Saturday, January 12, 2013

Megan Likes (New) Books (16) / Reading Through My Bookshelf (14)

Megan Likes (New) Books

Megan Likes (New) Books is a personalize weekly meme inspired by In My Mailbox, Stacking the Shelves and Book Haul where I show off the new books and bookish items I've received lately.

Only one review ebook this week, so I didn't do a video. Hopefully next week, as the Edmonton Book Bloggers are having their Secret Santa on Saturday.

Review:
The Travel Auction by Mark Green

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Reading Through My Bookshelf

Last Weeks Status: 82
Incoming Books: 0
Books Completed: 1
Current Status: 81

Yay, moving in the right direction again!

Friday, January 11, 2013

Dead Harvest Blog Tour: Guest Post and Excerpt

Today I'm lucky enough to have author Jeanette Battista on the blog to talk about writing with a co-author, as well as share an excerpt from Dead Harvest.

What It's Like to Have a Co-Author by Jeanette Battista
Well, the best thing about writing with a partner is that I only have to do half the work I usually do. J
But really, the difference that I appreciate the most between writing with a partner versus writing alone is the brainstorming involved. If I’m ever stuck on a scene or character’s motivation, I just give Tracey a call and we talk through everything and I end up with a ton of ideas.
Writing alone can sometimes be difficult because I can’t get out of my own head. If I hit a block I just have to deal with it and write through it. I can talk to people about what’s troubling me--a character’s voice, a plot point, random stupid stuff I obsess over--but no one really knows the world and characters like I do. By having someone to bounce ideas off of who knows the plot, characters, and world as well as I do makes the writing much easier.
Tracey and I have been delving in the Underworld for well over a decade now and we have known each other even longer. We get each other's beats and humor, and we honestly enjoy reading and watching the same things. The highest compliment I got on this book was from my editor, who said she couldn't tell which one of us was writing any given chapter. That means we're doing something right. It also helps that we're both terribly straight-forward. If something doesn't work, we just tell each other. Nobody gets hurt feelings because these are just words on a page. Brutal honesty is part and parcel of our gig, and it works great for us!
Awesome! And also check out the excerpt below:
J surveyed the carnage, arms crossed against her chest. The store was a mess: the gangbanger's wild shots had blown out half the glass in the place, aisles were overturned, and gaping holes had been shot in the walls. And that wasn't even taking into account the blood and bodies making the floor a demented slip-n-slide. This was beyond a Balance Breach—it was more along the lines of a Balance Black Hole.

And it was all due—in part—to the idiot menace of a woman standing behind the counter. J gritted her teeth together in frustration to the point that she thought she might have pulverized a molar. If T wasn't still the best option for bait that she had, J would drop her into the darkest hole she could find and never let her out. One of the Reanimates—a grandmother in a track suit—turned milky eyes towards her. It bared teeth bloody from snacking on the huge man's prefrontal lobe and rose to its feet. J waved a hand at it and the creature fell through the hole that opened beneath its feet. She did the same to the other Reanimates, excepting the one T was currently wrapping in extension cords and duct tape.

Sirens wailed in the distance, growing closer. J walked to the doors, now just metal frames with the glass shattered by random gunfire, and took a quick look. She spotted the last thug, the one who had managed to escape from the teen Reanimate, dragging one of the gasoline hoses from one of the two pumps at the front of the parking lot closer to the racks of tanks that held propane.

"You want to help me with this?" T asked from her place at the counter.

J turned her attention from the young man outside for a moment and eyed T. The redhead had practically mummified the creature with duct tape, but it was still struggling ineffectually. T had thrown herself on top of it to prevent it from falling onto the floor and presumably wiggling away like some kind of undead silver inchworm. J waved her hand and the Reanimate, duct taped to within an inch of its unlife, disappeared through a port. She still had to figure out what to do about the bodies—did she want to port them too or leave them here as an explanation of the violence? Of course, the bite marks wouldn't be able to be explained away readily, but Mundanes were surprising beings. They'd come up with something.

J was not amused.

Discreet Demolitions Series

Dead Harvest (Book One)

Someone’s been raising the dead and it’s J’s job to find out who. As a detective operating in the Underworld, J—with her powers of shadow manipulation—is uniquely equipped for the job. What she isn't counting on is the help of an escapee from a mental institution who seems to attract trouble just by existing.

It’s up to J and T—two very unlikely allies—to find the necromancer and bring him before the Underworld Balance Magistrate for judgment before the human world gets wise to the dead walking among them.

Where to purchase:

Amazon.com--




Smashwords.com--


Barnesandnoble.com--

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Release: Blog Tour Review

Info:

Title: Release
Author: M.R. Merrick
Series: The Protector #3
Publisher: Indie
Publication Date: December 8, 2012

Blurb:

After uniting the shifters and calling in reinforcements, Chase has to face his toughest challenge yet: learning to control his emotions. But as tensions rise and his powers grow, controlling his emotions becomes the least of his problems.

Terrorized by a multi-shifter who is hell-bent on turning him, Chase questions just how far he’s willing to go to stop his father. Meanwhile, Tiki’s virtuous nature has placed him in the middle of Vincent’s past, leaving Chase to oppose a senate of vampires and defend a demon he hates.

Trying to balance his friends, his enemies, and his inner demons, Chase is left searching for answers about the Mark, his destiny, and where he can find the next soul piece. Stopping Riley is his top priority, but as more obstacles arise, he finds himself doubting all the decisions he’s made - especially regarding Rayna.

One thing is for certain: Chase has finally realized that he doesn’t know anything. The light doesn’t always quell the darkness, the monsters don’t always stay in the shadows, and the past doesn’t always stay in the past - sometimes, the demons inside are the hardest to fight.


My Thoughts:

M.R. Merrick is fast becoming my go-to-guy for action. Whenever I start to get sick of the overly romance-y, love triangle or instalove themes that are so common in YA these days, he has never failed to deliver something refreshing. The Protector series is chock full of action and tons of fun.

I'm still a fan of our hero, Chase Williams. Sometimes three books into a series, you can start to get sick of someone, but I think because Chase continues to grow as a person, he maintains a reader's interest and compassion. Chase is by no means perfect, but that's all part of his charm. He's certainly a hot-head and tends to be a bit reckless, but he works on these flaws. And his good qualities, like loyalty and compassion, make him a hero you want to root for.

All in all, Chase has gotten a crappy hand dealt to him. First, he's kicked out of the only society he's ever known. Not to mention a father who has basically gone off the deep end. And now he's supposed to be The Protector, only no one will tell him what's going on! It's enough to drive anyone mental!

I enjoyed how we got to enjoy quite a bit of Vincent's backstory in this installment. I found it fascinating to read about how he grew into his annoying self. And we learned a few tidbits about Tiki, who I can't wait to learn even more about. I think his full story is going to be fascinating.

M.R. Merrick is one of my favourite indie authors and I will follow this series until the end, based on the awesome characters and the great storyline. If you haven't started this series, which has set the blogosphere buzzing, then what are you waiting for?

On the Cover:

I like how the covers for this series really seem to follow a theme. And I like how they are a bit different (no girls in fancy dresses)!

Rating: 4 hearts


Source: I received an ecopy as part of the Release blog tour

Find the Book: Goodreads | Amazon | The Book Depository

Find the Author: Goodreads | Website | Twitter | Facebook

Giveaways:

Grande Prize Pack (3 Winners)
3x Signed paperbacks (Exiled, Shift, Release)
3x Signed 8x10 posters (Exiled, Shift, Release)
5x Bookmarks
1x Notebook (Winner’s choice of cover)
1x Magnet
Runner-up Prize Pack (5 Winners)
1x Signed paperback (Winner’s choice of Exiled, Shift, or Release) with signed poster
1x bookmark (Winner’s choice)
1x Magnet
Secondary Prizes A (10 Winners)
Release eBooks
Secondary Prize B (10 Winners)
1x bookmark (winner’s choice)
1x The Protector magnet
There will also be multiple opportunities to win signed paperbacks, signed posters, notebooks, swag packs, and bookmarks throughout the tour on both Twitter (@MRMerrick) and M.R. Merrick's Facebook Fan Page .

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, January 7, 2013

Cover Compare (1)

I'm a huge fan of book covers and I've definitely been guilty of missing out on some awesome books because of an ugly or boring cover. One of my biggest pet peeves is when they change the cover of a book halfway through a series (grr!), so I end up with mismatched books. It's almost like punishing major fans for buying the books right away, instead of waiting for the series to finished. Here's my thought on a few series that have multiple covers (some are cover revamps and some are US vs. UK).

Curse Workers by Holly Black:





The only book I own in this series is Red Glove and I have the cover on the left, which is actually my least favourite. Unfortunately for me, even though the matching Black Heart cover is on Goodreads, I can't find it anywhere, so I doubt I'll be able to get a matching series for this one. The middle set is my favourite, but I actually really like the right covers of Red Glove and Black Heart, but I don't like White Cat.


Delirium by Lauren Oliver


I own this one and I have the right version, which is my favourite. Too bad they switched to the middle one. I also think it totally bizarre how the girl in the middle one and the girl in the right one look nothing alike. I haven't read it yet so I can't comment on which matches the book.

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood


















I definitely prefer the left cover for this one. It's so much more eye-catching. Although it does look as though it could be sort of erotic-y, since her skirt is kind of short and she's lying down. But I like it! There's nothing wrong with the right cover, but it just lacks the magic of the left one.

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Bout of Books 6: Goals Post


The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, January 7th and runs through Sunday, January 13th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 6.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. -From the Bout of Books 6.0 team

Time Devoted to Reading

I will be reading as much as I can all week. It's my first week back at school as well.

My Goals

  • Take part in 5 challenges
  • Take part in a Twitter chat
  • READ!

Books to Read

  • Normalish by Margaret Lesh
  • Arcania by Liz Maverick
  • Etiquette and Espionage by Gail Carriger
  • The Life and Death of Lily Drake by T. Michelle Nelson
  • Dark Fuel by Liz Maverick
I've posted 5 goal books, but I'll be happy if I finish 3.

Updates


Monday
Number of books I've read today: 1
Total number of books I've read: 1
Books: Normalish by Margaret Lesh (finished)
Arcania by Liz Maverick (started)

Tuesday

Number of books I've read today: 0
Total number of books I've read: 1
Books: Arcania by Liz Maverick (in progress)

Today it seems like I did everything except read. Oops.

Wednesday

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Total number of books I've read:
Books:

Thursday

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Friday

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Saturday

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Sunday

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Saturday, January 5, 2013

Megan Likes (New) Books (15) / Reading Through My Bookshelf (13)

Megan Likes (New) Books

Megan Likes (New) Books is a personalize weekly meme inspired by In My Mailbox, Stacking the Shelves and Book Haul where I show off the new books and bookish items I've received lately.

For Review:
Exposure by Kim Askew and Amy Helmes
Untimed by Andy Gavin
Between Two Thorns by Emma Newman



Bought:
Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally




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Reading Through My Bookshelf

Last Weeks Status: 80
Incoming Books: 2
Books Complete: 0
Current Status: 82

Friday, January 4, 2013

Review: Thorns

Info:

Title: Thorns
Author: Kate Avery Ellison
Series: The Frost Chronicles #2
Publisher: Self-published
Publication Date: September 5, 2012

Blurb:

Lia Weaver went against everything she’d ever known when she risked her life to help a Farther fugitive named Gabe escape from the Aeralian soldiers, and her life changed forever. And the Frost changed, too—the Farthers have taken over her village, a new group of vigilantes calling themselves the Blackcoats are making plans to overthrow the Farther occupiers, and the Thorns are seeking for her to join them.

Lia seeks to fight back against the evil and injustice that has swallowed up her home, but danger lurks at every turn. The monsters that dwell in the deepest regions of the Frost are growing bolder and more dangerous every day, a Farther noble takes up residence in the village on a mysterious mission, and Lia discovers even more secrets embedded in her past.

As the frozen world of the Frost grows even more perilous, can Lia survive?


My Thoughts:

The Frost Chronicles are such an indie gem! Stories like these are the reason I love indie books!

I love the world of The Frost. The hardy inhabitants who stubbornly survive in the face of constant hardship. And things have only gotten harder for the Frost dwellers, with the Farther occupation of their town.

I fell in love with Lia in Frost and I still loved her in Thorns. She is so strong and puts her family above all else, which is something I admire a lot. But Lia isn't perfect. She is fiercely independent and stubbornly refuses to lean on those willing to help her.

I also loved the growth on the secondary characters, especially Ivy. She grows from a scatter-brained kid to a young woman, something Lia doesn't always see. I also loved the new aspects of Jonn and Ann that are exposed in this sequel.

Oh, and [slight spoiler] a love triangle I liked! This hardly even happens. I usually hate love triangles, but this one is very natural and genuine and I loved it!

And what a majorly cliff-hanger-y ending. I can't wait for the third book!


On the Cover:

This cover isn't as gorgeous as the cover of Frost, but I do like it. I think it shows Lia's strength.

Rating: 5 hearts.


Source: I received an ebook from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Find the Book: Goodreads | Amazon | Smashwords

Find the Author: Goodreads | Website | Twitter