Saturday 29 September 2012

In My Mailbox #39


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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.

Only a couple of new books this week but that's okay because it gave me time to get a lot of reading done.  Now look out this week when hopefully i can post the reviews for all the awesome books I read during the last week :)

Purchased:


So I was excited to receive the below book as it is the final book in the faerie path series.  However the rest of faerie path books I own are paperbacks and somehow I managed to order this in hardcover rather than paperback so there was a tiny bit of disappointment when I received it as now my series won't all be in the same style.  I know, first world problems, but either way can't wait to read this :-)



The Charmed Return (The Faerie Path #6) by Allan Frewin Jones


The thrilling conclusion to the Faerie Path series, in which Tania, the long-lost princess of Faerie, ultimately must choose between her two worlds.

She was once a princess of Faerie, the seventh daughter of King Oberon. But sixteen-year-old Anita Palmer wakes up in London with no memory of the Faerie Realm; her princess identity; her true love, Edric; or her quest to save Faerie from a deadly plague that ravaged it. Anita must reawaken Tania, her Faerie self…but how? And who can she trust when not even her memories are safe? Her quest leads to a thrilling final battle, with her own destiny—as well as the fate of both Faerie and the Mortal World—at stake.

Teen fairy books are more popular than ever, and the final book in the Faerie Path series is perfect for readers who are looking for action, romance, and adventure.

Purchase: Book Depository | Boomerang Books

Library:





Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

An new vision of knights, dragons, and the fair maiden caught in between . . .

Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty's anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high.

Seraphina Dombegh has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered—in suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the captain of the Queen's Guard, the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs. While they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life.

In her exquisite debut, Rachel Hartman creates a rich, complex, and utterly original world. Seraphina's tortuous journey to self-acceptance is one readers will remember long after they've turned the final page.

Purchase: Book Depository
So what was in your mailbox this week?

Monday 24 September 2012

Demons Blog Tour Stop: Review of Demons by Heather Frost




Welcome to today's tour stop on the Demons blog tour celebrating the release of book two in the Seers trilogy, Demons by Heather Frost.

Title: Demons
Author: Heather Frost


Published: 11 September 2012 by Cedar Fort
Source: Heather Frost
Reviewed: Sapphireddragon
SapphiredDragon Rating: *** 1/2




Kate’s life is far from normal. She can see auras, her boyfriend is immortal, and her powers make her a target. But now that the Demon Lord is hunting her, things are about to go from dangerous to truly deadly. Packed with action, mind-blowing plot twists, and characters you can’t get enough of, this is a fast-paced, heart-pounding read from cover to cover.

Review: 
Demons, with its awesome cover,  is a great follow on from Heather Frost's first novel Seers.  It picks up right after where Seers left off  answering questions we had from the previous novel i.e Who is the Demon Lord and why does he want Kate while also raising a whole new lot of questions and taking us on a new and exciting journey raising the stakes yet again.

While I love Kate as a heroine, she is strong, determined and compassionate, I also love her supporting cast: Patrick her Guardian and Protector willing to do anything to ensure her safety, her best friend Lee (who wouldn't want a loyal friend like Lee), her grandparents, and even her ex-boyfriend Aaron.  Ms Frost creates such great true to life supporting characters to give Kate the help she needs while still staying 3 dimensional and real.

I struggled a little in the beginning as I thought i could see where it was going and I struggled to keep my head in it but then somewhere along the way  the hook set in and I read quickly all the way to the finish finding that the story didn't go quite where I thought it was going to go after all, with some extra twists and turns ( some I saw, some I didn't) and that was a good thing as where it ended up was great ( at least story wise) .  A killer ending that wrapped up book two's story but set a great stage for Heather's third and final book.

Demons is definitely a worthy second instalment, and enjoyable read that has me now salivating to read the third and final instalment.  There a some parts you will see coming and others that you won't believe even after you have read them a couple of time.  It is these extra revelations and elements that have make this story a very worth 3 1/2 star read .

Can't wait to get my hands on book number 3!

Sapphired Dragon xx

Saturday 22 September 2012

In My Mailbox #38


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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.

Pretty good week this week.  Got some awesome titles.  Now I just need to read them. :-P

Also keep your eye out this week for a birthday giveaway (international) and tour stop for Heather Frost's new title Demons (Seers #2) on the 25th September.

Gifts:


It was my birthday yesterday and I got some awesome new books (Thanks Dad!).



Carnival of Souls by Melissa Marr


In a city of daimons, rigid class lines separate the powerful from the power-hungry. And at the heart of The City is the Carnival of Souls, where both murder and pleasure are offered up for sale. Once in a generation, the carnival hosts a deadly competition that allows every daimon a chance to join the ruling elite. Without the competition, Aya and Kaleb would both face bleak futures--if for different reasons. For each of them, fighting to the death is the only way to try to live.

All Mallory knows of The City is that her father--and every other witch there--fled it for a life in exile in the human world. Instead of a typical teenage life full of friends and maybe even a little romance, Mallory scans quiet streets for threats, hides herself away, and trains to be lethal. She knows it's only a matter of time until a daimon finds her and her father, so she readies herself for the inevitable. While Mallory possesses little knowledge of The City, every inhabitant of The City knows of her. There are plans for Mallory, and soon she, too, will be drawn into the decadence and danger that is the Carnival of Souls.

From Melissa Marr, bestselling author of the Wicked Lovely series and "Graveminder," comes a brand-new tale of lush secrets, dark love, and the struggle to forge one's own destiny.

Purchase: Book Depository

Changeling by Philippa Gregory

Dark myths, medieval secrets, intrigue, and romance populate the pages of the first-ever teen series from #1 bestselling author of The Other Boleyn Girl.Italy, 1453. Seventeen-year-old Luca Vero is brilliant, gorgeous—and accused of heresy. Cast out of his religious order for using the new science to question old superstitious beliefs, Luca is recruited into a secret sect: The Order of the Dragon, commissioned by Pope Nicholas V to investigate evil and danger in its many forms, and strange occurrences across Europe, in this year—the end of days.

Isolde is a seventeen-year-old girl shut up in a nunnery so she can’t inherit any of her father’s estate. As the nuns walk in their sleep and see strange visions, Isolde is accused of witchcraft—and Luca is sent to investigate her, but finds himself plotting her escape.

Despite their vows, despite themselves, love grows between Luca and Isolde as they travel across Europe with their faithful companions, Freize and Ishraq. The four young people encounter werewolves, alchemists, witches, and death-dancers as they head toward a real-life historical figure who holds the boundaries of Christendom and the secrets of the Order of the Dragon.

The first in a series, this epic and richly detailed drama is grounded in historical communities and their mythic beliefs. It includes a medieval map of Europe that will track their journey; and the interior will include relevant decorative elements as well as an interior line illustration. And look for a QR code that links to a note from the author with additional, detailed information about the setting and the history that informed the writing. With Philippa Gregory’s trademark touch, this novel deftly brings the past—and its salacious scandals—vividly and disturbingly to life.

Purchase: Book Depository

Endless (The Violet Eden Chapters #4) by Jessica Shirvington

Angels are real. They aren't always kind. Violet Eden is certain of all this because she is Grigori - part angel, part human. She has felt the influence of both light and dark.

When Hell unleashes its worst, Violet must embrace every facet of her angel self to save the people she cares about and the world as she knows it. But death is not the worst thing that Violet will face. For her, the endless question 'Can love conquer all?' will finally be answered.

Purchase: Boomerang Books

Library:

Finally got my hands on a couple of books I have been wanting to read for a while :)



Underworld (Abandon trilogy #2) by Meg Cabot

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.

Purchase: Book Depository

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

The New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments continues—and so do the thrills and danger for Jace, Clary, and Simon.

What price is too high to pay, even for love? When Jace and Clary meet again, Clary is horrified to discover that the demon Lilith’s magic has bound her beloved Jace together with her evil brother Sebastian, and that Jace has become a servant of evil. The Clave is out to destroy Sebastian, but there is no way to harm one boy without destroying the other. As Alec, Magnus, Simon, and Isabelle wheedle and bargain with Seelies, demons, and the merciless Iron Sisters to try to save Jace, Clary plays a dangerous game of her own. The price of losing is not just her own life, but Jace’s soul. She’s willing to do anything for Jace, but can she still trust him? Or is he truly lost?

Love. Blood. Betrayal. Revenge. Darkness threatens to claim the Shadowhunters in the harrowing fifth book of the Mortal Instruments series.

Purchase: Book Depository

So what was in your mailbox this week?

Saturday 15 September 2012

In My Mailbox #37


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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.

Huge week this week.  Still not requesting anything new tjat i have not already committed to earlier in the year (if that makes sense) but have bought a few, had a pre-order arrive and gone a little wild at the library so once again there are many many more books to read and oh so little time but i will have fun trying to make more reading time and hopefully post a few more reviews this week :)

For Review (Courtesy of HarlequinTeen Australia)




ARC of The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa


Don't look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.That is Ethan Chase's unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he'd dare to fall for.

Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister's world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myth and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten.

Pre-Order: Book Depository

Covet by Melissa Darnell

Savannah Colbert knows she broke up with Tristan Coleman for the right reasons. Most of all, to keep from killing him with her new vampire abilities. But try telling her heart that…

Now, lost in a sea of hostile Clann faces, Sav tries to come to terms with what she's becoming and what that means for her future. And that someone is doing their best to bully her into making a terrible mistake.

Tristan can't believe Sav won't even talk to him. If being apart is her decision, fine. Just don't expect him to honour it. But even as he prepares to fight for the girl he loves, forces beyond their control take them in directions neither could have foreseen, prepared for...or possibly withstand.

A reckoning is coming...and not everyone will survive.

Pre-Order: Book Depository

Purchased:


You would not be mistaken in thinking you saw a couple of the next titles in the library portion of last week's In My Mailbox.  How ever the library only has the first three of each series and my local bookstore had them for $2.50 each plus i also found book 5.  Perfect excuse to collect my own copy of the remainder of each series :)




The Lost Queen (Faerie Path #2) by Allan Frewin Jones

Tania is a princess of Faerie.

And now she must return to the Mortal World.

Once upon a time, Tania was an ordinary girl. But then she was swept into another world, where she was the long-lost princess of the elegant and magical court of Faerie, and only she could save the court from great peril.

Now Tania--and her true love, Edric--will go back to the Mortal Realm to seek Queen Titania, lost hundreds of years ago while searching for Tania.

Their return leads to struggles with Tania's much-loved mortal parents and friends as she and Edric try to conceal their secret. But much more serious dangers lurk: The sinister Lord Drake is not yet defeated, they are pursued by dark supernatural forces, and Tania's two worlds are about to collide in amazing and frightening ways she never could have anticipated.

Purchase: Book Depository

The Enchanted Quest (Faerie Path #5) by Allan Frewin Jones

Far from the Realm of Faerie, a quest to save immortality . . .

A deadly plague is sweeping through Faerie, and no one is immune to its bite. Now, with the guidance of the Dream Weaver, Tania, Rathina, and a mortal ally, Connor, must head off to find the Divine Harper--the only one who can help Tania renew the Faerie Covenant of Immortality. Their quest will soon take them outside the borders of Faerie, to hostile and unwelcoming lands beyond.

On their travels, Tania and her companions encounter danger at every turn as they battle pirates, contend with mysterious and mystical beings, and try to outwit those under the sinister grip of the Dark Arts. But when Tania's beloved Edric appears, it looks as if they have help at last. Or do they? As tensions and dangers rise, Tania is forced to question everything and everyone around her in order to decide if she is prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice to save her loved ones.

Purchase: Book Depository

Destiny's Path (Warrior Princess #2) by Allan Frewin Jones

Her destiny must be fulfilled . . .

Branwen refuses to take orders from anyone--even the Shining Ones, the ancient gods whose power is feared throughout the land. They want her as their Chosen One, destined to save her country from the Saxons. But Branwen doubts she's truly ready to be a leader.

Then a messenger from the skies shows her a vision of a bleak and violent future--a future in which Branwen has abandoned her destiny, and those most dear to her suffer unspeakable horrors. There's a blurry line between good and evil, and those Branwen trusts the most are capable of the greatest betrayal. The Shining Ones have spoken. Will Branwen answer their call?

Purchase: Book Depository

The following title was pre-ordered in June or July, whenever I finished reading Sweet Venom. It finally came out at the beginning of the month and arrived in my mailbox this week :)



Sweet Shadows by Tera Lynn Childs


Gretchen may have known she was a descendant of Medusa long before her sisters--after all, she's spent her life fighting the monsters that escape the abyss--but that doesn't mean it will be easy to teach the other girls the ropes.

Greer has pressing social commitments on her plate and precious little time to train in her newfound powers. But that wretched second sight won't leave her alone, and her fabled heritage seems to be creeping into her fashionable life.

Grace has worries closer to home--like why her brother, Thane, has disappeared. He's hiding something. Could it possibly be related to the secret heritage the triplets share?

Purchase: Book Depository

Library:

I have heard good things about the next series so finally borrowed it to have a read :)



Embrace (The Violet Eden Chapters #1) by Jessica Shirvington

It starts with a whisper: “It’s time for you to know who you are…”

Violet Eden dreads her seventeenth birthday. After all, it’s hard to get too excited about the day that marks the anniversary of your mother’s death. As if that wasn’t enough, disturbing dreams haunt her sleep and leave her with very real injuries. There’s a dark tattoo weaving its way up her arms that wasn’t there before.

Violet is determined to get some answers, but nothing could have prepared her for the truth. The guy she thought she could fall in love with has been keeping his identity a secret: he’s only half-human—oh, and same goes for her.

A centuries-old battle between fallen angels and the protectors of humanity has chosen its new warrior. It’s a fight Violet doesn’t want, but she lives her life by two rules: don’t run and don’t quit. When angels seek vengeance and humans are the warriors, you could do a lot worse than betting on Violet Eden…

Purchase: Book Depository

Enticed (The Violet Eden Chapters #2) by Jessica Shirvington

Violet Eden is Grigori - part angel, part human. Her destiny is to protect humans from the vengence of exiled angels.
Knowing who to trust is key but, when Grigori reinforcements arrive, it becomes clear everyone is hiding something. Even Lincoln. The only thing Violet does know: Phoenix's hold over her is more dangerous than ever.
The race to find the one thing that could tilt the balance of power brings them all to the sacred mountains of Jordan, where Violet's power will be pushed to the extreme. And the ultimate betrayal exposed.

Enticed (now retitled ENTICE) is the second compelling book in The Violet Eden Chapters.

Purchase: Book Depository

Emblaze (The Violet Eden Chapters #3) by Jessica Shirvington

Once again Violet Eden faces an impossible choice ... and the consequences are unimaginable.

Violet has come to terms with the fact that being part angel, part human, means her life will never be as it was.

Now Violet has something Phoenix - the exiled angel who betrayed her - will do anything for, and she has no intention of letting it fall into his hands. The only problem is that he has something she needs too.

Not afraid to raise the stakes, Phoenix seemingly holds all the power, always one step ahead. And when he puts the final pieces of the prophecy together, it doesn't take him long to realise exactly who he needs in order to open the gates of Hell.

With the help of surprising new allies, ancient prophecies are deciphered, a destination set and, after a shattering confrontation with her father, Violet leaves for the islands of Greece without knowing if she will have a home to return to...

Purchase: Book Depository




Infinity (Chronicles of Nick #1) by Sherrilyn Kenyon


At fourteen, Nick Gautier thinks he knows everything about the world around him. Streetwise, tough and savvy, his quick sarcasm is the stuff of legends. . .until the night when his best friends try to kill him. Saved by a mysterious warrior who has more fighting skills than Chuck Norris, Nick is sucked into the realm of the Dark-Hunters: immortal vampire slayers who risk everything to save humanity.

Nick quickly learns that the human world is only a veil for a much larger and more dangerous one: a world where the captain of the football team is a werewolf and the girl he has a crush on goes out at night to stake the undead.

But before he can even learn the rules of this new world, his fellow students are turning into flesh eating zombies. And he's next on the menu.

As if starting high school isn't hard enough. . .now Nick has to hide his new friends from his mom, his chainsaw from the principal, and keep the zombies and the demon Simi from eating his brains, all without getting grounded or suspended. How in the world is he supposed to do that?

Purchase: Book Depository

Faery Tales & Nightmares by Melissa Marr

Dangerous promises and beguiling threats swirl together in a dozen stories of enchantments dark and light by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Marr. Uncanny and unexpected creatures appear from behind bushes, rise from beneath the seas, or manifest from seasonal storms to pursue the objects of their attention—with amorous or sinister intent—relentlessly.

From the gentle tones of a storyteller’s cadences to the terror of a blood sacrifice, tales of favorite characters from Marr’s Wicked Lovely novels mix with accounts of new characters for readers to fall in love with...or to fear.

Lush, seductive, and chilling, Melissa Marr’s stories revel in the unseen magic that infuses the world as we know it.

Table of Contents:
"Where Nightmares Walk"
"Winter's Kiss" (Fairy Tales)
"Transition" (Vampires)
"Love Struck" (Selchies)
"Old Habits" (WL World)
"Stopping Time" (WL World)
"The Art of Waiting"
"Flesh for Comfort"
"The Sleeping Girl and the Summer King" (WL World-ish, the short story that started the series)
"Cotton Candy Skies" (WL World)
"Unexpected Family" (WL World)
"Merely Mortal" (WL World)

Purchase: Book Depository

So what was in your mailbox this week?

Saturday 8 September 2012

In My Mailbox #36


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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 I have currently banned myself from buying any books or requesting any from Netgalley/Edelweiss until I catch up with my current reading and reviewing though I still keep making it to the library...OOPS.  This is what I have picked up over the last two weeks.





Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins


Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris - until she meets Etienne St. Clair: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home. As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near - misses end with the French kiss Anna - and readers - have long awaited?

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit—more sparkly, more fun, more wild—the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.

When Cricket—a gifted inventor—steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

The Book of Blood and Shadow by Robin Wasserman

It was like a nightmare, but there was no waking up. When the night began, Nora had two best friends and an embarrassingly storybook one true love. When it ended, she had nothing but blood on her hands and an echoing scream that stopped only when the tranquilizers pierced her veins and left her in the merciful dark.
But the next morning, it was all still true: Chris was dead. His girlfriend Adriane, Nora's best friend, was catatonic. And Max, Nora's sweet, smart, soft-spoken Prince Charming, was gone. He was also--according to the police, according to her parents, according to everyone--a murderer.

Desperate to prove his innocence, Nora follows the trail of blood, no matter where it leads. It ultimately brings her to the ancient streets of Prague, where she is drawn into a dark web of secret societies and shadowy conspirators, all driven by a mad desire to possess something that might not even exist. For buried in a centuries-old manuscript is the secret to ultimate knowledge and communion with the divine; it is said that he who controls the Lumen Dei controls the world. Unbeknownst to her, Nora now holds the crucial key to unlocking its secrets. Her night of blood is just one piece in a puzzle that spans continents and centuries. Solving it may be the only way she can save her own life.






The Faerie Path (Faerie Path #1) by Allan Frewin Jones


Swept away into a court of magic and beauty, she discovers she is Tania, the lost princess of Faerie: the youngest daughter of Oberon and Titania. Since Tania's mysterious disappearance on the eve of her wedding five hundred years before, Faerie has been sunk in darkness and gloom. The courtly Lord Gabriel Drake, who Tania was once to marry, has found her and brought her back.

With Tania's return, Faerie comes alive again as a land of winged children, glittering balls, and fantastic delights. But Tania can't forget Anita's world, or the boy she loved there.

Torn between two loves and between two worlds, Tania slowly comes to discover why she disappeared so long ago. She possesses a singular magical ability and she must use it to stop a sinister plan that threatens the entire world of Faerie.

The Lost Queen (Faerie Path #2) by Allan Frewin Jones

Tania is a princess of Faerie.

And now she must return to the Mortal World.

Once upon a time, Tania was an ordinary girl. But then she was swept into another world, where she was the long-lost princess of the elegant and magical court of Faerie, and only she could save the court from great peril.

Now Tania--and her true love, Edric--will go back to the Mortal Realm to seek Queen Titania, lost hundreds of years ago while searching for Tania.

Their return leads to struggles with Tania's much-loved mortal parents and friends as she and Edric try to conceal their secret. But much more serious dangers lurk: The sinister Lord Drake is not yet defeated, they are pursued by dark supernatural forces, and Tania's two worlds are about to collide in amazing and frightening ways she never could have anticipated.

The Sorceror King (Faerie Path #3) by Allan Frewin Jones

Tania has brought the long-lost Queen Titania back to Faerie from the Mortal World of modern London. But when they cross between the worlds, they find only devastation.

The Sorcerer King of Lyonesse--ancient enemy of the Faerie Court--has been released from his amber prison. As the wicked sorcerer regains his power, King Oberon, Tania's father, is imprisoned and the Faerie Court is being destroyed.

Tania and her true love, Edric, must travel the Realm to try to find and rescue King Oberon, who is their only hope for defeating the evil Sorcerer King. And Tania must prepare for battle . . . and to fight a war that she may not survive.






Warrior Princess (Warrior Princess #1) by Allan Frewin Jones


"you can be a warrior, if you choose to be."

It takes just a moment for fifteen-year-old Branwen's life to change forever. In the blink of an eye the Saxons attack and her brother is killed. Almost as quickly, she is sent away from her home to a neighboring stronghold where she'll be safe from harm. Now Branwen lives as a princess should--surrounded by exquisite things and lavish quarters. But deep down remains the soul of a warrior.

Just when Branwen is sure she has been pushed to her limits, a chance encounter with a mystical woman in white forces her to question everything--and everyone--around her. With no time to lose, Branwen must make a choice: continue in the path her parents intended for her . . . or step into the role of true Warrior Princess.

Destiny's Path (Warrior Princess #2) by Allan Frewin Jones

Her destiny must be fulfilled . . .

Ranwen refuses to take orders from anyone--even the Shining Ones, the ancient gods whose power is feared throughout the land. They want her as their Chosen One, destined to save her country from the Saxons. But Branwen doubts she's truly ready to be a leader.

Then a messenger from the skies shows her a vision of a bleak and violent future--a future in which Branwen has abandoned her destiny, and those most dear to her suffer unspeakable horrors. There's a blurry line between good and evil, and those Branwen trusts the most are capable of the greatest betrayal. The Shining Ones have spoken. Will Branwen answer their call?

The Emerald Flame (Warrior Princess #3) by Allan Frewin Jones

THE EMERALD FLAME OF HER PEOPLE

Branwen has finally accepted that the Shining Ones have chosen her to save her country from the Saxon invaders. But the next stage in her journey includes a seemingly impossible mission, and the path before her is filled with darkness and danger. Branwen, and with each step she takes, she is being pulled farther from the life she once knew - the life she still desperately misses.
Guided by the spirits, with both her fearless friend Rhodri and the dashing, sometimes maddening Iwan by her side, Branwen must overcome terrifying odds if she is to succeed in her quest. But a true Warrior Princess won't back down... even when an old enemy returns.

"Do you not perceive the truth yet, Warrior Child? There have been no loose threads in the pattern of you life: All that has happened to you is but part of the same great design. All that you bear has its own purpose, its own part to play."
Branwen gasped at her. "Have you been haunting my family's steps from before I was born?" she exclaimed. "Has there been no moments of my life free of your wiles and your ruses and intrigues?"
Merion shook her head. "You do not listen, Warrior Child," she rebuked her. "It is not we who chose you; it its not we who wove the tapestry of your fate. It is She!"

Caradoc of the North Wind (Warrior Princess #4) by Allan Frewin Jones

HOW FAR CAN THE BONDS OF LOYALTY BE STRETCHED?
As the war with the Saxons reaches its darkest hour, Branwen is taking on 'suicidal' missions. Disaster strikes, and a valued friend suffers a devastating injury, testing the loyalty of her band of followers to the limit. Branwen must trust in the power of her destiny more than ever - and when she discovers her greatest ally has entered a secret alliance with her greatest enemy, she decides enough is enough.
But a deadly trap awaits, and Branwen finds herself the prized prisoner of a man half-blinded by a thirst for revenge ...




So what was in your mailbox this week?

Thursday 6 September 2012

Q & A: Speechless Author Hannah Harrington + Giveaway

Today, Realm of the Sapphired Dragon welcomes author Hannah Harrington for a Q & A on her latest book Speechless released by HarlequinTeen on August 29th 2012.  Find my review of this awesome novel here and don't forget to enter the giveaway for your own copy of speechless at the end of this post

Everyone knows that Chelsea Knot can't keep a secret.

Until now. Because the last secret she shared turned her into a social outcast--and nearly got someone killed.

Now Chelsea's has taken a vow of silence--to learn to keep her mouth shut, and to stop hurting everyone else. And if she thinks keeping secrets if hard, not speaking up when she's ignored, ridiculed and even attacked is worse.

But there's strength in silence, and in new friends who are, shockingly, coming her way. People she never noticed before. A boy she might even fall for. If only her new friends can forgive what she's done. If only she can forgive herself.

5 Questions answered by Hannah Harrington

1. You deal with some big issues in this book: homophobia, bullying. What inspired you to write this story?

I just had the initial thought of writing a story about someone who decided to take an oath of silence. Once I had that idea, I started thinking about what kind of person would have the hardest time doing that, and why someone would do it at all, and from there the story sort of built around itself. I didn't set out to write an "issue" book, but the homophobia and bullying elements seemed like natural elements to the central conflict when I started weaving it together.

2. Chelsea takes a vow of silence to teach herself to think about what comes out of her mouth. Have you ever done anything to teach yourself a lesson you thought you should learn?

This is a good question! There have been times I think where I've purposefully modified my behavior for the better. When I was a teen I was a lot more... careless with some of the things I said-- the language I used-- not really thinking of the problematic implications of gendered slurs and such. I really worked hard to avoid using certain words in that context, like really just biting my tongue and racking my brain for the appropriate word instead of the bad one, until it came second nature to omit them completely from my vocabulary. 

3. If Asha was to knit you a scarf, what colours would it be?

I really love black and silver as a combination. I would love a scarf in those colors!


4. Which character do you think you are most like? Why?

This is a tough one! I don't feel I overly identify with any of the characters in Speechless (as much as I love them). I think if I had been in the same situation the characters are, I would be most like Andy. Loyalty is very important to me and I don't take it lightly.

5. Can you describe Spechless in three words?

Words have power!

Speechless will be available from 29 August online at Harlequin www.harlequinbooks.com.au and in bookstores nationally for RRP AUS $19.99.


Win your own copy of Speechless

Competition Rules:

1. You must reside in Australia
2. You must be 13 years or over
3. If you win, you must reply to my email within 48 hours



a Rafflecopter giveaway





Monday 3 September 2012

Teaser Tuesday #36




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 Black Dawn by Rachel Caine and my two lines are from page 60:
I just didn't know what that was, but I was afraid...afraid that it wasn't love any more.


With its eclectic mix of vampire and human citizens, Morganville, Texas, has always been a risky place to call home. But with the invasion of the vampire’s deadliest enemy, Morganville isn’t just in danger—it’s dying…

Ever since the draug—mysterious creatures that prey on vampires—took over Morganville, the lives of student Claire Danvers and her friends have been thrown into turmoil. Most of the town’s residents have evacuated, but Claire, Shane, Eve and Michael have chosen to stay and fight.Using the city’s water system to spread, the draug have rapidly multiplied. Things in Morganville look grim, especially since vampire Amelie—the town founder—has been infected by the master draug’s bite.

Now, if Claire and her friends don’t figure out how to cure Amelie and defeat the draug, it looks like Morganville will become little more than a ghost town…


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!