Bloggiesta To-Do List

Bloggiesta is a book blogger event being hosted this weekend (it actually started yesterday) at It's All About Books.

My to-do list for this weekend is:

Update as many of my old posts to my new style as possible

Get rid of outdated old pages

Create a new review index page

Update all my challenges

Create a challenge page

Meet other bloggers

Have fun :)

And I'll be updating this list and crossing things out as I go :)

Spellbound by Cate Tiernan

Title: Spellbound
Author: Cate Tiernan
Publisher: Puffin Books
ISBN: 0-14-131405-2
Pages: 190
Series: Wicca/Sweep #6
Type: Young Adult Paranormal
Source: Purchased
Goodreads


Morgan is a blood witch with a huge amount of innate power. Initially introduced to magick and then betrayed by her boyfriend Cal Morgan is now studying with Hunter Niall, a member of the Witches' Council. Her world has been a mix of darkness and light and she has been forced to confront dark magick. Now Hunter is having accident after accident and Morgan wonders what could be causing this chaos.

This is the sixth book in the outstanding Wicca/Sweep series (after Book of Shadows, The Coven, Blood Witch, Dark Magick and Awakening). The storyline is action packed and full of twists, and this book is unique in that the danger comes from mundane accidents.

Morgan is finding an inner strength and she and Hunter are tentatively exploring their feelings for one another. They know that there is some kind of emotional connection but are reluctant to overcome their pasts and define their relationship. It is really interesting to see Morgan in a romantic situation where she is forced to take a leading role as she was very passive in her previous relationship.

With the two covens of Cirrus and Kithic now joined, there are more additional characters most of whom don't really get much page time. That said there is a lot going on for Morgan and Hunter in the story and too many side plots would have been very distracting. Mary K is still reeling from her relationship with Bakker, and Morgan is still rebuilding her friendship with Bree. Alice is also left dealing with the events of the previous book which echo throughout this narrative.

All in all, this was another great read and I can't wait to get stuck into The Calling.

Plot: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 8/10

Overall: 48/50

Awakening by Cate Tiernan

Title: Awakening
Author: Cate Tiernan
Publisher: Puffin Books
ISBN: 0-14-131404-4
Pages: 188
Series: Wicca/Sweep #5
Type: Young Adult Paranormal
Source: Purchased
Goodreads


Morgan Rowlands has discovered magick, love and power but with it has found secrets, betrayal and death. Her world has changed since Cal's betrayal and Morgan is trying to adjust to the shock. When someone begins to work dark magick in Widow's Vale, Morgan wonders if Cal and Selene have returned for her. But she is about to learn that there are varying degrees of black and white, and not all are clear to see.

This is the fifth book in the awesome Wicca/Sweep series (after Book of Shadows, The Coven, Blood Witch and Dark Magick) and this starts somewhat of a new era for Morgan. She has realised that Cal was only interested in her power and so she has to begin to rebuild her life without him. The storyline flows well at a reasonable pace and once more has several unexpected twists and turns.

Morgan is once more in a painful situation, but this is realistically written. The main emotional focus of the book is on pain and loss and it is incredibly well done, presenting various situations and allowing the characters to deal in their own ways. The storyline also focuses on the morality of dark magick and carefully shows that no situation can ever truly be black or white. Even the purest heart can do horrific things in the name of good and Morgan is forced to deal with this apparent dichotomy.

The other members of Cirrus are given the space to grow as well, and Morgan begins to tentatively rebuild her relationship with Bree. Hunter and Sky spend more time with Morgan and she begins to form friendships with them, gradually overcoming her initial fear and dislike. Another story thread is given over to Morgan's Aunt Eileen and her partner Paula who are being tormented for being gay.

All in all, this was another awesome read and I can't wait to get stuck into Spellbound.

Plot: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 8/10

Overall: 48/50

Dark Magick by Cate Tiernan

Title: Dark Magick
Author: Cate Tiernan
Publisher: Puffin Books
ISBN: 0-14-131403-6
Pages: 186
Series: Wicca/Sweep #4
Type: Young Adult Paranormal
Source: Purchased
Goodreads


Morgan Rowlands has discovered her magickal heritage and with it has found power, love and conflict. Deeply in love with her boyfriend Cal she was drawn into a shocking confrontation with Hunter, a member of the witches' council who claimed Cal and his mother were working dark magicks. Cal seems so devoted to her, but even so Morgan begins to question whether Hunter may have been telling the truth...and what that could mean for her.

This is the fourth book in the brilliant Wicca/Sweep series (after Book of Shadows, The Coven and Blood Witch) and picks up immediately after the shocking conclusion of the previous book. The plot is incredibly fast-paced and action-packed with a host of unexpected twists and turns, not to mention a mindblowing conclusion.

Morgan is forced to grow up fast in this installment given her actions at the end of the previous book. She has to reconsider everything she thought she knew about herself and about Cal and her confusion is heartwrenchingly well written. The distance Morgan creates between her and Cal also isolates her and allows her to deal by herself which is interesting.

There are also some changes happening for the rest of Morgan's friends. Relationships are beginning and ending and the rest of Morgan's coven Cirrus are creating deeper connections with magick. Mary K's tumultous relationship with Bakker is back on and adding more stress to Morgan's life. This time the Book of Shadows entries are from two perspectives, a present thread from Sgath and historical entries from Giomanach. The two styles are distinct and allow for a fair amount of backstory which enhances the main narrative.

All in all, this was another awesome read and I can't wait to get stuck into Awakening.

Plot: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 8/10

Overall: 48/50

Teaser Tuesday (23)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• 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 and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers.

My teaser:

"His words fell like quiet leaves onto the snow as I stood, trapped by his eyes. My chest hurt, as if I had too much emotion inside, and to let it all out was unthinkable: I wouldn't know where to begin."

~ Page 122, Dark Magick by Cate Tiernan

Blood Witch by Cate Tiernan

Title: Blood Witch
Author: Cate Tiernan
Publisher: Puffin Books
ISBN: 0-14-131402-8
Pages: 202
Series: Wicca/Sweep #3
Type: Young Adult Paranormal
Source: Purchased
Goodreads


Morgan Rowlands now knows that she is a blood witch and through realising her power has found a new life and new love. But while Morgan thinks she knows all there is to know about her past, she is mistaken and the discovery of her birth mother's Book of Shadows stands to reveal more than ever. This combined with the arrival of two English witches in town threatens to destroy the balance Morgan thought she had found.

This is the third book in the awesome Wicca/Sweep series (after Book of Shadows and The Coven) and, like the last novel, continues directly on from the previous installment. A new conflict is introduced with the arrival of two English witches (Hunter and Sky) and a second coven setting up in Widows Vale. There is also a mystery element introduced with Hunter and what is relationship to Cal really is. This time the journal entries are from the perspectives of Sgath (in the present) and Giomanach (from the past) which supports the mystery aspect well.

Morgan continues to grow in confidence in this book, beginning to stand up to authority figures and state her own opinions clearly. Her relationship with Cal deepens and is beautifully written. The two new witches in town add another dimension to this book. Morgan dislikes Sky from the beginning and is jealous of her, but it is Hunter who she has an extreme reaction to. Morgan's magick also continues to evolve with her spending more time exploring different techniques like herbs and runes.

The other coven members continue to grow in their own right with more of a focus on the relationships between Sharon and Ethan and Jenna and Matt. Robbie spends more time with Morgan which allows a view to what Bree is doing away from Morgan. A great focus is given to Morgan's sister Mary K who is in a difficult relationship with an overly pushy boyfriend adding a touch of reality to the storyline.

All in all, this was another incredible read and I can't wait to get stuck into Dark Magick.

Plot: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 8/10

Overall: 48/50

The Coven by Cate Tiernan

Title: The Coven
Author: Cate Tiernan
Publisher: Puffin Books
ISBN: 0-14-131401-X
Pages: 185
Series: Wicca/Sweep #2
Type: Young Adult Paranormal
Source: Purchased
Goodreads



Morgan Rowlands has discovered Wicca and in doing so she has changed her life. She has found love, magick and power but her newfound passion comes at a high cost. Morgan stands on the brink of losing all she holds dear. Her best friend has turned against her and her family are not who she thought. Soon Morgan finds herself asking for all the joy magick brings to her life, what is the cost?

This is the second book in the incredible Wicca/Sweep series (after Book of Shadows) and picks up immediately where the last one left off. Morgan has discovered her true power and it has cost her Bree, her best friend since childhood, but gained her the love of Cal. The book jumps straight into the action and the plot is tightly written but still allowing Morgan room to grow as a character. Again entries from a character's journal preface each chapter adding depth to the story.

Morgan is left in a crisis as Bree turns from best friend to worst enemy in a single moment and the ramifications of this echo through the entire book. The writing is brilliant and shows the conflict in a realistic way, along with how the friction between Morgan and Bree affects everyone else in their group of friends, especially Robbie who ends up almost stuck between the two by refusing to take sides.

The other members of the Cirrus coven are focused on a little more so we get to see them as more than popular Jenna, jock Matt, rich girl Sharon and stoner Ethan. Hints of their deeper personalities had shown though in the previous book, but this takes time to explore their likes and dislikes and deeper characters. It reveals a lot about who they really are as opposed to the labels given to them in a similar way to Morgan realising she isn't the shy girl.

All in all, this was an awesome read and I can't wait to get stuck into Blood Witch.

Plot: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 8/10

Overall: 48/50

Bloggiesta!!!

Bloggiesta is a book blogger event being hosted this weekend (March 30 - April 1) at It's All About Books. Bloggiesta is described as:

"Do you have things you'd like to do on your blog that you haven't managed to get to in forever? Do you want to do those things with lots of other bloggers from all over? Talk things over with them? Bounce ideas off them? Learn from them? Teach them too?"

This and the idea of a spiffed up blog was all I needed to sign up. I've had a bumpy start to 2012 blogging wise and Bloggiesta seems like a really fun way for me to get back on track. There are some changes I've been wanting to make for a while and I'm also trying to inject more "me" into my blog.

My aims are:

• Update as many of my old posts to my new style as possible
• Get rid of outdated old pages
• Create a new review index page
• Update all my challenges
• Create a challenge page
• Meet other bloggers
• Have fun :)

If you are interested in joining in you can sign up here

Shelf Candy Saturday (14)

Shelf Candy Saturday is an awesome weekly meme hosted by Five Alarm Book Reviews where each Saturday bloggers defy the saying "never judge a book by its cover" and showcase one that really catches their eye. Covers play a huge role in the books I choose so it's great to have the opportunity to showcase the pretties :)

My shelf candy for this week is Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick.

No, she thought. No, please, God, I'm not seeing this

Seventeen-year-old Alex is hiking through the wilderness when it happens: an earth-shattering electromagnetic pulse that destroys almost everything.

Survivors are divided between those who have developed a superhuman sense and those who have aquired a taste for human flesh. These flesh-hunters stalk the land: hungry, ruthless and increasingly clever...

Alex meets Tom, a younge army veteran, and Ellie, a lost girl. They will fight together and be torn apart, but Alex must face the most difficult question of all: In such a vastly changed world, who can you trust?

This is one of those books that I brought soley for the cover. I hadn't heard of it and while the description sounds awesome, it was really the cover that got me to take it to the till. I'm not a huge fan of zombies but every exception I've made has been down to a gorgeous cover, and this is the best one I've seen yet.

I love that the cover is a gorgeous metallic aged gold cover and if you see it in real life it literally gleams. The simplicity of the girl's face also accentuates the destroyed city at the bottom, giving it more impact when you do notice it. The worn look to the edges of the cover also adds to the effect giving the book a timeless feel.

The US edition also has a face as the main focus, but they have used lines to mimic the electromagnetic pulse and a black/white colour scheme which makes it seem very creepy. Although the US cover is scarier, and definitely fits with the creation of the zombies, I prefer the prettier UK one.

So what's your shelf candy this week?

Book of Shadows by Cate Tiernan

Title: Book of Shadows

Author: Cate Tiernan
Publisher: Puffin Books
ISBN: 0-14-131402-8
Pages: 187
Series: Wicca/Sweep #1
Type: Young Adult Paranormal
Source: Purchased
Goodreads



Morgan Rowlands is an normal 16-year-old girl with an totall ordinary unremarkable life. Morgan spends most of her time with her best friends Bree and Robbie. When Cal Blaire moves to her small town of Widows Vale Morgan finds her life changing. After being hosting a party Cal reveals that he is a practicing witch looking to form a new coven and Morgan finds herself intrigued. But when Morgan and Bree both become interested in Wicca and Cal personally, Morgan finds her mundane life thrown into turmoil.

This is the first in the Wicca/Sweep series which is hands down one of my favourite series of all time. I've read and reread these books countless times over the past ten years or so making an actual review way overdue. The book mixes magick (spelt here with a k) with normal teenage life in a fascinating way. The attention given to detail, especially in this first book shows that the author has done some serious research into modern Wicca and generally presents it in a realistic way, although a degree of artistic license is taken.

The storyline is well paced with Cal's appearance and the introduction of Wicca coming early on. From there the emotional ramifications of Morgan's choices keep the pace fast, and the writing makes the book really accessible and easy to read without being dull. Interestingly the start of each chapter includes a quote from a fictious magickal text and a segment from the journal of one of the characters which adds an extra dimension to the storyline.

Morgan is a brilliant lead character who really comes to life on the page. The first person narrative really allows the reader to get inside Morgan's head and experience things alongside her. Her inner turmoil about being drawn to Wicca is particularly well-written as are her family's reactions. As her life begins to change Morgan gradually becomes more confident and starts going after what she wants which is a brilliant characteristic.

The supporting characters are equally well written, with Bree pulling off the glamour-puss role without being irritating and Robbie being the ideal best friend. Cal is the perfect mix of gorgeous and tempting, especially with the additional draw of being the only witch Morgan and her friends know.

All in all, this was an awesome read and I can't wait to get stuck into The Coven.

Plot: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 9/10

Overall: 49/50

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

Title: The Name of the Star

Author: Maureen Johnson
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 978-0-00-739863-8
Pages: 372
Series: Shades of London #1
Type: Young Adult Paranormal
Source: Purchased
Goodreads


Rory Deveaux has moved to England from Louisiana to start a new life at a boarding school. The day Rory arrives in London's famed East End a shockingly familiar murder heralds the start of Rippermania. With the police stumped as the copycat killings continue, people become increasingly obsessed with Jack the Ripper. But when Rory sees their prime suspect lurking on school grounds she is dragged into a secret world she could never have imagined...because her friend Jazza was with her and she didn't see anyone.

This is the first book in the new Shades of London series and one that I've been really looking forward to reading. I live in London and I love reading about Jack the Ripper so this was a really fun book for me to read. The London of the book is pretty accurate with several places and events being particularly well described. The author has managed to capture the city on page and it makes for a fascinating read.

While the pace of the book maintains a fairly steady pace throughout, the plot itself is tightly written with a minimum of info-dumping. There are a bunch of twists and turns and while some were expected (like that Rory's time in London wouldn't be normal), others caught me totally off guard. The mystery element is particularly well written and really sucks the reader in to the point that by the end of the book I was so invested in the characters and storyline that I literally couldn't put it down.

Rory is an interesting main character. It was funny watching an all-American girl get exposed to how differently we do things in the UK and her surprise at some things (like our drinking laws) helps to make her character seem realistic. I also liked her friend/roommate Jazza who kept things normal and love interest Jerome, although once Rory's life becomes increasingly intertwined with the Ripper case the more mundane people in her life seem to fade into the background.

All in all this was a great read and I can't wait for The Madness Underneath.

Plot: 9/10
Characters: 9/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 8/10

Overall: 46/50

The Demon's Surrender by Sarah Rees Brennan

Title: The Demon's Surrender

Author: Sarah Rees Brennan
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 978-1-84738-291-7
Pages: 383
Series: The Demon's Lexicon #3
Type: Young Adult Urban Fantasy
Source: Purchased
Goodreads


The Goblin Market has always been Sin's home and she always expected to spend her nights dancing for the demons and her days learning to take over as the Market's next leader. But now Sin's home is in danger. The Market is at war with the magicians, a demon has been made flesh and Sin finds herself competing against her friend Mae for the leadership role. Most disturbing of all is Sin's attraction to Alan Ryves. She has always feared and disliked the Ryves brothers but soon comes to realise they may be the only people she can trust.

This is the third and final book in the Demon's Lexicon trilogy (after The Demon's Lexicon and The Demon's Covenant). This time the story is told from the perspective of Sin, the lead dancer at the Goblin Market, and again the change in narrator allows the reader to explore new aspects of the world of the book. This time the focus is securely on the Goblin Market and the world building is incredibly deep, really capturing the uniqueness of the event and its workers. It also allows a focus on the intoxicating demon dances and what it really means to be a dancer.

The story is fast paced, whisking the reader through a quick flashback to Sin's past to terrifying tests to determine the Market's future leader to an action-packed finale. There is no holding back in this book and all aspects of the world are changed, all motivations are questions and all characters are shown in new lights. Along with the increased scale of the battles, there is also more romance in this installment as Sin and Alan begin to develop a relationship and Mae and Nick continue with theirs.

Sin's voice is different to the previous narrators of Nick and Mae. Not only does she have a unique perspective as a dancer, but Sin is incredibly mature for her age. Since her mother's possession and death, Sin has been raising her younger siblings almost single handedly so when the security of her world is disrupted it is not only herself she fears for. Allowing a more mature narrator to end the trilogy was a brilliant choice as it really helps to highlight how much all the characters have grown.

While Sin's story is the main focus of the book, the other characters continue in their own development. I love how the author has a clearly defined narrator but manages to tell the other character's stories in a separate yet intertwined way. The book steps back from Sin's viewpoint at times so the reader can experience and understand Nick's progress as a demon, or what is going on with Jamie and Seb. This book completes the total reshape of the character's worlds in a grippingly realistic manner.

All in all this was a great read and I thoroughly recommend the entire trilogy to any young adult or urban fantasy fans.

Plot: 10/10
Characters: 9/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 9/10

Overall: 48/50

Teaser Tuesday (22)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• 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 and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers.

My teaser:

"She was simply happy, in a way she hadn't been in a year or more, in a shining, certain way. She hid her smile against his shoulder and went to sleep."

~ Page 242, The Demon's Surrender by Sarah Rees Brennan

The Demon's Covenant by Sarah Rees Brennan

Title: The Demon's Covenant

Author: Sarah Rees Brennan
Publisher: Simon Pulse
ISBN: 978-1-84738-920-0
Pages: 440
Series: The Demon's Lexicon #2
Type: Young Adult Urban Fantasy
Source: Purchased
Goodreads


Mae's life has spun out of control. Her brother Jamie is a magician and she's horrified to learn he's now meeting with the leader of the Obsidian Circle, the same group who almost got them both killed. When Mae calls in her friends Nick and Alan to save her brother, the last thing she expects is for the Circle to spring a trap...for Nick. Now with brother set against brother Mae is forced to turn to the dangerous and mysterious Goblin Market in hopes of saving them all.

This is the second book in the Demon's Lexicon trilogy and I was really impressed with the first volume The Demon's Lexicon so I was excited to get stuck into this. It picks up a few weeks after the conclusion of the previous book and is told from Mae's perspective which is a nice change. The switch in narrator not only gives us a different perspective, but also allows us to see different parts of Mae's world. As with the previous book the story is well paced and plotted with vivid scenes that really come to life on the page.

In addition to the usual character development, world building and awesome action scenes this book has a more psychological aspect which questions the nature of love, betrayal and trust. It really adds a new layer to the story and really deepens the world giving it a more emotional slant and bringing the humanity of all the characters to the forefront.

In addition to the modern day action, excerpts from Nick and Alan's father's journal are included and I found these sections fascinating. I was glued to the page and loved the revelations of how an adult dealt with the appearance of a demonic baby. I also loved seeing Nick and Alan as little kids before the realities of their lives fighting with magicians set in.

I really liked Mae in this book and it was great to watch her grow in maturity as the story progresses. Where she ends up is completely different to where she began and I loved it. There is a bit of a weird romance situation going on throughout between Mae, her boyfriend Seb and Nick and Alan. Mae takes forever to decide what (and who) she wants and then the decision is almost made for her. I like that the romance isn't the main aspect of these books, but the indecisiveness started to bother me after a while.

Nick is easier to read through Mae's eyes and, given the revelations at the end of the previous book, far more enjoyable this time. His sarcasm and wit shine through along with his quest to become more like a normal human, and I really liked him. Alan has become more stubborn and his choices have left him with some serious angst to brood about. I never really liked Seb, especially how he acts towards Jamie who also experiences some major character growth.

All in all this was an awesome read and I can't wait for the final volume The Demon's Surrender.

Plot: 10/10
Characters: 9/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 9/10
Cover: 9/10

Overall: 47/50

The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan

Title: The Demon's Lexicon

Author: Sarah Rees Brennan
Publisher: Allison & Busby
ISBN: 978-1-84738-289-4
Pages: 322
Series: The Demon's Lexicon #1
Type: Young Adult Urban Fantasy
Source: Purchased
Goodreads


Magicians summon demons in exchange for their power. The demons promise anything and everything to mark you, and then you get possessed...and die. Nick has been on the run with his family for his entire life. Along with his brother Alan, he is helping his deranged mother hide from the terrifying magician she stole a powerful charm from. But when Alan is marked by a demon and two humans are drawn into their life, the tables turn and suddenly it is Nick and Alan who are hunting the magicians...

This is one of those books that has been sitting on my to-be-read shelf for ages waiting to be read, but being passed over for other books. When I started reading, I immediately realised that I was really going to enjoy this. You are whisked in to an action packed start as magicians attack the brothers and the story works from there. This cleverly plotted read feels like an adult urban fantasy just with young adult characters and I love it for bridging the gap between two of my favourite genres.

After the action at the beginning, the pace of the book slackens and I did see a bit of first-book-itis while the world was being developed. That said the world building is excellent with a fully fleshed out mythology and the pace picks up again quickly building to a shocking action packed finale. The vivid descriptions make the settings of the book come to life on the page and it's as easy to visualise the exotic Goblin Market as the simple ferry to the Isle of Wight.

I had a bit of a hard time sympathising with the lead character Nick. The book is told from his perspective and while I loved his acerbic wit and sarcasm, he did at times become a bit too dark and unfeeling. I really liked him despite his darkness, and he provides a great contrast to Alan. While Alan seems like a really nice guy he admits to lying freely which means that Nick's brutal honesty becomes even more apparent and appreciated.

The two "normal" characters Mae and Jamie grew on me as the book progressed. At first I didn't really like them as they seemed to want Jamie's mark removed with no care to the consequences, but as time went on their characters began to develop and they learned about the consequences alongside the facts of the magical world. They really grew as characters and I'm looking forward to seeing where they go next.

All in all this was an awesome read and I can't wait for The Demon's Covenant.

Plot: 10/10
Characters: 9/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 8/10
Cover: 8/10

Overall: 45/50

Shelf Candy Saturday (13)

Shelf Candy Saturday is an awesome weekly meme hosted by Five Alarm Book Reviews where each Saturday bloggers defy the saying "never judge a book by its cover" and showcase one that really catches their eye. Covers play a huge role in the books I choose so it's great to have the opportunity to showcase the pretties :)

My shelf candy for this week is The Taker by Alma Katsu.

Have you ever loved someone so much that you'd do anything for them?

When Dr Lucke Findley turns up to his hospital shift in the small town of St. Andrews, Maine, he's expecting just another evening of minor injuries and domestic disputes. but instead, Lanore McIlvrae walks into his life - anc changes it forever. For Lanny is a woman with a past...

Lanny McIlvrae is unlike anyone Luke has ever met. Hers is a story of love and bretrayal that defies time and transcends mortality - and cannot end until Lanny's demons are finally put to rest. Her two hundred years on this earth have seen her seduced by both decadence and brutality - but through it all she has stayed true to the one true love of her life. Until now.


I love this cover. First of all I'm a sucker for any kind of red and black colour scheme as it manages to convey a lot while remaining simple to look at. Add a touch of white or silver and there's all the colours needed to make a striking cover.

This one also has a kind of tattoo like look from the sketchy roses and vines, and I love how the font conveys a Victorian Carnival feel. It almost looks like a vintage poster for a circus performance and while I have yet to actually read this it does seem to fit with the description.

The other thing I love (but sadly can't show as my camera isn't nearby) is that the outer edges of the pages are black. This is something I've noticed on a couple of books (you can see a picture of a similar effect on The Night Circus here) and I love it. It makes the book stand out although it takes some getting used to when you're actually reading the book.

So what's your shelf candy this week?

Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning

Title: Darkfever
Author: Karen Marie Moning
Publisher:
ISBN: 0-385-33915-1
Pages: 304
Series: Fever #1
Type: Paranormal Romance
Source: Library
Goodreads


MacKayla Lane is perfectly happy with her life. She tends bar, lives in small town Georgia and her car only occasionally breaks down. But all that falls apart when her sister Alina is brutally murdered in Dublin and when Mac receives a mysterious phone message, she heads to Dublin only to discover Alina had stumbled into a deadly world. With her own life now in jeapordy Mac must turn to the mysterious Jericho Barrons to learn more about the Fae before her untapped skills cost her her life.

This is the first book in the much lauded Fever series and for me a hard book to review. While I loved parts of it, other parts annoyed me. Darkfever is written as a first-person flashback and I found it hard to adjust to the style of writing, especially with Mac coming out with things like "I didn't know it then" or "it's one more thing I was wrong about". It didn't really add anything to the book and just distracted me from the main storyline.

The other real annoyance for me was that the Irish accents were just plain bad and didn't come off as Irish at all, but thankfully this pretty much stops by the end of the third chapter. The Dublin setting did however make the book stand out from other paranormal romance series and I enjoyed seeing Mac's southern belle dealing with a European city.

Mac was an interesting narrator, despite her obsession with describing peoples outfits and her nail varnish (right down to talking about the colour and shade name). Mac begins the book as a dumb blonde but, once she starts to learn more about the Fae world that her sister had stumbled into, gradually grows into a more well-rounded character. The mysterious Barrons helps her in her quest, but so little about him is revealed that I wish he'd been more upfront. By the end of the book, not much more is known about him than at the beginning.

The mythology of the world-building is where the book really caught me, and as more and more was revealed about the Fae I found myself glued to the page. Deliciously complex and fascinating I really enjoyed learning more of the Fae. Characters like V'lane are introduced and the author manages to show that while the Unseelie Fae are horrifying to see, the Seelie Fae can be just as dangerous. Mac's powers are well written and cleverly developed and I'm looking forward to seeing how they progress.

All in all, this was an interesting read and I'm hoping to pick up a copy of Bloodfever soon.

Plot: 9/10
Characters: 8/10
Ending: 8/10
Enjoyment: 8/10
Cover: 7/10

Overall: 40/50

Teaser Tuesday (21)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• 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 and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers.

My teaser:

"I could too easily envision a horde of hideous creatures chasing me through the Dublin night. I'd keel over and die of a heart attack before they ever caught me."

~ Page 107, Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning

Last Breath by Rachel Caine

Title: Late Breath

Author: Rachel Caine
Publisher: Allison & Busby
ISBN: 978-0-7490-0814-7
Pages: 479
Series: The Morganville Vampires #11
Type: Young Adult Paranormal
Source: Purchased
Goodreads


The newest conflict in Morganville is dividing the vampire and human residents even more than usual. Eve and Michael have announced their engagement and it seems few locals are impressed by the possiblity of a mixed race marriage. Hidden in the background, vampires are disappearing from Morganville and Claire suspects that it has something to do with the mysterious newcomer Magnus. But soon Claire is forced to question the possibility that something out there preys on vampires.

This is the eleventh book in the Morganville Vampires series (which began with Glass Houses) and is a book I approached with trepidation. The previous installment had been slow paced and I didn't enjoy the switching narrators so when I realised this had even more narrators I was nervous. Needless to say my fears where totally unfounded as this fast-paced installment is action packed and kept me glued to the page.

This time Claire is joined by Amelie, Shane, Michael and Eve to tell the story and, while the character's voices aren't always as clear as I would like, it adds a new layer of depth to the book. There is a lot going on in this book - Eve and Michael's engagement, Claire and Shane's relationship and the disappearing vampires. The pace increases throughout the book to a massive showdown that will reshape the world of Morganville forever.

The mythology is really well developed, and the multiple perspectives allow new insights into Morganville and it's residents. Amelie in particular shows for the first time the true nature of the vampires and just how far they will go to control the human residents and each other. There are also some more human issues covered - like mixed race marriages, birth control and bigotry.

All in all this was an awesome read and I can't wait for Black Dawn.

Plot: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 9/10

Overall: 49/50

Bite Club by Rachel Caine

Title: Bite Club
Author: Rachel Caine
Publisher: Allison & Busby
ISBN: 978-0-7490-0809-3
Pages: 442
Series: The Morganville Vampires #10
Type: Young Adult Paranormal
Source: Purchased
Goodreads


A new gym has opened up in Morganville and it's already creating a stir by offering classes teaching the human residents how to defend themselves against vampires. But as Shane becomes more and more embedded in the gym lifestyle, he begins to change. Claire, Michael and Eve are thrown by the new Shane, quickly realising that there must be more to it than meets the eye...and discovering a horror Morganville thought was gone forever.

This is the tenth book in the Morganville Vampires series (after Glass Houses, The Dead Girls' Dance, Midnight Alley, Feast of Fools, Lord of Misrule, Carpe Corpus, Fade Out, Kiss of Death and Ghost Town)and I must say it was a little bit of a let down. The majority of the focus seems to be on relationship dramas and I ended up getting frustrated waiting for something to happen. The plot moves slower than in previous installments, until near the end where it suddenly becomes incredibly fast paced.

Parts of the book are written from Shane's perspective, but to be honest if they hadn't been marked out I may have missed the transition as he doesn't have a particularly distinctive voice. That said I understand the need to have scenes that show how the gym is working behind closed doors, something Claire wouldn't have access too.

The action is well written on the whole, portraying events without becoming a dull blow-by-blow, and I was surprised to find that Eve actually fences. It hasn't been mentioned before, but this book shows that she can stand up for herself in a fight brilliantly.

All in all, this was an okay read and I'm looking forward to Last Breath.

Plot: 8/10
Characters: 8/10
Ending: 9/10
Enjoyment: 8/10
Cover: 8/10

Overall: 41/50

Shelf Candy Saturday (12)

Shelf Candy Saturday is an awesome weekly meme hosted by Five Alarm Book Reviews where each Saturday bloggers defy the saying "never judge a book by its cover" and showcase one that really catches their eye. Covers play a huge role in the books I choose so it's great to have the opportunity to showcase the pretties :)

My shelf candy for this week is First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones.

Private investigator Charlotte Davidson was born with three things: looks; a healthy respect for the male anatomy; and the rather odd job title of grim reaper. Since the age of five, she has been helping the departed solve the mysteries of their deaths so they can cross over. Thus, when three lawyers from the same law firm are murdered, they come to her to find their killer.

In the meantime, Charley's dealing with a being more powerful - and definitely sexier - than any spectre she's ever come across before. With the help of a pain-in-the-ass skip tracer, a dead pubescent gangbanger named Angel, and a lifetime supply of sarcasm, Charley sets out to solve the highest profile case of the year and discovers that dodging bullets isn't nearly as dangerous as falling in love.

I've been on a bit of an accidental blogging hiatus lately with real life getting in the way of my book time, and I'm thrilled to have my first post back be for my favourite meme :)

I don't usually like covers with people on them as they can a) look really weird and b) not even vaguely resemble the characters. That said, I fell in love with this one to the point I bounced up and down in the bookstore and got my Dad to stretch and grab it for me (stupid high shelves - short people read too!).

While this isn't how I see Charley in my head, it does fit really well with the story. The skull ring is a great nod to her role as the Grim Reaper and the mix of shadows and light shows how dark and light interplay in the book, both with the story matter and the sarcastic humour.

I also love the marbled background and the smoke like swirls tie in perfectly to a mysterious smoke-like entity Charley refers to as Big Bad. All in all it is a beautiful cover that cleverly ties into the book itself.

So, what's your shelf candy this week?