My Book Haul /Showcase Sundays

 

This is Books, Biscuits and Tea's Showcase Sunday where I share my lovely book hauls each week. Have a look back at Vicki's link up to see what everyone is up too!

This week I managed to race through Scarecrow and the Army of Thieves by Matthew Reilly (completely nonsensical but so much fun!) and then strolled through some of Philip Pullman's Grimm Tales - haven't finished yet but hope to in the next week or two. I also enjoyed a unique apocalypse with Black Feathers by James D'Lancy and a visit to Amsterdam in Through Dark Eyes by Chris Priestley. So that's three books down!

I went a little request crazy on Netgalley this week and got two new books to add to my must read list! Plus one special offer on kindle I couldn't resist! So all balanced this week!

For Review

Weird Detectives - Edited by Paula Guran

Publisher: Prime Books

Paranormal investigators. Occult detectives. Ghost hunters. Monster fighters. Humans who unravel uncanny crimes and solve psychic puzzles; sleuths with supernatural powers of their own who provide services far beyond those normal gumshoes, shamuses, and Sherlocks can. When vampires, werewolves, and things that go "bump" in the night are part of your world, criminals can be as inhuman as the crimes they commit, and magic can seep into the mundane - those who solve the mysteries, bring justice, or even save the world itself, might utter spells, wield wands as well as firearms, or simply use their powers of deduction. Some of the best tales of the last decade from top authors of the 21st century's most popular genres take you down mean streets and into strange crime scenes in this fantastic compilation.

There are a fantastic selection of authors in this anthology including my favourites Carrie Vaughn, Patricia Briggs, Jim Butcher, Neil Gaiman, Faith Hunter, Johnathan Maberry and others so how could I resist...?

The Boleyn King - Laura Andersen

Publisher: Ballantine Books

What if Anne did not miscarry her son in January 1536, but instead gave birth to a healthy royal boy? 
Henry IX, known as William, is a 17-year-old king struggling at the restraints of the regency and anxious to prove himself. With the French threatening battle and the Catholics plotting at home, Will trusts only three people: his older sister, Elizabeth; his best friend and loyal counselor, Dominic; and Minuette, a young orphan raised as a royal ward by Anne Boleyn. Against an undercurrent of secret documents, conflicting intelligence operations, and private murder, William fights a foreign war and domestic rebellion with equal resolve. But when he and Dominic both fall in love with Minuette, romantic obsession menaces a new generation of Tudors. Battlefields and council chambers, trials and executions, the blindness of first love and the betrayal of true friendship...How far will William go to get what he wants? Who will pay the price for a king's revenge? And what twists of fate will set Elizabeth on the path to her destiny as England's queen?

I like my historical Tudor books and the idea that Anne Boleyn actually gave Henry a son is a fascinating angle that I haven't read yet!

Bought

Boneshaker - Cherie Priest

Publisher: Tor

Boneshaker derives its title from the Bone-Shaking Drill Engine, a device designed to give Russian prospectors a leg up in the race for Klondike gold. Unfortunately, there was one hitch: On its trial run, the Boneshaker went haywire and, long story short, turned much of Seattle into a city of the dead. Now, 16 years later, a teenage boy decides to find out what is behind that mysterious wall. Can his mother save him in time? 

The kindle version of this was reduced to £0.74 this week - I couldn't resist the chance to get my hands on a zombie crossed with steampunk novel!

So what have you picked up this week...? :)

What Shall I Read This February? WINNERS

I seem to be focusing on review books a lot this month so it will be nice to read one of the other books from my shelves... It was a nail-biting run this month with the most popular book changing frequently so much so that it finished a tie! The joint winners are Soul Beach by Kate Harrison and Department 19 by Will Hill!

The result were..

Soul Beach - Kate Harrison:  32%
Department 19 - Will Hill:  32%
666 Charing Cross Road - Paul Magrs:  28%
Blonde Bombshell - Tom Holt:  8%

Look out for a review of either Soul Beach or Department 19...whichever I feel like!

And who won their choice of book from my TBR pile? The winner is...Bibliotropic! Congratulations! Your book is on its  way!

Check back in March for more Throwbacks!

My Antihero Valentine Blog Hop + GIVEAWAY!

When I saw Kara was hosting an Antihero Valentine Blog Hop, I knew I wanted to take part. So many heroes in books are leather jacket wearing, stubbly, motorbike riding bad boys but with a heart of gold that the right girl can bring to life. These may be yummy men, but to my mind they're not antiheroes. Antiheroes are those guys who know they're doing wrong - but THEY DO IT ANYWAY. No heart of gold. Yet, despite that you can't help but feel for them...



The Vampire Lestat

My first ever antihero was the Vampire Lestat. He revealed in drinking blood, never hesitated to take what he wanted and turned those he loved into vampires. Yet, somehow I still routed for him because I knew he did struggle over big questions - like could he ever do good as a symbol of evil? Unlike Angel from Buffy, he never mourned the evil he did. While he might want to do good, he never did - always embracing the dark. To my mind that makes him a true antihero.

Other antiheroes that I have loved are Terrible from the Downside Ghosts series, Hannibal Lector from Silence of the Lambs, Gollum from Lord of the Rings, Spike from Buffy (pre-soul)....

So who are your favourite antiheroes? Why do you love them?

In order to celebrate Valentines day, I'm giving one winner a book of their choice (up to £10)...as long as it has an antihero in it!

Open Internationally
(Don't have to be a follower of my blog)
Ends 20th February 2013

Extra Entry if you leave a comment telling us your favourite antihero from pages or screen!

Check out the other wonderful blogs in this hop!

Nocturnal Book Reviews (INT)
Mel's Random Reviews (INT)
My Keeper Shelf
Hazel The Witch (INT)

<<GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED>>

Novella Review: Silver Shark

Silver Shark (World of the Kinsmen)

Ilona Andrews

Kindle Book

Claire Shannon is a killer. She uses no weapons, only her mind.
Born on a planet locked in a long war, Claire is a psycher, a woman with the ability to attack minds and infiltrate a biological computer network where psychers battle to the death. But when the war abruptly ends, Claire must hide her psycher's ability to survive. She is deported to a new planet, a vivid beautiful place, where she meets Venturo Escana, a powerful psycher, whose presence overwhelms both her mind and her body. She thought she had left war and death behind, but now she must fight for her new life and this battle might just cost her everything...

This was a wonderful way to spend an afternoon – curled up on the sofa with some cherry coke and a romantic science fiction story by one of my favourite authors. Ilona Andrews has created an intriguing universe with many populated worlds, which are run by the Kinsmen – humans with extra-ordinary abilities – physical and mental.

Claire has some extraordinary mental powers, but when the war she has been fighting all her life ends and she has the opportunity to start again on a new planet she jumps at the chance. Landing a job with a generous, and very handsome man she has to keep the details of her past secret, but as she draws closer to Venturo she’s not sure how she can keep it quiet. Claire is a great character – you can see her opening up and coming into bloom now she no longer has to fight, but it is still difficult for her. Venturo is very much the ideal man – gorgeous, clever, loyal and with a caring streak, but a ruthless edge if crossed.

While not long story, it is a deliciously sweet cake with just the right consistency and a tangy aftertaste. Lots of fun and a good example of what can be done with a novella.

Recommended for fans of Elizabeth Moon and Maria V Synder. 8 out of 10

Cursed (Alex Verus #2) Review

Cursed (Alex Verus #2)

Benedict Jacka

Publisher: UK – Orbit

Since his second sight made him infamous for defeating powerful dark mages, Alex has been keeping his head down. But now he's discovered the resurgence of a forbidden ritual. Someone is harvesting the life-force of magical creatures—destroying them in the process. And draining humans is next on the agenda. Hired to investigate, Alex realizes that not everyone on the Council wants him delving any deeper. Struggling to distinguish ally from enemy, he finds himself the target of those who would risk their own sanity for power...

This is the second book following the adventures of Alex Verus, a diviner with the ability to see possible futures who prefers to make his living with a little magical shop in Camden, North London. Having established the rules and background in the first book, Fated, there is less explanations this time round although on occasion Alex can be a little repetitive explaining his actions. The good news is this makes the story much tighter with the plot moving at a brisk pace with few detours.

Alex seems like a nice guy, who cares for his friends and will do anything to save them, but other than that his personality is a little beige – not unpleasant, but not particularly memorable. This is a shame as some of the other characters are really intriguing! Luna, Alex’s apprentice has a more central role here as her struggles to maintain friends while living with her curse takes on a larger role. The character of Arachne will always linger in the memory as well and I like Sonder, Alex’s bookish friend. Cinder his sometime enemy/ally proves that there are shades of grey in this world with the Dark and Light Mages closer to dark Grey and Off-White that straight forward good and evil.

While the majority of the story takes place in London, it doesn’t really become much more than a backing for the story – it could be set in any large city. However, the writing is easy to gel with and this is an easy read. I am looking forward to the next instalment but this hasn’t jumped into my favourite series, just yet. But it has potential – after all the first few Dresden books are not the best!

Recommended for fans of Jim Butcher and Ben Aaronovitch. 7.5 out of 10

Shades of War (Sevy #2) Review

Shades of War (Sevy #2)

Sarah-Jane Lehoux

Publisher: Mundania Press

Review copy courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review

Sometimes the past can't be forgotten. Sometimes the truth refuses to be buried. And sometimes the dead won't stay dead.It began as a simple request: Journey to the Northern Jungles and bring a wayward son back to the safety of his farm and family before the racial tension that is building between humans and dark elves erupts into civil war. But life is never simple for Sevy, and she soon finds herself entangled in a bloody battle of good versus evil, love versus hate.Old friends and enemies reunite, familial bonds are broken, and loyalty is tested. And in the midst of the steamy, sultry jungles, the ghosts of a serial killer's victims come out to play. Sevy, as petulant and irascible as ever, must overcome her personal demons in order to expose a madman and bring peace back to the kingdom. But just how much of her sanity must she sacrifice to help her friends? And how can she save anyone when she can't even save her own soul?

This is the second book following the adventure of mercenary ex-thief, Sevy. Sevy is a strong woman but she is stubborn, bias, impulsive, selfish and rarely listens to anyone else. She can be quite infuriating, yet there is something compulsive about her that you can’t help urging her on even when you’re not sure if you like her or not! In this story Sevy slowly starts to listen to those around her and begins to grow up.

Once again my favourite character was the dark elf and Sevy’s friend, Revik. He and his wife are struggling to reconcile their differences when they find themselves in the middle of a conflict between the dark elves of the jungle and the humans who have been expanding their holdings. The relationship between them is complex and layered but throughout I was rooting for them. One of the strongest points of this story are the characters which are varied but realistic. They all have their pasts, biases and feel like real people. Sometimes you just want to shout at them to listen and trust each other, but that is always easier to say from the outside perspective!

The plot twists and turns with some really great action sequences that will have you on the edge of your seat. I liked the first Sevy adventure, Thief but I REALLY liked this story. It was fast paced, exciting and different from any other fantasy I’ve ever read. With the third book in the Sevy sequence, Masquerade out later on in the month, I hope there will be plenty more adventures for Sevy.

Recommended for fans of Karen Miller and Tad Williams. 9 out of 10

My Book Haul / Showcase Sundays

This is Books, Biscuits and Tea's Showcase Sunday where I share my lovely book hauls each week. Have a look back at Vicki's link up to see what everyone is up too!

This week I finished  reading Silver Shark by Ilona Andrews - fun Science-fiction that deserves a full length novel I think! I also finished Cursed by Benedict Jacka - fun Urban Fantasy in London and Dark Alchemy, a fantasy anthology plus Grave Memory by Kalayna Price - the third in one of my new favourite UF Series! So that's four books down - but I ended up getting five books this week to replace them...

So what did I pick up to replace these books?

A couple of creepy looking covers have arrived this week...and a bundle of review books arrived from Penguin...

Won

Reviver - Seth Patrick

Publisher: Pan McMillian - Released June 2013

Jonah Miller is a Reviver, able to temporarily revive the dead so they can say goodbye to their loved ones—or tell the police who killed them. 
Jonah works in a department of forensics created specifically for Revivers, and he’s the best in the business. For every high-profile corpse pushing daisies, it’s Jonah’s job to find justice for them. But while reviving the victim of a brutal murder, he encounters a terrifying presence. Something is on the other side watching. Waiting. His superiors tell him it's only in his mind, a product of stress. Jonah isn't so certain. Then Daniel Harker, the first journalist to bring revival to public attention, is murdered. Jonah finds himself getting dragged into the hunt for answers. Working with Harker's daughter Annabel, he becomes determined to find those responsible and bring them to justice. Soon they uncover long-hidden truths that call into doubt everything Jonah stands for, and reveal a sinister force that threatens us all.

I won this over at the Tor UK Facebook page. I really wanted to get my hands on a copy as it sounds so sinister and creepy. It's a debut novel and Seth Patrick has been compared to Dean Koontz and Justin Cronin so I am definitely intrigued!

For Review

Through Dark Eyes - Chris Priestley
Publisher: UK - Bloomsbury

Alex joins his father on a business trip to Amsterdam. During the day he hangs out with the daughter of a family friend. They visit the usual sights but also coffee shops and flea markets off the beaten track. At one of these markets Alex spots an ancient-looking mask. Before he knows what he's doing he buys it. Later, in his hotel room, he feels compelled to put the mask on. Alex is sucked into a parallel Amsterdam, one from centuries before which begins to reveal the dark past of both the building he is staying in and the little girl who once lived there...

I enjoyed Christ Priestley's Tales of Terror series so I was curious about a full length novel by Chris and when I spotted this on Netgalley I couldn't resist!

The Indigo Spell (Bloodlines #3) - Richelle Mead
Publisher: Penguin

In the aftermath of a forbidden moment that rocked Sydney to her core, she finds herself struggling to draw the line between her Alchemist teachings and what her heart is urging her to do. Then she meets alluring, rebellious Marcus Finch--a former Alchemist who escaped against all odds, and is now on the run. Marcus wants to teach Sydney the secrets he claims the Alchemists are hiding from her. But as he pushes her to rebel against the people who raised her, Sydney finds that breaking free is harder than she thought. There is an old and mysterious magic rooted deeply within her. And as she searches for an evil magic user targeting powerful young witches, she realizes that her only hope is to embrace her magical blood--or else she might be next.

I am a big fan of the VA series and when Penguin offered me a chance to review the third book in the Bloodlines follow up I jumped at the chance!

Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1) - Marissa Meyer
Publisher: Puffin

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . . 
Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future...

Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles #2) - Marissa Meyer
Publisher: Puffin

Cinder's trying to break out of prison—even though if she succeeds, she’ll be the Commonwealth’s most wanted fugitive. 
Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn’t know about her grandmother and the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother’s whereabouts, she has no choice but to trust him, though he clearly has a few dark secrets of his own. 
As Scarlet and Wolf work to unravel one mystery, they find another when they cross paths with Cinder. Together, they must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen who will do anything to make Prince Kai her husband, her king, her prisoner.

When I said I hadn't read Cinder so wasn't sure I should review Scarlet, Penguin very generously offered me both! I love fairy tales and these books have both had great reviews so I will be starting these as soon as possible!

So what have you picked up this week?

Psst...I'm having a giveaway if you want to help me choose what to read this month!