Book Review: In The Beginning

In The Beginning

By:  Philippa Ballantine

Publisher:  Imagine That! Studios

Publish Date:  March 22, 2013

Format:  eBook

Genre:  Fantasy

Series:  1st in Chronicles of the Order, affiliated with A Book of the Order series

Recommendation:  Yes, to get the glimpse of the Break through one weary citizens view watching the world change around her.

Synopsis:
This short story is set in teh world of the Deacons of the Order, before the time of the novels, Geist, Spectyr, Wrayth and Harbinger.

It tells the story of the first day of the Break, when the undead come in the world of Arkaym, and the horror they bring with them.  One small village is caught in the chaos of that day.  Some will live, and some will find new purpose.

First Sentence:
Life might be hard in the highlands, but death came in a few regimented ways; starving in the winter, falling from a cliff top, or succumbing to wet lung.

Purchase At:

Amazon   /   Barnes & Nobles   /   Smashwords (for other eformats)

My Thoughts and Summary:
Life is hard and death is harder here in the highlands, but what death they find next is the worst.  Myra was enjoying her early spring day with her flock of sheep, son, and two dogs.  Following out a harsh winter the predators were on the prey, when suddenly wolves of strange behavior show, threatening her family.  When Myra goes to get the healer what she finds... is death and loss and a question of why.

A view of the Break through an innocents eyes.  Philippa brings the feel of worry and strange new in a world to the front for the people.  New fears surface, and a far worse death than any could expect.

This is a quick jump into Myra and her son's short story.  It keeps you here, wanting to learn.  The things of campfire stories to scare children come to life... Geists now appear along with Geistlords.  What happens this night breaks Myra's thoughts on the religion she was raised on.  The world has changed and she has experienced it first hand.

Can you read this without reading A Book of the Order series?  Yeaaa, you could.  But I think you'd be lost on what's happening.  After reading at least the first book of the series?  Yes, you will understand the break and geists.  You'll get the geists here but there's more to the background you get from the books to fill in for reading this.  It in now way spoils what's to come in the books, this is the far history of what happened to bring the world to the point we read in the series.

Myra doesn't have answers but she hopes to find them.  I would like to read more of Myra's journeys to learn what's coming of the world and why.  And how they tend to it to come to the system we find in A Book of the Order series.  This one leaves me wanting more.



You can listen to this short story for free, read by Philippa Ballantine.  Pip has other amazing authors playing in the world as well, which you can listen to on Philippa Ballantine's page.



*I read this short story for my own enjoyment.

Throwback Thursday (112)

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:

I've heard this series is really good.  That Holly Black is amazing.  So, I got it from a resell store and look forward to reading it one day.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old Kaye is a modern nomad. Fierce and independent, she travels from city to city with her mother's rock band until an ominous attack forces Kaye back to her childhood home. There, amid the industrial, blue-collar New Jersey backdrop, Kaye soon finds herself an unwilling pawn in an ancient power struggle between two rival faerie kingdoms - a struggle that could very well mean her death.

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: Vampire Voyage

Vampire Voyage

By:  Kelly Lougheed

Publisher:  Mundania Press

Publish Date:  October 16, 2012

Format:  Trade paperback 180pgs, 5"x8"

Genre:  Young Adult Urban Fantasy

Series:  3rd book in Hawthorn Dormitory series; 1st Book ~ The Graveyard Gymnasium, 2nd Book ~ Dormitory of the Dead

Recommendation:  You've read the first two?  Oh, Charity is to cute and fun, you must read what troubles she gets into next, and how things go for her and Nicholae (the love of her life).

Synopsis:
When Charity signs up for the Hawthorn School spring break trip to the St. Judas School for Boys in Romania, she has an inkling the trip won't just be all fun and romantic flings.  Being constantly surrounded by exotic European boys would be great...if so many of the boys weren't homicidal vampires.

While trying not to succumb to the peer pressure of drinking human blood at one of the vampire parties, Charity and her BFF Louise get tangled up with a boy named Ivan, who may or may not plan on using them in a nefarious scheme to turn all the Hawthorn girls into vampires.

Louise refuses to believe Ivan capable of murder -- he's far too handsome!  But Charity sees evil in the way Ivan slicks his hair back with such unnecessary amounts of hair gel.  Can Charity -- in between seducing a past fling, Nicholae, and hiding her late-night wanderings from the trip chaperone, Ms. Van Tessel -- save her classmates from becoming bloodsucking fiends?

First Sentence:
The reality of the trip only hit her when Charity stood in the doorway of her dorm room, dragging her wheelie suitcase in one hand and clutching her backpack trap with the other.

Purchase At:

Amazon   /   Barnes & Nobles

My Thoughts and Summary:

***NOTE:  There are spoilers for Previous Books***

Last semester was the exchanged St. Judas School of boy's coming to Hawthorn School.  Now, it's the girls turn for Spring Break.  The girls are heading to an eastern European school for boys.  Downfall...the boys are Vampires!  Charity is excited.  Resulting from the events of the boys visit last semester, her ghost teacher Ms. Van Tessel and now vampire best friend Louise, are nervous.  The first day there Louise gets invited to a party.  A party Charity is excited about until she learns she can not go.  A vampire party.  Louise is uncomfortable at the party with the boys working to break her vow regarding human blood.  Yet meeting a well read cute boy, agrees to a party the next night.  Charity talks Louise into going and taking her... to see and talk to Nicholae.  But, human blood drinking vampire party with a human walking in...could not end well?  But learns of a scheme to turn the girls of Hawthorn School that are visiting.

Now the girls get the feel of what the boys had while visiting their all girls school last semester.  All eyes, of the opposite sex, are on the girls as they are introduced and move about the school.  The same feel the boys felt in The Graveyard Gymnasium.  We are hoping the boys have...matured some since then.  Or at least the ones left in Romania are.

Charity and her eccentric thinking.  She's a tenth grader with boys hot on her mind, one boy in particular - Nicholae.  She cracks me up with her creations and stories of "what's going to happen."  She definitely has an overactive imagination.  A brilliant imagination and in the same smarter than she knows.  Charity might not have the grades, but she is a smart girl.  The things she thinks up, and the angles she thinks.  The girl knows things when she applies herself to something.  The small quick jokes she makes to herself, made me smile.

Ivan, who's trying to *help* the girls with information, but Charity doesn't fall for it.  She feels he's the evil mastermind behind an evil plan - based solely on his hair style.  Louis is taken with the boy and doesn't believe Charity.  When Charity goes undercover to weasel out the plan details and thwart the scheme, things get complicated with the strong vampires.  Maybe Charity can find the slayer center she felt before, to save her co-students.

Oh! There was a little surprise here, or two.  One was the feelings one has for Charity.  And the other, well, I can't tell you that as it's a little twist you will enjoy in the investigation to stop the vampires.

The beginning builds the places and brings you to know the characters, then you go right in with the troubles of vampires.  This is a cute book and one I would suggest to young teenage/preteen girls.  It's a touch of Urban Fantasy and young crushes but with a strong girl that will come though.



**I read this book for an honest review from the publisher.

Who? What? Where? (112)

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 walking with Berun toward a house, following a mage.  It's very dark in this vision.  I'm getting the feel this could be a possible future.  I'm curious what's to come when we get to the house.

No Return
By:  Zachary Jernigan

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!

Thoughts On: The Dreamer's Thread Ep 11 & 12

The Dreamer's Thread

By:  Starla Huchton

Genre:  Fantasy

Format:  Ep 11 ~  24:16 mins

Chapters:  20

Book Synopsis:
Everyone Dreams.  But what would you do if you suddenly found out that you were one of the few who creates dreams for the whole world?  Would you use your power to harness the light and weave it into beautiful tapestries of magic and wonder, or would you fall prey to the seductive siren song of darkness and nightmares?  For artist Aura Mayville, this becomes a reality as she is ripped from her life.

This Episode:
Aura says her farewells and begins the next leg of her quest...

My Thoughts and Summary:
Aura assures Sira she got the go ahead with her plan, but needs to do something for Theas first.  Yet, with the side mission, Aura feels something tugging at her to do this.  She feels a need to follow this path now.  Then we get visions from Ina of another Region, village.  There was another attack by those dark creatures.

Aura learns how to do more in the dream world.  This time, it's how to contact Ina.  And Aura makes another temporary adjustment to herself to help her get around.

There is a feel of a nightmare in the new region we hop to.  While walking down the path, it feels like a nightmare.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Format:  Podcast, Ep 12 ~  31:44 mins

Chapters:  21 & 22

This Episode:
Aura awakens in a village and finds a new challenge awaiting her...

My Thoughts and Summary:
Aura wakes in a new town.  A town with troubles of their own accompanied with the sound heard before their losses which called when she came the night before.  The town folks fear she maybe affiliated with what happens here...until they learn who she is.

We learn of a new terror in this town.  Wow!  What she finds in the black nightmare!  And what she does...

Aura has a way of making friends and making people a little more at ease with her presence, even though they are still frightened of what she might do.

The visions Aura saw before coming here... She's not sure where or who sent them after talking with Ina.  That is a question and mystery in itself.  I wonder if the Nightmare Queen is, or trying to, affect Aura.

You can learn more about Starla Huchton's works at her site:

Upon the Wings of Greater Things

You can listen to The Dreamer's Thread by Starla Huchton for free at:

(the whole book is available for listen now)

i Tunes

Podiobooks

Or you can purchase the book to read in print or ebook at:

Teaser Tuesday (160)

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:

I threw the phone down in frustration right as Danny and Tyler trotted back into the area carrying more supplies.  My father had known that if he'd stayed on the line he risked my complete cooperation.

Hot Blooded
By:  Amanda Carlson
126pg



Today is Release day for Hot Blooded!  An amazing read in and outstanding series.

Guest Post by Seleste deLaney

I'm thrilled to have Seleste deLaney by today.  Starting off her tour today for her release to come,

Clockwork Mafia (April 29th), with this fun post.  For those new to Seleste's Badlands series, this series is set in a clockwork/steampunk focused world with badlands - full of strong women patrolling for men exiled to for terrible crimes - at the edge.  Yet love still finds it's way into the hearts of those, still.  I've absolutely loved these tales.

So, when Seleste was looking for blogs to visit, I jumped at the chance to have her by.  The idea...spots for a smexy rendezvous on the dirigible, Dark Hawk.  And Seleste rose to the idea, giving you a tour of the Dark Hawk as well.

Please warmly welcome the amazing Seleste deLaney.

So…You Wanna Make Out on the Dark Hawk?

One of the fun things about writing the Badlands series is playing with the Dark Hawk. It’s my Millenium Falcon, so to speak, and whenever I think of that ship, I think of Han and Leia in close quarters trying to repair the hyperdrive and she falls and they almost kiss and… *happy sigh* So, when Mel asked me about make-out locales on board the Dark Hawk, I was absolutely giddy.

Cabins

This is the obvious answer. All the crew members have cabins where they can take their paramours and canoodle or fornicate or do whatever else comes to mind. Considering this is also where they keep their personal effects, those instances can have a variety of…implements utilized in various ways. *cough* Zeke *cough*

Cargo Hold

While very open, there’s a lot of room here for more…aggressive interludes. Or group sex. *shrug* I can’t really see the crew getting up to that, but if the Badlands warriors took over for a night, who the hell knows what could happen. Then again, for more privacy, all it would really need is to be loaded and private alcoves could be formed all over the place. Hide and seek sex. Damn it, now I want to write that in somewhere…

Infirmary

While this might be assumed to be Henrietta’s realm only, she’s not there all the time and if someone happens to be injured…well, one thing could easily lead to another in such close quarters.

Bridge

I doubt anyone would have sex there, but it’d be a pretty sexy spot to have a make-out session. The vista before you as you sail into the sunset over the mountains. Yeah…I take it back. Under the right circumstances, someone might have sex there. High risk of being caught though—even higher than the cargo hold.

Gunnery Boat

Even if it’s rocking, they won’t come a-knocking. This is pretty much the ideal spot for privacy. Unless they’re under attack or there’s reason to believe someone is in the gunboat, no one’s likely to go down there hunting for anyone or anything. And the view is second only to the Bridge. Not a bad place to be romanced…though the splinters could get annoying, so take a blanket.

Engine Room

Dirty…smelly…but in the engine room no one can hear you screaming “Oh God! Yes, take me now!” So, the engine room has its benefits. Plus, if you’re going to have dirty sex, you might as well mean it both literally and figuratively. Not to mention, it’s hot…damn hot. So nice slippery, sweaty bodies.

Ratlines

For thrill seekers and those with no fear of death only. Strap yourself to the bag’s ratlines for some aerial acrobatics and feel the wind whipping through your well…everything. Quite frankly, I don’t think even Noah is crazy enough to try this, but given the right incentive…

There is a place for most flavors of romance on the Dark Hawk. Ever and Spencer have tried one or two. And Henri gets her own kisses in Clockwork Mafia, but of the possibilities, where would you most like to have a make-out/sex session on the Dark Hawk? Inquiring minds want to know ;-)

Clockwork Mafia:

Inventor Henrietta Mason is retiring from airships and adventuring to return home to Philadelphia. Determined to erase all trails leading to her late father's duplicity, she dismantles his lab and removes all records of the Badlands gold. While in the city, she can't resist the lure of a charity gala but winds up regretting the whole experience. Well, everything except a heart-racing dance with a certain U.S. Marshal.

His career and vengeance on the line, Carson Alexander must prove a connection between Senator Mason and the mafia. He lucked out happening across Mason's strikingly beautiful daughter, only to have her slip through his fingers. On a desperate hunt to track her down, he never expects his search to take him into the brutal Badlands.

With a mechanically enhanced enforcer after them, only Carson knows the extent of the danger they face. He'll have to win over Henrietta's trust, and her heart, before it's too late...

Purchase Clockwork Mafia at:

Carina Press

Amazon

Amazon UK

Amazon CA

Barnes & Noble

All Romance Ebooks

Audible

Books-A-Million

You can also find Seleste around the internet

If you aren’t going to be able to see her next week at the Romantic Times Booklovers’ Convention—or even if you are—:

Website

Blog

Twitter

Pinterest

Facebook Page

Facebook Profile

The Series: