Obsidian – Spotlight & Review

 Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armintrout

• Paperback
• Publisher:Entangled Publishing, LLC (December 6, 2011)
• Language:English
• ISBN-10:1937044238
• ISBN-13: 978-1937044237
• Genre: Paranormal, Sci-Fi, Young Adult

Book Description:

“Starting over sucks.

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring…. until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.

And then he opened his mouth.

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something unexpected happens.

The hot alien living next door marks me.

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades.

If I don’t kill him first, that is. “

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this book! Katy and her mom move to West Virginia to make a new start right before Katy’s senior year of high school and she’s resigned herself to having a pretty boring year. Then she get’s an eyeful when she sees her hot new neighbor! Things are looking up all of a sudden, that is, until he opens his mouth. I absolutely loved the chemistry between these two and the originality of the world-building involved in the crafting of this tale.

My only minor complaint is that I found some of the dialogue a bit choppy, but if you think about it, that is how a lot of teens talk now, so it’s realistic in that sense. The other characters in the book were a diverse group and well-rounded. I was totally absorbed in the story and in the characters’ situations. I found myself laughing out loud a couple of times at the great witty dialogue between Katy and Daemon and touched by the heart warming relationships being developed between Katy & Dee and Katy & Daemon.

Jennifer L. Armintrout has created a really interesting world with amazing characters and I can’t wait for the next book in the Lux Series. Fast pacing and the sparks flying between Katy and Daemon kept me flipping the pages until I was done. I would definitely recommend this series to all fans of young adult paranormal or sci-fi with romance!

     

To find out more about Jennifer Armintrout and what she’s working on, go to her Blog

Check out Obsidian on GoodReads

Pre-Order a copy of Obsidian at:

Amazon.com

Barnes & Noble

 

 

Mortal Obligation – Spotlight & Review

Mortal Obligation by Nichole Chase

• Format:Kindle Edition
• File Size:792 KB
• Sold by:Amazon Digital Services
• Language:English
• ASIN: B005F9YGN8
• Genre: YA, Paranormal

Book Description:

“Ree will face the darkest form of betrayal before the year is out.

Seventeen year old Ree McKenna has three goals: get through high school, convince her crush she is more than his best friend’s little sister, and save money for college. Fate, though, has other plans for her. After the
untimely death of her older brother, Ree is haunted by dreadful nightmares and terrifying visions. To make matters worse, Ree has started to suspect that something dangerous is stalking her from the shadows.

A night full of frightening surprises leaves Ree with unsettling news. Gifted by the gods with unusual powers, she must devote herself to a battle that could very well lead to not only her death, but the demise of everyone she knows and loves. After all, Ree is the only mortal standing between the Earth and utter darkness.

Set in Savannah, Ga, Mortal Obligation is the first book of The Dark Betrayal Trilogy.”

My Thoughts:

I quite enjoyed this book and I am definitely looking forward to the next book in the trilogy! An interesting take on Gods, Immortals, supernatural powers and vampires. Ree, Payden and their circle of friends embark on a roller-coaster ride of a journey in discovering who they are, what they can do and what they could very likely have to do to save the world as they know it. I really liked the characters, the plot, the pacing, the dialogue came naturally and the paranormal twists were great! The little bit of a romantic triangle between Ree, Payden and Roland is really intriguing and I can’t wait to see what comes of it. Nichole Chase is a terrific new author with lots of potential.

The only things I can think of that could have made the story even better for me was that there could have been just the tiniest bit more in the “fleshing out” of the characters, and a tiny bit more written about the characters’ reactions and ramifications of the huge changes in their lives. It could be that the author has spread this information throughout the three book arc and I’ll be eating crow if that’s the case, lol. The second book is titled Mortal Defiance and I’m not clear on the release date right now, but I’ll be keeping an eye on Nichole’s blog for updates. 🙂

     

Find out more about Nichole Chase and what she’s working on at her website & her blog!

Buy a copy of Mortal Obligation at:

Barnes & Noble paperback or nook

Amazon.ca

Amazon.com

The Book Depository

Smashwords

 

Robert Louis Smith – Guest Post

Today we have YA Fantasy author, Robert Louis Smith here at SVR to celebrate the release and official debut at NYC ComicCon this weekend of his novel, Antiquitas Lost: The Last Of The Shamalans! He’s written up a wonderful guest post about how he came to write this book. The book also contains over 70 full page illustrations by Marvel Comics legend Geof Isherwood!

Here’s a bit about the book itself & the author:

“Description
From American cardiologist Robert Louis Smith comes the unique fantasy novel Antiquitas Lost, peppered with more than 70 eye-popping illustrations by Marvel Comics legend Geof Isherwood. This epic fantasy tells the story of a 15-year-old boy named Elliott, a bullied kid with deformities on his hands and feet who is uprooted from his home after his mother falls gravely ill. When they move to New Orleans so his grandfather can help care for her, Elliott learns that the old man’s eighteenth century mansion hides an ancient secret. From a dungeon-like basement far beneath the estate, Elliott strays through an ancient doorway into Pangrelor, a tumultuous parallel world full of bizarre creatures and warring races. Unable to return home, he discovers wondrous abilities he never dreamed he possessed, and an abiding connection to the primitive, alien world that will forever change him.

But he must proceed carefully. For he soon learns that his actions in the ancient world will impact the upcoming battle for Harwelden, Pangrelor’s mightiest civilization, and will also resonate all the way back to New Orleans, perhaps deciding whether his mother lives or dies.

Author Bio
Robert Louis Smith, author of Antiquitas Lost: The Last of the Shamalans, has numerous degrees, including psychology (B.A.), applied microbiology (B.S.), anaerobic microbiology (M.Sc.), and a Medical Doctorate (M.D.). He serves as an interventional cardiologist at the Oklahoma Heart Institute. He is married and the father of two young children. He began writing Antiquitas Lost in 2003 while studying at Tulane University in New Orleans.”

And here’s Robert’s guest blog!

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Smackdown: Pangrelor vs. Middle Earth
By Robert Louis Smith,

In 1954, J.R.R. Tolkien published the first of a breathtaking series of books that would go on to become some of the most influential novels of the 20th century. As anyone who has ever read The Lord of the Rings knows, Tolkien’s books are so imaginative and unexpectedly powerful that his fantastic tale still captures our imaginations more than a half century after its original publication. These stories gave birth to the modern fantasy genre, and it is perhaps inevitable that so many contemporary fantasy books replicate aspects of Tolkien’s writings. So pervasive is Tolkien’s influence that the Oxford English Dictionary offers a word for it: Tolkienesque. Perhaps this is why we see so many fantasy tales that feature elves, dwarves, wizards, magic rings, and magic swords. The presence of these features is, in many ways, what we have come to expect from a modern fantasy novel.

But over the course of 57 years, these constructs of classical Northern European (or Tolkienesque) fantasy fiction have been imitated to the point of monotony. In tome after tome, we see elves and dwarves wielding magical swords or speaking in Northern European conlangs (fictional languages) as they follow some particular heroic quest. And let’s be honest. Although there are many wonderful and imaginative novels that feature these elements, no one has done it as well as Mr. Tolkien.

When I sat down to write Antiquitas Lost, I promised myself there would be no magic rings, magic swords, elves or dwarves. A major goal was to create a fantasy novel where the creatures and setting were fresh. Pangrelor, the fantasy world described in Antiquitas Lost, is envisioned as a pre-industrial, medieval society with beautiful artistic accomplishments set in a savage and magical natural environment — the Renaissance meets the Pleistocene, with magical beings and crypto-zoological creatures. Devoid of elves and dwarves, Pangrelor is inhabited largely by creatures that we are familiar with, but different from the usual fantasy fare — gargoyles, Bigfoot creatures, Neanderthal types, Atlanteans and dinosaurs, to name a few. These differences give Pangrelor a much different feel from Middle Earth and the countless, adherent worlds that have followed. Hopefully the reader will find this refreshing. Over time, I have come to think of Antiquitas Lost as more of a “North American” tale, with many references to new world mythologies, as well as a hint of Native American influence.

Although Antiquitas Lost is not immune to Mr. Tolkien’s sweeping influence, it is unique in many ways. When you take your first journey to Pangrelor, it is my sincere hope that you will experience a hint of the joy that accompanied your maiden voyage to Middle Earth, and that you will connect in a meaningful way with this unprecedented new cast of characters as you explore an altogether unique fantasy destination.

© 2011 Robert Louis Smith, author of Antiquitas Lost: The Last of the Shamalans

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Thanks so much Robert! I just recently received my review copy, so look for a review soon. 🙂

Daughter Of Smoke And Bone – Spotlight

The cover of Daughter of Smoke and Bone – the trilogy of urban fantasy crossover novels by award-winning author Laini Taylor – has just been unveiled

Daughter of Smoke and Bone will launch on September 29th. The book tells the story of an angel who fell in love with a devil. It did not end well.

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky. In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grows dangerously low. And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherworldly war.

Meet Kaoru. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters and demons that delight and enthrall those around her; she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious “errands”; she speaks many languages – not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that colour.

Her life straddles two worlds: the human and a place that is Elsewhere. She has never really known which one is her true home, but now the doors to Elsewhere are closing . . .Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out..

 

Tyger Tyger – Spotlight & Review

Tyger Tyger by Kersten Hamilton

Hardcover: 320 pages

Publisher: Clarion Books (Oct 18 2010)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0547330081

ISBN-13: 978-0547330082

Genre: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy

Book Description:

“Teagan Wylltson’s best friend, Abby, dreams that horrifying creatures–goblins, shape-shifters, and beings of unearthly beauty but terrible cruelty–are hunting Teagan. Abby is always coming up with crazy stuff, though, so Teagan isn’t worried. Her life isn’t in danger. In fact, it’s perfect. She’s on track for a college scholarship. She has a great job. She’s focused on school, work, and her future. No boys, no heartaches, no problems.

Until Finn Mac Cumhaill arrives. Finn’s a bit on the unearthly beautiful side himself. He has a killer accent and a knee-weakening smile. And either he’s crazy or he’s been haunting Abby’s dreams, because he’s talking about goblins, too…and about being The Mac Cumhaill, born to fight all goblin-kind. Finn knows a thing or two about fighting. Which is a very good thing, because this time, Abby’s right. The goblins are coming.”

My Thoughts:

I quite enjoyed this book. Kersten Hamilton has written a grand adventure with danger, suspense and a touch of romance thrown in. The characters are rich and full of personality. I also loved the sidhe, goblins, shape-shifters and the world building. Teagan and Finn are great together! I loved Teagan’s grandma, she’s a spitfire.

I like that Teagan has a good head on her shoulders and knows what she wants in life. Her younger brother Aiden was, as any child his age, blatantly honest and provided some comic relief with his observations. What can I say about Finn? He’s the perfect match for Teagan and I look forward to seeing how this relationship develops in the next book.

I’m not sure if this book is classified as Young Adult or Middle Grade. I personally think that it might be a bit scary or dark for a younger readership, but it’s an awesome book for teens. Just my opinion though. The evil fae villain that Ms. Hamilton has throughout the story is truly cold, cruel and other-worldly. The folklore weaved into the story was great!

     

Buy Tyger, Tyger at:

Chapters

The Book Depository

Amazon

Find out more about Kersten Hamilton and her writing at her website!

J.K. Beck – Guest Blog & Giveaway

I am really excited to have author J.K. Beck here today guest blogging! The first book in her new Shadow Keepers Series, When Blood Calls is in stores now, with the next book, When Pleasure Rules, due to hit shelves on September 28th, 2010. You can read my review of When Blood Calls HERE. Let’s give J.K. a warm welcome because a) she’s awesome, b) I’m convinced she can leap tall buildings in a single bound because she had to practically bend over backwards to get me this post in time right smack dab in the middle of a chaotic move and c) shhh, don’t tell but she’s a best selling author also known as Julie Kenner! Oh yeah, and she’s also giving one lucky commenter a copy of When Pleasure Rules. 😀

J.K. – What would you do if you could slip into someone’s head and get their thoughts? Would you be tempted to use the information for blackmail? To win in the stock market? To make life better for yourself and those you care about?

And what if taking that information could cause harm to another?

It’s an interesting dilemma, and it’s what Lissa, the heroine in my second Shadow Keepers book, is faced with. In WHEN PLEASURE RULES, we meet Lissa, a succubus with a secret skill—when she takes a bit of soul, she also takes thoughts. It’s a skill she’s had throughout all her lives, though she has little memory of the past lives. In this life, she’s used the skill to gain entrance into men’s heads in order to use that information in her quest to rescue the girls she protects from harsh masters. But when the PEC learns of her unique—and illegal—talent, they decide to make the most of it, setting her up as a confidential informant to take information from a werewolf, Rand, who’s recently come to town…and may be behind a series of brutal murders.

The idea of a woman who could get into the heads of men was interesting enough—couple that with Lissa being forced to do it in order to save herself and the women she protects, and it made for a fabulously fun story to write, especially when Rand, dark and dangerous himself, was tossed into the equation.

As you can probably tell, the Shadow Keepers books are set in a paranormal world. Specifically, the books are centered around a paranormal judicial system charged with the investigation and prosecution of crimes committed by the shadow beings.

I’ve had a lot of fun with the books, and with the characters and creatures that inhabit them—vampires, werewolves, daemons, succubi and more!

You can find excerpts, enter contests, or just poke around at the series website, www.theshadowkeepers.com, read my blog at www.jkbeck.com, or see the series book trailer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KZ2Dv1TSi4 And be sure to friend me on Facebook (www.facebook.com/authorjkbeck) and follow me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/jkbeck)!

Leave a comment to be entered to win a copy of When Pleasure Rules! Talk about anything, or tell us what you’d do if you could poke around in someone’s head!

Happy reading!

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Thanks J.K.! I know that I’ll be rushing out to grab a copy of When Pleasure Rules as soon as it hits shelves. 🙂

Giveaway Details:

J.K. Beck has been gracious enough to supply an autographed copy of When Pleasure Rules, book 2 in the Shadow Keepers series to giveaway to one of my readers! Contest is open to Everyone.

For one entry: Please leave a comment with the answer to the question.  (+1 entry)

For extra entries:

• Subscribe to my blog, Sidhe Vicious Reviews, through the links at the top right hand side of the blog, and let me know in your comment. Be sure you verify your subscription through the email you’ll receive or it won’t count. (+1 entry)
• If you’re already subscribed, you’ll receive two extra entries, but be sure to let me know in the comments if you’re an old follower. (+2 entries)
• Post a link to this contest on your Twitter, FaceBook, MySpace, GoodReads, LibraryThing, or on your blog and send me the link either in the comments or by email and you’ll get an extra entry for each place you add a link to. ( add 1 entry each for  however many links you’ve done)
• Follow me on Twitter, Add me as a friend on FaceBook, GoodReads, MySpace, Chapters Community or LibraryThing. (add 1 entry each for however many places you followed/friended me)
• Follow J.K. Beck on Twitter or FaceBook (add +1 for each)
• Contest is open to Everyone and will run through October 3rd until 11:59pm. The winners will be posted here on October 4th.
• Please leave your email addy in your comment for me to contact you if you’ve won, but post it like wilmaflinstone(at)boomshakalaka(dot)com so you don’t get any spam. If I haven’t heard back from the winner in 7 days, a new winner will be drawn from the eligible comments. Winners will be chosen by a random number generator. Good Luck everyone!

Please leave your links in one comment if possible. Thanks!

September 2010 Releases

There are a whole bunch of awesome books being released out into the wild this month! Here are some shiny covers of a few of them that I am DYING to read. 😀 Check out my New Releases page to see all the books along with their release dates. (I’m still working on the title links).

     

     

     

     

Ahh my pretties, how I want you all. Hopefully I’ll get some Chapters gift cards for my birthday next week! 😉

Halo – Trailer

Another book that I have been highly anticipating is Alexandra Adornetto’s YA, Halo!

Hardcover: 496 pages

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends (Aug 31 2010)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0312656262

ISBN-13: 978-0312656263

Book Description:

“Three angels are sent down to bring good to the world: Gabriel, the warrior; Ivy, the healer; and Bethany, a teenage girl who is the least experienced of the trio. But she is the most human, and when she is romantically drawn to a mortal boy, the angels fear she will not be strong enough to save anyone—especially herself—from the Dark Forces.

Is love a great enough power against evil?”

Check out the trailer.

I’ve always been fascinated with Angels, what about you?

No Mercy Trailer

The long awaited and once delayed release of Sherrilyn Kenyon’s No Mercy is almost upon us, so here’s the trailer to whet your appetite! 🙂

And you can go to Sherrilyn Kenyon’s WEBSITE to read the book synopsis & more. September 7th, 2010. Sam & Dev’s story will be in stores everywhere. (Just in time for my birthday :D)

Aug 2010 New Releases

Just a quick post to let you all know that I’ve updated the New Releases page and all of August’s releases are up! 🙂

Here’s a few of the covers for August: