REVIEW: Blackout by Rob Thurman

When half-human Cal Leandros wakes up on a beach littered with the slaughtered remains if a variety of hideous creatures, he's not that concerned. In fact, he can't remember anything-including who he is.

And that's just the way his deadly enemies like it . . .


Book: Blackout by Rob Thurman
Release Date: March 1, 2011
Format: Paperback
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Cal Leandros, #6
Obtained: ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review
Rating: (5 Zombies)

This was probably the most awesome Cal book so far (and I know I say this every time) because we get to find out what Cal would do if he had the option to not be Cal. To be a normal person, with no super ninja older brother and no psychotic werewolf ex-friend-with-benefits.

In Blackout there's less emphasis on the big bad guy than on Cal and Niko and their relationship (with some Goodfellow thrown in just because he's so damned awesome). If you thought that their relationship was well-developed before, Blackout is going to blow your mind.

There were a few things that I wasn't a huge fan of, like how long it took Cal to regain his memory and . . . Crap. There was something else I was going to mention, but while typing the beginning of that sentence, I seem to have forgotten what it was. Dammit. Well, it must not have been very important, then.

It's nice to finally know how much of Cal's personality comes from being half-auphe and how much is just Cal.

Along with the mounds of awesome character development, there is also a mystery for Cal to solve (two, actually), and while the first one pretty much follows the standard Cal formula, the second will blow. Your. Freaking. Mind. (My mind = blown.) And the ending!!! Holy crap! You won't believe what happens in that ending. Well, you will once you've read it. So, go read it.

You can pick up a copy of Blackout at your local bookstore tomorrow or pre-order it from Amazon here.

In My Mailbox (34)

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren that I participate in regularly.  All you have to do is post whatever books you've received in the past week, bought or for review, and any cool swag you want to mention.

For Review:

  (All eGalleys this week.)

Girl Wonder by Alexa Martin

Mercy by Rebecca Lim

 

The Goddess Test by Aim矇e Carter

The Deadliest Bite by Jennifer Rardin

 

So, what did you get in your mailbox this week?

So, there's this book . . .

I really like this book. It's entertaining, not-too-slow, great characters. I'm very invested in it. The only problem? I've been reading it since early January. Guys, this book is 366 pages long. I don't know what it is, but I just can't get myself to read it. I really want to finish it over the weekend so that I can get to some other books, but I just don't want to read it, for some reason.

I have no clue what the problem is. Gah. This totally sucks. I just want to read this book, not only to get it over with so I can read other things, but because I want to find out what happens?

Any advice from those of you who have had similar problems? That is, if anyone even has had similar problems. *Sigh*

Blog Hops (17)

 "Do you ever wish you would have named your blog something different?"

All. The. Freaking. Time. Honestly, not even a year after starting my blog, I hate its name. I don't know what it is, but just looking at the word Braintasia makes my head explode. I despise it. I don't know why I chose it to begin with, but I'm pretty much stuck with it now. I wish that I'd picked something I could use to describe myself (The Story Siren, The Book Faery, etc.) but instead I had to pick this retarded name. Gack.

Share your current fave television show! Tell us a bit about it . . .

 I'm going to have to make a list of my top five (that are currently running, so any summers shows, canceled shows, etc. won't be included).

1. Supernatural: Two brothers drive around killing paranormal baddies. What more could a girl ask for? And then you throw Misha Collins into the mix as a sexy angel, and there you go. Fun fun fun.

2. The Vampire Diaries: Yes, I will admit to being a huge TVD fan even though most people I know think that this makes me a loser. TVD is about a girl who starts dating a vampire (whose brother is much sexier than he is) and all the evil people are trying to kill her and she is all martyr-y and epicness ensues.

3. Justified: Timothy Olyphant plays a US Marshal in a dry county in Kentucky, and damn, he is one fine marshal. I am kind of in love with him. That hat is so sexy. And Boyd, his best frenemy, is sexy, too.

4. The Mentalist: Simon Baker plays this dude that used to pretend to be a psychic until a serial killer murdered his wife and daughter, so now he catches the bad guys with the CBI (California Bureau of Investigations) and makes funny jokes that are funny. I love him. He rocks.

5. Nikita: A show about super secret assassins who kill people for the government. And Michael! Michael is a sekrit sex god. Yup. He makes this entire show.

So, you should now go and watch all of these shows, three of which had new episodes yesterday night, and one of which comes on tonight (Supernatural. Don't miss it, even though the summary for this episode sounds like total suck.).

REVIEW: Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta

Francesca is stuck at St. Sebastians, a boys' school that's pretends it's coed by giving the girls their own bathroom. Her only female companions are an ultra-feminist, a rumored slut, and an an impossibly dorky accordion player. The boys are no better, from Thomas who specializes in musical burping to Will, the perpetually frowning, smug moron that Francesca can't seem to stop thinking about.

Then there's Francesca's mother, who always thinks she knows what's best for Francesca—until she is suddenly stricken with acute depression, leaving Francesca lost, alone, and without an inkling who she really is. Simultaneously humorous, poignant, and impossible to put down, this is the story of a girl who must summon the strength to save her family, her social life and—hardest of all—herself.

Book: Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta
Release Date: May 9, 2006
Format: Hardcover
Genre: Young Adult/Contemporary
Series: Standalone (well, there's a companion book, but it isn't quite a sequel.)
Obtained: Bought
Rating: (5 Zombies)

I don't go usually go for contemporary novels, but since I'd hear such great things about this book, I figured I'd give it a whirl, and I am SO GLAD that I did. It was like blow-your-mind amazing, and I read it in only a few hours because it was so good I couldn't put it down and I was smart enough to start it on a Friday (I don't have class on Fridays, so I can basically do whatever for as long as I want. Good day for starting shorter books.)

At first, it was kind of difficult for me to understand some of the Australian slang because I'm American, but I got the hang of it after a few chapters, and besides that IT WAS PERFECT. I think that, after reading this and Anna and the French Kiss, I will start reading more contemporary YA because they are both so awesome.

Francesca and the gang can all be my new best friends if they want (or if they don't) because they are just awesome characters and awesome people and I wish that I knew them in real life, because wouldn't that be so cool?

So, yeah, I can't write the most coherent review of Saving Francesca because I can't seem to stop fangirling, so, instead of reading my crap review, just go out and get a copy from your local bookstore or library, and then you can come back and fangirl (or guy, I guess) with me!

Waiting on Wednesday (35)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by the amazing Jill at Breaking the Spine. Each week, participating bloggers will make a post about a book whose publication they're eagerly awaiting.

This week, I'm featuring Graveminder by Melissa Marr.

The New York Times bestselling author of the Wicked Lovely series delivers her first novel for adults, a story about the living, the dead, and a curse that binds them.

Rebekkah Barrow never forgot the tender attention her grandmother, Maylene, bestowed upon the dead of Claysville, the town where Bek spent her adolescence. There wasn’t a funeral that Maylene didn’t attend, and at each Rebekkah watched as Maylene performed the same unusual ritual: three sips from a small silver flask followed by the words “Sleep well, and stay where I put you.”

Now Maylene is dead and Bek must go back to the place—and the man—she left a decade ago. But what she soon discovers is that Maylene was murdered and that there was good reason for her odd traditions. It turns out that in placid Claysville, the worlds of the living and the dead are dangerously connected. Beneath the town lies a shadowy, lawless land ruled by the enigmatic Charles, aka Mr. D—a place from which the dead will return if their graves are not properly minded. Only the Graveminder, a Barrow woman, and the current Undertaker, Byron, can set things to right once the dead begin to walk.

I'm a big Wicked Lovely fan, and the summary sounds pretty good, although I'm not a huge fan of the cover. What are you waiting for this Wednesday?

Overflowing TBR

Sorry about the lack of decent posts lately, but I realized that I own 100+ books that I still haven't read, so I've been trying to get caght up on that lately. Also, the new Radiohead album is eating up a lot of my time with its awesomness. If you haven't already done s, you should probaly listen to it. And watch themusic video for Lotus Flower. Thom Yorke is a great dancer Not to mention, quite sexy.

REVIEW: The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her.

Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.

Book: The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa
Release Date: August 1, 2010
Format: eBook
Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy
Series: Iron Fey, #2
Obtained: NetGalley
Rating: (4 Zombies)

I'm not the biggest fan of other realms, but the Iron Fey series is absolutely my favorite exception to this rule. I love the richly descriptive faerie world that Kagawa has created, and the only reason I haven't read The Iron Queen yet is that I don't want the series to end :'( Although I am immensely excited about The Iron Knight, which will be told from Ash's POV. Ash is my favorite character in this fabulous series, by far. I love love love love love Ash.

The love triangle is the only thing I don't really like about The Iron Fey. Puck is very . . . bleh. He's a great friend, yeah, but there is nothing about him that screams LOVE INTEREST in the way that absolutely everything about Ash does. I am so Team Ash, it's not even funny. I will fight whatever bitches say anything different.

While the plot is one of the typical high fantasy quest plot thingys, Kagawa's take on it is so original and well-written that it's kind of impossible to call typical. And there is Grimalkin. Grim is RAWR. So there.

The secondary characters are kind of awesome. Grim and Ironhorse in particular. They make me laugh and cry :'( If you've read Daughter, then you probably cried along with me at one particular part of the book. I has a sad whenever I think about it.

I love how the plot between Meghan and Ash is developing, and I can't wait to see how it progresses in Queen, which I will put off reading as long as I can. WHY DOES IT HAVE TO END? *sadface*

Speaking of endings, that ending was like DAYUM. Seriously, DAYUM. In all caps, just like that. My mind = blown.

If you've read these books (which at this point, most people have), which team are you on? Did you have a sad, too (regarding Ironhorse)? Highlight that last part to read the semi-spoiler.

In My Mailbox (33)

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren that I participate in regularly.  All you have to do is post whatever books you've received in the past week, bought or for review, and any cool swag you want to mention.

This IMM includes the past two weeks, since I skipped last week's posts. Bad Cade!

 

Bought:

Secrets & Shadows by Shannon Delany (Kindle)

Mr. Twilight by Michael Reaves & Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff

For Review:

Angel Burn by L. A. Weatherly

Falling Under by Gwen Hayes

Dead Streets by Tim Waggoner

 

And some awesome swag from Shannon Delany!

*GoodReads is down right now, so no links on the book titles. Sorry!

REVIEW: Nightingale's Lament by Simon R. Green

In the Nightside, the hidden heart of London where it's always 3 AM, Detective John Taylor must find an elusive singer known as The Nightingale. Her silken voice has inexplicably lured many a fan to suicide--and Taylor is determined to stop her, before the whole neighborhood falls under her trance. But to catch the swift-winged Nightingale, he'll have to hear the deadly music--and survive.

Book: Nightingale's Lament by Simon R. Green
Release Date: April 27, 2004
Format: Mass market paperback
Genre: Urban Fantasy/Horror
Series: Nightside, #3
Obtained: Bought
Rating: (4 Zombies)

This series is always good, and while this book wasn't the best so far, it didn't disappoint, either. As always when it comes to Nightside books, it was a quick, wild romp through a place that I love to read about, but would never want to actually go to.

John Taylor is the best paranormal detective ever. Period. He is just made of awesome. I want to have his babies, no matter what kind of hideous monsters they would be, or the fact that I don't actually want kids. He is just that awesome. But I kind of think that he should hook up with his underage secretary, Cathy. She is awesome, too.

If you aren't a fan of slightly horror-ish books, irreverent humor, or very disturbing visuals, then  you should probably avoid this series, but I love it, and would recommend it to anyone who's up for a little dark fun.

REVIEW: Desires of the Dead

The missing dead call to Violet. They want to be found.

When Violet Ambrose's morbid ability to sense the echoes of those who've been murdered leads her to the body of a young boy, she draws the attention of the FBI. She is reluctantly pulled into an investigation that will endanger more than just her secret...but her relationship and possibly her life as well.

Book: Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting
Release Date: February 15, 2011
Format: Paperback
Genre: Young Adult
Series: The Body Finder, #2
Obtained: ARC Tour
Rating: (3 Zombies)

The first hundred or so pages of DotD were kind of slow paced and very much setup for the rest of the book, but don't let the boring beginning set you off of this book. Once it picked up pace, I couldn't put it down. I wasn't sure that I was going to like it at first, hence the three zombie rating, but I ended up loving it.

Violet Ambrose, the sixteen/seventeen-year-old heroine, has a special ability. She can sense the bodies of people and animals who died violent deaths, and put them to peace when she buries them. She even has a nice little cemetery in the woods behind her house. Possibly a bit morbid, but a definite necessity.

What really threw me off at the beginning of the book was how mopey Violet was. She was so strong and in control at the end of the previous book, The Body Finder (review) that it was weird to see her go back to the way she was before.

Jay, on the other hand, was very different. At times, I just couldn't keep reading because he'd turned into such a pansy. I hate it when the guy gets the girl and then stops being the guy we all read about and loved so much. It sucks, but inevitably happens in about 50% of the books I've read. I don't know why authors insist on changing the love interest into a completely different, dangerously domesticated person. It is scary, and not very fun to read.

In DotD there are two new kids in town, Mike and Megan. Mike was most definitely not a suspect in the mystery, and I hated him. His younger sister, Megan, was one of my top suspects. Her, I loved. I don't understand it, but there was something about her character that was just very likable to me. Don't ask me why.

Another pair of characters are also introduced, Sara and Rafe, and they are a plot thread that I'm sure will extend into the next book. I can't wait to see what happens with them, since they are, so far, very mysterious and enigmatic and any other words that describe simply awesome. Especially Rafe. (BTW, emo!!!!) I couldn't help it. Rafe is totally an emo kid, in a very good way.

Despite my misgivings about Violet and Jay at the beginning, both characters improved over the course of the book, and I think we've now kissed and made up. I love them again, and will definitely eagerly await the release of the next book in the series. The new characters were what kept me reading in the beginning, and there was never a doubt in my mind that they rocked. I hope to see a lot more of Rafe and Sara in the next book.

Blog Hops (16)

If you are a fan of Science Fiction what is your favorite book? If you haven't read Science Fiction before...any inkling to? Anything catch your eye?

I personally loved the recent Across the Universe by Beth Revis, which is a young adult Sci-fi, but one of my all time favorites, which is more hardcore and written for an adult audience, is Jupiter by Ben Bova. What can I say, I love me some Karlstad ;>

I AM NUMBER FOUR Movie

I've had my ebook of I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore for a long time now. Like, months. Since about a week after it came out. And I've been meaning to read it "soon" the entire time. But since I love Alex Pettyfer, and my Friday is open, I'm going to see the movie version as soon as I can. Which means that, first, I have to read the book.

I'm just weird like that. Before watching a movie, I usually make myself read the book. There are a few exceptions, such as Inkheart (OMG PAUL BETTANY IS SO HOTT), but for the most part I like to read the book first. I Am Number Four will not be an exception.

I started reading I Am Number Four the day before yesterday, but only got in a few pages yesterday since I was so busy. I've been spoiled on a certain event at the end of the book, which kind of sucks since I've spent the entire book dreading said event.

So far, I Am Number Four is good. Not great, not terrible; just good. There have been a few glaring mistakes, and a few OMG, this is beautiful moments. They kind of cancel each other out, as far as I've read. I'll probably finish it tomorrow morning and I will be sad because one of my favorite characters dies. *sad face*

I can't tell you how many pages into the book I am, since I'm reading it on my Kindle, which only says what percentage of the book I've completed. I'm 82% of the way through, according to my Kindle, which can be wrong on occasion, but is usually fairly accurate. So, basically, I'm almost done. Besides the baddies, there is not a single character in this book that I actually dislike, which is a major accomplishment.

At this point, I'm looking forward  to the second book, but my excitement is lessened due to the fact that, barring Lazarus Syndrome, my favorite character won't be in it. I am confident that I will sob lots and lots when this character dies, unless there are other people in the room, in which case I will just sniffle and hope that I can pass it off as a cold.

Happily, I will finish I Am Number Four (finally) by the time I go see the movie on Friday. From what I've seen in the trailers, the movie is very loosely based on the book, but it has THREE of my favorite actors. Alex Pettyfer, Timothy Olyphant (Loving this season of Justified!! Still need to see the second episode, though >:(  ), and Jake Abel (for those of you who don't know, I'm a huge fan of Supernatural, and Jake Abel played Adam, far too briefly, IMO.)

Yes, this post has had an overabundance of parentheses. Please forgive me for this. I happen to be a fan.

How many of you have to read books before watching movies, or vice versa? Have you read I Am Number Four yet? If so, what are your thoughts on the book in general, and on the death of my freakin' favorite character at the end? (I'm sure you can guess who this is if you've read the book, but please don't spoil it for the readers who haven't.) What do you think of the casting decisions? I for one, disapprove of the casting of Teresa Palmer as Number Six. Six is described as having a Hispanic appearance, and Teresa Palmer may be gorgeous, and who knows how she acts (I haven't seen her in anything), but she's definitely white. Thoughts on this?

I'll quit rambling now. Hopefully. Yeah, I think that's it XD

Truth or Dare Late Wednesday

Which character would you NOT like to meet in a dark alley in the middle of the night? Who get's your panties in a tizzy --- but not in a good way? Blog, Facebook or Tweet about it.

 I would do my best to avoid meeting Lucas Villalobos from the Dante Valentine series by Lilith Saintcrow in a dark alley in the middle of the night. He's one of my favorite characters in that series (though, aren't they all?), but that man is one seriously creepy mofo. Although, I kind of dig scars, which Lucas definitely has in abundance. Pros and cons, yeah? Either way, I'd rather not run into him in some dark, scary alley.

MAX-imum Exposure Tour Stop - Interview with Max of "13 to Life"

Welcome to the MAX-imum Exposure Tour for the 13 to Life Series!

Each site throughout the tour will have swag and an individualized interview with either Pietr, Max or both! Shannon has also included an audio download for each interview so you can hear the Rusakova boys!

And here's today's interview!

Cade: Hey, Max. How do you feel about the events at the end of 13 to Life, and how do you think they should be dealt with?

Max: Loyalty is very important in my family and we learned a very surprising truth about someone we thought was a family member. But he’s not. He’s a traitor. And traitors should be dealt with. Harshly.

Cade: What is it like being the middle child in the Rusakova family?

Max: It is probably like being the middle child in any family. The oldest one gets to be the first at everything, so he gets attention. The youngest and his twin get to be the babies, so they get attention. And then there’s me. So maybe I work harder to get attention.

Shannon Delany is the winner of the first-ever cell phone novel contest in the western world and the author of the 13 to Life series through St. Martin's Press. 13 to Life is already available and Secrets and Shadows hits stores 2/15/11 with Bargains and Betrayals landing on shelves 8/16/11 (already available for pre-order!)and two more as of yet unnamed novels coming out in 2012.

For more about Shannon, visit her author website: www.ShannonDelany.com or her series website: www.13toLifeseries.com ; You can also find Shannon on Facebook and on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/Shannon_Delany

Want a fun freebie you can print out and use with a web-cam to make a bookmark much more than a bookmark? Go here and check out the Augmented Reality bookmark: http://ht.ly/3KgG7

Waiting on Wednesday (34)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by the amazing Jill at Breaking the Spine. Each week, participating bloggers will make a post about a book whose publication they're eagerly awaiting.

This week, I'm featuring Zombies Don't Cry by Rusty Fischer.

Maddy Swift is just a normal girl—a high school junior surviving class with her best friend and hoping the yummy new kid, Stamp, will ask her out. When he finally does, her whole life changes.

Sneaking out to meet Stamp at a party one rainy night, Maddy is struck by lightning. After awakening, she feels lucky to be alive. Over time, however, Maddy realizes that she’s become the thing she and everyone else fear most: the living dead.

With no heartbeat and no breath in her lungs, Maddy must learn how to survive as a zombie. Turns out there’s a lot more to it than shuffling around 24/7 growling, “Brains.” Needing an afterlife makeover is only the beginning of her problems. As Barracuda Bay High faces zombie Armageddon, Maddy must summon all of her strength to protect what matters most—just as soon as she figures out exactly what that is.

BRAAAAIIIINNNNNSSSSS . . . Okay, so this is a zombie book. Look at my blog title. Yeah, zombies are kind of my thing. Don't give me that look. What are you waiting for this Wednesday?

REVIEW: Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

This debut, the first novel in a trilogy, is achingly romantic, terrifying, and filled with blistering action.

When seventeen-year-old Ellie starts seeing reapers - monstrous creatures who devour humans and send their souls to Hell - she finds herself on the front lines of a supernatural war between archangels and the Fallen and faced with the possible destruction of her soul.

A mysterious boy named Will reveals she is the reincarnation of an ancient warrior, the only one capable of wielding swords of angelfire to fight the reapers, and he is an immortal sworn to protect her in battle. Now that Ellie's powers have been awakened, a powerful reaper called Bastian has come forward to challenge her. He has employed a fierce assassin to eliminate her - an assassin who has already killed her once.

While balancing her dwindling social life and reaper-hunting duties, she and Will discover Bastian is searching for a dormant creature believed to be a true soul reaper. Bastian plans to use this weapon to ignite the End of Days and to destroy Ellie's soul, ending her rebirth cycle forever. Now, she must face an army of Bastian's most frightening reapers, prevent the soul reaper from consuming her soul, and uncover the secrets of her past lives - including truths that may be too frightening to remember.

Book: Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton
Release Date: February 15, 2011
Format: eBook
Genre: Young Adult
Series: Angelfire, #1
Obtained: Digital ARC
Rating: (4 Zombies)

I don't know what it is, but lately, I've just been craving a good angel book or two (or three, maybe four...) and I definitely found one in Angelfire! It was refreshingly original and very fun to read. Since I read it right after another really awesome book (Unearthly by Cynthia Hand. Seeing a trend?), I didn't expect to much amazingness (I tend to appreciate a good book less after reading a great one), but I got a lot more than I expected.

The main character, Ellie, was fun without being shallow and capable without being bossy. She could be slightly vapid at times, but really, what high school girl isn't? I loved how she handled herself once she found out that she was some macho kick ass warrior chick that was supposed to kill reapers. No panicking, no moping, just taking care of business. She was simply awesome.

Will, the love interest, was in turns wonderful, romantic, sappy, and annoying. Sometimes he would do or say something that made me go Aww... and other times I just wanted to punch him in the face or barf. Will and I did have our ups and downs, but in the end, I think that he's a great match for Ellie and I can't wait to see more of him in the next book.

The plot was fast-paced and easy to understand without being transparent. It had me hooked from page 1, and never eased up until the denouement. I read this book in two sittings, and it only took that long because I had to stop reading and go to class. Otherwise, I never would've left it. It was just that great.

I would've given Angelfire a full five zombies, except for the fact that some of the "romantic" moments were so gag-worthy that I just couldn't let it go. Maybe four and a half would be more accurate?

If you're a fan of angels or ass kicking heroines, then Angelfire is an awesome debut you absolutely cannot miss!