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
Showing posts with label The Watchers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Watchers. Show all posts
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Sunday Snippet #122
Author: Veronica Wolff
The Watchers #3
Publisher:NAL Trade
Released: August 7, 2012
REVIEW HERE
I didn't even look at him. I just said, "The girl who died climbing. Acari Kate. Why did she fall?"
"Pride goeth before a fall."
"Please, Carden. I need to know - in English." His nonanswer gave me the mental strength to angle my body to look at him, and I wished I hadn't. He'd wrapped his arms around his bent legs, and his shirt tugged against his body, outlining ropes of lean muscle. I looked down the beach, back to the scene of the accident. "She climbed to the top and saw something. It scared her enough to make her fall. What did she see?"
"Only Acari Kate knows what awaited her at the top." At my impatient look, he chuckled, but he continued. "You've seen the mysteries this island hides. What monsters lie in wait. Not all are as brave as you in the face of danger."
Had she seen a Draug? A vampire? How many creatures were hiding out there, lying in wait?
He added nonchalantly, "I believe Acari Kate must have bonded with someone."
My eyes bugged open. "Seriously?"
He shrugged. "It would explain much."
"With who?" I ran a mental catalog of all the vampires I'd seen on the island - the possibilities were endless.
"That, I do not know."
I remembered her mania, her recklessness. "Was that why she was acting nuts? Is that going to happen to me?"
"You're strong in mind and body. This island has made you forget, but it is time for you to remember: Your fate is not beyond your control."
I flopped back on my hands, stretching my legs before me on the sand. "I wouldn't be so sure."
"You must credit yourself. This leg, for instance." He smoothed his hand along my thigh. "You've worked hard to carve muscle where once there was none."
My flesh grew hot, buzzing where he touched me. "I... I thought we were suppose to stay away from each other."
"Ah." He pulled his hand back. "How quickly I forget. You are still anxious to break the bond."
"I am," I said, sounding more sure than I felt. "It is possible, right? To become unbonded."
"Aye," he said. "It's possible. Difficult, but possible."
"And you think Acari Kate has bonded with a vampire?"
He shrugged. "It would explain such rash behavior. It's the blood fever. Some who've bonded feel as beyond the reach of death as their vampire mates. Other bond, and when they cannot feed again, they grown mad with their need."
Mad with need. I had some experience with that. I remember Kate's restless, fevered eyes. Was that how I appeared?
Clouds scudded overhead, stealing light from the sky and warmth from my skin. "You're saying my options are to stay bonded, be reckless, or go insane."
He gave me a sidewise look. "I don't recall saying any of those things."
"You're giving me more nonanswers."
"On the contrary," he said. "I've been more honest wand more forthcoming than anyone."
Even though the wind had whipped his words from me, they reverberated in my head. Carden was right - he had been honest with me, from the moment I'd met him in that dungeon.
I had to ask another question and I feared the answer. "Will I become reckless?"
"Is that a bad thing?" he asked in a musing tone. "There are two sorts of reckless are there not? There is impulsive and there is brave - you must decide which you will be."
"Strong and brave," I whispered into the wind. He'd told me I could be these things.
Then it hit me. I didn't need some vampire to tell me - I knew in my heart already that I was these things. Strength and guts - it was how I'd survived my childhood.
I became aware again of his body next to mine. There was another sort of reckless, and the blood pounded beneath my skin to consider it. Could I be the sort of woman who was strong enough to stay bonded with a vampire and remain sane? To be brave enough to lean over and kiss her bonded vampire? "So I can be whomever I want to be?"
"Are you so quick to think yourself incapable? Do you accept Vampire superiority so willingly?"
"No," I answered at once.
He gave me a thoughtful look. "Then why are you quick to doubt yourself? Perhaps you are in control. Maybe you have only to realize this."
How much was in my control? The longer I stayed on this island, the more mysterious it became. "The vampires have told us they want us here. But why might they need us?"
Carden smiled. "You ask a good question, pretty one. You are strong, and the vampires recognize this strength. Now you must recognize it, too." He put a fingertip beneath my chin, ensuring I wouldn't turn away. "You must recognize your power."
Why was he telling me this? "You're a vampire. Why help me? Why be honest?"
"I was once a man. As not all men are good, not all vampires are evil."
Monday, August 6, 2012
Review: Blood Fever by Veronica Wolff
Blood Fever
Author: Veronica Wolff
Release Date: Aug. 7, 2012
Publisher: NAL Trade
The Watchers #3
ISBN: #978-0451237033
Genre: Young Adult (Urban Fantasy)
Format(s): Paperback (304 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book:
|
THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME —
EVEN IF HOME IS WHERE THE DEAD LIVE.
It’s the start of the fall semester, and a new crop of Acari and Trainees has descended on the Isle of Night. Watcher training has intensified, and Drew has a new roommate named Mei-Ling. But Mei-Ling harbors a dangerous secret that drove the vampires to abduct her against her will. Drew knows she shouldn’t get involved, but she can’t seem to leave her roommate to fend for herself.
Luckily, Drew has other things on her mind—like vampire Carden. A blood bond to a brawny, eighteenth-century Scottish bad boy tends to preoccupy a girl. And though she’s still figuring out what this bond means, one thing has become clear: She craves him in a major way.
But then bodies start turning up on the island. All the evidence points to the existence of a rogue vampire, and the sinister vampire Alcántara is gunning for Carden, even though Drew has proof that Carden had nothing to do with the murders. Now she has to find the true killer—without endangering Carden, Mei-Ling, or herself…
What G & U are talking about:
|
Gikany and Una make no qualms about it, this Watchers series is excellent. It is for truly for young adults (high school and older) unless your middle school child is mature enough to handle the violence and romantic situations.
The latest installment in the Watchers series is Blood Fever, and, man, did it heat up! If you haven’t picked up this series yet, what are you waiting for?! The premise, characters and mythology are fresh, enthralling and invigorating. Sadly, Ms. Wolff has no qualms about killing characters; however, it is never done without reason.
The Watchers is a series told from the perspective of Annelise Drew. If you think of the Isle of Night as a combination of the evil Twilight vampires and the Hunger Games, you’ll have a good idea of what this series is about. Drew is brought to the Isle of Night under false pretenses to be trained as a Watcher. Watchers are highly trained and extremely lethal women who protect and support the exclusively male Vampires. There are some obviously chauvinistic tendencies seen by the way Vampires treat the Watcher trainees, as most of the vampires on the island are very old. Despite this, the training is fascinating. Oh, we forgot to mention, you don’t fail out of this training, you live to advance or you die trying.
After the conclusion of the second book, Vampire’s Kiss, Drew has the added complication of her connection with Carden McCloud, the very attractive and very different Vampire she rescued. The interactions between Carden, *ahem* Master McCloud, and Drew are wonderful. Ms. Wolff masterfully allows the reader to be a teenager again in Drew shoes. It is a treasured opportunity to experience again first-hand all those new found emotions, spurred by hormones all while trying to temper it with logic.
We enjoyed the introduction of Drew’s new roommate, Mei-Ling. The subtle differences between the two of them, the mystery over why this particular Acari was placed with Drew and the friendship that blossoms between them was gripping. What is more, the quiet strength of Mei-Ling was appealing and a well-placed juxtaposition to the loud mouthed brawn of Drew. Their interactions while teaming up with Drew’s best friend, Emma (she is just so awesome) in Blood Fever and the outcome of it at the end was enthralling and heartfelt. The great team that Emma and Drew made (something thoroughly discouraged by the Vampires) was only enhanced by the addition of Mei-Ling. This is especially evident as they investigate the rogue Vampire who is killing people…without permission and leaving their bodies to be found.
This is a difficult review to write without giving anything away. The ending of Blood Fever will surprise you, anger you, and yet, if you read the snippet from the next novel The Keep, will give hope. Drew still has a long road ahead of her, but at least she has the first year down. So if you haven’t done so, pick up the Watchers series, you won’t regret it!
Their Rating:
|
Personal favorite - a must read (A+)
Labels:
5 stars,
G-U Review,
NAL,
paranormal YA,
The Watchers,
Veronica Wolff,
YA Literature
|
1 comments
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Review: Vampire's Kiss
Vampire’s Kiss
Author: Veronica Wolff
Release Date: March 6, 2012
Publisher: NAL Trade
Watchers #2
ISBN: #978-0451235725
Genre: Young Adult (Paranormal)
Format(s): Paperback (# pgs), e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book:
|
IF YOU’RE GOING TO BE PARTNERED WITH A VAMPIRE, YOU HAVE TO WORK THE NIGHT SHIFT.
By her wits, blood, and sacrifice, so far Drew has survived the intensive training on the Isle of Night. As a second-year Acari, her ultimate goal is to become a Watcher, and now she has a shot at her first mission. Except nothing is as it seems. The vampire Alcántara is as sinister as he is sexy, Ronan is more distant than ever, and it turns out there are other vampires out there. Bad ones.
Ancient, bloodthirsty, and powerful, these undead are really old school. They’ve captured one of the Watcher vamps and are torturing him for information. The only chance to save him is to infiltrate a major summit the baddies are holding on their own island. There will be mortals there, serving as butlers, maids, and various hired help. Drew had better brush up on her skills as a serving girl, because she’s about to go undercover…
But, when their vampire prisoner turns out to be a gorgeous bad boy, Drew’s first mission quickly turns into more than she bargained for…
What G & U are talking about:
|
Vampire’s Kiss is the second novel in the young adult series, Watchers. After the amazing cliffhanger ending to the first novel, this second installment was not quite what we expected, but Gikany and Una were not disappointed.
The Watchers series continues to be a very interesting young adult series. Drew is a complex character who struggles with both the situation she finds herself in and to try to retain her sense of self while doing what she needs to do to survive her environment. She is both a young lady maturing into a reluctant champion and an insecure girl struggling to grow up. The inner battle that Drew wages with herself struck a chord with us. We related to her being intellectually mature and yet having much to learn about life, social situations, and the opposite sex.
Vampire’s Kiss ramps up the tension of living on the Isle of Night as more information is gleaned about the vampires and life on the island. The preparations for Drew’s first mission are brutal as are the lessons she learns about the consequences of being not only the teacher’s pet, but also a vampire’s pet. Her world expands as she finds out that there are other groups of vampires out there…and they aren’t as friendly as the vampires she is currently trying to survive.
Drew truly is the center of the novel and yet, the way Ms. Wolf weaves some of the other supporting characters into the novel, you find them in your heart as well. A character we truly loved is gone and the implications of her death give Drew a wakening slap. No one, unless you are vampire, is safe on the island.
The only disappointment (though that is too strong a word) we had was that, the book blurb implies that the book will be mostly about the mission. However, the majority of the novel is the preparation for the mission. But so much happens during the preparations, it makes sense. Then the mission, the whirlwind that it is, explodes with consequences and implications for the next novel, Blood Fever (due out in August 2012). Ms. Wolfe continues to enchant you with a gripping storyline. Vampire’s Kiss is a fast read simply because you cannot put it down. Gikany and Una look forward to Blood Fever to see if the connection between Drew and the new vampire she meets on her mission will be her saving grace or her downfall.
Their Rating:
|
Loved it - enthusiastically recommend (A)
Series Purchase Info:
Labels:
4.5 stars,
G-U Review,
NAL,
paranormal YA,
The Watchers,
Veronica Wolff,
YA Literature
|
2
comments
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Contest Winners - Isle of Night
I would like to thank everyone for stopping by That’s What I’m Talking About for our review of Isle of Night, and my interview with author, Veronica Wolff. I especially want to thank Veronica for the interview.
Every person that commented on the interview post was entered into the contest - one entry per person. The winners were selected using random.org.
The Winners:
Emily Tardy
latishajean
CONGRATULATIONS!!
I’m sending both winners a message; please email me at twimom227 (at) gmail (dot) com with your mailing address so I can send you the book! You have until Monday September 19, 2011 (end of day) to contact me. If I don’t hear from you by then, I will draw another winner.
Thank you and Happy Reading!
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Sunday Snippet #75
Isle of Night
NAL Trade
September 6, 2011
“Outside?” I asked, suppressing a shiver. The Initiates had led me to the ground-floor foyer, where I stood, stripped to my underwear. I’d hurt my ribs in the fall, and my trembling intensified the pain. Along the hallway, a few doors were cracked open, and I spied wary eyes witnessing my torture from the safety of the dorm rooms. Even though we’d all been issued the same ugly, regulation beige bra and granny panties, the shame of it burned my cheeks.
It was the only thing that burned, though. My teeth had begun to chatter and I was already nostalgic for all that heat. The front door was open, and I contemplated the black and gray swirl of starlit snow outside. Why had I found the Hot Party uncomfortable? The concept was unthinkable now.
“What’s the punishment?” I huddled into myself, chafing my arms in vain. “Parading around half-naked, or is it the pneumonia I’m contracting?”
“Neither.” Someone shoved me, and I lurched forward, catching myself before I fell. “It’s the running.”
“And you just earned yourself an extra lap, smart-ass.” I thought I recognized the redhead’s voice.
The ache in my ribs turned to nausea. Running. That explained the white Nikes they’d let me put on, dug out from the bottom of my pack.
“Four laps around the quad,” Masha said. “Take every corner.”
I nodded, wriggling my toes in the running shoes. The soles were soaked and squeaky from the showers, but despite it, I was pathetically grateful. I wouldn’t put it past these girls to make me run barefoot in the snow.
“Every corner – no matter how dark,” another Initiate ordered. I felt another push.
Masha leaned close, purring in my ear. “We’re watching.”
A survival instinct clicked to life in the recesses of my brain. I bounded forward, springing out the door, determined not to feel the final shove I knew would come.
The night air seared my lungs. I told myself it couldn’t be that cold – the snowfall had actually brought the temperature up to what I estimated was mid-forties. If I just kept moving and got this over with, the weather wouldn’t kill me.
Those girls, they could kill me. This wouldn’t.
But I wasn’t athletic. I’d never run a mile in my life, and I raced too quickly down the path. I wasn’t even halfway to my first corner and already my throat ached with each breath. A cramp seized the side of my belly, a claw with icy talons.
I forced myself to slow my pace, but the cold made my gait awkward, and my legs thudded along like frozen stumps. I was chilled to the core, my flesh puckered into tight goose bumps. As I pumped my legs, my arms, I became aware of strange things – the cold slab of flesh that was my butt, the way the skin of my legs felt so cold, it burned.
I approached the first curve and made sure to stick to the far outer edge, even though a giant, gnarled hedge reached over the path like it might curl down and swallow me. The Initiates had scared me with the thoughts of bogeymen hiding in the dark.
Not bogeymen. Vampires, I corrected myself. It was vampires who hid in the night, waiting to grab me. I was still getting used to the thought.
But the Initiates had made a mistake by inadvertently warning me. I’d been straining to see amid the eerie silhouettes of branches, expecting a monster, and so wasn’t surprised when I saw him.
At first I thought it was a statue. Standing still as death, with a lifeless gray complexion to match. Ambient moonlight shimmered on his face, making it gleam.
He might have been carved from stone but for the glow of his eyes. They weren’t red, like in the movies. Just a shimmering, steely glint. A predator waiting, watching in the night.
It wasn’t the headmaster, either. This one had black hair and black clothing that merged with the shadows. In his pallid skin, I saw that he wasn’t truly alive. But his eyes told me neither was he truly dead.
Those undead eyes tracked me. They seemed to glimmer into a grin as I neared. I told myself it was my imagination.
My heart exploded into high gear, but I forced myself to keep my pace. Forced my arms and legs to pump neither faster nor slower.
He hid in the shadows, but something told me he wouldn’t do anything. Something told me these vampires craved an audience. I assured myself of this I ran toward him, into the blackness of the hedgerow.
A whisper echoed in the leaves. The sound didn’t originate in a single spot; rather, it cloaked me from all around, a hiss that felt as ancient as the land. “Run.”
Adrenaline dumped into my veins. I tasted it, sour on my tongue. But with it came fury. Torture and hazing and monsters lurking in the dark. I’d hoped for some sort of special college for geniuses, but this macabre mockery of a school? This was definitely not what I’d signed up for.
I relished my anger. Let it bloom into determination.
Time compressed.
I didn’t see or hear the vampire again. My thoughts distilled to two single, bright lights. Vengeance. Freedom. I’d make Lilac suffer, and then I’d get out.
Ronan had said the only way to get off the island was to succeed. I’d wanted to stay under the radar. I’d thought I could quietly do well and then find a way to escape. But Lilac had screwed that up for me. Now all the catsuits knew who I was. I was no longer anonymous – I was the girl who’d fallen in the shower.
By my third lap, my feet had cut an irregular band of black footprints through the melting snow. The rhythmic thump-thump of my pace mesmerized me. The path was slushy and muddy and squished with each stride. All I knew were these sounds. All I perceived was the up-and-down pounding of my breasts. The up-and-down of my frozen cheeks as each step threatened to jostle the flesh free from my skull. The air still stung my lungs, but I forced my focus instead on the white cloud of each exhale.
Thump-thump. Vengeance. Thump-thump. Freedom.
I knew three things: I was cold. This was Lilac’s fault. Lilac would pay.
When I reached the dorm at the end of my final lap, my Proctor Amanda was standing outside, waiting. She was a vision, standing still and tall in a fitted coat. She’d donned her hood, and it haloed her face with a cloud of fur. Her dark skin was luminous in the watery moonlight.
I was watching her, not my step, and I slipped, catching myself with a hand to the ground before I toppled all the way.
“Careful.” She chuckled. “The snow’s a bit dodgy.”
“Yeah.” I stood and dusted myself off. My hands ached to the bones with cold – I felt they might shatter from it. “I got that.”
“Care for a pointer, dolly, before you head back in?”
The moment I stopped running, I’d started to tremble. My face was a frozen mask, too cold to speak, so I just nodded jerkily, my curiosity piqued.
“Them’s wolves, not girls. You let this stand, and boo, Lilac’s the boss of your little pack.”
Lilac had to pay – Amanda didn’t need to tell me twice. But how?
By now, I was shivering violently, my brain was addled, and I could only stare dumbly in reply.
“And he tells me you’re the clever one? Listen,” she said simply, as though she had to explain something to a particularly dim child. “Lilac wins this round, you’re as good as snuffed. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow. But our girls are wolves, and Acari who smell weak don’t last long.” She kicked at the snow, fighting a smile. “Now, then . . . Your roommate’s like a babe asleep in her bed. And have you felt how cold the snow is?”
I looked at her like she was insane. I was practically hypothermic, and she was asking me if I knew how cold the snow was. “N-no, I’m finding it quite balmy, actually.”
“Drew,” she scolded sharply.
I cursed myself. She may be my Proctor, but she was still an Initiate.
“Drew,” she said again, more kindly. “I promised Ronan I’d help you, but I can’t paint you a picture.”
She told Ronan she’d help me? Had he asked her to look out for me? If he and Amanda were that close, were they, like, that close?
I forced myself to focus on the matter at hand. “A picture,” I repeated.
“You might . . . say . . . bring our Lilac a memento.” She looked meaningfully at the snow. “Let her know you was thinking of her.” Her thinking sounded like finkin’.
Finally I got her gist.
“Whatever you do, make it fast,” she said. “You need to get inside before you catch your death.”
“B-beats evisceration,” I muttered. My cheeks were so frozen, I could barely from the words.
She swung on me. “For fook’s sake!” she whispered in an angry hiss, sweeping her eyes left and right. “Don’t you ever let anyone hear you say that, or you’ll wake belly-up under the stones.
I gaped.
“That’s more like it. Now, keep your trap shut and start acting clever as they say you are.” She began to walk away. “Cheers, dolly. Go get some sleep.”
But I didn’t. Not right away. Even though my body was quaking uncontrollably, even though I’d lost feeling in my fingers, I bent to gather snow. I scooped it into a huge mound, carrying it in my arms. It seized my aching joints with a burning cold. But the thought of Lilac asleep in her warm bed numbed the pain.
My legs thudding clumsily under me, I staggered back into the dorm. The blast of heat sent relieved tears streaming down my cheeks. I made it up to our room. Though soaked and shivering, I bypassed my bed. I didn’t grab my blanket, my towel, my coat.
I went straight for Lilac.
She was sleeping soundly, her lips parted, hands pressed, palms together, under her cheek as though in prayer. Her shinning hair swept behind her on the pillow, gleaming and perfect, even in sleep.
She was vulnerable, and I stood for a moment, savoring the power of it. I felt creepy, like an intruder, hovering there, staring.
But then I smiled. And I dumped the mound of snow in the crook between those peacefully bent arms and that long, pale neck.
Lilac’s shriek was piercing enough to shatter glass.
“What the –?” She sprang from her bed, hopping free from her tangle of blankets. “Fucking snow! This fucking place.” Panting and screaming, she frantically brushed snow and ice from her body. “What the fuck? Who the –?”
She spun on me. “You! I’m gonna kill you.” She jabbed her finger toward me, her eyes looking as if they might bug from her head. She was like a madwoman, the front of her hair soaked and hanging in limp strands around her face. The neck of her flannel nightgown was plastered to her. “I’ll get you for this, Charity. Oh, I will get you. It’s on.”
But I found it hard to care about her threats when I was about to freeze to death. My body was wracked with tremors now, bones locked and muscles spasming from the cold. I’d despised the showers earlier, had sworn never to stand under hot water again. Now I couldn’t get there fast enough.
I turned and stumbled to the washroom. Lilac’s shrieks followed me down the hallway.
A few girls peeked from their doors, questions in their sleepy eyes. “What happened to her?” one asked me.
I shrugged. “I must’ve tracked in some snow.”
Friday, September 9, 2011
Author Interview & Giveaway - Veronica Wolff
Today I have the honor of bringing to you author Veronica Wolff. Veronica is an award-winning, bestselling author with a soft spot for kilts, mountains, beaches, and vampires. Not necessarily at the same time. She has lived everywhere from Texas, to Hawaii, to India, before finally settling in Northern California, where she lives with her husband, two kids, one insane rescue dog, one angelic rescue dog, the gentlest cat ever, and a snake whose days are numbered. Please help me welcome Veronica toThat’s What I’m Talking About, and read further for a GIVEAWAY of Veronica's new book!
Twimom: Veronica, welcome and thank you for stopping by.
Veronica: Hi, Twimom! From one Twilight-Mama to another, thanks so much for having me!
Twimom: *high fives* Your new book, Isle of Night is a Young Adult “vampire” series, with a few twists on the standard mythology. Can you tell us more about the setting for the series? Will we learn more about the vampires as the series progresses?Veronica: Isle of Night is set on a bleak island in the middle of the North Sea that’s populated by a coven of ancient vampires. There, they recruit and train girls to become Watchers, an elite group acting as agents, emissaries, and sometimes assassins for the vampires. Training is intense, and failure means death. As the series progresses, you’ll learn more about the vampires, their motivation, and their world.
Twimom: How many books do you foresee in this series? Will they all be just about Drew or will they be told through other characters?
Veronica: Honestly, I could see writing a dozen of these…I’m loving it so much! I don’t want to make any proclamations or promises, but for now I think they’ll all be in Drew’s point of view.
Twimom: You also write a Highlander series (yummy!) Will you please share with us a little about that series?
Veronica: Thanks! I do love me a man in a kilt. I have two Highlands series. The first is a time travel series where each heroine goes back in time and meets (and falls in love with!) a famous hero from Scottish history. My second series is purely historical—the Clan MacAlpin books are centered around a fictional family of orphans in seventeenth-century Scotland. Picture Party of Five in the Highlands.
Twimom: *picturing Matthew Fox and Scott Wolf in kilts and smiling*
What are the challenges of writing a YA series versus a more traditional romance (adult) series? What about the challenges of writing a mythology-based story (vampires) versus historical-based one (Highlanders)?
Veronica: I did so much careful research for my historicals, I’m finding writing the young adult books to be a much more exhilarating experience. No more stopping to fact check, or scan any seventeenth-century maps! As I began the series, I made a conscious decision to make it all fictional. Though inspired by real places and real myths, every element is made-up: the island, the mythology, the characters. This has been freeing, and I hate to say it, much more fun than trying to decipher shipping manifests from the 1600s.
Twimom: I always like to ask authors about their reading habits... What types of books do you enjoy reading? What was your favorite read during 2010 or so far in 2011?
Veronica: I read a ton, and I read widely. I’m on a real young adult kick, and have recently discovered Jennifer Echols, whose books I love. I’m a long-time Charlaine Harris fan too, and recently branched out from her Sookie Stackhouse series to devour her Harper Connelly books. If I had to pick a single favorite book of 2010, though, it’d have to be The Hunger Games (me and everyone’s cousin, right?)
Twimom: *whispers* I haven’t read Hunger Games. Hehe!
Veronica, 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.
Veronica: Thanks again for having me! It’s been fun!!
You can find Veronica Wolff on line at
Her Website: http://www.veronicawolff.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/veronicawolff
GIVEAWAY: I have two (2) copies (two winners) of Isle of Night to giveaway here at That’s What I’m Talking About. To enter, please leave a comment and your email at the end of today’s interview. One entry per person. Winners are restricted to US and Canada mailing addresses, only. Contest open from September 8, 2011 until Sunday September 14, 2011 at 9:00 PM EDT. Two (2) winners will be selected from the comment entries using random.org. The publisher, author and/or I are not responsible for items lost during mailing.
Isle of Night is being featured on Figment! You can read an excerpt from the book here and leave a message for the author here. Join Figment on Facebook to take an Isle of Night themed poll on 9/8, and follow @IsleofNight on twitter to take part in an epic literary battle on 9/15. Visit Figment's blog between 9/13 and 9/17 for a new blog post from author Veronica Wolff daily, as well as an exclusive Q&A. And sign up to join Figment - that way, you can submit your own original fiction to our Isle of Night contests, launching on 9/13!
Review: Isle of Night
Isle of NightAuthor: Veronica Wolff
Release Date: September 6, 2011
Publisher: NAL Trade
The Watchers #1
ISBN: #978-0451234629
Genre: Young Adult (Paranormal)
Format(s): Paperback (312 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book: |
IS LIFE OFFERING FEWER AND FEWER OPTIONS? THEN JOIN THE DEAD.
When Annelise left for college, it meant good riddance to her abusive father and stepmother—until a bureaucratic screw-up left her without a diploma, flat broke, and facing a future that seemed more elusive than ever. Then she met Ronan—tall, dark, and way too seductive for her own good. He promised Annelise a new life, if she had the courage to chance the unknown. One look at him and she certainly had the desire. Sure enough, accepting rides from strangers does yield surprises.
Whisked away to a mysterious island in the North Sea, Annelise is pitted against other female recruits in tests of skill, smarts, and strength. To win is to become a member of the Watchers, an elite and unique partnership—with vampires—that dispatches its teams on the most dangerous missions imaginable. It’s not exactly what Annelise had in mind for a new beginning but it’s livelier than the alternative. Because on the Isle of Night, to lose the challenge doesn’t just mean dishonor. It means death.
Let the games begin.
What G & U are talking about: |
Isle of Night is the premier book in the new young adult series The Watchers. This is a fresh and tantalizing series that anyone from middle school-aged children to adults may enjoy. Due to some more adult issues (maybe a bit scary), we feel that this would not be an appropriate book for elementary school children.
The premise feels like Twilight, The Hunger Games, and Vampire Academy all rolled into one. Annelise (usually called Drew) is a teenaged genius who has come from an abusive home and dreams of a better life. However, the old adage of be careful what you wish for… has never more rang more true than in Drew’s case. This world she has now found herself in has only two paths: excel or die.
Una and Gikany found Isle of Night to be captivating and enthralling. The story flows easily and the novel is very difficult to put down. Drew is a character that is easy to relate to. She is neither horribly complicated nor annoying (as some young adult heroines can be). It is easy to root for her success. We especially enjoyed that she is not the brawn (like the rest of her classmates/opponents) she is the brains…and the odd duck. It was really entertaining to watch her be pitted against others who seem completely out of her league.
It is a very interesting world that Ms. Wolff has created in Isle of Night. The vampire mythology is somewhat traditional even though you know all the myths about vampires can’t be true either. We have a sneaking suspicion that everything at the school is not as it seems. We really enjoyed being thrust into this world along with Drew, learning it as she does. It makes the world building so much more integrated and therefore easier to follow. We eagerly anticipate learning more about The Watchers world. We are anxiously looking forward to the next book in this series!
Their Rating: |
Loved it - enthusiastically recommend (A)
READERS: Come back later today for Twimom's interview with the author, Veronica Wolff, and a chance to win Isle of Night.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Grab My Button
