Chael's Luck Blog Tour Winner!!

Thank you to everyone who came along and participated in the Chael's Luck Blog Tour :)

Without further ado,

The winner of an e-copy of Chael's Luck by Mireille Chester is...

Crisa

 

Congrats Crisa, I will email you shortly with details :)

Book Review: Hetaera by Suzanne Tyrpak

Title: Hetaera (Agathon's Daughter: Book One)

Author: Suzanne Tyrpak

Publication Date: December 11th 2011

Source: Received from the author for an honest review

Born a bastard and a slave, Hestia has a gift: the power to read people's hearts. And yet, the secrets of her own heart remain a mystery. Hestia's keen intellect makes her a match for any man. But even a literate slave has little control over destiny. Sold to a prominent statesman with sadistic tendencies, Hestia becomes his hetaera (consort). As her wealth and fame increase so does her despair. She dreams of freedom, but she faces enemies at every turn. When Hestia is accused of murder, the mystery of her past unravels and fate takes another turn.

Hetaera: Agathon's Daughter was awarded third place in the Maui Writers Rupert Hughes writing competition.

Due to the subject matter, there are some sexual scenes--suggestive rather than explicit.

My Thoughts

Hetaera is an intriguing and and at times, harsh story of the life of a woman in ancient Greece.

Brought up as a slave in her father's home, Hestia is at the mercy of her ambitious and quite frankly bitch mistress/step mother after her Father Agathon dies under mysterious circumstances.

What ensues is a story of spite, hatred, intrigue and self survival.
I was hoping to have more of her gift explained in the book as it initially sounded as though this was a pivotal part of the book.
Sadly, it didn't really play a huge role in the story, as surely it would of helped her steer clear off some of the obstacles that came her way.

The writing of author Suzanne Tyrpak is smooth and easily engrossing in its descriptions of everyday life in Ancient Greece, even when encountering unsettling subject matter.

Overall, I really enjoyed some elements of this story but wasn't fussed with others.
An interesting 3 Star read :]

Book Review: Yes by Deborah Burnside

Title: Yes

Author: Deborah Burnside

Publication Date: November 4th 2011 

Publisher: Harper Collins New Zealand 

Source: Received from Booksellers NZ for purpose of an honest review

Flashcard: Determination. Make that, flashcard: Friendship - Foolishness - Fear. Because they can all look the same to Marty. M&M, as he's known to his friends, might have trouble reading people, organizing things or pleasing his father, but he knows that when his mate Luke - Legless - attempts to involve him in another crazy venture, it's futile to resist. This time it's the Young Enterprise Scheme. Luke believes it will make them rich and popular - and along the way will capture the heart of his elusive love. Marty wonders if it should be, flashcard: Madness. Reluctantly, Marty says YES. And what comes next is a whole lot bigger and weirder than he could ever have imagined.

My Thoughts

Yes is a finalist in the New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards and I was lucky enough to be chosen by Booksellers NZ to review it.

Yes has been really well written.
It is exceptionally fluid, reads very smoothly and sucks you in almost immediately.

The characters are fresh and real, and Marty is the quirkiest character I think I have ever read.
In part due to his autism but the kid has a strange and interesting way of looking at the world, making him a very funny guy indeed.

With his almost constant internal rambling and over active imagination Marty's brain wanders off on a near constant tangent and at times I felt like I was trying to tune a station in on my car stereo, he is so all over the place!.
But in a good way, because I knew where I was at all times, his mind set didn't distract from the story at all, it totally enhanced it.

The author, Deborah Burnside has expertly managed to pull what can only be described as a tough and compelling story into a coherent and heart warming tale of adversity, struggle, self discovery and success.

Yes did all the things that a great book should.
Yes made me giggle, and laugh.
Yes made me feel.
I cared greatly for all of the characters, and at times Yes brought a tear to my eye. (Definitely the sign of a great read:))

Set against the backdrop of the early 2000's in small town New Zealand, Yes is a book you will love falling in love with. I know I have!

Yes is a surprisingly honest to goodness read.
4 Stars ;]

Yes on Goodreads
Deborah Burnside on Facebook
Booksellers NZ on Facebook
The Book Depository 
Amazon

My First 'In My Mailbox'

I am not one of those reviewers/bloggers that gets copious amounts of print books and swag sent to them for reviews and giveaways, so today I’m excited to say "I received some print books in the mail this week"

Most of my review material is in e-book form and I now tend to buy most of my books electronically also, so I do tend to get a little gleeful when 'real' books arrive.

In My Mailbox This Week

I received a copy of Yes by Deborah Burnside to review from Booksellers NZ. It’s a finalist in the 2012 New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards. This is another book that has been on my radar for quite some time so I was really pleased to be asked to review it.

I received from TBD, Forgiven by Jana Oliver that I have had on pre-order for what seems like forever.
The Demon Trappers series is one that I have to have in print on my keeper shelf. I really love these characters and their ever evolving story.

I purchased Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan as a second hand book; it has been on my need to get list for a while so when the opportunity came along to buy it at a really great price, I just couldn’t say no.

I've received some children's picture e-books to review with some help from my eager 5 year old, which should help ease some of the school holiday blues (here's hoping).

I have also received a few random e-books, (yes they just showed up) which due to my seemingly never ending to review list; may take quite a while to get to.

I do hate getting behind with my reviews and feel terribly guilty for doing so, but after talking with some other reviewers it would seem to be an extremely common occurrence.
It doesn't help that I am also cursed with YES disease and find it almost impossible to turn anyone down when they request a review from me!
So much so that my read for my own pleasure pile, barely gets touched these days.
Time management is not my forte!!

Book Review: Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

Title: Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassin #1)

Author: Robin LaFevers

Publication Date: April 3rd 2012

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Source: Received from the publisher via Netgalley

Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae's most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

My Thoughts

Where to start?

Well its a really lllooonnngggg read at 549 pages.

And while both the story and characters are interesting, there were no moments of anticipation or sheer excitement that had been chaffing at the bit to plow through it at a rate of knots. The writing itself though is fluid and easy to read, but it is dull and it was at times a chore to read.

For an assassin, Ismae doesn’t kill many people and she takes a back seat to all that goes on around her, whereas one would have thought the action, and Ismae’s part in it would be endless. Instead she spends most of her time waiting for things to reveal themselves to her rather than being an active part in discovering the traitor in their midst.

The slowly growing feelings between Ismae and Duval are just that…slow, and I felt the culmination of those feelings was hurried and skimmed over in its conclusion.

Overall the story and setting are interesting, the writing smooth if at times boring and considering it takes so long to get there, the ending and final wrap up only takes about 60 – 70 pages, and the ending has left me feeling cheated.

A nice read if you have time and patience but definitely not a lot in the romance dept if like me you thought there was some.

A solid 3-3.5 Star read

Blog Tour With Giveaway For Chael's Luck by Mireille Chester

I was lucky enough to get to read Chaels's Luck a little while ago and I can say wholeheartedly, you will enjoy this book!

If you would like to read my review, you can find it here

I also have one ebook copy of Chael's Luck to giveaway so check the details at the end of this blog on how to enter.

On with the interview...

Welcome Mireille, could you please tell us, how do you prepare for a day of writing, how does your process work?

The first thing I do is get my 2 boys ready for school then set up snacks, toys, and TV shows for my baby girl.  Then I make sure I have a full pot of coffee and off I go into my imaginary worlds.

Do your stories/characters manifest themselves i.e. in dreams/daydreams, voices in your head, or do you sit down and purposely create them?

A little of all of those.  I’ll wake up from dreaming something and go Ha! that’s a great idea!  All of my characters have their own little voices in my head telling me their stories.  I never really have a plan or set outline in place for any of my stories…I just start to write and the characters let me know where to go.

How do you pick names for your characters or do they have their own already?

They sort of already have their names even if I don’t pick the right one at first.  I write and use a name that pops into my head.  Sometimes it fits right away, sometimes I change it a few times before a name sticks.  When I find the right one, it just feels right.

Which of your fictional characters would you most like to spend time with?

I’d have to say Ternach.  He’s the immortal in The Chosen One Trilogy.  It would be neat to see his thoughts on the evolution of Quelondain since he’s been around since the beginning of time.

How do you deal with negative criticism (if any)?

I have to admit that at first, it broke my heart and made me doubt whether or not I wanted to keep writing.  Since Crossover, I’ve learnt to take from the reviews what I can to improve and to remind myself that not everyone will fall in love with my stories and writing just like I don’t love every book I read. 

What are three quirky, interesting, or little known facts you can tell us about yourself?

One, I talk to myself.  A lot.  I do it all the time and everywhere.  I tend to get a lot of odd looks and raised eyebrows out in public.

Two, the only TV shows I watch are cartoons if the kids are home.  If I’m home alone the TV gets turned off.  The only time I will make an effort to watch a TV show is if the entire season is out on DVD, and even then, that’s not often.

And three, my favorite snack at night when I’m writing is boiled artichokes dipped in lemon butter with a beer to drink.

If you could meet any author living or dead, who and why?

I’d have to say Michel Faber just so I could tell him I love how he never ends a story how you want it to end.

Which book (if any) can you read over and over and never tire of?

So many, it’s hard to pick one… but the top two would have to be The Lord of the Rings and the Outlander series.

Who’s your ultimate swoon worthy man (other than your hubby!)?

Vin Diesel.  I’m an arm girl and that man’s arms are phenomenal. :D

Dog lover, cat person or both/other?

Dog lover, though I do have a cat and Toad is pretty awesome… for a cat.

Favorite movie and/or TV show?

Boondock Saints for the movie and Primeval for the TV show.

Favorite actor and/or actress?

Bruce Willis and Milla Jovovich.

Favorite book and/or author?

The Lord of the Rings and Diana Gabaldon.

Are you an early bird or a night owl?

Both.  I go to bed late but wake up early.  Thank god for coffee.

Favorite color?

Green, but not bright green; more along the lines of khaki.

Favorite food?

Steak (rare)

Sunny beach or snowy mountain top?

Snowy mountain top so long as it’s not minus 40 Celsius at the time.

Do you prefer a man in boxers or briefs?

Boxer briefs… :D

What’s the most daring thing you have ever done?

Asked my husband to marry me… though he didn’t say yes at the time, he did ask me in return about six months later. Lol

Last book you read other than your own?

Osric's Wand: The Wand-Maker's Debate by Jack D. Albrecht Jr. and Ashley Delay.  It’s a great fantasy story that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys worlds filled with magic.

If you weren’t a writer you’d…?

I suppose I’d still be a stay at home mom, lol.  I’d just have more time to read and my house would probably be a bit more tidy.

Thanks for answering all my questions Mireille, its been a pleasure to get to know you better.

Mireille also sent over an excerpt from Cheal's Luck you all...

I spotted my father and couldn’t help but smile at the pride he was obviously feeling.  My uncle and aunt stood by his side.  Princess Katheryn gave a small tug on my arm and smiled up at me.  What in the world had made her want me to win?  Of all the knights she could have wanted to escort her, there were many that were more suitable.  Knights were supposed to be tall, thick, and strong.  Though I was about three inches taller than her, I was a good half a foot shorter than the next shortest knight in my group.  And thick?  I’d never be mistaken for thick.  I had inherited my mother’s slight bone structure and couldn’t put on an ounce of muscle had I thrown logs twenty hours a day.

I followed the king to the head table, pulled out the princess’ chair, and sat beside her.  I looked to the table where Harry, Hal, Mac, and the rest of the newly appointed knights sat.  I noticed Caleb was absent.

“Do you know what happened to Caleb, your majesty?”

The princess nodded.  “My father dismissed him from the Knighthood.  He is no longer welcome here at the castle.”  She took a sip of her wine.  “It was decided he did not possess the honor needed to be of service on this guard.”

I tried to feel a bit of sympathy toward the man that had made it his life’s ambition to make my life hell, but couldn’t.  I took a drink of my ale and took a deep breath to savor the aromas of the feast being put down in front of us.  I spent most of the time answering questions for the princess, from anything to do with my childhood adventures to what I planned to do in the future.

“Well, I plan on staying on as a Knight.”  I frowned, not sure what she was trying to say.

“Has your father found a match for you yet?”

I tried not to choke on the mouthful I had started to swallow.

“Um, no.  Quite frankly, I haven’t really thought of the possibility of taking on a, uh, wife.”

“Surely you plan on having a son to carry on the family tradition.”

This time I pretended to choke so I could excuse myself.  I could feel her gaze on my back as I went out for some fresh air.  I heard the band strike up the first song and the sound of dancers moving along to the music.

“Are you alright?”  Katheryn’s small hand touched my arm.

I smiled.  “I am.  I’m not one to enjoy being in a room filled with people.  I’m mostly comfortable off in the woods on the back of my horse.”

She grinned and moved closer.  “I thought maybe I was the one making you uncomfortable.”

I took a step back and found myself pressed against the railing.

She frowned.  “Do you find me attractive, Chael?”

I felt the blood rise into my face.  “Of course, your majesty.”

Her frown relaxed.  “Can you explain to me then, why it is you look ready to jump over this railing even though you know you’re two stories up?”

“Your majesty?”

“Katheryn.”  She took another step closer.  I tried to look relaxed as her knee touched mine and she placed her hand on my waist.

“I want you to kiss me, Chael.”

“Katheryn?”

“I’m asking you to kiss me.”

“But…”

“I could order you to do it.”

I looked around, hoping to see another person so I could use that as an excuse not to.  “Princess…”

“Katheryn.”

“Katheryn.”  I gazed into her dark eyes and forced myself to forget everything that was racing through my mind.  “You are a beautiful, independent, and obviously strong willed woman…”  I grinned as she tried to hide the smile the complement brought to her lips.  “I just…”

“You’re wondering why you?”

“I’m not the only one wondering.”

“You’re a man of honor, Chael.  You’ve spend years proving yourself.  You’re brave, skilled, and you care about your fellow Knights.”  She smiled.  “There are many women who have watched and are interested, Chael.  You just don’t seem to notice.”  She laughed at my frown.  “Some women want big, strong men.  I prefer mine to have brains over brawn.  Honor trumps muscles any day in my books.”  She stood on her tip toes.  “Now, does that answer your question?”

Her lips brushed against mine and I nodded, held her face in my hands, and pressed my lips to hers lightly........

Great right?

So for your chance to win an e-copy of Chael's Luck answer this question...

Swag Packs

If you were to be named after a God of any religion and/or myth which one would it be?

Leave a valid email address with your answer and at the end of the tour I'll draw a random winner, and remember every entry here also goes into another draw to win swag packs from the author.

Book Review: Inhale by Kendall Grey

Title: Inhale (Just Breathe #1)

Author: Kendall Grey

Publication Date: May 1st 2012 (to be confirmed)

Publisher: Howling Mad Press

Source: Received from the author for an honest review

Strangers in reality, inseparable in dreams…

After years of suffocating under her boss’s scrutiny, whale biologist Zoe Morgan finally lands a job as director of a tagging project in Hervey Bay, Australia. Success Down Under all but guarantees her the promotion of a lifetime, and Zoe won’t let anything—or anyone—stand in her way. Not the whale voices she suddenly hears in her head, not the ex who won’t take no for an answer, and especially not the gorgeous figment of her imagination who keeps saving her from the fiery hell of her dreams.

Gavin Cassidy hasn’t been called to help a human Wyldling in over a year, which is fine by him. Still blaming himself for the death of his partner, he keeps the guilt at bay by indulging in every excess his rock star persona affords. That is, until he’s summoned to protect Zoe from hungry Fyre Elementals and learns his new charge is the key to restoring order in the dying Dreaming. He never expects to fall for the feisty Dr. Morgan…nor does he realize he may have to sacrifice the woman he loves to save an entire country.

*This book contains graphic language, sex, and some violence. Not suitable for readers under the age of 18*

**The author will donate all profits from the sale of the JUST BREATHE trilogy to whale education**

My Thoughts

I absolutely love the premise for this book.
A new and exciting race of paranormals that embody the elements and enter the dreams of humans.
It is a story and genre that is right up my alley

I'm afraid Inhale didn't quite hit the mark for me.

I felt that the first 1/4 of this book was over explanatory and quite disjointed, and instead of helping I found the extensive background and Sentinel history bogged me down and I struggled to make my way through without skimming over the pages.
And strangely, I felt like I was reading book #3 or #4 in a series and that I was missing something.

Once I made my way through those first bumpy chapters though, I found the story took off and I was really engaged.

I definitely enjoyed the characters.

Gavin Cassidy is a gorgeous, pierced and tattooed rock star who's 'muse' for writing music has left him. 

He fills his time with nameless, faceless groupies and copious amounts of booze.

Zoe is studious, faithful, and an advocate for saving her beloved whales.
Cheated on one too many times and in need of a change she travels to Australia in the hope of outrunning her nightmares, and stumbles upon the much younger 'Perfect' in her dreams.

There are some really well written bad guys and gals too, and like I said the characters, setting and story are great; I just found the storytelling in the beginning lacked flow and a sense of cohesiveness.

All said and done, I'm definitely putting book #2 Exhale on my to-read list because despite the few hurdles to begin with I enjoyed Inhale very much.
A very respectable 4 Star read. 

LINKS

Inhale on Goodreads
Author's Blog

Author on Facebook