May 2011 Releases, part 2

I’ve fallen a little behind (what else is new?) but I’m really excited about some of the releases that came out at the end of May, and wanted to share them!

May 17, 2011: Graveminder by Melissa Marr

This is Melissa Marr’s first adult novel, and if it’s half as great as her faerie court series, I’ll be thrilled. The story is about Rebekkah, who returns to Claysville, her hometown, after her grandmother’s death. She comes to realize there is more to Claysville than she thought, and that her grandmother played a key role in keeping the peace between the living and the dead. And, it falls to Bek to uphold the family tradition.

I’m on the library waitlist for the audiobook, and can’t wait to listen to it!

May 18, 2011: America Pacifica by Anna North

I think I’m at the point with YA (which I love) that the first thing I’m looking for in a story is originality. And, when I read the description of America Pacifica, I knew I had to read it.

North America is in a second ice age, and Darcy lives on the island of America Pacifica. It’s a place of haves and have-nots, and is ruled by a mysterious dictator. When Darcy’s mom disappears, she searches for her mom, and finds much more than she bargained for.

May 24, 2011: Rhapsody for Piano and Ghost by ZA Maxfield

ZAM is one of my favorite m/m authors. She always writes with so much heart, creating characters I really care about.

While gifted pianist Fritz is studying at a conservatory and looking for a little peace, he finds himself surrounded by family and friends (possibly including a couple of well-meaning imaginary ones) who complicate his life.

It sounds like this story is told with ZAM’s trademark sense of humor.

May 29, 2011: Between Sinners and Saints by Marie Sexton

I’ve recently discovered Marie Sexton’s Coda series, and LOVED every one of them. Her new release is a stand alone, and sounds like it’s as angsty and will pull at my heartstrings as her Coda books.

Bartender Levi is has left behind his Mormon roots behind and encounters Jamie, a loner who is haunted by his past. It’s an opposites attract love story (one of my favorite kinds) and of course the heroes find common ground, healing, and love.

May 31, 2011: Kiss of Snow  (PsyChangeling series, book 10) by Nalini Singh

Hawke’s book!

Need I say more? I do? Oh, ok.

Well, I’ve already read it, and it’s as awesome as all the hype led me to believe.

Read it. You won’t be sorry.

Enough said.

May 31, 2011: Magic Slays (Kate Daniels series, book 5) by Ilona Andrews

I always say this about the Kate Daniels series, but here we are at book 5, and it’s still true: each subsequent book in this series gets better (and I really liked the first book).

I’m really interested to see where the author goes with Magic Slays, especially since we are sort of moved to the post HEA part of the story line with Kate and Curran.

I’m looking forward to see the new life that they will build, what Kate is going to do with her new business, and what will happen with the bigger story arc involving Kate’s background.

May 31, 2011: Just Like Heaven (Smythe-Smith quartet, book 1) by Julia Quinn

The legendary Smythe-Smith family (and their notorious musicales) has always been the comic relief in Julia Quinns more recent books. The poor Smythe-Smith girls are now getting their own stories, and Lady Honoria is the heroine in Just Like Heaven. Another of my favorite romance tropes is the younger sibling/older sibling’s friend pairing, and Marcus (Honoria’s brother’s best friend) starts out keeping an eye on Honoria in her brother’s absence, and finds himself falling in love.

I always enjoy Julia Quinn’s historical romances. They’re light, funny, and romantic. I’m currrently listening to Just Like Heaven (narrated by Roslyn Landor) and so far it’s exactly what I expect.

May 31, 2011: My Dangerous Pleasure (Witches/My series, book 4) by Carolyn Jewel

This is one of my favorite parnormal series. I love the unique world, the strong heroines, and the sexy demons.

My Dangerous Pleasure is Iskander’s story. The author has really put him thru the mill in this series, and I was excited that he finally gets a HEA. And, Paisley is a worthy heroine.

If you haven’t picked this series up yet, I highly recommend that you start with book 1, My Wicked Enemy.

My review for this book will be posted in a couple of days.

That’s a lot of books, isn’t it? Lots of good stuff, here.  What’s recently been released that you’ve been looking forward to?

Smart Chicks Kick It in So Cal [Recap and GIVEAWAY]

The book tour highlight of my year, the Smart Chicks Kick It Tour, came to town last week. Contemporary Fantasy YA authors Kelley Armstrong (Otherworld and Darkest Powers series) and Melissa Marr (Wicked Lovely novels) organized a cross-country multi-city/multi-author extravaganza that landed in Pasadena, California on Monday.

Originally, I was going to take my niece, who is a big Melissa de la Cruz (Blue Bloods series) fan, but high school commitments prevented her from joining me. So, I set out on my own for Vroman’s, Pasadena’s awesome independent bookstore. The venue was great, with the event taking place in an outside courtyard area. I got lucky, and after some initial bouncing around, I actually found myself in the front row.

There was definitely a “rock concert” feel, with much excitement and screaming. (Hey, it was a YA event with a mostly teen-aged female crowd.) It was really cool to see so many authors take the stage together. For Monday’s date, in addition to Kelley Armstrong and Melissa Marr, the authors were:

• Melissa de la Cruz (Blue Bloods series)
• Rachel Caine (Morganville Vampires and the adult Weather Warden series)
• Rachel Vincent (Soul Screamers and the adult Shifters series)
• Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl (The Caster Chronicles)
• Mary Pearson (The Adoration of Jenna Fox)
• Alyson Noel (The Immortals series)

Because of the large number of authors, the main event didn’t include any readings or any questions focused on a single author. Instead, there were “round-robin” questions, including: Who would you marry/shag (or kiss)/throw off of a cliff; favorite book (Kelley Armstrong went with Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot), last movie seen (Melissa Marr and Mary Pearson had seen Inception). There were also drawings, including a basket containing a book from every author who has participated in the tour, and a trivia contest where one VERY lucky attendee won an arc of Melissa Marr’s January release, Darkest Mercy, the last in her Wicked Lovely series.

A few interesting tidbits revealed on Monday included:

• Melissa de la Cruz has an upcoming adult series. (I really enjoyed the first book in the Blue Bloods series and will definitely be keeping my eye out for this new series!)
• Rachel Caine will have a new UF series, The Revivalists, coming out August 2011. (While I still read her YA series, I’ve drifted away from the adult Weather Wardens series, and am looking forward to this new series.)
• Mary Pearson’s book The Adoration of Jenna Fox will be made into a movie.
• Melissa Marr’s adult book, Graveminder will be released July 2011.
• Melissa Marr’s book Wicked Lovely, which is being made into a movie, has a completed script and she has been asked for casting suggestions.
• Kelley Armstrong’s YA series has been extended through book 9. (W00T! LOVED the first trilogy, The Darkest Powers and to my mind Kelley Armstrong is one of the strongest writers currently out there.)

After swag was thrown (see Melissa Marr-foreground, Melissa de la Cruz-background in picture on right), we lined up for the book signing. Chatting with other fans passed the time, and before I knew it, we were at the author tables, able to chat, pick up book marks and get our books signed. (Unfortunately, my camera is still in a box somewhere in my half-unpacked house, and my phone battery died before I made it to the signing portion of the evening, so no pictures of the signing. 😦 )

One of the most interesting items that came up at Monday’s event was that the participating authors are financing this tour with expected proceeds from an anthology they are all contributing to called Enthralled, to be released Fall 2011.

It was really great to see the camaraderie among the authors and how much they genuinely enjoyed each others’ books. After meeting the authors and talking with their fans, I’m really excited to crack open Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Magaret Stohl, and have (finally!) started listening to Carpe Corpus, book 6 in Rachel Caine’s Morganville Vampire series, which has been sitting on my tbr for a while.

• For some really great pictures, check out Kami and Margaret’s post.
• RT blog has a post by Melissa de la Cruz about the Vroman’s event.

AND, ON TO THE GIVEAWAY!

Sorry about the crappy quality of the picture. I still can’t find my camera, and my poor old Palm Centro is just not equal to quality picture taking.

To celebrate these awesome women, I am giving away a flier from the event, signed by all the authors, as well as a $10 gift certificate to the bookstore of your choice: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Book Depository, which will (hopefully!) be used to try one of these awesome authors’ books. Just leave a comment telling me which of these authors you’d love to read. This contest is open internationally.

Leave your comment by 11:59 p.m. (Pacific time) Tuesday, September 28, 2010 to be entered. Winner will be posted Wednesday, September 29.

Just finished reading . . . Raised by Wolves

Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

A version of this review appears at Goodreads.
4.5 out of 5 stars.
View all of my Goodreads reviews >>

Here is the book description: Adopted by the Alpha of a werewolf pack after a rogue wolf brutally killed her parents right before her eyes, fifteen-year-old Bryn knows only pack life, and the rigid social hierarchy that controls it. That doesn’t mean that she’s averse to breaking a rule or two. But when her curiosity gets the better of her and she discovers Chase, a new teen locked in a cage in her guardian’s basement, and witnesses him turn into a wolf before her eyes, the horrific memories of her parents’ murders return. Bryn becomes obsessed with getting her questions answered, and Chase is the only one who can provide the information she needs. But in her drive to find the truth, will Bryn push too far beyond the constraints of the pack, forcing her to leave behind her friends, her family, and the identity that she’s shaped?

This YA took a were storyline and made it fresh and powerful. I’d heard a lot of hype about this book and worried that it wouldn’t live up to it. But, it did.

I loved that Bryn was headstrong and independent, without being TSTL. She fights against the well-intentioned but smothering protection of her adopted pack, knowing she truly is physically weaker than they are, but still working toward standing on her own two feet. In a lot of ways, it recalled Mercy Thompson’s upbringing among the wolf pack in the Patricia Briggs series. Small and weaker doesn’t mean dependent and helpless. And, like Mercy, Bryn discovers her own strengths and abilities.

Also, the secondary characters were interesting and well-defined. Pack Alpha and father-figure Callum, was especially interesting, and I love how Bryn both looks up to him and fights against him for her autonomy. While at times his actions seem questionable, it’s clear that he loves Bryn. Yet, even his attachment to her is put at risk by the pack’s laws, and his and Bryn’s actions.

Chase, imprisoned by the pack, has an immediate connection to Bryn, and as they discover the reasons for it, it becomes clear that their lives are inextricably intertwined. As he struggles to control the factions warring in his head for his loyalty, Bryn does what she can to help him. I love how, though she’s not physically strong, she is still able to come to Chase’s aid, and he never questions her abilities.

My only issue with Raised by Wolves was that her best friend, Devon, sort of drops out of the book in the middle of the book. He was a great character, and very atypical for a young male were with alpha tendencies. (Who doesn’t love a were with a passion for musical theater?)

Given what was going on with Bryn wrt Chase and the rest of the pack, I really noticed Devon’s absence, and it completely pulled me out of the book. All things considered, though, it’s a minor complaint.

Some really cool and original action takes place in the last half of the book. But, a lot of it would be spoilers, so suffice it to say that the book takes a really original take on pack interactions and were abilities. I love what Jennifer Barnes does with the books world building. And, the characters, their relationships, and the action never lose their momentum while she pushes the boundaries on the were mythology.

Given where things were left by the end of this book, I can’t wait to read more about Bryn and company.

• Jennifer Lynn Barnes’ site.

He ain’t heavy…

I love brothers in fiction.

Particularly, a pair of brothers.There’s something about that relationship that really draws me in. Maybe it’s because I don’t have any brothers. There’s a mysteriousness to that relationship for me. Especially, seeing their connection to one another, usually expressed in a way that’s foreign to me. (I have 3 sisters. Our ways of relating are worlds apart from the brothers that I read about.) Also, there’s usually an intensity to a pair of brothers that I just love. That “us against the world” and love/hate that gets played out. Typically, they are opposites. Looks, personality, philosophy—their differences make it even more compelling when they hang together in the face of impossible odds.

(Did I just date myself? Yeah, and it’s cheezy. But, I admit it, I like it. Oh, hell, just let it play while you read on…)

Here are a few of my favorite fictional brotherly pairs:

Cal and Niko from Rob Thurman’s Cal Leandros series This is the first sibling pair that comes to mind when I think of great fictional brothers. Cal is dark, sarcastic, and half Auphe (think evil demon-like elf). Niko is a “Buddha-lovin’ badass” who will do anything to protect his little brother. And, I mean anything. I love how they will give each other shit one moment, and stand back to back fighting off supernatural nasties the next. Sometimes, they even fight them off while giving each other shit. For me, the high-point of this series was being able to get Niko’s point of view in Deathwish. (Typically, this series is told solely from Cal’s pov.)

Nick and Alan from Sarah Rees Brennan’s The Demon’s Lexicon series OK, so this pair brings intensity and love/hate levels to all time highs. Sometimes their conflict (mostly on Nick’s side) was painful to read, but boy does it make this book exciting. Nick is all about action (of the sword-wielding/wizard hunting kind), and is notably lacking in the social-skills department. Alan is compassionate, protective, and can also kick-ass when he needs to. Aside from their emotionally disturbed mother, they are all the other has in the world. Until Mae and Jamie enter the picture. The secrets revealed toward the end, of The Demon’s Lexicon only make Nick and Alan’s relationship more heart-wrenching. LOVE. It.

Simon and Derek from Kelley Armstrong’s The Darkest Powers trilogy I just finished this trilogy, and with each book, I loved seeing more and more of Simon and Derek’s relationship. Because they are adopted brothers, they not only look different from each other, they are of different supernatural races. Simon’s a warlock and Derek’s a were. What makes their relationship so special is that even when they both develop feelings for Chloe, they are still loyal to each other, and try so hard not to compete for her affections. Actually, if you want even more Simon and Derek goodness, Kelley Armstrong has a free novella, Dangerous (PDF download), that’s a prequel to the trilogy that focuses entirely on them.

Harry and Thomas from Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files This series really belongs to Harry, and his half-brother Thomas is strictly a supporting character. However, Blood Rites, one of my favorite books in the series, deals with their relationship and that gives so much insight into Harry’s character. Harry is a wise-cracking wizard who has a weak spot for damsels in distress. Thomas is a white court vampire (he feeds off of sexual energy rather than blood) who is smooth and sophisticated. But what I love about them is that even if the lives they lead take them in separate directions most of the time, they have each others back when the other needs them.

So, who is your favorite fraternal pair?

A little bit of this, a little bit of that

Things are humming along here at the old homestead. My dad continues to improve. He event attended his Photoshop class this week! 2 more weeks left of little league and school, and I’m working more hours than I have in the last couple of years.

I’m taking on a major maintenance project on one of the sites I work on, and it means lots and LOTS of formatting, clean up, and link checking. All I can say is that I’m so glad I now have a dedicated laptop for the website work and a new modem/router. My old router had to constantly be reset, and let me tell you, it’s the little things that make work much more enjoyable. Also, I figure I’ll get lots of audiobook listening done, since this project is more labor/time intensive than brain intensive.

Speaking of audiobooks, I had my fingers crossed that Lynn Flewelling’s The White Road would be available in audiobook format on its release day (5/25), and it was! (Sometimes there’s a lag between release date and audiobook availability.) So, I’ve dropped everything, and am listening to Seregil and Alec’s most recent adventures.

The last audiobook I finished was Suzanne Collins’ excellent Catching Fire (The Hunger Games trilogy, book 2). It had me on the edge of my seat, and I can’t wait for the conclusion, Mockingjay, which will be released August 2010. I’ve actually gotten my guy hooked on the trilogy, and I may have to fight him for who gets to read/listen first!

Another awesome YA I read over the weekend was Kelley Armstrong’s The Reckoning. It’s the conclusion to the Darkest Powers trilogy, and left me curious about something:

According to Kelley Armstrong’s newsletter, Chloe, Derek and Simon will be making an appearance in the new YA trilogy, Darkness Rising. But, will they be crossing over to the adult Otherworld series, as well? Though they are  a little bit younger than Savannah, I’d love to see them interacting with her. And, she needs some supes in her age group.

This week is such an incredibly rich week for book releases. Top of my list? Magic Bleeds by Ilona Andrews. Why? 3 words: Kate. And. Curran. There’s the little matter of the wager they made in the previous book, Magic Strikes. It’s time for them to settle up, and I can’t wait! 🙂

The last couple of weeks I’ve been pretty lucky, and won a few books! First off, I won Nancy’s Theory of Style by Grace Coopersmith (aka Marta Acosta) over at Marta’s Vampire Wire. I also won a very generous fantasy package over at Lurve a la Mode. It included and Falling, Fly by Skyler White and The Spirit Lens by Carol Berg, 2 books I’ve been really curious about. I also won Feed by Mira Grant (aka Seanan McGuire) from Orbit Books. So, it’s an embarrassment of riches here at RBA. I can’t wait to delve into these very cool books! (I think I feel a “paying it forward” giveaway coming on. Stay tuned!)

Oh! And, I wanted to thank the lovely Janna over at E-Romance Reader for the lovely Bodacious Blogging Book Reviewers Award she gave me! I sort of stink at follow-through on awards, but am really going to try to post something in the next few days on it!

Here’s something to wrap up on a high note. I saw this on Twitter a couple of days ago. I don’t remember who RT’d it, but it’s Made. Of. Win.

After that, how can you not have a great day?