From ghoulies and ghosties and long leggety beasties and
things that go bump in the night, we at Talk Supe would
like to wish everyone a Happy & Safe Halloween.
Oct 31, 2011
Blood and Guitars Winner
And the winner of our book giveaways is
STEPHANIE
of
Congratulations!
We hope you enjoy the book as much as we did.
You'll recieve an email notification later for the details on how to claim your price.
After you're done, we hope that you can find the time to rate and write a
short review for Heather Jensen in either or all of these sites
Barnes and Noble
Amazon
LibraryThing
Goodreads
Oct 30, 2011
Lost in Time by Melissa de la Cruz
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| read excerpt here |
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: September 27, 2011
Purchase Link: Amazon
After their beautiful yet brief bonding ceremony in Italy, Schuyler Van Alen and Jack Force are forced to separate. To fulfill the Van Alen Legacy, Schuyler travels to Alexandria to search for Catherine of Siena and the Gate of Promise. But Schuyler quickly discovers that everything she believed about the Gate to be wrong. Meanwhile, Jack makes the difficult decision to return to New York to face his twin and former bondmate, Mimi. But instead of a bitter reunion, he is faced with a choice for which there is no good option.
Mimi, with a most unexpected travel companion in Oliver Hazard-Perry, jets off to Egypt, too, to search for Kingsley Martin, her long lost love. With all roads leading to Hell, Mimi learns that not all love stories have happy endings. But she'll have to put her own feelings aside if she's going to save her crumbling Coven.
Going back to the story, Lost in Time is still female-centric as we follow the misadventures and heartaches of Sky, Mimi and Allegra. Sky if now married to Jack and spent their honeymoon looking for Catherine of Sienna. Mimi, heartbroken from Jack's rejection in favor of Sky and smarting from Kingsley's departure set off on a mission to retrieve the Silver Blood Martin Kingsley from Hell with the help of her now human conduit Oliver Hazard-Perry. And Allegra, we become privy to her romance and relationships with Benedix Chase and Charles Force.
What I liked about this is there's no idle time. De la Cruz went to the heart of the matter and just gave us the delicious parts. In every chapter someone is in the middle of either a mad chase, an emotional upheaval or literally in Hell striking deals with demons. Who would've thought that Hell looks a lot like New York! We even got front row seat tickets to a showdown between the Angels of Death and Destruction, Azrael and Abaddon, Mimi and Jack. What's puzzling is at the end we see them swearing fealty to Lucifer. Makes me wonder what the time stamp is when they rendered the services of their swords to the Angel of Light.
Now I don't understand why we have to wait for two years for the next book to come out. I know de la Cruz's were series, Wolf Pact, starring Bliss Llewelyn is coming out next year but that's a totally different series. Why can't Blue Bloods and Wolf Pact coexist?! On the bright side, this gives me an excuse to check out her other new series for mature audiences, Witches of East End.
Bloody Valentine by Melissa de la Cruz
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| details here |
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: December 28, 2010
Purchase Link: Amazon
The Blue Bloods have powers beyond human comprehension: strength that defies logic, speed that cannot be captured on film, the ability to shape-shift, and more. But in matters of the heart, no one, not even those immortal vampires, has total control. In Bloody Valentine, part of the best-selling Blue Bloods series, author Melissa de la Cruz offers three tantalizing stories that delve deep into the love lives of the all-powerful vamps (and their Red Blood friends) from New York's Upper East Side. Might a witchy new girl help cure Oliver's broken heart? How did Allegra fall in love with a human? Will Schuyler and Jack finally be bonded?
Romantic and sensual, Bloody Valentine reveals the undying love, the hope and devastation, and the lust and longing that have defined the Blue Bloods throughout history. Prepare to be swept off your feet.
So this novella is a compilation of three short stories that intends to fill out some of the holes that was left out in the novels.
The first one is about Oliver Hazard-Perry post Schuyler. We see him very heartbroken and at the brink of a very dark road. Then he met this witch named Freya who, with a little bit of magic, helped him bounce back from that situation. Incidentally, Freya is one of de la Cruz's characters in her adult series, Witches of East End, so I think I will grab that book later.
Next one is Allegra Van Alen and Bendix Chase, Chuyler's father, love story and how it all started in Endicott. We get to see Allegra and her twin Charles before Blue Bloods. Allegra is like Schuyler in the sense that when she found the man she's supposed to be with
And last but not the least is Schuyler Van Alen and Jack Force's bonding. But before all that there were some major trouble that ensued that almost put a dampen to their impending "nuptials". Venators abducted Oliver and tricked Schuyler into having Jack wear this ring which is like an amulet that would prevent him from unleashing Abaddon. They however under estimated the lovers and soon enough Drusilla's plans were foiled and Jack and Schuyler's union pushed through in front of people that support their relationship. Sadly this is also the prelude to them parting ways because each has their own journey and mission to complete.
Oct 29, 2011
Olympian Rule a Talk Supe Special
In anticipation for our November Guest Blog
Henry Cavill's Facebook Fan Page
and the upcoming movie
Immortals
starring man candy
Henry Cavill
we hereby declare November as
Olympian Rule
The Greeks have always been a big influence in the modern world,
you can feel their touch in literature, philosophy, architecture and the arts.
So this is Talk Supe's way of saying
Thank You!
for the legacy you left us
by featuring Greek influenced movies, books and anything that caught our
fancy at one point.
Here's what we have so far, stories that has some Greek elements on them
Morrigan's Cross by Nora Robers
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| read an excerpt here |
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: August 29, 2006
Purchase Link: Amazon
Number-one New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts delivers an extraordinary new trilogy--an epic tale that breaks down the boundaries between reality and the otherworldly, while forging together the passions of the men and women caught in a battle for the fate of humanity...
In the last days of high summer, with lightning striking blue in a black sky, the sorcerer stood on a high cliff overlooking the raging sea...
Belting out his grief into the storm, Hoyt Mac Cionaoith rails against the evil that has torn his twin brother from their family's embrace. Her name is Lilith. Existing for over a thousand years, she has lured countless men to an immortal doom with her soul-stealing kiss. But now, this woman known as vampire will stop at nothing until she rules this world--and those beyond it...
Hoyt is no match for the dark siren. But his powers come from the goddess Morrigan, and it is through her that he will get his chance at vengeance. At Morrigan's charge, he must gather five others to form a ring of power strong enough to overcome Lilith. A circle of six: himself, the witch, the warrior, the scholar, the one of many forms and the one he's lost. And it is in this circle, hundreds of years in the future, where Hoyt will learn how strong his spirit--and his heart--have become.
By the goddess Morrigan's blessing, Hoyt is now on a mission to stop Lilith and her legion of undead. He travels forward in time and got reacquainted with Cian in 21st century New York. After much deliberation, Cian is now part of the circle of 6, Morrigan's army, that will squash Lilith's plan for world dominion on Samhain.
Soon enough the army is complete and their first encounter with Lilith was bloody. But even with Morrigan's backing, can the circle accomplish what they set out to do?
Nora Roberts is probably an author you wouldn't expect to read in our blog. I personally haven't read any of her novels until this one. But running a blog can open your mind to a lot of possibilities and who ever said that adventures should be limited to physical adventures?
I was a blank slate when I started this book. All I know is that Roberts will be exploring Celtic myth and the setting is in Ireland with a touch of time travel and that was something I got excited about. A new spin on something old. The vampires in this series are old school: nocturnal, scary, can glamour and shape shift, terrifyingly beautiful, very ruthless predators and most definitely formidable villains. Very reminiscent of Dracula if you ask me.
Now I know that Nora Roberts is a romance author so I was really expecting to swoon over the cheesy but intense romance. I'm not sure about her other novels but on this book, that part was a little flat. Although I like that Glenna was very confident about herself and went after the very conservative Hoyt. But unfortunately I wasn't swept away by the chase.
The characters' profiles are interesting but it wasn't supported that much by their back stories aside from the leads. Book one focused a lot on Hoyt and Glenna and a bit about Cian but I wanted to read more about the other circle members, Queen Moira, Larkin who is a shifter, and Blair a demon hunter who is a descendant of Hoyt and Cian's sister. And of course contrast it with Lilith and her minions.
So will I read books 2 and 3? I will because book 1 gave me enough juice to prod me further and finish the trilogy. We'll meet more characters and I'm hoping that the Tuatha De will make an appearance plus I'm interested about Morrigan and Lilith so hopefully I get to read more about them in the succeeding books.
My favorite quotes:
"Do you miss the sun?" Hoyt wondered. "Walking in it, feeling it on your face?"
"They've found it gives you cancer of the skin." Cian
"But her strengths lie in her bow and in her mind." Larkin in defense of Moira
"Great, she can think a vamp to death. Let me know how that works out." Blair
Oct 28, 2011
Early Review of GRIMM
The executive producers of hit shows, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, are back in the game of bringing monsters to the small screen. Braine had previously wrote about the new SciFi/Supernatural show, GRIMM, premiering on NBC this fall. The show was slated to premier on October 21st but network execs decided to push the premier back closer to Halloween. Talk Supe was lucky to get the privilege of watching the pilot episode before the scheduled October 28th premier.
Set in present day Portland, Oregon, the series puts a modern twist to the Brothers Grimm fairytales. Homicide detective Nick Burkhardt (David Giuntoli) learns from his ailing Aunt that he's a descendant of an elite long line of hunters called Grimms. Grimms fight to keep the balance between humanity and the mythological creatures of the world we've all read about in the fairy tale books. In the series premiere, Nick and his partner, Hank, hunt a wolflike creature who's kidnapping little girls wearing, red hoods. With a little help from a reformed "Big Bad Wolf" named Monroe, Nick and Hank find the kidnapper in a home eerily similar to Grandma's cottage in the Little Red Riding Hood.
Cimmaron's Thoughts:
If you've actually read the Brothers Grimm tales, you know that the stories are bit darker than what Disney has presented us with over the decades. Viewers won't be finding any singing birds or dancing mice. Instead, we get a modern day police/crime drama with references to the fairy tales we've all heard of while growing up but the violence and reality of modern crime scenes deters the show from becoming hokey.
David Giuntoli looks eerily similar to Brandon Routh (Superman Returns 2006), which isn't a bad thing for the ladies to look at. I think I'll just start referring to him Routh 2.0. Silas Weir Mitchell, who played the Not-So-Big-Bad-Wolf, Monroe was a nice addition to bring on a little comic relief. I just really loved how he's reformed and trying to live a normal life as a clock maker. I'm hoping we get so see more of him during the season.
The show has pretty good special effects and scare tactics. I found myself jumping of my seat at least two times. Definitely not something you wan't your little kiddies to be watching. Visually, the Portland setting adds a spooky element which I'm sure we'll see our characters spending a lot of time in the dark and scary woods. But what really got to like the show was the use of the Eurythmics hit song "Sweet Dreams". I'm just a sucker for 80's pop music. Overall, Grimm was entertaining and I'm curious as to what the creators have in store for us.
Braine's Thoughts:
What a pleasant surprise to recieve a PM from NBC giving us a sneak peak on Grimm's Pilot episode. Shout out to you guys! Thanks for thinking of us :)
Anyway, I'm super excited about these fairy tale series popping up and all the buzz about the upcoming Snow White movies. Grimm is no exception, it has been on our to-watch list and I guarantee that after the Pilot, it will be on yours too!
So the first episode is a dark and updated take on Little Red Riding Hood. I like Guintoli's reluctant werewolf sidekick who is a reformed man eater. He kept the mood light in an otherwise nail biting situation. I adore Kate Burton who played Guintoli's aunt, I can tell her role is short lived, which sucks, but her presence onscreen is just amazing!
The series is very promising and with Sean Hayes (Will & Grace) at the helm I'm sure that the comedy will not be far behind.
With Once Upon a Time casting its own spell, I wonder how these two shows will spin our beloved tales. Supernatural has one tough competition here.
GRIMM premiers on Friday, October 28th at 9|8c on NBC
Freak Friday: Leatherface
This being the final Freak Friday I had a hard time deciding which freak-a-zoid would be featured. With so many horror novels and movies to sift through it was tough picking just one. I mean honestly how could a girl decide between Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees, Pinhead, Freddy Krueger, Jigsaw, Norman Bates and a slew of other crazed killers and monsters. But after much deliberation I decided on this lovely individual...
Leatherface from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Bubba Sawyer a.k.a Leatherface is known for 1) murdering people with his preferable weapon, a chainsaw and 2) wearing a mask made of human skin. He's retarded and slow-moving like Frankenstein, hails from a hick inbred family of cannibals and has some kind of disgusting skin disease that his only option is to sport other folks skin.
The original Texas Chainsaw Massacre was released in 1974 and is considered to be the first of the 1970's slasher films. Don't let the low-budget and grainy film fool you. It's pretty well made, well-acted and does it's job of scaring the beejeezus out of you. Any horror film connoisseur would recommend you watch this movie and peaked enough interest that five others films were spawned after the original.
Although the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre was marketed as a telling of a true-story, the plot is fictional; although Leatherface and the details of the killings and plot points were based on the real-life killings by Ed Gein. So if you and your friends ever end up in the middle of nowhere in Texas and see a creepy house full of inbred looking folks and a big dude wielding a chainsaw, you better run for your life If not, you might end up being locked up in a freezer waiting to be the next meal to be fired up on the barbie.
Oct 27, 2011
Book Giveaway: Blood and Guitars by Heather Jensen
Now it's time to share some love with you guys!
Heather is feeling generous and instead of one we will be giving away
TWO digital copies of
We don't want to make it complicated so in two simple steps this is how you qualify:
Be a member of our blog
by clicking this button on your right pane --->
and leave a comment below with your email address.
This is open til Sunday, October 30, and the two lucky members will notified on Monday, October 31.
Please note that this is an ebook and not a physical one.
Heather is requesting for a short and hopefully sweet review
on either or all of the following sites:
Heather is requesting for a short and hopefully sweet review
on either or all of the following sites:
Goodreads
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
LibraryThing
LibraryThing
Guest Blogger: Heather Jensen
Our featured guest blogger for this week is
Heather Jensen
author of
Blood and Guitars
I’m honored to be posting on Talk Supe today. I feel right at home in a blog full of all things paranormal. I can’t say exactly when my writing addiction began but I know by the age of twelve I was constantly writing down stories. My best friend can attest to this, and I apologize to her regularly for having to read them all. A trip to historic Europe inspired my first novel, which I began writing as a teenager and self-published at the age of twenty. I’ve always been a big fan of fantasy but I didn’t find my niche until I discovered the world of paranormal fantasy. I actually had the idea for my latest novel, Blood And Guitars, twelve years ago while I was in high school. I was really inspired by the work of Amelia Atwater-Rhodes. In a twist of fate there was a post about her work on the site just this week. Her vampire novels were thrilling and made me see vampires in a brand new light (or would that be dark?) Amelia was a young writer and made me realize that if she could do it, so could I. I consider myself one of her biggest fans. Seriously. My only child is named Zane. It’s cool to be named after a snake, right? (TS: Yup Zane is a pretty cool name!)
In Blood And Guitars I combined two things I’m very passionate about: vampires and music. I’ve been playing drums for almost fifteen years and guitar for about ten and I did an apprenticeship in a recording studio after college. My passion for music naturally leaked into my writing a long time ago. I’m a fan of all types of music but there are a few specific bands whose songs fill up my writing playlist. Catalyst, the fictional band in the Blood And Guitars series, was inspired by bands such as The All American Rejects, Secondhand Serenade, 30 Seconds To Mars, Dashboard Confessional, and Jimmy Eat World just to name a few. If I could pick an actor to play Trey, the band’s lead singer/rhythm guitarist, in a movie it would probably be Chace Crawford. If Trey could jump off my pages and come to life, he’d look a lot like Chace. Trey is one of my favorite characters I’ve ever had the pleasure of writing. One thing I love about him is that he’s very down-to-earth and levelheaded, despite the fame and fortune the band’s success has brought him. He wears his heart on his sleeve and is fiercely loyal to those he cares about, making it hard not to love him. 
My inspiration for Aurora is a little different. I saw a picture on the internet years ago of a drawing of a young vampire woman with jet black hair and soulful, poison-green eyes. The image is still burned into my mind, although I’ve never been able to find it again. Luckily, I have another image of a woman who looks just like her. Aurora is a bit of a walking contradiction in the fact that she’s a beautiful, exceptionally powerful young vampire, but she feels very isolated and alone at times. Even her name means Goddess of the dawn, which is ironic for a vampire who has more control over her moon-given abilities at night and would rather sleep the daylight hours away. When I began writing the book, I had just started dabbling in oil painting, something I still enjoy when I find the time. Making Aurora an artist gives her that creative outlet that acts like therapy when she’s feeling out of place in a world filled with humans. She finds solace when she’s at her art studio, The Waking Moon. Aurora tends to be a perfectionist, meaning she has a good head for business, but she secretly craves the freedom and spontaneity that she finds in Trey.
My writing process has changed a lot over the years. Before I had my son I never went to bed on this side of midnight, but since then I’ve had to adapt my writing schedule to accommodate everything that comes with being a stay-at-home mom. These days I mostly write while he’s at school. When I start writing a story I make a general outline first. I still have the original outline and character bios for Blood And Guitars that I scribbled down in my 5-Star notebook in class when I was sixteen. Once I get to know my characters I find that they are quite capable of navigating the story in their own way, opening up paths that I could never have anticipated.
I’m currently working on the second book in the Blood And Guitars trilogy, tentatively titled Immortals and Melodies, and plan to release it in print and e-book next summer. (TS: Yay!)
I have a website/blog dedicated to my writing at www.heatherjensen.info . I love doing research for my stories, which leads to hours spent Googling things online. As a result, I have pictures of places and things from Blood And Guitars on the site. You’ll also find other fun things like Catalyst lyrics, Character bios, and more.
Thanks to Braine and Cimmaron for having me on Talk Supe today! I hope you’ll all enter to win a Blood And Guitars e-book in the giveaway.
Get your copy of Blood And Guitars at the following sites:
For other online stores and e-book formats, visit
www.heatherjensen.info for more info.
Here are a few other places you can connect with me online:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BloodAndGuitars
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/theedgeofwords
Blood And Guitars Twitter hashtag: #bandg
Blood And Guitars Official Book Trailer:
Blood and Guitars by Heather Jensen
Series: Blood and Guitars 1
Format: ARC from the author
Release Date: June 17, 2011
Purchase Link: Amazon
Purchase Link: Amazon
When Aurora meets Trey, a famous singer and musician, she’s only hoping to get her fill of human blood for the week. The last thing Aurora expects is for Trey to make her feel alive for the first time since she was, well, alive. It begins with a casual painting lesson at her art studio, The Waking Moon, and quickly turns into a forbidden romance. Aurora is forced to hide her true identity from Trey, while keeping her relationship with the human a secret from other vampires in her Brood. Trey’s band is recording a new album and with Aurora as his muse, Trey is writing songs like never before. After being hired by their record label to paint the cover of the new album, Aurora has a legitimate reason for spending so much time with Trey and his band mates. Aurora can’t deny the unexpected connection she has with Trey, which is fueled by glimpses into his emotions every time they share a kiss. Caught between two worlds, Aurora must attend celebrity award shows and vampire rituals, find time to feed, and protect Trey from the dangers of the night, all while preserving her secrets.
A couple of weeks ago Heather Jensen stumbled upon our blog and requested that we give her book a try. We are truly flattered that she thought of us and it was a good deal because we didn't get the short end of the stick. Honestly I was a bit hesitant to read it because I want to steer clear from the Bellas and Luces that keeps on popping up in these YA novels. Seriously people, there's nothing cute about UNempowered girls and women. So I was very happy that Blood and Guitars wasn't like that, in fact Heather Jensen's novel was a super easy read and the heroine, Aurora was normal. I finished it on one afternoon.
The book opens with a meeting about trouble in the vampire world and although the initial mood is dark and foreboding, as the story moves forward it becomes light and airy. It focuses on Aurora's break from vampire politics, as she calls it, and Trey initially provided the much needed distraction and he reminds her of how exuberant life is when you live it outside the shadows.
The fact that Aurora is a vampire seems trivial because the story didn't revolve around her nocturnal practices rather it was all about Aurora and Trey and how they fell inlove. I find Aurora and Trey's courtship very cute and old fashioned, he would woo her with his song writing and she'd impress him with her skill in painting. They shared each other's world and there is an easy camaraderie between the two of them. It's a good break from the hot and heavy and although their relationship is unconventional and forbidden, the mood of their relationship is breezy and right.
The first half of the book was mostly told in Trey's POV, here Jensen paints Trey's world to us and gives us a clear picture of his character. I understand that this part is important to stress the contrast between the lead characters but after establishing a certain feel on Trey's world I felt that it became static and I was sort of hoping for something extraordinary.
Or maybe on this part the band's relationship with Wes, the band manager, could've been further highlighted. I don't want to give away too much but Wes has a hand on how the story ends. Unfortunately he was more like a passing character and his significance in the scheme of things was underplayed. So when tragedy struck, I found it difficult to sympathize with the characters because I didn't really feel Wes in the story too much.
Another thing that bothered me a little were the shifts in POV especially towards the end because the story is written on the first point of view, alternating between Aurora and Trey. A title in every chapter would've helped because there were several instances where I have to backtrack a bit and figure out who's thoughts and version of the story I was reading. But this nuance wouldn't distract you from the story, it's just my OCD kicking in.
In summary, I like the love story, it's like spring/summer and Trey is such a wonderful hero. He's not a jerk, he knows how to treat women right, down to earth and even his band, Catalyst is like that. You'd want them around as your friends and they are far from the usual sex-drugs-and-rock 'n roll kind of thing. Aurora's character too has some interesting layers, being a predator it is expected that she'll be an Alpha and would protect what's hers but at the same time she's soft and feminine with Trey. She has a lot of restraint especially on using her super telepathic powers on him.
So I urge you to pick up a copy or join our book giveaway later. It's nice to steer clear from the Bellas, Edwards and Luces once in a while. Try something light, sweet and happy for a change, I promise it can do wonders for you.
Stay tuned for Heather Jensen's guest blog and our book giveaway.
In the meantime, enjoy Blood and Guitar's book trailer.
Oct 25, 2011
The Shapeshifters by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
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| read an excerpt here |
Release Date: January 12, 2010
Purchase Link: Amazon
Hawksong
Danica Shardae, an avian shapeshifter, will do anything in her power to stop the war that has raged between her people and the serpiente—even pretend to be in love with Zane Cobriana, the terrifying leader of her kind’s greatest enemy, and accept him as her pair bond. But will Zane strike as swiftly and lethally as the cobra that is his second form?
Snakecharm
A surprising union has brought peace to the avians and serpiente. Soon a child will be born to carry on their royal lines. But Syfka, an ancient falcon, is claiming that one of her people is hidden in the avian and serpiente land. Is Syfka’s lost falcon just a ruse to stir up controversy among them?
Falcondance
Nicias is a falcon, the son of two exiles from Ahnmik, and images of this distant island have always haunted his dreams. When his visions become more like reality, his parents send him back to the homeland—and a royal falcon—they’ve tried their best to forget.
Wolfcry
Oliza Shardae Cobriana is heir to Wyvern’s Court, home of the avians and serpiente, whose war with each other ended just before Oliza was born. But hatred is slow to die, and Oliza’s serpiente suitor is found beaten in avian land. How can she be expected to lead a unified society if her people still cannot live peacefully together?
Wyvernhail
Hai, daughter of a falcon mother and a deceased cobra father, is considered a mongrel by most, an ally by some, and a friend by few. When Hai’s cousin abdicates the throne of Wyvern’s Court, Hai has visions of destruction. Now she will do anything to protect her new home—even if it means betraying the very people who need her most.
THIS IS NOT FOR ME
Like Den of Shadows, The Shapeshifters is a digest of AAR's Were series. However we are not talking about the staple wolves and all that. In AAR's world, her shifters are avians (hawks, falcons, ravens), serpents (cobra, boas) and tigers.
This has at least a thousand pages with 5 summarized stories. It's edited smartly and the essence of the stories were not compromised. At first I was intimidated by such a thick book but once I started I realized that I couldn't put it down. The Shapeshifters is more of a science-fiction/fantasy read than paranormal. But it's still dark and gritty told with amazing clarity
Basically this is a story about war, love, loyalty, fealty and betrayal. The book opens with Hawksong and we're in the middle of a long war between the Hawks and the Cobras. So much has been lost for reasons nobody remembers anymore until a truce has been offered. The only way to unite warring factions is through an old fashioned alliance via marriage. The Hawk Queen Danica Shardae is to be married to the Cobra King Zane Cobriana. Soon assassinations followed but Danica and Zane's good intent prevailed and those trials made them realize that their union is more than a political alliance but a marriage of the heart.
In Snakecharm, Danica and Zane realizes that maybe some of their goals have been too idealistic. Yes the war has ceased for now but years of hatred and animosity is still skimming the surface of their kingdoms. Danica is now with child and though part human, their shifter side is still a dominant gene in their make up. Not everyone is keen on having a ruler who is not of pure blood. Plus which form will their child take, that of a Hawk or a Cobra? Will their people accept the heir that they will leave to lead them?Will the peace end on their reign or will it continue for generations? On top of that, the fearsome Empire of the Falcons are in their midst, searching for the lost bretheren.
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| Wyvern |
Come Wolfcry, Oliza (Danica and Zane's daughter) is caught in a crossroads. First one of her suitors is attacked then she gets abducted. Which only proves how far the Wyvern court is from healing thousands of years of war between the avian and serpiente. On top of that, other kingdoms are meddling with their affairs because Oliza having both hawk and sperpent magic is a threat. As a result, Oliza abdicated from the throne and named her cousin and aunt as her successors. AND she chose a lady wolf as her mate.
And it all ends in Wyvernhail, where loyalties are tested and life changing choices are made.
The story has an exotic feel to it, the names of the characters are so unique it defines their personalities. The setting is medieval in the sense that there are warring kingdoms and empires, alliances, old fashioned swords and arrows and military strategies. I love the pace and the conflicts of each story is so complex you're kept guessing who the villain is.
However, the story lost me at mid point. For some reason I wasn't able to connect with the rest of the stories anymore. It became too technical for me to grasp, the complicated jargons especially the focus on the dances mentioned were way over my head. I understand that the novels are shortened to fit the concept but probably it wasn't a very good idea to have done that.
Another thing that was a little off for me were the characters' love matches. It wouldn't have mattered if they were plain people but since their animal sides are dominant and their bloodline is apparent on both their human and animal forms. For instance, Oliza is a Wyvern (hawk and serpent) who chose a female wolf as her mate, ok that's safe but how about a cross breed of a hawk and a falcon or raven? A falcon and a viper? An avian and a wolf? I mean the genetic implications are mind boggling!
In my opinion, in stories like this one the difference all lie in the details. It's very tricky to create a universe and make it as vivid and real in the pages. There were a lot of things in the series that are Atwater-Rhodes' own, things that you will only read from her and not anywhere else. The magic became alchemy for me, that's how complicated the story became from Falcondance til the end.
Oh well, maybe it's just me and my limited imagination.
Oct 24, 2011
Girl Crush Mondays: Mila Kunis
It's Girl Crush Mondays again and this weeks Girl Crush is
Mila Kunis might have helped you to "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" or you may have fallen for her retro outfits on That 70's Show or maybe it was her steamy scene with Natalie Portman in Black Swan. Or it could also be her voice as Meg Griffin on the Family Guy. No matter what the reason may be, there are a lot of things to love about Mila Kunis and that's why she's my pick for this weeks Girl Crush Mondays.
Aside from her beautiful Eastern European features, she's strong, opinionated and is a fan o sarcasm, satire and self-deprecating humor. She's just a little different from the typical "Hollywood" types, which is a breathe of fresh air from the bottle blonde's and fakery. I just love this chick and if you saw her in the 2011 Oscars, you know she was a knockout.
Mila is currently working on Oz: The Great and Powerful. She will be playing the role of Theodora, who is the youngest sister of three witches in the prequel to 1939's The Wizard of Oz. Oz: The Great and Powerful tells how the Wizard arrived in Oz and how he became the ruler. The movie is slated to be released in 2013 and will be directed by Sam Raimi (Spider-Man).
Oct 23, 2011
Review: Envy by J.R. Ward
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| excerpt here |
Series: The Fallen Angels 3
Format: Paperback
Release Date: September 6, 2011
Purchase Link: Amazon
Seven deadly sins. Seven souls to save. And a man and a woman treading the lines of danger, desire and deliverance/ As the son of a serial killer, homicide detective Thomas DelVecchio Jr grew up in the shadow of evil. Now, on the knife-edge between civic duty and blind retribution, he atones for the sins of his father. Hired to monitor Veck is Internal Affairs officer Sophia Reilly, whose interest in Veck is both professional and arousingly personal. But Veck and Sophia have a common interest. He's Jim Herron, a mysterious stranger enlisted to save the soul of a killer's latest victim, one precariously hovering between heaven and hell. Before Herron's job is done, Veck and Sophia will be inexorably drawn into a battle of good against evil, where the risk is nothing less than total damnation.
So ENVY picks up from that motel scene in Lover Unleashed with Old World vamp Xcor and friend, ravishing the bejeezus out of serial killer, David Kroner.
Thomas "Veck" DelVecchio Jr. was at the wrong place at the wrong time when the vampire retribution happened. So to protect their race and identities, his memory about that night was wiped out. Veck being the son of another famous serial killer, has this nagging feeling that he is somehow responsible for Kroner's attack. Might be his alter ego coming out of the trenches? But further investigations exonerated him which led him to meet Sophia Reilly, an Internal Affairs officer who will be more than his temporary field partner while the Kroner case is ongoing.
Meanwhile Jim Heron is still reeling and seething from the soul he lost to Devina in Crave, and is now tearing walls trying to get ahead of the enemy. He struck an unusual deal with the demon herself but knowing Devina, she have something extremely devious up her sleeve that will not only shake Jim's defense but will certainly strain their offense. On top of that, Nigel and Co. are having internal disputes so Jim Heron is practically on his own in this mission.
Oh. My. Fallen. Angel. I wasn't floored by Crave but ENVY more than made up for that! Right off the bat the story builds momentum in the first 50 pages and doesn't let go til the end. Veck is a fascinating hero, his family history alone will set back any therapist years and years of speculation and psych analysis plus his ongoing desire to steer clear form his father's "legacy" and prove that he is nothing like him. Veck is a fascinating character, he has so many layers about him and at one point I was second guessing myself thinking that Devina might win him.
Adrian and Eddie's relationship became more explicit in this one although I wonder what the deal is between these two aside from spending multiple lifetimes together? What exactly did Devina do to Adrian that left him empty and on the brink of death, infected by Devina's "cancer"? I almost lost it like Jim when... SPOILER ALERT!... Eddie fell! He's an angel, how in the world can he die like that? Jim went nuclear when he was't able to save Eddie and Adrian went stoic but I'm betting my last cent that in the coming books, Ad will go apesh*t on Devina once he accepted Eddie's death. That I can't wait to see.
Jim's side project, taking the soul of Sissy Barten (that virgin chick that Devina sacrificed in Covet) back from the demon has made progress. He found her body and my heart broke for Sissy's mother. She became Jim's banner in vanquishing Evil and winning the war. He has still a long way to go before he can retrieve her soul back because Jim is forced to play by the rules while Devina pushes the limits. At the end of the book, Ward threw a curve ball, seems like there will be a rebuttal on Matthias' soul in one of the next books so that will definitely be interesting.
I'm at ends here, I LOVE Ward's men! They are more colorful than a box of 150 colored Crayola. At the same time they are very disturbing so maybe that super latent deviant part of me is responding to her stories. J.R. Ward just writes about men so well and I'd like to believe that she'd captured their POV to a tee. If I don't know who she is, I'd think that she's a dude!
If you are a Ward fan and haven't started Fallen Angels then you better haul some serious a$$ and start reading because the story is getting better each time. ENVY was worth the hype and I hardly reread books immediately but I think I'll make an exception for this one.
Once Upon a Time
A little more magic is about to arrive on your television screens. Tonight, ABC will premier ONCE UPON A TIME, which is a modern telling of several of the Brothers Grimm's fairy tales.
Once Upon a Time Centers on a woman, Emma Swan, with a troubled past who is drawn into a small town in Maine where the magic and mystery of Fairy Tales might just may be real.
The pilot episode begins on the wedding day of Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin), and Prince Charming (Joshua Dallas), the Evil Queen (Lana Parrilla) arrives and delivers threat about a curse she intends to release upon them. Some time later, a pregnant Snow White is worried about the curse and visits Rumplestiltskin (Robert Carlyle) who issues a prophecy that the Queen's curse will take them all someplace terrible, where there will be no happy endings. He also reveals that Snow White's unborn daughter, Emma, will return when she is 28 years old to rescue them, thus beginning the final battle with the Queen. On advice from the Blue Fairy, Geppetto (Tony Amendola) and Pinocchio create a magical cupboard which will allow one person to escape the Queen's curse. On the day Snow White gives birth to her daughter, the Queen's curse strikes. Prince Charming places their daughter in the magic cupboard, but is mortally wounded in the process. The Queen stands triumphantly over Snow White and Prince Charming as the curse takes them to "someplace horrible".
I'm really hoping this show does well.It's daring that writers/producers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz are bringing the classic fairy tales to television. As a fan of everything fantasy, I was hoping that all the stories would have taken place in fantasy land but adding the modern day aspect could really help or hurt the show. I was a little disappointed that ABC didn't advertise the show a little more to garner attention and interest. Unless I totally just missed it and didn't notice it till the last two weekend. Although Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz were part creators of LOST, I just have an ominous feeling that they might not be able to figure out how this story will end with a happy ending. Let's just hope the shows creators are able to keep the magic and drama continuous and can give us at least a full season, especially since I am a huge fan of Ginnifer Goodwin.
Don't forget to watch the series premier of
ONCE UPON A TIME tonight a 8PM Eastern/7PM Central.
Oct 21, 2011
Freak Friday: Count Orlok
Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens (also known as Nosferatu: A Symphony of Terror or simply Nosferatu) is the classic 1922 German silent horror film, directed by F. W. Murnau, starring Max Schreck as Count Orlok. The film was Dracula's first official appearance on screen although he was known as Count Orlok and referred to as a Nosferatu instead of a vampire because the filmmakers were not able to obtain the rights to Bram Stoker's, Dracula.
I'm not usually creeped out by any Dracula films but Count Orlok totally just gives off the freaky creepster vibe. Although Orlok is based on Count Dracula, he lacks Dracula's aristocratic, seductive and sexual appeal. Orlok just looks utterly repulsive with his creepy eyes, bald head, pointy ears, rat like front teeth, hook nose, elongated fingers, and emaciated body. There was no way in hell he could lure any ladies back to his castle for a little nightcap. And unlike Dracula, Count Orlock didn't turn any of his victims for vampires. He killed his victims for only one reason, blood.
If you're into vampires and don't mind silent and black & white films, the I suggest watching Nosferatu. Just beware of the rodent looking creature lurking around in the dark and stalking innocent women.
Click HERE to watch Nosferatu for free on YouTube.
Oct 19, 2011
Supernaturally by Kiersten White
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| read an excerpt here |
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: July 26, 2011
Purchase Link: Amazon
Evie finally has the normal life she’s always longed for. But she’s shocked to discover that being ordinary can be...kind of boring. Just when Evie starts to long for her days at the International Paranormal Containment Agency, she’s given a chance to work for them again. Desperate for a break from all the normalcy, she agrees.
But as one disastrous mission leads to another, Evie starts to wonder if she made the right choice. And when Evie’s faerie ex-boyfriend Reth appears with devastating revelations about her past, she discovers that there’s a battle brewing between the faerie courts that could throw the whole supernatural world into chaos. The prize in question? Evie herself.
So much for normal.
Until Raquel paid her a visit and asked her help for some minor IPCA business. She was reluctant at first but Evie misses her life as an IPCA agent so she accepted Raquel's invite. This caused problems with Lend and definitely put her life in danger more than once.
But Evie's little gig in IPCA is far from over. She gets another visit from her ex, the fae Reth, and he reveals heartbreaking information about Evie and her . Evie never felt so dejected plus there's a fae out to get her. How she wished she listened to Lend and left IPCA forever.
I've read mixed reviews about this Paranormalcy sequel and what resounded the most was that Supernaturally was deemed slow compared to it's prequel. I do not complety agree with that, first of all I can't put the book down and managed to finish it in one sitting. I guess the reason why some readers made the comparison is because Evie is more normal than paranormal.
The book shows us the inner conflict that Evie has for herself. She didn't agree with a lot of things that IPCA did to paranormal beings so she left but at the same time she misses the adrenaline rush and the sense of purpose she had when she was still an agent. She also misses her friends and people who basically raised her. But on the other hand, she wants to give being normal a try and though she's still living with supernatural beings, there's a big difference between a member and a moderator.
I like Spernaturally and the series for that matter. It's light and funny and far from the usual dark and depressing YA stories. I just wish that White could've dedicated a chapter about Evie post damning her father. I think that's another reason why fans were disgruntled because White sort of skipped Evie's introspection and immediately jumped to Jack and the fae.
Anyway the Paranormaly series' tempo is upbeat and certainly fresh. It has a unique sense of humor and I like Evie's adventures and White's monsters. The third and last book of the series, Endlessly, will be released sometime next year.
Oct 18, 2011
Highland Fever over Karen Marie Moning
I discovered Karen Marie Moning by accident in one of my book haunts. I had a chick lit phase going and thought that I should try something new. I saw the cover of Shadowfever and decided to give the series a go. Best decision ever!
What happened next was one of the best two weeks of my reading life. I can't put the darn books down! I was so into Mac and Barrons but mostly I found V'lane sexy and beyond interesting. The chemistry between these three were so palpable at times it feels like the pages of the books are breathing with sex, passion and mystery.
I love Mac, I love how she transitioned from this blonde happy-go-lucky southern belle to this dark haired Unseelie killing machine. She wanted not just vengeance but everything to do with her sister Alina's death. And I felt her guilt and frustration. I felt her attraction to Barrons and really found her interactions with V'lane hilarious. Stripping in a museum and having spontaneous orgasms? Wow! I've never read anything like this.
I've read countless stories about fairies but nothing like FAERY. V'lane is this stone faced, cold hearted guy who can give Mac all the riches in the universe but doesn't feel an ounce of human emotion but just mimics it! He is sexy as hell but his eyes are as cold as dry ice. A perfect combination of hot and cold. The Fae history and the power that they wield reeled me in and the way Moning just put us in suspense about the King, Queen and the Concubine got me speculating nonstop.
And och! Jericho Barrons! Heaven help me but why create such an impossible man to find or even conjure in real life?! He is the reason why KMM's page is currently under supervision because fans are just so passionate about him. No mortal man can ever come close to the idea of Barrons but there is much about the man that remains unknown. I was elated when KMM announced her movie deal and writing more Fever books.
So of course with this tremendous find, I hounded Cimmaron to pick up the series as well. At first I felt anxious that she wouldn't like it but I'm glad that it went the other way. Thus this blog and everything else Became.
Now Cimmaron took it further, she went back and gave the Highlander Series a go. If you've been following our blog for quite some time, you might have read about Cimmaron gushing about these Scottish warriors. So hoping to get me infatuated with these Highlanders, she lent me the first seven books.
Overall I found the series funny and I was happy to pick up new terms like toop, tupping and doona ken. These men are magnificent creatures and how cool is it that they are like Barrons? Tall, dark and definitely handsome, pure undiluted testosterone. Even the side stories are funny, it's your typical romantic comedy in paper. I also loved that Aoibheal, pre-comatose, was a permanent fixture in all the books. It made me understand why the King fell in love with her and caused all that shiznit to go down in Fever.
My favorite are Hawk and Grimm's stories. It was non stop LOL alternated by delicious shivers running up and down my spine the entire time I was reading it. All the stories are old school historical romance that I'd lose sleep over when I was in my teens. The characters are engaging and the scenarios are so ridiculous that I can't help but wish I'd fall in a cave and wake a slumbering Highlander.
The Highlander series is a hodgepodge of everything you want in a romance novel. It has all the right ingredients that would make you want to plan a trip to Scotland and start wearing a lot of plaid and wish a guy who's six and a half feet tall would come and claim you as theirs.
It's obvious that I'm rambling and that's because I can't get enough of Karen and her world. I wish she writes a Fae series after Fever and I'm praying that the movie adaptation will be as kick ass as the novels.
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