Guest Review: Pride - Rachel Vincent

Pride (Shifters #3)
- Rachel Vincent

Publisher: MIRA

I'm on trial for my life. Falsely accused of infecting my human ex-boyfriend--and killing him to cover up the crime. Infecting a human is one of three capital offenses recognized by the Pride--along with murder and disclosure of our existence to a human.
I'm two for three. A goner.
Now we've discovered a rogue stray terrorizing the mountainside, hunting a wild teenage tabbycat. It's up to us to find and stop him before a human discovers us. With my lover Marc's help, I "think" I can protect the vulnerable girl from both the ambitious rogue and the scheming of the territorial council.
"If" I survive my own trial...

Hello Mel readers, I’m back again, and this time reviewing a book from Mel’s favourite genre (UF), and from a favoured series of hers too. Pride is the third visit to Rachel Vincent’s werecats, and my definite favourite thus far.

 

 

Pride is one of those books that grabs you by the shirt front right from the beginning and demands to be read, constantly. If work hadn’t got in the way I’d have read it in one sitting. As it was, I did seem to take VERY long lunchbreaks on the two days in which it took me to devour this book.

 

 

It follows straight on from the events in Rogue, with Faythe facing the wrath of a Territorial Council tribunal for her acts in that book. Acts that could lead to her execution. Pride as a novel is well named – it is as much about the pride of the werecats involved, as it is the preservation of their own Prides. Faythe especially needs to be mindful of her pride (and Pride), and her selfish side. She is growing as a person – this time around she even manages to talk herself out of trouble on occasion – but she still has a long way to go, and this means later books will be even more involving I’m sure.

 

 

Faythe’s daddy complex does get a little grating – yes, he’s her Alpha, and a loving father, but does she really need to call him ‘daddy’ whilst being tried for murder? Rather infantile, and doesn’t quite sit with her all-out sassy, stubborn nature. She doesn’t so much push her boundaries as kick them firmly in the arse and point to the exit. An attitude that is wonderfully endearing to the reader, yet still manages to make you want to shake her on occasion (or maybe not, she is a teeth and claws werecat after all!)

 

 

A fantastically enjoyable read nonetheless, although I wouldn’t recommend starting the series here. One for fans of Kelley Armstrong and Patricia Briggs, 8.5 out of 10.

You Asked Me about...Me!

To kick off my second year Blogoversary, I asked YOU to interview ME. And, boy, was I surprised at the number of questions I got, the variety and sheer inventiveness! So I’ve been able to split the questions into three sections –questions about Book & Authors, questions about Blogging and questions about Me/Random. Previously I answered questions about Books & Authors and Blogging so this week I'm answering some random questions about Me...

Questions about Me!

Vicky @ Books, Biscuits, and Tea:  What's your favourite film or TV show? :) / Mariee:         What's your favorite TV show?    Supernatural is my absolutely favourite TV show at the moment – I could watch Sam and Dean forever! I also like Doctor Who, Fringe and Game of Thrones from the current TV shows. I used to be mad for Quantum Leap, Buffy, Angel and Firefly. My favourite films tends to change depending on my mood but I love superhero films – The Avengers, X-Men and Dark Knight as well as Back to the Future, Independence Day and My Fair Lady (!). Yes, I am a complete geek – and proud of it! J

The Winchester Boys - my current favourites!

Chloe S:   If you could go back in time and say one thing to yourself 10 years ago, what would you say?   Take more risks – even if they don’t work out as least you tried!

Zara A:  If you could be any fictional character or creature for a day (or at least for the entirety of a novel!), who would you choose to be and why?   I would love to be cat-shifter. I love the idea of being able to climb trees, stalk creatures in silence and completely disregard other people!

Tamsyn:   How do you find space on your bookshelves for all the books you have?   I don’t! My bookcases are all double stacked and I ran out of room on them months ago. Currently my chest of drawers is doubling as an overflow TBR pile...

Lisa H:   What book 'world' would you want to live in the most?  Hmmm....crazy as it sounds I’d quite like to live in Enid Blyton’s Magic Faraway Tree. The story is pretty old fashioned now but I loved it as a kid and the idea of finding all these fabulous worlds at the top of the tree everyday would be fantastic!

Leslie G:   What was your favourite book when you were a kid?   Watership Down – I loved the story of rabbits trying to find their new home despite the dangers of the world. I still try to re-read it as often as possible...

Irene J: Do you have a kindle? I was wondering which was easier to read on bus or train ,paperback or kindle.   I have a kindle – and I LOVE it! It was a birthday present from some friends a couple of years ago and possibly one of the best presents I’ve ever received. While I still read plenty of physical books to the kindle is the easiest for reading on the train as I don’t lose any bookmarks and can drink a morning coffee with struggling to turn pages.

Ellisa:    What is one of your biggest achievements in life, one that is so memorable and you're proud of?   Getting my Masters Degree in Physics was a big achievement and one that I’m proud of, but I think the most memorable thing for me is taking the leap and going travelling on my own for six months in 2007. I spent four months in Australia and two in New Zealand and had so many experiences and did so many things I never thought I would (Sky diving, Blackwater Rafting, climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge, handling snakes and lizards, sleeping in the outback...). I’m not the most active of people so making the effort to do that was something I will always proud of myself for doing.

Sam (Tiny Library):   Where's your dream place to go on holiday?  So many places I want to see! At the moment it would a Safari in Africa – I would love to see all those amazing animals in the wild – elephants, lions, giraffes, buffalo, zebras... I would love to do a hot air balloon safari and see the sunrise over the plains.

Blodeuedd:  What did you want to be when you were a kid?   I changed my mind a lot as a kid – for a while I wanted to be a Vet until I realised I need to cope with blood, a journalist was a dream for a few years until I realised I was better at fiction that reality! I’m pretty sure that working for market research within the Toy industry was never on my shortlist – but that’s what I do now! J



Suz Reads:   Do you have a funny story about a pet you had & what is the story?   Hmmm, we had cats while I was growing up and one Tabby learnt how to knock on the door to be let in. She would stand on her back paws and bash her front paws on the door until it opened! It was very cute...

My old cat who would knock on the door to come in...

Kara-Karina: I would like to know more about you Mel, not only about the books you read. Embarassing guilty pleasures, obsessions? Funny geeky stuff like that :) Guilty pleasure huh? Well, I end up watching The X-Factor each year despite knowing they set up all the emotional stories...it’s my one reality TV show that I watch! Also I have a very bad habit sending my friends text messages before 7am – if I get to station early I frequently send them a morning wake up text usually moaning the earliness of the hour or the lack of coffee...surprisingly very few complain!

There were a lot of personal questions so there will be another post for the remaining questions!

The Eagle of the Twelfth Review

Rome: The Eagle of the Twelfth

-       M.C. Scott

Publisher: Bantam

Demalion of Macedon never wanted to be a legionary. An unwilling recruit, he is appalled to be posted to the infamous XIIth legion, notorious for its ill luck. Promoted slowly through the ranks, he does his best to please his superiors, and in doing so, finds that he has come to love his legion, that he will willingly give up his life -- and his chance of death -- to protect its sacred heart: the Eagle.

Rome managed to conqueror and hold vast amounts of land in its hay day with its military might based in its legions. This story tells the tale of a reluctant solder – at least at first - and how he grows into his role of warrior through form friendships with his comrades. I have to confess I’m not usually a fan of war stories and this book is a war story albeit set in Roman times. Focusing on the eastern edge of the empire, where the Roman Empire meets the empire of the King of Kings, this tells the tale of one of Romans campaigns to hold Jerusalem and surrounded environs from local horse lords and rebel Hebrews.

This give a real inside view of what life is like in a legion – complete with floggings, intense close relationships between soldiers and war games. The description of the surroundings and the every life of the legion is well portrayed and multi-coloured. At times you could taste the sweat of the soldiers and smell the copper of blood. However, I never really felt an emotional connection to the main character. As a result I read the whole story as if from a birds-eye view. I watched all that was happening but never really felt part of it. I suspect that’s mostly my fault as I don’t usually read a lot of war stories. But I couldn’t stop watching nonetheless.

From the description I thought this was going to be an undercover mission to rescue the eagle of the Twelve, but it’s more a story of the Twelve and the hardships they faced over ten years. A detailed and involving story which will thrill and delight those who love historical stories and Roman period especially, but for some reason fell a little short for me personally.  

Recommended for fans of Conn Iggulden and Douglas Jackson. 7 out of 10

My Book Haul / Showcase Sunday

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

I broke a little this week and bought a book...ops! But only the one and just because it was a local church book fair so I knew I wouldn't be able to pick it up later...

 

Captive Moon (Tales of the Sazi #3) - CT Adams & Cathy Clamp

Publisher: Tor

World-class entertainer and Sazi councilmember, Antoine Monier has taken his big cats all over the world without any trouble--until his latest trip to Stuttgart, where one of his tigers is stolen and killed. To Antoine's surprise, the German police have another tiger in custody--a tiger who is actually a lovely Turkish-American woman, Tahira Kuric.
Like Antoine, Tahira is a shapeshifter, but of the Hayalet Kabile, the ghost tribe of shapeshifters. And despite their immediate attraction, Tahira wants nothing to do with Antoine--the Sazi are the enemy of the Hayalet Kabile.
But Tahira doesn't have a choice, because she and Antoine have discovered that she is a fabled "power well," able to store magical energy from other shapeshifters--and something is hunting her, eager to use her powers for itself. Only if they can set aside their peoples' ancient rivalry and rely completely on each other--body and soul--can Tahira and Antoine save themselves and their people.

 

I read one of the latest books in the Tales of the Sazi series about 18 months ago and enjoyed the mix of mythology and romance, so when I spotted this amongst the second books at a church book fair I couldn't resist! Plus shifter cats - I like! :-)

 

The Janus Affair (Ministry of Peculiar Occurrence #2) - Philippa Ballatine & Tee Morris

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Certainly no strangers to peculiar occurrences, agents Wellington Books and Eliza Braun are nonetheless stunned to observe a fellow passenger aboard Britain's latest hypersteam train suddenly vanish in a dazzling bolt of lightning. They soon discover this is not the only such disappearance . . . with each case going inexplicably unexamined by the Crown. The fate of England is once again in the hands of an ingenious archivist paired with a beautiful, fearless lady of adventure. And though their foe be fiendishly clever, so then is Mr. Books . . . and Miss Braun still has a number of useful and unusual devices hidden beneath her petticoats.

 

This was a win from the wonderful Melissa at My World...in words and pages. Having recently won Geist by Philippa Ballantine from Melissa as well, I think I need to read some Pip Ballantine ASAP!  Oh, and Melissa was kind enough to send all sorts of yummy swag as well so this was a fantastic package to recieve this week!

 

Blink Once - Cylin Busby

Publisher: Bloomsbury

West is a high school senior who has everything going for him – until an accident leaves him paralysed. Strapped down in his hospital bed, moving in and out of consciousness, West is isolated and alone. Until he meets Olivia.
Olivia is the girl next door – though not the typical girl next door. She is in the hospital room next to his, and before long, she’s sneaking into his room to talk with him. Only Olivia seems to know what he’s thinking, and even dreaming about. Yet certain questions haunt him: Why is Olivia in the hospital? And how is she connected to the terrible dreams he’s been having? But the biggest shock of all comes when West must face the possibility that the girl he’s fallen in love with – and who’s done more to aid his recovery than anyone else – may not even be alive

 

This arrived out of the blue yesterday from Bloomsbury for review. It sounds like am emotional read and I really like the cover - is she dead, blinking or asleep...? This isn't out until October but I think I will sneak it into my reading this week! :)

 

What have you picked up this week?

 

On My Wishlist #101

This is a meme that started on Book Chick City before moving to Cosy Books and is now hosted by the wonderful Sarah at Workaday Reads. There are so many books out there that I want to read that this is the only way I can keep track!

I've been lusting after some fantasy stories recently...

 

The Silvered - Tanya Huff

Publisher: DAW (November 2012)

The Empire has declared war on the small, were-ruled kingdom of
Aydori, capturing five women of the Mage-Pack, including the wife of the were Pack-leader. With the Pack off defending the border, it falls to Mirian Maylin and Tomas Hagen—she a low-level mage, he younger brother to the Pack-leader—to save them. Together the two set out on the kidnappers’ trail, racing into the heart of enemy territory. With every step the odds against them surviving and succeeding soar...

 

I like Tanya Huff contemporary stories - the Keeper trilogy is great fun! This is the first of a new fantasy series she's written and I am looking forward to seeing what she comes up with!

 

Spirit's End (Eli Monpress #5) - Rachel Aaron

Publisher: Orbit (November 2012)

Eli Monpress is clever, he's determined, and he's in way over his head.
First rule of thievery: don't be a hero. When Eli broke the rules and saved the Council Kingdoms, he thought he knew the price, but resuming his place as the Shepherdess's favorite isn't as simple as bowing his head. Now that she has her darling back, Benehime is setting in motion a plan that could destroy everything she was created to protect, and even Eli's charm might not be enough to stop her. But Eli Monpress always has a plan, and with disaster rapidly approaching, he's pulling in every favor he can think of to make it work, including the grudging help of the Spirit Court's new Rector, Miranda Lyonette.
But with the world in panic, the demon stirring, and the Lord of Storms back on the hunt, it's going to take more than luck and charm to pull Eli through this time. He's going to have to break a few more rules and work with some old enemies if he's going to survive.

 

The Eli Monpress series has been one of my favourite discoveries in the last few years - and I have a slight crush on Eli - so I can't wait until this the final book comes out!

 

Daggerspell - Katharine Kerr

Publisher: Voyager

Even as a young girl,Jill was a favorite of the magical, mysterious Wildfolk, who appeared to her from their invisible realm. Little did she know her extraordinary friends represented but a glimpse of a forgotten past and a fateful future. Four hundred years-and many lifetimes-ago, one selfish young lord caused the death of two innocent lovers. Then and there he vowed never to rest until he'd righted that wrong-and laid the foundation for the lives of Jill and all those whom she would hold dear: her father, the mercenary soldier Cullyn; the exiled berserker Rhodry Maelwaedd; and the ancient and powerful herbman Nevyn, all bound in a struggle against darkness. . . and a quest to fulfil the destinies determined centuries ago.

 

This series has been out for a while but I ran across it recently in a second-hand book store...I didn't pick it up (sticking with my book buying ban) but the story has stuck in my mind!

 

Any fantasy books you are lusting after at the moment...?

 

Guest Review: Die For Me

I've been a little behind on my reading recently so Sarah is helping out with some more reviews at the moment...

Die For Me
- Amy Plum

Publisher: Harper Teen

In the City of Lights, two star-crossed lovers battle a fate that is destined to tear them apart again and again for eternity.
When Kate Mercier's parents die in a tragic car accident, she leaves her life--and memories--behind to live with her grandparents in Paris. For Kate, the only way to survive her pain is escaping into the world of books and Parisian art. Until she meets Vincent. Mysterious, charming, and devastatingly handsome, Vincent threatens to melt the ice around Kate's guarded heart with just his smile. As she begins to fall in love with Vincent, Kate discovers that he's a revenant--an undead being whose fate forces him to sacrifice himself over and over again to save the lives of others. Vincent and those like him are bound in a centuries-old war against a group of evil revenants who exist only to murder and betray. Kate soon realizes that if she follows her heart, she may never be safe again...

Hello all. Mel’s been having a bit of a hard time of it recently, so I’m afraid you’ll have some more regular reviews from me for a bit! Today is the turn of Amy Plum’s YA book Die For Me, which was recommended by several of you during my birthday giveaway. You seemed to really enjoy it, and so did I I’m glad to report.

 

Whilst Die For Me has several of the usual YA fantasy traits – girl meets beautiful boy, they fall in love, evil tries to wreck it all – it also has an interesting twist to the human girl/undead boy combination. Our human girl Kate is struggling to come to terms with the death of her parents, as well as the move from America to Paris with her older sister Georgia, to live with her grandparents. It is during the long, lonely summer holidays that she meets Vincent, a serious undead hotty. But Vincent isn’t a vampire (woo hoo) – he’s a revenant. A self-sacrificing man whom, because he died originally to save another, has been granted immortality, and the need to continually die in the place of others.

 

Kate’s continuing depression at the loss of her parents, and her initial reluctance to get involved with Vincent, are refreshing differences to the usual YA fantasy world. As is her thoroughly likeable sister and both her and Vincent’s loveable families. However, it’s not all totally unique – when Kate does fall for Vincent, her continuing disbelief that the gorgeous revenant would look at her, is an all too familiar experience.

 

The other thing that really gets to me in these types of books, is the fact that NO ONE ever seems to find the fact that essentially a 90-year-old man is dating a 16-year-old girl totally disturbing. Yes, he may look 19, but he has lived those 90 years. I’m only a third of Vincent’s age, and there’s no way I’d date a teenager!!! The lack of maturity would drive me mad!

 

That aside, Die For Me is a very enjoyable read and I fairly flew through it. I don’t know if a sequel is out there yet, but if so I’d have no qualms about picking it up. One for fans of the Twilight books, Cynthia Hand and Becca Fitzpatrick, 7.5 out of 10.

Throwback Thursday #63 - Goddess of the Sea

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

 

Goddess of the Sea - PC Cast

On the night of her twenty-fifth birthday, alone in her apartment, Air Force Sergeant Christine Canady wished for one thing: a little magic in her life. After drinking way too much champagne, she performed, of all crazy things, a goddess-summoning ritual, hoping that it would somehow make her life a little less ordinary...but she never believed the spell would actually work!
When her military plane crashes into the ocean, CC's mission overseas takes an unexpected turn. She awakens to find herself in a legendary time and place where magic rules the land—occupying the body of the mythic mermaid Undine. But there is danger in the waters and the goddess Gaea turns this modern, military gal into a beautiful damsel so that she can seek shelter on land. CC is soon rescued (literally) by a knight in shining armor. She should he falling in love with this dream-come-true, but instead she aches for the sea and Dylan, the sexy merman who has stolen her heart.

 

I enjoyed PC Cast's Divine series so I went out and bought all the Goddess series...but they are all sitting on my huge TBR pile... I love the idea of a modern girl finding romance in the mystical side of things!

 

Would you fall for a Merman or a Knight...?