Feeling Fictional

Wednesday, 4 August 2010

July 2010 Recap

July has been a pretty tough month for me, but reading has been a good distraction so I've managed to get through quite a few books. I've got a lot going on at the moment after splitting up with my fiance at the end of June & it's been hard being on my own after spending the last 9 years together. I'm currently in the middle of trying to find a new place to live as I can't afford to stay where I am now he's moved out so I'm probably going to have some offline time sometime in the next couple of months while I'm moving but at the moment I have no idea when that is going to be. I've ended up getting very behind replying to comments and returning blog visits but hopefully I'll get back on top of things when I start to feel better. I'd like to say thanks to everyone for their comments though - they really do help brighten up my day when I read them :o)

Here is the list of books I read in July. (The links will take you to my reviews)

I was lucky enough to attend the Random House Children's Books Blogger Brunch on 17th July. It was a really fun day and we got to find out about all their new releases and have a snoop around their offices. They were incredibly generous and I came home with far too many books but I'm really looking forward to reading them all. You can read my event report here if you missed it earlier in the month.

With everything I've got going on at the moment I've not got time to organise a post for my Author's Animal Antics feature every week so I'm just going to try and post when I get a chance. (You can find out more about the feature here). I've still had a couple of lovely posts this month though (you can click on the link below to read any of this months posts):

I'm doing well with all of my challenges this year apart from the Terry Pratchett & Vampire Diaries ones. To be honest I'm probably going to skip the Vampire Diaries one for now but I might decide to pick it up again later in the year. I'm going to start making progress on the Terry Pratchett challenge this month though as I was lucky enough to get copies of quite a few of his books at the RHCB event.

100+ Reading Challenge - Read 143/200

Young Adult Reading Challenge - Read 47/50

Support Your Local Library Challenge - Read 60/25

Terry Pratchett Challenge - Read 1/12
L.J. Smith Reading Challenge (Vampire Diaries) - Read 0/5
Thriller & Suspense Challenge - Read 4/12
2010 Summer Reading Challenge - Read 16/16 COMPLETE
New Author Challenge - Read 50/50 COMPLETE
Awesome Author Challenge - Read 20/20 COMPLETE

Paranormal Reading Challenge - Read 50/50 COMPLETE
Speculative Fiction Reading Challenge - Read 24/24 COMPLETE

NAC April Mini-Challenge Battle Royale - Read 5/5 COMPLETE

Review: Playing Easy To Get - Anthology

Playing Easy To Get is an erotic romance anthology that I wanted to read for the story by Kresley Cole which is part of her Immortals After Dark series. I've heard a lot of good things about Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunter series for so was also looking forward to trying her B.A.D series. I've not read anything by Jaid Black before either so this was a good way to try a couple of new to me authors. Overall I'd say this book is worth reading for the stories by Kresley Cole and Sherrilyn Kenyon but I wasn't that keen on Jaid Black story. I'd recommend this if you're a fan of any of the authors included in the anthology or if you'd like to try out any of these series or authors.

The stories included in the anthology are:
Turn Up the Heat - Sherrilyn Kenyon
Hunter's Oath - Jaid Black
The Warlord Wants Forever - Kresley Cole

For more information about any of these authors click on their names in the above list to go to their websites.

Turn Up the Heat - Sherrilyn Kenyon
The story of an average woman who wins the vacation of a lifetime - a trip to Sex Camp. But what Allison George gets is a race for life with none other than an ex-Mafia hit man who is now being sought by his prior employer. Vince Cappelleti knew the island was a risky proposition, but he'd run out of options. Now the only thing he wants in his sights is Allison, but in order to have a future with her, he must first deal with his past.

B.A.D Series:
BAD Attitude
Phantom In The Night
Whispered Lies
Silent Truth
Turn Up The Heat (novella in the Playing Easy To Get anthology)
Born to be BAD (3 series related short stories)

Review:
This is the first story I've read in Sherrilyn Kenyon's BAD series and I thought it was an enjoyable story. When Vince and Allison meet the attraction is instant and things build very quickly between them but you have to expect that in a romance novella when there isn't much time to build a relationship slowly. I liked both of the main characters and thought they complimented each other well. I will definitely be checking out more books in this series as I'm very curious to find out more about the Bureau of American Defence and the men and women who work for them.

Hunter's Oath - Jaid Black
Grief-stricken Sofia Rowley is in the Arctic Circle, where her brother, a U.S Army officer, was lost in a deadly helicopter crash. She's about to take a shocking journey into a secret underground world where Viking bride-hunters auction off their bounty...and where a strapping warrior vows to make this beautiful Outsider his.

Vikings Underground Series:
Besieged (novella in The Hunted anthology)
Hunter's Right (novella in the Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down anthology)
Hunter's Oath (novella in the Playing Easy To Get anthology)
Deep Dark and Dangerous

Review:
This was my least favorite story in the anthology - I just didn't like the way the heroine Sofia is kidnapped and then sold as a Bride in a a secret underground Viking world she was taken to. The "Brides" are basically given no choice in the matter and might as well be being sold into slavery. Force fed an aphrodisiac before the auction she has no choice but to consummate her new marriage unless she wants to be in unbearable pain. I found the whole thing completely unbelievable and it just wasn't my kind of story. I don't think I'll be reading any more of this series.

This story is also available separately as an ebook

The Warlord Wants Forever - Kresley Cole
Nikolai Wroth, a ruthless vampire warlord, searches for his Bride - the one woman who can render him truly alive. When his fevered chase leads to Myst the Coveted, a Valkyrie seductress who craves only freedom, a battle of domination and desire begins. Will the power of her seductive wiles overcome his strength? Or will she surrender and experience the deliciously agonizing lust that Nikolai has endured waiting for his one and only Bride?

Immortals After Dark Series:
The Warlord Wants Forever (novella in the Playing Easy to Get anthology)
A Hunger Like No Other
No Rest for the Wicked
Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night
Dark Needs at Night's Edge
Dark Desires After Dusk
Kiss of a Demon King
Untouchable (Published in the Deep Kiss of Winter Anthology)
Pleasure of a Dark Prince
Demon from the Dark
Dreams of a Dark Warrior
Lothaire
Shadow's Claim (The Dacians book 1)
MacRieve
Dark Skye

Review:
This story was the main reason I wanted to read the anthology as I've already read the next 3 books in the Immortals After Dark series and it was my favourite story in the book. I have to confess that I wasn't that keen on Myst at the start of the story but she did grow on me as I got to know her better and I really liked Wroth from the beginning. This is a great introduction to the series if you haven't started reading it yet and it's a series I would definitely recommend to paranormal romance fans.

Source: Library

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Anthology - Paperback / Kindle & The Warlord Wants Forever Kindle:

Tuesday, 3 August 2010

Review: The Alchemyst - Michael Scott

He holds the secret that can end the world...

Nicholas Flamel was born in Paris in 1330. Legend has it that the Alchemyst discovered the secret of eternal life - and that his tomb lies empty.

The legend is true...

Nicholas has survived for almost seven centuries thanks to the elixir of life. His secret lies within the pages of the book of Abraham the Mage - a secret that must be protected at all costs. In the wrong hands the book would destroy the world. Something that Dr John Dee and the Dark Elders know only too well. Only two people have the power to stop him - the mythical twins of destiny...

Suddenly the lives of fifteen-year-old twins Josh and Sophie Newman are thrown into a whirlwind of dark magic and danger.

The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel Series:
The Alchemyst
The Magician
The Sorceress
The Necromancer
The Warlock (due for release 2011)
The Enchantress (due for release 2012)

Visit Michael Scott's website for more information

Review:
Fifteen year old Sophie is spending the summer working in a coffee shop while her twin brother Josh works in the book shop over the road. When she sees a strange car turn up outside the book shop she is worried for her brothers safety and goes over to check on him.  She soon realises that both she & Josh have stumbled into a world of magic and placed themselves in great danger. It turns out that Josh's boss is the famous alchemyst Nicholas Flamel and he has been protecting a book that contains secrets that could cause the end of the world for almost seven hundred years.  Nicholas' enemy John Dee has finally caught up with him and when he escapes - with the book and Nicholas' wife Perenelle as a hostage - life will never be the same again. Josh manages to keep hold of the last 2 pages of the book but now Dee is searching for them, wanting to steal the missing pages. They are going to need to find powerful friends if they are going to keep the pages out of Dee's hands and survive his attacks.

The lovely publicist Corinne from Random House Children's Books spoke so highly of this series that I was really looking forward to giving it a try. I'm so glad I did as I found The Alchemyst a really enjoyable fantasy adventure story. Michael Scott has created a detailed world full of magic & myths with a bit of world history thrown in for good measure.  I loved the way he has woven legends alongside real events to create a fun adventure story that will be popular with both boys and girls. Although I liked both Sophie and Josh it was Nick, Perry and Scatty who were my favorite characters and who really jumped out of the pages at me.

Sophie and Josh have been thrust into a secret world of immortals, Goddesses and mythological creatures that they never would have suspected existed.  It isn't an easy world to be introduced to and what they have seen has placed them in great danger. Nick is very good at only telling part of the story so they can never be quite sure if he has told them everything they need to know and they are wary of trusting him fully. It quickly becomes clear that Nick believes that the twins are the key to saving the world from the Dark Elders (immortals who want to take over the world, reducing humanity to their slaves) but it is going to take time to train them and for them to grow into their full powers. Time that they may not have when Dee is on their trail and determined to destroy them.

Overall The Alchemyst is an enjoyable start to the series and will appeal to fantasy fans young and old. Having both male and female main characters mean it will appeal to both boys and girls and I'd definitely recommend you give the series a try if you've yet to discover it. I already have a copy of The Magician and after the cliffhanger ending of The Alchemyst it won't be long before I'm picking it up to continue the adventure.

Source: Thanks to RHCB for sending me this book for review

Other reviews of this book:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Saturday, 31 July 2010

Review: Circle of Desire - Keri Arthur

In ten years of working for the Damask Circle, shapeshifter Katherine Tanner has never come across anything that goes after kids the way this monster does. It's not something she wants to confront, but with the Circle's resources stretched to the limit, she's given very little choice. And the last thing she needs is interference from a cop who has no idea what he's up against.

Ethan Morgan's niece is missing and he's determined to bring her back alive, even if he has to break every law in the land to do it. He will use anyone to achieve his aims - even a woman who claims to be a witch. Yet time is ticking away and the monster rarely keeps victims alive for more than seven days, and four of those days have already passed.

Damask Circle Trilogy:

Circle of Fire
Circle of Death
Circle of Desire

For more information visit Keri Arthur's website

Review:
Kat and her grandmother have been working for the Damask Circle for 10 years but this is their hardest case yet. Children have been disappearing, with their bodies turning up within a week showing that they have been brutally murdered. With their psychic abilities Kat & her grandmother are working with the police trying to track down the killer and rescue the children who are still missing. Ethan is a police officer but since his niece was kidnapped he has been removed from the case - that isn't going to stop him from doing everything he can to find her though and he quickly realises that Kat is going to be the key to help him. As a werewolf Ethan has abilities that can help Kat much more than the police can so they need to work together if they are going to stop the murderer before any more children go missing or end up dead.

Circle of Desire is the last book in the Damask Circle trilogy by Keri Arthur but as the series each revolve around a different set of characters and there is no continuation of the story it is easy to read the books out of order or as stand alone stories. I've enjoyed and would recommend all 3 books in the series though this was probably my favorite of them all.

I really liked both Kat and her grandmother, the relationship between them was really nice to see and they obviously cared for each other deeply. Kat's grandmother had me laughing out loud in several places with her open attitude to sex and the way she was so upfront about Kat and Ethan's growing relationship. Kat was a strong character, her abilities really take it out of her but she was very strong and determined to stand on her own two feet. Ethan was one hot werewolf and if you've ever read Keri Arthur's Riley Jenson series then you'll know all about wolves and their natural appetites as the full moon draws nearer! Because he was hurt in the past Ethan is very reluctant to face up to the feelings he starts to develop for Kat but will he admit how he feels before he loses her forever?

As I've come to expect from Keri Arthur Circle of Desire was an enjoyable paranormal romance with great chemistry between the main characters, plenty of action and a strong plot line. I'd happily recommend this series to paranormal romance and urban fantasy fans.

Source: Library

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

ARC Review: Claire de Lune - Christine Johnson

Hanover Falls hasn't had a werewolf problem in over one hundred years, but when people suddenly start dying in Claire Benoit's town, panic spreads fast. The gruesome killings are all anyone can talk about at Claire's sixteenth birthday party, though the only thing on Claire's mind is gorgeous Matthew Engle chatting and flirting with her as if she's the only girl there. But that night, Claire discovers something that takes away all sense of normality: she's a werewolf.

Claire knows she must keep her changing identity a secret, especially from Matthew, whose father is leading the werewolf hunt. But then a rogue werewolf threatens to put everyone she knows in danger. Struggling to feel comfortable in either skin, and with her lupine loyalty at odds with her human heart, Claire is forced to make a choice that will change her forever.

Claire de Lune Series:
Claire de Lune (releasing in the UK on 5th August 2010)
Nocturne (due to be published in 2011)

For more information visit Christine Johnson's website

Review:
When Claire finds out just after her 16th birthday that she is a werewolf she is completely shocked. She has to keep her identity a secret from everyone - especially with a rogue werewolf on the prowl killing innocent victims in her town and the town's feelings against werewolves running high. Things are made even more complicated by the fact that her new boyfriend's father is the man leading the hunt for the rogue werewolf. Trying to come to terms with her new identity isn't easy and lying to everyone she knows is even harder. Will she be able to keep her secret & will they discover the rogue before it's too late?

Claire de Lune was a book I've been looking forward to reading for ages so I was very excited when I received a review copy. Unfortunately I was slightly disappointed, while there were some parts of the story I really enjoyed there were a few things that irritated me and left me unable to say I completely loved the book. I really loved the new twist that Christine Johnson put on the werewolf mythology but I would have liked to have had a bit more detail - how the world knows about the existence of werewolves, and some more pack history and information would have been good. I'm hoping that we'll see more of that in the sequel though and I will definitely read be reading it to find out.

I felt that Claire was a very realistic character, it was so easy to relate to the confusion she felt after finding out about her werewolf heritage. She doesn't have a great relationship with her Mum so she doesn't really have anyone to talk to about what is going on. Where she would usually turn to her best friend Emily for advice, now she has to actively lie to her to keep her secret. I did feel there was possibly a little too much time spent on conversations between Claire & Emily that revolved around nothing but boys but it was nice to see a positive friendship between 2 people who obviously care for each other. While love interest Matthew was sweet I didn't feel like I got to know him well enough to form a crush on him, again this may be something that develops throughout the series though.

I found it hard to believe that Claire's mum wasn't more understanding when she dropped the massive bombshell on her. While I could understand Marie keeping the secret until Claire was old enough to fully take in the fact that she was going to become a werewolf it didn't make sense to me that she then refused to give Claire any more information about what was happening to her and what life would be like when she had completed her change. I just would have expected a parent to be more supportive in the circumstances but perhaps that is just me. With regards to the rogue werewolf, I enjoyed reading the scenes that were written from their point of view. I had 2 suspects from very early on in the book and although I swung from one to the other and then back again I was almost disappointed to find out my suspicions about one of them were correct - I'd have liked it to be a little harder to work out who the killer was.

Overall I thought Claire de Lune was an enjoyable story and a good start to a new series. Most of the novel is more character driven rather than action packed but the fight scenes towards the end were very well written. While it wasn't my favorite young adult paranormal romance I'm still interested to see where Christine Johnson takes us with this series.

Source: Received for review from publisher Simon & Schuster

Other Reviews:

If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Friday, 30 July 2010

Review: Bone Crossed - Patricia Briggs

There was I thinking being a shifter had its upsides. Looks like I was wrong.

Car mechanic and sometime shapeshifter Mercy Thompson has learned - the hard way - why her race was almost exterminated. When European vampires emigrated to North America, they found Mercy's people had a hidden talent for vampire slaying. Unfortunately for Mercy, the queen of the local vampire seethe has discovered her true identity.

The undead queen is also furious when she learns Mercy has crossed her and killed one of her own. Mercy may be protected from direct reprisals by the werewolf pack (and her interesting relationship with its Alpha), but that just means Marsilia will come after Mercy some other way. So Mercy had better prepare to watch her back.

Mercy Thompson Series:
Homecoming (Graphic Novel)
Moon Called
Blood Bound
Iron Kissed
Bone Crossed
Silver Borne
River Marked
Frost Burned
Hopcross Jilly (Graphic Novel)
Night Broken
Shifting Shadows: Stories from the World of Mercy Thompson
Fire Touched
Silence Fallen

Alpha and Omega Series:
(This is a spin off to the Mercy Thompson series)
Alpha and Omega (novella found in the On the Prowl anthology)
Cry Wolf
Hunting Ground
Fair Game
Dead Heat
Burn Bright

For more information visit Patricia Briggs' website

Review:
When Stephan appears in Mercy's trailer on the verge of death she discovers that Marsilia (queen of the local vampire seethe) has found out about the vampire that Mercy killed. To say that Marsilia is unhappy is an understatement. Stephan has been thrown out of the seethe for helping keep Mercy's secret & Marsilia wants blood - preferably Mercy's but she is happy to target her friends too. With Adam & Samuel determined to keep her safe it looks like this could be the start of a war between the werewolves and the vampires. When Mercy's friend from college Amber turns up asking for Mercy's help dealing with a ghost everyone thinks this would be the perfect way to get Mercy out of Marsilia's reach. But nothing is as it seems and Mercy soon finds she has jumped out of the frying pan straight into the fire.

I'm a big fan of Patricia Briggs and love the Mercy Thompson series so was really looking forward to reading Bone Crossed & I wasn't disappointed. I love Mercy and was devastated for her at the end of the last book so I really wanted to know how she was getting on. A week after the ending of Iron Kissed Mercy is in a mess both emotionally and physically, suffering regularly from panic attacks and flashbacks of the event. She knows she loves Adam but she is finding it hard to allow him to get close to her and I felt her reactions were very realistic considering what she has been through. I've always had a soft spot for Adam but he is so patient and caring towards Mercy in this book that I couldn't help liking him even more. He understands what she is going through and is determined to help her recover.

Spending time in Mercy's world is like visiting with friends and I always find myself easily slipping into her world like I never left. I love each of the characters in their own ways and even the more minor characters like Jesse and Warren are so well rounded that it feels like you actually know them. If I had one minor disappointment it was that I would have liked to have spent a little more time with Stephan in this installment of the series, especially as the main plot revolves around the vampires. He suffers so much in Bone Crossed and I hope we get to see how he deals with the things Marsilia has done over the next few books. We didn't see that much of Samuel either but that was more understandable considering the plot but we get to see a lot of Adam so that makes up for it!

If you're yet to discover the Mercy Thompson series then I would highly recommend it to urban fantasy fans. It is one of my favorite series and Mercy is a fantastic heroine. Although you could probably read this as a stand alone novel I would strongly recommend reading the series in order so you don't miss any of the back story. If you're already a fan of the series & haven't already read Bone Crossed what are you waiting for? This was probably my favorite book in the series so far so I'm sure you're going to enjoy it!

Source: Library

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Thursday, 29 July 2010

Review: A Safe Harbor - Moira Rogers

Find out how it all began...

During the bite of the Great Depression, sole female dominant Joan Fuller struggles against the rise of cruelty among her alpha counterparts. The men tolerate her interference--until she breaks from the pack and allies with a witch and a vampire. Now the Boston alpha intends to bring them all forcibly back into the fold--and teach her a lesson she may not survive.

Seamus Whelan and his werewolf bootleggers intend to retire from smuggling and savor their fortune, but first they must do a favor for an old friend: escort some female wolves to safety. An easy job, if their leader wasn't a prim ex-debutante with enough power to challenge Seamus himself. Chance makes them allies; powerful need makes them lovers.

Together, they have the opportunity to build a sanctuary for their kind, but first they must free themselves from Joan's past, and the powerful man who would see her destroyed.

Building Sanctuary Series:
A Safe Harbor
Undertow (October 2010)

Visit Moira Rogers' website for more information

Review:
When Joan was turned, against her will, into a werewolf by rich playboy Edwin she was thrown into a shocking new world that she had no idea existed before. The males of her pack, lead by Edwin, treat the women appallingly and Joan is determined to help them escape. Teaming up with a vampire and a witch she becomes alpha of her own pack and is desperate to get her friends away from Edwin and the rest of the Boston pack. Seamus and his bootlegger friends are intending to retire from smuggling and enjoy their wealth in peace when they are asked by a friend to help the women. When he meets Joan and sees the state of her pack he is determined to do whatever he can to keep them safe.

A Safe Harbor is the first story I've read by Moira Rogers (a pseudonym for writing duo Bree & Donna) but it won't be the last. I will definitely continue the Building Sanctuary series and am also planning on starting the author's Red Rock Pass series which this series is a prequel to. Although this is a novella I was quickly sucked into the story and finished it at a fast pace. Joan is a great character, she is a strong Alpha but she is exhausted from caring for her pack and from the energy they are draining from her. She is determined to keep everyone safe but she knows that she has to be ruthless at times to make sure the majority survive and isn't afraid to make tough decisions. Although she has had bad experiences at the hands of male werewolves and is naturally wary of Seamus and his men when they first come into her life as she sees them prove themselves she is quick to accept their help as she knows its for the good of the pack.

Seamus was a fab alpha male, he's strong but caring and he wants to protect Joan and her pack but he treats her as an equal not a simpering female that needs to be wrapped up in cotton wool. He quickly understands why Joan is wary of him and is determined to take things slowly with her and let her see she can trust him. Joan hasn't had a lot of romance in her life so the feelings she has for Seamus are new and frightening to her and she is very easily embarrassed but it doesn't take long for her to warm up to him and discover her passionate side. I'm just going to say watch out for the kitchen loving - Hot with a capital H!

Overall I really enjoyed A Safe Harbor, it had the perfect blend of romance and action with the fight scenes feeling realistic and Joan getting to show what a kick ass heroine she really is. I would have liked to have spent more time with Joan and Seamus, it would have been perfect as a full length novel but for a novella we were given a very complete story. This makes a perfect read for fans of paranormal romance - especially if you're looking for something quick to read - and I would highly recommend it.

Source: Thanks to Moira Rogers for sending me this story for review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here