Far From Reality

I do not think I will be posting this week, I am visiting my mom and stepdad in NC so while i have my laptop, i dont really have time to blog haha. so ill be back on the 27th
So have a Happy Holiday, hope you get many books and have a great time!!!

EDIT
Ill be back January 1st now. i dont want to leave!!

I have read two other Cameron Dokey 'retellings' and this was by far my favorite. Wild Orchid is not like the Disney tale of Mulan, yes Mulan is a girl who joins the imperial army in order to save her fathers life, but there is so much more to it than that. In this story Mulan must overcome herself, to look into her heart of hearts and find the courage to follow it. Wild Orchid starts off a while before the Hun attack China, we learn about her childhood and about her exploits before she became China's hero.

Laurel was mesmerized, staring at the pale things with wide eyes. They were terrifyingly beautiful—too beautiful for words. Laurel turned to the mirror again, her eyes on the hovering petals that floated beside her head. They looked almost like wings. In this extraordinary tale of magic and intrigue, romance and danger, everything you thought you knew about faeries will be changed forever.

Thoughts
I finally got around to reading this book!

Wings starts off a tad slow and really only picks up about halfway through when Laurel finds out she is a faerie. The story and plot are not anything really new but the diffrent take on faeries, how they are plants, is definatly diffrent and interesting. Pikes writing is fluid and keeps you interested, there is only one swear word in this book and no sexual content so people of all ages can enjoy this clean read.

So thanks to E.J. Stevens generous offer, I am now hosting my first ever Giveaway!
But First, lets learn about the lovely lady and her book "She Smells the Dead" (you can read my review of the book here)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

E.J. is currently working on LEGEND OF WITCHTROT ROAD, the third book in the Spirit Guide series, due to release late 2011.
E.J. is a graduate of the University of Maine at Farmington with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. She has worked a variety of jobs that demonstrate the human condition including schools, psychiatric hospitals and *shudder* shopping malls. E.J. currently resides in a magical forest on the coast of Maine where she finds daily inspiration for her writing.


INTERVIEW

1. When did you decide to start writing?
I have been fascinated with storytelling for as long as I can remember. My early childhood was steeped in tales of supernatural horror and suspense and I was always striving to tell the most haunting, spine tingling tale. As I grew older, writing became a natural progression of my love for storytelling.

2. Yuki has a pretty unique ability, was it difficult to come up with the story centered around someone who smells the dead?
The idea for She Smells the Dead came to me while walking past the overgrown graveyard beside my home. I was overwhelmed by a strong smell and suddenly wondered what it would be like to have a psychic connection with spirits of the dead that came in the form of smells (clairalience), rather than sight or sound. I knew how unpleasant high school could be for someone who chose to think and dress unconventionally, and imagined that smelling the dead would make my character’s teen years even more challenging. Fortunately for Yuki, she has some amazing friends.

3. Who was your favorite character to write about? Who was your least?
I really love all of the characters in She Smells the Dead. They’re so much fun!
My favorite character changes from day to day, but I have to admit that Emma was the most fun to write. Emma is such a strong character. She’s intelligent, confident, and stands by her convictions. Emma is also an incredibly loyal friend.
My least favorite character in She Smells the Dead was Gordy, but that was only due to the steep competition. It’s hard to compete with Emma’s strength, Yuki’s individuality, Cal’s loyalty, and Simon’s roguish charm.

4. If you could change something about your book what would it be?
If I had a time machine, I would jump in and journey back to change the pacing of the opening chapters of She Smells the Dead. It is always difficult to find a balance with the first book in a series, it’s important to introduce characters to the reader, but there are times I wish the first chapters were as fast moving as the rest of the story.

5. Did you have to do alot of research on spirit animals?
I researched spirit animals in various cultures throughout history, and conducted interviews to better understand existing beliefs and practices, however this research was only a foundation for the fictional spirit animals that appear in the Spirit Guide series.

6. What was the hardest part of writing She Smells the Dead?
Trying to write while giggling. Really! I would be writing dialogue and just start laughing out loud.

7. If Simon, Yuki, Emma and Calvin were ice cream, what kind would they be? why?
Simon would be fried ginger ice cream. He’s sweet once you get past the tough outer shell…and a bit spicy.
Yuki would be mocha almond. She’s a total caffeine fiend…and a bit nutty.
Emma would be vanilla frozen soy. No animal products in her dessert. No way!
Calvin would be chocolate. He’s mysterious, smooth and delicious.

8. Spirit Storm is to be released in 2011, can you give a little tidbit about it?
Spirit Storm is filled with paranormal mystery and adventure, but I have to warn you this book is intense!
Spirits of the Dead are coming...
Yuki is about to face an army of lost souls on Samhain, the night of Halloween, when the spirits of the dead roam free. Yuki will need all the help she can get from her friends, but will Calvin be there for her when she needs him the most?

Fun Stuff:

1. What would you want your spirit animal to be?
My spirit animal is the red-tailed hawk. In many cultures hawks are thought to be messengers and have the ability to awaken visionary power and guide you to your life purpose. The hawk is also believed to be a catalyst for new ideas. When I’m having a case of writer's block, I close my eyes and picture a red-tailed hawk flying to me carrying a new story idea.

2. What is your favorite flower?
I love the dramatic look of black roses. I think Yuki would approve.

3. What are your personal thoughts on Bee Oppression?
I tend to be more like Yuki than Emma. I’m vegetarian, not vegan, and don’t mind a bit of honey in my tea. I even wear leather boots. Egads! Emma would be quite upset with me.

You can get "She Smells the Dead" by purchasing it at Amazon and you can also check out the offical Spirit Guide Series webiste here

and now...

• 1 She Smells the Dead Bookmark
• 1 She Smells the Dead postcard
• 1 Spirit Storm postcard

If i get enough people to enter, lets say 10 one special person will recieve She Smells the Dead as a gift for your kindle (or any device that can run the kindle app) courtesy of me. If more people join,  I will add more prizes, such as Amazon gift cards.

• Are you a Follower? - Old +2  New +1
• Did you post about the giveaway either as a new post or on your sidebar? +3
• Add up your total! +1 (your email is also +1)

• Usually shows up in one of there forms : a young woman, a matron or an old hag.
• Usually wears simple country clothes and has long white/very pale hair
• The Bean Sidhe visits a household and by keening (wailing) she warns that a member of thier family is about to die.
• She is also known as Bean-nighe or washing women as she is sometimes seen in lonely places washing the clothes of those soon to die.
• The Bean-Sidhes keening happens the night before the person is to die.
• The Bean Sidhe is often mistaken as taking the form of a crow
• They are said to appear around natural forces such as trees, rivers and stones.

Title - She Smells the Dead
Author - E.J. Stevens
Genre - paranormal/YA
Pages - 163
Format Read - Ebook
Description (goodreads)
It's the beginning of senior year and Yuki's psychic awareness of ghostly spirits is threatening to ruin her life. Her ability to sense spirits of the dead isn't glamorous like on TV. SHE SMELLS THE DEAD. Yuki is being visited in her dreams and suspects that her friend Calvin is involved in something strange. Will Yuki be able to save the spirits and herself?

Thoughts
First off: LOVED this book! Second: HOW DARE YOU STEVENS?! Such a cliffhanger!

She smells the dead is a unique take on paranormal YA fantasy  It tells the tale of Yuki, formally known as Vanessa who can smell the dead. Well, not 'smell' them (ick!) but she can smell scent impressions. One day she is hit with a very pungent vinegar smell and thus, the story begins.

Yuki is a great main charactor, she is witty, kind and a bit sassy. She loves her friends and has a great relationship with them. Shes into anime, dark clothes and much to her suprise, her best friend Calvin. Calvin is the typical YA guy, hes cute and sweet and of course drool worthy. However, he has a secret, one that Yuki initially is a bit freaked out about but nothing she cant handle!

Her other best friend is Emma. Emma is the animal rights activist in the group. A vegan and Calvins antagonizer she was a fun addition to the story, shes smart and helps out Yuki and Calvin in a big way later on in the story. The other characters (Simon, Gordy, etc..) are well thought out and add charm to the story.

She smells the dead is quirky, funny (Seriously, I giggled everytime I read the words: Bee Oppression) and terrific for those who want a new spin on your paranormal stories. While not a very long read, it is entertaining and the ending leaves you wanting more!

Wow! in one week ill be on vacation >.< (dont worry ill still blog everyday hehe)

This week's question is: Do you have an under-noticed author that you think we should all know about?
Paul Kidd! I am always recommending the book 'A Whisper of Wings' to people, because Paul takes storywritting to a new level, there is so much emotion and drama in that book and you can feel every breath and heartbeat in it. (although its not a genre most read.. anthropomorphic fantasy lol) I wish more people would read his works, they are truely great. Of course that is just my opinion =P


What is the thing you like most about reading book blogs? Is it the reviews, author guest posts, articles, giveaways, or something else entirely?"
I like the giveaways and random posts, of course i love reading about books. Author interviews are nice as well =)

Today I have Courtney Rene author of Shadow Dancer (Review Here)

About The Author

Interview

1. With the popularity of Vampires, Werewolves, and Faeries these days, why did you decide to go with Shadow Walkers?
For that very reason, actually. I didn't want to be one of the masses in the paranormal genre. I wanted something new and diffrent and not so overdone that aside from diffrent characters, the story was the same.


2. The book is soft and sweet, there is no hardness to it (other then the fighting) did you intentionally want to keep it clean?
I didn’t set out for it to be a “clean” book. Sunny was just that kind of girl. Sadly in book two of this series, she has lost some of that innocence. She has had to become harder and darker. I think I will miss the old Sunny even as I cheer on the new.


3. What character was the hardest to work on? Who was the easiest?
Gavin and Austin were the hardest to write. Austin was supposed to be a hard-ass and he kept coming off as a clown. Gavin the same, and he ended up being a sweet heart with a crush. They just wouldn’t do what I wanted them to do. I finally had to let them have their way.
The easiest to work on was Sunny. She has such snark and sarcasm that I enjoyed her and writing about her was fun.


4. What was the hardest part of writing Shadow Dancer? 
The grammar. I could write the story, easily in fact, but getting it grammatically correct was horrible for me. The agony I went through to get it right, was at least worth it in the end as Shadow Dancer turned out even better with the extra work.


5. What character do you find you are most like?
I am Tara. That girl is me. I wanted to make her part a bit bigger in the story, but in the end, Shadow Dancer  is not about Tara, so her part is small.


6. During the writing process, what kept you motivated?
I didn’t have to stay motivated for this novel. Shadow Dancer literally spilled out of me like water. The story was easy. I would finish a scene and the next was already working around in my brain ready to write as well.


7. Are you currently working on a sequel?
Yes! It is titled, Shadow Warrior. I am only about 4,000 words away, from being done with the first draft. This main landscape of this book is held in Acadia. Sadly some of the sweetness is lost in this installment. It’s a darker book, as it has a bit of evil wrapped inside it. Plus Sunny is older so her wants and worries are different than they were in Dancer. Warrior is turning out to be a really good story. It’s exciting and sad all at the same time. I wonder how it will end?


8. Any thing you would like to add, or say to your readers?
Thank you, so very much. For many things: just reading my book, for letting me know what you think, and for supporting me in general. I hope I continue to deserve it.


Fun Stuff:


Favorite Dessert?
Harry and David Gummy Bears. Seriously. 

Favorite Animal? 
Right now it’s the wolf, but that’s because I have a wolf novel that I have just about complete and ready to start submitting out for publication. I have spent loads of time studying them over the past year and they are just wonderful creatures.


Any place you would love to visit? 
Oooh I have a list: Scotland, Ireland, Rome, Greece, and Australia. Then after I visit all of those, I would like to see England, Austria, and Italy. So I need loads of people to buy my books so that I can get started on these journeys. Otherwise, I will be happy with just having a few days in Hawaii to lay in the sunshine.


What is the one thing you could not live without?  
 Chapstick….I have little tubes of them everywhere. Literally. They are currently in my coat pocket, in my desk, in my purse, and in the medicine cabinet. I can’t live without the stuff. Currently I am using Burt’s Bees Honey Lip Balm, as it’s a more ‘organic’ choice.

 

Title - Shadow Dancer
Author - Courtney Rene
Genre - YA/Fantasy/Paranormal
Pages - 228
Format Read - Ebook

Description (from amazon)
Sunny has a gift that she has no idea how to use, until she meets Leif, a boy from the kingdom of Acadia, on the other side of the shadows. Leif teaches Sunny about Shadow Walkers and how to use her new found gifts. As they grow closer and their gifts grow stronger, a threat arrives. The Shadow Guard has been sent to bring Sunny back to Acadia, to determine if she is a threat to the king as the rightful ruler of Acadia. As Leif and Sunny prepare to defend themselves, Sunny finds that Leif has also been sent to bring Sunny back to the kingdom but for very different reasons. As a battle for possession of Sunny wages, she is struggling to come to turns with her feelings of inadequacy regarding controlling her gifts as well as the hurt regarding the lies and deceit of everyone around her.

Thoughts
Shadow Dancer is a fun, light read with some action, some romance and some kick-butt abilities. 
What would you do if you could meld shadows over yourself and become invisible? That is what 17 year old Sunny faces when she learns she is a Shadow Walker, a type of person who can go unseen when you pull the shadows up over yourself. Sounds cool right? It is, until Sunny is faced with Shadow Guards, those who want to bring her back to Acadia to be killed. Now Sunny must learn to control her frightening energy, keep form being taken against her will, and keep close to the boy she loves. The story was clean, easy to read and the narritive flowed easily, Rene is very good with emotions and keeping pace.

Sunny, our main girl is likeable and smart, she dosnt swoon after Leif (our dark leading man) nor does she run blindly into danger, I think that was the most endearing part of Sunny, she kept a cool head, she tended to scream yes, but she did what she had to when she had to! Now Leif, ah Leif, how i fell in love with you! From your dark long locks to your twinkling blue eyes. Leif is someone you can't help but like, hes protective, patient and kind. He has a little boy quality that pops up from time to time that i find refreshing. Like Sunny he is a shadow walker, hes a tracker, he can feel where other Shadow Walkers are, whilst Sunny actually sees everyones auras while melded with the shadows.  The other characters where just as good, Aiden, the 'bad' guy was real and i liked that he wasnt brutish, the other shadow walkers we meet all have thier own personalities and emotions and I liked all of them.

If i had to pick something out that i did not like so much, it was how fast the romance happened, a few days after seeing Leif, Sunny was holding his hand and being on cloud nine with him, i find this happens alot in YA novels, though trivial it sort of bends the 'realism' of the book.  I can not wait to see what happens next and i hope the next book is just as entertaining as the first.

Title - Sisters Red
Author - Jackson Pearce
Genre - YA/Fantasy
Pages - 336
Format Read - Ebook

Descripton
Scarlet March lives to hunt the Fenris--the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister Rosie from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She's determined to protect other young girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until every single wolf is dead.
Rosie March once felt her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts ferociously alongside her. But even as more girls' bodies pile up in the city and the Fenris seem to be gaining power, Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves. She finds herself drawn to Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax and Scarlett's only friend--but does loving him mean betraying her sister and all that they've worked for?

Thoughts
Sisters Red is a diffrent telling of Little Red Riding Hood, the elements are the same: a red cloak, a wolf.. but Pearces retelling is far more dark and dangerous. Silas, Scarlette and Rosie are hunters, after a wolf kills Scarlett and Rosies grandmother and gives Scarlett nasty scars and takes an eye they are bent on killing all the Fenris they can. However, a new wolf is about to be made, the Potential is close to being found and Scarlett, Silas and Rosie head off in search of him, and hopefully destroy a few Fenris in the process.

Scarlett is the tough sister, her whole being is in the hunt. I did not like her as much as Rosie, she was a bit too hard, sure shes kick butt and awesome with a hatchet but she was just a bit too selfish and protective of Rosie.
Rosie on the other hand is deadly with knives and a good hunter as well, but she dosnt have the hunt flowing in her veins like her sister does. Rosie wants more then just hunting, and she finds it. I liked Rosie more, she was softer and had a mind of her own, she was sweet and charming and i can see why Silas falls for her.

While the story is alright and the charactors are good (there are not that many) I did find that i had to  drag myself through the book, there were points especially in the beggining that were a tad dull. The enviroments are painted nicely but they are not rich. I did not really emotionally connect to the story or charactors like i wanted to. However, it still is a good story, and short so if you have the time i do recomend it if you like retellings of fairy tales.

Title - Blood Magic
Author - Tessa Gratton
Genre -  Young Adult
Pages -  416
Release Date -  April 26 2011
Description (from amazon)
This page-turning debut novel will entice fans who like their paranormal romances dark and disturbing. It's a natural next-read for fans of Stephanie Meyer, Carrie Jones, and Becca Fitzpatrick. But instead of mythical creatures, blood magic has everything to do with primal human desires like power, wealth, and immortality. Everywhere Silla Kennicott turns she sees blood. She can't stop thinking about her parents alleged murder-suicide. She is consumed by a book filled with spells that arrives mysteriously in the mail. The spells share one common ingredient: blood, and Silla is more than willing to cast a few. What's a little spilled blood if she can uncover the truth? And then there's Nick—the new guy at school who makes her pulse race. He has a few secrets of his own and is all too familiar with the lure of blood magic. Drawn together by a combination of fate and chemistry, Silla and Nick must find out who else in their small Missouri town knows their secret and will do anything to take the book and magic from Silla

Description

Thoughts
Moon Rising is a love tale that is told quite well. This is the authors first novel and though it may sometimes shine through (things repeated alot, a few phrases that sounds a bit off) it flows easily and reads better then you would expect.

Nessy is on the run form her maker Hervidor, with the help of the Gulon Hera and her new love Charles she is kept safe from Hervidor, but for how long?

Nessy was a great charactor, she kind of felt like myself at times. A little scared, a little brave, loyal and sometimes confused. You start to really feel for her later in the book and I did enjoy that she wanted to learn about modern day things when Charles was explaining them to her, she is intelligent and kind.  Charles was a miss for me entirely, i just could not find myself likeing him. He just seems, too good. I liked him for Nessy of course but he never really stuck with me. Hera on the other hand I loved instantly, the fact that he can become a beast-like Gulon and that he is loyal to Nessy was sweet.

The ending was good and makes you want to see what happens in the next book. If your looking for a sweet romance vampire story, look nor further! Moon Rising is the perfect romance that mixes mythical creatures, love, loyalty and action, without all the swearing and overly done sexual scenes.

Rules

• grab your current read
• flip to a random page (if your doing an ebook, just use a few pages ahead or behind where you are reading)
• post up 2 sentances to share
• try not to include spoilers!

Author - Aprilynne Pike
Lines

FACTS

• Possess long live, great intelligence and  magical powers
• Can shapechange into human form, usually they can do this at around age 100 (some say 50)
• Kitsune usually take the shape of a beautiful woman, a young girl or an old man. Usually never an old woman.
• There are 2 types of Kitsune - The Myobu or celestial fox, a benevolent fox associated with Inari (god of rice) and the malevelant Nogitsune or wild fox.
• Kitsune are noted for thier many tails, generally an older fox will have more tails then a younger one. Though most depictions in folk stories show them as having one, five or nine. never any other number.
• When a kitsune gains its ninth tail, its fur becomes silver, white, or gold and gain infinite vision.
• Kitsune are known as tricksters however, it will always keep a promise and strive to repay any favor it owes
• Kitsune are also commonly portrayed as lovers. These love stories usually involve a young human male and a kitsune who takes the form of a woman
• Kitsuneki - the thought of being possessed by a Kitsune

Title - The Miracle Inspector
Author - Helen Smith
Genre - Fiction/Dystopian
Pages - 250

Description (from amazon)
A darkly comic literary novel set in the near future. England has been partitioned and London is an oppressive place where poetry has been forced underground, theatres and schools are shut, and women are not allowed to work outside the home. A young couple, Lucas and Angela, try to escape from London - with disastrous consequences.

Thoughts
I do not read Dystopian work much but i was pleasantly suprised by The Miracle Inspector. The first half of the book however, has quite a bit of swearing and sexual content, the second half is more tame and i found i enjoyed the second half far more.

The two main charactors are Angela and her husband Lucas. Lucas rubbed me the wrong way all through the book, he came off as rude, sexist and a bit not all right in the head. Though i did like how he loved his wife very much and even tried to get her gifts (though even these came with alterior motives). Angela was my favorite, she was soft but not stupid, she was a bit brave and caring. Angela had the biggest journey out of both of them, and i liked her story way more then Lucas'.

The ending was rather sad, and i enjoyed the journey up to it. There is no romance per say, no real adventure or action, its more a book to make you think, or a light read. Like i said, i was pleasantly suprised I liked this book as much as i did, and i hope Smith comes out with more books, be they dystopian or not.

Title - Catching Fire (Hunger Games book 2)
Author - Suzanne Collins
Genre - YA/Fantasy/Fiction
Pages - 391
Format Read - Ebook

Thoughts
Catching fire picks up right where The Hunger Games left off. The districts are getting restless and rebellion is flickering into a small flame as Katniss and Peeta take thier tours around to the other 11 districts as the Victors. However, the Council has more tricks up thier sleeves, as this is the 75th anniversery of the Hunger Games. What does this mean? This means its a Quarter Quell, meaning there will be another Hunger Games only 9 months after the previous one. Whats worse: all the districts must put thier previous victors names into the reaping balls.

Its back to the Arena for Katniss.

The charactors are still very real, very alive. Katniss is still determined and strong, Peeta is still just as kind and intelligent. The others, Gale, Prim, the other district persons are fleshed out very well and noone seems to be detached form the story. 10 new tributes are introduced, they range from the very old to the young (Katniss being the youngest) and each has thier own personality, or whom is highligted, there are some tributes we dont really learn about much.  The emotion is also back, i found myself crying several times, laughing several times and grinding my teeth several times.

Collins does a spectacular job describing enviorments and the things in them. The arena is probably the most unique, awe-inspiring and terrifiying place I have come across in a long time, and the Gamemakers dont make it any less so.

Again the Hunger Games series packs an emotional ride full of thrills, and heartache and the ending is one of the most heart wrenching endings Ive come across, I cant wait till i can get my hands on Mockingjay and see how it all comes to a head.

this is my first Follow my Book Blog Friday and Parajunkee hosts it at Parajunkee's View . this sure is a cool way to learn more about my fellow buddy bloggers and connect with them.

this week's question:

What do you do besides reading / reviewing as a hobby ??

what i do:
I play world of warcraft! So, its not a traditional 'hobby' unless you count slaying The Horde and dungeon crawling hobbies (Which I do!) I also draw but not much anymore, kind of in an art slump.

for those of you who wish to follow me through Follow Friday, leave your link and i'll follow back.

Thats right! I have been anxiously waiting till I got 50 followers to hold my first contest, now I cant do it right now since im going on a trip this month but the 1st of January I will have details up. There will be about 6 books given away, and maby some other prizes! its going to be so much fun for me =)

Thank you to all my followers, you guys are TERRIFIC! and I love you all!

Sniffly Kitty's Mostly Books

• Take the book you are reading now and post the third sentence
•  Review this sentence anyway you want (funny and silly reviews encouraged)
•  Post a link to your review here or if you don't have a blog, just post it in the comments!
•  Prepare for next week

Review:
One of those rare occurenses when doctors make mistakes and something horrible happens in the future because of it, scary to think about that it actually does happen.

Next week: Pick the funniest third sentence.

Title - The Stepsister Scheme
 Author - Jim C. Hines
Genre - Fiction/Fantasy
Pages - 352
Challenge - Non YA book challenge
Format Read - Ebook

Thoughts
The stepsister Scheme tells the tale of Danielle (or more known as Cinderella) and what happens after the happily ever after.
Its not so happy.

Danielles prince (Armand) has been captured by her two evil stepsisters (Charlotte and Stacia) and now Danielle must go and get him back, with the help of Snow (Snow White) and Talia (Sleeping Beauty), they will travel into Fairytown in hopes of getting him back. They meet a slew of magical creatures, a furry troll, a gnome, some pixies and Aviars (think pegasus).

The story was really fun, and i liked how the author changed the princesses from disney, to kick butt. there is romance, action, sillyness and lighthearted adventure to this book and i loved it. The enviroments were well thought out and the way they are described is not humdrum nor does Hines take up two pages telling us about a certain hill or tree.

The charactors is where the story really shines. Danielle was a slave girl turned princess and she is still struggling with the transition, this makes her very charming and likable. She grows up throughout the book and i was delighted to see her turn into a strong charactor. Thalia, my personal favorite is the warrior princess of this tale, she is strong, great with a menagiere of weapons and determined. She also has a soft side, and she is not infalliable with her weakness for heights. Snow is the Sorcress and the flirt, she is also said to be the most beautiful of the group. Her magic is a great asset to the group and she is a fun charactor that i also really liked. The villians (Charlotte and Stacia) are good and believable, though sometimes you would get frustrated with them, but thats what villians are for!

This is a delightful short read and i hope the next two in the series are just as good.

Title - Divine Misfortune
Author - A. Lee Martinez
Genre - Fiction/Fantasy
Pages - 320
Challenge- Non YA book challenge
Format Read - Ebook

Teri and Phil had never needed their own personal god. But when Phil is passed up for a promotion - again it's time to take matters into their own hands. And look online. 
Throw in a heartbroken love goddess and an ancient deity bent on revenge and not even the gods can save Teri and Phil.

Thoughts
The charactors themselves were a bit boring, i did not really care for any of them and i did not  really feel connected. I think i really only liked the Goddess of heartbreak Syph. It was nice though to see some of the lesser known gods mentioned as well as some we all know. 
The comedy is fun and it is a book that does not take itself seriously, that is a good thing. 

 If your looking for a short, light read then this is the book for you.

RULES

• grab your current read
• open to a random page (if your doing it e-reader style just use the page your on or a few pages back/forward)
• post up (2) sentances from the book to share
• please try not to include spoilters!

I like to watch his hands as he works, making a blank page bloom with strokes of ink, adding touches of color to our previously black and yellowed book.

                                  Old Irish "poc"  meaning A male goat
                      Scandonavian  "pook" or "puke" meaning Nature Spirit

FACTS

• Shapeshifter (forms are a black goat, an eagle or more commanly a white or black horse with glowing yellow eyes)
• 21st century the Phouka changed from a terrifying spirit to a peaceful garden gnome
• Lives in mountains and hills
• Has the power of human speech
• Assosiated with Samhain, when the last harvest is brought in the remaining crops are considerd 'puka' and are inedible
• November 1st is Phouka's Day, a day when it will act civilly

Phouka In Books

• The Iron King and The Iron Daughter - A Phouka helps out Meghan and watches her
• The Spiderwick Chronicles - The Phouka is a type of Fae that shape-shifts and talks in riddles
• War of the Oaks - A main charactor is a Phouka

Mondays are my 'mythical creature mondays' where i highlight a mythical creature, be it fae, angel, demon, whatever and give a bit of info, a pic or two then some books on where they feature.
but...
Does anyone really even read my posts? do you care?
i know i love reading about mythical creatures, it interests me very much and i do love posting them. I wanted to do something diffrent on mondays then anyone else but if noone is reading them then whats the point?
please let me know!
just to let you in on it.. today would have been the Phouka (Pooka, Puca, Phooka)

Not much since i use my kindle for most my books but i get review books, i buy books and swap books occasionaly, so when i dont have any books ill jsut post up books that i have on my kindle since i have a fair share on it (46 books i believe to be read..)
Review - None
Bought - None
Swap - Ophelia by Lisa Klein
Won - None

The Book Kritik has awarded me with The Versatile Blogger Award. My first award, Thank you! It means so much to me when I get comments and find new blogs to follow and interact with!

The rules of this award are:
1. Share 7 things about yourself
2. Pass The Award to 15 bloggers recently discovered.
3. Notify the blogger recipients
4. Link The blogger who gave the award.

Seven things about myself:
1 - I love getting shots! i get any kind of shot i can just for the fun of it.
2- I am legally blind (but can see well enough to read nad function) just cant drive =(
3- I am allergic to all animals but have 2 dogs and 2 cats.
4- My favorite colors are black and purple
5- I hate sterotypes in books, the goth does NOT have to always do drugs and be the troublemaker, we can be well adjusted and sweet!!
6- I love mythology and lore
7- My favorite animals are red pandas, wolves and hyenas.

Now i guess i give the award to other bloggers, i may not have 15 though since most already have this award >.< but here goes.

1.  aobibliosphere
2.  Lu's Bloody Big Book Blog
3.  Whats Your Story? Reviews
4.   Magical Faeries Paranormal Reviews
5.   A Reading Kabocha
6. A Library Girls Familar Diversions

Title - Ghost Town (Morganville Vampires Book 9)
Author - Rachel Caine
Genre - Paranormal/YA/Fiction
Pages - 352

Description
While developing a new system to maintain Morganville's defenses, student Claire Danvers discovers a way to amplify vampire mental powers. Through this, she's able to re-establish the field around this vampire-infested Texas college town that protects it from outsiders.
But the new upgrades have an unexpected consequence: people inside the town begin to slowly forget who they are-even the vampires. Soon, the town's little memory problem has turned into a full-on epidemic. Now Claire needs to figure out a way to pull the plug on her experiment- before she forgets how to save Morganville...

Thoughts
Starting Ghost Town i was a little wary, how was the story going to progress after Bishop?  i mean, he was the perfect villian. So Caine did something unexpected and terrific, she created the perfect villian, from inside morganville.

People are losing thier memories, and acting all shades of crazy. Claire has to figure out how to  stop the epidemic before she completely forgets how. The story is a tad slow in the beggining and it takes a good chunk of the book to get into the whole memory loss scenerio but when it does its back to tension and twists.

Every one is back. Myrnin, Amelie, Frank, Shane, Eve, Michael and all the others from the  past books. However, Jason was not in the book, I was a bit sad as i really do like Jason.  Everyone is as witty and fun as i remember and loyal too, Hell even Oliver got brownie points  this time!

The ending was shocking and kind of bitter-sweet, a great way to get you ready for the next book (Bite Club) Which comes out May 2nd 2011.

Alright, this is my first Cover Love? post and im only doing it when i find a cover i absolutly love, or hate.

I just finished Ghost Town (morganville vampires bk 9) and i went searching for the next one to see when it comes out (May 2nd 2011) and this is the cover i found, i dont know if it will change and ive never singled out a cover for my inspection and opinion but here we go:

Its a nice cover to be sure, i do love the background with its iron gates and blue, somber tones.
However, while the model for Claire is fine, i guess. I do not like the model for (assuming..) Shane. He looks
dopey and while Shane is not the smartest guy, he is no dope. He also in my opinion, is not cute.
I do like how they look determined , well Claire does Shane just looks like "Hey im pretty, and i know it".. perhaps i have something against Shane?
All in all it is a fine cover and the first one with two people in it if i recall correctly.

Now if only we could get one with Myrnin on it.. lol!

Title - In the Hand of the Goddess
Author - Tamora Pierce
Genre - Fantasy/YA
Pages - 288

Description
I don't want to fall in love. I just want to be a warrior maiden."
Still disguised as a boy, Alanna becomes a squire to none other than the prince of the realm. Prince Jonathan is not only Alanna's liege lord, he is also her best friend -- and one of the few who knows the secret of her true identity. But when a mysterious sorceror threatens the prince's life, it will take all of Alanna's skill, strength, and magical power to protect him -- even at the risk of revealing who she really is...


Filled with swords and sorcery, adventure and intrigue, good and evil, Alanna's second adventure continues the saga of a girl who dares to follow her dreams -- and the magical destiny that awaits her.
Alanna's journey continues...

Thoughts
First off, I ADORE Tamora Pierce her books are clean, not too long and very entertaining.

Alright, back to the review:
In the Hand of the Goddess is the second book in the Song of the Lioness series. Alanna (Alan)
is still at the courts trying to win her shield, and become a knight. However, many dangers are presented as an evil sorceror is trying very hard to kill her and all she loves.  Tamora Pierce has a fabulous way of telling stories, In the Hand of the Goddess is written well and  clear, with no swearing, no sexual scenes (only a bit is implied) and the story flows very smoothly.

The charactors are REAL, Alanna is a strong girl with real worries, fear, hopes and dreams. She is not a spurnned woman out for revenge, she is solely becoming a knight because she wants to do the right thing, she wants to fight for her king and always follow the code of chivalry. The other charactors are just as real. George the thief is sweet and witty and caring, Prince jonathan is just as kind but also has a jelous side.
The other squires round out the cast wonderfully, and Roger is the perfect villian.

I enjoy such light-hearted and fun books that do have a serious side, with battles and plots, In the hand of the Goddess and  the book before are sure to please any age, as well as the two others in the series.

I know, you have probably seem these all before, im a little behind with the WoWs since i only came back 2 weeks ago >.< sorry!

Title - The Iron Witch
Author - Karen Mahoney
Pages - 288
Release - Feb 8 2011
Description
Freak. That's what her classmates call seventeen-year-old Donna Underwood. When she was seven, a horrific fey attack killed her father and drove her mother mad. Donna's own nearly fatal injuries from the assault were fixed by magic—the iron tattoos branding her hands and arms. The child of alchemists, Donna feels cursed by the magical heritage that destroyed her parents and any chance she had for a normal life. The only thing that keeps her sane and grounded is her relationship with her best friend, Navin Sharma.


When the darkest outcasts of Faerie—the vicious wood elves—abduct Navin, Donna finally has to accept her role in the centuries old war between the humans and the fey. Assisted by Xan, a gorgeous half-fey dropout with secrets of his own, Donna races to save her friend—even if it means betraying everything her parents and the alchemist community fought to the death to protect.