Month Of May Giveaway: Week Four

Well I'm completely unorganised for this weeks giveaway so I'm just going to keep it super simple and easy :)

This weeks prize is a $5 AMAZON giftcard

If you're like me and FOREVER buying books from Amazon, this giftcard is going to come in handy :)

The rules are there are no rules except you need to leave me a valid email address in order to contact you.

Giveaway ends Sunday 27th May (NZ time)

WINNERS of Week Three Giveaways...

Thanks to everybody who participated :)

Random has spoken and here are the winners

The winners of a Hunger Games Bookmark each are...

 

Alice Priday
and
Katie Wong

The winner of the earrings is...

Cameo Renae

The winner of the ph charm is...
Amber Garcia

Congrats everyone, I'll be emailing you shortly :) 

The Honest Review...IMO!

As a reader I'm looking for an honest review.

And as a reviewer/blogger its what I strive to provide.

I want to know what you didn't like about a book as much as I want to know why you loved it.

I started this blog because I was frustrated. 

Frustrated with all the raving reviews, the endless 5 star ratings and over the top exuberance that some people had for books that I didn't.

I'm not saying they were wrong, I'm just saying that my opinion often differed.

I'd hear about an absolute gem of a book, a must read with its numerous 5 star ratings and think..."Wow, it must be a fantastic book" and off to the shop I'd go.

Only to be despondent several days later and $20 poorer with the disappointingly boring* and/or over hyped* read.
Surely I couldnt be the only person on the planet that felt this way about that book...could I?

And so My Book Chatter was born. 

A place for me to voice my opinion.
 

After a little detective work on facebook, I discovered that there are a few authors out there who really hate a bad or so-so review and will sometimes even launch a campaign against a reviewer on Amazon or Goodreads to bombard the poor person in question with negative comments! 

In some cases I have even seen an author ask his/her supporters to write a flurry of 5 star reviews in order to get the rating back up.

I am by no means the review police, but its safe to say that this type of behaviour is a sure fire way to turn me off both the author and their book.

Its NOT honest, and in my opinion its NOT moral either.

It is okay to not like the same books as everyone else, it is okay to say you didn't and you shouldn't be afraid to voice that opinion.

Which brings me to another point: Respect

I will never go after an author personally, or in any way degrade the author for what they have written regardless of my opinion of their work.

And that goes for other reviewers and bloggers also.

I may not always agree with someone regarding a book, but I respect their right to that opinion.

Sadly, it has been my own experience that others do not feel the same way.

What the %@*#!!

I have received hate emails.
Spiteful comments on my reviews.
Personal attacks and aggressive PMs on facebook.

In my case it was because I didn't particularly like a book that they felt was the best thing since sliced bread.

Yes, some people love a book so much that when I disagree with their opinion, they react by calling me every name under the sun and spamming my inbox with hateful threats.

Its a tough world out here in the blogesphere.

I guess all I'm really trying to say is...

I write honest reviews based on my opinion only.

That doesn't mean I am right or wrong, its just my opinion.

Please respect mine and I'll respect yours :)

End of rant!!

*IMO

*IMO
 
*Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

Cover Reveal for Dead Embers by T.G Ayer

I just found the following info on the website of author T.G Ayer and I couldn't be more excited.
I cant wait to get my hands on this book next month :)
 

DEAD EMBERS

A Valkyrie Novel #2

Cover artist Eduardo Daniel Priego

In the sequel to DEAD RADIANCE Bryn continues her education in the art of being a Valkyrie. It doesn’t help that though Aidan still needs saving, Bryn has to focus her attention on performing her duty as one of Odin’s Valkyrie. When new warrior recruits begin dying under mysterious circumstances, Bryn, Fenrir and the team have to figure out who is targeting Odin’s great army and why. Will Bryn find the truth in time? And this time will she save Aidan?

DEAD EMBERS due for release end June 2012

 

Book Review: Ember by Madison Daniel

Title: Ember

Author: Madison Daniel

Release Date: February 27th 2012

Publisher: Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing
Source: Purchased for my own reading pleasure

Love never dies...but it can kill.

Ember is the story of Max Valentine, a teenager with secret abilities and many inner demons. His life revolves around music and his love for it. When his father dies he seeks answers with his last living relative, his fathers brother Frank. Frank lives on the island of Maui and eagerly takes Max in as his own. Max soon learns that healing his past will be more difficult than he could have ever believed. Two major complications will tempt and torment him as he tries to make sense of his abilities.

The first temptation comes in the form of a mysterious island girl. Asia Lyn Michaels is rich, spoiled, angry and beautiful. Her path crosses with Max on the beach one afternoon, forever changing both of their lives. Max saves her life and she discovers his secret. From that moment on they are connected, no matter how much they fight it.

The second temptation will test Max’s very soul. Samantha Ann Summers is sweet, artistic, smart and confident. She will help Max find his smile again and maybe even heal his past mistakes. She is possibly his soul mate and Max will fight that with every fiber of his being.

Max’s temper and indecision with the girls will send in motion events that will cost him dearly. He will test the limits of his powers and the new relationship with his protective uncle. He will gain a powerful love and lose another.

My Thoughts

I'm really unsure where to start with this review.
 
The blurb made Ember sound really amazing, and although it had some good moments...it had some really bad ones too.

I really didn't like the phrasing and sentence structuring, and I may not be an expert, but some of the grammar and word context was way off (I checked in case my own knowledge was off a bit)

I also struggled with what I can only assume was the authors attempt to be clever and change up a simple sentence with some witty word play, alas it only made me cringe.

I ambled my way through Ember as best I could but I really didn't feel anything but contempt for the two timing, overly aggressive main character and his typically written 'bitchy' girlfriend and the equally contrived 'good' girl.

Some great story ideas but I found the writing lacking.

2 Stars :|

 

Month Of May Giveaway: Week Three (Hunger Games Goodness)

Welcome to week three of my Month Of May Giveaways

This week I have some really great Hunger Games Inspired goodies 

to giveaway :)

First up I have 2 of these gorgeous bookmarks to giveaway

followed by these really cute Katniss and Peeta inspired ear-rings

and last but not least, a cute little phone charm.

so thats a total of FOUR lucky winners :0

The Rules

You must be a follower (GFC, facebook, etc)

You must leave a comment AND a valid email address 

(no email address, no entry)

Thats it!!

Giveaway is open internationally and ends Sunday May 20th NZ time :)

Book Review: The Lure of Shapinsay by Krista Holle

Title: The Lure of Shapinsay

Author: Krista Holle

Publisher: Sweet River Romance

Release Date: December 16th 2011

Source: Received from the author for an honest review

Ever since Kait Swanney could remember, the old crones of the village have been warning her to stay away from the Selkies. They claim that like sirens of old, the seal men creep from the inky waters, shed their skins, and entice women to their deaths beneath the North Sea. But avoiding an encounter becomes impossible when Kait is spotted at the water’s edge, moments after the murder of a half-selkie infant.

Unexpectedly, Kait is awoken by a beautiful, selkie man seeking revenge. After she declares her innocence, the intruder darts into the night, but not before inadvertently bewitching her with an overpowering lure.

Kait obsesses over a reunion deep beneath the bay and risks her own life to be reunited with her selkie. But when she lands the dangerous lover, the chaos that follows leaves Kait little time to wonder—is it love setting her on fire or has she simply been lured?

My Thoughts

Other than reading about them in some old myths and legends book when I was a teenager, I have not yet come across a romance involving Selkie.
I was intrigued, and rather looking forward to entering this little known world.

The beginning of this story is quite emotional as Kait discovers the sad reality of man when faced with an unexpected half Selkie babe born to a friend.
And this basically sets the tone for the entire book.
 
While it starts out as a story of revenge and inquisitive wonder for both Kait and 'Eamon', The Lure of Shapinsay is at its heart a rather dark and almost gothic novel depicting the self destructive tendencies of an emotionally immature and unbalanced couple.

Both from different worlds they struggle to come to terms with their emotions making rash decisions that could seriously endanger the person they profess to love the most.

There are lots of ups and downs in this book both between the couple and with the reading of it but all in all I was pulled along into this alluring and enchanting Selkie story.

A very interesting 3.5 Star read ;]