Jane Yellowrock #8. The European vamps are coming to visit Leo and he is paranoid enough to pay any price Jane demands in order to make sure that security is in tiptop shape before they arrive. What none of them knew was that there were already European vamps in the states interested in things that Leo would rather keep hidden. Things they wish to acquire for themselves and for which they are willing to go to any lengths to obtain.
There were some interesting resolutions to certain things that have been getting teased at in previous books, especially in Jane and Beast's relationship. In all, this book gripped me quickly even though it's been a while since I read the last one and made it difficult to put down. So glad I have the next one already sitting on the shelf and ready to go!
Page count: 342p/16,790p ytd/231,724p lifetime
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
68:120 White as a Raven's Wing by Seanan McGuire
Ryan has finally proposed to Istas. She knows how important marriage and children are to him and she is willing to join him for these things but she also knows that to be true to those ideals she must first go home and confront her father who has claimed her as his wife after killing her mother according to the traditions of her people. It will not be easy, even harder with Ryan's insistence that he goes with her, but she can do nothing else if she is to honor their relationship even if it means her death trying.
Lots more into the culture of the waheela in this one which I really enjoyed. It's nice getting other perspectives into this universe besides those of the Price family (although I love those!). I hope we get more stories with Istas and Ryan. They seem an interesting pair to follow as they try to navigate a cross-species relationship.
Page count: 35p/16,448p ytd/231,382p lifetime
Lots more into the culture of the waheela in this one which I really enjoyed. It's nice getting other perspectives into this universe besides those of the Price family (although I love those!). I hope we get more stories with Istas and Ryan. They seem an interesting pair to follow as they try to navigate a cross-species relationship.
Page count: 35p/16,448p ytd/231,382p lifetime
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
New Releases I'm Looking Forward To: 3rd Quarter 2015
My usual disclaimer:
Let me state, this is really based on authors or series that I'm already reading since those are the things I follow. I'm not paid to write this blog nor do I have any affiliations with any publishers so I don't receive free books or advance notice of things except what I glean off Facebook from people who do have those contacts or what I research on my own (which again, leads back to authors that I'm already reading). Maybe someday I'll be one of those who has the contacts and gets ARCs but it's not today.
Well, school is finally out so I'm working hard to get caught up on a bunch of my personal reading. The fact that I didn't add a ton this last quarter is going to help but oh boy, that is so not the case with this next quarter. Apparently everyone was aiming for summer releases this year...
Flight From Death by Yasmine Galenorn kicks off the big 3rd quarter. This is the start of her new Fly by Night series featuring Shimmer, a blue dragon, and the detective agency she works for run by Alex Radcliffe, a vampire. Set in the world of Ms. Galenorn's Otherworld series, we have already been introduced to the characters in the short novella, Flight From Hell with the help of the D'Artigo sisters. I love that world and am definitely interested in seeing it from a different perspective.
Release Date: July 7
The following week sees two new books by authors not usually on my list. Armada by Ernest Cline is his second book but after his Ready, Player, One which was fabulous, I'm very interested to see if he can pull it off again. Zack seems to be a typical, every day nerd (so my kinda person) and even though he knows that the stuff he reads about and watches on TV isn't real, a part of him can't help but wish it were. And then one day, it is...
Release Date: July 14
And speaking of second books, Go Set a Watchmen by Harper Lee has been a long time coming. A sequel to To Kill a Mockingbird but written before it, it will be interesting to see what her original take on her characters was before she was asked to change it around completely.
Release Date: July 14
To finish off July, there is Spider's Trap by Jennifer Estep. Gin took out Mab's daughter in the previous book and has now set herself up to take up the mantle of Head Crime Boss for the town. Of course, this means that everyone will be gunning for her even more than ever but now she has to actually try and keep the bad guys in line with something more than her knives.
Release Date: July 28
August starts off big with a double header. First up, Kitty Saves the World by Carrie Vaughn. This is it, the end of the series and it looks like Kitty is going out with a bang. With the information that Cormac was able to dig up in Low Midnight, Kitty and her friends are going to make their play but Dux Bellorum is already ahead of them and they are outgunned and outnumbered at every turn. With all the friends Kitty has made over the years, can she bring them together to save the world?
Release Date: August 4
On the same day, Magic Shifts by Ilona Andrews also comes out. Kate and Curran are working to set up their lives away from The Pack now although they both know it will take time to completely separate themselves. However, when one of Kate's friends from the Merc Guild goes missing, it turns out that the ancient enemy is rising.
Release Date: August 4
Deceptions by Kelley Armstrong is the only other book on my list coming out in August. We left Olivia with her ex-fiance stalking her at the behest of her enemies, those who most likely framed her parents for murder and Olivia herself trapped in her own head in so many ways. Now her visions are becoming more frequent and she must learn to interpret them and find a way to strike a balance in her mind.
Release Date: August 18
September starts off with another crazy double header. A Red-Rose Chain by Seanan McGuire is the start of the story that everything up until now has been getting Toby ready for and that probably doesn't bode well for her.
Release Date: September 1
Kim Harrison also kicks off a new series with The Drafter. I'm not 100% sold on this one yet but I'll definitely be doing some more research. Details are still kind of spotty but I really enjoyed her other work so odds are good I'll give it a chance. Minority Report meets Bourne Identity could be interesting...
Release Date: September 1
Next up is a new collection of short stories in Led Astray by Kelley Armstrong. The collection is to include stories from the Otherworld, Cainsville, Darkest Powers, and Age of Legends series. I'm very interested in reading the stuff from Otherworld and Cainsville and I figure it will give me a chance to see what the other two series are like since to date, the blurbs haven't gripped me enough to actually delve into them.
Release Date: September 8
Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs is the third book the Miss Peregrine Home for Peculiar Children series. Unfortunately I'm a book behind so all I can tell from the synopsis I'm seeing is that there is danger everywhere for these children and their caregiver, Miss Peregrine. Hoping I can get caught up before it comes out.
Release Date: September 22
And the final book for this quarter is Autumn Moon by Jan DeLima. Elen was made outcast because of her powers and lack of ability to shift to a wolf. Now her powers and her kind heart have caused her to save her friends and use the energy she gained from that to change Cormack from the man in a wolf's body he has always been into a full shapeshifter. Now Cormack finds himself wanting more from Elen than just her friendship but wants to be able to present himself as a full-man rather than one who is still learning the basics like a baby. Before he can do that however, Pendaran has kidnapped Elen to force her to use her magic to aid him and his cause.
Release Date: September 29
So yeah, a LOT of new releases coming out in the next couple of months. I'm thankful that in all but one case, they are either stand-alones, starting a new series, or I'm caught up in the series already. Still, lots and lots of reading to be getting done and I still haven't even gotten caught up in Elfquest before events in the Final Quest so I can read those as they come out. That is definitely something I need to find time to change this summer.
Happy Reading!
Let me state, this is really based on authors or series that I'm already reading since those are the things I follow. I'm not paid to write this blog nor do I have any affiliations with any publishers so I don't receive free books or advance notice of things except what I glean off Facebook from people who do have those contacts or what I research on my own (which again, leads back to authors that I'm already reading). Maybe someday I'll be one of those who has the contacts and gets ARCs but it's not today.
Well, school is finally out so I'm working hard to get caught up on a bunch of my personal reading. The fact that I didn't add a ton this last quarter is going to help but oh boy, that is so not the case with this next quarter. Apparently everyone was aiming for summer releases this year...
Flight From Death by Yasmine Galenorn kicks off the big 3rd quarter. This is the start of her new Fly by Night series featuring Shimmer, a blue dragon, and the detective agency she works for run by Alex Radcliffe, a vampire. Set in the world of Ms. Galenorn's Otherworld series, we have already been introduced to the characters in the short novella, Flight From Hell with the help of the D'Artigo sisters. I love that world and am definitely interested in seeing it from a different perspective.
Release Date: July 7
The following week sees two new books by authors not usually on my list. Armada by Ernest Cline is his second book but after his Ready, Player, One which was fabulous, I'm very interested to see if he can pull it off again. Zack seems to be a typical, every day nerd (so my kinda person) and even though he knows that the stuff he reads about and watches on TV isn't real, a part of him can't help but wish it were. And then one day, it is...
Release Date: July 14
And speaking of second books, Go Set a Watchmen by Harper Lee has been a long time coming. A sequel to To Kill a Mockingbird but written before it, it will be interesting to see what her original take on her characters was before she was asked to change it around completely.
Release Date: July 14
To finish off July, there is Spider's Trap by Jennifer Estep. Gin took out Mab's daughter in the previous book and has now set herself up to take up the mantle of Head Crime Boss for the town. Of course, this means that everyone will be gunning for her even more than ever but now she has to actually try and keep the bad guys in line with something more than her knives.
Release Date: July 28
August starts off big with a double header. First up, Kitty Saves the World by Carrie Vaughn. This is it, the end of the series and it looks like Kitty is going out with a bang. With the information that Cormac was able to dig up in Low Midnight, Kitty and her friends are going to make their play but Dux Bellorum is already ahead of them and they are outgunned and outnumbered at every turn. With all the friends Kitty has made over the years, can she bring them together to save the world?
Release Date: August 4
On the same day, Magic Shifts by Ilona Andrews also comes out. Kate and Curran are working to set up their lives away from The Pack now although they both know it will take time to completely separate themselves. However, when one of Kate's friends from the Merc Guild goes missing, it turns out that the ancient enemy is rising.
Release Date: August 4
Deceptions by Kelley Armstrong is the only other book on my list coming out in August. We left Olivia with her ex-fiance stalking her at the behest of her enemies, those who most likely framed her parents for murder and Olivia herself trapped in her own head in so many ways. Now her visions are becoming more frequent and she must learn to interpret them and find a way to strike a balance in her mind.
Release Date: August 18
September starts off with another crazy double header. A Red-Rose Chain by Seanan McGuire is the start of the story that everything up until now has been getting Toby ready for and that probably doesn't bode well for her.
Release Date: September 1
Kim Harrison also kicks off a new series with The Drafter. I'm not 100% sold on this one yet but I'll definitely be doing some more research. Details are still kind of spotty but I really enjoyed her other work so odds are good I'll give it a chance. Minority Report meets Bourne Identity could be interesting...
Release Date: September 1
Next up is a new collection of short stories in Led Astray by Kelley Armstrong. The collection is to include stories from the Otherworld, Cainsville, Darkest Powers, and Age of Legends series. I'm very interested in reading the stuff from Otherworld and Cainsville and I figure it will give me a chance to see what the other two series are like since to date, the blurbs haven't gripped me enough to actually delve into them.
Release Date: September 8
Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs is the third book the Miss Peregrine Home for Peculiar Children series. Unfortunately I'm a book behind so all I can tell from the synopsis I'm seeing is that there is danger everywhere for these children and their caregiver, Miss Peregrine. Hoping I can get caught up before it comes out.
Release Date: September 22
And the final book for this quarter is Autumn Moon by Jan DeLima. Elen was made outcast because of her powers and lack of ability to shift to a wolf. Now her powers and her kind heart have caused her to save her friends and use the energy she gained from that to change Cormack from the man in a wolf's body he has always been into a full shapeshifter. Now Cormack finds himself wanting more from Elen than just her friendship but wants to be able to present himself as a full-man rather than one who is still learning the basics like a baby. Before he can do that however, Pendaran has kidnapped Elen to force her to use her magic to aid him and his cause.
Release Date: September 29
So yeah, a LOT of new releases coming out in the next couple of months. I'm thankful that in all but one case, they are either stand-alones, starting a new series, or I'm caught up in the series already. Still, lots and lots of reading to be getting done and I still haven't even gotten caught up in Elfquest before events in the Final Quest so I can read those as they come out. That is definitely something I need to find time to change this summer.
Happy Reading!
67:120 Black as Blood by Seanan McGuire
Ryan, a tanuki, has asked his girlfriend Istas, a waheela, to travel cross-country to meet his family. To a tanuki this is a huge deal as their species is almost extinct and mating is an imperative among all fertile members of the species. Since the tanuki is odd in that they can breed true with any other species this doesn't seem like a big deal until you realize that waheela are vicious predators that tend to eat their young. Needless to say, Ryan's tanuki mother is not a fan of Istas. Istas manages her temper beautifully (waheela are also famous for their hair-trigger temper) and things really go about as well as can be expected.
Istas and Ryan are not hugely prominent figures in the series but it's sweet to watch their relationship grow in these short stories.
Page count: 19p/16,413p ytd/231,347p lifetime
Istas and Ryan are not hugely prominent figures in the series but it's sweet to watch their relationship grow in these short stories.
Page count: 19p/16,413p ytd/231,347p lifetime
Monday, June 1, 2015
66:120 Four: A Divergent Collection by Veronica Roth
In Divergent, we follow Tris's point of view from the time of her testing and initiation as a transfer into Dauntless and through the events that then unfold because of her being Divergent. In this collection, we go back a few years prior to that and see Four's experiences. His choice to escape his father's brutality at home by becoming Dauntless, his initiation into his new faction, his choices as he learns more and more about what is being hidden and how some of the factions are working together against the common good.
I frequently enjoy reading stories with other POVs than the main series and this was no exception. I enjoyed Four in the series and always wondered what his life had been like prior to when we meet him with Tris. This was a nice return to that world with an interesting twist.
Page count: 285p/16,394p ytd/231,328p lifetime
I frequently enjoy reading stories with other POVs than the main series and this was no exception. I enjoyed Four in the series and always wondered what his life had been like prior to when we meet him with Tris. This was a nice return to that world with an interesting twist.
Page count: 285p/16,394p ytd/231,328p lifetime
65:120 Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi
Pinocchio starts life as a block of wood who is then carved into a marionette to be a son for the good Geppetto but Pinocchio turns out to be a very bad boy indeed. He runs off and follows bad advice again and again and again breaking the heart of his father, Geppetto, and the Fairy with the Blue Hair. He ends up almost being burned to heat the puppeteer's dinner, almost killed by assassins, swindled out of money for his papa, locked in jail, accused of murder, turned into a donkey, and eventually swallowed by a enormous dogfish. Of course, in the end, he learns his lesson and becomes a real boy and a joy to his papa.
Up until now, I'd only ever been familiar with the Disneyfied version of the story so it was a shock to me just how awful Pinocchio was. He starts life by locking Geppetto out of his own home, squishing the Talking Cricket, and then falling asleep and burning his feet off. There are many similarities between the stories but so much more happens to him due to his own follies in the book. It definitely seems like it was written to impart better behaviors on little boys. What made reading this such a treat though is that I was reading the book that was in my husband's grandfather's nursery to my son. Such a cool thing to do!
Page count: 157p/16,109p ytd/231,043p lifetime
Up until now, I'd only ever been familiar with the Disneyfied version of the story so it was a shock to me just how awful Pinocchio was. He starts life by locking Geppetto out of his own home, squishing the Talking Cricket, and then falling asleep and burning his feet off. There are many similarities between the stories but so much more happens to him due to his own follies in the book. It definitely seems like it was written to impart better behaviors on little boys. What made reading this such a treat though is that I was reading the book that was in my husband's grandfather's nursery to my son. Such a cool thing to do!
Page count: 157p/16,109p ytd/231,043p lifetime
64:120 Blocked by Seanan McGuire
Antimony Price is graduating high school. She was there to learn how to socialize and integrate with normal society but while there, she found her niche in the cheerleading squad. Now that it's over however, there is a vacant hole in her life and she doesn't know what to do next. As a Price, she has to keep out of the spotlight which means most activities she would enjoy and be good at are things she can't pursue in case the Covenant sees her face and comes after her and her family. She is dejected until her cousin takes her for a rollerball derby try-out...
This is our first real glimpse at Antimony outside of descriptions of her from Verity and Alex's point of view. We still have another Verity lead book before she gets her first time to shine in the spotlight so it's nice to get an idea of what we will be in for when it's finally her turn.
Page count: 15p/15,952p ytd/230,886p lifetime
This is our first real glimpse at Antimony outside of descriptions of her from Verity and Alex's point of view. We still have another Verity lead book before she gets her first time to shine in the spotlight so it's nice to get an idea of what we will be in for when it's finally her turn.
Page count: 15p/15,952p ytd/230,886p lifetime
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