Wishlist Wednesday (#3)

The Gathering

Kelley Armstrong

Harper Teen

(April 2011)

Maya lives in a small medical-research town on Vancouver Island. How small? You can’t find it on the map. It has less than two-hundred people, and her school has only sixty-eight students–for every grade from kindergarten to twelve.

Now, strange things are happening in this claustrophobic town, and Maya’s determined to get to the bottom of them. First, the captain of the swim team drowns mysteriously in the middle of a calm lake. A year later, mountain lions start appearing around Maya’s home, and they won’t go away. Her best friend, Daniel, starts experiencing “bad vibes” about certain people and things. It does’t help that the new bad boy in town, Rafe, has a dangerous secret…and he’s interested in one special part of Maya’s anatomy: Her paw-print birthmark.

- taken from KelleyArmstrong.com

The Gathering is the next installment of Kelley's Otherworld spin off. She set the scene for us through The Darkest Powers trilogy of books and I for one cannot wait for more information on the 'Edison Group'. Though I'm sad to leave Chole, Derek, Simon and Tori behind I'm intrigued by Maya's story. Mountain Lions? Bad Vibes? April can't come quick enough!

In My Mailbox (#28)

Bought/Gifted (or Delivered) This Week:

The Dark Divine - Bree Despain

Hush Hush - Becca Fitzpatrick

Beautiful Creatures - Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Secret Society - Tom Dolby

The Replacement - Brenna Yovanoff

Dust City - Robert Paul Weston ...from my very secret santa ;)

Need - Carrie Jones

Counterfeit Magic - Kelley Armstrong

For Review:

 

Nocturne - Syrie James
In The Dark of Dreams - Marjorie M. Liu
Dakota Child - Linda Ford

So this is a mishmash of an In My Mailbox this week. It's a collection of all the books I bought prior to Christmas, received for Christmas etc. I fell off the blogging and reading wagon prior to Christmas. I won't bore you with the details but it was a simple case of everything piling up plus work and blah. But with all that past I'm back online and hoping to get more reading done in the new year!

Hope you all enjoyed the holidays and new year! So have any of you read any of the books above? Are they any good? Am I in for some good reads in the new year?

Guest Post: Jess Haines & Friends (+ Giveaway!)

The H&W Gang Talk About What Annoys Others

By Jess Haines

Hello there! Jess Haines here. I’m the author of the urban fantasy novel HUNTED BY THE OTHERS, and its upcoming sequel TAKEN BY THE OTHERS (coming January 4, 2011 from Kensington). I’d like to take a moment to introduce you to some of the cast—Shiarra Waynest, the lead character, Sara, her business partner, Chaz, her on-and-off werewolf boyfriend, Arnold, a mage who occasionally lends the girls a hand, and Alec Royce, a vampire Shiarra meets in the course of her adventures.

Shiarra is going to tell you a little bit about what annoys Others—aka, supernaturals. (This should be good…) Over to you, Shia!

____________________

Shiarra:  Okay, we’re going to find out what annoys the hell out of a werewolf, a vampire, and a mage.  I think this is the best day of my life.

Sara:  Arnold doesn’t like it when you rearrange his D&D manuals.

Arnold:  Yeah.  Do you know how long it takes me to find the hit die of a Beholder when you move my books around?

Shiarra:  That wasn’t what I was talking about.  I mean like, what kinds of questions do people ask you about being a mage or whatever that pisses you off?

Chaz:  I hate it when people ask if I’m really allergic to silver.  Isn’t it obvious?

Arnold:  I hate it when people ask if I studied at Hogwarts.

Sara:  What about the vampire?  He’s being too quiet over there.

Royce:  I’m not sure that I want to participate in this discussion.

Shiarra:  Oh, give me a break.  People must ask you something that ticks you off.  You’ve been around long enough that it’s inevitable that someone had to have asked you a stupid question at one time or another.

Royce:  I don’t get many questions that surprise or annoy me anymore.  I’ve heard them all.

Arnold:  I’ve got one for you.  Do you sparkle in the sunlight?

Royce:  *snarls*

Chaz:  Hey, man.  That’s not funny.

Sara:  You’re right.  It’s freaking hilarious.

Royce: Very funny, mage.  How big is your wand, exactly?

Arnold:  Big enough to impress the ladies.

Sara:  AHEM.

Chaz: I want a wand!

Everyone: …

Shiarra: No, honey, you really don’t.

Chaz: But—

Royce: I’m sure I could arrange—

Shiarra: DROP IT.

Arnold & Sara: *snicker*

Shiarra: Okay, seriously. What ticks you off, Royce?

Royce: Must I answer this?

Everyone: YES.

Royce: The most irritating is when someone asks if vampirism is contagious.

Shiarra: Seriously?

Arnold: Wow. I thought the Hogwarts thing was bad. People actually ask that?

Royce: Yes. The second most irritating question is when people ask if there’s a cure if they change their mind.

Sara: Uhh…

Shiarra: That’s… dumb.

Royce: I’m aware of that, thank you.

Chaz: So… have you actually changed any of these people?

Royce: *gives Chaz a dirty look*

____________________

What do you think, folks? What other kinds of things could annoy Others?

Thanks again for having me and the gang over, Beth!

____________________

Anytime Jess! Big thanks to Jess for taking the time to bring the gang over for an impromptu Q&A! Hope you guys enjoyed it! In honor of the new year, Maybe Tomorrow's first post review of 2011 and because I enjoyed these books so much I'm going to give away both books to one lucky follower!

The rules are simple, one be a follower of Maybe Tomorrow via GFC and two be from any of the countries listed at the Book Depository for shipping. Simple!

Review: Taken By The Others by Jess Haines (4/5)

Title: Taken By The Others (H&W Investigations #2)
Author: Jess Haines
ISBN: 1420111884
Pages: 160
Publisher: Zebra Books
Source: via Book Faery from the author in exchange for an honest review

Synopsis...

Jess Haines draws readers deep into the mesmerizing world of the Others--werewolves, vampires, and mages who make their home among humans, and are turning Shiarra Waynest's life upside down. . .

Once, New York P.I. Shiarra Waynest's most pressing problem was keeping her agency afloat. Now she's dealing with two dangerous, seductive vampires who have been enemies for centuries. The only thing Max Carlyle and Alec Royce agree on is that they both want Shia--for very different reasons.

Max is determined to destroy Shia for killing his progeny, while Royce's interest is a lot more personal. That's not sitting well with Shia's werewolf boyfriend, Chaz. As the feud between Max and Royce gets ever more deadly, a powerful vampire-hunting faction is urging Shia to join their side.

Shia has always believed vamps were the bad guys, but she's discovering unexpected shades of grey that are about to redefine her friends, her loyalties--and even her desires. . .  

taken from Goodreads.com

Taken By The Others picks up where we left Shia last. In a position she’d rather not find herself, in the midst of a supernatural feud between two very age-old vamps who would like nothing more to possesses Shia and for two very different reasons.

It seems the death of one of the vamps who was just a little persistent in trying to kill Shia didn’t go down too well. Max Carlyle is out for revenge and believes Shia is the only way to get give comeuppance. Using Shia as a pawn to extract revenge against Royce Shia is in the midst of a tug of war battle that has no sign of a pleasant ending if she doesn’t find a way out.

Caught between two vampires, while dealing with a were for a boyfriend which a slight jealous streak and oh, did I mention the mages and the vigilante group that wants to recruit her too? Shia certainly has her work cut out for her and it’s a journey with plenty of ups and downs that keeps the pages turning.

All the faves are here from the first novel, including the mysterious and illustrious Royce who still treads very finely between the lines of friend and foe. His actions continuly keep you guessing at his intentions and his history with Carlyle is deftly played out as we with Shia start to learn more about his origins.

Final Thoughts...

In many series main characters can often lose themselves and become a shadow of their former selves in their bid to evolve and grow. Shia remains true to the woman we were first introduced to in Hunted By The Others. But with her eyes now wide open to the world of the supernaturals she’s gained some true grit while keeping her sarcastic wit.

What I love about Haine’s is her ability to build a world around these characters. Since becoming a fan of paranormal fiction I’ve always wondered how the world would adapt to supernaturals. Yes, I imagine the panic and outright hysteria, but what would happen after the dust settled? I love Haine’s introduction of the politics surrounding the supernaturals step out into public knowledge. Legal documents that must be signed prior to engaging in relationships with a were, lawsuits against vampires over unlawful biting. Haines has taken this and weaved it into the story in a way that it could almost be plausible if supernaturals came out tomorrow.

Taken By The Others is a fantastic follow up to Hunted By The Others and had me gripped from the first word. If you’re a fan of paranormal and urban fantasy novels then this is right up your street. Haine’s is a refreshing storyteller in a market that sometimes threatens to be over-saturated. A top pick to start the year off!

Teaser Tuesday (#25)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

- Grab your current read

- Open to a random page

- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week is The Perfect Love Song by Patti Callahan Henry

He posed with Santa Claus in a fake sleigh onstage, as if the sleigh were real, as if Santa were real, as if the fame were real. Of course, none of it was, but he did not realize it. Not yet.

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Teaser Tuesdays post, or share your 'teaser’ in the comments here (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks! 

In My Mailbox (#27)

Every Sunday I will post what books I’ve received/bought/borrowed that week. Created by The Story Siren.

Bought (or Delivered) This Week:

Bad Girls Don't Die - Katie Alender

Leviathan - Scott Westerfeld

The Lost Symbol - Dan Brown

One For The Money - Janet Evanovich

Jessica's Guide To Dating On The Dark Side - Beth Fantaskey

For Review:

Dark Prophecy - Anthony E. Zuiker with Duane

Behemoth - Scott Westerfeld

So I'm breaking my silence. Not sure what happened, I guess things got on top of me and everything fell to the side. I'm going to be tackling my review pile in the next couple of weeks so expect a hopefully (fingers crossed) steady stream of reviews. I've got a few giveaways planned too so keep an eye out!

So what did you guys get in your mailboxes this week? Feel free to share your links and if you've read any of these books I'd love to hear what you thought of them!

Look forward to catching up with you all!

Green Books Campaign: Bad Boy by Peter Robinson

Nov. 10, at 1 p.m., 200 bloggers will simultaneously publish reviews of 200 books printed on environmentally-friendly paper. By turning a spotlight on books printed using greener methods, Eco-Libris aims to raise consumer awareness about considering the environment when making book purchases. This year’s participation of both bloggers and books has doubled from the event’s inception last year.

You can find out more by clicking here!

--------------

As much as I strive to be green I can't seem to pull myself away from my paperbacks. Nothing beats picking out a book from the shelves and skimming through it's pages. E-Books are here, but I don't think they have a chance of outselling paperbacks any time soon. In the meantime I will be a little more conscious when picking up a book in store.

Title: Bad Boy (Inspector Banks #19)

Author: Peter Robinson

ISBN: 0061362956

Pages: 352

Publisher: William Morrow

Source: from publisher via Green Books Campaign in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis...

Banks is on holiday, headed for Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. His daughter, Tracy, home in Leeds and angry with her father, is headed for some very deep trouble. Robinson's nineteenth Inspector Banks novel is a stunner. 

Handguns are illegal in the U.K., and whenever one is reported, the police swing into high gear. But things go very wrong when the police swoop down on a home in Eastvale to seize a reported handgun. In the confusion, Patrick Doyle, a former neighbour of Banks, is shot. Doyle's daughter, Erin, is to blame for the gun being in the house, and while she's in police custody, her housemate in Leeds, Tracy Banks, decides to let Erin's boyfriend know that the police have been around their place. Bad decision. When Banks returns home from holiday, Tracy is missing. And that's not the worst of it. 

Robinson's latest Inspector Banks novel is a powerful story of how the volatile emotions of love and resentment can turn deadly when fear comes creeping in.

My Thoughts...

This is the 19th book in the Inspector Banks series written by Peter Robinson. The book starts with a distressed woman trying to track down Banks at the police station. Unfortunately Banks is unavailable having left for a overdue vacation. Mrs Doyle is an old friend of Banks and is looking for some discretion in helping her with the discovery she made in her daughters bedroom. 

The police are required by law to seize any handguns in the UK as they’re illegal. An arranged seize of the firearm is set up and all appears to be a run of the mill procedure. Though things go horribly wrong when Patrick Doyle is killed. Things start to spiral from there onwards as Banks’ daughter Tracy disappears in connection with Erin, the Doyle’s daughter, who is the cause for the hand gun being in the home.

Tracy is friends with Erin and makes the misguided decision to inform Erin’s questionable boyfriend of the recent police activity at Erin’s parents.

Banks is on vacation in San Francisco recovering from the stress of his last case and upon his arrival home discovers the news of his daughters disappearance.

The first couple of chapters went by in a bit of a blur. Just when I was expecting action, it cut straight to the next scene. I'm not too fond of quick switches to cover large scenes, but with pressing issues that are soon to follow I guess it may have slowed the focus.

Overall the book is moving at a decent pace, it's not my normal genre of choice but sometimes it's good to read something outside your usual genres in order to mix things up every now and then.

It does stir memories of headlines in the British press some years ago of gun violence and this book does bring some interesting debates. This is the 19th book in the series and so far there’s not alot that isn’t explained. If I hadn’t know prior to reading that this was part of a series I don’t think I would have noticed.

A good read for anyone looking for something outside the norm to get to grips with!