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Archive for March 2008

The dream thief-Shana Abe {Drakon series-Book 2} 4 stars

Dream Thief
Price: GBP 6.99

33 New and Used from GBP 1.28

In the remote hills of northern England lives a powerful clan with a centuries-old secret. They are the drákon, shape-shifters who possess the ability to Turn—changing from human to smoke to dragon. And from the very stones of the earth, they hear hypnotic songs of beauty and wonder. But there is one stone they fear….Buried deep within the bowels of the Carpathian Mountains lies the legendary dreaming diamond known as Draumr, the only gem with the power to enslave the drákon. Since childhood, Lady Amalia Langford, daughter of the clan’s Alpha, has heard its haunting ballad but kept it secret, along with another rare Gift….Lia can hear the future, much in the way she hears the call of Draumr. And in that future, she realizes that the diamond—along with the fate of the drákon—rests in the hands of a human man, one who straddles two worlds.Ruthlessly clever, Zane has risen through London’s criminal underworld to become its ruler. Once a street urchin saved by Lia’s mother, Zane is also privy to the secrets of the clan—and is the only human they trust to bring them Draumr. But he does nothing selflessly.Zane’s hunt for the gem takes him to Hungary, where he is shocked to encounter a bold, beautiful young noblewoman: Lia. She has broken every rule of the drákon to join him, driven by the urgent song of Draumr—and her visions of Zane. In one future, he is her ally. In another, her overlord. In both, he is her lover. Now, to protect her tribe, Lia must tie her fate to Zane’s, to the one man capable of stealing her future—and destroying her heart…    

 The second book was as good as the first.  I am really looking forward to book #3.

The smoke thief- Shana Abe {Drakon series-Book 1} 4 stars

Smoke Thief, The
Price: GBP 5.59

50 New and Used from GBP 0.10

For centuries they’ve lived in secret among northern England’s green and misted hills. Creatures of extraordinary beauty, power, and sensuality, they possess the ability to shape-shift from human to dragon and back again. Now their secret–and their survival–is threatened by a temptation that will break every boundary….Dubbed the Smoke Thief, a daring jewel thief is confounding the London police. His wealthy victims claim the master burglar can walk through walls and vanish into thin air. But Christoff, the charismatic Marquess of Langford, knows the truth: the thief is no ordinary human but a “runner” who’s fled Darkfrith without permission. As Alpha leader of the dra´kon, it’s Kit’s duty to capture the fugitive before the secrets of the tribe are revealed to mortals. But not even Kit suspects that the Smoke Thief could be a woman. Clarissa Rue Hawthorne knew her dangerous exploits would attract the attention of the dra´kon. But she didn’t expect Christoff himself to come to London, dangling the tribe’s most valuable jewel–the Langford Diamond–as bait. For as long as she could remember, Rue had lived the life of a halfling–half dra´kon, half mortal–and an outcast in both worlds. She’d always loved the handsome and willful Kit from the only place it was safe: from afar. But now she was no longer the shy, timid girl she’d once been. She was the first woman capable of making the Turn in four generations. So why did she still feel the same dizzying sense of vulnerability whenever he was near? From the moment he saw her, Kit knew that the alluring and powerful beauty was every bit his Alpha equal and destined to be his bride. And by the harsh laws of the dra´kon, Rue knew that she was the property of the marquess. But they will risk banishment and worse for a chance at something greater. For now Rue is his prisoner, the diamond has disappeared, and she’s made the kind of dangerous proposition a man like Kit cannot resist….In this bewitching novel, Shana Abé transports us into a world of exhilarating romance and magic.

I really liked this book.  If you’re into shapeshifters of any type, I believe you would like this book as well.

The sweet far thing-Libba Bray Book 3

The Sweet Far Thing
Price: —

9 New and Used from GBP 6.72

IT HAS BEEN A YEAR OF CHANGE since Gemma Doyle arrived at the foreboding Spence Academy. Her mother murdered, her father alaudanum addict, Gemma has relied on an unsuspected strength and has discovered an ability to travel to an enchanted world called the realms, where dark magic runs wild. Despite certain peril, Gemma has bound the magic to herself and forged unlikely new alliances. Now, as Gemma approaches her London debut, the time has come to test these bonds.The Order - the mysterious group her mother was once part of - is grappling for control of the realms, as is the Rakshana. Spence’s burned East Wing is being rebuilt, but why now? Gemma and her friends see Pippa, but she is not the same. And their friendship faces its gravest trial as Gemma must decide once and for all what role she is meant for.  

Personal Demon

Personal Demon
Price: GBP 7.74

25 New and Used from GBP 3.50

Hope Adams, tabloid journalist and half-demon, inherited her Bollywood-princess looks from her mother.  From her demon father, she inherited a hunger for chaos, and a talent for finding it.  Like full demons, she gets an almost sexual rush from danger - in fact, she thrives on it.  But she is determined to use her gifts for good.

When the head of the powerful Cortez Cabal asks her to infiltrate a gang of bored, rich, troublemaking supernaturals in Miami, Hope can’t resist the excitement.  But trouble for Hope is intoxicating, and soon she’s in way too deep.

With a killer stalking the mystical hotspots of Miami, Hope finds herself dangerously entangled, and has no choice but to turn to her crooked werewolf ex-boyfriend for help.  What started as a simple investigation has spiralled into chaos.  And Hope finds chaos irresistable. . .

For a woman who didn’t know what she was getting into, there’s only one way out: it’s time for Hope to unleash her most potent primal instincts and open herself, mind and body, to everything she most fears - and desires.

Fans of Kelley Armstrong are not going to be disappointed with this latest novel.  While at first, it’s a little odd reading from not only the female lead’s perspective but also the male’s (which, for Kelley, is not the norm) you soon get into the swing of things.  The story is everything you expect from Armstrong - strong characters, a workable plot that twists and weaves and keeps you guessing right up to the final few chapters.  I read this in one sitting and enjoyed every page of it. 

Well worth the read.  If you’ve been following the Women of the Otherworld series, then go grab it.  If you’ve not tried them yet, then you should!!!

Witch Blood-Anya Bast

Witch Blood (Berkley Sensation) (Berkley Sensation)
Price: GBP 4.79

33 New and Used from GBP 1.23

Water witch Isabelle Novak must form an uneasy alliance with earth witch Thomas Monahan to hunt and destroy a demon of tremendous power, even though Thomas’s very presence stirs deeper desires than she ever knew she had.

Book number 2 in the Elemental Witch series is hot!  Isabelle has just lost her sister to the demon that is stalking all witches.  Thomas, the leader of the Coven, is searching for the demon in order to save his people.  Instant chemistry occurs when these two meet.  All witches are attuned to a specific element and these elements cause reactions to each other dependent on what they are.  Isabella has been a loner all her life preferring to keep on the move.  When Thomas extends an invitation to her to move into the coven house, she does and the sparks between these two fly.  All I can say is:  I want a Thomas! 

Rebel Angels~ Book 2

Rebel Angels (Readers Circle)
Price: —

6 New and Used from GBP 4.05

In this sequel to the Victorian fantasy A Great and Terrible Beauty, Gemma continues to pursue her role as the one destined to bind the magic of the Realms and restore it to the Order–a mysterious group who have been overthrown by a rebellion. Gemma, Felicity and Ann, (her girlfriends at Spence Academy for Young Ladies), use magical power to transport themselves on visits from their corseted world to the visionary country of the Realms, with its strange beauty and menace. There they search for the lost Temple, the key to Gemma’s mission, and comfort Pippa, their friend who has been left behind in the Realms. After these visits they bring back magical power for a short time to use in their own world. Meanwhile, Gemma is torn between her attraction to the exotic Kartik, the messenger from the opposing forces of the Rakshana, and the handsome but clueless Simon, a young man of good family who is courting her. The complicated plot thickens when Gemma discovers a woman in Bedlam madhouse who knows where to find the Temple; Ann shows signs of being enamored of Gemma’s loutish brother Tom, and their father’s addiction to laudanum lands him in an opium den. A large part of the enjoyment of this unusual fantasy comes from the Victorian milieu and its restrictive rules about the behavior of proper young ladies, as contrasted with the unimaginable possibilities of the Realms, where Gemma has power to confront gorgons and ghosts and the responsibility to save a world.

 Gemma and friends continue with their adventure in trying to save & bind the magic of the Other Realm.  They also come to learn that with the use of magic comes a price.  A wonderful story of friendship, adventure and magic.

A Great & Terrible Beauty ~ Libba Bray

A Great and Terrible Beauty (Readers Circle)
Price: —

17 New and Used from GBP 1.14

A Victorian boarding school story, a Gothic mansion mystery, a gossipy romp about a clique of girlfriends, and a dark other-worldly fantasy–jumble them all together and you have this complicated and unusual first novel.Gemma, 16, has had an unconventional upbringing in India, until the day she foresees her mother’s death in a black, swirling vision that turns out to be true. Sent back to England, she is enrolled at Spence, a girls’ academy with a mysterious burned-out East Wing. There Gemma is snubbed by powerful Felicity, beautiful Pippa, and even her own dumpy roommate Ann, until she blackmails herself and Ann into the treacherous clique. Gemma is distressed to find that she has been followed from India by Kartik, a beautiful young man who warns her to fight off the visions. Nevertheless, they continue, and one night she is led by a child-spirit to find a diary that reveals the secrets of a mystical Order. The clique soon finds a way to accompany Gemma to the other-world realms of her visions “for a bit of fun” and to taste the power they will never have as Victorian wives, but they discover that the delights of the realms are overwhelmed by a menace they cannot control. Gemma is left with the knowledge that her role as the link between worlds leaves her with a mission to seek out the “others” and rebuild the Order. A Great and Terrible Beauty is an impressive first book in what should prove to be a fascinating trilogy.   

 While this trilogy is written for the YA (Young Adult), there are some very adult situations in this story.   I found the story to be highly entertaining.  Gemma Doyle is not your typical Victorian Era young lady.  She’s a bit sassy, and her internal dialogue is quite funny.  At sixteen she is trying to come to grips with becoming a woman in an era when women are nothing more than arm candy or a means to an end for men.  I highly recommend this first book in the trilogy.  

My Boring Ass Life - Kevin Smith

My Boring Ass Life: The Uncomfortably Candid Diary of Kevin Smith
Price: GBP 5.99

53 New and Used from GBP 2.00

Silent Bob is back…

 

Kevin Smith, the award-winning screenwriter and director of Clerks, Chasing Amy and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back shares his X-rated thoughts in this, his diary, telling all in his usual candid, heartfelt and irreverent way!

 

Lewd, crude and hilariously rude, Smith pulls no punches in this in-your-face expose of his far from boring-ass life. OK, so he does spend long periods lying in bed watching his TiVo, but he also manages to:

 

Make and release Clerks II

 

Tell the story of ‘Me and My Shadow’: the acclaimed account of his partner-in-crime Jason Mewe’s drug addiction

 

Serve time (on a jury)

 

Score acting gigs opposite Jennifer Garner and his idol Bruce Willis

 

Get caught stealing donuts from Burt Reynolds

 

Also revealed are his views on the perils of strip clubs, the drawback of threesomes, the pain of anal fissures, his unnatural love of Star Wars… and so much more!

I feel the title of his book is misleading, he isn’t boring, he’s like you and me an everyday bloke with a lovely wife and daughter and a huge extended family through his message board.

He has taken the diary of his life and put it to print, which he admits to being a very candid diary and I agree with the way he tells us about his life, but you know it’s just the same stuff we do, day in day out.

The thing is this guy is living his dream, something only a minority of people get to do.

He really wears his heart on his sleeve, if you want to know what makes Kevin Smith tick, then this a must read for you.

I’ve never met the guy, but I love him as he puts it “in a hetero kind of way”. As you turn the pages of this book you think you’ve known him all your life.

This guy has no ego to speak of, if he does he keeps it so well hidden and he is so close to his fans.

So you want to know why he has so many fans? Read this book to find out why.

Review written by Richard

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