The Sunday Post is a weekly post hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It is a chance to share all the news and highlights on your blog for the past and upcoming weeks. Head over to Kimba's for details and to link up!
Happy Easter to all. I hope you all have a fantastic day with your families. I will keep this post brief since I think most of us will be devoting time to our families today.
We had plenty of fun dying eggs on Saturday with our two kids. Now to eat them all. Deviled eggs and potato salad anyone?
This past week, I didn't get around the blogosphere much. Myself and my two little ones caught a stomach bug. Nothing too terrible but enough to knock me off my feet for a couple of days. We are all better now, and I am desperately trying to catch up. So I apologize for not making it to everyone's blogs this week! I tried.
One note, last week I was singing the praises of BlogLovin' but this week I am discouraged. I noticed when I signed up for whatever reason my blog had stopped updating on their site in mid-January. I sent them an email and received a reply the next morning that my feed was fixed and indeed it was. However, after that the posts once again did not update. I was not given a reason the first time as to what was wrong so I have no clue how to fix it. I have since emailed them three times in the last week and at this time, I have not received a response. I will give it a few more days and then I will move onto another service. Any recommendations?
This is the end of March and I am wrapping up my TBR challenge. I admit I didn't get as much read out of the old TBR as I would have liked, but that is mostly due to the fact that I booked many of the posts scheduled on my blog back in November and I had to keep those commitments. That meant sneaking in books out of the TBR in between the ARCs. I did manage to read ten books total out of the TBR and I kept up on all my ARC so I am happy. How did you all do? Thanks to Kimba for hosting the challenge. I am sure I will bring back my own TBR Challenge from last fall in the near future. I am signing up for the ARC challenge in May and that will be much easier for me as I am desperately trying to stay caught up on the ARCs.
Tuesday: Tell Me Something Tuesday:The amazing Felicia@The Geeky Blogger's Book Blog stopped by to share her thoughts on blog tours, book blitzes and cover reveals. A very informative post that you all should check out! I added my two cents as well. Thanks so much to Felicia for not only helping me put together a terrific post, but also for returning all the comments that day while I was ill. Thanks, Felicia!
Wednesday: Fathom by Lauren Destefano: Review, Guest Post and giveaway. Stop by to enter to win a signed copy of this unique book featuring selkies.
Thursday: Indie author Sabine A. Reed guest posted with her top five list of fantasy characters and I reviewed The Black Orb and Serpentine Love. Be sure to download your free copy.
Druid Atticus O’Sullivan hasn’t stayed alive for more than two millennia without a fair bit of Celtic cunning. So when vengeful thunder gods come Norse by Southwest looking for payback, Atticus, with a little help from the Navajo trickster god Coyote, lets them think that they’ve chopped up his body in the Arizona desert.
But the mischievous Coyote is not above a little sleight of paw, and Atticus soon finds that he’s been duped into battling bloodthirsty desert shapeshifters called skinwalkers. Just when the Druid thinks he’s got a handle on all the duplicity, betrayal comes from an unlikely source. If Atticus survives this time, he vows he won’t be fooled again. Famous last words. Audiobook, Unabridged Published April 24th 2012 by Random House Audio
Five Stars: I just can't get enough of this series!
Atticus has made all the preparations for his death. Now in the middle of the Arizona desert, he and Coyote with the help of the Morrigan stage a spectacular death scene for all the world, and Coyote, in the guise of Atticus, is murdered by the vengeful Norse gods. It is a good thing he can regenerate! Of course, Coyote has a price, a small favor if you will. Atticus is about to find out how not so small this favor is. It turns out that Coyote wants to set up a mine to help the native people in Northern Arizona. It shouldn't be a problem for Atticus to commune with an elemental and have some gold moved. Before this can be done, they are attacked by terrifying creatures called skinwalkers which are impossibly hard to kill. Coyote brought Atticus here knowing full well the skinwalkers would be a problem, but that is the trick of the favor you see. Atticus must somehow kill the skinwalkers, even though no one is certain how to go about it, even Coyote. Will Atticus survive his faked death only to die at the hands of the skinwalkers?
What I Liked:
I am a huge fan of this series and Mr. Hearne never fails to entertain me. What I love most about these books is the wit and humor that is sprinkled in. It often helps lighten the mood when things get dangerous, but mostly it is just good old fun. From the channeling of Star Trek to discussions on how much a butt load of nails is, there are plenty of laughs. I am never bored with these books.
This book returned back to the familiar recipe of Atticus being in a ton of trouble and pursued by dangerous assailants, whereas book three, Hammered, took on a rather melancholy tone as Atticus prepared to fight the Norse. Atticus spent a great deal of time saying farewell to his former home and friends in the last book, and I admit it was a bit of a downer. Thankfully, this one is more in line with the first books as it Atticus is once again in constant peril and enemies are coming from all angles.
Coyote was one of my favorite characters back in book two, Hexed. Coyote with his laid back attitude and sneaky motives was one of the more captivating secondary characters, so I was excited to see him return in this installment and play a bigger role. Coyote is one of those characters that you are unsure whether to like him or hate him because sometimes he can be fun and likeable and other times a pain in the ass. Yet that is what makes him exciting, you never know what you are going to get with him. Needless to say, he is a whole passel of trouble in this one, but he still made me laugh plenty.
I appreciate that each and every book is packed full of mythology and legends from all around the world. Mr. Hearne obviously knows his stuff and he shares plenty of myths and stories from different cultures from Celtic to Norse and now the Navajo. If you are a fan of books that feature mythology definitely check out this series. I can only imagine the time it must take Mr. Hearne to research each and every book.
Atticus has become one of my favorite male leads of all time and that is saying something. He is so different from anyone I have encountered. He is a centuries old Druid who is wise, skilled, and incredibly good at getting his butt out of trouble. I love seeing how he will get himself out of each and every possible death scenario. Not to mention, he is snarky and he always has some brilliant lines.
This is a series that I can easily recommend to both men and women as there is a bit of something for everyone. Men will of course love all the action and danger, while women will love Atticus' sex appeal and the mythology. If you have seen this series around and hesitated on reading it thinking it is a fantasy or not for you, do yourself a favor take a chance and get these books. This is one of the best Urban Fantasy series I have ever read!
This is the third book in this series that I have listened to on audiobook, and I highly recommend the audiobooks. I admit that I am not the biggest fan of audiobooks because I have a hard time keeping track of everything and staying focused. It is also hard for me to find the time to devote to listening, but when I do want an audiobook these audiobooks never let me down. Luke Daniels does the narration for all the audiobooks and I think he is absolutely brilliant. His voice renditions are amazing. He is one of those narrators that can do male and female voices equally well. You know how sometimes you listen to a book and the narrator attempts to do a voice in the opposite sex and it just comes off wrong and it makes you shudder? I assure you that Mr. Daniel's feminine voices are nothing like that. They are all well done and very believable. I love the way he does Coyote's voice. I highly recommend listening to these on audiobooks if you get the chance.
And The Not So Much:
After all the drama and tension this book finally wraps, but I was disappointed that so many of the story lines were left unfinished. Even Atticus noted at the end his concerns regarding everything left undone, I am hopeful that they will be resolved but I understand the next book jumps twelve years into the future so I am unsure how this all will be handled.
The one aspect that women may find disappointing about this series is there is no romance. This time around, it is apparent that Atticus and Granuaile are attracted to each other but they have yet to act upon those feelings. Their relationship is built on trust, friendship and a mutual respect so it won't be hard to see it moving to that next level. I have a feeling it will likely go that way, so be patient all you romance fans. Personally, I think it is nice to read a story that doesn't focus on a romantic relationship. So if you are a bit tired of the whole romance scene, this is a great series to try.
I am beginning to dislike the fact that we keep losing so many great secondary characters. Mr. Hearne creates some great side characters that capture your attention and the next thing you know they are moving on or dying and I hate that. This book did it to me once again by introducing me to an absolutely amazing medicine man. Stop tearing my heart out Mr. Hearne! The characters we lost in the last book were hard enough and now this!
The Iron Druid Chronicles is a series I can wholeheartedly recommend for anyone who appreciates a good story with lots of action, great characters and plenty of wit. These books are amazingly detailed and have intricate and entertaining stories. I cannot even begin to imagine what kind of trouble is next in store for Atticus and his trusty dog and new apprentice. I am certain it will be another fun, fast adrenaline ride in the next book. If you are in need of a spectacular new Urban Fantasy series get these books now!
Favorite Quotations:
“You, sir," I said, "have all the dignity of a badger with the clap. Shark shit has more fiber than you. I'm going to tie your nuts-first to a monkey's cage and make a mix tape of the resulting noise. Then I'm going to take a bag of marshmallows and a pair of granny panties and-"..... He didn't want to know what I was going to do with those granny panties. Surprisingly, Granuaile did. "Sensei, what were you going to do with those marshmallows and panties?" she whispered as we walked together. "I mean, I'm sure it had to be dire, but it just didn't sound as threatening as the potential havoc a monkey could wreak on his sack." "There was more to that recipe," I admitted. "He cut me off before I could get to the Icy Hot and the gopher snake.”
“I've often been flabbergasted by modern pharmaceutical ads on television. The list of side effects for some maladies often sound worse than the condition they're supposed to treat. Once I even heard "heart failure" listed as a side effect, and I wondered how that happened. Heart failure sounds like a pretty major event to me, and if you're willing to risk heart failure in order to avoid the mild discomfort of some other condition, then may the gods shield you from harm, since you're obviously seeking it out.”
“There is always a price to pay for badassery. Neo was a badass in the Matrix and the Matrix Reloaded, but the price he had to pay was The Matrix Revolutions.”
“First we need to get a buttload of nails.’
‘A buttload? How much is that?’
‘Uh…’
Granuaile rescued me with her superior knowledge of indefinite units of measurement. ‘I believe that’s slightly more than a shitload but much less than a fuckton.”
I purchased a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.
This completes the tenth book from my TBR Challenge!
We are almost ready to go charging into another month! Can you believe it is almost April? Hopefully, it is feeling more springlike for everyone. I can't complain, here in Portland we have had plenty of pleasant days, and the trees and flowers are bursting out. Hopefully, we will have nice weather for the Easter weekend. Be sure to save your pennies because next week is bursting with great books. Here are the highlights along with the weather for Portland, Oregon. Tell me what you are longing for and if the sun is shining where you live. (Click on the covers for details).
Forecast: March 31-April 6th
What a fantastic forecast! So many good books up there! Have a wonderful weekend and enjoy your Easter Holiday!
Weather for Portland Oregon:
Saturday: H73 L55 Sunny Sunday: H75 L50 Sunny
Yeah! A nice sunny weekend is in store for Portland! I am ready to soak up some sun and eat some chocolate bunnies, but no Peeps for me!
Tomorrow is Friday! Hope you all have had a great week. Again, I apologize for being absent this week. My family and I all were under the weather but thankfully, we are all well again and things are back to normal. I am slowly returning all the blog comments so be patient with me.
Today I want to introduce you to an indie author named Sabine Reed. I met Sabine before I began blogging and she helped give me some pointers. Sabine runs a nice little blog with all kinds of great information for anyone interested in indie publishing so be sure to check it out. Here is Sabine's Bio:
Sabine A. Reed has always been an avid reader. A Masters degree holder in business management, her creative side emerged when Sabine realized that she had the ability to develop and write stories. Coupled with her love for books, she embarked on the journey to become an accomplished writing professional. Although Sabine’s written in different genres, including romance, young adult fantasy and paranormal, her first fantasy stand-alone novel The Black Orb was accepted by Uncial Press’s well known editor Judith B. Glad. Currently, she is working on the first novel in a series of as-yet-untitled fantasy trilogy. She also writes articles at Suite101 on various topics, including but not limited to, writing and publishing. She can often be found at Goodreads as well discussing her favorite books with fellow readers. Her blog Writing and Publishing Resource is meant as a guide for new writers who are discovering that the path to publication can be difficult, but doesn’t have to be lonely. Find Sabine on her website, twitter or Goodreads.
Sabine is here with her list of top five fantasy characters. Here is Sabine:
Top Five Fantasy Characters
Today I am going to talk about five of my favorite characters from fantasy books that I have read over the years. Why, you ask? Because surely that is better than me harping on about my own books. I hope someday a fan will talk about Aria and Jaelyn, the two protagonists from my fantasy novellas - but for now here are the five most memorable characters that have been a part of my reading experience.
-Gandalf from The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings - Certainly every male wizard in every fantasy book I have ever read has paled in comparison to Gandalf. He was funny, and yet intimidating. He was sweet, caring and yet so dangerous. His powers were somewhat mysterious and exciting. Gandalf was, and will always remain, the epitome of a wizard.
-Belgarth the Sorcerer from The Belgariad Series - While Gandalf was larger than life, Belgarth was adept at hiding his persona and powers. He was a storyteller, a vagabond, a thief - but his powers were formidable when he chose to use them. He was seven thousand years old, and yet remained the innocence and child-like fascination with the mundane. His enemies trembled when his name was spoken, but his friends were happy to sit with him and drink in the local tavern.
-Walker Boh from the Heritage of Shannara and The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara Series - He was a druid, a custodian of histories, a wizard with formidable power but a reluctant wielder of magic. He hated to be mysterious, and yet was forced to be so because of the nature of the burden on his shoulders. A man conflicted by deep emotions and heavy responsibilities.
-Polgara the Sorceress from The Belgarth Series - She was a divine cook and a formidable witch. Even though she took a backseat to her father Belgarth and nephew Belgarion, it was obvious they wouldn’t survive without her. Calm, wise, courageous, sharp and sarcastic; she was a wonderful character.
-Eragon from The Inheritance Cycle - A young boy, free of any worries and responsibilities, ends up raising a dragon and fighting an empire. Eragon’s strength came not from his magic, but his conviction to do the right thing always. He wasn’t a hero because of his magic, but because he wanted to live an ordinary life, and yet when he realized that he couldn’t do so, he accepted the burden of his responsibility with grace.
So there you go, these are only the few characters who have shared my life over the past many years. Books are a special kind of magic, and I hope someday readers will enjoy my books the way I have enjoyed my favorite authors’ creations. Until then, happy reading to all.
Thanks Sabine! An interesting list. I am familiar with a couple of the characters but I need to meet the others. Sabine has a present for everyone today. You can download a copy of her novella Serpentine Loveright now for free on Smashwords. Enjoy!
Here are my reviews of Sabine's books:
The Black Orb by Sabine A. Reed
Aria is a young conniving thief and a con artist, living in the city of Kalaba. When her brother Marcus is taken prisoner by the Queen of Azmeer, Aria embarks on a desperate quest to free him. To save her brother, she has to enlist the help of an old wizard, Bikkar, who is critical of her thieving habits. The way to sever the power of the Queen is to break her magical weapon, the Black Orb, with which she plans to enslave not only her own subjects but other kingdoms also. In order to gain access to the Dragon Claw, the only weapon that can destroy the Black Orb, Aria has to travel with Bikkar to the end of the kingdom and enter the mythical Forest of the Drayds, fight with the stone warriors and endure the company of the old man whom she secretly despises.ebook, First Edition, 158 pages Published October 14th 2011 by Uncial Press
1/2
Three and a half stars: A well written debut fantasy novel.
Aria lays her cunning trap for the rich stranger. A smile and promise of intimacy lead to a sleight of hand, a draft of a sleep inducing drug into a wine glass, the inevitable comatose respite of the rich man and the adept removal of his heavy purse. A hooded figure melts into the shadows smiling with the knowledge that the coins will provide her with food and other necessities. Aria, who was orphaned at young age has led a hard life. She is a nimble thief with an arson of disguises and cons to insure her survival. Yet, she is content in her life, since she has always had her beloved older brother at her side. Then Marcus disappears and Aria is fraught with worry over his safety. She soon discovers that he was taken prisoner by the Queen of the land. Aria journeys to the Queen’s castle with the aid of a stranger named, Bikkar. He promises to aid her in recovering her brother in exchange for a favor at a later date. When Aria reunites with her brother she is distraught to find that he is a comatose shell of his former self under the influence of the Black Orb. The Black Orb, an object of great power bent to the Queen’s dark desires, controls and steals the will and magic of anyone who dares to go against the malicious, megalomaniacal Queen. The only way to restore her beloved brother is to destroy the Black Orb. To do this, Aria must embark on a dangerous journey that may even result in death. Will Aria be able to rid the world of the evil Black Orb?
What I Liked:
Aria, is a strong, admirable lead heroine. She is resourceful, determined, nimble, rash, adept in trickery, a skilled thief and exceedingly loyal to her brother. Aria is also completely capable of protecting herself. Armed with a quick wit and sharp tongue, she is an absolute force to be reckoned with. I loved having a fantasy novel centered around such a formidable female lead. Her growth and character development are impressive. I admired the lengths that she was willing to go to save her brother, even if it meant losing her life.
Bikkar, at first meeting he is an enigmatic stranger, but as the story progresses his depth and complexity are exposed. He is noble, kind and self sacrificing. I liked the way the relationship formed between he and Aria. It starts on shaky ground; neither of them willing to trust the other, but as they progress on their journey they learn to trust each other and end up forming a strong friendship. He is a gentleman that I grew to admire. I hope he will be in future books.
The writing is smooth and flows nicely. Ms. Reed provides beautiful,detailed descriptions. She creates an impressive world filled with magical and fantastic characters. I especially enjoyed the visit to the Dryad forest and encountering the wise, mystical creatures who dwell there and commune with the trees.
While the story line of this book is familiar to the fantasy genre, Ms. Reed does a good job with the elements. Her characters are rich and detailed. The story has danger, action, mystery and a surprisingly difficult decision that Aria must make to save her brother. The book resolves neatly but the door is left open for Aria to continue her adventures.
And The Not So Much:
I admit I don’t foray often into the fantasy genre so maybe this is my ignorance showing; Ms. Reed does a nice job of creating her own world but I felt a little lost. I would have liked just a touch more reference for a time and a little more depth and detail regarding the environment. How many people inhabit the land? Who are these varied inhabitants? What kind of land do they live in? Adding a little more development in the world building would enrich the experience.
There was a bit of conflicting information regarding the Queen taking possession of the orb. This does not detract from the overall story but I was a little confused over the details around the Queen’s ascension to the throne and her acquisition of the Black Orb.
While I appreciated Aria’s absolute loyalty toward her brother, this point was brought up numerous times in the book and it became a bit redundant.
The story takes it’s time developing and unfolding. It proceeds at an even deliberate pace but the ending felt a bit rushed. I would have liked the ultimate battle to have been a little more difficult and climatic. However, I was grateful for a neat resolution and thankfully no cliffhanger ending.
One final detail that was perplexing was that Aria had palms with no lines that were supposed to better help her control her destiny but as she reached the end of her climatic journey it was not mentioned how her unique hands were helpful in her quest.
The Black Orb provides a nice entry into the fantasy world especially for novices, like myself. Ms. Reed does a great job building a magical world that is easy to immerse into, especially since it isn’t weighed down with intricate, strange languages and foreign creatures. The story is easy to follow and the writing is smooth and detailed. This is a good debut novel in the fantasy genre. I look forward to reading more of Ms. Sabine Reed’s work.
Favorite Quotations:
“Humans lives are so short that they don’t even register in the order of the universe. Still you humans manage to make the most chaos in the world despite your short life span.”
“The future is a mass of possiblities. It could be one thing or another. Each choice a person makes affects another person. One thing leads to another. Nothing is fixed until it takes place....and then it is fixed forever.”
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.
Serpentine Love by Sabine A. Reed
Maya is an Inagimi, a shape-shifting snake. Arya is a wizard from an alternate magical world seeking an Inagimi so that he can sell her to Archan, a powerful and greedy wizard who will sacrifice her to gain immortality. For Maya and Arya, a future together is not possible. The Goddess has, however, other plans for them, for they fall in love and battle all odds to seek a future together. ebook Published September 13th 2012 by smash words
I always have a hard time reviewing novellas because I feel like just as they are getting good they end! This was the case when I readSerpentine Love. While I found the overall story of a shape-sifting snake to be fascinating, I longed for the story to be longer and expose more details. I have never read anything before with a shape shifting snake so I was eager to dive in and experience something new. A snake shape shifter sounds really interesting and cool, and it was, but how I wished this was a full length novel. I would vey much like to learn much more about the Inagimi and Arya the human/snake. Don't get me wrong this was still an entertaining and fun little novella, I just wished there was more.
This novella tells the tale of a wizard searching worlds to find the enigmatic Inagimi. As a last ditch effort, he visits Earth in hopes of finding a snake shape shifter, or die at the hands of an evil wizard. Once he arrives, he contacts Maya hoping she will introduce him to her grandfather who is a renowned herpetologist. What follows is a whirlwind adventure with romantic sparks, secrets, danger and more. If you are looking for something quick and very unique definitely check out Serpentine Love.
Favorite Quotations:
"Aren't all writers supposed to be nerds with their noses into books or research papers....or whatever writers do?"
"There are some foolish men who prize loyalty and humanity above money and fame."
A received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.
A big thanks to Sabine for stopping by. Don't forget to head over and download your free copy of Serpentine Love.
Welcome to Wednesday. Almost to the weekend....hang in there. Sorry I have been MIA
this week, we have all been under the weather at our house. Hopefully, we will all be on the mend soon and I can catch up. Thanks for all your comments. I will return them as soon as I can. I have an interesting read for you all today. It features something that you don't see too often in the paranormal genre: Selkies. I enjoyed this unique book loaded with Celtic Myth. I have author Merrie Destafano here today to share with you here thoughts on creating stories. Here is a bit more about Merrie:
Merrie Destefano left a 9-to-5 desk job as a magazine editor to become a full-time novelist and freelance editor. Her speculative fiction adult novels, Afterlife: The Resurrection Chronicles and Feast: Harvest of Dreams were both published by Harper Voyager, while her most recent novel, Fathom, is a young adult contemporary fantasy. With twenty years’ experience in publishing, her background includes editor of Victorian Homes magazine and founding editor of Cottages & Bungalows magazine. Born in the Midwest, she currently lives in Southern California with her husband, their two German shepherds and a Siamese cat. For more information, visit Merrie on her website, Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads.
Please welcome Merrie.
Making Stuff Up By Merrie Destefano
All story ideas begin somewhere. Mine usually begin with a character in an unusual setting. The idea for my young adult novel, Fathom, was born from a single scene: A mother telling stories to her two young daughters, all three of them nestled in a tree house. The whole story unfolded from that one scene idea, although in the end, I removed that scene from the book.
The mother was telling her daughters myths and legends from their
homeland, Ireland.
The concept of myth played a strong part in this novel. In the process, I did a lot of research—especially when it came time to create the monster. Somewhere along the way, I came across the legend of a lake in Canada, where the local people believe that if you take anything from the lake, the lake will come after you and kill you. Unfortunately, I later lost all my notes and couldn’t find any mention of this lake or the legend in any of my reference books or online.
At that point, I had to do what writers have done for thousands of years.
I just made stuff up.
In a way, losing my notes was the best thing that could have happened. I was then free to create my own legends and my own mythical beast. With each chapter, my monster—which lives in the ocean, but can also come on land for short periods of time—became more wicked and more dangerous. I was able to give this beast a mysterious back story and a nefarious purpose. As creepy as this thing was, it fit perfectly into the well-knit weave of Fathom’s mythology, just like a natural predator who serves a purpose by maintaining the balance of nature.
The monster became the dark note in the book’s score, but there are light notes as well.
One of the main themes is that of coming of age. The main character, sixteen-year-old Kira Callahan, leaves childhood behind as she gains the courage to stand up to the bullies at school, and as she begins to fall in love for the first time. The mysteries of her past slowly unfold throughout the book as she discovers that her past isn’t what she thought it was.
At its heart, Fathom is book about courage and love and hope—and never giving up, no matter how fierce the monsters in your life are.
Thank you so much, Merrie. I had no idea that you made up all that Celtic lore. You fooled me. Merrie is offering to one lucky winner a signed copy of Fathom. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. Please fill out the Rafflecopter to enter. Good Luck!
Turning sixteen can be hell, especially if everyone in town thinks your mother killed herself and your sister. All Kira Callahan wants to do is swim, hang out with her best friend, Sean, and ignore the kids who torment her at school. That is, until one day when she gets invited to a party. For three minutes her life is wonderful—she even kisses Sean. Then somebody spikes her drink and some girls from out of town lure her into the ocean and hold her underwater.
Kira soon discovers that the group of wild teenagers who have come to visit Crescent Moon Bay are not as innocent as they seem. In fact, nothing is as it seems—not the mysterious deaths of her sister and mother, not her heritage, not even her best friend. And everything seems to hinge on the ancient Celtic legends that her mother used to tell her as a child. Paperback, 342 pages Published October 30th 2012 by Ruby Slippers Press
1/2
Three and a half stars: A book with a different paranormal creature and plenty of Celtic myth.
Kira awakens haunted by the specter of her dead mother. It has been almost ten years since that gruesome night when something unspeakable happened: Kira's mom murdered her baby sister and tossed her body into the sea. Horrified at what she had done, she threw herself off the cliff into the ocean. Kira and her father have done their best to put back the pieces and live a somewhat normal life, but it is hard when everyone in town is always whispering behind your back. Kira's sixteenth birthday is approaching and for some reason her grandma and father are watching her closely, as if something bad is approaching. Is there something more to the murder suicide mystery that has haunted Kira for years?
What I Liked:
This book features selkies: mythical creatures that look like seals in water and humans on land. I have not read a book with selkies before so it was something new and different for me, and I am always happy to read anything that is outside the typical paranormal norms.
I liked that the story was packed full of Celtic myths, especially since I am always drawn to Celtic mythology. If you are looking for a book with mythology, legends and scary sea creatures give this one a try.
I enjoyed that this book had plenty of mystery and suspense. The book opens with a chilling scene recollecting the night of the murder suicide. Then Kira starts experiencing some strange new sensations, such as an insatiable appetite for fish. Her grandmother begins to eye her suspiciously and you just know that something strange is coming. I was not disappointed at all with the twists, turns and revelations in this one. I could honestly not predict where the story was going and I was pleased that it kept me guessing as I followed the trail of clues until the end.
I was pleased that this one didn't cross the line into the love triangle territory. Though it flirted dangerously close with entering into the dreaded love triangle, it never went there. Kira seemed content with maintaing a friendship with one of the boys, even though she was fiercely attracted to him, while she fell in love with her best friend. I am hoping that in the next book that the story will continue to stay away from the love triangle.
My favorite character was Kira's grandmother. She is somewhat of a witch and she is educated on all types of myths and legends and she is able to help Kira with her problem. I just wished that she had a bigger role as I found her fascinating.
I was satisfied with the ending. While it might come across as a bit of a cliffhanger to some, I didn't see it that way. Instead it draws to a satisfactory conclusion, a happy ending for the most part, except for one haunting story line that will be continued in the next book. I am anxious to see what happens.
I was enthralled with the gorgeous writing. Ms. Destefano definitely knows how to write. Her book is brimming with lovely descriptions and beautiful metaphors. I am always a fan of beautiful writing, and this one certainly didn't disappoint.
And The Not So Much:
I wanted more detail on the Selkies. I never had a complete grasp on their makeup, what they looked like and so forth. The explanations are scant and I was left to fill in the pieces. I was a bit lost since I don't really know anything about Selkies and the legends behind them. Incorporating a bit more explanatory information on Selkies would have enhanced the read for me.
The familiars were also a bit underdeveloped. How is a familiar chosen? What are their duties toward the Selkies? What do the familiars get out of the relationship? Are the familiar and Selkie bonds for life? Can a familiar and Selkie mate? I had many unanswered questions when it came to the Selkie/familiar bond.
The world of the Selkies is a underdeveloped as well. There was little discussion on their lives, do they live primarily in the ocean? Why is the race in danger? Why must they take the journey to mate? Do they mate with humans on a regular basis? I am hoping for more information on the Selkie world in the next book.
Fathom was an entertaining read and it provided me with something unique in the paranormal genre. This book has a suspenseful and entertaining story line that will keep you guessing until the final pages. It refrains from love triangles and cliffhangers as well. So if you are needing something different I recommend you give this one a try.
Favorite Quotations:
"While he was gone, Gram would get out her Irish whiskey. She'd start by pouring a draft into her cup of coffee, but soon enough, it would be whiskey in her cup and she'd be adding a drop or two of coffee for flavor.
"Just before he headed outside, he turned and gave me another half-smile, another flash of sunshine."
"A poem started to blossom inside me, a thick pool of words pressing against my skin, making me want to grab a pen and let it all out. Metaphors and similes tumbled around inside my head, all in a rugged fast meter where nothing rhymed, the words flowing like river water over my tongue."
"Instead I could see myself with no parents. Our house, even more empty than it was now. Rooms with echoes of people that had been stolen."
"That's what love is, baby girl. The ability to see past what's on the surface, beyond all the stuff that everybody else sees."
"sometimes, if you really pay attention, every moment in the day is a little bit like dying. If it's beautiful, then it's over too soon. If it's awful, then it seems to last forever. And when you line up all those moments, they lead right to your very last breath."
I won a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.
Welcome to another edition of Tell Me Something Tuesday: So You Want to Be a Blogger Edition. This week we are discussing blog related topics. I plan on doing these blog discussions once a month, the last Tuesday. Today's question is one certain to generate discussion, and I apologize in advance for the length of this post, but there is a great deal to say. Today's question is one that I have wanted to pose for awhile. It has been niggling in my mind, and then Parajunkee did a post a couple of months back discussing whether bloggers are losing their originality because blogs are flocking to participate in cover reveals, book blitzes and tours, and often the same post appears on numerous blogs on any given day. You have to admit, it does get old to visit blogs and see the same thing over and over. This post sparked a discussion and I thought it was interesting so I wanted to pose a question related to this topic. (If you missed Rachel's post see it here.
Today's question:
To Pimp or Not to Pimp? How do you decide what books to promote on your blog? How do you feel about the current trend of book blasts, blitzes, cover reveals and tours?
I decided to invite the lovely Felicia@The Geeky Blogger's Book Blog to help me out. Felicia did a fantastic post last week in response to an article in The Huffington Post where an author expressed his disappointment about blog tours. His post, and Felicia's counterpoint post generated an interesting discussion on her blog. See it here. Anyway, Felicia and I decided to share out thoughts with you on the current trends of tours, blitzes etc. Here is the talented Felicia:
To Pimp or Not to Pimp (That is the Question):
Hi Y’all! I am super excited that Heidi asked me here to talk about Book Pimping. I know that this has been a hot-button issue around the blogosphere for the last few months. There have been debates that have ranged from blogger vs blogger to author vs blogger. I believe that every topic has the potential to teach us something and this debate has really opened my eyes to the pros/cons of Book Pimping.
NOTE: This is not my attempt to tell you how to run your blog or a dig at book pimping.
My number 1 rule (which I will repeat in second section “What to think about when choosing to Book Pimp”) is to blog in a way that makes you happy! If this is a hobby (which it is for 90% of us it is) then your blog should make you happy. I believe in loving what you do a majority of the time.
Types of Book Pimping: I will be listing what they are, a brief description of what they are for, and pros/cons of participating. This is all from a “reader who is a blogger” perspective so I will try to address those concerns (traffic, comments, readers that stay). If you are blogging for business purposes or an author the pros/cons will probably differ in your cases.
1: Blog Tours: These are the virtual equivalent of in-person book tours. They are usually 14 to 21 days in length and run around the time that the book is releasing. Blog Tours can have 1 to 3 stops a day during the tour (depending on the size, the author, the coordinator). Potential post types to expect: reviews, interviews, guest posts, and giveaways. Tours can be put together though a coordinator (some are paid/some are not) or a blogger with amazing organizational skills (mad props).
PROS: For your readers, this is a great opportunity to learn more about the author, their characters, their world-building, and maybe even a win a book. As bloggers, it can bring new readers to your site and give you a chance to connect with other bloggers in the community that you might not have previously crossed paths with. Also, you have a chance (in many cases) to trade emails with the author and we all love those fan girly moments. Tours also can generate comments and discussion between readers depending on the type of post you host.
CONS: These can be hard work for everyone involved. There is homework involved even if you are hosting a guest tour spot. From a blogger perspective you can also run into issues with codes (if a shared giveaway), late information for advanced scheduling, and sometimes last minute changes in plans. Tours can require amazing coordination with other bloggers and massive amounts of time depending on your role.
2: Blog Hops: These are generally put together by a group of bloggers with the main intent of giving away book related things. Even though technically not geared towards book pimping a specific book, they are for pimping reading and/or specific genres which can lead to further book pimping. Occasionally these hops are author or book geared but more often they are genre/holiday based.
PROS: For readers, this is a perfect opportunity to win some book related items. For Bloggers, this is a great way to drive traffic to your blog.
CONS: These can be hard to organize and sometimes there are technical difficulties. The traffic may be temporary to your blog especially the “contest only” traffic that happens in all aspects of the blogging world. Blog Hop posts are not generally comment generating posts unless required for the giveaway.
3: Book Blasts/Cover Reveals: These are a chance for an author to generate excitement for their book. That can either be a New Release that just hit the shelves or the Cover of a New Release that is coming down the pike. Sometimes these posts are coupled with giveaways but not often. The post is often short and to the point: Cover, Blurb (if available on a cover reveal), how to buy (if available), or how to add the book to your book networking TBR Shelf.
PROS: As readers, you get to see the cover and read the blurb of books without having to go to the store or look them up online. As bloggers, these are often quick posts that require very little effort. As Authors (just from an SEO perspective), they have the chance to potentially hit the SEO jackpot and have their book come up in a lot of Google searches. This can generate new readers for them.
CONS: If a group of bloggers in the same circle all participate it can be seen as a little overkill for other bloggers. If that is the case, it could lower your traffic for that particular day. These posts are often not discussion driven so if you are trying to generate comments on your blog they might not be your best choice.
4: MeMes: These are often blogger driven posts that happen on a weekly or monthly cycle. Most often they are used to highlight books that are coming, have been released, favorite reads, have pretty awesome covers, or make us think.
NOTE: I want to give a shout out to other types of memes too (such as this one) that spur discussion. They are actually my favorite kind!
(Why thanks Felicia! I appreciate your endorsement!)
PROS: For readers, since bloggers (readers) choose the books that are highlighted then there is a real sincerity behind the choices. For bloggers, it gives your blog readers a chance to see what you like to read. These types of posts can generate traffic that might catch new eyes. Finally, these posts are great ways to stay on a blogging schedule that will be consistency to your posting.
CONS: Too many memes and not enough other content will sometimes cause a drop in readership. It is important to have a balance in content. Even if you are a promotional only blog, it is a good idea to mix up your post sites with fresh ways to promote.
5: Blogger Events: These usually involve either a single blog site or a handful of blog sites. They run anywhere from a week to a month. They are themed and usually full of giveaways, spotlights, and guest posts.
PROS: For Readers, blog events are made of win! They are a great opportunity to see what a particular blogger likes to spotlight. There are usually plenty of chances to win things and you can often learn something new about the blogging hosts. As a blogger, they are a great way to generate excitement about your blog, bring in new readers, and connect you to the community. You can also form working relationships with authors and bloggers through coordinating these events. Those connections stay with you through your blogging career.
CONS: These are a crap load of work! (Forgive my sorta French). As a person who has been involved before they require a ton of prep. You can run into anything from people not showing up to sites being down because of traffic. Be prepared to work your tail feathers off!
(I have to interject here... I have hosted two big blogging events: Something Wicked Comes and Fire and Ice, and yes they were a ton of work but I enjoyed the new connections I made, authors and bloggers alike, and both events were a huge draw to my blog and helped put it on the map. I am planning on bringing back Wicked in the Fall so watch for it.)
What to think about before Book Pimping (Remember that once a post is out there in the virtual world it stays in Google cache forever):
1: Does it make you happy? Your blog should make you happy. A happy blogger is a successful blogger IMHO!
2: Does it generate the kind of readers you want for your blog? This is an important question and plays a part in each of the questions below. Each post you make has the potential to bring certain readers to your blog. You need to decide what type of readership you want and what you are willing to do to keep them.
3: Would you buy this book? Promotion is a tricky business and it can be easy to fall prey to the quick post lure. However, I would ask yourself if you would purchase the book. Do you like the cover? Did the blurb grab you? Is the author one of your favorites? Is the price point good? Does it seem interesting? If so, then book pimp away!
4: Do you support this author? Right or wrong in the digital age authors have become more than just an unreachable star that we will never meet. They are people we champion and people we don’t always agree with. Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Websites have made us all more connected. Seriously, I think liking an author is plenty of a good reason to decide to book pimp for them.
5: Do you read or blog about this genre often? This kind of goes back to #2 but do you want to spotlight a YA book if 90% of your other content is Adult Romance. The temporary readership you gain will probably not stick around if that book is more their thing and your content is not geared towards the book you spotlighted.
6: Is the payoff worth the work? This is more for Blog Tours/Blogger Events/Blog Hops. You need to ask yourself if the payoff is worth the amount of work that these types of events can generate. Payoff comes in all forms: new friends, reader connections, blog traffic, author friendships, community outreach but it needs to be worth your effort and time.
7: If asked could you say why you chose to participate? Even though you really shouldn’t ever have to justify why you choose to take part in any kind of book pimping activity, it is always good to know why you did. I ask this question before every post I make. It makes it easy to defend should I ever feel the need too J I can tell you my answer is almost always: it makes me happy and I believe in it.
Do you book pimp? How do you decide what ones to do and what ones to avoid? How do you feel about Book Pimping as a reader? As a blogger? As an Author?
Thanks so much Felicia for the thoughtful and educational post. Now, of course, I have to add my two cents. So I suggest that you take a short intermission.... grab a snack and drink and come back for my thoughts.
Okay, better now? Here is my response.
First, this is my opinion and I am not criticizing book tours, cover reveals, book blitzes nor the blogs that participate in them. This is just how I feel.
I have to say that I agree with Parajunkee in that I think the current trend of cover reveals, book blitzes and tours is causing the blogosphere to become a bit boring. I have to be honest and say I am not a big fan of the cover reveal or book blitz posts. Why? Because I feel like they are big advertisements. I am a savvy reader and I don't jump in and buy books or accept reviews these days unless I am familiar with the author and like their work, I have read good reviews for the book from trusted bloggers, or it is a book that comes highly recommended by a friend. I looked at the number of tours I participated in during my first full year of blogging during 2012. It was a high number, and looking back I can honestly say that there were plenty of good reads, but most of them were just average. At the end of last year, I had a couple of bad experiences with tours and ended up posting excerpts because I couldn't review the book. This turned me off tours, and this year I have been extremely picky about the tours I do. I realize that book tours are becoming a big business and there are plenty of book tour hosts you can sign up with, but have you done your research before you decide to join a tour? Not every tour host is geared to make sure a tour is successful. The best tour hosts, in my opinion, are the ones who take the time to read each and every book before deciding to accept it for promotion. If you are a tour host and you did not enjoy a book how can you expect your fellow friends and bloggers to promote this book?
Candace takes the time to read and review all the books she promotes and then she tries to make sure that the bloggers participating in the tour are a good fit. For instance, she knows that I am not a fan of cliffhangers and love triangles, so if she decides to tour a book that has love triangles and cliffhangers before asking me to do the tour (she knows how much I love these, NOT see last week's post) she will tell me up front so I know going in. I truly appreciate that she takes the time to screen her books and set up tours that will be in the best interest not only for the author but the blogger as well. Now I am sure there are many others out there that do a good job, so feel free to share them. Unfortunately, a lot of the tours are run as a business and they are in it to pimp a book, good or bad. These are the types of tours that have given book tours a bad name, and the types of tours I aim to steer clear of. The other thing that I find disappointing in tours these days is the Rafflecopters every blogger is given for the entire tour. So if you are the last stops on the tour and there is only one or two prizes for the entire tour, people are likely not going to follow the whole tour if they can only enter once. Tours with a giveaway for each stop are far more likely to generate an interest and have people following daily to enter for a prize. I recently spoke with an author who just completed a tour and she did a big Kindle giveaway, she said never again. Obviously it was costly to her and there is no guarantee that the person who wins the Kindle is going to buy and read your books. I tend to agree, I am far more likely to follow a tour if I can enter at each stop for a chance to win a prize. Doing individual prizes at each stop, even if it is for an ebook (hey I am happy to win an ebook any day) is more likely to encourage people to follow the entire tour instead of one big tour wide grand prize giveaway. In reality, the small giveaways for each stop are likely to be less costly than a huge grand prize giveaway. Furthermore, I don't know about you all, but I am far more likely to take the time to enter a giveaway that has a realistic chance for me to win vs. a giveaway that is tour wide and has a butt load of entries. So perhaps tours are losing a bit of an impact because they are starting to lack originality. I am not saying I don't like tours, I do because they often introduce me to new books, what I am saying is:
Be selective in your tours:
Don't just sign up for every tour invite that comes into your email. Sign up to do tours that are smaller and for books that you really want to read.
Make sure that the content on your blog for the tour is unique to your blog and not recycled over and over throughout the tour.
Do your research beforehand to ensure a good experience.
Trust me, I have taken my own good advice on tours and I am having a much better time with them this year!
As far as the cover reveals and book blitzes go I am not a fan. I personally believe that
my blog is not a space for advertising the flavor of the day. I aim to read everything that goes on my blog so I know that I am not recommending something to my readers that I wouldn't buy myself. I refuse to run posts for cover reveals and book blitzes if I have no idea if the book is good or not. I rarely do cover reveals and on the rare occasion I do, it is only for authors that I have worked with in the past and know and trust. I cannot tell you how many emails I get daily asking me to participate in cover reveals. They are actually becoming very irritating!
So bottom line, for me my blog is something I care very passionately about and I strive to provide quality content. I do not just randomly post a cover reveal or
excerpt unless I know that I can put my stamp of approval on the book. Rest assured, if it is on my blog, I read it and recommend it, or I don't recommend it and I will tell you why. Beyond that, I have chosen to steer away from the current trends because they don't make me a happy blogger. Remember blogging should be fun so pimp away. Just make sure you have fun while doing it.
If you like participating in book cover reveals and book blasts keep doing it!
Keep in mind when doing your blog posts what type of posts you like to read. As a blog reader do you really take the time to read all the excerpts in their entirety when visiting other blogs and do you enjoy them? (I fully admit that I am absolutely guilty of not reading excerpts especially if they are miles long, and I am suspicious of excerpts on tours these days because I know often bloggers opt out of writing a review and posting an excerpt because the book was a bad read, I did this twice and I felt horrible.) Are you likely to read and purchase a book based off a cover reveal? Do you like the comments you receive for book blasts and cover reveals? (such as nice cover, thanks for sharing etc.)
Make sure your blog reflects what you enjoy as a reader and you will be successful. This is how Felicia and I run our blogs, and I can say we have fun and our blogs have been a success. No matter what just love what you do! Pimp the books you love. For you Christy!
Thanks for reading this long post today. Felicia and I would very much like you all to weigh in and share your opinions.
Have a wonderful Tuesday!
See you back next week. The question is:
Ebook vs. Paperback. What are you more likely to buy and what is the deciding factor in purchasing a book? What price point are you comfortable with when purchasing your ebooks?
It's Monday....I hope you are all having a good day. I have a fun read for you today that I really enjoyed. This book tells the tale of a young lady who attempts to give up modern technology for awhile and she discovers just how difficult it is to unplug. This book certainly will get you thinking about technology and the role it plays in your life. I hope you give this one a read and start a discussion. I invited Lindsey here today and she is sharing her top five vintage laides. Here is a bit more about Lindsey:
LINDSEY LEAVITT is a former elementary school teacher and present-day writer/mom to three (mostly) adorable little girls. She is married to her high-school lab partner and lives in Las Vegas, Nevada. She is also the author of Sean Griswold's Head and the Princess for Hire series. Find Lindsey on her website, blog, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Goodreads.
Please welcome Lindsey!
Top Five Favorite ‘Vintage’ Women from the 1950s & 60s in film, books, television, and life.
1. Audrey Hepburn. Always number one. I could include a million Audrey quotes to display her awesome, but just go watch the original Sabrina instead.
2. Sylvia Plath. I just want to go back in time and give this woman a hug. Read The Bell Jar for sixties research. Understood her crazy probably too well.
3. My Grandma Faye: She died from breast cancer a few years before I was born. And although my grandpa remarried my awesome Grandma Ruth, I've always wanted to know the woman who raised my dad.
4. Harper Lee. Okay. I just have to do authors. I lived in Alabama for 3 years, how could I not have a bit of a Harper Lee obsession.
5. Lucille Ball. It takes a special kind of bravery to be a comedian, especially a female one who broke rules that hadn't even been made yet.
Thanks so much for taking the time to post here today Lindsey. I loved your book! Thanks to the folks at Bloomsbury, I am able to offer a chance to win a copy of Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. Please fill out the Rafflecopter to enter. Good Luck!
When Mallory’s boyfriend, Jeremy, cheats on her with an online girlfriend, Mallory decides the best way to de-Jeremy her life is to de-modernize things too. Inspired by a list of goals her grandmother made in1962, Mallory swears off technology and returns to a simpler time (when boyfriends couldn’t cheat with computer avatars). The List:
1. Run for pep club secretary
2. Host a fancy dinner party/soiree
3. Sew a dress for Homecoming
4. Find a steady
5. Do something dangerous
But simple proves to be crazy-complicated, and the details of the past begin to change Mallory’s present. Add in a too-busy grandmother, a sassy sister, and the cute pep-club president–who just happens to be her ex’s cousin–and soon Mallory begins to wonder if going vintage is going too far. Hardcover, 320 pages Expected publication: March 26th 2013 by Bloomsbury
Four Stars: A fun contemporary that makes you pause and reflect on technology.
Mallory feels so lucky to have a great boyfriend like Jeremy, even if she does grow tired of the constant make out sessions. They have been dating for over a year and have a great relationship, so she thinks. Mallory logs onto Jeremy's computer to help write his paper. His social networking site is open, and Mallory notices he has been playing an online game, and worse he has an online girlfriend. Hurt and confused, Mallory posts that Jeremy is a tool on his wall and dashes out of his house without an explanation. That weekend while helping her Dad pack up her grandmother's house, Mallory runs across a list that her grandmother made at the start of her junior year in 1962. Looking at the list, Mallory thinks that her grandmother must have been happy and that life must have been simpler back then. Mallory in attempt to soothe her broken heart, swears off technology and decides to fulfill her grandmother's list. She doesn't realize, though, just how hard it is to eliminate modern technology from her life. Can Mallory really go vintage and complete her grandmother's list?
What I Liked:
What drew me to this book was the focus on technology in modern life. I admit, that I am not in my twenties anymore and that cell phones, social networking, texting and all that were not a part of my teenage experience. The internet came about when I was in college, and I remember the good old days of dial up modems. I am still amazed at how quickly technology and social networking has seeped into our daily lives. You can't go anywhere these days without seeing someone yapping on a cell phone, whether it be in their car, the store or a restaurant. Perhaps I am in the minority in that I am not a big fan of these new social norms. I am the type of person who still believes in leaving the house to get away, and I don't need a cell phone as an electronic leash. When I leave home, I don't want to be disturbed. Many people will tell you how frustrating I am because I refuse to have my cell phone on and answer it at all times of the day and night. I do admit that I have my technology addictions, such as I can't go without logging onto the internet or using my ipad daily. I loved that this book really made me stop and examine technology in our world today. Sure it is convenient and wonderful, but on the other hand, I am not a fan of people having to post every aspect of their lives, personal details and all, for everyone to read. Especially as a teenager, growing up is hard enough without having to deal with the added pressures of social networking and such. We all know how detrimental online bullying has become. This book is an excellent way to reexamine your technological habits and even start discussions with your kids. Are we losing part of our humanity because we no longer take the time to converse, instead we resort to instant messages and texts? Who writes letters anymore? Is it cheating when you carry on an online relationship with someone, even though their is nothing physical? There is definitely plenty to ponder in this one.
I enjoyed Mallory as a main character. She is witty and fun, but she also has plenty of flaws, granted sometimes some of those flaws drove me crazy, such as her inability to confront a problem and stay and talk it out. There are numerous times in the book where she gets into a confrontational situation with someone, and then instead of discussing it she chooses to run away. Even though I didn't agree with her fleeing it made her realistic. I admired her courage and willingness to go vintage even though it was difficult. I liked how close she was to her younger sister and the wonderful relationship the two had. What I loved the most about her was that she learned to stand alone and be strong without a boyfriend, and she found her own identity and vowed to be true to herself. In this busy modern world it isn't easy to be different, sometimes it takes courage and Mallory shows how it can be done.
Oliver, how I adored Oliver. He is not your typical swoon worthy love interest. He is a young man who refuses to conform and he is comfortable in his own skin. He beats to a different drum and colors outside the lines, whether in his refusal to participate in online social networking, to his wardrobe. He is kind, and considerate and just adorable, even if he does wear a bright orange shirt that says STAFF. I loved how he respected Mallory and was a good friend, and especially how understanding he was. Truly, he stole my heart!
The romance in this one may not please everyone, but I loved it. It never really fully develops, all the pieces are in place, but instead of jumping into another relationship Mallory walks away and decides to find herself first. I thought this was fantastic and such a positive message for younger girls. You can't be comfortable in a relationship unless you are confident in yourself and willing to let someone else see your not so perfect parts. This is what Mallory comes to realize at the end of her going vintage experiment.
And The Not So Much:
I struggled a bit with the grandmother. At first, I thought when Mallory discovered the list that the grandma had passed away, but that is not the case. Mallory's grandmother is alive and recovering from the death of her spouse. She is obviously dealing with some intense personal issues, which become clear at the end. Up until that point, I found her to be cold and I did not like her. I didn't feel like I got a clear picture of Mallory's relationship with her grandmother in the beginning. It didn't appear that they were close since the grandmother tended to brush Mallory off. I also couldn't understand why Mallory didn't talk to her grandmother about the list and why her grandma wasn't more forthcoming about her teenage years when Mallory pressed, this is resolved by the end, but it was frustrating up until that point. I liked the way everything turned out with the grandma, but she has some issues and it was obvious that Mallory and her grandma struggled with the emotional connection. I guess I was looking for a warmer relationship, but like Mallory, her grandmother isn't perfect and she has made mistakes and she reminds Mallory growing up is difficult no matter what decade it is.
I was disappointed that there was not more expansion on the conflict that arose between Mallory and her mother over the blog. I liked that Mallory finally confronted her mother and actually discussed her feelings about it, but I didn't like that she and her mother, and the rest of the family, didn't come to agreement about the future posts on the blog. I was hoping that Mallory would relate some of her experience with going vintage to her mother and make it clear that she did not want every personal detail about her life shared online. Her mother obviously needs to learn some lessons when it comes to social media.
I was shocked at the end of the book, when Mallory was almost done with her list and contemplating how she would share some very important events with her younger sister. She actually was considering texting her and telling her instead of talking it over with her. I thought she would have learned a thing or two about being without the cell phone and texts.
Going Vintage was a book that definitely had an impact on me. Especially since I am not the biggest fan of social media and technology, and I choose to keep my life more private. I loved that this book brought up some problems that exist today because of our addiction to technology. Ask yourself could you go without technology for a week? Is your life better when you are plugged in all the time? Do you seek validation and worth online? This book will hopefully make you stop and think and possibly reevaluate your choice when it comes to technology. I really enjoyed this one and I loved that it gets a conversation started. I would highly recommend sharing this with the teenage girls in your life. It has a positive message and it makes some strong points. This is a clean read, so hand it to your teenager with no worries.
Favorite Quotations:
"Another thing my mom once said was, when you're with someone, you give pieces of yourself, and they always kept that piece, or at least a piece of the piece. Pieces might have been the code for virginity, I'm still not sure."
"But listing? That is me. I write dozens a week---things I need to do, books I want to read, teachers at our school I'm pretty sure are serial killers. Lists add a number to randomness, give ideas the illusion of order."
"So my dad. He's technically a real-estate agent, but I think he's only still in that gig so he can have something to put on his business cards. What he really does is buy and sell crap, but "crap dealer" doesn't look great on a card, unless you add an s to crap and work at a casino in Reno."
"How can I hate someone and still love him at the same time?"
"So he called our home phone number? I don't even know our home phone number."
"Adolescence is the same tragedy being performed again and again. The only things that change are stage props."
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was no compensated for this review.
The Sunday Post is a weekly post hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It is a chance to share all the news and highlights on your blog for the past and upcoming weeks. Head over to Kimba's for details and to link up!
Here we are headed into the final week of March. The weather has been unsettled and March is definitely going out like a lion. Here in Oregon we have had lots of wild weather this past week. It went from rainy, windy, sunny and then hail all in one day. At least we aren't getting snow like many parts of the country. Seriously, spring is supposed to be here already! Let's keep our fingers crossed for some nice weather for Easter.
Let's see what did I discover this past week around the blogosphere?
First, even though I hate to admit this, thanks to Christy I am now all signed up with Bloglovin'.
I don't know about you all, but I gave the finger to the Google products last year after the unplug of Google Friends Connect and many other Google products. I will no longer use their stuff (aside from the email but that is just because I have had my account for over ten years) since they rapidly discontinue stuff and it isn't worth my time to invest in one of their products if there is no guarantee that they won't pull the plug next year. The latest victim of the Google unplug is Google Reader. Now, I must admit I have been too lazy to get a good reader, I know stupid on my part, so this discontinue won't affect me. However, after I saw Christy singing the praises of Blog Lovin' I headed over and signed up and followed my favorite bloggers. It is quick, easy and so nice to have all your blogs in one place. They will even email you a daily feed email for all your blogs. How convenient is that? I am very excited to use this and I have already installed the Blog Lovin' follow widget on my blog. I am planning to start steering my followers to Blog Lovin' instead of an email subscription because the rumor mill is still churning about the eventual unplug of Feedburner. I hope you all will check out Blog Lovin' if you haven't already, I am sure you are seeing many of the blogs around the blososphere putting up their new buttons.
Bloggiesta is starting up this weekend. You can see all the details here:
I wish that I could be so organized and set some big goals for myself, but weekends are the worst for blogging as I am always busy with the family. If you need to do some blog clean up this is an excellent way to do it. My friend Felicia listed her goals and I am envious that she is so organized. I did do some minor clean up the other day, so I feel better.
Finally, you have to check out Christy's Tell Me Something Tuesday post of frustrating books. Her whole spiel on characters losing their cars made me laugh.
I am happy to report that I did get three books read from my TBR challenge. I did much better this week!
Saturday: To Be Decided I have no idea at this point I will stab at my TBR
As you can see a busy week with some great giveaways. Hope to see you there. Have a wonderful weekend and be sure to leave your links so I can visit your posts. Thanks for stopping by!
The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it's the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago. Soon “Rippermania” takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn't notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities. Hardcover, 372 pages Published September 29th 2011 by Putnam Juvenile
Four Stars: A thrilling mystery that is witty and scary!
Rory slops through the cold rain, wondering why on earth she didn't wear more sensible shoes than flip flops to London. She is set to start her senior year at the elite boarding school Wexford. Far behind are her humble Louisiana roots, but she is going to make the best of it. On the day of arrival, someone has committed a grisly murder that is a copy of the famous first murder in the Jack the Ripper case. The crime puts everyone on edge, and then the second copycat murder throws London into a panic. Who is committing the Jack the Ripper style murders and why?
What I Liked:
First and foremost I absolutely adored Rory. She is snarky and hilarious as she relates her experiences of growing up in the swamplands of Louisiana. I love how she managed to hold her own among some of her uptight English classmates. When she feels intimated she launches into a ridiculous true life experience that will get you giggling. She isn't over the top sarcastic which I liked. I admired her courage as well, especially when facing an extremely dark and dire situation at the end.
I enjoyed the mystery in this one and the suspense. Ms. Johnson manages to pull you in with her Jack the Ripper story and keep you enthralled. I have adequate knowledge of Jack the Ripper, but I learned a great deal from reading this book. The story is packed with plenty of Ripper history, from the facts to the conjectures and so forth. Ms. Johnson did her research on this one and I loved learning more about the infamous killer.
I was surprised with the turn of events at the half way point, and was pleased to find that this book took on a whole new dimension as it incorporated ghosts and ghost hunters. I won't go into too much detail to avoid the surprise, but I can tell you that this book starts out as a suspenseful murder mystery and then transforms into something different. I liked that the story took me in an unexpected direction.
This was a quick, fun read and I was completely absorbed into the story from the get go. Rory's witty banter pulls you in, and then the murder mystery holds you prisoner. I enjoyed that this one refrained from love triangles, cliffhangers and that it proved to be unexpected.
And The Not So Much:
I wasn't completely convinced of the killer's motives. They didn't fully make sense. I could see why he wanted the fame and how he got pleasure from the terror and chaos he reeked, but why he would want to draw attention to himself in the first place was perplexing. The people he sought would likely not have bothered with him in the first place.
The romance felt out of place in this one. Rory becomes involved with one of her classmates. It is sudden, and not developed. I didn't feel the romance was a good fit for this story, and it felt like an afterthought. By the end of the book, I was convinced that it will probably not continue as it didn't have a strong basis to begin with.
The Name of the Star was a quick, entertaining read that has been languishing in my to be read pile for far too long. Once I picked this book up, I was sucked into the story and I very much enjoyed the wit, mystery and unexpected in this one. I especially enjoyed all the Jack the Ripper detail. If you are looking for an exciting, murder mystery based on the infamous Jack the Ripper grab this one!
Favorite Quotations:
"In my town, Be`nouville, Louisiana (pronounced locally as Ben-ah-VEEL; population 1,700), hurricane preparations generally include buying more beer, and ice to keep that beer cold when the power goes out."
"Where I come from, it's too hot to run, and it's generally not encouraged. The joke is, if you see someone running in Be`nouville, you run in the same direction, because there's probably something really terrible right behind them."
"Annoy a Southerner, and we will drain away the moments of your life with our slow, detailed replies until you are nothing but a husk of your former self and that much closer to death."
I borrowed a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.
The Madness Underneath by Maureen Johnson
After her near-fatal run-in with the Jack the Ripper copycat, Rory Devereaux has been living in Bristol under the close watch of her parents. So when her therapist suddenly suggests she return to Wexford, Rory jumps at the chance. But Rory's brush with the Ripper touched her more than she thought possible: she's become a human terminus, with the power to eliminate ghosts on contact. She soon finds out that the Shades—the city's secret ghost-fighting police—are responsible for her return. The Ripper may be gone, but now there is a string of new inexplicable deaths threatening London. Rory has evidence that the deaths are no coincidence. Something much more sinister is going on, and now she must convince the squad to listen to her before it's too late. In this follow-up to the Edgar Award-nominated The Name of the Star, Maureen Johnson adds another layer of spectacularly gruesome details to the streets of London that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. Hardcover, 290 pages Published February 26th 2013 by Putnam Juvenile
Two Stars: A chaotic middle book with a dreadful ending!
Rory is trying to push away the memories of that terrifying night when she confronted the modern day Jack the Ripper. Unfortunately, the long slashing scar across her abdomen is a constant reminder. Rory is trapped in Bristol with her parents and her therapist, but she longs to return to London and reunite with Jazza and Jerome as well as her ghost hunter friends, Stephen, Callum and Boo. She recently discovered that something else happened that night, and Rory somehow has become a human terminus and she is now able to eradicate ghosts. Unexpectedly, Rory's therapist urges her to go back to Wexford and attempt to slip back into her former life. Can Rory return to London and regain her former life?
What I Liked:
I liked that this one picked up right where the first book left off. We catch up with Rory as she is battling Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and trying to make sense of her new ability. This book focuses mainly on Rory's discovery of herself and finding her path. Will she pick up her studies and lead an ordinary life, or will she chase ghosts? It is a difficult decision and I enjoyed watching her grow as she tried to work everything out. I was also pleased to see that she retained her snark and that once again we are treated to plenty of off the wall Rory stories. I personally think that Rory needs to take a trip home to Louisiana so we can meet some of her zany relatives.
The romance, as I thought, goes in the direction that I was expecting. It does take the entire book to get there, and then it just bursts forth unexpectedly, but I just knew who Rory was going to end up with. I am, however, in agony now wondering if book three will have a fully developed romance. Don't worry if you think there is a love triangle, thankfully, there is not.
Stephen was much more developed in this book and I really enjoyed getting to know him. He seems to bear the weight of the world on his shoulders and there is just something so endearing about him. I enjoyed seeing him take charge especially when he comes to the rescue. He is much more prominent in this book and I liked that.
And The Not So Much:
I don't know where to begin with the faults for this book. While I really enjoyed The Name of the Star because it had such a great mystery, this book pales in comparison. It starts out with a chilling ghostly murder scene that leads you to believe you are in for another sinister murder mystery, and then the book just flails around from one story line to another without really grasping anything as a main focus, unless you count Rory's journey of self discovery. The plot is chaotic and confusing as it bounces around. Just when you think it is going to settle in on something exciting, like the loose ghosts from the mental asylum, if takes a turn and heads to another thread that is completely unrelated. In the end, you have a bunch of story lines that don't converge neatly. This book unfortunately was a mess.
I really liked Rory in the first book, and while I enjoyed her growth in this one, she also frustrated me to no end. I realize that she can't exactly come clean with her classmates about her new found abilities but it got a little ridiculous with her lying. She was constantly spinning lies and I didn't like that. Second, she makes some rash and immatures decisions, especially when it comes to Jane (even though there is an explanation for her supposed behavior) I didn't like the way she would choose an unknown vs. going to her friends, Boo, Stephen and Callum. Through the entire book, you watch Rory blunder around until she ends up choosing the path that you know she will end up taking at the end of book one. It is rather obvious that she is never going to be able to lead a normal life with her new found abilities. Thus, this second book spent the majority of the time taking you to the apparent outcome.
I was extremely disappointed in the ghostly aspect in this sequel. Book one features a frightening murdering ghost, and this one leads you to believe that there will be more in this one, especially when the discovery is made regarding the ghosts from the asylum. However, the ghosts just fizzle out and are really a non presence. I was expecting so much more.
Finally, the ending...why oh why do you have to go with a ridiculous cliffhanger? Seriously, the pace picked up the final few chapters and then there is this jarring event that left me rattled and very unhappy. I finished this one completely disgusted. At this point, I have such a bad taste in my mouth, I don't know if I will pick up book three.
The Madness Underneath was a weak follow up to The Name of the Star. This book is without the excitement, mystery and tension that was so prevalent in book one. The overall plot lacks cohesiveness and the ghostly presence is minimal. Basically, the conflict of this book is all about Rory choosing her future... will she try and slip into her normal life or become a ghost hunter? I think it is pretty obvious how it is going to play out. Finally, the story builds with an exciting climax only to culminate with another ridiculous cliffhanger. If you were a fan of book one, you will likely be disappointed with this sequel. I was hoping for much better.
I received an ARC copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.
This satisfies two more reads from my TBR Challenge!
Yikes! Here we are almost to the final full week of March and Easter! Hope you have some spring flowers and sunshine! I have another exciting book forecast for you, better hope the Easter Bunny can deliver books! Be sure to let me know what books are going to be in your basket and how the weather is where you are! (Click on the covers for details).
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