Waiting on Wednesday #20: The Bone Season

Waiting on Wednesday is a wonderful meme created by Jill from Breaking the Spine where we highlighted an upcoming release that we're eagerly anticipating.

The Bone Season (Bone Season #1)
by Samantha Shannon
Kindle Edition, 480 pages
Expected publication: August 20th 2013 

by Bloomsbury USA

Summary from Goodreads:

It is the year 2059. Several major world cities are under the control of a security force called Scion. Paige Mahoney works in the criminal underworld of Scion London, part of a secret cell known as the Seven Seals. The work she does is unusual: scouting for information by breaking into others’ minds. Paige is a dreamwalker, a rare kind of clairvoyant, and in this world, the voyants commit treason simply by breathing.

But when Paige is captured and arrested, she encounters a power more sinister even than Scion. The voyant prison is a separate city—Oxford, erased from the map two centuries ago and now controlled by a powerful, otherworldly race. These creatures, the Rephaim, value the voyants highly—as soldiers in their army.

Paige is assigned to a Rephaite keeper, Warden, who will be in charge of her care and training. He is her master. Her natural enemy. But if she wants to regain her freedom, Paige will have to learn something of his mind and his own mysterious motives.

Babble:
For the uninitiated, Samantha Shannon is being touted as the next J.K. Rowling. That is a good enough reason for me to check this highly anticipated debut out but that cover is just too appalling for my taste. Let's just hope the publisher had enough sense to change the cover soon.

Mini Review: Poison

Poison
by Bridget Zinn
Published March 12th 2013
by Disney Hyperion
ARC from Netgalley

Summary from Goodreads:

Sixteen-year-old Kyra, a highly-skilled potions master, is the only one who knows her kingdom is on the verge of destruction—which means she’s the only one who can save it. Faced with no other choice, Kyra decides to do what she does best: poison the kingdom’s future ruler, who also happens to be her former best friend.

But, for the first time ever, her poisoned dart . . . misses.

Now a fugitive instead of a hero, Kyra is caught in a game of hide-and-seek with the king’s army and her potioner ex-boyfriend, Hal. At least she’s not alone. She’s armed with her vital potions, a too-cute pig, and Fred, the charming adventurer she can’t stop thinking about. Kyra is determined to get herself a second chance (at murder), but will she be able to find and defeat the princess before Hal and the army find her?

Kyra is not your typical murderer, and she’s certainly no damsel-in-distress—she’s the lovable and quick-witted hero of this romantic novel that has all the right ingredients to make teen girls swoon.

Thoughts:
The greatest thing about Poison is that it's a stand alone! Oh, god. You don't know how much I crave to read one book and be done with it without having to wait another year to read the next in the series and then be sorely disappointed by it.

Poison is also very light and entertaining which makes it suitable to be read by younger children. The romantic elements are also very few (which I personally like) and with lovable characters such as Rosie; the hunting pig and Fred the bumbling hero makes it much more endearing. With twists and turns involving secret identities, and an evil conspiracy where Kyra our dear heroine is at the forefront of, makes it such a wonderful adventure to read.


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

Review: Mila 2.0

MILA 2.0 (MILA 2.0 #1)
by Debra Driza
Expected publication: March 12th 2013 

by Katherine Tegen Books

Summary from Goodreads:

Mila 2.0 is the first book in an electrifying sci-fi thriller series about a teenage girl who discovers that she is an experiment in artificial intelligence.

Mila was never meant to learn the truth about her identity. She was a girl living with her mother in a small Minnesota town. She was supposed to forget her past —that she was built in a secret computer science lab and programmed to do things real people would never do.

Now she has no choice but to run—from the dangerous operatives who want her terminated because she knows too much and from a mysterious group that wants to capture her alive and unlock her advanced technology. However, what Mila’s becoming is beyond anyone’s imagination, including her own, and it just might save her life.

Thoughts:
I was confused when this book is compared to The Bourne movies because the book is nothing at all like it. Aside from the fact that the main protagonist has super strength and skills when it comes to hand in hand combat, I find her to be super boring and bland.

And it took awhile for the action to pick up, because for the first thirteen chapters readers had to go through Mila's struggles to fit in among her mean high school friends who are only interested in her because she's the new girl out of town. It just so sad that once a cute new guy came in, her best friend immediately assumed that she's also out for the guy's attention. I mean seriously, I was rooting for Mila to kick this girl's ass but instead she's the one who got hurt when her 'friend' decided to joyride just to impress the new guy.

Things become very interesting. The real draw of the story is the action packed fight scenes. The lack of character development, awkward instant love and predictable secret organisation as the bad guy are the pitfalls of the book.

Verdict: 3 stars.

In my Books in a Series Reading Challenge 
Available on: Amazon

Waiting on Wednesday #19: The Night Itself

Waiting on Wednesday is a wonderful meme created by Jill from Breaking the Spine where we highlighted an upcoming release that we're eagerly anticipating.

The Night Itself (The Name of the Blade #1)
by Zoë Marriott
Expected publication: July 4th 2013 

by Walker Books

Summary from Goodreads:

When fifteen year old Mio Yamato furtively sneaks the katana - an ancestral Japanese sword - out of its hiding place in her parent's attic to help liven up her Christmas party costume, she has no idea of the darkness she is about to unleash on modern day London, or the family secrets that she is going to uncover.

The paralysing paranoia that descends on her before she gets to her friend's party is her first clue. The vivid and terrifying visions that nearly get her killed are a pretty good warning too.

The giant nine-tailed cat demon that comes after the sword and tries to rip her throat out? Overkill.

Seconds away from becoming kitty-food, Mio is saved by Shinobu, a mysterious warrior boy. But it's already too late. Mio has ruptured the veil between the mortal realm and the Underworld, and now the gods and monsters of ancient Japan stalk the streets of London, searching for her and the sword.

With the help of her best friend Jack, a fox spirit named Hikaru - and the devoted protection of the betwitchingly familiar Shinobu - Mio attempts to discover the true nature of the sword and its connection to the Yamato family. Because if she doesn't learn how to control the katana's incredible powers, she's in danger of being overwhelmed by them. And if she can't keep the sword safe from the terrible creatures who want it for their own, she'll lose not only her own life... but the love of a lifetime.

Babble:
I've never read any of Zoë Marriott's books before but I've decided I should really start reading them now after discovering her affinity for Asian inspired tales. Not many Western authors can truly master the art of creating a story set in a backdrop that is totally different from their own. As an Asian, I'm always interested to read a book based on my own culture.

Waiting on Wednesday #18: 3:59

Waiting on Wednesday is a wonderful meme created by Jill from Breaking the Spine where we highlighted an upcoming release that we're eagerly anticipating.

3:59
by Gretchen McNeil
Expected publication: September 17th 2013 

by Balzer & Bray

Summary from Goodreads:

Josie Byrne's life is spiraling out of control. Her parents are divorcing, her boyfriend Nick has grown distant, and her physics teacher has it in for her. When she's betrayed by the two people she trusts most, Josie thinks things can't get worse.

Until she starts having dreams about a girl named Jo. Every night at the same time—3:59 a.m.

Jo's life is everything Josie wants: she's popular, her parents are happily married, and Nick adores her. It all seems real, but they're just dreams, right? Josie thinks so, until she wakes one night to a shadowy image of herself in the bedroom mirror – Jo.

Josie and Jo realize that they are doppelgängers living in parallel universes that overlap every twelve hours at exactly 3:59. Fascinated by Jo's perfect world, Josie jumps at the chance to jump through the portal and switch places for a day.

But Jo’s world is far from perfect. Not only is Nick not Jo's boyfriend, he hates her. Jo's mom is missing, possibly insane. And at night, shadowy creatures feed on human flesh.

By the end of the day, Josie is desperate to return to her own life. But there’s a problem: Jo has sealed the portal, trapping Josie in this dangerous world. Can she figure out a way home before it’s too late?

Babble:
They should really call Gretchen McNeil as the mistress of thrillers and stand alones and that is indeed her greatest appeal. In a publishing world where every book turns out to be a part of a series, it's really nice to be able to read a book that is so solid that it does not need any sibling. It just make you yearn for the good old days where stand alones is the norm.

Blog Tour (Interview & Giveaway): Dark Genesis by Dave Ferraro

Hi, folks! Today we have Dave Ferraro, the author of Dark Genesis doing an interview as part of the Dark Genesis Blog Tour. I'm so excited to be a part of this awesome blog tour.

And I hope you guys will check out the book and enter the fabulous giveaway that Dave is hosting to win $40 gift card from Amazon or B&N!

When did you decide to become a writer and why?

I grew up reading hundreds of YA books, and I loved them.  I tried to read every YA book that came out each year (and did it, for the most part, since there were a lot fewer teen books coming out back then, and they were a lot shorter).  I often found myself looking at the cover of the book, and with the synopsis, coming up with my own version of how the story was going to go before I actually read the book.  Sometimes, my ideas were better than what I was reading, so I decided to write my own books.

Where did you get the inspiration to write the book?

I really like stories about magic, and there’s so many different ways it can be used (astral projection, telling the future with tarot cards, using runes, etc) that I thought it would be neat to have a world of witches, separated into covens by those characteristics.  And years ago, my boyfriend and I were talking about creating a comic book about a group of characters that travel to a world run by monsters, so I merged the ideas into this awesome story.

What do you think is totally unique about your story?

I think that there are plenty of original things in Dark Genesis.  One thing that I’m particularly fond of is the take I had on vampires, drawing on nature for my inspiration for the “ticks,” insect-based blood-sucking vampires rather than the traditional bat-based ones.

Can you describe the book in 5 words.

Amnesiac battles monsters for witches.

Your favourite character from the book?

I like a lot of the characters, but I am fond of Eric, just because I tend to focus on female characters in my books, and Eric is just a really great male character, chivalrous and funny.

Favourite book of all time and why?

My favourite book of all-time is “The Mysteries of Udolpho” by Ann Radcliffe.  I really enjoy reading the classics, and this one really established the Gothic novel.  It’s just epic, with great battle sequences, chilling mysteries, star-crossed lovers…and it’s just drenched in atmosphere.  It’s amazing.

Favourite holiday destination?

I love Seattle.  It’s an absolutely beautiful city, very green, with lots of art and history.  And I love rain.  I would never get bored there.

If someone made a movie based on your life, which actor/actress will you pick to be you?

Dave Franco.  Or someone else as equally sexy and charming.  But those are obviously the two most important qualities to fill my shoes.  J

Dave Ferraro

Blog | Twitter | FB |  

Dark Genesis

Summary from Goodreads:

Alyssa opened her eyes to darkness. And in the first flash of light provided by a gathering storm, she could make out a ring of bodies surrounding her.

With no memory of who she is, Alyssa stumbles into a dark world populated by witches. The witches are powerful, and demonstrate frightening powers, but even more terrifying are the monsters who rule over the land. Vampires, werewolves and other awful creatures of the night have taken over, forcing the witches behind stone walls, afraid to venture outdoors. But Alyssa finds that as she kills certain monsters, memories return to her, memories of a life on Earth, and the boy she left behind.

The quest to collect her memories and piece together the puzzle of what has happened to her is a daunting one, with betrayals and sacrifices every step of the way. But Alyssa is determined to fight for a world that is not her own, destroying powerful monsters along the way, so that she can return home to the boy she is coming to love through the memories she recollects.

Available on: Amazon 

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Waiting on Wednesday #17: Infinityglass

Waiting on Wednesday is a wonderful meme created by Jill from Breaking the Spine where we highlighted an upcoming release that we're eagerly anticipating.

Infinityglass (Hourglass #3)
by Myra McEntire
Expected publication: July 9th 2013 

by EgmontUSA

Summary from Goodreads:

The stakes have risen even higher in this third book in the Hourglass series.

The Hourglass is a secret organization focused on the study of manipulating time, and its members — many of them teenagers -­have uncanny abilities to make time work for them in mysterious ways. Inherent in these powers is a responsibility to take great care, because altering one small moment can have devastating consequences for the past, present, and future. But some time trav­elers are not exactly honorable, and sometimes unsavory deals must be struck to maintain order.

With the Infinityglass (central to understanding and harnessing the time gene) at large, the hunt is on to find it before someone else does.

But the Hourglass has an advantage. Lily, who has the ability to locate anything lost, has determined that the Infinityglass isn't an object. It's a person. And the Hourglass must find him or her first. But where do you start searching for the very key to time when every second could be the last?

Babble:
The first book was excellent. The second was a bit confusing so I'm hoping that the third would redeem the series for me. I'm not prepared to give up on this series because the idea of a secret society dealing with gifted teens whom are able to travel through time is just too cool for words. Please, make this excellent.

Mini Review: Asunder

Asunder (Newsoul #2)
by Jodi Meadows 

Published January 29th 2013

by Katherine Tegen Books

Summary from Goodreads:
DARKSOULS
Ana has always been the only one. Asunder. Apart. But after Templedark, when many residents of Heart were lost forever, some hold Ana responsible for the darksouls–and the newsouls who may be born in their place.

SHADOWS
Many are afraid of Ana’s presence, a constant reminder of unstoppable changes and the unknown. When sylph begin behaving differently toward her and people turn violent, Ana must learn to stand up not only for herself but for those who cannot stand up for themselves.

LOVE
Ana was told that nosouls can’t love. But newsouls? More than anything, she wants to live and love as an equal among the citizens of Heart, but even when Sam professes his deepest feelings, it seems impossible to overcome a lifetime of rejection.

Thoughts:
Asunder started very slowly which is similar to Incarnate. In my opinion Jodi is indeed a gifted writer because she is able to build a fantasy world so imaginative, unique and enchanting totally unlike other books.

I'm still confused how this series is considered a dystopian. Is this set in the future? I'm really not sure. Besides the wonderful world building, it is also interesting to see Ana's character development. From being a somewhat naive and scared newsoul, Ana has taken charge of her own destiny and decided to venture out of Janan with Sam by her side. Sadly, Sam is such a bland character that turn me off.


Verdict: 3 stars.
In my Fantasy & Books in a Series Reading Challenge 
Available on: Amazon

Blog Tour (Guest Post): Persistence of Vision by Liesel Hill

Hi, everyone! Today we have the lovely Liesel Hill doing a guest post as part of the Persistence of Vision Blog Tour.

Actors for My Story

This is a question that’s difficult for me to answer. When I write a character, I don’t do it with any particular actor or actress in mind. I don’t picture any particular Hollywood face. Of course every writer fantasizes about seeing their story come to life on the screen, whether large or small. Any writer that tells you otherwise is lying.

And then there’s the fact that Marcus and David, being brothers, are supposed to look alike. Of course this can be achieved with makeup and CGI, but any actors I name will not look similar on their own.

That said, I’ll do my best.

I’m a huge fan of the CW’s Supernatural, so either Jensen Ackles or Jared Padalecki would be welcome in any film adaptation of my books. I think Jensen Ackles would make a great Marcus.

David’s harder to cast. Maybe Channing Tatum or Liam Hemsworth? Even then I’m not certain.

I really don’t have anyone in mind for Maggie. I can’t think of a single actress I’d love to see portray her. Don’t get me wrong. There’re tons of talented actresses that I love, but I’m just not sure any of them are Maggie. They’d have to convince me. Maggie would be an audition sort of thing.

I’d love to see Donald Sutherland or Patrick Stewart in Doc’s role. And for Karl, I’m thinking perhaps Gary Dourdan, though Terry Crews has been suggested, and I wouldn’t mind him in the least.

That’s most of the main roles for book 1. I don’t have anyone in mind for Joan or Clay or any of the supporting roles. I think there are many people that could play them.

I’d love to see my readers discuss this. Who do YOU think should fill the roles?

Liesel Hill

Blog | Twitter | FB | Goodreads

Persistence of Vision

Summary from Goodreads:

In a world where collective hives are enslaving the population and individuals have been hunted to the verge of extinction, Maggie Harper, and independent 21st Century woman, must find the strength to preserve the freedom of the future, but without the aid of her memories.

After experiencing a traumatic time loss, Maggie is plagued by a barrage of images she can't explain. When she's attacked by a creep with a spider's web tattoo, she is saved by Marcus, a man she's never met, but somehow remembers. He tells her that both he and her creepy attacker are from a future in which individuals are being murdered by collectives, and Marcus is part of the rebellion. The collectives have acquired time travel and they plan to enslave the human race throughout all of history. The flashes Maggie has been seeing are echoes of lost memories, and the information buried deep within them is instrumental in defeating the collective hives.

In order to preserve the individuality of mankind, Maggie must try to re-discover stolen memories, re-kindle friendships she has no recollection of, and wade through her feelings for the mysterious Marcus, all while dodging the tattooed assassins the collectives keep sending her way.

If Maggie can't fill the holes in her memory and find the answers to stop the collectives, the world both in her time and in all ages past and future will be doomed to enslavement in the grey, mediocre collectives. As the danger swirls around her and the collectives close in, Maggie realizes she must make a choice: stand out or fade away...

Available on: Amazon

Book of the Month: February

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..)

Mind Games

by Kiersten White

My review

Mind Games is simply mind boggling! In a month filled with so many highly anticipated second book in a series, Kiersten White's new book just totally blew away the competition. Its dark potrayal of the evil side of humanity is a stark contrast to Ms. White's earlier humorous debut; the Paranormalcy series. I'm hoping that one day, Hollywood will turn this into a thriller with Saoirse Ronan as Fia; the tortured evil sister.