Review: Something Strange and Deadly

Something Strange and Deadly

(Something Strange and Deadly #1)
by Susan Dennard
Published July 24th 2012
by HarperTeen

Summary from Goodreads:

The year is 1876, and there’s something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia…

Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about. Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she’s just read in the newspaper—

The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.

And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor…from her brother.

Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she’ll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including their maddeningly stubborn yet handsome inventor, Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance.

Thoughts:
I did not expect to love this book since zombies are not really my thing. But I love steampunk so I decided to give it a try and thoroughly enjoyed it in the end. Aside from the strenuous detailing of how torturous it is to wear a corset, I found the world building very refreshing.

I feel so sorry and sometimes exasperated with the main character. Desperately avoiding unsatisfactory marriage prospect, searching for her missing brother and also keeping her family from starving, Eleanor certainly have a lot in her hands. Her persistence in pursuing the group simply known as the Spirit-Hunters in her quest to locate her brother just show how stubborn she is. I love the camaraderie between the Spirit-Hunters and how they slowly accepted Eleanor into their group.

Towards the end, the book certainly took a more sinister and darker turn as the group battle the undead brought alive by a mysterious necromancer hell bent on destroying Philadelphia. It just gives me chills that a slew of zombies from some cemetery can attack humans like that and I just can't help but compare it to the book Sabriel by Garth Nix. Scary! I had actually foreseen the supposedly big twist in the end but still I cannot wait for the next book to read more of Eleanor and the Spirit Hunters.

Verdict: 4 stars.
In my Debut Author Reading Challenge 
Available on: Amazon

Review: Team Human

Team Human
by Justine Larbalestier, Sarah Rees Brennan
Published July 3rd 2012
by HarperTeen

Summary from Goodreads:

Just because Mel lives in New Whitby, a city founded by vampires, doesn't mean she knows any of the blood-drinking undead personally. They stay in their part of town; she says in hers. Until the day a vampire shows up at her high school. Worse yet, her best friend, Cathy, seems to be falling in love with him. It's up to Mel to save Cathy from a mistake she might regret for all eternity

On top of trying to help Cathy (whether she wants it or not), Mel is investigating a mysterious disappearance for another friend and discovering the attractions of a certain vampire wannabe. Combine all this with a cranky vampire cop, a number of unlikely romantic entanglements, and the occasional zombie, and soon Mel is hip-deep in an adventure that is equal parts hilarious and touching.

Thoughts:
When I found out that this book is a parody of sorts to a certain vampire romance, I was immediately intrigued. It sure is funny as hell and I was surprised as to how much I grew to like it.

I feel so happy that there's finally some authors out there that know how to create a vampire romance without the usual love triangle, clichés and sappy heroines. Although there's instances of instant love, the romance between Cathy and Francis took some time to blossom.

For me the main draw of the book is certainly Mel. She's sassy, sarcastic, and a very loyal friend to Cathy and Anna. And I just love that she's also Asian. Although Mel tends to stick her nose in her friends' affairs, I do think she has the best intention. Her dialogues are so funny and I must say among all of the characters, she has the best lines. Mel is constantly in a dilemma over her friends. Cathy who seemed eager to leave everything behind for the vampire Francis and Anna who hated vampires for what they did to her family.

It's hard for me to describe the book without giving away some major spoilers, but let me just say the story has it's surprising and touching moments especially concerning Anna's search for her dad who everyone assumed had run off with a beautiful vampire. And although Cathy's relationship with Francis feature prominently in the book, Mel's growing attraction to Kit (a human boy raised by Francis family) is rather sweet.

I'm not sure whether this will turn out to be a series, but as a stand alone it really put a smile on my face. I love it!

Verdict: 5 stars.

Review: A Witch in Love

A Witch in Love (Winter Trilogy #2) 
by Ruth Warburton
Published July 5th 2012

by Hodder Children's Books

Summary from Goodreads:

Anna still finds it hard to believe that Seth loves her and has vowed to suppress her powers, no matter what.

But magic – like love – is uncontrollable. It spills out with terrible consequences, and soon, Anna is being hunted.

Thoughts:
Let me warned you that this review will be full of spoilers if you haven't read the first book. I already reviewed the first book and immediately after finishing it, I started reading this one. And guess what? I just love, love, love this book!

It has romance, danger, adventure and it's a lot more exciting than the first book. In the second book, Seth and Anna has already became an item much to the horror of Seth's grandfather;Bran who despised witches. But Anna is having problem controlling her powers and the harder she tried not using it, it will manifest unexpectedly. It is so funny when Emmaline referred to Anna's sudden outburst of power as leakages. And I'm still a fan of her wry best friend; Emmaline and also Abe who in my opinion is much more suitable to Anna compared to bad boy Seth.

Anna also discovered some truths relating to her missing mother and she finally get to meet her maternal grandmother who turned out to be a member of the Eadwiltan. Besides the whole mysterious group of humans known as Malleus Maleficarum terrorizing Anna for being a witch, I just love that there's more insights to her magical lineage. We have muggles in Harry Potter and in this series they are referred to as outwith. As in the first book, the magical battles are very explosive and there's a hint of a possible love triangle in the future that I'm really hoping for.

If you're a fan of witches then this is indeed a series to look out for!

Verdict: 5 stars.In my Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge 
Available on: Amazon

Lazy Days of Summer Giveaway Hop

Welcome to my stop of the Lazy Days of Summer Giveaway Hop hosted by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Colorimetry.

Rules:

1. One winner will get a book of their choice up to $15 USD from The Book Depository/Amazon.

2. As usual it's open to International followers as long as The Book Depository ships to you.

3. Fill in the rafflecopter and that's it.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour (Guest Post): The Emerald Isle by Kate Hinderer

Hi, everyone! Today we have the lovely Kate Hinderer doing a guest post as part of the Emerald Isle Blog Tour.

Hey, I’m author Kate Hinderer and I’m lucky enough to be guest posting for the day as part of the blog book tour for The Emerald Isle. This book is part paranormal, part contemporary fiction and has adventure, romance, suspense, and a whole lot of sand.
(The book can be found on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Smashwords.)
I figured I’d share a list of my favorite books.

A Ring of Endless Light by Madeleine L’Engle – This book combines everything I love into one well crafted piece. It’s a coming of age story. There are several potential love interests. The strong sense of family and belonging permeates the whole story. Plus there is death and redemption. And the whole thing is written in L’Engle’s masterful hand.

Where Men Win Glory by Jon Krakauer – I don’t read too many non-fiction or historical books but I stumbled across this one while stuck in an airport for seven hours. It tells the story of Pat Tilman and the war in Iraq. Krakauer is an amazing author and has a knack for telling stories and doing his research. It’s not a pretty story but it is a well-told one.

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy – I loved this story before it was cool to like it, with the upcoming movie. To me, the best part about this story is the contrast that exists between the good and bad choices. It illustrates in a most graphic way what happens with the decisions we make.

Short-straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer – This is a Christian romance, which is a little bit of a secret love of mine, but it reads so much better than a lot of similar books. The characters are adorable and genuine. Plus, the main chick wields a gun and is one tough cookie. I found myself smiling as I read through each page.

The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux – Sure, the movie is great. The soundtrack is oh so dramatic. But the book is even better. You feel for the phantom and the life he has to endure. It’s wonderfully tragic.

My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok – There was something in this book that struck me at the very core of my being. The main character wars between a talent he was born with and a religion that tells him it is wrong. His inner turmoil is astounding.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins – Pure genius! You’ve all read them, I don’t need to go on and on about the series, but suffice it to say I’m a sucker for a strong female lead.

Mary Queen of Scots by Antonia Fraser – The only biography that I ever read like it was a fictional novel. It was so enjoyable and interesting I couldn’t put it down.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte – I’m a huge fan of dark novels and this one is the ultimate! There is something so disturbing and so romantic about a love that can never be that still calls to the person from the grave.

Between the Lines by Tammara Webber – I’m not a huge fan of teen sex in books, but this novel is heartwarming and adorable. I fell in love with TK and TK and their relationship, it was so perfect. Oh and Tammara is the absolute sweetest indie author. She emailed back and forth with me before this book launched and I am ever so grateful.

Kate Hinderer

Blog | Twitter | FB | Goodreads

The Emerald Isle

Summary from Goodreads:
To escape a bad break-up and fighting parents Audyn takes a job as a lifeguard at Fascination Island. The posh five-star resort lives up to its name in every way, including the strange rules the owner has about entering the water at night. Despite declaring it a boy-free summer, it isn’t long before the shy, endearing Levi and the mysterious, tattooed Tristan begin vying for her attention. When Levi tries to push his advantage and Tristan comes to the rescue, Audyn realizes there is more to both these boys and the island they inhabit. Suddenly, she’s forced to acknowledge a reality she’d never considered and to pick a side in the conflict that has been waging for decades.

Available on: Amazon

Wishlist Wednesday #29

Wishlist Wednesday is a wonderful meme created by the ever sweet Dani from Pen to Paper where we will post about one book per week that has been on our wishlist for some time, or just added (it's entirely up to you), that we can't wait to get off the wishlist and onto our wonderful shelves.

The Archived (The Archived #1)
by Victoria Schwab
Expected publication: January 22nd 2013 

by Hyperion

Summary from Goodreads:
Imagine a place where the dead rest on shelves like books. 

Each body has a story to tell, a life seen in pictures that only Librarians can read. The dead are called Histories, and the vast realm in which they rest is the Archive.

Da first brought Mackenzie Bishop here four years ago, when she was twelve years old, frightened but determined to prove herself. Now Da is dead, and Mac has grown into what he once was, a ruthless Keeper, tasked with stopping often-violent Histories from waking up and getting out. Because of her job, she lies to the people she loves, and she knows fear for what it is: a useful tool for staying alive. 

Being a Keeper isn't just dangerous—it's a constant reminder of those Mac has lost. Da's death was hard enough, but now her little brother is gone too. Mac starts to wonder about the boundary between living and dying, sleeping and waking. In the Archive, the dead must never be disturbed. And yet, someone is deliberately altering Histories, erasing essential chapters. Unless Mac can piece together what remains, the Archive itself might crumble and fall. 

In this haunting, richly imagined novel, Victoria Schwab reveals the thin lines between past and present, love and pain, trust and deceit, unbearable loss and hard-won redemption.

Babble:
Victoria Schwab has written a new book! If you're a fan of her previous book; A Near Witch then you'll know that she's good at creating creepy stories that brings a chill up your spine. I'm just curious how this will played out. Ghostly library or library of ghosts? Whatever..I'm in!

Review: A Witch in Winter

A Witch in Winter (Winter Trilogy #1)
by Ruth Warburton
Published January 5th 2012
by Hodder Children's Books

Summary from Goodreads:

Anna Winterson doesn't know she's a witch and would probably mock you for believing in magic, but after moving to the small town of Winter with her father, she learns more than she ever wanted to about power. When Anna meets Seth, she is smitten, but when she enchants him to love her, she unwittingly amplifies a deadly conflict between two witch clans and splits her own heart in two. She wants to love Seth, to let him love her – but if it is her magic that's controlling his passion, then she is as monstrous as the witch clan who are trying to use her amazing powers for their own gain.

Thoughts:
Books about witches are certainly my favourite. They never disappoint me and most of the time I ended up really enjoying them.

The book started off rather slowly and I was quite hesitant at times with the so many clichés in the beginning. New girl at school falls for the most popular and gorgeous guy? It has been done so many times.

But when Anna unwittingly set a love spell that actually works, things certainly get more interesting and she was approached by the sarcastic Emmaline and her mum who turned out to be witches themselves. I must say Emmaline's circle of magical friends and family is certainly very interesting and lovable and I found myself liking the outspoken Emmaline much more than Anna who constantly questioned and doubt herself every step of the way. I did not care so much for Anna and Seth instant romance but the relationship between Anna and her dad is certainly heartwarming.

As Anna desperately tried to do undo her spell and come to grips with her surprising magical powers, Emmaline and her friends proves to be a valuable support as in the end they decided to go against the powerful and mysterious magical council known as Ealdwiton who forced Anna to join them. The fabulous British setting, magical mayhem and colourful characters are what makes this story so appealing for me. And I'm so glad that the second book is already out so that I can start reading it like right now!

Verdict: 4 stars.
In my Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge
Available on: Amazon

Review: House of Shadows

House of Shadows
by Rachel Neumeier
Published July 10th 2012

by Orbit

Summary from Goodreads:

Orphaned, two sisters are left to find their own fortunes. 

Sweet and proper, Karah's future seems secure at a glamorous Flower House. She could be pampered for the rest of her life... if she agrees to play their game.

Nemienne, neither sweet nor proper, has fewer choices. Left with no alternative, she accepts a mysterious mage's offer of an apprenticeship. Agreeing means a home and survival, but can Nemienne trust the mage? 

With the arrival of a foreign bard into the quiet city, dangerous secrets are unearthed, and both sisters find themselves at the center of a plot that threatens not only to upset their newly found lives, but also to destroy their kingdom.

Thoughts:
I am so glad that I had the chance to read this. It's like a little gem among all of the mediocre books that I have been reading lately. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I prefer epic fantasy to urban fantasy. And the awesome world building created by the author just totally sucked me in.

The core of the story is about sisterly love. And it is indeed a breath of fresh air to read something that has nothing to do with instant love or even a love triangle. When their father died unexpectedly, Karah and Nemienne sacrificed themselves in order to keep their ancestral home and to support their other sisters. There are eight of them (Ananda, Karah, Enelle, Nemienne, Tana, Miande, Jehenne & Liaska) and each has their own traits and specialities except for Nemienne who is not the prettiest nor the plainest. Karah; the prettiest volunteered herself to be a keiso to raise money for her sisters and Nemienne generally thought as the most useless one since she has no special talent or skills unlike her sisters agreed to be an apprentice to a mage for a price.

The story is indeed a mixture of Eastern and European elements with the whole geisha/keiso concept thrown in. I just love how the two sisters develop throughout the story and how the writer brilliantly intertwined the two different lives and how Nemienne finally found her calling and prove a true worth to her sisters.

The only gripe I have about the book is the confusing multiple POV which can be overwhelming at times. The book are told from four different POV and I found myself skipping the parts which were not told from either Karah or even Nemienne's POV. Let's just say I'm more interested about the sisters than the other two supporting characters.

I'm just happy that it all came nicely in the end and since this is a stand alone book, just made it much more enjoyable.

Verdict: 4 stars.
In my Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge 
Available on: Amazon

Review: God Save the Queen

God Save the Queen
(The Immortal Empire #1)
by Kate Locke
Published July 3rd 2012

by Orbit

Summary from Goodreads:

Queen Victoria rules with an immortal fist. 

The undead matriarch of a Britain where the Aristocracy is made up of werewolves and vampires, where goblins live underground and mothers know better than to let their children out after dark. A world where being nobility means being infected with the Plague (side-effects include undeath), Hysteria is the popular affliction of the day, and leeches are considered a delicacy. And a world where technology lives side by side with magic. The year is 2012 and Pax Britannia still reigns.

Xandra Vardan is a member of the elite Royal Guard, and it is her duty to protect the Aristocracy. But when her sister goes missing, Xandra will set out on a path that undermines everything she believed in and uncover a conspiracy that threatens to topple the empire. And she is the key-the prize in a very dangerous struggle.

Thoughts:
I had high hopes for this book and although it did not live up to my greatest expectation, I enjoyed it nonetheless. The book combined steampunk and paranormal so I can't help but compared it to the already concluded Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carriger which I simply adore. Unfortunately, this book lack the wit, humour and charm that is apparent in Gail Carriger's writing.

The concept of the story is indeed intriguing. The nobles and the aristocrats of London are all vampires and werewolves. And although it is set in 2012, Queen Victoria is still alive. The world building is wonderful. I just wished that there's more character development. I had trouble relating to the main character. The writer tried so hard to portray her as this kick-ass Royal Guard but it just seems unbelievable to me. She's a half vampire or halvie who is still inferior to the aristocrats.

The romance is also so predictable. Vampires and werewolves? The story will indeed appeal to those who wanted a different type of read but as a steampunk fan, I really yearned for more.

Trivia:
Did you know that Kate Locke is actually Kady Cross;the author of The Girl in the Steel Corset? So Kate Locke is actually another pseudonym for Kathryn Smith who also goes by the name Kady Cross for her YA books.

Verdict: 3 stars.
Available on: Amazon

Wishlist Wednesday #28

Wishlist Wednesday is a wonderful meme created by the ever sweet Dani from Pen to Paper where we will post about one book per week that has been on our wishlist for some time, or just added (it's entirely up to you), that we can't wait to get off the wishlist and onto our wonderful shelves.

Vessel
by Sarah Beth Durst
Expected publication: September 11th 2012
by Margaret K. McElderry

Summary from Goodreads:

In a desert world of sandstorms and sand-wolves, a teen girl must defy the gods to save her tribe in this mystical, atmospheric tale from the author of Drink, Slay, Love. Liyana has trained her entire life to be the vessel of a goddess. The goddess will inhabit Liyana's body and use magic to bring rain to the desert. But Liyana's goddess never comes. Abandoned by her angry tribe, Liyana expects to die in the desert. Until a boy walks out of the dust in search of her.

Korbyn is a god inside his vessel, and a trickster god at that. He tells Liyana that five other gods are missing, and they set off across the desert in search of the other vessels. For the desert tribes cannot survive without the magic of their gods. But the journey is dangerous, even with a god's help. And not everyone is willing to believe the trickster god's tale.

The closer she grows to Korbyn, the less Liyana wants to disappear to make way for her goddess. But she has no choice: She must die for her tribe to live. Unless a trickster god can help her to trick fate--or a human girl can muster some magic of her own.

Babble:
The cover is gorgeous. The plotline sounds unique and fascinating. The desert setting reminds me a lot of Blood Red Road and I love that book! The whole concept of god and goddess choosing humans to be their vessel is very similar to Chinese folklore and I'm intrigued how the writer will played it out.

Review: Advent

Advent
by James Treadwell
Published July 3rd 2012
by Atria/Emily Bestler Books
ARC from Netgalley

Summary from Goodreads:

A drowning, a magician’s curse, and a centuries-old secret.

1537. A man hurries through city streets in a gathering snowstorm, clutching a box in one hand. He is Johann Faust, the greatest magician of his age. The box he carries contains a mirror safeguarding a portion of his soul and a small ring containing all the magic in the world. Together, they comprise something unimaginably dangerous.

London, the present day. Fifteen-year-old Gavin Stokes is boarding a train to the countryside to live with his aunt. His school and his parents can’t cope with him and the things he sees, things they tell him don’t really exist. At Pendurra, Gavin finds people who are like him, who see things too. They all make the same strange claim: magic exists, it’s leaking back into our world, and it’s bringing something terrible with it.

First in an astonishingly imaginative fantasy trilogy, Advent describes how magic was lost to humanity, and how a fifteen-year-old boy discovers that its return is his inheritance. It begins in a world recognizably our own, and ends an extraordinarily long way from where it started—somewhere much bigger, stranger, and richer.

Thoughts:
There's two interwoven story in the book. One is set in present day London telling the story of Gavin who was sent off to live with his aunt because his parents had enough of him and his imaginary friend who no one can see.
The other story which is set in the past is about a powerful magus who wished to keep all the magic in the world to himself. Things get weirder when Gavin arrived at Pendurra and his aunt apparently vanished into thin air. Add to the fact that his mysterious imaginary friend 'Miss Grey' is also there with him and that there's so many curious things happening to him all at the same time, I must say that the book is quite creepy at times.

It's hard for me not to compare the book to A Discovery of Witches. Both had very slow pace, meandering storyline and nothing gets resolved in the end. So as much as I really want to like this book, I just really don't have the patience to slogged through pages of events that add more to my confusion. The writing is indeed exquisite but I just wished that there's more excitement in the story.

Verdict: 3 stars.
In my Debut Author & Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge 
Available on: Amazon

Review: Florence

Florence
by Ciye Cho
ebook
336 pages
Published July 1st 2012

Summary from Goodreads:

Seventeen-year-old Florence Waverley is out of her depth. Literally. Kidnapped and taken below the waves to the mer world of Niemela, she is the ultimate gift for merman Prince Kiren: a human familiar tied to his side. But nothing is what it seems amid the beauty and danger of a dark ocean.

Every Niemelan has a role to play, from the mermaids who weave towers out of kelp to the warriors who fight sea monsters. But in trying to survive, Florence will end up in the middle of a war between the mer and the Darkness. A conflict that will push her between two brothers: Kiren, the charmer inexplicably drawn to both her and the monsters; and Rolan, the loner who has been pushing her away since the day they met. But in order to take a stand--and find out where she belongs--Florence will have to risk it all: her life, her heart... and her very soul.

Thoughts:
I think I've read quite a number of books about mermaids and merman this year but this is the first book that have a human as the main character. Florence is just your usual high school loner when she was inexplicably kidnapped during a school trip to the beach.

Confused and alone, she found herself torn between two brothers. Kiren who took a liking for her from the start and Rolan who seemed to despised her and is hell bent to get rid of her. From earlier on the mer-folk has shown their hatred towards humans but luckily for Florence, Princess Yolee decided to keep Florence as her guest/pet.

The book is certainly a light and entertaining read. And the author has created a wonderful underwater world that seems surreal and beautiful at the same time. I found myself drawn to Princess Yolee more than the two royal brothers or even Florence. Florence just seems a little bit bland for me and it is just strange that she can just disappear into the ocean without anyone looking for her. I'm constantly wondering where the hell are her family or friends.

Despite this issue, the conflict and adventures that Florence experience in the Niemela kingdom is quite an engaging read. And I'm quite satisfied with whom she ended up with although the ending left the book open for more continuation.

Verdict: 4 stars.
In my Self Published Reading Challenge 
Available on: Amazon

Review: The Goddess Legacy

The Goddess Legacy 

(Goddess Test #2.5)

by Aimee Carter
Published July 31st 2012
by Harlequin Teen

ARC from Netgalley

Summary from Goodreads:

For millennia we've caught only glimpses of the lives and loves of the gods and goddesses on Olympus. Now Aimee Carter pulls back the curtain on how they became the powerful, petty, loving and dangerous immortals that Kate Winters knows.

Calliope/Hera represented constancy and yet had a husband who never matched her faithfulness....

Ava/Aphrodite was the goddess of love and yet commitment was a totally different deal....

Persephone was urged to marry one man, yet longed for another....

James/Hermes loved to make trouble for others-but never knew true loss before....

Henry/Hades's solitary existence had grown too wearisome to continue. But meeting Kate Winters gave him a new hope....

Five original novellas of love, loss and longing and the will to survive throughout the ages.

Thoughts:
If you have read my previous review on the Goddess Test series, you know that I'm not such a big fan of it. Although the writing is beautiful, the pacing is too slow to my liking and I just don't get why Henry/Hades had this obsession of finding himself a new wife.

There's 5 different novellas in this book with stories told from the very distinct view point of Hera, Aphrodite, Persephone, Hermes and Hades. Let me just say that the writer indeed have a flair to make the readers feel for the characters. Hera's story is tragic and we get valuable insights to her vengeful feelings towards the other gods. Aphrodite's romance is predictable and sometimes sweet but she's such a hateful and selfish character that I found loathsome. Persephone is a very, very confused young bride who discovered that happiness indeed comes with a price. Reckless Hermes actually fell in love with a mortal and dear brooding Hades who always puts others first until the day his heart got broken.

After reading this and nearly bawled my eyes out, I'm so rooting for him. He really deserves a break, poor guy..ehem..god. He's a tortured soul caught in an eternity of loneliness. Now I know why he's so obsessed with Kate. He needs to be with someone who loves him back!

I just love all the background story on the different gods and goddesses and it certainly help me a lot in understanding the series more. Now I can't wait for the next book and would definitely give this series a second chance.

Recommended for: fans of Greek mythology
Verdict: 5 stars.
Available on: Amazon

Review: Etiquette for an Apocalypse

Etiquette for an Apocalypse
by Anne Mendel

Published April 22nd 2012 

Bracket Press 

Review copy

Summary from Goodreads:

It’s the 2020 Apocalypse and Sophie Cohen, former social worker turned neighborly drug dealer, must keep her family alive amid those pesky end of the world issues: starvation, earthquakes, plagues, gang violence and alas more starvation.She investigates a serial killing and takes down the sinister emerging power structure while learning to use a pizza box solar oven, bond with her chickens and blast tin cans from the perimeter fence with a Ruger 9MM.

In order to accomplish all this she must find a way to love her mother, accept her daughter’s adulthood and reignite her moribund marriage.

She might discover that a decentralized, consensus driven life—without fossil fuels, iPhones and chocolate éclairs—isn’t the end of the world, after all. 

Thoughts:
This book is certainly what I needed after reading too many dystopian books with the end of the world cliché. It is hilarious, wacky and made me laugh out loud right from the beginning to the very end. The writer certainly has a way of making fun of even the most severe of circumstances and it is reflected on the colourful characters that were portrayed in this book.

Sophie Cohen and her family which consists of her diva-ish mother, her overworked husband and her rebellious teenage daughter lives in a condo in downtown LA with other eccentric residents. While they make do with solar power and eating anything that comes by (termite soup, anyone?), Sophie is presented with a juicy mystery by her husband who is a doctor.Someone is killing women and disposing their bodies in the hospital and now it's up to them to find out who is behind all this.

Sophie is certainly a character I empathised with. She's a mother desperately trying to protect her family while coping with the destruction of a civilized world. Her candid response and sarcasm is quite funny to read. And despite her cynical view of the life she's living, Sophie is rather resourceful and is just trying to make the best of things. The book is quite an entertaining read and at the same time taught me a thing or two on how to survive an apocalypse.

Recommended for: fans of quirky dystopian
Verdict: 5 stars.
Available on: Amazon

Wishlist Wednesday #27

Wishlist Wednesday is a wonderful meme created by the ever sweet Dani from Pen to Paper where we will post about one book per week that has been on our wishlist for some time, or just added (it's entirely up to you), that we can't wait to get off the wishlist and onto our wonderful shelves.

Snow White Sorrow (The Grimm Diaries #1)
by Cameron Jace
Expected publication: October 30th 2012

Summary from Goodreads:

What if all you knew about fairy tales was wrong?

Sixteen year old Loki Blackstar is no Prince Charming. His mother is a ghost. His only friend is a red Cadillac that talks to him through the radio. He looks like an Angel but acts like jerk. No wonder he has been banned from Heaven, which is the least of his troubles. Loki needs a job to pay for school and support himself.

Still, Loki has a rare gift: He is a Dreamhunter. One of the few in the world who can hunt and kill immortal demons in their dreams so they never wake up again.

When Loki is sent to kill a sixteen-year-old vampire girl the locals call Snow White Sorrow, he is pulled into a magical but dangerous world. The locals believe the monster to be Snow White.

The real Snow White... living in the ruins of an ancient castle in a small town. She is described as horribly beautiful, terrifyingly enchanting, and wickedly lovely.

What he finds instead is a beautiful monster girl filled with rage and hurt, who has an epic untold story to tell of things such like why the Brothers Grimm altered the fairy tale, who the Evil Queen really is, where the mirror came from, and who possessed it.

Snow White has killed every person who has dared come near the castle where she once lived with the queen. Mysteriously, she lets Loki live.

Babble:
The summary reminds me a lot of Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake and I love that book. I hope it's as creepy as it looks. Horror and fairy tale combined. What a combination for a book. I'm looking forward to this.

Review: Shadow of Night

Shadow of Night (All Souls Trilogy #2)
by Deborah Harkness
Published July 10th 2012

Viking Adult
ARC from Netgalley

Summary from Goodreads:

Shortly after Diana Bishop and Matthew Clairmont timewalk to London, 1590, they discover that the past may not provide a safe haven after all. Reclaiming his former identity as poet and spy Matthew Roydon, the vampire falls back in step with a group of radicals known as the School of Night who share dangerous ideas about God, science, and man. Many of his friends are unruly daemons - the creative minds of the age who walk the fine line between genius and madness - including playwright Christopher Marlowe and mathematician Thomas Harriot. Matthew, himself, is expected to continue to spy for Queen Elizabeth, which puts him in close contact with London's cutthroat underworld.

Together, Matthew and Diana scour the bookstalls and alchemical laboratories of London where they follow the elusive trail of Ashmole 782 - and search for the witch who will teach Diana to control her powers.

Thoughts:
I enjoyed the first book and was so looking forward to more of Diana and Matthew as they venture to find the magical book known as Ashmole 782. If the first book contained so much about genetics theories and alchemical experiments, this one definitely filled the mind with a lot of reference to literature, social theories and history.

As Diana and Matthew travel back in time to the Elizabethan era, we are introduced to a whole new set of characters. Sometimes it is hard for me to swallow the fact that Matthew knew so many popular historical figures and that most of them are daemons. Like the first book the plot does meandered a lot and it took some time for Diana and Matthew to achieve their real purpose.

I'd rather missed the characters from the present day which involved Diana's aunt and lesbian lover and also Matthew's colourful family. Most of the time I was wishing that they could hurry and go back to the present because it is tiresome to read an account of how interesting and wonderful Matthew's famous friends are.

The most interesting part for me is when the secrets of Ashmole 782 and the connection between the book and Diana is finally revealed. Other than that, the book is indeed a long read that requires a lot of patience to finish.

Recommended for: fans of the first book
Verdict: 3 stars.

In my Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge 
Available on: Amazon

Review: A Discovery of Witches

A Discovery of Witches (All Souls Trilogy #1)
by Deborah Harkness
Paperback
690 pages
Published September 1st 2011
Headline

Summary from Goodreads:

A richly inventive novel about a centuries-old vampire, a spellbound witch, and the mysterious manuscript that draws them together.

Deep in the stacks of Oxford's Bodleian Library, young scholar Diana Bishop unwittingly calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript in the course of her research. Descended from an old and distinguished line of witches, Diana wants nothing to do with sorcery; so after a furtive glance and a few notes, she banishes the book to the stacks. But her discovery sets a fantastical underworld stirring, and a horde of daemons, witches, and vampires soon descends upon the library. Diana has stumbled upon a coveted treasure lost for centuries-and she is the only creature who can break its spell.

Thoughts:
A blogger friend told me that this book is actually the Twilight version for adult and I couldn't agree more. In truth I bought the book last year and it's been sitting on my shelf gathering dust for some time. When I found out that the sequel is out this month, I just had to read this.

Let me just say although I ended up liking this book in the end, it is indeed insufferably long. The book is filled with academic terms and scientific research that will not necessarily appeal to the masses. And the main character spent most of her time holed up in the Oxford's Bodleian Library just reading books to complete her thesis regarding alchemy. Maybe the fact that I'm also currently doing my postgraduate thesis and have been spending a lot of time in the library made me particularly fond of the book.

As fate would have it, Diana the main character in the story found an ancient magical text and attracted the attention of other magical beings desperate to get their hands on the mysterious book that contained the secrets behind the existence of paranormals.

The relationship between Diana and Matthew took some time to blossom and I love that it's not the usual instant love kind of thing. They hang out at the library, went for tea and even did yoga together before finally confessing their love for each other.

As I said if the book if shortened a bit more then it'll be just perfect. I do think the main appeal here is not so much the romance between the vampire and the witch but the quest to unearth the secrets behind the magical book and the mysterious murders of Diana's parents when she was young. Too bad the story meandered a lot in the middle and it took some patience to get into the story.

Recommended for: fans of paranormal romance and witches
Verdict: 4 stars.

In my TBR Pile, The Dusty Bookshelf & Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge 
Available on: Amazon

Review: The Unquiet

The Unquiet
by Jeannine Garsee
Published July 17th 2012
Bloomsbury
ARC from Netgalley

Summary from Goodreads:

Sixteen-year-old Rinn Jacobs has secrets: One, she’s bipolar. Two, she killed her grandmother. 

After a suicide attempt, and now her parents' separation, Rinn and her mom move from California to the rural Ohio town where her mother grew up. Back on her medications and hoping to stay well, Rinn settles into her new home, undaunted by the fact that the previous owner hanged herself in Rinn's bedroom. At school, her classmates believe the school pool is haunted by Annaliese, a girl who drowned there. But when a reckless séance goes awry, and terrible things start happening to her new friends—yet not to her—Rinn is determined to find out why she can’t be "touched" by Annaliese...or if Annaliese even exists. 

With the help of Nate Brenner, the hunky “farmer boy” she’s rapidly falling for, Rinn devises a dangerous plan to uncover the truth. Soon reality and fantasy meld into one, till Rinn finds it nearly impossible to tell the difference. When a malevolent force threatens the lives of everyone she cares about--not to mention her own--she can't help wondering: who should she really be afraid of?

Annaliese? Or herself?

Thoughts:
The book started so slowly as the writer tentatively introduce us to the characters and there's constantly flashback scenes to show how mentally unstable Rinn is. I have never read about a character suffering from bipolar before so it is indeed an interesting revelation to me. Since I'm not an expert on psychology, I'm really not sure whether the depiction of a bipolar person is correct in this one.

I feel sorry and annoyed because Rinn is always hurting the people around her but she's actually powerless due to her condition. The story actually feels more like a YA contemporary than a ghost story and I think the supposedly mysterious spirit indeed took her own sweet time to appear.

The story gets more exciting when Annaliese- the ghost finally made an appearance. Rinn's new buddies ended up getting hurt and some of them mysteriously died. So Rinn can't help but questioned her own sanity when things started getting more bizarre. Is she to blame or is there a creepy ghost that's actually haunting her? It feels so creepy and disturbing at the same time. Because if there is no ghost then she is to blame for all the deaths.

Ultimately, I have mixed feelings regarding the book. I love a good horror story but the characters just seemed to annoy me most of the time and the ending just left me confused.

Recommended for: fans of The Weeping by O' Dell
Verdict: 2 stars.
Available on: Amazon

Wishlist Wednesday #26

Wishlist Wednesday is a wonderful meme created by the ever sweet Dani from Pen to Paper where we will post about one book per week that has been on our wishlist for some time, or just added (it's entirely up to you), that we can't wait to get off the wishlist and onto our wonderful shelves.

Stormdancer (The Lotus War #1)
by Jay Kristoff
Expected publication: September 18th 2012
by Thomas Dunne Books

Summary from Goodreads:

A DYING LAND 

The Shima Imperium verges on the brink of environmental collapse; an island nation once rich in tradition and myth, now decimated by clockwork industrialization and the machine-worshipers of the Lotus Guild. The skies are red as blood, the land is choked with toxic pollution, and the great spirit animals that once roamed its wilds have departed forever. 

AN IMPOSSIBLE QUEST 

The hunters of Shima's imperial court are charged by their Shōgun to capture a thunder tiger – a legendary creature, half-eagle, half-tiger. But any fool knows the beasts have been extinct for more than a century, and the price of failing the Shōgun is death. 

A HIDDEN GIFT 

Yukiko is a child of the Fox clan, possessed of a talent that if discovered, would see her executed by the Lotus Guild. Accompanying her father on the Shōgun’s hunt, she finds herself stranded: a young woman alone in Shima’s last wilderness, with only a furious, crippled thunder tiger for company. Even though she can hear his thoughts, even though she saved his life, all she knows for certain is he’d rather see her dead than help her. 

But together, the pair will form an indomitable friendship, and rise to challenge the might of an empire.

Babble:
Yes, I have a weakness for books which features kick-ass girls with sword on the cover. And the fact that I'm Asian just made me very desperate to get my hands on this beautiful and awesome looking book. I'm hoping that Yukiko will be the next Azumi or even cooler.

Review: Soulbound

Soulbound (Legacy of Tril #1)
by Heather Brewer
Published July 5th 2012

by Dial

Summary from Goodreads:

What's worse than being blackmailed to attend a hidden school where you're treated like a second-class citizen? How about nearly getting eaten by a monster when you arrive? Or learning that your soulmate was killed in a centuries-old secret war? And then there's the evil king who's determined to rule the world unless you can stop him...

Meet Kaya, a young woman with the power to heal and the determination to fight. But struggle as she will, she remains tied to three very different men: a hero who has forsaken glory, a tyrannical ruler who wants to use Kaya, and a warrior who's stolen her heart. Kaya learns the hard way that some ties can't be broken...and blood is the strongest bond of all.

Thoughts:
When I finished reading the book, the first thing that popped into my mind is how misleading the cover is. Kaya do not even have a sword since she is a Healer destined to be bound to a Barron eventhough she had two runaway Barron as parents. Barron is a group of people who become warriors due to their incredible strength, skill and agility and each Barron is paired up with a Healer who can cure them of any injuries or sickness with a single touch.

The overall concept of the book is quite interesting and appealed to me greatly but halfway through the book I realised that it's actually the usual teen in a boarding school story set in an alternative fantasy world complete with the cliché mean beautiful bitchy girls, hunky love interest, snarky sidekick and another mysterious guy which ultimately leads to a love triangle. Damn!

I really wanted to love this so much because of the cool fantasy elements but the plotline has been done countless of times and Kaya's swear words just seemed so weird in the supposedly medieval setting. Kaya is a puzzling character for me. At the beginning she seemed like a headstrong and outspoken character but after meeting Trayton she changed into this giddy schoolgirl that I found confusing. Kaya only realised her true potential near the end of the story but I found that it's rather unbelievable that she can defeat a Barron after only learning how to fight for a short time. I'd rather prefer her friend and servant; Maddox who remained snarky throughout the story.

Hopefully the next book will be better and feature a lot more action scenes rather than those petty teenage drama moments. I will definitely continue the series since the ending just left me literally dumbfounded. The beginning and the ending is so good. Too bad the middle parts are kind of slow.

Recommended for: fans of epic fantasy
Verdict: 3 stars.

Available on: Amazon

Review: Seraphina

Seraphina

by Rachel Hartman
Published July 10th 2012

by Random House Children's Books
ARC from Netgalley

Summary from Goodreads:

Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty's anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high.

Seraphina Dombegh has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered—in suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the captain of the Queen's Guard, the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs. While they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect her own secret, the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life.

Thoughts:
Seraphina; a half born dragon is a talented musician but was shunned most of her life by her human father. Thankfully her somewhat reluctant uncle who just happens to be a brilliant dragon took her under his wing. Just when the celebration to commemorate the peace between the dragons and humans are under way, certain situations arise and Seraphina must work together with the bastard prince to solve the mysterious murder.

Seraphina is simply a delightful story with its clever and unconventional depiction of dragons. I just love the dragons in this book. They can change to human form and disguised themselves as scholars with a talent for solving difficult math problems and they converse in such a straight forward manner that can be so funny and downright sarcastic at times. And Seraphina's relationship with her dragon mentor/uncle Orma really touch my heart.

The colourful characters, the delicious romance and the heart warming relationship just made me fell in love with this book completely!

Recommended for: fans of epic &high fantasy
Verdict: 4 stars.

In my Début Author Reading Challenge 
Available on: Amazon

Book of the Month: June

Book of the Month is a monthly event, hosted by Book Whales. This is done to highlight one of the books we have read in the previous month.

So my book of the month is (cue drum roll please..)

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

My review

As a fan of epic/high fantasy, I fell in love completely with the awesome fantasy world of Shadow and Bone. I just love love love it so much!