The Hunger Names Trailer FULL Length!

Ummmm WOW!

going to get on my Swiffer 2010 and join the party!

Review: Darkness Unbound by Keri Arthur (A Dark Angels Novel)

Title: Darkness Unbound
Author: Keri Arthur
Series: A Dark Angels Novel
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: September 27, 2011
Format: Mass Market Paperbound ($9.99 CDN)
Age Group: Adult Paranormal Romance

Synopsis:

Being half werewolf and half Aedh, Risa Jones can enter the twilight realms between life and death and see the reapers, supernatural beings that collect the souls of the dead. But she soon makes a terrifying discovery: Some sinister force is stealing souls, preventing the dead from ever knowing the afterlife.

Reapers escort souls-not snatch them-but Risa is still unnerved when a reaper shadows her in search of someone Risa has never met: her own father, an Aedh priest, who is rumored to be tampering with the gates of hell for a dark purpose. With the help of her "aunt" half-werewolf, half-vampire Riley Jenson-and an Aedh named Lucian who may have lost his wings but none of his sex appeal, Risa must pursue whatever shadowy practitioner of blood magic is seizing souls, and somehow stop her father . . . before all hell breaks loose.

My Review:  

I was HUGELY disappointed when I learned that Keri Arthur was ending  my favorite Riley Jenson Guardian series, but when I learned she was doing a spinn off featuring Risa Jones (a character who was a baby in the Jenson series) I was very excited. Months after reading the last Riley Jenson novel I had completely forgotten about this new series until I came upon it on a table in Chapters.  I snached the book off the table and did a little (but loud) *squee* drawing the attention of strangers who must have thought I was a little weird. 


From the very first chapter following through to the end of the novel I was captivated by intriguing plot lines, likeable new characters and sexy, blush worthy sex scenes, not to mention the involvement of some of my favorite characters from the Jenson series. 

If you are a fan of urban fantasy and paranormal romance novels this series (and the Jenson series if you have not read it) should be at the very top of your reading list especially if you are a fan of....ummmmm....errrrr *blush* very graphic sex scenes. The characters in this series run the spectrum of supernaturals including werewolves, ghosts, Aedh, vampires, reapers, shapeshifters, mediums, and more.


As a protagonist Risa is quickly climbing her way to being one of my favorite leading female characters.  She's a winning mixture of sass, sexiness, and sensuality that when added to her also being an assertive, resilient and independent woman, she becomes the type of character that paranormal readers will fall in love with. Being half werewolf (inherited from her mother) Risa was gifted with heightened senses, fast healing, and a heightened sex drive, but unfortunately not with the ability to shift into werewolf form. Her father, a Aedh Priest has given her the ability to dematerialize her body into a vaporous form which proves to be a valuable ability throughout the novel. 


Darkness Unbound includes two very sexy male leads. Azreal is a very stoic Reaper who is charged with shadowing Risa in the hopes of locating her Aedh father.  Along the way the merest hint of sexual tension begins between these two characters as he helps her defeat a darkness that steals the soul of a helpless little girl. The second male lead, Lucian is a full blooded Aedh who has lost his wings and ability to shift into vaporous form.  The sexual banter that goes back and forth between Risa and Lucian quickly leads to steamy sex scenes that would make any woman blush. 


Lucky for me after finishing this novel I was immediately able to go out and purchase the second novel in this series, Darkness Rising as it was just released. I can see that this series is quickly becoming a new favorite of mine in the paranormal genre.  If you to are a fan of Keri Arthur and her various paranormal series please feel free to comment on what your favorite books are in the series and who your favorite characters are! 

My Rating: 5/5 AKA Exixir of Excellence

Spin off series! A Dark Angels series by: Keri Athur

I went GAGA over Australian author, Keri Arthur's Riley Jenson Guardian series last year and when I learned she was doing a  spin off series staring a very minor character from the Jenson series I was stoked. Dark Angels stars Risa Jones, a supernatural being who can enter the realm(s) between life and death and see grim reapers. In the Riley Jensen series Risa was toddler so this novel clearly takes place quite a few years in the future. Luckily the protagonist Riley from the Jensen series is a half vampire half werewolf who's life expectancy is unclear but far longer then a human life expectancy so I assume she will be just as young and sassy as always. I can wait to reunite with some of my all time favorite supernatural characters as well as get to know some new ones! I hope this novel lives up to my expectations and if my sweet baby boy gives his mommy some reading time this week I look forward to writing a review!

For my review of Moon Sworn (Riley Jenson Guardian Series) click here.

Title: Darkness Unbound
Series: A Dark Angels Novel
Author: Keri Arthur
Publisher: Random House ($9.99 CDN)

Synopsis:

Being half werewolf and half Aedh, Risa Jones can enter the twilight realms between life and death and see the reapers, supernatural beings that collect the souls of the dead. But she soon makes a terrifying discovery: Some sinister force is stealing souls, preventing the dead from ever knowing the afterlife.

Reapers escort souls-not snatch them-but Risa is still unnerved when a reaper shadows her in search of someone Risa has never met: her own father, an Aedh priest, who is rumored to be tampering with the gates of hell for a dark purpose. With the help of her "aunt"-half-werewolf, half-vampire Riley Jenson-and an Aedh named Lucian who may have lost his wings but none of his sex appeal, Risa must pursue whatever shadowy practitioner of blood magic is seizing souls, and somehow stop her father . . . before all hell breaks loose.

October 2011 New Releases

New releases for October 2011

Silence by: Becca Fitzpatrick (Hush, Hush Book 3)

Release Date: October 8, 2011

Extra: See below for a book trailer

Synopsis: 

The noise between Patch and Nora is gone. They''ve overcome the secrets riddled in Patch''s dark past...bridged two irreconcilable worlds...faced heart-wrenching tests of betrayal, loyalty and trust...and all for a love that will transcend the boundary between heaven and earth. Armed with nothing but their absolute faith in one another, Patch and Nora enter a desperate fight to stop a villain who holds the power to shatter everything they've worked for-and their love-forever. 

The Death Cure by: James Dashner (Book 3 Maze Runner series)

Release Date: October 11, 2011

Synopsis: 

Thomas knows that Wicked can''t be trusted, but they say the time for lies is over, that they''ve collected all they can from the Trials and now must rely on the Gladers, with full memories restored, to help them with their ultimate mission. It''s up to the Gladers to complete the blueprint for the cure to the Flare with a final voluntary test.

What Wicked doesn''t know is that something''s happened that no Trial or Variable could have foreseen. Thomas has remembered far more than they think. And he knows that he can''t believe a word of what Wicked says.

The time for lies is over. But the truth is more dangerous than Thomas could ever imagine.
Will anyone survive the Death Cure?

Beautiful Chaos by: Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl (Book 3 in the Caster Chronicles Series)

Release Date: October 18, 2011 

Extra: Caster Girls and Boys Web Site

Silence: 

Ethan Wate thought he was getting used to the strange, impossible events happening in Gatlin, his small Southern town. But now that Ethan and Lena have returned home, strange and impossible have taken on new meanings. Swarms of locusts, record-breaking heat, and devastating storms ravage Gatlin as Ethan and Lena struggle to understand the impact of Lena''s Claiming. Even Lena''s family of powerful Supernaturals is affected - and their abilities begin to dangerously misfire. As time passes, one question becomes clear: What - or who - will need to be sacrificed to save Gatlin?

For Ethan, the chaos is a frightening but welcome distraction. He''s being haunted in his dreams again, but this time it isn't by Lena - and whatever is haunting him is following him out of his dreams and into his everyday life. Even worse, Ethan is gradually losing pieces of himself - forgetting names, phone numbers, even memories. He doesn't know why, and most days he''s too afraid to ask.

Sometimes there isn't just one answer or one choice. Sometimes there''s no going back. And this time there won''t be a happy ending.

Swear by: Nina Malkin (Book 2 in the Swoon Series) 

Release Date: October 18, 2011 

Extra: A geeks guide to Swoon and Swear 

Synopsis: 

A promise broken. A bond betrayed. 

It's been six months since ghost-turned golem bad-boy Sin confessed his love, stole Dice''s heart, and disappeared from Swoon, perhaps from existence. Despite the hurt, Dice has been moving steadily toward ordinary. Dreams of Sin still plague and pleasure her sleep, and the mark Sin left remains on her skin, still sore, six months later. But Dice has been throwing herself into music, finding solace in song and sometimes even in the arms of her band mate, Tosh. Life seems almost…normal. The last thing Dice wants is to mess with anything remotely supernatural. But when her best friend's boyfriend goes missing, Dice has no choice but to be very much involved. She knows that his disappearance was no accident, and it somehow has everything to do with Sin. Because Dice can feel it: Sin is back. And the promises and deceptions he left in his wake have returned to haunt him.

What do you do when an oath of devotion threatens to destroy the one you love?

Destined by: Kristin Cast and P.C. Cast (House of Night, Book 9)
Release Date: October 25, 2011
Extra: click here to listen to an excerpt 

Synopsis:

Zoey is finally home where she belongs, safe with her Guardian Warrior, Stark, by her side, and preparing to face off against Neferet - which would be a whole lot easier if the High Counsel saw the ex-High Priestess for what she really is. Kalona has released his hold on Rephaim, and, through Nyx''s gift of a human form, Rephaim and Stevie Rae are finally able to be together - if he can truly walk the path of the Goddess and stay free of his father''s shadow…

But there are new forces at work at the House of Night. An influx of humans, including Lenobia's handsome horse whisperer, threatens their precarious stability. And then there's the mysterious Aurox, a jaw-droppingly gorgeous teen boy who is actually more - or possibly less - than human. Only Neferet knows he was created to be her greatest weapon. But Zoey can sense the part of his soul that remains human, the compassion that wars with his Dark calling. And there's something strangely familiar about him…

Will Neferet's true nature be revealed before she succeeds in silencing them all? And will Zoey be able to touch Aurox's humanity in time to protect him - and everyone - from his own fate? Find out what's destined in the next thrilling chapter of the House of Night series.

TV Tuesday: Lost Girl

Having not had cable for about two years until this week (I refuse to pay the high prices but got a screamin deal for basic cable) I was unaware of some up and coming television shows to be aired this Sept/Oct 2011. The past few years television for both young adult and adult shows has had a strong paranormal influence with programs such as Vampire Diaries and True Blood appealing to paranormal addicts like myself. So interested in watching programs from this genre I began to search for more shows with such content and fell in love with the British shows Being Human and Dr. Who as well as shows such as Haven, Sanctuary, and most recently Lost Girl.

Lost Girl is what I would call an Urban Paranormal show that brings the world of Fae to our modern society. Focusing on protagonist Bo who is a Succubus who refuses to side with either dark or light Fae this show balances interesting plot lines and Fae mythology in a way that is both highly entertaining and incredibly sexy.

This show is now on its second season and if you have yet to watch an episode I highly recommend you give it a try. Without cable I have managed to watch this show at showcase.ca but for those of you in the USA or other countries I am not to sure where to direct you! (If you are in the UK try this link).

Below you will find a trailer for both Lost Girl season 1 and 2. Let me know what you think of this show and others like it that have captured your attention! Come back next Tue for a look at the fall seasons new additions to paranormal television!





(I realize that there are a lot of various memes featured on various blogs. While I have not come across one called "TV Tuesday" I apologize if I am stepping on any toes. If you have created a meme of this nature please feel free to leave a link to your posts and I would be happy to include links to your posts on future Tuesdays!)

Vacation Reading List/Suggestions!

Its vacation time! I am off to my cottage on beautiful Lake Simcoe in Ontario where I am excited to spend time with family and of course read a few good books. My reading list is a little short this year but with a three month old baby to love and look after my reading time is limited.

Books that take place in a dystopian society have captured my attention over the last few years, with a few of my favorites being The Hunger Games series and The Forest of Hands and Teeth.  The novel, Divergent by Veronica Roth, has recently come to my attention so that is the first novel on my vacation reading list.

Next on my reading list is a novel a little outside my usual scope of interest, The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton.  My interest in reading this novel is solely based on the fact that most members of my family have read it! 

 

While I am unsure what to expect of this next novel, after reading Night by Elie Wiesel a few years ago, The Boy In The Striped Pijamas by John Boyne has long been on my "to read" list. (Click here for my review of the novel within my post titled "Books With Impact")

 

And if three books in ten days (oh my how my ability to read copious amounts of books in short periods of time has changed) is not enough I have the following books waiting in the sidelines! I have chosen so many in part because two are review copies that I need to complete and three are books that have been siting on my shelf begging for me to start reading ASAP. I am one of those people that can't just read any book it has to be a book that I am....in the mood for. Many times I have put a book down due to disinterest after just a few chapters to only gobble up in hours a month later.

As mentioned in a previous post I have been out of the blogosphere for a little while now and I have struggled to find books that have been able to capture my attention. Suggestions for new novels or series that have been published in the last year would be welcome! If you are a blogger yourself feel free to leave a link to your review of such a novel and I would be excited to read it!

Help and Win a Free Book!

The contest is closing tonight at 11:59pm and my competitor keeps catching up! Please help my son win a baby contest and in return I am offering a free book from the book depository of your choice under $20.00! Click here for more info!

Follow Friday

It's good to be back and participating in book blogging once again! Can't wait to check out some new blogs and visit some old friends! Thanks to Parajunkee for hosting Follow my book blog Fridays!

Review: Spell Bound by: Kelley Armstrong

Title: Spell Bound
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Publisher: Random House of Canada
Published: August 2, 2011
Format: EBook ($9.99)
Age Group: Adult
Copy: Purchaced from Kobo

Additional Links: Otherworld Wiki

Synopsis: 

Savannah Levine is in terrible danger, and for once she's powerless to help herself. At the conclusion of Waking the Witch, Savannah swore that she would give up her powers if it would help a young girl. Little did she know that someone would take her up on that promise.

And now, witch-hunting assassins, necromancers, half-demons and rogue witches all seem to be after her. The threat is not just for Savannah; every member of the Otherworld might be at risk. While most of her fellow supernaturals are circling the wagons at a gathering of the council in Miami, Savannah is caught on the road, isolated from those who can protect her and unable to use her vast spell-casting talent, the thing she counts on most. In a story that will change the shape of the Otherworld forever, Spell Bound gathers Elena, Clay, Paige, Lucas, Jaime, Hope and others, who soon learn that the greatest threat to supernaturals just may come from within.

My Review: 


I have been so out of touch with reading for the past year that it has been a struggle as of late to find a book that has captured my attention enough to read it.  Kelley Armstrong has been a favorite author of mine for years and after reading Waking the Witch in August of 2010, I fell in love with the protagonist Savannah Levine. As a character I enjoy her feisty spirit and tenacity, which is balanced by a vulnerability instilled in her due to her chaotic past. I first became intrigued in her character while reading the novel Stolen, featuring Elena Michaels (the only known female werewolf) and my interest only grew while subsequently reading Dime Store Magic and Industrial Magic featuring Page Winterbourne (witch) and Lucas Cortez (sorcerer), Savannah's legal guardians.


My favorite element about the Otherworld series is that though each book has a main protagonist many of the other characters are old friends from previous novels. My favorite female leads from this series include Elena 
Michaels and Jamie Vegas (T.V Spiritualist and Necromancer) who both play a role in Spell Bound.


What I enjoyed most about Spell Bound was the suspense of reading the romantic and sexual tension between Savannah and her long time love interest Adam Vasic. Adam has characteristics that most woman look for/long for in a male protagonist including his protective, stubborn, and flirtatious nature.


My only real disappointment in the novel was that I felt it ended to soon and left to much unresolved.  While I assume the reason for the loss of her powers and other elements of the novel will be resolved in a future novel, I felt there was to many loose ends with the only one plot line coming full circle (which I won't write about for fear of spoiling it for you!).


Props to Kelley Armstrong for writing yet another great addition to the Otherworld series.  As always I look forward to the next installment where hopefully all the loose ends from Spell Bound will be resolved! 

My Rating: 3.5/5

Contest!

Oh my beloved blog and bloggy friends how I have missed you! This past year has been the most wonderful and exhausting of my life! Between working two jobs, getting pregnant, and being the mother to a newborn I have hardly read any books never mind doing any book reviews. With that said in the past three months my reading has slowly begun to gain momentum as I get into a routine and in turn I will hopefully get my groove back!

I have been wanting to have a contest to help me get back into the swing of things and then I had an idea....apparently as a mother you would do just about anything for your baby....my baby is in a contest...to win a photshoot and be on the cover of a local free parenting magazing....I am winning...not by much...I need more votes....help?...I give you a free book?...

Ok yes I am shamelessly asking for votes in exchange for any book purchased from the book depository that is under $20.00! But its a win win situation! Just look below at how cute my son is :)

So to win a FREE book $15.00 or under from the Book Depository please vote for my son by clicking here and then clicking "like" on BOTH City Parent and Emmet's photo. Please also comment in this post that you voted so that I can enter you in the random draw. I realize this magazine is irrelevant to most of you so by all means after the contest is over and the winner announced feel free to "unlike" the page. Contest closes on August 19th.

Me pregnant 34 Weeks (Emmet was born early at 36 weeks)

The first time I ever held him

The day he came home

This is him yesterday having fun in his bumbo chair

And this is the photo you will be voting on!

Good luck to all who enter and THANK YOU for your vote!

The Count Down Is On!

I have definitely not been with "the program" for some time, so it came as a surprise when someone asked me if I knew when The City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare was coming out and for the first time in forever I did not know the answer! While you are likely more "with" the program then I am at the moment, for those of you who don't know, the release date is fast approaching and we will be blessed with the fourth installment in the Mortal Instrument series on April 5th, 2011.

It only took reading the first few paragraphs of City of Fallen Angels to be sucked back into the world of Shadowhunters, vamps and werewolves and after searching for a book to capture my attention for some time now I anticipate that this may be the one to have me curled up on the couch for hours while I read it front to back as I did with the previous three novels in the series.

I gather from the first chapter that the narrator of this novel will be Simon and while I fully expect there will be lots of interaction with all the main characters I hope I enjoy the focus being on him as much as I did with it being on Clary.

What I loved so much about the Mortal Instrument series was its appeal to teens and adults alike as well as being a YA novel enjoyed by both men and women. I remember being at my cottage and watching as the novels were passed from myself to my younger cousin, my aunts, and eventually even to my uncle! The appeal of these novels seemed to stem from a fascination with the concept of Shadowhunters while still having a strong foundation in the ever popular themes of vampires and werewolves.

Below I have attached a few "extras" that I found of interest regarding the City of Fallen Angels and the Mortal Instruments series. I look forward to reading the book when its released and (fingers crossed) posting an ecstatic review of the novel the following day!

Web site: The Mortal Instruments
Author Blog: Cassandra Clare 
Click here for the first chapter of City of Fallen Angels




For those of you who have not read the first novel in the series, City of Bones below is the book trailer.

Will it be as good?

I was sad to read the final book in the Vampire Academy series and I knew she had something else in the works but I didn't expect Bloodlines to be released so soon (August 23, 2011). You can read more about the debut novel/spin off here in an EW article. As for the cover....I am not a huge fan. While the up close faces is reminiscent of her previous covers I really dislike the font and flowery vines of the title. At first I was put off by the swirly vines on Sydney's face because it reminded me to much of the covers of The House of Night series however my currently forgetful (baby brained) mind remembered that it is in fact a gold filigree tattoo given to alchemists in the Vampire Academy series (if my memory is recalling correctly). For those of you looking for a little more click here for a blog entry by Richelle Mead detailing more about the novel, for her official web site click here, and for a visual aide in counting down to the release of Boodlines click here.

SOS

In my last post I mentioned that I am 4.5 months pregnant and I have gone from reading 3 books on average a week to 1 a month....it sad....its depressing...its got to STOP! Ironically my pregnancy coincided with me getting a second job so I have much less free time to read however part of the problem is I just can't seem to get...hooked by any new authors or novels. I started Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare over a month ago and while its an excellent story I am not devouring it as I had hoped. I have a stack of books I still need to review but I am looking for that something special to get me back into the reading groove. So that's hopefully where my readers come in! If you have read something that enthralled you and that you couldn't put down for even a moment please let me know! My trips to Chapters haven't revealed anything  but maybe my readers will!

Pregnant and Reading

Well its time to reveal that I am pregnant! This is my husbands and my first child and we have waited a long time for this miracle to happen! Pregnancy and working two jobs has drastically impacted my reading for the past 4 months. For the first 3 months I just slept ALL THE TIME! And then I got sick with the flu and couldn't take any medication. So for a woman who averages reading 2 to 3 books a week I have managed to read only 3 books in the past 4 months.....yes its sad I know. While I am still tired and working 2 jobs I hope to finally get back into my reading swing. I have quite a few books I still need to read and review before taking on any new material but on a go forward basis I don't think I'll be reading quite as much as normal! With that said I do hope to be posting a review a week in addition to getting back to posting book covers, author interviews, book news, etc. Thank you all for having patience with me and for not deleting me from your blog roll. Never did I imagine pregnancy would make me this tired or this disinterested in doing my favorite thing (reading of course)!

Hopefully within the next two weeks you will see the pace picking up on The Book Guru!

I hope you all had a fantastic holiday :)

Happy Reading,

Lindsey