A Book Obsession..

Waiting on Wednesday (60)

, by KT

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights an upcoming release we are greatly anticipating.

My pick this week:

Eve - The Eve Trilogy #1

by Anna Carey

Publication Date: October 4th, 2011

Amazon Pre-Order: Eve

The year is 2032, sixteen years after a deadly virus—and the vaccine intended to protect against it—wiped out most of the earth’s population. The night before eighteen-year-old Eve’s graduation from her all-girls school she discovers what really happens to new graduates, and the horrifying fate that awaits her.

Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust...and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.

Altered Destiny (Early Review)

, by KT

Altered Destiny by Shawna Thomas

Selia has run her family's tavern since she was fifteen and can hunt and fight the equal of any man. When she rescues a badly wounded man and nurses him back to health, she has no idea she's about to change not only her life, but also the destinies of two peoples…

The battered warrior is Svistra—a race of bloodthirsty savages determined to destroy her homeland. Or so the stories claim. Jaden reveals a different truth: how his ancestors were driven into the barren northern mountains. Now they are strong and war parties are pushing south wanting their land back.

The son of a Svistra Commander, Jaden is looking for a way to bring peace to both humans and Svistrans. He tries to ignore his growing passion for Selia, but when she is captured he has to decide what he would be willing to sacrifice to save the woman he loves…

Selia is quite different than most women. She runs her own tavern, dresses like a man, and can outfight most of them. Yet she also has a softer side, proven when she saves a Svistra man named Jaden. His kind is known to be bloodthirsty and nothing more than savages, and yet she cannot bring herself to kill him while he is weak. She is very wary of him, but as time goes on she slowly softens towards him and starts a very unlikely attraction that will fully test both of their wills.

The beginning of Altered Destiny was a little slow as everything was being set up and explained. There was a lot of information being given, and yet I was still confused about what was happening for a good portion of the book. I think a lot of the confusion had to do with the jarring perspective changes that had no real transition. Each time there was a change, it would take me a few sentences to figure out the change and who was now in "control." I don't mind perspective changes, especially since they can really help the reader to see several sides of a story, which adds to the enjoyment. However, I do need the transition to be easily followed with out confusion. I just had a hard time really staying interested in this story, and it's a shame because it was quite interesting, and had a lot of potential.

While there was a little romance in Altered Destiny, it was greatly overshadowed by everything else that was going on. I couldn't help but be a little disappointed in this, especially since the description made it seem like their romance would play a much bigger role. I felt there was great potential to have developed things a little bit more. It was obvious just how much the two characters cared for each other against all odds, and I would have liked to have seen a little more of the dynamic between them in a romantic aspect. I wouldn't quite say this lack took away from the story, just something I would have preferred.

The unique world set up of Altered Destiny made for a pretty decent read despite my frustrations with certain aspects. One thing that did surprise me was the rushed ending, especially when you consider that most of the book progressed at a rather slow pace. I really wish the ending had been given a little bit more time to show a little further look into how things turned out. So, while Altered Destiny was able to keep my attention for the most part, and was entertaining, it isn't something that will leave a lasting impact in the end.

(Received a copy from Netgalley)

Rating:

Pre-order from Amazon:
Altered Destiny

Other Reviews:

A Bookalicious Story

Challenge Categories:

It's Monday! What are you reading (60)

, by KT

It's Monday! What Are You Reading, hosted by Book Journey, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

Here's what I read this past week:

Twilight Fulfilled (Children of Twilight)

The Last Rising by Rachel Firasek (Early Review)
Lord of Rage by Jill Monroe (Early Review)
Twilight Fulfilled by Maggie Shayne (Early Review)

This week was full of early reads for me. First up was a paranormal romance novella, that I thought was pretty good. In fact it had enough there, that so much could have been expanded on to make it a full length novel.

Second up was the second installment in the Royal House of Shadows series. This time, the author is Jill Monroe, someone who I hadn't heard about previously. I found Lord of Rage to be enjoyable, but not as much as the first installment.

Last I read the final installment of the Wings in the Night series. I felt things were wrapped up quite well for this very long running series.

My Upcoming List:

Altered Destiny by Shawna Thomas (Early Review)
Blood by K.J. Wignall (Early Review)
My Life as a White Trash Zombie by Diana Rowland

Twilight Fulfilled (Early Review)

, by KT

Twilight Fulfilled by Maggie Shayne

Wings in the Night #18

Enemies... Lovers... Saviors?

The First Immortal Walks Again

Utanapishtim has paid dearly for the sin of creating the vampire race—imprisoned in a living death for centuries, driven to near madness. With a single white-hot glance, he immolates his descendants…and the vampire Armageddon begins.

Beautiful and deadly Brigit Poe, not wholly vampire but fiercely loyal to that shared bloodline, is called into action. She abhors yet cannot deny her destiny: to vanquish the once-great king of the immortals and save the vampire race.

Two warriors, equally matched in power and determination, are soon locked in an unwinnable battle, only to discover a passion so shocking it threatens every truth they’ve ever known—even as they must face one final battle that seems fated to end in death and heartbreak for them both.

Brigit Poe and her twin James, are the only ones of their kind. Part mortal, part vampire both having powers with one being a healer, and the other a destroyer. Brigit has always accepted that she was the evil twin and that her brother would be the savior. So imagine her surprise when a twist of fate happens making her the only one who can save her people, what little are left. Fierce with determination, she sets out to destroy the first of their kind, Utana, to stop his bloody rampage and destroy him at all costs. Things get a little tricky when she finds her heart softening towards him. She'll have to make the choice no woman should ever have to make. Her heart or the lives of her family, as to lose either might just break her.

I'll be honest that I was very skeptical at how realistic a relationship between Brigit and Utana could possibly be. There were so many things against them. The biggest being how unlikely it would be for Brigit to be able to forgive him for her family's deaths. How do you love someone that has taken so much from you. Another is that he is literally out of his mind from being captive in an unmovable state for thousands of years. I just wasn't sure how he could be capable of real love. However, after getting to see past the facade each of them wears on the surface, I realized there was so much more to both of them underneath than meets the eye. In fact they seemed to be the perfect complement to one another, making the romance very believable in the end.

I cannot imagine being having to grow up as Brigit has. While she had love an affection from her parents and her twin, the only other one of their family who treated her as more than a destroyer was her "Aunt" Rhiannon. Instead of acting like she was evil, Rhiannon helped her to embrace herself. I'm not sure how Brigit would have held up if not for this, as it was she still had a pretty hard heart. Well that is until she started falling for Utana. Of course that doesn't help her complex of feeling she is evil, falling for the immortal that killed so many of their race. I was very happy to see her finally stand up to the other's perceptions of her tell them they are wrong about her being evil. I think in time she will throw off the "chains" of those perceptions and be finally able to grow.

Twilight Fulfilled is to be the last installment in the Wings in the Night series. I feel things ended naturally and rather well. Of course I've only read the last two books in the series, so I am eager to go back to the beginning. I didn't have any problem jumping into the series with the 18th book, Twilight Prophecy, but I wouldn't recommend reading this one without reading that one first. While there was a focus change from one couple to the other, they still read like a continuation of the other rather than stand alone books. Twilight Fulfilled is a great finale to the series, that leaves you with a sense of completion, yet still leaves a little open for possibilities in the future. Perhaps someday Maggie Shayne will revisit this world, but for now I am very content with the way things have been left.

(Received a copy from Netgalley)

Rating:

Pre-order from Amazon:
Twilight Fulfilled (Children of Twilight)

Other Reviews:

I Read, I Think, I Share

Previous Books:

Twilight Phantasies
Twilight Memories
Twilight Illusions
Beyond Twilight
Born in Twilight
Twilight Vows
Twilight Hunger
Embrace the Twilight
Two by Twilight
Edge of Twilight
Blue Twilight
Prince of Twilight
Demon's Kiss
Lover's Bite
Angel's Pain
Bloodline
Twilight Prophecy

Challenge Categories:

Lord of Rage (Early Review)

, by KT

Lord of Rage by Jill Monroe

Royal House of Shadows #2

Once upon a time...the Blood Sorcerer vanquished the kingdom of Elden.

To save their children, the queen scattered them to safety and the king filled them with vengeance. Only a magical timepiece connects the four royal heirs...and time is running out....

Princess Breena had been dreaming of her warrior lover when she was ripped from her Elden castle and thrown into a strange, dangerous realm. Lost and alone, she prayed for survival and vengeance for her stolen kingdom. She found both in a woodland cottage...in a dark bear of a man.

The golden-haired beauty had eaten his food and slept in his bed when Osborn found her. Though he wanted to awaken his virgin princess to carnal pleasures, Breena wanted more—including his warrior skills. Skills the once-legendary mercenary had long buried. Now Osborn had a choice—risk his life or deny his princess her fairy-tale ending.

Princess Breena was thrown from her homeland into a mysterious new realm. She stumbles her way unto a cottage that just happens to be the home of the Warrior she has been dreaming of. Only problem is that Osborn isn't the savior she dreamt him to be. He is a scary, imposing dangerous man, yet she is still inexplicably drawn to him. Much to his dismay, he can't seem to stay away from her either. He has turned his back on the very thing she wants him to be, a mercenary for her people. He swore never to sell his skills out again due to a severe betrayal in his past. Tensions run high as they each fight their own natures and each other, but will love or pride win out in the end?

I think the thing that made the romance in Lord of Rage the most believable was how they didn't fall into one another's arms instantly despite the attraction between them. Breena knew him from her dreams, yet when she meets him in person and sees the warrior he is up close, she actually is quite scared. That's exactly the reaction I would expect from a young sheltered princess, and I'm so glad she wasn't made into being a little seductress without any experience. Also, for someone who thinks he is just a mindless killer who has lost his honor, Osborn sure acted quite honorably when it came to his treatment of her. Yes, he is quite gruff and downright angry towards her at times, but he still tries to keep his distance from her sexually as he feels she is meant for a more worthy man. I think by doing that he showed just how worthy he is instead.

While Lord of Rage was an enjoyable read, I can't really say that either Breena nor Osborn were my favorite characters. Breena just seemed to be so naive and weak, and while I do realize she was raised to be that way, it was quite frustrating at times. Underneath it all you could really sense her inner strength, yet it took so long for her to grow the confidence she needed, especially when it came to standing up for herself to Osborn. Now he is a whole other can of worms, because he came off as so strong, to the point of ridiculous levels. He just seemed to be trying too hard to come off as tough and uncaring when underneath he was a world of emotion. Time and time again, I wish Breena had told him to get over himself, or at least not put up with him pushing her away, but her backbone was hidden for just a little too long.

I was a little confused with the time line as in the first installment of this series, Lord of the Vampires, several years from the siege of Elden had passed. Yet this installment is set back to the very beginning. I wonder if there is some kind of time gap between realms that allows more years to pass in one than another, or if this story is simply set before the previous one. I'm very curious to see if I am right about this, and when the battle with the blood sorcerer will take place, and possibly in whose time line. Putting that aside, Lord of Rage was a pretty good read, and I am eager to read the next installment in the series.

(Received a copy from Netgalley)

Rating:

Pre-order from Amazon:
Lord of Rage (Harlequin Nocturne)

Previous Books:

Lord of the Vampires

Other Reviews:

Challenge Categories:
Outdo Yourself
Paranormal Romance
New Author

Waiting on Wednesday (59)

, by KT

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights an upcoming release we are greatly anticipating.

My pick this week:

If I Die - Soul Screamers #5

by Rachel Vincent

Publication Date: September 20th, 2011

Amazon Pre-Order: If I Die (Harlequin Teen)

No one wants to be this teacher’s pet . . .

Everyone else is talking about Eastlake High’s gorgeous new math teacher, Mr. Beck, but Kaylee Cavanaugh has bigger things on her mind. Kaylee’s a banshee—her scream is a portent of death.

But the next scream might hit too close to home. Kaylee’s borrowed lifeline has almost run out.

Yeah—it’s a shock to her, too. So to distract herself from her own problems, Kaylee is determined to defend her school against the latest supernatural threat. That hot new teacher is really an incubus, who feeds from the desire of unsuspecting students. The only girls immune to his lure are Kaylee and Sabine, her boyfriend’s delinquent ex-girlfriend. Now the unlikely allies have to get rid of Mr. Beck…before he discovers they aren’t quite human either.

But Kaylee’s running out of time, and those who love her will do anything to save her life.

Anything.

Soul Screamers: The last thing you hear before you die.

It's Monday! What are you reading (59)

, by KT

Kitty and the Midnight Hour (Kitty Norville, Book 1)

Kitty Goes to Washington (Kitty Norville, Book 2)

Kitty Takes a Holiday (Kitty Norville, Book 3)

Kitty and the Midnight Hour by Carrie Vaughn (Review)
Kitty Goes to Washington by Carrie Vaughn (Review)
Kitty Takes a Holiday by Carrie Vaughn (Review)

This week was the start of the Kitty Norville Series. I'm really enjoying them so far, and I can't wait to dive into the next ones.

My Upcoming List:

The Last Rising by Rachel Firasek (Early Review)
Lord of Rage by Jill Monroe (Early Review)
Twilight Fulfilled by Maggie Shayne (Early Review)

September R.A.K.

, by KT

I love this! ;)

In August I gave away:

Went to The Watson Kitchen

I Received:

From Anna's Book Blog

And now for September:

Here are the rules:

• Sign up each month that you'd like to participate.
• Show off your participation by grabbing our RAK button :)

• Create a wish list (on Amazon, Goodreads, or your blog etc) and post it in the Google Doc located in each R.A.K post for the month.

• If you choose to do a R.A.K for someone, check out their wish list and contact that blogger for their address.

•*NEW* Please, once you receive a RAK, email or tweet @BookBrunette so that she can update the Google doc. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU EMAIL HER. SHE WILL BE THE ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR UPDATING THE GOOGLE DOC.{Thanks @BookBrunette for accepting!!}

· *NEW* E-book participation is limited to files being gifted directly to a person from the e-book store. Amazon's Kindle Store is set up to allow this, as well as the Kobo store and we believe Barnes & Noble as well.

· At the end of the month, SHOW US YOUR R.A.K! Make a post saying 'Thank You' to whoever granted one of your wishes and share it with us :)

OPEN TO EVERYONE!

Let's keep our International bloggers in mind and in our hearts.

Remember, there's always the Book Depository and they offer FREE shipping!

Easy peezy!!

Links you will need:
Sign up for September [ HERE]
See who else is participating [HERE]

Here is my wishlist, but I do need to make a small request that no Mass Markets are sent. I have really bad double vision at times and the MM's type is too small and the lines are too close for me to be able to read easily. I don't have that problem with trade size paperbacks or hardcovers.

Now I'm off to finds some wonderful bloggers to spoil ;)

Kitty Takes a Holiday

, by KT

Kitty Takes a Holiday by Carrie Vaughn

Kitty Norville #3

After getting caught turning wolf on national television, Kitty retreats to a mountain cabin to recover and write her memoirs. But this is Kitty, so trouble is never far behind, and instead of Walden Pond, she gets Evil Dead. When werewolf hunter Cormac shows up with an injured Ben O'Farrell, Kitty's lawyer, slung over his shoulder, and a wolf-like creature with glowing red eyes starts sniffing around the cabin, Kitty wonders if any of them will get out of these woods alive...

Since Kitty really isn't used to being the center of attention, the nasty events of the previous book have really damaged her confidence. She's snuck away to a remote location to try and escape her new found celebrity (and not in a good way) status. Of course things couldn't be easy for her, proven when Cormac shows up with her a changed Ben, her lawyer in tow. To make matters worse, someone keeps leaving blood spells around her cabin in apparent threat. Not to mention the red eyed creature determined to be the end of Kitty and its no wonder she is about to lose it. She's gonna have to get her head in the game quick or she just might lose it.

Kitty's love life is really starting to look up in Kitty Takes a Holiday. My first thought was finally!, but then I took a step back and realized that anything before this point could never had been a lasting thing as Kitty was still trying to be as independent as possible. She just was not in the mindset to settle down anywhere, let alone with just one person. I mean she did get "busy" in the last book with the werecat, but that was just a bit of fun. There was no real connection there, and I knew he just wouldn't last. I wish I could talk about who her new partner is and why I think he is perfect for her. But, that would be a bit of a spoiler, so you will just have to read the book yourself to find out. Suffice it to say that I think this guy is here to stay, and I couldn't be happier. I'm really looking forward to seeing how things play out between them in the future.

The ending events were a shocker, and pretty emotional. However I think they needed to happen for Kitty to be able to find a new direction in her life and heart. Otherwise, she would have continued chasing after something that probably would never have worked out in the long run. Typically I am all for characters taking risks in love and life, but in this case the odds were just stacked too far against her. I imagine it was a little hard to write but I admire Carrie Vaughn for coming up with a way to keep things from turning into a nasty triangle without killing off a character, yet still keeping the transition realistic and smooth. Perhaps things might change in the future and reopen some of those possibilities, but for now Kitty seems to be content, and she deserves that.

Kitty Takes a Holiday was yet another really great installment in the Kitty Norville series. There was plenty of action as always, but it also seemed a bit more serious than the previous two books. I can only attribute that to the messy ordeals she has had to deal with. Everything seemed to catch up with her emotionally, and she needed that time to heal. It is so refreshing to see a heroine that isn't invincible when it comes to the emotional side of dealing with their catastrophes. That being said, I think she is well on her way to healing, and should be ready to step back up to the plate in the next book. Watch out world, cause Kitty's back.

Rating:

Buy now from Amazon:
Kitty Takes a Holiday (Kitty Norville, Book 3)

Other Reviews

Supernatural Bookworm

Previous Books

Challenge Categories:
Outdo Yourself
Horror and Urban Fantasy
Shifter

Kitty Goes to Washington

, by KT

Kitty Goes to Washington

Kitty Norville #2

Celebrity werewolf and late-night radio host Kitty Norville prefers to be heard and not seen. So when she's invited to testify at a Senate hearing on behalf of supernaturals, and her face gets plastered on national TV, she inherits a new set of friends, and enemies, including the vampire mistress of the city; an über-hot Brazilian were-jaguar; and a Bible-thumping senator who wants to expose Kitty as a monster. Kitty quickly learns that in this city of dirty politicians and backstabbing pundits, everyone's itching for a fight.

On the run from her former pack and the horrors she endured, Kitty has been traveling around the country, only stopping to do her weekly radio show. She's gained the attention of a Senate committee on Supernaturals, and gets subpoenaed to testify. Before this she had kept a pretty low profile, but knows those days are long behind her now. She'll meet a whole new crowd, with her unable to tell friend from foe. If she isn't careful she's gonna get backed into a corner she can't escape from. She will have to trust her instincts if she wants to make it out of this mess.

I knew after the aftermath of the supernatural revealing in the previous book, that the events in Kitty Goes to Washington would be a little messy. World shockers are never easy, and since Kitty has been placed front and center in this debate, you know things are going to be rather rocky for her. Some things happen that I won't spoiled, but I will say that they really shocked me and my heart went out to Kitty. She is just very fortunate in her ability to handle things and turn a bad situation into a manageable one. If only she could see in herself what the readers see, she would have so much more confidence.

I really love getting to see Kitty grow and I think that aspect is as much of the book's focus as the actual plot. She has come such a long way from the scared little cub that she was, but there still is a long road ahead, especially considering the recent events she has endured. She just needs to learn to trust herself and instincts a little more. I guess self acceptance would be the best way to put it. Yes, she is finally starting to come to terms with being a werewolf, but she really needs to make complete peace with her wolf half before she can really shine.

I really enjoyed Kitty Goes to Washington, probably even more that the first book. With the way things played out at the end, I'm really not sure what is going to happen next, but things should be interesting at the very least. I'd recommend these books to anyone who likes a fast reads that's a little on the lighter side, but still has plenty of action to keep you more than entertained.

Rating: