Tuesday 27 August 2013

Waiting on Wednesday #1: Altered by Gennifer Albin


Welcome to my first Waiting on Wednesday post!  Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly featured hosted by Breaking the Spine to spotlight the not yet released books that I wish were in my hot little hands right now.

This week, the release that I am anxiously waiting on is:


Altered (Crewel World #2) by Gennifer Albin

Life. Possibility. Choice.
All taken from Adelice by the Guild—until she took them back.

But amid the splendid ruins of Earth, Adelice discovers how dangerous freedom can be. Hunted by soulless Remnants sent by Cormac Patton and the Guild, Adelice finds a world that’s far from deserted. Although allies are easy to find on Earth, knowing who to trust isn’t. Because everyone has secrets, especially those Adelice loves most. Secrets they would kill to protect. Secrets that will redefine each of them. Torn between two brothers and two worlds, Adelice must choose what to fight for.

In this thrilling sequel to Crewel, Adelice is about to learn how tangled up her past and future really are. Her parents ran to protect her, but nothing can save her from her destiny, and once she uncovers the truth, it will change everything.



Publication Date: 29 October 2013

Pre-Order:Book Depository

Comment: I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the first book in this series so I cannot wait to find out what happens next.

What book are you 'waiting on' this week?




Friday 23 August 2013

Stacking the Shelves #7


Welcome to  Stacking The Shelves!  Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga Reviews and is a meme to share those books, both print and e-book, that have been added to your shelves in the last week/s.

Pretty big week this week both in review books and purchased books.  Gotta a lot of reading in front of me in the next few weeks.  So excited :0)

Review (Thanks to HarlequinTeen & Harlequin Mira):


Consume (The Clann  #3) by Melissa Darnell

Tristan Coleman has survived the change from Clann magic user to vampire, much to Savannah Colbert's joy—and despair. By changing the Clann's golden boy and newly elected leader, even to save him from death, she has unleashed a fury of hatred and fear that they cannot escape.

As the Clann and the vampire council go to war, Tristan and Sav face a new threat—a fracturing of the all-consuming bond they share. To fight for peace, they must forge a new trust and risk everything to take down their deadliest enemy, even as they must run for their lives. Soon they will learn that some bonds are stronger than love—and some battles cannot be won without sacrifice.




The Returned (The Returned #1) by Jason Mott


Jacob was time out of sync, time more perfect than it had been. He was life the way it was supposed to be all those years ago. That's what all the Returned were.

Harold and Lucille Hargrave's lives have been both joyful and sorrowful in the decades since their only son, Jacob, died tragically at his eighth birthday party in 1966. In their old age they've settled comfortably into life without him, their wounds tempered through the grace of time ... Until one day Jacob mysteriously appears on their doorstep—flesh and blood, their sweet, precocious child, still eight years old.

All over the world people's loved ones are returning from beyond. No one knows how or why this is happening, whether it's a miracle or a sign of the end. Not even Harold and Lucille can agree on whether the boy is real or a wondrous imitation, but one thing they know for sure: he's their son. As chaos erupts around the globe, the newly reunited Hargrave family finds itself at the center of a community on the brink of collapse, forced to navigate a mysterious new reality and a conflict that threatens to unravel the very meaning of what it is to be human.

With spare, elegant prose and searing emotional depth, award-winning poet Jason Mott explores timeless questions of faith and morality, love and responsibility. A spellbinding and stunning debut, The Returned is an unforgettable story that marks the arrival of an important new voice in contemporary fiction.



The Chieftain's Curse  by Frances Housden


Euan McArthur is a chieftain in need of an heir.

While still a young a warrior, Euan incites the fury of a witch. She retaliates with a curse that no wife will ever bear him an heir. As he buries his third wife and yet another bonnie stillborn son, Euan can no longer cast her words aside.

Morag Farquhar is a woman in need of sanctuary. With a young relative in tow, Morag flees the only home she has ever known to escape her brother, Baron of Wolfsdale, and find sanctuary in the MacArthur stronghold. Pronounced barren by a midwife, Morag is of little value to her family, but a Godsend to Euan, a lover he can’t kill by getting with child.

Years ago, chance drew them together, and tangled their lives in ways they could never have imagined. This time their destiny lies in their own hands, but it will take courage and strong hearts to see it through to the end


Purchased:( Print Books):



Crewel (Crewel World #1) by Gennifer Albin

Incapable. Awkward. Artless.
That’s what the other girls whisper behind her back. But sixteen-year-old Adelice Lewys has a secret: She wants to fail.

Gifted with the ability to weave time with matter, she’s exactly what the Guild is looking for, and in the world of Arras, being chosen to work the looms is everything a girl could want. It means privilege, eternal beauty, and being something other than a secretary. It also means the power to manipulate the very fabric of reality. But if controlling what people eat, where they live, and how many children they have is the price of having it all, Adelice isn’t interested.

Not that her feelings matter, because she slipped and used her hidden talent for a moment. Now she has one hour to eat her mom’s overcooked pot roast. One hour to listen to her sister’s academy gossip and laugh at her dad’s jokes. One hour to pretend everything’s okay. And one hour to escape.

Because tonight, they’ll come for her.




A Beautiful Dark (A Beautiful Dark #1) by Joscelyn Davies

On the night of Skye’s seventeenth birthday, she meets two enigmatic strangers. Complete opposites—like fire and ice—Asher is dark and wild, while Devin is fair and aloof. Their sudden appearance sends Skye’s life into a tailspin. She has no idea what they want, or why they seem to follow her every move—only that their presence coincides with a flurry of strange events. Soon she begins to doubt not just the identity of the two boys, but also the truth about her own past.

In the dead of a bitingly cold Colorado winter, Skye finds herself coming to terms with the impossible secret that threatens to shatter her world. Torn between Asher, who she can’t help falling for, and Devin, who she can’t stay away from, the consequences of Skye’s choice will reach further than the three of them could ever imagine.

A Beautiful Dark is the first book in a captivating trilogy by debut author Jocelyn Davies.


Unbreakable (Unraveling #2) by Elizabeth Norris

24 meets the X Files in the amazing follow up to Unravelling.

Four months after Ben disappeared through the portal to his home universe, Janelle believes she’ll never see him again. Her world is still devastated, but civilisation is slowly rebuilding, and life is finally starting to resume some kind of normality. Until Interverse agent Taylor Barclay shows up. He’s got a problem, and he needs Janelle’s help. Somebody from an alternate universe is running a human trafficking ring – kidnapping people and selling them on different Earths. And Ben, with his unique abilities, is the prime suspect. To make things worse, Janelle learns that someone she cares about – someone from her own world – has become one of the missing.

Now Janelle has five days to track down the real culprit. Five days to locate the missing people before they’re lost forever. Five days to reunite with the boy who stole her heart. Can she uncover the truth before everyone she cares about is killed?

In this heart-pounding sequel to Unravelling, author Elizabeth Norris explores the sacrifices we make to save the people we love and the worlds we’ll travel to find them.


So what did you add to your shelves this week?



Saturday 17 August 2013

Stacking The Shelves #6


Welcome to  Stacking The Shelves!  Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga Reviews and is a meme to share those books, both print and e-book, that have been added to your shelves in the last week/s.

Not a huge week but what it lacked in quantity, it definitely made up for in quality.  One book I have been dying to read for months and one that I had been meaning to read pretty much since it came out last year :-)

Purchased:(Print Books):

I loved the Hex Hall series, of which this is a spin off so I  have been dying to read this book pretty much since i first heard it had been written and was due to be released.  Ordered it a couple of weeks ago and it finally arrived this week.  Can't wait to get stuck in to it.

School Spirits (School Spirits  #2) by Rachel Hawkins

Fifteen-year-old Izzy Brannick was trained to fight monsters. For centuries, her family has hunted magical creatures. But when Izzy’s older sister vanishes without a trace while on a job, Izzy's mom decides they need to take a break.

Izzy and her mom move to a new town, but they soon discover it’s not as normal as it appears. A series of hauntings has been plaguing the local high school, and Izzy is determined to prove her worth and investigate. But assuming the guise of an average teenager is easier said than done. For a tough girl who's always been on her own, it’s strange to suddenly make friends and maybe even have a crush.

Can Izzy trust her new friends to help find the secret behind the hauntings before more people get hurt?

Rachel Hawkins' delightful spin-off brings the same wit and charm as the New York Times best-selling Hex Hall series. Get ready for more magic, mystery and romance!


Purchased:(E-Books):

I actually already have a hardback copy of this book but couldn't resist when I heard it was only $0.99 on itunes this week.  it also motivated me to finally get off my butt and read it ( and enjoy it) - review to come


Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1) by Sarah J Maas

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom.

Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another.

Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.


So what did you add to your shelves this week?

Wednesday 14 August 2013

Authors ARE Rockstars Tour Stop : Interview with Claudia Gray & Giveaway


Welcome to today's Authors ARE Rockstars tour stop hosted by Fiktshun, Two Chicks on Books and Magical Urban Fantasy Reads.  Today I am extremely excited to be hosting the awesome Claudia Gray.

Claudia Gray is a rock star for so many reasons!  First of all, she writes about about awesome, interesting and unusual topics like werewolves on the Titanic, ghosts and vampires, witches and dark evil curses. She writes stories that you can't put down and characters that you still think about once the story is read and finished.  She interacts constantly with fans via twitter, tumblr and Pinterest and through conventions and book signings. She was also lovely enough to sign my books in March 2012 when she toured Australia and pose for a photo with a heavily pregnant (translation - 1 week overdue) fangirl like myself. 



By the way, I still believe my daughter chose to arrive into the world a week and a half late so that I could indeed make Claudia's book signing.

I could keep fangirling on but as the rock star of the day is Claudia Gray so without further ado


THE INTERVIEW



Firstly, thank you so much for your time to answer these questions. In your bio it mentions you like to read.  What sort of books do you like to read? 

Better to ask what kinds of books I don't like to read, though that too is a difficult answer. (Westerns, I guess?) I really read a lot of everything -- lots of YA, some middle grade, adult literary and genre fiction, and nonfiction on a lot of topics, especially history and science. My last three books were THE PLANTAGENETS by Dan Jones, a history of the English kings of the Middle Ages; MILA 2.0 by Debra Driza, a scifi YA thriller, and THE THINKING WOMAN's GUIDE TO REAL MAGIC by Emily Croy Barker, an adult literary novel with plenty of paranormal elements. So you can see I'm all over the place!

I am currently reading Spellcaster and enjoying it so far. I particularly love Verlaine and think 
there is more to her than meets the eye or has been appreciated by the people of Captive's sound previously.  So I was glad to hear that she will be getting her own love story later in the series and a chance for someone to appreciate her in her own right. Did you have much of her story already when you started writing this series or did her story unfold more as you wrote it.?

I'm so glad to hear that you are enjoying SPELLCASTER, and especially Verlaine! She does indeed emerge as more of a co-lead than a sidekick in future books, even appearing on the cover of Spring 2014's STEADFAST. As for how much I knew about her in advance -- I knew the basics about what had happened to her. Also, the SPELLCASTER series is much more of an ensemble piece than anything else I've written, so I always planned to expand her story. But she is definitely the character I've learned the most about while writing -- and while I anticipated some of the love story that emerges in STEADFAST, I never dreamed where Verlaine would wind up in the finale, SORCERESS!

The Spellcaster novella Elizabeth due out in November will this be a prequel to Spellcaster? 

The novella will indeed be a prequel to SPELLCASTER, as it takes place before the book begins. Nearly 400 YEARS before.

What can you tell us about Steadfast and the remainder of the Spellcaster series? 

I can tell you that the stakes get higher, and higher, and higher. That Nadia and Mateo remain deeply in love but find themselves profoundly at odds about how best to stand against the One Beneath. That Verlaine's love affair is going to be just as passionate as theirs (if not more?) -- and that Elizabeth hasn't given up.

Can you tell us more about the panels you were on at Comic Con : Paranormal Passions & Harper Epic Reads Publisher Preview? How did they go? Did you get to see the reunion panel for the X-files or the one for the Tomorrow people? 

The Comic-Con panels were fantastic! I loved meeting so many authors there, like Lauren Kate and Tahereh Mafi, and catching up with my friend Aprilynne Pike. The audiences were incredibly engaged and asked terrific questions about the role romance plays in our novels, about how we work, and what "destiny" means to each of us. Comic-Con, overall, was AMAZING and I hope to return!

What is your favorite part of participating in conventions and/or tours? What is your least favorite?  

My favorite part of traveling for the books is meeting readers, authors, librarians, teachers and booksellers in person. My least favorite? 4 a.m. pick-up times for early flights!

You seem to have done a fair bit of travelling with tours for your book.  You came to Australia in March 2012 ( where I was lucky enough to meet you in person in Sydney ) for the release of Balthazar.  Do you have a favourite place you have visited and what is the most memorable? 

Gosh, there are so many. I LOVED Australia, every single stop. The Madrid Book Fair is an awe-inspiring sight -- thousands upon thousands of book fans gathered together every day for a month! So is La Diada de St. Jordi in Barcelona - where everyone sets out to buy the people they love flowers and books from vendors who line every street. Remini in Italy, Guadalajara in Mexico, and all the places I went in South America (Argentina, Colombia, and Ecuador so far!): each was incredible in its own way. I hope I get to keep on traveling. :D

When you start writing a book that is to become part of a series how far ahead have you planned before you start writing and at which stage do you come up with your titles? 

How far do I plan ahead? So far, it's varied quite a lot. With the EVERNIGHT series I did tons of advance planning; with the SPELLCASTER series, I plotted out the major story arcs but left lots of room for invention; and with my upcoming FIREBIRD series, I am working with a general framework but discovering more as I go. I remain an outliner, because I have to know my characters, what's at stake for them and where I'm headed. (My wild need to get to my endings is always the part that keeps me going!) But as I write more books, it seems that I feel freer to build the larger arc of my story as I go. (Of course, as soon as I've said that, I'll come up with a series that I absolutely have to plan out from scratch; every book is different, and every series too.)

How do you feel when finishing up a series?  Are you sad to be leaving your characters and the world they live in or relieved you are leaving them where they should be?

 I've only finished one series so far - the EVERNIGHT series -- and while I still miss those characters sometimes, mostly I'm happy to wound up their story in a way that gave them all the futures they deserved and needed. This fall I'll finish the SPELLCASTER series, and I wonder whether it's going to feel the same; ask me again next year, and we'll see.

At the time of writing these questions, you have just finished up the first draft our the first novel in the Firebird series.  Can you tell us more about this series?  

So glad you asked about FIREBIRD! The first book -- title still not announced, but any day now -- is about Marguerite, the daughter of two famous scientists, who is chasing her father's killer through alternate dimensions. But traveling through dimensions isn't like walking through a door; instead you appear within the other version of yourself who lives in that world, taking on some of their memories and emotions along with your own. So in each world, Marguerite discovers not only another universe but also another person she might be ... as well as alternate versions of her family, her friends, the guy who's courageously joined her on the journey, and the killer himself. She learns that the truth behind the crime, and her heart, may be far more complex than she'd ever dreamed.

This is really a "book of my heart," as we say, so I am so, so excited to get it out to you guys in fall 2014! There are going to be lots of novellas and tie-in stories, too, so keep an eye out. 

You are across a number of different social media platforms, twitter, tumblr, Pinterest etc How important a part of your author life does this play? How much do you think this has impacted the way you interact with your fans? 

Embarrassingly, I fear my social media presence is all too accurate a window into my real personality. Yes, I am really that into James McAvoy and pugs. I do love interacting with readers, especially because avenues like Twitter, Tumblr and Pinterest make it possible for us to fangirl together over the stuff we all enjoy. That is the most fun. And since I've started watching movies "on" Twitter with fans, that is fast becoming my absolute favorite. (August's movie = "Moulin Rouge." I think "Mean Girls" is up for September, and for October & Halloween, maybe a Harry Potter film?) I love hanging out together for a film!

What's next for Claudia Gray?  Further work on the Spellcaster or Firebird series' or a totally new project? 

Next up for me is SORCERESS, the third and final book in the SPELLCASTER trilogy. I'll then work on some ideas for novellas -- and maybe a couple of short stories exclusive to my website. As for other ideas, I have an adult urban fantasy idea that's tugging at my brain, but we'll have to see where that leads.

Thank you so much for taking the time out to answer these questions and agreeing to be part of the Authors are Rockstars tour.  

Thanks for an awesome interview!

You can find out more about Claudia Gray, her books and her love of James McAvoy and pugs and many other things the following ways:



The Giveaway

Win your choice of 1 x Claudia Gray novel. If you win, you choose from all currently available (through book depository) or a pre-order of steadfast (out March 2014)

a Rafflecopter giveaway





Saturday 10 August 2013

Stacking the Shelves #5


Welcome to  Stacking The Shelves!  Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga Reviews and is a meme to share those books, both print and e-book, that have been added to your shelves in the last week/s.

Got some awesome books this week and also got a lot of reading done.  Now just need to start writing some of the reviews that are due.  Also very excited this week as I will be hosting Claudia Gray on my blog as part of the Authors ARE Rockstars tour later in the week.  So don't forget to check back on Wednesday and catch the interview, it will be well worth it! :-).

For Review (via Netgalley):


Witchstruck (The Tudor Witch Trilogy #1) by Victoria Lamb


If she sink, she be no witch and shall be drowned.

If she float, she be a witch and must be hanged.

Meg Lytton has always known she is different—that she bears a dark and powerful gift. But in 1554 England, in service at Woodstock Palace to the banished Tudor princess Elizabeth, it has never been more dangerous to practise witchcraft. Meg knows she must guard her secret carefully from the many suspicious eyes watching over the princess and her companions. One wrong move could mean her life, and the life of Elizabeth, rightful heir to the English throne.

With witchfinder Marcus Dent determined to have Meg's hand in marriage, and Meg's own family conspiring against the English queen, there isn't a single person Meg can trust. Certainly not the enigmatic young Spanish priest Alejandro de Castillo, despite her undeniable feelings. But when all the world turns against her, Meg must open her heart to a dangerous choice.

The Secret Circle meets The Other Boleyn Girl in Witchstruck, the first book of the magical Tudor Witch trilogy


Purchased:(Print Books):

Been dying to read this pretty much since I finished reading Shadow and bone and when I saw this gorgeous edition while browsing in a bookshop this week, I couldn't resist.  Nearly finished and and so far it is as good as i expected :-)

Siege and Storm (The Grisha  #2) by Amy Plum

Darkness never dies.

Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land. She finds starting new is not easy while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. She can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.

The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her--or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.


Also made my monthly visit to my favourite discount book store and got some awesome bargains.



Captivate (Need #2) by Carrie Jones


Spells
Spells (Wings #2) by Aprilynne Pike
Goodreads | Book Depository


Illusions (Wings #3) by Aprilynne Pike
Goodreads | Book Depository

Everneath (Everneath #1) by Brodi Ashton

This was one of my favourite reads of 2012 so now I finally have a copy of my own.


White Tiger (Dark Heavens #1) by Kylie Chan

This is one of my favourite series and while i already have this book as a paperback, this is the Voyager 15th anniversary edition and in hardback! Yes Please.




So what did you add to your shelves this week?