Tuesday 23 October 2012

Mailbox Tuesday.

Tuesday's Mailbox.
I've decided that I will stop participating in In My Mailbox, the reason being I seem to get a lot of books every week and it takes me forever to put them all together in one post and link them up.
So I will be doing Mailbox Mon-Fri every week.

Brought...

Twilight: The Graphic Novel - Stephenie Meyer

Hidden (House Of Night #10) - P.C Cast & Kristin Cast


Cover Reveal: Shadow Of The Mark (Carrier Trilogy #2) - Leigh Fallon


Shadow of the Mark (Carrier Trilogy #2)



Monday 22 October 2012

Blog Tour And Giveaway: Dark Light Of Day - Jill Archer



Dark Light of Day


Buy It:    Barnes & Noble   Amazon

Excerpt...
Failing is not an option...

“I’ve been watching you, wondering, waiting to see where you’d end up. After all, there are other demon law schools,” Seknecus said, making a moue of distaste that made it clear exactly what he thought of them. “But I was happy to see that you chose St. Lucifer’s.”

Technically my mother chose St. Lucifer’s . . . But there seemed no reason to interrupt just to clarify that bit of misinformation. Seknecus wandered around the room, picking through papers, flipping open and quickly shutting the front covers of various leather-bound books, never meeting my eye. I had no doubt, however, that his attention was fully focused on me.

“So, you see, seeing your name on my List wasn’t exactly a surprise, although it appeared much later than I would have liked.”

He did look at me then, with a frown of disapproval. I did my best to look expressionless because none seemed appropriate. It wouldn’t do to look amused, bored or, Luck forbid, rebellious. Seknecus stared at me with narrowed eyes and then went back to wandering.

“You’ve got some catching up to do,” he said, addressing a copy of Sin and Sanction: Codification & Case Law. “It doesn’t matter why or what excuses you’ve got for yourself. You will be held to the same standards as everyone else, regardless of whose daughter you are. And you’ve missed a lot of class already.”

I opened my mouth to protest, but he cut me off with a wave.

“Manipulation class,” he clarified. “You’re going to have to work ten times as hard as everyone else just to pass. Quintus Rochester doesn’t go easy on students and he’s likely to see your absence during the early part of the semester as a challenge. You know, failing is not an option. Not if you want to live.”

Guest Post...
Dark Light of Day's Technology Level: Halja is a Circa 1900's Fantasy World

Urban fantasy novels are often set in a contemporary setting. The stories may take place in an alternate world, but the places within which those stories are set are frequently based on real places. For fun, here's a list of popular UF/Fantasy/Paranormal series and a separate list of the real world places that inspired their settings. See if you can match them up:

1.      Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson series
2.      Jim Butcher's Dresden Files
3.      Ilona Andrews Kate Daniels series
4.      Cassandra Claire's Immortal Instruments series
5.      Charlaine Harris' Southern Vampire series
6.      Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series
7.      Karen Marie Moning's Fever series
8.      Kim Harrison's The Hollows series
A.   Cincinnati
B.   Chicago
C.   St. Louis
D.   Ireland
E.   Northwestern Louisiana
F.   Manhattan
G.   Atlanta
H.   Washington State

When I started writing my debut novel Dark Light of Day I knew I did not want to set it in any place that too closely mirrored reality. I knew, even if I was building an alternate world, I would still have to be fairly accurate in some of my setting details if the alternate world was based on a real place. And I didn't want to spend hours researching the answers to world building questions. I wanted to make them up. For me, it seemed easier -- and more fun -- to create a completely new place where my story would take place. So I created a country called Halja.

When I first explained the country's backstory to my husband, he called Halja an "upside-down world." But that makes it sound as if everyone's walking around on the ceilings, which, of course, isn't the case. What he meant though, was that instead of the meek inheriting the earth, the demons did -- and they "inherited it" or won it, more than 2,000 years before Dark Light of Day even opens. So the people of Halja -- the descendants of those who fought on both sides of Armageddon -- have had time to re-build their world.

But to what level of technology? Initially, I only knew that I didn't want to set the story in a medieval setting, nor did I want to set it in a Matrix-like setting. I knew I wanted cars, but not horses and carriages. I wanted letter writing, but no texting or e-mailing. And I definitely didn't want cell phones, computers, or airplanes. On the other hand, I wanted electricity and some modern conveniences. My editor helped me to shape and smooth Halja's technology level during revisions and I love what we came up with -- a circa 1900's fantasy setting.

To create the setting for Dark Light of Day, I gave many common, everyday items a circa 1900's fantasy make-over. For instance:

·         Telephones became "electro-harmonic machines." My inspiration for these frustratingly difficult to use communication devices came from the first telephones -- those wooden boxes that used to hang on the wall with separate ear and mouth pieces. My grandmother used to have an old, inoperable one hanging on the wall in her basement. When we were kids, my brother and I used to take turns standing on our tip-toes, shouting into it. I've always been fascinated by people's stories of "party lines" and telephone operators.

·         Elevators became "winder lifts." Even if you've never ridden in one, you know what an old elevator looks like. They're the kind with the gated fronts and the uniformed operators. Some of them have marble tiled floors, brass railings, and mahogany paneling. They are beautiful, vintage mechanical works of art from a bygone era. (Although Baltimore still has one, I believe, at One East Lexington Street).

·         Even make-up, fashion, and food got a retro Haljan make-over. Instead of stilettos, characters wear ballet slippers or ribboned platform shoes. Lipstick and nail polish became "pots of lip gloss" and "nail lacquer." Paella became "Lethe prawns and shallots" and plain, old chardonnay and merlot became apple wines infused with Angel spells.

In short, it was great fun building the world of Halja and I'm looking forward to sprinkling future books with similar setting details.

[Quiz Key: 1-H, 2-B, 3-G, 4-F, 5-E, 6-C, 7-D, 8-A]

So, readers, how about you? Do you like settings that are based on a real place? Somewhere you can actually visit? Or do you like settings that are completely made-up? One hundred percent fictional, where the only place you can visit them is on your own mind? Do you like contemporary settings and modern trappings? Or do you prefer historical or fantasy aesthetics? Let me know in the comments! A big thanks to Sarah here at Head Stuck in a Book for hosting me today! a Rafflecopter giveaway




Author Bio:
Raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Jill earned a bachelor of science from Penn State University and later moved to Baltimore to attend the University of Baltimore School of Law, where she graduated magna cum laude. She went on to practice law as a “dirt lawyer” for ten years, specializing in real estate law, municipal development, commercial leasing, and anything involving exceedingly lengthy legalese-like contractual monstrosities.

Jill now lives in rural Maryland with her two children and husband, who is a recreational pilot. Weekends are often spent flying around in the family’s small Cessna, visiting tiny un-towered airfields and other local points of interest.



twitter: @archer_jill







Mailbox Monday.

Monday's Mailbox.
I've decided that I will stop participating in In My Mailbox, the reason being I seem to get a lot of books every week and it takes me forever to put them all together in one post and link them up.
So I will be doing Mailbox Mon-Fri every week.

Brought...

The Fire Wars (Fire Wars #1) = Kailin Gow  (I was on the blog tour for this and the book below, I loved them so much that I brought physical copies for my bookshelf).

Fire Stones (Fire Wars #2) - Kailin Gow

Frostbite:The Graphic Novel - Richelle Mead

Witches Of East End (The Beauchamp Family #1) - Melissa De La Cruz

Serpent's Kiss (The Beauchamp Family #2) - Melissa De La Cruz


Saturday 20 October 2012

Blog Tour: The Dark Gifts: Birthright - Willow Cross, Book Review (155).



The Dark Gifts Birthright (The Dark Gifts)

For one-thousand years, Druid prophecies foretold of a young witch destined to alter the fate of both human and immortal alike. This witch-turned-vampire would be capable of harnessing the supernatural abilities of both and, in a bloody rise to power, would rule with unwavering control.

Unwillingly thrust into a world she never dreamed existed, Liz Markum is catapulted into an ancient war between rival vampire factions. She must choose between those she loves and the ever-present darkness attempting to devour her very soul.

Only one question remains: Will Liz claim her birthright or surrender to the dark gift?

One choice.

One chance.

Two destinies.
My Thoughts... 
I had never heard of this book or it's author before until I got the opportunity to take part in this blog tour, and after reading it I'm so glad that I did take part, this book was fantastic all thanks to it's author Willow Cross.
I'm always interested in authors different takes on the vampire myth, especially when it's something unique, well this story had that from the laws of the vampires, the abilities they are capable of and the way that they create mates, families, friends etc.
As soon as I started reading this I knew I wasn't going to put it down in a hurry, unfortunately I had visitors so down when the book although not before getting through 49%, but the that's the worst thing about reading a book you really love when you get interrupted, and that's all I kept thinking about until they left and I was able to resume reading.
The one thing that grabbed my attention from the off-set of this book is that you're straight into the action, you're right there as Liz our heroine is escaping from the man who bit her and subsequently turned her into a vampire, but it all works out as Michael (the vamp who bit her) teaches her all she needs to know in her new life and they end up falling in love.
But all is not right in the vampire world, war is looming and Liz is smack bang in the middle of it, but with the help of other vamps, witches and characters from Greek mythology whom are more of the vamp persuasion these days they may just defeat the traitors who have taken control of the fortress (the vamp council's headquarters) and have turned thousands of innocent humans into vampires to build up an army.
I loved the different pov's in this book, I like knowing what other characters are thinking, the supporting characters are as fantastic as the main characters, this is such  a great action packed story and I highly recommend it to any one who loves their paranormal stories with a      heroine who can kick-ass.
Now I just need to get my hand on the next book in hopes it'll answer some of the questions I was left with at the end of this one.
I give this 4/5.

Buy Links:


About Willow Cross

Willow Cross resides in Arkansas with her husband, two children still young enough to live at home, an enormous cat named Bitsy, and a neurotic dog named Tank. Her home has been known to host the occasional ghost and several of her friends profess to be witches. Although she dearly loves Vampires and Werewolves, they are never invited for dinner.

Media Links:




Thursday 18 October 2012

Cover Reveal: Ashes On The Waves - Mary Lindsey


Ashes on the Waves

Wednesday 17 October 2012

Mailbox Thursday.

Thursday's Mailbox.
I've decided that I will stop participating in In My Mailbox, the reason being I seem to get a lot of books every week and it takes me forever to put them all together in one post and link them up.
So I will be doing Mailbox Mon-Fri every week.

Review..

(ARC) Penelope - Rebecca Harrington (Hachette Australia)