tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13998730387234906302024-03-13T13:31:28.925+00:00Beyond TwilightLove it or hate it, nearly everyone has an opinion on it! The Twilight Saga rekindled my love of a good book and set me off voraciously reading for pleasure again.
On my blog I want to share my love of a good book and hopefully inspire others to get back into reading for pleasure.
If you like my blog please follow or comment. Thanks!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1399873038723490630.post-90514920695383262422023-01-04T12:00:00.005+00:002023-01-04T12:00:00.192+00:00<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlIkAVRHf--H_2hgeVSd7eCLP9iSCEOkHaGulVp07BE2fjPS_KGgJMu2iSvY1yIrID9ioKFGd7WpVacs0hqW7W2gpYp6uh1IDZwYNvOBbZzrxtZdpsGbpjFbQpIpqNV2x7z1a4L3L_wBo0_BgRXCKLYUJiclkXvO51iyKRj8JeNaiemDyUSi0lDPg36A/s783/EECA9F24-9DF2-4427-A8C8-8B4CBD2F8B23.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="783" data-original-width="526" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlIkAVRHf--H_2hgeVSd7eCLP9iSCEOkHaGulVp07BE2fjPS_KGgJMu2iSvY1yIrID9ioKFGd7WpVacs0hqW7W2gpYp6uh1IDZwYNvOBbZzrxtZdpsGbpjFbQpIpqNV2x7z1a4L3L_wBo0_BgRXCKLYUJiclkXvO51iyKRj8JeNaiemDyUSi0lDPg36A/s320/EECA9F24-9DF2-4427-A8C8-8B4CBD2F8B23.jpeg" width="215" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div><p style="--tw-border-opacity: 1; --tw-ring-color: rgba(0,38,234,0.5); --tw-ring-inset: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-color: white; border-color: rgba(226,232,240,var(--tw-border-opacity)); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(30, 41, 59); color: #1e293b; counter-reset: list-1 0 list-2 0 list-3 0 list-4 0 list-5 0 list-6 0 list-7 0 list-8 0 list-9 0; cursor: text; font-family: "Inter var", ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 15.75px; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you’re looking for a fantasy novel that will keep you captivated until the very last page, then look no further than Sangu Mandanna's The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches. This enchanting story follows Mika Moon as she travels to the mysterious Nowhere House to help three children harness their magical abilities. With loveable characters and an immersive world full of magic and possibility, it's no surprise that this book is sure to delight fantasy fans everywhere! </p><p style="--tw-border-opacity: 1; --tw-ring-color: rgba(0,38,234,0.5); --tw-ring-inset: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-color: white; border-color: rgba(226,232,240,var(--tw-border-opacity)); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(30, 41, 59); color: #1e293b; counter-reset: list-1 0 list-2 0 list-3 0 list-4 0 list-5 0 list-6 0 list-7 0 list-8 0 list-9 0; cursor: text; font-family: "Inter var", ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 15.75px; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br style="--tw-border-opacity: 1; --tw-ring-color: rgba(0,38,234,0.5); --tw-ring-inset: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; border-color: rgba(226,232,240,var(--tw-border-opacity)); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;" /></p><p style="--tw-border-opacity: 1; --tw-ring-color: rgba(0,38,234,0.5); --tw-ring-inset: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-color: white; border-color: rgba(226,232,240,var(--tw-border-opacity)); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(30, 41, 59); color: #1e293b; counter-reset: list-1 0 list-2 0 list-3 0 list-4 0 list-5 0 list-6 0 list-7 0 list-8 0 list-9 0; cursor: text; font-family: "Inter var", ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 15.75px; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br style="--tw-border-opacity: 1; --tw-ring-color: rgba(0,38,234,0.5); --tw-ring-inset: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; border-color: rgba(226,232,240,var(--tw-border-opacity)); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;" /></p><p style="--tw-border-opacity: 1; --tw-ring-color: rgba(0,38,234,0.5); --tw-ring-inset: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-color: white; border-color: rgba(226,232,240,var(--tw-border-opacity)); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(30, 41, 59); color: #1e293b; counter-reset: list-1 0 list-2 0 list-3 0 list-4 0 list-5 0 list-6 0 list-7 0 list-8 0 list-9 0; cursor: text; font-family: "Inter var", ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 15.75px; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The novel is filled with mystery and adventure as readers follow along on Mika’s journey. Along the way, she finds strength in both the house and its occupants as well as solace in her budding romance with Jamie. As Mika learns more about herself and her newfound friends, readers learn about friendship, courage, and trust — all while being immersed in a world full of magic and possibility. </p><p style="--tw-border-opacity: 1; --tw-ring-color: rgba(0,38,234,0.5); --tw-ring-inset: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-color: white; border-color: rgba(226,232,240,var(--tw-border-opacity)); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(30, 41, 59); color: #1e293b; counter-reset: list-1 0 list-2 0 list-3 0 list-4 0 list-5 0 list-6 0 list-7 0 list-8 0 list-9 0; cursor: text; font-family: "Inter var", ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 15.75px; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br style="--tw-border-opacity: 1; --tw-ring-color: rgba(0,38,234,0.5); --tw-ring-inset: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; border-color: rgba(226,232,240,var(--tw-border-opacity)); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;" /></p><p style="--tw-border-opacity: 1; --tw-ring-color: rgba(0,38,234,0.5); --tw-ring-inset: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-color: white; border-color: rgba(226,232,240,var(--tw-border-opacity)); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(30, 41, 59); color: #1e293b; counter-reset: list-1 0 list-2 0 list-3 0 list-4 0 list-5 0 list-6 0 list-7 0 list-8 0 list-9 0; cursor: text; font-family: "Inter var", ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 15.75px; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches is an engaging read that will take readers on an emotional rollercoaster until its satisfying conclusion. Mandanna does an excellent job at creating a well-rounded cast of characters whose growth throughout the story is believable yet inspiring. She also writes with beautiful prose that captures each moment perfectly. </p><p style="--tw-border-opacity: 1; --tw-ring-color: rgba(0,38,234,0.5); --tw-ring-inset: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-color: white; border-color: rgba(226,232,240,var(--tw-border-opacity)); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(30, 41, 59); color: #1e293b; counter-reset: list-1 0 list-2 0 list-3 0 list-4 0 list-5 0 list-6 0 list-7 0 list-8 0 list-9 0; cursor: text; font-family: "Inter var", ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 15.75px; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br style="--tw-border-opacity: 1; --tw-ring-color: rgba(0,38,234,0.5); --tw-ring-inset: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; border-color: rgba(226,232,240,var(--tw-border-opacity)); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;" /></p><p style="--tw-border-opacity: 1; --tw-ring-color: rgba(0,38,234,0.5); --tw-ring-inset: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-color: white; border-color: rgba(226,232,240,var(--tw-border-opacity)); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(30, 41, 59); color: #1e293b; counter-reset: list-1 0 list-2 0 list-3 0 list-4 0 list-5 0 list-6 0 list-7 0 list-8 0 list-9 0; cursor: text; font-family: "Inter var", ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 15.75px; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br style="--tw-border-opacity: 1; --tw-ring-color: rgba(0,38,234,0.5); --tw-ring-inset: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; border-color: rgba(226,232,240,var(--tw-border-opacity)); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;" /></p><p style="--tw-border-opacity: 1; --tw-ring-color: rgba(0,38,234,0.5); --tw-ring-inset: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-color: white; border-color: rgba(226,232,240,var(--tw-border-opacity)); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(30, 41, 59); color: #1e293b; counter-reset: list-1 0 list-2 0 list-3 0 list-4 0 list-5 0 list-6 0 list-7 0 list-8 0 list-9 0; cursor: text; font-family: "Inter var", ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 15.75px; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Overall, The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches is a delightful read filled with mystery and adventure. Whether you’re new to fantasy books or already a fan, this book is sure to please anyone who gives it a chance! So if you’re looking for a thrilling read full of magic and possibility – pick up The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches today! You won’t regret it!</p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1399873038723490630.post-36915463732691540672023-01-03T15:35:00.000+00:002023-01-03T15:35:36.094+00:00Daisy Darker - Alice Feeney<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFP3Ti57FNXGH0uyaEHdzbHM6_wBncduAeWWM9UEWsarV_i-E5LWrfaERZvQ7udNCTAUsv_FtM1TIO2zWzlYDDgcpQRVh6UhVCrMdRXB05hEs5HMFjCE0WNlorW0V2ISSMAkmpZ-3DVvAqAqvPpxtA3s0I8RfTY3v50SjWPuTc46s4afOzTS9IWoEQJg/s807/307E3E53-62B5-4D80-94E0-0F95AD4DF6B7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="807" data-original-width="518" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFP3Ti57FNXGH0uyaEHdzbHM6_wBncduAeWWM9UEWsarV_i-E5LWrfaERZvQ7udNCTAUsv_FtM1TIO2zWzlYDDgcpQRVh6UhVCrMdRXB05hEs5HMFjCE0WNlorW0V2ISSMAkmpZ-3DVvAqAqvPpxtA3s0I8RfTY3v50SjWPuTc46s4afOzTS9IWoEQJg/s320/307E3E53-62B5-4D80-94E0-0F95AD4DF6B7.jpeg" width="205" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Daisy Darker is a well-written, well-thought-out, and perfectly paced thriller that didn't let me down.</p><p><br /></p><p>The story is narrated by Daisy Darker, and through her eyes, we come to learn more about her dysfunctional family, where nobody is quite what they seem. When her eccentric Nana dies at her 80th birthday party, possibly murdered, the family secrets begin to unravel. Soon, other members of the family start turning up dead. Trapped, isolated, and not knowing who they can trust, the Darker family must take a hard look at themselves, their pasts, and their secrets.</p><p><br /></p><p>The setting is perfect, and the plot does not disappoint. The characters are well developed, and the twist at the end will shock you. If you are looking for a book to keep you on the edge of your seat, look no further than Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney. This brilliant nod to Agatha Christie’s 'And Then There Were None' is a suspenseful thriller that will have you guessing until the very end.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1399873038723490630.post-42548650822628401682022-07-28T21:07:00.001+01:002022-07-28T21:07:39.575+01:00The Serial Killer's Daughter by Alice Hunter<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8zLyNDGg53m3v_J9B9Zx-oSFcJfhRWwEOnjcYFZT2ArQLQxPVD-KNC2NAQh3sNrA2HMTNzXZ_6guDJZmDXinHq5u_cfXzzGgzgMBUiaVeP69lKqn-T2zgEAk_vhNAmsSCzPwkLfjGvf4DwgxugcBEaujIkaq67zJCRgLdYRUW86ukjQe2euEVVf9LFA/s500/512e7qNtmoL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8zLyNDGg53m3v_J9B9Zx-oSFcJfhRWwEOnjcYFZT2ArQLQxPVD-KNC2NAQh3sNrA2HMTNzXZ_6guDJZmDXinHq5u_cfXzzGgzgMBUiaVeP69lKqn-T2zgEAk_vhNAmsSCzPwkLfjGvf4DwgxugcBEaujIkaq67zJCRgLdYRUW86ukjQe2euEVVf9LFA/s320/512e7qNtmoL.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p style="--tw-border-opacity: 1; --tw-ring-color: rgba(0,38,234,0.5); --tw-ring-inset: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; border-color: rgba(226,232,240,var(--tw-border-opacity)); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; counter-reset: list-1 0 list-2 0 list-3 0 list-4 0 list-5 0 list-6 0 list-7 0 list-8 0 list-9 0; cursor: text; font-family: "Inter var", ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 17.5px; margin: 0px; text-align: left; user-select: text !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #04ff00;">In The Serial Killer's Daughter, author Alice Hunter crafts a taut, suspenseful thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end. The second in the Serial Killer's family series, this book is a standalone read that has similar themes but a completely different cast of well-crafted characters to the first book "The Serial Killer's Wife".</span></p><p style="--tw-border-opacity: 1; --tw-ring-color: rgba(0,38,234,0.5); --tw-ring-inset: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; border-color: rgba(226,232,240,var(--tw-border-opacity)); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; counter-reset: list-1 0 list-2 0 list-3 0 list-4 0 list-5 0 list-6 0 list-7 0 list-8 0 list-9 0; cursor: text; font-family: "Inter var", ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 17.5px; margin: 0px; text-align: left; user-select: text !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #04ff00;"><br /></span></p><p style="--tw-border-opacity: 1; --tw-ring-color: rgba(0,38,234,0.5); --tw-ring-inset: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; border-color: rgba(226,232,240,var(--tw-border-opacity)); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; counter-reset: list-1 0 list-2 0 list-3 0 list-4 0 list-5 0 list-6 0 list-7 0 list-8 0 list-9 0; cursor: text; font-family: "Inter var", ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 17.5px; margin: 0px; text-align: left; user-select: text !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #04ff00;">When Jenny moves to a small village with her husband and young children, she is hoping to leave her dark past behind her. But when a girl who is tied to Jenny's husband goes missing, all eyes are on Jenny. Is she a cold-blooded killer like her father, or is someone else to blame?</span></p><p style="--tw-border-opacity: 1; --tw-ring-color: rgba(0,38,234,0.5); --tw-ring-inset: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; border-color: rgba(226,232,240,var(--tw-border-opacity)); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; counter-reset: list-1 0 list-2 0 list-3 0 list-4 0 list-5 0 list-6 0 list-7 0 list-8 0 list-9 0; cursor: text; font-family: "Inter var", ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 17.5px; margin: 0px; text-align: left; user-select: text !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #04ff00;"><br /></span></p><p style="--tw-border-opacity: 1; --tw-ring-color: rgba(0,38,234,0.5); --tw-ring-inset: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; border-color: rgba(226,232,240,var(--tw-border-opacity)); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; counter-reset: list-1 0 list-2 0 list-3 0 list-4 0 list-5 0 list-6 0 list-7 0 list-8 0 list-9 0; cursor: text; font-family: "Inter var", ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 17.5px; margin: 0px; text-align: left; user-select: text !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #04ff00;">I enjoyed the thrilling ride that is The Serial Killer's Daughter. Told from Jenny's point of view, we see her grapple with her past, her present, and the very real possibility that she could be a killer just like her father. The suspense is palpable, and Alice Hunter does a masterful job of keeping the reader guessing until the very end. </span></p><p style="--tw-border-opacity: 1; --tw-ring-color: rgba(0,38,234,0.5); --tw-ring-inset: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; border-color: rgba(226,232,240,var(--tw-border-opacity)); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; counter-reset: list-1 0 list-2 0 list-3 0 list-4 0 list-5 0 list-6 0 list-7 0 list-8 0 list-9 0; cursor: text; font-family: "Inter var", ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 17.5px; margin: 0px; text-align: left; user-select: text !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #04ff00;"><br /></span></p><p style="--tw-border-opacity: 1; --tw-ring-color: rgba(0,38,234,0.5); --tw-ring-inset: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; border-color: rgba(226,232,240,var(--tw-border-opacity)); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; counter-reset: list-1 0 list-2 0 list-3 0 list-4 0 list-5 0 list-6 0 list-7 0 list-8 0 list-9 0; cursor: text; font-family: "Inter var", ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 17.5px; margin: 0px; text-align: left; user-select: text !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #04ff00;">I highly recommend this book to fans of suspenseful crime thrillers.</span></p></div><br /> <p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1399873038723490630.post-15860781656418003392011-10-25T10:00:00.004+01:002022-07-28T21:02:31.208+01:00<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9659607-the-iron-knight" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="The Iron Knight (Iron Fey, #4)" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1310589240m/9659607.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9659607-the-iron-knight">The Iron Knight</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2995873.Julie_Kagawa">Julie Kagawa</a><br/><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/162111894">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br /><br />
What a great ending to the series. I have been desperate to read this since I finished The Iron Queen at the beginning of the year and I was not disappointed. <br/><br/>The Iron Knight tells the final chapter of the story from Ash's POV, which is perfect as it is all about his quest to fulfill his vow to Meghan that he would find a way to be with her in the Iron Kingdom. Ash is true to his word and does find a way to fulfill that promise- but at a huge cost. Is he willing to pay the price? I'm not going to spoil it for you!<br/><br/>There is also a surprising twist to the story with the introduction of a "new" character who brings with them a lot of angst and a potential spanner in the works for the possibility of Ash and Meghan's HEA. Some of the other characters return, such as my personal favourite Grimalkin, Puck, and some very surprising offers of help from other characters!<br/><br/>The Iron Knight is the kind of book you just can't put down, and is an emotional rollercoaster of a book, with plenty of action and humour thrown in for good measure. Ash faces so many trials and sometimes we are left wondering whether his commitment to Meghan is enough to get him through. We get to learn a lot about Ash, his previous life as a Winter Prince and some of the terrible things he has done over the course of his life, as well as how deeply he is capable of loving.<br/><br/>I can't think of a better ending to the series and Julie Kagawa has done a brilliant job with this series from start to finish. Wonderful, sensitive writing and a gift for creating characters and stories that stay with you long after you have read the last page.<br />
<br/><br/><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/5121004-bookgirlie">View all my reviews</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1399873038723490630.post-15405011743768434672011-09-17T12:41:00.002+01:002011-09-17T12:41:59.726+01:00Spider's Bite- Jennifer Estep<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6611038-spider-s-bite" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Spider's Bite (Elemental Assassin, #1)" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1254292883m/6611038.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6611038-spider-s-bite">Spider's Bite</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/580315.Jennifer_Estep">Jennifer Estep</a><br/><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/162109457">3 of 5 stars</a><br /><br /><br />
I liked most of the book, the concept was good and I liked the mix of supernaturals. The world is reasonably believable, although it is set in a very shady town. It had a bit of a 'noir' feel to it.<br />
<br/><br />
<br/>Gin was feisty and strong, but perhaps a bit too unemotional. We got glimpses of her past which was interesting, but there was a lot of repetition of the same themes. For example, not relying on her magic because of what she had done with it on the past.<br />
<br/><br />
<br/>Speaking of repetition, if I ever see the phrase 'grey on gold' again it will be too soon. Which brings me to another pet peeve- who the hell has grey or gold eyes? I have never met anyone whose eyes were not brown, blue or green. Only in paranormal fiction have I heard of such a thing! I could understand it if we were talking about supernaturals, but it's often the humans with these crazy eye colours.<br />
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<br/>Ranting aside, the story was fast paced enough to keep me interested and I will read the next one in the series to see if it improves. Definitely the beginnings of a good UF series, but not one my favourites yet.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/5121004-bookgirlie">View all my reviews</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1399873038723490630.post-78759510696802780192011-09-11T09:36:00.035+01:002011-09-11T09:36:00.194+01:00Kim Harrison's Madison Avery Trilogy- Audiobook ReviewI have just finished listening to the Madison Avery trilogy back to back on audiobook, narrated by Mandy Seigfried. My rating is 3 out of 5 stars.<br />
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<a imageanchor="1" target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Once-Dead-Twice-Madison-Avery/dp/B005B1BEA8?ie=UTF8&tag=beyontwili-21&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969"><img alt="Once Dead, Twice Shy (Madison Avery, Book 1)" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=B005B1BEA8&tag=beyontwili-21" /></a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=beyontwili-21&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B005B1BEA8" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important; padding: 0px !important" /><a imageanchor="1" target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Early-Death-Madison-Avery-ebook/dp/B003LL2Z44?ie=UTF8&tag=beyontwili-21&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969"><img alt="Early to Death, Early to Rise (Madison Avery)" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=B003LL2Z44&tag=beyontwili-21" /></a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=beyontwili-21&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003LL2Z44" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important; padding: 0px !important" /><a imageanchor="1" target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Something-Deadly-Comes-Madison-Avery/dp/006171819X?ie=UTF8&tag=beyontwili-21&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969"><img alt="Something Deadly This Way Comes (Madison Avery)" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=006171819X&tag=beyontwili-21" /></a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=beyontwili-21&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=006171819X" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important; padding: 0px !important" /><br />
<br />
Madison Avery is your average, rebellious 17 year old. She just also happens to be dead. How she got that way is explained in the prequel Madison Avery and the Dim Reaper contained in Prom Nights from Hell <a imageanchor="1" target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Prom-Nights-Hell-Stephenie-Meyer/dp/B0047GNCTE?ie=UTF8&tag=beyontwili-21&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969"><img alt="Prom Nights from Hell" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=B0047GNCTE&tag=beyontwili-21" /></a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=beyontwili-21&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0047GNCTE" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important; padding: 0px !important" /> I seriously recommend you read this first. I didn't, and although the back story is *eventually* explained, it's pretty disjointed and fairly annoying not to know what's going on.<br />
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Madison died in a car accident set up by a 'dark reaper'. Reapers are either Light or Dark, and are a type of angel. Dark Reapers are sent to collect souls of teenagers who are going to make bad choices that tarnish their souls. Light Reapers try to get there first and provide the 'mark' with a guardian angel. Once they have a guardian angel, the Dark Reaper can't touch them and they will live until their natural death.<br />
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Madison was part of a reap gone awry, when she managed to steal the reaper's amulet and it kept her soul bound to earth. So, although she's dead, the amulet gives the illusion of a body and she can continue an almost normal life inbetween dodging dark reapers. Barnabas is her friend, and the Light Reaper who was sent to save her. Over the course of the series, the way we view Light and Dark changes with the main themes being fate, choice and the ability of humans to change their destiny.<br />
<br />
Madison soon learns that she was not just a 'mark', but the victim of a nefarious plot to prevent her from her true destiny- becoming the Dark Timekeeper (the Dark Reapers' boss. Over the course of the series, she starts to come to terms with this and learns more about her powers, and her ability to change the current system for the better.<br />
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The series is YA, and is a quick, fun listen/read. I enjoyed the stories, and the world building was adequate although not as detailed as I would have liked. Madison is perhaps not the most likeable heroine at first, but I did warm to her quite quickly. <br />
<br />
My absolute biggest pet peeve with this series was the continued and, quite frankly, disturbing overuse of the word 'puppy' as an alternative swear word- e.g. 'Puppy presents on the rug', 'son of a puppy' etc. Every time it was used I cringed. <br />
<br />
Other than that, the books were interesting enough to keep my attention and it was nice to hear a story about something a little bit different to weres, vamps and fey. If you are a fan of YA paranormal series, I would certainly recommend them.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1399873038723490630.post-29491802351020466872011-09-08T09:34:00.001+01:002011-09-08T09:34:00.308+01:00The Shadowing: Hunted- Adam Slater<a imageanchor="1" target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Shadowing-Hunted-Adam-Slater/dp/1606842617?ie=UTF8&tag=beyontwili-21&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969"><img alt="The Shadowing: Hunted" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=1606842617&tag=beyontwili-21" /></a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=beyontwili-21&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1606842617" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important; padding: 0px !important" /><br />
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This is the first in a YA horror series, and what a start to the series! I just couldn't put this book down. Luckily it is a fairly quick read so it didn't interfere with my sleep!<br />
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Callum is a chime child- born between sunset Friday and dawn Saturday when there is a full moon. he doesn't know it yet, but he's the only thing standing between the world and a whole bunch of scary creatures. He's always been able to see ghosts, but suddenly he finds that he has other abilities too.<br />
<br />
I enjoyed reading from the male perspective. I tend to read PNR and UF and they are generally from the female point of view. I found Callum's perspective to be interesting, and refreshingly uncomplicated by various bouts of becoming 'weak kneed' or swooning at the sight of an attractive person of the opposite sex. Not that there isn't a possible love interest going on- there is- it's just barely there with the potential to grow into a little more over the series.<br />
<br />
The characters are believable, and it was nice to see the character development for Callum and Melissa over the book. I suspect that Gran has a few more secrets to share, and I also hope that we will learn more about Callum's dad as the series goes on.<br />
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Hunted is fast paced, gripping and pretty scary too. It's certainly not for younger teens, or the squeamish amongst us. The scene is pretty well set for the next in the series which I can't wait to get my hands on.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1399873038723490630.post-79405437921006927642011-09-04T18:11:00.002+01:002011-09-04T18:11:32.839+01:00Kiss of Midnight- Lara Adrian<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/704043.Kiss_of_Midnight" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Kiss of Midnight (Midnight Breed, #1)" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1289895682m/704043.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/704043.Kiss_of_Midnight">Kiss of Midnight</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/375626.Lara_Adrian">Lara Adrian</a><br/><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/162103786">2 of 5 stars</a><br /><br /><br />
There was just something missing for me. I nearly abandoned this book halfway through and the only reason I finished it was because I hate to leave books unfinished.<br />
<br/><br />
<br/>I thought that the concept of the Breed and the vampire mythology in the world of the Breed was original and new. Not my favourite take on the vampire theme but definitely interesting. <br />
<br/><br />
<br/>I didn't like Lucan, to be honest he got on my nerves for the whole book. Whiny, self absorbed, self pitying and shallow. Not exactly my ideal alpha male! I think he was supposed to be 'brooding' but it just didn't come across well to me at all.<br />
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<br/>Gabrielle was equally irritating to me, lacking the wit and snark that I like in my female lead characters. Her decisions often seemed irrational to me and I seriously struggled to identify with her.<br />
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<br/>Humour was seriously lacking and the storyline failed to hold my interest. I found my mind wandering off several times throughout the book. There was one good twist to the plot, when the traitor was revealed, and other than that the action was so-so.<br />
<br/><br />
<br/>It's the first book in a fairly popular series, and I have often come to love series where the first book just didn't do it for me, so I am likely to give the next 2 books in the series a go to see if this is the case with Midnight Breed.<br />
<br/><br/><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/5121004-bookgirlie">View all my reviews</a><br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1399873038723490630.post-72746017219532271872011-09-03T14:37:00.000+01:002011-09-03T14:37:30.537+01:00AudiobooksThis is my second post about Audiobooks. My first experience of them was not the best, as you can see from my original post: http://beyondtwilightfictionreviews.blogspot.com/2010/12/audiobook-review-of-need-by-carrie.html<br />
<br />
I've been giving audiobooks another chance recently and have listened to several books from genres other than UF and PNR.<br />
<br />
So far I have listened to <a imageanchor="1" target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/His-Other-Lover-Lucy-Dawson/dp/B004JU1TG6?ie=UTF8&tag=beyontwili-21&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969"><img alt="His Other Lover" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=B004JU1TG6&tag=beyontwili-21" /></a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=beyontwili-21&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B004JU1TG6" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important; padding: 0px !important" /> <a imageanchor="1" target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Shoppers-Revenge-Kate-Harrison/dp/0752893882?ie=UTF8&tag=beyontwili-21&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969"><img alt="The Secret Shopper's Revenge" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0752893882&tag=beyontwili-21" /></a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=beyontwili-21&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0752893882" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important; padding: 0px !important" /> and <a imageanchor="1" target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Life-Laughing-Story-Michael-McIntyre/dp/0141045671?ie=UTF8&tag=beyontwili-21&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969"><img alt="Life and Laughing: My Story. Michael McIntyre" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0141045671&tag=beyontwili-21" /></a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=beyontwili-21&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0141045671" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important; padding: 0px !important" /><br />
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I have enjoyed all of these immensely. Lucy Dawson's His Other Lover was a brilliant cross between chick lit and a psychological thriller that I found myself listening to at every opportunity. The Secret Shopper's revenge was a longer listen, and kept me interested. I liked that there were several narrators to keep it interesting. Michael McIntyre's autobiography was great, narrated by the man himself and had me laughing out loud walking round the supermarket!<br />
<br />
One thing these all have in common are British narrators. I think I find them easier to listen to as they are a bit more like my inner 'reading voice' in my head.<br />
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I have also listened to <a imageanchor="1" target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Darkling-Sisters-Moon-Book-3/dp/0425218937?ie=UTF8&tag=beyontwili-21&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969"><img alt="Darkling (Sisters of the Moon, Book 3)" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0425218937&tag=beyontwili-21" /></a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=beyontwili-21&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0425218937" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important; padding: 0px !important" /> which is an American narrator but after the first hour or so, I had gotten past the accent and still enjoyed the book.<br />
<br />
<br />
I'm glad I gave audiobooks another chance and am determined to keep listening to American narrators as well as British so I can listen to mix of genres. I've just signed up to an Open University course, so will have very little time for pleasure reading. Audiobooks are a great way to sneak books in when doing other tasks that you can't read a real book whilst doing- eg shopping, walking to work, housework.....<br />
<br />
I'm listening to <a imageanchor="1" target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Kiss-Midnight-Breed-Book/dp/0553589377?ie=UTF8&tag=beyontwili-21&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969"><img alt="Kiss of Midnight (The Midnight Breed, Book 1)" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0553589377&tag=beyontwili-21" /></a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=beyontwili-21&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0553589377" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important; padding: 0px !important" /> right now, so watch this space for a review!<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1399873038723490630.post-11367840213055901632011-08-24T19:01:00.003+01:002011-08-24T22:18:21.610+01:00Lord Of The Vampires- Gena Showalter<a imageanchor="1" target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Lord-Vampires-Harlequin-Nocturne-Showalter/dp/0373618662?ie=UTF8&tag=beyontwili-21&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969"><img alt="Lord of the Vampires (Harlequin Nocturne)" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0373618662&tag=beyontwili-21" /></a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=beyontwili-21&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0373618662" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important; padding: 0px !important" /><br />
<br />
4 out of 5 stars.<br />
<br />
This is the first in a new series by 4 different paranormal romance authors. This one is by Gena Showalter, and is the first Gena Showalter book I have read. I must say it is unlikely to be my last! Full of original ideas and steamy scenes, this has everything you need in a paranormal romance.<br />
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This book centres around Nicolai, who is a vampire being held as a sex slave and Jane, a human scientist who finds herself magically transported into Nicolai's world. Which is handy for her, because he's her predestined soulmate! Not so handy for Nicolai who finds himself unable to carry out his original plans to escape slavery due to his complicated emotions for Jane.<br />
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Nicolai is a real alpha male, which makes for some great action scenes of both the steamy and the non steamy variety. Jane is strong, intelligent and feisty; the kind of heroine you can really get to like. <br />
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The world building was excellent, and the alternating POV's added interest and allowed a connection with both of the main characters. Along with the romantic elements of the book there is a great balance of action and humour and the pace of the book is perfect.<br />
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This is a good, fast read that will definitely leave you wanting more.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1399873038723490630.post-10192481989786656632011-08-23T22:48:00.002+01:002011-08-23T22:48:22.010+01:00Beyond The Grave- Mara Purnhagen<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10477298-beyond-the-grave" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Beyond the Grave (Past Midnight, #3)" border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51BBIISpMtL._SX106_.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10477298-beyond-the-grave">Beyond the Grave</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3097903.Mara_Purnhagen">Mara Purnhagen</a><br/><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/195617010">3 of 5 stars</a><br /><br /><br />
The third and final addition to this series, and a fairly good read although not my favourite book of the trilogy. I found myself being frustrated sometimes with Charlotte's inability to see what was going on in front of her. The book has a few twists and turns, but I had guessed them all before they happened and was just waiting for our heroine to catch up. The ending does wrap everything up nicely though.<br/><br/>The story starts shortly after One Hundred Candles left off, and there is a novella "Haunting The Night" that bridges the gap between One Hundred Candles and Beyond the Grave.<br/><br/>Although Noah played a big part in the story, I was disappointed that we don't really get to see very much of him. There was also a lot of setting the background for the finale, and minimal action in the first two thirds of the book.<br/><br/>Charlotte has a hard time in this book, struggling with her mum being in a coma and starting community college when her best friend has gone away to college. She is feeling pretty low but manages to find a good friendship in an unusual place! Over the course of the book we see the emotional growth in Charlotte as she pushes through her problems and gets her 'spark' back with the help of her friends and family.<br/><br/>I did enjoy the story and how it developed on and concluded the events in the first two books. if you have read the other two books in the series, Past Midnight and One Hundred Candles then I do recommend this book. It would not make a very good stand alone story, as I do think that you would need to understand previous events before really being able to appreciate it.<br/><br/><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/5121004-bookgirlie">View all my reviews</a><br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1399873038723490630.post-16549420034587730912011-08-15T20:06:00.001+01:002011-08-15T20:06:59.946+01:00Killing Time- Elisa Paige<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11290261-killing-time" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Killing Time" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1307475474m/11290261.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11290261-killing-time">Killing Time</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4475798.Elisa_Paige">Elisa Paige</a><br />
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/176947279">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
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Fast becoming one of my favourite series, the second book in the Time series by Elisa Paige was almost as good as the first. Feisty heroine with slightly shady background? Check. Gorgeous love interest? Check. Nefarious scheme to upset the natural balance of the world as we know it? Check. Not earth shatteringly original but still a definite must read. I am astonished that this isn't as well known as some other, IMO inferior, PNR.<br />
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There was a slight 'sameness' to this book with Ms Paige's other books that lost it that one star for me. However, as other reviewers have pointed out, this lady can write! Rich world building and sensitive character development make this another book that is a pleasure to read.<br />
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The romance develops realistically over a reasonable amount of time so that we really start to identify with the main characters. The action is, well, action packed, and there is plenty of it to keep the plot moving along at a good pace. Although I was a bit sad to not be spending more time with James and Evie, I soon grew to love the new characters and the overall story arc develops over the course of events, continuing on from Stealing Time.<br />
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If you haven't already started this series then I suggest you get yourself a copy of Stealing Time to see what all the fuss is about. If you've already read Stealing Time then no doubt you've pre-ordered Killing Time, I know I did! <br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/5121004-bookgirlie">View all my reviews</a><br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1399873038723490630.post-3487326122694388172011-08-09T21:11:00.001+01:002011-08-09T21:11:15.064+01:00Divine Misdemeanours- Laurell K Hamilton<a imageanchor="1" target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Divine-Misdemeanors-Novel-Meredith-Gentry/dp/0345495969?ie=UTF8&tag=beyontwili-21&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969"><img alt="Divine Misdemeanors: A Novel (Meredith Gentry, Book 8)" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0345495969&tag=beyontwili-21" /></a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=beyontwili-21&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0345495969" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important; padding: 0px !important" /> <br />
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Spoiler Alert! Don't read on if you don't want to see spoilers. I usually avoid them but couldn't say what I needed to without them on this.<br />
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I am a big fan of the series but I found this book pretty disappointing. There have been many incidents discussed in the book and series at length- the return of the sidhe powers to Merry's lovers, the Goddess answering Merry's prayers and crowning her queen (which she turned down), Merry's pregnancy etc, etc. This book had the opportunity to expand on these and give us some kind of plot development and tie up some of the very many loose ends. Instead there was a half hearted serial killer and too many pointless sex scenes fleshing out the book and we are still left with no answers at all.<br />
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There was an inordinate amount of explaining and re-explaining the same thing. Frost and Doyle are stuck on the phrases "I was once the Killing Frost" and "I was once the Queen's Darkness" nothing we weren't already aware of! <br />
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Also, we get drawn out descriptions of the same characters we already know as well as detailed dialogue on long, ankle length hair. Page space that would have been better used to develop the plot. <br />
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Most of the rest of the book is devoted to petty bickering between Merry's "people", and her putting the men in their place.<br />
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The small amount of page space left is devoted to the "killer Tinkerbelle" storyline. <br />
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All in all a forgettable instalment to a series that I will be seriously reconsidering continuing with. <br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1399873038723490630.post-12865513891747690442011-08-04T19:56:00.001+01:002011-08-04T19:56:29.991+01:00Spell Bound - Kelley Armstrong<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7797032-spell-bound" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Spell Bound (Women of the Otherworld, #12)" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1292864599m/7797032.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7797032-spell-bound">Spell Bound</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7581.Kelley_Armstrong">Kelley Armstrong</a><br/><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/156779009">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br /><br />
Another great book from Kelley Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld series. This book is the second of the final 3 books which are narrated by Savannah Levine. <br />
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<br/>I wasn't sure I'd enjoy Savannah as a narrator. I loved all the books but the novellas and shorts that have Eve as a narrator are my least favourite. As Savannah is similar to Eve I was apprehensive. Luckily I have really enjoyed them, especially seeing how much Savannah has grown and evolved over the two books. I am looking forward to seeing her develop further in the final story.<br />
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<br/>The romance between Savannah and Adam was really good, although I suppose it is technically more romantic tension than actual romance! I loved getting an insight into their relationship with each other that has been growing since Paige's books. <br />
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<br/>There was plenty of action to keep me turning pages and practically all of the recurring characters play a role in this book. I love how threads from previous books in the series are coming together and am excited to see exactly what is in store for the main characters. I'm just sad that it will be quite a while before I get to find out.<br />
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<br/>Overall a great addition to a brilliant series. <br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/5121004-bookgirlie">View all my reviews</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1399873038723490630.post-29010941818751297132011-08-01T19:30:00.002+01:002011-08-01T19:30:50.221+01:00Always a Witch - Carolyn MacCullough<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8572704-always-a-witch" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Always a Witch (Witch, #2)" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1286694645m/8572704.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8572704-always-a-witch">Always a Witch</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/374429.Carolyn_MacCullough">Carolyn MacCullough</a><br/><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/171934163">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br /><br />
This book is a fun, fairly quick read. I made the mistake of starting it on the bus journey to work and was a third of the way through by the time I got there. The reason this was a mistake is that I couldn't stop thinking about it in work, and was even more desperate for the end of the day so I could finish it!<br/><br/>I definitely recommend that if you read this book you set time aside and read it in one sitting. The story is well paced and the world building is good and expands on the elements introduced in the first book. I really enjoyed the historical aspect to the story. It is a sequel to Once a Witch and whilst you could read this as a standalone the experience will be better if you have read Once a Witch.<br/><br/>The story follows Tamsin as she travels back in time to protect her family from a rival witch family who have been using blood magic to enhance their powers. This time Tamsin travels back without her boyfriend Gabriel with no way of knowing if, or how, she will be able to return. <br/><br/>She soon finds herself in the midst of the Knight family and in grave danger. Relying on her ancestors to trust and help her is not as easy as she had hoped, but luckily help finally arrives and she manages to set everything right. Unfortunately, saving her family and their future comes at a high price.<br/><br/>I thoroughly enjoyed this book, which is perfect when you want a quick read with a fast moving, interesting story. The characters are well written and the members of the Knight family were particularly well done. <br/><br/><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/5121004-bookgirlie">View all my reviews</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1399873038723490630.post-27411589085318277332011-07-31T15:32:00.000+01:002011-07-31T15:32:17.181+01:00Gorgeous CoversWe all know that you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover but these new YA upcoming releases are just too pretty to resist! <br />
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<a imageanchor="1" target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Always-Witch-Carolyn-MacCullough/dp/0547224850?ie=UTF8&tag=beyontwili-21&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969"><img alt="Always a Witch" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0547224850&tag=beyontwili-21" /></a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=beyontwili-21&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0547224850" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important; padding: 0px !important" /><br />
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The sequel to Once a Witch is released tomorrow. Watch this space for a review!<br />
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<a imageanchor="1" target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Possess-Gretchen-Mcneil/dp/0062060716?ie=UTF8&tag=beyontwili-21&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969"><img alt="Possess" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0062060716&tag=beyontwili-21" /></a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=beyontwili-21&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0062060716" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important; padding: 0px !important" /><br />
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By debut author Gretchen Mcneill, Posessed is the tale of fifteen year old Bridget Liu who develops the ability to hear, and banish, demons. Definitely one to add to the TBR list ready for its release on 23rd August.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1399873038723490630.post-28171483330435549872011-07-28T22:52:00.000+01:002011-07-28T22:52:02.403+01:00River Marked- Patricia Briggs<a imageanchor="1" target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/River-Marked-Mercy-Thompson-Book/dp/0441019730?ie=UTF8&tag=beyontwili-21&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969"><img alt="River Marked (Mercy Thompson, Book 6)" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0441019730&tag=beyontwili-21" /></a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=beyontwili-21&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0441019730" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important; padding: 0px !important" /><br />
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Mercedes Thompson is fast becoming one of my favourite urban fantasy series. This is especially interesting as I am not usually a great fan of shapeshifter/weres. I enjoy the humour and the fact that Mercy is pretty down to earth. <br />
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This instalment of the Mercy saga was quite different to the others. Only Mercy herself and Adam really featured in this book rather than the rest of the supernatural creatures. The fae are involved but are pretty much on the sidelines and we get to meet a whole new group of beings as well as learn more about Mercy's past; even parts she didn't know herself!<br />
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I was torn between missing the other characters and enjoying reading about a whole new supernatural subset but on the end the latter won. I liked the idea of introducing something other than the usual vamps, weres, fae etc that are now so common among the genre. I am looking forward to hopefully seeing more of them throughout the series.<br />
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River Marked is a good addition that keeps the series fresh and keeps me wanting to read more and more.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1399873038723490630.post-39054159694450177102011-07-23T21:55:00.001+01:002011-07-24T22:03:52.495+01:00Review- This Side of the Grave- Jeaniene Frost<a imageanchor="1" target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/This-Side-Grave-Night-Huntress/dp/0061783188?ie=UTF8&tag=beyontwili-21&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969"><img alt="This Side of the Grave (Night Huntress, Book 5)" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0061783188&tag=beyontwili-21" /></a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=beyontwili-21&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0061783188" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important; padding: 0px !important" /><br /><br />I enjoyed this instalment to the series, and found it fast paced and exciting albeit a bit less so than the the others. the ending seemed a little too simple but i am dying for the next book to come out as I expect it will be excellent. <br /><br />This book was very emotional both between Cat and Bones and also the scene with Don. It was more of a calm ride for Cat and Bones though with a lot less of the relationship drama than the other books. The emotional side was more of a cementing of their feelings for each other. <br /><br />I hadn't read any of the spin off books and I do wish I had read them first as some of the story-lines from those books are mentioned here. <br /><br />Overall a good addition to the series but not my favourite so far.<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1399873038723490630.post-5886790116211260192011-07-23T21:52:00.001+01:002011-07-24T12:15:40.268+01:00Review of Earth by Shauna Granger<a imageanchor="1" target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Earth-Book-One-Elemental-1/dp/1463603320?ie=UTF8&tag=beyontwili-21&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969"><img alt="Earth: Book One In The Elemental Series (Volume 1)" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=1463603320&tag=beyontwili-21" /></a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=beyontwili-21&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1463603320" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important; padding: 0px !important" /><br /><br />I really enjoyed this book. I've been a bit disillusioned recently with young adult and self published books recently. I'm more of an adult urban fantasy person these days but this was definitely worth a read. <br /><br />However, I saw this on amazon for about 68p ($1.38) and couldn't resist- I've been on a bit of a witchy craze recently with my reading choices. <br /><br />I found that the general grammar and spelling in this was pretty good compared to a few ebooks I have read recently, plus the story was interesting enough to keep me reading. The main character Shayna is refreshingly not a whiny or too stupid to live heroine. If I had a criticism of her it would be that she is, very occasionally, just a bit too straight laced and goody two shoes for my personal liking. <br /><br />I've always had an interest in Wicca, and the book was good as it blended some real aspects of wicca such as elements, casting a circle etc with some more fantastical elements like demons and 'superpowers'. <br /><br />The dynamic between Shayna and her friends is interesting and is a key focus throughout the book. There are also some romantic aspects to the story but these are minimal enough to add to the story rather than take over and become irritating. <br /><br />I am really looking forward to reading the next one - 'Air'- when it is published.<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1399873038723490630.post-1706686993715645092011-07-23T20:25:00.000+01:002011-07-23T20:25:21.378+01:00Patricia Briggs' Mercedes Thompson series<a imageanchor="1" target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Called-Mercy-Thompson-Patricia-Briggs/dp/0441019277?ie=UTF8&tag=beyontwili-21&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969"><img alt="Moon Called (Mercy Thompson)" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0441019277&tag=beyontwili-21" /></a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=beyontwili-21&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0441019277" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important; padding: 0px !important" /><a imageanchor="1" target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Bound-Mercy-Thompson-Novels/dp/0441020070?ie=UTF8&tag=beyontwili-21&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969"><img alt="Blood Bound (Mercy Thompson Novels)" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0441020070&tag=beyontwili-21" /></a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=beyontwili-21&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0441020070" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important; padding: 0px !important" /><a imageanchor="1" target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Iron-Kissed-Mercy-Thompson-Book/dp/0441015662?ie=UTF8&tag=beyontwili-21&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969"><img alt="Iron Kissed (Mercy Thompson, Book 3)" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0441015662&tag=beyontwili-21" /></a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=beyontwili-21&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0441015662" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important; padding: 0px !important" /><a imageanchor="1" target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Bone-Crossed-Mercy-Thompson-Book/dp/044101836X?ie=UTF8&tag=beyontwili-21&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969"><img alt="Bone Crossed (Mercy Thompson, Book 4)" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=044101836X&tag=beyontwili-21" /></a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=beyontwili-21&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=044101836X" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important; padding: 0px !important" /><a imageanchor="1" target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Silver-Borne-Mercy-Thompson-Book/dp/044101996X?ie=UTF8&tag=beyontwili-21&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969"><img alt="Silver Borne (Mercy Thompson, Book 5)" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=044101996X&tag=beyontwili-21" /></a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=beyontwili-21&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=044101996X" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important; padding: 0px !important" /><br />
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Wow, what a series! These are the first 5 books in the series. Watch this space for a review of book six <a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/River-Marked-Mercy-Thompson-Book/dp/0441019730?ie=UTF8&tag=beyontwili-21&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969">River Marked (Mercy Thompson, Book 6)</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=beyontwili-21&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0441019730" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important; padding: 0px !important" /><br />
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The series chronicles the adventures of Mercedes Thompson, a shapeshifter and auto mechanic who can change into a coyote and is possibly the last of her species. Mercy was brought up by werewolves and over the course of the first five books we get to meet vampires and fey as well as many werewolves.<br />
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The world building is handled skilfully, and the result is a believable melting pot of supernatural species. Mercy has a natural skill for landing herself in trouble but luckily she manages to get through most situations by the skin of her teeth. When things get really sticky, there is always a hunky werewolf or two just waiting to rescue her!<br />
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One of my favourite things about this series is that sometimes it's the men that get kidnapped and need rescuing rather than the big strong alpha males saving the little woman every time. It's definitely equal opportunities when it comes to danger. <br />
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There are lots of men to lust after, but the romance doesn't take over the story and there is plenty of action throughout the series.<br />
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I won't spoil it too much for you by giving the plot away but if you haven't gotten round to reading these yet then definitely put them to the top of your to read list. You won't regret it!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1399873038723490630.post-46909603970888861512011-02-15T18:32:00.000+00:002011-02-15T18:32:00.979+00:00Interview with Elisa Paige- plus a summary of her next book!I have recently read all 3 of Elisa Paige's published books- Stealing Time, Shadowplay and Maelstrom- and wow, were they good!<br />
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Below Elisa answers some of my questions about writing, reading and vampires!<br />
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<b>If you were stuck on a desert island with one of your characters who would you choose? <br />
(assuming your blood was not tasty to vamps)</b><br />
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<blockquote>Of the books already published (Stealing Time, Shadowplay, and Maelstrom), I’d choose Roddie to be stuck with on a desert island. Primarily, this is because I love his playfulness and sense of humor. It would also be nice to have a master musician for company . . . especially one who happens to be a really hot redhead with dimples, brilliant blue eyes, and a sexy Irish lilt.<br />
<br />
In the publication pipeline is another book called Honor Bound. Luca Beltenebros, the hero, is my absolute favorite of all my characters. He’s strong, smart, super hot, and has a wicked sense of humor. He’s also a Boréan, a new kind of supernatural with amazing powers.<br />
</blockquote><b>Which of your characters do you identify with most?</b><br />
<blockquote>Amalie is my favorite character because she says what’s on her mind and you always know where you stand with her. She’s also smart, snarky, and fiercely loyal. I identify most with Evie, though.<br />
</blockquote><b>What (if any) music do you listen to when writing?</b><br />
<br />
<blockquote>I’m always listening to music and am inspired by it. Each of my books has its own “sound track” – the songs that resonated most with me while I was writing a particular story.<br />
<br />
Here are some examples:<br />
<br />
-- The erotic song James and Evie dance to at the rave: Jasmin Tabatabai’s “Let Yourself Go Wild.” After I wrote the scene, I found a music video on youtube and thought WHOA, that's exactly what I was going for. Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxKrArdjGvM<br />
<br />
-- The dark techno song immediately following the sexy song? Shiny Toy Gun’s “Le Disko.”<br />
<br />
-- I’m normally a pretty upbeat person, so to write Mia’s breakdown, I needed something to get me in the proper mindset. Davey Spillane’s “Caoineadh Cu Chulainn” (Lament for Cuchulain, Ireland's legendary hero) did the trick and I was a basketcase for a week.<br />
<br />
-- Roddie’s master fiddling skills and the music he played were inspired by Scythian’s incredible fiddler, Alex Fedoryka (who’s also very easy on the eyes).<br />
<br />
-- Amalie’s theme song: Relient K’s “Who I Am Hates Who I’ve Been.”<br />
<br />
-- Nick’s theme song: Marshall Crenshaw’s “Some Day, Some Way.”<br />
<br />
-- The music Nick plays to Amalie from beyond her fence line, night after night, until she finally goes to him was inspired by Scythian’s cover of the theme to “Last of the Mohicans.” Nick’s skill with a feadog pipe was inspired by The Chieftain’s Paddy Moloney.<br />
<br />
-- The music I listened to while writing Stealing Time’s sequel, Killing Time (due out June 2011): Nine Inch Nails and Rob Zombie, as well as Robert Tree Cody ("Lakota Lullaby"), Randy Granger ("Apache Tears"), Tribal Spirit ("Tatanka"), traditional songs like "Shawnee Stomp Dance" and "Assiniboine Lullaby." If you've never checked out Native American music, I highly recommend it for its haunting beauty and the rich cultures represented.</blockquote><br />
<b>How long did it take you to write all 3 books?</b><br />
<br />
<blockquote>Each book takes about three months to write, edit, and polish. Because I studied classical piano when I was young, I can type 110 wpm with 100% accuracy. I also write about twelve hours a day, even on weekends.</blockquote><br />
<b>wow, 12 hours a day! How do you keep up with friends, life etc working such long days?</b><br />
<br />
<blockquote>While my daughter is in school, I write until it's time to pick her up in the afternoon. We hang out, do homework, have dinner, then she goes to bed, and I return to writing. Many nights, I don't go to sleep until 2:00 or later. A couple of times, I've been so engrossed, I was still writing when the sun came up. I paid for it, though, and was exhausted for days!</blockquote><br />
<br />
<b>What was your favourite book as a child?</b><br />
<br />
<blockquote>I read constantly and had way too many cherished books for one to be a favorite. Topping my list, though, were: The Hero and the Crown, The Blue Sword, the Dragonriders of Pern series, and the Riddle Master series. At one point, I could quote pivotal scenes from Tolkien’s books. And my big brother got me hooked on Stephen King when I was eight, at which point, I could go to sleep only if all the lights were on in my bedroom. That first book, The Shining, still scares the bejeebers out of me. These days, my brother and I share zombiepocalypse books. World War Z and Patient Zero are favorites.</blockquote><br />
<br />
<b>What book had the biggest impact on you/your writing?</b><br />
<br />
<blockquote>No single book, but Robin McKinley and Patricia McKillip cemented my love of the written word.</blockquote><br />
<b>If you had a special ability what would it be?</b><br />
<br />
<blockquote>This question made me laugh because I was actually thinking about super powers the other day when a bad-tempered driver cut me off in heavy traffic. My blood pressure spiked and I envisioned all sorts of nasty things happening to his jacked-up pickup truck. Which was when it occurred to me that, if I were telekinetic, sudden, savage impulses like that would have immediate, bloody outcomes. Which means you’d have to have incredible self-control not to allow such thoughts. So telekinesis would not the best super power for me!<br />
<br />
<br />
I do find the idea of shape-changing very appealing. Becoming something else, especially something that could fly? That would be cool.</blockquote><br />
<b>There are a lot of people who compare all vampire books with Twilight and think they are 'copies' of Twilight. How would you feel if your books were compared to Twilight in this way?</b><br />
<br />
<blockquote>I'll confess that this is a sore spot for many writers who include vampires in their books, at least to those I've talked with. And while I’m thrilled that any book appealed to millions of readers and inspired the kind of passion Twilight did, I’m beyond surprised that all books that include vampires are invariably compared to it.<br />
<br />
The oldest known document with a reference to a vampire-like being is a circa-2400 BCE tablet known as "The Sumerian King List." The first book that brought vampires to popularity was Bram Stoker's Dracula, published in 1897, and countless other books about the immortals have been written in the ensuing 114 years. Which is my history-geek way of saying that Meyers didn’t invent vampires. If anything, we have Anne Rice to thank for practically reinventing them in her fantastic Interview with a Vampire, published in 1976.<br />
<br />
Nonetheless, my editor said it was inevitable when one reviewer compared my adult urban fantasy, Stealing Time, to Meyers’s young-adult Twilight. Which cracks me up on another level since I personally couldn't get through the Twilight series. The whole idea that ANYone would have to suffer high school eternally explains why Meyer’s vampires believe they’re damned. (Mine aren't. They’re not angst-ridden and, when given a choice, they don’t hunt animals. Nor are they dead, cold, possessing stone-like skin, lacking a heartbeat, or -- horrors -- celibate; quite the opposite, on all counts.)<br />
<br />
So, um, yeah. (grin) Comparing one of my books to Twilight makes me kinda nuts.<br />
<br />
</blockquote><br />
<b>If you were President for the day what would you do?</b><br />
<br />
<blockquote>If I were president for a day, I’d order all the uber-classified files brought to me so I could find out the truth about Roswell, Area 51, the grassy knoll, Marilyn Monroe and JFK . <br />
</blockquote><b>If you were a vamp would you drink people or just animals?</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<blockquote>Neither. If I were a vamp, I’d set up a black market for packaged blood the way James and Leo did in Stealing Time. Biting animals wouldn’t hold any appeal since you’d get a mouthful of fur. Blech. Think of the hairballs!<br />
<br />
<b>In your books we have met bodach, Shucks, Aughisky, High Fae, Lesser Fae and vamps with a mention of shifters. Are there any more creatures in store for us?</b><br />
<br />
Absolutely. I love the idea of multiple supernatural species trying to coexist at the same time they're struggling to find a place for themselves in the mortal world.<br />
</blockquote><br />
<br />
<br />
<blockquote>Here’s the first sneak peek into Stealing Time’s sequel:<br />
<br />
Killing Time is about a bittern named Sephti, a specialized assassin whose species is the result of fae bio-engineering, and Koda, an immortal anzhenii tasked with protecting the Native American nations from supernatural threat.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Summary:</b><br />
<br />
The anarchist, Philippe, and his Dark Fae ally, King Reiden, go on a bloody rampage across the U.S., brutally awakening humans to the existence of supernaturals. Other supe species take advantage of the ensuing chaos and war unlike anything ever imagined explodes across the world. Because Native American elders are the only ones who remember the old ways, they’re uniquely able to defend against the escalating violence, which makes them targets for retaliation. To protect them, Koda is forced to form a hostile alliance with Sephti, a supe who represents the horrors his people have suffered over the centuries. But as the only bittern to ever escape the faes’ cruel service, no one knows better than she how to combat their assassins.<br />
<br />
So, in addition to the vampires, bodach, and fae we’ve met in my other books, Killing Time introduces readers to Native American supernaturals like the Yar Wetar, pukwudgie, Kashehotapalo, Bohpoli, and colocolo.<br />
<br />
</blockquote><b>Why did you decide to write a prequel as your second book in the Texas Fae series (Maelstrom) rather than a sequel?</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<blockquote>I actually wrote Maelstrom first and Shadowplay was its sequel. But for reasons too complicated to go into, I offered Shadowplay to my publisher first. BookStrand wound up wanting Maelstrom, too, and -- because of the timing -- released it as the prequel instead. I'm thrilled that BookStrand sped up the print cycle on both, so the Texas Fae series is available in both ebook and mass market paperback.</blockquote>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1399873038723490630.post-14554316496764997992011-02-13T21:21:00.000+00:002011-02-13T21:21:31.301+00:00Review of Maelstrom by Elisa Paige<iframe src="http://rcm-uk.amazon.co.uk/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=beyontwili-21&o=2&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&asins=1610343158" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe><br />
<br />
4/5 stars<br />
<br />
This is the prequel to Shadowplay. And being mildly pedantic I read them in the intended order- Shadowplay and then Maelstrom. I enjoyed both immensely but I do think I would have enjoyed them even more had I read Maelstrom first.<br />
<br />
Amalie is a Light Fae exile suffering from amnesia and living on a ranch in small town Fundy, Texas. Her past starts to catch up with her - starting with her boyfriend Nick who she literally disappeared on years ago- and soon it's not just hunky boyfriends knocking on the door! Psychotic brothers, creepy distant relatives and a whole lot of trouble! As the memories come flooding back though, so does her inherent power which makes Amalie a kick ass heroine.<br />
<br />
The romance between Amalie and Nick is sweet and well written, and the theme of friendship and loyalty is strong throughout the book. <br />
<br />
The book ends right where Shadowplay kicks off, so the flow of the story over the 2 books is seamless.<br />
<br />
This is the third book of Elisa Paige's I have read, and I have loved all 3. The writing is good, the world building is excellent and the characters are believable. Another triumph for Ms Paige!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Source- I received an ARC in exchange for an honest reviewUnknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1399873038723490630.post-233861299679309942011-02-12T10:01:00.000+00:002011-02-12T10:01:09.870+00:00Favourite Book QuotesA selection of my favourite quotes from books I have read:<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><u>Funny:</u></b><br />
<br />
"...I waited for my thighs and butt to uncramp. Of course, they didn't know the loosening rule. They were screaming things like *Are you crazy? Do you know we're thirty-five years old? Sit down and feed us a Twinkie!* - Shannon Parker" <br />
— P.C. Cast (Divine By Mistake)<br />
<br />
"what's your name?" <br />
what?" i asked, squinting at the light. <br />
your name." I reconized Dr. Olendzki peering over me. <br />
you know my name." <br />
I want you to tell me." <br />
Rose. Rose Hathaway." <br />
Do you know your birthday?" <br />
Of course I do. Why are you asking me such stupid things? Did you lose my records?" <br />
Dr. Olendzki gave an exasperated sigh and walked off, taking the annoying light with her. "I think she's fine," <br />
— Richelle Mead (Frostbite)<br />
<br />
"The world is not full of crazy ninja perfume ladies!" <br />
— Elisa Paige (Shadowplay)<br />
<br />
"We're, ah, taking a break to evaluate things, and, um, reexamine our relationship, so I stuffed him in a closet!" I burst out in shame. Timmie's eyes goggled. <br />
Is he still there?" <br />
— Jeaniene Frost (Halfway to the Grave)<br />
<br />
<B><U>Romantic:</u></b><br />
<br />
"I will love you always. When this red hair is white, I will still love you. When the smooth softness of youth is replaced by the delicate softness of age, I will still want to touch your skin. When your face is full of the lines of every smile you have ever smiled, of every surprise I have seen flash through your eyes, when every tear you have ever cried has left its mark upon your face,I will treasure you all the more, because I was there to see it all. I will share your life with you, Meredith, and I will love you until the last breath leaves your body or mine." <br />
— Laurell K. Hamilton (A Lick of Frost)<br />
<br />
"Puck whispered, smiling to soften his words. “I wouldn’t defy Oberon for just anyone. But, for you…” He leaned forward, touching his forehead to mine. “I’d come back from the dead for you." <br />
— Julie Kagawa (The Iron Daughter)<br />
<br />
"I stared at him in silence. There were so many things I wanted to say. Like, How could you think what I feel for you is only physical? or, Don't you know you're my best friend? and finally, Bones, I love-" <br />
— Jeaniene Frost (Halfway to the Grave)<br />
<br />
"I'm crazy about you, Archangel. You scare the shit out of me at times, but I want to dance with you anyway. <br />
<br />
-Elena to Raphael" <br />
— Nalini Singh (Angels' Blood)<br />
<br />
<B><u>Poignant:</u></b><br />
<br />
"There are wounds that never show on the body that are deeper and more hurtful than anything that bleeds." <br />
— Laurell K. Hamilton (Mistral's Kiss)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1399873038723490630.post-87152002082876129062011-02-10T20:08:00.000+00:002011-02-10T20:08:53.100+00:00If you only buy one book for your kindle this week make it one of these!These are all available for under £5 on the Kindle at the moment and are some of the best books I have read this year. Some are new, some are not so new but all got a 4 or 5 star rating from me!:<br />
<br />
<iframe src="http://rcm-uk.amazon.co.uk/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=beyontwili-21&o=2&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&asins=B004GB1T0Y" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe><br />
<br />
<blockquote>When artist James Wesley realizes Evie Reed is dying, he is so moved by the beautiful reporter's determination to live that he makes her immortal—a vampire, like him. She's the woman he's been waiting over 150 years for. Though initially shocked by the change, Evie quickly embraces her second chance at life, and love.<br />
<br />
Just as James and Evie begin to define eternity together, a zealot breaks an ancient treaty, threatening a peace between humans and vampires that has stood for a thousand years. And when he focuses his hatred on Evie, the immortal lovers find themselves swept up in a deadly supernatural war...<br />
<br />
</blockquote><iframe src="http://rcm-uk.amazon.co.uk/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=beyontwili-21&o=2&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&asins=B000W94FU0" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe><br />
<br />
<blockquote>Half-vampire Catherine Crawfield is going after the undead with a vengeance, hoping that one of these deadbeats is her father—the one responsible for ruining her mother's life. Then she's captured by Bones, a vampire bounty hunter, and is forced into an unholy partnership.<br />
<br />
In exchange for finding her father, Cat agrees to train with the sexy night stalker until her battle reflexes are as sharp as his fangs. She's amazed she doesn't end up as his dinner—are there actually good vampires? Pretty soon Bones will have her convinced that being half-dead doesn't have to be all bad. But before she can enjoy her newfound status as kick-ass demon hunter, Cat and Bones are pursued by a group of killers. Now Cat will have to choose a side . . . and Bones is turning out to be as tempting as any man with a heartbeat. <br />
<br />
</blockquote><br />
<iframe src="http://rcm-uk.amazon.co.uk/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=beyontwili-21&o=2&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&asins=0575095725" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe><br />
<br />
<blockquote>Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux knows she's the best - but she doesn't know if she's good enough for this job. Hired by the dangerously beautiful Archangel Raphael, a being so lethal that no mortal wants his attention, only one thing is clear - failure is not an option . . . even if the task she's been set is impossible. Because this time, it's not a wayward vamp she has to track. It's an archangel gone bad. The job will put Elena in the midst of a killing spree like no other . . . and pull her to the razor's edge of passion. Even if the hunt doesn't destroy her, succumbing to Raphael's seductive touch just may. Because when archangels play, mortals break . . . <br />
<br />
</blockquote><br />
And if you are a bit short on cash why not try:<br />
<br />
<iframe src="http://rcm-uk.amazon.co.uk/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=beyontwili-21&o=2&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&asins=B00480OPOK" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe><br />
<br />
Which is absolutely free!!<br />
<br />
<blockquote>Rae Wilder has problems. Supernatural creatures swarm earth, and humanity is on the brink of extinction. Stalked by a handsome fairy who claims she is like him, demonkind, she thinks maybe it was a mistake breaking the rules by going over the Wall into demon territory. <br />
<br />
Plunged into a world of dark magics, fierce creatures, and ritual sacrifice, she is charged with a guarding a magical amulet. The changes to her mind and body are startling, but rather than accept her purpose she struggles against who she is destined to be. Throw in a big lust for a vampire who can't keep his hands off her, and life starts to get complicated. <br />
<br />
Rae is forced to make the ultimate choice: to live and die human, or embrace her birth-right and wield magics that could turn her into something wicked, a force of nature nothing can control<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
</blockquote>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1399873038723490630.post-34719115915634467322011-02-08T10:26:00.001+00:002011-02-08T10:26:55.989+00:00Review of One Hundred Candles by Mara Purnhagen<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8621466-one-hundred-candles" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="One Hundred Candles (Past Midnight, #2)" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1292068039m/8621466.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8621466-one-hundred-candles">One Hundred Candles</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3097903.Mara_Purnhagen">Mara Purnhagen</a><br/><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/137325111">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br /><br />
This is the sequel to Past Midnight, but could be read as a stand alone book.<br />
<br/><br />
<br/>There is a darker edge to this one compared to Past Midnight. Charlotte has some pretty heavy stuff to deal with- parental problems, relationship problems and a demon that is following her!<br />
<br/><br />
<br/>Despite this there is something refreshing and light about this series. Ms Purnhagen deals with these issues without overdramatising, keeping them realistic and believable. Charlottes reactions to events are believable and she is -as much as possible- a normal, likable girl.<br />
<br/><br />
<br/>The ending is not quite a cliffhanger but does make me interested enough to look out for the next in the series to see what will happen.<br />
<br/><br />
<br/>I enjoyed this story just as much as the first. It is a quick, interesting read and suitable for younger teens. <br />
<br/><br />
<br/><br/><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/4597280-lisa">View all my reviews</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0