'

Monday, 31 October 2011

THE SECRET GUIDE TO DATING MONSTERS by Sierra Dean

Are blind dates supposed to be this bloody?

A Secret McQueen Story

They say it's impossible to find a man in New York City. Secret McQueen needs to find two in one night. Of course, it’ll mean pulling off the impossible—find and kill a displaced rogue vampire without disrupting the first promising date she’s had in ages. As a werewolf hybrid used to walking a fine line of survival in the vampire world, though, Secret eats impossible for breakfast.

Somewhere between hello and the first round of drinks, Secret makes her move. Her target, Hollywood’s biggest star, shouldn’t be hard to spot. Just look for swarms of fans. Except every time her vampire liaison, Holden, helps keep her mission on track, her date runs further off the rails.

Either Holden has a hidden agenda, or he knows more than he’s letting on about her quarry. One way or another, Secret is determined to get her man, and meet Mr. Right. Or die trying.

Warning: This book contains a sword-wielding assassin whose barbs are sharper than her blade, a vampire with serious brooding issues but a skilled tongue, and an A-lister with a bad habit of eating his fans. This novella takes place approximately one year prior to the events of Something Secret This Way Comes.


This morning, I decided to get stuck into this book on my Kindle. It happens to be the prequel novella for the very awesome Secret McQueen series.

Secret's friend has set her up on a blind date, and she's quite surprised when she finds herself really warming towards the detective, Tyler. However, because her life is never easy, her vampire liaison, Holden, has also handed her a new job. So, she soon finds herself juggling her date with trying to kill a rogue vampire--who also happens to be a Hollywood star--and things don't go as smoothly as she'd hoped.

Man, this was so much fun! I loved finding out about the infamous subway incident that's mentioned in the first book. It's so cool, and action-packed. Secret takes a lot of hits, and not all of them are physical.

This is fast becoming one of my favourite UF series. So it's a good thing that I've got the second book already on my Kindle. ;) Can't wait!

H&UFRC books read: 50/24

Happy New Week to ya!

Today, I'm very excited because I found THIS on the Samhain Publishing website over the weekend:

When revenge, secrets and lust collide, there can only be chaos.

Recast, Book 2

Jenks Maine is dead, but the devastating effects forcing Recast to fight in the arena goes on. Half-Recast Ace Abu is determined to put a stop to it. All he needs is to get to the planet Fray, locate the concealed Clash Arena, and destroy it. But first he has to cross half the galaxy before the sound and smell of his partners’ nonstop lovemaking drives him mad.

By the time he parks himself on a barstool in the town of Grit, he’s more than ready for a few beers. Except the sexy singer on stage is only making him—and his inner beast—burn hotter.

Ely’Shea longs for the freedom Jenks stole from her. She’s his right-hand woman, but when the boss is away she steps out of her enforcer role and ducks into a remote bar to indulge her passion: singing onstage. The night she catches a glimpse of an alluring cowboy in the audience, he ignites a spark inside her she never thought she’d feel again.

Unable to resist temptation, they’re consumed by passion…but once the fuses are set, their deepest personal secrets could blow any chance of forever all to hell.

Product Warnings:
This book contains a very lonely shapeshifter in need of some loving, a kick-ass singer leading a double life, a serious case of mutual lust, an arena filled with enslaved warriors, and so many secrets it can only end in

OMG! How awesome is this? I'm SO darn excited. And don't the first two books in the Recast series look good together? I think they look absolutely awesome. Yeah, very excited over here.

The official release date for CLASH is January 24, 2012. So feel free to share the link and the date if you like. ;)

Oh, and btw...

Sunday, 30 October 2011

THE GIRL WHO LOVED TOM GORDON: A Pop-up Book by Stephen King

Trisha McFarland is a plucky 9-year-old hiking with her brother and mom, who is grimly determined to give the kids a good time on their weekends together. Trisha's mom is recently divorced, and her brother is feuding with her for moving from Boston to small-town Maine, where classmates razz him. Trisha steps off the trail for a pee and a respite from the bickering. And gets lost.

I read the book version of this story several years ago, and really enjoyed it. So when hubby suggested we sit down and check this version out together, I thought it would be fun. And it was!

Hubby, daughter and I huddled around while I read it out loud. It was as spooky and thrilling as I remember, but with the added pop-up feature it made everything a lot clearer. We all enjoyed Trisha's quest to find her way out of the scary woods after she gets lost. The art is lovely, and the way the book totally opens up is excellent. I hadn't looked at a pop-up book for ages, and this one didn't disappoint.

It was an awesome idea! And it's fun for the whole family... especially since this is about the only Stephen King story I can share with my daughter. :)

SKC Books Read: 5/6

Saturday, 29 October 2011

IMAGINARY GIRLS by Nova Ren Suma

'Ruby said I’d never drown - not in deep ocean, not by shipwreck, not even by falling drunk into someone’s bottomless backyard pool... It sounded impossible, something no one would believe if anyone other than Ruby were the one to tell it. But Ruby was right: The body found that night wouldn’t be, couldn’t be mine.’

Chloe’s older sister, Ruby, is the girl everyone looks to and longs for, who can’t be captured or caged. When a night with Ruby’s friends goes horribly wrong and Chloe discovers the dead body of her classmate London Hayes left floating in the reservoir, Chloe is sent away from town and away from Ruby.

But Ruby will do anything to get her sister back, and when Chloe returns to town two years later, deadly surprises await. As Chloe flirts with the truth that
Ruby has hidden deeply away, the fragile line between life and death is redrawn by the complex bonds of sisterhood.

This is an intriguing and very odd book that hooked me in from the very beginning. I love the cover, too.

Chloe and her older sister Ruby are very close. Chloe worships her sister and enjoys listening to her many stories. Actually, their whole world revolves around each other. But the night Chloe tries to swim from one side of the reservoir to the other and she finds a dead girl, Chloe's sent away and the sisters are separated.

Two years later, Chloe's back in Ruby's custody. But things are different this time...especially when Chloe finds the dead girl is still alive. Or is she? This time around, Chloe starts to look at the town and the people in it from a different perspective. Her sister too, even if she still pretty much does everything she wants her to. Then again, she's not the only one. Ruby has a way of manipulating everyone around her.

Wow. This book is very cool. It was very well written, captivating, odd, mysterious, and will leave you guessing all the way through. Even at the end the answers aren't clear cut. I found it super creepy. The relationship between Ruby and Chloe was very obsessive, and although it mostly felt like Chloe would do anything for her manipulative sister, it was actually a mutual thing.

Yeah, I really enjoyed this one. And I know it's the kind of story that I'll keep thinking about, discovering new things clicking into place every time. Like, was any of it real? ;)       

M&SRC books read: 18/12

Friday, 28 October 2011

It's done!

I just finished the second draft of Recast #3.

That's right. It's now sitting at 50,592 words. Which means I added just over 10k to it during this week, and I'm a lot happier with it. Only one more draft to go. But first, I need to put it aside for a week or two.

Phew. Yeah, I think I deserve a coffee break. ;)

Have a great weekend!

Thursday, 27 October 2011

I'm losing count of the days...

So I can't believe it's already Thursday. Yikes! For some reason, this whole week has been a little wonky. Productive, but wonky. Mostly rainy, and still wonky. ;)

It hasn't stopped us from getting on with our regular-scheduled routine. lol. I've still gone for a walk every morning after dropping my daughter off at school (yesterday, it was raining so I had the whole river path to myself!), we're doing our weights workouts at night, I do yoga the morning after the weights workout, watched Castle, The Walking Dead, and The Talking Dead, and even went for more walks with hubby in the arvo.

Oh, and I've been working on the second draft of Recast #3.

When I finished the first draft of this story at the beginning of this month, the word count was 40,084. Now, after 77/108pgs of revision, it's up to 47,463. I knew this would happen, because as soon as I finished, I realised I needed to add and fix a few things. I'm actually very happy with both the progress, and how the story's shaping up. I'm hoping to get the second draft done by tomorrow afternoon. Then I can put it aside for a few weeks before tackling the third (and final) draft.

It's very exciting. :) Especially since I've got this awesome cover on my desktop. Talk about motivation, huh?

Asides from that, I've also been reading this very bizarre book. I'm really enjoying it, but man... I can't help but wonder: what the hell is going on? I'm reading it a bit slower than I would like because most of my alone time is spent on the revision. As it should be. ;)

I have also been thinking about a new idea that came to me a few weeks ago and is really developing at the moment. I've taken a few notes, but think I'll need to grab a notebook next week and write down every snippet that comes to mind. I love when a story does this to me. I've printed up a 2012 calendar as well, and will soon be marking it with the projects I'd like to tackle then.

Very exciting stuff. Except, I can't believe how close we are to the end of this year. :/

Anyway. Catch'a later!

Tuesday, 25 October 2011

Um... did I miss Monday over here?

LOL. Yes, I did. But it's okay because I posted a book review last night. :)

Anyway. How's everyone this week?

It's the last week of October. Already, huh? It sure has gone quick. But I guess that's what happens when you pack it full of stuff. I've done a lot during October, and hope to keep the productivity up into November and December.

BTW, if you missed my latest cover... you can check it out here. It's so awesome. I keep looking at it. And actually have it on the Desktop in the main computer. Awesome!

This week I plan to work on the second draft of my Recast #3 novella. Oh, okay, it's actually category size. ;) Either way, I got started on it yesterday and even got stuck into it early this morning. I've now reached page 29/99 and the word count has already gone up by almost 3k. Of course, I expect that it will keep going up because I've got a few pages full of notes/stuff to add/fix.

Also, if I can get an average of 20 pages revised this week, I can get it finished by Friday. Cool, huh? Even though it's hard to put a goal on a story that'll keep gaining pages, lmao. Still, I'm having fun with it and I'm sharpening it up, which is what counts!

Not much more planned for this week. Well, except for reading a bit and sharing the cover wherever I can. lol. :D

Well, see ya later!

Monday, 24 October 2011

WHERE SHE WENT by Gayle Forman

It's been three years since the devastating accident . . . three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life forever.

Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Juilliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future - and each other.

After reading Mia's story, IF I STAY, earlier this year I couldn't wait to read Adam's. And it turned out to be another overwhelmingly sad story. Yet, even though it was sad, it was also beautiful in its raw emotion and devastation.

Three years have passed since the accident that nearly took Mia's life, and killed her family. The same accident that changed Adam's life forever. He was her boyfriend back then, and tried his best to stay by her side while she recovered, but when Mia went away to school she stopped calling him, taking his calls, and even emailing him. Until one day, there was nothing.

In the meantime, Adam's band, Shooting Star, have become huge and everyone knows them. Their music sells well and he's always in the tabloids. Having an actress for a girlfriend doesn't help, I suppose. Still, he's not a happy person. Actually, he's a total a mess. He can't sleep, he can't shake Mia, he's lost his passion for the band, and most of the time can barely take the pressure of just having to go on with the day. Until one night, he stumbles on a performance by Mia and they meet up afterwards.

What follows is a heartbreaking, emotional rollercoaster of a night. One that will either break him, break them both, or help him find the closure he needs to finally move on with his own life.

Wow. This was an amazing book! I loved reading about things from Adam's POV, but felt my heart breaking for him a little more with every page. This book packs quite an emotional punch, and I was exhausted by the time I finished it. But in a good way. In a way that I could finally smile at the end. :)

This is a powerful love story. Loved it!

Saturday, 22 October 2011

JUST AFTER SUNSET by Stephen King

Just After Sunset -- call it dusk, call it twilight, it's a time when human intercourse takes on an unnatural cast, when nothing is quite as it appears, when the imagination begins to reach for shadows as they dissipate to darkness and living daylight can be scared right out of you. It's the perfect time for Stephen King.

While going through my Stephen King bookshelf, I realised that I hadn't read this short story collection yet, so I had to remedy that problem by getting stuck into it...

WILLA: I love me a good ghost story. I also love me a good love story. This one just happened to be a bit of both.

David is engaged to Willa and he's waiting at the station for her. He wants to make sure they don't miss the next train to San Fran. But when he goes looking for her and finds her in a honky-tonk bar all by herself, she makes him realise a harsh reality about what they are and what David's so eager to ignore.

THE GINGERBREAD GIRL: This story hooked me in from the very beginning. I loved following Em on her courageous journey to find herself out of grief by running. And wow, I was really amazed about where it led her. What a powerful story. I absolutely loved every moment of this one!

HARVEY'S DREAM: This was a short, surreal short story. I enjoyed it!

REST STOP: I enjoyed how this story goes from an average situation--a man needs to empty his bladder so he pops into a rest stop--and then becomes something else. I also loved the idea of tapping into another persona, to be able to handle a situation you might not usually be capable of dealing with. Another great story!

STATIONARY BIKE: Okay, this story was amazing! It was seriously awesome. I mean, who else but King could keep me on the edge of my seat with a story about a 38-year-old man who has finally decided to do something about his weight by using an exercise bike? Yeah, exactly! But there's so much more. This artist's imagination takes on a whole new level of commitment to losing weight. So vivid, he pretty much convinces himself illusion is real! Awesome.

THE THINGS THEY LEFT BEHIND: This was a spooky, yet very sad story about a man obviously suffering survivor's guilt. But as the events unfold, he starts to understand there's something he can do with these tokens that are haunting him. In the right hands, they can become so much more!

GRADUATION AFTERNOON: Trust King to turn an ordinary story featuring a young girl's musings about the future, into something tragic, unexpected, and totally frightening! I really enjoyed how he turned the story around.

N: OMG! What can I say about this novella? Except, well, I became obsessed with it and couldn't wait to get to the end. I did have a tinge of suspicion about where it would go, but had a great time getting there. This was a seriously FANTASTIC tale! Absolutely loved it.

THE CAT FROM HELL: I love cats, so this one was a little uncomfortable to read. But man, it was another creepy story with a very violent and graphic conclusion!

THE NEW YORK TIMES AT SPECIAL BARGAIN RATES: Such a moving and sad story about a woman who loses her husband, but gets a phone call from him. I love these types of stories, and this one didn't disappoint!

MUTE: This one's a what-if-kinda story. It was so out there, but a lot of fun! I particularly liked how it was written.

AYANA: Interesting story about death, avoiding death, and saving random strangers.

A VERY TIGHT PLACE: I enjoyed this one because it was so twisted. Seriously, I didn't see the twist coming, but had a gross time finding out what would happen to Curtis and how he would make it out of the gruesome situation he gets himself into. There's a huge gross factor in this story, and it's not because of the gory horror. Seriously, if you read it (or have already read it) you'll know what I mean.

This anthology was another excellent collection from King. I enjoyed every single story for very different reasons. They also kept me at the edge of my seat the whole time. And made me remember why I sometimes put off grabbing a King book in the first place: I become totally consumed and obsessed about them! This is one author I've enjoyed reading for years, and I'll continue to get stuck into his tales and get lost in the wonder, horror, and outstanding tales he spins.

Always awesome!
SKC Books Read: 4/6

Thursday, 20 October 2011

I have a new cover to share... and it's awesome:


Isn't it fantastic? I absolutely love it! It's so exciting to see Ace on the cover. :)

This awesome cover was made by the brilliant cover artist, Kanaxa. I love her work. I also feel very lucky to have had two covers designed by her. She rocks!

This is what they look like together:

Photobucket Photobucket

Pretty, huh?

CLASH, which happens to be the second book in my Recast series, will be available early 2012 from Samhain Publishing. Can't wait!

Wednesday, 19 October 2011

Nothing beats sunny days!

I love sunny days! And they're even better when it's spring and/or summer. :)

So, what's new?

I've been pretty busy the last few days. No surprise there, right? We made my daughter's birthday as much fun as we could, and she seemed to enjoy every minute of it. So that's cool!

Writing wise, I got stuck into the first round of edits for my RELENTLESS novella, and got it finished this morning. It's only 45 pages long, so it didn't take too long. I'm glad it's done, though.

Didn't end up taking the first few days of this week off, like I thought I might. lol.

Oh, did you watch THE WALKING DEAD the other night? OMG. This show is awesome! I love it, and can't wait to see where the second season takes us. I love me some zombie stories, and am now itching to grab another book from my TBR pile, lol. It always happens. Can't get enough of the zombies.

I've been thinking some more about NaNoWriMo, and even spoke to hubby about it. Sometimes it really helps to talk things through with him. Then, before I know it, I've pretty much made up my mind. And I'm now pretty sure that I won't be taking part this year. I've got a lot to do before the end of the year, and adding more work to my to-do list would be nuts.

So, there it is. No NaNo for me, in 2011. :D

Phew. Feels good to get that out there.

Well, I'm off to read for a bit. Or to watch a little crappy TV. Or something...

See ya!

Monday, 17 October 2011

Happy Birthday, Cassandra!

That's right! It's my daughter's birthday today. She's now 11. Yikes. The years are racing by, huh?

She wasn't too happy about having to go to school, but she did have Wed-Fri off because her grade was away on camp. So, it was back to school for her today, lol.

While she was home, I received the next round of edits for CLASH and got stuck into them. It took me a few days, but by Saturday morning I'd emailed them back to my lovely editor--hi Suz!--and am looking forward to the final stage. Awesome.

Anyway. I haven't thought too much about what I'm going to tackle this week. I do know that I don't want to plan anything for today or tomorrow. I'd like to take a small break for a couple of days and just dabble in a variety of things, before getting stuck into the second draft of Recast #3. I'd love to get the next draft done by the end of this month.

I'm also still undecided about NaNoWriMo. Most of last week, I was pretty sure I could handle NaNo with whatever else comes my way... but this week I'm thinking that I really shouldn't be doing it. I've mentioned it before, but I've got two projects that need to be done by the end of the year. Well, one of them can carry into January, I suppose. Still, they are my priority, and I don't want to stray my focus from these two worlds. If I take part in NaNo, that means I'll need to figure out what to write. Which, btw, I have no idea what I would tackle at this point...

So, it just seems like I'm adding pressure on myself that really doesn't need to be there. I intend to write new books next year. Maybe I really should just skip the NaNo craze this year. Which will make me a little sad, but there's always next year.

Of course I could very well change my mind next week. It's what I've been doing all month, lol.

I'll be sure to keep you posted either way! But for now, I'm going to do--something. Have a great day!

Thursday, 13 October 2011

WINTER'S PASSAGE by Julie Kagawa

Meghan Chase used to be an ordinary girl...until she discovered that she is really a faery princess. After escaping from the clutches of the deadly Iron fey, Meghan must follow through on her promise to return to the equally dangerous Winter Court with her forbidden love, Prince Ash. But first, Meghan has one request: that they visit Puck--Meghan's best friend and servant of her father, King Oberon--who was gravely injured defending Meghan from the Iron Fey.

Yet Meghan and Ash's detour does not go unnoticed. They have caught the attention of an ancient, powerful hunter--a foe that even Ash may not be able to defeat....

As soon as I found out this novella fit between the first two books in the Iron Fey series, I couldn't wait to get stuck into it.

The story takes place straight after the events of The Iron King.

Ash is going to take Meghan to the Winter Court, even though he really doesn't want to. But before they go, she convinces him to stop by and check on her best friend, Puck. But they catch the attention of the Hunter, and find themselves trying to outrun this scary creature...

I really enjoyed it! I'm fast becoming a fan of this awesome series!

H&UFRC books read: 49/24

Wednesday, 12 October 2011

FORGOTTEN by Cat Patrick

Each night when 16 year-old London Lane goes to sleep, her whole world disappears. In the morning, all that's left is a note telling her about a day she can't remember. The whole scenario doesn't exactly make high school or dating that hot guy whose name she can't seem to recall any easier. But when London starts experiencing disturbing visions she can't make sense of, she realizes it's time to learn a little more about the past she keeps forgetting-before it destroys her future.

Part psychological drama, part romance, and part mystery, this thought-provoking novel will inspire readers to consider the what-if's in their own lives and recognize the power they have to control their destinies.

The concept of FORGOTTEN intrigued me from the moment I grabbed a copy from the bookstore and read the blurb. I bought it straight away, knew it was something I'd be interested in reading because I'm a sucker for amnesia stories. But this book is so much more than that!

London Lane can't remember her past, but she can remember her future. Every night, her mind gets wiped clean and she has to take notes to remind herself of what happened during the day. She then reads it back the next morning, so she can keep up with things. Though that doesn't always work out, either.

The day she meets Luke, everything changes. Luke is nice looking, sweet, and very interested in her. There's a problem though, because she can't remember him forwards. So, who is this guy and how does he fit into her life when she can't remember him? Not to mention, how does the creepy memory about a funeral fit into everything?

This is an amazing book! It hooked me in from the very beginning and kept me glued until the very end. London might forget what happened the day before, but she's an awesome narrator and I loved her story. There are some wonderful scenes in this book, some very powerful ones that are heartbreaking, too. And what happens as she starts to delve deeper into her past, leads her to some very unexpected turns.

I absolutely adored this book!

Surprised!

Yeah. Hubby surprised me yesterday.

I was minding my own business during the day when someone buzzed at the door. It was a delivery from UPS. Okay, strange, but cool... what is it? Turned out, it was from Amazon UK. I instantly thought it was a book my daughter ordered and is very impatiently waiting for.

However, when I opened the box, I found THIS!

The hubby knows I love The X-Files and have wanted the boxset for a while now. Except, I had no idea that he'd ordered it. Wow. It was so exciting! He's such a sweetheart. :) Made me smile. I was SO surprised. In the most awesome of ways.

Oh, and as soon as I took them out and Loki spotted the box, he jumped into it. (As you can see from the photo, lol.)

Anyway. Super cool!

Well, school holidays might be over but I've got my daughter home for the next three days. :/ Yeah. See, Year 5 and 6 are going on camp and we decided she's too young to go. She doesn't mind. She's just happy she's staying home, but we've insisted she spends a chunk of the day working on some mathletics, reading, times tables, etc. I don't want her slacking off for three days lying around doing nothing. I just think that 10 is way too young to go away on camp. Next year's a different story. By this time next year, she'll be 11 going on 12, and in her last year of primary. She totally agrees, which is cool.

So I don't expect the next few days to be too productive on my end. Then again, I'm still feeling the effects of last week's super editing rush. I'm really tired, a little unmotivated, and with my heel being so sore, distracted. I've been taping my heel for the last few days and even bought some cushioning inserts for my sneakers. With the amount of walking I do, I guess this was bound to happen. :(

Today, I'll just be happy with getting my revision projects sorted out for the rest of the year. I also have to seriously consider if NaNoWriMo is an option this year. On one hand, I know I can't waste the time because I need all the revision time I can get until the end of the year. But on the other hand, I've been taking part since 2006 and love getting stuck into a new story... I'll see.

Now, it's time for yoga.

Have a great day!

Tuesday, 11 October 2011

THE BUSINESS OF DEATH by Trent Jamieson

This omnibus edition features the third novel, THE BUSINESS OF DEATH, which has not been published before.

Life is tough at the top when work is a matter of life or death.

It s one thing to run Mortmax International as head of a team, but it s quite another to rule alone. Staff fatalities have left Steven by himself on the Throne of Death, and there's no time to get comfortable. The Stirrer god's arrival is imminent, threatening life as we know it. Plus Steven has managed to mortally offend the only ally strong enough to help out.

And how can he ask someone to marry him when the End of Days seems inevitable As if they re going to think he's committed. The portents don t look good as a comet burns vast and looming in the sky and Steven can almost hear a dark clock ticking. He will have to play nice if he wants his ally back, and must address the madness of the Hungry Death within himself if he even has a chance at defeating the Stirrer god.

If he fails, Hell and Earth are doomed and wedding bells will be quite out of the question.
THE BUSINESS OF DEATH includes the first two volumes of the Death Works trilogy, "Death Most Definite" and "Managing Death", as well as the third volume.

This edition actually contains the three books in the Death Works trilogy. I've already read DEATH MOST DEFINITE and MANAGING DEATH. So I was looking forward to reading the third book, THE BUSINESS OF DEATH. 

Steven de Selby's life is very complicated. He's Death, which means dealing with a very dark power from within, the Hungry Death. There's also the Stirrer god very close to breaching our world. And the Death of the Water is also very angry with Steven and wants revenge.

That's a lot for one man to deal with, but he has no choice. Of course, there are other distractions. Like never finding the right time to ask Lissa to marry him. Or finding out that an old enemy has returned and is determined to make sure the approaching Stirrer god is unleashed...

The Business of Death is another thrilling ride, with Steven in the driver's seat. He makes one hard decision after another and although he sometimes doesn't believe in himself, he always pulls through. Even when he's got no choice but to lead the Pomps into war. Also, his decisions in this installment lead to some very unhappy--yet self-sacrificing--consequences, but the story was action-packed and the conclusion is heartbreaking.

I really enjoyed this book. But can't help but wonder if there'll be more Steven de Selby adventures in the future...        

The Business of Death, September 2011, ISBN 9780733624858,  Hachette Australia Paperback

H&UFRC books read: 48/24

Monday, 10 October 2011

Ouch!

Good morning, and Happy New Week!

We had another great weekend. It was hubby's birthday on Saturday, so we made sure he had an awesome day. I do believe it was a success. :) Then yesterday, we did a whole bunch of stuff. Phew. By the time we got to bed, I was so darn tired.

This morning, I woke up with a sore heel. Again. I know, this thing's not going away. And with the amount of walking I do, I expect it to stick around for a while. All I can do is try to rest it as much as I can when I'm home. I looked it up on the Internet this morning, and it looks like I might have this. I should try taping it up. Maybe that'll help a bit.

Well, after last week's super busy editing sessions, I'm going to take it easy today. I'd like to do a little planning, a little reading, and not much more. I need a mental rest. By Friday afternoon, I ended up completing the first round of CLASH edits, the last round of SINFUL edits, and the first draft for Recast #3. Yikes!

That's a lot of stuff. No wonder I don't feel like doing much today, lol.

Anyway, have a great day!

Saturday, 8 October 2011

This is so funny:




I love it!

PS. Happy Birthday, Hubby! :)

Thursday, 6 October 2011

I'm editing the days away...

Yeah. I am. But that's cool, because I actually enjoy it. :)

This morning, I finished the intial edit for (one of) my upcoming Samhain Publishing books, CLASH (which also happens to be Recast, Book 2). This story follows right after WITHER, and is Ace's story. It was fun to get back into this Sci-Fi world. Besides, I really like Ace and Ely. I can't wait until they're out in the world. (Of course, Colt and Brynn are also in this one.)

I'm looking forward to the next round, and to seeing the cover.

But now, it's time to get stuck into another round of edits. This actually happens to be the errata (and final) stage for SINFUL. I like Sebastian. I managed to get a pretty good start on it this morning, and reached page 41/156. But I doubt I'll be able to get it done by the weekend. :/ Still, I'm going to try and get as close as I can to the end. Once this round is done, the book's done.

This is the last week of my daughter's school holidays. Only a few days to go now, and I really need to get all of those extra hours of work back.

Asides from the editing, I've been reading a bit. We're also still keeping up with our workouts and walks. We actually went to the dentist the other day for our six-month checkup. It went well. We won't need to go back until April next year. :D

Well. That's it for now. I really gotta give my eyes a rest. They're a little sore after all the editing I've been doing this week. See ya later! 


Wednesday, 5 October 2011

THE IRON KING by Julie Kagawa

MEGHAN CHASE HAS A SECRET DESTINY -
ONE SHE COULD NEVER HAVE IMAGINED...

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school... or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her. Meghan sensed that everything she's known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she's go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face...and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

I grabbed this book next because I found out the fourth book in the series is coming out next month. So, before buying it, I wanted to make sure I enjoyed the first book. (I already have book 2 and 3 on my bookshelf.) And, wow!

Meghan Chase has always felt a little different. She doesn't quite fit in at school, and her stepfather seems to constantly forget she's even there. But when her half-brother is taken and replaced with a violent changeling, her eyes are opened to a new world she never thought existed. All of a sudden, she finds out that her best friend Robbie also happens to be from that world, and in order to get her brother back, she'll have to venture into Nevernever to find him. But the Fey are cruel, complicated creatures with trickery and deals waiting at every turn...

I absolutely loved this book! It was amazing. I was hooked! This world of the Fey is vivid, intricate and dangerous, with a great combination of scary and intriguing creatures.  I can't wait to visit again. Actually, I can't wait to get stuck into the next book to see what happens to Meghan next... 

H&UFRC books read: 47/24

Tuesday, 4 October 2011

How was your weekend?

We enjoyed our long weekend. It was a lot of fun.

On Saturday, we went for a four-hour walk. Seriously. I mean, we did make a few stops but we went to a bunch of places we usually drive to. It was tiring, but also really cool. It's no secret that I love walking everywhere. Even if my (left) heel hurts as a result of all that walking. :)

Anyway. Daylight savings also started over the weekend. Which is cool. Well, except if you're a vampire, I suppose. lol.

This is the last week of my daughter's school holidays and it's going to be a super busy one. I've got two lots of edits waiting for me at the moment, and am possibly expecting another lot later this week. Yikes! Luckily, I finished the WIP I was working on. The first draft of Recast #3 is now done. It ended up being 40,084 words, which is great. I was hoping it would end up being anywhere between 40-50k. I know it'll go up during the revision process, because I've already thought of some things to add. :/ How typical of me. ;)

So. I guess I better get started on the edits. Today, I plan to get stuck into the Recast #2 edit. Cool!

You know what's a little strange? I don't know why, but this year whenever my daughter is on school holidays, I end up with edits. Weird, huh? Still, she's old enough to understand what that means and gives me the time I need.

Well, catch'a later!

Sunday, 2 October 2011

DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE by Laini Taylor

Daughter of Smoke and Bone is a book unbounded by genre but located at a magical crossroads where The Passage meets Philip Pullman and Twilight meets Pan's Labyrinth.

Errand requiring immediate attention. Come.

The note was on vellum, pierced by the talons of the almost-crow that delivered it. Karou read the message. 'He never says please', she sighed, but she gathered up her things.

When Brimstone called, she always came.

In general, Karou has managed to keep her two lives in balance. On the one hand, she's a seventeen-year-old art student in Prague; on the other, errand-girl to a monstrous creature who is the closest thing she has to family. Raised half in our world, half in 'Elsewhere', she has never understood Brimstone's dark work - buying teeth from hunters and murderers - nor how she came into his keeping. She is a secret even to herself, plagued by the sensation that she isn't whole.

Now the doors to Elsewhere are closing, and Karou must choose between the safety of her human life and the dangers of a war-ravaged world that may hold the answers she has always sought.

After hearing so many good things about this book, I was looking forward to reading it myself. And I have to say that it's definitely worth the hype.

Karou is an art student who lives in the wondrous city of Prague. She's also the member of a family of monsters. Brimstone is her guardian. He has a shop that deals in wishes, and gets her to run a bunch of errands for him. Errands that take her all over the world, via magical doors, and has her gathering teeth. She enjoys her job and loves her art, but she's filled with many questions that Brimstone doesn't want to answer. She also feels as if something's missing inside her. Something she's sure she's lost, but can't remember.

However, the day she meets the wrath of an angel, her life is thrown into a downward spiral that separates her from her family, and challenges everything she's grown to believe about Elsewhere. Suddenly, she's feeling things she doesn't understand. The most baffling being her connection to this strange angel who is throwing her life into chaos.

What follows is an amazing adventure of self-discovery and unbelievable truths, through a world more complicated than she could ever have imagined...

Daughter of Smoke and Bone is a beautifully written and intriguing book. The more I read, the deeper I got into the mystery surrounding just who/what Karou really was. The story also got better with every chapter, leading to an amazingly, unexpected end. One which answers a lot of questions, but also paves the way for many more. 

This was a truly wonderful journey into a dark, elaborate world of fantasy with a very human backdrop. I absolutely loved every minute of it, and can't wait to read more.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone, October 2011, ISBN 9781444722635,  H&S Fiction Paperback

H&UFRC books read: 46/24
Favorites More