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Thursday 31 January 2013

Last day of Jan...

Yeah, can you believe it? I honestly can't believe the first month of 2013 is almost over. Yikes! Time sure goes fast nowadays. :/
 
Anyway.
 
My daughter started high school yesterday. I know! I can't believe I have a kid old enough to go to high school. LOL. But she's there. She started Year 7 and is actually very excited about it, which is awesome. Though I have to say, I shouldn't have expected anything different because she was the same with pre-school and Kindy.
 
She seems to adapt easily enough, and I hope that continues into the rest of her life.
 
So, what does this mean for me? Well, I can finally set some real personal goals and deadlines. The first thing I'd like to tackle is the second draft of Sierra Fox #4. I wrote the first draft in November, so it should be good to get back into it after a few months away.
 
Ideally, I would like to get started on Monday... but if edits for Book 3 come in, I'll have to push it aside. We've got two more things left to do for the third book: FLEs and ARC. That's it! Which is why I want to get a move on with Book 4.

A few weeks ago while catching up on my Blog Reading, I found a scary short film posted at Rhiannon Frater's blog. It's called Mama and I've been wanting to watch it since, but because my daughter was home and I heard it was scary, I didn't. Well, I finally got around to checking it out yesterday, and whoa. WTH? Want to know what I mean? See it for yourself:  


 
The only problem is that I now can't wait to watch the movie! LMAO. I really need a horror fix soon!

Man, my brain needs a mental holiday. See ya!

Tuesday 29 January 2013

On Pins and Needles has a blurb!


On Saturday, I posted the gorgeous cover for Sierra Fox, Book 3. I absolutely love it! So, I'm going to post it again. But this time, I'm adding the blurb...


All it takes is one freak to turn everything into a demonic ritual.
 
Sierra Fox, Book 3
 
Sierra Fox’s relationship with sexy werewolf Jason Papan is going great, but it doesn’t take a psychic to tell her someone’s out to get her. As usual, though, there’s too much else going on to worry about just another assassination attempt.
 
In addition to the demon-possessed freaks that still want her, a whole new bucket of trouble has been dumped in her path. The half-sister Sierra never knew she had isn’t a typical teenager. Willow comes with supernatural baggage that grows heavier every time someone close to her dies. And the load gets bigger every time the police find the body of another young girl.
 
 Now Sierra’s not only dealing with the target on her own back, but the one that a power-hungry woman has painted on her poltergeist-magnet sister. As she finds herself drawn into the thick of a murder investigation, Sierra must face her deepest fears and embrace the darkest of her powers to overcome the looming threat. Or the prediction of her death might just come true.
 
Warning: Spook catching: never gets any easier, neither does trying to avoid being killed by a shadowy organization. Always expect the unexpected—dangerous vampires, poltergeists and demon-obsessed freaks. At least the werewolf is pleasurably safe.
 
ON PINS AND NEEDLES WILL BE RELEASED JUNE 2013.
 
I also found two reviews this morning...
 
"A Patch of Darkness is an excellent mixture of darkness, suspense, paranormal, passion and friendship – a great combination."
Jo, Joyfully Reviewed
 
"Split at the Seams has sexy areas, action areas and fun areas while being surrounded in suspense filled plot that will keep you wondering until the final answers are revealed."
Jo, Joyfully Reviewed
 
Both of these reviews made me smile, so thanks Jo! :) It makes me really happy when a reader totally gets Sierra and the world she lives in.
 
Well, have a great day! I know mine is going to be filled with Sierra Fox thoughts...
 

Monday 28 January 2013

UNDER THE NEVER SKY by Veronica Rossi

WORLDS KEPT THEM APART.
DESTINY BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER.
 
Aria has lived her whole life in the protected dome of Reverie. Her entire world confined to its spaces, she's never thought to dream of what lies beyond its doors. So when her mother goes missing, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland long enough to find her are slim.
 
Then Aria meets an outsider named Perry. He's searching for someone too. He's also wild - a savage - but might be the only person who can keep her alive.
 
And if they can survive, they are each other's best hope for finding answers.


As soon as I started this book, I was hooked...

Aria has lived her whole life behind the protective walls of Reverie, but when her mother goes missing she decides to hang out with a dangerous guy who she hopes might be able to answer a few questions. Instead, she ends up being attacked by this guy and saved by a Savage. Only to find herself thrown out of the dome's safety and dumped in a wasteland she knows nothing about.
 
Perry lives on the Outside, and is part of a tribe led by his older brother. He's not happy with the way things are run, but stays because of his sick nephew, Talon. The day Talon is taken from him, Perry knows he can't rest until he finds him, and in the process crosses paths with the Dweller girl he saved.
 
Together, they strike up a deal and agree to help each other. Neither one likes the other much because they are worlds apart and have been raised to despise what they don't understand, but during their adventure something shifts between them. 
 
The story is told in the POV of both Aria and Perry, which is fantastic because we share their lives in a very intimate way and know what's really in their hearts when they're trying so hard to keep it from each other. Their independent and mutual growth develops so well, you can't help but be swept away by what's going on.
 
Under the Never Sky is an amazing book! I loved everything about it. The main characters were flawed, yet brave and so determined in their separate quests. The secondary characters are just as intriguing. The worldbuilding is fantastic and described so well I could feel the Aether as violently as they did. The world these characters live in is brutal. And the unexpected secrets just rounded off a perfect tale!
 
I've got the next book already, so I can't wait to see what happens next...

Under the Never Sky, January 2013, ISBN 9780349001487, Atom

Saturday 26 January 2013

New Cover!

This is the cover for the third book in my Sierra Fox Stories series:

 
It was made by the awesome Kanaxa, and I absolutely LOVE it.
 
Isn't it awesome? Can't stop looking at it...
 
ON PINS AND NEEDLES will be released in June!

Friday 25 January 2013

Loki's 6!

That's right. My baby kitty's growing up.

It was his birthday yesterday. :)
 
So, as you've probably noticed I've been a little slack with the ol' blog lately. :/ I have gone out of my way to post reviews as I finish reading books, though I haven't done much reading this week either.
 
My editor got Sierra Fox #3 back to me really fast, so I spent most of this week working on the second round of edits for On Pins and Needles. I'm so excited about this story, especially since during the editing process Holly has helped me make everything super shiny. She's an awesome editor! So glad we were matched up. :)
 
I finished up on Wednesday, and took yesterday off. All I did was read! It was so good, and the book I read was amazing! Today I got a bunch of smaller things out of the way--including the review for the book I read yesterday. As well as some other stuff on my to-do list.
 
Well, my daughter goes back to school next week. On Wednesday. I can't believe she's starting high school! It kinda hit me the other day... she's actually going to start Year 7 next Wednesday. Yikes. The years go by so darn fast. But you know what's strange about that? I can still remember my first day of high school, I can still remember what it was like during those strange years. Hopefully that'll help understand my daughter a little better as she starts the next stage of her life...
 
Anyway. Not much more to report. Just thought it was about time I posted some sort of update here, LOL.
 
Have a great weekend! We've got a long one because it's Australia Day.

Thursday 24 January 2013

HYSTERIA by Megan Miranda

Mallory's life is falling apart. Her boyfriend was stabbed. He bled to death in her kitchen. Mallory was the one who stabbed him. But she can't remember what happened that night. She only remembers the fear . . .

When Mallory's parents send her away to a boarding school, she thinks she can escape the gossip and the threats. But someone, or something, has followed her. There's the hand that touches her shoulder when she's drifting off to sleep. A voice whispering her name. And everyone knows what happened. So when a pupil is found dead, Mallory's name is on their lips. Her past can be forgotten but it's never gone. Can Mallory live with that?


I really enjoyed Megan Miranda's first book, so I was looking forward to reading this one.

Mallory isn't doing so well at the moment. Her boyfriend Brian is dead, her parents act a little too cautiously around her, her best friend Colleen is grounded, and Brian's mother keeps hassling her. She's continually haunted by what she did to Brian, even if the trauma of that night has suppressed most of what actually happened.

Home doesn't feel the way it used to, so when her parents announce they're sending her away to boarding school, she's not surprised or excited. At least it'll give her some distance.

Yet, as soon as she arrives in Monroe she realises that sometimes you can't get away from your nightmares. Actually, she unintentionally becomes the target, because some of the kids at this school know what happened. Secrets are currency in this school, and her biggest one defines her. No matter how hard she tries to get away from it, the darkness is always right behind her.

She's paranoid, always looking over her shoulder and believes she's haunted by the angry spirit of her dead boyfriend. It consumes her life, forces her to make rash decisions, and makes it hard to trust other people. The one person she does trust is her best friend Colleen, and I loved how their friendship is constantly tested but survives. I also liked her interaction with an old friend, Reid. A guy who once rejected her but now might be just what she needs to learn to trust guys again.

Hysteria is an intriguing and very interesting book. It's well written and manages to blend the present with the past, peeling away the layers as Mallory tries to drown out the pain and uncertainty of the horrible event that changed her life. As soon as I started reading, I was hooked.

I really enjoyed this book!


Hysteria, February 2013, ISBN 9781408834848, Bloomsbury

Thursday 17 January 2013

RIVER ROAD by Suzanne Johnson

A fantastic new urban fantasy series set in post-Katrina New Orleans staring the city's junior wizard sentinel, Drusilla Jaco.
 
The hurricane may have passed, but in New Orleans the storm rages on. With the borders between the city and the Otherworld destroyed, new and dangerous species have swarmed into the waterways. There is talk of war between rival clans in the darkest depths of Louisiana's swamps and it falls to wizard sentinel Drusilla Jaco and her partner, Alex Warin, to keep the peace.
 
When wizards start dying and it become apparent that the waters of the mighty Mississippi itself have been poisoned, DJ will have to really focus if she is to find out who - or what - is responsible. And with an undead suitor, the amorous pirate Jean Lafitte, on her back, that isn't going to be easy...
It's anything but smooth sailing on the bayou as the SENTINELS OF NEW ORLEANS series continues.

 
I was looking forward to getting stuck into this book, and as soon as I started... I was hooked! Also, I love the cover. It's so pretty. Love all that green because it really goes with the story. :)
 
Three years have passed since Katrina, and New Orleans has changed a lot. The borders between New Orleans and the Beyond have been destroyed so there are plenty of problems for Drusilla Jaco (DJ) to deal with. She's still working alongside her partner Alex, but their relationship is as confusing as ever. And now that Jake is back in the picture, things get really strange. Not to mention the undead pirate is still in the mix.
 
But DJ has other things to deal with. Wizards are dying, and at the same time someone is poisoning the Mississippi. If she doesn't find out what's going on and how to fix it, two opposing merman clans could go to war. So DJ and Alex have to solve the mystery and keep the peace between these families before they kill each other. Not to mention that the contaminated water could soon hit the human population...
 
River Road is an excellent addition to this exciting series, set in a lovely locale. I love DJ's voice and how her life expands a little more with each book. I'm really looking forward to finding out more about her elven roots, and why they're suddenly so interested in her. Also, just when I thought the list of potential hotties was going to be slimmed down, they're not. Awesome! ;)

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

River Road, December 2012, ISBN 9780755397679, Headline

Sunday 13 January 2013

INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE: Claudia's Story by Anne Rice and Ashley Marie Witter

 
A graphic novel retelling of Anne Rice's classic, INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE, from the perspective of one of the most captivating characters in vampire fiction, Claudia.
 
A richly-illustrated adaptation of Anne Rice's INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE, told through the eyes of the vampire Claudia, who was just a little girl when she was turned by the vampire Lestat. Though she spends many years of happiness with her two vampire fathers, she gradually grows discontent with their insistence upon treating her like a little girl, even though she has lived as long as any mortal man... and her lust to kill is certainly no less than theirs...
 

I'm a fan of Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles, so when I found out this book had been released I was very interested in checking it out.

Claudia is just a child when Lestat turns her into a vampire. And even though he saved her life and she spends a great many happy years with both Lestat and Louis--her two fathers--she soon starts asking questions. She wonders about their kind and why they seem to be the only three in existence.

Although Lestat introduces her to an exciting lavish world of blood and endless killing, she soon starts to crave more. Louis helps her weary mind by spending real quality time with her and loving her. But it's still not enough. And soon she starts to argue with Lestat, because her main problem stems from one thing--she continues to age in experience but her body is stuck.

Claudia soon realises she's trapped inside a child's body with many limits, and that frustrates her to the point of committing the ultimate vampire crime. Having no other choice, she convinces Louis to escape to Europe to begin the search for other vampires. But what Claudia finds becomes her undoing...

She might come across as a whiny, bitchy vampire trapped inside a girl's body and is as cruel as Lestat, but I still felt sorry for her. Lestat saves her from mortal death but no one can save her from immortal death. She sets her own fate, and has no choice but to accept the dire consequences of her actions.

Interview with the Vampire: Claudia's Story is a gorgeous graphic novel. The illustrations are stunning, and the tale told in a lovely format. The book itself is hardback and it's absolutely beautiful. While the story is one that I'm already familiar with, it was still interesting to see things through Claudia's eyes.

If you're an Anne Rice fan, this book is an excellent addition to your collection. I'm delighted to have my very own copy.
  
Interview with the Vampire: Claudia's Story, December 2012, ISBN 9781472200686, Headline Fiction/Hardback

Friday 11 January 2013

MIA this week...

But I had a reason. :)

As you've probably guessed, I've been busy editing the third Sierra Fox book. I started it on Monday and finished yesterday afternoon. Phew! It was a lot of work, but so much fun. I enjoy the editing process because it's when the book really starts to shine.

This was the first time working with my new editor, and it was a great experience. She did an awesome job! I look forward to working on other projects with her in the future. :)

So, now that the first round of edits for On Pins and Needles is done, I'm going to take a few days off. I'm looking forward to it, btw.
 
That was my week. I spent it with Sierra & the Gang, getting into a new lot of trouble. I love the timing, since I plan to work on the second draft of Book #4 very soon. And Book #5 is already spinning around inside my head.
 
I hope you had a great week, and an even better weekend!

BEYOND THE GRAVE by Mara Purnhagen

 Being Charlotte Silver, the daughter of famous paranormal investigators, means my life isn’t like that of other teenage girls. Especially after what happened to my parents. Things changed. I missed prom and deferred my big college plans. But I still have my boyfriend, Noah. He’s everything I could want—if I can figure out what’s up with him. Suddenly Noah is secretive.

I fear it has something to do with what happened to us three months ago. The bruise Noah suffered during a paranormal attack has never completely faded. Now I’ve learned Noah is researching demons. And when he disappears, it’s up to me to find him—before something else does.
 
 
This is the last book in the Past Midnight series, so I was really looking forward to reading the conclusion to Charlotte's tale.

Her mother is still in a coma, she's enrolled into a local college, her friend moved away to have the 'proper' college experience, and her boyfriend is acting really weird. Not to mention that her father's pretty much spending every moment at her mother's bedside, and that the Watcher is still on the loose. But this time, there is a Protector there to help...

It was nice to go on this journey of self-discovery with Charlotte.

Saturday 5 January 2013

THE DECLARATION by Gemma Malley

Sixteen-year-old Anna should not have been born. It is the year 2140 and people can live for ever. No one wants another mouth to feed, so she lives in a Surplus Hall, where unwanted children go to learn valuable lessons . . . at least she wasn't put down at birth.

One day, a new inmate arrives. Anna's life is thrown into chaos. He says things about her parents and the Outside that couldn't possibly be true . . . Or could they?

Thrilling, passionate and beautifully written, this dystopian novel is perfect for fans of
The Hunger Games.
 
 
I was looking forward to checking out this re-release. I've actually read it before, but got caught up in it all over again...

In a world where living forever is a real concept for adults, children are seen as Surplus and are taken from their parents and stuck in institutions. While inside, they're taught that their parents hated them. Otherwise, why else would they have had them? And that they'll pretty much only be good for slavery. It's a terrifying concept, and one that is explored and very successfully achieved in this book.

Anna is a Prefect in Grange Hall. She's also a Valuable Asset and asides from keeping a journal (which isn't allowed) she pretty much plays by the rules. However, when Peter arrives and insists that he knows her parents, Anna's life starts to change and leads her to a scary adventure. Suddenly, she can't help but question everything around her, everything she's been taught by the cruel House Matron and the instructors who discipline them with beatings and isolation.

This was a fantastic book! I loved everything about it, and felt so sorry for these children and teenagers whose only crime was being born. None deserved to be treated the way they were, and it saddened me. I also liked the twist that is revealed towards the end of the book that involves Peter, because it brings the whole issue full circle. Very clever, indeed. 
 
This is a very pretty book, btw. The new cover is lovely.
 
I can't wait to read the rest of the trilogy! 
 
The Declaration, January 2013, ISBN 9781408836880, Bloomsbury

Friday 4 January 2013

KITTY'S BIG TROUBLE by Carrie Vaughn

Kitty Norville is back and in more trouble than ever. Her recent run-in with werewolves traumatized by the horrors of war has made her start wondering how long the US government might have been covertly using werewolves in combat. Have any famous names in our own history might have actually been supernatural? She's got suspicions about William Tecumseh Sherman. Then an interview with the right vampire puts her on the trail of Wyatt Earp, vampire hunter.

But her investigations lead her to a clue about enigmatic vampire Roman and the mysterious Long Game played by vampires through the millennia. That, plus a call for help from a powerful vampire ally in San Francisco, suddenly puts Kitty and her friends on the supernatural chessboard, pieces in dangerously active play. And Kitty Norville is never content to be a pawn. . .
 
 
I'm determined to catch up with this series because I love it so much.

Kitty's new personal quest has become to research how many historical figures might have been werewolves, and how many vampires might have run into them.

While wondering about William Sherman, she gets on the trail of Wyatt Earp, who might have been a vampire hunter... but when Anastasia the vampire asks for her help in stopping Roman from finding an ancient and poweful relic, she goes to San Francisco and winds up finding 'Big Trouble in Little China'. Sorry, couldn't help myself. I just had to add that reference. ;)

Suddenly, the paranormal world has expanded and Kitty's right in the middle of it.

Wow, this was one action-packed book! I got tired just reading it, but spending time with Kitty, Ben and Cormac is always great.

I love this series. So much!


Wednesday 2 January 2013

Hey! New Year!

So, how's 2013 treating you? Good, I hope.

Hubby had New Year's Day off, but everything's back to normal now. The festive season is done, and it's time to get back into the swing of things. Of course, I've got my daughter home until the end of the month, so my writing routine won't go back to normal until then.
 
If I receive edits, I'll be sure to work on them. Other than that, I'm going to have to put some sort of writing and revision plan together. After all, I do have Sierra Fox #4 to revise. ;)
 
During the last week I've also been going through my bookshelves because there are a bunch of books that I no longer want. Mostly it's books that I don't consider keepers, for various reasons. The main reason seems to be that I just can't be bothered starting whatever series they belong to. My reading tastes have also shifted a little, definitely away from one particular genre.
 
In the end, I've got about 80 books that I'm hoping the local secondhand bookstore is interested in. Fingers crossed, because I definitely don't want these books.
 
It's funny, because I still buy a lot of books, but nowhere near as many as I used to. I'm a bit fussier about what I buy, and don't buy a bunch of books in the series until I'm up to it. It's better this way, because it helps keep the impulse buys at bay. ;)
 
So. I read a short story yesterday. It was called DAVE SPEAKS by Jesse Petersen, and it was great, but it means that I can't wait to read this upcoming book. :) 
 
That reminds me, I've also gotta make some sort of reading plan because I've got a bunch of series that I want to catch up on, and some new books that sound awesome but I haven't had a chance to read yet. Not to mention the third books in a bunch of trilogies, lol.
 
Anyway, you know how it is when a new year hits--plans, goals, and all that. ;)
 
Have a great day!
 
 



Tuesday 1 January 2013

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