Books Read in 2013...

 

DAVE SPEAKS (In the Dead, Volume 2): Jesse Petersen

KITTY'S BIG TROUBLE (Kitty Norville #9): Carrie Vaughn
 

:: THE DECLARATION (Declaration Trilogy #1): Gemma Malley

BEYOND THE GRAVE (Past Midnight #3): Mara Purnhagen

INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE (Claudia's Story): Anne Rice & Ashley Marie Witter

ORIGINS: THE FIRE (Mila 2.0 #0.5): Debra Driza

DOWN WITH THE LIZARDS AND THE BEES: Tim Pratt

RIVER ROAD (Sentinels of New Orleans #2): Suzanne Johnson

ROOM WITH A VIEW: Kylie Scott

HYSTERIA: Megan Miranda

UNDER THE NEVER SKY (Under the Never Sky #1): Veronica Rossi

STALKING THE OTHERS (H&W Investigations #4): Jess Haines

THE WALLED GARDEN: Michele Lang

DEATH PERCEPTION (Psychic Eye Mystery #6): Victoria Laurie

ON PINS AND NEEDLES (Sierra Fox #3): Yolanda Sfetsos

ENVY (The Fury Trilogy #2): Elizabeth Miles

BOYFRIEND FROM HELL (Saturn's Daughter #1): Jamie Quaid

CIRCUS OF BLOOD (Deacon Chalk: Occult Bounty Hunter #2.5): James R. Tuck

WAKE THE DEVIL (Hellboy, Vol. 2): Mike Mignola

THE EVOLUTION OF MARA DYER (Mara Dyer #2): Michelle Hodkin

FIRELIGHT (Firelight #1): Sophie Jordan

**BLACKBIRDS (Miriam Black #1): Chuck Wendig

BETWEEN (Between #1): Kerry Schafer

LEASHING THE TEMPEST (Arcadia Bell #2.5): Jenn Bennett

VANISH (Firelight #2): Sophie Jordan

THE MISTER TROPHY (Markhat #1): Frank Tuttle

HEART OF THE SEA (An Others Bonus Story): Christine Warren

RIVER MARKED (Mercy Thompson #6): Patricia Briggs

THE WALKING DEAD, Vol. 17 (Nothing to Fear): Robert Kirkman, Charlie Adlard & Cliff Rathburn
 

THE WALKING DEAD Issue #103: Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard & Cliff Rathburn

THE WALKING DEAD Issue #104: Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard & Cliff Rathburn

THE WALKING DEAD Issue #105: Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard & Cliff Rathburn

THE WALKING DEAD Issue #106: Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard & Cliff Rathburn

THE WALKING DEAD Issue #107: Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard & Cliff Rathburn

THE WALKING DEAD Issue #108: Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard & Cliff Rathburn

SEVEN KINDS OF HELL (Fangborn #1): Dana Cameron

THE WALKING DEAD: Michonne's Story by Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard

NIGHSHIFTED (Edie Spence #1): Cassie Alexander

HEXED (The Iron Druid Chronicles #2): Kevin Hearne

KAIBAB UNBOUND (The Iron Druid Chronicles #0.6): Kevin Hearne

MY LIFE AS A WHITE TRASH ZOMBIE (White Trash Zombie #1): Diana Rowland

NOS4R2: Joe Hill

ACCOMPLISHED IN MURDER (Accomplished #1): Dara England

FOUNDATION (Razorland #0.5): Ann Aguirre

DEAD EVER AFTER (Sookie Stackhouse #13): Charlaine Harris

THE SHAMBLING GUIDE TO NEW YORK CITY (The Shambling Guide #1): Mur Lafferty

THE FIRST (The Returned #0.5): Jason Mott

THE WALKING DEAD Issue #109: Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard & Cliff Rathburn

*WORLD WAR Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War: Max Brooks

THE WALKING DEAD Issue #110: Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard & Cliff Rathburn

MOONSHIFTED (Edie Spence #2): Cassie Alexander

THE HEIST (O'Hare & Fox #1): Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg

ALL OUR YESTERDAYS: Cristin Terrill

MONSTER IN MY CLOSET (A Monster Haven Story #1): RL Naquin

ILL-CONCEIVED MAGIC (A Monster Haven Story #1.5): RL Naquin

STUNG by Bethany Wiggins

TRANSCENDENCE (Transcendence #1): CJ Omololu

*THE DISGRACE OF KITTY GREY: Mary Hooper

*UNDER YOUR SKIN: Sabine Durrant

STAKEOUT AT THE VAMPIRE CIRCUS (Dan Shamble, Zombie PI #1.5): Kevin J Anderson

CROWN OF MIDNIGHT (Throne of Glass #2): Sarah J Maas

THE NEW HUNGER (Warm Bodies #0.5): Isaac Marion

BOARDED WINDOW (Warm Bodies #0.6): Isaac Marion

ALLEGRA FAIRWEATHER (Allegra Fairweather Mystery #1): Janni Nell

HIDDEN (Avena #1): Marianne Curley

1984: George Orwell

KILING RACHEL (The Murder Notebooks #2): Anne Cassidy

A LOW DOWN DIRTY SHANE (Misfits & Mayhem #1): Sierra Dean

SHADOW (Paper Gods #0.5): Amanda Sun

RUNAWAY DEAD (A Cherry Garcia Investigation): Leanne Fitzpatrick

THE ASSASSIN AND THE PIRATE LORD (Throne of Glass #0.1): Sarah J Maas

*HOW BEAUTY MET THE BEAST (Tales of the Underlight #1): Jax Garren

JOYLAND: Stephen King

POOKA IN MY PANTRY (A Monster Haven Story #2): RL Naquin

THE WALKING DEAD Issue #111: Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard & Cliff Rathburn

KITTY STEALS THE SHOW (Kitty Norville #10): Carrie Vaughn

ANGELFALL (Penryn & the End of Days #1): Susan Ee

THE BONE SEASON (The Bone Season #1): Samantha Shannon

THE CUCKOO'S CALLING (Cormoran Strike #1): Robert Galbraith

OMENS (Cainsville #1): Kelley Armstrong

SWEET AND DEADLY & A SECRET RAGE: Charlaine Harris

TAMMY'S FIRST KISS (A Southern Witch Short Story): Kimberly Frost

**DIVERGENT (Divergent #1): Veronica Roth

*DARKFEVER (Fever #1): Karen Marie Moning

DEAD ON THE DELTA (Annabelle Lee #1): Stacey Jay

SHIVER (Recast #3): Yolanda Sfetsos

DOCTOR SLEEP: Stephen King

RECAST, Volume 1: Yolanda Sfetsos

PAINTED FACES: L.H. Cosway

THE GIRL FROM THE BLOOD COVEN: Brian Moreland

ELEMENTAL (Elemental #0.5): Brigid Kemmerer

WILD CARDS (Wild Cards #1): Simone Elkeles

THE WALKING DEAD Issue #112: Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard & Cliff Rathburn

THE WALKING DEAD Issue #113: Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard & Cliff Rathburn

THE WALKING DEAD Issue #114: Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard & Cliff Rathburn

THE WALKING DEAD Issue #115: Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard & Cliff Rathburn

ELYSIAN FIELDS (Sentinels of New Orleans #3): Suzanne Johnson

AFTER DEAD: What Came Next in the World of Sookie Stackhouse (Sookie Stackhouse 13.5): Charlaine Harris

TAKEDOWN TWENTY (Stephanie Plum #20): Janet Evanovich

THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW: Washington Irving

UNDEAD CHAOS: Joshua Roots

BINDING THE SHADOWS (Arcadia Bell #3): Jenn Bennett

GRAVE SECRET (Secret McQueen #5): Sierra Dean

THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ: L. Frank Baum

SHAPESHIFTED (Edie Spence #3): Cassie Alexander

HOBGOBLIN BOOTS: Tansy Rayner Roberts

DEAD MANN WALKING (Hessius Mann #1): Stefan Petrucha

INTUITION (Transcendence #2): CJ Omololu

AFTER EDEN (After Eden #1): Helen Douglas

BUTTERFLY GRAVE (The Murder Notebooks #3): Anne Cassidy

SOULBOUND (Lone Star Witch #1): Tessa Adams 

WILD CARD: Jamie Wyman

LOVE SUCKS AND THEN YOU DIE (Eve & Adam #0.5): Michael Grant & Katherine Applegate  

HIDDEN HOLIDAYS (A Monster Haven Story #2.5): RL Naquin

**UNDER WRAPS (Underworld Detection Agency #1): Hannah Jayne

DEAD THINGS (Eric Carter #1): Stephen Blackmoore 

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UNCANNY (John Taylor #10): Simon R Green
 

 

Books Read in 2013: 118/100
 

 

 

:: Re-read

*Some skimming involved

**DNF



RECAST GIVEAWAY!

That's right!

 

I'm giving away the three books in the RECAST series, over at The Galaxy Express.

 

 

 

So if you'd like a chance to win, check it out HERE.

 

Good luck!

 

 

PS. Shiver hasn't even been released yet. ;)

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UNCANNY by Simon R Green

The Good, the Bad, and the Uncanny by Simon R. Green

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It's always good to catch up with John Taylor and all the other colourful characters that live in the Nightside.

In this instalment, John is hired by an elf who wants to get to the other side of the Nightside. Except, everyone knows you can't trust elves, and this one proves just that. Then, there's the matter of Walker, who keeps hounding him to take over his job. Oh, and let's not forget the Oblivion Brothers. Yeah, there's always a lot going on and this book isn't any different.

I wasn't expecting things to turn out the way they did, but I'm now curious to find out where it will all lead...

View all my reviews

DEAD THINGS by Stephen Blackmoore

Dead Things by Stephen Blackmoore

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow. I was in the mood for a gritty UF book, and that's exactly what I got. Awesome!

Eric Carter is a necromancer. A shitty title, but hey, that's how he makes a living. And we get to see him in action right from the beginning. However, once the job's done, he gets a call from someone that manages to drag him back into his past. And that's how he finds out his sister is dead.

So he heads back to LA after fifteen years away determined to find her killer. Except he finds a whole lot more, because the reason he left is about to ruin his life all over again. Well, unless the creepy Santa Muerte does it first. :/

I loved this book! Eric isn't a great man who wants to save the world, but in his own selfish way he's still helping, by keeping the dead things away from the living. He drinks a bit too much, doesn't get enough sleep and is a trouble magnet, but that's what I enjoyed about him.

This is another UF series I'm looking forward to reading more of. The dark world Eric lives in might be scary and dangerous, but it's very interesting. I look forward to going back!

 

PS. The cover's super cool. ;)

View all my reviews

Happy Holidays

MERRY

CHRISTMAS!

Have an awesome, safe festive season. :)

So, it's Christmas Eve...

And although I don't feel like doing much, but sitting down on the couch to read and catch up on my Twitter feed, I've actually put together a to-do list.

 

There are a few things I'd like to get done today, before hubby gets home--including making peanut butter choc-chip cookies. As soon as he gets home, he's got five days off. Yay! Looking forward to it.

 

Besides, I did a whole bunch of nothing yesterday. LOL.

 

Oh, okay, so that's not entirely true because I finished reading another book. Yeah, since I finished working on the TORN FROM THE SHADOWS FLE and Proof, I've gone on a reading binge. It's been great, catching up with a bunch of UF books I'd purposely put aside because I didn't want to read them until I was finished writing my Sierra Fox series. And now that it's written... Yeah, having a blast with the reading!

 

At the beginning of the year I put myself down for the Goodreads Reading Challenge. I wanted to read 100 books. I've actually read 114 novels, novellas, short stories and comic books in various genres. I love to read, and even though I've managed to get through so many stories...there are SO MANY more still on my bookshelves, Kindle, and even Google Play. Yikes!

 

Still, I love books so the more the merrier. I can't imagine writing without putting aside time to read. I find it inspiring. Love to lose myself in someone else's world for the duration of the story. It also fuels my desire to write even more. I use books as rewards for getting words written, or pages revised and edited. I even put some aside until I've completely finished a particular project.

Can't imagine life without books. Just can't.

 

You know what else has happened? Lavie has started to speak to me a lot louder than she ever has. In case you're wondering, Lavie Grye is a character in my Sierra Fox series. She's a demon hunter, and a close friend of Sierra's. She's a little scatterbrained, but she's tough and loyal. I knew I'd be writing a Lavie book eventually, just didn't realise her story would start to come together so soon after finishing Sierra's. LOL. Still, I'm not going to fight it. I've been writing everything down and constantly think about it.

Love this stage of the writing process. :)

 

Okay, I think that's it. I just wanted to post a little something today. Some days I don't feel like blogging, but others I certainly do. Today happens to be one of those days!

 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

WILD CARD by Jamie Wyman

Wild Card by Jamie Wyman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I picked this up for my Paperwhite last week and was very curious about the story. So I read it. ;)

Catherine's soul doesn't belong to her. It belongs to the conniving goddess, Eris. For the last eight years, Eris has been using Catherine whenever she needs her--without pay, and never showing any respect or decency. At least she's got a day job doing IT. She's a natural at working out why something doesn't work, and how to fix it.

However, the night Eris sends her on a 'date' to a fancy party with the annoying satyr, Marius, with the promise of freedom if she attends...Catherine's life is thrown into chaos. She finds herself dodging danger at every turn, depending on Marius, and trying to stay alive while learning a few personal truths.

I enjoyed this book. It was fast-paced with a bunch of twists and turns. It's also filled with trickster goodness as some of the scariest gods and goddesses battle for her soul. The location was perfect, because if there's a place where someone's going to gamble away their soul it's gotta be Vegas. ;)

I also like the cover, and the use of gambling chips in both the cover and story. Plus using Red Hot Chili Peppers song names as chapter titles was clever. ;)

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SOULBOUND by Tessa Adams

Soulbound by Tessa Adams

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I started reading this book on Friday afternoon, and have been engrossed in Xandra Morgan's world of witches, wizards, warlocks and the strong magic they wield ever since.

Xandra is part of a powerful witchy royal family. Actually, being the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter she's supposed to be super powerful. Except, she's not. She hasn't got any magic at her disposal and has failed to live up to her family's expectations. Especially her mother, who's always trying to find a new way to force her magic to the surface.

That's why she lives in Austin, away from her family. She lives a nice life with her friend and housemate, Lily, and loves her popular coffee shop, Beanz. However, after returning from spending the holidays with her family, something weird starts happening. She runs into the mysterious Declan and starts sharing a psychic link with women who are being tortured, raped, killed and dumped. She stumbles on their bodies and even shares their violent attacks.

Before she knows it, she's living on hardly any sleep and is so tormented she doesn't know who to trust.

I really enjoyed this story. What starts out as the tale of a rebellious woman who wants to be left alone to live her own life, soon morphs into a dark mystery that keeps you guessing. Also, the world is as fascinating as the many characters that inhabit it.

Great book! I need to get me the second one. ;)

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Tags @ The Galaxy Express

I had some fun with Tags @

 

 

It's for my upcoming SFR book:

 

 

TGIF

I get up super early with hubby every morning, and while we were having breakfast yesterday I noticed that the moon was huge and bright. So I decided to step outside on the balcony to take a picture of it.

And that's when I noticed the moon had a friend. Turns out it was Jupiter beside the moon. Very cool. I'm glad I captured it.

 

Anyway, wow, what a busy couple of weeks. Yikes!

 

Last week I worked on the FLE for TORN FROM THE SHADOWS, which took up most of my weekdays. And this week I got stuck into the Final Proof. As of this morning, I've sent off the last changes to my lovely editor. I'm really looking forward to getting the final books.

 

You know, it's really exciting to get this book finished and ready for publication. But it's also a little sad. This happens to be the penultimate instalment in my Sierra Fox series and it's filled with a lot of stuff that still made me beam with joy and sadness while I was reading it again. I suppose that's a good sign, after reading it so many times for revision and editing purposes. LOL.

 

I've also been reading at night, catching up on some review books and enjoying many of the books I have on my TBR pile. It never gets any smaller, though. ;)

 

Well, my daughter's now officially on school holidays and doesn't go back until the end of January. O_o That's a long way away. And although I'm going to take it easy for the rest of the year--man, it always feels weird to say that--I need to start planning out my 2014 writing projects.

 

I'm just glad it's almost the weekend.

 

Have a good one!

BUTTERFLY GRAVE by Anne Cassidy

Joshua’s uncle has survived a near fatal accident and Rose and Joshua drive to Newcastle to visit him, along with their friend Skeggsie.

Joshua is convinced they are being followed. Can it be true, or is it just his paranoia? Rose and Joshua do not know who to trust – even Joshua’s uncle has a dark past, touched by murder. And then the precious murder notebooks are stolen and it is Skeggsie who pays the price for Rose and Joshua’s so-called meddling. Somebody out there really does not want Rose and Joshua to find their parents. But who? And why?

This is the third book in The Murder Notebooks YA crime series, and I was looking forward to reading it.

 

Rose and Joshua are close, they've got a special bond. It's not just that their parents were a couple and at one time they lived together as a family. Their bond stems from loss. Rose's mother and Joshua's father disappeared five years ago. After reconnecting, the teens are determined to find out what happened to their parents and don't believe claims that they are dead. To conduct their own investigation, they've enlisted the help of Joshua's computer whiz best friend, Skeggsie.

 

But when Joshua's uncle has a serious accident and is hospitalised, the trio head to Newcastle to spend Christmas there.

 

From the beginning, things in Newcastle are challenging. There's too much history for both Joshua and Skeggsie, too many people they'd rather not see again, and there's someone watching them. Staying in his uncle's place reveals that he had some secrets too, things the three teens slowly start to uncover. What at first seems like a different investigation soon merges into the one they're all so focused on, leading to a tragic situation.

 

Wow. This was an intense book! Joshua and Rose have been through some pretty dark times and faced quite a bit of danger, but what they have to deal with here really pushes them to the edge. I found this story insightful and very sad. I certainly didn't expect a particular tragic incident to happen to one of the characters. I admit, I was in shock. :(

 

The relationship between Rose and Joshua is changing. How can it not when they've been through so much together? And Joshua's moods take a real beating in this instalment. He's constantly on edge and angry, determined to lose himself in one mystery and then another--anything to keep himself busy and from facing his feelings. I think he's battling with a lot of emotions and some have to do with Rose. I was glad to see that no matter what, they stuck together.

 

Still, I can't help but wonder if his obsession is going to eventually tear them apart...

 

Butterfly Grave is a gripping book with several interlacing mysteries that reveal another layer of the big mystery surrounding the disappearance of their parents. The stakes are higher, the emotional tone deeper, and it embeds you into the lives of these two young people. Just like them, I want to understand the real reason why it's all led to this.

 

I'm really looking forward to reading the next book.

Butterfly Grave, January 2014, ISBN  9781408815526, Bloomsbury Childrens

AFTER EDEN by Helen Douglas

When mysterious new boy Ryan Westland shows up at her school Eden Anfield is intrigued. On the face of it, he's a typical American teenager. So how come he doesn't recognise pizza and hasn't heard of Hitler? What puzzles Eden most, however, is the interest he's taking in her.

As Eden falls in love with Ryan, she stumbles across a book in Ryan's bedroom - a biography of her best friend - written fifty years in the future. Unravelling Ryan's secret, she discovers he has one unbelievably important purpose ... and she might just have destroyed his only chance of success.

 

 

Firstly, I just wanted to mention how much I love the cover for this book. Isn't it lovely?

 

Eden is an average teenager who hasn't thought much about the future. She lives with her aunt and doesn't particularly like her aunt's new boyfriend. She enjoys spending time with her friends, and like most of the girls in her grade is totally smitten with the mysterious new boy in school. Ryan's cute, but he's a little strange and no one can pinpoint his accent. What teenage guy doesn't know what pizza is? And he's also lacking in the historical figures department. Actually, he doesn't seem to know as much as he should about the twentieth century. But that's okay, because he's a really nice guy.

 

The more time Eden spends with Ryan, the more she likes him. But she soon realises that he's hiding a huge secret, one that involves one of her best friends, Connor. Ryan's on a secret mission--an unbelievable mission from the future. As soon as she accidentally stumbles on Connor's biography, which was published in the future, she becomes a part of the mission.

 

As Eden tries to help Ryan and his family change the future, she's also fighting not to lose her heart to this guy. And if that's not enough, by getting involved, she not only alienates her friends with her strange behaviour, but her life is in danger.

 

I knew nothing about this book when I received it, but the concept sounded interesting. So, I picked it up and started reading. Before I knew it, I was almost halfway through and was totally lost in Eden and Ryan's interesting story. The book starts out like a YA contemporary, but as the story slowly unfolds, the time travel element is revealed, and I was totally hooked!

 

After Eden is a contemporary story hiding a futuristic angle. No, it's a time travel romance that takes place in contemporary England. Either way, it's a wonderful story that strung me along until I got to the end. I enjoyed seeing Eden start out as an average teenager without any ideas about her future, and become an extraordinary person willing to sacrifice so much to save the future.

 

I hear there's a sequel coming out next year. I can't wait to see where Eden and Ryan end up next... 

 

After Eden, January 2014, ISBN  9781408828694, Bloomsbury Childrens

 

INTUITION by CJ Omololu

As Cole begins to accept her new life as Akhet, every new vision from her past lives helps explain more about who she is in this life.Her love for Griffon grows as quickly as her Akhet abilities, while Cole learns to recognize other Akhet around her, including Drew, a young millionaire who reveals a startling connection-he was Cole's true love in Elizabethan England. But Drew's intense desire to restore their past relationship alienates Griffon.

 Now Cole is caught between the person she was in the 15th century and the person she is now, as she searches for her own special role in the Akhet's worldwide plan. With more epic romance and adventure, Intuition brings readers further into this fascinating world where reincarnation changes all the rules for life and love.

Earlier this year I read a great book called TRANSCENDENCE and was looking forward to reading the sequel. So when I received it from Bloomsbury, I was excited to read it.

Cole is Akhet, which means she's lived other lifetimes and is slowly remembering a bunch of them. The strangest and smallest things can spark off a memory, but once it does she never forgets. She's in a happy relationship with Griffon, who also happens to be Akhet. Actually, he's the one who introduced her to this world. With the help of his mother, Cole is starting to understand the level of her empath skills and how to read people. She can also tell when someone is just like her.

 

Even though a terrible accident ruined her chances of becoming a talented cello player, she's happy teaching kids how to play and is slowly getting back into the groove of playing music. Hanging out with Griffon and her best friend Rayne completes her days. Until the mysterious Drew enters her life. He's older, wealthy, nice looking, and is convinced they were so madly in love with each other in a past life that they need to be together in this one too.

 

His pursuing her interferes with her relationship with Griffon, but nothing is more important than keeping Rayne safe, because someone's determined to steal her away...

 

This was a terrific sequel filled with mystery, intrigue and a young woman trying to find her place in the world without letting the many pasts she's left behind get in the way. Trying to stay true to herself in this life might mean turning her back on the past, but before she can do that she needs to find out for herself what really matters.

 

There was only one person that grated on my nerves, and that was Drew. The handsome billionaire trying to sweep the sweet teenager off her feet with lavish gifts, while also trying to make her feel guilty for what they lost in their past life together, was downright manipulative. But you know what? It wasn't a bad thing, because it showcased Cole's resistance, determination and ultimate revelation.

 

Intuition is a wonderful addition to the world of the Akhet. Not only does it open up the world so we experience other facets of it, but we also get to follow Cole in her journey of self-discovery. I loved how she's determined to make the most out of this lifetime, yet when the past trickles into her path she's open to exploring it. There were several twists, turns and the level of danger is certainly amped up. 

 

I loved this book as much as the first one.

 

Intuition, August 2013, ISBN  9780802723710, Walker Childrens

It's Jason's day!

HAPPY FRIDAY

THE 13th!

 

 

Remember: Stay away from any machete-wielding,

hockey mask-wearing, droopy-eyed silent types!

 

TGIF.

DEAD MANN WALKING by Stefan Petrucha

Dead Mann Walking by Stefan Petrucha

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow. Just wow. This book was awesome! I'd been looking forward to reading it for a while now, but for some reason it kept getting lost in my bookshelf. But this week, I dug it out and got stuck into it. Glad that I did.

Hessius Mann is a PI. But not just an average PI, he also happens to be a zombie. He was executed for murdering his wife but when the verdict was overturned, he was reanimated. Now he's one of many chakz that live alongside the livebloods. And although he's got an office and even an assistant--the super positive ex-junkie, Misty--he doesn't get many clients. Until the day a man called Turgeon hires him to find someone. That's when Hessius starts an investigation that leads him to a whole lot of trouble, and quite a few personal revelations.

Like I said before, this was a great book! I love the urban fantasy world that Hessius and the other chakz live in. Not only do the living treat them like pariahs, but being a zombie means that you can lose your mind at any time. Anything can set you off, and before you know it you've gone feral and start acting like those pathetic movie zombies. ;)

Hessius is a very interesting character. I enjoyed spending time inside his head, seeing how easy it was for him to forget what he was thinking. How close he got to the abyss, and even how he dealt with overcoming some pretty brutal situations.

I loved this book! Now I've got to get my hands on the second one...

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Thoughts & Stuff

I have to admit that when it comes to going anywhere near shopping centres in December, I get a blinding headache. It's nuts out there! o.O

 

We don't decorate the house, either. We actually threw away our X-mas tree earlier this year, and don't plan to replace it. I love this tree, though.

This picture is as Christmasy as our house is going to look this year. Which is fine with me. ;)

 

We're not religious, so we don't celebrate the Christian side of things. We don't have snow, so we don't have all that Winter Wonderland stuff. We prefer to spend the Holidays at home, doing our own thing. On Christmas Eve we'll probably watch The Nightmare Before Christmas, and on Christmas Day we'll have our annual STAR WARS Episode 4,5 & 6 Marathon. So we do have traditions, they're just our own. Plus hubby will have 5 continuous days off, which is AWESOME!

 

Anyway, enough about the Holidays.

 

Today, I spent most of the day making changes to my website. I've updated my SIERRA FOX SERIES page, and added a page for the RECAST SERIES. It was a lot of work, but also fun. My daughter helped me make some character dolls for a bunch of female characters in both series, so if you pop on over you can check them out. It's especially beneficial for the RECAST series, since the lovely boys are featured on the covers and you don't see the women. :)

 

I've also been catching up on some reading, losing myself in a bunch of my favourite UF series and also sampling some new ones. So far, so good.

 

Well, I better go and tackle a few more things off my to-do list.

 

Have a great day!

SHAPESHIFTED by Cassie Alexander

Shapeshifted by Cassie Alexander
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

OMG. I love this series! I enjoyed the first two books so much I was really looking forward to reading the third. And it didn't disappoint.

Edie Spence is a nurse and since she was shunned--for her own safety--from the supernatural community six months ago, her life has gone downhill. She lost her job at the County Hospital and has been working the night shift in a sleep apnea clinic. Everything gets worse when her mother tells her she's ill. :(

So when Edie applies for a job in a health clinic, she decides to devote herself to her new job. And starts to get to know the mysterious doctor, Hector. But instead of getting on with a new 'normal' life, she once again gets caught up with vampires and shapeshifters. And if she can find someone along the way to help her mother, all the better.

There were quite a few unexpected surprises in this book, as well as the return of Edie's zombie ex. I loved the Santa Muerte angle and all the Hispanic superstitions. Oh, and Olympio cracked me up. Such a smarty pants kid with so much courage. Edie and Olympio made a great team!

This installment was awesome. I'm loving this series and can't wait to read the next one. Good thing I've already pre-ordered it. ;)

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Can you believe it's December?

I can't! Where has the year gone? Yikes. :/

As you can probably tell if you've dropped in during the last week, I've been catching up on some reading.

 

I've lost myself in a  bunch of new and familiar UF worlds, and even tackled a few classics. I actually finished reading The Wonderful Wizard of Oz last night and absolutely LOVED it. I can't believe I didn't read it sooner. Much sooner.

 

Oh well. It's time I read a bunch of classics I somehow managed to miss. To be honest, I don't even know why I haven't read so many of what are considered to be the best classics, but I'm determined to change that. :)

 

Asides from reading, I've been napping. Yeah, haven't been feeling 100% the last few days. I think it's a cold--sore throat, achy limbs, endless need to sleep, feverish--so I hope it clears out soon. Especially since I had a cold in October! Besides, I'm pretty sure it's illegal to catch a cold during summer, right? At least, it should be. LOL.

 

I think I'm also a little mentally exhausted from all the writing and editing I did during the month of November. Though I am looking forward to getting back the FLE for Sierra Fox #4. o.O

 

So, I think I'll take it easy for the rest of the week by squeezing in some more reading, a small amount of note taking, and writing a few guest blog posts. Nothing too strenuous. ;)

 

Well. That's it for today!

 

See ya.

 

 

 

THE WONDERDUL WIZARD OF OZ by L. Frank Baum

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It wasn't until this year that I realised there are many classic books I haven't read yet. So, I've decided to do something about it.

A few weeks ago I watched an awesome episode of Supernatural that dealt with the characters from the Land of Oz. Then, while watching Once Upon A Time In Wonderland I got to thinking how cool it would be if they did an Oz version of it... Until I remembered that all my The Wizard of Oz knowledge comes from the old MGM movie.

So, I thought it was time to change that. And I'm glad that I did, because as soon as I started this book I was captivated by Dorothy and Toto.

Dorothy lives in the grey prairies of Kansas with her aunt and uncle, but when a cyclone (not tornado) sweeps the house off the ground and sends it flying, she and her tiny dog end up landing in a colourful faraway country. Not only that, but the house lands on the Wicked Witch of the East, and Dorothy is therefore seen as a noble Sorceress. But all she wants to do is get home to Kansas, and when the Good Witch of the North tells her the Wizard Oz will be able to help, she heads off on an adventure to the Emerald City by following the yellow brick road.

And she takes the dead witch's silver (not red) shoes with her, simply because her leather ones are too tattered to walk miles in.

On her journey she meets many weird and wonderful people and creatures. She even helps some of them, like the Scarecrow who wants to have brains. And the Tin Woodman (not Tin Man) who wants to have a heart. Then there's also the Cowardly Lion who wants to find his courage.

Together, the four friends and Toto head out on an adventure that helps each one realise their personal strengths, realise how strong their friendship is, and free the enslaved.

And when they finally reach Oz, things don't turn out as they expected because their adventure isn't over until they kill the Wicked Witch of the West. Then find out that Oz is actually a fraud. :( But when they meet the Good Witch of the South--Glinda--their adventure ends well.

OMG. I absolutely loved this story because it's wondrous! It's written in a very simplistic yet captivating way. I didn't want to put my Kindle down because I wanted to see where it would all end up (even if I sorta already knew) and found 'our friends' to be very likeable. I was cheering for them every step of the way. :)

I think this is a timeless, imaginative classic. No matter how old you are, no matter what century you read it in, I think this fairy tale has what it takes to stand the test of time. It's so charming!

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GRAVE SECRET by Sierra Dean

Grave Secret by Sierra Dean

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really like this series, so I was looking forward to reading this book.

After what Lucas did to her, Secret wants nothing to do with him. She's also keeping her distance from Desmond, though she misses him like crazy. Instead, she's looking for comfort in Holden.

So when Lucas (can't stand this guy) demands that she find his missing sister Kellen, or he'll send Desmond away, she agrees. After all, Kellen is her friend.

What follows is a trail of murders that lead to the beautiful but dangerous world of the Fairies. But everyone knows that dealing with these creatures is not easy. Things are never what they seem, and deals made with the fae are never straightforward.

Secret finds out the hard way when she bargains with their king. :/

I enjoyed this book because it's part of a great series and keeps expanding Secret's world. I do have to admit that because of a few things that happened, it's not one of my fave instalments.

Still looking forward to reading the next one, though. :)

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