Tuesday, April 30, 2013

The Heiresses by Allison Rushby | Special Giveaway


In celebration of the release of this fantastic and brilliant novel by Allison Rushby, where we are taken back into the past with glitz, glamour and fashion. Back to London 1926 where three young girls will need to determine what is more important: Their inheritance or each other?

I have been given the chance to give ONE copy of this novel away to one lucky person. Unfortunately, since I am strapped for cash right now this will have to be for Australian residents only. *sadface*

Book Description from Goodreads:

In Allison Rushby's Heiresses, three triplets--estranged since birth--are thrust together in glittering 1926 London to fight for their inheritance, only to learn they can’t trust anyone--least of all each other.

When three teenage girls, Thalia, Erato and Clio, are summoned to the excitement of fast-paced London--a frivolous, heady city full of bright young things--by Hestia, an aunt they never knew they had, they are shocked to learn they are triplets and the rightful heiresses to their deceased mother's fortune. All they need to do is find a way to claim the fortune from their greedy half-brother, Charles. But with the odds stacked against them, coming together as sisters may be harder than they think.



a Rafflecopter giveaway


Thanks to Pan Macmillian for supplying me with the book for the giveaway.

May the best person win. Good luck.

Friday, April 26, 2013

Prodigy by Marie Lu

Prodigy (Legend #2) by Marie Lu
Publication Date: January 29, 2013
Publisher: Putnam Juvenille
Number of Pages: 371
Format: Hardback
Buy: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
Add to Goodreads


June and Day arrive in Vegas just as the unthinkable happens: the Elector Primo dies, and his son Anden takes his place. With the Republic edging closer to chaos, the two join a group of Patriot rebels eager to help Day rescue his brother and offer passage to the Colonies. They have only one request—June and Day must assassinate the new Elector.

It’s their chance to change the nation, to give voice to a people silenced for too long.

But as June realizes this Elector is nothing like his father, she’s haunted by the choice ahead. What if Anden is a new beginning? What if revolution must be more than loss and vengeance, anger and blood—what if the Patriots are wrong?

In this highly-anticipated sequel, Lu delivers a breathtaking thriller with high stakes and cinematic action.

June, once the Republic's adored prodigy, is now on the run and wanted for treason against the Republic. Their only chance of survival is to find the Patriots and convince them to help them find Day's brother and escape to the Colonies. But having no money is a problem, but the Patriots agree with one condition, they assassinate the new Elector. 

The leader of the Patriots, Razor, is actually a high ranking military officer. He claims that Andan, the new Elector will only enforce his father's ways. By assassinating him will bring about a revolution that the Republic needs and one step closer to bringing the United States as a while once again. Hearing about Andan's infatuation with June, he sends her as bait. But after spending time with him she starts to realize that Andan is nothing like his father. Andan wants to change the Republic and he needs both June and Day's help to win the people over. She knows something isn't adding up and stops the plan even if it means the Patriots will be out for her.

I wished we got more information about the Colonies and even what happened to split the two sides up. But I do love all the references to American history. And it even reminds me a bit of the tv show Revolution. In the first book it seemed there were so many possible love triangles. It really seemed like they might do one with Day, June, and Thomas. This book ruled out a Thomas love triangle, but what we see emerged is more of a love square. And the part that involves June, as much as I love her and Day I wouldn't mind seeing her with the other either. In the first book I didn't mind Tess. I even kind of liked her. Well how the tables turned. In this book I couldn't stand her. I just wanted her to go far far away and stay there.

The one thing I hate about YA is how predictable the books are. Now there were a few twists like who were really funding the Patriots to kill the new Elector. I stared at the page for five minutes to make sure I was reading it right. Even though looking clues were present all a long. We had assumed the Colonies were funding them, but a little half way through I just knew it wasn't the Colonies. Day has to decide to keep his rebellious ways or announce to the whole Republic that he supports the new Elector. And the ending! Oh Day how you break my heart. I saw it coming the whole time.

I often forget that they are only 15 years old. Seems they should be much older than that. And now the wait for the final book begins....

Rating: 4/5





 

Review: Deeper Than Midnight by Lara Adrian

Deeper Than Midnight (Midnight Breed #9) by Lara Adrian
Publication Date: June 28, 2011
Publisher: Dell
Number of Pages: 387
Format: Paperback
Buy: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
Add to Goodreads

At eighteen, Corinne Bishop was a beautiful, spirited young woman living a life of privilege as the adopted daughter of a wealthy family. Her world changed in an instant when she was stolen away and held prisoner by the malevolent vampire Dragos. After many years of captivity and torment, Corinne is rescued by the Order, a cadre of vampire warriors embroiled in a war against Dragos and his followers. Her innocence taken, Corinne has lost a piece of her heart as well—the one thing that gave her hope during her imprisonment, and the only thing that matters to her now that she is free.

Assigned to safeguard Corinne on her trip home is a formidable golden-eyed Breed male called Hunter. Once Dragos’s most deadly assassin, Hunter now works for the Order, and he’s hell-bent on making Dragos pay for his manifold sins. Bonded to Corinne by their mutual desire, Hunter will have to decide how far he’ll go to end Dragos’s reign of evil—even if carrying out his mission means shattering Corinne’s tender heart.

Another one of those series where I loved it in the beginning, and well I haven't been too impressed with most of the second half of the series. This book was one of the better ones. And honestly I've been interested in Hunter since he was introduced.

Hunter has never seen Corinne before now, but there is something about her he recognizes. When Brock and Jenna are delayed in Alaska for longer than expected, Hunter volunteers to escort Corinne home. But things don't go as plan when Hunter realizes that the ones closest to Corinne knew about the abduction all those years ago. Hunter is unable to let Corinne leave his side and must protect her while she searches for the one person that means the world to her.

The story switches between Hunter and Corinne's story and Chase's POV. Chase is spinning out of control and no one but himself can help him. I almost felt like this book was more setting up Chase's book than being Hunter's story. There a few twists, not too shocking. Except the one at the end.

The book was descent. I think at this point this is just another series I just want to get over with. But I'm really looking forward to Chase's book.

Rating: 3/5






 


Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Review: Fall of Night (Morganville Vampires #14) by Rachel Caine

Fall of Night (Morganville Vampires #14) by Rachel Caine
Publisher: Penguin
Publication date: April 24th, 2013
Number of pages: 350
Format: E-format via Netgalley
Purchase: Amazon | The Book Depository

Thanks to its unique combination of human and vampire residents, Morganville, Texas, is a small college town with big-time problems. When student Claire Danvers gets the chance to experience life on the outside, she takes it. But Morganville isn’t the only town with vampire trouble...

Claire never thought she’d leave Morganville, but when she gets accepted into the graduate program at MIT, she can’t pass up the opportunity. Saying good-bye to her friends is bittersweet, especially since things are still raw and unsettled between Claire and her boyfriend, Shane.

Her new life at MIT is scary and exciting, but Morganville is never really far from Claire’s mind. Enrolled in a special advanced study program with Professor Irene Anderson, a former Morganville native, Claire is able to work on her machine, which is designed to cancel the mental abilities of vampires.

But when she begins testing her machine on live subjects, things quickly spiral out of control, and Claire starts to wonder whether leaving Morganville was the last mistake she’ll ever make...

What happens now that Claire has finally left Morganville to do the one thing she has always wanted to do?

In the fourteenth novel in this series, Rachel Caine does not stop at anything. If you think things had been becoming boring, then think again because this novel begins a new journey for our beloved characters.
Claire arrives at MIT to start a new journey for herself, to be able to see what else there is out there outside Morganville, but she soon discovers the true meaning of what Home is to her, and it may not be what she thought it was.

Claire's life at MIT starts to become a little out of control, she might start to reconsider leaving her friends, her boyfriend and Morganville after all.

This installment felt like a breath of fresh air when we see Claire in a new environment, a place outside of vampires and into a life she has always thought she wanted. But she may discover what she thought she wanted, and what is true could be two very different things.
But her life back in Morganville is not always lost on her when someone from her not so distant past comes along, keeping an eye on her.
This novel is full of adventure, excitement and realizations that your home will always be where your heart is.
We also get to see how things are going back in Morganville with our multiple POVs that continue in this book.

By the end of this, you can feel things might be starting to wrap up for an ending that I can see just on the horizon.

Rachel Caine has surprised me time and time again, and I look forward to the next novel.

Rating:  4.5 / 5



Review: Avenger (Halflings #3) by Heather Burch

Avenger (Halflings #3) by Heather Burch
Publisher: Zonderkidz
Publication date: March 26th, 2013
Number of pages: 304
Format: E-format via Netgalley
Purchase: Amazon | The Book Depository

Sometimes the Truth Comes with a Price
Nikki knew Damon Vessler would not let his prized creation go easily---she simply never imagined the lengths he'd go to get her back into his clutches, and turn Nikki's heart toward darkness.
A Seeker at her heels, trained on her blood, Nikki flees with Raven alongside her for protection, while Mace and the other Halflings fight the battle that has erupted on earth. But even as the two boys she loves fight for her, she knows the battle will be hers to win. Determined to uncover the secrets of her past, and exactly how she fits into Vessler's twisted plans, Nikki sets off on her own, and soon discovers facing hellacious beasts is nothing compared to the decision she will need to make. One that could change not only the war, and her relationship with Mace and Raven, but her future with the Throne.


I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for giving me this chance to review this installment in this great series.

We are back in Nikki, Mace and Raven's world as Nikki has to make some tough choices, choose who she wants to be, and who she wants to be with (I personally think the choice was evident since the beginning) and do what it takes to become the person she needs to be in these trying times.

This was a great end to the series (though I am hearing whispers about a possible fourth book? Maybe focusing on Raven given the ending) that ties up the relationship between Nikki, Mace and Raven. It ties up things that you had wondered about.
It was with her faith and love (but in different ways) for both boys that gave her the strength to grow into the person she was determined to become as she goes on her final mission.

Heather did a great job at ending this trilogy and I was definitely happy about the outcome. I have loved all these characters, the main three especially. It pulled at my heart strings at some moments between Mace and Nikki, and Raven and Nikki. But sometimes being on the losing side of a triangle isn't always a losing battle, sometimes it makes you grow and change so that person has the ability to find happiness elsewhere. Sometimes it is going through that experience of love and loss is what prepares you and makes you believe again.

Nikki was an amazing lead character for this series. She was young and lost in the beginning,  things changed quickly when she met this group of guys who, in the end, changed her life and made her stronger and more alive than ever before.

If there will be a spinoff, I'd definitely check it out. But if not.. that's fine for me too, since the ending was a satisfying one, but leaves things open for more exploration.

4 out of 5.



Thursday, April 18, 2013

Follow Friday #16

It's time once again for the Feature and Follow Blog Hop hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read The Feature and Follow Blog Hop is an excellent chance to connect with other bloggers and answering questions about our favorite books. Here's this week's question:




Q: If you could hang out with any author (living) who would it be and what would you want to do?


This would be an easy one. My favourite author, Karen Marie Moning. If I lived in the US, of course, or if she was over here in Australia (Fat chance that ever happening. lol) We can go driving in her new bloody amazing car, a black lamborghini.



We'd talk about her books ALL day of course!


Iron Crowned by Richelle Mead

Iron Crowned (Dark Swan #3) by Richelle Mead
Publication Date: March 1, 2011
Publisher: Zebra
Number of Pages: 375
Format: Paperback
Buy: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
Add to Goodreads

Shaman-for-hire Eugenie Markham is the best at banishing entities trespassing in the mortal realm. But as the Thorn Land's queen, she's fast running out of ways to end the brutal war devastating her kingdom. Her only hope: the Iron Crown, a legendary object even the most powerful gentry fear...

Who Eugenie can trust is the hardest part. Fairy king Dorian has his own agenda for aiding her search. And Kiyo, her shape-shifter ex-boyfriend, has every reason to betray her along the way. To control the Crown's ever-consuming powers, Eugenie will have to confront an unimaginable temptation - one that will put her soul and the fate of two worlds in mortal peril...

Iron Crowned picks up where Thorn Queen left off. Eugenie and Dorian are not only back together as a couple, but are united in a war against Rowan Land and Queen Katrice. Desperate to end the war in a peaceful way, Eugenie hears stories of the legendary Iron Crown. A crown hidden somewhere and one must venture through mines of iron along with other obstacles to obtain it, not to mention the crown itself is made of iron. Dorian claims the crown has no real power, that it's just a symbol of the trails one goes through to get it. And that enough would make Katrice end the war. Not initially wanting to go after it, Dorian pushes her towards it. He even convinces her to take Kiyo with her, who even though isn't involved wants to see the war ended peacefully.

Getting the crown wasn't easy, but she realizes that Dorian had lied to her about the crown. Unable to trust his motivations anymore she breaks things off with him. And this is the one thing I hate about this series. The back and forth between Dorian and Kiyo. Not to mention she jumps right into bed with Kiyo after the breakup.

I really loved the fact that Jasmine has turned over a new leaf, or maybe not so. But the two have become closer and towards the end of the book Eugenie feels she can trust her enough to take off her cuffs and even takes her back to her house in the human world.

If you've read any other Mead's series you should noticed that the third book in the series is a heart breaker.  Not only does Eugenie find a way to end the war without anymore bloodshed, which is a big shock. At first reaction the twist at the end will make you gasp. But at the same time it's kind of foreseen, especially with earlier events in the book. Now fearing for her life from one man in her life she must seek protection from the other man. She's not entirely sure she can fully trust either one.

Rating: 4/5






 

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Teaser Tuesday 21







Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Want to play along?
  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share 2 "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
  • Be careful not to include spoilers
  • Share the title and author
Just finished re reading Thorn Queen by Richelle Mead. One of the things I love about adult urban fantasy is the humor you find in it.

Later, I would ask Shaya to help me compose a formal response to Katrice's letter, something a long the lines of "I am the Thorn Queen. Fuck Off.








Review: Thorn Queen by Richelle Mead

Thorn Queen (Dark Swan #2) by Richelle Mead
Publication Date: August 1, 2009
Publisher: Zebra
Number of Pages: 384
Format: Paperback
Buy: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
Add to Goodreads

Eugenie Markham is a shaman for hire, paid to bind and banish creatures from the Otherworld. But after her last battle, she's also become queen of the Thorn Land. It's hardly an envious life, not with her kingdom in tatters, her love life in chaos, and Eugenie eager to avoid the prophecy about her firstborn destroying mankind. And now young girls are disappearing from the Otherworld, and no one--except Eugenie--seems willing to find out why.
Eugenie has spilled plenty of fey blood in her time, but this enemy is shrewd, subtle, and nursing a very personal grudge. And the men in her life aren't making things any easier. Her boyfriend Kiyo is preoccupied with his pregnant ex, and sexy fey king Dorian always poses a dangerous distraction. With or without their help, Eugenie must venture deep into the Otherworld and trust in an unpredictable power she can barely control. Reluctant queen or not, Eugenie has sworn to do her duty--even if it means facing the darkest--and deadliest--side of her nature. . .

Eugenie can't deny her Otherworld heritage, having inherit a kingdom she didn't want. In which Eugenie's solution is to ignore all problems. She still pops in every now and then since she's connected to the land. But all other problems she lets her servants handle. Not to mention Eugenie has conflicting feelings about Kiyo and Maiween. Yes Kiyo claims to love Eugenie, but Maiween is the mother of his child. That's a connection that is hard to overcome. Traveling back to her castle from the baby shower she comes one of her villages, and she realizes how bad off her kingdom really is. Which makes her more involved. And to find out young gentry girls are being kidnapped from her kingdom.

In the process of looking for missing girls, her guards eventually find Jasmine, Eugenie's 15 year old half-sister, who is determined to get rid of Eugenie and have the Storm King's heir. Even for a re read the book is a big page turner. I began to hate Kiyo even more than I did in the first book, if that's even possible. Yes I understand he wants to be there for Maiween, but I don't understand why he needed to spend majority of his time with her before the baby was born. Not to mention when the baby was born it took him at least two days to contact Eugenie to let her know the baby was born. I don't really use love or connection like she has with Dorian. All I see between Eugenie and Kiyo is really good sex.

And it wouldn't be a book without some traumatic event. I don't want to spoil it for those who haven't read. But the fallout of the event brings about a war between the kingdoms. I wanted to shoot Kiyo for not standing up and being a man and doing everything he could to protect Eugenie.

Once again Richelle really hit the nail with this one. I can't wait to finish my re read.

Rating: 5/5




Saturday, April 13, 2013

Review : The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa

The Eternity Cure (Blood of Eden #2) by Julie Kagawa
Publisher: Harlequin Australia
Publication date: May 1st, 2013
Number of pages: 428
Format: E-copy via Netgalley
Links: Amazon | The Book Depository

In Allison Sekemoto's world, there is one rule left: Blood calls to blood

She has done the unthinkable: died so that she might continue to live. Cast out of Eden and separated from the boy she dared to love, Allie will follow the call of blood to save her creator, Kanin, from the psychotic vampire Sarren. But when the trail leads to Allie's birthplace in New Covington, what Allie finds there will change the world forever-and possibly end human and vampire existence.

There's a new plague on the rise, a strain of the Red Lung virus that wiped out most of humanity generations ago-and this strain is deadly to humans and vampires alike. The only hope for a cure lies in the secrets Kanin carries, if Allie can get to him in time.

Allison thought that immortality was forever. But now, with eternity itself hanging in the balance, the lines between human and monster will blur even further, and Allie must face another choice she could never have imagined having to make.


Allison has always wanted things that is forbidden to her. First it was Zeke; the human boy who stole her heart, and then it was Eden where she was not wanted. After discovering that her maker and mentor, Kanin is in trouble Allison decides it's her job to go and save him whatever the cost.

She begins on a long journey to locate where Kanin could be, but soon discovers someone so completely unexpected on her trip that she didn't expect to find: her blood brother Jackal. After the two of them form an unlikely alliance they discover a plague lurking around, which was a deadly virus named Red Lung that wiped out so much of humanity long ago, and their sire just might be the one person who knows the cure. That is if they are able to get to him in time before Lethal, Sarren does more damage than he has already.

As they go from place to place, they are forced to control certain things from Allie's past and when they run into the most unlikiest person they just might discover there is hope yet for them all.
The race is on and if they don't rescue Kanin soon; they might not have anyone to rescue.

In this book, Allison becomes so much stronger and embraces her vampire side where in the previous installment that was something she kept hidden or refused to think existed. But when things come to light, Allison meets people from her past once again.. she'll have to make a choice that could end up costing her more than she ever imagined.

Love interest to Allie, Zeke makes a return and there was certain things about him and his family that get revealed which I don't see coming.  I am glad though, to have him more involved with the story than he was. I didn't want him to just be a love interest, because to be honest in the first book I didn't really get a feel for him or his relationship with Allison. But in this book.. Damn, I was downright shipping them.
He really comes to his own as a character and I was so thankful, because it wouldn't be Julie if any character was just put in just for one reason. They need things to do.

Jackal. Oh, how was it possible that I went from hating him in The Immortal Rules to adoring him in this novel? It seemed impossible, but you start to understand him a bit more than before. It was nice to see that he was not all bad that he appeared originally. I look foward to seeing more of him in the next book.

And last, but not least... my second favourite character... Kanin.  I don't know why, but from off the bat in The Immortal Rules, I really connected to this lonely and stubborn vampire. He clearly has issues, but he was a teacher and mentor to Allison. Give her life and a new understanding on vampires when she  became one. He gave her a home and lessons on how to survive on how she is now, and if it wasn't for him... she probably would not have lived this long.
Even though we didn't see as much of him as I would have liked, I thought what we did get was worth while and it meant something.
Kanin is someone who you can like and understand. He has been through so much in trying to find a cure over the years. I love his relationship he has with Allison.. he is not just her sire and mentor, but also her family. More than blood.

Of course we are left with one huge whopping cliffhanger that makes you... W.T.F. Yes. It will leave you hanging like nothing else.

I personally can't wait to see where Julie takes things in the next book in this series.. I do wonder though, is this a trilogy.. or will there be more books? Feels like it could be a trilogy though. Most series these days tend to be.

 I would like to thank Harlequin Australia and Netgalley for giving me this chance to review this title in exchange for a honest review.

Rating: 5 out of 5.







Friday, April 12, 2013

Mini Review: Woody Creek series (1-5) by Joy Dettman






On a balmy midsummer's evening in 1923, a young woman – foreign, dishevelled and heavily pregnant – is found unconscious just off the railway tracks in the tiny logging community of Woody Creek.

The town midwife, Gertrude Foote, is roused from her bed when the woman is brought to her door. Try as she might, Gertrude is unable to save her, but the baby lives.

When no relatives come forth to claim the infant, Gertrude's daughter Amber – who has recently lost a son in childbirth – and her husband Norman take the child in. In the ensuing weeks, Norman becomes convinced that God has sent the baby to their door, and in an act of reckless compassion and lonely desperation, he names the baby Jennifer and registers her in place of his son.

Loved by some but scorned by more, including her stepmother and sister, Jenny survives her childhood and grows into an exquisite and talented young woman. But who were her parents?

Spanning two momentous decades and capturing rural Australia's complex and mysterious heart, Pearl in a Cage is the unputdownable new novel by one of our most talented storytellers.

In the first book to Joy Dettman's "Woody Creek" series, we have a bunch of residents of a small town in Victoria, Australia lives a midwife who one night in 1923 stumbles upon a young pregnant woman about to give birth.
Having no choice, midwife, Gertrude is forced to deliver the child into this world. Soon after, the mother passes away and Gertrude decides to give the child to her daughter, Amber and her husband who recently lost a child of their own.
During the course of this book we see as the child named Jenny grows up and how the residents of Woody Creek respond to her in their lives. This is the story of a young girl, her family and the people of this town as they interconnect to one another.

Joy is such a fantastic, descriptive storyteller. I haven't seen anything like it before. The way she describes certain things and the small town of Woody Creek --- it's obvious that she has had experience in small rural towns growing up.
The people in this town are so connected. Some in good ways and some in bad. We travel on the journey as we discover a vital moment in Jenny's life where things start to become haywire for her. And that is the very moment that changes the course not only for her, but her family and the entire town.
When one person experiences something; the whole town does.
I really felt for Jenny so much. This book concludes when she is 14 years old, and she has not had the easiest of times. Her relationship with her sister and mother could not be any worse than it already is. It's her grandmother Gertrude and father,  Norman who are her light in her life. The only sort of normalcy she can have.

This was a different sort of book than what I was used to, but when I was approached to review this book from Pan Macmillan, I decided to expand out of my normal genres and give something new a shot. I was pleasantly surprised. I don't often read Australian books although this as it turns out I liked more than I thought I would.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5










It is 1939 and Jenny Morrison, distraught and just fifteen years of age, has fled the tiny logging community of Woody Creek for a new life in the big smoke.

But four months later she is back - wiser, with an expensive new wardrobe, and bearing another dark secret...

She takes refuge with Gertrude, her dependable granny and Woody Creek's indomitable midwife, and settles into a routine in the ever-expanding and chaotic household.

But can she ever put the trauma of the past behind her and realize her dream of becoming a famous singer? Or is she doomed to follow in the footsteps of her tragic and mysterious mother?


After skipping town before anyone knew it, Jenny returns four months later with a secret and with a new vibe about her. She has new clothes with a new attitude, but there is something dark hidden beneath her tough exterior.
The life of Jenny has not been an easy one. After she arrives back in town after months of being away, she comes and stays with her grandmother, but soon enough, Jenny finds himself in the midst of drama once again. She finds herself pregnant once again after a brief relationship with Laurie, who she met in Melbourne.
After not wanting the child at first, Jenny soon changes her mind once Georgie is born. She may be not much older than her first child, but she is a little bit more mature at this point and she knows what she wants.

Her sister, Sissy finds herself engaged to her long-time crush, Jim but she soon becomes crushed when Jim calls off the engagement to be with Jenny, who he has become requainted with after being childhood friends.

Lots of things occur between Amber and her husband, Norman. The relationship between them has always been an unpredictible one. A crazy and unhealthy one at that. Things I was shocked at.

This was a great installment to this historical series. I look forward to see what is next for Jenny and the gang from Woody Creek.





Jenny Morrison is bravely trying to move on with her life. With her husband missing amidst the turmoil of WWII she takes refuge with Ray King, a slightly sinister, stuttering boy who disappeared from Woody Creek as a teenager but has now reappeared. In return for regular wifely duties, Ray offers Jenny and her three children sanctuary at his house in Melbourne. For a time, she is happy.But then Jennys father the philandering impresario Archie Foote storms back into her world and chaos reigns again. Archie recognises Jennys brilliance and offers her a second chance a way to escape the domestic drudgery and finally fulfil her dream. But when you have three children, one missing husband and another with a dark secret, dreams have a habit of turning into nightmares


After the presumed death of her husband, Jim, Jenny gets taken in by Ray King who s determined to take care of Jenny and her kids. Ray is someone who disappeared from Woody Creek years ago but now has returned.

I wasn't a big fan of Ray especially with the way he treated Jenny. I think he might have meant well, but I think he was also quite insecure in knowing that Jenny didn't love him as he loved her.
Trouble soon arrives in the form of Jenny's biological father, Archie Foote who also happens to be the ex-husband to Gertrude and father to Amber. This revelation only makes the connection between Jenny, Amber and Gertrude even more confusing than it was originally.

While this wasn't as good as the others, it was nice story to see what was going on with the families of Woody Creek. The cliffhanger we are left with this book only makes you want to pick up the next book in this series.

A great series with amazing characterizations. Jenny's life has not gotten any better as she is dealt with one blow after another. Will she ever find happiness longer than a few months? Will the drama ever stop? Hopefully we'll know the answer to that question soon enough.

Rating: 3 out of 5



The wind is whispering in Woody Creek...Change is in the air

It's 1958 and Woody Creek is being dragged kicking and screaming into the swinging sixties.

Jenny's daughters, Cara and Georgie, are now young women. They have inherited their mother's hands, but that is where their similarity ends. Raised separately, they have never met.
A mistake from Cara's teenage years looms over her future, but she believes emphatically in the white wedding and happily ever after myth. Georgie has seen enough of marriage and motherhood. She plans to live her life as her grandmother did, independent of a man.

But life for the Morrison girls has never been easy, and once the sisters are in each other's lives, long-buried secrets are bound to be unearthed, the dramatic consequences of which no-one could have predicted...


This is the first book that follows Jenny's daughters as main characters in this series. The two girls have grown up differently from one another. Cara was adopted out when she was born not fully knowing her birth parents.
Georgie has seen what marriage does to people and tells herself that she won't go down the same path that her mother did, but instead will take the road her grandmother did, surviving without a man.

Joy dettman does an amazing job with these characters and the new aspect she has brought along with this series. As the time speeds forward we get to see characters age and mature as they go through different aspects of life. Not only do we see where Jenny is, but how her relationship is with her children.
Cara grew up in Sydney and when she falls for a boy from her past, the identity of who he really is will shock her to the core. I know I was shocked and could not believe that had happened, or what I would do in a situation like that.

Georgie finds herself amongst the affections of Teddy and soon enough, the consequences of her actions seem a little too similar of her mother.

This is another great installment, though you can feel the series is slowly winding down. The shift in characters from Jenny, to her daughters gives you that feeling.

Georgie and Cara soon find their lives connecting as they meet for the first time, as Cara wants to get to know the family that she never got to know. But sometimes... the truth won't always be what you want to hear, or like.

This book contains one of the craziest cliffhanger endings I have read. Hearts will break and mouths will drop open in the final pages of this installment.

Can't wait to see how things will progress from this point on.




Woody Creek is gearing up for its centenary celebrations – but for many of its townspeople, it's just another reminder of the old days, when life was more simple, before so-called progress, technology and a growing population roared through the town, altering everything in its wake.

Not for Georgie though. Long encumbered by responsibility for her half-sister Margot, she's looking towards the future and more changes. Not having managed to move on from running Charlie's grocery store yet, as the clock ticks over to 1970, she's determined that the time has come.

She's not the only one of Jenny's children who's grown up and is moving on. As a six year old, little Jimmy Morrison was stolen from Woody Creek by his grandfather, and is now further away than ever from his estranged birth mother and sisters. Having inherited an estate in the United Kingdom, he's determined to make a new life for himself. If only he could shake off his one terrible attachment to Australia...

For Cara, Woody Creek has been the source of the most devastating news of her life, and a terrible mistake that cannot be undone. She's vowed never to step foot into the place again. But the old timber town has a way of getting under people's skins. And as it draws the much loved cast of Woody Creek characters back into its grip, confessions, discoveries and truths seem set to explode in the most dramatic of showdowns.

In the newest installment, Joy Dettman does not hold back on anything. This novel goes on to show how Cara deals with the fallout of the revelation made to her on her wedding night. It's one shocking thing after another. She is determined not to go back to Woody Creek, but as things turn out... you can't run from what is to be.

Georgie is also someone on an interesting path in life, as she is determined to do something more with her life than just working in a small town grocery store. Her life is about to start and there is nothing and nobody that will stop her, not even responsibilities to her younger sister, Margot.

It's 1970's. the time for change. The time for doing something special.  The two girls aren't the only one who have things going on in their lives, Jenny's missing son, Jimmy has returned to town after being taken by his grandfather.
After inheriting an estate, he has determined to make a new life for himself.. but there is just one thing that he can't seem to shake, and that lies in Australia in the form of a girl he fell in love with. A girl who is now forbidden to him... who always was but just didn't know it.

In the second to last book of this series, Jenny's children has grown and Jenny herself has been through more than her fair share of trauma in her life. Things are winding down.
I felt so bad for Margot. Her mother never wanted her, and even says that Margot is her biggest mistake and regret. I think that is a poor thing to say. Yes, the circumstances around her birth are not ideal and would not wish that kind of thing on anyone, but to blame a child for something like that isn't the way to go.  And the outcome of Margot.. I bet she never felt loved by  Jenny, because she never loved her at all. Not like her other children.

I look forward to see the end of this series. To see how this series will close. This is such a unique and beautifully written set of stories. Joy Dettman is one of a kind with a knack of storytelling unlike anyone else.

Rating: 3.5 / 5























Thursday, April 11, 2013

Follow Friday #15






It's time once again for the Feature and Follow Blog Hop hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read The Feature and Follow Blog Hop is an excellent chance to connect with other bloggers and answering questions about our favorite books. Here's this week's question:





Q: We are about to see a lot of posts & tweets about reader conventions, RT, BEA, ALA and many more are starting soon. Which one would you love to attend? Where and why?

Since I live in Australia I don't have the option or luxury to go to any of these, but boy wish I did. I need to schedule a trip to the US around one of these events just so that I can experience it even just once.
If I had a choice I would probably choose BEA as it seems to be the most popular and biggest one around. I just think it would be quite the experience to see not just other bloggers, but authors as well. We don't have these sort of conventions in Australia, and so it's be one of my dream things to do one of these days.


Happy Friday.




Review: Deadly Desire by Keri Arthur

Deadly Desire (Riley Jensen Guardian #7) by Keri Arthur
Publication Date: March 24, 2009
Publisher: Bantam
Number of Pages: 352
Format: Paperback
Buy: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
Add to Goodreads

Seduction that kills. Pleasure to die for. She just can't resist.... Guardian Riley Jensen always seems to face the worst villains. And this time's no different. For it's no ordinary sorceress who can raise the dead to do her killing. But that's exactly what Riley expects to find at the end of a trail of female corpses used - and discarded - in a bizarre ritual of evil. With pressure mounting to catch one fiend, another series of brutal slayings shocks the vampire world of her lover, Quinn. So the last thing Riley needs is the heat of the upcoming full moon bringing her werewolf hormones to a boil---or the reappearance of a sexy bounty hunter, the rogue wolf Kye Murphy.

Riley has threatened Murphy with arrest if he doesn't back off the investigation, but it's Riley who feels handcuffed by Kye's lupine charm. Torn between her vamp and wolf natures, between her love for Quinn and her hots for Kye, Riley knows she's courting danger and indulging the deadliest desires. For her hunt through the supernatural underworld will bring her face-to-face with what lurks in a darkness - where even monsters fear to tread.

I have a complicated relationship with this series. I wasn't impressed with the first book, but with each book after that I started to really like the series. Now I'm back to the series being blah. I think Quinn is an ass, and stand him. And Riley must be dumb to jump right back into bed and a relationship with him without questioning anything.

While working a new case, Riley runs into bounty hunter Kye Murphy, who was serving as a body guard to her old pack when she was working a case for them.  Riley becomes annoy when he keeps popping up at her crime scenes and repeatedly threaten to have him arrested. Which in lie my first annoyance with this book. After the hundredth time threatening to have him arrested I just want to tell her to STFU. If she wanted to have him arrested she would of done it the second time he showed up. But at the same time there's an attraction that neither one of them can deny, no matter how much they don't want it.

I just want to know is Riley the only guardian that actually works on cases? And why does Riley always gets the worst ones? This book had way too much Quinn in it for my taste, and not enough of Rhoan and Liander or even Kade. I was disappointed that Quinn was her only lover in this book. She has said before that her nature needs more than one lover. And I don't buy this she has two souls so she has more than one soul mate bs. Rhoan is the same thing she is, and he doesn't have more than one soul mate. Riley is more wolf than vampire while Rhoan is vice versa, so if anyone would have two soul mates it would be him and not Riley.

I knew exactly who the killers were once Ben told her that two women own the strip club and couldn't get more information on them. Once Riley starts digging into records and saying oh these must be coincidences, how stupid can you be?! After the first coincidence she should of been very suspicious. And what was with her saying my vampire every page? I get telling strangers I need to get home to my vampire, but beyond that? It's like she wanted everyone to know that she has a vampire. Usually I love Riley. But in this book I just wanted to come through the pages and bitch slap some sense into her.

And luck would have it she finally finds her soul mate, and it's none other than Kye. Which Riley is very upset over claiming she doesn't even like him. She doesn't even know him to make that conclusion. Not to mention both were very flirty and playful during the whole book. All because he's a bounty hunter? He does the same thing she does, except she works for the government and he's pretty much a gun for hire.

From the end of the previous book I could tell what direction the series is going into. And honestly I didn't want to read this book or finish the series. I'm thankful there's only two more books left.

Rating: 3/5





 

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Review: Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication date: July 25th, 2012
Number of pages: 376
Format: Paperback
Purchase: Amazon | The Book Depository

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with “freaky” scars on her arms. Even Echo can’t remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal.

But when Noah Hutchins--the smoking hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket--explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo’s world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.

Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she’ll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again

I will be the first to admit that I have never been that big on contemporary YA romance books, or maybe I am just so used to Genre type books that when a book in contemporary comes around it takes me awhile to adjust.
I had seen this book everywhere before I finally took the plunge and bought it. It sounded interesting, but I was never 100% sure until I was convinced from a friend who said it was her favourite YA contemporary of 2012,  I then decided to go ahead and and take the chance.
I am pleasantly surprised to say that I was glad I took that chance because of how much I loved it.

I like that it was different. I mean yes it was YA contemporary romance, but it also had this allure and mystery factor to the plot that pulled me in as well.
The story was not just about these two characters and how they connected to one another. It was also about how they became the people they are today and their dark pasts where mystery surrounds them to a point that your hearts will go out to them both individually.

From the very beginning I connected with not just Echo, but also Noah. As we see they have been through so much and continue to do so just made me feel for them so much more.
Echo is living a nightmare one she can't remember for the past few months. She knows something happened to her. She understands who is responsible, but what she doesn't understand is how it happened or why it happened. It's a big mystery surrounding this one big event that continues to haunt her very being and always will until she discovers the truth.

Noah is living his own nightmare; though a bit different to Echo's. His nightmare more has to do with his family. He too has been through a tragic event that has changed who he is. But in other ways he is still the same guy it's just certain things that circumstances has changed him.
He loves his brothers more than life itself and they are the one thing making him go through each day... until he sees them again.

Even though these two teenagers are damaged and scarred throughout their own personal issues going on, they somehow find a connection with one another that makes all the pain somehow a little more bareable.  Together they begin the healing process and maybe even find some sort of light amongst the darkness.

Even if you aren't big on contemporary like me; I'd suggest you take a look into this one because it will surprise the heck out of you. Guaranteed.

Rating: 5 stars.








Saturday, April 6, 2013

Review: Once Burned (Night Prince #1) by Jeaniene Frost

Once Burned (Night Prince #1) by Jeaniene Frost
Publisher: Avon
Publication date:  June 26th, 2012
Number of pages: 346
Format: Mass-Market Paperback
Purchase: Amazon | The Book Depository

She's a mortal with dark powers...

After a tragic accident scarred her body and destroyed her dreams, Leila never imagined that the worst was still to come: terrifying powers that let her channel electricity and learn a person's darkest secrets through a single touch. Leila is doomed to a life of solitude...until creatures of the night kidnap her, forcing her to reach out with a telepathic distress call to the world's most infamous vampire...

He's the Prince of Night...

Vlad Tepesh inspired the greatest vampire legend of all—but whatever you do, don't call him Dracula. Vlad's ability to control fire makes him one of the most feared vampires in existence, but his enemies have found a new weapon against him—a beautiful mortal with powers to match his own. When Vlad and Leila meet, however, passion ignites between them, threatening to consume them both. It will take everything that they are to stop an enemy intent on bringing them down in flames.

In the first book in the Night Huntress spinoff, we see the tale of Vlad and his love interest, Leila.


The Night Huntress series is one of my favourites in the paranormal romance genre. Jeaniene Frost can do no wrong, and while I was a little unsure on this spinoff at first, which was why it had taken me this long to get around to reading it; I was glad that I did.
I couldn't remember much about Vlad prior to this book, but in Once Burned, I fell in love with him. I fell in love with our heroine, Leila as well.

Leila is not an ordinary human. She for the longest time she has found herself to be a freak, because after an accident as a child she has been able to see things when she touches someone skin-by-skin. She can learn their deepest, darkest secrets and that very skill isn't always a good thing. That very thing can get her into trouble.

After being kidnapped and told to contact someone, she has no idea what she is getting herself into. When Leila and Vlad meet through unusual circumstances; fire ignites between them to a point that it's not something they will be able to deny... not for long anyway.
But the journey for them to get to the right point won't be an easy one, but I look forward as we go through the rest of the series so that these two can get their happy ending.

I never imagined the kind of woman who would be enough to handle Vlad.. that is until Leila came along. She is such a strong woman, someone who anyone would be glad to have as their heroine in a book. She is everything you could want as a protagonist, as this series seems to be told from her POV, even though it's also Vlad's series and had been promoted as his. But I think it works well though. I think we had to understand Leila to connect with her and feel she is the best possible choice for someone as amazing as Vlad.

Jeaniene has this way with words. Everything she seems to do can capture a reader and bring them in her world no matter what she is writing. I am at the point where  I would read anything she publishes.

Rating: 4.5.







Thursday, April 4, 2013

Follow Friday #14







It's time once again for the Feature and Follow Blog Hop hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read The Feature and Follow Blog Hop is an excellent chance to connect with other bloggers and answering questions about our favorite books. Here's this week's question:


Q: Have you ever read a book that you thought you would hate -- ? Did you end up hating it? Did you end up loving it? Or would you never do that?


The one that comes to mind was Cinder by Marissa Meyer. For like almost a year I put off buying and reading this book because by the synopsis it just didn't interest me. I think it was for a few reasons. While I love fairytales, but Cinderella as a cyborg? At first I was getting it confused with a cyclops. Don't ask why, they are similar in writing and I was trying to wrap my head around the fact and it put me off.
I then discovered what a Cyborg was and I was still hesitant, but after giving up I decided to go for it after seeing many fantastic reviews for this book. My verdict by the end of the book? I could slap myself for being so stupid and not reading it earlier. I loved it. Just goes to show that sometimes what appears on the outside with your own perceptions doesn't always necessary mean it's what you get on the inside of the book.



If you feel we have things in common, follow Us. We follow back :)

Review: Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Princess (The Infernal Devices #3) by Cassandra Clare
Publication Date: March 19, 2013
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Number of Pages: 568
Format: Hardback
Buy: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
Add to Goodreads

Danger and betrayal, secrets and enchantment in the breathtaking conclusion to the Infernal Devices trilogy

Tessa Gray should be happy - aren't all brides happy?
Yet as she prepares for her wedding, a net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute.
A new demon appears, one linked by blood and secrecy to Mortmain, the man who plans to use his army of pitiless automatons, the Infernal Devices, to destroy the Shadowhunters. Mortmain needs only one last item to complete his plan. He needs Tessa. And Jem and Will, the boys who lay equal claim to Tessa's heart, will do anything to save her.

The conclusion to Clare's The Infernal Devices trilogy is probably one of most anticipated books of the year. The book picks up not long after the last one left off. Tessa is busy planning her wedding, while Will trains his sister Cecily to be a Shadowhunter. And due to tragedy, which honestly I thought was very clever of Ms. Clare, Gabriel comes to the Institute to live.

Even though it's been quiet, Mortmain looms over everyone's minds. Having brought all of the drug Jem needs and even stopped shipping, Jem doesn't have much time left. In which Mortmain makes his move and kidnaps Tessa. Jem, on his death bed, tells Will to go after her and bring her back safe.

I don't want to go into much detail, trying to keep everything spoiler free. But there are a few twists. Most of the theories out there are right in some way. I wished Magnus was in the book more than what he was. But he was amazing as always. And the couples that end up together! Everyone is perfect!

One of my favorite quotes, it's just perfect and I can't stop laughing everytime I read it.

"The next time one of our esteemed members turns into a worm and eats another esteemed member, we will inform you immediately."

Most of our questions were answered in the book. I was more surprised what Tessa ended up being, and thinking about it more raises a few more questions. I'm still not sure how I feel exactly about the ending. One part of me feels like it was a copout. But the majority what I feel is it's perfect ending.

This book was an emotional roller coaster.It will make you laugh, cry, even cuss and want to throw the book out the window. Which I will admit I had wanted to do a few times. Did I mention that it will make you cry? There were several times I had to stop reading because I couldn't see the words through my tears. YOU WILL NEED TISSUES WHEN YOU READ THIS BOOK. This book was just about perfect. A few issues I had, but overall amazing.

Rating: 4.5/5






 

Revew: House Rules by Chloe Neill

House Rules (Chicagoland Vampires #7) by Chloe Neill
Publisher: Gollancz
Publication date: February 14th, 2013
Number of pages: 352
Format: Paperback
Purchase: Amazon | The Book Depository

In a city full of vampires, trouble never sleeps.

At the tender age of 27, Merit became a sword-wielding vampire. Since then, she’s become the protector of her House, watched Chicago nearly burn to the ground, and seen her Master fall and rise. Now she’ll see her mettle—and her metal —tested like never before.

It started with two . . . Two rogues vanishing without a trace. Someone is targeting Chicago’s vampires, and anyone could be next. With their house in peril, Merit and her Master, the centuries old Ethan Sullivan, must race to stop the disappearances. But as they untangle a web of secret alliances and ancient evils, they realize their foe is more familiar, and more powerful, than they could have ever imagined.

Chloe Neill sure knows what appeals to readers. This may be the seventh book in this series, when I believe it was originally meant to be 3-4 book series, but I still love this series to death (no pun intended.)
As expected by the end of the previous book, the Cadogan House are pulling away from the GP and standing on their own two feet as a united house. Not everyone is pleased. When the GP arrives early, Ethan starts to become suspicious as to the reasons why and fears there is something more going on than they are let to believe.
Not only does he have to deal with the GP, newly-returned Lacey, but he and Merit find themselves getting involved in the disappearances of some young kids-vampires who have gone missing, possibly dead. It's just a matter of whether they can find out who is kidnapping these vampires before it's too late.

There are other things going on. It's a full house and Ethan and Merit try to find time for each other amongst everything they find they have issues they need to deal with between themselves; such as Merit's secret that she has involved herself within the Red Guard and that was something she had yet to reveal to Ethan. That was always a secret that I knew would come out at some point, and when it finally does it's pretty much the reaction I expected, yet I didn't expect. But nothing is ever hunky-dorey when it comes to our favourite characters, so of course they have to deal with the drama that appears in their lives.

In this book we also see more of the shifters, who have taken Mallory in --- who is someone we see a little of, though I wish it was more  of. I hope to see more of her friendship-as it starts to repair---  with Merit in the following books, along with her relationship with Catcher, which is one of the things I adored about the early books of this series.

There are many hilarious lines that come with this series, and some of my favourite ones come from Gabriel. Here is one when they are playing cards ---  strip poker?


“Can I ask about the shirts?” I asked, taking a seat beside Mallory. “Or the lack of shirts?”
“You may not,” Christopher said.
“Yes,” Gabriel mocked, “she may. Once again, the whelps have lost their shirts, Kitten. Literally and figuratively.”
Derek grumbled something unflattering.
Gabriel gave him a quick and withering glance. “Pipe down, or I’ll challenge you again, and we both know how that will work out.” He began flipping cards across the table, creating a seven-card pile for each of us. “The name of the game is Nantucket.”


Though this book was clearly a filler, but I feel we need them from time to time. We can't have every book action-packed, we need others for character and romantic progression. Also so there can be added plots and things, so I have no doubt the next book will bring things up to notch.

Rating: 4.5/5