Throwback Thursday (134)

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:

Ooooo, I'd been wanting this one for the longest time. Then I was able to get it for free from the author for signing up for her news letters. Eeep! I so need to get to reading faster.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Neva Whitestone was severely injured during the Zatvian attack that destroyed her homeworld. Bearing scars on her face and in her soul, she is adrift in a universe crushed beneath the might of the Zatvian Cooperative. Now Neva has received a mysterious summons from a ship called the Exile. He has no name except the insult flung at him--Rat. Without any memory of his former life, he is haunted by voices in his head, which threaten to drive him mad. Desperate to escape, Rat flees from the Zatvians hunting him by stowing away on what appears to be an ordinary freighter. The Exile is no innocent freighter, however, but instead a pirate ship embroiled in the last vestiges of rebellion against the Zatvians. So far, they have survived their private war. But now they have on board a man without a past, whose ravaged brain holds secrets that the Zatvians will kill to possess.

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 

Book Review: The Sorceress's Orc

The Sorceress's Orc

By:  Elaine Corvidae

Publisher:  Self-published

Publish Date:  April 10, 2011

Format:  Paperback 246pgs, trade size

Genre:  Fantasy

Series:  Stand-alone

Recommendation:  Yes!  A fantasy adventure with Orcs, magic, and a little bit of clockworks mixed together with a blooming love.

Book Synopsis:
Giavolo:  proudest of the city-states and home to the great university, where the Magical Sciences are taught alongside more mundane studies.  The city has been at war for longer than any of its inhabitants have been alive.

Vervain:  Mistress of the Magical Sciences, she is dismayed to find herself assigned a bodyguard after divination reveals an ill-defined threat to the university's teachers.  Even worse, the bodyguard is an orc.

Riyu:  Vervain's orc bodyguard is determined to save her life - if she'll let him.

Brighthand:  When this sinister figure attacks the university and kidnaps Vervain's partner, it's up to Vervain and Riyu to get him back...or die in the attempt.

First Sentence:
The day the orcs came, the College of Dance and the Social Arts attacked Vervain on her way to class.

My Thoughts and Summary:
Vervain stops dancing Golems from attacking students with her magic on her way to her class, to then be summoned to the Chancellor's study.  Vervain sees Orcs there, and learns the Divination Department has foreseen there's a threat to the University's Masters.  Bodyguards have been assigned since magic safeguards are already in place with the war between their country and Benevalia.  Vervain is picked as on of the Masters to be protected for her work with magic and her projects, she is very important.  Vervain is not happy with an Orc bodyguard, or any bodyguard at that, but an Orc...  A week later Riyu, her Orc bodyguard, is called away for a commotion at the wall, when golems of clockwork, wires, and human eyes sent by Brighthand attack the classrooms, killing students and coming for her.  Vervain fights back, then saved by Riyu.  When she wakes from her injuries, Vervain learns of the deaths and that her partner in the project of a calculating golem, Malachite is missing and his Orc dead.  When the Princes chief Military Advisor thinks he shouldn't go after Malachite; not knowing where he is, if alive, and with limited resources with protecting the school, Vervain decides to strike out and search on her own.

Vervain ends up with quite a mixed group to venture with; a fellow teacher who absentminded of consequent and willingly created the dangerous dancing golems for the Dance and Social Arts department - Tourmaline, a noble-woman student who could be so much more if she applies herself - Amethyst, Vervain's journeyman and talented with magic - Hawthorn, a cadet - Cardamom, and of course her Orc bodyguard sworn to protect her - Riyu, and one other Orc - Kiki.  All under the pretense of a noblewoman going to meet her bridegroom.

OH MY!  I never thought I'd say I'd fallen in love with an Orc.  AN ORC, of all creatures!  It's happened!  And all on an adventure full of magic and clockwork creations with danger on their tails.  Just you wait until you meet Riyu.  I just kept picturing an Orc, and thinking hard, but the way he's written I kept pushing the Orc image aside.

Vervain is a strong women who stands alone and on her own.  Her students have some choice phrases about her, and consider her mean, but she doesn't put up with lazy students and dumb actions.  She wants them all to be better and smarter.  Even though many may not think it with her bluntness, she is a kind woman wanting better for all.  Even for her Orc bodyguard, whom she learns much of what she "knows" of Orcs is really rumors and not true.  Vervain finds she grows fond of the Orc who's completely opposite the human beliefs of dumb, brutish and clumsy.  Vervain is a brilliant teacher and character, one I do hope to read of again.

I'll mention this as the first sentence is listed above... I have to say, I thought I wasn't understanding the first sentence clearly, but a page in and I learned I read it exactly right.  She was attacked by the Dancing and Social Arts, unintentionally but it happened.

I enjoyed the writing of this story, along with the creation of the world.  We have a fantasy feel with magic and ruins used with spoken words to create magic spells, and Orcs.  But we also had mechanical and clockwork creatures; evil golems, runners made of pistons and metal in various animal shapes to relay messages, firefly golems, boats of clockwork oars and powered by hear, and an airship!

This was one adventure I enjoyed the whole way through.  I was surprised with how much I enjoyed this world and adventure.  The University has many departments, even though we hear of others we focus only one, the magic department, yet giving a bigger feel to the world around us.  When Vervain and crew leave for their rescue mission, we find we are attacked a few times by the "clickers" (evil golems named so for the noise they make).  On this mission we have many discoveries, and learn of each character more, and the countries around the world here.  I was impressed with the tale of each character coming to light as the story moved on with ease.  And possibly a grow of a relationship somewhere in here as well.

Not everything is all peaches and cream with the adventure, and I like that.  I want the characters to fight for it, and these ones more than do.  Wonderful adventure!

This is one world and set of characters I hope the author shares with use in the future again.  I was drawn into the world and want to see more of them.


Elaine Corvidae has several different books and an online Graphic Novel too!  If you are curious and would like to learn more about Elaine's books and graphic novel, please visit her site.



I read this book for my own enjoyment.
Please remember this review is of my personal thoughts and opinions.

Who? What? Where? (66)

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.

(This 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 )

We've been on the road to Icci for several days now, and rain has started.  One Orc guard, Kiki, has found old ruins we can camp at and maybe make shelter from the rain.  Riyu, Vervain's Orc bodyguard, has helped Vervain and I from the slippery wagon to go look for a suitable place to set-up camp, while Tourmaline goes on to Amethyst of what the ancient writings on the ruins say.  I think we might find or learn something here.

The Sorceress's Orc
By:  Elaine Corvidae

Teaser Tuesday (118)

Teaser Tuesday

is a weekly event

Sponsored by MizB of Should be Reading

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:

The arms to either side of Vervain flexed, and with a deep groan Riyu pushed himself up and off her.  Finally able to breathe freely, she scrambled out from under him.

The Sorceress's Orc
By:  Elaine Corvidae
96pg

The best part, Vervain is human and Riyu is an Orc! Something happened!  I can't wait to get to this part.

Book Review: Bad-Ass Faeries

Bad-Ass Faeries
Just Plain Bad

By:  Edited by Danielle Ackley-McPhail, and written by numerous authors

Publisher:  Mundania Press

Publish Date:  May 2008

Format:  Paperback, Trade size 281pgs

Genre:  Urban Fantasy, Fae

Series:  2nd in Bad-Ass Faeries anthology collection

Recommendation:  Oh yes!  Amazing faery tales that could be considered dark fables.

Book Synopsis:
Don't worry about things that go bump in the night; count yourself lucky if these fae give you that much warning.  In the finest tradition of the original Bad-Ass Faeries, this collection delves into the darkest corners, exploring every tough and terrifying aspect the legends of faeries ever claimed...and then some.

Lose yourself in twisted tales of homicidal faerie clowns.  Read on in fascinated horror as a faerwolf is born, and unwise parties-of-the-second-part come to rue deals made with a different kind of devil.  Here is where you discover just how many faerie tales never even get a glimpse of Happily Ever After...

My Thoughts and Summary:
Normally I review each story in an anthology individually to give you a feel of what's in the book and what to look forward to.  This one is hard to do that with as there are so many stories here.  AND what makes it even harder, is I found I enjoyed just about all of them!

These tales gave me a feel of the dark faery tales of old, some set in more recent time frame, that have not been sugar coated for children.  They are wonderful!

The book has four sections: Rebel Fae, Rogue Fae, Shadow Fae, and Enforcer Fae.

I liked the Rebel Fae section, but found I really enjoyed one story particularly. 
Party Crashers  by Trisha Wooldridge & Christy Tohara
A crew are working as a special unit going in for a Sidhe bank robber, one who has the ability to control minds and does so in his game with humans to make the transfer money to his accounts along with collecting artifacts from museums.

I enjoyed the Seelie/Unseelie feel and the surprise in the end about Cameron.  I wondered in the end of this story if there are more short stories with this cast of characters, or at least with Cameron and Monica and their secrets.

I found Rogue Fae was the section to really catch my eye, with several of the stories.  These stories where darker, mysterious, and more fighting.
A Clear-Cut Case  by Elaine Corvidae
Adaira visits detective Sorcha Barrow and Dr. Elizabeth DaTarn (both fae) curious about the strange circumstances of her husbands murder, the why he was murdered and some innards where missing.

I really liked how the world was drawn through the words of action in the story.  And there is a mystery! Unseelie style. :)

Whisky Sour  by Skyla Dawn Cameron
Juliette smells him, the one regret, coming but ignores her instincts.  The one voice she'll never forget orders a Whiskey Sour and repeatedly asks to talk to her in private.  Finally Juliette agrees to talk to Toby, to get rid of him.  Toby needs her help to retrieve something.

Okay, so I'll admit, this story is the reason for me picking up this anthology, along with a few other new authors I wanted to sample.  But I found I loved Jules!  Her character grew into her powers in this short story.  She's a smart woman, and knows how to take charge.  Jules is fae, with a little extra something else now mixed in, no thanks to the history with Toby.  I enjoyed the quick action and hope to meet Jules again in the future.

Zwischenzug  by Lorne Dixon
Vassili plays chess with a little fairy friend, Penni, in his funeral home, when his nephew shows up with Vassilli's deceased brother and a rather large man responsible in the trunk.  When things go bad for Vassilli, Penni goes to ask Zwischenzug for help.

This story created a whole new creature for me, Zwischenzug.  This story has a mafia feel to it.  There is also lots of fighting and blood but in the end I found it touching and sad.  I have to say this story was very well written to draw me in like this.

Pixie Dust  by Steven Earl Yoder
Aysa goes to a voodoo master for help.  Here in Louisiana she is tormented and now harmed by the mean local rogue fae, she is looking for protection and Bosun helps her.

Aaaa, now this one.  This one has a feel of the dark old fairy tales.  One that has a moral and a tale that could become one to pass on to your children, when they are older.  See this one does not have the shiny endings we have grown accustom to in our fairy tales.  Wonderful!

Shadow Fae
Do You Believe?   by C.J. Henderson
men of supernatural dealings meet at Narkane, a neutral place for all demensional beings to met and do business, to chat it up of happenings and tell each other stories.

In this one, one of the men tells a story of how there is a faery cockroach.  Yes, sounds gross, but I loved this tale.  The story teller weaves it so good, the man believes it, and I could see why.  I could have believed the whole creation too.  lol.

Within the Guardian Bell  by Danielle Ackley-McPhail
Lance had to leave Suzanne's side to do club business and now speeding home on his motorcycle.  The close call from a passing car jingles the magic bell Suzanna gave him for protection.  Smear a road gremlin doesn't like Lance, or his little bell, and decides to go after the two, to crush them.

Oh, I know I'm not suppose to like Smear, but I just love the little single minded gremlin. lol.  And he tries his best.  I also found I wanted more of Lance and Suzanne.  I really liked the feel around them.  Another story I will have to see if I can find more stories about.

The Seelie Seven  by Lee C. Hillman
Robin and Spike are thieving fey who have been caught and only chance to live freely is to become part of a military special mission, in retrieving a stolen item from the Unseelie.

I want to see the Seelie Seven again!  Where this story ended it could be possible to have another story out there as well.  I loved the mix of the guilty party with their last chance to make good for a free life again.  The mission is dangerous and they might not make it.  This story was full of action, and deceiving.  I liked it!

Enforcer Fae
Shadowcutting  by Steven Mangold & Jason Franks
After getting cut, literally, on his latest job Theo wakes in the hospital with a new card from DB Armory in his wallet.  going to check this 'person' out, with his broken Glaive, he finds he likes the Shadowcutter sword.

I liked the story with this sword.  It's a special fae sword that cuts to kill your enemies through their shadow.  But something is going on with Theo, every time he uses this sword.  Theo is growing to like the power he has with the sword, but not realizes what it's doing to him in the process.  Interesting tale.  Again one not with an ending we are so accustom to, but I loved it.

Twilight Crossing  by John Passarella
Ray, a talented bouncer at a local tavern, senses trouble when a new young visitor arrives, sitting at his own table peacefully.  Shortly after the young mans arrival three trouble makers come in and they begin a fight.  Ray ends up learns more about himself that he had forgotten about.

Oh I like the mystery behind the unknown, forgotten past.  The way Ray 'knows' things about the knife used and slowly remembers a life he didn't know he had.  I enjoyed the tavern atmosphere, fighting, and the writing style of the author in this one.

~~~~

All in all I really enjoyed these stories.  There were 20 stories in total here, and all are very good reads.  I tried to not to over do it, but I ended up mentioning 10 of the 20 stories.  And there where others I wanted to tell you about as well.


I purchased this book for my own enjoyment.

Throwback Thursday (25)

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 is a new book on my shelf, but going by Publish Date it's an older book as it was published in 2008.  I found this book thanks to Skyla Dawn Cameron.  Yes, she is one of the authors in the book.  But I enjoyed her book of Bloodlines.  Not only the characters but the world and writing style.  So I'm looking forward to reading this anthology as there is a short story from a small side character from Bloodlines.

The authors here are:

Danielle Ackley-McPhail

James Daniel Ross

Elaine Corvidae

Skyla Dawn Cameron

L. Jagi Lamplighter

Phil Brucato

Jeffrey Lyman

Lee C. Hillman

Jonathan Passarella

Goodreads Synopsis:

Do you like to Dance with Danger? Well now's your chance! Don't worry about things that go bump in the night; count yourself lucky if these fae give you that much warning. In the finest tradition of the original Bad-Ass Faeries, the twenty tales in this collection delve into the darkest corners, exploring every tough and terrifying aspect the legends of faeries ever claimed...and then some. Lose yourself in twisted tales of homicidal faerie clowns, one man's gladiatorial stand against Earth's overlords, and a desperate mother's confrontation with the fiercest pirates above the Seven Seas...not to mention dry land. Read on in fascinated horror as a faerwolf is born, and unwise parties-of-the-second-part come to rue deals made with a different kind of devil. Here is where you discover just how many faerie tales never even get a glimpse of Happily Ever After... Forget about misunderstood; these faeries are Just Plain Bad!

Looking Forward To...(45)

There are so many amazing books already on the shelves and new ones coming out.

For a list of books yet to be released I'm looking to get, you can also look on my right Sidebar at the ever growing list titled Desired Reads - just scroll down. Of course there are tones of other new books to come out that are amazing as well, but these ones are part of series I have already started or for one reason or another caught my eye (and haven't seen much on other blogs yet). But I will highlight one here each week.

(mentioned in order of Release Date then Alphabetical if there are more than one book coming out on the same date.)

Next Book Is...

The Sorceress's Orc

By:  Elaine Corvidae

Due Out:  April 13, 2011

I found this book through the authors site, a site in which I've been stalking as I love the sounds of her books.  I've not had the opportunity yet to read any of her books, but I keep looking and wishing I had them to start.  One of these days I will get them and start them.  I promise.  And in that is why I keep stalking her site to remind myself why I want them.

I saw this book and thought it sounded great.  It's an all new fantasy world and series she is doing.  Hmmm, this just might be where I need to start at. :)

Synopsis from Authors Site:

Giavolo: Proudest of the city-states and home to the great university, where the Magical Sciences are taught alongside more mundane studies. The city has been at war for longer than any of its inhabitants have been alive.

Vervain: Mistress of the Magical Sciences, she is dismayed to find herself assigned a bodyguard after divination reveals an ill-defined threat to the university’s teachers. Even worse, the bodyguard is an orc.

Riyu: Vervain’s orc bodyguard is determined to save her life—if she’ll let him.

Brighthand: When this sinister figure attacks the university and kidnaps Vervain’s partner, it’s up to Vervain and Riyu to get him back…or die in the attempt.

You don’t have to be a 20-something babe to save the world.

Throwback Thursday (7)

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?  On the the WANT List...

This one I found through an author I follow, in which I found my way to a new publishing companies site.  All their books sound AMAZING!  I was really impressed with all the synopsis's.  And this one was one of many that caught my eye.  I do hope to get these books some time here and get to reading them... all in good time.

Wolfkin

By:  Elaine Corvidae

Goodreads Synopsis:

A kingdom on the eve of war. A queen held captive. A land in turmoil.
A shape-changer's heart. 

Suchen's life as Steward of Kellsjard is a good one, if uneventful. But the arrival of the exiled wizard Ax threatens to upset her quiet existence. The task he sets for her seems simple on the surface: escort Trethya, a young noblewoman, from the southern reaches of the kingdom back to the safety of Kellsjard's walls. 

Soon, however, Suchen and her companions-five warriors Sworn to the service of her lord-discover that the fate of the entire kingdom depends on keeping Trethya alive. For only Trethya is privy to a deadly secret: Rozah, Queen of Jenel, is held captive by her regency council. If she is not freed, the treacherous Council will force her into a marriage with a necromancer intent on making Jenel his own.
Pursued by enemies, attacked by shape-changers, and threatened by hidden traitors, their path seems doomed to end in death. But into this mix comes an unlikely ally: Yozerf Jonaglir, scion of the non-human Aclytese race, heir to a forgotten throne. 

Haughty, bitter, and haunted by the darkness of his past, Yozerf at first seems the antithesis of everything Suchen has ever known. Yet from the first, she finds herself drawn to this wild stranger, finding in him an answer to the longings of her own heart. 

But is Yozerf the friend he seems to be-or will the dark secrets he hides ultimately destroy them all?