The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa (The Blood of Eden, Book 1)
A compelling read, given Julie Kagawa’s brilliant writing and ability to create characters we can sympathise with, but it offers nothing new in terms of the vampire mythos.
Oh how I wanted so badly to LOVE this book! It had all the ingredients of a five-star read—most especially in today’s young adult (YA) market. Post-apocalyptic? Check. Vampires? Check. Did I hear you say, What about zombies? Check that, too (though they’re not named thus in the book, they are pretty much the mindless, walking dead with a one-track mind: to eat you).
Throw in a feisty katana-wielding female lead and a love interest worthy of being swooned at and it should have been a straightforward A+. Ach, but it pains me to admit that it falls short of being mind blowing.
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Photo: Envyious[/add_caption_link]
An awesome book launch.
Here is a very short and perhaps (I apologise) even incomplete recap since I, being an employee of the venue, was still working at the time and missed the speeches made at the beginning! Though I did hear the excitement and a few snippets here and there.
I did approach M. J. Scott and told her I would quote that the launch was ‘awesome’. That should be enough, right?
It was hilarious that Keri Arthur was in the queue of people I would normally serve at the registers buying books (yes, they were Scott’s but come on—it was Keri Arthur! Who does appear in a few of my sneaky photos from last night). If memory serves, along with Pam, who was there with a few of the ARRA ladies, I was also chatting with Anne Gracie. (I am so bad with putting author faces to their names! But their names and reputations do precede them so technically it’s not my fault…)
Anyway, there were drinks (I, sadly, didn’t have any), delicious food (I had two meatballs, one of which didn’t make it to my mouth as it fell apart on the toothpick and met an untimely end on the floor) and lively, engaging romance book loving company.
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Love Is A Four-Legged Word by Kandy Shepherd
Despite all the perfect ingredients for a great contemporary romance, the plot and both characters are so predictable that the synopsis at the back of the book is a good two-thirds of the entire novel.
Chocolate, dogs and a hot alpha hero—need I say more?
Professional chef and food editor Madeline ‘Maddie’ Cartwright has just inherited a fortune from her secret multi-millionaire landlord and appointed guardian to a very wealthy Brutus Stoddard. That he has four legs, barks and defecates where he shouldn’t makes it a rather unusual case for his lawyer, Tom O’Brien, who’s more than a little suspicious of his pretty new owner.
It wouldn’t be out of place to start this review by mentioning that I have three dogs and I love them to pieces, but living with animals requires hard work and patience (now that I think about it, what doesn’t?!). This book had the perfect formula guaranteed to reel me in—a hot hero and cute dogs! Notice I didn’t mention the chocolate.
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Side Jobs: Stories from the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher (Dresden Files, Anthology)
Snippets of the (ongoing) life and times of the wizard Harry. No, not that one.
As the title suggests, Side Jobs isn’t a new addition to the Dresden Files series but a collection of previously published short stories (most from other anthologies). If you’re an avid follower of the series this won’t deter you from buying it, if only for the last story, ‘Aftermath’—the carrot that Butcher tormented readers with by stating that it takes place 45 minutes after Changes. If you’re all caught up you know how big, juicy and tasty this carrot would be to any Dresden-starved fan.
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