Nicki J Markus / Asta Idonea: September 2012

Sunday 30 September 2012

Goodreads Reading Challenge Completed

Well, it is the end of September and I have already reached my goal of 150 books for the year! I am thrilled to have accomplished it so far ahead of schedule and, with three months still to go, I may well pass 175 this year.

Earth Perfect: Nature, Utopia and the Garden by Giesecke - Book Review

Title: Earth Perfect: Nature, Utopia and the Garden

Author: Giesecke & Jacobs (eds.)

Publisher: Black Dog Publishing

Publication Date: August 2012

Pages: 302

Format: Paperback
Genre: Non-Fiction

Source: Gift

Follow Friday # 52

Q: What is the BIGGEST word you've seen used in a book lately - that made you stop and look it up? Might as well leave the definition & book too.

To be honest, I can't think of one in a fiction book. I have a pretty good vocabulary and it would take something really obscure to catch me out.

In non-fiction, however, I just read a book called The Horologicon by Mark Forsyth (review coming in a couple of weeks' time) which looks at words that we no longer use. Naturally, a few of those I had not come across.

Thursday 27 September 2012

Daughter of Smoke and Bone - Laini Taylor - Book Review

Title: Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Author: Laini Taylor

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Publication Date: September 2011

Pages: 418

Format: Paperback
Genre: Paranormal

Source: Bought Copy

The Wolf Gift by Anne Rice - Book Review

Title: The Wolf Gift

Author: Anne Rice

Publisher: Chatto & Windus

Publication Date: 9th February 2012

Pages: 404

Format: Paperback
Genre: Paranormal

Source: Bought Copy

Graveminder by Melissa Marr - Book Review

Title: Graveminder

Author: Melissa Marr

Publisher: Harper Collins

Publication Date: 2011

Pages: 324

Format: Paperback
Genre: Paranormal

Source: Bought Copy

Pandemonium 1660-1886 by Humphrey Jennings - Book Review

Title: Pandemonium 1660-1886: The Coming of the Machine as seen by Contemporary Observers

Author: Humphrey Jennings

Publisher: Icon Books

Publication Date: 4th October 2012 (1985)

Pages: 455

Format: E-Book - EPUB
Genre: Non-Fiction / History

Source: ARC via NetGalley

Greywalker (Greywalker # 1) by Kat Richardson - Book Review

Title: Greywalker (Greywalker # 1)

Author: Kat Richardson

Publisher: Roc

Publication Date: 2006

Pages: 341

Format: Paperback
Genre: Urban Fantasy

Source: Bought Copy

Follow Friday # 51 / Book Blogger Hop # 34

What hyped up book do you think was worth all the talk?

I think Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel. I had heard great things about it and when I finally read it, I loved it. I also really enjoyed the recent sequel, Bring Up the Bodies. I hope she'll do one more in the series to complete Thomas' story.

What is one thing that your blog readers probably do not know about you?

Hmm. I once sang as part of a large choir at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

Last Regress by Rachel J Thorne - Book Review

Title: Last Regress

Author: Rachel J Thorne

Publisher: Self-Published

Publication Date: 15th July 2012

Pages: 212

Format: E-Book - EPUB

Genre: Paranormal

Source: Review Copy from Author

IQ84 by Haruki Murakami - Book Review

Title: 1Q84

Author: Haruki Murkami

Publisher: Harvill Secker

Publication Date: 5th April 2012

Pages: 927

Format: Paperback
Genre: Fantasy / Literary Fiction

Source: Bought Copy

The Shadow Society by Marie Rutkoski - Book Review

Title: The Shadow Society

Author: Marie Rutkoski

Publisher: Farrar, Straus & Giroux

Publication Date: 16th October 2012

Pages: 416

Format: E-Book - PDF

Genre: Fantasy / YA

Source: ARC via NetGalley

The Slave by Pauline Montgna - Book Review

Title: The Slave

Author: Pauline Montagna

Publisher: Mountain Lily Press

Publication Date: January 2011

Pages: 313

Format: EPUB

Genre: Historical Fiction

Source: Review Copy from Author

Q: What hyped up book do you think was not worth all the talk?

For me, the Iron Fey series. All I heard was people raving about it, but I read the first book and was rather underwhelmed. I haven't felt inclined to read any further into the series after that. If I got them for free, I might give the others a go, but I wouldn't go out and buy them based on that first experience.

Tuesday 11 September 2012

Twelve Months by Steven Manchester - Excerpt Post

Today I am joined by author Steven Manchester, who is here to tell us of his book Twelve Months and offer a sneak peek excerpt for you all.

Read on to find out more!

First Drop of Crimson by Jeaniene Frost - Book Review

Title: First Drop of Crimson

Author: Jeaniene Frost

Publisher: Avon

Publication Date: 9th Feburary 2012

Pages: 371

Format: Paperback

Genre: Paranormal

Source: Bought Copy

Winner - DiSemblance Giveaway

Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway. A random selection has been made and the winner is:

Giedre S.

Congratulations. The author will be in touch with you shortly!

Saturday 8 September 2012

Yesterday by C. K. Kelly Martin - Book Review

Title: Yesterday

Author: C. K. Kelly Martin

Publisher: Random House

Publication Date: 25th September 2012

Pages: 364

Format: E-Book - PDF

Genre: YA Fantasy

Source: ARC from NetGalley

Today I am hosting an excerpt post for Telesa: The Covenant Keeper by Lani Wendt Young.

Read on more more information on the book, the author and, of course, that sneak peek extract.

Follow Friday # 49 / Book Blogger Hop # 33

Q: What book(s) are you reading right now? What do you think of it?

I have two on the go. One is a book about genre in linguistics. It is interesting but a little heavy going. The other is Jeaniene Frosts First Drop of Crimson, which I am reading for a Goodreads book club. It's the first of her books I've read, I'm halfway through and loving it so far.

What book series do you never want to see end?

Vampire Empire by Susan and Clay Griffith; though, sadly, the last book in the trilogy already came out. I also hope Chelsea Quinn Yarbro will keep writing the Saint Germain vampire series forever!

Interview - Tom Gillespie - Author of Painting by Numbers

Today I am interviewing Tom Gillespie, author of Painting by Numbers. So, without further ado....

1) Tell us a little more about you and your writing.

I love all things creative. At school and in class, I was always off somewhere else, on adventures and travels through my imagination. But when the paints came out, the musical instruments or free writing activities started, I’d always be first in the queue to get going. I think writing gave me an outlet and a focus for a certain otherworldliness that tends to inhabit my being most of the time. And when I was around ten, I won a local writing competition, and that seemed to seal my fate. From that point onwards writing became my creative drug of choice. So now I juggle my writing career with my adventures in academia and my busy family life. The best thing about writing is that unlike the real world, otherworldliness is valued, nurtured and cherished as a priceless skill.