Monday, December 31, 2012

Monday's Beginnings (174)

Well, it's Monday.  And New Years Eve... where the hell does the time go?

I'm still way behind on commenting and posting.  *sigh*  So I'll have to work hard at commenting back to you here.  Goodness holidays wreck havoc on my days and schedule.  I'll try! I promise.  I need to get caught up with all the plans I have for 2013 here, and keep caught up with re-writes and everything else I want to do.  Crazy!

I did manage to pick up a book, which I didn't think I would be able to do, so it was one for my enjoyment and not review.  Also, I did get a few things up this week.

Current Read:
Beta reading.

Finished Last Week:
Red by Kate SeRine

Reviews to Come:
Endgame by Ann Aguirre
Curran POV Vol 1 by Gordon Andrews
Curran POV Vol 2 by Gordon Andrews
Gunmetal Magic by Ilona Andrews
Magic Gifts by Ilona Andrews
The Crown Tower by Michael J. Sullivan
The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr and E.B. White - maybe? Do you want to hear about it?
Grave Peril by Jim Butcher
Iron Maiden by Resa Nelson
Red by Kate SeRine

Book Reviews Posted:
Nothing posted due to holiday.

Podcast Reviews Posted:
Sorry, nothing last week.  But I have 1 to come.

Movie Review Posted:
No movie review, sorry, been running out of time.

Books and Covers Shared:
Kindred and Wings by Philippa Ballantine

Special Posts:
International Giveaway: Sealed with a Curse by Cecy Robson.
New Years Resolutions Bookish Style 2013

I did not do a Flash Fiction Friday.  This Holiday season is going to drive me nuts, I can feel it.  Doing these might help with that.  But I'm afraid I'm running out of time quickly.  I'm hoping to get back to the groove in 2013.

My WANT List...It looks like I've only added 2.  Told ya it was a slow week here.

Received Last Week:
Purchased:
I couldn't pass up the deal on this book.  It was on sale for $5 on the publishers site.  If the next book wasn't sold out, I would have got it as well.
Goodreads Synopsis:
After a few months as a vampire, Alyssa thought she'd learned all she needed to know about the supernatural world. But her confidence is shattered by the delivery of a mysterious package - a Pandora's Box.Seemingly innocuous, the box is in reality an ancient prison, generated by a magic more powerful than anyone in her clan has ever known. But what manner of evil could need such force to contain it?When the box is opened, the sinister creature within is released, and only supernatural blood will satiate its thirst. The clan soon learns how it feels when the hunter becomes the hunted.Powerless against the ancient evil, the clan flees Las Vegas for Boston, with only a slim hope for salvation. Could Lysander's old journals hold the key? And what if they don't?And how welcome will they be in a city run by a whole different kind of supernatural being? Werewolves...

Hope you have a great and safe week this week.  Enjoy your New Year and enjoy your new years read.

Wishing you all the best in words and pages.

Friday, December 28, 2012

Cover Reveal: Kindred and Wings


By George, I think Philippa Ballantine won the book cover of the year with this one.  Sorry, I'm rather partial to dragons and this one looks amazing.  Now if you've read the first book, Hunter and Fox, you know about this dragon and the man on it's back.  If you haven't, well, you are missing a STUNNING fantasy world that is like nothing you've ever read before.

Curious what my thoughts were on Hunter and Fox?  Well, you can check out my review.

Pip has mentioned this is her first dragon cover.  Well, she has an amazing one to post on her walls and be proud of.

Kindred and Wings
A Shifted World Novel (#2)
By:  Philippa Ballantine
Due Out:  August 6, 2013

This cover is just aww-ing to me.  I love that golden colored dragon.  And I get the feel the two characters are separated for a bit with the angles of the cover.

Oooo, I can't wait!

So, not only do I want the horse Talyn has on the first cover, but I want that dragon Fox has too! LOL!


Are you still needing to get a copy of Hunter and Fox?  Well, you can find it at any book store or selling site.



Thursday, December 27, 2012

New Years Resolutions 2013

NewYearsResolutions2013_zps4a3b2459 

It's December!! Eeep!  2013 will be starting soon.  *groan*  Where the heck did the year go?

So, now it's time to think Resolutions for the new year.  I seemed to bust on last years when I looked over what I picked.  I'm hoping to do better this year.

2013 Resolutions:
1.)  I now have two Nano projects to get back through.  And After this year, I'm more motivated to do so.  Thanks to all the great people and authors I've been chatting with this year.  So my goal....to re-read and re-write one of the two projects in 2013.  I want to continue Nanowrimo 2013 as second book to one of these.

2.)  Continue with Flash Fiction Fridays and Nanowrimo 2013.  I have so enjoyed these fun writing exercises.

3.)  New Meme.  I have one in mind for the last two years and have not started it.  I think I need to get it rolling this year.  I'm hoping to be able to get authors to join in as well.

4.)  Read about the same amount of books in 2013.  I do include short stories and novellas in my number which makes it larger.  But I'm okay with that.  I want to read at least 90 books, hoping for more.  I'm going to not push though as I do need to do number 1 on this list...re-write nano projects.

5.)  Visit Barnes & Nobles Forums on a regular basis.  I love chatting with everyone there along with the amazing new book finds I come across.  If you would like to join, please do and look me up - Melhay

6.)  I haven't seen if Goodreads has added the Book Reading Goal for 2013 yet, but I'm hoping to hit 80.  Now, this number does include novellas as well.

7.)  Try harder at responding to emails.  I feel as I've been weighted down and not getting to emails as quickly as I normally do.  I want to fix that, I want to respond faster again.


I'm sure there are many other things I want to and need to add, but at the moment I'm drawing a blank.

I do have a few personal goals as well...exercise on regular basis ~ at least twice a week, but maybe three times if I can ~ and loss some of this weight I've gained.  Along with trying to keep my temper in check, maybe breath before screaming... we'll see.


I have started my results from last years resolutions, you'll see at the turn of the year how well I did. ;)


If you have a 
New Years Resolution post
do link up and check out other's resolutions.

Monday, December 24, 2012

International Giveaway; Sealed with a Curse

You've probably read my review of Sealed with a Curse and seen how much I enjoyed all the elements I enjoy in a Urban Fantasy read with a touch of Romance.

Cecy, being the kind person she is, has offered a copy of Sealed with a Curse to one lucky person!  Woot!  Thank you Cecy.

If you have not seen the review, you can find it:  Sealed with a Curse.

Description:
Celia Wird and her three sisters are just like other 20-something girls—with one tiny exception: they're products of a backfired curse that has given each of them unique powers that make them, well, weird… 

The Wird sisters are content to avoid the local vampires, werebeasts, and witches of the Lake Tahoe region—until one of them blows up a vampire in self-defense. Everyone knows vampires aren't aggressive, and killing one is punishable by death. But soon more bloodlust-fueled attacks occur, and the community wonders: are the vampires of Tahoe cursed with a plague? 

Celia reluctantly agrees to help Misha, the handsome leader of an infected vampire family. But Aric, the head of the werewolf pack determined to destroy Misha's family to keep the region safe, warns Celia to stay out of the fight. Caught between two hot alphas, Celia must find a way to please everyone, save everyone, and oh yeah, not lose her heart to the wrong guy—or die a miserable death. Because now that the evil behind the plague knows who Celia is, it’s coming for her and her sisters. This Wird girl has never had it so tough.

Cecy has offered the book Internationally.
Giveaway runs:  December 24, 2012 through January 2, 2013.  This is a New Years baby, so we are celebrating it's birth day here.

Enter by way of Rafflecopter:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday's Beginnings (173)

Another Monday is upon us...and it's Christmas Eve.

First I have to apologize   I've not been around much this last week or so.  It's been crazy preparing for the holiday.  I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying their holiday.  It's going to be slow here this week at the blog too.  To much running to do with the holiday.  But I do plan on coming back strong for the new year.  2013.  Wow, that feels strange to type.  And I will get back to commenting to all your comments here as well, just a little slowly.

Now, it appears we have lived through the 'End of the World' episode.  Well, most of us.  We've got several here in the hospital.  They fought a strong fight in the battle against zombies, ghosts, and deflecting the destructive booms coming our way, and still are fighting.  Okay, so they weren't in any battles, but we are wishing them all well and a good fight with their ailments.

I do have one, well two, posts I'm working on for this week.  My New Years Resolutions, Bookish Style.  I've got the update from last year and the new ones for this year.  So you will see those go live this week sometime.

I did get a few things up this week.

Current Read:
Nothing at the moment, to crazy running.

Finished Last Week:
Iron Maiden by Resa Nelson

Reviews to Come:
Endgame by Ann Aguirre
Curran POV Vol 1 by Gordon Andrews
Curran POV Vol 2 by Gordon Andrews
Gunmetal Magic by Ilona Andrews
Magic Gifts by Ilona Andrews
The Crown Tower by Michael J. Sullivan
The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr and E.B. White - maybe? Do you want to hear about it?
Grave Peril by Jim Butcher
Iron Maiden by Resa Nelson

Book Reviews Posted:
A Clockwork Christmas by JK Coi, PG Forte, Stacy Gail, Jenny Schwartz

Podcast Reviews Posted:
Sorry, nothing last week.  But I have 1 to come.

Movie Review Posted:
No movie review, sorry, been running out of time.

Books and Covers Shared:
Sorry again, nothing.

Special Posts:
Freebies and Deals, on Nook too (36)

My Guest post with 1 pick for others for holidays.

I did not do a Flash Fiction Friday.  This Holiday season is going to drive me nuts, I can feel it.  Doing these might help with that.  But I'm afraid I'm running out of time quickly.  I'm hoping to get back to the groove in 2013.

My WANT List...It looks like I've only added 1.  Told ya it was a slow week here.

Received Last Week:
Free:
I couldn't pass up these free finds.  Oh my poor Nook... I will say I've asked for a memory card for my Nook from the big guy. ;)
The End: Visions of Apocalypse
Goodreads Synopsis:
Everyone knows the world is going to end on December 21st, 2012. The Mayans knew it – their calendar proved it. So what better way to go out than by reading this short story collection about The End? ...apart from telling your friends about it in 2013, of course.

This compilation brings together short stories by award-winning science fiction and fantasy authors Hugh Howey, Michael J. Sullivan and Tristis Ward, with fresh, new voices selected by their peers at SFFWorld.com - all brought to you in this first-of-its-kind anthology.

Each story explores a different end of the world. What is the limit of a computer virus? Can we save the world by stopping time itself, or will we just wither away in the relentless winds of the apocalypse?

Grab your copy now before the end of the world, and find out.

********

Contributors include: Michael Aaron, Liam Baldwin, R. F. Dickson, Wilson Geiger, Norman Gray, Hugh Howey, Stephen “B5” Jones, G. L. Lathian, Igor Ljubuncic, Pete McLean, Michael J. Sullivan, and Tristis Ward


Lady of Devices by Shelley Adina
Goodreads Synopsis:
London, 1889. Victoria is Queen. Charles Darwin’s son is Prime Minister. And steam is the power that runs the world. At 17, Claire Trevelyan, daughter of Viscount St. Ives, was expected to do nothing more than pour an elegant cup of tea, sew a fine seam, and catch a rich husband. Unfortunately, Claire’s talents lie not in the ballroom, but in the chemistry lab, where things have a regrettable habit of blowing up. When her father gambles the estate on the combustion engine and loses, Claire finds herself down and out on the mean streets of London. But being a young woman of resources and intellect, she turns fortune on its head. It’s not long before a new leader rises in the underworld, known only as the Lady of Devices . . . When she meets Andrew Malvern, a member of the Royal Society of Engineers, she realizes her talents may encompass more than the invention of explosive devices. They may help her realize her dreams and his . . . if they can both stay alive long enough to see that sometimes the closest friendships can trigger the greatest betrayals . . .

Give Me - A Tale of Wyrd and Fae by L.K. Rigel
Goodreads Synopsis:
All she wanted was a vacation - but Dumnos offered a new life. 

When Lilith Evergreen receives an antique ring as a gift, she dreams of a castle by the sea, a magnificent tree at cliff's edge, and a mysterious woman who bids Lilith to come to Dumnos, a land of mist and rain. 

Cade Bausiney is the future Earl of Dumnos, but at present he just wants to bolster tourism to help the local economy. When Cade and Lilith meet, they're overwhelmed by desire for each other - so intense it must be magically induced. 

Long ago a witch's spell ended in disaster that left two souls to haunt Dumnos to this day. Lilith and Cade must find a way to make things right - or be forever possessed by the spirits who've waited a millennium to consummate their love.


Seed by Rob Ziegler
Goodreads Synopsis:
It's the dawn of the 22nd century, and the world has fallen apart. Decades of war and resource depletion have toppled governments. The ecosystem has collapsed. A new dust bowl sweeps the American West. The United States has become a nation of migrants -starving masses of nomads who seek out a living in desert wastelands and encampments outside government seed-distribution warehouses.

In this new world, there is a new power. Satori is more than just a corporation, she is an intelligent, living city that grew out of the ruins of Denver. Satori bioengineers both the climate-resistant seed that feeds a hungry nation, and her own post-human genetic Designers, Advocates, and Laborers. What remains of the United States government now exists solely to distribute Satori seed; a defeated American military doles out bar-coded, single-use Satori seed to the nation's starving citizens.

When one of Satori's Designers goes rogue, Agent Sienna Doss-Ex-Army Ranger turned glorified bodyguard-is tasked by the government to bring her
in: The government wants to use the Designer to break Satori's stranglehold on seed production and reassert themselves as the center of power.

Sianna Doss's search for the Designer intersects with Brood and his younger brother Pollo - orphans scrapping by on the fringes of the wastelands. Pollo is abducted, because he is believed to suffer from Tet, a newly emergent disease, the victims of which are harvested by Satori.

As events spin out of control, Brood and Sienna Doss find themselves at the heart of Satori, where an explosive climax promises to reshape the future of the world.


Osiris by E.J. Swift
Goodreads Synopsis:
"Nobody leaves Osiris. Osiris is a lost city. She has lost the world and world has lost her . . . Rising high above the frigid waters, the ocean city of Osiris has been cut off from the land since the Great Storm fifty years ago. Most believe that Osiris is the last city on Earth, while others cling to the idea that life still survives somewhere beyond the merciless seas. But for all its inhabitants, Citizens and refugees alike, Osiris is the entire world-and it is a world divided. 
Adelaide is the black-sheep granddaughter of the city's Architect. A jaded socialite and family miscreant, she wants little to do with her powerful relatives-until her troubled twin brother disappears mysteriously. Convinced that he is still alive, she will stop at nothing to find him, even if it means uncovering long-buried secrets. 
Vikram, a third-generation storm refugee quarantined with thousands of others in the city's impoverished western sector, sees his own people dying of cold and starvation while the elite of Osiris ignore their plight. Determined to change things, he hopes to use Adelaide to bring about much-needed reforms-but who is using who? 
As another brutal winter brings Osiris closer to riot and revolution, two very different people, each with their own agendas, will attempt to bridge the gap dividing the city, only to find a future far more complicated than either of them ever imagined. 
Osiris is the beginning of an ambitious new science fiction trilogy exploring a near-future world radically transformed by rising seas and melting poles.


Wastelands
Goodreads Synopsis:
Famine, Death, War, and Pestilence: The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, the harbingers of Armageddon — these are our guides through the Wastelands...

From the Book of Revelation to The Road Warrior; from A Canticle for Leibowitz to The Road, storytellers have long imagined the end of the world, weaving eschatological tales of catastrophe, chaos, and calamity. In doing so, these visionary authors have addressed one of the most challenging and enduring themes of imaginative fiction: the nature of life in the aftermath of total societal collapse.

Gathering together the best post-apocalyptic literature of the last two decades from many of today’s most renowned authors of speculative fiction — including George R.R. Martin, Gene Wolfe, Orson Scott Card, Carol Emshwiller, Jonathan Lethem, Octavia E. Butler, and Stephen King — Wastelands explores the scientific, psychological, and philosophical questions of what it means to remain human in the wake of Armageddon. Whether the end of the world comes through nuclear war, ecological disaster, or cosmological cataclysm, these are tales of survivors, in some cases struggling to rebuild the society that was, in others, merely surviving, scrounging for food in depopulated ruins and defending themselves against monsters, mutants, and marauders.

Complete with introductions and an indispensable appendix of recommendations for further reading, Wastelands delves into this bleak landscape, uncovering the raw human emotion and heart-pounding thrills at the genre’s core.

Contains the following stories:

Introduction by John Joseph Adams
The End of the Whole Mess by Stephen King
Salvage by Orson Scott Card
The People of Sand and Slag by Paolo Bacigalupi
Bread and Bombs by M. Rickert
How We Got In Town and Out Again by Jonathan Lethem
Dark, Dark Were the Tunnels by George R. R. Martin
Waiting for the Zephyr by Tobias S. Buckell
Never Despair by Jack McDevitt
When Sysadmins Ruled the Earth by Cory Doctorow
The Last of the O-Forms by James Van Pelt
Still Life With Apocalypse by Richard Kadrey
Artie’s Angels by Catherine Wells
Judgment Passed by Jerry Oltion
Mute by Gene Wolfe
Inertia by Nancy Kress
And the Deep Blue Sea by Elizabeth Bear
Speech Sounds by Octavia E. Butler
Killers by Carol Emshwiller
Ginny Sweethips’ Flying Circus by Neal Barrett, Jr.
The End of the World as We Know It by Dale Bailey
A Song Before Sunset by David Grigg
Episode Seven... by John Langan
Appendix: For Further Reading

The Goddess Hunt by Aimee Carter
Goodreads Synopsis:
A vacation in Greece sounds like the perfect way for Kate Winters to spend her first sabbatical away from the Underworld...until she gets caught up in an immortal feud going back millennia. Castor and Pollux have been on the run from Zeus and Hades' wrath for centuries, hiding from the gods who hunt them. The last person they trust is Kate, the new Queen of the Underworld. Nevertheless, she is determined to help their cause. But when it comes to dealing with immortals, Kate still has a lot to learn....

Thirst by Claire Farrell
Goodreads Synopsis:
Ava Delaney calls herself a hybrid - a living, breathing human who happens to have vampire poison running through her veins. The only thing greater than her thirst for human blood is her capacity for guilt. She does her best to avoid the human world, for everyone's sake.

When Ava accidentally enslaves a human while saving him from a vampire, she realises she has to look for help setting him free. Despite her misgivings, she expands her world but finds herself dragged into a possible vampire civil war. With the help of some new friends with ambiguous loyalties, she tries to find a way to keep her human, and herself, alive.


The Snitch Who Stole Christmas by Jon F. Merz
Goodreads Synopsis:
This year's offering is THE SNITCH WHO STOLE CHRISTMAS and it runs around 8,200 words.  This story takes place in 1999, a few years before the events that happen in the first published Lawson novel THE FIXER.


So, that seems to be all I have at this time.  Hope you have an amazing Holiday (if it's passed already, hope it was a great one, and a very Happy and Safe New Year.

Do you think your week will be filled with books and reading?  Hope it's a relaxing one for you.

Wishing you all the best in words and pages.

Friday, December 21, 2012

Freebies and Deals, on Nook too (36)

Barnes and Nobles faithful Freebie Friday.

I've not read any of these, just finding them and thought sounded good.  You may or may not like them.

Free:
I found this one on Twitter all because of the mention of one author... Michael J. Sullivan.  I've loved his fantasy series and this antho sounds great, along with having work by him in it.
The End: Visions of Apocalypse
Smashwords
Description:
Everyone knows the world is going to end on December 21st, 2012. The Mayans knew it – their calendar proved it. So what better way to go out than by reading this short story collection about The End? ...apart from telling your friends about it in 2013, of course.

This compilation brings together short stories by award-winning science fiction and fantasy authors Hugh Howey, Michael J. Sullivan and Tristis Ward, with fresh, new voices selected by their peers at SFFWorld.com - all brought to you in this first-of-its-kind anthology.

Each story explores a different end of the world. What is the limit of a computer virus? Can we save the world by stopping time itself, or will we just wither away in the relentless winds of the apocalypse?

Grab your copy now before the end of the world, and find out.

********

Contributors include: Michael Aaron, Liam Baldwin, R. F. Dickson, Wilson Geiger, Norman Gray, Hugh Howey, Stephen “B5” Jones, G. L. Lathian, Igor Ljubuncic, Pete McLean, Michael J. Sullivan, and Tristis Ward


Lady of Devices, a steampunk Adventure Novel  by Shelley Adina
Amazon ~ Kindle
Goodreads Synopsis:
If you like steampunk stories by Cherie Priest and Gail Carriger, you'll love Shelley Adina's Lady of Devices! 

London, 1889. Victoria is Queen. Charles Darwin's son is Prime Minister. And steam is the power that runs the world. 

At 17, Claire Trevelyan, daughter of Viscount St. Ives, was expected to do nothing more than pour an elegant cup of tea, sew a fine seam, and catch a rich husband. Unfortunately, Claire's talents lie not in the ballroom, but in the chemistry lab, where things have a regrettable habit of blowing up. When her father gambles the estate on the combustion engine and loses, Claire finds herself down and out on the mean streets of London. But being a young woman of resources and intellect, she turns fortune on its head. It's not long before a new leader rises in the underworld, known only as the Lady of Devices. 

When she meets Andrew Malvern, a member of the Royal Society of Engineers, she realizes her talents may encompass more than the invention of explosive devices. They may help her realize her dreams and his . . . if they can both stay alive long enough to see that sometimes the closest friendships can trigger the greatest betrayals . . .

Thirst by Claire Farrel
Ava Delaney #1
Amazon ~ Kindle   /   Barnes & Nobles
Goodreads Synopsis:
Part vampire, the only thing greater than Ava Delaney's thirst for human blood is her capacity for guilt. When she accidentally turns a human into her minion, she does her best to set him free - but her attempts land her in the middle of a potential vampire civil war. With the help of some new friends with ambiguous loyalties, Ava tries to save her human . . . and herself.

Give Me - A Tale of Wyrd and Fae by LK Rigel
Tethers: Book 1
Amazon ~ Kindle
Goodreads Synopsis:
An adult fairy tale about magic gone wrong.

A young witch tries to save two lovers in mortal danger, but her spell ends in disaster ...

While touring a ruined castle in the west of England, Lilith Evergreen feels a sudden and overwhelming attraction to guide Cade Bausiney. Cade is instantly drawn to Lilith as well, but can he trust his feelings? Their desire might only be sparked by dark and dangerous magic. 

Lilith and Cade must break the spell or be forever possessed by spirits who've waited a millennium to consummate their love.

The Goddess Hunt by Aimee Carter
A Goddess Test Novella (1.5)
Amazon ~ Kindle   /   Barnes & Nobles
Goodreads Synopsis:
A vacation in Greece sounds like the perfect way for Kate Winters to spend her first sabbatical away from the Underworld...until she gets caught up in an immortal feud going back millennia. Castor and Pollux have been on the run from Zeus and Hades' wrath for centuries, hiding from the gods who hunt them. The last person they trust is Kate, the new Queen of the Underworld. Nevertheless, she is determined to help their cause. But when it comes to dealing with immortals, Kate still has a lot to learn....

Anything else?

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Throwback Thursday (96)

I found this picture of Trinity College Library, and thought it would work for this meme with a little play with lighting and adding the words.


Let's talk about those books already on the shelves, yours or the stores.

I have a post for books I'm looking forward to coming out;
Looking Forward To...
But what about all those wonderful books that are ALREADY on the shelves.

Whether it be on your shelf waiting to be read or on the shelves in the stores waiting for you to give it a good home.

So, I thought I would share a book a week that is just waiting for me to travel through it's world.

Now... where do I start? Lets go by Published Date on the books...

This Week:

This one takes some explaining.  I feel like such a bad fan with this one.  I love Brandon Sanderson's work.  Amazing magic systems.  Wow.

I started this book a while back.  My son was in football, all evening was spent at football.  I was running out of time.  This book is well over 1,000 pages.  Yeah! *blink, blink*  I liked the world he was building, the setting of the characters he was creating, but I couldn't get through the book with all that was going on at the time.  I had to put the book down at about the half way point.  Shame on me for not picking it up again.  I should do that.

Goodreads Synopsis:
Roshar is a world of stone and storms. Uncanny tempests of incredible power sweep across the rocky terrain so frequently that they have shaped ecology and civilization alike. Animals hide in shells, trees pull in branches, and grass retracts into the soiless ground. Cities are built only where the topography offers shelter.

It has been centuries since the fall of the ten consecrated orders known as the Knights Radiant, but their Shardblades and Shardplate remain: mystical swords and suits of armor that transform ordinary men into near-invincible warriors. Men trade kingdoms for Shardblades. Wars were fought for them, and won by them.

One such war rages on a ruined landscape called the Shattered Plains. There, Kaladin, who traded his medical apprenticeship for a spear to protect his little brother, has been reduced to slavery. In a war that makes no sense, where ten armies fight separately against a single foe, he struggles to save his men and to fathom the leaders who consider them expendable.


I've heard back from a few bloggers that they would like to join in this meme post, so I'm adding a Linky for you to join in.  Grab the picture above, and join in.  All I ask, is if you can acknowledge my blog in the post so others know where to come back to and join as well.  Thank you.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Guest Book Pick for the Holidays.



Many of you may already know who The Qwillery is.  She is an amazing and kind blogger.  Well, Qwillery asked me if I wanted to join in on a post with several other bloggers.  I jumped at the chance and felt so honored I was asked.

What was the post idea, you ask.  Well...


I really enjoyed the aganizing time it took to figure out that one book I'd share for the holidays.  But Qwill was kind enough to let me have a select few books as there are different genres I read and would share different books for that reason, depending on what the friend was reading.

So, if you would, please take a moment to go see what I, along with several others, have shared

Who? What? Where? (96)

Who_What_Where_zpscc5f6f1f
Who are you with? Where are you at? What's happening?

Share with us just a little bit of what is happening in the book you are reading, right where you are now.

Just a tiny taste of what's happening, remember try to not give spoilers of the book.

his is a new meme I'm going to try and will tweak as I go. And please don't laugh at my lame attempt at drawing. ;D )

This Week:

I'm with Gershon and the men he hired, trailing the people who took his wife, starring at dozens of men and women frozen in ice blocking our entrance of the Forest of Aguille, which was once a sacred ground until the Krystr came through.  But it appears these frozen people are moving!  I do know the truth about them, hee hee, they did move. ;)

The Iron Maiden
By:  Resa Nelson



Others have shown interest in joining in this post, and linking up.  So I've created a linky for that.
My only requests; copy the picture to use, and link back to My World...in words and pages.
Please visit any joining in.
Thank you!

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Book Review: A Clockwork Christmas

A Clockwork Christmas

By:  J.K. Coi, P.G. Forte, Stacy Gail, Jenny Schwartz

Publisher:  Carina Press

Publish Date:  December 5, 2011

Genre:  Steampunk Romance

Series:  Anthology

Recommendation:  Four lovely romance stories with clockwork and steampunk world setting, coming into Christmas holiday.  Daring, sexy, sweet, and dark stories in one place.

Book Synopsis:
Crime Wave in a Corset
By:  Stacy Gail

Roderick Coddington is on a mission to make Cornelia Peabody pay.  After identifying her as the thief who stole a priceless Faberge egg from his dying sister, he finds her and shackles a deadly timepiece to her arm.

If she doesn't return the egg by Christmas morning, she will die.

Normally seven days is more than enough time for Cornelia to carry out the perfect crime, but Roderick's intrusion into her life is beyond distracting.  He challenges her mind, and ignites her body with desire she's never felt before.  But worst of all, he threatens the independence she values above all else...

As Roderick spends time with Cornelia, he realizes there's a lonely soul hidden beneath her beautiful but criminal veneer.  Falling for a thief wasn't part of Roderick's plan, but plans can change and he has no intention of letting another priceless treasure get away from him.

The Winter Heart
By:  PG Forte

Santa Fe, The Republic of New Texacali, 1870

Eight years ago, Ophelia Leonides's husband cast her off when he discovered she was not the woman he thought she was.  Now destitute after the death of her father, Ophelia is forced to turn to Dario for help raising the child she never told him about.

Dario is furious that Ophelia has returned, and refuses to believe Arthur is his son - after all, he thought his wife was barren.  But to avoid gossip, he agrees to let them spend the holidays at his villa.  While he cannot resist the desire he still feels for Ophelia, Dario despises himself for being hopelessly in love with a woman who can never love him back.

But Dario is wrong: Ophelia's emotions are all too human, and she was brokenhearted when he rejected her.

Unsure if she can trust the man she desperately loves, she fears for her life, her freedom and her son if anyone else learns of her true nature...

Wanted: One Scoundrel
By:  Jenny Schwartz

All suffragette Esme Smith wants is a man.  A scoundrel to be precise.  Someone who can be persuaded to represent her political views at men-only clubs.  As the daughter of the richest man in Australia, Esme can afford to make it worth the right man's while.

Fresh off the boat, American inventor Jed Reeve is intrigued by Esme's proposal, but even more interested in the beauty herself.  Amused that she takes him for a man who lives by his wits, he accepts the job - made easier by the fact that he already shares her ideals.

Soon, he finds himself caught up in political intrigue, kidnapping and blackmail, and trying to convince his employer he's more than just a scoundrel...

Far From Broken
By:  JK Coi

Soldier.  Spymaster.  Husband.

Colonel Jasper Carlisle was defined by his work until he meet his wife.  When the prima ballerina swept into his life with her affection, bright laughter and graceful movements, he knew that she was the reason for his existence, and that their love would be forever.

But their world is shattered when Callie is kidnapped and brutally tortured by the foes Jasper has been hunting.

Mechanical parts have replaced her legs, her hand, her eye... and possibly her heart.  Though she survived, her anger at Jasper consumes her, while Jasper's guilt drives him from the woman he loves.  He longs for the chance to show her their love can withstand anything...including her new clockwork parts.

As the holiday season approaches, Jasper realizes he must fight not just for his wife's love and forgiveness...but also for her life, as his enemy once again attempts to tear them apart.

First Sentences:
Crime Wave in a Corset
A mink-lined cloak hooked beneath her chin, and hands ensconced in a matching muff, Cornelia Peabody approached a band of children caroling near the Beacon Street entrance of Boston Commons.

The Winter Heart
The battered airship creaked in feeble protest as the mooring lines were winched tighter, tethering it to the landing dock.

Wanted: One Scoundrel
"I need a scoundrel, Uncle Henry."  Esme Smith's gloved hands tightened on her reticule.

Far From Broken
It was dark when she awoke.

Purchase At:

My Thoughts and Summary:
Crime Wave in a Corset
Cornelia returns home to signs someone had tripped her defenses and broke into her home, then to find someone, a man, attack her in her hidden office.  Roderick Codington.  Roderick finds he's attracted to the woman he fastens his deadly wrist shackle on and giving her seven days, until Christmas morning, before it will kill her unless she brings to him what she stole from him.  A Fabrege Egg that brought happiness to a loved one.  Once Cornelia learns where the Fabrege Egg is, she realizes whether she tries to get it or not, she very well could die by Christmas or if she does pull it off she'll break another's heart.

This story is full of steampunk gadgets.  That's what a steampunk story should have!  Clockwork devices, dawning of electrical harmful devices, and more.  I have a soft spot for crafty thieves, and Cornelia is a successful thief at that.  She keeps a hidden office accessed by a steam powered dumbwaiter along with many more at her fingertips.

We start with one chapter from Cornelia's view then go to Roderick's view.  A romance love story in which maybe both Cornelia and Roderick will have more than gifts by Christmas morning while they learn about themselves and each other.

The Winter Heart
Ophelia and her son, Arthur, exit the Airship they took from Pennsylvania to Texacali where she left her estranged husband eight years earlier.  Now needing her husband's support, she returns.  Ophelia is more than her husband, Dario, had known.  They married for love, but Ophelia wasn't what he thought, and she never told him.  Now Dario's all that's left of his family and married to a woman who left when he found out the truth about her and he believed her to be barren, no children to carry on the Leonides family name.  When Dario hears of Ophelia's return, he takes her and her proclaimed son back to his home claiming for the holidays but to really stop the rumors circulating through town.  By taking them home and making the mistake of not thinking Ophelia can love anyone, he might put his only son in harms way unless he learns and accepts the what lies deep in him and his wife.

These two were deeply in love, a true love and even with what happened between them eight years ago they both feel the love and desires for the other - neither knowing of the other's feelings.  Dario wonders on Ophelia's true emotions since not really human.  Is her love real?  Was it ever?

There is mention of mechanical technology in this story.  Clockwork mechanicals.  I love the mention of the garden with pipes and such to keep ground warm.  And then Ophelia!  Wow.  Ophelia is special, different thanks to her father.  Part mechanical.  I love this creation!

Ophelia is fighting a battle she has no idea she's fighting, and no idea how to win.  Dario has to make a choice to believe Arthur is really his human son and not an automaton.  Then decide what to do about his wife.

This story pulls at heart strings as you want Arthur to be accepted and Dario to accept his wife for what and who she is.

Wanted: One Scoundrel
Esme wants a scoundrel; a well dressed, well spoken man who all in town will like, to front her political campaign on the manly side since one man has convinced other to carry political discussions in Gentleman clubs.  She'll even pay him.  Esme's Uncle, running a skimmer boat in from England, has just the man - an American who won money from all passengers every night on the trip, Jed Reeve.  Esma heads the suffragette movement in Australia and is hard at work at making changes.  Jed has found he's attracted to Esme at the first meeting and looks forward to working closely with her.

As I read this sweet story I became ever so curious of why Jed came to Australia and who he is to be able to pick up the reins of what Esme wants, and do a fine job with them.  All this we learn in the end.  And it was wonderfully played.

This story for me felt like the sweet innocent love.  It's not at intimate as the others but pure innocent falling in love here.  I liked reading as Esme and Jed became closer and not even know it.

Far From Broken
She wakes in a hospital room made to be cozy, with her appendages heavier and not her own... metal and a mechanical eye.  She wanted to die, they wouldn't let her.  Thinking she'll never dance again and where is her Jasper?  Four months has passed as Jasper was sent away from his wife as he seemed to upset her and to find those who attacked and tortured her and others, Jasper is now on his way to retrieve his wife.  Jasper works to get close to his wife again.  As she seems to come out of her shell, there are debts to be paid for saving her life and possibly danger for both still surviving.

Oh, this one caught my attention on many different levels from the get go.  There are hints of many things, and all are answered here.  I wondered on what the plans were with creating Callie into what she is, why she was attacked, and if these two could find a way to get to know each other again.

Jasper feels guilty, he's the reason she was attacked and tortured, and the one who saved and asked to have this work done to her - to have his love, Callie, with him.  Now the War Office is coming to see what they've created and Jasper fears they will try to lay claim on his sweet Callie.  Callie seems furious with Jasper as with all that pain, she just wanted to die.

I was drawn in to the characters with the recovery and learning what happened, then the action started!  This story was full of elements to draw you into their dark events and to see light at the end of the tunnel, and action.  This is a complete story yet there is a feeling as the author could easily pick up with these characters and do more short stories with them.  And, truth be told, I would love to follow this couple!  Agents in the line of duty, and with the amazing abilities Callie now possesses while she learns from Jasper the experienced spy and fighter.  Ooo, that would be so good!


I enjoyed all the Holiday centered stories, and it's perfect for the holidays.  I think two stood out over all for me; Crime Wave in a Corset and Far From Broken.  I think these two stood out for me because they had more action and mystery to them.  Oh goodness, after writing the review I realized I loved each of these stories in different ways as they are all different in their designs.  You have daring, sexy, sweet, and dark stories in one place.


**I was offered this anthology for an honest review.

Teaser Tuesday (144)


Teaser Tuesday
is a weekly event

Here's how it works:

Grab the book you are currently reading (anything at all)
Open the book to any random page.
Share 2 teaser sentences from anywhere on the page
Please Make Sure They Are Not Spoilers!
(Don't Give Too Much Away)
Just enough to pique our interests



This Week:

Screeching in surprise, Norah hurried to escape, only to back into the cart, wincing as she struck an elbow against the wood.

"Well?"  Wendill said.

The Iron Maiden
By:  Resa Nelson
123 pg

Monday, December 17, 2012

Monday's Beginnings (173)

So, it's Monday AND Holiday season...

Not really much to report here as the holiday is getting closer and time is getting shorter.  I did happen to get a book read and start a new one, but the weekend has been one of running and shopping so I didn't get far.  Oh! I did start watching Firefly.  Yes, I'm raaaather behind the times, but I'm watching it now. :) So all is good in the world. lol.

Current Read:
Iron Maiden by Resa Nelson

Finished Last Week:
A Clockwork Christmas anthology by JK Coi, PG Forte, Stacy Gail, Jenny Schwartz

Reviews to Come:
Endgame by Ann Aguirre
Curran POV Vol 1 by Gordon Andrews
Curran POV Vol 2 by Gordon Andrews
Gunmetal Magic by Ilona Andrews
Magic Gifts by Ilona Andrews
The Crown Tower by Michael J. Sullivan
The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr and E.B. White - maybe? Do you want to hear about it?
Grave Peril by Jim Butcher
A Clockwork Christmas anthology by JK Coi, PG Forte, Stacy Gail, Jenny Schwartz

Book Reviews Posted:
Compelled by S.A. Archer
The House of Grey Volume 2 by Collin Earl


Podcast Reviews Posted:
Fires in the Snow by Starla Huchton

Movie Review Posted:
No movie review, sorry, been running out of time.

Books and Covers Shared:
Requiem by Ken Scholes

Special Posts:
Freebies and Deals, on Nook too (35)

Interview with Author Katee Robert
Interview with Author Collin Earl

I did not do a Flash Fiction Friday.  This Holiday season is going to drive me nuts, I can feel it.  Doing these might help with that.  But I'm afraid I'm running out of time quickly.  I'm hoping to get back to the groove in 2013.

My WANT List...I've added 5! And all look so promising. ;)

Received Last Week:
For Review:
Oh I've enjoyed reading Bethany in her first book and do look forward to reading the second.
Goodreads Synopsis:
As the bodies of her father and her sister burned, Bethany refused to say good-bye. She would say it only when she saw the release of their spirits and the burning of every person connected to their deaths. 

Only then would they rest in peace.

***

Thousands are dead. Lady Champion Bethany's tainted sister is slain. Her home lost forever. And Magic yet survives. Bethany thought she'd given everything in the fight against Magic. She was wrong. When the deaths of those closest to her shake her already crumbled world, she doesn't wilt and die. She still has one thing left to gain even now: revenge.

Prophecy or no, half-goddess or not, Bethany vows to bring order back to the world with the edge of her blade. No matter who she must defy. No matter what stands in her way. No matter who must die.

For what they've done to her, all will pay.

Gift:
Thank you Melliane!!!! You are a sweetheart.  Melliane of Between Dreams and Reality sent me a Christmas gift.
Goodreads Synopsis:
One Fine Mess
Welcome to Trenton, New Jersey, home to wiseguys, average Joes, and Stephanie Plum, who sports a big attitude and even bigger money problems (since losing her job as a lingerie buyer for a department store). Stephanie needs cash - fast - but times are tough, and soon she's forced to turn to the last resort of the truly desperate: family...

One False Move
Stephanie lands a gig at her sleazy cousin Vinnie's bail bonding company. She's got no experience. But that doesn't matter. As does the fact that the bail jumper in question is local vice cop Joe Morelli. From the time he first looked up her dress to the time he first got into her pants, to the time Steph hit him with her father's Buick, M-o-r-e-l-l-i has spelled t-r-o-u-b-l-e. And now the hot guy is in hot water-wanted for murder...

One for the Money
Abject poverty is a great motivator for learning new skills, but being trained in the school of hard knocks by people like psycho prizefighter Benito Ramirez isn't. Still, if Stephanie can nab Morelli in a week, she'll make a cool ten grand. All she has to do is become an expert bounty hunter overnight - and keep herself from getting killed before she gets her man...

So, how was your week?  Are you celebrating holidays yet that is taking up your time?  How does the coming week look for you?

I'm afraid I may not have much reading time as I'll be wrapping and preparing by doing my elfin duties. ;)

Here's wishing you all the best in words and pages!

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Author Interview with Collin Earl

As many of you know I've read the first two volumes of Collin Earl's story, The House of Grey.  I was pleasantly surprised with the first volume and dove right into the second.  If it wasn't for time being so hard on me, I'd be done with this serialized story already!  Today I have Collin Earl here for an interview.

If you are curious about my thoughts on the first to volumes:

Please extend a warm welcome to Collin...

M:  Hi Collin! Welcome to the blog. It’s a pleasure to have you here today. 

I’ve read the first two volumes of your current series; The House of Grey. Wow. I was taken in with all the elements present in the first one. I even made the comment, “This story gives me a magical feel of the big world like Harry Potter with an Arthurian flare.” I have to say I was taken with this one. 

Now, can we start with you giving a brief description of this serial? 

CE:  Wow that’s a loaded question – The House of Grey is a modern Fantasy thriller that follows the life of Monson Grey as he take ups his position as the “Horum Vir” (or Hero) of Coren University, the most prestigious private high school in the world. Monson’s life in this rich kid school is unique as not only does he take up the Horum Vir position, but he does so after suffering aminesa and having scars all over his body from a tragic incident just months before where over 300 people died and Monson was the sole survivor.

Shortly after arrival at school, strange things start happening…

M:  The term serial sounds so different from series, why did you use it? What’s the difference? 

CE:  I think the best description is found in the “Message from the Author” section found in the first volume – Before you start this adventure with me, I want to give you a word of caution. This is NOT a traditional novel—not even close. The House of Grey has always been a labor of love for me as an author. I wrote it mainly because I wanted something that I thought I would enjoy—a story that spread across genres and spoke to many different readers and tastes. I wanted a story that had action, comedy, romance, and thrills, spearheaded by a dynamic, diverse, and lovable cast. I got just that in The House of Grey, which was released as a serialized audio book through iTunes and Podiobooks.com from 2008 to 2010.

Because the characters and plot were so dynamic, it ended up blossoming into a 300,000-word beast of a tale. It was a great story, as confirmed by the hundreds of thousands of downloads and hundreds of reviews from fans, yet the problem was its sheer size. From a publishing standpoint, there was no way to split The House of Grey into manageable story lines without losing some of the stuff that makes it great. Basically, the book was too big and dang near impossible to change without completely changing the story. Thus, my dilemma: what do I do with this book that touched so many people with its characters and story, and turn it into something that I can feed into the mainstream YA novel format?

That's when it hit me—I should put the story out on my terms. So, I now introduce you to The House of Grey Volumized Series. Since the story got its start as a serialized audio production, I decided to apply that model to The House of Grey print version. I know that if you are willing to break from the norm, this story will rock your socks off.

M:  Is this story finished with the latest volume you are celebrating the release of today? 

CE:  Yes! Yes I am!. The 6th volume of the House of Grey should be out today!

M:  Awesome! Everyone can start and finish it now. :)

M:  I saw on your site this series has everything you wanted in a story. What all elements did you want? 

CE:  I wanted all of them because I think different “theme genres” help to make a rounded story. Romance, thriller, comedy, action should be in a story because I think people have those elements in their lives-- things are funny, people fall in love, and things can become exciting. I like those things to be in a story because I think they are natural.

M:  I have to say I like the blend here so far.  And we'll have to chat on that subject one day...maybe another visit here to the blog?

M:  I’ll admit, I’m only two volumes in, but you’ve built up the mystery of Monson and the school along with other characters. You enjoy keeping the reader flipping pages, don’t you? Lol. 

CE:  I try! I intend to take over the world. Lofty goal I understand, but I think I can handle it.

M:  Haha, Well Collin, I think you might be on a start.  I'll have to stay on your good side. LOL! ;D

M:  In some YA reads we have kids being shipped off to finishing or private schools, and the kids don’t always like it. Was that an influence in creating Coren University as an Elite school for brilliant kids, and that they want to be here? 

CE:  Yeah, I think so. The school makes the happenings and events in Coren convenient for the story line and the future happenings. I tend to think that teenagers would like to be away from home.

M:  I really got the feel that these kids wanted to be here in what I've read so far.  I like that about this school.

M:  Okay, fun question time. These are ones I ask on all first interviews. 

One question I ask all visitors… If you could travel anywhere in the world where would you go? 

CE:  Ireland. I want a castle. If there is anyone that wants to give it to me, I would love you forever.

M:  Tea or coffee? 

CE:  Choffy. (Ground cocoa) Awesome!

M:  Really!  Is there such a thing?  I'm going to have to look into that, sounds delicious.


M:  Favorite Color? 

CE:  Blue Favorite

M:  Childhood Fictional Creature? 

CE:  Unicorn (Shut up! Don’t judge me;)

M:  Haha, Unicorns are cool.  And full of magic. ;)

M:  Now as an adult what’s your Favorite Fictional Creature? 

CE:  Umm…Lock Ness – Discovery channel owns me.

M:  Favorite Word? (any word at all) 

CE:  Booya!

M:  Collin, Thank you greatly for stopping by the blog! I wish you all the best on your tour and with the House of Grey series.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Collin is celebrating the release of the 6th, and final, volume of The House of Grey this week.

Here's the great thing...  If you want to try this series, just try the first volume, IT'S FREE!!  In all ebook formats:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
About Collin Earl:
Collin J. Earl is an attorney, the CLO of Darkfire Productions and the writer of the House of Grey. Collin contributes his articles/post as one of his many “stops” for this 2012 House of Grey Promotional Blog Tour. Find out more on twitter/CollinEarl and at www.CollinEarl.com

You can also find Collin Earl:
Twitter:  @CollinEarl