Transworld Book Group Reading Challenge

 

I'm part of the Transworld Book Group - are you?

Transworld are once again doing this great idea where they will send you free books in exchange for your reviews (doesn’t have to be on a blog – Amazon or Goodreads reviews count as well!). And it’s international! All you have to is go here and say you want to take part. There’s a huge range of books and you can ask for any 4 – they’ll send you one and when you put your review up, they’ll send you the next on the list. Simples!

Here are the books you can ask for… so what are you waiting for? J

              

Throwback Thursday #20 - Lord of Silence

This is a great feature that Melissa at My World...in words and pictures has been doing for a while and I wanted to jump on board! There are plenty of books out there I desperately want...

But what about all those wonderful books that are ALREADY on my shelves?

Lord of Silence - Mark Chadbourn

When the great hero of the city of Idriss is murdered, Vidar, the Lord of Silence, must take his place as chief defender against the mysterious terrors lurking in the dense forest beyond the city's walls. Vidar is a man tormented - by a lost memory and a vampiric jewel that demands the life energy of others.  Now, with a killer loose within his home city, Vidar must solve a three thousand year old religious mystery to unlock the terrifying secrets of his own past.

I won this in a competition over two year ago! And still haven't read it. I liked the sound of mystery and supernatural crossed in a fantasy setting. Plus the cover somehow seems to hypnotise me each time...or maybe I just like the guy's chest! :-)

What do you think - worth moving it up the reading pile?

Magic Slays Review

Magic Slays (Kate Daniels 5)

-       Ilona Andrews

Publisher: Ace Fantasy

Plagued by a war between magic and technology, Atlanta has never been so deadly. Good thing Kate Daniels is on the job.  Kate Daniels may have quit the Order of Merciful Aid, but she’s still knee-deep in paranormal problems. Or she would be if she could get someone to hire her. Starting her own business has been more challenging than she thought it would be—now that the Order is disparaging her good name, and many potential clients are afraid of getting on the bad side of the Beast Lord, who just happens to be Kate’s mate. So when Atlanta’s premier Master of the Dead calls to ask for help with a vampire on the loose, Kate leaps at the chance of some paying work. Turns out this is not an isolated incident, and Kate needs to get to the bottom of it—fast, or the city and everyone dear to her might pay the ultimate price ...

This is the fifth book in Kate Daniels series and the series just seems to get better and better. Considering when we first met Kate she was an isolated, paranoid, prickly and lonely individual. Now she has friends and family who she will fight tooth and nail to protect. With a threat to all the supernaturals of Atlanta, everything Kate has won over the last few books, her mate, her best friend, her ward is all at risk.

Once again Ilona Andrews delivers an action packed adventure with an intriguing mystery to start which will tug at your heartstrings. I have to admit to filling up on more than one occasion. At the same time, the action set pieces left me breathless and my heart pounding. This series is one of the best Urban Fantasy series I have ever read. The unique world where tech and magic ebbs and flows is a fantastic creation where anything can and does happen. If you haven’t started the series, you should. The first book is a little slow going but the whole series is fabulous. J

Recommended for fans of Patricia Briggs and Rachel Vincent. 9 out of 10.

Joint Review: The Midwich Cuckoos

Once again I welcome my guest reviewer, Sarah who this month is looking at a classic spooky story...actually, after reading her review I was so intrigued I borrowed her copy and started reading it myself! As such I've added a little commentary to Sarah's review...so the italics are my thoughts.

The Midwich Cuckoos

- John Wyndham

Publisher: UK - Penguin Books

Aliens land in an isolated British village and impregnate all of the women. Nine months later strange children with glowing eyes and intense intelligence "Midwich Cuckoos," emerge to undertake the conquest of the world

Hello once again fellow Mel-followers!  Now, you know I am definitely a fantasy girl, but I must admit I have a deep affection for all things John Wyndham.  My favourite of his is The Kraken Wakes (a must-read), and so it was inevitable that I'd eventually get round to reading The Midwich Cuckoos. 

<I've read Day of the Triffids and The Chyrsalids and enjoyed both. I think John Wyndham is one of those writers I keep forgetting about! I must read more of his books...>

The story is told by Richard Gayford, an unusual narrator as he is often not at the centre of the action, so tells the story chronologically, but often in hindsight.  The story concerns an insular, nodescript village into which an alien race simultaneously impregnates every woman (by design? in desperation?).  The children, when they arrive, are very different and soon set the village, and eventually the world, in turmoil.
<The village sounds like a very quiet place - something both the locals and government seem determined to keep that way even after the incredible events that occur. It reminded me a number of a number of villages in the UK. The normailty of the village does make an interesting counter-point to the strange events that occur during the Dayout.>

What I love most about Wyndham's books, are even though they were written several decades ago, they do not really age - the stories could just as easily fit into our world as they could when they were conceived.  Yes, this story is a bit 'gappy' in places, and relatively simply concluded, but there are definite moments of menace and Wyndham is, as ever, thoroughly thought-provoking.  If you've never read a Wyndham book I wouldn't start here, but it's definitely a book to get round to.  Easily consumed in a day! 
<The slow pace adds to the atmosphere. There is a lot of talking, rather than action as you think about how to treat someone so different from 'everyone' else but yet still looks so human. Why do the children scare people so much? It is very creepy and while I agree the resolution was simple enough - it was the only way it truly could end.>

One for all fantasy and sci-fi readers, 8 out of 10.
<Recommended for fans of HG Wells and Margaret Atwood. 8 out of 10>

Corsets and Clockwork Review

Corsets and Clockworks

-       Edited Trisha Telep

Publisher: Robinson

Trisha Telep brings an exciting new element to the fast-growing sub-genre of steampunk, which bends and blends the old and the new in increasingly popular dark urban fantasies. Young heroes and heroines battle evil, in various forms with the help of super-technological or supernatural powers, while falling in and out of love.

Anthologies are just like a box of chocolates – you know you’ll like some flavours better than others. If you’re lucky the whole box will be full of soft centres (or whatever your favourite filling is!), but there’s usually at least one tooth cracking toffee in there. This anthology has thirteen tales of steampunk romance with some stories more romantic than others, and some more steampunkery (is that even a word? I don’t know but I like it! J). What surprised me was how much magic and supernatural doings were included as well!

There is a wide mixture of stories from vampires, fae, alternative versions of war and subversives all mingling to create a mix that should satisfy most people. The romance is generally on the soft side and rarely the main focus of the story.  Some stand out stories for me were Wild Magic by Ann Aguirre – maybe not the most original story but beautifully written and The Cannibal Fiend of Rotherhithe by Frewin Jones which I can’t get out of my head.

If you’re new to the steampunk genre this could be a good place to start.

Recommended for fans of Pip Ballantine and Gail Carriger. 8 out of 10

The TBR Pile #5

So, no IMM this week as my book buying ban remains intact! I feel quite proud of myself even though the number of books I wanted to buy have increased - but I've read 3 books this week so my TBR has decreased! Yay me! :-)

Which books to read next?

So in lieu of a book haul this week, I'm asking you lot to help me choose which books to read next. I've narrowed my next few books to the above 5 books:

Iron Crowned (Dark Swan 3) - Richelle Mead (Urban Fantasy)

The Burning Wire - Jeffery Deaver (Crime Thriller)

The Red Queen - Philippa Gregory (Historical)

Black Swan Rising - Lee Carroll (Urban Fantasy)

The Spirit Eater - Rachel Aaron (Fantasy) 

Usually I get thought 2-3 books a week, so which ones should I read this week? Anyone curious about any of these? I've tried to select a variety of genres that I haven't read for a while (oh, ok - I always had to add a couple of Urban Fantasy - it's my favourite type of book!). So when I finished Spirit Bound, which book do I crack open next? :)

On My Wishlist #51

This is a meme from Book Chick City. There are so many books out there that I want to read that this is the only way I can keep track! This week there are some new books out by my favourite authors so I desperately need these books!

 

A Monster Call - Patrick Ness

Publisher: Candlewick Press

At seven minutes past midnight, thirteen-year-old Conor wakes to find a monster outside his bedroom window. But it isn’t the monster Conor’s been expecting – he’s been expecting the one from his nightmare, the nightmare he’s had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments. The monster in his backyard is different. It’s ancient. And wild. And it wants something from Conor. Something terrible and dangerous. It wants the truth.

 

Patrick Ness's Chaos Walking trilogy was one of the best reading experiences ever so I am desperate to get my hands on this book as well. The cover looks super-creepy and I'm sure I'm going to hiding behind the sofa while reading it!

 

Fate's Edge (The Edge 3) - Ilona Andrews

Publisher: Ace Books

The Edge lies between worlds, on the border between the Broken, where magic is a fairy tale, and the Weird, where the strength of your magic can change your destiny. Audrey Callahan may come from a family of thieves and con men, but she left that life in the Edge behind and has gone straight with a legitimate—and thoroughly unmagical—job in the Broken. Then her brother gets in trouble, and her father cajoles her into helping out on one last heist. But Audrey is about to meet her match in Kaldar Mar, an Edger who has been on the wrong side of the law himself. Kaldar, a sometimes gambler, lawyer, thief, and spy with some unusual talents of his own, is assigned to track down a stolen item... and the trail leads him to Audrey. Forced to work together, Kaldar and Audrey discover that the missing item has made its way into the hands of a dangerous criminal organization—one they will have to outsmart if they want to live.

Ilona Andrews is one of my must buy authors - the Kate Daniels series just gets better and better and The Edge series is a slice of great fun.

Silver Tongued Devil (Sabina Kane 4) - Jaye Wells

Publisher: Orbit

Life is looking up for Sabina Kane. Now that her scheming grandmother is dead, the threat of war has passed and the rulers of the dark races are about to sign a treaty to ensure ongoing peace. Her relationship with sexy mage Adam Lazarus is strong and all her friends are around her. Even her magic training is progressing further than she ever expected. The only two dark spots in her otherwise settled life are her guilt over her sister Maisie's fragile mental state and Sabina's own sinking sense that she's got unfinished business with Cain, the mysterious cult leader she let get away months earlier. When a string of murders rock the New York dark races community and threatens to stall the peace negotiations, Sabina finds herself helping to find the killer. Her investigation leads her down troubling paths that have her questioning everything - and everyone - she knows. And the closer she gets to the murderer, the more Sabina realises this is one foe she may not able to kill.

Sabina Kane is another favourite character of mine and after the events of Green Eyed Demon, I can't wait to see to see what trouble she's getting up too - I can't believe a happy ever after would last long for her!

So what are you wishing for this week? :)