Follow Me
Grab my feed
Posts
All Comments
Wanna Shop?
2013 Reading Challenge
Jen (That's What I'm Talking About) has
read 0 books toward her goal of 75 books.
New-To-Me Authors
2013 reading goal:
15 new-to-me authors.
1) Stacy Gail
2) Heather Massey
3) Sidney Bristol
4) Ann Mayburn
5) Thea Harrison
6) Virna DePaul
7) Mary Quast
8) Molly Harper
9) Eleri Stone
10) PJ Schnyder
11) Kait Ballenger
12) Denise L. Wyant
13) Lucy Monroe
Sunday Snippets
More Blogs
original images by marin & papaija2008 at FreeDigitalPhotos.com
banner designed by Jennifer from Books Make Me Happy
Friday, May 31, 2013
Author Interview & Giveaway: Nalini Singh
Today I have the honor of bringing to you one of my all-time favorite authors, Nalini Singh. *inserts fangirl squee* New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh is passionate about writing. Though she’s traveled as far afield as the deserts of China, the Highlands of Scotland and the temples of Japan, it is the journey of the imagination that fascinates her most. She’s beyond delighted to be able to follow her dream as writer. Nalini lives and works in beautiful New Zealand. Visit the author online at
Please help me welcome Nalini toThat’s What I’m Talking About.
Twimom: Nalini, welcome to That’s What I’m Talking About from all the review ladies. We are all very big fans!
Nalini: Thanks for having me!
Twimom: Congratulations on the upcoming release of Heart of Obsidian, the twelfth book in your amazing Psy/Changeling series. When you first started with Slave to Sensation, did you imagine you’d end up here? Have the pathways or storylines altered much along the journey from the beginning to this climatic book?
Nalini: I knew where I wanted to go from the very start, which has helped me stay on track. While I’ve always had the end goal in mind, I’ve let the characters lead me there, so there have been plenty of surprises along the way.
Twimom: There has been a lot of speculation over who is at the center of Heart of Obsidian. Why go to such lengths to keep the characters a secret? Have you enjoyed reading through the tweets and blog comments regarding the gorgeous cover and mysterious blurb? (I know I have!)
Nalini: As of now, a two chapter preview has been posted online, so the male lead of the book is known.
As for the speculation about the book, what I find fascinating is that recently, a few people have guessed almost to the letter certain elements of the book. One particular comment—which a friend who’d read the book forwarded me, after seeing it online—hit it out of the ballpark. I was delighted by that comment, because it means I’ve done my job right, laid the foundation for certain conclusions to be drawn.
There are, however, some things no one has guessed (at least not that I know of), but that once you read the book, will fit into the overall jigsaw of the series. I hope these elements don’t leak prior to the release date, as these are powerful moments within the story that I’d love readers to experience first hand, rather than be told about them.
Twimom: I know I am super excited about reading Heart of Obsidian and I’ve done everything possible to stay away from spoilers! It’s been fun.
Was the choice to base the Psy/Changeling series, as well as the Guild Hunter series, primarily in the United States a personal one or for wider reader appeal? Have you considered setting a series in your native Fiji or New Zealand?
Nalini: I get asked this question a lot, and the simple answer is that both Fiji and New Zealand are just too small, geographically and population wise, for the kinds of stories I tell in my two series. I needed massive areas of land, huge political powers, and much as I love my homeland and my birthplace both, we’re minnows on the world stage. (Minnows with some breathtaking scenery and gorgeous water in the case of Fiji, but minnows regardless).
Locations have to fit the stories, so I’m totally open to NZ as a location for the right story or stories (one of my other projects that you may see one day, does in fact use NZ as a setting). Several of my Silhouette Desires were also set in NZ, and I even sent a couple to honeymoon in Fiji.
Twimom: One of the things I love about your storytelling is your attention to detail and ability to paint a visual image with your words. Have you visited and/or spent much time in Northern California, the Bay area, and/or Yosemite to help you with the setting details? How much does your worldly travel impact your fictional locales?
Nalini: It was a case of serendipity with the Psy-Changeling series. I was about to head to Japan to start what became a three-year-placement, but before that, I decided I wanted to travel through the States (on my way to my very first RWA National Conference in NY.)
And where did I end up for most of my time in the country but in California. I fell in love with the region, and when the idea for Slave to Sensation hit me, the location came with it – California was absolutely perfect. It had everything I needed, cities, mountains, lakes, forests, even desert regions.
The travel does definitely help me in terms of opening my mind to all the myriad locations out there. I was able to set Archangel’s Storm in India because I’d been there, specifically to the region where Neha’s court is based in the book, and because of that, I could insert tiny details that add to the authenticity of the story.
Having said that, I do also use locations I haven’t visited – with the Internet, research material is at my fingertips. People take videos, cities have webcams, there are countless blogs and photos…as with the pages of a good book, good research can take you anywhere!
Twimom: You are a very engaged author with your fans (for which we are grateful). How do you find a balance between writing a handful of quality books each year, your travels, keeping up with your fans, and life in general?
Nalini: I’m not always balanced – I can disappear into my writing cave for months at a time if I’m not careful. So I’ve learned to consciously make time for friends and family, and to have days off in the weekends.
The travel is a part of me, and the way I’m able to do it is that I’m super focused when I’m home, so I “save up” time to travel. I’ve also learned to write anywhere – planes, airports, trains, you name it, I’ve written there. (Even in a tent in a desert).
With my everyday fan interaction, it truly doesn’t feel like work. I enjoy social media, so it’s fun to check in every morning or in the afternoon. I love the photos people post, the comments they leave, the interesting questions they ask. As a writer, I work alone the majority of the time, so it’s nice to have that interaction during my work day.
However, writing is where my heart is, and I think fans, too, would rather I write than be online, so when I need to go under and focus exclusively on the book, I do, and readers have been really supportive of those time outs.
Twimom: I always love to find out what my favorite authors are reading... What is your favorite book you read in the past year? What is your most anticipated read coming in 2013?
Nalini: I have many favorites! One of my favorites of the last year was actually a non-fiction book. It’s called “Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness” by Susannah Cahalan – about a woman who thinks she’s going mad, but it turns out she has a rare brain disease. I found it a fascinating medical whodunit.
As for anticipated reads in 2013 - I’m really lucky because after so many years in the industry, I’m either friends with many of my favorite authors, or I know people I can ask for early copies of books I can’t wait to read. This isn’t because I just like to have early copies, but because often, I know I’ll be on deadline when a book is due to be released, so if I can sneak it in early, I will!
As a result, I’ve already read Guardian Demon by Meljean Brook, which is a book I’ve been waiting for, for years. Michael! He’s everything I dreamed he would be! Meljean really fulfilled her promise to fans with this book. <Twimom says *jealous*>
I also have Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews and I’m so looking forward to it (also a little bit scared after the hints the authors have dropped, but I trust them *bites nails*). <Twimom says *even more jealous*>
The next Sharon Lee and Steve Miller book is also a must-read. I adore the Liaden series, and every romance reader I’ve recommended it to has fallen for it as well, so you should all try it – especially since Agent of Change, one of the entry points in the series, is currently a free ebook (yes, I am a book pusher). I really liked Agent of Change, but I don’t think it’s the most romantic book in the series by far, so I’d suggest readers read the excerpts/blurbs of the other books as well. I love the interconnectivity of the series, and the fact that beneath it all, it’s a continuing story about a family.
And I’m always, always looking forward to the next JD Robb. I love the In Death series to pieces.
These are just a few of my anticipated reads. I have so many more!
Twimom: Nalini, once again thank you so much for taking the time to tell my readers a little bit about yourself and your writing. It was wonderful chatting with you.
Nalini: Thanks for the great interview.
GIVEAWAY: I have one (1) copy of Nalini’s recent Psy/Changeling anthology title, Wild Invitation, to giveaway here at That’s What I’m Talking About. Thank you to Nalini for sponsoring the giveaway. To enter, please complete the Rafflecopter form, below, and leave a comment at the end of today’s interview as to which Psy/Changeling character is your favorite. (If you haven’t read the series, list any favorite character and include what book/author it comes from.) One entry per person. Winner will be selected randomly from eligible entries. CONTEST IS OPEN INTERNATIONALLY, and prize will be mailed by the author. Contest open from May 31, 2013 until June 8, 2013 at 12:00 AM EDT-midnight. I am not responsible for items lost in the mail. If you have problems with the Rafflecopter form, please email me at twimom227 at gmail dot com.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Review: Demon Crossings by Eleri Stone
Demon Crossings
Author: Eleri Stone
Release Date: Jan. 2, 2012
Publisher: Carina Press
Twilight of the Gods #1
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format(s): e-book
Book Source: Author
About the book:
|
Private investigator Grace tracks a kidnapped child to middle-of-nowhere Iowa. Encountering a strange creature she knows can't be a local animal, she doesn't need her psychic abilities to figure out the sleepy town is not what it seems. When she meets the intriguing Aiden, she's plunged into a world of Norse gods and fire demons where the Wild Hunt still rides the night.
Aiden needs Grace's help to cross the portal between worlds and rescue his daughter. Grace is unlike any woman he's ever met. He's drawn to her courage, distressed by her vulnerability, and doubtful of her motives. But he knows that her visions are the key to defeating the enemy and bringing everyone home alive.
Grace wants a future with Aiden, even if it means she'll never have a normal life. When a test run to the portal takes a terrifying turn, they must learn to finally trust each other or Aiden's daughter, and their chance at love, will be lost forever...
What I’m talking about:
|
On a case, Grace finds herself driving through the dark, dirt roads in the middle of nowhere, Iowa, instead of on her much needed vacation to Hawaii. Grace has an innate ability to find missing children, and her police buddy Mike often sends those in need of help her way. Suddenly, Grace begins to see and sense things around her that aren’t normal - to include a giant beast that runs her car off the road.
After Aiden comes to rescue Grace, he realizes that she is special - like him, like the entire town. Hoping that Grace will help Aiden find his own missing daughter, he slowly brings her into his world which includes demons, gods and other fun things from Norse mythology. Unable to let go of her need to help children, Grace reluctantly agrees to stay and suddenly, her life is changed.
Demon Crossings is an exciting paranormal adventure, with a unique mythology that completely hooked me. Ms. Stone creates a world that is full of everyday people who are much more than they appear. Her distinct and fascinating take on Norse mythology keeps some of the traditional ideas such as the nine worlds tied together with Asgard as the home. However, the Asgardians are not gods, and after the fire demons destroyed their home, they took refuge on Midgard, aka Earth.
I loved the opening few chapters - the story unfolds through the point-of-view of Grace, and the manner in which it is written makes it feel like Grace had entered the Twilight Zone, adding to the overall mystique of the setting. And you know that Grace must have been REALLY spooked if she's focusing on the unknown creature and NOT the two complete strangers that are taking her into an unknown house. I loved that even as I was thinking that, Aiden picked up on the fact that it was odd that Grace wasn't too worried about staying with a stranger. It was like the author could read my mind!
Overall the story is extremely gripping. I'm was nervous for Grace. and the decisions she makes regarding the missing/kidnapped girl she was hired to find, the choice to stay and find Aiden’s daughter, and her reluctance to open up to Aiden. Add to that the mysterious fire demons and the need to cross dimensions to another world... I was captivated.
One of the things I appreciated about the story of Aiden and Grace was the honest and raw emotions Ms. Stone puts into her characters. They are both hurting. They both have isolated themselves and their emotions, building much needed walls of protection around their hearts. Sometimes a person cannot just let down those walls and let someone new inside, and both Aiden and Grace were very open about their concerns. Yet at the same time, they both were good about hiding what was at the center of their hearts. Their individual histories, coupled with Aiden’s duties to his people and daughter, make for an emotional journey that I enjoyed reading.
In addition, Aiden’s friends and the citizens of the town are similar when it comes to the truth. They can be brutally honest with their opinions; however, the bonds created over the years are evident in their actions to help one another. I also enjoy how they bring Grace into the fold, forming fun and meaningful friendships.
Towards the end of the book, something significant happens to Grace, and I felt the tempo and feel of the book changed. Her new “situation” was interesting to read about, but I felt that much of what happened may be a setup for future installments of the series. Overall it didn’t spoil the read for me, but it did change the tempo enough that it was a bit disruptive to my enjoyment because I felt the story was going in one direction, and then it took a slight detour.
Overall, I enjoyed Demon Crossings and look forward to reading more in the Twilight of the Gods series. Ms. Stone’s series has a lot of potential with its unique mythology and motley crew of companions. The story is exciting and gripping, with an ending you come to expect and appreciate in a romance.
My Rating:
|
Liked it - recommend (B+)
Winner: Ministry Initiative Blog Hop
Thank you to everyone that stopped by for the Ministry Initiative Blog Hop. And a special thanks to those that are supporting the Kickstarter project!
The winner of the set of new UF/PNR books is:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
I'm sending the winner an email.
Happy Reading!
The winner of the set of new UF/PNR books is:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
I'm sending the winner an email.
Happy Reading!
Author Guest Post & Giveaway: Ursula Sinclair
Hi, my name is LaVerne Thompson. I also write romantic suspense as Ursula Sinclair and I’m happy to be here today as part of Decadent Publishing’s A Buck A Book Win A Nook blog tour.
I’m a romantic at heart so no matter what genre I’m writing in I do so love my HEAs and I hope you do too. Although nothing comes without some sort of price. I’d like to introduce you to Noah and River. They have a long history together.
Something Blue- The Guardian Agency Series Book 2
By Ursula Sinclair (Decadent Publishing, only $1 - limited time)
What happens when dreams come true, but it’s not all it was supposed to be?
River Blu’s music has made her the stuff of legend, she’s every bit a rock star who dominates the pop charts. But through the years a secret haunts her, making it impossible to give her heart to anyone or anything other than her music.
When River’s life is in danger she turns to Noah for help. They have a history together, one he’d like to repeat, with a different ending. But first he has to figure out who from her past is trying to kill her.
About the author:
LaVerne Thompson is the author of several works in the contemporary, fantasy and sci/fi genres. She also writes romantic suspense with an edge under her alter ego Ursula Sinclair. She loves to hear from readers.
GIVEAWAY:
Decadent Publishing is hosting a giveaway to win a NOOK ND 7” tablet. For details on where to enter, daily, visit the Decadent Blog.
To enter, use the Rafflecopter form below!
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Review: Bronze Gods by A.A. Aguirre
Bronze Gods
Author: A.A. Aguirre
Release Date: April 30, 2013
Publisher: Ace
Apparatus Infernum Novel #1
ISBN: #978-0425258194
Genre: Steampunk
Format(s): Paperback (336 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book:
|
Janus Mikani and Celeste Ritsuko work all hours in the Criminal Investigation Division, keeping citizens safe. He's a charming rogue with an uncanny sixth sense; she's all logic--and the first female inspector. Between his instincts and her brains, they collar more criminals than any other partnership in the CID.
Then they're assigned a potentially volatile case where one misstep could end their careers. At first, the search for a missing heiress seems straightforward, but when the girl is found murdered--her body charred to cinders--Mikani and Ritsuko's modus operandi will be challenged as never before. Before long, it's clear the bogeyman has stepped out of nightmares to stalk gaslit streets, and it's up to them to hunt him down. There's a madman on the loose, weaving blood and magic in an intricate, lethal ritual that could mean the end of everything...
What Nima’s talking about:
|
Books like Bronze Gods by A.A. Aguirre remind me why I love science fiction so much. A. A. Aguirre is actually a pseudonym for Ann and her husband Andres Aguirre. I have previously read Ann’s Sirantha Jax Series, and I found her to be a wonderfully complex, chewy author. Her books are not fluffy poolside reads. These are the books you read when you want to leave your life, no, the planet, and escape to somewhere else completely. Needless to say I was anxious to get my hands on this first novel in the new Apparatus Infernum Series.
Bronze Gods was my first steampunk, and I have to give kudos to any husband and wife who can not only write together, but survive the process and still like each other enough to continue the series. Like in Ann’s previous books, I enjoyed an alternative world that isn’t simply explained to me. Blissfully, there was no info-dumping. The reader learns the rules, the economy, and even the slang of this alternative London by experiencing them through well-developed characters. Further, I have to respect writing that’s intelligent enough to make me go look up vocabulary words: atavistic, inchoate, and empyreal. Yes, now I’m making you go look them up.
Even though this falls clearly into the steampunk family, it includes paranormal elements of fae magic and mystery. Regardless of the genre, this is a crime novel. We have two inspectors, Janus Mikani, and Celeste Ritsuko, the first female inspector in the entire criminal division. She’s tough and extremely methodical. She’s had to be to fight her way up to inspector status in an unapologetically chauvinistic society. I liked her. Mikani is messy and impulsive—but he knows how to cook and that is always a saving quality in a would-be hero. This is not a romance, but there is most definitely a romance budding between Mikani and Ritsuko over the course of the novel. It’s an extremely slow burn that will probably take the length of the whole series to come into bloom. In this installment it becomes character depth and set dressing. Parts of the plot moved slowly, but to me it felt like the pace slowed deliberately for the sake of detail and introduction to the world the Aguirres created—detail which I believe will be important in future books.
Bronze Gods was truly an introductory book. We have a storyline that is resolved on the surface, but I came away from the book with more questions than answers—questions that I expect will be answered in future installments. The Aguirres are just too meticulous to leave any hanging threads. One niggling fact (and this was the single thing that kept me from giving the book a solid “A”) was the fact that the significance of the title was not explained to my satisfaction. I believe titles have value and should reflect something important about the book. In this case it is a reference to long gone history, and repeatedly used as a punctuating expression, but wasn’t tied into the story itself.
Book two in the series, Silver Mirrors, is due out sometime in May 2014.
Nima’s Rating:
|
Enjoyed - strongly recommend (A-)
Purchase Info:
Cover reveal Dawn’s Early Light by Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris
Today I have the privilege of revealing to you the cover for Dawn’s Early Light by Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris. This is the third book in their amazing Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Series. Without further ado.... May I present to you Dawn’s Early Light...
Dawn’s Early Light (Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences #3)
ACE publishing, late 2013 or early 2014
ACE publishing, late 2013 or early 2014
Working for the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences, one sees innumerable technological wonders. But even veteran agents Braun and Books are unprepared for what the electrifying future holds…
After being ignominiously shipped out of England following their participation in the Janus affair, Braun and Books are ready to prove their worth as agents. But what starts as a simple mission in the States—intended to keep them out of trouble—suddenly turns into a scandalous and convoluted case that has connections reaching as far as Her Majesty the Queen.
Even with the help of two American agents from the Office of the Supernatural and the Metaphysical, Braun and Books have their work cut out for them as their chief suspect in a rash of nautical and aerial disasters is none other than Thomas Edison. Between the fantastic electric machines of Edison, the eccentricities of MoPO consultant Nikola Tesla, and the mysterious machinations of a new threat known only as the Maestro, they may find themselves in far worse danger than they ever have been in before…
About the Authors:
New Zealand born fantasy writer and podcaster Philippa (Pip) Ballantine is the author of the Books of the Order and the Shifted World series. She is also the co-author with her husband Tee Morris of the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences novels. Her awards include an Airship, a Parsec, and a Sir Julius Vogel. She currently resides in Virginia with her husband, daughter, and a mighty clowder of cats.
Tee Morris began his writing career with his 2002 historical epic fantasy, MOREVI The Chronicles of Rafe & Askana. In 2005 Tee took MOREVI into the then-unknown podosphere, making his novel the first book podcast in its entirety.
He won acclaim and accolades for his cross-genre fantasy-detective Billibub Baddings Mysteries, the podcast of The Case of the Singing Sword winning him the 2008 Parsec Award for Best Audio Drama.
Tee bought all these skills to the award-winning Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series which he wrote with his wife, Pip Ballantine. When he is not writing, Tee enjoys life in Virginia alongside Philippa Ballantine, his daughter, and three cats.
Right now Pip and Tee are also running a Kickstarter for a brand new anthology and a roleplaying game set in the world of the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences. Check out the project here http://bit.ly/ministry-initiative.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Review: Generation V by M.L. Brennan
Generation V
Author: M.L. Brennan
Release Date: May 7, 2013
Publisher: Roc
Fortitude Scott series #1
ASIN: 978-0451418401
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Format(s): Paperback (320 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book:
|
Fortitude Scott’s life is a mess. A degree in film theory has left him with zero marketable skills, his job revolves around pouring coffee, his roommate hasn’t paid rent in four months, and he’s also a vampire. Well, sort of. He’s still mostly human.
But when a new vampire comes into his family’s territory and young girls start going missing, Fort can’t ignore his heritage anymore. His mother and his older, stronger siblings think he’s crazy for wanting to get involved. So it’s up to Fort to take action, with the assistance of Suzume Hollis, a dangerous and sexy shape-shifter. Fort is determined to find a way to outsmart the deadly vamp, even if he isn’t quite sure how.
But without having matured into full vampirehood and with Suzume ready to split if things get too risky, Fort’s rescue mission might just kill him.…
What G & U are talking about:
|
Generation V is a new and exciting urban fantasy debut novel from M.L. Brennan. This engrossing new vampire mythos is a thrilling and engaging suspense that is tempered with humor.
Our hero, Fortitude, is an average guy. That is... until he begins his transition into a vampire. In this world, vampires are born not made. As they mature, vampires are just like humans, except they must feed from their parent once a month until the transition begins. Fortitude is doing everything he can to postpone that transition for as long as he as he possibly can. Some of his methods are a bit akin to being a difficult child, but after being introduced to his older siblings, Prudence and Chivalry, we don't blame him. As he is trying to make his own way in the world (staying human) he rejects living with his mother and tries to make it out on his own. This is why he is living the life of a starved college student. His college degree in film theory seems to only get him so far, as he works for a dive coffee bar.
Something finally changes for Fort when a strange vampire enters his mother’s territory. Fort sees this as his opportunity to see if his family is better or worse than others out there. Sadly, he finds out that his family may actually be the more modern and new aged group than those out there. This chance meeting however, starts a chain reaction. As Fort tries to save a "pet" from this seemingly evil vampire's possession he discovers that this vampire may be collecting other young girls.
This quest that Fort finds himself on in Generation V also finds him with a reluctant but comical sidekick, Suzume, the kitsune bodyguard. Suzume has been assigned by Fort's mother to keep her son alive while the foreign vampire is in town. However, Suzume almost steals the spotlight between her more than capable skills and wonderful sarcastic wit. She and Fort make a very unlikely but wonderful team. The camaraderie and occasional tension between them brings laughter when needed and a sense of grounding as well.
The world building in Generation V is seamlessly intertwined with the plot. Part of this ease is that Fort had been reluctant to learn anything of the supernatural community. Simply put, he was trying to be as human as possible. However, being paired with Suzume, who is a fount of information - condescendingly offered, Fort learns about the other supernaturals. We look forward to learning more about this world that we have only been given a glimpse of.
If you are looking for a new and fascinating urban fantasy with Vampires in the center of it all, please pick up Generation V and follow our unlikely but strong and courageously hearted hero, Fort.
Their Rating:
|
Loved it - enthusiastically recommend (A)
Purchase Info:
Review: Fall of Night by Rachel Caine
Fall of Night
Author: Rachel Caine
Release Date: May 7, 2013
Publisher: NAL
The Morganville Vampires #14
ISBN: #978-0451414250
Genre: YA Paranormal
Format(s): Hardcover (352 pgs)
Book Source: Publisher
About the book:
|
Claire never thought she’d leave Morganville, but when she gets accepted into the graduate program at MIT, she can’t pass up the opportunity. Saying good-bye to her friends is bittersweet, especially since things are still raw and unsettled between Claire and her boyfriend, Shane.
Her new life at MIT is scary and exciting, but Morganville is never really far from Claire’s mind. Enrolled in a special advanced study program with Professor Irene Anderson, a former Morganville native, Claire is able to work on her machine, which is designed to cancel the mental abilities of vampires.
But when she begins testing her machine on live subjects, things quickly spiral out of control, and Claire starts to wonder whether leaving Morganville was the last mistake she’ll ever make...
What Una is talking about:
|
Fall of Night is the fourteenth book on the Morganville Vampire series. Ms. Caine has been successful as this series continues, which is no small feat with a long running series. Considering the end of the previous novel, Bitter Blood, I was concerned how Fall of Night would go. I am pleasantly surprised how Claire's adventure to MIT went and even more intrigued with what awaited her in Morganville.
The love story between Claire and Shane has had its trials and triumphs. However, as Bitter Blood came to a close, Shane's distrust of Claire was a final straw. With the Founder's permission, Claire has a one-way ticket to her dream, an independent study at MIT. However, even though Shane has the same permission, Claire refuses to have him accompany her. She needs to see what life is like outside of Morganville and on her own. She has dreamed of attending MIT and pursuing high academic studies. Plus, after all of her time in Morganville, she dreams of a normal life.
Fall of Night begins with Claire leaving Morganville and heading to MIT to see what a normal life is like. However, normal is a matter of opinion, and Claire is a fully assimilated Morganviller. From the start of her reunion with her BFF from high school to her new professor and boss, Dr. Anderson, Claire is not sure this was the right decision. Between the changes her roommate has gone through, not to mention her creepy ex-stalker, and the oddness of Dr. Anderson together with the suits that she works for, Claire feels she was safer in Morganville. Even with that, she is eager to start working in earnest on her device, and considering she is not in Morganville, Claire assumes she is safe. But the normal world has dangers of its own, and it is easier to live with the enemies you know than the unknown. It seems that there is a new enemy in the world of Morganville that is making its introduction to Claire finally and forcefully.
Anyone would think that with Claire leaving Morganville, Fall of Night would be solely from Claire's point of view, but that is not the case. In what world would Shane let Claire march into the unknown without being close, just in case? Certainly not this one. However, Shane does give Claire the space she asks for, just not in the distance she thought. So there are both point of views during the course of Fall of Night. Being able to have both Claire and Shane's point of views allows the reader to experience the growth that they both experience during this separation.
I will warn you, there is a huge cliffhanger at the end and personally, I cannot wait to find out what happens next in the Morganville Vampires series. If you haven't heard of this great young adult series, I would recommend starting at the beginning.
Una’s Rating:
|
Enjoyed - strongly recommend (A-)
Purchase Info:
Reviews in the Series:
Labels:
4 stars,
Morganville Vampires,
NAL,
paranormal YA,
Rachel Caine,
Una Review,
YA Literature
|
0
comments
Monday, May 27, 2013
Review: Portrait of a Crossroads by Kelly Rand
Portrait of a Crossroads
Author: Kelly Rand
Release Date: May 18, 2013
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
ISBN: #978-1626490116
Genre: GLBT – lesbian
Format(s): e-book
Book Source: NetGalley
About the book:
|
Since finding her father’s body at the bottom of the basement stairs, Annette’s been drifting through her days, watching cars pass down the rural Ontario crossroads beside her house. Her brothers have no great ambitions, but Annette remembers a time when she did. She just can’t remember what they are.
Then she meets her neighbour, Sadie, a tattooed, world-weary, newly single portrait artist. Something about Sadie awakens something in Annette—the essence she captures in her subjects, perhaps, or the way the old familiar crossroads seem so fresh and promising from the view out Sadie’s window.
Annette begins to help Sadie, cleaning brushes and filing invoices between long lazy afternoons of conversations and shared silences. Soon, though, Annette wants more from her enigmatic neighbor, and their slowly heating friendship melts into passionate nights. Somewhere along the way, Annette discovers that her lover has illuminated for her, as with the people Sadie paints, not just her essence, but her own endless worlds of possibilities.
What B is talking about:
|
Since discovering her father after his suicide, Annette keeps mostly to herself, gauging the momentum of the world outside her house by sound. Trucks, cars, and airplanes provide the only movement along the crossroad where she lives, their sounds having grown so commonplace that she doesn’t even have to look to know what they are as they pass by. She should be moving on to the next phase of her life, like so many of her recent classmates, but even the glossy college brochures don’t tempt her. But, when the artist who lives next door offers Annette a glimpse into her own life, Annette feels like she’s finally waking up from a very long, tedious dream.
There is quite a lot to like about this short story, and I wasn’t sure what to start with. Ms. Rand has an excellent ability to create vivid settings, her descriptions relating not just color, but texture and history as well. In fact, these scenes have the potential to overshadow the characters themselves, but fortunately don’t. By contrast, there’s a thoughtful economy in the portrayal of most of Annette’s life until she meets Sadie and walks through her door into a different world.
Although Annette’s circumstances in Portrait of a Crossroads could be viewed as tragic, they aren’t. Annette isn’t so much grieving, as she is waiting, but in watching the girl she was fade into something she no longer recognizes, she’s not sure where she should be headed next. She’s neither bitter, nor apathetic, but is simply an eighteen-year-old who was knocked off course by loss, and hasn’t yet begun to search for who she really is. She isn’t wallowing, but is very aware and poised to react whenever a new path might reveal itself. In short, I found Annette to be a very interesting young woman.
Sadie, Annette’s neighbor, remains a secondary character throughout the story, never sharing narrating duties with Annette, nor rising to a position of absolute permanence in Annette’s future, which works very well, as it’s Annette’s story. Sadie is older than Annette, is already living her life as she wants to, and is completely open about her sexuality. Once again, Ms. Rand’s knack for allowing the reader to assume Annette’s perspective so thoroughly is put to good use in passages like this:
As Sadie headed for the living room, Annette watched her from head to toe. Her narrow shoulder that shifted under a white shirt thin enough to reveal the faint trace of ink underneath. Her bare feet. They both had bare feet, Annette realized. They had something in common. Neither of them wore shoes.
Sadie represents just a few of the many possibilities Annette hasn’t yet considered, while becoming the impetus for Annette’s renewed self-exploration in the process.
Sex between Annette and Sadie is similarly low-key. While she is fairly certain of Sadie’s attraction to her, it is Annette who ultimately initiates their first time together, and it is their only interaction within the confines of the story. Sadie makes Annette feel a “spark” in a way her former boyfriend never could. With him, Annette was merely biding her time, but Sadie has become her fantasy. When Annette has the opportunity to act on her desires, she chooses to pursue them, and in the process, resumes the forward momentum of her life. Sadie, for her part, is willing, yet cautious, and she accepts her role as both a guide and partner in Annette’s exploration with a fondness that made their interaction even sexier.
Portrait of a Crossroads is, at its simplest, the story of a young woman finding her way. Ms. Rand has created a world of striking contrast for Annette to exist in, taking her from the monotony of a life in stasis and jolting her into an awareness that is rich in both color and feeling. That the main character happens to be a lesbian isn’t even the most noteworthy aspect of the story, which I was very happy to see. Such fanfare could have done significant harm to Ms. Rand’s wonderful storytelling, but nothing of the sort occurs. I haven’t read a great deal of f/f fiction, but if Portrait of a Crossroads is any indication of the genre’s potential, then I’m very excited to see what else might be out there.
B’s Rating:
|
Enjoyed - strongly recommend (A-)
Purchase Info:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Grab My Button
