Waiting on Wednesday - #10 : Darker After Midnight

{++ }  This weekly event/feature is graciously hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine.  You know that feeling you get when you're browsing upcoming books on Goodreads or Amazon and one strikes your fancy?  Maybe you squee.  Maybe you giggle to yourself.  Maybe you bounce in your seat.  We all get excited (I do a combination of all three of the previous choices...) about new books, be it a favorite author you're familiar with, or someone whose work you'll be reading for the first time.  Jill's meme gives us the chance to spotlight what we are anxiously awaiting this week.

Darker After Midnight by Lara Adrian

To Be Published: 01.19.2012 (

Further info: Goodreads / Amazon

In the dark of night, a blood war escalates within the hidden world of the Breed. After existing in secret for many long centuries, maintaining a fragile peace with the humans who walk beside them unaware, a single act of retaliation has put the entire vampire nation at risk of discovery. It falls to the Order—a cadre of Breed warriors pledged to protect their own and humankind alike—to stop Dragos, the power-mad vampire at the center of the conflict, before his push for domination can explode into catastrophe.

At the center of the Order’s quest is Sterling Chase, once a morally rigid enforcer of Breed law, now a warrior fallen from grace, whose biggest battle is the one he wages against his own savage nature. With addiction beckoning him toward eternal darkness, Chase’s path to redemption has never seemed more out of reach. But when his eyes meet those of Tavia Fairchild, a beautiful witness who identifies him at the scene of a mission gone terribly wrong, Chase finds himself drawn to the woman—and convinced she is something much more than she seems.

Pulled into a vortex of intrigue and danger she can neither resist nor understand, Tavia is uncertain whom to trust. And while everything sane and logical warns her against getting close to Chase, she cannot deny that the handsome, deeply haunted male stirs something primal and ravenous within her. But even as she surrenders to her cravings, nothing can prepare her for the shattering truth of who—and what—she truly is.


As the Order’s enemy mobilizes for the battle of the ages, Dragos and his Minions unleashing a hell on Earth like nothing ever seen before, Chase and Tavia are thrust into the heart of the violence. With time running out and the streets running red with the blood of innocent lives, both Breed and human, together Chase and Tavia must find a way to defeat Dragos once and for all—or die trying. 

Why this book?

{ ++ } It's Chase's story.  Oh...do I need more of a reason than that?  Okay okay, this series is pretty sexy and fun and awesome, and this book has inspired me to re-read the series and catch up on the two books I'm behind on.  I love the Order - the alpha males, and the Breedmates.  And well.  Chase is the best.  :D

{ ++ } What's everyone's WoW pick?

Teaser Tuesday - #9: Hourglass by Myra McEntire

{ ++ } Miz B over at Should Be Reading hosts this weekly meme, where us book lovers get a chance to spotlight our currently-reading and basically...do a little teasing.  : ) The rules are simple: 

• Grab your current read.
• Open to a random page.  (Full disclosure: I actually go hunting for a good teaser.  heehee.)
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.  (Um.  Sometimes I post more than 2 sentences.  hee.)
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other participants can add the book to their to-reads if they like your teaser.

We reached to pick up the vase at the same time, and our fingertips touched.  A current of energy pulsed through his hand to mine.  My skin felt too small, stretched too tight, as if searching out more exposure to his.  I heard several pings, and the table went dark.  

Something was very, very off.

I slowly raised my eyes to meet Michael's.  The muscles in his face tensed; his expression was completely unreadable.  Confused, maybe scared, I pulled away.  I could still feel the way electricity had flowed through his fingers to mine, all the way to the roots of my hair.

The remaining lights returned to normal.

Hourglass by Myra McEntire

Published: 06.14.2011 (Egmont USA)

One hour to rewrite the past . . .
 
For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.

So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.

Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

Music Monday - #4: The Vespertine

{ ++ } Music Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Jess at Gone With the Words where she tells us all about a book pairing or a favorite character/book and a song that reminds her of it/ them.  Bloggers are invited to join in the fun and I thought, music + pairings?  I am SO there!  It's no secret that when I get attached to a ship, I get all flail-y and spastic and grabby hands over the shiny couple... so here goes. Fangirling commencing in... 3...2...1!

The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell

Published: 03.07.2011 (Harcourt Children's Books)

It’s the summer of 1889, and Amelia van den Broek is new to Baltimore and eager to take in all the pleasures the city has to offer. But her gaiety is interrupted by disturbing, dreamlike visions she has only at sunset—visions that offer glimpses of the future. Soon, friends and strangers alike call on Amelia to hear her prophecies. However, a forbidden romance with Nathaniel, an artist, threatens the new life Amelia is building in Baltimore. This enigmatic young man is keeping secrets of his own—still, Amelia finds herself irrepressibly drawn to him.

When one of her darkest visions comes to pass, Amelia’s world is thrown into chaos. And those around her begin to wonder if she’s not the seer of dark portents, but the cause.

The Couple

{ ++ } I fell, hard, for Amelia and Nathaniel.  I LOVED the two of them from their first few paragraphs of interaction.  They had this instant chemistry, that in some books just does not work for me, but in this novel - maybe because it was partly historical fiction, set in the late 1800's, maybe just because it was THIS couple, won me over immediately.  The bond between them took my breath away, and when I started thinking about a song to describe them, their interaction and their romance, I knew just which one to choose.

The Song

You loved me cause I'm fragile, when I thought that I was strong

But you touch me for a little while, and all my fragile strength is gone

Set me free, leave me be

I don't want to fall another moment into your gravity

Here I am, and I stand so tall - I'm just the way I'm supposed to be

But you're on to me and all over me

Review: The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

Published: 05.12.2011 (Harper)

Pages:359

Series: Darkness Rising (1)

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Further info: Goodreads / Amazon

Find the author online

Sixteen-year-old Maya is just an ordinary teen in an ordinary town. Sure, she doesn't know much about her background - the only thing she really has to cling to is an odd paw-print birthmark on her hip - but she never really put much thought into who her parents were or how she ended up with her adopted parents in this tiny medical-research community on Vancouver Island.
Until now.

Strange things have been happening in this claustrophobic town - from the mountain lions that have been approaching Maya to her best friend's hidden talent for "feeling" out people and situations, to the sexy new bad boy who makes Maya feel . . . . different. Combine that with a few unexplained deaths and a mystery involving Maya's biological parents and it's easy to suspect that this town might have more than its share of skeletons in its closet. 

My Review

I have to say it: I love Maya.  (But then again, I love most of Kelley Armstrong's lead females!)  Maya comes across right away as strong and smart, independent and a little sarcastic, with a good nature.  Armstrong shows us this, in Maya's fun and caring interaction with her adoptive parents, and with her friends.  Maya has a few flaws but generally speaking she is the kind of narrator that I gravitate toward, and many times throughout the book, I wanted to hug Kelley Armstrong for giving us Maya.  I loved her progression form the start of the book to the end, watching her grow more and more in tune with herself, and seeing her reaching for new understanding about her past and her present.

The whole premise of this book really appealed to me.  I loved Maya's natural interest in animals, and how she appeared to almost have a healing touch with them.  I have to know more about her abilities and how she is going to deal with all she has found out about herself.  I really enjoyed Daniel as a character, and his...I guess the word is how intuitive he is.  I am really really looking forward to seeing where all that goes in the second book.  A few of the other characters almost came across as a little too stereotypical, but I think that is more because of it being a first book, and we, as the readers, are still getting to know the characters, I hope.  I know there are several I'm interested in learning more about.

The actual plot itself moved along very nicely.  Having read Armstrong's Darkest Powers trilogy, I was a little more familiar with where the story was going and with a few minor characters who were mentioned than other readers might have been, but all that did was draw me in more.  This book is set up similarly to the first book in the previous trilogy (this trilogy is a loose spin-off) so I was pretty comfortable with the book as a whole, and with all the supernatural elements. (I want to say so much more but I don't want to be spoilery.)


I have two gripes about the book, one being how quickly some of the revelations happened closer to the end of the book.  The lead-up, I thought, was done SO well, that I wish Armstrong had taken a little bit more time to slowly draw out all the information and confessions, especially considering how many of them were about Maya and her past/etc.  


My other gripe is with Maya and Rafe.  Don't get me wrong - I like them as a couple, but they moved so fast, way too fast for me.  And there was a really weird vibe to them.  She's awesome, and he has some hidden nooks and secrets, and I can partially understand it, their connection.  But on the other hand, I am a little uneasy when it comes to them.  So I'm torn.  I want to love them, and I do like them.  But I need more time with them in the second book to decide if I am invested in them or not.


Either way, I am excitedly anticipating The Calling.  Way to go, Kelley Armstrong, on another fabulous book!

Memorable Quote

It was completely fifth grade and completely silly and I loved it, because he wasn't afraid to be silly. It was like kissing him first - I could do whatever I wanted and not have to worry what he'd think of me. - Maya

Best Summer Releases Giveway at Bookish!

{ ++ } If anyone hasn't already noticed, Evie at Bookish is hosting one of the most awesome giveaways around.  You can sign up from now until October 1st, and 5 lucky winners will get to pick one book from the 2011 Summer's hottest releases list!  You can also gain extra points toward winning for tweeting and blogging about the giveaway!  You can view the giveaway, details, and the list of books at her blog.  So what are you waiting for?  Go enter for a chance to win...I know I did!

Review: Daimon by Jennifer L Armentrout

Daimon by Jennifer L Armentrout

Published: 05.10.2011 (Spencer Hill Press)

Pages: 62

Series: The Covenant (.5)

Rating: 3 1/2 of 5 stars

Further info: Goodreads / Amazon

Find the author online

Love in my world usually ended up with someone hearing “I smite thee!” as she was cursed to be some lame flower for the rest of her life.

For three years, Alexandria has lived among mortals—pretending to be like them and trying to forget the duty she'd been trained to fulfill as a child of a mortal and a demigod. At seventeen, she's pretty much accepted that she's a freak by mortal standards... and that she'll never be prepared for that duty.

According to her mother, that’s a good thing.

But as every descendant of the gods knows, Fate has a way of rearing her ugly head. A horrifying attack forces Alex to flee Miami and try to find her way back to the very place her mother had warned her she should never return—the Covenant. Every step that brings her closer to safety is one more step toward death… because she's being hunted by the very creatures she'd once trained to kill.  

The daimons have found her.

My Review

Alexandria has been trying to acclimate into normal, everyday human life, but she has a secret she can't tell anyone: she is not normal, and she does not truly belong in everyday, human life.  Alex is the offspring of a mortal and a demigod, which means she has ties to a part of the world that most people never know about.  Alex and her mother formerly called the Covenant home, where if they had stayed, Alex might have trained as a guard or another role in that life.  Instead, she and her mother are on the run, and laying low to not draw attention to themselves, either from the Covenant, or from daimons, who crave the aether half-bloods and pure-bloods have running in their veins.

Right away I developed a huge soft spot for Alex.  She's tough, and she's strong, and she can fight.  But she also, on some level, wants to belong, and since she is so different, it just isn't happening for her.  She has a smart mouth at times, but she has a big, huge heart, and it's easy to see in her interaction with her mother just how much she cares about the people that she loves.  She's pretty fierce.  I've seen a lot of people comparing her to Rose from Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series, and I can see the similarities, but Alex is a unique character all her own, too.

When a daimon tracks down Alex and her mother, Alex takes flight, desperately hoping to make it back to the nearest Covenant, and some sort of safety.  Reeling from the shock of the daimon's attack, and the losses she suffered, Alexandria nevertheless perseveres, making difficult choices to leave behind the life she'd been trying to build, and go back to the first home she ever knew.  She doesn't know if they will accept her.  She doesn't know if her mother's fears about the Covenant were right.  All she knows is that they may be her only chance at survival.

Leaving off on a breathless cliffhanger, Daimon leaves you anxious for more, as Jennifer Armentrout sets up this wonderful teaser to her novel, Half-Blood, due out in September.  The perfect mix of the paranormal, some mythology, and a hint of romance, Daimon is a fantastic prologue to Half-Blood.  

(Note: If you'd like to read Daimon, it is available for free at Spencer Hill Press's site, here.)

Memorable Quote

"Okay. He had a point but it wasn’t like I could tell him anything. I could see me now: Guess what? You ever watch Clash of the Titans or read any Greek fables? Well those gods are real and yeah, I’m sort of a descendant of them. Kind of like the stepchild no one wants to claim. Oh, and I hadn’t even been around mortals until three years ago. Can we still be friends?"- Alex

In My Mailbox - #9

{ ++ } Kristi at The Story Siren hosts this weekly meme which gives bloggers a chance to highlight the books we bought, checked out, won, or otherwise procured over the last week.  And whether I've came into money (brb, laughing forever) or only had the goods to splurge on a book or two, they all deserve some love.

{ ++ } This week I received my FIRST ever ARC!  I'm so super excited and flattered!

Half-Blood by Jennifer Armentrout - Goodreads / Amazon / Jennifer's Blog

(This book was sent to me via the publisher, Spencer Hill Press, in exchange for an honest review.)

Why I'm psyched to read it: Fiesty protagonist.  Gods.  Daimons.  Ass-kicking.  Forbidden romance.  Need I say more?  Look for my review in September!

{ ++ } What did y'all get this week?

Follow Me Friday - #12 + Book Blogger Hop - #10

{ ++ } Follow Me Friday, aka "Follow My Book Blog" is probably the coolest meme I've come across in awhile.  It's hosted over at Parajunkee's View and also now at Alison Can Read, and us amazing book-a-holics get the chance to answer a reading-related question, as well as make new friends over the weekend.  It's a great way to kick off said weekend, and a really fun and easy way of stealing our way into the hearts of fellow book blogger's.

{ ++ } Each week, Rachel features one lucky blogger and her feature is Megan at The Book Addicted Girl.  Alison's is The Little Book Blog.  Everyone please head on over to those blogs, follow, and show them some love!  It's a huge honor (I think!) to be featured.

Q. Let's step away from books for a second and get personal. What T-Shirt slogan best describes you? 

 

{ ++ } Hosted by Jennifer at Crazy-for-Books, what better way to allow us book bloggers to mix and mingle than a bit of a reading-related social?  Every week she hosts this event, where we can throw our names in the hat so to speak, and hopefully end up with a few new friends who share our interests and our love (and in my case, obsession) of books.  It's also a party and it's all in fun!

Highlight one book you have received this week (for review, from the library, purchased at the store, etc.) that you can’t wait to dig into!

The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi-pure-bloods-have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals-well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures.Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway.

There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1: relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden.Unfortunately, she's crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn't her biggest problem--staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck.

{ ++ } This week I received Jennifer Armentrougt's Half-Blood for review from the publisher, Spencer Hill.  After reading the (free!) online prequel novella, Daimon, I am even MORE excited to read this book than I was before!  The mythos seems really well developed and the main character, Alex is fiesty and really kind of awesome.  I'll be reading and reviewing this book in September!

{ ++ } What did ya'll get this week?  And aren't you glad it's Friday?!

Review: The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong

The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong

Published: 04.06.2010 (HaperTeen)

Pages: 400

Series: The Darkest Powers (3)

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Further info: Goodreads / Amazon

Find the author online

My name is Chloe Saunders. I’m fifteen, and I would love to be normal.  But normal is one thing I’m not.

For one thing, I’m having these feelings for a certain antisocial werewolf and his sweet-tempered brother–who just happens to be a sorcerer–but, between you and me, I’m leaning toward the werewolf.

Not normal.

My friends and I are also on the run from an evil corporation that wants to get rid of us…permanently.  Definitely not normal.

And finally, I’m a genetically altered necromancer who can raise the dead, rotting corpses and all, without even trying.

As far away from normal as it gets.

My Review

Having finally found a safe haven, Chloe and her group of fledgling supernatural friends batten down the hatches at a home used as a retreat for the rebel group seeking to bring down the Edison Group.  Simon and Derek's father's friend, Andrew introduces the teens to a few other members, each of whom can help one of Chloe's friends, or her.  The plot slows down for a little while; instead of the group living on the road, fleeing the Edison Group, Kelley Armstrong shows us the full ramifications of their super-charged powers: Chloe being taken to train in a cemetery, and the disastrous turn of events, and Andrew and his friend's disbelief at what their enemies have done to the kids.  I immediately disliked a few of the new characters, but all things considered, I think that was the point.  And it was nice to have a change of pace, because with that came a switch in focus.  Chloe's struggle over her feelings for Simon versus her feelings for Derek was guided into the forefront, in a way that was so well done that I teared up more than once. 

I am a huge fan of this pairing.  I love that they are unorthodox.  There will never be a perfect first date with these two, and they are not all hearts-and-flowers.  They're complicated, and unsure.  They have a tentative friendship backed by a bond forged out of their circumstances, a friendship that over the course of this book is tested, and found solid, a friendship that is beautifully allowed to grow into something more. Their interaction never once feels forced, and I wanted more scenes with them, even though a large portion of the book was kind of woven around them.

I also enjoyed seeing some character development from Tori.  Over the first two books, we saw glimpses into why she is the way she is, but in this book, Armstrong showed us the real Tori, a girl who has more talents than just her magic.  Tori starts to prove her usefulness and ends up helping the group a good bit in the book, and I was really pleased to, by the time I closed the book, be able to say that I liked her.

The plot picks back up when the group starts digging into an attempt on Derek and Chloe's lives from other werewolves.  I sped through the last 150 pages or so, because the climax of the book was drawing near.  And I was pretty satisfied.  The very ending felt a little too rushed for my taste, but it wrapped up enough yet left enough open for future books (I heard these characters may show back up down the road!)  There were a few plot arcs that left me sort of wishing for more - one connection between two characters that I truly truly hope Kelley Armstrong will explore down the road, and one that was just left dangling, again, hopefully to be brought back up in later books, or else I will be disappointed.  I'm also still curious to know more about the history of the Edison Group, and I'd love more info on that and on the teen's parents and all of their involvement.  But overall I really enjoyed this - I'm digging the YA/Paranormal vibe like crazy.  : )

Memorable Quote

I looked up at him. His green eyes glittered in the dark, reflecting the moonlight like a cat's. His scowl had vanished. The defiance was gone, too, replaced by a tightness around his mouth, a worry that clouded his eyes; and seeing that quicksilver change, I wanted to...
I don't know what I wanted to do. Kick him in the shins seemed like a good option. Unfortunately, bursting into tears seemed more likely, because here lay the root of the problem, the contradiction in Derek that I couldn't seem to work out, no matter how hard I tried.

One second he was in my face, making me feel stupid and useless. The next he was like this: hovering, concerned, worried. I told myself it was just his wolf instinct, that he had to protect me whether he wanted to or not, but when he looked like this, like he'd pushed me too far and regretted it . . . That look said he genuinely cared. - Chloe

Teaser Tuesday - #10 { The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong }

{ ++ } Miz B over at Should Be Reading hosts this weekly meme, where us book lovers get a chance to spotlight our currently-reading and basically...do a little teasing.  : ) The rules are simple:

• Grab your current read.
• Open to a random page.  (Full disclosure: I actually go hunting for a good teaser.  heehee.)
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.  (Um.  Sometimes I post more than 2 sentences.  hee.)
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other participants can add the book to their to-reads if they like your teaser.

Whatever was happening between us, it was too much, too fast, and I worried I was going to get hurt. I'd never been hurt before, not like that.  When I went out with guys, I liked it fun and casual.  I had a good time when they were around, and when they left, I was okay with that.  But if Rafe said he was leaving, I wouldn't be okay with that and it scared me.    - page 197

 The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

Pages: 359

Published: 04.12.2011(HarperCollins)

Further info: Goodreads / Amazon

Sixteen-year-old Maya is just an ordinary teen in an ordinary town. Sure, she doesn't know much about her background - the only thing she really has to cling to is an odd paw-print birthmark on her hip - but she never really put much thought into who her parents were or how she ended up with her adopted parents in this tiny medical-research community on Vancouver Island.

Until now.

Strange things have been happening in this claustrophobic town - from the mountain lions that have been approaching Maya to her best friend's hidden talent for "feeling" out people and situations, to the sexy new bad boy who makes Maya feel . . . . different. Combine that with a few unexplained deaths and a mystery involving Maya's biological parents and it's easy to suspect that this town might have more than its share of skeletons in its closet.