***Review** Scent of Magic by Maria V Snyder

Scent of Magic by Maria V Snyder

Released: December 2012
Publisher: Mira - Harlequin
Series: Yes, #2 in the Healer series
Source: From Netgalley
Format: Digital ARC
Find at: Goodreads | Amazon UK | The Book Depository

Many thanks to Netgalley and  the Publisher for my review copy, this is in exchange for an honest review.

Goodreads Synopsis:

 Hunted, Killed—Survived?

As the last Healer in the Fifteen Realms, Avry of Kazan is in a unique position: in the minds of her friends and foes alike, she no longer exists. Despite her need to prevent the megalomanical King Tohon from winning control of the Realms, Avry is also determined to find her sister and repair their estrangement. And she must do it alone, as Kerrick, her partner and sole confident, returns to Alga to summon his country into battle.

Though she should be in hiding, Avry will do whatever she can to support Tohon’s opponents. Including infiltrating a holy army, evading magic sniffers, teaching forest skills to soldiers and figuring out how to stop Tohon’s most horrible creations yet; an army of the walking dead—human and animal alike and nearly impossible to defeat.

War is coming and Avry is alone. Unless she figures out how to do the impossible ... again.

 My Review:

As this is the second book in the series I am not going to give and plot lines or spoilers. 
The first book Touch of Power scored pretty high for me, so Scent of Magic had pretty much a heck of a lot to live up to.  I did enjoy it very much, but I have to admit I much preferred the first book.  

I think this is because a lot of book two is basically battle and strategy, whilst this was interesting I did miss the humour that I found in book one.  It is definitely a darker book.  I wanted the characters to develop a bit more too, there are some I find really interesting but they get a bit lost in the story.  I certainly do not dislike the book, I just hope book three lives up to the standard of these two.  The author certainly knows how to build a whole new world, I find the description excellent and can almost feel like I'm in the forest with Kerrick and Avry.

I really like Avry and also have a soft spot for Kerrick, so it will be interesting to see where the story goes for these two.  I love this series and have immediately moved on to book three, Taste of Darkness.  I'm quite sad there are only three books as I do love the characters.  I've only read one other series by Maria V Snyder and that is her Glass series.  The Healer series is by far my favourite and I haven't even read book three yet!

Overview:
A great addition to the series, lots of battle and strategy in this one.  You do lose a bit of humour and playfulness you had with the "monkeys".

My Thoughts on the Cover:
I do like this cover, it definitely suits the book and I love the colour scheme.

Guest Post: Melika Dannese Lux

I'm really thrilled to have author Melika Dannese Lux stop by the blog and give an awesome guest post!

Guest Post: Melika Dannese Lux - Genesis of Corcitura

Be honest. You’re wondering what on earth a Corcitura is, right? Well, I’d be more than happy to slake your curiosity! ;) Corcitura is the Romanian word for hybrid. It has no vampiric connotations whatsoever, but before I tell you why I chose this as the name for my new creature, how about a little backstory?

A year before I even got the idea for the Corcitura, I had seen a painting that sent my mind reeling with all the possible implications behind it. The painting was “Oh, what’s that in the hollow?” by Edward Robert Hughes.

 I took one look at that painting and screamed “VAMPIRE!” There’s something so morbidly entrancing and enigmatic about that painting. Is he dead? The sheen of his nearly translucent eyes certainly seems to suggest it. But what if he’s just resting until the moon rises? I only recently found out that he is dead! But back then, I was still in the dark, and so I did what all good storytellers do: I totally ignored the inconvenient facts behind the painting and ran roughshod with my inspiration. Those translucent eyes were never far from my mind and inspired me so much that they found life in the book’s eponymous creature.

 So, why vampires, after all? Out of all the monsters of myth, vampires had always been my favorites. I had always been fascinated by how they could be suave and alluring on the outside (or when the sun wasn’t up), but with the flick of a barbed tongue, turn into slavering, fang-toothed, bloodsucking beasts! The juxtaposition fascinated me, since in original folklore almost all vampires are essentially plagues. Some just know how to mask their true nature better than others.

I knew if I was going to write about vampires, they’d better be different and intriguing, and since I have always been crazy for folklore from different parts of the world, this idea gave me an excuse to explore vampire mythology. It’s fascinating reading, freaky, but fascinating. Up until this point, I had the makings of a novel, but my vampire wasn’t being cooperative at all and just stayed hidden in the background, kicking through my mind until he finally got his act together and distinguished himself enough to set the story in motion. Until then, I had nicknamed him “Our Combo,” since he was going to be a hybrid—created after being bitten by two vampires of differing species. I knew I couldn’t continue calling him by such a McDonald’s Value Meal sounding name forever, so I took the next step in finding out what the word “hybrid” in Romanian was (since Stefan’s family has a long and torturous history deep in the soil of that country). I have Romanian ancestors, so digging into the country’s myths and legends was an added bonus. When I discovered that corcitura meant hybrid, I thought about it, and since I didn’t like any of the names I’d made up in the interim, it eventually stuck.

 One huge thing that was clear in my mind from the outset was to make certain my novel took place before Dracula was even published. Dracula was such a tremendous milestone in vampire literature…and I didn’t want my characters to know about it at all. I wanted to create new myths, new ways of dispatching the creatures of the night, new fears and horrors—all things which would have been greatly hindered by a post-1897 setting. Where would the suspense be if my characters could fall back on what they’d read in Stoker’s novel? When they came up against pointy-toothed demons, I wanted no little lights going off in my characters’ heads, and definitely no saying, “Ah ha! This is exactly like what happened in Dracula! Quick, get some garlic!” I wanted my characters to have absolutely no frame of reference for dealing with the horrible situations they found themselves in, which is why all the action in the novel takes place from 1888 (there is also a very ripping reason for choosing that year, but you’ll have to read the book to find out why ;) through 1895.

***Review*** That Burning Summer by Lydia Syson

That Burning Summer by Lydia Syson

Released: 3rd October 2013
Publisher: Hotkey Books
Series: No
Source: From Publisher for review
Format: ARC
Find at: Goodreads | Amazon UK | The Book Depository

Author Site: Lydia Syson

Many thanks to the Publisher for my review copy, this is in exchange for an honest review.

Goodreads Synopsis:
Romney Marsh, July 1940. When invasion threatens, you have to grow up quickly. Sixteen-year-old Peggy has been putting on a brave face since the fall of France, but now the enemy is overhead, and the rules are changing all the time. Staying on the right side of the law proves harder than she expects when a plane crash-lands in the Marsh: it's Peggy who finds its pathetic, broken pilot; a young Polish man, Henryk, who stays hidden in a remote church, secretly cared for by Peggy. As something more blossoms between the two, Peggy's brother Ernest's curiosity peaks and other secrets come to light, forcing Peggy and Henryk to question all the loyalties and beliefs they thought they held dear.

In one extraordinary summer the lives of two young people will change forever, in a tense and gripping historical drama from Lydia Syson, the author of the acclaimed A WORLD BETWEEN US.

 My Review:

This is my first book by Lydia Syson and I have to say it has been a while since I've read any historical fiction.  It's a nice break from the YA and paranormal books I've been reading lately.  I've not really read many books on WW2, so when I had the chance to review this book I jumped at the opportunity.  It was lovely to have a fresh perspective of life during the war.  Peggy is such a delightful character and it was really nice to see how her feelings develop for Henryk, especially under such troubled times.

I shamefully did not realise of the Polish involvement with the RAF, there is such a minefield of information I do not know about this era.  So as well as being a good story, this book is factual and helped me learn more about WW2.

A very interesting and information packed book. It really does set the scene for the time period and the way the war affected people and their beliefs. I like the tension and the secretiveness of the love story, who is not a sucker for love that has to push boundaries.

I am really pleased I have read this book.  I will definitely read more books by this author as I love her writing style, it's easy and descriptive without bogging you down with too many facts.

Overview

A great insight into rural England during WW2, loved the forbidden romance element

My Thoughts on the Cover

I have been drawn in by shiny covers recently, so this cover is the complete opposite of what I normally go for.  It has a very vintage feel to it, but then again it suits the time period this book is set in.

***Review*** Requiem by Lauren Oliver

Requiem by Lauren Oliver

Released: 5th March 2013
Publisher: Harper Collins
Series: Yes #3 in the Delirium series
Source: Bought
Format: Kindle e-book
Find at: Goodreads | Amazon UK | The Book Depository

Author Site : Lauren Oliver


Goodreads Synopsis:

They have tried to squeeze us out, to stamp us into the past.

But we are still here.

And there are more of us every day.

Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has been transformed. The nascent rebellion that was under way in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.

After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven—pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators now infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels, and as Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor.

Maybe we are driven crazy by our feelings.

Maybe love is a disease, and we would be better off without it.

But we have chosen a different road.

And in the end, that is the point of escaping the cure: We are free to choose.

We are even free to choose the wrong thing.

Requiem is told from both Lena’s and Hana’s points of view. The two girls live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.

My Review:

I'm going to point out straight away this is a spoiler free review.  

I managed to read Pandemonium and Requiem very close together as I feel that you really do need to plough straight into the final book.  I struggled to get into Pandemonium because I had left a huge gap between that one and the first book Delirium.  I was not going to make this mistake again.

Where do I start......?  I feel  a bit sad and bereft, not from completing the series, but for well the ending. The story seems to go rather well and it's exciting but bam I'm hit with the end and it feels just like someone has pulled the rug from under me.  So much more could have gone on.  I was not finished and I feel like the door has been slammed in my face.  This story was sailing into the four star review section until right at the end.

I have invested so much time in the characters and loved them and championed some of them.  But I feel that they have been shortchanged.  I actually feel quite aggrieved.

Other than that it was a really interesting series.  Lena was a fantastic character, you could see her developing throughout the book.  And the boys, well I loved Alex and Julian and I must admit I kept changing my mind who I liked the most, even though I think Alex sneaked back in first place.  Great selection of characters.  Loved the writing style but it's just the end, I think I'm going to be harping on about it for years to come.

Despite my grumblings I would love to check out more books by this author.

Overview

Loved the series, just shame it fell at the last hurdle.

My Thoughts on the Cover

I think the earthy natural feel to this cover suits the book.  The flowers are subtle but effective around the girls face.  I do like the cover.

Books With Bite - Blogger Event 2014

Hi Guys!  I just wanted to share with you my awesome fun filled day out in London at the Books With Bite Blogger event.

Bookswithbite.co.uk

Now first off I will say how excited I was to be invited to this.  That excited I travelled across the country to attend.  After an hour and a half drive and then a two hour train ride I managed to meet up with two wonderful fellow bloggers, Dani @ Pen to Paper and Misty from Bookaholics Book Club.  It's so much more fun when you have company and company that can talk about books.

The three of us had a great time wandering round London before the event and we managed to visit Foyles and Watersone's Piccadilly.

After our gadabout round London it was time to attend the Books with Bite event. I had a lovely time meeting the team and also chatting with authors and fellow bloggers.  It was a great way to find out all about the newly revamped website, which if you haven't already checked it out you can find the link for it HERE.  The website is really good and showcases exciting YA books and so much much more.  I especially love the three apple design, you choose an apple based on whether you want to explore the Paranormal and Fantasy theme, Thriller and Sci-Fi theme or Contempory theme.

We also got to hear about the new and exciting titles that are coming up in 2014.  I really do want to read a lot of them, there are some that really shone out for me in the presentation and I am especially looking forward to Deep Blue by Jennifer Donnelly.  Just the book trailer alone makes me excited about this upcoming release.  I can see me being very busy reading this year.

After the presentation we got to mingle and speak to authors and chat about their books.

Me with Ruth Warburton and Laure from Book with Bite

I managed to chat with Ruth Warburton who I have previously met before.  Ruth is such a lovely person and if you haven't checked out her Winter trilogy I strongly urge you too.  I managed to snag a copy of Witchfinder which is the first book in her new series.  Again this is about witches, which I happen to love.  A little while on the blog I managed to get an author interview with Ruth, you can check it out HERE

I also talked to Catherine Fisher about her new book  The Box of Red Brocade, this is the 2nd book in the Chronoptika series.  I read and reviewed book one, The Obsidian Mirror last year here on Chocolate Chunky Munkie.  You can see the review Here .  I was really happy to hear that Catherine is pretty local to where I live.  We had a good chat about the surrounding area and of course about her books too.

I also chatted to Saci  Lloyd and asked her to sign her book Quantum Drop.  I am very excited about this book as it sounds excellent. 

Me with Teri Terry

I managed to have a chat with author Teri Terry about her Slated series.  I have to say that Slated was an amazing book, I cannot rave about it more.  You can check out my five star review for it HERE.  But last night I managed to get my hands on her new book Shattered, which is the third book in the Slated series.  I cannot wait to read this book!

The final author I chatted to was Robert Muchamore who is author to the Cherub series.  I managed to get his new book Rock War signed.  This sounds such a good book and I can't wait to get reading it.

I came away with a huge pile of books and a booklet with all the upcoming titles that are being released in 2014.

Here are the books I bagged for review:

 Witchfinder by Ruth Warburton
Quantum Drop by Saci Lloyd
The Moment Collector by Jodi Lynn Anderson
Tease by Amanda Maciel
Between the Lives by Jessica Shirvington  
Shattered by Teri Terry
Dead Silent by Sharon Jones
The Box of Red Brocade by Catherine Fisher
Pegasus and Flame by Kate O'Hearn
Meta Wars by Jeff Norton
Rock War by Robert Muchamore
Riot by Sarah Mussi

After such an enjoyable evening time seemed to just fly by, so it was a bit of a shock when the three of us, Dani, Misty and I had to run to catch our train.  As I said to Dani before we left I am built for comfort and not speed.  I am a reader, not a runner!  We literally had ten minutes to get from the event, up the road to the nearest tube station, catch the tube one stop and then fly up three high escalators at Euston Train Station.  And this is carrying two bags containing 12 books!  Well lets just say if a kind man hadn't helped me with my books and got me to the ticket barrier,  I would have missed the train.  I can honestly say after nearly having a heart attack and getting onto the train with no breath left in my body I will sadly be withdrawing my entry from the next Olympic Games.  I am no sprinter, but if there was an event for reading...... well I think I would definitely come away with a gold medal :)

***Review*** Fearsome Dreamer by Laure Eve

Fearsome Dreamer by Laure Eve

Released: 3rd October 2013
Publisher: Hotkey Books
Series: Yes, #1 in the Fearsome Dreamer series
Source: From Publisher
Format: ARC - Paperback
Find at: Goodreads | Amazon UK | The Book Depository

Author Site: Laure Eve

Many thanks to the Publisher for my review copy, this is in exchange for an honest review.

Goodreads Synopsis:

 There is a world where gods you’ve never heard of have wound themselves into hearts, and choice has led its history down a different path.

This is a world where France made a small, downtrodden island called England part of its vast and bloated empire.

There are people here who can cross a thousand miles with their minds. There are rarer people still who can move between continents in the blink of an eye.

These people are dangerous.

And wanted. Desperately wanted.

Apprentice hedgewitch Vela Rue knows that she is destined for more. She knows being whisked off from a dull country life to a city full of mystery and intrigue is meant to be. She knows she has something her government wants, a talent so rare and precious and new that they will do anything to train her in it.

But she doesn’t know that she is being lied to. She doesn’t know that the man teaching her about her talent is becoming obsessed by her, and considered by some to be the most dangerous man alive ...

My Review:

Highly entertaining and wacky.  This book is both charming and intriguing, rolled up together and you get a highly entertaining read. 

I could not wait to get my mitts on this highly anticipated  debut novel from the wonderful Laure Eve. I had to stroke the cover a few times and even my dog Hades had to have a look in too.

But anyway back to the review. I did enjoy this book and felt it was worth the wait.  I love witches, there are so many different types of books based on the magic and  fantasy world of witchcraft. Fearsome Dreamer is a unique and satisfying venture into this magical realm.

I loved the writing style, it was very clever and sometimes I had to re-read a few pages just to make sure I took all the detail in.  I think even a future re-read would open up a new level to this book.  I remember I had to do this for Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde, there were so many things I had missed first time round.

Vela Rue was a great main character, I definitely connected well with her and this I find  a must in a book.  If I don't connect or even care about the main character I may as well throw the book away.  But thankfully Vela got a gold star from me, I love spirit and grit.

I did get a bit blown away taking in all the detail of the two worlds, there is so much to absorb, hence the recommendation for the re-read.  And if I have to be a bit nit picky I would say I had to get through the first 30 pages to get into this book properly.  The start perhaps was a bit slow for me, but it did pick up pace afterwards.

I would definitely like to read the next book in the series.  Fearsome Dreamer has the thumbs up from Chocolate Chunky Munkie

Overview:

If you enjoy high fantasy then I would recommend this book.  It's rammed full of detail.

My Thoughts on the Cover:

You have to see this in the flesh to appreciate the complexity of it.  It is very clever and I do like it.  I would be drawn to it in the bookshop.

Here are some other posts which feature Laure Eve and Fearsome Dreamer:

Guest Post from Laure Eve

Wishlist Wednesday #59 

 

***Review*** Sky on Fire by Emmy Laybourne

Sky on Fire by Emmy Laybourne

Released: 7th November 2013
Publisher: Hodder Children's Books
Series: Yes #2 in the Monument 14 series
Source: ARC from Publisher
Format: Paperback
Find at: Goodreads | Amazon UK | The Book Depository

Author Site: Emmy Laybourne

Many thanks to the Publisher for my review copy, this is in exchange for an honest review.

Goodreads Synopsis:

 Trapped in a superstore by a series of escalating disasters, including a monster hailstorm and terrifying chemical weapons spill, brothers Dean and Alex learned how to survive and worked together with twelve other kids to build a refuge from the chaos. But then strangers appeared, destroying their fragile peace, and bringing both fresh disaster and a glimmer of hope.

Knowing that the chemical weapons saturating the air outside will turn him into a bloodthirsty rage monster, Dean decides to stay in the safety of the store with Astrid and some of the younger kids. But their sanctuary has already been breached once. . . .

Meanwhile, Alex, determined to find their parents, heads out into the darkness and devastation with Niko and some others in a recently repaired school bus. If they can get to Denver International Airport, they might be evacuated to safety. But the outside world is even worse than they expected. . 

My Review:

Normally I find that if I give the first book in the series a five star rating I'm a little hard on the second book.  Sometimes it doesn't always live up to amazingness of the first book, how wrong am I! Sky on Fire deserves the same praise as Monument 14.  I simply loved it.  There was the same level of tension that held me rapt, the characters are brilliant; such a mixed bunch.  

Top praise and I really cannot simply wait for another instalment in this series.  Bravo Emmy Laybourne you have simply created an amazing series.

I love post apocalyptic books and this series has to be my favourite so far.

If you haven't read Monument 14 get a copy now.  And then read it and scoot down to the book store and get Sky on Fire too, you will not be disappointed.


I'm really mean with 5 stars, but this one coasts in clear of the 5 star rating.

Overview:
Amazing, tense and exciting.

My Thoughts on the cover:
This one is really spooky but it really does capture the essence of the book.  I love it and would definitely pick it up in the book store.

 



You can see my review of Monument 14 HERE