January Wrap-Up/February TBR

My Monthly Wrap-Up posts are a place for me to talk about what I've read during the month as well as everything that has been going on at Project to be Read (including my reviews). It also provides a space for me to share this month's Best of the Bunch book and look forward to next month with my TBR pile :)

Looking back...

In January I read 15 full books which came to a total of 5948 pages, giving me an awesome start on my 2013 reading challenges!

I reviewed:
Angels' Blood by Nalini Singh
Archangel's Kiss by Nalini Singh
Archangel's Consort by Nalini Singh
Archangel's Blade by Nalini Singh
Archangel's Storm by Nalini Singh
White Cat by Holly Black
Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake
Montana Sky by Nora Roberts
Lover Unleashed by J.R. Ward
Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
Frostbite by Richelle Mead
Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead
Blood Promise by Richelle Mead
Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead
Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead
Brownies and Broomsticks by Bailey Cates
A Bite to Remember by Lynsay Sands

I also took part in the Bout of Books read-a-thon which was a ton of fun, as well as hosting my first Cooking the Books post and signing up for the Classic Double Challenge. I've even taken part in two memes: Showcase Sunday and Cover Characteristic.

I've even been debuting some gorgeous banners designed for me by Faye over at A Daydreamer's Thoughts. She is an awesome blogger and is now branching out into design :)

Best of the Bunch

Best of the Bunch is an awesome end-of-month meme created at Lyrical Reviews and now hosted by Sally at Always Lost in Stories. All you have to do is pick your favourite book of all the books you've read that month and share it with everyone.

My favourite book for January is Renegade by J.A. Souders.

Since the age of three, sixteen-year-old Evelyn Winters has been trained to be Daughter of the People in the underwater utopia known as Elysium. Selected from hundreds of children for her ideal genes, all her life she’s thought that everything was perfect; her world. Her people. The Law.



But when Gavin Hunter, a Surface Dweller, accidentally stumbles into their secluded little world, she’s forced to come to a startling realization: everything she knows is a lie.

Her memories have been altered.

Her mind and body aren’t under her own control.

And the person she knows as Mother is a monster.

Together with Gavin she plans her escape, only to learn that her own mind is a ticking time bomb... and Mother has one last secret that will destroy them all.

 

Just before Christmas I joined in with a Secret Santa book recommendation exchange on Goodreads. One of the recommendations I got was for Renegade and when I spotted a cheap copy on Amazon, I decided to snatch it up and give it a go.

 

Renegade is hands down one of the creepiest dystopians I've read and the underwater setting makes it incredibly unique. I adored Evie and Gavin and was glued to the page throughout - I only stopped reading when my nine week old nephew visited, and even then as soon as he dozed off for a nap I was back reading!

 

My review for Renegade is coming soon.

Looking forward...

In February, I'm hoping to read:

...as well as The Indigo Spell which I have on preorder!

A Bite to Remember by Lynsay Sands

Title: A Bite to Remember
Author: Lynsay Sands

Publisher: Avon
ISBN: 978-0-06-077407-3
Pages: 362
Series: Argeneau/Rogue Hunter #5
Type: Adult Paranormal Romance
Source: Purchased
Goodreads


Vincent Argeneau is in trouble. His production company has been struggling with plays closing down due to freak accidents, random bad luck and at the latest - contagious anaemia. Before people start pointing the finger at his fanged self he asks his family for help and gets PI Jackie Morrisey on his doorstep. Jackie is determined to track down the culprit but she is uncomfortable near Vincent having sworn off vampires years ago. This culprit will need her full attention though as the attacks are about to become much more personal...and deadly.

This is the fifth book in the outstanding Argeneau/Rogue Hunter series (after A Quick Bite, Love Bites, Single White Vampire and Tall, Dark and Hungry) and is a little darker than those before it. The added darkness is a welcome change as it keeps the series fresh, and it also works better with the characters than a lighter tone would have. That said there are still some laugh out loud moments here.

The storyline is cleverly written with a gradual build of tension throughout as the events escalate. There are twists and turns galore as the storyline progresses and I found it hard to predict what would happen next, let alone try and figure out who was behind the attacks. It was also interesting to see more about what happens behind the scenes when people put plays on and it adds another dimension to the storyline.

Vincent was featured in the previous book and I found him fascinating then so it was great to see this book continuing his story on by picking up the plot threads from his introduction. He has worked incredibly hard to build his company so to have someone sabotage is deeply upsetting to him. Add that to the fact he feels isolated from other vampires as he is incapable of drinking from blood bags and you have a character who I rooted for from page one.

Jackie is very determined and headstrong but still carries scars from an abusive relationship with a vampire when she was still a teenager. This makes her biased against Vincent so it is hilarious to watch them fight their feelings for one another. Naturally Marguerite finds a reason to visit L.A. and "help" Vincent out with his romance. On the whole the romance is sweet and well written, but a little less head over heels than in previous installments which is a refreshing change.

Jackie's partner Tiny is a total scene stealer. He helps with the case and cooks up a storm, leading to some delicious descriptions of the various types of food he creates to tempt Vincent with. He is sweet and supportive and almost like a big brother to Jackie so their dynamic is fun to read.

All in all, this was a great read and I'm really looking forward to Bite Me If You Can.

Plot: 10/10
Characters: 100
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 9/10

Overall: 49/50

Cooking the Books #1

Cooking the Books is a new meme I've created so I can showcase some recipes found in fiction books. I read a lot of cozy mysteries that feature recipes at the end of the book, and tie-in recipes are becoming more common (like Maggie Stiefvater's November Cakes or Jessica Verday's Snickerdoodles). But these recipes rarely come with images and finding out what they taste like can be tricky so I've created a space to share my views with you!

The first recipe I tried was the Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies from Brownies and Broomsticks by Bailey Cates (my review is here). The brownies are mentioned several times in the book, most frequently referred to as Katie's favourite treat. The following passage was so mouthwatering I needed to bake these:

"I needed to digest the conversation with my parents and figured I might as well digest some comfort food, too. The salad had been healthy to an almost holy degree, and now it was time for some sweet goodness. First I stirred up some simple brownies using the old trick of adding boiling water to the batter to make them extra moist. Then came the best part: chunky peanut butter mixed with soft butter, confectioners' sugar and vanilla and dolloped on top of the brownie batter. I drew a knife through the combination to create a chunky marbled effect and popped the pan into a hot oven." ~ pages 125-6

These were really fun to make, especially as my two-year-old niece helped :) The recipe is clear and easy to follow, with all the measurements in US cups and tablespoons. With my niece's help it took us about 45 minutes to prepare pre-baking (chances are you could easily halve that time if you don't have a toddler erm helping) and then a further 35-40 minutes to bake.

I stuck to the recipe throughout as my go-to brownie recipe doesn't have any water added so I didn't want to mess with things. You could probably convert it from US cups but to be honest it's not too hard to find a set (I have two) and they are a lot easier to use, especially when cooking with kids.

The only part of the recipe I would change is to make the peanut swirl topping after the brownie mix is made and in the pan as it thickened considerably when making it first. I was able to thin it a little by placing the mixing bowl into a larger bowl of hot water (essentially how you melt chocolate), but when you have a toddler anxious to see the results of their cooking you have to work fast so mine went on lumpy.

The final result:

And the taste? I really enjoyed them. The brownie is dense and has a rich, dark chocolate-y taste while the peanut topping adds a hit of sweetness and contrast. They were also approved by my niece who said they were "nom noms" :) The only person who wasn't overkeen was my brother-in-law but he isn't a big fan of peanut butter.


If you aren't a fan of nuts in your brownies, you may not like using crunchy peanut butter for the swirl. Given that the peanut layer puffs up and bakes onto the brownies, you could probably substitute smooth peanut butter with no problems. We don't often have chunky peanut butter at home so chances are I'll try this out at some point.

For people with food intolerances - these are dairy free, but do contain gluten, eggs and nuts.

Brownies and Broomsticks by Bailey Cates

Title: Brownies and Broomsticks
Author: Bailey Cates

Publisher: Obsidian
ISBN: 978-0-451-23663-0
Pages: 319
Series: Magical Bakery Mysteries #1
Type: Adult Cozy Mystery
Source: Purchased
Goodreads


Katie Lightfoot has just left a less than satisfying life in Ohio and moved down to Savannah to open the Honeybee Bakery with her aunt Lucy and uncle Ben. As she and Lucy begin working on recipes for the bakery, Katie notices her aunt's habit of adding herbs to the mixtures and muttering and soon discovers these additions aren't just tasty...they're magical! But when a rude customer is found murdered out front and Ben becomes the prime suspect, Katie will draw on her magical heritage and, with the help of a handsome journalist and charming firefighter, try to solve the case herself!

This is the first book in the new Magical Bakery Mysteries and one that I shamelessly picked up based on the gorgeous cover. I ended up really enjoying the story and it has been a long time since I've read a cozy mystery with this many twists and turns. I couldn't figure out the murderer's identity but when it was revealed it all made perfect sense which is the best kind of cozy, at least in my opinion.

The book is set in Savannah and there are a few descriptions of the town through the eyes of it's newest resident Katie. The pacing is great, balancing revelations and world building with dramatic twists. The writing is gorgeous and this is packed with mouthwatering descriptions of food and various bakery treats. This is a world I'd be happy to live in! I loved how realistic the witchcraft was, as well as the delicate way it was introduced to the storyline. There's also a variety of practices described so it'll be interesting to see how these play out later in the series.

I really liked Katie. At first I thought she seemed a little stereotypical - starting a new business, just out of a messy long-term relationship, but she soon blossoms on the page. The only thing that bothered me about her was how little she slept, although I have the feeling this may be important in future installments.

Katie works hard to build her business and to clear her Uncle's name, while somehow balancing two potential love interests in Steve and Declan. Steve really irritated me by constantly calling her "Katie-girl" and honestly they seem to have very little in common. It's almost as though he has been put there as the 'doesn't care you're a witch' option, although Declan is incredible. The romance doesn't detract from the storyline though - it just enhances it.

At the end recipes for Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies and Cheddar-Sage Scones (both featured in the book) are included. These sound really yummy and I can't wait to try them out!

All in all this was a great read and I'm looking forward to Bewitched, Bothered, and Biscotti.

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

Overall: 47/50

Cover Characteristic (4)

Cover Characteristic is a great meme is hosted by Sugar & Snark. Each week a new characteristic is posted, and to take part you pick your favourite 5 covers that fit with the topic.

Here are my top 5 covers for this weeks Cover Characteristic: moon.

5. The cover of Hallowe'en Party by Agatha Christie was one of the motivating factors in my getting a copy. I love the orange colouring and simple graphics along with the Halloweeny feel :)

4. Downpour by Kat Richardson is one of the best person-against-moon covers I have seen. She manages to look really bad ass, while all the detailing in the background makes her and the moon stand out even more.

3. Another holiday themed cover with Wolfsbane and Mistletoe. I love how the wolf is silhouetted against the moon and the snow and holly lend a seasonal feel.

2. Stolen by Kelley Armstrong is a really simple take on using the moon. Having the full moon shown behind bars really shows off that this is a book about the imprisonment of a werewolf in a clever way.

1. My favourite moon cover is The Accidental Human by Dakota Cassidy. I love the sketchy style to her paranormal covers, and I especially like how the moon is used to draw all of the cover elements together.

Showcase Sunday (3)

Showcase Sunday is a meme hosted by Vicky @ Books, Biscuits and Tea where you can showcase your newest books and book related swag for that week and share it with everyone.

This week I got in some preorders and a book that I ordered from the US. I love when orders finally come through :)

Blood of the Sorceress is the last book in Maggie Shayne's portal series. I really loved the first book and I've been saving the second until I had this. The trilogy tells the story of ancient Babylonian witches who have been reincarnated in our world and the rising of a dark force the world has never known.

Another preorder I am totally psyched to get reading is The Archived by Victoria Schwab. I have heard awesome pre-release reviews and the book itself is gorgeous. I can't wait to get reading and this is definitely going in my February TBR stack...if I don't get to it this month that is :)

Fitzwilliam Darcy, Rock Star is a book I heard about a while ago and then looked up again after signing up for the Classic Double Challenge. I managed to find a cheap new copy which has just arrived from the US, although I'm really peeved at that stock sticker on the spine as it won't come off. It sounds like a really fun read.

So what have you got to showcase this week?

Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

Title: Last Sacrifice
Author: Richelle Mead

Publisher: Razorbill
ISBN: 978-0-141-33188-1
Pages: 584
Series: Vampire Academy #6
Type: Young Adult Paranormal
Source: Purchased
Goodreads


The moroi Queen is dead, found murdered in her bed with Rose Hathaway's stake embedded in her chest. Caught in a desperate race to clear her name, Rose and her friends find themselves forced to play detective and solve the case for themselves. Political machinations and motives abound but can they find the killer before Rose loses her life? And what will her friends be forced to do in her defense?

This is the sixth and final book in the Vampire Academy series (after Vampire Academy, Frostbite, Shadow Kiss, Blood Promise and Spirit Bound). This is a series you really need to read in order so I'd definitely recommend starting with book 1 (as well as not reading any further as I may spoil all the previous books).

This is a pretty awesome end to the series. The storyline is well plotted and action packed, leading the characters off on two interlinked quests - proving Rose's innocence and finding Lissa's sister - whilst some stay behind at court to buy them time. There are a lot of twists and turns, although I figured out some in advance, and lots of plot lines from earlier books are brought forward and concluded.

However some storylines were left unconcluded which I have mixed feelings over. On one hand Adrian, Sydney and Jill are all set to feature in the spin-off series which starts with Bloodlines so I'd expect their storylines to continue, but I've heard no mention of Eddie continuing. If he doesn't I'll be really disappointed as he gave up a lot to help Rose and there's not really been any mention of his future.

Rose has to fight to prove her innocence, whilst also being protected by her friends and family which she is resistant to as they are putting themselves at risk. It also forces her to work with Dimitri and leaves her battling her feelings for him while trying to honour her relationship with Adrian. She's grown a lot since the series started and I felt for her as she struggles to clear her name.

Lissa has also grown a lot since the beginning of the series and in order to buy Rose time she has entered the race to be named the new Moroi Queen. This not only gives a view into the monarchy tests which I found fascinating, but also brings the vampire politics storylines to the forefront and seeks conclusion to them. I loved how her relationship with Christian has helped bring out the best in her and their scenes together were incredibly sweet.

All in all this was a good end to a fun series and I'm looking forward to the spin-off.

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

Overall: 44/50