Sunday, October 31, 2010

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (Nov. 1, 2010)

It's Monday, What are you reading is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

This week I finished:
Reno's Chance by Lora Leigh - This was on my Kindle which I had with me at KidLit Con last weekend. It is a novella that was originally published in an anthology I don't have. It was a pretty good, erotic romance.

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer - This is a debut paranormal novel for young adults. I enjoyed the author's take on werewolves and I enjoyed the story. My review is here.
After reading Reno's Chance, I went to look on my Kindle for another novella length paranormal to pair with it for review and chose Wolf Tracks by Vivian Arend. This is the fourth in the Granite Lake Wolves series and was a good paranormal romance. I reviewed both here.

A friend lent me a copy of Minder by Kate Kaynak. After reading her glowing review, I decided to move it up the TBR stack. I am glad I did. This was a thoroughly enjoyable young adult paranormal. After finishing it, I immediately added the sequel to my Kindle. My review will be posted on Thursday.

I am currently reading Maybe This Time by Jennifer Crusie. I like her novels. She has a way with crisp, amusing dialog that I really enjoy.

Next week? Well, here is a picture of the most recent (since the school year began) version of my TBR stack. And I am expecting a large number of new releases to arrive on Tuesday. I know two books by Nora Roberts are coming. They will immediately rise to the top of the TBR stack.
TBR arrivals since 9/1/2010
That ought to keep me sufficiently busy for quite a while. What did you read and what's coming up next for you?

 

ARC Giveaway Contest Winners!

It is finally time to announce the winners of my ARC Giveaway Contest. Thanks to everyone who entered. Congratulations to all the winners!
The winner of The Valcourt Heiress is .....

Kathy Habel

The winner of Beautiful Malice is ....

Vivien Propst

The winner of Spooky Little Girl is ...

Heather Morse
The winner of Extraordinary is ...

Mrs. DeRaps
The winner of Halo is ...

Justine Hechanova

The winner of Boys, Bears and a Serious Pair of Hiking Boots is ...

Andrea Oakeson

Your books are all packed and addressed. It is my intention to get to the Post Office after work tomorrow unless something unexpected happens. I hope that everyone enjoys and reviews the ARC they won.

Saturday, October 30, 2010

In My Mailbox (Oct. 31, 2010)

The weekly In My Mailbox post is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It is fun to see what everyone else gets in their mailboxes, shopping bags, and library visits. Click on the link to The Story Siren's site to see the rules and join in the fun.
I guarantee that your TBR pile will grow when you see all the cool books everyone gets. You will discover lots of wonderful blogs and lots of books that you won't be able to live without.

I discovered quite a few books this week that I could not live without. I added these to my Kindle:
I noticed that there were two more novellas in the Serengeti series and had to add them. I chose Serengeti Lightning and Serengeti Storm both by Vivi Andrews. Each is just a quick romantic-bordering-on-erotic story featuring shapeshifters.

I also got Wolf Tracks: Granite Lake Wolves, Book 4 by Vivian Andrews to find out how TJ finally finds his mate. This was a very nice romance. Although I think the female lead managed to accept the whole idea of people shifting to wolves rather quickly.
I also added the next two books by J. K. Beck to my Kindle this week. I added When Wicked Craves and When Pleasure Rules. I have the first book in the series on the Kindle already but have not yet had a chance to read it.
I couldn't neglect my physical TBR stack this week. I added these titles:
  • Ten Ways to Be Adored When Landing a Lord by Sarah MacLean because I enjoyed the first book in this series and do like a nice historical romance once in a while.
  • A Rumor of Bones by Beverly Connor is the first in a mystery series. I read about this on one of the many blogs I follow and was intrigued enough to hunt down this book.
  • Prisoners in the Palace by Michaela MacColl was another book that I learned about by reading someone's blog. This is a combination of historical fiction, mystery and romance and really appealed to me.
I am a fan of David Weber's Honor Harrington series. I thought I would try Out of the Dark even though it is in a new series. Somehow the idea of humans and vampires fighting off an alien invasion appealed to me.

I also chose the anthology Haunted by Your Touch primarily because it includes a new story by Jeaniene Frost. I haven't read anything by either of the other two authors.

That was my week. What landed in your mailbox?


Reviews: Quick Takes from the Kindle

Reno's Chance
Author: Lora Leigh
Publication: St. Martin's Griffin (August 24, 2010)


Description: Reno’s Chance- never before released as a standalone novella! Previously published in the anthology   Honk If You Love Real Men.


Ever since she was a little girl, Raven McIntire has secretly pined and longed for her best friend's sexy older brother, Reno, a Navy SEAL who has just returned home from duty. What she doesn't realize is that his only true mission is to get into her heart and get her into his bed.


My Thoughts: This was a fun, erotic romance. Reno has had enough waiting. Now that Raven is an adult he feels free to convince her that she is the only one for him. Raven has loved Reno for years but is afraid to commit to him because he has a dangerous job as a Navy SEAL. Her father was a SEAL and he and her mother fought all the time about the career. The main thing that Reno has to do is convince her that she is not her mother. Very heated!


Wolf Tracks: Granite Lake Wolves, Book 4
Author: Vivian Arend
Publcation: Samhain Publishing, Ltd. (October 26, 2010)


Description: Score one for the underdog…er…wolf.


Granite Lake Wolves, Book 4


TJ Lynus is a legend in Granite Lake, both for his easygoing demeanor—and his clumsiness. His carefree acceptance of his lot vanishes, though, when his position as best man brings him face to face with someone he didn’t expect. His mate. His very human mate. Suddenly, one thing is crystal clear: if he intends to claim her, his usual laid-back attitude isn’t going to cut it.


After fulfilling her maid-of-honor duties, Pam Quinn has just enough time for a Yukon wilderness trip before returning south. The instant attraction between her and TJ tempts her to indulge in some Northern Delight, but when he drops the F-bomb—“forever”—she has second thoughts. In her world, true love is a fairytale that seldom, if ever, comes true.


Okay, so maybe staging a kidnapping wasn’t TJ’s best idea, but at least Pam has the good humor to agree to his deal. He’ll give her all the northern exposure she can stand—and she won’t break his kneecaps.


Now to convince her that fairytales can remake her world—and that forever is worth fighting for.


By popular demand: Clumsy sidekick wolf grows up, sarcasm reigns, and the wilderness gets wilder. Includes hot nookie in places you expect—like a remote cabin—and places you don’t.


My Thoughts: This was a great return to the world of the Granite Lake wolves. I liked TJ having a chance to come into his own and find his own mate. Too bad his mate is full human, older than he is, and only interested in a fling. It takes a kidnapping and time alone for her to realize that TJ is the man... err... wolf, for her. This was a romantic story set in the lovely, Canadian? wilderness. I liked the humor and the strong emotions shown. It is just TJ's luck that Pam is a canine patrol officer for the RCMP. 


Both of these works were novella length. Both were enjoyable romances with sympathetic and believable characters. 


Favorite Quote (from Reno's Chance):
What good did it do a man to fight the endless wars, to survive the wounds and the loss of friends when there was no warmth left in his life? Only fantasies. And it was time to make the fantasies come to life

Friday, October 29, 2010

Friday Memes: Minder by Kate Kaynak

I felt the eyes on the back of my head, like a too-warm itch within my skull. Someone was watching me.
This was the gripping, opening paragraph of Minder by Kate Kaynak*. It really drew me in and made me want to know who was watching and how the main character could feel it.


Friday 56: Page 56, sentence 5:
I thought about these special abilities we all had. Were they part of a divine plan?
I haven't gotten to this part yet. I am eager to know what special abilities "they" have and who "they" are.  


Book Beginning is new hosted by Katy at A Few More Pages and the Friday 56 is in the process of switching hosts. The new host will be announced on Storytime with Tonya and Friends next week. 


*Sorry, but it looks like Blogger is having an issue with uploading pictures this evening. Clicking on the link will bring you to the book's Amazon page with a picture and a description of the story.



Thursday, October 28, 2010

Review: Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

Nightshade
Author: Andrea Cremer
Publication: Philomel (October 19, 2010)


Description: Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything--including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?


My Thoughts: I'm not really sure what to say about this book. I enjoyed it but it took me almost a week to read. I think I read so slowly because of the emotional intensity of the story. Calla was an interesting character who was trying to balance duty with her own need for independence. Calla was conflicted. She has power and responsibility as an alpha but she lacked freedom of choice. She was often jealous of some of the other wolves in her pack because she thought that they had the freedom to love who they wanted to and form their own relationships.


She was raised as an alpha who guided the younger wolves in the Nightshade pack. But she was also fated to be the mate of the male alpha of the Bane pack. In the society that made her go from a superior position to a subordinate one. The example of her own mother's subservience to the Bane pack alpha showed her what her own future could hold. Also, the Nightshade pack and the Bane pack were rivals. She doesn't really know her fated mate very well. Ren has been a "play the field" type of alpha who has dated just about everyone in their school while Calla has been required to be pure and untouched.


When Calla saves Shay's life, she starts on a journey of discovery. She had never considered that there might be someone in her future except Ren. But Shay didn't know about her intended future and encourages her to get to know and fall in love with him. She has never had too much to do with humans as most of the human students at the school are afraid of the wolves. Shay isn't afraid of her and is constantly challenging her attitudes and beliefs. Shay is also very curious about the wolves and the Keepers. His research is teaching him that the history Calla knows is wrong. 


Since we are seeing the story from Calla's point of view, we don't learn as much about the motives and personalities of the two boys - Ren and Shay - as I would like. We see Ren as a confident young alpha who is protecting his pack and seems to respect Calla. However, he is pushing Calla to disregard the whole purity thing and become intimate with him. We see Shay as a human who is new to the situation and is used to being on his own. His uncle drags him from place to place with him which keeps him from forming friendships and attachments. It also makes him a little single-minded about getting his way.


We do get a pretty good look at the society that Calla lives in. The wolves are the sworn soldiers of the Keepers and are given pretty much anything that they want. However, they are completely under control of the Keepers and the minions of the Keepers including the wraiths. They even refer to the Keepers as their masters. The glimpses of the Keepers indicate that there is something rotten there. The Keeper in charge of the Bane pack is abusing one of the young female werewolves in Ren's group. They use their magic and wraiths to control and punish unruly wolves. 


Calla and Ren know that they have been fated from birth to mate and form a new pack which will combine the young wolves of both the Banes and the Nightshades. They didn't know that their master would be the son of the master of the Bane pack and ready to follow in his father's footsteps. Only this time his victim is one of the young male wolves. 


Calla is forced to make changes and decisions that will affect her whole life because of the things she and Shay learn about the Keepers and their enemies the Searchers. In a sense this is a coming of age story as Calla goes from the blissful ignorance of childhood to the broader world view of an adult. 


I recommend this book to readers who are fans of Twilight and werewolves. I think it would be better suited for older YAs because of some of the sexual references. The only actual intimate activities shown in the story are kissing and some petting but other things occur off-stage.


Did I mention the cliff-hanger ending?


Favorite Quote:
I could smell his fear but was intrigued by the other, more alluring scents beneath it. Clover, rain, sun-warmed fields. I leaned toward him, taking in the shape of his lips, the light in his pale green eyes. He wasn't looking at me like I was a freak. His eyes were full of fear and wanting. I wondered what he could see in my eyes.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Teaser Tuesday: Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week my teaser comes from Nightshade by Andrea Cremer. This is a werewolf story by a 2010 YA Debut Author. Here is the Amazon product description:
Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything--including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?
Here is my teaser:
"You risked your life to save mine?" He took a step toward me. I watched him move closer, blood roaring in my ears.


When his hands cupped my face, closing in so his lips almost touched mine, I shivered. Looking into his eyes, feeling the warmth of his breath on my skin, I knew I'd do it again, no matter the price. 
I am enjoying this book very much so far. It is such a unique take on the whole werewolf myth.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (Oct. 25, 2010)

It's Monday, What are you reading is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey 
It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week.  It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

I had an extremely busy week and, therefore, a slow reading week.

I read:

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff and enjoyed the moody, dark story very much. This is Yovanoff's debut young adult book. It tells the story of young boy who was a sick fae traded for a healthy human baby and who has, beyond all expectations, grown up to be a teenager. I reviewed the book here

Me on the left and Ms. Yovanoff on the right.
I also had a chance to meet Brenna Yovanoff, hear her speak, and get my book autographed this weekend. It was great to hear how she, Maggie Stiefvater and Tessa Gratton work as critique partners. 

KidLit Con 2010 was an amazing experience. It was wonderful to hear three amazing authors - Maggie Stiefvater, Tessa Gratton, and Brenna Yovanoff. It was also great to meet so many bloggers that I have been following since I became interested in the Kidlitosphere. I also had a chance to meet people from some publishing houses and some publicists. All in all, it was a wonderful but exhausting couple of days.

The only other book I completed this week was Eternal Hunger by Laura Wright. This is the first book in a new paranormal romance/urban fantasy series by a debut author. I enjoyed the story and look forward to reading the other books in the trilogy. I received the book as a part of LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program and reviewed it here and on the LibraryThing site. 



I am currently reading Nightshade by Andrea Cremer. This is her young adult debut book and focuses on werewolves. Besides being a paranormal, it is also another teenage love triangle. Calla has to choose between the wolf she has been destined to marry since birth and the mysterious new human boy who is somehow involved with her world. I brought it with me this weekend and had time to read less than one chapter. I really want to get back to this book.


Next week? Well, it's a mystery! I have so many good choices on my TBR stack that I just don't know what I'll be choosing.  Jennifer Crusie's Maybe This Time has been calling my name but so has Janet Evanovich's Wicked Appetite. I think I might be going through a "red" phase.
What was your week like? I hope it was filled with wonderful books. Remember, too, that this is the last week to enter my ARC Giveaway. Please help me clean off my shelves!

Saturday, October 23, 2010

In My Mailbox (Oct. 24, 2010)

The weekly In My Mailbox post is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It is fun to see what everyone else gets in their mailboxes, shopping bags, and library visits. Click on the link to The Story Siren's site to see the rules and join in the fun.
I guarantee that your TBR pile will grow when you see all the cool books everyone gets. You will discover lots of wonderful blogs and lots of books that you won't be able to live without.

This was another good week for me.
I finally received my print copy of Cryoburn by Lois McMaster Bujold. This one also includes a CD-ROM that has all the previous Vorkosigan novels and all sorts of other information too. Quite a deal for just $13.99. I read the eARC in August and am very tempted to read the print version again. Bujold is one of those authors that I can read again and again. Each time I'm swept into the world and see something I didn't see on any previous reading.

Weight of Stone by Laura Anne Gilman is the second in the Vinehart War series. I enjoyed the first book even though I have no knowledge of or interest in wine making and want to make time soon to read this one. I am fascinated by the system of magic Gilman has created for these books. 
I received an ARC of Eternal Hunger by Laura Wright from the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program. I am reading it now and finding it very good. It is the first in a new series of urban fantasy/paranormal romance by this debut author.

I also went shopping at the Kindle Store for free books and added a few. 

Chinatown Beat by Henry Chang is the first in the Detective Jack Yu series of mysteries. It sounded like it would be something different. I like visiting places I would never otherwise see when I read. New York's Chinatown is one of those places.
The 7th Victim by Alan Jacobson is a psychological thriller that got mixed reviews. It sounded like another change-of-pace book for me.

Sandman Slim by Richard Kadrey was free when I downloaded it but now I see that it is priced at $7.99 again. But look around, the free version with bonus content is still available. This is a noir thriller that is supposed to be over the top and funny. 
The Bite Before Christmas by Heidi Betts was also free but now is listed for $8.96. It contains three Christmas themed vampire stories. 

The Ghost Shrink, The Accidental Gigolo and The Poltergeist Accountant by Vivi Andrews. I love the warning: Warning: This book contains cheesy pick-up lines, amateur stripteases, and voyeuristic intentions – all by dead men. And the living behave just as badly…
I was also lucky enough to win these two ebooks in a contest at Chrissie's Corner. I was pleased to add them to my Kindle too. Both are by H. P. Mallory - Fire Burn & Cauldron Bubble and To Kill a Warlock. The covers make them look like light paranormals but the book descriptions on Amazon don't sound that way. I'm eager to see what the books are really like. 

That was my week. What did you get in your mailbox? While you are here don't forget to enter my ARC Giveaway. This contest to clean my shelf of ARCs ends on 10/31.

Review: Cryoburn by Lois McMaster Bujold

Cryoburn
Author: Lois McMaster Bujold
Publication: Baen; Har/Cdr edition (October 19, 2010)


Description: Kibou-daini is a planet obsessed with cheating death. Barrayaran Imperial Auditor Miles Vorkosigan can hardly disapprove—he’s been cheating death his whole life, on the theory that turnabout is fair play. But when a Kibou-daini cryocorp—an immortal company whose job it is to shepherd its all-too-mortal frozen patrons into an unknown future—attempts to expand its franchise into the Barrayaran Empire, Emperor Gregor dispatches his top troubleshooter Miles to check it out.


On Kibou-daini, Miles discovers generational conflict over money and resources is heating up, even as refugees displaced in time skew the meaning of generation past repair. Here he finds a young boy with a passion for pets and a dangerous secret, a Snow White trapped in an icy coffin who burns to re-write her own tale, and a mysterious crone who is the very embodiment of the warning Don’t mess with the secretary. Bribery, corruption, conspiracy, kidnapping—something is rotten on Kibou-daini, and it isn’t due to power outages in the Cryocombs. And Miles is in the middle—of trouble!


My Thoughts: I can't say enough good things about this book or this series. Miles is a wonderful character. He is a child of privilege who was born with deformities that made some members of his mutation-averse culture clamor for his death. He is a plot magnet because some theories say he is better suited by ancestry to be emperor than the current emperor. He is a hyperactive genius. He is intensely loyal to his planet and his emperor but not averse to calling out both when he thinks they are wrong.


In this story, Miles has settled into being an Imperial Auditor and has settled into being a family man surrounded by his wife and four young children. Because Imperial Auditors are Emperor Gregor's troubleshooters, Miles is sent to see what is going on on Kibou-Daini and to make sure that whatever it is doesn't constitute a threat to the Barrayaran Empire. Miles is of the opinion that anything worth doing is worth over-doing. So his visit to Kibu-Daini has the potential to remake the planet. Even though his loyal armsman/assistant/bodyguard keeps telling him that it is not his job.


While Bujold does explore the implications of successful cryofreezing of the elderly on society, the science doesn't overwhelm the book. Her science fiction is very much character-oriented. Her characters are well-drawn and very realistic. Each has and shows a unique personality and viewpoint. She makes you care about even minor characters in her stories.


An interesting point in this series is that we get a chance to see Miles Vorkosigan through the viewpoints of characters who don't know him or his history. Jin, a young boy who is a native of Kibu-Daini, provides one of the voices. He is an animal lover who has run away from the aunt and uncle who have been caring for him since his mother was seized by one of the cryocorps and frozen to silence her protests against the corporations. Jin has fallen in with a rogue cryofreezing operation that is determined to offer this option to those who could not otherwise afford it. When Jin discovers Miles wandering on the street under the influence of drugs that are causing halucinations, he takes Miles home with him and, therefore, involves Miles in his life.


The Miles Vorkosigan series is filled with characters who will take root in your heart. And, after being seduced by the remarkable characters, you will be dipping into the books again and again because of the beautiful language, crisp dialog, and underlying good humor of the stories. 


Buying the hardcover of Cryoburn now not only introduces you to a very memorable character but gives you the rest of the series too. Each first edition hardcover comes with a CD-ROM that contains almost all the books. (I haven't checked this myself but am told that Memory is not here.) Here is information from the CD:
You are about to start playing with a new Baen CD-ROM. Welcome! It includes not only the latest book in the series, Cryoburn, but the ENTIRE Vorkosigan Saga in several formats—and The Vorkosigan Companion—all of it beautifully unencrypted and unencumbered. But wait, there’s more! Also on this disk are interviews with author Lois McMaster Bujold, and various other interesting tidbits including a sample of the French language Miles Vorkosiagn graphic novel! More than fourteen novels for free—and with no stupid codes to work around. Think of that.
That is quite a bargain for the $13.99 that Amazon and The Book Depository are asking for this book today. I can't recommend this book highly enough. But I will say "Buy it, buy it NOW!"


Favorite Quote:
She blew out her lips in a short laugh. "At the time, I didn't think we'd go more than a year before we all ended up in jail. I figured it more of a hopeless protest than anything. Then the street people started coming in, even more desperate than we were, and we found we couldn't quit. Couldn't betray them as everyone else had."


"The world is make by people who show up for the job," Miles agreed.

Friday, October 22, 2010

ARC Review: Eternal Hunger by Laura Wright

Eternal Hunger
Author: Laura Wright
Publication: Signet (October 5, 2010)


Description: A dark and sexy debut paranormal romance 

In the dark, fear and desire are one... 


Alexander Roman wants nothing to do with those of his vampire breed. Fate places him at the door of Dr. Sara Donohue, who is dedicated to removing patients' traumatic memories. But as their world's collide, Sara and Alexander are bound by something even stronger as one becomes hunter and the other, prey. And Sara's only chance of survival is to surrender to the final-and most unimaginable-desire of her life.



My Thoughts: This was a great start to a new series. It was a hot, paranormal romance. Alexander Roman had escaped the safe, restrictive life that most vampires lead. However, the Order who controlled vampires wanted something from him and forced him to morph into the kind of vampire that has many fantastic powers but who can no longer go out into the sunlight. Also, morphed vampires have only two choices. Either they are Breeding Males who are animalistic and obsessed with sex or they have true mates that they are compelled to search for. Alexander is the son of a Breeding Male and does not want to be one himself. 


Dr. Sara Donohue is a psychiatrist. She has been working for years to help her brother get over the trauma of an accident that she caused and that have cost him his voice and left him with terrible burns. The brother is not doing well. Sara spends a lot of time with him. One of her other patients is jealous and fixated on her. If he can't have her, he is willing to kill her. 


Sara and Alexander meet when she save him from being caught by the sun after he morphs unexpectedly. He has collapsed outside her door. When she brings him in, her crazy patient is inside her home waiting to kill her. Alexander saves her but the psycho escapes.


Alexander is morphed early in order to track down a vampire that is trying to upset the vampire lifestyle. The Order has tasked Alexander with the job of killing this vampire or else. Otherwise, they will also prematurely morph his two younger brothers too.


While Sara and Alex are attracted to each other (at least, they are after Sara gets over the idea that he is a vampire), Alexander knows that as a morphed male he has to find his true mate and no human can be a vampire's true mate. Sara knows that too but her feelings continue to grow stronger and stronger. 


The sexual tension made the book sizzle. I recommend this one to lovers of paranormal romance. I look forward to further books in this series to find out if the brothers also find their mates.


Favorite Quote:
She locked eyes and growled back, "Listen to me, vampire, and listen well. The only thing I'm afraid of is me! That's it. Afraid of what's happening inside me. Things I want, things that don't make any kind of sense for a human to want." Her voice cracked with emotion, but she kept going. "I'm afraid of being without you, never feeling again the way I feel when i'm with you. I'm afraid of never seeing your eyes again or your mouth, or hearing your voice. I'm afraid you'll never allow yourself to fill the emptiness in my heart, my soul, or my body--"

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Review: The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

The Replacement
Author: Brenna Yovanoff
Publication: Razorbill (September 21, 2010)


Description: Mackie Doyle is not one of us. Though he lives in the small town of Gentry, he comes from a world of tunnels and black murky water, a world of living dead girls ruled by a little tattooed princess. He is a Replacement, left in the crib of a human baby sixteen years ago. Now, because of fatal allergies to iron, blood, and consecrated ground, Mackie is fighting to survive in the human world.

Mackie would give anything to live among us, to practice on his bass or spend time with his crush, Tate. But when Tate's baby sister goes missing, Mackie is drawn irrevocably into the underworld of Gentry, known as Mayhem. He must face the dark creatures of the Slag Heaps and find his rightful place, in our world, or theirs.


My Thoughts: I enjoyed this story about how a changeling could survive in our modern, technological times. Mackie has grown used to trying to fade into the background to hide the fact that he is a replacement. The town of Gentry is has decided on a conspiracy of silence. However, they still know that the other unnamed ones are there. 


Mackie's dad is a minister but Mackie can't step on consecrated ground. His dad keeps trying to find a way that he can seem more normal to the other people in the town. Mackie's mom is a strange character. She won't speak of the others but she knows they are there. She feels guilt that her real son was taken though she does love Mackie. The one who has had the most influence on Mackie's survival is his sister Emma. Emma is the one who is constantly trying to make it possible for Mackie to live. She even makes a deal with one of the others that draws Mackie to the world that he hadn't visited since he was switched as a baby. 


Mackie has a few close friends. His friend Roswell knows he is different and accepts him anyway. Roswell is confident, smart and popular and tries to get Mackie to see that he doesn't need to always be alone. Mackie has a crush on Alice who is a cute mean girl. She is someone that he can want from a distance because he feels she is out of his league. 


He is also friends with Tate. His relationship with her changes when her little sister is taken and the replacement left for her dies. Tate doesn't want to accept this as a cost of living in Gentry. She wants someone to acknowledge what happened. Her need forces Mackie to come out of the shadows and to confront his heritage. 


I liked the descriptions of the others. I liked seeing how they interacted with the town of Gentry. I liked the very non-human responses. I liked how Mackie was unwilling to accept that the old way of doing things was the was things still had to be done.


I recommend this book to young adult fantasy readers. There is a lot to think about here. 


Favorite Quote:
I was just doing my part, playing invisible. That when you're tired all the time and have to keep your sleeves pulled down over your hands so you don't accidentally touch a handle or a doorknob and a good day is defined by the fact that no one noticed you exist, that's pretty depressing. But it's not clinical.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Teaser Tuesday: The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:



  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My teaser this week is from the 2010 YA Debut novel by Brenna Yovanoff - The Replacement. Daniel Kraus, in his Booklist review, says the book is "shockingly original and frequently breathtaking."


The teaser:
Forget Tate. Forget dead kids and bloody lockers and the deep, pulsing ache I got whenever I thought about my family or my future. This was my life, right here.

And I wanted it.
Don't forget to enter my ARC Giveaway. It is for followers and ends Oct. 31.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (Oct. 18, 2010)

It's Monday, What are you reading is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey 
 
It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week.  It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

This was not my favorite week. My bronchitis didn't respond to the first antibiotic. So I visited the doctor again and went on a stronger antibiotic. I think, finally, that the cough is going away. I was disappointed not to be able to attend the Book Blogger Get-together at the Twin Cities Book Festival this past weekend but I think the rest was better for me. 

I only read two books during the week.
I thought Troubled Waters by Sharon Shinn was a wonderful read. I look forward to reading more in this new fantasy world. Click on the title to see my review.

Harvest Moon, the anthology with stories by Mercedes Lackey, Michelle Sagara, and Cameron Haley, took the most time this week. I just couldn't get into the 500 Kingdoms story by Mercedes Lackey that took up the first third of the book. I thought the story had some interesting bits. I liked the inside look at the Greek cods and the Persephone myth but I thought the story just dragged. I really enjoyed the story by Sagara that told how Kaylin Neya first became a part of the Hawks. The third story was by an author new to me. The main character managed to combine gangsters and magic.

This weekend, I decided to hold my own Middle Grade Read-a-thon. I had won a pack of 5 middle grade books recently and the need to rest made this a good time to read them.
I began by reading Spaceheadz by Jon Scieszka. This was a fun story about a fifth grader who needs to help some aliens recruit SPHDZ to keep Earth from being turned off.

The Case of the Case of Mistaken Identity by Mac Barnett is the first in the Brixton Brothers series about a young boy who wants to be a detective and learns all about detecting by reading the Bailey Brothers mysteries. 
Amelia Rules: The Tweenage Guide to Not Being Unpopular by Jimmy Gownley was a graphic novel. I enjoyed this middle grade take on popularity.

We the Children (Benjamin Pratt and the Keepers of the School) by Andrew Clements is the first book in a planned 6 book series. This one was mainly set up and introduction of characters. I was interested enough that I will be reading the rest as they become available.

Nightmare at the Book Fair by Dan Gutman was the story of a non-reading boy who is knocked unconscious by a pile of books when he was setting up for a book fair and wakes to find himself in a book himself. Each chapter places our hero in another genre of books. I found it really funny.

Since I know that the next week is going to be really busy, I decided to schedule these reviews for later publication. I have set them up so that there will be a new review each Tuesday and Thursday on my Ms. Martin Teaches Media blog.


The next book I plan to read is The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff. I am attending Kidlit Con 2010 in Minneapolis this weekend and will have a chance to meet her and Maggie Stiefvater and other authors and bloggers too. I am really excited to take part in this. I just mapquested the driving directions.

However, before Kidlit Con 2010, I have a busy week here at school. We have Parent-Teacher Conferences this week. Monday and Tuesday are 7:30 AM to 7:00 PM workdays for me. Wednesday is only 7:30 until 11:30 AM though and Thursday and Friday are days off. My friend and I will be leaving for the Cities on Friday afternoon and returning home late on Saturday evening.

I don't know how much reading time will fit into this week's schedule. I am planning to bring my Kindle and books to be autographed to the Cities with me. I hope to have some time to read.