On My Wishlist #3

Welcome to On My Wishlist! 

On My Wishlist is a meme that was originally created by Book Chick City and is now hosted by Cosy Books where we can showcase (and squee about) books that are on our individual wish lists whether already or still awaiting publication.

For more information or to get involved yourself, head over to Cosy Books and check it out!

Lastly, don't forget to comment and let me know what books are on your Wishlist this week.



Magic Kngdom For Sale/Sold by Terry Brooks
Publication Date: April 1986

Synopsis: Landover was a genuine magic kingdom, complete with fairy folk and wizardry, just as the advertisement had promised. But after he purchased it for a million dollars, Ben Holiday discovered that there were a few details the ad had failed to mention. Such as the fact that the kingdom was falling into ruin. The barons refused to recognize a king and taxes hadn't been collected for years. The dragon, Strabo, was laying waste to the countryside, while the evil witch, Nightshade, was plotting to destroy no less than everything. And if that weren't enough for a prospective king to deal with, Ben soon learned that the Iron Mark, terrible lord of the demons, challenged all pretenders to the throne of Landover to a duel to the death - a duel no mere mortal could hope to win. But Ben Holiday had one human trait that even magic couldn't overcome. Ben Holiday was stubborn.

Comment: I first read this series years ago and enjoyed it but then lost track of it. Since then, there have been some new books published but its been so long, I need to go back and start at the beginning.  Alas, however my library does not have the first couple of books of the series. So I have put this on my wishlist as I would very much like to read this series again.



Red Glove by Holly Black
Publication Date: 5 April 2011

Synopsis: Curses and cons. Magic and the mob. In Cassel Sharpe's world, they go together. Cassel always thought he was an ordinary guy, until he realized his memories were being manipulated by his brothers. Now he knows the truth—he’s the most powerful curse worker around. A touch of his hand can transform anything—or anyone—into something else.

That was how Lila, the girl he loved, became a white cat. Cassel was tricked into thinking he killed her, when actually he tried to save her. Now that she’s human again, he should be overjoyed. Trouble is, Lila’s been cursed to love him, a little gift from his emotion worker mom. And if Lila’s love is as phony as Cassel’s made-up memories, then he can’t believe anything she says or does.

When Cassel’s oldest brother is murdered, the Feds recruit Cassel to help make sense of the only clue—crime-scene images of a woman in red gloves. But the mob is after Cassel too—they know how valuable he could be to them. Cassel is going to have to stay one step ahead of both sides just to survive. But where can he turn when he can’t trust anyone—least of all, himself?

Love is a curse and the con is the only answer in a game too dangerous to lose.

Comment: I read the first book in this series (and loved it) a few weeks ago  Now I need to read this so I can read the third book which came out in April :)



Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey
Publication Date: 9 July 2011

Synopsis: Violet Willoughby doesn't believe in ghosts. But they believe in her. After spending years participating in her mother's elaborate ruse as a fraudulent medium, Violet is about as skeptical as they come in all matters supernatural. Now that she is being visited by a very persistent ghost, one who suffered a violent death, Violet can no longer ignore her unique ability. She must figure out what this ghost is trying to communicate, and quickly because the killer is still on the loose.

Afraid of ruining her chance to escape her mother's scheming through an advantageous marriage, Violet must keep her ability secret. The only person who can help her is Colin, a friend she's known since childhood, and whom she has grown to love. He understands the true Violet, but helping her on this path means they might never be together. Can Violet find a way to help this ghost without ruining her own chance at a future free of lies?

Comment: The first thing that drew me to this book was the title.  I am a sucker for any kind of ghost type story and stories with characters that can talk to ghosts are right up my alley.  This has actually been on my wishlist for a while and I will have to actually get it eventually.



Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini
Publication Date: 1 April 2011

Synopsis: Set on the island of Nantucket, STARCROSSED tells the tale of Helen Hamilton, a young woman whose destiny is forever altered when she meets Lucas Delos and tries to kill him in front of her entire high school. Which is terribly inconvenient, not only because Lucas is the most beautiful boy on the island, but also because Helen is so achingly shy she suffers physical pain whenever she is given too much attention. 

Making matters worse, Helen is beginning to suspect she’s going crazy. Whenever she’s near Lucas or any member of his family she sees the ghostly apparitions of three women weeping bloody tears, and suffers the burden of an intense and irrational hate. She soon learns that she and Lucas are destined to play the leading roles in a Greek tragedy that the Three Fates insist on repeating over and over again throughout history. Like her namesake, Helen of Troy, she’s destined to start a war by falling in love. But even though Lucas and Helen can see their own star-crossed destiny, they’re still powerfully attracted to each other. Will they give up their personal happiness for the greater good, or risk it all to be together?

Comment: I have heard many many things about this book but never gotten around to getting it or reading it.  Now with the second book in the series just having been published, it might be about time to get myself into gear.

So what has been put on your wishlist this week?

RAK Wrap Up May 2012

May 2012 saw me return to participating in RAK for the first time since late 2011 and what a great month it turned out to be. 

RAK or Random Acts of Kindness is a monthly event hosted by Book Soulmates in which bloggers and individuals give and receive books and bookish items. The way it works is that at the beginning of the month,you enter your details in that oaths formi.e. name, website, email along with a link to a Wishlist of books that you would like to receive ( both electronic and paper format) then you look at the list and choose one or more lucky people that you will send something from their Wishlist. 

This month I was lucky enough to be chosen by Jessica from Crossroad Reviews to receive the following:



Deadlocked by Charlaine Harris
The Selection by Keira Cass
Black Dawn by Rachel Caine
Above by Leah Bobet
Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin


In turn I chose Michelle from Beagle Book Space to receive:




Signed copy of Fallen by Lauren Kate (acquired when Lauren Kate visited Australia in 2011)
Torment by Lauren Kate 

For more information or to get involved in June's RAK, head over to Book Soulmates. 

So I have to ask the question,how big was your RAK in May?

Review: Dark Visions by L J Smith

Title: Dark Visions
Author: L J Smith
Publish Date: 3 September 2009 by Simon & Schuster
Source: Library
Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository | Galaxy Bookshop
Sapphired Dragon Rating: ***

Synopsis: Kaitlyn Fairchild has always felt like an outsider. Her haunting eyes and prophetic drawings have earned her a reputation as a witch. But Kait's not a witch: she's psychic. Tired of being shunned, Kait accepts an invitation to attend the Zetes Institute, where she can study with other psychic teens and have a fresh start.

As Kaitlyn learns to hone her abilities with four other gifted students, she starts to discover the intensity of her power - and the joy of having true friends. But those friendships quickly become complicated when Kait finds herself torn between two irresistible guys. 

Rob is a healer - kind and gentle, he's surrounded by good energy, while Gabriel is aggressive and mysterious - a telepath concealing his true nature.

Together, Rob and Gabriel's opposing forces start to threaten the group's stability, and when an experiment traps the five teens in a psychic link - a link that threatens their sanity and their lives - Kaitlyn must decide who to trust and who to love...

Review: This book is  a hard one to review. I mostly liked it, enough to give it 3 stars,  but there was nothing particularly memorable about it.  The plot line seemed unoriginal and I sure I have read similar plot lines before.  The characters, 2 dimensional and somewhat stereotypical. There was the 'golden boy', the 'bad boy', the girl trying to choose between them along with peripheral characters whom in some cases I cared so little about, I kept forgetting whether they were male or female. 

And yet I have given this book, which actually contains a trilogy: the strange power, the possessed and the passion, three stars so it must have some redeeming qualities right?

Let's see...

Firstly I managed to finish it so that's a start. The first story I flew through, the second and third took a wee bit of prodding but I persisted and got through them. The ending was a little bit predictable but I think still did enough to satisfy and complete the story. Even though the plot line has been done before, there were some things I liked. I liked the idea of psychic vampires as opposed to the run of the mill ones. I actually like the whole psychic angle and in general like stories about psychic powers so this definitely counted in its favour. 

So would I recommend it? If you are an L J Smith fan or a fan of this genre then it's probably worth a read. In terms of L J Smith's books, it probably sits about half way between the night world series and vampire diaries however the story line does lean more to the vampire diaries. 

Lastly, is it just me or does the girl on the front cover at first glance look like Elena from the vampire diaries tv series? Up close I think she actually has blond hair but when glancing quickly...

Anyhew I give this book 3 stars (just) on the Sapphired Dragon rating scale. 

Sapphired Dragon xx

Teaser Tuesday #26

Welcome to Teaser Tuesdays.


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:


1. Grab your current read

2. Open to a random page

3. Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too muchaway! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

4. Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!


My current read is Dark Visions by L J Smith and my two lines are from page 115:

"You can do that?" Kait asked, looking at Lewis in surprise. "With your mind?"

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository | Galaxy Bookshop


PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Teaser Tuesdays post, or share your ‘teasers’ in a comment here (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks!

Review: Last Breath by Rachel Caine

Title: Last Breath
Author: Rachel Caine
Publish Date: 1 November 2011
Source: Library
Sapphired Dragon Rating : *****
Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository | Galaxy Bookshop

Synopsis: With her boss preoccupied researching the Founder Houses in Morganville, student Claire Danvers is left to her own devices when she learns that three vampires have vanished without a trace. She soon discovers that the last person seen with one of the missing vampires is someone new to town-a mysterious individual named Magnus. After an uneasy encounter with Morganville's latest resident, Claire is certain Magnus isn't merely human. But is he a vampire-or something else entirely?

Review: This series just gets better and better and Last Breath is easily the best so far and easily the mostly aptly titled. As far as breaths go, I think I was holding mine for the majority of the book. 

Right from the word go, the action starts and I was right back in Morganville and along for the ride. I didnt leave until the last page. Ms Caine has differed in the writing format of this, number eleven in the series, in that we get to read from the point of view of a number of the main characters other than just Claire and this works brilliantly with the plot line giving the reader a better understanding of what is going on but still leaving enough suspense for the reader to continue on to see what happens next. 

If you haven't gotten into this series already, I very much recommend it. It's made me laugh, it's made me cry and now I am off to read book twelve, Black Dawn. 

A very definite five star rating!

Sapphired Dragon xx

In My Mailbox #23

Welcome to  In My Mailbox, a meme run by The Story Siren where each week over 200 bloggers post on their blogs the books they have bought, received to review or won in the past week. 

To find out more information, get involved yourself or see what's in other bloggers mailboxes this week head over to The Story Siren or to find out what is in my mailbox this week, keep reading.

Don't forget to comment and post your IMM link or just let me know what's in your mail box this week.

Not a huge week this week but some great titles.

Purchased (For Kindle):



Elemental by Brigid Kemmerer

Purchased (Paperback):



Hourglass by Myra McEntire

Library:



Lover Eternal by J R Ward
Acheron by Sherrilyn Kenyon

So what did you get in your mailbox this week?

On My Wishlist #2

Welcome to On My Wishlist! 

On My Wishlist is a meme that was originally created by Book Chick City and is now hosted by Cosy Books where we can showcase (and squee about) books that are on our individual wish lists whether already or still awaiting publication.

For more information or to get involved yourself, head over to Cosy Books and check it out!

Lastly, don't forget to comment and let me know what books are on your Wishlist this week.




Witch Eyes by Scott Tracey
Publication Date: 8 September 2011

Synopsis: Braden was born with witch eyes: the ability to see the world as it truly is: a blinding explosion of memories, darkness, and magic. The power enables Braden to see through spells and lies, but at the cost of horrible pain.

After a terrifying vision reveals imminent danger for the uncle who raised and instructed him, Braden retreats to Belle Dam, an old city divided by two feuding witch dynasties. As rival family heads Catherine Lansing and Jason Thorpe desperately try to use Braden's powers to unlock Belle Dam's secrets, Braden vows never to become their sacrificial pawn. But everything changes when Braden learns that Jason is his father--and Trey, the enigmatic guy he's falling for, is Catherine's son.

To stop an insidious dark magic from consuming the town, Braden must master his gift—and risk losing the one he loves.

Comment: So I received Demon eyes, the second book in The Witch Eyes series to review and it occurred to me that I really should read the first book,  Witch Eyes. So it is on my Wishlist this week with the plan to get on to obtaining and reading it ASAP!  Besides this, both books sound really good. 




Embers and Echoes by Karsten Knight
Publication Date: 28 August 2012

Synopsis: Ashline Wilde is about to discover that when you’re the reincarnation of a Polynesian volcano goddess, “new beginnings” are just a myth.

Leaving the fiery ruins of her sophomore year behind her, Ash travels to the sizzling beaches of Miami, hot on the trail of the little sister she’s only seen in visions. But her happy family reunion isn’t all palm trees and paradise. A cult of evil gods-on-earth, known as the Four Seasons, has kidnapped her sister to use in its terrifying new religion. Soon, the streets of Miami erupt in chaos and violence…and Ash gets caught right in the tropical crossfire

Ash isn’t without help, however. Unexpected romance arrives in the form of Wes, an Aztec god of night with his own vendetta against the Four Seasons. As memories of Ash’s previous life begin to flicker into her dreams, the boundaries between ally and enemy, life and death, and love and hate all bleed together. And when a mysterious trickster from her past reappears to derail her new quest, Ash must choose between the echoes of a once-forgotten yesterday and the embers of an uncertain future.

Because when old flames return from the dead, even a volcano goddess can get burned.

Comment: I read the first book in this series, Wildefire, last year and really enjoyed it. This is the second book in the series and I cannot wait to see what happens next. 




The Witness by Nora Roberts
Publication Date: 17 April 2012

Synopsis: Elizabeth Fitch's short-lived teenage rebellion began with L'Oreal Pure Black, a pair of scissors, and a fake ID. It ended in blood... 


Daughter of a cold, controlling mother and an anonymous donor, studious, obedient Elizabeth finally let loose one night, drinking too much at a nightclub and allowing a strange man's seductive Russian accent to lure her to a house on Lake Shore Drive. The events that followed changed her life forever.

Twelve years later, the woman now known as Abigail Lowery lives alone on the outskirts of a small town in the Ozarks. A freelance programmer, she works at home designing sophisticated security systems. Her own security is supplemented by a fierce dog and an assortment of firearms. She keeps to herself, saying little, revealing nothing.

Unfortunately, that seems to be the quickest way to get attention in a tiny southern town.

The mystery of Abigail Lowery intrigues local police chief Brooks Gleason, on both a personal and professional level. Her sharp, logical mind, her secretive nature, her unromantic viewpoints leave him fascinated but frustrated. He suspects that Abigail needs protection from something, even if he doesn't know what - and that her elaborate defenses hide a story that must be revealed.

Accustomed to two-bit troublemakers, Gleason is about to walk into the sights of very powerful and dangerous men. And Abigail Lowery, who has built a life based on security and self-control, is at risk of losing both.

Comment: I saw this book on a number of In My Mailbox pots this week and as I am already a Nora Roberts fan, I added to my Wishlist.  I generally prefer Nora Roberts' paranormal  books but the synopsis (above) makes it definitely sound like a book I want to read. 




Insurgent by Veronica Roth
Publication Date : 1 May 2012

Synopsis: One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.

Comment: Truthfully, I haven't yet read the first book, Divergent. *hides* Even though it has been sitting on my bookshelf for a year. However, given how good everyone says it is, I know I will want to read the sequel as soon as I finish it so it's on my Wishlist this week. 




Sweet venom by Tera Lynn Childs
Publication Date: 6 September 2011

Synopsis: Grace just moved to San Francisco and is excited to start over at a new school. The change is full of fresh possibilities, but it’s also a tiny bit scary. It gets scarier when a minotaur walks in the door. And even more shocking when a girl who looks just like her shows up to fight the monster.

Gretchen is tired of monsters pulling her out into the wee hours, especially on a school night, but what can she do? Sending the minotaur back to his bleak home is just another notch on her combat belt. She never expected to run into this girl who could be her double, though.

Greer has her life pretty well put together, thank you very much. But that all tilts sideways when two girls who look eerily like her appear on her doorstep and claim they're triplets, supernatural descendants of some hideous creature from Greek myth, destined to spend their lives hunting monsters.

These three teenage descendants of Medusa, the once-beautiful gorgon maligned by myth, must reunite and embrace their fates in this unique paranormal world where monsters lurk in plain sight.

Comment: I saw the sequel to this, Sweet Shadows, on The Storysiren's IMM this week and as a I am a huge fan of Greek Mythology with a modern twist, I decided this was definitely a series I wanted to look into. Sweet Venom is the first in the series. 

So what is on your Wishlist this week?

Review: Fantasy Lover by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Title:  Fantasy Lover
Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon
Release Date: 31 January 2002
Source: Library
Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository | Galaxy Bookshop
SapphiredDragon Rating: *** 1/2

Synopsis:

Dear Reader,

Being trapped in a bedroom with a woman is a grand thing. Being trapped in hundreds of bedrooms over two thousand years isn't. And being cursed into a book as a love-slave for eternity can ruin even a Spartan warrior's day.

As a love slave, I know everything about women. How to touch them, how to savor them, and most of all, how to pleasure them. But when I was summoned to fulfill Grace Alexander's sexual fantasies, I found the first woman in history who saw me as a man with a tormented past. She alone bothered to take me out of the bedroom and into the world. She taught me to love again.

But I was not born to know love. I was cursed to walk eternity alone. As a general, I had long ago accepted my sentence. Yet now I have found Grace - the one thing my wounded heart cannot survive without. Sure, love can heal all wounds, but can it break a two-thousand-year-old curse?

Julian of Macedon

Review: I knew within 2 pages of this book that I was going to enjoy it and immediately went online to my library's site to reserve the next few in the series. What I immediately liked was the tone which was fun and not too serious and I knew I would be in for an enjoyable read. 

I was not to be disappointed. 

While yes, the story is a little contrived at times so as to ensure things flow as they are supposed to, it was relatively easy to over look as the writing was straightforward and the story fun and enjoyable. 

The title of the book is Fantasy Lover and that is the key I think to enjoying this book; Remembering it is a fantasy, not getting hung up on story issues and letting go to just let the story wash over you and take you where it will.  

A fast, fun read and yes I will be reading the rest of the series. 

3 1/2 stars on the SapphiredDragon rating scale. 

SapphiredDragon xx

Review: Stray by Rachel Vincent

Title: Stray
Author: Rachel Vincent
Published: 1 June 2007
Source: Library
Reviewed by: Sapphired Dragon
Sapphired Dragon Rating:

****

Synopsis (via Goodreads): There are only eight breeding female werecats left . . . 
And I'm one of them.
I look like an all-American grad student. But I am a werecat, a shape-shifter, and I live in two worlds.

Despite reservations from my family and my Pride, I escaped the pressure to continue my species and carved out a normal life for myself. Until the night a Stray attacked.

I'd been warned about Strays -- werecats without a Pride, constantly on the lookout for someone like me: attractive, female, and fertile. I fought him off, but then learned two of my fellow tabbies had disappeared.

This brush with danger was all my Pride needed to summon me back . . . for my own protection. Yeah, right. But I'm no meek kitty. I'll take on whatever -- and whoever -- I have to in order to find my friends. Watch out, Strays -- 'cause I got claws, and I'm not afraid to use them . . .

Review: I nearly didn't read this. I had been over shifter type novels for a while, there was only a couple of days till it was due back to the library and it was only due to the fact that Rachel Vincent had been recommended to me by a number of people that I decided to give it a go rather than returning it unread. Let me just say I am so glad I decided to give this book a go as I was pleasantly surprised. 

My biggest issue with most shifter type books I have read both in YA and adult genres  (and bear in mind this might possibly be because i read a whole heap of them one after the other) has always been that the stories all kind of blurred into one so I couldn't always remember which characters or slightly different circumstances went with which book.  What I liked about this book was that

A) The story while geographically taking place in Texas and surrounding states mostly took place in the pride

B) Yes there was romance etc but the main plot of the female shifters going missing and Faythe's struggle for independence from the pride was front and centre and an interesting and engrossing story

C) The characters and the character interactions, particularly between Faythe and her father/alpha and Faythe and her brothers was compelling and believable. Both Faythe's disbelief and frustration when her father and brothers didn't see things the same way she did and by the same token wanting to tell her to be quiet when opening her mouth in a conversation with her father.

I very much look forward to reading the rest of the books in this series and indeed have already borrowed the next two from the library.

If you are into an adult shifter tale that is a cut above the rest, i would definitely recommend Stray.

Most certainly earns a four star Sapphired Dragon Rating.

Sapphired Dragon XX

Teaser Tuesday #25

Welcome to Teaser Tuesdays.


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:


1. Grab your current read

2. Open to a random page

3. Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too muchaway! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

4. Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!


My current read is Stray by Rachel Vincent and my two lines are from page 191:

"I couldn't help myself. When I saw him on top of you like that, touching you, it was all I could do to keep from smashing his head in."

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository | Galaxy Bookshop


PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Teaser Tuesdays post, or share your ‘teasers’ in a comment here (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks!

In My Mailbox #22

Welcome to  In My Mailbox, a meme run by The Story Siren where each week over 200 bloggers post on their blogs the books they have bought, received to review or won in the past week. 

To find out more information, get involved yourself or see what's in other bloggers mailboxes this week head over to The Story Siren or to find out what is in my mailbox this week, keep reading.

Don't forget to comment and post your IMM link or just let me know what's in your mail box this week.

So a solid week this week. Not so much volume wise but the quality of the titles more than makes up for it :-)

For Review:

The Goddess Legacy (The Goddess Test 2.5) by Aimee Carter
Demon Eyes (Witch Eyes #2) by Scott Tracey

Purchased (For Kindle)

Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep

From The Library:

Lover Revealed by J R Ward
Last Breath by Rachel Caine
Shatter Me by Taherah Mafi

and for my daughter ( who turns 2 months old this week):




Baby Cakes by Karma Wilson
Horton Hears a Who by Dr Seuss

So what did you receive in your mailbox this week?

On My Wishlist #1

Welcome to my very first On My Wishlist! 

On My Wishlist is a meme that was originally created by Book Chick City and is now hosted by Cosy Books where we can showcase (and squee about) books that are on our individual wish lists whether already or still awaiting publication.

For more information or to get involved yourself, head over to Cosy Books and check it out!

Lastly, don't forget to comment and let me know what books are on your Wishlist this week.




Underworld (Abandon #2) by Meg Cabot

Publication Date: 8 May 2012

Synopsis (via Goodreads):Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back.

Seventeen-year-old Pierce Oliviera isn’t dead.

Not this time.

But she is being held against her will in the dim, twilit world between heaven and hell, where the spirits of the deceased wait before embarking upon their final journey.

Her captor, John Hayden, claims it’s for her own safety. Because not all the departed are dear. Some are so unhappy with where they ended up after leaving the Underworld, they’ve come back as Furies, intent on vengeance…on the one who sent them there and on the one whom he loves.

But while Pierce might be safe from the Furies in the Underworld, far worse dangers could be lurking for her there…and they might have more to do with its ruler than with his enemies.

And unless Pierce is careful, this time there’ll be no escape.

Comment: So while Abandon may not have been one of my most favourite books of 2011 (read my review and see why), I did enjoy it enough that I can't wait to get my hands on the next book Underworld and find out what happens next. Published earlier this month, I am determined to get my hands on this book at some stage. 

Dark Companion by Marta Acosta Publication Date: 3 July 2012

Synopsis (via Goodreads):When foster teen Jane Williams is invited to attend elite Birch Grove Academy for Girls and escape her violent urban neighborhood, she thinks the offer is too good to be true. She's even offered her own living quarters, the groundskeeper's cottage in the center of the birch grove.

Something's not quite right about the school -- or is it Jane? She thinks she sees things in the birch grove at night. She's also beginning to suspect that the elegant headmistress and her sons are hiding secrets. Lucky is the gorgeous, golden son who is especially attentive to Jane, and Jack is the sardonic puzzling brother.

The school with its talented teachers and bright students is a dream for a science and math geek like Jane. She also loves her new friends, including hilarious poetry-spouting rich girl, Mary Violet. But the longer Jane stays at Birch Grove, the more questions she has about the disappearance of another scholarship girl and a missing faculty member. 

Jane discovers one secret about Birch Grove, which only leads to more mysteries. What is she willing to sacrifice in order to stay at this school...and be bound to Birch Grove forever?

Comment: Firstly I love the cover! It has a dark mysterious look to it (probably helped by the word dark in the title :-p) combined with an unearthly quality that drew me to it.   The synopsis sounds interesting to but truthfully it's mostly the cover that has led this to be put on my wish list this week :-)

Storm (Elementals#1) by Brigid Kemmerer Publication date: 24 April 2012
Synopsis (via Goodreads):Earth, Fire, Air, Water – they have more power than you dream. Ever since her ex-boyfriend spread those lies about her, Becca Chandler is suddenly getting all the guys—all the ones she doesn't want. Then she saves Chris Merrick from a beating in the school parking lot. Chris is different. Way different: he can control water—just like his brothers can control fire, wind, and earth. They’re powerful. Dangerous. Marked for death. And now that she knows the truth, so is Becca. Secrets are hard to keep when your life’s at stake. When Hunter, the mysterious new kid around school, turns up with a talent for being in the wrong place at the right time, Becca thinks she can trust him. But then Hunter goes head-to-head with Chris, and Becca wonders who’s hiding the most dangerous truth of all. The storm is coming . . . Comment: This has been getting a number of good reviews all around the blogosphere and is the reason it is on the list this week. 



The Grave Witch by Kalayna Price
Publication Date: 5 October 2010
Synopsis (via Goodreads ):Grave witch Alex Craft can speak to the dead, but that doesn’t mean she likes what they have to say. As a private investigator and consultant for the police, Alex Craft has seen a lot of dark magic. But even though she’s on good terms with Death himself—who happens to look fantastic in a pair of jeans—nothing has prepared her for her latest case. Alex is investigating a high profile murder when she’s attacked by the ‘shade’ she’s raising, which should be impossible. To top off her day, someone makes a serious attempt on her life, but Death saves her. Guess he likes having her around... To solve this case Alex will have to team up with tough homicide detective Falin Andrews. Falin seems to be hiding something—though it’s certainly not his dislike of Alex—but Alex knows she needs his help to navigate the tangled webs of mortal and paranormal politics, and to track down a killer wielding a magic so malevolent, it may cost Alex her life...and her soul. Comment: This was recommended to me a while back and I still haven't gotten around to buying it. Worse still, they don't have it at my library so I can't borrow it either. I will read this eventually!



The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead Publication Date: 12 June 2012

Synopsis:The second thrilling installment in Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy spinoff series

Tough, brainy alchemist Sydney Sage and doe-eyed Moroi princess Jill Dragomir are in hiding at a human boarding school in the sunny, glamorous world of Palm Springs, California. The students--children of the wealthy and powerful--carry on with their lives in blissful ignorance, while Sydney, Jill, Eddie, and Adrian must do everything in their power to keep their secret safe. But with forbidden romances, unexpected spirit bonds, and the threat of Strigoi moving ever closer, hiding the truth is harder than anyone thought.

Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, Richelle Mead's breathtaking Bloodlines series explores all the friendship, romance, battles, and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive. In this second book, the drama is hotter, the romances are steamier, and the stakes are even higher.

Comment : So technically I have already pre-ordered this but since it doesn't come out till June 12 and  I WISH I COULD READ IT RIGHT NOW, I figure it belongs on my Wishlist :-p

So what has been added to your Wishlist this week?

Teaser Tuesday #24

Welcome to Teaser Tuesdays.





Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:


1. Grab your current read

2. Open to a random page

3. Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too muchaway! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

4. Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!





My current read is Kiss of Death by Rachel Caine and my two lines are from page 14:

Vassily was the name, which Claire made out only when she squinted at it. Small type. 'A vampire's teaching self-defence,' she said. 'To us. Humans"

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository | Galaxy Bookshop

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Teaser Tuesdays post, or share your ‘teasers’ in a comment here (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks!

In My Mailbox #21

Welcome to  In My Mailbox, a meme run by The Story Siren where each week over 200 bloggers post on their blogs the books they have bought, received to review or won in the past week. 

To find out more information, get involved yourself or see what's in other bloggers mailboxes this week head over to The Story Siren or to find out what is in my mailbox this week, keep reading.

Don't forget to comment and post your IMM link or just let me know what's in your mail box this week.

Not a bad little week this week.  Thought it was gonna end up being quiet but I ended up getting some really great titles this week so very excited!

Firstly thanks to Jessica from Crossroad Reviews who got me an awesome RAK gift:




Deadlocked by Charlaine Harris
The Selection by Keira Cass
Black Dawn by Rachel Caine
Above by Leah Bobet
Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin


For more information about RAK (Random Acts of Kindness ) and how you can get involved head over to BookSoulmates

Purchased

Until I Die by Amy Plum
City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare


So as you can see I have some awesome titles to start reading. What was in your mailbox this week?