An Update...

Hello? Is anyone still out there?

I have been away for a very long time and I wouldn't be surprised if I lost a few readers. What can I say, I've been a terrible blogger. As you can see, my last post was in September. A lot has happened during that period of time : I finished a four month long teaching practicum in a second grade classroom and I've completed my bachelor's degree in education with the graduation ceremony only a few weeks away. With the all the papers I had to write and the lesson plans I had to prepare, writing blog posts and reviews was the furthest thing from my mind. Blogging was starting to feel like a chore to me and I guess I may have been overwhelmed with all the reviews waiting to be done.  I still managed to find time to read but unfortunately, more books have been added to my to-be-read pile and wishlist than what I have read (I guess I'm still quite the book addict). That being said, I now feel ready to join the blogging community again. I've really missed it and I've missed talking with you all on the blogosphere and on Twitter. You might have noticed that I've already resurfaced on some of your blogs by commenting. I'm far from being done, they're so many of my favorite blogs I want to catch up on. I'm very happy to be back!

 

Since I've been away for a very long time, I've missed some exciting reviews of new releases to add on my wishlist. I would like to know what has been your favorite book so far this year (new release or not) or what book are you really looking forward to?

 

I really hope to hear from you guys soon.

 

Have a great week and may you find plenty of time to read! :)

 

 

 

Review : Operation Dark Angel by Pam Funke

Title : Operation Dark Angel
Author : Pam Funke
Published February 6th 2012 by Publish America

 

 

 

*e-book courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review

 

 

My Thoughts

 

Operation Dark Angel starts really strong : a voice prophesied the birth of a boy through immaculate conception. The boy, Nicolaitanes Balac, is now an adult in search of world domination. He will stop at nothing to get what he wants. "Operation Dark Angel" is creating havoc all around the world. Terrorism attacks are wiping out thousands of the world's population. Nicolaitanes sits back and waits for his chance to be seen as the saviour of mankind. He may be more evil than it seems. In the meantime, good can still be found in the world. People are reuniting trying to fight Operation Dark Angel. What will become of the world? How evil is Nicolaitanes Balac? Will Operation Dark Angel be stopped before it's too late?  Well, you will have to pick up the book to find out the answer to these questions and a lot more.

 

Operation Dark Angel is the first book in the Four Horsemen Series. Pam Funke did an incredible job writing her debut novel. It is an exciting read that will keep you on the edge of your seat and dying to find out what will happen next. It can be terrifying at times to read about the evil going on throughout the world and how parts of the world are being destroyed in a blink of an eye.

 

A few things kept me from giving this book a rating of five stars. First, Operation Dark Angel has a lot of characters. It was hard for me to keep up with all of them. I found the switch from one character to another quite confusing at times but  I have to say I really enjoyed how some characters crossed each other's path.

 

The Four Horsemen series is off to an amazing start. The series promises to be a thrilling read.

 



 

4 out of 5 stars

 

 

 

******

 

 

For more information, visit the author's blog, follow her on Twitter & Like her fan page on Facebook.   

 

Review & Giveaway: Wooing the Fates by D. W. Hardin

 

Title : Wooing the Fates

Author : D. W. Hardin

Published : June 17th 2012

 

 

An investigation of the murder of a call girl leads Detective John Drake into murky water. Conflict with his upper command and another law enforcement agency complicates and hinders the investigation. National security and international consideration enters into the investigation. A second murder is committed using the same modus operandi. Is this the beginning of a serial killer with international ties? It is up to John Drake and his partner, Ken Wilson, to navigate the politics and solve the murder. What will be the ramifications if they solve the murder?

*e-book courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review*

Wooing the Fates is the second Detective John Drake novel. You don't need to read the first novel, A Time to Lie, to enjoy this one but I strongly encourage you. 

 

In Wooing the Fates, John Drake is able to put aside the accusations he faced in A Time To lie and concentrate on his homicide detective duties. What started off with the murder of a call girl turned out to be a much more complicated investigation with the FBI interfering and a possible serial killer on the loose.

Officer John Drake is truly the good cop who will risk everything to catch the bad guys. You can't help rooting for him. Even with the long hours and unpredictability of his job, John is very close to his wife and daughter. His retired father (one of my favorite characters) even goes undercover to help solve the case! The book definitely makes you realize how officers put their lives on the line to keep us safe. They have a wife or husband and kids too but every day they fight for what is right.  I admire every "John Drake"' out there. But we must not forget, not all cops are good...

Although this is a crime thriller, the murder scenes aren't gruesomely detailed so the faint of heart don't have to be scared.  I loved when the author shared a few technical details here and there.  What's even more interesting is that the author has experiences in law enforcement. To my knowledge, the book is technically correct and I was able to learn a thing or two about police investigations.

When you read a lot of books like me, you tend to forget about some you read. Not this one! The story and characters stayed with me long after finishing it which proves how much I really enjoyed reading it. Wooing the Fates is an entertaining and intriguing read that will keep you turning the pages until the wee hours of the morning. I guarantee it!

This is the third book by D.W. Hardin that I have the pleasure of reading and I'm hoping for many more to come. I can't wait to read what John Drake will be up to next.

 

 

5 out of 5 stars

 

To purchase a paperback copy, click here. To purchase an e-copy, click here. To learn more, follow the author on Twitter and check out his website.

 

 *****

 

Now 2 lucky readers will get a chance to win their very own signed copy of Wooing the Fates.

 

To enter, just leave a comment on this post with your e-mail so I can contact you if you win.

 

Open to US and Canada.

 

The giveaway will end September 30th and I will announce the winners the next day.

 

 

Good luck everyone!

Cover Reveal & Excerpt : Zombified by Lyra McKen

Title : Zombified
Author : Lyra McKen
Expected publication : August 31st by Great Minds Think Aloud

Excerpt

“Cassie, wake up.” He stood back up over me as I sat up and rubbed my eyes.

I noticed that Ted was not with him, and he looked defeated as he sat down on the floor beside me. I crawled over to wrap my arms around him, and he looked surprised at first but then he put his arm around me and we were silent for a little while.

“We are going to have to move soon.” Brett was speaking quietly as he rubbed my arm. “He knows where we are, so when he wakes up, he may come for us. I was too late to help him.”

I did not know how long Brett had been gone, but I assumed by his tone that he had found his friend in very bad shape. It scared me that if he turned into one of them then he would know where we were. I sighed as I leaned my head on Brett’s shoulder. Something struck me as odd as I inhaled his scent. I thought that he smelled tasty.

Tasty! I was alarmed. He smelled good, but tasty was not something that should describe my crush. Something bad was happening to me, and I could keep trying to fight it, but as I glanced at my finger, I knew in the back of my mind it was only going to get worse.

He was looking at me while I was having all these thoughts, and he was too close for comfort. He smiled as he took my face in his hands and brought his lips to mine. It was everything I had hoped for in our first kiss. There were fireworks, and my whole body felt alive. I allowed him to ease me down onto the tarp and welcomed his body weight on top of me. This felt right and I wanted him all over me just like this. I had dreamed of this moment countless times and it was finally happening.

Our kisses became more urgent, and he moved one hand down to slide up my shirt. I heard a low growl come from somewhere within me. Something wasn’t right. It happened very quickly, but before I knew it, I had reared back and bitten into his chin hard. He cried out in severe pain, and tried to push me off of him, but I was latched on. I felt the skin break in my mouth, and felt my hunger as I ripped the skin away from his face. When I realized what I had done, I was horrified.

I stood back thinking of how I could remedy the situation. He sat there with blood pouring from his face and a hurt look in his eyes. All I could think of was one word: tasty. I had to get out of there. What the hell had I done? How many times had I pictured my lips near his, and I manage to get them there by biting his face off? I had to get as far away from him as possible. I ran out the entrance and into the school hall. Tears were streaming down my cheeks as I contemplated where to go. I was changing into one of those monsters.

I had literally bitten my crush’s face off!

*********

Oh my! That's a first kiss he will never forget!

Mark your calendars, Zombified will be out August 31st.

For more information visit Lyra McKen's page on the GMTA website.



Review : The Godling Chronicles : The Sword of Truth by Brian D. Anderson

Title : The Godling Chronicles : The Sword of Truth
Author : Brian D. Anderson
Original Concept : Jonathan Anderson
GMTA Publishings
Amazon / Barnes & Noble

It has been five hundred years since the Great War between Elf and Human ripped the world apart, and the Dark Knight of Angr l has stolen the Sword of Truth. With it, he has trapped the Gods in heaven. If left unchallenged he will kill the Gods and reshape the world into an unimaginable hell. The only hope for all of creation is a boy named Gewey Stedding, the only being born from the union of two Gods. Aided by Lee Starfinder, the son of Saraf, God of the Sea, and a mortal woman, he must discover the true nature of his power. However, this will not be easy. He is bound to the earth a mortal man, and in many ways is very human. When Kaylia, a young elf woman, joins their party, Gewey discovers that perils of the heart can be as treacherous as any sword. Gewey, Lee, Kaylia and other friends they meet on their journey, must battle the Dark Knight, find a way to heal the hatred between elf and man, and restore heaven itself.




 *e-book courtesy of the author

******



I have a love/hate relationship with fantasy novels. Once in a while I stumble upon one that will blow my mind away. This is the case with The Godling Chronicles : The Sword of Truth. I knew from the first pages that it would be my kind of fantasy read, one I don't get totally lost and overwhelmed with a different world and its own language. There's no need for a special glossary with this one!

Before going any further, I have to mention that the book is the work of a father and son collaboration. It's safe to say they make an excellent team. Kudos to them!

The book has everything you expect in fantasy : a quest, Gods, elves, danger and of course an unlikely hero. Gewey has always taken care of himself and the farm his father left him after his death. Now he must go on a journey to save the world from the Dark Knight who has stolen the Sword of Truth. Along the way Gewey puts his newly discovered destiny and powers to use but a hero is never alone on his quest. Friends will accompany him on his adventure while enemies are not far behind. Amongst the danger and battles, love will find its way to Gewey and bound his spirit with the one of an unlikely partner. He has his hands full! Oh and did I mention the war and hate between elves and humans? It's far from being an uneventful read!

With characters you're able to connect with and just enough description to paint your very own picture, this first book in the Godling Chronicles series is an entertaining and suspenseful read by a very imaginative author. It left me pleasantly surprised and eagerly anticipating the second book. It even left me wanting to read more fantasy (The Lord of the Rings trilogy is next to me wanting to be read for the first time). The Godling Chronicles promises to be an exciting series for younger readers as well as adults. I encourage you to pick up this book even though it's not your typical read. Like me you might end up enjoying the ride.

 4 out of 5 stars