Monday Wrapup (154)

, 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.







Reviews for the past week:


Viral Nation by Shaunta Grimes (Review)
"...there was anything but cookie cutter in VIRAL NATION...Dystopian fans won't want to miss this."




The Thing About Weres by Leigh Evans (Early Review)
"This series has been incredibly tricky for me. On one hand I really enjoy the premise and the really three dimensional characters, but on the other hand I find myself more frustrated than not with the stilted romance and the pacing/fantasy issues."


Kirsten's Book of the Week:


Who Was Dracula by Jim Steinmeyer (Review)
"..a book that anybody interested in Stoker will find to be of interest."





Other Posts:

Book Birthdays featured 10 new releases for this week.

The cover for Creators by Tiffany Truitt was revealed

Midnight Frost by Jennifer Estep was featured for Waiting on Wednesday


Upcoming List:

Darkness Dawns by Diane Duvall
Midnight Frost by Jennifer Estep (Early Review)

Kirsten Reviews: TBD


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Early Review: The Thing About Weres by Leigh Evans

, by KT

The Thing About Weres by Leigh Evans
Mystwalker #2

THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER

In the never-ending saga that is my love-hate relationship with Robson Trowbridge, I, half-Were Hedi Peacock, have had a change of heart. Ever since I shoved Trowbridge through the Gates of Merenwyn, I’ve been the leader of the pack—hard to believe, right? The thing is: I’m half-Fae. So even though my Were side is ready to heed the call of the wild, the other part of me is desperate to take flight. And much as it pains me to admit it, life without Trowbridge is really starting to were me down…

I AM WERE, HEAR ME ROAR.

To make matters worse, the wolves of Creemore want my blood—and the North American Council of Weres wants me dead. So I’m just counting the days until Trowbridge returns from the other realm…and comes to my brave rescue…and becomes my alpha mate. Wishful thinking? Of course it is. But given all the mess I’ve been through already, what’s the harm in doing a little bit of daisy-plucking? Besides, Trowbridge owes me bigtime. A girl can dream.

Half-Fae, half-Were, Hedi Peacock doesn't quite fit in anywhere. Yet as alpha-by-proxy since she sent her mate, Trowbridge into the Fae realm to save his life, she's having to supress her Fae nature and embrace her Were one. Too bad she spent her entire lifetime doing the exact opposite, and now her Were side doesn't want to play ball. The pack is getting restless without a true Alpha to lead them and it's only a matter of time before they rebel. She'll have to remember the spell to bring Trowbridge back, and quick or she'll wind up being puppy chow.

Much of the same things that frustrated me from the first book were present in THE THING ABOUT WERES as well. Particularly, the romance and the lack of cohesiveness in the writing. The romance part I'll get into in a bit, but the cohesiveness I'll talk about now. After finishing this book, I realize that it may be less of a cohesive issue, but more of a genre bending issue. I honestly felt like this book is a pure fantasy trying to masquerade itself as an urban fantasy. Urban fantasy is supposed to be our modern world (or something similar) with supernatural elements or twists. However, the Mystwalker series seems to be spending more and more time focused on other worlds. I have to be honest that I found myself horribly skimming over the parts involving Threall as whenever I tried to follow them my eyes crossed, which is never a good thing when you are trying to stay immersed in a book. This honestly lessened my enjoyment of the book, but perhaps will work better for fans of true fantasy.

So if you have read my review of the previous book, you'll know that I never fully warmed up to the relationship (if you can honestly call it that) between Trowbridge and Hedi, at least until the end. And then of course that nasty cliffhanger ending with Trowbridge getting sent to the Fae realm kinda squashed all that. Now, what I'm going to talk about here might be considered a spoiler, something I usually avoid, but since it happens rather early in the book, I think it's okay and really warrants talking about. So, my bit of fair warning aside, getting into the relationship aspect in this book. I had really high hopes for Trowbridge's return, and frankly so did Hedi. Did I think all their issues would magically disappear? No, but I still thought the connection between them would have held strong. So imagine my dismay when he comes through and despite a near death episode on her behalf that leads him into a panic, he's all detached and secretive. And considering the circumstances, it really wasn't a good time to clam up. The conclusions she drew in his silence, well let me just say that I wouldn't have stuck around, life long mystical bond or not. To make matters worse, even when things are brought out into the open, I just didn't feel like they fully discussed things. It just went from both of them feeling utterly betrayed to physical intimacy, and yet nothing was fixed. Now I love a good sex scene as much as the next gal, but honestly this one just made me mad, because there was just too much left unsettled for me to "enjoy the moment." At this point, I'm pretty much resigned to just accepting that these two have a bond, even if I don't actually feel it. 

This series has been incredibly tricky for me. On one hand I really enjoy the premise and the really three dimensional characters, but on the other hand I find myself more frustrated than not with the stilted romance and the pacing/fantasy issues. In a word, I'm conflicted. So basically, I'm just going to boil down all my thoughts to one simple statement: Did I enjoy THE THING ABOUT WERES enough to continue onto the next book in the series? Yes, and in the end, that's all that really matters.

(Received a copy from the publisher via Netgalley)

Rating:







Pre-order:



Other Reviews:


Previous Books:
     1. The Trouble With Fate




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Kirsten Reviews: Who Was Dracula by Jim Steinmeyer

, by KT

Who Was Dracula by Jim Steinmeyer

An acclaimed historian sleuths out literature’s most famous vampire, uncovering the source material – from folklore and history, to personas including Oscar Wilde and Walt Whitman – behind Bram Stoker’s bloody creation.

In more than a century of vampires in pop culture, only one lord of the night truly stands out: Dracula. Though the name may conjure up images of Bela Lugosi lurking about in a cape and white pancake makeup in the iconic 1931 film, the character of Dracula—a powerful, evil Transylvanian aristocrat who slaughters repressed Victorians on a trip to London—was created in Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel of the same name, a work so popular it has spawned limitless reinventions in books and film. But where did literature’s undead icon come from? What sources inspired Stoker to craft a monster who would continue to haunt our dreams (and desires) for generations? Historian Jim Steinmeyer, who revealed the men behind the myths in The Last Greatest Magician in the World, explores a question that has long fascinated literary scholars and the reading public alike: Was there a real-life inspiration for Stoker’s Count Dracula?

Hunting through archives and letters, literary and theatrical history, and the relationships and events that gave shape to Stoker’s life, Steinmeyer reveals the people and stories behind the Transylvanian legend. In so doing, he shows how Stoker drew on material from the careers of literary contemporaries Walt Whitman and Oscar Wilde; reviled personas such as Jack the Ripper and the infamous fifteenth-century prince Vlad Tepes, as well as little-known but significant figures, including Stoker’s onetime boss, British stage star Henry Irving, and Theodore Roosevelt’s uncle, Robert Roosevelt (thought to be a model for Van Helsing).

Along the way, Steinmeyer depicts Stoker’s life in Dublin and London, his development as a writer, involvement with London’s vibrant theater scene, and creation of one of horror’s greatest masterpieces. Combining historical detective work with literary research, Steinmeyer’s eagle eye provides an enthralling tour through Victorian culture and the extraordinary literary monster it produced.

Who Was Dracula? Bram Stoker’s Trail of Blood by Jim Steinmeyer is an effort to find the sources behind the famous figure of Dracula, the vampire behind the author, so to speak. This book clearly was put together with a lot of research, and focuses on both Stoker and Dracula. However, it does suffer from some repetition of facts and information.

The enthusiasm of the author is clear, and he attempts to inform audiences both about Stoker and Dracula, as well as the ways in which modern audiences have been removed from the original text. In short, this is not where ‘vampires’ got their sparkle.

There’s a scarcity of information about Stoker’s childhood, at least when compared to how much detail is provided about his time at university, but the author's method of highlighting key events of Stoker’s life makes this feel more like a novel than a biography or dry text.

To be clear about the repetition, Steinmeyer seems to be attempting to remind readers of certain facts, but goes into a bit too much detail, and various events and people will stand out in comparison to the rest of the text.

Anybody who’s interested in how Dracula has been successful in modern times will find the last chapter maybe a bit too brief, and the lack of focus on Francis Ford Coppola’s film is strange. This would have seemed to be an obvious choice, since the film focused so much on Dracula being a more erotic figure, and it would have been an opportunity to reflect on that in relation to the original text’s version of the vampire. Nor was there any in depth analysis of derivative works that would be of interest, legally, if not creatively to the Stoker estate.

However, Steinmeyer’s research is evident, as is his fascination with the subject, and the result is a book that anybody interested in Stoker will find to be of interest.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

Rating:







Order Links:



Other Reviews:
     All Things Urban Fantasy
     Joyous Reads
     Literal Addiction
   


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Waiting on Wednesday (153)

, 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:


Midnight Frost - Mythos Academy #5
by Jennifer Estep
Publication Date: July 30th, 2013
Pre-Order:

 

Here we go again …

Just when it seems life at Mythos Academy can’t get any more dangerous, the Reapers of Chaos manage to prove me wrong. It was just a typical night at the Library of Antiquities — until a Reaper tried to poison me. The good news is I’m still alive and kicking. The bad news is the Reaper poisoned someone else instead.

As Nike’s Champion, everyone expects me to lead the charge against the Reapers, even though I’m still hurting over what happened with Spartan warrior Logan Quinn. I’ve got to get my hands on the antidote fast — otherwise, an innocent person will die. But the only known cure is hidden in some creepy ruins — and the Reapers are sure to be waiting for me there …



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Creators Cover Reveal

, by KT

Today Tiffany Truitt and Entangled Teen are revealing the final cover for The Lost Souls Trilogy, CREATORS. Along with an exclusive excerpt and a pre-order giveaway that Tiffany has set up on her blog!


Heartbroken but more determined than ever after a tense showdown in the woods, sixteen-year-old Tess once again returns to the safety of her community of Isolationists. Bolstered by new alliances and desperate to protect those she loves, this time she knows she can return stronger and more powerful than ever to take back what is hers.

As she trains in combat and grows more confident, Tess receives beautiful letters penned by her forbidden love, the chosen one James, from his prison in Templeton. He is now serving as a bodyguard to the creators—the team of scientists who created artificial life in the first place. And what he has discovered about the true origin of the illness that halted natural life could change everything.

Enemy will become ally and death will bring new hope in this stunning conclusion to Tiffany Truitt’s epic Lost Souls trilogy.

Exclusive Excerpt!
Somewhere, James was just as trapped as I was.
            I thought of the morning when we lay with each other, curled against one another, never beginning and never ending. How we’d stayed like that till the sun began to rise.
            James had reached down and pulled me off the ground. He wore a satisfied grin on his face. “Someone is mighty proud of himself,” I teased.
            He laughed. It bounced through the forest, calling it awake. Readying it for the day. “I’m just insanely happy.”
            I stood on the tips of my toes and kissed him gently on his scar. “I’m insanely happy too,” I whispered.
            James looked down at me, and I was lost all over again. I would never tire of looking into those mismatched eyes. They didn’t make him different. They made him him. He chuckled as he reached over and pulled a leaf from my tangled hair. “They’ll know just by looking at you that we’ve been up to no good.”
            “No good?” I purred. “I thought it was very, very good.”
            James growled and lifted me into the air. I wrapped my legs around his waist as he pressed his lips hungrily against mine. I moved my hands to his hair, curling my fingers into it, attaching myself to him. I never wanted to let go. Every part of me ached to be touched by him, and every part of me ached to touch him right back.
            “Do you know how much I love you?” he breathed into the base of my neck. His lips fluttered against my skin.
            I nodded, kissing the top of his head. “As much as I love you.”
            James slowly put my feet back on the ground. He cradled my face in his hands. “That will never change. No matter what.”
            I looked deep into his eyes. “I know.” Because I did. It was one of life’s few assurances. I would always love James.
            I pressed my lips once again to his scar. “I adore this scar,” I whispered, unable to hide the smile that seemed etched on my face all morning.
            “You’re enough to drive a man crazy,” he said The tremble of his voice caused my toes to curl. I wanted him again. And again. And again.
            My fingers traced the waist of his pants. “Tonight?” I said, knowing full well it was a promise that I probably wouldn’t be able to keep.
            James grabbed my hand and brought it to his lips. “Tonight,” he echoed.
            As the sun climb higher into the sky, I knew our moment was coming to an end. James reached down and placed his hand over my heart. “Thank you,” he said.
            “For what?” I asked, my voice choked with emotion.
            “For everything.”
            As the memory slipped away, I looked back up at the night sky. Praying and hoping that James knew how much I wanted to thank him too.
            For everything.

About Tiffany:

Tiffany Truitt was born in Peoria, Illinois. A self-proclaimed Navy brat, Tiffany spent most of her childhood living in Virginia, but don’t call her a Southerner. She also spent a few years living in Cuba. Since her time on the island of  one McDonalds and Banana Rats (don’t ask), she has been obsessed with traveling. Tiffany recently added China to her list of travels (hello inspiration for a new book).
Besides traveling, Tiffany has always been an avid reader. The earliest books she remembers reading belong to The Little House on the Prairie Series. First book she read in one day? Little Woman(5th grade). First author she fell in love with? Jane Austen in middle school. Tiffany spent most of her high school and college career as a literary snob. She refused to read anything considered “low brow” or outside the “classics.”
Tiffany began teaching middle school in 2006. Her students introduced her to the wide, wonderful world of Young Adult literature. Today, Tiffany embraces popular Young Adult literature and uses it in her classroom. She currently teaches the following novels: The OutsidersSpeakNight, Dystopian Literature Circles: The Hunger GamesThe GiverThe Uglies, and Matched.
Tiffany is proud to call herself an educator and Young Adult author. Her first book will be published by Entangled Publishing.


Also Tiffany has a Pre-Order Contest going on over at her blog http://tiffanytruitt.wordpress.com/ three lucky people that pre-order CREATORS will win a signed Cassandra Clare poster!


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Release Day Review: Viral Nation by Shaunta Grimes

, by KT

Viral Nation by Shaunta Grimes
Viral Nation #1

After a virus claimed nearly the entire global population, the world changed. The United States splintered into fifty walled cities where the surviving citizens clustered to start over. The Company, which ended the plague by bringing a life-saving vaccine back from the future, controls everything. They ration the scant food and supplies through a lottery system, mandate daily doses of virus suppressant, and even monitor future timelines to stop crimes before they can be committed.

Brilliant but autistic, sixteen-year-old Clover Donovan has always dreamed of studying at the Waverly-Stead Academy. Her brother and caretaker, West, has done everything in his power to make her dream a reality. But Clover’s refusal to part with her beloved service dog denies her entry into the school. Instead, she is drafted into the Time Mariners, a team of Company operatives who travel through time to gather news about the future.

When one of Clover’s missions reveals that West’s life is in danger, the Donovans are shattered. To change West’s fate, they’ll have to take on the mysterious Company. But as its secrets are revealed, they realize that the Company’s rule may not be as benevolent as it seems. In saving her brother, Clover will face a more powerful force than she ever imagined… and will team up with a band of fellow misfits and outsiders to incite a revolution that will change their destinies forever. 


Years ago a virus decimated the population, leaving only very few in its wake until a cure was found. The remaining citizens of the US were grouped into 50 strongholds, one for each former state. The Company, who created the cure now controls everything, from the daily dose of the needed booster, to food, and jobs. They also control the path into the future, which allows them to see future crimes and have now eliminated virtually all violence as offenders are executed before they can actually commit the crimes. Clover and West Donovan, while both born before the virus hit, were both too young to remember any other kind of life than what they have. Clover is brilliant and her mind can process incredible things due to her autism, and as a result, West has stood in as her protector, sheltering her from some of the harsher realities of their world. But all that comes crashing down when she catches the attention of the head of the Time Mariners and is drafted into service. Suddenly, West and Clover's lives aren't so cut and dry any more as Clover's trips lead to questions without answers as they realize things aren't quite as they seem. When West's life is threatened, Clover knows she'll do anything it takes to save him, even if it means going against the Company itself.

The world behind VIRAL NATION is absolutely chilling. The book starts out at the beginning of the virus's path, and shows the reader a first hand account of the devastation it causes and subsequent relief at the discovery of the cure, which I felt was an incredibly important setup as otherwise it would have been too easy to not sympathize with the characters in their fear of the virus. There's always something to be said about keeping things out of the abstract, and put right in front of your face to serve as a rude awakening. So once that prologue is over, the book fast forwards sixteen years to the present day. I knew right off from the bat from the state of control that things weren't as cut and dry as the characters saw them, but granted I was looking in from an outsiders perspective. This is really dystopian at it's finest, where the control of the society may have been set up in the people's best interests, but eventually things just spiralled downhill from there. These people really have absolutely no clue what is going on behind the world that they are shown. It was downright horrifying to me, especially as more and more secrets were unfurled. I mean clueless citizens are pretty much a standard in dystopian fiction, but this time around, for some reason I think the revelations will come at a harder blow. Perhaps it is because the whole source of control came from something so harmless, but either way, I cannot wait to get my hands on the next installment to hopefully see some of the truths be reveals.

While the world behind VIRAL NATION is intriguing, it is the characters who actually steal the show, namely Clover and West. Clover is autistic, and while I've read a few books with an autistic character in them, none of them quite captured the true essence of that like VIRAL NATION does. I really felt like I was in Clover's head and looking through her eyes gave me such a unique perspective on things. Her mind truly works differently, and it was incredible to see where she excelled so thoroughly, yet also watch her struggle through simple social interaction. West on the other hand, was the perfect, yet flawed protective older brother that everyone should have. He sacrificed so much for her, and yet he also was completely realistic in that Clover's inability to cope weighed on him at times and the frustration was definitely there. Even the most supportive and affectionate person will eventually get frustrated, so I was really happy to see those emotions portrayed. There were several other characters that left an impression on me, too many to really list here, but I really look forward to seeing more of them in the next book. That being said, there was one character who really fell flat for me, and that was Clover and West's father. Honestly, other than the intial prologue, I do not think the sections from his perspective were necessary as he really didn't add anything to the plot. Basically all he was to me was an absentee dad, perhaps he'll redeem himself in the future, but I won't be holding my breath.

I always have been a huge dystopian fan, but they seem to have become a dime a dozen here as of late. Even worse is that not only have they become rather numerous, but that they also seem to be mostly following a cookie cutter layout. So, considering the fact that there was anything but cookie cutter in VIRAL NATION, you can imagine just how much I enjoyed this book. Dystopian fans won't want to miss this.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

Rating:







Order Links:



Other Reviews:
     All Things Urban Fantasy
     Lit Slut
     The Demon Librarian
   


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Book Birthdays: New Titles This Week (42)

, by KT



Releasing 7/8 - 7/14
 

The Arrivals by Melissa Marr 
 
Never underestimate the power of a woman
on a double espresso with a mocha latte chaser high.
                                                —T-shirt


Charley Davidson isn’t your everyday, run-of-the-mill grim reaper.  She’s more of a paranormal private eye/grim reaper extraordinaire.  However, she gets sidetracked when the sexy, sultry son of Satan, Reyes Farrow, moves in next door. To further complicate matters, Reyes is her main suspect in an arson case.  Charley has vowed to stay away from him until she can find out the truth…but then dead women start appearing in her apartment, one after another, each lost, confused, and terrified beyond reason.  When it becomes apparent that her own sister, Gemma, is the serial killer’s next target Charley has no choice but to ask for Reyes’ help.  Arsonist or not, he’s the one man alive who could protect Gemma no matter who or what came at her. But he wants something in return. Charley. All of her, body and soul. And to keep her sister safe, it is a price she is willing to pay.

Charley Davidson is at it again in Fifth Grave Past the Light, the sexy, suspenseful, and laugh-out-loud funny fifth installment of the New York Times bestselling series by Darynda Jones.


Blurred by Tara Fuller
Kissed by Death #2

Cash is haunted by things. Hungry, hollow things. They only leave him alone when Heaven’s beautiful reaper, Anaya, is around. Cash has always been good with girls, but Anaya isn’t like the others. She’s dead. And with his deteriorating health, Cash might soon be as well.

Anaya never breaks the rules, but the night of the fire, she recognized part of Cash’s soul—and doomed him to something worse than death. Cash’s soul now resides in an expired body, making him a shadow walker, a rare, coveted being that can walk between worlds. A being creatures of the underworld would do anything to get their hands on.

The lines between life and death are blurring, and Anaya and Cash find themselves falling helplessly over the edge. Trapped in a world where the living don’t belong, can Cash make it out alive?



Cold Copper by Devon Monk
Age of Steam #3

In steam age America, men, monsters, machines, and magic battle to claim the same scrap of earth and sky. In this madness, one man struggles to keep his humanity, his honor, and his hell-bent mission intact....

Bounty hunter and lycanthrope Cedar Hunt vowed to track down all seven pieces of the Holder—a strange device capable of deadly destruction. And, accompanied by witch Mae Lindson and the capricious Madder brothers, he sets out to do just that. But the crew is forced to take refuge in the frontier town of Des Moines, Iowa, when a glacial storm stops them in their tracks. The town, under mayor Killian Vosbrough, is ruled with an iron fist—and plagued by the steely Strange, creatures that pour through the streets like the unshuttered wind.

But Cedar soon learns that Vosbrough is mining cold copper for the cataclysmic generators he’s manufacturing deep beneath Des Moines, bringing the search for the Holder to a halt. Chipping through ice, snow, and bone-chilling bewitchment to expose a dangerous plot, Cedar must stop Vosbrough and his scheme to rule the land and sky....



A Cursed Embrace by Cecy Robson
Weird Girls #2

Celia Wird and her three sisters are just like other twentysomething girls—with one tiny exception: They are the products of a curse that backfired and gave each of them unique powers that made them, well, a little weird.…

After Celia Wird and her sisters help master vampire Misha save his family, their powers are exposed to the supernatural community of the Lake Tahoe region. But fame comes at a price, and being “weird” isn’t always welcome.

To make matters worse, Celia desires the love of Alpha werewolf Aric, but his pack is bent on destroying their relationship to preserve his pureblood status. And once weres start turning up dead—with evidence pointing to the vampires—she must face the prospect of losing Aric forever. But the chaos only masks a new threat. An evil known as the Tribe has risen—and their sights are set on Celia and her sisters.



Shutdown by Heather Anastasiu
Glitch #3

The battle is all but over, and all hope seems to be lost. Zoe and her fellow Resistance fighters are on the run, having lost their home, their protection, and their leader. They are outnumbered and outmatched by the powerful corporation that controls the world, and the cruel Chancellor is inches away from completing a scheme that would kill most of humanity. Zoe's only remaining option is to chase the impossible dream of upending the Link system, freeing the world from the hardware that controls their thoughts and emotions, and hope it will trigger a revolution. 

The plot requires a nearly impossible mission to infiltrate the dangerous Community, and it is a task that Zoe must unfortunately complete alone. After horrific torture at the hands of the Chancellor, Adrien remains unresponsive, an empty shell of the boy Zoe loves. With challenges and surprises at every turn, nothing goes according to plan. Adrien's visions of the future now show two possible outcomes: one in which they succeed, and one in which humanity falls. It all lies in Zoe's hands. 


Full of high-adrenaline action and shocking twists, Shutdown is a heart-pounding conclusion to an exciting sci-fi adventure trilogy for young adults.
The thrilling conclusion to an action-packed sci-fi trilogy


This Strange and Familiar Place by Rachel Carter
So Close to You #2

Rachel Carter’s breathtaking time-travel romance, This Strange and Familiar Place, is a great pick for fans of Kerstin Gier’s Ruby Red trilogy.

In the second book of the So Close to You YA trilogy, Lydia Bentley has discovered that the conspiracy theories about the Montauk Project, the ones her grandfather had told her about all her life, were true all along.

The little town on Long Island really is the Area 51 of the east. Lydia’s hometown has been the site of government time-travel experiments since World War II. Among the “recruits” the Project has used as subjects in these experiments are two members of Lydia’s own family, and Wes, the boy she loves.

What is Lydia willing to sacrifice to save them?



The Twice Lost by Sarah Porter
Lost Souls #3

Mermaids have been sinking ships and drowning humans for centuries, and now the government is determined to put an end to the mermaid problem—by slaughtering all of them. Luce, a mermaid with exceptionally threatening abilities, becomes their number-one target, hunted as she flees down the coast toward San Francisco.

     There she finds hundreds of mermaids living in exile under the docks of the bay. These are the Twice Lost: once-human girls lost first when a trauma turned them into mermaids, and lost a second time when they broke mermaid law and were rejected by their tribes. Luce is stunned when they elect her as their leader. But she won’t be their queen. She’ll be their general. And they will become the Twice Lost Army—because this is war.


Vicious Moon by Lee Roland
Earth Witches #3

“A powerful witch might live a long time, but a single well-placed bullet could change that. While my preferred weapon was magic, I was not averse to shooting anyone or anything offering my sister or me harm.”

Ex-soldier and earth witch Nyx Ianira is working as a PI in San Francisco when she sees the last thing she ever wants to see: the Sisters of Justice—the mysterious earth witch police force. A Triad of Sisters usually means an execution mission, but the Sisters’ only goal is to capture and escort Nyx across the country.

Nyx is badly needed back in Twitch Crossing, Georgia, the place she ran away from ten years ago to escape the stiff rules and duties of being a true witch. She wanted a life of her own. Now she’s being dragged back to her swampy hometown because another life is in danger: Her little sister is missing, and Nyx is the only one who can track her down in Duivel, Missouri.

But the key to finding her may lie with dark and tempting Etienne—a sinister criminal with a fearsome reputation, a ruthless attitude, and a total immunity to magic....



Viral Nation by Shaunta Grimes 
 
After a virus claimed nearly the entire global population, the world changed. The United States splintered into fifty walled cities where the surviving citizens clustered to start over. The Company, which ended the plague by bringing a life-saving vaccine back from the future, controls everything. They ration the scant food and supplies through a lottery system, mandate daily doses of virus suppressant, and even monitor future timelines to stop crimes before they can be committed.

Brilliant but autistic, sixteen-year-old Clover Donovan has always dreamed of studying at the Waverly-Stead Academy. Her brother and caretaker, West, has done everything in his power to make her dream a reality. But Clover’s refusal to part with her beloved service dog denies her entry into the school. Instead, she is drafted into the Time Mariners, a team of Company operatives who travel through time to gather news about the future.

When one of Clover’s missions reveals that West’s life is in danger, the Donovans are shattered. To change West’s fate, they’ll have to take on the mysterious Company. But as its secrets are revealed, they realize that the Company’s rule may not be as benevolent as it seems. In saving her brother, Clover will face a more powerful force than she ever imagined… and will team up with a band of fellow misfits and outsiders to incite a revolution that will change their destinies forever
.


White Trash Zombie Apocalypse by Diana Rowland
White Trash Zombie #3

Our favorite white trash zombie, Angel Crawford, has enough problems of her own, what with dealing with her alcoholic, deadbeat dad, issues with her not-quite boyfriend, the zombie mafia, industrial espionage and evil corporations. Oh, and it’s raining, and won’t let up.

But things get even crazier when a zombie movie starts filming in town, and Angel begins to suspect that it’s not just the plot of the movie that's rotten. Soon she's fighting her way through mud, blood, bullets and intrigue, even as zombies, both real and fake, prowl the streets.

Angel’s been through more than her share of crap, but this time she’s in way over her head. She’ll need plenty of brainpower to fit all the pieces—and body parts—together in order to save herself, her town, and quite possibly the human race.


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Monday Wrapup (153)

, by KT


Yeah, so this happened. Basically I had the epic Sinus/Upper Respiratory Infection from doom. In fact, I haven't taken a week off once in the three years since I started this blog, but this sickness just completely laid me out. Other than a few pre-written posts for later in the week, there was a whole lot of crickets going on at the blog. I'm still a bit under the weather, but on the mend, so we're back to our normally scheduled posting this week. 


Kirsten's Book of the Week:


Firebrand by Gillian Phil  (Review)
"For anyone who likes their fantasy with a large helping of politics and a more meandering plot, this will be a good read. Anybody who wants a fast paced tale is going to have to look elsewhere."




Other Posts:

Vicious Moon Blog Tour stopped by. Enter to win all three books in the Earth Witches Series!

We received 19 books in June. Check out our Stacking the Shelves to see which ones.

Upcoming List:

Viral Nation by Shaunta Grimes (Release Day Review)
The Thing About Weres by Leigh Evans (Early Review)

Kirsten Reviews: TBD


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