Tag Archives: Reading

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Jazz Age January – 4

jaj-bannerHello gentle reader,

Jazz Age January is a reading challenge hosted by Leah at Books Speak Volumes. The idea is to read books related to the Roaring Twenties during the month of January. If you want to join in the fun, read about it here.

This week, I’m reviewing VIXEN by Jillian Larkin.

Vixen-JillianLarkin

Title: Vixen (The Flappers #1)

Author: Jillian Larkin

Genre: YA Historical

Publication: 14th December 2010 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Blurb (from Goodreads):

Jazz . . . Booze . . . Boys . . . It’s a dangerous combination.

Every girl wants what she can’t have. Seventeen-year-old Gloria Carmody wants the flapper lifestyle and the bobbed hair, cigarettes, and music-filled nights that go with it. Now that she’s engaged to Sebastian Grey, scion of one of Chicago’s most powerful families, Gloria’s party days are over before they’ve even begun… or are they?

Clara Knowles, Gloria’s goody-two-shoes cousin, has arrived to make sure the high-society wedding comes off without a hitch but Clara isn’t as lily-white as she appears. Seems she has some dirty little secrets of her own that she’ll do anything to keep hidden…

Lorraine Dyer, Gloria’s social-climbing best friend, is tired of living in Gloria’s shadow. When Lorraine’s envy spills over into desperate spite, no one is safe. And someone’s going to be very sorry…

From debut author Jillian Larkin, VIXEN is the first novel in the sexy, dangerous, and ridiculously romantic new series set in the Roaring Twenties… when anything goes.

What I thought:

I started reading this book in May 2012 but never finished it at the time. I thought Jazz Age January would be a good time to finally read it. Then I remembered why I had put it down.

This book isn’t a bad book. It’s well written and entertaining. But. The plot is SO SIMILAR to the Bright Young Things trilogy by Anna Godbersen (review here) that it’s very confusing. I couldn’t tell you if I liked this book or not, because all I kept thinking while I was reading it was that it felt I had read it before.

But if you haven’t read Bright Young Things, I guess you should give Vixen a try.

What have you been reading this week? Make sure to leave me a comment below!

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Waiting On Wednesday – 37

Hello gentle reader,

this week I’m waiting on Lair of Dreams (The Diviners #2) by Libba Bray (expected publication: 5th August 2014 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers). It’s a YA Historical Fantasy set in 1920s New York City and the second book in a planned trilogy. The Diviners was one of my favourite books of 2013 and I can’t wait to read its sequel!

Lair of Dreams

From Goodreads:

After a supernatural showdown with a serial killer, Evie O’Neill has outed herself as a Diviner. Now that the world knows of her ability to “read” objects, and therefore, read the past, she has become a media darling, earning the title, “America’s Sweetheart Seer.” But not everyone is so accepting of the Diviners’ abilities…

Meanwhile, mysterious deaths have been turning up in the city, victims of an unknown sleeping sickness. Can the Diviners descend into the dreamworld and catch a killer?

“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly event, hosted by book blogger Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

Have you heard of Lair of Dreams? Is it on your TBR list? What are you waiting on this week?

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Waiting On Wednesday – 36

Hello gentle reader,

This week I’m waiting on Dark Metropolis by Jaclyn Dolamore (expected publication: 17th June 2014 by Disney Hyperion). It’s a YA Historical Fantasy set in a 1930s-inspired world. I love the cover and the blurb sounds interesting…

Dark-Metropolis-Jaclyn-Dolamore

From Goodreads:

Cabaret meets Cassandra Clare-a haunting magical thriller set in a riveting 1930s-esque world.

Sixteen-year-old Thea Holder’s mother is cursed with a spell that’s driving her mad, and whenever they touch, Thea is chilled by the magic, too. With no one else to contribute, Thea must make a living for both of them in a sinister city, where danger lurks and greed rules.
Thea spends her nights waitressing at the decadent Telephone Club attending to the glitzy clientele. But when her best friend, Nan, vanishes, Thea is compelled to find her. She meets Freddy, a young, magnetic patron at the club, and he agrees to help her uncover the city’s secrets-even while he hides secrets of his own.

Together, they find a whole new side of the city. Unrest is brewing behind closed doors as whispers of a gruesome magic spread. And if they’re not careful, the heartless masterminds behind the growing disappearances will be after them, too.

Perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare, this is a chilling thriller with a touch of magic where the dead don’t always seem to stay that way.

“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly event, hosted by book blogger Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

Have you heard of Dark Metropolis? Is it on your TBR list? What are you waiting on this week?

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Jazz Age January – 2

jaj-banner

Hello gentle reader,

Jazz Age January is a reading challenge hosted by Leah at Books Speak Volumes. The idea is to read books related to the Roaring Twenties during the month of January. If you want to join in the fun, read about it here.

This week, I’m reviewing BORN OF ILLUSION by Teri Brown.

born-of-illusion-teri-brown-new

Title: Born Of Illusion

Author: Teri Brown

Genre: YA Historical Fantasy

Publication: 11th June 2013 by Balzer + Bray

Blurb (from Goodreads):

A gifted illusionist, Anna assists her mother, the renowned medium Marguerite Van Housen, in her stage show and séances, easily navigating the underground world of magicians, mediums, and mentalists in 1920’s New York. As the illegitimate daughter of Harry Houdini—or so Marguerite claims—sleight of hand illusions have never been a challenge for Anna. The real trick is keeping her own gifts secret from her opportunistic mother. Because while Marguerite’s own powers may be a sham, Anna possesses a true ability to sense people’s feelings and foretell the future.

But as Anna’s powers intensify, she begins to experience frightening visions of her mother in peril, which leads her to explore the powers she’s tried so long to hide. And when a mysterious young man named Cole moves into the flat downstairs, introducing Anna to a secret society that studies people with gifts like hers, she is forced to confront her past and rethink everything she’s ever known. Is her mother truly in danger, or are Anna’s visions merely illusion? And could the great Houdini really be her father, or is it just another of Marguerite’s tricks?

From Teri Brown comes a world bursting with magic, with romance, and the temptations of Jazz Age New York—and the story of a girl about to become the mistress of her own destiny.

What I thought:

I didn’t like this book as much as I wanted to. The blurb really grabbed me (the Roaring 20s! Magic! Secrets!) but unfortunately the story itself failed to deliver the promised excitement. The main problem was that everything was told rather than shown: we’re told Anna is a gifted magician, yet we barely get to see her do any magic. We’re told the story takes place in 1920’s New York, yet we don’t get to see much of it (halfway through the book I actually had to check where the story took place, because the setting was so vague I couldn’t remember this piece of information). The last straw was during the final showdown, when the main character faints (!) and therefore we don’t get to see any of the ending firsthand. Definitely not the best 1920s book I’ve read.

What have you been reading this week? Make sure to leave me a comment below!

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Jazz Age January – 1

jaj-banner

Hello gentle reader,

Jazz Age January is a reading challenge hosted by Leah at Books Speak Volumes. The idea is to read books related to the Roaring Twenties during the month of January.If you want to join in the fun, read about it here.

This week, I’m reviewing DOLLFACE by Renee Rosen.

Dollface

Title: Dollface: A Novel of the Roaring Twenties

Author: Renee Rosen

Genre: Adult Historical Fiction

Publication: 5th November 2013 by NAL Trade

Blurb (from Goodreads):

America in the 1920s was a country alive with the wild fun of jazz, speakeasies, and a new kind of woman—the flapper.

Vera Abramowitz is determined to leave her gritty childhood behind and live a more exciting life, one that her mother never dreamed of. Bobbing her hair and showing her knees, the lipsticked beauty dazzles, doing the Charleston in nightclubs and earning the nickname “Dollface.”

As the ultimate flapper, Vera captures the attention of two high rollers, a handsome nightclub owner and a sexy gambler. On their arms, she gains entrée into a world filled with bootleg bourbon, wailing jazz, and money to burn. She thinks her biggest problem is choosing between them until the truth comes out. Her two lovers are really mobsters from rival gangs during Chicago’s infamous Beer Wars, a battle Al Capone refuses to lose.

The heady life she’s living is an illusion resting on a bedrock of crime and violence unlike anything the country has ever seen before. When the good times come to an end, Vera becomes entangled in everything from bootlegging to murder. And as men from both gangs fall around her, Vera must put together the pieces of her shattered life, as Chicago hurtles toward one of the most infamous days in its history, the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre.

What I thought:

I really enjoyed this book. I picked it up because I read somewhere fans of HBO’s Boardwalk Empire would enjoy it, and I wasn’t disappointed. I found in this book the same atmosphere and the same kind of plot that I love in Boardwalk Empire. What I also thought very interesting was that this story is told from the point of view of the women: wives and mistresses of the mobsters.

All in all, it’s an excellent example of historical fiction set in the 1920s, and I do recommend it if you read Adult books.

What have you been reading this week? Make sure to leave me a comment below!

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Jazz Age January

Hello gentle reader and Happy New Year!

I’m starting off 2014 with a challenge: Jazz Age January hosted by Leah at Books Speak Volumes.

jaj-banner

The idea is to read books related to the Roaring Twenties during the month of January. “Readers are welcome to read novels written by Jazz Age authors, non-fiction about the ’20s, and contemporary fiction set during this time period.” If you want to join in the fun, you can sign up here. Each Saturday (from Jan. 11 to Feb. 8), Leah will post a link-up where participants can link to any reviews or posts they have written for this event.

Here is my reading list:

The Diviners by Libba Bray

Dollface by Renee Rosen

Born of Illusion by Teri Brown

The Flappers series by Jillian Larkin

Serena by Ron Rash

Vile Bodies by Evelyn Waugh

Possibly books by Virginia Woolf and Francis Scott Fitzgerald.

I hope you’ll enjoy this series of posts! And if you want to recommend books, feel free to do so below!

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2013: My Writing Year In Retrospect

Hello gentle reader,

This is the last day of the year and time for a look back at 2013…

What I read:

I read 28 novels this year. You can find out which ones were my favourite here.

What I wrote:

I wrote a 70,000 word Historical Fantasy novel this year. It’s called LILY IN THE SHADOWS and you can read about it here. Hopefully one day soon you’ll be able to read the actual book too 😉

Where I went:

I attended two writers’ conferences this year:

SCBWI Europolitan Conference (Paris, France, March 2013) where I learnt so much and got such useful feedback on Lily.

Midwest Writer Workshop (Muncie, Indiana, USA, July 2013) where I went with my wonderful Critique Partner Jessica Rubinkowski and where lots of fun was had.

What happened on this blog:

According to WordPress.com, this blog was viewed about 24,000 times in 2013. My most popular post remains (just like in 2012) “Word count : is your Fantasy novel too long ?”

What I watched:

I watched 32 new releases in 2013. It’s very hard to choose my favourite film of the year, but I’ll recommend Les Misérables, The Great Gatsby, Much Ado About Nothing, Saving Mr. Banks and The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug.

What I’m thankful for:

You, gentle readers who keep reading my posts, entering my giveaways, leaving nice comments and sharing my words.

The writing community, so supportive and enthusiastic, always.

What’s next?

2013 was a great writing year for me, so I hope for more of the same in 2014: more books, more conferences, more writerly friendships, more inspiration and more blogging!

How was your year? Did you achieve your writerly goals? Make sure to share your thoughts below!

Happy New Year and see you in 2014!

 

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Knights of Rilch Cover Reveal!

Hello gentle reader,

Today I’m revealing the cover for Rachel O’Laughlin’s second book, KNIGHTS OF RILCH (expected publication: 25th February 2014 by Dublin Mist Press). The cover reveal was supposed to happen over at IceyBooks but Hafsah is experiencing some technical difficulties, so I’m happy to step in!

Blurb:

Nearly a decade ago…

When Serengard rebelled and the Orion monarchy fell, former crown princess Kierstaz Orion’s love for her people became a burning desire to set things right. With a price on their heads, Kierstaz and her brother Mikel led a handful of Border Guard against the new army along the border of Dreibourge. But months of heavy bloodshed forced her small band of knights to abandon the border — and all of Serengard — to the rebels.

Nine years and a thousand betrayals later…

Kierstaz and Mikel again find themselves on the run, only this time, they’ve a boy in tow: Malcom, the son of two of the Seren rebellion’s strongest leaders. The new regime wants him dead, Mikel wants him alive, and it’s all Kierstaz can do to keep their tracks covered. Desperate to preserve the innocent life she’s sworn to protect, and afraid Mikel’s may be forfeit, Kierstaz must gamble the last thing in the world she owns — her identity. Secrets are a staple of the Orion family, and those Kierstaz keeps are as dangerous as the ones kept from her.

KNIGHTS OF RILCH is the sequel to COLDNESS OF MAREK, and the second in the SERENGARD fantasy series.

And now for the cover reveal…
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KnightsOfRilch
Original Artwork Copyright 2013 by Dan Tare
RachelOLaughlinAuthor
Rachel O’Laughlin grew up writing adventure stories in which heroines tend to get their hands dirty, bad guys sometimes win, and someone always gets kidnapped. Her passion for all things history morphed into a love for fantasy in her late teens. Lattes and The Fray are daily dwellers in her home in New England, where she lives with her husband and children.

Book Links:

KNIGHTS OF RILCH on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18372007-knights-of-rilch

Pre-Order KNIGHTS OF RILCH: http://rachelolaughlin.com/novels/knights-of-rilch/

And here is the link to the giveaway!

So what do you think? Make sure to leave a comment for Rachel below!

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End of Year Book Survey – 2013 Edition!

Hello gentle reader,

today I’m taking part in the 4th Annual End of Year Book Survey hosted by Jamie at The Perpetual Page Turner.

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This year I’ve read 28 fiction books so far, which is a little more than last year. I think I read more because of my Kindle, which allowed me to buy books for a really cheap price.

There are 27 questions in the survey, and I’ve picked the ones I felt I had a good answer for…

1. Best Book You Read In 2013?

ProxyPROXY by Alex London: this book is amazing and you should read it.

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?

immortalbelovedukIMMORTAL BELOVED by Cate Tiernan: I loved the premise and was very disappointed by the whole plot and writing.

3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2013?

Shatter MeSHATTER ME by Tahereh Mafi: I waited a while to read this one and I’m so glad I finally did!

4. Book you read in 2013 that you recommended to people most in 2013?

AlteredALTERED by Jennifer Rush: because every YA reader can find something they like in this book.

5. Best series you discovered in 2013?

Clockwork PrincessTHE INFERNAL DEVICES by Cassandra Clare: I had never read anything by Cassie Clare before picking up this series. It’s not perfect but it’s definitely enjoyable.

6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2013?

Masque of the Red DeathBethany Griffin (Author of MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH and DANCE OF THE RED DEATH): I loved her writing and her retelling of Edgar Allan Poe’s story. I can’t wait for THE FALL in 2014!

7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?

PROXY by Alex London: I don’t usually read Sci-Fi book.

8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2013?

ETERNITY_CURE_FRONTTHE ETERNITY CURE by Julie Kagawa: great pace, great plot, great characters.

9. Book You Read In 2013 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

Diviners-PB2THE DIVINERS by Libba Bray: I’ll probably read it again before LAIR OF DREAMS comes out.

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2013?

SkylarkSKYLARK by Meagan Spooner: the book wasn’t as good as I expected, but I still love its cover.

11. Most memorable character in 2013?

dodgerterrypratchettDodger in DODGER by Terry Pratchett: a great male POV.

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2013 to finally read?

InsatiableINSATIABLE by Meg Cabot: this vampire book came out in 2010. I can’t believe I waited 3 years to cross it off my To-Be-Read list.

16. Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2013?

Dennard - A Dawn Most WickedShortest: A DAWN MOST WICKED by Susan Dennard (150 pages)

A Storm of Swords - GRR MartinLongest: A STORM OF SWORDS by GRR Martin (1177 pages)

18. Favorite Relationship From A Book You Read In 2013 (be it romantic, friendship, etc).

SoullessAlexia and Lord Maccon in SOULLESS by Gail Carriger: I loved them!

21. Genre You Read The Most From in 2013?

YA Historical Fantasy.

25. Book That Was The Most Fun To Read in 2013?

A Darkness Strange and LovelyA DARKNESS STRANGE AND LOVELY by Susan Dennard: such a great summer book!

26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2013?

The QuietnessTHE QUIETNESS by Alison Rattle: heart-wrenching historical set in Victorian London.

That’s it for me! What were your favourite books this year? Make sure to share your thoughts below! And if you want to take part in this blog hop, here is the link.

4th Annual End of Year Book Survey
4th Annual End of Year Book Survey
4th Annual End of Year Book Survey
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YA Halloween Reads 2013

Hello gentle reader,

Halloween is coming up! Last year I shared with you my October reads and I thought it could be interesting to do it again this year. So if you’re looking for Halloween books suitable for Young Adults readers, here are a few suggestions…

Ghosts: The Shades of London series

(The Name of the Star and The Madness Underneath) by Maureen Johnson

nameofthestarseries

Vampires: The Blood of Eden series

(The Immortal Rules and The Eternity Cure) by Julie Kagawa

julie-kagawa-immortal-rules-eternity-cure-book-covers-2

Steampunk supernatural extravaganza: The Parasol Protectorate series

(Soulless, Changeless, Blameless, Heartless and Timeless) by Gail Carriger

Soulless

Gothic / Post-apocalyptic Fantasy: The Masque of the Red Death series

(Masque of the Red Death and Dance of the Red Death) by Bethany Griffin

Masque of the Red Death

What are you reading this Halloween? Feel free to share your recommendations below!

And stay tuned for an ALL HALLOWS’ READS giveaway, coming up next week…