Blog Tour/Guest Review: The Hum and the Shiver

The Hum and the Shiver by Alex Bledsoe, 2011. 304 pages. Published by Tor Books. Source: PR by the Book/Publisher.

No one knows where the Tufa came from, or how they ended up in the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee, yet when the first Europeans arrived, they were already there. Dark-haired, enigmatic, and suspicious of outsiders, the Tufa live quiet lives in the hills and valleys of Cloud County. While their origins may be lost to history, there are clues in their music—hints of their true nature buried in the songs they have passed down for generations.

Private Bronwyn Hyatt returns from Iraq wounded in body and in spirit, only to face the very things that drove her away in the first place: her family, her obligations to the Tufa, and her dangerous ex-boyfriend. But more trouble lurks in the mountains and hollows of her childhood home. Cryptic omens warn of impending tragedy, and a restless “haint” lurks nearby, waiting to reveal Bronwyn’s darkest secrets. Worst of all, Bronwyn has lost touch with the music that was once a vital part of her identity.

With death stalking her family, Bronwyn will need to summon the strength to take her place among the true Tufa and once again fly on the night winds. . . .

First Sentence:

A screech owl stood on the porch rail, its tiny talons scratching against the wood.  

Toradora 2

Toradora 2 by Yuyuko Takemiya and Zekkyo, 2011. 192 pages. Published by Seven Seas. Source: Publisher for review.

Ryuji Takasu thought that his ill-fated luck had turned around now that he was in Junior High and sitting next to the girl of his dreams, Minori Kushieda. Ryuji was wrong; for after he unwittingly crossed the most feared and fearsome girl in school, Taiga Aisaku, everything went off the deep end!
It’s taken time, but Ryuji and Taiga have slowly found some common ground and can at least tolerate each other. The problem is everyone in Ryuji’s class is now convinced that he and Taiga are dating—even Minori! To make matters even more embarassing, Minori has given Ryuji and Taiga her blessing. How’s Ryuji ever going to win Minori's heart now?!

First Sentence:

You too, Takasu-kun.

Wish List Wednesday (66)

Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver, October 4, 2011. Published by HarperCollins.

Liesl lives in a tiny attic bedroom, locked away by her cruel stepmother. Her only friends are the shadows and the mice—until one night a ghost appears from the darkness. It is Po, who comes from the Other Side. Both Liesl and Po are lonely, but together they are less alone.
That same night, an alchemist's apprentice, Will, bungles an important delivery. He accidentally switches a box containing the most powerful magic in the world with one containing something decidedly less remarkable
Will's mistake has tremendous consequences for Liesl and Po, and it draws the three of them together on an extraordinary journey.

Why: Because I think that Liesl & Po sounds fantastic, plus I could so go for adding another mid-grade read to my reading list. Also, I just adore the cover and title for it.

Wild Ones 1 by Kiyo Fujiwara, 2007. Published by Viz Media LLC.

Sachie Wakamura just lost her mother, and her estranged grandfather has shown up to take care of her. The only problem is that grandpa is the head of a yakuza gang! Too scared to join her new family, Sachie tries to continue living her normal life. She can't run far though, since one of the most popular guys in school is part of her grandfather's gang and her new protector. No one at school knows about Rakuto's hidden life, and soon Sachie finds herself falling for her bodyguard. But she's the granddaughter of Rakuto's boss, and he can never show his feelings for her. Can Sachie find a way to fit into her new family and grab her chance at love?

Why: Wild Ones makes my WLW this week because it sounds like it will be a laugh, kind of along the lines of Gentleman's Alliance Cross (which I highly enjoyed reading earlier this year).

Teaser Tuesday (58)

Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. To participate, simply 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 & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Soul Mates

Soul Mates by Kerry Mirza, 2011. 252 pages. Published by Tate Publishing. Source: Author for review.

How sure are you? What if everything you ever believed in was put to the ultimate test? Nicholas Bishop, passing from the physical earth a century prior, never thought death would be so complicated. Now he has an active role in the Presence, a Tracer trapped in the Plexus, where he is charged with dispatching evil souls to hell without actually falling to the dark side himself. The two groups in the Plexus, Tracers and Hailites, are in charge of balancing the power of good. However, the peace between them is waning. Will that end in disaster? To make matters worse, a new partner is introduced to the Plexus. Bonnie, a Hailite, may be all that Nicholas needs to survive his past and future. Will his interest in Bonnie cause the Presence to fall to the demons? Or will Bonnie be exactly what Nicholas needsa Soul Mate? In this fast-paced, thought-proving book, you'll follow along as the unseen battle rages on...

First Sentence:

It is upon my final hour that I leave this missive behind, in the hopes that it will save another as I was not saved. 

Audio Book Review: Blood Red Road

Blood Red Road (Dustlands, 1) written by Moira Young, read by Heather Lind, 2011. Discs: 9. Hours:  . Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Source: Publisher for review.

Saba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That's fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother Lugh is around. But when a monster sandstorm arrives, along with four cloaked horsemen, Saba's world is shattered. Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on an epic quest to get him back.
Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the world outside of desolate Silverlake, Saba is lost without Lugh to guide her. So perhaps the most surprising thing of all is what Saba learns about herself: she's a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. And she has the power to take down a corrupt society from the inside. Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization.

First Sentence:

Lugh got born first.

Wish List Wednesday (65)

Starcrossed (Starcrossed, 1) by Josephine Angelini, 2011. Published by HarperTeen.

How do you defy destiny?

Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.
As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.

Teaser Tuesday (57)

Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. To participate, simply 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 & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Prophecy of the Guardian

Prophecy of the Guardian (Guardians of the Seventh Realm, 1) by J.W. Baccaro, 2010. 318 pages. Published by Whiskey Creek Press. Source: Author for review.

The Second Great War between the Light and the Dark has begun, and Abaddon the Demon Lord is searching for the four ancient Wizard Crystals of the Elements.
Once the Crystals are in his hands, and corrupted to evil, he will destroy the forces of Light upon the earth, and transform the world into eternal darkness.

But Darshun Luthais, one of the last Nasharin warriors, along with a few companions, sets out on a quest to find the Crystals first. Along the journey they encounter giant six-legged serpents, the ruthless Cullach, and other entities of darkness; yet the most challenging obstacle is Darshun's constant struggle against temptations of evil, and his vow to hold to the faith of all who are calling him the Guardian—the prophesied warrior who will bring down the Demon Lord.

First Sentence:

As a summer heat scorched the land, the stink of death could be sensed miles away.

Prophecy of the Guardian starts off with the the people of Loreladia who are forced to leave their kingdom behind after they suffered a grievous lost during their last battle with the Cullach.
  One of the most fascinating things about this book, to me, would have to be the Nasharins and when they transformed (or used their unique abilities). I really liked how the three that were mentioned all had different abilities.
   The pacing of PotG was fairly quick, although there wer a few points when the story seemed to kind of lag. Like when Darshun's training was being covered, but other than that it a pretty quick read. 

My hope is that in the next book Darshun will have matured a little and that he won't be so easily deceived. Definitely looking forward to seeing where the story will go in the next book, especially since the ending of the first was very open ended.

Darshun, I thought he was a pretty okay character. That is until he royally screwed up and let his hormones get in the way...okay so I'm pretty sure the girl is evil and maybe even seduced him, but gosh I just wanted to throttle him near the end of the book. So cross out his idiocy near the end of the book and he's actually a fairly interesting character, but I liked him best when he was a happy-go-luck kind of person.
  As for Mirabel I found him to be probably the most interesting out of the whole cast. Why, because he had more back story then some of the others, plus his personality was one that seemed to catch your attention more and pull you in.

What I liked best about Prophecy of the Guardian were the monsters that the good guys were up against. I thought they were some of the most vile, loathsome creatures that I've read about in a while and the fact that they were absolutely ruthless was a bonus. This might seem like an odd thing for my favorite part of a book, but for me if the villain is weak or sub par it just will not hold my attention.
    While I really enjoyed reading Prophecy of the Guardian I have just one minor complaint. I felt that there was maybe just a bit too many things added to the mythos of the story, you had wizards who were fallen angels, elves, and horrible creatures all in one book. While it did make for interesting reading to see how everything all tied together, I felt that maybe there were just a few too many different beings in the book.

Content (will contain spoilers/highlight to see): This book is relatively clean until the last chapter or two, when Darshun and girl (I forget her name) sleep together. Language, I don't recall any while reading it.
Prophecy of the Guardian is also pretty violent at some points (beheading, loss of limbs, just general  acts of violence that happen in fantasy books with war).

Final Verdict: Prophecy of the Guardian

Prophecy of the Guardian earns 4 out of 5 pineapples.

Frightful Fall Reviewers Challenge (Sign-Ups)

Welcome to the Sign Up Page for the Frightful Fall Reviewers Challenge. The weather has definitely began to cool, and fall is pretty much knocking on the door, so what better way to get into the season than with the Frightful Reviewers Challenge. Which I'll be co-hosting with the lovely Kai and Michelle.

This Challenge is hosted by Kai @ Fiction State of Mind, Michelle The True Book Addict @ Castle Macabre  and me.
The Challenge Runs October 1st - October 31st
HOW IT WORKS

•  Create a post stating your intent to join the Challenge and add it to the linky. You MUST be registered to to be eligible for Prizes
•   READ! The theme is Frightful Fall so any book that has thrills and chills, vamps and were's, Mystery and Suspense qualifies.
•  Starting October 1st through the 31st Link up your reviews. They must be full reviews not just a few lines.
•  That's It!

PRIZES
3 WINNERS WILL BE CHOSEN on November 1st
One winner will win an ARC of Frost by Marianna Baer and a book mark for First Kill and Sweet Venom (US only).
Two winners will each win a Sweet Venom and First  Kill bookmark (open international).

Though its NOT Required, Signing up and Posting your Reviews on the other two blogs gives you more chances to win

Note: Link reviews in comment section of this post, and I'll add them to another post the next day.
Also be sure to check out Michelle's Fearful Fall Readathon October 3rd- 9th

100 YA Books

Okay, I have seen this on a ton of blogs that I follow, and have finally decided to see how many I have read.
Bold = I've read it
Italic = I own it but haven't read it
Blue = I want to read it
1. Alex Finn – Beastly
2. Alice Sebold – The Lovely Bones
3. Ally Carter – Gallagher Girls (1, 2, 3, 4)
4. Ally Condie – Matched
5. Alyson Noel – The Immortals (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) I was highly disappointed by this series.
6. Anastasia Hopcus – Shadow Hills
7. Angie Sage – Septimus Heap (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
8. Ann Brashares – The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (1, 2, 3, 4)
9. Anna Godbersen – Luxe (1, 2, 3, 4)
10. Anthony Horowitz – Alex Rider (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
11. Aprilynne Pike – Wings (1, 2, 3)
12. Becca Fitzpatrick – Hush, Hush (1, 2)
13. Brandon Mull – Fablehaven (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
14. Brian Selznick – The Invention of Hugo Cabret
15. Cassandra Clare – The Mortal Instruments (1, 2, 3, 4)
16. Carrie Jones – Need (1, 2, 3) Didn't care for it
17. Carrie Ryan – The Forest of Hands and Teeth (1, 2, 3)
18. Christopher Paolini - Inheritance (1, 2, 3, 4)
19. Cinda Williams Chima – The Heir Chronicles (1, 2, 3)
20. Colleen Houck – Tigers Saga (1, 2)
21. Cornelia Funke – Inkheart (1, 2, 3)
22. Ellen Hopkins – Impulse
23. Eoin Colfer – Artemis Fowl (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
24. Faraaz Kazi – Truly, Madly, Deeply
25. Frank Beddor – The Looking Glass Wars (1, 2, 3)
26. Gabrielle Zevin – Elsewhere
27. Gail Carson Levine – Fairest
28. Holly Black – Tithe (1, 2, 3)
29. J.K. Rowling – Harry Potter (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
30. James Dashner – The Maze Runner (1, 2)
31. James Patterson – Maximum Ride (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
32. Jay Asher – Thirteen Reasons Why
33. Jeanne DuPrau – Books of Ember (1, 2, 3, 4)
34. Jeff Kinney – Diary of a Wimpy Kid (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
35. John Boyne – The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
36. John Green – An Abundance of Katherines
37. John Green – Looking for Alaska
38. John Green – Paper Towns
39. Jonathan Stroud – Bartimaeus (1, 2, 3, 4)
40. Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl – Caster Chronicles (1, 2)
41. Kelley Armstrong – Darkest Powers (1, 2, 3)
42. Kristin Cashore – The Seven Kingdoms (1, 2)
43. Lauren Kate – Fallen (1, 2, 3)
44. Lemony Snicket - Series of Unfortunate Events (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
45. Libba Bray – Gemma Doyle (1, 2, 3)
46. Lisa McMann – Dream Catcher (1, 2, 3)
47. Louise Rennison – Confessions of Georgia Nicolson (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
48. M.T. Anderson – Feed
49. Maggie Stiefvater – The Wolves of Mercy Falls (1, 2, 3)
50. Margaret Peterson Haddix – Shadow Children (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
51. Maria V. Snyder – Study (1, 2, 3)
52. Markus Zusak - The Book Thief
53. Markus Zusak – I am the Messenger
54. Mark Haddon – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
55. Mary Ting – Crossroads
56. Maureen Johnson – Little Blue Envelope (1, 2)
57. Meg Cabot – All-American Girl (1, 2)
58. Meg Cabot – The Mediator (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
59. Meg Cabot – The Princess Diaries (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
60. Meg Rosoff – How I live Now
61. Megan McCafferty – Jessica Darling (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
62. Megan Whalen Turner – The Queen’s Thief (1, 2, 3, 4)
63. Melina Marchetta – On the Jellicoe Road
64. Melissa de la Cruz – Blue Bloods (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
65. Melissa Marr – Wicked Lovely (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
66. Michael Grant – Gone (1, 2, 3, 4)
67. Nancy Farmer – The House of the Scorpion
68. Neal Shusterman – Unwind
69. Neil Gaiman – Coraline
70. Neil Gaiman – Stardust
71. Neil Gaiman – The Graveyard Book
72. P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast – House of Night (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 ) Again, a highly disappointing series and absolutely innappropiate for YA.
73. Philip Pullman – His Dark Materials (1, 2, 3)
74. Rachel Caine – The Morganville Vampires (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
75. Rachel Cohn & David Levithan – Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist
76. Richelle Mead – Vampire Academy (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
77. Rick Riordan – Percy Jackson and the Olympians (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
78. Rom LcO’Feer – Somewhere carnal over 40 winks
79. S.L. Naeole – Grace (1, 2, 3, 4)
80. Sabrina Bryan & Julia DeVillers – Princess of Gossip
81. Sarah Dessen – Along for the Ride
82. Sarah Dessen – Lock and Key
83. Sarah Dessen – The Truth about Forever
84. Sara Shepard – Pretty Little Liars (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
85. Scott Westerfeld - Leviathan (1, 2) PLan on reading books 2 & 3
86. Scott Westerfeld - Uglies (1, 2, 3)
87. Shannon Hale – Books of a Thousand Days
88. Shannon Hale – Princess Academy
89. Shannon Hale – The Books of Bayern (1, 2, 3, 4)
90. Sherman Alexie & Ellen Forney – The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
91. Simone Elkeles – Perfect Chemistry (1, 2, 3)
92. Stephanie Meyer – The Host
93. Stephanie Meyer – Twilight Saga (1, 2, 3, 4) I won't touch this series with a ten foot pole.
94. Sue Monk Kidd – The Secret Life of Bees
95. Susan Beth Pfeffer – Last Survivors (1, 2, 3)
96. Suzanne Collins – Hunger Games (1, 2, 3) need to read Catching Fire & Mockingjay
97. Suzanne Collins – Underland Chronicles (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
98. Terry Pratchett – Tiffany Aching (1, 2, 3, 4)
99. Tonya Hurley – Ghost Girl (1, 2, 3)
100. Wendelin Van Draanen – Flipped

In My Mailbox (104) Books that I Have Forgotten to Mention

In My Mailbox, inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie and hosted by Kristy of The Story Siren.

Guest Post: Stephen Zimmer (Author of The Exodus Gate) on Through the Gate

Happy Friday everyone! Today I have the pleasure of having Stephen Zimmer, author the Rising Dawn saga, gurst posting on the blog today. See my review of The Exodus Gate, and you will see why I am so excited that he dropped by. I hope ya'll will give him a warm welcome.

Born in Denver, Colorado, Stephen Zimmer is an award-winning fantasy author and filmmaker based out of Lexington, Kentucky.
Stephen has two series being published through Seventh Star Press. One is the epic fantasy Fires in Eden Series, which was launched with Crown of Vengeance (winner of the 2010 Pluto Award for Best Novel). Book 2, Dream of Legends, was released in January of 2011. The other is the epic urban fantasy series The Rising Dawn Saga. The Rising Dawn Saga launched in spring of 2009 with The Exodus Gate (nominated for a 2009 Pluto Award). The next step was taken in June of 2010 with The Storm Guardians. Highly prolific, Stephen is adhering to a release schedule that sees a new book approximately every seven months! (Bio taken from author's website)

Through the Gate by Stephen Zimmer

The Exodus Gate kicked off a series (The Rising Dawn Saga) that takes more than a few chances when it comes to urban fantasy.   With its larger ensemble cast, scale, and multiple threads, it allows for a very ambitious story, within which a dedicated reader can immerse, and enjoy discovering layer after layer.  It offers a rich trove of references to the mythical, the supernatural, and much more. 

It is the kind of series where many seeds are planted in each title that will be realized in future volumes, so no thread is without definite intent and importance.  It is also the type of series that promises new discoveries with subsequent readings.  Yes, it is a bigger, more complex body of work than many other urban fantasy series, but it offers a very substantial reward to those that take the jump into it.

The book and series involve the concept of parallel worlds, and states of existence that are not governed by time and space as we know it.  It provides for an extensive blending of the modern and the ancient, juxtaposing imagery that could find a home in science fiction right alongside the fantastical and otherworldly.  It is the place where anything can happen at a given moment, a journey of the imagination rife with exciting possibilities.  It can shift from the intimate to the cosmic, and back again, one of the true strengths of epic-scale types of storytelling.

The Exodus Gate is the foundational book for the saga, and it sets a tone for the kind of things that readers can expect on their journey through Terra, The Middle Lands, the Abyss, the Void, The Ten-Fold Kingdom, and other places found within this saga.  In setting that tone, this book reaches heavily into the roots of flood lore, regarding a global flood said to have taken place in the ancient world.  This lore is not just limited to the Great Flood of the Bible, but is found in a diverse range of cultures in all areas of the world.  I have always been particularly fascinated with the parallels in the Sumerian and Babylonian myths (most importantly the Epic of Gilgamesh), and the biblical account of the Great Flood. 

The correlation between the Sumerian/Babylonian myths and the Bible is not just limited to the worldwide flood either.  It also entails the accounts of beings such as the Annunaki, from the Sumerian/Babylonian lore, to the Nephilim of the Bible and apocryphal literature (works such as the Book of Enoch, which were written during biblical times and later omitted from the final list of books agreed upon for the bible as we know it today.  It is this book in particular which gave rise to many specific names of fallen angels, and details stories just briefly referenced in the biblical Book of Genesis).

The parallels in ancient accounts and myths flows right into the core of the Rising Dawn Saga, in the way it blends together mythical influences from across the world.  From the start, I wanted this series to encompass such a range and blending of mythical foundations, to make them interact, come alive, and intertwine.  I wanted to bridge the world of the modern and ancient, and make the things written of upon tablets and animal skins live and breathe alongside characters that we can all relate to today.

These aspects are made very clear in The Exodus Gate, where elements of Asian, Sumerian/Babylonian, Persian, Hebrew, and other rich cultural heritages are drawn upon, combined, and harmonized with a course of events in a world like we have today, a sequence of developments that many will find quite possible, at least in concept.  This aspect only broadens and deepens within The Storm Guardians, and The Seventh Throne, allowing for some very fun, intriguing combinations in scenes and story threads, as the creatures and lore of many traditions are brought fully into a modern-era setting.

I encourage everyone to take a look at the myths and traditions of societies across the world, and to see for themselves the things they often share in common, whether it be their pantheon of gods, half-human/half-divine offspring of the gods, or the great trials faced by humans.  I am confident a deeper appreciation of this world’s mythical heritages will add considerably to their enjoyment as they travel deeper into the Rising Dawn Saga, as the magic of ancient times meld with the present, becoming more alive with every step that the reader takes!

-Stephen Zimmer

The Seventh Thron (The Rising Dawn, 3) by Stephen Zimmer, 2011. Published by Seventh Star Press.

The epic saga advances, as the shadows deepen ... Friedrich accompanies the powerful Avatar Enki into the depths of the Abyss. They seek to discover the fate of Erishkegal, who crossed the Veil to spare a horde of outcast Nephilim ages ago. The quest will take them to the brink of hell itself, but it is one that may hold astounding revelations. Elsewhere, martial law is installed across the UCAS during the outbreak of a deadly virus, and the onset of a war to the Far East threatening the stability of the entire world. The imposition of a diabolical technology looms, as centuries-old organizations in the service of Adonai race to confront the looming menace. Ex-marine Gregory Andreas leads a budding resistance to the authoritarian government, while Dagian Underwood, the mastermind behind the oncoming Living ID technology, reaches out to the dark realm of Set to gain the help of an ally with a rare, formidable ability. Seth Engel and his teenage friends venture forth once again to seek proof of spreading rumors; this time of rounded-up townspeople being herded into large detainment facilities close to Godwinton. Even the shape shifting An-Ki are caught in the maelstrom of uncertainty. Godral and the others of Sargor's clan struggle to find their place in the strange modern world, while Uria leads his renegade new clan into the unknown. Threads intertwine as the dangers escalate swiftly. The Seventh Throne will leave the reader hungry for the next installment, after a revelation of tremendous magnitude culminates the latest Rising Dawn Saga adventure.

You can haunt him at-

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Read Your Own Books Read-a-Thon

I almost forgot that I wanted to participate in the Read Your Own Books readathon. So here is my last minute post for it.
I'll be posting all my updates here, and on twitter with #SIRYOBM.
Thanks to the awesome Monica of The Bibliophilic Book Blog for putting this together. =)

The readathon goes from today till Sunday September 18 at 9pm.

I'll add what I'll be reading later when I actually get a chance to read. =)
What I plan to read:
I think I'll just play it by ear...in other words I have not the faintest idea.

What I'm reading:
Foundling by D.M. Cornish

What I've finished:
Soulmate by L.J. Smith
In the Forests of the Night by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

Snack-wise:
Umm, I cannot find anything. :(
Where I'll be vegging out:

Most likely my bedroom floor, or the livingroom couch.

A Certain Scientific Railgun 1

A Certain Scientific Railgun 1 by Kazuma Yamachi, art by Motoi Fuyukawa, 2011. 192 pages. Published by Seven Seas. Source: Publisher for review.

Welcome to a world where mysticism and science collide, and supernatural powers are derived from either science or religion. At the heart of this world is Academy City, an advanced metropolis whose population is comprised mostly of students. The majority of students are enrolled in the city’s "Power Curriculum Program," where they must learn to master their latent psychic powers. Out of several million students, only seven are deemed powerful enough to have Level 5 status.

Meet Mikoto Misaka, the third most powerful Level 5 esper in Academy City. Together with her best friend Kuroko Shirai and the other members of Judgment, a student-run law enforcement agency, Mikoto delves deep into the dark heart of the scientific sprawl she calls home, and uncovers secrets she wishes she hadn’t!

Vintage Reads: Voting for October (Things That Go Bump in the Night)

Oh my gosh, I cannot believe that I haven't posted the titles for October that ya'll can vote upon. I have been super busy and plume forgot to put a list together till the last minute. So since things are so far behind, I'll make this short and sweet.
In honour of next month being October, as in Halloween is just around the corner, I decided to pick out some "scary" books.
So, I shall withhold on the blethering and get down to business with announcing the Things that Go Bump in the Night books.

Wish List Wednesday (64)

A Temptation of Angels by Michelle Zink, March 20, 2012. Published by Dial Books for Young Readers.

When her parents are murdered before her eyes, sixteen year-old Helen Cartwright finds herself launched into an underground London where a mysterious organization called the Dictata controls the balance of good and evil. Helen learns that she is one of three remaining angelic descendants charged with protecting the world’s past, present, and future. Unbeknownst to her, she has been trained her whole life to accept this responsibility. Now, as she finds herself torn between the angelic brothers protecting her and the devastatingly handsome childhood friend who wants to destroy her, she must prepare to be brave, to be hunted, and above all to be strong because temptation will be hard to resist, even for an angel. 

Why: Because I absolutely adore Michelle Zink's writing and her Prophecy of the Sisters is one of my favorite series. Besides, this sounds like it is going to be pretty epic and the cover is beautiful.
Last Hope 1 by Michael Dignan and Kriss Sison, 2005. Published by Seven Seas.

Handsome and mysterious transfer student Hiroto Nakadai arrives at Maunaloa Academy, but he holds a secret far deeper than anyone can guess. Hiroto is actually a prince from another world, on the run from the evil Lord Kumagai and his dimension-hopping foot soldiers. Together with his newfound friends, Hiroto must journey through space and time, into the realms of the imagination, and beyond death itself in order to escape.

But first he’ll have to make it out of high school alive.
Why: This one caught my eye mainly because I noticed that Kriss Sison, the artist from Amazing Agent Jennifer, is also the artist for Last Hope. I'm really hoping to read this one because it sounds interesting and I enjoy Sison's art.  

Teaser Tuesday *ARC Edition* (56)

Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. To participate, simply 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 & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Cover and Blurb Reveal for....By Jennifer L. Armentrout

Okay, I'm totally enjoying being able to help reveal the cover and official blurb for Jennifer L. Armentrout's newest upcoming release. Also, ya'll can even grab on awesome countdown widget for her new book. Link at bottom of post. =)

I really, really enjoyed Half-Blood, so I cannot wait till her latest comes out.

I'm sure ya'll would all prefer if I stopped blethering now, so without further ado I present....

Water's Edge

Water's Edge by Robert Whitlow, 2011. 400 pages. Published by Thomas Nelson. Source: PR by the Book/Publisher.

Sometimes the smallest towns hold the biggest secrets.
Ambitious young attorney Tom Crane is about to become a partner in a big-city law firm. One final matter has to be cleared from his docket--the closing of his deceased father's law practice in the small town of Bethel. Killed in a tragic boating accident, John Crane didn't leave his son anything except the hassle of a bankrupt estate.
Then, within twenty-four hours, Tom loses his job, his girlfriend, and his cat. Job didn't have it much worse.
Returning to Bethel with his pride ground to powder, Tom's plan to quietly shut down his father's practice and slink out of town runs into an unexpected roadblock - two million dollars of unclaimed money stashed in a secret bank account. Tom follows the money into a tangled web of lies, theft, and off-shore financial transactions manipulated by powerful men who will do anything to stop him from discovering the truth.

First Sentence:

Chiseled deep into the rock face of Stone Mountain, Georgia, is a football field-sized carving of Jefferson Davis. Robert E. Lee, and Stonewall Jackson.

Vintage Reads: Winner for September

Oh my gosh! I had a serious brain fail. Its already the tenth of September and I haven't announced the winner for this month, or even set the post for next month. My only excuse is that I've been super busy and have been plagued with end of summer/fall allergies.

Wow, you guys are awesome. This was the closet round yet and the winner only won by one single vote. Ya'll rock!

So onto which book took the cake this month (mmm, cake) for the Fanged and Dangerous Category. And the winning books is....

In My Mailbox (103) Where Are All These Books Going to Go!

In My Mailbox, Inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie and hosted by Kristy of The Story Siren.

Book Trailer & Phone APP for Patrick Carman's Dark Eden

I'm definitely intrigued by the app for Dark Eden by Patrick Carman. If I had the capabilty I would so download it myself, but alas my phone isn't that smart.
From HarperCollins:
DARK EDEN can be experienced in two ways. The series is enhanced by a downloadable app that enriches the elements of the traditional narrative through innovative story artifacts including still images, audio recordings, videos, scans, and text entries. For a complete explanation of how the app experience works, check out this video from author Patrick Carman.

The DARK EDEN app is available now on the iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and all Android enabled devices.

To get a taste of what's to come, download THE ARRIVAL, the first free episode, available through the
DARK EDEN mobile app in the Apple/iOS App Store and the Android Market.

Sneak a peek at the official DARK EDEN trailer that debuted yesterday on MTV Geek: DARK EDEN Exclusive Trailer

Dark Eden by Patrick Carman, November 1, 2011. Published by HarperCollins.

Fifteen-year-old Will Besting is sent by his doctor to Fort Eden, an institution meant to help patients suffering from crippling phobias. Once there, Will and six other teenagers take turns in mysterious fear chambers and confront their worst nightmares—with the help of the group facilitator, Rainsford, an enigmatic guide. When the patients emerge from the chamber, they feel emboldened by the previous night's experiences. But each person soon discovers strange, unexplained aches and pains. What is really happening to the seven teens trapped in this dark Eden?

Official Facebook Page| Offical Website 

ARC Review: Cold Kiss

Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey, September 20, 2011. 304 pages. Published by HarperTeen. Source: Publisher for review.

When her boyfriend, Danny, is killed in a car accident, Wren can’t imagine living without him. Wild with grief, she uses the untamed powers she’s inherited to bring him back. But the Danny who returns is just a shell of the boy she once loved.
Wren has spent four months keeping Danny hidden, while her life slowly unravels around her. Then Gabriel DeMarnes transfers to her school and somehow, inexplicably, he can sense her secret. Wren finds herself drawn to Gabriel, who is so much more alive than the ghost of the boy she loved. But Wren can’t turn her back on Danny or the choice she made for him—and she realizes she must find a way to make things right, even if it means breaking her own heart.  

First  Sentence (ARC Edition):

I wasn't thinking of falling in love the day I met Danny Greer.

Book Trailer: Ladybird, Ladybird by Abra Ebner + Giveaway

Good evening lovelies! Have I got a surprise for you, the book trailer for Ladybird, Ladybird by Abra Ebner.

Not only do ya'll get to check out the trailer for Abra's upcoming book, Ladybird, Ladybird, but you also have a chance to enter to win something.

All you need to do is watch the video and follow this -> link <- to enter, and if you wouldn't mind mentioning that I sent you (please use my blog name) I would love ya'll forever. 

They will be accepting entries till the 18th of September, so ya'll better get on entering.

Thanks to Crimson Oak Publishing for putting this together and inviting me to share with ya'll.

Amazing Agent Jennifer 1

Amazing Agent Jennifer 1 by Nunzio DeFilippis, Christina Weir illustrated by Kriss Sison, 2011. 192 pages. Published by Seven Seas. Source: Publisher for review.

A spin-off straight from the pages of Amazing Agent Luna

Long before Luna’s hard-as-nails boss known simply as "Control" became a top agent, Jennifer Kajiwara was a rookie. From Jennifer’s freshman year in the Agency, through her struggles with her parents and her grueling training, to her first dangerous mission as a field agent (and first big romance!), being a young secret agent is never easy.

Jennifer must learn the hard way how to play deadly spy games as she becomes embroiled in a secret war full of intrigue, betrayal, and deadly consequences. This is the first volume of a two-volume spin-off that will tie directly into events in future volumes of Amazing Agent Luna.

First Sentence:

They won't let you declare your major until sophomore year, but that doesn't have to stop us from getting a head start.

Wish List Wednesday (63)

tbThe Goblin War (Goblin Wood, 3) by Hilari Bell, October 11, 2011. Published by HarperTeen. 

Hilari Bell’s thrilling finale to the Goblin trilogy! Alliances are once again tested, and the fate of the entire kingdom rests in the hands of some unexpected heroes.

A multitude of vicious barbarians is out to take over the Realm. The only ones who know what it will take to stop them are teenage hedgewitch Makenna, former knight Tobin, his well-meaning but often naïve younger brother, Jeriah—and a whole lot of goblins. They’ll need to work together to formulate a plan. The answer lies with the Otherworld Spirits and also with the blood amulets that give infinite power to the barbarians. The question is: Can they band together and save the Realm in time?

Why: Because I have recently devoured the first two books and absolutely NEED to know how the series will end. I am absolutely loving the world and characters that Ms. Bell has created.

My reviews of The Goblin Wood and The Goblin Gate.

Bleach 2 by Tite Kubo, 2004 (originally published in 2002). Published by Viz Media.

Hot-tempered 15-year-old Ichigo Kurosaki, the hero of the popular fantasy-adventure Bleach, has the unsettling ability to see spirits who are unable to rest in peace. His sixth sense leads him to Rukia, a Soul Reaper who destroys Hollows (soul-devouring monsters) and ensures the deceased find repose with the Soul Society. When she's injured in battle, Rukia transfers her sword and much of her power to Ichigo, whose spiritual energy makes him a formidable substitute Soul Reaper. But the orange-haired teenager isn't sure he wants the job: too many risks and moral dilemmas.

 Why: Bleach is one of my favorite shows and I really enjoyed reading the first volume of the manga. You can see my thoughts on Bleach 1.

Teaser Tuesday (55)

Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. To participate, simply 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 & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

The Goblin Gate

The Goblin Gate (Goblin Woon, 2) by Hilari Bell, 2010. 384 pages. Published by HarperTeen. Source: Borrowed.

Jeriah's brother, Tobin, is in terrible danger.

He's willingly crossed over to the Otherworld with a hedgewitch named Makenna and her legion of goblins. What Tobin doesn’t know is that the Otherworld is a perilous dimension that leeches magic from those who have it—and life from those who don’t. In order to save his brother, Jeriah must find a way to open a mystical gate between the worlds.

Searching for the key to rescue Tobin from the clutches of the Otherworld, Jeriah is thrust into a tangled web of political intrigue as he uncovers a dangerous secret that could change the fate of an entire kingdom. Now he must get help from the very beings he’s been taught to hate—the mischievous goblins. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking for Tobin. . . .

First Sentence:

"It will be dawn soon," Jeriah told the priest who rode beside him.

The Goblin Wood

The Goblin Wood (Goblin Wood, 1) by Hilari Bell, 2004 (originally published in 2003). 384 pages. Published by HarperTeen. Source: Won.

Makenna is a young hedgewitch, forced to flee her village the day her mother is murdered for practicing magic. In the wilds of the forest, she forms an unexpected alliance with the mysterious goblins, and together they resolve to fight back against the humans and the cruel Decree of Bright Magic.
But as Makenna grows more successful and her goblin army becomes stronger, her existence threatens the ruling Hierarchy's plans for the country. She evades every trap they set, until a young knight named Tobin comes to the Goblin Wood hoping to regain his lost honor. And each of them finds something else instead ...

First Sentence:

Makenna had to stretch onto her toes to reach the small stone lamp, for the shelf that held it was higher than a grown woman's head, and she was only eleven.

The Goblin Wood had been sitting on my TBR pile for maybe two months when I picked it up out of the blue a few days ago. I could not put it down at all because I was just so caught up in the world, characters, and writing of Ms. Bell.

I'm wishing that I had not put off reading it for as long as I did because this book was amazing.

I'm sure everyone comes across that one book that, even if you've read a ton in that genre, just reaffirms your love for the genre and grabs you from the get go and makes you want/need more like it. Well that is just what The Goblin Wood did for me.

I love fantasy books, yet sometimes they have a tendency to run together and get a little old. That is not the case at all with The Goblin Wood because the plot is chock-full of twists and turns and that characters are brilliantly different and not what you would typically see in a fantasy book.

One of the things I loved the most about The Goblin Wood was how it was told from alternating view points, that of Makenna and Tobin. I thought that it brought an interesting perspective to the story because they both stood on complete opposite sides when it came to their views on the Goblins and rules of the realm.

I thought one of the most interesting points of the plot was why the Decree of Bright Magic in that it was to protect the citizens and help to push forward the movement to get the inhabitants of the realm to move into the Goblin Woods. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing more about the political aspect of the story in the next book.    

Makenna has to be one of the oddest main female characters that I have ever read in a fantasy book. Why, because she has an overwhelming thirst for vengeance against the humans that murdered her mother and forced her to flee from the life she knew; and that the further along you get into The Goblin Wood you see how she has basically divorced herself from the human race. She was definitely one interesting character to read about.

     Tobin (weird name), has to be one of my favorite characters that's a knight. I absolutely loved how he was willing to do anything to protect his willful younger brother Jeriah.

You would have to read The Goblin Wood to fully understand why I liked both Makenna and Tobin so much, because I cannot properly put into words why I think they are both such great characters.

The Goblin Wood just blew me away, so asking me to pick my favorite thing is just plain cruel. I will say this however, Ms. Bell's writing was phenomenal and pulled me right into the story and her characters were some of the best I've read about. Love this book so much.

The only thing I did not like about The Goblin Wood was that the first chapter seemed to have a slightly abrupt beginning and seemed to come in kind of mid-thought. while that kind of threw me for a second I was glad to find out that the story backtracks a bit and gets you caught up on what happened to Makenna and her mother. So in the end, I guess I do not have any true complaints.

Final Verdict: The Goblin Wood was one of the best fantasy books I've read this year.

The Goblin Wood earns 5 of 5 pineapples.

Goblin Wood (trilogy):

The Goblin Wood

The Goblin Gate

The Goblin War

In My Mailbox (102) Where I Make Use of My YouTube Account

In My Mailbox was inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie, and hosted by Kristy of The Story Siren.
I am very nervous about this weeks IMM, and for good reason because this will mark my very first vlog. EVER. Since its my first vlog, I hope that ya'll will excuse any wonky editing on my part.
I really hope that ya'll will enjoy it.

Labor Day Weekend Read-a-Thon

Did ya'll honestly think I wouldn't participate in the latest read-a-thon. I know, pure nonsense to think that I would pass up an opportunity to read for hours on end, and maybe I'll even be able to knock out some books from my TBR stacks.

Thanks to Katie of Katie's Book Blog for putting together this impromptu readathon together.

I'll probably do most of my updates via Twitter. You can follow all the action by using the #LDReadathon hashtag.

I'm hoping to read:

A Certain Scientific Railgun 1

Night World vol 2 by L.J. Smith

Toradora 2

Currently Reading/Listening:
The Seeing Stone by Holly Black and  Tony DiTerlizzi
Soulmate by L.J. Smith

Blood Red Road by Moira Young

Finished:
Dark Angel by L.J. Smith

Nightschool 1: The Weirn Books by Svetlana Chmakova

Alice 19th: The Lost Word 7 by Yuu Watase
The Chosen

Guardian of the Gate by Michelle Zink
Field Guide (Spiderwick Chronicles, 1) by Holly Balck & Tony DiTerlizzi

Pages read:
1,336

Random Acts of Kindness (September)

Hopefully my plans won't be thwarted this month, because I love participating and the idea behind RAK.

Thanks to the lovely Vanessa & Isalys for putting together and hosting RAK each month.

I wonder if anyone participating in #RAK for September would be interested in a Sweet Venom bookmark. *Looks around*

Right now the top five books on my wish list are-

Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs

The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann

Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes by Jonathan Auxier

Circle of Fire by Michelle Zink

Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter

I am #25 on the list, if you would like to see my full wish list. =)

RULES RE-CAP -
NEW request added:
• Sign up each month that you'd like to participate.
• Show off your participation by grabbing our RAK button :)

• Create a wish list (on Amazon, Goodreads, or your blog etc) and post it in the Google Doc located in each R.A.K post for the month.

• If you choose to do a R.A.K for someone, check out their wish list and contact that blogger for their address.

•*NEW* Please, once you receive a RAK, email or tweet @BookBrunette so that she can update the Google doc. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU EMAIL HER. SHE WILL BE THE ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR UPDATING THE GOOGLE DOC.{Thanks @BookBrunette for accepting!!}

·        *NEW* E-book participation is limited to files being gifted directly to a person from the e-book store. Amazon's Kindle Store is set up to allow this, as well as the Kobo store and we believe Barnes & Noble as well.

·        At the end of the month, SHOW US YOUR R.A.K! Make a post saying 'Thank You' to whoever granted one of your wishes and share it with us :)

OPEN TO EVERYONE!

Let's keep our International bloggers in mind and in our hearts.

Remember, there's always the Book Depository and they offer FREE shipping!

Guest Post: Rhiannon Paille (Author of Flame of Surrender) On The Making of Villains

Today, I am happy to have guest on the blog Rhiannon Paille, blogger and the author of Flame of Surrender. I hope ya'll will give her a warm welcome.

Rhi was never a normal girl. She tried, but she couldn’t get rid of the visions, the voices in her head, and the hallucinations. When she was on the edge of crazy someone pulled her back and explained it all. She wasn’t insane. She was psychic, really psychic, too psychic. Her life was an urban fantasy wrapped in a paranormal romance and served with a side of horror. To escape her everyday weirdness she began writing fantasy. She frequents twitter and facebook, but if you really want to get to know her you should visit her site: http://www.rhiannonpaille.com/

Her book FLAME OF SURRENDER (The Ferryman and The Flame #1) Comes out November 1st, 2011. Check it out here: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11841693-flame-of-surrender

The Making of the Villains

There are a lot of Villains in The Ferryman and The Flame and they’re of the scary variety.

The Valtanyana are a group of 11 super beings much like the Titans that at one time controlled all the lands across the stars. They were ruthless, biased, and horrible rulers. They came to recruit Tor who was supposed to be the last of them but he didn’t accept and war broke out between them.

Tor won. He trapped the Valtanyana in Avrigost and threw away the key so to speak. He took over as High King and spent thousands of years restoring the lands and creating peace. The only people who still follow the Valtanyana are the Daed. Factions of them exist all over the place but they stay underground or hidden. Tor has had to fight many factions of these Daed Warriors, and he always wins.

In the earlier drafts of FLAME OF SURRENDER there was an entire Villain storyline that existed away from Kaliel and Krishani and their happy little life in Avristar. I originally cut back and forth between the main storyline and the Villain storyline before I eventually omitted it altogether to see if that would fix the flow of the book.

Sure enough it did, but I still have a file on my computer labeled, “SurrenderVillainTrack” and it’s pretty much a bunch of deleted scenes that I not only wrote, but rewrote.

The first scene is about Isadora, the Iolite Flame. She’s in Avrigost guarding the tomb of the Valtanyana when seven members of the Daed faction show up by teleporting into the tomb. Isadora goes inside, they fight, she slices one of them while they crack open one of the tombs. The blood mixes with the dust and Crestaos forms. Crestaos then kills Isadora and makes those seven Daed his minions.

Later we learn the names of the seven Daed members, Lorac, Valtor, Turon, Delotha, Azdrach, Narwa and Hortis. In the first scene with the seven of them, Delotha is returning from Hadwen in the Avristyr Quadrant, in the Land of Beasts. He destroyed the land and didn’t get what he came for. Lorac, their leader decides that because of their poverty they have to awaken Crestaos. The rest don’t like the idea, but they do it anyway.

After retrieving Crestaos, the Daed become his minions and they begin hunting the flames. There are a few scenes where the Daed members are facing Crestaos and those scenes were very tense. Crestaos doesn’t talk a lot, but he isn’t afraid to resort to violence. He holds a lot of power over them and in some cases divides them.

My favorite scenes from the Villain storyline had to be the torture scenes. There was one with Lotesse, the Emerald Flame and then another with Cossisea, the Ruby Flame and Shezeel, the Quartz Flame. Lotesse was tortured by Crestaos himself where as Cossisea was tortured by Valtor.

There were of course scenes where the Daed traveled to other realms using things like necra powder, ipsum powder, a lantern, and ripping the fabric of space and time. One of the scenes had Narwa being seduced by Shezeel, the Quartz Flame. Later, he tries to convince her to give up the other flames in exchange for a quick death instead of a lifetime of imprisonment. She gives them the location of Tiki, the Carnelian Flame and then Crestaos finds them and not only kills Narwa, but finished off Cossisea and Shezeel, trapping their flames in orbs so he can use them later.

I don’t know if I’ll ever let anyone see the full scenes from the Villain storyline, but I might let you see one of the torture scenes that was really too gruesome for YA.

My main inspiration behind the villains was to make them scary. Crestaos is the type that doesn’t talk a lot before acting. He’s intense, and usually angry and direct. The Daed are lesser villains that get the job done. In terms of relatability, the Daed were always more relatable than Crestaos, but that was the point. Crestaos was supposed to make you tremble every time he entered a room because you never knew when he was going to kill someone.

I’ll admit I had a lot more fun with Crestaos in FLAME OF JUSTICE when Hortis spoke at the wrong time and ended up blind.

Scary enough for you?

Flame of Surrender (The Ferryman and the Flame, 1) by Rhiannon Paille, November 1, 2011.

The boy who follows death meets the girl who could cause the apocalypse.

Krishani thinks he’s doomed until he meets Kaliel, the one girl on the island of Avristar who isn’t afraid of him. She’s unlike the other girls, she swims with merfolk, talks to trees and blooms flowers with her touch. What he doesn’t know is that she’s a flame, one of nine individually hand crafted weapons, hidden in the body of a seemingly harmless girl.

Nobody has fallen in love with a flame until now. She becomes Krishani’s refuge from the dreams of death and the weather abilities he can’t control. Striking down thousand year old trees with lightning isn’t something he tries to do, it just happens. When the Ferryman dies, Krishani knows that he’s the next and that a lifetime of following death is his destiny.

And Kaliel can’t come with him. The Valtanyana are hunting the flames, the safest place for her is Avristar. Krishani can’t bear to leave her, and one innocent mistake grants the Valtanyana access to their mystical island. They’re coming for Kaliel, and they won’t stop until every last living creature on Avristar is dead. She has to choose, hide, face them, or awaken the flame and potentially destroy herself.

ARC Review: Frost

Frost by Marianna Baer, September 13, 2011. 400 pages. Published by Balzer & Bray. Source: Publisher for review.

Leena Thomas’s senior year at boarding school begins with a shock: Frost House, her cozy dorm of close friends, has been assigned an unexpected roommate: confrontational, eccentric Celeste Lazar. But while Leena’s anxiety about a threat to her sanctuary proves valid, it becomes less and less clear whether the threat lies with her new roommate, within Leena’s own mind, or within the very nature of Frost House itself. Mysterious happenings in the dorm, an intense triangle between Leena, Celeste, and Celeste’s brother, and the reawakening of childhood fears, all push Leena to take increasingly desperate measures to feel safe. Frost is the story of a haunting. As to whether the demons are supernatural or psychological . . . well, which answer would let you sleep at night?

First Sentence (ARC Edition, subject to changes):

Before I lived there, before any of this happened, I imagined Frost House as a sanctuary. 

Angel Sanctuary 1

Angel Sanctuary 1 by Kaori Yuki, 2004 (Originally published in 1995). 198 pages. Published by Viz Media. Source: Borrowed.

When Sara's classmate, Ruri, received a computer disk from a strange man, Setsuna shows up to whisk her away from himTruthfully. After lecturing Ruri about talking to weirdos, Setsuna comments she's much cuter without glasses, which she dropped in the confusion. Unfortunately, neither of them have been watching the news which reports of mysterious deaths occurring in connection with the CD-ROM "Digital Angels." The disk Ruri received is this same "Digital Angels" disk, and without knowing the danger, Setsuna lets her keep it. As soon as Ruri uses the program, her personality starts to change, and strange things begin to happen as Evils and angels seek the Setsunas's soul for their own mysterious motives....