one she obsessed over. A yellow-eyed one. And when a yellow-eyed boy appears, she knows that it has to be her wolf.

This book is told in first person, from both Grace and Sam's (the yellow-eyed wolf) POV, giving a better view of the world and what both characters are thinking. The book started well, and held my interest, but I made it about a quarter of the way through and while it was holding my interest, I couldn't decide if I liked it or not. By the halfway mark, I still couldn't decide and my interest was fading rapidly. I forced myself to skim the final 100 pages to finish it, or I wouldn't have. There isn't anything particularly bad but for me, it didn't work. There were a few good moments, but overall I felt it could have been better. There was such a push early on for how the town were against the pack, wanting them dead or gone, then it just...stopped. And soon the whole book became about the angst between Sam and Grace and the 'situation' (not saying more for spoilers sake).

I can take angst, I can read something that is simply a love story. I can't take a wishy-washy love story that is only angst. From the review stats I've glanced at, and the opinions of some book buddies who's opinions I value highly, this is not the general opinion. But it's how I saw it. I got tired of the back/forth on certain emotions/problems and I found it repetitive. Grace isn't entirely passive, she does have some strong moments, which is good to see because most heroine's in young adult fiction right now seem to be far too passive and weak. But it's not nearly enough to make up for the over the top, constant angst. As hero's go, Sam really isn't one and I tired of him very quickly. I did like the werewolf lore here, but overall I felt the book could have been much better than it actually was. A shame, I was looking forward to this book. Won't be bothering with the next one. 3/10

Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles

"Carlos Fuentes idolized his older brother, Alex, when he was a member of the Latino Blood. So when Alex chose to get jumped out of the gang for a chance at a future with his gringa girlfriend, Brittany, Carlos felt shocked and betrayed. Even worse, Alex forced Carlos to come back from Mexico to join him on the straight and narrow path. Trouble is, Carlos just wants to keep living on the edge. And ties to his Mexican gang aren't easy to break, even hundreds of miles away in Colorado.

In Boulder, Carlos has to live with one of Alex's college professors - and he feels completely out of place. He's even more thrown by his strong feelings for the professor's daughter, Kiara, who is nothing like the girls he's usually drawn to. But Carlos and Kiara soon discover that in matters of the heart, the rules of attraction overpower the social differences that conspire to keep them apart."

Rules of Attraction is the second Perfect Chemistry book, the first book followed Alex and Brittany's story, this one follows Alex's younger brother Carlos. It's written in first person, switching each chapter between Kiara and Carlos. Like Perfect Chemistry and Leaving Paradise before it, the changes of narrative tell the story incredibly well. It's easy to see where the book is going, there aren't really any big surprises, but once again it's written so well, that I just don't care.

If I'm being picky, this is my least favourite of the three of Simone's books I've read so far. Kiara and Carlos are fantastic characters, with a great story to tell and there are some great side characters as well. But for me, I didn't like it quite as much as Perfect Chemistry or Leaving Paradise. However, it is still a fantastic read and I'd highly recommend it! I did find it quite a bit funnier than both Chemistry and Paradise. It had a slightly lighter overall tone, and Carlos in particular had some hilarious moments. In some ways he's very different to Alex, he likes having his fun and while he's smart enough to know what needs to be taken seriously, it doesn't make him serious 24/7. Kiara can never back down from a challenge which, seeing as Carlos can't either, also makes for some entertaining moments between the two as they get each other riled up. It was very easy to get caught up in Kiara and Carlos' world, and I loved getting to know them, just like all of Simone's other characters.

Well written, great characters and a great story. Would recommend reading Perfect Chemistry first, simply because it explains Alex and Britt's story, plus a little of Carlos' background, but it's a complete story in its own right, so it's not necessary. There is going to be a third Perfect Chemistry book next year, I don't know who it follows, but I still can't wait for it. If you've not yet tried any of Simone Elkeles' books, I strongly suggest you do asap! 9/10

Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles

Caleb Becker and Maggie Armstrong grew up together. They're next door neighbors and Maggie was his twin sister Leah's, best friend, they hung out a lot of the time. But then one night changed everything. Caleb got behind the wheel drunk when leaving a party. He lost control and hit Maggie. Worse, he drove away from the scene without stopping.

Caleb's spent most of the last year in juvie for the hit and run. Now he's out and he wants to prove their hometown, Paradise, still can be home.

Maggie has spent most of the year in hospital and physical therapy, relearning how to walk and planning her escape from Paradise before Caleb's release.

But then Caleb's released early and suddenly they have to face each other again. To deal with the aftermath of the hit and run, the effect it's had on their families and friends as well as themselves.

I completely love this book. I picked it up and didn't put it down until 3 and a half hours later, when I finished it. I thought Simone's book 'Perfect Chemistry' was great, but this was better. It blew me away. It's fairly predictable, you can figure out what's going to happen pretty easily, but it just doesn't matter. This is a heartfelt story where the characters are very real. It's told in first person switching smoothly every chapter between Caleb and Maggie, so you know and feel the full confusion of all the emotions they're going through. They're both very easy characters to relate to and empathise with as they work through their problems and issues. The side characters are well drawn as well, and I couldn't help loving Mrs. Reynolds (Maggie's employer), she is fantastic.

This book is angst heavy, and pulls no punches, but there are some really sweet lighter moments as well. But more than that, it's a story of hope, self belief and the power of forgiveness and acceptance. The ending was painful, but brilliant leaving me close to tears. I am very glad that I knew there was going to be a second book before I read this one, I just wish it wasn't so long to wait for it. I can not wait for 'Return to Paradise', the continuation of Caleb and Maggie's story. This book is a must read in my view. Amazing. 10/10

Tales of the Otherworld by Kelley Armstrong

Tales of the Otherworld is the second collection of short stories from Kelley set in her Otherworld. All but one of these stories first appeared on her website several years ago as free extras for her readers, but then she was offered a deal where the profits when to a charity, so they were taken off and put in to two collections. Men of the Otherworld which has been out for a year, and this one.

I love this collection! Some of the stories are only 15-20 pages long, but even those contain a lot and give some great back ground to some characters we don't see much of. As well as those set before or between her main Otherworld books. A fantastic addition to her series.

The stories:
Rebirth: the story of how Aaron became a vampire. Outside this, don't know much about him, this short story made me really love him.
Bewitched: the all new story for this collection which follows black witch Eve Levine as she meets enemy and potential ally sorcerer Kristof Nast. Brilliant back story for the characters which explains a lot and made me really want to reread the books where both characters appear, even if briefly.
Birthright: Logan discovers his heritage with an...interesting meeting with alpha werewolf Jeremy Danvers. One of the only times we really see Logan, and I love his characters. Wish there could be more of him.
Beginnings: how Elena Michaels meets and falls in love with Clayton Danvers, and his ultimate betrayal. Oh my gosh. Quite possibly my favourite of Kelley's stories full stop. A fantastic addition to the series all on it's own.
Expectations: Lucas Cortez is feeling the weight of his family's name, despite trying to escape it. Set well before we meet Lucas in Dime Store Magic, giving us a decent insight in to some of his motives for how he does things. I liked this story, but not one of my favourites. I like Lucas fine, but don't find him as interesting as some other characters. His interaction with Eve is well worth reading though.
Ghosts: Set during some events near the end of Bitten (1st Otherworld book, I don't want to give away spoilers) from Jeremy's POV. I love the insight to the Alpha's head.
Wedding Bell Hell: Lucas and Paige planning their wedding. Funny and sweet story which again adds to their overall story in the series.
The Case of El Chupacabra: Sean Nast (son of Kristof Nast, half brother to Savannah Levine) brings a case to Lucas and Paige to investigate. Didn't actually read this when it was online, but having read it now, I wish I had. Fantastic short story.

Overall, a must have if you're a fan of the series.

Rating: 9/10

Looking, looking...

So a week today it's my birthday, and while generally speaking hate my birthday, I'm really looking forward to it this year. For one simple reason: I get to buy books. My birthday pressie from my parents is some money for a book shopping spree, which I've known for a couple months, so I've really restricted my book buying habits for a while, and I can't wait to splurge again. I keep looking through my wish list on amazon thinking 'that's a must have, so is that, should that be one too? Hmm...' and so on. So ahead of time (cause when I get them, I'm sure to lose myself in them all for about a week) I thought I'd share some of what I'm planning on getting, so the reviews you can expect to come. If anyone has any comments on any of this list, I'd be more than happy to hear them :)

A couple must haves for me, having read Perfect Chemistry last week, are Simone Elkeles' Rules of Attraction and Leaving Paradise. Both contemporary young adult fiction. Likewise, having really enjoyed Evermore by Alyson Noel, I'm intending to get books 2 and 3 of the Immortals series, Bluemoon and Shadowland. On recommendation from Jess at A Great Read I'm getting Soulless by Gail Carriger, a 19th century set story with vampires and werewolves (I think? lol). And having seen a contest for this (and the second in the series) on Karen Mahoney's (who's debut YA book will be out next year and I'm really looking forward to) blog, I'm getting Incarceron by Catherine Fisher. I thought they sounded interesting, so I'm giving it a try!

Also planning on getting Evernight by Claudia Grey (YA UF), Mark of the Demon by Diana Rowland, the first in the Black Dagger Brotherhood by J.R. Ward 'Dark Lover', Valiant by Holly Black (YA UF) and Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning.

Then there are the others I'd like to get, if I get given enough money (or simply decide to not save at all this month): Magic To The Bone by Devon Monk, Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev, Firespell by Chloe Niell, The Better Part of Darkness by Kelly Gay, Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder...my list goes on, and on, and on, and on...

Right now, I'm also currently reading two books, Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater, which I'm almost halfway through and can't decide if I'm liking it or not, and Kelley Armstrong's Tales of the Otherworld. Hoping to finish both by Friday, so expect reviews for them soon!