Review: Jackaby

I purchased a copy of Jackaby after seeing it reviewed on several blogs in the same week.  The description of it being a cross between Sherlock Holmes and Buffy the Vampire Slayer was a quick sell for me since I adore both.

Jackaby himself was immediately likable and in him I recognized little pieces of familiar people/characters.  The attractive eccentricity of Johnny Depp, the quirkiness of Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes, or even the Sherlock Holmes of the TV show "Elementary." Jackaby is odd yet charismatic and quite brilliant.  I was immediately sucked into his world of the supernatural.

Abigail is also attractive in that she is a girl who doesn't conform to the norms for women of the time period. She craves adventure and loathes the mundane, so much so that she runs away with the tuition money her parents gave her in hopes of finding a path of her own.
Looking for work, Abigail and Jackaby meet and she becomes his assistant as he tries to solve a case involving several murders and a suspect with metal shoes.

Supernatural creatures are abundant, both good and evil, and the book runs at a good pace.  It was extremely hard to stop reading and I read it in just a few hours over a couple of days.  If I had the time, I could have easily devoured it in one sitting.  The dynamic between Jackaby and Abigail is perfect and, although there is no romance between these two characters, there is a glimmer of a relationship that might present itself in the future, albeit a bit furry...  The story is a murder mystery and does have its share of blood and gore but it also has some humor and light banter between various characters living in Jackaby's household and I found myself smiling often. They make a nice little family.

Personally, I loved the book and I already bought the second book, Beastly Bones.  I'm looking forward to reading about the next adventure for Jackaby and his friends.

                                                                                                                                         

Cover Reveal: Cogling by Jordan Mierek

COGLING

A Steampunk Fairy Tale for Young Adults

who love a little Romance in their Adventures

When fifteen-year-old Edna Mather tears an expensive and unfamiliar pocket watch off her little brother's neck, he crumbles into a pile of cogs right before her eyes. Horrified, Edna flees for help, but encounters Ike, a thief who attempts to steal the watch before he realizes what it is: a device to power Coglings—clockwork changelings left in place of stolen children who have been forced to work in factories.

Desperate to rescue her brother, Edna sets off across the kingdom to the hags' swamp, with Ike in tow. There, they learn Coglings are also replacing nobility so the hags can stage a rebellion and rule over humanity. Edna and Ike must stop the revolt, but the populace believes hags are helpful godmothers and healers. No one wants to believe a lowly servant and a thief, especially when Ike has secrets that label them both as traitors. 

Together, Edna and Ike must make the kingdom trust them or stop the hags themselves, even if Ike is forced to embrace his dark heritage and Edna must surrender her family. 

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COGLING has already gained advanced praise from NY Times Bestselling author Maria V. Snyder!

“This is a fun YA Steampunk novel. It's very different than many other Steampunk stories I've read. Basic plot is Edna's brother is kidnapped by hags and replaced with a "cogling" and she's on a mission to find and rescue her brother. The world is a Victorian-era with a strict class system for the humans and for those with magic. The woman with magic are called hags and the men with magic are orges and they're not nice and are planning to change the system. I really enjoyed learning about the world and the characters are well drawn and engaging.”

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Check out COGLING on GoodReads and Curiosity Quills.  

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Meet the author – Jordan Elizabeth Mierek lives in a dream world.  Sometimes she comes out to do her day job, but most of the time she is writing about her favorite people – her characters!  COGLING is her fourth book.  Her previous steampunk series, the Treasure Chronicles, include TREASURE DARKLY and BORN OF TREASURE.  Her debut novel, ESCAPE FROM WITCHWOOD HOLLOW, is a young adult fantasy-horror.  You can find her short stories in numerous anthologies.  Check out her website, JordanElizabethMierek.com, for contests and bonus stories!

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Author Interview: Louise Herman

Welcome all.

Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing Louise Herman author of The Orcus Games trilogy and The Split Blood series.

Hi Louise, thank you for agreeing to this interview.

Tell us a little about yourself and your background?

I’m a teacher of Computing and a keen fantasy movie fan from the leafy suburbs of North London.

I absolutely adore any film from Guillermo del Toro (especially Pan’s Labyrinth, Devil’s Backbone and Cronos), love listening to music (I especially enjoy listening to Bjork, Daft Punk and Royal Blood)  and am a big 80s fantasy film fan (with my favourite’s including Labyrinth, Big Trouble in Little China and Blade Runner).

I also have a big passion for Anime and am slightly obsessed by the genius director, Hayao Miyazaki for his work on Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke and Howl’s Moving Castle.

From an early age I had always had a passion for writing stories, which would take the reader to different fantasy worlds and realms. With a little confidence and the ease of publishing novels on the internet, I have now self-published five fantasy stories to date.

What were you like at school?

It's funny because now I'm a teacher I can finally see how hard it is gaining a student's attention and maintaining it for an hour!

I was an average student at school, who prioritise social matters over education and with hindsight, that may not have been the best idea because although I obtained good grades in the three subjects I enjoyed (English, Spanish and Media Studies), I flunked the rest and had to retake Maths at college.

I finally realised that my education was more important when I left my peers at school (they stayed on for Sixth form) and went to college, where I gain invaluable experience and found my independence.

Were you good at English?

I loved literature and would often offer to read (and act out) the Shakespeare plays we were studying in class.

I found the old English language, the powerful stories and the way Shakespeare would set the scene, to make the reader feel like they were in the story, amazing.

One of my favourite plays by Shakespeare was, 'A Midsummer’s Night Dream' and it was the enchanting story, affairs of the heart and magical settings that ignited my passion for writing.

Unfortunately, although I had great ideas for storylines, characters and worlds, my grammar and punctuation has always been my 'Achilles heel' which is why I invest in a proof-reader and editor for all my published work.

 What made you decide to sit down and actually start something?

I have always had a vivid imagination and had written short fantasy stories, for my own pleasure, in my teenage years. However, it was not until my English teacher told me she enjoyed one of my stories that I started to take it more seriously.

I researched competitions and writing challenges but unfortunately, without the aid of the internet, it was a little harder, than it is now, to gain the information I needed, so my college and university work took presidency and I put my writing passion to one side until I had more time (and resources) to concentrate on it fully.

So, what have you written?

So far I have written five YA Fantasy books to date:

The Orcus Games: Blood Moon (Book 1)

Guilty until you survive all zones…The Orcus Games is ready to put you on trial…

The lives of a witch and wizard couple, a new vampire and a rogue Lycan intertwine in three magical tales of love, loss and revenge.

The Craft – When witch and wizard couple, Heather and Phoenix make that fatal mistake on that, ‘Blood Moon’ night, they never thought they would be forced to working with a loner Lycan but…is he the only one who saw the, ‘accidental’ fatal act?

The Clan – Ardan would do anything for his wife and daughter but he could not protect them from the new blood thirsty life that was about to be bestowed onto them but what happens when he risks his immortal life for them?

The Pack – Caleb was always the Lycan that wanted more! With constant schemes and risky deals, to increase the potential of a better lifestyle, he thought his latest underground deal was the perfect idea, until he loses more than just his money…

The first book in the prequel to the, ‘Split Blood’ series, this novella is a mind-blowing magical tale of belonging, sacrifice and revenge…The Orcus Games: Blood Moon will drag you, kicking and screaming, on this deadly journey with the ill-fated prisoners.

The Orcus Games: Mistress V (Book 2)

The Underworld as no fury like Mistress V scorned…

Mistress V had it all…looks, power within the vampire clan and men at her disposal but she wanted more.

She wanted Ardan, to be precise.

He was unlike any other vampire she had turned before and she wanted him, needed him and was determined to do anything to get him…

Frustrated by his lack of interest and constant rejection, Mistress V is dealt another blow as Ardan is accused of a crime and is thrown into The Orcus Games, leaving her to watch her obsession fight for his life, whilst witnessing a second by second account of his budding friendship with fellow vampire contestant, Luan.

Unable to admit defeat, Mistress V plots and plans ways of getting to her man before it was too late but with every minute he is in the show, he grows closer to Luan, enraging Mistress V, leaving her to become more erratic and mentally disturbed, which has disastrous results…

The Prequel to the, ‘Split Blood’ series, this novella is a deliciously dark tale of power, lust and obsession…The Orcus Games: Mistress V will leave you licking your lips, thirsty for more…

 The Orcus Games: New Awakening (Book 3)

You can run but you can’t hide…

Escaping The Orcus Games, each of the fugitive’s dreams of a happy reunion with loved ones are short lived as they each find out there is a bounty on each of their lives.

Ardan finally accepts his new life as a vampire and enlists the help of Cathal, the vampire leader of the district, to help him make a proposal to the Elders so he can live…but what ulterior motives does Cathal have?

Heather and Phoenix return to their coven, only to find they have moved. After much searching, they find their circle and are reunited with their daughters. They beg their coven to hide them but why is the Grand Witch so reluctant to agree with the plan?

And with Mistress V agreeing to marry Cathal, have the damned foursome finally found peace and safety? Or is there one more ‘hurricane’ coming to destroy all they hold dear?

The last book in the prequel to the, ‘Split Blood’ series, this novella is an enticing end to a tantalising fantasy trilogy…The Orcus Games: New Awakening gives you the electrifying conclusion, with a seductive surprise, to keep your blood flowing for another possible bite…

 Split Blood: The Ancient Codex – Part One (Book 1)

When Faith’s mother starts organising the second stage of her arranged marriage to wizard, Damien, Faith knew she needed to escape, so she used her school as a place to retreat. Throughout her after school duties, she meets the intense, alluring Rohan, who changes her life forever. With his ice cold skin, transfixing eyes and enchanting voice, Rohan took hold of Faith’s heart and soul as soon as they looked at each other.

She knew it was wrong.

They were from two different circles and if the Elder’s found out, the consequences would be catastrophic for all involved, but the more time they spent together, the stronger they’re love grew, until one day someone sees them and they are forced to go on the run together.

Will their love be strong enough to combat their conflicting mythical needs? And what will they do when Faith is dealt a life threatening blow that forces her to make a heart-breaking decision?

INTENSELY PASSIONATE WITH EXTRAORDINARY TWISTS AND TURNS, SPLIT BLOOD IS A LOVE STORY WITH A DARK MYTHICAL DIFFERENCE

 Split Blood: Rise of the Wolf (Book 2)

‘You are the oil to my fire and no one will ever extinguish us’ Enya said as she stroked the scar, which reminds him of his horrific childhood.

Lowell was always the outcast in his pack. Coming from a poor, abusive background, the only attention he knew was when his father used him in illegal Lycan fights. He never knew what love was until he met werewolf, Enya.

Experiencing a similar, isolated upbringing, Enya was the glue that helped Lowell stick together. She was intoxicating to him and he was her addiction. With every second they spent together, they gave each other the rush they needed – Unfortunately, this union was not to last as the rules of the Aliis World clearly state that Lycan’s are forbidden to communicate, let alone be romantically involved with werewolves.

So what happens when Lycan, Lowell tries to fight his attraction for lower class werewolf, Enya? And can they escape the wrath of vengeful witch, Raven when she finds out Lowell is partly to blame for her sister, Faith’s disappearance?

SEVERELY THOUGHT PROVOKING WITH A STING OF ROMANCE, SPLIT BLOOD: RISE OF THE WOLF IS A DELICATE TALE OF LOVE, LOSS AND VENGEANCE WITH A BITE

What are you working on at the minute?

I am currently working on the third book in the 'Split Blood' series, which will be published on Amazon and Smashwords by April 2016.

What’s it about?

It concentrates on Raven (Faith's Wiccan sister) and her fight to get her family back.

Raven's character also changes due to the trials and tribulations she encounters on her journey and we also meet new magical beings and say goodbye to some favourites.

With lots more magic, lust and revenge, 'Split Blood 3' promises to continue the emotional rollercoaster ride further into the 'Split Blood' world.

Give us an insight into your main character.

In the previous two books, Raven has been a minor character, who has always been there for her older sister, Faith.

Happy to find out her new magically heritage, Raven tried to show her reluctant sister the benefits of their new life as she grew in power but Faith was not interested in the magic classes and her history as Raven was.

Unfortunately, Faith felt suffocated from the endless rules and her curiosity led to her running away, leaving the Coven to deal with the consequences of Faith's illegal choice.

This emotional departure left a scar on Raven, who struggles to cope with life without her sister and things get much worse when her parents are taken to the Underworld for questioning about their part in their daughter's detrimental rule breaking.

Alone, distraught and unable to deal with some members of her Coven turning against her, Raven becomes obsessed with finding her family, by any means necessary - with disastrous results...

What do you think the main character of your upcoming book would like for Christmas?

I think that if it was the Raven before her family was taken away, I think she would like a present that was more from the heart instead of something expensive. Maybe something handmade by one of her loved ones.

If it was the Raven who was full of rage and vengeance, I think she would prefer something that can eliminate her enemies and the Elders to give her satisfaction and control over her solo destiny.

Louise Herman Bio

Louise Herman is a North London Fantasy author obsessed with pear drops sweets and 80s Fantasy films.

In between reading James Herbert novels and drinking too much coffee, she writes Young Adult Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance novels.

Louise Herman has currently written five YA Fantasy books to date (December 2015); The Orcus Games Prequel Trilogy and The Split Blood series, which take the reader on a journey of magic, mystery, obsession and forbidden love with seductively dark consequences.

For more information, please go to: www.louisehermanauthor.com

My Website | Amazon | Smashwords

                                                                                                                                         

Review: Asylum

I'd been seeing this book series popping up here and there for a while now.  I love the cover, which is what kept drawing me back to it while book browsing.  What finally caused me to purchase it however, was that it was recommended to people who enjoyed the Miss Perigrine series, which is one of my favorites.  It advertised that it included pictures from real asylums which I also found to be intriguing.  I had high hopes when I began reading.

I give the story a B for overall creepiness/suspense.  It is a YA book and I am, well.... not a young adult.  I just wasn't really scared.  I did however, love the premise of the old asylum being changed into a dorm but still having a basement full of dark hallways and rooms to explore.  The mystery of the threatening notes being delivered to the main character, the e-mails and texts that kept popping up and then disappearing, and the suspense when the kids went downstairs into the old wing of the asylum kept the book moving.  It was definitely engaging, just not really scary in my opinion.  The history of the asylum and its descendants was also fun to read.

Character development was ok.  I liked the main characters but I didn't really feel connected to them for some reason.  They were a bit flat but not necessarily uninteresting.  I think if more of the story was written in "show not tell" format, this could have improved a bit.  Dan was my favorite character and I liked the relationship that was developing between him and Abby but it didn't really come together enough before it began to fall apart.

The ending wrapped up neatly, maybe a little bit too neatly, but there is a second book so the story must somehow continue.  Will I read it? I haven't decided yet.  Overall, I would probably give this book three out of five stars.  Worth reading for the fun plot idea but not going into my top books of the year.

                                                                                                                                        

Review: Enchanted Revenge

Enchanted Revenge by Teresa M. Jones was kindly given to me in exchange for an honest review. 

Normally, while I enjoy YA fantasy, I'm not usually attracted to books that revolve around the Fae.  I often find they spend too much time on details about the setting and characters. I did however, like the teaser for this book when it was sent to me and it didn't seem overly intricate so I decided to give it a try. 

Synopsis from Amazon:
When seventeen year old Lily finds her parents brutally murdered, leaving her broken and alone, she is determined to bring justice to the fairies responsible. Her quest leads her to infiltrate The Empyrean, the land of the Fae where terrifying creatures lurk in every shadow. But with a political rebellion mounting, bloody battles and foreign enemies stand in her way. Alec, a mysterious fairy keeping his own secrets, gradually becomes her guide and dear friend in the unfamiliar world, and restores her faith in love. Disturbing secrets about her parent’s true identity are revealed, causing her to be more involved with the devastating fairy war than she can afford. Her vengeful mission becomes compromised and her growing romance with Alec wavers. She must conquer her fear of the unknown, ignore her grief, and overcome her growing list of enemies if she is to succeed in avenging her parents’ death. Or ever make it out alive. 

I'm quite glad that I gave this book a chance.  I knew as soon as I read the first chapter that it would be the kind of book I would want to finish in only a couple of sittings. Hence, the iPad began to travel with me wherever I went for a couple of days so that I could read during any free moments I could spare.  The opening of the book is a bit brutal but this is part of what makes it hard to put down. It grabbed me right from the beginning. Lily, the main character, is portrayed well.  Her role as a girl whose parents were brutally murdered is believable.  I felt connected to her emotions as she moved between anguish, fury, hopelessness, and fear while she tried to cope with her drastically changing world.  Her companion and supporter, Alec, helps her to deal with what is happening to her as she searches for the Fae who killed her family.  They make a great team and his story is as tragic as hers.  They compliment each other nicely.  The setting was lovely and not overwhelming to the senses.  I enjoyed reading about the cities and villages and hearing the history of the world and the fears about what would befall it in the future if no one stood up to save it. I also liked that the romance between the two main characters isn't always at the forefront of the story and the characters are flawed and not cookie cutter perfect in appearance or actions. They are on a mission and have no qualms about what needs to be done to avenge their loved ones. There is some violence but I think this added a nice edge to the story. I'm really looking forward to the next book and also hoping that the characters get to stay together in the story since they have already experienced so much loss.  A girl can hope!


Click on the book cover above to purchase on Amazon.  
Click here to check out more about the author.  

                                                                                            

Review: The Accident Season

What first attracted me to The Accident Season was the cover.  I saw it on another blog and immediately wanted to know more about it.  The teaser drew me in enough to make me purchase the book.  It sounded like a unique and original story. Click on the book cover to see the synopsis from Amazon.

I enjoyed the book and would probably give it about a 3 out of 5 if I had to rate it.  The writing was imaginative and creative at times but as a whole, it was a bit more YA than I had originally thought. It seems to have a paranormal aspect to it but you can never really prove that it exists. We as readers are left wondering what was real and what was not. The story also however, has a dark edge to it that comes from the family's past and doesn't surface until about two-thirds of the way through the book. When it did however, it answered a few of the questions I had from earlier in the story.  The book actually reminds me of a movie I saw a few years back called Suckerpunch, where, just like in this story, the line between fantasy and reality is thin and a bit confused.  All in all, it was a decent book with an original plot idea.  I'm not sorry I read it but it also isn't one that I will read over again.

This was my second book for the Beat the Heat Readathon and now I am on to my third!

                                                                                                                                       

Review: Josie Jameson and the Stone Witch

A while back, I was lucky enough to receive an ARC copy of what was then titled Four Rubbings (now Josie Jameson and the Fourth Tombstone), a story about a young girl and her three friends who visit a graveyard and rub four different graves. Each grave takes one of the teens on a journey, especially Josie, who learns about an accused witch from the past and her own family connection to magic through her mom, who died when she was young.

This second book, Josie Jameson and the Stone Witch, continues the story of Josie and her friends as they help Josie figure out what is happening to her. Is something trying to possess her? Is someone following her? Why is she having dreams that seem so real?  The story is fun and incredibly engaging. I knew almost from the start that I would be finishing it in one sitting. The reader gets a nice mix of teenage drama, a little bit of history, and a supernatural edge.  A lot of what Josie learns through the dreams take place in the 1800's and are from another point of view which adds a nice historical feel. You can definitely tell as you get further into the plot (and to the cliffhanger at the end) that things will be escalating in the third book and I can't wait to see what happens. No spoilers here so you'll have to grab the books yourself but I would recommend them for any middle or high school student as well as any adults who enjoy the YA genre.

I also want to say thank you to Jennifer Hotes, the author, for giving me and several others the honor of sharing our opinions about the final cover decisions for both books. It was great fun to help with this!

                                                                                                                                     

Review: Made for You

I first discovered Melissa Marr when someone recommended Graveminder. It was such a good book that I immediately looked into what other books she had written.  Made for You had really good reviews so I put it on my TBR.  It took me a while to get to it but it was certainly worth the wait.

Even though this book is classified as a YA novel, it has a much more mature feel to it.  While most chapters are from Eva's point of view as she recovers from a hit and run and realizes that she may be the target of a killer, a few chapters are told by her best friend Grace. The rest are told by "Judge" and these chapters tend to be quite disturbing.  I definitely felt some anxiety during some of the more violent parts of the story but I also couldn't take my eyes off the pages. Sometimes, I don't like books that are told by multiple characters but this was done really well and I think it was necessary to write the story this way for it to work. As the reader, I knew that the killer had to be someone Eva knew and I found myself making mental notes of all the possible clues in the earlier chapters.  I love a mystery where I can't predict the killer/ending from the start.  It makes the story so much more engaging. The identity of the killer in this book is revealed a few chapters before the conclusion and from that point on, the suspense level will not allow you to put the book down until the last sentence.

Great book, great ending.  If you want to read more about it, click here to go to the Amazon page.  Melissa Marr's web page can be found at www.melissamarrbooks.com.