tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34965211306262023462023-11-15T23:27:26.670-08:00Books To RememberAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995061625121164959noreply@blogger.comBlogger86125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3496521130626202346.post-61609865403312412572015-01-25T06:44:00.002-08:002015-01-25T06:44:35.782-08:00(Review) A List Of Things That Didn't Kill Me by Jason Schmidt<table><tbody>
<tr><td><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid1HuPE2R3CpKw8rmsIebbHcVBOqM5vX-o63J9lh03-OjsxGYZm6aaLJ-26pM65wMIyBUUxjdtoLWLIsB-2rFC0V4M_z_SmMKWAo7UaON_7fmVfy6rykQLSEnbdflZ8wXxRcOpmOn1W0VS/s1600/9780374380137.jpg" width="213" /></td><td><pre> </pre>
</td><td></td><td align="left" autor:="" br="" valign="top"><b>Title: </b>A List Of Things That Didn't Kill Me<br />
<b>Author: </b>Jason Schmidt<br />
<b>Pages:</b> 432<br />
<b>Published:</b> January 6, 2015<br />
<b>Publisher</b><b>: </b>Farrar Straus & Giroux<br />
<b>Review Copy: </b>Yes<br />
<br />
<b>Why did I want this book?</b><br />
<i>The topic got me interested.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a name='more'></a><b>Synopsis:</b><br />
Jason Schmidt wasn't surprised when he came home one day during his junior year of high school and found his father, Mark, crawling around in a giant pool of blood. Things like that had been happening a lot since Mark had been diagnosed with HIV, three years earlier.<br />
Jason’s life with Mark was full of secrets—about drugs, crime, and sex. If the straights—people with normal lives—ever found out any of those secrets, the police would come. Jason’s home would be torn apart. So the rule, since Jason had been in preschool, was never to tell the straights anything.<br />
A List of Things That Didn’t Kill Me is a funny, disturbing memoir full of brutal insights and unexpected wit that explores the question: How do you find your moral center in a world that doesn't seem to have one?<br />
<b><br /></b><b>Cover:</b><br />
I really love that cover, there is a lot of sarcasm in it!<br />
<br />
<b>Title:</b><br />
I don't think it is possible to find a better title. It is just perfect.<br />
<br />
<b>Writing style:</b><br />
The book is written in first perspective and from Jasons point of view. It contains his memories. While reading them, it feels like experiencing a lot of short stories. It won't tell you his whole childhood, just bits and pieces which can be funny, shocking even even confusing. It is written with a lot of humor, but it is clear, that somebody should have done something to get that kid out of his situation. Most of the time I wasn't sure if I should laugh or write a letter of complaint to child protection service.<br />
<br />
<b>Characters:</b><br />
Of course, Jason is our main character. He grows up with is drug addictive dad. He also knows, that his lifestyle is different compared to the neighborhood kids. The character development (If you can call it that, since it is a memoir) of his dad is awesome. One moment, he is attentive, in the next one abusive. A couple of days later he will allow Jason a pet, as long as he doesn't have to take care of it.<br />
Every so often you will ask yourself, how Jason survived this mess and how he were able save his humor, because the book is very funny a lot of times.<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span>
<b>Noteworthy:</b><br />
Sometimes you will forget, that this isn't fiction.<br />
<br />
<b>Stuck in my Head:</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>“</i><i>When I was sixteen years old I came home from school one day and found my dad crawling around on the kitchen floor in a big pool of blood.” (p. 3)</i></blockquote>
<b>What I didn't like:</b><br />
Nothing to complain!<br />
<br />
<b>Quick and dirty:</b><br />
Usually I don't like biographies, but this one knew how to captivate me! So, stop doing whatever you are doing right now and read this book!<br />
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3p4xdawR7pwWvWasay2rhNmt0TzaIhnD7gN0By3fxdnogP-kFWGlkrkqT1XnCBkQKV65Jwi5f4fTq9M68-ZTEYn91PdyU3D1iaMczSPrZ_vsw8cmqd5G4cS6gwPeN-Hx1mkVaNkkQJfY/s1600/4sterne.jpg" height="84" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" width="200" /></div>
<i>Thank you to ... </i><br />
<i>... </i><i>Macmillan US</i><i>, who gave me this review copy in exchange of a honest review!</i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892415230490330804noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3496521130626202346.post-76411234527142811062015-01-25T06:23:00.000-08:002015-01-25T06:23:11.310-08:00(Review) Save Me by Jenny Elliot<table><tbody>
<tr><td><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxPWPQoMYxahnpcrANd8SQYuL8XyLzGqNhIsiO9ez3q0KNOktGyjqwFkWAdVnrj3nXR1uL5y-f3J0RjisSCcPV7wrPaarrCD4tPnEB8288whCiFTMNJLMtiIsxHECRxiNqZIykdoGRxMu-/s1600/Save-Me-Floating.jpg" width="212" /></td><td><pre> </pre>
</td><td></td><td align="left" autor:="" br="" valign="top"><b>Title: </b>Save Me<br />
<b>Author: </b>Jenny Elliot<br />
<b>Pages:</b> 309<br />
<b>Published:</b> January 6, 2015<br />
<b>Publisher</b><b>: </b>Macmillan US<br />
<b>Review Copy: </b>Yes<br />
<br />
<b>Why did I want this book?</b><br />
<i>I discovered this book on Shelf Awareness and the synopsis sounded great.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a name='more'></a><b>Synopsis:</b><br />
Something strange is going on in the tiny coastal town of Liberty, Oregon. Cara has never seen a whale swim close enough for her to touch it—let alone knock her into the freezing water. Fortunately, cute newcomer David is there to save her, and the rescue leads to a bond deeper than Cara ever imagined.<br />
But then she learns something about David that changes everything, and Cara is devastated. She turns to her best friend for support, but Rachel has changed. She’s suddenly into witchcraft, and is becoming dangerously obsessed with her new boyfriend….<br />
Cara has lost her best friend, discovered that her soul mate is off limits, and has attracted the attention of a stalker. But she’s not completely alone. Her mysterious, gorgeous new friend Garren is there to support her. But is Garren possibly too perfect?<br />
<b><br /></b><b>Cover:</b><br />
The cover is amazing. I am in love with its beautiful colors.<br />
<br />
<b>Title:</b><br />
Yeah, well .. save me from this book would fit too.<br />
<br />
<b>Writing style:</b><br />
Okay, first of all: I disliked the writing style. But not because it was written in third person, I just disliked the way it was told. Do you know the feeling, when you stand in front of a window, not knowing what the people you see though it are up to or even talking about? That's how I felt the whole time. On top of that, it felt like reading the bible. There where so many christian clichés in it, that it almost hurt. It wasn't fun reading it.<br />
<br />
<b>Characters:</b><br />
The protagonist of this book is Cara. She meets a boy named David during work. Of course she is totally into him after they talked five seconds to each other ... It was hard for me to empathize with them, because every character was either good or totally bad. All of them where leaking a proper character development. This totally sucked because I really tried to like them, but I failed. I had to force myself to finish this book.<br />
<br />
<b>Noteworthy:</b><br />
If you liked the book Halo, this one might work for you. It is just as sappy.<br />
<br />
<b>Stuck in my Head:</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>“</i><i>The ocean breeze blew wisps of her hair in her face and David ran his fingers through a few tendrils. She glanced at his mouth and he leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. The kiss was light, but the flood of warmth between them was the greatest yet, like a fire that turned her bones to ash and set her skin aflame.”</i></blockquote>
<b>What I didn't like:</b><br />
One-dimensional characters, clichés and the feeling that the author tried really hard to convince you, that you'll end up in hell, if you don't believe in god. I mean, really?! This is YA, but I get the feeling, that you definitely need to be religious, if you want to enjoy that book.<br />
<br />
<b>Quick and dirty:</b><br />
I think you can guess by now, that the book and I didn't end up being friends. I was missing a captivating plot with improving characters and surprises. I didn't got any of that. As I already said, I had to force myself to read it, therefore: No recommendation from my side.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht4dAqmdnbjTzOCRJUBVUvE_insf-qui1u-yaFPLK4LRILbLhZs8rkJnFdDcb8gvTHRM4axtpdONiaeqIS_4cKGsyss0Ztv4JzlxIPbqzg_U9Cn2YRC0qHwTGw64X9-mgt8GuoCuaUqecV/s1600/2sterne.png" imageanchor="1" style="color: #865f38; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht4dAqmdnbjTzOCRJUBVUvE_insf-qui1u-yaFPLK4LRILbLhZs8rkJnFdDcb8gvTHRM4axtpdONiaeqIS_4cKGsyss0Ztv4JzlxIPbqzg_U9Cn2YRC0qHwTGw64X9-mgt8GuoCuaUqecV/s1600/2sterne.png" style="border: none; position: relative;" /></a></div>
<i>Thank you to ... </i><br />
<i>... </i><i>Macmillan US</i><i>, who gave me this review copy in exchange of a honest review!</i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892415230490330804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3496521130626202346.post-66743215009154016482015-01-25T04:49:00.001-08:002015-01-25T04:49:27.501-08:00(Review) My Last Kiss by Bethany Neal<table><tbody>
<tr><td><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhplKqqGw089HAIUMhxnG51QiD12XDh9e-LtxwAI-ZCSUp26qoq5ht8zy4-9BPCHbGdAIbQw3h_8EWiNgLYvGFMWBrgJ5yU9dWn-r2YavdodvvAvSCdyaFyZeLKhotbUbbgwt2JuD7CJlm0/s1600/mylastkisscoverreveal.png" width="213" /></td><td><pre> </pre>
</td><td></td><td align="left" autor:="" br="" valign="top"><b>Title: </b>My Last Kiss<br />
<b>Author: </b>Bethany Neal<br />
<b>Pages:</b> 361<br />
<b>Published:</b> July 10, 2014<br />
<b>Publisher</b><b>: </b>Macmillan US<br />
<b>Review Copy: </b>Yes<br />
<br />
<b>Why did I want this book?</b><br />
<i>I fell in love with the cover image and after reading an excerpt, I knew, that this is the right book for me..</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a name='more'></a><b>Synopsis:</b><br />
What if your last kiss was with the wrong boy? Cassidy Haines remembers her first kiss very clearly. It was with her boyfriend of three years. But her last kiss-the one she shared with someone at her seventeenth birthday party the night she died-is a blur. Cassidy is trapped between life and the great beyond, not only mourning her own passing, but left to wonder what led to her untimely death. She can't remember anything from the weeks leading up to her birthday and she's worried that she may have been unfaithful to her boyfriend. If Cassidy is to understand what happened to her and move on to whatever comes next, she must face her past and all the decisions she made - both good and bad - that led to her last kiss.<br />
<b><br /></b><b>Cover:</b><br />
The cover is beautiful, specially because I've rarely seen this kind of artwork. It looks a little bit like a shattered mirror.<br />
<br />
<b>Title:</b><br />
The title fits but also sounds sappy.<br />
<br />
<b>Writing style:</b><br />
The book is written from Cassidy's point of view in first perspective. We have two timelines: The past, where she is still alive and the present, where she is a ghost walking earth.<br />
Honestly, this story is so, so sad! But it is also a beautiful read. I couldn't put it down until I finished it. Step by step you'll find out why Cassidy died and who was with her at that moment. Even though it is a very quiet book.<br />
<br />
<b>Characters:</b><br />
Cassidy, the main character, doesn't know why she died, but she has the feeling, that she did something horrible, like cheating on her boyfriend while it happened. She also knows, that she fell from a bridge, but was it an accident or did someone push her? Cassidy is convinced, that she has to find out what happened, before she is allowed to go to heaven.<br />
I liked the fact, that the protagonist was far away from being perfect, she made some mistakes during her life, but it was still easy to like her. The character development was very good, because you get a feeling of how your friends might feel, if you die. They can't see Cassidy, but Cassidy can see and hear them which was really sad most of the time.<br />
<br />
<b>Noteworthy:</b><br />
A very quiet book.<br />
<br />
<b>Stuck in my Head:</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>“</i><i>I tried to speak, but nothing came out. She was right. Something was off with Ethan and me. We weren't happy the way we used to be, but that didn't mean I'd stopped loving him or wanting to be with him.” (p. 197)</i></blockquote>
<b>What I didn't like:</b><br />
A little bit more suspense would have been great. The love-story and typical YA-problems where the main topic of this book.<br />
<br />
<b>Quick and dirty:</b><br />
A beautiful but sad book with characters, like you and me. They make mistakes, but they are still far away from being evil.<br />
I really recommend this book, but be warned: The story develops very slow, it is quiet and something to think about. Readers looking for a lot of action might be disappointed.<br />
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3p4xdawR7pwWvWasay2rhNmt0TzaIhnD7gN0By3fxdnogP-kFWGlkrkqT1XnCBkQKV65Jwi5f4fTq9M68-ZTEYn91PdyU3D1iaMczSPrZ_vsw8cmqd5G4cS6gwPeN-Hx1mkVaNkkQJfY/s1600/4sterne.jpg" height="84" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" width="200" /></div>
<i>Thank you to ... </i><br />
<i>... </i><i>Macmillan US</i><i>, who gave me this review copy in exchange of a honest review!</i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892415230490330804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3496521130626202346.post-17183947407949058822015-01-13T08:37:00.000-08:002015-01-13T08:37:09.266-08:00(Review) The Truth About Alice by Jennifer Mathew<table><tbody>
<tr><td><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVC79AoJHJVRc6zhl791Ee9qtcsHYwXTVokT0w-ctgm4gMIRxJoS5HefX1-86uTVQPaQBJyP5Q2ZpkoyTfNQvzI-YwHifUyNFRLdEzodDSKTsuf4okT5yT43UJaEBM5EgF9xKzIuTQBugv/s1600/thetruthaboutalice.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></td><td><pre> </pre>
</td><td></td><td align="left" autor:="" br="" valign="top"><b>Title: </b>The Truth About Alice<br />
<b>Author: </b>Jennifer Mathew<br />
<b>Pages:</b> 199<br />
<b>Published:</b> June 3, 2014<br />
<b>Publisher</b><b>: </b>Macmillan US<br />
<b>Review Copy: </b>Yes<br />
<br />
<b>Why did I want this book?</b><br />
<i>I've read a lot about it on Goodreads, so I was curious.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a name='more'></a><b>Synopsis:</b><br />
Everyone knows Alice slept with two guys at one party. When Healy High star quarterback, Brandon Fitzsimmons, dies in a car crash, it was because he was sexting with Alice. Ask anybody.<br />
<br />
Rumor has it Alice Franklin is a slut. It's written all over the "slut stall" in the girls' bathroom: "Alice had sex in exchange for math test answers" and "Alice got an abortion last semester." After Brandon dies, the rumors start to spiral out of control. In this remarkable debut novel, four Healy High students tell all they "know" about Alice--and in doing so reveal their own secrets and motivations, painting a raw look at the realities of teen life. But in this novel from Jennifer Mathieu, exactly what is the truth about Alice? In the end there's only one person to ask: Alice herself.<br />
<b><br /></b><b>Cover:</b><br />
OMG, I love the artwork. This is one of the prettiest covers I've ever seen!<br />
<br />
<b>Title:</b><br />
The title fits very good, because the whole book is build up on lies and rumors.<br />
<br />
<b>Writing style:</b><br />
The book is written in first perspective and from different point of views. You get the feeling, that everyone has a word to say in this except Alice. The four protagonists tell you, what the think they know but after some chapters, you'll find out, that they barely know anything at all.<br />
The writing style is easy to read and really interesting. The only thing I was missing was a classic arc of suspense. Don't get me wrong, it was captivating but there weren't any real twists and turns in it.<br />
<br />
<b>Characters:</b><br />
Besides Alice, we have four important classmates. Josh, who is Brandons best friend (The boy who died in the car crash, Alice gets blamed for), Elaine, the girl who organized the party where everything begun, Kurt, who is the school nerd and Kelsie, Alice's former best friend.<br />
The caracter development was good, even though we do have some cliches, but that was necessary in my eyes, because each of these characters will help you to understand how this rumors started and why.<br />
<br />
<b>Noteworthy:</b><br />
An important topic, discussed in a very appealing book.<br />
<br />
<b>Stuck in my Head:</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>“</i><i>I thought about the stall on the second floor that I'd heard students talking about, so recently covered in graffiti about Alice Franklin. They're calling it the Slut Stall.</i><i>” (p. 88)</i></blockquote>
<b>What I didn't like:</b><br />
As I said, I missed a classic arc of suspense. 50 pages more would have been good.<br />
<br />
<b>Quick and dirty:</b><br />
Great cover image and good story with a very current topic. The book only has 200 pages, so I guess it is easy to finish during one day and I would definitely recommend it!<br />
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<i>Thank you to ... </i><br />
<i>... </i><i>Macmillan US</i><i>, who gave me this review copy in exchange of a honest review!</i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892415230490330804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3496521130626202346.post-11897633062484608492015-01-01T06:00:00.000-08:002015-01-01T06:00:04.490-08:00(Review) Forty Days without Shadow by Olivier Truc<table><tbody>
<tr><td><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYn76W58YZnhUYfAUGRJhCh9-QhSUx7abLLhoJssDflBSZUv-yti0gZskYIGRyvRPV8MvMnVdybWTVHudwDlqGrGcF0YP5EY7yE9iEYytCg7V7lKkwDhqk9tSQo1DRPX38qnNTFSEaMm23/s1600/isbn9781847445858.jpg" height="320" width="208" /></td><td><pre> </pre>
</td><td></td><td align="left" autor:="" br="" valign="top"><b>Title: </b>Forty Days without Shadow<br />
<b>Author: </b>Olivier Truc<br />
<b>Pages:</b> 448<br />
<b>Published:</b> December 1, 2014<br />
<b>Publisher</b><b>: </b>Little, Brown Book UK<br />
<b>Review Copy: </b>Yes<br />
<br />
<b>Why did I want this book?</b><br />
<i>The publisher sent me this book.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a name='more'></a><b>Synopsis:</b><br />
Winter is savage and cold in Lapland. When a priceless local relic is stolen from Kautokeino, a village in the middle of the isolated snowy tundra, detectives Klemet Nango - a familiar face in the rural community - and Nina Nansen, fresh out of the local police academy, are called to investigate. There are just a few days until the locals will host a UN conference on indigenous peoples, and Klemet and Nina are under pressure to retrieve the artefact. When a local reindeer herder is found brutally murdered soon afterwards, Klemet and Nina immediately suspect that the two events are linked. But the villagers don't take too kindly to having their secret histories stirred up and the duo is forced to cross the icy landscapes alone in search of the answers that will lead them to a killer. Set in an alternately savage and dreamlike Lapland, this compelling, award-winning thriller tells the story of a native people fighting to keep their culture alive in a modern world of ruthless destruction.<br />
<b><br /></b><b>Cover:</b><br />
The cover looks very grown up. Almost unusual for me, since I've read a lot of YA during the last couple of months.<br />
<br />
<b>Title:</b><br />
The title says it all: It is an arctic thriller.<br />
<br />
<b>Writing style:</b><br />
The writing style is good. The author seems to have a lot of knowledge. On the one hand, this is great, on the other it got a little bit too detailed sometimes. A thriller lives from it's action, so it wouldn't have been necessary to put that much background-stuff about the country into it.<br />
But I really liked his way to tell this story. It is a good debut. The chapters are written from different points of view, so you get to know the characters very good.<br />
<br />
<b>Characters:</b><br />
We have two important main characters. There is Klemet Nango, an experienced police officer and Nina Nansen, who just finished police academy. It is nothing unusual to pair an inexperienced character with someone who knows how to get a job done. And well, what shall I say? I worked. I also liked the character development of the other characters.<br />
<br />
<b>Noteworthy:</b><br />
It is general fiction and not YA (Just feel like I have to say that since I haven't read anything else than YA recently...<br />
<br />
<b>Stuck in my Head:</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>“Racagnal didn't like being caught unawares. He stared hard at the woman, forcing a smile.” (p. 190)</i></blockquote>
<b>What I didn't like:</b><br />
It was a little bit too detailed sometimes.<br />
<br />
<b>Quick and dirty:</b><br />
A good thriller that I can definitely recommend. Specially now during the winter period. Don't know about you guys, but I am having a lot of snow around here, so the book fits very well.<br />
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<i>Thank you to ... </i><br />
<i>... </i><i>Little, Brown Book UK</i><i>, who gave me this review copy in exchange of a honest review!</i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892415230490330804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3496521130626202346.post-63167374123301752282014-12-31T09:59:00.001-08:002014-12-31T09:59:37.682-08:00(Review) The Accidental Highwayman by Ben Tripp<table><tbody>
<tr><td><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhekD6Dh0djncML6l9rgauZMZaKKWz6DM0TtbBcPnoiiazC8VCmLoeG26jX7wBkCZvhRAoW28j25GqNatdH5BbWT1ePweURmT8eRYcMpE0XBI0-VuM8oPgB9Xf1yBM5hUGeBDoGPYKip_jq/s1600/accidental-highwayman.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></td><td><pre> </pre>
</td><td></td><td align="left" autor:="" br="" valign="top"><b>Title: </b>The Accidental Highwayman<br />
<b>Author: </b>Ben Tripp<br />
<b>Pages:</b> 304<br />
<b>Published:</b> October 14, 2014<br />
<b>Publisher</b><b>: </b>Macmillan Children's Books<br />
<b>Review Copy: </b>Yes<br />
<br />
<b>Why did I want this book?</b><br />
<i>I discovered it while reading my Shelf Awareness newsletter.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a name='more'></a><b>Synopsis:</b><br />
The Accidental Highwayman is the first swashbuckling adventure for young adults by talented author and illustrator, Ben Tripp.<br />
In eighteenth-century England, young Christopher “Kit” Bristol is the unwitting servant of notorious highwayman Whistling Jack. One dark night, Kit finds his master bleeding from a mortal wound, dons the man’s riding cloak to seek help, and changes the course of his life forever. Mistaken for Whistling Jack and on the run from redcoats, Kit is catapulted into a world of magic and wonders he thought the stuff of fairy tales.<br />
Bound by magical law, Kit takes up his master’s quest to rescue a rebellious fairy princess from an arranged marriage to King George III of England. But his task is not an easy one, for Kit must contend with the feisty Princess Morgana, gobling attacks, and a magical map that portends his destiny: as a hanged man upon the gallows….<br />
Fans of classic fairy-tale fantasies will find much to love in this irresistible YA debut by Ben Tripp, the son of one of America’s most beloved illustrators, Wallace Tripp (Amelia Bedelia). Following in his father’s footsteps, Ben has woven illustrations throughout the story.<br />
<b><br /></b><b>Cover:</b><br />
The cover image looks a little chaotic but very lovely! Usually, I rarely read the newsletter Shelf Awareness, but the ad for this book seemed to follow me around. After the second email advertising this book, I couldn't resist.<br />
<br />
<b>Title:</b><br />
I am in love with that title! Kid is a fantastic hero by accident!<br />
<br />
<b>Writing style:</b><br />
The writing style reminds me of a fairy tale. It is written from Kid's point of view, who usually lives a normal life. You will discover a new world together with the protagonist. There are a lot of high fantasy elements such as unknown creatures and magic. But it still feels like a fairy tale.<br />
At the beginning I had some problems getting into the story, but then it was really great!<br />
<br />
<b>Characters:</b><br />
I liked Kid. His character development is awesome. He always tries to do the right thing without getting cocky. He was the servant of a wealthy man, who got murdered. By accident he stumbles into a whole new world! Morgana was great too. Specially the two arguing all the time was very funny.<br />
I think the characters are the one thing that makes this book so special.<br />
<br />
<b>Noteworthy:</b><br />
A lovely fairy tale.<br />
<br />
<b>Stuck in my Head:</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>“</i><i>…she looked up at me and smiled her radiant secret smile, the one that bewitched me. I thought to myself, this must be what warm toast feels like when butter melts into it.”</i></blockquote>
<b>What I didn't like:</b><br />
The book had some lengths because it was very detailed. So shame in me, I skipped some paragraphes in the middle.<br />
<br />
<b>Quick and dirty:</b><br />
Definitely something special! I am totally into the Fairy-Tale-YA-Books that are on the market right now!<br />
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<i>Thank you to ... </i><br />
<i>... </i><i>Macmillan</i><i>, who gave me this review copy in exchange of a honest review!</i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892415230490330804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3496521130626202346.post-57592388176888962852014-12-31T09:36:00.002-08:002014-12-31T09:36:43.734-08:00(Review) Unremembered by Jessica Brody<table><tbody>
<tr><td><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ_WGvwZNX2D5aaac1HXI38I9t0bcsp3vn9S18PzNHzmLCNKxW_4U1j-q0O9pCn2ikg5kxKxTkOM5CdPGL2-JC7XhrefHyUolGJnmwFHSX8yCGcsGXuIb79dsdTNAmSd4n81aneV_xi86K/s1600/UnrememberedNECWIP.jpg" height="320" nbsp="" td="" width="208" /></td><td><pre> </pre>
</td><td></td><td align="left" autor:="" br="" valign="top"><b>Title: </b>Unremembered<br />
<b>Author: </b>Jessica Brody<br />
<b>Pages:</b> 307<br />
<b>Published:</b> March 1, 2014<br />
<b>Publisher</b><b>: </b>Macmillan Children's Books<br />
<b>Review Copy: </b>Yes<br />
<br />
<b>Why did I want this book?</b><br />
<i>The synopsis sounded promising.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a name='more'></a><b>Synopsis:</b><br />
When Freedom Airlines flight 121 went down over the Pacific Ocean, no one ever expected to find survivors. Which is why the sixteen-year-old girl discovered floating amid the wreckage - alive - is making headlines across the globe. She has no memories of boarding the plane. She has no memories of her life before the crash. She has no memories...period. Seraphina struggles to piece together her forgotten past and discover who she really is. But with every clue comes more questions. Her only hope is a strangely alluring boy who claims to know her. Who claims they were in love. But can she really trust him? And will he be able to protect her from the people who have been making her forget?<br />
<b><br /></b><b>Cover:</b><br />
The cover image is very pretty. To be honest, I usually only read books with interesting covers. A beautiful cover is most often the main reason for me, to pick up a book.<br />
<br />
<b>Title:</b><br />
I am not so sure about the title. I mean it is her who lost her memory, but the other people still remember her.<br />
<br />
<b>Writing style:</b><br />
The book is written from Seraphinas point of view. It is an easy read, so I was done during one day. However I was missing some things, specially the WHY?? Even after the end, I wasn't satisfied with the answers I got. I know that there will be a sequel but still ... I love sci-fi but I think it only feels real with a lot of background-stuff and depth.<br />
<br />
<b>Characters:</b><br />
The character development was okay, but nothing new. We have a girl who lost her memory and a guy who seems to know everything but refuses to tell her. And yes, he feels the urge to protect her from the bad people who are after her, because she is special. Surprise ...<br />
I am pretty sure almost everybody has read a book with characters like that before. The bad guys where a little bit predictable, but I won't tell you more about them, because I don't want to spoil the book.<br />
<br />
<b>Noteworthy:</b><br />
I know, I was complaining about the character development, but it is still an interesting book. It kept me hooked on after all.<br />
<br />
<b>Stuck in my Head:</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>“</i><i>Or at the very least, you'll remember that there once was a moment. And that it was perfect.</i><i>”</i></blockquote>
<b>What I didn't like:</b><br />
The author seemed to try to mix some genres which didn't end up well. On the one hand it is a good idea, on the other, it was just too much and felt awkward. After reading the synopsis, I expected a book about a girl who was in a plain crash and now has to discover who she is. Well, you'll get everything except this.<br />
<br />
<b>Quick and dirty:</b><br />
It is a good YA book, that could have used a little more depth. But still, I could live with the characters and I really liked the writing style.<br />
However, I was looking forward to something new, which I didn't get.<br />
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<i>Thank you to ... </i><br />
<i>... </i><i>Macmillan</i><i>, who gave me this review copy in exchange of a honest review!</i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892415230490330804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3496521130626202346.post-39360022708411202382014-11-26T00:15:00.001-08:002014-11-26T00:15:10.798-08:00(Review) Spiders by Tom Hoyle<table><tbody>
<tr><td><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEgs64AJlIWToRDn1aVvRugPFmBFVh_u2uZDj24RZWf4KuoqxXT4aIzdffCbtSAKnpLFvU4UWAxt2HAVb9s17B4YaloQH8l3SpA4nyNwvb8QGqwiqwAh-u7WiAkgnQtJ3RSrR0xxnbmhF5/s1600/Spiders.jpg" height="320" nbsp="" td="" width="208" /></td><td><pre> </pre>
</td><td></td><td align="left" autor:="" br="" valign="top"><b>Title: </b>Spiders<br />
<b>Author: </b>Tom Hoyle<br />
<b>Pages:</b> 293<br />
<b>Published:</b> November 6, 2014<br />
<b>Publisher</b><b>: </b>Macmillan Children's Books<br />
<b>Review Copy: </b>Yes<br />
<br />
<b>Why did I want this book?</b><br />
<i>I liked Thirteen, so I definitely had to read the sequel.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a name='more'></a><b>Synopsis:</b><br />
Adam may have survived once, but a cult still has him in its sights. And this time he may not escape with his life...Abbie's dad is an undercover agent, tasked with exposing dangerous cults. He's normally able to maintain his distance, but this time Abbie's worried he's in too deep. Megan was sure she and Adam were safe, but now he's gone missing on a school ski trip in Scotland and she's the only one who can help him ...The web is closing in around them ...<br />
<b><br /></b><b>Cover:</b><br />
The cover design is very similar to the the first book, except that it is orange instead of yellow and there are spiders on it. This time, you will also find the name of the author on the front.<br />
<br />
<b>Title:</b><br />
I am not going to tell you much, but this time, it is all about spiders and other creepy things!<br />
<br />
<b>Writing style:</b><br />
Well, the writing style is as fluent as in the first book and we have different point of views again. There is also a new character named Abbie, who gets involved in a new cult wo is (of course) after Adam. We also experience the story though Adams, Megans and Olivers (another new character) eyes.<br />
<br />
<b>Characters:</b><br />
Adam tries to live a normal life which is easier said than done, because everyone tries to be too nice to him. This always reminds him of what happened. But he handles things very well until he has the feeling, that he is in trouble again. Unfortunately, nobody believes him because they think, that he is just overreacting.<br />
I liked Abbie a lot. She is a strong and interesting girl, who even outshone Megan by her great character development. I wasn't sure, whether I should speak about Oliver or not, but I guess it is better not to, because it would reveal to much of the plot.<br />
<br />
<b>Noteworthy:</b><br />
This book is the sequel to Thirteen.<br />
<br />
<b>Stuck in my Head:</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>“</i><i>I'm being drugged, thought Adam, his thoughts shutting down. This isn't real.</i><i>” (p. 180)</i></blockquote>
<b>What I didn't like:</b><br />
Unfortunately, the story was almost the same than in the first book. Of course there are a couple of differences, but in the end, it is another cult, trying to kill Adam.<br />
<br />
<b>Quick and dirty:</b><br />
A good sequel I can recommend, but it isn't a completely new story. Some things from Thirteen are going to be explained and there is a good explanation for the second cult. But still, I expected a little more, so I am wondering what the third book will be about.<br />
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<i>Thank you to ... </i><br />
<i>... </i><i>Macmillan</i><i>, who gave me this review copy in exchange of a honest review!</i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892415230490330804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3496521130626202346.post-70989578552943648912014-11-18T09:54:00.001-08:002014-11-18T09:54:10.661-08:00(Review) Thirteen by Tom Hoyle<table><tbody>
<tr><td><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlS4mQqQd9wtdfUD9owM9WQP0_w0BgErpHz3gl7VH-VQFev7rWgIg9BzYXEJGcxVEb6F5yME-Tm_lRjwSkoJ-ZSuhzI6-7R3kSMSIqzR1iuKnpM1sD8UkSEp3GQhYoRwc-ZnbcukUsH_l9/s320/18668639.jpg" width="210" /> </td><td><pre> </pre>
</td><td></td><td align="left" autor:="" br="" valign="top"><b>Title: </b>Thirteen<br />
<b>Author: </b>Tom Hoyle<br />
<b>Pages:</b> 325<br />
<b>Published:</b> February 13, 2014<br />
<b>Publisher</b><b>: </b>Macmillan Children's Books<br />
<b>Review Copy: </b>Yes<br />
<br />
<b>Why did I want this book?</b><br />
<i>It looked promising.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a name='more'></a><b>Synopsis:</b><br />
Born at midnight in London, on the stroke of the new millennium, Adam is the target of a cult that believes boys born on this date must die before the end of their thirteenth year. Twelve boys have been killed so far. Coron, the crazy cult leader, will stop at nothing to bring in his new kingdom. And now he is planning a bombing spectacular across London to celebrate the sacrifice of his final victim: Adam. Thirteen is the first in an exciting action series from debut author Tom Hoyle.<br />
<br />
<b>Cover:</b><br />
The whole book is yellow. Even the fore-edge, head and tail! There is a font printed on it and a checklist with twelve lines. It is also unusual, that the authors name isn't on the front page. But you can find him on the spine.<br />
<div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span><b>Title:</b><br />
The title is referring to the other twelve kids, which got already killed. Adam is supposed to be next, because he was born at midnight, 2000.<br />
<br />
<b>Writing style:</b><br />
The book is written in 3. person and multiple points of view. Of course, there are a lot of scenes featuring Adam, but there is also Megan, his best friend and the antagonists. It was really interesting to see what was going on, because the cult, who tries to kill Adam, is very creepy. Of course, this reveals some things very fast, but it was still fun to read.<br />
<br />
<b>Characters:</b><br />
Adam is a nice guy, but a little bit naive at the beginning. He isn't a typical outsider, since he has friends and knows how to defend himself (what he proofs pretty early), but it takes very long until he realizes, that he gets stalked by some other teenagers. It is Megan, who tells him, that something is off. During the end of the book, he almost acts too bold. He is thirteen, not sixteen what would have been a better age. I think Coron, the cult leader was the most interesting character. His character development is very good and shows that he is a fanatic.<br />
<br />
<b>Noteworthy:</b><br />
Usually, I would say this book is for teens 13+, because the character is so young. But the book can be very violent, so I wouldn't recommend it to children. On the other side, it is a great read for YA lovers. A lot of times, I forgot that the protagonist is so young.<br />
<br />
<b>Stuck in my Head:</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>"I will deliver you into the hands of brutal men who are skilful to destroy. You shall be the fuel for the fire; your blood shall be in the midst of the land." (p. 150)</i></blockquote>
<b>What I didn't like:</b><br />
Some scenes where just too much for a thirteen year old to handle.<br />
<br />
<b>Quick and dirty:</b><br />
A great book, on the inside and the outside. It is captivating, I couldn't put it down. I did have a problem with the young protagonist, so sometimes I imagined him a little bit older.<br />
But it was a great read, so it still gets five stars!<br />
<br />
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<div>
<i>Thank you to ...</i></div>
<div>
<i>... Macmillan Children's Books, who gave me this review copy in exchange of a honest review!</i></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892415230490330804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3496521130626202346.post-42098788460471120742014-11-04T01:15:00.000-08:002014-11-25T23:33:59.756-08:00(Review) Hot White Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout<table><tbody>
<tr><td><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6tLvq-rMBPmvex6g1JmBi_pQuz2fCalcGc-jxnlt2iN7yiOR3QEfnGdXIJxN4yAgkKTGGmEV5cPritd8v-N2zpBRIIqblCtPyzzLxYxryAHtfJEtwCUMWTJ7yO2mFFQZnY5GjeLb7gLlM/s1600/17455585.jpg" height="320" nbsp="" td="" width="208" /></td><td><pre> </pre>
</td><td></td><td align="left" autor:="" br="" valign="top"><b>Title: </b>Hot White Kiss<br />
<b>Author: </b>Jennifer L. Armentrout<br />
<b>Pages:</b> 400<br />
<b>Published:</b> February 25, 2014<br />
<b>Publisher</b><b>: </b>Harlequin Teen<br />
<b>Review Copy: </b>Yes<br />
<br />
<b>Why did I want this book?</b><br />
<i>Actually I wanted to pick up another book, when visiting Harlequin at the Frankfurt Book Fair. But they convinced me to read Hot White Kiss as well. After they told me, it is urban fantasy, I couldn't resist: I also gave the ARC of Stone Cold touch a new home.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a name='more'></a><b>Synopsis:</b><br />
Seventeen-year-old Layla just wants to be normal. But with a kiss that kills anything with a soul, she's anything but normal. Half demon, half gargoyle, Layla has abilities no one else possesses. Raised among the Wardens—a race of gargoyles tasked with hunting demons and keeping humanity safe—Layla tries to fit in, but that means hiding her own dark side from those she loves the most. Especially Zayne, the swoon-worthy, incredibly gorgeous and completely off-limits Warden she's crushed on since forever.<br />
Then she meets Roth—a tattooed, sinfully hot demon who claims to know all her secrets. Layla knows she should stay away, but she's not sure she wants to—especially when that whole no-kissing thing isn't an issue, considering Roth has no soul.<br />
But when Layla discovers she's the reason for the violent demon uprising, trusting Roth could not only ruin her chances with Zayne…it could brand her a traitor to her family. Worse yet, it could become a one-way ticket to the end of the world.<br />
<b><br /></b><b>Cover:</b><br />
OMG, the cover image looks so sappy! To be honest, this was the main reason for me to refuse to read this book, when it came out. I though it was a crappy love story.<br />
<br />
<b>Title:</b><br />
I like the title, it sounds quit nice, but I still have no clue, what it is referring to. So if you know, please enlighten me.<br />
<br />
<b>Writing style:</b><br />
Of course, the writing style is as awesome as expected! This women has so much talent, that you could get jealous. I don't know how often I was grinning like an idiot while sitting in a train on my way to college. I almost missed my stop because I was so captured by it. It is really funny!<br />
The book is written in first perspective from Layla's point of view. She knows, that she is half gargoyle and half demon, but what she doesn't know is, what this could mean to the world. On her journey to figure this out, she gets to meet Roth, who is responsible for me laughing all the time.<br />
<br />
<b>Characters:</b><br />
We do have three main characters in this book. There is Layla, who got adopted by the wardens. They made her hate her demon-half, so she is refusing this part and thinks that she is a gargoyle, despite the fact that she can't shift. But one day, she meets the demon-boy Roth wo lets her question everything she has learned so far. In her eyes, he is everything but a monster.<br />
Well, Roth ... to be honest, I have no idea how to describe that boy. Truly bad-boy-material! I loved they way, he threatens Layla and how they get together. What bothered me was the fact that he was like Patch (Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick). Turn the fallen angel into a demon and you'll get Roth.<br />
But I'll get to that later, because like always this is the main issue I have with this author.<br />
Let's talk about Zayne first. He is Layla's adoptive-brother and is supposed to turn the mess into a love-triangle. Layla has a crush on him since forever, but she can't kiss him without stealing his soul. Therefore he is pretty much out of the loop and unfortunately, this affects the whole story. While Roth's character development is close to awesome, Zayne's is not. He lacks depth and acts weird. So, no surprise that Layla totally falls for Roth. Not that it bothered me, I am so team Roth!<br />
Even though Roth and Patch are similar, Jennifer L. Armentrout gave him some characteristics of his own. As an example, he loves the song Paradise City and that's a thump up since I am a Guns N' Roses fan!<br />
<br />
<b>Noteworthy:</b><br />
Probably the funniest book she has ever written!<br />
<br />
<b>Stuck in my Head:</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>“For the love of all unholy things, why must you be so difficult? I apologized for calling you a prude. I'll even apologize for yesterday. I scared you. I threw your cell in a toilet. See, I was raised in Hell. You could say I'm socially awkward.” (p. 90)</i></blockquote>
<b>What I didn't like:</b><br />
The author is known for borrowing ideas from other books. The worst she ever did was copying the whole storyline from Vampire Academy while writing Half Blood. I am still surprised, that this is even legal. When I started reading Hot White Kiss, I realized pretty soon that Roth is like Patch. Not that bad, since I am totally into guys like him. The rest was new, so I thought "Finally, she is writing something on her own, that belongs to her."<br />
Okay, so far, so good. But getting deeper into the book, I've got some OMG-feelings during some scenes. Where does she meet Roth? Right biologly-class at high school. Then there was one sentence during that scene in the restroom where she asks that demon something like "What's up with you and the girls-bathroom." YES! That's exactly what Nora asked Patch after he stalked her. By there it was clear, that she copied some ideas. I told myself, that it would be okay if the showdown doesn't take place in the gym of her school. Yep, take a guess... you are probably right. Honestly, I am mad. Why does she do that to us?! She was on a good way to create something on her own and then... well, it's like she does it on purpose!<br />
<br />
<b>Quick and dirty:</b><br />
A funny book with a great idea and unfortunately some plagiarism like always. But not as much, as usual, so maybe one day, it will get better.<br />
Since I also have Stone Cold Touch and because I liked the story, I'll continue reading. There were a lot of ideas in Hot White Kiss, that were her own, so I still have hope for the sequel. However, only four stars because of her idea-stealing-hobby which really annoys me.<br />
Oh, and since I'm team Patch... ahhhm Roth, I already vote for him! You should visit her <a href="http://thedarkelementsseries.com/" target="_blank">homepage</a> because it is up to you, with whom Layla will end up in the third book.<br />
So, I'll continue reading Stone Cold Touch now. We'll see, if I ever get rid of the humming of Paradise City in my head...<br />
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<i>Thank you to ... </i><br />
<i>... </i><i>Harlequin</i><i>, who gave me this review copy in exchange of a honest review!</i><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892415230490330804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3496521130626202346.post-71386761813024516282014-11-03T06:08:00.000-08:002014-11-03T13:10:22.613-08:00(Blogtour Review) Twinkle by SJ Parkinson <table><tbody>
<tr><td><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirKWOz_BtQAdeY3kW1I_Q9BIl21VCvCWB4HanuLr2hDwTYq49yRLWW5qi6E4mhkSWxgSXWITAC8kdqsqFHEfBlV_zAnTYwZyWZfVu5by-X9lcVwW8dwlkB-a-x5E9xgGfdSAySblDRn0VX/s1600/Twinkle.jpg" height="320" width="211" /> </td><td><pre> </pre>
</td><td></td><td align="left" autor:="" br="" valign="top"><b>Title: </b>Twinkle<br />
<b>Author: </b>SJ Parkinson<br />
<b>Pages:</b> 572<br />
<b>Published:</b> July 29, 2014<br />
<b>Publisher</b><b>: </b>CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform<br />
<b>Review Copy: </b>Yes<br />
<br />
<b>Why did I want this book?</b><br />
<i>I received this book for the blog tour to write a review. Since I am totally into sic-fi at the moment, I couldn't resist. </i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a name='more'></a><b>Synopsis:</b><br />
The richest man in the world wants to celebrate the July 4th holiday as never before. In a bid to get into the record books, a global fireworks show is staged from orbit. Satellites drop pyrotechnics into the atmosphere, thrilling everyone from the Arctic to the Antarctic with their rich colors and massive explosions in every time zone. The next day, people around the globe begin to lose their sight. Governments crumble, society degenerates, and infrastructure falls into chaos. Humanity finds itself stumbling in the dark and losing all hope. A few fortunate individuals retain their vision. Attempting to deal with the growing despair around them, they come together to discover the true purpose and origin of the affliction. They race to find a cure before the world is subjugated under an invading power.<br />
<b><br /></b><b>Cover:</b><br />
I don't like the cover image, but you know what they say: Never judge a book by it's cover.<br />
<br />
<b>Title:</b><br />
The title refers to the firework.<br />
<br />
<b>Writing style:</b><br />
I liked the writing style. It was captivating and you can see, that the author has done a lot of research. But as already mentioned, it is not an easy read. I really had to concentrate on the plot, otherwise you will miss important things.<br />
<br />
<b>Characters:</b><br />
There were a lot of characters in this book, so it was difficult to me to keep track on the beginning. We experience the plot from different kind of view.<br />
I think the four most important characters are the colonel, the doctor and the Chinese general. Sometimes it got a little bit confusing because you always have to remember, what everyone is doing. So, my recommendation: Don't read a second book at the same time, like I did.<br />
<br />
<b>Noteworthy:</b><br />
It is a sci-fi thriller.<br />
<br />
<b>What I didn't like:</b><br />
Maybe too many characters.<br />
<br />
<b>Quick and dirty:</b><br />
A good sci-fi thriller from an author who did his homework.<br />
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<i>Thank you to ... </i><br />
<i>... </i><i>Premier Virtual Author Book Tours.</i><i>, who gave me this review copy in exchange of a honest review!</i><br />
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<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e23ee71d456/" id="rc-e23ee71d456" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="//widget.rafflecopter.com/load.js"></script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892415230490330804noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3496521130626202346.post-26056811625359174142014-11-01T06:00:00.000-07:002014-11-04T04:28:41.037-08:00(Review) A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall<table><tbody>
<tr><td><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1GVpQwrl49gezvAQ0OaV56icioErOXWYiPQT-mS2Q7CQpoQcM-U2ZkmAA2lDfi1EfBinb_VTeFoT0fgfg6r4hJnCQ68FEPwEMpQbU1aaYvW6qspW3WAiaQHnBtZxFiYrmawSPTyyLFhuI/s1600/A_Little_Something_Different_for_sitejpg.jpeg" height="320" width="206" /> </td><td><pre> </pre>
</td><td></td><td align="left" autor:="" br="" valign="top"><b>Title: </b>A Little Something Different<br />
<b>Author: </b>Sandy Hall<br />
<b>Pages:</b> 272<br />
<b>Published:</b> August 28, 2014<br />
<b>Publisher</b><b>: </b>Macmillan Children's Books<br />
<b>Review Copy: </b>Yes<br />
<br />
<b>Why did I want this book?</b><br />
<i>I've got an ARC at the Frankfurt International Bookfair!</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a name='more'></a><b>Synopsis:</b><br />
Lea and Gabe are in the same creative writing class. They get the same pop-culture references, order the same Chinese food and hang out in the same places. Unfortunately, Lea is reserved, Gabe has issues, and despite their initial mutual crush it looks like they are never going to work things out. But somehow, even when nothing is going on, something is happening between them, and everyone can see it. Their creative-writing teacher pushes them together. The baristas at the local Starbucks watch their relationship like a TV show. Their bus driver tells his wife about them. The waitress at the diner automatically seats them together. Now they just need to realize that they're meant for each other, and start falling in love ...<br />
<br />
<b>Cover:</b><br />
The cover looks very sweet and it feels good too, because the paperboard the've used isn't varnished. So, it basically feels unusual. The design is great too, specially the font.<br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span><b>Title:</b><br />
The title is just perfect, because this book is really something different. It is from everybody's point of view, except the protagonists.<br />
<br />
<b>Writing style:</b><br />
Sandy's writing style is very good and she uses an unusual point of view. Not the protagonists are going to tell there story, but her friends, teachers, neighbors, baristas and even the squirrel or the bench at college. They all can see, what Lea and Gabe are missing: That they are perfect for each other. You never know, what the protagonists are thinking, but you get the feeling, that you've known them forever.<br />
<br />
<b>Characters:</b><br />
Lea is quit and a little bit aloof. But she has some good friends and attends at the creative writing class, like Gabe. She does notice him, but it always seems, that they don't really see each other. At the beginning, they don't even think about each other as attraktive. But everybody else notices that they would fit together just perfectly. They order the same food, are both into writing and they love Starbucks. It was fun to see, how they get closer and closer without noticing.<br />
<br />
<b>Noteworthy:</b><br />
The writing style is awesome!<br />
<br />
<b>Stuck in my Head:</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>„</i><i>Those two darlings are back, all by their lonesome this time. It seems kind of sad that they're sitting alone, but at least this time they smiled and waved at each other.</i><i>“ (p. 124)</i></blockquote>
<b>What I didn't like:</b><br />
Nothing to complain.<br />
<br />
<b>Quick and dirty:</b><br />
Everyone, who reads my blog for a while knows, that I am not really into love stories. But this one was definitely something special. I totally fell in love with it and I am sure, you will too!<br />
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<i>Thank you to ...</i></div>
<div>
<i>... Macmillan Children's Books, who gave me this review copy in exchange of a honest review!</i></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892415230490330804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3496521130626202346.post-68898797698406860332014-10-23T06:00:00.000-07:002014-10-23T06:00:00.638-07:00(Review / Giveaway & Blog Tour) The Fall by Stephen Cost <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“…forced to live a life filled with human emotions and moral judgments, but also forced to take lives to feed our undying hunger…”</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH27IiyvQYJQXJ3CVwM7VWG8QF7Gv79qi-RKN2NObpdA9v4KAfoZe_6wB0osLUWwnKh1orZpwXan6oc0lk3p1BJhEKLrLj0J5Yys_0F5-a9og9e-DailJ8K3RQA6pOxROMkhlqgEozc1Ao/s1600/about-the-book-var-blue.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH27IiyvQYJQXJ3CVwM7VWG8QF7Gv79qi-RKN2NObpdA9v4KAfoZe_6wB0osLUWwnKh1orZpwXan6oc0lk3p1BJhEKLrLj0J5Yys_0F5-a9og9e-DailJ8K3RQA6pOxROMkhlqgEozc1Ao/s1600/about-the-book-var-blue.png" /></a>
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<span style="color: #10253f; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #10253F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text2; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themeshade: 128;">THE FALL</span><span style="font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">
By: Stephen Cost
Pages: 314
Genre: Thriller/Fiction/Mystery</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Constantia, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 19.9333343505859px;">For thousands of years, Death walked behind the dark veil of the living, waiting to ferry the dead. That is, until the day that Death took a life for pleasure rather than duty. On that day, the first Reaper fell to Earth. Now, Reapers live among us, craving the taste of death, forcing them to kill to satisfy their immortal hunger.</span><span style="font-family: Constantia, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 19.9333343505859px;">
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</span><span style="font-family: Constantia, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 19.9333343505859px;">Giles Reid fell more than 300 years ago starving for the taste of death, only to find himself drowning in a sea of the living and blinded by a hunger that forces him to kill. In the centuries since his fall he has tried to be more human, desperate to live a life that makes up for what he is and the wrong he has done. Driven by his guilt over killing, he has chosen to feed only on evil; humans that have never been a threat to him but who are always a danger to others. That is, until the day he tries to feed on a human as strong, fast and cunning as himself; a human who, it turns out, has been hunting him. Now he is being pursued by the very evil he has fed on for centuries, embroiled in a deadly cat-and-mouse game, where friends and other Reapers connected to him are simply pawns on a chessboard waiting to be sacrificed. Giles is left with a choice, save the life of the women he loves, the daughter of his mentor, or betrays her for his own survival.</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Constantia, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 19.9333343505859px;">To save the woman he loves, Giles will have to be the monster he is.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The author has lowered the price of the book just for the tour! If you like a paranormal novel full of suspense with demons and a twist of thriller, grab your copy and make sure you let your friends know too! With a proof of purchase, you will also get 10 extra entries in the Rafflecopter.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #002060;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00N6GEL1E/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00N6GEL1E&linkCode=as2&tag=ladreasboo-20&linkId=ALRK7VA6VQP2G4LK"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Footlight MT Light","serif"; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 33.7333335876465px;">Amazon</span></a></span><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Footlight MT Light","serif"; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 33.7333335876465px;"> | </span><span style="color: #002060;"><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-fall-stephen-cost/1120353436?ean=2940150741379"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Footlight MT Light","serif"; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 33.7333335876465px;">Barnes & Noble</span></a></span><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Footlight MT Light","serif"; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 33.7333335876465px;"> | </span><span style="color: #002060;"><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-fall/id915536150?mt=11&ls=1" target="_blank"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Footlight MT Light","serif"; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 33.7333335876465px;">iBooks</span></a></span>
<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Footlight MT Light","serif"; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 33.7333335876465px;"> </span><span style="color: #002060;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Footlight MT Light","serif"; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 33.7333335876465px;"><a href="https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=1dZpBAAAQBAJ">Google Play</a> </span></span>
<span style="color: #002060;"><a href="http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/the-fall-49"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Footlight MT Light","serif"; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 33.7333335876465px;">Kobo</span></a></span><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Footlight MT Light","serif"; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 33.7333335876465px;"> | </span><span style="color: #002060;"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/471757"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Footlight MT Light","serif"; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 33.7333335876465px;">Smashwords</span></a></span><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Footlight MT Light","serif"; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 33.7333335876465px;"> </span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"<i>By the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on the seventh day He rested from all His work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it He rested from all the work of creating that He had done</i>." The day that is the basis for The Fourth Commandment. (Genesis 2:2-3) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">The following text was <i>provide passage for his Children of Earth to his Kingdom of Heaven. This, he completed before the setting of the sun on the seventh day and so He rested from all His work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on this day He celebrated his creation of life and Death, He rested from all </i></span><i><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">provide passage for his Children of Earth to his Kingdom of Heaven. This, he completed before the setting of the sun on the seventh day and so He rested from all His work.
And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on this day He celebrated his creation of life and Death, He rested from all the work of creating that He had done</span></i><span style="color: #002060; font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">. (Geniza fragments, found Cairo, Egypt, 1947)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Death is the beginning of immortality” </span><span style="color: #002060; font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">-</span><span style="color: #002060; font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Maximilien Robespierre, July 26, 1794</span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Martins</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">People say they love the smell of fresh cut daisies, but I far prefer the scent of what pushes them up, the dead. You see, death has a scent all to itself, slightly tangy and bitter, pleasing and calming on the palate. Sure there are other aromas I love too, not just that of death, which can chase the chill from my heart, or would, if I had a heart; at least one that could beat and warm the night’s cold from my blood. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Every day I crave the smell of death and evil, I have since my birth. But living in a sea of flesh and blood, I have developed an appreciation for other human and earthly scents; Like the ocean, its sea salt assaulting my senses with a clean, pure bouquet, quite unmatched by anything manufactured. Or the first morning smell of fresh-cut, wet grass and, of course, women. Women smell so much sweeter than men. They, over the millenniums, have refined their scents out of necessity as much as pleasure, each expertly adapting their sultry, seductive and secret combinations of body lotions and perfumes. Honing this craft throughout the ages, to tempt and seduce men out of their minds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: Baskerville Old Face, serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">But these are not the only olfactory delights to curl my toes and tickle my senses. For nothing—not the tangy stench of death, nor the sweet scent of a woman—compares to the most inspired aroma of all. </span></span><i style="color: #002060; font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Coffee.</i><span style="color: #002060; font-family: Baskerville Old Face, serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Nothing in my three-hundred-plus years of experience has compared. Sure, coffee itself has evolved, from non-filtered to filtered, from espresso to cappuccinos, and now from </span></span><span style="color: #002060; font-family: Baskerville Old Face, serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21.4666652679443px;">mocha's</span></span><span style="color: #002060; font-family: Baskerville Old Face, serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> to Frappuccinos, but the essence is the same. The intoxicating sweetness, the mild-to-bitter flavors that leave you wanting more—needing more. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">You see, that’s my drug. Some people need cocaine, others heroin, and some crave cigars or alcohol. I, on the other hand, have the most
decadent, refined and expensive vice of all. And it’s because of this little addiction—or weakness—that I can be found most nights here, sitting on the dimly-lit, damp, covered balcony of Martin’s Books and Coffee.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">I sip my overpriced drug while the not-so-distant smell of the ocean creeps its way through the maze and tangled web of Seattle’s wet streets. The cars filing by below enhance the scent of the ocean sitting not too far from here, as the sound of their tires splashing through wet, potholed roads echoes that of the rush of a wave over a rock and the sound of ocean spray.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">On most days, Martin’s tends to be a good place to relax. One of the few independently-owned book stores left in Seattle, the atmosphere here is calming and the lighting muted. Not so dark that you cannot read a book and enjoy your coffee, but just dim enough so that someone of my, let us say <i>fair</i> complexion, can go unnoticed by the everyday person stopping by for a fix and a good book. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">The décor is modern contemporary, although the designer clearly relied far too much on his collection of old IKEA catalogs, with a thousand shades of tans and browns with brushed steel accents scattered throughout, for effect. I do think that they might have gone a little overboard with the alternating redwood and pine floor boards. The effect is still pleasantly calming if not somewhat dull.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">So, why so critical, you may ask? It’s an occupational hazard, I’m afraid. We all, Reapers and humans alike, must have a day job and mine happens to be that of a wine critic. The crème de la crème of critics, although, truth-be-told, I’m not a big fan of wine. However, I have been gifted with a palate most French chefs would give their sous chefs right hand for. Not their own hand, of course. No French chef I have ever met, and I have met more than my fair share, would ever think of giving that much for their craft. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">“Mr. Reid, would you like another?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">The sound of her sing-song voice pulls me back to the moment, temporarily suspending my hazy, drug-induced stupor. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">The question comes from Sarah, one of my favorite wait-persons here at Martin’s. Yes, I said <i>wait-persons</i>. Living—if you can call what I
do <i>living</i>—in a world of political correctness, I’ve learned it is no longer appropriate to refer to someone as a ‘waitress’. That would be such denigration. Sarah is just the typical twenty-something coffee house wait-person who can be seen in any of the hundred or so coffee houses that pepper the Seattle Landscape—not Sarah herself, of course, but the type. Tall, but not too tall, with long blonde hair. A lightly tanned complexion and the body, a perfectly sculpted masterpiece. I’m not sure about the other Sarah’s out there, but <i>my</i> Sarah has one defining attribute that I find hard to resist, her smell. The bouquet that wafts around her is subtle and ambiguous, what is that? Lavender with a hint of vanilla and cinnamon, perhaps?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">I shift my head to look up at her. She really is a beautiful girl and I can tell I make her a little uncomfortable, but I’m used to that. Being a Reaper does have certain perks after all and it isn’t all about death and feeding, we have our needs, too. And women, well, they always find us <i>Reapers</i> attractive, mysterious and alluring. If they only knew the truth. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Sarah’s question hangs suspended in the air a few seconds, patiently awaiting my response.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">“Do I want another? How many is that tonight, Sarah?” I ask.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">She gives me a seductive little side grin. You know the kind; the grin that accomplished women practice in the mirror at night, trying to hone their craft to better seduce their prey.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">“You’ve only had two tonight,” she replies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Two is not entirely true. I have only had one and a half so far. Let’s not cheat me out of my other half cup. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Most nights at Martin’s are about the coffee, but not tonight. Tonight is not about my vices. Tonight is about my needs. My vices will have to wait.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">“No more tonight. I’ll just be finishing off what I have left, Sarah.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">With that, she gives me another of her little sultry side grins, flips her hair over her left shoulder and strolls back to the bar. My eyes cannot help but follow her. She really does have a certain something about her walk. Perhaps it’s been too long since I let a woman seduce me. But tonight cannot be about that; tonight I have other needs that must be attended to.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">I glance down at my watch to check the time, enjoying the novelty of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">I find wearing a watch is such a novelty here in the twenty-first century. No one wears watches anymore. All around me I see people texting, playing games and talking in quiet whispers to unknown others on their cell phones. A cell phone may be the one-stop shop of entertainment and information overload, but it is also the tool slowly killing the faithful and dependable wrist watch. Progress be damned, I still love my watch. This is reinforced by the fact that I hate cell phones. They are the digital leash of the twenty-first century and unless it’s leather, I’m not wearing it around my neck or anything else for that matter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">My watch reads 9:45 p.m. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Soon, very soon.</span></i><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Two weeks ago there had been a new addition to Martin’s. A customer, but not just any customer: This one had a certain scent about him, if you will. The sweet nectar of evil; I could smell it, I could feel it. It was palatable in the air, like an early morning mist hovering over the shore, waiting for the early entrance of sunlight to wash over it and chase it away. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">I know evil. And yes, I suppose it does take evil to know it. But what is evil? </span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Is it the monster who kills? Or the monster who kills the killer? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">This man’s evil was distinctive. He had killed and not out of necessity or duty. Those who have killed in that way had a different essence. But this man murdered for pleasure; he lusted for it. Ecstasies of power drive him to kill, control his actions and decide for him who is to be next, and when.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Not long to wait now. Soon. It will be very soon. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">I can feel my hunger building; excitement, I suppose. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">It has been almost three weeks since my last snack, a 42-year-old CEO who used his position to sexually abuse and harass those in his employ. Not as tasty or satisfying as a kill-happy psychopath or the hidden sociopath next door, but a tasty morsel nonetheless.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">I crane my neck to the left a little, stretching to release the building tension. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Over my shoulder I can see the bestsellers rack and the number one book for this week; another vampire novel. How original. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Vampires.</span></i><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> If only the world knew the truth. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: Baskerville Old Face, serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">People have told old-wives tales about vampires for centuries, desperately trying to explain what they could not understand. Very human, I suppose, but oh-so wrong. Vampires, werewolves, goblins, ghouls and banshees, </span></span><i style="color: #002060; font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">oh my</i><span style="color: #002060; font-family: Baskerville Old Face, serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">. All fictional creatures and all created in a desperate attempt to explain the </span></span><span style="color: #002060; font-family: Baskerville Old Face, serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21.4666652679443px;">inexpiable</span></span><span style="color: #002060; font-family: Baskerville Old Face, serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: Baskerville Old Face, serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">To grasp understanding of the supernatural. To try to embrace the unbelievable. Although, truth-be-told, misinformation can be a useful distraction for humans, when the truth lies far beyond the boundaries of their comprehension. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">I’m fascinated by humans obsessions with the supernatural, especially in the Twenty-First Century. The stories have been so sensationalized over the ages that these romanticized creatures have had humanity grafted into their lore and being.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Really, humans should rethink their reality. Do you romanticize about a warm steak, or a perfectly cooked duck breast before you eat it? No, I don’t think you do, and neither do we.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">I suppose it’s not hard to see how, at one time or another in history, one of my brethren may have been seen as one of those monsters. After all, every urban legend has its basis in truth. I wouldn’t be surprised if sometime in the past, someone looked at one of the smaller members of our group and the emergence of little gray aliens came to be. As I said, we do look a little pasty in the skin. In some lighting, you might even say, light grey. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">This thought always brings a smile to my face. I mean really, what sorry excuse for a Reaper was ever mistaken for a four-foot, big-headed, skinny alien? And if it was one of us, what’s with the anal probing? Feed—Yes. Catch and release—sure. Fishermen weren’t the first to coin that phrase. Play with our food—we’re all children at heart. But anal probing? Well the Devil only knows where that may have originated. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">What you have to understand is that, as Reapers, we have our proclivities to perversion in one form or another. I mean, you can only live for a few centuries before normal becomes boring and a little bit of deviancy spices up your day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">The sound of heavy footsteps atop the redwood floors capture my attention. I know those footsteps. I’ve been waiting for those footsteps. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">9:55 p.m. exactly. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Predictable and punctual; always a nice trait to find in a fellow monster. I mean, really, could I ask for more? I suppose he could come on over, take a seat and let me kill him right here and now. But where’s the fun in that?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">I track his steps as he stops at the counter to place his order.<i> <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What will it be tonight?</span></i><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">I feel like a kid in a candy store, waiting to see what delicious delicacy Mother has picked out for me. Of course, I have my preference: coffee, thank you. What could be better than a late snack and a cappuccino-flavored dessert? At this thought, I wipe away the smallest sliver of saliva that crests the corner of my mouth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">“Large coffee, black, to go,” he says smiling broadly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Coffee, black. What, no cinnamon coffee cake? It’s excellent this time of year, I hear, and the sweet aftertaste of cinnamon</span></i><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">.<i> It’s divine</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">My mouth starts to moisten and I have to swallow so as not to drool. Oh well, beggars can’t be choosers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Stephen Cost was born in Wexford Ireland and raised in a small seaside town not far from Dublin. From a young age he would spin dark tales and write them down for his own amusement. At the age of 13 he moved from his home in Ireland to America and his love of dark American cinema took root.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He passes his free time, when not writing, by reading horror and fantasy genre novels in addition to watching science fiction and horror movies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He graduated from University with a degree in Psychology and a minor in Sociology. A computer engineer by trade, he specializes in integrated system services and uses the knowledge gained from his degree to write emotionally captivating urban fiction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Constantia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">October 21<sup>st</sup> ~ </span><a href="http://thewritersrevolution13.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The Writer's Revolution</span></a><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Constantia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> – Excerpt/Spotlight <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Constantia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">October 21<sup>st</sup> ~ </span><a href="http://www.pixievixen.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Pixie Vixen Book Reviews</span></a><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Constantia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> – Review<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Constantia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">October 22<sup>nd</sup> ~ </span><a href="http://thewritersrevolution13.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The Writer's Revolution</span></a><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Constantia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> – Top Ten/Guest Post <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Constantia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">October 24<sup>th</sup> ~ </span><a href="http://cyn-books.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Falling For Books</span></a><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Constantia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> – Guest Post / (Review TBD) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Constantia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">October 24<sup>th</sup> ~ </span><a href="http://www.dealsharingaunt.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: "Constantia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Deal Sharing Aunt</span></a><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Constantia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> – Author Interview <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Constantia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">October 24<sup>th</sup> ~ <a href="http://www.thereaderandthechef.blogspot.com/">The Reader and The Chef</a> – Review <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b>My review:</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Synopsis:</b><br />
For thousands of years, Death walked behind the dark veil of the living, waiting to ferry the dead. That is, until the day that Death took a life for pleasure rather than duty. On that day, the first Reaper fell to Earth. Now, Reapers live among us, craving the taste of death, forcing them to kill to satisfy their immortal hunger.<br />
Giles Reid fell more than 300 years ago starving for the taste of death, only to find himself drowning in a sea of the living and blinded by a hunger that forces him to kill. In the centuries since his fall he has tried to be more human, desperate to live a life that makes up for what he is and the wrong he has done. Driven by his guilt over killing, he has chosen to feed only on evil; humans that have never been a threat to him but who are always a danger to others. That is, until the day he tries to feed on a human as strong, fast and cunning as himself; a human who, it turns out, has been hunting him. Now he is being pursued by the very evil he has fed on for centuries, embroiled in a deadly cat-and-mouse game, where friends and other Reapers connected to him are simply pawns on a chessboard waiting to be sacrificed. Giles is left with a choice, save the life of the women he loves, the daughter of his mentor, or betray her for his own survival.<br />
To save the woman he loves, Giles will have to be the monster he is.<br />
<br />
<b>Cover:</b><br />
The cover was the main reason, I've got attracted to this book. It looks great..<br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span><b>Title:</b><br />
The title fits, but it might be confusing: This is not about angels.<br />
<br />
<b>Writing style:</b><br />
Unfortunately I didn't like his writing style. The book is written in first perspective from Giles point of view. Well, so far, so good but his way of telling the story is very overblown. He repeats a lot of things (look at the quote below) and I felt like reading lyric poetry. Some people might like that, I don't. Also, the story needs some time to get captivating, but in the end, it was good.<br />
<br />
<b>Characters:</b><br />
Giles is a reaper, a creature that feeds from humans by sucking there life-force out of them. But he tries to be the good guy and only attacks people which are criminals. Good deeds, indeed but it wasn't easy for me to like him. He is obsessed with coffee (which got annoying at some point) and gapes at every women that crosses his way. This was kind of awkward since he is totally into Emma, a human woman. They were a solid combination, but nothing new.<br />
<br />
<b>Noteworthy:</b><br />
There were some sexual innuendos but no sex scenes.<br />
<br />
<b>Stuck in my Head:</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>„</i><i>I know evil. And yes, I suppose it does take evil to know it. But what is evil? Is it the monster who kills? Or the monster who kills the killer?</i><i>“</i></blockquote>
<b>What I didn't like:</b><br />
There were a lot of clichés in this book and the writing style wasn't my taste, but that's just my personal opinion.<br />
<br />
<b>Quick and dirty:</b><br />
A good and new idea, but with some old clichés which could have been avoided. I would have liked some more tension at the beginning. It is a solid story that will find its readers.<br />
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Thank you to ...</div>
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... Stephen Cost,<i> </i>who gave me this review copy in exchange of a honest review!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892415230490330804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3496521130626202346.post-35344227116508399272014-10-19T12:46:00.002-07:002014-10-19T12:46:48.034-07:00(Review) Dark Witch by Nora Roberts<table><tbody>
<tr><td><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLnDcLu9bNkSqQjdhurzh5j6Oz45xjBzNIwEsjR7jHNqdhrUks50dCSY8Uom3pbySPCPmLl-p014KCOBP0se8Fx9nFyCmwFOJrv-ylsRUZghBecHDCvgdMrk5dBvGlO-0H4ykxDUcU9IdK/s1600/isbn9780749958589-detail.jpg" height="320" width="210" /> </td><td><pre> </pre>
</td><td></td><td align="left" autor:="" br="" valign="top"><b>Title: </b>Dark Witch<br />
<b>Author: </b>Nora Roberts<br />
<b>Pages:</b> 342<br />
<b>Published:</b> October 31, 2013<br />
<b>Publisher</b><b>: </b>Piatkus<br />
<b>Review Copy: </b>Yes<br />
<br />
<b>Why did I want this book?</b><br />
<i>LBB sent me this book.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a name='more'></a><b>Synopsis:</b><br />
Three cousins inherit a gift that will transform their lives ...Iona Sheehan has just taken the biggest gamble of her life. Leaving her job, her home and her family in Baltimore, she has come to Ireland in search of adventure - and answers. Iona has always felt a powerful connection to the home of her ancestors. So when her beloved grandmother confesses an extraordinary family secret, she can't resist visiting County Mayo to discover the truth for herself. Arriving at the beautiful and atmospheric Castle Ashford, Iona is excited to meet her cousins, Connor and Branna O'Dwyer, for the first time. And when she lands a job at the local riding school she finds herself drawn against her will to its owner - the hot-tempered but charismatic Boyle McGrath. Perhaps in County Mayo she has found her true home at last. What Iona doesn't realise is that her cousins have been expecting her for a long time. Connor, Branna and Iona have all inherited a powerful but dangerous gift from an ancestor known as the Dark Witch. And they are about to discover that some old legends can return to haunt the present ...The first in a magical new trilogy, Dark Witch is a captivating story of love, family and destiny.<br />
<br />
<b>Cover:</b><br />
The cover looks good but it reminds me more of a history novel than a fantasy book.<br />
<div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span><b>Title:</b><br />
The title is well chosen, since the Dark Witch is the main topic.<br />
<br />
<b>Writing style:</b><br />
When I started reading I thought: wow this is really great. The writing style is awesome. Unfortunately I only had this feeling the first 100 pages. When the sort really was to begin, is started to get boring. A lot of unnecessary conversations and sense we know from other books. It wasn't like reading something new. Also the characters: Nothing new and therefore not really interesting. The book is written in 3. person and Ionas point of view. There was a lot of potential that could have been used but didn't.<br />
<br />
<b>Characters:</b><br />
There characters where the books main weakness. Iona bucked the hell out of me! She is talking nonstop about everything to everyone. She doesn't seem to have an inhibiting threshold in any way! So she keeps telling strangers about her sexdreams and fears ...<br />
And of course every guy in this book is hot, handsome and so on, they are all bad boys with a weak spot and they all want to protect her ... sure ...<br />
We also have an antagonist. Of course we have one, but there are almost no explanations why he is the bad guy. I was really disappointed.<br />
<br />
<b>Noteworthy:</b><br />
The author is very famous and I was looking forward to read her book until I did. Horses and Fantasy could have been a great mix but unfortunately she was busy grooming horses the whole day which got boring.<br />
<br />
<b>Stuck in my Head:</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>„</i><i>From this day forward, she thought, this was home. One she’d make herself, for herself. This was her life, one she’d live as she wanted. If that wasn’t magick, what was?«</i><i>“ (p. 54)</i></blockquote>
<b>What I didn't like:</b><br />
As I already said, I disliked the protagonist. She was way too naive. But I also had a problem with the whole horse-topic. She used every cliché she could find. The first time, Iona sees Boyle he writes a pretty stallion only she can tame, later he saves a sick horse because he is such a nice guy and it seems like Iona can boss him around all the time. Hello?! It is his stable! It was just sooooo unbelievable.<br />
<br />
<b>Quick and dirty:</b><br />
Nice idea and it had all the ingredients to become my favorite book but this didn't happen because the story just sucks. Not enough depth and too many clichés. Too bad, the author seems to have talent.<br />
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Thank you to ...</div>
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... Little Brown Books,<i> </i>who gave me this review copy in exchange of a honest review!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892415230490330804noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3496521130626202346.post-72508024581779853652014-10-16T03:00:00.000-07:002014-10-16T03:00:04.883-07:00(Chit-Chat) Frankfurt International BookfairYay! I have been at the International Bookfair in Frankfurt! Well, it was easy for me to get there, since I live close to Frankfurt. But still, it was great because once a year I get to meet a couple of bloggers and publishers. A lot of funny, bizarre and exceeding things happened to me during these four great days!<br />
<a name='more'></a><b><u>Thursday</u></b><br />
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</td><td></td><td align="left" autor:="" br="" valign="top">The first day was almost stress-free. Of course I said hello to some people. But in the end I endet up with my friend <a href="http://buchgefieder.blogspot.de/" target="_blank">Karin</a> pretty fast. We met each other because of our blogs and since two years, we spend every book fair together. So, this one was no exception. We walked through hall 3 where all the popular publishers were and got some bookmarks and ARCs.<br />
Later, we checked out hall 8, were all the UK and US publishers are located. I wanted to meet my press contact from Penguin Randomhouse UK but unfortunately, she was in a meeting. Therefore Karin and I got lunch somewhere at the fair.</td></tr>
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<tr><td></td><td align="left" autor:="" br="" valign="top">But I wouldn't be me, if I would give up so easely. I came back lol. And I really got to meet her for three minutes between two meetings. Three minutes isn't much, but it is better than nothing and obviously enough time to make a fool of myself. They offered me a Coke, which I spilled over the next agent. I was so embarrassed!<br />
I am pretty sure they will have a sign in the kitchen next year saying: For safety reasons, don't give Sonja anything to drink !</td><td><pre> </pre>
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<b><u><br /></u></b><b><u>Friday</u></b><br />
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</td><td></td><td align="left" autor:="" br="" valign="top">The next day, Karin and I went to Randomhouse Germany where we had our first Blogger-Meeting. Approximately 200 Bloggers attended and it was crowded like hell! But I've got an autograph from Marc Elsberg. He wrote Blackout and Zero. Two thrillers, which are very famous in Germany. He is great! It is him on the picture on the left site.<br />
After a while we had enough and went on, back to hall 8. We talked to some UK and US publishers and asked them if we could take some review copies with us on Sunday. Most of them said yes and Macmillan gave us two ARCs and a business card! Thanks again!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td></td><td align="left" autor:="" br="" valign="top">During lunchtime I've met some friends and went to a reading by Bastian Bielendorfer. He is German author and writes comedy.<br />
BTW, this was the craziest signing I've ever experienced.<br />
After he signed my book, I asked Bastian for an additional autograph but he didn't has a card. Well, but he had an idea. He took my book and did something really really bold.</td><td><pre> </pre>
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</td><td></td><td align="left" autor:="" br="" valign="top">He took my book and teared a page out of it!<br />
I was so shocked that I didn't know if I should laugh or cry!!<br />
Karin died laughing. <br />
By know, I also think it was funny and it had his good side: Everybody remembered me as the blogger which book got teared apart by Bastian Bielendorfer.<br />
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<tr><td></td><td align="left" autor:="" br="" valign="top">After I recovered from this experience I had to hurry up to make it in time to Penguin Random House UK.<br />
Today, I spent an hour there instead of three minutes. And I managed to drink my Coke without any accidents! (I was surprised that I got something to drink at all *smile*)<br />
We talked a little bit about blogging and I invited her to the Lovelybooks Meet&Greet the next day (Lovelybooks is like Goodreads).<br />
She made my day by giving me a review copy of Marie Lu's new book The Young Elites.<br />
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<b><u>Saturday</u></b><br />
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</td><td></td><td align="left" autor:="" br="" valign="top">Saturday was the longest day ever! We had a 5 publisher/blogger/author-meetings and a lot of fun.<br />
Finally I met <a href="http://buecherblog.org/" target="_blank">Anja</a>, she is the owner of the German blog Der Bücherblog. Her blog is very big (even if she denies it)<br />
We spent the rest of the day together and even had a Meet&Greet with the UK author Alexia Casale. We had the opportunity to ask her a lot of questions and even got a signed book, so thank you!<br />
At the end of the day, we had our Lovelybooks-Meeting which was enormous.</td></tr>
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<tr><td></td><td align="left" autor:="" br="" valign="top">400 bloggers announced to come (I guess 200-300 were there) and I had trouble to find my people. But I managed and of course we had to take a picture!<br />
We even got a goodie-bag with five books and other gifts. So, thanks to the publishers who sponsored this.<br />
Talking about publishers, Penguin Randomhouse UK was there too to get to know some German bloggers. Really cool! I spend the rest of the day with my PRHUK press contact because she was leaving tonight.<br />
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<b>Sunday</b><br />
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</td><td></td><td align="left" autor:="" br="" valign="top">Today was the day! Anja and I went back to hall 8 to grab some ARCs and review copies.<br />
It was really great, I think I got 20 books! And a couple of business cards.<br />
(To be honest I was more interested in getting some contact persons than books).<br />
So, I am going to review a lot of them asap becomes I am going take this opportunity to get in touch with more international publishers.</td></tr>
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<tr><td></td><td align="left" autor:="" br="" valign="top">Last but not least we hat another Meet&Greet at Bastei Lübbe to meet the author Richard Dübell. He writes history-crime-books and was a really nice guy.<br />
We got a signed book and had a lot of fun.<br />
In the end, we even met Ralf Schmitz. he is a very famous German comedian. Of course we bugged him in taking a picture with us!</td><td><pre> </pre>
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</td><td></td><td align="left" autor:="" br="" valign="top"><b>Title: </b>Jonathan Flite<br />
<b>Author: </b>Matthew J. Beier<br />
<b>Pages:</b> 392<br />
<b>Published:</b> July 15, 2014<br />
<b>Publisher</b><b>: </b>Epicality Books, LLC<br />
<b>Review Copy: </b>Yes<br />
<br />
<b>Why did I want this book?</b><br />
<i>I've got asked if I would be interested in reviewing this book.</i></td></tr>
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<a name='more'></a><b>Synopsis:</b><br />
Jonathan Flite claims to have memories he can't explain. Seven layers of them, to be exact, all belonging to a group of teenagers who disappeared from a place called Idle County in 2010-ten years before his birth. Seventeen years of anxiety, violent outbursts, and refusal to admit he is lying have landed him at Crescent Rehabilitation Center, a seaside juvenile center for rich kids, and nobody has ever dared to believe his memories might be real. Until now. On a blustery November day just three months after a nuclear terrorist attack in Geneva, Switzerland, ex-CIA psychiatrist Thomas Lumen arrives at Crescent to interview Jonathan for a book about Idle County. Fueled by his personal connection to the disappearances three decades earlier, he asks Jonathan to share what he knows-anything and everything. By reigniting this thirty-year-old mystery, however, Jonathan inadvertently becomes a target of the very same religious terrorists who attacked Geneva, and they'll stop at nothing to keep the secrets of Idle County under wraps. Jonathan must then make a choice: to continue telling his story, or risk the safety of everyone he loves.<br />
<br />
<b>Cover:</b><br />
The cover looks great and it feels somehow like rubber.<br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span><b>Title:</b><br />
The title fits very good. But I am not going to tell you much because it would spoil the story. The boy, Jonathan, has memories he isn't supposed to have.<br />
<br />
<b>Writing style:</b><br />
I love his writing style. Seriously, I couldn't stop reading. It is captivating like thriller, creepy like a horror move and has a lot of depth. The book jumps between different story lines and times to tell Jonathans, the Idle County sevens and Thomas Lumen. Sounds confusing? Surprisingly it's not, so good job!<br />
<br />
<b>Characters:</b><br />
The main character might be Jonathan. He would have been a normal kid if there wouldn't be the memories in his head. Memories that aren't his own. He is the only one who knows what happened to the seven kids which vanished 10 years before his birth. His mum thinks he is a liar and the psychiatrists don't know what to do with him. Jonathan becomes an outsider and I, as a reader, should feel sorry for him. But I can't because he is soooo creepy. Seriously I wouldn't want do be alone in a room with him! The other characters are well developed too but I guess we have to wait for the second book to get to know them better.<br />
<br />
<b>Noteworthy:</b><br />
It is the first of a series.<br />
<br />
<b>Stuck in my Head:</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>„What happened on those ghost hunts, sister?" Kara thought, watching the raincoats zipping around on the sidewalk below. "What did you see?“ (p. 150)</i></blockquote>
<b>What I didn't like:</b><br />
Nothing to complain!<br />
<br />
<b>Quick and dirty:</b><br />
A great thriller that won't let go of you until you've read the last page! Well done! Looking forward to read the second book. However, people who are afraid of creepy things might want to read something else.<br />
<br />
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Thank you to ...</div>
<div>
... Matthew J. Beier,<i> </i>who gave me this review copy in exchange of a honest review!</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892415230490330804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3496521130626202346.post-35667385731615228082014-09-28T00:41:00.000-07:002014-09-28T00:41:37.323-07:00(Blogtour & Review) The Destroyer, Created by Warren Murphy<table><tbody>
<tr><td><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-cUJ_2BGUip-ywf4iT78r3qlcBMhzlgG3Jo3A1V5CzGx-zKbjnncmrExrj_9ytsO_LUDsLXAlqC5E5d6gTKL5Iw49G28_TvlRLUfu52QPue33pCwYDp-A_IBkHGhaWZKG93YlLxpCQz7M/s1600/9780751557978.jpg" height="320" width="209" /> </td><td><pre> </pre>
</td><td></td><td align="left" autor:="" br="" valign="top"><b>Title: </b>The Destroyer, Created<br />
<b>Author: </b>Warren Murphy<br />
<b>Pages:</b> 364<br />
<b>Published:</b> August 21, 2014<br />
<b>Publisher</b><b>: </b><a href="https://www.littlebrown.co.uk/books/detail.page?isbn=9780751557978" target="_blank">Little Brown Books UK</a><br />
<b>Review Copy: </b>Yes<br />
<br />
<b>Why did I want this book?</b><br />
<i>Little Brown Books asked me, if I would like to be part of the blog tour. Of course! </i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a name='more'></a><b>Synopsis:</b><br />
One legendary hero. One epic series.<br />
Sentenced to death for a crime he didn't commit, ex-cop Remo Williams is rescued from the electric chair at the eleventh hour and recruited by a secret government organisation named CURE. From this moment, he ceases to officially exist.<br />
From now on, he will be an assassin, targeting criminals who are beyond the law. Remo's trainer is a grouchy old Korean named Chiun, whose mastery of the terrifyingly powerful martial art of Sinanju makes him the deadliest man alive. Together Remo and Chiun set forth on their epic, impossible mission to vanquish every enemy of democracy - every bad guy who thinks they can escape justice.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Cover:</b><br />
The old cover image (which is on my ARC) is ugly as hell (sorry, but it's true). So, when I saw the new one I was like: OMG I want it on my shelf! It looks great and since it's a series, they all have the same style. Good job!<br />
<br />
<b>Title:</b><br />
The title fits the story because Remo really gets kind of created. He has no choice but to accept his new role.<br />
<br />
<b>Writing style:</b><br />
The writing style is captivating. Emotions and situations feel authentic and real. Even though, there were some word repetitions, I stumbled upon. (But as I said, I had an ARC, all these things might have been edited by now)<br />
After a couple of pages I was totally blown away and hooked on. I couldn't stop reading and finished it within one day!<br />
A lot of times, I had the feeling of watching a movie. It was very visual and felt like a script sometimes.<br />
<br />
<b>Characters:</b><br />
It was a bit difficult for me to get to know Remo. He seems to be very distant at the beginning of the book. I kept searching for emotions but he acted very hard-boiled. Later, I got the impression, that his behavior is self-protection. He doesn't want anybody to know, what he's feeling.<br />
His dry humor was something, I definitely liked. A lot of times the whole story turned into a satire, which made me grin like a six-year-old!<br />
All the other persons where described good too. And still, the whole book felt like a movie.<br />
<br />
<b>Noteworthy:</b><br />
I keep talking about the book reminding me of a movie, right? Well, it really feels like one. And I have good news: Looks like I am not the only one with that impression because (you'll guess it by now) they are going to turn it into a movie! Yay!!<br />
<br />
<b>Stuck in my Head:</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>“He wasn't going to find himself in a death cell again for doing his job, or waiting like MacCleary for one of his own to dispatch him. Remo had had it. The world had taught him and he had almost gotten killed before he learned. Not again ... not ever again.” </i></blockquote>
<b>What I didn't like:</b><br />
Well, maybe a couple more pages would have been good. Sometimes I thought that the author concentrated to much on the story and forgot the character development. Remo accepts his fate way too early.<br />
<br />
<b>Quick and dirty:</b><br />
A great start into a promising series. Perfect for fans of James Bond or any kind of action-agent-thriller-stories. The writing style is captivating, the story well developed and it was great to see, that the author has a sharp tongue when it comes to to his own government. More, please!<br />
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<i>Thank you to ... </i><br />
<i>... </i><a href="https://www.littlebrown.co.uk/Piatkus/index.page" target="_blank">Little Brown Books UK</a><i>, who gave me this review copy in exchange of a honest review!</i><br />
<br />
Check out the other blogs:<br />
<i><br /></i>
<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892415230490330804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3496521130626202346.post-37951345987712716342014-09-07T06:50:00.002-07:002014-09-07T06:50:48.603-07:00(Review) The Winter People by Rebekah L. Purdy <table><tbody>
<tr><td><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKYn-H2_61C2FPEh2Zb9rLQ4Re9S613V9YEUb-ya12lTVU652eX5b6c5dG-w4fF8GLcnPeF1Uivhmn1dpCGWpih1gIgejry0pscUpSqvpos6sI1RPVzPXy-wyHtWAmWE5f_l4WIlggHzBi/s1600/18630479.jpg" height="320" width="213" /> </td><td><pre> </pre>
</td><td></td><td align="left" autor:="" br="" valign="top"><b>Title: </b>The Winter People<br />
<b>Author: </b>Rebekah L. Purdy<br />
<b>Pages:</b> 320<br />
<b>Published:</b> September 02, 2014<br />
<b>Publisher</b><b>: </b>Entangled: Teen<br />
<b>Review Copy: </b>Yes<br />
<br />
<b>Why did I want this book?</b><br />
<i>I love the cover image!</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a name='more'></a><b>Synopsis:</b><br />
Salome Montgomery fears winter—the cold, the snow, the ice, but most of all, the frozen pond she fell through as a child. Haunted by the voices and images of the strange beings that pulled her to safety, she hasn't forgotten their warning to "stay away." For eleven years, she has avoided the winter woods, the pond, and the darkness that lurks nearby. But when failing health takes her grandparents to Arizona, she is left in charge of maintaining their estate. This includes the "special gifts" that must be left at the back of the property. <br />
Salome discovers she’s a key player in a world she’s tried for years to avoid. At the center of this world is the strange and beautiful Nevin, who she finds trespassing on her family’s property. Cursed with dark secrets and knowledge of the creatures in the woods, his interactions with Salome take her life in a new direction. A direction where she'll have to decide between her longtime crush Colton, who could cure her fear of winter. Or Nevin who, along with an appointed bodyguard, Gareth, protects her from the darkness that swirls in the snowy backdrop. An evil that, given the chance, will kill her.<br />
<br />
<b>Cover:</b><br />
OMG, the cover is so beautiful! It fits the story and the font is incredibly.<br />
<div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span><b>Title:</b><br />
Yes, it is all about winter and snow!<br />
<br />
<b>Writing style:</b><br />
The writing style was good, even captivating. There is a lot of mystery and suspense in it. The author also created a wonderful and unique world.<br />
Honestly, it was the only thing that kept me reading, because I really had a problem with the protagonist.<br />
<br />
<b>Characters:</b><br />
Yes, the characters... lets start with Salome, because unfortunately she ruined the whole story for me. This girl completely lacks independence! There always needs to be someone to safe her. Really?! She is supposed to be some kind of hero for the reader. And I HATE love triangles so you could almost hear me screaming when I figured out, that this story contains a love "quadrangle"!!! The boys are okay, but stereotype.<br />
So, I basically just finished the book because of its story.<br />
<br />
<b>Noteworthy:</b><br />
If you are into complicated love stories, this book ist for you.<br />
<br />
<b>Stuck in my Head:</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>“I’ll probably just read a book. I’ve got like a million of them in my to-be-read pile.”</i></blockquote>
<b>What I didn't like:</b><br />
As I already mentioned, I disliked the protagonist and unfortunately, the book depends on her.<br />
<br />
<b>Quick and dirty:</b><br />
It is not a bad book, but it wasn't a good one either. At least not for me and this is really a pity because the story could have been so good without this flat characters.<br />
<br />
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Thank you to ...<br />
<div>
... Entangled: Teen who gave me this review copy in exchange of a honest review!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892415230490330804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3496521130626202346.post-39761011720063942352014-09-03T11:48:00.001-07:002014-09-03T11:48:38.414-07:00(Review) The Twistrose Key by Tone Almhjell <table><tbody>
<tr><td><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5N08_L4E0UQz8pTiFG4H-f8xWFo6-A9nVKtveRk_q17h9AdDFxRuaA74I2FFxiiqnvBOf3l3ZNlfycKlJqwiVdshadTkn7ygFaRlVq9BUXSbCw8eFtYTeP32wc91jCVNTM3AMo1KoCv8p/s1600/A1iP5sr1CKL._SL1500_.jpg" height="320" width="211" /> </td><td><pre> </pre>
</td><td></td><td align="left" autor:="" br="" valign="top"><b>Title: </b>The Twistrose Key<br />
<b>Author: </b>Tone Almhjell<br />
<b>Pages:</b> 448<br />
<b>Published:</b> October 22, 2013<br />
<b>Publisher</b><b>: </b>Little Brown Books UK<br />
<b>Review Copy: </b>Yes<br />
<br />
<b>Why did I want this book?</b><br />
<i>I saw this book in the new LBB-cataloge and instantly fell in love with it.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a name='more'></a><b>Synopsis:</b><br />
Something is wrong in the house that Lin's family has rented; Lin is sure of it. The clocks tick too slowly. Frost covers the flowerbed, even in a rain storm. And when a secret key marked "Twistrose" arrives for her, Lin finds a crack in the cellar, a gate to the world of Sylver. This frozen realm is the home of every dead animal who ever loved a child. Lin is overjoyed to be reunited with Rufus, the pet she buried under the rosebush. But together they must find the missing Winter Prince in order to save Sylver from destruction. They are not the only ones hunting for the boy this night. In the dark hides a shadow-lipped man, waiting for the last Winter Prince to be delivered into his hands. Exhilarating suspense and unforgettable characters await the readers of this magical adventure, destined to become a classic.<br />
<br />
<b>Cover:</b><br />
Doesn't the cover remind you of Narnia? That was the first association I had, when I saw the cover design.<br />
<div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span><b>Title:</b><br />
The Twistrose Key is the key our protagonist uses to gain access to the other world.<br />
<br />
<b>Writing style:</b><br />
Tone Almhjell's debut novel is definitely something special. The writing style is suitable for children without being flat or boring. Quite the contrary! The setting is wonderful, detailed and beautiful. I felt like being sucked into another world while reading this book.<br />
<br />
<b>Characters:</b><br />
Lin lost her beloved pet, a little vole. But the two of them won't be apart forever, because Lin finds a passage to another world in the cellar of her house. It is a world, where dead pets live. Rufus, her vole is there too!<br />
Lin is so sweet! OMG, I love that kid! She is smart, brave and funny. And she masters a huge adventure. The prince of the world she just discovered is missing and she needs to find him. But time is running out...<br />
<br />
<b>Noteworthy:</b><br />
The way, this story was written reminded me a lot of Narnia. Not in a bad way, but I couldn't ignore it.<br />
<br />
<b>Stuck in my Head:</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>„Behind the tall windows, the lacy curtains were swaying as if in a gentle breeze. Only the window was shut, and there was no wind. Three heartbeats ago, someone had been standing in that window, watching them.“ (p. 78)</i></blockquote>
<b>What I didn't like:</b><br />
Nothing important to complain!<br />
<br />
<b>Quick and dirty:</b><br />
A sweet and ambitious children's book, that will inspire grown-ups too! I liked the idea of the death-pets-world, that was something new. Even though the gate in the basement was one of the things that reminded me of Narnia. It was just another sort of closet in my eyes. I almost detracted a star because of that. But just almost. The story itself knew how to captivate me!<br />
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<div>
Thank you to ...</div>
<div>
... <i><a href="https://www.littlebrown.co.uk/" target="_blank">Little Brown Books UK</a></i><i>, </i>who gave me this review copy in exchange of a honest review!</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892415230490330804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3496521130626202346.post-84030301707016636112014-09-03T10:54:00.001-07:002014-09-03T10:54:36.297-07:00(Review) The Oversight by Charlie Fletcher<table><tbody>
<tr><td><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMLl6VAs1bKNquEYw2uZyiEFOwyvZjkCHk_MCsXP7TwnVcevzv2J_tY_OylV0Tn54aDYY9HjgkRXK9TCIytw1yrrstNprLQTdRGXrufV9qu2jyQD6MMBrz89fBORCR5KIEetZ2K5TINy-o/s1600/oversight.jpg" height="320" width="210" /> </td><td><pre> </pre>
</td><td></td><td align="left" autor:="" br="" valign="top"><b>Title: </b>The Oversight<br />
<b>Author: </b>Charlie Fletcher<br />
<b>Pages:</b> 448<br />
<b>Published:</b> May 6, 2014<br />
<b>Publisher</b><b>: </b>Orbit<br />
<b>Review Copy: </b>Yes<br />
<br />
<b>Why did I want this book?</b><br />
<i>I saw this book in the new LBB-cataloge and fell in love with its cover!</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a name='more'></a><b>Synopsis:</b><br />
Only five still guard the borders between the worlds. Only five hold back what waits on the other side. Once the Oversight, the secret society that polices the lines between the mundane and the magic, counted hundreds of brave souls among its members. Now their number can be tallied on a single hand. When a drunkard brings a screaming girl to the Oversight's London headquarters, it seems their hopes for a new recruit will be fulfilled - but the girl is a trap, her appearance a puzzle the five remaining guardians must solve or lose each other, and their society, for good. As the borders between the natural and the supernatural begin to break down, brutal murders erupt across the city, the Oversight are torn viciously apart, and their enemies close in for the final blow. This dark Dickensian fantasy spins a tale of witch-hunters, magicians, mirror-walkers and the unlikeliest of heroes drawn from the depths of British folklore. Meet the Oversight, and remember: when they fall, so do we all.<br />
<br />
<b>Cover:</b><br />
The cover image is incredible! It was the reason, I got interested in the book. Usually, when I hear the word fantasy, you can see me running. But not this time! The setting features the ancient London and not a completely new world. I was instantly hooked!<br />
<div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span><b>Title:</b><br />
The title refers to the guardians who protect the border between the worlds.<br />
<br />
<b>Writing style:</b><br />
The writing style is very detailed but not in an annoying way. It didn't result in lengths and boring parts. And I really, really loved the fact, that it is set in London! The author also knew how to capture a reader. You could almost smell the old roads and feel the black mood.<br />
<br />
<b>Characters:</b><br />
The book tells you the story of the Oversight. They are guardians of the border between the ordinary human world and the one of the magicians. But there numbers decline and only five are left by now.<br />
The only hope of the Oversight is a girl, that comes to them. The only problem: She has no clue who she is and a lot of her memories are missing. She also has strange visions.<br />
I liked the protagonists a lot. They have a great character development: personality and depth.<br />
<br />
<b>Noteworthy:</b><br />
The book is the first novel of a Trilogy.<br />
<br />
<b>Stuck in my Head:</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>„It was hard to be afraid of what the darkness might hold when you know you are almost always the most dangerous thing abroad after the sun goes down.“ (p. 184)</i></blockquote>
<b>What I didn't like:</b><br />
Don't read the Amazon reviews, they contain way too many spoilers! In my opinion, even the synopsis reveals too much.<br />
<br />
<b>Quick and dirty:</b><br />
A fascinating story that knows who the captivate its reader with a great plot and a very new version of London.<br />
<br />
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<div>
Thank you to ...</div>
<div>
... <i><a href="https://www.littlebrown.co.uk/" target="_blank">Little Brown Books UK</a></i><i>, </i>who gave me this review copy in exchange of a honest review!</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892415230490330804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3496521130626202346.post-3272150841913519842014-08-29T07:00:00.001-07:002014-08-29T07:00:10.937-07:00(Review) Clockwork Princess (Graphic Novel) by Cassandra Clare<table><tbody>
<tr><td><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw0LSIiEje4Wb2nSmyLC56LtBp0noeRODirxtn4Tnwbd8xlydR6a9YH91qtMwGQ1UAYG89lEPTzGgmzx6ilfu6LfXeqI_55XPaViT_JIXoYukKSVe3WXca2EdWR2AgJeiYCKYDqYgePk8y/s1600/13226246.jpg" height="320" width="223" /> </td><td><pre> </pre>
</td><td></td><td align="left" autor:="" br="" valign="top"><b>Title: </b>Clockwork Princess<br />
<b>Author: </b>Cassandra Clare<br />
<b>Pages:</b> 272<br />
<b>Published:</b> July 7, 2014<br />
<b>Publisher</b><b>: </b><a href="https://www.littlebrown.co.uk/" target="_blank">Yen Press</a><br />
<b>Review Copy: </b>Yes<br />
<br />
<b>Why did I want this book?</b><br />
<i>I saw this graphic novel in the new LBB-cataloge and the cover looks so great!</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a name='more'></a><b>Synopsis:</b><br />
The threat of Mortmain's Infernal Devices looms as the Shadowhunters race to work out a way to counteract the mechanical monsters. Meanwhile, plans for Tessa's marriage to Jem are underway, despite her fiancé's failing health and the unresolved feelings between her and Will. When Tessa is captured, Will must leave his comrade behind to save the woman they both love... But with the final missing piece--Tessa herself--in Mortmain's possession, can anything stop his plot for revenge?<br />
<br />
<b>Cover:</b><br />
The cover is really pretty. Specially the colors and the art! Sometimes, graphic novels look close to creepy ... (as an example: Hush, Hush by Beccy Fitzpatrick). But as I said the art in this one is very pretty.<br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span><b>Title:</b><br />
Yay, they kept the original title!<br />
<br />
<b>Writing style & art:</b><br />
I liked the drawings because they were very detailed and pretty. It reminded me of a classic manga. So, if you are into Japanese comics, that book is for you! Of course, they didn't adopt every part of the original book. That's impossible, considering that Clockwork Princes has 600 pages! But this graphic navel contains the main story.<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span>
<b>Characters:</b><br />
The focus of the story lies on Tessa and the question: Will or Jem? Of course, I am not going to tell you, how it will end. And since almost everybody has read the original books, you guys already know the characters. Tessa got engaged with Jem who suffers from his illness. He gets weaker every day.<br />
Will is jealous as hell, but he knows, that Jem will eventually die, so he won't interfere.<br />
But of course, that's not all, the enemy is on it's way and there will be a final battle!<br />
<br />
<b>Noteworthy:</b><br />
If you liked the original book, you will like this one too!<br />
<br />
<b>Stuck in my Head:</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKbPFRq0jygbpany2TYlSjMCOlxMOu7y620IBBL4Ej8tQuD4K8A4M-O-QxojVrFmscddYJ_a7uEG7BN6HvJj3pf3l3u0TdsL0hkLfQ5GBCAz3ob38b8uN42Mqlq-I7Zga-Nn_esR4sM95U/s1600/tumblr_n5xgr5UhkC1r3oy4vo4_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKbPFRq0jygbpany2TYlSjMCOlxMOu7y620IBBL4Ej8tQuD4K8A4M-O-QxojVrFmscddYJ_a7uEG7BN6HvJj3pf3l3u0TdsL0hkLfQ5GBCAz3ob38b8uN42Mqlq-I7Zga-Nn_esR4sM95U/s1600/tumblr_n5xgr5UhkC1r3oy4vo4_500.jpg" height="342" width="640" /></a><b>What I didn't like:</b><br />
Nothing to complain.<br />
<br />
<b>Quick and dirty:</b><br />
A good addition for all Cassandra Clare fans. The art is pretty, the comic contains the main story and it has the same happy end.<br />
You should definitely check it out!<br />
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<div>
Thank you to ...</div>
<div>
... <i><a href="https://www.littlebrown.co.uk/" target="_blank">Little Brown Books UK</a></i><i>, </i>who gave me this review copy in exchange of a honest review!</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892415230490330804noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3496521130626202346.post-594770179404331092014-08-27T10:42:00.000-07:002014-08-27T10:42:26.068-07:00(Review) Fireborn - Souls of Fire by Keri Arthur<table><tbody>
<tr><td><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuZzBQn64pa1VDi6na8_xkBfvDb3DO3vVwfluH_FK9qZpPB2MBLnjrTxcXm5U698Ty_3nVagONy4kua5sj-vqNQ2rRzQKYOQWo_rD2ntI55Gyq3rO3DXxw_MGJE-tWD5DEr1hvFVKNhZi_/s1600/firebornUK.png" height="320" width="203" /> </td><td><pre> </pre>
</td><td></td><td align="left" autor:="" br="" valign="top"><b>Title: </b>Fireborn - Souls of Fire<br />
<b>Author: </b>Keri Arthur<br />
<b>Pages:</b> 391<br />
<b>Published:</b> July 1, 2014<br />
<b>Publisher</b><b>: </b><a href="https://www.littlebrown.co.uk/Piatkus/index.page" target="_blank">Piatkus</a><br />
<b>Review Copy: </b>Yes<br />
<br />
<b>Why did I want this book?</b><br />
<i>I discovered this book in the new LBB-cataloge and it sounded promising since I am into this kind of genre.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a name='more'></a><b>Synopsis:</b><br />
Emberly has spent a good number of her many lives trying to save humans. So when her prophetic dreams reveal the death of Sam, a man she once loved, she does everything in her power to prevent that from happening. But in saving his life, she gets more than she bargained for. Sam is working undercover for the Paranormal Investigations Team, and those who are trying to murder him are actually humans infected by a plague-like virus, the Crimson Death-a by-product of a failed government experiment that attempted to identify the enzymes that make vampires immortal. Now, all those infected must be eliminated. But when Emberly's boss is murdered and his irreplaceable research stolen, she needs to find the guilty party before she goes down in flames...<br />
<br />
<b>Cover:</b><br />
The cover image is really pretty. One look and you know that it's the same genre than Dark Hunter and Black Dagger.<br />
<br />
<b>Title:</b><br />
Fireborn is a fitting title, it is not about vampires this time but phoenixes! Okay, we have vampires in this book too ...<br />
<br />
<b>Writing style:</b><br />
Firstly, I liked the book but the writing style couldn't convince me. It sounds too clinical without any personality and it was written too hasty. I don't know how this could have happened since it is written in first person. It's a pity. I really had to search for a fitting quote. Usually I find them along the way.<br />
<br />
<b>Characters:</b><br />
The two most important characters are Emberly, who is a phoenix and Sam, her ex-boyfriend. Emberly never got over him, mostly because he accused her of cheating. But Sams life is endangered and she needs to help him (He's not so happy about that). A dangerous virus keeps infecting people in the city and Sam is investigating. It looks like a secret experiment went badly wrong...<br />
<br />
<b>Noteworthy:</b><br />
The book is perfect for fans of J.R. Ward and Sherrilyn Kenyon! The writing style isn't as good as theres but but the story is worth a try!<br />
<br />
<b>Stuck in my Head:</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>„Thank you; thank you, I thought, and called to the fire. Only this time, instead of using the flames that burned within me, I called to the heat of the world around us - the fire of the earth and the energy in the air - gathering it, weaving, then casting it out to form a circle that was bright and fierce but also surreal.“ (p. 194)</i></blockquote>
<b>What I didn't like:</b><br />
As I said, I was a bit disappointed by Keri Arthur's writing skills.<br />
<br />
<b>Quick and dirty:</b><br />
A great book for in-between. Not the best writing style in the world, but not the worst either. I personally liked the fact, that the book is about a phoenix. And yes, there are a lot erotic scenes in it but not as tough as in other books of this genre.<br />
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<i>Thank you to ... </i><br />
<i>... </i><a href="https://www.littlebrown.co.uk/Piatkus/index.page" target="_blank">Little Brown Books UK</a><i>, who gave me this review copy in exchange of a honest review!</i><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892415230490330804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3496521130626202346.post-30662653181276204362014-08-23T11:03:00.002-07:002014-08-23T11:03:24.412-07:00(Review) The Hive by Gill Hornby<table><tbody>
<tr><td><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzKTXK9R-vLEyRC4poltXVZbo3eAty5RGOaEtB6iYs1eXUqxGiqrXtm7THSlMaY-0vRQgKmBn87bU2bihpzW0Hpe3OXrZrs1-OnURsXwedvPoRn_Ewezycq_CiuvdQnL-MD26v1ZQC1RDS/s1600/61vEQcHJuyL.jpg" height="320" width="213" /> </td><td><pre> </pre>
</td><td></td><td align="left" autor:="" br="" valign="top"><b>Title: </b>The Hive<br />
<b>Author: </b>Gill Hornby<br />
<b>Pages:</b> 376<br />
<b>Published:</b> May 8, 2014<br />
<b>Publisher</b><b>: </b>Abacus<br />
<b>Review Copy: </b>Yes<br />
<br />
<b>Why did I want this book?</b><br />
<i>I saw this book in the new LBB-cataloge and it sounded hilarious!</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a name='more'></a><b>Synopsis:</b><br />
Welcome to St Ambrose Primary School.<br />
A world of friendships, fights and feuding. And that's just the mothers. It's the start of another school year at St Ambrose.<br />
But while the children are in the classroom colouring in, their mothers are learning sharper lessons on the other side of the school gates.<br />
Lessons in friendship. Lessons in betrayal. Lessons in the laws of community, the transience of power...and how to get invited to lunch.<br />
Beatrice - undisputed queen bee. Ruler, by Divine Right, of all school fund-raising, this year, last year and, surely, for many years to come.<br />
Heather - desperate to volunteer, desperate to be noticed, desperate just to belong. Georgie - desperate for a fag.<br />
And Rachel - watching them all, keeping her distance. But soon to discover that the line between amused observer and miserable outcast is a thin one.<br />
The Hive is an irresistible, brilliantly observed novel - warm, witty and true. Wickedly funny, it is also a fascinating and subtle story about group politics and female friendship. From the joys and perils (well, mainly perils) of the Lunch Ladder, to the military operation that is the Car Boot Sale, via the dos and don'ts of dressing your child as a dalek, all human life is here.<br />
<br />
<b>Cover:</b><br />
I like the cover design, even though it might a bit too busy. When you look closely at it, you can discover high heels and teacups in the image.<br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span><b>Title:</b><br />
The Hive is definitely a great title. It fits perfectly because the story is very sharp!<br />
<br />
<b>Writing style:</b><br />
The book is written from the third person point of view, mostly featuring Rachel (at least, that's the feeling I had) but also the other protagonists. I often had to think of Desperate Housewives and Suburgatory because of the atmosphere in this story. Between the chapters, there were also some meeting protocols from school.<br />
<br />
<b>Characters:</b><br />
There is a group of parents in this book and the story takes place during one school year.<br />
We have Rachel, who wants to stay out of everything. She is happy watching everything from the distance. In contrast to Heather, who desperately wants to be accepted. Specially by Beatrice, who is something like the queen bee. She is very popular and has a talent to let other people work for her. Last but not least there is Georgie. She seems to be quit disinterested and only wants to be left alone.<br />
<br />
<b>Noteworthy:</b><br />
The book is definitely chicklit! Sometimes you get the feeling that plot is exaggerated, but that's totally okay in this genre.<br />
<br />
<b>Stuck in my Head:</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>„She was looking wildly around. Bea - Bubba just happened to notice - was standing in the corner watching them all. Wearing a secret, knowing sort of smile.“ (S. 184)</i></blockquote>
<b>What I didn't like:</b><br />
Nothing to complain. Well, maybe a little bit character development would have been good. Don't get me wrong, I liked the characters, but they weren't something new.<br />
<br />
<b>Quick and dirty:</b><br />
A funny novel which made made me laugh a lot of times! Perfect for fans of Desperate Housewives and Suburgatory. I would recommend it to everyone who is into British humour!<br />
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<div>
Thank you to ...</div>
<div>
... <i><a href="https://www.littlebrown.co.uk/" target="_blank">Little Brown Books UK</a></i><i>, </i>who gave me this review copy in exchange of a honest review!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892415230490330804noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3496521130626202346.post-56380528639270354962014-08-21T01:00:00.000-07:002014-08-21T01:00:05.770-07:00(Review) The Girl from the Well by Rin Chupeco<table><tbody>
<tr><td><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTMw2vwfd5ylHk6Lb9FAOB_w5RS5afbFHV-s5zX7uODUHRSHxnPLXDc5L1CoT3SWYV2v-aulTXOXsgBnPNK-mm9-1eEbW2his1LD7Yc7EhHPqzSISPEZyR0dAd5oDw25kHOlgjTU58h_w4/s1600/17847318.jpg" height="320" width="213" /> </td><td><pre> </pre>
</td><td></td><td align="left" autor:="" br="" valign="top"><b>Title: </b>The Girl from the Well<br />
<b>Author: </b>Rin Chupeco<br />
<b>Pages:</b> 261<br />
<b>Published:</b> April 4, 2014<br />
<b>Publisher</b><b>: </b>Sourcebooks<br />
<b>Review Copy: </b>Yes<br />
<br />
<b>Why did I want this book?</b><br />
<i>I discovered this book on goodreads.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a name='more'></a><b>Synopsis:</b><br />
A dead girl walks the streets.<br />
She hunts murderers.<br />
Child killers, much like the man who threw her body down a well three hundred years ago. And when a strange boy bearing stranger tattoos moves into the neighborhood so, she discovers, does something else. And soon both will be drawn into the world of eerie doll rituals and dark Shinto exorcisms that will take them from American suburbia to the remote valleys and shrines of Aomori, Japan. Because the boy has a terrifying secret - one that would just kill to get out.<br />
<br />
The Girl from the Well is A YA Horror novel pitched as "Dexter" meets "The Grudge", based on a well-loved Japanese ghost story.<br />
<br />
<b>Cover:</b><br />
The cover image is pretty but not spooky at all.<br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span><b>Title:</b><br />
The title on the other hand fits very well! Oh, oh, why did I want to read and review a horror book?!<br />
<br />
<b>Writing style:</b><br />
The writing style is awesome. I was totally blown away after a couple of pages and couldn't stop reading. The book is written in first person and from the dead girls point of view. Funny, enthralling and yes: a lot of spooky situations take turns. The Girl from the Well has kept me reading late into the night because I didn't want to take a break at a creepy scene. I mean, I have two mirrors and a tv in my bedroom. You never know ...<br />
<br />
<b>Characters:</b><br />
The book has three important characters. There is dead girl (I won't tell you her name because she is based on an old Japanese legend). Her character development is great. It looks like she is still a little bit traumatized from the circumstances of her death. She needs to count everything she sees.<br />
We also have Tarquin. He is half American / half Japanese and lives in the States. There is a great story related to him as well because he gets followed by a mysterious woman since he was a child. A lot of strange things happen around him. The death girl is fascinated by him (sorry, no romance) and discovers a huge secret. Last but not least we have Callie, she is Tarquins cousin and worried about him because he seems to be ill in a mental way. She doesn't know, what she gets herself into until it is too late. Callie starts to see ghosts too.<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><b>Noteworthy:</b><br />
The book is perfect for horror fans. There is a lot to be afraid of in this story and also Japan-lovers will enjoy it!<br />
<br />
<b>Stuck in my Head:</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>„I am the fate that people fear to become. I am what happens to good persons and to bad persons and to everyone in between. I am who I am.“ (p. 264)</i></blockquote>
<b>What I didn't like:</b><br />
Nothing to complain. Well, if you are afraid in the dark and can't take bloody scenes, you might should choose another book.<br />
<br />
<b>Quick and dirty:</b><br />
I am a total chicken when it comes to horror movies (and books). When I received my galley, I had a moment of oh-my-god-what-have-you-done????!!! But then, after a couple of pages, I was hooked on. So, seriously, don't miss this story!<br />
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Thank you to ...</div>
<div>
... Rin Chupeco<i>, </i>who gave me this review copy in exchange of a honest review!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03892415230490330804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3496521130626202346.post-2938754373403555762014-08-20T11:06:00.003-07:002014-08-20T11:11:29.711-07:00(Cover Reveal & Giveaway) The Fall by Stephen Cost<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Constantia, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 19.933334350585938px;">For thousands of years, Death walked behind the dark veil of the living, waiting to ferry the dead. That is, until the day that Death took a life for pleasure rather than duty. On that day, the first Reaper fell to Earth. Now, Reapers live among us, craving the taste of death, forcing them to kill to satisfy their immortal hunger.</span>
<span style="font-family: Constantia, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 19.933334350585938px;">Giles Reid fell more than 300 years ago starving for the taste of death, only to find himself drowning in a sea of the living and blinded by a hunger that forces him to kill. In the centuries since his fall he has tried to be more human, desperate to live a life that makes up for what he is and the wrong he has done. Driven by his guilt over killing, he has chosen to feed only on evil; humans that have never been a threat to him but who are always a danger to others. That is, until the day he tries to feed on a human as strong, fast and cunning as himself; a human who, it turns out, has been hunting him. Now he is being pursued by the very evil he has fed on for centuries, embroiled in a deadly cat-and-mouse game, where friends and other Reapers connected to him are simply pawns on a chessboard waiting to be sacrificed. Giles is left with a choice, save the life of the women he loves, the daughter of his mentor, or betrays her for his own survival.</span>
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<span style="font-family: Constantia, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 19.933334350585938px;">To save the woman he loves, Giles will have to be the monster he is.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Stephen Cost was born in Wexford Ireland and raised in a small seaside town not far from Dublin. From a young age he would spin dark tales and write them down for his own amusement. At the age of 13 he moved from his home in Ireland to America and his love of dark American cinema took root.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He passes his free time, when not writing, by reading horror and fantasy genre novels in addition to watching science fiction and horror movies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He graduated from University with a degree in Psychology and a minor in Sociology. A computer engineer by trade, he specializes in integrated system services and uses the knowledge gained from his degree to write emotionally captivating urban fiction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/SCostAuthor"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Footlight MT Light","serif"; font-size: 22.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Facebook</span></a></span><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Footlight MT Light","serif"; font-size: 22.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> | </span><span style="color: #002060;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Stephen_Author"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Footlight MT Light","serif"; font-size: 22.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Twitter</span></a></span><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Footlight MT Light","serif"; font-size: 22.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> | </span><span style="color: #002060;"><a href="http://www.stephencost.com/"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Footlight MT Light","serif"; font-size: 22.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Website</span></a></span></blockquote>
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