Third Sentence Thursday (#40)

Grab the Code

<a href="http://snifflykitty.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Third Sentence Thursday" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQN7VLa1dhdv6_Tz-fEshc6Xhbl85L9TC2UOs3PCdkYC8jsMZ1Kv2X-XOBX-8un1ivmPHfN7J7lWSORUVdZqO7Aaa-bb9y_HotDHdsVkQfhgOSUmtXTqB1KtDt4EHuUTGaG7soFSvAxWc/s800/thirdsthursday1d2%252520%252528Custom%252529.png"/></a>

Third Sentence Thursday is a weekly meme which likes to wander around in the forest!

1) Take the book you are reading now and post the third sentence
2) Review this sentence anyway you want (funny and silly reviews encouraged)
3) Post a link to your sentence here (in the comments) or if you don't have a blog, just post it in the comments!


"In my nightmares, I'm always running through twisted woodland." -Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney

:( is scary. I do not like the nightmares. In movies at least, twisted woodland is so creepy o_0 I hope our main character is ok!

Witchlanders is OUT Today!

So, Witchlanders by Lena Coakley is out today! This is one of the debuts that I've been really looking forward to reading.

Summary from Goodreads
High in their mountain covens, red witches pray to the Goddess, protecting the Witchlands by throwing the bones and foretelling the future.
It’s all a fake.

At least, that’s what Ryder thinks. He doubts the witches really deserve their tithes—one quarter of all the crops his village can produce. And even if they can predict the future, what danger is there to foretell, now that his people’s old enemy, the Baen, has been defeated?

But when a terrifying new magic threatens both his village and the coven, Ryder must confront the beautiful and silent witch who holds all the secrets. Everything he’s ever believed about witches, the Baen, magic and about himself will change, when he discovers that the prophecies he’s always scorned—

Are about him.

Also, Lena is holding a prize pack giveaway! You can find out more info about that: right here!

Review: The Iron King (Iron Fey #1) by Julie Kagawa

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Summary
Meghan suddenly becomes a daughter of a Fae King, and her best friend turns out to be one of them too. Suddenly she is caught up with a Prince of the Winter court, and needs to stop an evil faery that every other faery is scared of.

Commentary
I heard many good things about this, and I thought this might be the book that turned around my dislike of Fae focused books. Unfortunately, it really didn't so my search for a good Fae book will have to continue with another book that is hopefully highly recommended.

I think my problem is that Fae are never very varied. Yes, there are different types of faeries, but the attitudes of faeries are always cookie cutter, and this book was no exception. Meghan is a forgettable main character, and the attraction with no real reason is prominent in this story. Granted, that seems to be very Harlequin so I shouldn't be surprised.

I imagine this would appeal to the crowd that liked the Wicked Lovely series. I do not belong to that crowd though so it is what it is.

Star Rating: 2.0/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

Check out prices for The Iron King at Amazon

Bout of Book Wrap-Up

So, what I ended up reading:

I read 7 books:
Kitty and the Midnight Hour (review written)
Kitty Goes to Washington (review written)
The Falling Machine: Society of Steam
The Pearl Wars
Dragon's Egg
The Magician's Guild
The Novice

and 2 partial books:
The Alchemyst - 10 chapters Audiobook style
The High Lord - 60 pgs

Which brings my total to 2383 Pages + 10 Audiobook chapters!

Deliveries Ahoy! (IMM!)

Hosted by The Story Siren
So it is time again to give the books/swag I've received in the mail some coverage because after all getting these books for review is all about publicity! So, without further ado...

Books Received For Review



The Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence
-I've been wanting to read this book FOREVER (or well since like January, which is pretty close to forever right?)

Under Dogs by Makus Zusak
-He wrote The Book Thief, and now he has a trilogy in one omnibus for you guys

Against All Things Ending by Stephen R. Donaldson
-The 3rd in this arc, and 9th in the overall series. It "unravels some of the mysteries haunting Covenant and Linden Avery"

Mastiff by Tamora Pierce
-Squee!! The long, long, long awaited finale to the Beka Cooper Trilogy. I've been looking forward to this for years!

Swag Things


Jerusalem Maiden by Talia Carner

Want to Go Private? by Sarah Darer Littman
-I really like the smiley face for this bookmark! I also wish I had a review copy of this :(

River of Time Series by Lisa Tawn Bergren

ARC's for Trade

Yay! A first of its kind for me!

What I have: (ALL GONE)
Bloodspell by Amalie Howard (w/signed bookplate)
Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Blood Rights by Kristen Painter
The Pearl Wars: Skyship Academy by Nick James (signed)
The Grey Wolf Throne by Cinda Williams Chima

What I'm looking for:
The Pledge by Kimberly Derting (Willing to trade 2 ARC's)
The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson (If you are willing to part with this, you can have all the ARC's listed above and/or I can go scrounging for more!)
The Kingdom of Gods by N.K. Jemisin
Incarnate by Jodi Meadows
When the Sea is Red Rising by Cat Hellisen
Article 5 by Kristen Simmons
Witch Eyes by Scott Tracey

There are probably more things that I want... but with so many books... my mind is well not so good with the remembering. So, feel free to offer me something not on the list, and I shall consider it!

My email in case you're interested is snifflykitty@gmail.com

Review: Kitty Goes to Washington (Kitty Norville #2) by Carrie Vaughn

Kitty Goes to Washington by Carrie Vaughn

This is book 2 but there may be minor spoilers if you haven't read book 1. You should read my review of Kitty and the Midnight Hour which is book 1!

Summary
Kitty is off to Washington (as the title implies) to speak on the existence of supernatural creatures. Of course, this can't be just a simple congressional hearing because where the supernatural are involved, simple is simply not in the vocabulary.

Commentary
I think I liked this book slightly less than in the first one since there didn't seem to be much character growth for Kitty although it was fun to get to know Ben and his relationship with Cormac more. There were still the Dj shows although I think there were fewer of them, but I guess there were a lot of other things happening.

This book had more of a villain from the beginning although there were some mysteries to be discovered along the way, which made this book different since it didn't follow the formula of the first one. While not following the formula was good, I'm not sure I was as emotionally invested in this one as the first one.

So, not a bad second book although I think it could have been executed better. I'm still going to read the next book to see what happens.

Star Rating: 3.5/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

Check out prices for Kitty Goes to Washington at Amazon

Bout of Books - Pile it Up Challenge

This picture is for the Pile it Up Challenge hosted by Actin up with Books in conjunction with the Bout of Books Readathon hosted by On a Book Bender

So here is a good chunk of the books in my TBR pile... minus ~30 that I got tired of carting to where I was taking pictures, and ~50 on my Kindle. I think it's prolly more impressive in person.... heh, oh well.

Review: Kitty and the Midnight Hour (Kitty Norville #1) by Carrie Vaughn

Kitty and the Midnight Hour by Carrie Vaughn

Summary
Kitty is a DJ on the midnight shift, and well she's also a werewolf. One day she gives some advice to someone else who is supernatural on the show, and ratings shoot through the roof. Now though, the rest of her pack and at least the local vampires don't like her, and Kitty must learn to find her own way.

Commentary
I've been having a streak of pretty good urban fantasy novels, which makes me happy since I had begun to have a dim view of this genre before. I'm still a bit wary, but Kitty is another big plus for UF especially because she doesn't start out as any sort of ass-kicking super-heroine. In fact, she's bottom of the pack, which is something I hadn't read yet (well I guess there was Alpha and Omega, but that was a bit different in nature).

I definitely liked the backdrop of a DJ show, and the callers were lots of fun to read about. Granted I really don't know how authentic it was. Also, as the show grows, Kitty grows as well which I really liked.

There was only a tiny bit of romance in this book although there may be more development in the next book. I quite enjoy the slow pacing of the romance, which is somewhat reminiscent of the pacing in the Mercy Thompson series. Even though Kitty is not quite as kick-butt as some of the other UF heroines, I think you guys will still enjoy following her.

Star Rating: 4.0/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

Check out prices for Kitty and the Midnight Hour at Amazon

Third Sentence Thursday (#39)

Grab the Code

<a href="http://snifflykitty.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Third Sentence Thursday" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQN7VLa1dhdv6_Tz-fEshc6Xhbl85L9TC2UOs3PCdkYC8jsMZ1Kv2X-XOBX-8un1ivmPHfN7J7lWSORUVdZqO7Aaa-bb9y_HotDHdsVkQfhgOSUmtXTqB1KtDt4EHuUTGaG7soFSvAxWc/s800/thirdsthursday1d2%252520%252528Custom%252529.png"/></a>

Third Sentence Thursday is a weekly meme which likes to wander around in the forest!

1) Take the book you are reading now and post the third sentence
2) Review this sentence anyway you want (funny and silly reviews encouraged)
3) Post a link to your sentence here (in the comments) or if you don't have a blog, just post it in the comments!


"At least twice a month, I see my Wanted poster flashed on the JumboTrons scattered throughout downtown Los Angeles." -Legend by Marie Lu

Ooh so much information in this sentence. We're in LA, our person is a criminal (or at the very least Wanted which implied criminality!) and there are JumboTrons, which places us at least in modern day, and possibly in the future. Although the Wanted posters could be for a stalking girlfriend/boyfriend who wants to marry our main character!

Review: Hard Spell (Occult Crimes Unit Investigation #1) by Justin Gustainis

Hard Spell by Justin Gustainis

Copy Courtesy of Justin Gustanis and Angry Robot Books
Already Released

Summary
Stan works for the Supernatural Division of the Scranton Police Department. Scranton, it would seem, is very attractive to the supernatural set. When vampires start turning up dead though, it's Stan's job to figure it all out even if he doesn't like vampires all that much.

Commentary
This book delivers exactly what it promised - a gritty story about supernatural folk as seen by one mundane cop. It pulls on many existing beliefs about the paranormal especially as it pertains to the undead varieties, but it's almost refreshing to find a story where all the pre-existing rules such as sunrise, silver, holy water, garlic, and wooden stakes apply since so many books throw one or more of them out the window.

You can sense the demons that haunt Stan throughout the book, and the revelations of his background come in piecemeal although the one big revelation does seem a bit forced. He was a realistic and interesting if not particularly happy character to follow.

This will likely appeal to Jim Butcher type fans, and I definitely like the re-purposing that Gustainis has done with a lot of historical events as well as modern-day stuff. All in all, a good and engaging story.

Star Rating: 4.0/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

Check out prices for Hard Spell at Amazon
This is now a Book Party Post

Bout of Books Readathon Thingy

So.... I think I'll actually be able to get some books read this week so here we go~~

Goals:
6 books!

Books I want to Read:
Kitty and the Midnight Hour (done)
The Falling Machine: Society of Steam (done)
The Alchemyst (in progress)
The Pearl Wars (done)
The Magician's Guild (done)
Dragon's Egg (done)

Books Read on Mon:
Kitty and the Midnight Hour (Last 200 pgs)
Kitty Goes to Washington (321 pgs)

Audiobook:
Listened to 4-ish chapters of The Alchemyst

Total for Monday: 521 pages ^.^ + 4 listened to chapters!

Books Read on Tues:
The Pearl Wars (First 216 pgs)

I didn't get very far because of homework doing :{

Total for Tues: 216 pages!

Books Read on Wed:
The Pearl Wars (Last 164 pgs)
The Falling Machine: Society of Steam (first 3 pages)
Ice Study - Short Story (30 pgs)

Audiobook
Listened to 4 chapters of The Alchemyst

Books Read on Thurs:
The Falling Machine (last 302 pages)

Audiobook
Listened to 2 chapters of The Alchemyst

Books Read on Fri:
The Dragon's Egg (first 76 pgs)

Books Read on Sat:
The Dragon's Egg (last 276 pgs)
The Magician's Guild 370 pgs

Books Read on Sun:
The Novice 465 pgs
The High Lord 60 pgs

Running Total: 2383 Pages + 10 Audiobook chapters!

Books Finished: 7 novels + 1 Short Story so far!

Review: The Wish List by Eoin Colfer

The Wish List by Eoin Colfer

This is an audiobook review!

Summary
Meg hasn't been a saint for most of her life, but when she dies unexpectedly, she finds out that she hovers right between god and bad. Now, in order to try to get into heaven instead of hell, she must help an old man finish his final wishes. Hell, though really wants her and is trying their very best to thwart her.

Commentary
This book had a lot of fun light moments, and while the subject of going to Heaven or Hell is a heavy subject, this is definitely a comedic treatment of the whole thing. I really liked the little touches of modernization of the afterlife which were sprinkled in.

The audiobook narrator did a pretty good job of using a variety of different voices for the various characters although one or two of the voices were hard to understand. There are a lot of different viewpoints so the voices helped a lot.

In general this is a feel good sort of book, and while it's not all that heavy on substance, it's still a fun read when you're not looking to think too much. If you enjoy Colfer's other YA books, this is very similar in tone and style.

Star Rating: 3.0/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

Check out prices for The Wish List at Amazon

Review: Half-Blood (Covenant #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Copy Courtesy of Spencer Hill Press
Release Date: October 18, 2011

Summary
Half-bloods have 2 futures: slave or daimon killer (Sentinels). Alexandria (Alex for short) has been on the run for the last 3 years since leaving the Sentinel training academy. Now though, she is back, and she must prove herself or risk becoming a slave.

Commentary
At first I wasn't all that into this book because Alex mouths off to her 'betters' (the Pure Bloods) in a rather annoying fashion. In a society where the half-bloods are supposed to be downtrodden, this struck me as unrealistic. There is lots of talk about the danger of offending Pures, but the actions and talking back from Alex without any punishment contradicted any sense that there were punishments.

But ok, I pretend that these are normal-ish modern teenagers in a high school setting, and the story that followed was actually pretty good. There were edge of the seat action scenes, decent character development, and a satisfying ending.

It was really the second half of the book that saved it since I spent the first half in lack of suspension of disbelief mode. Basically if you don't have problems with the first half, this is a pretty good book.

Star Rating: 3.0/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

Check out prices for Half-Blood at Amazon

Third Sentence Thursday (#38)

Grab the Code

<a href="http://snifflykitty.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Third Sentence Thursday" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQN7VLa1dhdv6_Tz-fEshc6Xhbl85L9TC2UOs3PCdkYC8jsMZ1Kv2X-XOBX-8un1ivmPHfN7J7lWSORUVdZqO7Aaa-bb9y_HotDHdsVkQfhgOSUmtXTqB1KtDt4EHuUTGaG7soFSvAxWc/s800/thirdsthursday1d2%252520%252528Custom%252529.png"/></a>

Third Sentence Thursday is a weekly meme which likes to wander around in the forest!

1) Take the book you are reading now and post the third sentence
2) Review this sentence anyway you want (funny and silly reviews encouraged)
3) Post a link to your sentence here (in the comments) or if you don't have a blog, just post it in the comments!


"He bit at his lip." -Blood Rights by Kristen Painter

Seems to me that someone is really nervous. Perhaps a lion is looking at him contemplating him as a meal or perhaps he is about to go onstage for a big perfornabce. Either way it certainly sets a mood of disquiet.

50% OFF (New) Book Deals!!!!

Normally I don't post deals, but there are some crazy ones on Amazon for Hardcovers of mostly NEWLY RELEASED (and some pre-release) books for 50% OFF! Normally you don't see these kinds of prices unless they've been remaindered, and these are not remaindered books for sure.

Books that are $9.99
**UPDATED**
City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare
Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

Books that are $9.49
**UPDATED**
Bloodlines by Rachel Mead (PRE-ORDER)
Destined by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast (PRE-ORDER)

Books that are $8.99
Supernaturally by Kiersten White
Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Die for Me by Amy Plum
Forever by Maggie Stiefvater
Passion by Lauren Kate
Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer
Chain Reaction by Simone Elkes
Abandon by Meg Cabot
The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong
Forgotten by Cat Patrick
The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore (PRE-ORDER)
The Fault in Our Stars by John Greene (PRE-ORDER)
Miss Peregrine's Home for the Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
Forgotten by Cat Patrick
Tiger's Quest by Colleen Houck
We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han
**UPDATED**
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
Stolen by Lucy Christopher
Where She Went by Gayle Forman
Matched by Ally Condie
Sapphique by Catherine Fisher
Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck
Nightshade by Andrea Cremer
Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi
Everlasting by Alyson Noël
Trial by Fire by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Books that are $8.49
Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter
Never Have I Ever by Sara Shepard
***UPDATED**
Illusions by Aprilynne Pike
Pretty Little Liars #9 Twisted by Sara Shepard

Books that are under $6 - Paperbacks
Love Story by Jennifer Echols only $5.50
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher only $5.49
**UPDATED**
Torment by Lauren Kate only $5.49
Thirst No. 4: The Shadow of Death by Christopher Pike only $5.49

I will post more as I find them!

Books in the Mail (Aug 14)

Hosted by The Story Siren

Books Received For Review


Retribution by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Shadow Kin by M.J. Scott
Blood Rules by Christine Cody

Review: The Urban Fantasy Anthology edited by Peter S. Beagle

The Urban Fantasy Anthology edited by Peter S. Beagle

Copy Courtesy of Tachyon Publications
Release Date: August 15, 2011

Summary
Urban fantasy is an umbrella for books of several different flavors, and this anthology will give you a taste of stories from all over the spectrum.

Commentary
I didn't realize until I read this anthology how many kinda of stories fall under the umbrella of urban fantasy, and I really enjoyed the essays at the beginning of each section which introduced the 3 broad categories. A note to the reader, some of these stories are disturbing and not just in a violent way.

There were definitely stories I really liked (The Goldfish Pool and Other Stories, Julie's Unicorn, Hit, and A Haunted House of Her Own). They hit (no pun intended) just the right notes of fantastic and good storytelling. There were several that were just plain weird especially in the noir section (although that was to be expected), and I'm not sure I understood what was going on.

All in all, it was definitely an interesting sampler of stories, and I have some authors that I want to check out novels for. As an overview of what you might encounter in Urban Fantasy, this definitely achieved that although I didn't enjoy every story within.

Star Rating: 3.5/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

Check out prices for The Urban Fantasy Anthology at Amazon

Third Sentence Thursday (#37)

Grab the Code

<a href="http://snifflykitty.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Third Sentence Thursday" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQN7VLa1dhdv6_Tz-fEshc6Xhbl85L9TC2UOs3PCdkYC8jsMZ1Kv2X-XOBX-8un1ivmPHfN7J7lWSORUVdZqO7Aaa-bb9y_HotDHdsVkQfhgOSUmtXTqB1KtDt4EHuUTGaG7soFSvAxWc/s800/thirdsthursday1d2%252520%252528Custom%252529.png"/></a>

Third Sentence Thursday is a weekly meme which likes to watch fireworks especially while eating a cookie!

1) Take the book you are reading now and post the third sentence
2) Review this sentence anyway you want (funny and silly reviews encouraged)
3) Post a link to your sentence here (in the comments) or if you don't have a blog, just post it in the comments!


"Since I'd fled Miami, no place had been safe." -Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Sounds like a hold on to the edge of your seat kind of book. Super-action is one way to kick off a book, and I hope the rest of it lives up to this promise!

Cover Love Week: Day 7 - Planesrunner by Ian McDonald

Today's Pick:
Planesrunner



Release Date: January 24, 2012

Why I love it
I love this cover because cards cards! I'm not sure this is the final cover yet, but it's already pretty awesome. The girl's hair that is glittery and the feeling of things coming towards you makes it yet another powerful cover.


Summary (from Goodreads)
There is not one you. There are many yous. There is not one world. There are many worlds. Ours is one of billions of parallel earths.

When Everett Singh's scientist father is kidnapped from the streets of London, he leaves young Everett a mysterious app on his computer. Suddenly, this fourteen-year-old has become the owner of the most valuable object in the multi-verse - the Infundibulum - the map of all the parallel earths, and there are dark forces in the Ten Known Worlds who will stop at nothing to get it. They've got power, authority, and the might of ten planets - some of them more technologically advanced than out Earth - at the fingertips. He's got wits, intelligence, and a knack for Indian cooking.

To keep the Infundibulum safe, Everett must trick his way through the Heisenberg Gate his dad helped build and go on the run in a parallel Earth. But to rescure his Dad from Charlotte Villiers and the sinister Order, this Planesrunner's going to need friends. Friends like Captain Anastasia Sixsmyth, her adopted daughter Sen, and the crew of the airship Everness.

Can they rescue Everett;s father and get the Infundibulum to safety? The game is afoot!

Quick Review Policy Announcement

I just wanted to mention that I am now accepting audiobooks for review. Not that many of you particularly care.... just thought I would mention it.

Cover Love Week: Day 6 - The Wood Queen by Karen Mahoney

Today's Pick:
The Wood Queen



Release Date: February 8, 2012

Why I love it
I love this cover because of its power (yes I know that was the reason for the first cover too :P). It also tied in very nicely with the name of the book with the wood surrounding the girl, and the queen part of it being the power emanating from her. I also like the tie in with the first book with the 'scarring' on the arm turning into white light.


Summary (from Goodreads)
Donna Underwood is facing an alchemist tribunal for stealing the elixir of life when
her ailing mother takes a turn for the worse Donna seeks an audience with Aliette, the Wood Queen, who offers a deal: if Donna can use her powers to open the door to Faerie and send the wood elves home, Aliette will free her mother from the elven curse that shattered her mind.

Along with friends Navin and the half-fey Xan, Donna struggles to unlock the secrets
of her iron tattoos in time to save her mother's life. But she discovers that some secrets might be better left untold . . .

Review: Revenge of the Witch (The Last Apprentice #1) by Joseph Delaney

Revenge of the Witch by Joseph Delaney

This is an audiobook review!

Summary
Tom is apprenticed to the county Spook, who helps to keep the evil away. Unfortunately, Spooks are also feared by many so Tom may not have many friends, and well, there may be some witches to content with. Witches are dangerous they are.

Commentary
Girls with pointy shoes are dangerous! This is somewhat classified as horror (perhaps because it's scary feeling?), which is usually not a genre that particularly interests me, but I did enjoy this one especially because of statements like the previous one.

The narrator did an excellent job with the different voices, and he brought the lighthearted, scary, and all the other parts to life. I was a bit annoyed by Tom's continual insistence that he had no choice for things, but other than that he was an interesting character to follow.

If you like audiobooks, I suggest you try this one in audio. Otherwise, I still suggest you give it a read because the author does a great job of knowing what readers expect and not always following that expectation so there is a real element of suspense.

Star Rating: 4.0/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

Check out prices for Revenge of the Witch at Amazon

Book Review Party Post

Cover Love Week: Day 5 - Pure by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Today's Pick:
Pure



Release Date: April 2, 2012

Why I love it
I love this cover because well first of all it's blue, and blue is my very favorite color so it has that in its favor. Of course there is also the almost hypnotic draw of the fire that is a flower. Can you imagine how good this would look if it were embossed and slightly metallic?


Summary (from Goodreads)
Alex lives--and loves--recklessly, until a single decision leads to a heartbreaking revelation. As a mysterious threat closes in and she confronts a Council that wants to see her in servitude, Alex must face a choice between love that is fated... and love that is forbidden.

Review: Possession (Possession #1) by Elana Johnson

Possession by Elana Johnson

Copy Courtesy of Simon & Schuster
Already Published

Summary
Vi knows she shouldn't be kissing Zenn, but he is her match so it can't be all bad right? Then she is captured, and the Thinkers who rule wants her to join them in controlling society. Along the way she meets another inmate, Jag, who also makes her skin tingle.

Commentary
Ok, I'm really not sure whether the final version had significant revision or not, but I do hope it had some revision because this had some issues. This was another one of those books where I really was pulled in by the cover :(

Biggest issue I had was that the story jumped constantly. I really had no idea what was going on for a lot of the book because we would be somewhere and then suddenly we would be in Vi's head or Jag's head without any warning or indication or it would jump to a new scene with no transition. Because of this constant confusion, I also had a hard time following character growth because sometimes I wouldn't be able to remember who had thought or experienced what.

I'm sure the society was interesting, but much of it wasn't really explored. I also wasn't really able to immerse myself in it. Perhaps you will think differently (especially if there were more edits). Also, apologies for taking so long to actually write this review heh~~

Star Rating: 1.0/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

Check out prices for Possession on Amazon

Cover Love Week: Day 4 - Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Today's Pick:
Everneath



Release Date: January 3, 2012

Why I love it
I love this cover because it looks like her arm is made out of mist although if you look closely you will notice that her arm is folded in close to her. The effect it gives off is very mystical and surreal feeling.


Summary (from Goodreads)
Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's...

Review: Eden by Keary Taylor

Eden by Keary Taylor

Copy Courtesy of Keary Taylor
Already Released

Summary
The Fall, self-evolving tech took over almost all the humans in the world into robots. Eve doesn't know anything of the world before the Fall but she is working hard to keep her small enclave alive, but the Hunters (robots who used to be humans that are actively hunting down the remaining un-turned) are coming closer with each minute so she must fight for their survival.

Commentary
The fear of the machines taking over the humans has been around for a very long time, and this is yet one more story in that mix. I found this one to be lighter in nature and perhaps more fun because of it (not that I don't enjoy the grimmer versions).

There is a good amount of world-building although it doesn't get overwhelming since it comes in pieces. I do think that there was too much time spent on Eve's indecision between her two love interests, but I liked the way things turned out so I suppose I can't complain too much.

In some ways this book is reminiscent of many of the post-apocalyptic zombie novels that are prevalent now, but for some reason, I like robots better. This one definitely has its moments so you might consider picking it up.

Star Rating: 3.5/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

Check out prices for Eden at Amazon (The Kindle Edition is only $0.99)

Third Sentence Thursday (#36)

Grab the Code

<a href="http://snifflykitty.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Third Sentence Thursday" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQN7VLa1dhdv6_Tz-fEshc6Xhbl85L9TC2UOs3PCdkYC8jsMZ1Kv2X-XOBX-8un1ivmPHfN7J7lWSORUVdZqO7Aaa-bb9y_HotDHdsVkQfhgOSUmtXTqB1KtDt4EHuUTGaG7soFSvAxWc/s800/thirdsthursday1d2%252520%252528Custom%252529.png"/></a>

Third Sentence Thursday is a weekly meme which is very sneaky when stealing cookies from the cookie jar!

1) Take the book you are reading now and post the third sentence
2) Review this sentence anyway you want (funny and silly reviews encouraged)
3) Post a link to your sentence here (in the comments) or if you don't have a blog, just post it in the comments!


"We all shut out eyes as Avian pressed the device to Tye's arm, unable to watch the death of the man who had been our family member and protector since the formation of Eden" -Eden by Keary Taylor

Aww such a sad way to start the story. I was intrigued by this start though because it definitely set a very harsh sort of mood although perhaps this says something about my preferences heh~~ Anyway, WHY do they have a device that they are using to kill such a beloved member?!

Cover Love Week: Day 3 - Witch Eyes by Scott Tracey

Today's Pick:
Witch Eyes



Release Date: September 8, 2011

Why I love it
I love this cover because it's got a very eerie feel to it, but it's not just a standard house that's kind of creepy feeling type of cover. The face of the guy at the top with the mutated eye gives off an extra sense of scary, and the whole cover just comes together very nicely.


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

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

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

Quick Note About Some Changes

So, I just wanted to point out a few tweaks that I've made to the site.

- There are now labels for each star rating that I give.

- I have gone back and rated some of the books which didn't previously have ratings attached as well as fixing some broken pictures in the reviews and updating the look of some of the old reviews so that they are more in line with the newer ones.

- There are links to the ratings labels in the sidebar so that you can browse my reviews by rating. I hope this will help you make a better decision about whether my tastes align with yours!

- I added some share buttons to each post in case you happen to want to share them with people (<3 if you do). I am contemplating doing a bigger tweet button, but I will work on that at a later time.

- I am going to be writing a post detailing some of my preferences and linking that in my about page to further help with your decisions on whether my taste in books aligns with your ^.^

That's all for now. I hope you find the changes to your liking!

Cover Love Week: Day 2 - Thief's Covenant by Ari Marmell

Today's Pick:
Thief's Covenant



Release Date: February 14, 2012

Why I love it
I love this cover because it has a girl hanging upside down. No seriously, I think that's really awesome. It's also great because it's a very clean cover so that your eyes are drawn to the girl and what is probably her target.


Summary (from Goodreads)
She is Widdershins, a thief making her way through Davillon's underbelly looking to find answers, and justice with a sharp blade, a sharper wit, and the mystical aid of Olgun, a foreign god with no other worshipers but Widdershins herself.

Review: Heartless (The Parasol Protectorate #4) by Gail Carriger

Heartless by Gail Carriger

This is the 4th book in the series, and there may be some spoilers in the Summary if you haven't read the previous books yet. (Soulless #1, Changeless #2, and Blameless #3)

Summary
Alexia's pregnancy is making the vampires very very unhappy, and there is a warning of an assassination attempt on the Queen from a mad ghost. Alexia certainly has her hands full.

Commentary
Heartless was witty as ever, and I had forgotten how much I missed the banter between Alexia and her husband. You would think that there wasn't as much story with a couple that was well established with all the YA books which deal with boy and girl meeting, but that is certainly not a problem with The Parasol Protectorate series. I have yet to get tired of the characters.

I do admit that the enjoyment of this book had less to do with the plot on the Queen and a whole lot more on all the dialogue, which I think is perhaps rare for me as I usually talk about world-building and character development. I definitely giggled my way through this book.

So, if you enjoyed the previous books in the series (I really do suggest you read these books in order as the relationships are built up over the course of the series) you should enjoy this one as well. I am definitely looking forward to the next book - Timeless ^.^

Star Rating: 4.0/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

Check out prices for Heartless at Amazon

This is now a Book Review Party post

July RAK Wrap-Up/August Sign-up!

I want to thank BookSoulmates for hosting this event every month ^.^

In addition, I would like to thank Beth Wade from Living a Goddess for Kushiel's Avatar. (I love this book ^.^)



So, the August sign-up for RAK is up, and there is a special giveaway of a $20 Amazon gift card as well! (hint this is your cue to go sign up ^.~)

To Sign Up Go Here

If you happen to want to check out my wishlist, it is here!

Cover Love Week: Day 1 - Song of the Nile by Stephanie Dray

So, I've decided to dedicate this week to covers of upcoming books that I am loving, which I haven't yet featured on the blog because who doesn't love gorgeous covers?

Today's Pick:
Song of the Nile



Release Date: October 4, 2011

Why I love it
I love this cover because it is so powerful. I get this feeling of power crackling through the air whenever I see it. It definitely makes a statement, and I'm really looking forward to reading this book ^.^


Summary (from Goodreads)
Sorceress. Seductress. Schemer. Cleopatra’s daughter has become the emperor’s most unlikely apprentice and the one woman who can destroy his empire…

Having survived her perilous childhood as a royal captive of Rome, Selene pledged her loyalty to Augustus and swore she would become his very own Cleopatra. Now the young queen faces an uncertain destiny in a foreign land.

Forced to marry a man of the emperor’s choosing, Selene will not allow her new husband to rule in her name. She quickly establishes herself as a capable leader in her own right and as a religious icon. Beginning the hard work of building a new nation, she wins the love of her new subjects and makes herself vital to Rome by bringing forth bountiful harvests.

But it’s the magic of Isis flowing through her veins that makes her indispensable to the emperor. Against a backdrop of imperial politics and religious persecution, Cleopatra’s daughter beguiles her way to the very precipice of power. She has never forgotten her birthright, but will the price of her mother’s throne be more than she’s willing to pay?

Review: Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi

Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi

Summary
Jack is an independent contractor for Zara Corp. He scouts out locations for it to basically strip mine valuable resources from uninhabited planets. He gets caught up in a case when he discovers a species (the Fuzzies) which may be sentient on his current planet. If the Fuzzies are sentient, Zara Corp can no longer mine resources anymore from this planet anymore.

Commentary
This is a reboot of a different novel Little Fuzzy by H. Beam Piper, which I confess to not have read so this won't be a comparison review. I really like what Scalzi has done here. There is a lot of courtroom reparte that goes on, and I, at least, really enjoyed it (possibly because it was similar to political maneuvering).

Jack is kind of hard to pin down as a character, and I wasn't always sure of his motivations, which I kind of liked. It wasn't that he waffled around a lot, but it wasn't necessarily clear why he was doing certain things. The Fuzzies of course were a lot of fun to read.

The tone of the book was very Scalzi with wittiness and light moments although grounded in a lot of very believable science fiction. I think this will please a lot of Scalzi fans as well as non-fans as well.

Star Rating: 4.5/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

Check out prices for Fuzzy Nation at Amazon