Top 10 Books I'm Looking Forward to in 2012

This meme is hosted by Confessions of a Bookaholic, A Life Bound by Books, Fiktshun and Two Chicks on Books.

Well, without further ado (and in no particular order), here are my choices:

1) Insurgent (Divergent # 2) by Veronica Roth

2) Shadow of Night (All Souls # 2) by Deborah Harkness

3) Vampire Empire # 3 by Clay and Susan Griffith

4) Commedia della Morte (Saint Germain Chronicles) by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro

5) Rapture (Fallen # 4) by Lauren Kate

6) The Chemistry of Tears by Peter Carey

7) Fever (Chemical Garden # 2) by Lauren DeStefano

8) Tempest by Julia Cross


Okay, so I know there are only eight listed and not ten, but I couldn't think of two more immediately off the top of my head. Perhaps I'll be inspired later and can add two more to the post then! ;)

The Official Vampire Artist's Handbook by Lora S. Irish - Book Review

Title: The Official Vampire Artist's Handbook

Author: Lora S. Irish

Publisher: Fox Chapel Publishing

Publication Date: 2 January 2012

Pages: 116

Format: E-Book - PDF

Genre: Non-Fiction / Art

Source: ARC from NetGalley

How to draw vampire art in simple, easy steps. Instructions could be used to create patterns for various crafts, or for drawing. (Goodreads Synopsis)


I couldn't resist requesting this book from NetGalley as soon as I saw it on their listing. I am a huge vampire fan and also like to dabble in pencil sketching from time to time, so it seemed to be the perfect book for me.

This book combines practical projects on drawing and colouring vampires with information about the vampire mythology, adding extra interest to what might otherwise have been a standard book on drawing. I thought the mix worked well as the information gave a basis to the decisions the artist made about the appearance of the different vampires she drew.

I didn't always agree with how the artist represented the vampires, but that is simply a matter of personal taste. I loved the section on colouring and blending colours as it is something I have tended to shy away from, working more with graphic pencils. The tutorials were fun and easy to follow, making them suitable for a complete novice or someone with some drawing experience.

This is a fun book that will appeal to both vampire fans and pencil artists in general.

The Greyfriar (Vampire Empire # 1) by Clay and Susan Griffith

Title: The Greyfriar (Vampire Empire # 1)

Author: Clay & Susan Griffith

Publisher: Pyr

Publication Date: November 2010

Pages: 301

Format: Paperback

Genre: Paranormal / Steampunk

Source: Xmas Gift

Vampire predators run wild in this exciting steampunk adventure, the first in an alternate history trilogy that is already attracting attention. In 1870, monsters rise up and conquer the northern lands, As great cities are swallowed up by carnage and disease, landowners and other elite flee south to escape their blood-thirsty wrath. One hundred fifty years later, the great divide still exists; fangs on one side of the border, worried defenders on the other. This fragile equilibrium is threatened, then crumbles after a single young princess becomes almost hopelessly lost in the hostile territory. At first, she has only one defender: a mysterious Greyfriar who roams freely in dangerous vampire regions. (Goodreads Synopsis)


Wow, what a great book. I started this last night and when I got up this morning I had to read on to the end before I could bring myself to do anything else.

This is a riveting paranormal-romance-meets-steampunk-action tale. The storyline grabbed me from the start and held my interest throughout, moving at a fast pace that made me keen to turn each page. The characters were also great: Adele is a strong and feisty heroine and Greyfriar is everything you could want from a hero - handsome, skilled with a blade and possessing a dark secret of his own. The gradual development of their relationship was one of the strong points of the book.

That said, this book was not without its problems. One problem to be precise: POV. In third person narrative the POV frequently changed from paragraph to paragraph. It was not the end of the world as I could still follow whose head I was in, but it was an unwelcome distraction from the story. Luckily this book has so many good points that I found myself mostly able to overlook this flaw.

The POV issues did not stop me from falling in love with the story and the amazing world and characters Clay and Susan Griffith have created. My bookmark is already in The Rift Walker and I look forward to getting into that this evening. I imagine it will seem a long wait for the final book in the series next year.

This is an original and thrilling tale that will appeal to steampunk and paranormal fans - well worth a read!

The Book of Lost Fragrances by M.J. Rose - Book Review

Title: The Book of Lost Fragrances

Author: M. J. Rose

Publisher: Atria Books

Publication Date: 13 March 2012

Pages: 384

Format: E-Book - PDF

Genre: Literary Fiction

Source: ARC from NetGalley

 


A sweeping and suspenseful tale of secrets, intrigue, and lovers separated by time, all connected through the mystical qualities of a perfume created in the days of Cleopatra—and lost for 2,000 years. 

Jac L’Etoile has always been haunted by the past, her memories infused with the exotic scents that she grew up surrounded by as the heir to a storied French perfume company. In order to flee the pain of those remembrances—and of her mother’s suicide—she moves to America, leaving the company in the hands of her brother Robbie. But when Robbie hints at an earth-shattering discovery in the family archives and then suddenly goes missing—leaving a dead body in his wake—Jac is plunged into a world she thought she’d left behind.

Back in Paris to investigate her brother’s disappearance, Jac discovers a secret the House of L’Etoile has been hiding since 1799: a scent that unlocks the mysteries of reincarnation. The Book of Lost Fragrances fuses history, passion, and suspense, moving from Cleopatra’s Egypt and the terrors of revolutionary France to Tibet’s battle with China and the glamour of modern-day Paris. Jac’s quest for the ancient perfume someone is willing to kill for becomes the key to understanding her own troubled past. (Goodreads Synopsis)


Overall this is a very enjoyable book. I found the opening a little slow, but gradually I got into the story.

One of the things I loved most about this piece was the way it appeals to the senses, with detailed and sensuous description of smells playing a major role in the tale. I also enjoyed the historical flashbacks and the way they moved the rest of the story forward. The interplay of the ideas of memories and reincarnation worked very well and created an intriguing plot.

I would have liked a little more tension at times as I didn't always feel the 'grit' of some of the dire situations the characters found themselves in and I would also have liked some earlier shows of change in Jac's character as her about turn towards the end of the book felt a little sudden.

But these are minor complaints as overall I found it a very readable and engaging piece and it is one that should appeal to readers of both literary fiction and historical fiction.

Follow Friday # 32

Q: The New Year is here -- and everyone wants to know your New Year's Blogging Resolution! What are you going to try to revise, revamp and redo for 2012 on your blog?

Well, I am hoping to get some more author interviews and guest posts going in the New Year. I'd love to have a more varied content for you all with a mix of reviews, memes and author content. Will be doing one or two giveaways in the next few months too....

I also need to look at new ways to promote my own books and blogging may be a big part of that. So, if any of you would have me over to your blog for an author interview/guest post, don't be shy and drop me a line! ;) (nickijmarkus AT y7mail DOT com)

The Legacy of Eden by Nelle Davy - Book Review

Title: The Legacy of Eden

Author: Nelle Davy

Publisher: MIRA

Publication Date: 31 January 2012

Pages: 377

Format: E-Book - EPUB

Genre: Literary Fiction

Source: ARC from NetGalley

For generations, Aurelia was the crowning glory of more than three thousand acres of Iowa farmland and golden cornfields. The estate was a monument to matriarch Lavinia Hathaway's dream to elevate the family name - no matter what relative or stranger she had to destroy in the process. It was a desperation that wrought the downfall of the Hathaways - and the once prosperous farm.

Now the last inhabitant of the decaying old home has died - alone. None of the surviving members of the Hathaway family want anything to do with the farm, the land, or the memories.

Especially Meredith Pincetti. Now living in New York City, for seventeen years Lavinia's youngest grandchild has tried to forget everything about her family and her past. But with the receipt of a pleading letter, Meredith is again thrust into conflict with the legacy that destroyed her family's once-great name. Back at Aurelia, Meredith must confront the rise and fall of the Hathaway family... and her own part in their mottled history. (Goodreads Synopsis)



This was a really enjoyable read. I was drawn in by the characters right from the turn of the first page and I found the story compelling. I worked out the 'crux' of the story fairly early on, but I don't think the author intended to hide it as this was a piece about characters and seeing how their actions and decisions lead them to their ends.

The book features a fairly large cast of characters but all came across well, showing growth and change as the tale progressed. The house itself is almost a character too with a life of its own and that worked really well in holding the story together.

The book is constantly jumping from past to present, from actual events to remembered accounts. In the hands of some writers this would be problematic, but Nelle Davy handles it well and I never found myself confused or unable to keep up with the timeline.

Although this book does not have the major impact of similarly schemed stories (such as the recent Ghost on Black Mountain), it is a good, well written piece and is more than worth investing your time in. Recommended for readers of literary fiction who like thought-provoking family dramas.

The Editor's Companion by Janet Mackenzie - Book Review

Title: The Editor's Companion

Author: Janet Mackenzie

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Publication Date: 2011 (2004)

Pages: 230

Format: Paperback

Genre: Non-Fiction

Source: Xmas Gift




As the knowledge economy takes shape, editors face many challenges. Technology is transforming publishing, text is losing out to graphics, and writing is distorted by cliché, hype and spin. More than ever, editors are needed to add value to information and to rescue readers from boredom and confusion. The Editor's Companion explains the traditional skills of editing for publication and how to adapt them for digital production. It describes the editorial tasks for print and screen publications, from fantasy novels and academic texts to web pages and government documents. It is an essential tool for professional editors, as well as media and publications officers, self-publishers and writers editing their own work. This revised edition features extended coverage of on-screen editing, single-source publishing and digital rights, a comprehensive glossary of editing terms and a companion website developed especially for students that includes editing exercises, expert 'tips' and essential weblinks. (Goodreads Synopsis)


As someone studying editing and considering it as a career option, I found this book to be highly useful.

This companion assumes that the reader is already working in/studying editing and has general knowledge of how to edit/proofread. What this book offers is insight into what might be expected from different editing jobs. It gives an overview of how different aspects of a publication might be approached and it offers advice on freelancing, including ideas on how to price etc.

This is a book aimed mainly at editors in Australia, and as such may not be quite so useful to those from other countries. It also refers regularly to The Style Manual for Authors, Editors and Printers and it would be good to read the two books in conjunction to make the most of the information in each.

This is the most recent edition and I was pleased to see how up to date it was in terms of information on new digital editing and publishing methods. Some aspects of my course are already out of date when they refer to e-books etc, so I was relieved to find that this book was better informed.

I am glad to have a copy of this book on my shelf as I pursue my studies and (hopefully) my career in editing. An invaluable reference work.

A Song in the Daylight by Paullina Simons - Book Review

Title: A Song in the Daylight

Author: Paullina Simons

Publisher: Harper Collins

Publication Date: November 2009

Pages: 767

Format: Paperback

Genre: Literary Fiction

Source: Birthday Gift




Larissa Stark is a beautiful woman who plays many roles in her life: wife, mother, devoted friend. She has everything she ever wanted, until a chance encounter with a stranger changes Larissa's idyllic existence forever, leading her to question all the things she once believed were true. Faced with impossible choices and contemplating the unthinkable, Larissa struggles with an eternal mystery: how does one woman follow a divided heart?

Spanning the upscale suburbs of New Jersey, the slums of Manila and the desolate beauty of the Australian outback, A Song in the Daylight is a story of the bonds that unite us and the desires that drives us apart.  (Goodreads Synopsis)



A good friend sent me this book as a birthday gift and I approached it a little tentatively at first. The reason for that was the fact that I find Simons a somewhat inconsistent writer. I have read some books of hers that I loved and others that I hated, so I wondered where this one would fall. In the end I would rate it somewhere in the middle.

There were many things I liked about this book. Larissa was an interesting, if sometimes misguided and naive, character and, in the early part of the book, I found her inner struggle gripping reading. She lives a supposedly normal and happy life, but then a chance meeting turns her world upside-down. This book covers both the mundane and the amazing aspects of everyday life.

Her husband also comes across well. Sure he's a bit dim not to notice the problems emerging, but once the dam breaks he comes into his own and becomes a much more engaging character. I also felt the supporting cast were nicely fleshed out and 'real'. I never warmed to Kai; although, I can see why many would find him appealing. Unfortunately, unlike Larissa, I saw him coming a mile away.

However, the reason this only got three stars and not four is that, for me, it lacked the spark of some of Simons best work such as The Bronze Horseman. The story was fine, but it didn't keep me on the edge of my seat. I also found the ending a tad abrupt and unsatisfactory - it felt distinctly like Simons was preaching right and wrong by then.

Still, this was a pleasant read and it is a book that will keep current Simons fans happy as well as appealing to anyone who likes contemporary family drama.

In My Mailbox # 6 - Xmas Special

Well, Xmas is pretty much over for another year. The food is eaten, the presents are all opened and I am thrilled to say I got a wonderful 18 new books out of the festive season.

And here they all are!

Birthday Stories - Murakami

Prophecy of the Sisters - Zink

The Code of the Woosters - Wodehouse

Spellbound - Sandemo

The Elephant Vanishes - Murakami

The Day Watch - Lukyanenko

The Twilight Watch - Lukyanenko

Dune - Herbert

The Editor's Companion - Mackenzie

The Prague Cemetery - Eco

The Night Circus - Morgenstern

The Greyfriar - Griffith

The Rift Walker - Griffith

Madame de Pompadour - Lever

Sissi: Schicksal einer Kaiserin - Schuster

The Hunger Games - Collins

Catching Fire - Collins

Mockingjay - Collins

Happy Holidays Everyone

Wishing all of you all the best this festive season.

What am I up to? Well, I'll be spending time with my husband's family tonight and tomorrow and then having a little relaxing time, I hope.

I am eyeing up the decent number of book-shaped gifts that are sitting there waiting for me and I am hoping that I'll have a few good things to read in the coming months. Get ready for an In My Mailbox post on that soon!

See you all in a couple of days!

Passion (Fallen # 3) by Lauren Kate - Book Review

Title: Passion (Fallen # 3)

Author: Lauren Kate

Publisher: Doubleday - Random House

Publication Date: June 2011

Pages: 420

Format: Paperback

Genre: Paranormal / YA

Source: Bought Copy

Luce would die for Daniel.

And she has. Over and over again. Throughout time, Luce and Daniel have found each other, only to be painfully torn apart: Luce dead, Daniel left broken and alone. But perhaps it doesn’t need to be that way. . . .

Luce is certain that something—or someone—in a past life can help her in her present one. So she begins the most important journey of this lifetime . . . going back eternities to witness firsthand her romances with Daniel . . . and finally unlock the key to making their love last.

Cam and the legions of angels and Outcasts are desperate to catch Luce, but none are as frantic as Daniel. He chases Luce through their shared pasts, terrified of what might happen if she rewrites history.

Because their romance for the ages could go up in flames . . . forever. (Goodreads Synopsis)

This is most definitely my favourite of the three books in this series so far.

In Passion, Lucinda final comes into her own and shows a little more initiative and guts. I still found myself silently yelling at her about where she was placing her trust, and I saw the twist coming a mile away, but it was refreshing to see her take action at last.

Bill was a fun new character addition and I like the way the storyline is progressing. The pacing in this book was the best yet and the fast moving scenes helped to hold my interest and enabled me to really whizz through, finishing it in barely two and a half hours.

Fans of the series will not be disappointed by this instalment and those who were unsure of books one and two would do well to give this third one a try. In Passion the pace picks up, the characters whine less and the scene is set for a ripping finale in Rapture, which I will certainly be reading when it is released next year.

Time Keepers is Submitted

Well, it's been a while in the making, but the new, improved, longer version of Time Keepers is now submitted to Silver Publishing.

The original mini-series ran to 15,000 words, but this new version of the story is a bit over 40,000 words. The main story arc is the same, but there is more detail and a new character. So, if it's accepted, I hope it will appeal to new readers and to those who enjoyed the original series.

Silver have said they are looking more for contemporary romance than paranormal at the moment, but it may still have a chance. If they don't accept it, there are a few other places I am considering subbing it....

It will probably be late February or even early March before I hear anything, so I'll let you know the outcome then. In the meantime, I have two projects brewing and I just need to decide which of them to work on next!

Torment (Fallen # 2) by Lauren Kate - Book Review

Title: Torment (Fallen # 2)

Author: Lauren Kate

Publisher: Ember - Random House

Publication Date: 2010

Pages: 452

Format: Paperback

Genre: Paranormal / YA

Source: Bought Copy




Hell on earth.

That’s what it’s like for Luce to be apart from her fallen angel boyfriend, Daniel.
It took them an eternity to find one another, but now he has told her he must go away. Just long enough to hunt down the Outcasts—immortals who want to kill Luce. Daniel hides Luce at Shoreline, a school on the rocky California coast with unusually gifted students: Nephilim, the offspring of fallen angels and humans.

At Shoreline, Luce learns what the Shadows are, and how she can use them as windows to her previous lives. Yet the more Luce learns, the more she suspects that Daniel hasn’t told her everything. He’s hiding something—something dangerous.
What if Daniel’s version of the past isn’t actually true? What if Luce is really meant to be with someone else? (Goodreads Synopsis)


I started this book right after finishing Fallen and many of my comments from my review of that book also apply to this one.

I actually found Luce more annoying in this one. Sure, I could understand she was frustrated that no one would tell her anything, but she kept running straight into danger like an idiot. Keeping with the ongoing Twilight similarities, I also noticed that this is the book where she is 'apart from her love and considering other love interests'.

On the plus side, I liked the way the Announcers were developed in this book. The way they work is pretty cool and it helped hold my interest in this second book in the series.

So, I still wasn't blown away, but I am nonetheless moving on to book three in the series to see what that has to offer and what will happen next.

Fallen (Fallen # 1) by Lauren Kate - Book Review

Title: Fallen (Fallen # 1)

Author: Lauren Kate

Publisher: Ember - Random House

Publication Date: 2010 (2009)

Pages: 452

Format: Paperback

Genre: Paranormal / YA

Source: Birthday Gift




Seventeen-Year-Old Luce is a new student at Sword & Cross, an unwelcoming boarding/reform school in Savannah, Georgia. Luce’s boyfriend died under suspicious circumstances, and now she carries the guilt over his death with her as she navigates the unfriendly halls at Sword & Cross, where every student seems to have an unpleasant—even evil—history.It's only when she sees Daniel that her life looks a little better. But Daniel has a secret which will put their lives in danger... (Goodreads Synopsis)


This is another of those books that I have heard so many great things about around the blogsphere and I thought it was time to check it out for myself.

On the positive: The story is interesting and held my attention throughout. Fallen angels are a popular theme at present, but this book came at it from a fresh perspective. Luce had some impact as a heroine - not a completely whiny teen for a change - and Daniel and Cam were nicely presented. At the end of the book, I was still keen to read on and find out what would happen to them next.

On the negative: This book did scream 'Twilight with angels' at me a few times and many of the characters seemed to correspond too. Luce, while not whiny, is still somewhat stupid, which was annoying at times. The writing is by no means the worst I've read, but the prose style and dialogue are not amazing.

So, a bit of a mixed bag for me, but overall I would say that I found it an enjoyable way to while away a couple of hours. I have actually just started Torment and I have Passion sitting on my bookshelf, so I will read on and finish the series to see where the story will go and what will happen to Luce and Daniel.

Casanova in Bolzano by Sandor Marai - Book Review

Title: Casanova in Bolzano

Author: Sandor Marai

Publisher: Vintage

Publication Date: 2005 (1940)

Pages: 294

Format: Paperback

Genre: Literary Fiction

Source: Birthday Gift




Another rediscovered masterpiece from the Hungarian novelist whose Embers became an international bestseller—a sensuous, suspenseful, aphoristic novel about the world’s most notorious seducer and the encounter that changes him forever. In 1756 Giacomo Casanova escapes from a Venetian prison and resurfaces in the Italian village of Bolzano. Here he receives an unwelcome visitor: the aging but still fearsome Duke of Parma, who years before had defeated Casanova in a duel over a ravishing girl named Francesca and spared his life on condition that he never see her again. Now the duke has taken Francesca as his wife—and intercepted a love letter from her to his old rival. Rather than kill Casanova on the spot, he makes him a startling offer, one that is logical, perverse, and irresistible. Turning an historical episode into a dazzling fictional exploration of the clasp of desire and death, Casanova in Bolzano is further proof that Sándor Márai is one of the most distinctive voices of the twentieth century. (Goodreads Synopsis)


I have previously read two of Marai's other books in English and loved them, so I was keen to get my hands on this one.

In general, I really enjoyed it. I have a full set of Casanova's memories, which I enjoyed reading a few years ago and it is wonderful to have him brought to life on the page again. This was a story full of wit, exuberance and the larger than life character of the man himself. I particularly loved the somewhat unexpected final chapters as they added a nice twist just when you thought you knew what was going to happen.

My only concern with this book, and the reason it got 4 stars and not 5, was the fact that it was a lot wordier than Marai's other pieces. This is not something that usual bothers me, but in this piece it resulted in some very long monologues and it was hard to remain attentive in a couple of places.

Still, this will please most Marai fans and is still an enjoyable read. If you are new to his writing, I would recommend starting with the delightful Embers and coming to this book later.

Follow Friday # 31

When you've read a book, what do you do with it? (Keep it, give it away, donate it, sell it, swap it..?)

Well, books that I own (either through purchase, gifts or giveaway wins) I keep and my current total is 1051 books. Any non-expiring e-books I keep on my Kobo too; although, I do of course delete NetGalley and Simon and Schuster ones after reading if they are going to expire eventually.
Occasionally I borrow books from a friend or from a library and then return them, but that is rare as the library near me is not great and I prefer to just buy what I want or try to win copies in giveaways.
I will sometimes lend my books, but only to my more trusted friends and family members as I want them to come back in the same condition and in a reasonable time frame.



On a separate note: Given the upcoming demise of GFC, I am looking for a new way to follow people and have them follow me. I am leaving GFC up on my blog for now, so please do still follow me via that if you wish, but I am also currently going through every blog on my blog roll, seeing if they are on Goodreads and sending them a friend request there if they are.  I get so many emails already that I don't want to subscribe to people that way, so Goodreads will be the best way for me to still keep in touch with you all. I am going through the blog roll alphabetically and am currently up to the 'T's, but if I have missed you or if you want to pre-empt me, feel free to send me a friend request at My Goodreads Page. Thanks everyone!

Fosca by Iginio Ugo Tarchetti - Book Review

Title: Fosca

Author: Iginio Ugo Tarchetti

Publisher: Oneworld Classics

Publication Date: May 2010

Pages: 154

Format: Paperback

Genre: Literary Fiction

Source: Birthday Gift




After a passionate but ill-fated love affair with the beautiful married woman Clara, the young army officer Giorgio is transferred from Milan to Parma, where he meets the sickly and unattractive Fosca, the cousin of his commander. Although initially repelled by her, he becomes fascinated by her and slowly succumbs to her morbid, manipulative charms. (Goodreads Synopsis)


I have been wanting to read this book for a while as it was used as the basis for the Stephen Sondheim musical Passion, which I really love. One of the things I most enjoyed in this book was seeing how closely Sondheim kept to the text, lifting lyrics directly from the prose and dialogue.

This is a story of love and obsession, told with a great deal of wit as the author comments on bourgeois ideals of love. It has elements of a satirical social commentary and yet is also an engaging story of love - or lust depending on how you want to read it.

I came to this book, already knowing the story, but it was still fascinating to follow Giorgio as he experienced two very different women's love for him. All the characters in this story are flawed in some way, but that makes them all the more real and believable. That said, none of the characters really draw the reader to them completely and so you follow their tale with a certain detachment and a more analytical overview.

This book is not going to thrill everyone, but it should be of interest to fans of the type of literary fiction that has a psychological depth to it.

Don't Bite the Messenger by Regan Summers - Book Review

Title: Don't Bite the Messenger

Author: Regan Summers

Publisher: Carina Press

Publication Date: 16th January 2012

Pages:  91

Format: E-book - EPUB

Genre: Paranormal / Urban Fantasy

Source: ARC from NetGalley




Anchorage, Alaska

The vampire population may have created an economic boom in Alaska, but their altered energy field fries most technology. They rely on hard-living—and short-lived—couriers to get business done...couriers like Sydney Kildare.

Sydney has survived to the ripe old age of twenty-six by being careful. She's careful when navigating her tempestuous clients, outrunning hijackers and avoiding anyone who might distract her from her plan of retiring young to a tropical, vampire-free island.

Her attitude—and immunity to vampires' allure—have made her the target of a faction of vampires trying to reclaim their territory. Her only ally is Malcolm Kelly, a secretive charmer with the uncanny habit of showing up whenever she's in trouble. Caught in the middle of a vampire turf war, Sydney has to count on Malcolm to help her survive, or the only place she'll retire is her grave... (Goodreads Synopsis)

This is a 90 page novella/short novel that I read in one go over the space of an hour. I have been unsure quite how to rate this one but have opted for a three stars in the end. Let me start with the good aspects of the book and the reason for the three star rating.

What I loved about this book was the brilliant and original premise. It is what caught my interest when I first requested the book and is the reason I read to the end. A world of vampire businessmen and human couriers is a great idea and could have lead to an amazing read—but for me something just fell a little flat.

I enjoyed the characters of Sydney and Malcolm and I found no major faults with the writing style of the author, but I thought the book needed to be longer. The opening was well paced but then from the middle to the end there was this sudden rush and it felt like a lot of information and character development was missing. I think there was potentially more to this story than was told and it could easily have been a full-length novel with a little more work.

The ending of the story left things open for a sequel, but I would have preferred one longer, well thought-out and developed novel than a series of novellas. It just seems a waste of what is a great plot idea. 

But this is still a fine little read if you are looking for a short paranormal piece to fill an odd hour or two as the premise really is quite clever.

The Tunnel by Ernesto Sabato - Book Review

Title: The Tunnel

Author: Ernesto Sabato

Publisher: Penguin Classics

Publication Date: 27th December 2011

Pages: 150

Format: E-book - PDF

Genre: Literary Fiction / Modern Classics

Source: ARC from NetGalley




Infamous for the murder of Maria Iribarne, the artist Juan Pablo Castel is now writing a detailed account of his relationship with the victim from his prison cell: obsessed from the first moment he saw her examining one of his paintings, Castel had become fixated on her over the next months and fantasized over how they might meet again. When he happened upon her one day, a relationship was formed which swiftly convinced him of their mutual love. But Castel’s growing paranoia would lead him to destroy the one thing he truly cared about... Sabato's first novel El Túnel (translated as The Outsider or The Tunnel), written in 1948, is framed as the confession of the painter Juan Pablo Castel, who has murdered the only woman capable of understanding him. Sabato’s novels were praised by authors such as Albert Camus and Graham Greene. (Goodreads Synopsis)


This short novel is a wonderful existential piece that drew me in from the first page.

I love the way the reader is taken into the killer's mind, following him as he tries to explain things, only to digress as his thoughts take him elsewhere. Of course, we know from the start that he will kill Maria, but that adds to the tension and we hold our breath during each argument, waiting for the moment he'll snap.

I read this book in one sitting as it was impossible to put down. The characters and storyline are gripping and the pacing is perfect. At times it reminded me of certain works by Camus. Sabato does a wonderful job of disrupting our expectations so that we are constantly changing our opinion of Castel; one moment we pity him and are on his side, the next we are experiencing fear and horror at his actions.

Anyone who enjoys the works of authors such as Camus and Kafka should check out this book.

A Discovery of Witches (All Souls #1) by Deborah Harkness - Book Review

Title: A Discovery of Witches (All Souls #1)

Author: Deborah Harkness

Publisher: Headline

Publication Date: September 2011

Pages: 688

Format: Paperback

Genre: Paranormal / Literary Fiction

Source: Bought Copy

A richly inventive novel about a centuries-old vampire, a spellbound witch, and the mysterious manuscript that draws them together.

Deep in the stacks of Oxford's Bodleian Library, young scholar Diana Bishop unwittingly calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript in the course of her research. Descended from an old and distinguished line of witches, Diana wants nothing to do with sorcery; so after a furtive glance and a few notes, she banishes the book to the stacks. But her discovery sets a fantastical underworld stirring, and a horde of daemons, witches, and vampires soon descends upon the library. Diana has stumbled upon a coveted treasure lost for centuries-and she is the only creature who can break its spell. (Goodreads Synopsis)


Wow, I can't begin to say how much I loved this book. When I first heard of it, I thought it sounded like my kind of story and I wasn't in the least bit disappointed when I finally picked it up.

I've always loved vampires, but paranormal romance often seems pretty 'dumbed down' to me - lots of smouldering looks but little substance. The one exception I'd found in the past was Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's historical vampire series - and now I can add Deborah Harkness too!

This book was a great supernatural tale that blended romance, action and suspense with a healthy dose of literary fiction style writing. I loved how the paranormal was woven into this world of academia and it was an idea that worked so well and really fleshed out both the plot and the characters.

The writing is great, the story well paced and the ending left me frustrated at how long I still had to wait for the next instalment. I was eager to turn every page and if it hadn't been for other commitments during the last few days, I could have happily sat down for a whole day and read it from cover to cover without stopping.

Diana is a great heroine: strong, intelligent and interesting. Matthew reminds me a lot of Yarbro's Saint Germain: handsome, alluring, knowledgeable and honourable. He has his dark side (which I think we will see more in the next book somehow) but he doesn't brood about it as so many vampire-heroes seem to do these days. They work well together and their relationship developed at a pace I found believable and engaging.

This is without a doubt my top read of 2011 and I shall be pre-ordering the next book as soon as it becomes available! What an amazing debut for Harkness and I look forward to her future works.

In My Mailbox # 5 - Birthday Edition!

Well, today is my birthday and so I wanted to do a quick In My Mailbox to share my presents with you all!

Before the opening: Here are all my gifts, lined up and waiting....

After the opening: I received 1 x earrings, 1 x cross stitch, 2 x CDs, 3 x DVDs and.....11 books!!

A Song in the Daylight - Simons

Sissi: Die Vampirjaegerin - Kern

Sissi: Im Dienst der Krone - Schuster

Prague Tales - Neruda

Casanova in Bolzano - Marai

The Golem - Meyrink

Fosca - Tarchetti

Verlaine - Selected Poems

The Last Watch - Lukyanenko

Magician - Feist

The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet - Mitchell

Carrie Salo - Guest Blog

Today, I am thrilled to welcome Carrie Salo, author of The Sounding. Over to you, Carrie 

The making of a creature – a “behind the scenes” look at creating

 the Other

When I set out to write The Sounding, I, of course, knew the story would have a villain.  But unlike many novels – whose villains are at the very least, human ­– my villain had no known or assumed form.  He was supernatural.  But beyond that, I didn’t know much about him until I sat down to write his first scene.  I knew I wanted him to be terrifying.  I knew I wanted him to be powerful and almost invincible.  I wanted him to make those around him feel hunted and lost.  But what would he look like?  As a supernatural character, he could be anything.  What would his powers be?  Where would I place the chink in the armor?  

The Sounding by Carrie Salo - Book Review

Title: The Sounding

Author: Carrie Salo

Publisher: 23 House

Publication Date: September 2011

Pages: 466

Format: Paperback

Genre: Paranormal / Thriller

Source: Review Copy from Publisher

In the Book of Revelation, a man named John has a prophetic dream. He dreams of the final prophecies that will come to pass - and the seven archangels that guard them. Each angel waits to sound their trumpet at God's appointed time, preparing humanity to fight and win the final battle. 

2,000 years later, Father Chris Mognahan is a member of the Hetairia Melchizedek, a secret society within the Catholic Church that studies Biblical omens. The society asks Chris to investigate an unusually grotesque crime - a murder on a college campus where the killer's hand literally burned off the victim's face. While the killing seems isolated at first, the society ties the murder to the final Biblical prophecy and a terrifying omen that the order of the prophecies is about to be disrupted. The final battle is coming too soon - long before humanity is prepared to win it. 

Suddenly, Chris finds himself fighting against time and hell to keep the prophecies in order and stop an early Armageddon. He is joined by a band of unlikely allies, and together they find themselves in Rome above the Vatican Necropolis - the city of the dead - where the future is revealed to them in ancient texts. 

They are not alone, however; an evil as old as time itself hunts them. As they travel across continents on their mission, the demonic force follows relentlessly, waiting in every shadowed corner, and every dark place. 

As Armageddon descends, Father Chris finds that his only hope lies in a young woman within the group who has a secret gift - and their belief that God Himself may have sent her to keep the final angelic trumpet from sounding out the early end of the Earth. (Goodreads Synopsis)

This book has an interesting premise, reminiscent of a Dan Brown Catholic-based mystery. In fact Catholicism is deeply entrenched in this book. I am not at all religious myself, but in this instance I didn't find it overpowering and was able to enjoy the piece.

I liked the storyline and thought the book was pretty well paced. Often I am well ahead of the author when it comes to plot twists, but I didn't see this one coming at all which made for exciting reading. It was interesting to see how Salo worked her 'Revelations Apocalypse' as it is a section of the Bible I've never had cause to read and most references I know of it are from the TV series Supernatural

Elise is a good character. She is strong and independent and yet we see her grow and change as she accepts her responsibilities. Chris was also well portrayed and I liked how their relationship was handled.

I had only one gripe with this book and that was POV. Sometimes the POV was fine, with characters given their own chapters or at least their own sections of thought with obvious breaks preparing the reader for the changeover. But there were chapters when all the major characters were together and head jumping occurred from paragraph to paragraph. While it was possible to keep up with who was thinking what, I did find it a slightly annoying distraction.

But overall, my impressions of this book were good and I would recommend it for fans of both paranormal/angel stories and fans of Dan Brown style works.

Check back here tomorrow for a guest post by Carrie Salo!

Follow Friday # 30

Question: Keeping with the Spirit of Giving this season, what book do you think EVERYONE should read and if you could, you would buy it for all of your family and friends?

 Wow, there are so many that I'd love to share with everyone, but if I had to pick just one it would be:

Ulysses by James Joyce

Sure it's a book that tries too hard to be clever...but, you know what, it works.

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

Title: The Iron King (Iron Fey #1)

Author: Julie Kagawa

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Publication Date: February 2010

Pages: 275

Format: E-Book - EPUB

Genre: YA / Paranormal

Source: Free Copy from Publisher (Competition)

Meghan Chase has a secret destiny—one she could never have imagined…

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school…or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth—that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face…and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart. (Goodreads Synopsis)

Well, I sadly found this book something of a disappointment. I have been hearing so many great things about this series that perhaps I was expecting too much.

I found the first two thirds of this book really dull. It just seemed like the story was left waiting while the author kept introducing new mythical creatures. Sure, it shows she researched her faery legends, but it didn't advance either the story or the main characters.

Meghan never really gripped me as the heroine. I didn't sense any real growth in her through the story and I just didn't care enough about her to be worried when she got herself into trouble yet again or threw a tantrum about what clothes she had to wear. The romance with Ash also felt forced and came on too suddenly to be believable.

By the time I was a couple of hundred pages in, I thought I'd be giving this a two star rating. But then things suddenly picked up. I loved the explanation of the Iron Fey and where they have come from as it was an original and interesting concept. The pacing at this point improved dramatically and the story really started to move forward. My interest was final caught and I made a mad dash to the end.

I finished this book with mixed feelings. The concept overall was good, but the book fell flat for me in a few places. A strong ending saved it and has left me willing to read on in the series; although, I won't be rushing out to buy them unless I see them cheap somewhere in the future.

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr - Book Review

Title: Wicked Lovely

Author: Melissa Marr

Publisher: Harper Collins

Publication Date: July 2008 (2007)

Pages: 328

Format: Paperback

Genre: YA / Paranormal

Source: Bought Copy

 

 

 

 

Rule #3: Don't stare at invisible faeries.
Aislinn has always seen faeries. Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in the mortal world. Aislinn fears their cruelty-especially if they learn of her Sight-and wishes she were as blind to their presence as other teens.

Rule #2: Don't speak to invisible faeries.
Now faeries are stalking her. One of them, Keenan, who is equal parts terrifying and alluring, is trying to talk to her, asking questions Aislinn is afraid to answer.

Rule #1: Don't ever attract their attention.
But it's too late. Keenan is the Summer King, who has sought his queen for nine centuries. Without her, summer itself will perish. His is determined that Aislinn will become the Summer Queen at any cost-regardless of her plans or desires.

Suddenly none of the rules that have kept Aislinn safe are working anymore, and everything is on the line: her freedom; her best friend, Seth; everything.
Faery intrigue, mortal love, and the clash of ancient rules and modern expectations swirl together in Melissa Marr's stunning twenty-first-century faery tale. (Goodreads Synopsis)

This is probably my first time venturing into the world of YA faeries. I'd heard a lot about this book and was keen to give it a try when I saw a copy for $8 in my local bookstore.

I finished this book in just a few hours and found it a very enjoyable read. Aislinn is a strong and interesting character with a mind of her own and I enjoyed her 'sparring' with both Seth and Keenan. One of the things I loved about this piece was how well the supporting characters were fleshed out. Donia, Keenan and Seth are all so well portrayed and not left 2D in the background as sometimes happens with secondary characters.

I came to this book with some prior knowledge of faerie lore and I loved how that mythical world was blended with the modern world of inking and piercings. It was like a fairy tale that had crossed over into our world and that aspect worked really well for the book as it gave the paranormal a grounding in reality.

This is a series I would definitely be happy to continue reading.

8: The Previously Untold Story of the Previously Unknown 8th Dwarf by Michael Mullin - Book Review

Title: 8: The Previously Untold Story of the Previously Unknown 8th Dwarf

Author: Michael Mullin

Publisher: Self-Published

Publication Date: November 2010

Pages: 7

Format: E-Book - EPUB

Genre: Verse / Humour / Fairy Tale

Source: Review Copy from Author

Written in verse, this is the previously untold story of the previously unknown 8th dwarf, named Creepy. He is banished to the basement for being different and, well, weird. Yet he plays a vital - and of course previously unknown - role in the popular tale of Snow White (whose title character is an intruder Creepy refers to as "the Maid"). (Goodreads Synopsis)


Yesterday I was approached by the author of this book for a review. Seeing it was only a couple of thousand words, I said yes straight away.

At seven pages long this is a quick little read and yet it is quite delightful. I love the way the story of Snow White has been re-imagined to include Creepy, the eighth dwarf, and the verse had me smiling from start to finish.

If you are looking for five minutes of fun to brighten your day, give this e-book a try.

Wither (Chemical Garden #1) by Lauren DeStefano - Book Review

Title: Wither (Chemical Garden #1)

Author: Lauren DeStefano

Publisher: Voyager

Publication Date: August 2011 (Jan '11)

Pages: 358

Format: Paperback

Genre: YA / Dystopia

Source: Bought Copy

What if you knew exactly when you would die?

Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb—males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out.

When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape—to find her twin brother and go home.

But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant she trusts, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limted time she has left. (Goodreads Synopsis)



I'd heard good things of this book and couldn't resist when I saw a cheap copy in a bookstore last week. Luckily I was not disappointed.

This book had me enthralled from start to finish and is definitely one of the best YA pieces I have read this year. The storyline is original and inventive - a dystopian world that seems grounded in real possibility - and it was perfectly paced, leaving me eager to turn each page.

Rhine is a wonderful character, full of life and willing to fight. She is an enjoyable character to follow, unlike some of the whiny heroines that have been doing the rounds lately. The supporting 'cast' were also well portrayed and nicely fleshed out.

There were a couple of times I did want to yell at the characters to talk to each other and tell the truth. If Linden knew a few things for example, things might have gone very differently. But this is a very minor complaint for a book with a great concept and good execution.

I read this book in just a few hours and it was time well spent. I am very keen to continue on with the series and find out what will happen next.