Owl Post #7 [March, 2013]

Guys, today I'm doing something new on my blog....been coming on for a long time. This meme, called Owl Post is created by Brodie of Eleusinian Mysteries inspired by In My Mailbox by The Story Siren. Been meaning to do this since forever and I just love this idea. I'm being a Ravenclaw since at the age of eleven and couldn't seem to remember to do this....kudos to Brodie for thinking about this!

Before you all proceed further, let me make something clear:-

1. Just like my IMM posts, this will not be done every Sunday but on the last Sunday of each month... the reason why you'll see a lot more books in here than normal.

2. This first Owl Post will have all the books that I received in March, 2013.

3. Also it will feature a list of recap link at the bottom of the page, which enlists all the review, interviews and tour posts I have done that particular month. Now I expect you all to visit each link and give out a comment here and there(would very much appreciate it) and you all can link your reviews too, i'd love to comment.

4. You are all welcome to share what you all got in the comment section below....i'd love to visit....

For Review

Netgalley

Steampunk Chronicles #3 The Girl with the Iron Touch - Kady Cross

Elemental #2.5 Breathless - Brigid Kemmerer
The Sweetest Dark #2 The Deepest Night - Shana Abe
The Aether Chronicles #2 Charmed Vengeance - Suzanne Lazear

Edelweiss

The Game #1 Rush - Eve Ailver

In The After - Demitria Lunetta

Transparent - Natalie Whipple

From Random House India

Wool Omnibus - Hugh Howey

Bought

At Somerton #1 Cinders & Sapphires - Leila Rasheed

The Lunar Chronicles #2 Scarlet - Marissa Meyer

Shatter Me #1.5 Destroy Me - Tahereh Mafi

Shatter Me #2 Unravel Me - Tahereh Mafi
The Infernal Devices #3 Clockwork Princess - Cassandra Clare
The Aether Chronicles #1 Innocent Darkness - Suzanne Lazear

Recap Links

Leap into Books GIVEAWAY HOP

Nightshade #1 Nightshade - Andrea Cremer

Shadowstorm #2 Hammer of Angels - G.T. Almasi

Lunar Love GIVEAWAY HOP

Goddess Test #3 The Goddess Inheritance - Aimee Carter

The Last War - Sandipan Deb

Nightwatchers #2 Wicked Kiss - Michelle Rowen

White Rabbit Chronicles #1 Alice in Zombieland - Gena Showalter

The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel #6 The Enchantress - Michael Scott

The Diviners #1 The Diviners - Libba Bray
Lucky Leprechaun GIVEAWAY HOP 
Kick - Butt Characters GIVEAWAY HOP
Shadowhunters and Downworlders: A Mortal Instruments Reader
The Inner City - Karen Heuler
Fairy Tale GIVEAWAY HOP
The Chronicles of Light & Shadow #1 A Conspiracy of Alchemists - Liesel Schwarz
Watersong #1 Wake - Amanda Hocking
Watersong #2 Lullaby - Amanda Hocking
I Kissed A Frog - Rupa Gulab

I Kissed A Frog

Definitely what the title claims it to be.... Presenting I Kissed A Frog & other stories by Rupa Gulab.

Here is the summary of the book:

Girls aren’t really made of sugar and spice and everything nice. Well, perhaps some girls are, but those are certainly not the girls you’ll meet in 'I Kissed a Frog' – a collection of wacky short stories, tongue-in-cheek diaries and not so grim twenty-first century fairy tales that turn love and friendship inside out and upside down. You’ll find it all here: getting even with exes, changes in male-female dynamics, crazy diet wars, besties turning into worsties, dark humour, light comedy and the startling discovery that Prince Charming may not be your pitcher of beer. Young, fun and feminist, 'I Kissed a Frog' is just what a girl needs to chase the blues away.

I'm no fan of chic-lit....I a a chic yes but this genre never really interested me but man this was good. 'Sugar and spice and everything nice'....totally not the case with these girls. Strong feminism. Strong dislike of the norm. These are modernist girls, they are no damsels in distress and know how to make themselves known and heard.

Jealousy, revenge, first love gone wrong, diet wars, snagging the guys from the rival in the office and then bragging about it. Rupa Gulab has presented is a treasure trove of hilarious, exciting and strongly feminist short stories....... A collection of short and interesting tales by a woman and for the women!!! *wink* *wink* 

"Hilarious, exciting and feminist..... These are the stories of woman who help define what it means to be such.....perfect for a light reading"

Genre :      Short Stories, Anothology, Contemporary


Publisher: Pan Macmillan India


My Copy:  Pan Macmillan India


Rate:              4/5 (Really Liked It)

Watersong #2 Lullaby

Man this has got to be a record I finished the first book and this in 24 hours. Presenting Watersong #2 Lullaby by Amanda Hocking.

Here is the summary of the book:

Harper only wanted a safe, normal life. But when her younger sister Gemma runs off with a dangerous clique of beautiful girls, Penn, Thea, and Lexi, everything changes. Vowing to get her sister back no matter what the cost, Harper must face dangers unlike any she's ever experienced. Fortunately, she has Daniel by her side, a gorgeous guy who's devoted to helping her find her sister—and who's immune to the girls' dark powers. While Harper searches for her sister, Gemma struggles to adjust to her new life. Gemma's powers are growing by the day, and the longer she lives with her new "sisters," the harder it is to resist entering their magical world. It's a realm both dark and beautiful, and where she's plagued by strange hungers and unspeakable needs. Just as she's drifting far away from her old life, Harper and Daniel find her...but no one can deny how much she's changed. All she wants is to return to her family and the mortal world, but how can she do that when she's become something else entirely—and will they still love her once they learn the truth? Prepare to fall under the spell of Lullaby, the second book in the Watersong series from New York Times bestselling author Amanda Hocking.

Following the lead with the first book, another instant page turner from this amazing amazing author. And just like Wake, this second book, Lullaby too kept me turning the pages into the wee hours. Begins just where Wake left off at the end. Gemma to keep her family and love safe runs off with the sirens. And Harper is going to do all she can to get her back.

Gemma has now accepted what she was forced into becoming but is still hesitant to do the one thing that sirens need to stay alive. But evil is still around the corner and its not long before the beautifully clique & dangerous sisters Pen, Lexi and Thea realize what happens and come looking for their prize.

Secrets are revealed as well as the history of it all. Danger lurks at every corner and only be fought with if the the person in question wants it. As Harper, Daniel and Alex vigorously search high and low for Gemma, she comes closer to her new siren ways of living......A sacrifice is made....a deal is struck....and each party is closely watching the other. Ms. Hocking's palpable writing makes it all the more exciting and hair raising and makes us want the next book in the series Tidal as soon as it comes out.

"A worthy sequel....another page tuner.....there is history, there is mythology....there is hesitance...there is hunger....and their is action.....Another compact hit"

Genre :      Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Mythology


Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin


My Copy:  Pan Macmillan India


Rate:              5/5 (It was Amazing)

Watersong #1 Wake

Finally I get to read this author and she is as amazing as they say. Presenting Watersong #1 Wake by Amanda Hocking.

Here is the summary of the book:

Gorgeous. Fearless. Dangerous. They're the kind of girls you envy; the kind of girls you want to hate. Strangers in town for the summer, Penn, Lexi and Thea have caught everyone's attention—but it’s Gemma who’s attracted theirs. She’s the one they’ve chosen to be part of their group. Gemma seems to have it all—she’s carefree, pretty, and falling in love with Alex, the boy next door. He’s always been just a friend, but this summer they’ve taken their relationship to the next level, and now there’s no going back. Then one night, Gemma’s ordinary life changes forever. She’s taking a late night swim under the stars when she finds Penn, Lexi and Thea partying on the cove. They invite her to join them, and the next morning she wakes up on the beach feeling groggy and sick, knowing something is different. Suddenly Gemma is stronger, faster, and more beautiful than ever. But her new powers come with a terrifying price. And as she uncovers the truth, she’s is forced to choose between staying with those she loves—or entering a new world brimming with dark hungers and unimaginable secrets.

Instant page turner and excitingly watery. Wake kept me turning its pages until the sad and bitter end. Ms. Hocking I applaud you for that. This and the next book, Lullaby are perhaps the only books I actually finished in one day (and I mean literally in 24 hours... started in the morning with Wake and finished in the evening with Lullaby).

There is mythology in here. There is sea side adventures and some exotic underwater ones too. But in all this sunshine there is the repercussions that come with the deal too, murders and as as gruesome as they get.....blood and gore....bodies cut open. A carnage in other words.

This is Gemma's story. A perfectly normal and popular human girl. She finds herself unwittingly drawn into the affairs of the three sisters Pen, Thea and Lexi, mysterious and seemingly deadly; and shrouded into myths. They want Gemma.....she is essential for their life and for her own exuberance to life. And they don't like to be denied.....but can Gemma leave her family behind....new love Alex too when the song of the water reaches her ears??....well that is what this story is about.

The characters of this series are rather the perfect instruments to this series. Gemma is strong, beautiful, strong swimmer, an achiever, determined, has the sense to discern good from evil, but most of all in love. Alex is that love, the geek who matured into a handsome hunk, the boy next door. Gemma & Alex's sweet love brings a certain factor of serenity to the faction that balances the blood and gore of the three sisters. MAN those three are seriously evil....I am sure you might have already guessed what they are already (I'm not telling *wink*)...Evil truly evil....Pen, Lexi and Thea have it all....but the type of girls you might want to steer clear off though.

Finally I'd say the plot, the twists, the turns, the myths, the driving force and the biggest factor the characters, the action and the tension.....make it a fast page turner. You definitely won't want to leave until you get to the end and that's saying something....A worthwhile and exciting read!!!

"Dark and Light....Instant page tuner and excitingly water-y.....a myth as old as the Gods"

Genre :      Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Mythology


Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin


My Copy:  Pan Macmillan India


Rate:              5/5 (It was Amazing)

The Chronicles of Light and Shadow #1 A Conspiracy of Alchemists

A Steampunk story.....couldn't resist. Presenting The Chronicles of Light and Shadow #1 A Conspiracy of Alchemists by Liesel Schwarz.

Here is the summary of the book:

LEAVE IT TO CHANCE. Eleanor “Elle” Chance, that is—a high-flying dirigible pilot with a taste for adventure and the heroine of this edgy new series that transforms elements of urban fantasy, steampunk, and paranormal romance into pure storytelling gold. It is 1903, and the world is divided between light and shadow. On the side of light is a wondrous science that has transformed everyday life by harnessing magical energies to ingenious new technologies. But each advance of science has come at the expense of shadow—the traditional realm of the supernatural. Now two ancient powers are preparing to strike back. Blood-sucking immortal Nightwalkers and their spellcasting Alchemist allies have a plan to cover the whole world in shadow. All they require is the sacrifice of a certain young woman whose past conceals a dangerous secret. But when they come after Elle, they get more than they bargained for. This enterprising young woman, the daughter of a scientific genius, has reserves of bravery and determination that even she scarcely suspects. Now she is about to meet her match in more ways than one: a handsome yet infuriating Warlock named Hugh Marsh, whose agenda is as suspect as his charms are annoyingly irresistible.

First book in the chronicles of light and shadow and a marvelous debut. Schwarz did a good number here steampunk, paranormal, urban fantasy, exotic details, such elements make it an irresistible haunt. Paired with that marvelous and inviting cover, it is enough to say that the book is a hit. The Warlocks, the Alchemists, the Fae, the absinth fairy, and all the nifty steampunk details makes it a fun read.

While the world building could have used a little work but the story had a good pace. Elle is a worthwhile heroine. With a definite temper she is a determined person who strives to get what she wants when she sets her mind to it. The marvel that the author did, made her relatable, as  humane as possible. It is human nature to resist sudden changes. And that is what I liked about her. She resists those major changes at first but as time passes she assimilates to them and bending it to her own means through such changes.

In the romance quota,we find the handsome, irresistible and irritating Hugh Marsh. Irritating as hell but sensitive on the inside, he provides the much needed balance to Elle and its not an overbearing insta-love thank God! They began with suspicion, then progressed to acquaintance, to tentative friendship to strong confidantes.....when it progressed to love.......well that's the beauty of it isn't it......

Such power.....such twists and turns and high rise betrayals....Schwarz puts down a tale of the light and shadow at the very best. Putting in details that not only serve to heighten the fantasy but to the excitement of it too. Cannot guarantee that you will remember what happens in it later but coupled with such an invigorating and inviting cover, it is still a worthwhile read.

"Light & Shadow, exciting, exotic, and as steampunk as they come - A marvelous debut by Liesel Schwarz"

Genre :      Steampunk, Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Urban Fantasy 


Publisher: Del Ray


My Copy:  Publisher and Netgalley


Rate:              5/5 (It was Amazing)

Fairy Tale GIVEAWAY HOP

This hop is in conjunction with the 3rd annual Fairy Tale Fortnight.  

Fairy Tale Giveaway Hop

Hosted by

I Am A Reader, Not A Writer

The Book Rat &

A Backwards Story

March 26th to April 2nd

UPDATE: OMG I FINALLY GOT 1006 GFC followers.....YAY.....2 winners for this giveaway guys......keep entering...........

RULES : 

1. There will be only One Winner (subjected to change). 

2. Winner will be informed via email and *must* reply within 48 hours else I won't have a choice but to select another winner. 

3. All entries would be verified. 

4. Just fill in the rafflecopter below :

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Inner City

Short stories...... Presenting The Inner City by Karen Heuler.

Here is the summary of the book:

Heuler’ s stories dart out at what the world is doing and centre on how the individual copes with it. Anything is possible: people breed dogs with humans to create a servant class; beneath one great city lies another city, running it surreptitiously; an employee finds that her hair has been stolen by someone intent on getting her job; strange fish fall from trees and birds talk too much; a boy tries to figure out what he can get when the Rapture leaves good stuff behind. Everything is familiar; everything is different. Behind it all, is there some strange kind of design or merely just the chance to adapt? In Heuler’ s stories, characters cope with the strange without thinking it’ s strange, sometimes invested in what’ s going on, sometimes trapped by it, but always finding their own way in.

It is a collection of short stories, short speculative fiction specifically. And named after one of the stories of the same name. Each story different than the next. Each story changing the setting, the point of view and of all different shapes and sizes. But all sci-fi.

Now don't expect me to tell you about them all, since that part needs to be done by you readers but I'd say this all these various sci-fi and fantasy tales have the making of a marvelous full fledged book. Many are a sort of statement on society and on morality. There are those that leave you in awe of its boldness, there are those too that will make you cringe.

"Odd, Gripping, Creepy, Imaginative and all the more different.....superlatives that clearly define Heuler's The Inner City"

Genre :      Sci-fi, Speculative Fiction, Anthology, Short Stories


Publisher: ChiZine


My Copy:  Publisher and Netgalley


Rate:              3/5 (Liked It)

Shadowhunters and Downworlders: A Mortal Instruments Reader

Side infos. are always welcome....and if its on Ms. Clare's world of the Shadowhunters and the downworlders.....well then its all the more welcome. Presenting Shadowhunters and Downworlders: A Mortal Instruments Reader.

Here is the summary of the book:

Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments series, epic urban fantasy set in a richly imagined world of shadowhunters, vampires, werewolves, fairies, and more, has captured the imaginations and loyalty of hundreds of thousands of YA readers. Originally a trilogy (City of Bones, City of Ashes, City of Glass), the series has extended to six titles, plus a prequel trilogy, the Infernal Devices, and a planned sequel series, the Dark Artifices. A feature film is planned for 2013. Shadowhunters and Downworlders, edited by Clare (who provides an introduction to the book and to each piece), is a collection of YA authors writing about the series and its world.

Case study...thats what this is....a stack of well researched and well worded case study essays into the realm of Cassandra Clare's Nephilim, From the likes of Holly Black, Kate Milford, Diana Peterfreund, Sara Ryan, Scott Tracey, Robin Wasserman, Kendare Blake, Gwenda Bond, Sarah Rees Brennan, Rachel Caine, Sarah Cross, Kami Garcia, Michelle Hodkin and Kelly Link, comes a true delicacy that gives a new meaning to every shadowhunter book Ms. Clare has written and published so far..... Although in question we are still taking about the Mortal Instruments series here.

There are the reasons why humor and sarcasm makes the best weapon for Jace. There is the reason why Malec is what it is. There is the reason for Clary to adopt art as her ultimate weapon. There is the reason why the best friend never gets the girl....and so many more. Each of these renowned authors bring their own taste to the table (the book), providing what they saw in all such situations as they read each of Ms. Clare's books.

"Shadowhunter fans? Don't miss out on this.....its the one for you"

Genre :      Side read


Publisher: SmartPop


My Copy:  Publisher and Netgalley


Rate:              4/5 (Really Liked It)

Kick-Butt Characters GIVEAWAY HOP

2nd Annual Kick Butt Characters Hop

Hosted by Good Choice Reading 

& I Am A Reader, Not A Writer

March 23rd - 28th

RULES : 

1. There will be only One Winner (subjected to change). 

2. Winner will be informed via email and *must* reply within 48 hours else I won't have a choice but to select another winner. 

3. All entries would be verified. 

4. Just fill in the rafflecopter below :

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Lucky Leprechaun GIVEAWAY HOP

3rd Annual 

Lucky Leprechaun Giveaway Hop 

Co-hosted by Books Complete Me & Author Cindy Thomas

March 15th - 22nd

Since this HOP is about choices which you readers will enjoy so here it goes....

RULES : 

1. There will be only One Winner (subjected to change). 

2. Winner will be informed via email and *must* reply within 48 hours else I won't have a choice but to select another winner. 

3. All entries would be verified. 

4. Just fill in the rafflecopter below :

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Diviners #1 The Diviners

Flappers and Dappers....my first foray with a Libba Bray book and I am amazed. Presenting The Diviners #1 The Diviners by Libba Bray.

Here is the summary of the book:

It's 1920s New York City. It's flappers and Follies, jazz and gin. It's after the war but before the depression. And for certain group of bright young things it's the opportunity to party like never before. For Evie O'Neill, it's escape. She's never fit in in small town Ohio and when she causes yet another scandal, she's shipped off to stay with an uncle in the big city. But far from being exile, this is exactly what she's always wanted: the chance to show how thoroughly modern and incredibly daring she can be. But New York City isn't about just jazz babies and follies girls. It has a darker side. Young women are being murdered across the city. And these aren't crimes of passion. They're gruesome. They're planned. They bear a strange resemblance to an obscure group of tarot cards. And the New York City police can't solve them alone. Evie wasn't just escaping the stifling life of Ohio, she was running from the knowledge of what she could do. She has a secret. A mysterious power that could help catch the killer - if he doesn't catch her first.

Flappers, Dappers, Follies, Jollies, Jazz and Gin. 1920s New York, the year after the war but before the depression. All out parties and simply no care for the world. This is the era of the flashy lifestyle. But where there is light, darkness will just be dangling around the corners. And there is something in the dark that wants to wreak havoc upon the world.

It is upto the Diviners to battle this new force of evil and save the world. They can walk in dreams, they can see the past or they can see the future but something is leaving dead bodies brutally murdered throughout the streets of New York and the police have no idea where to look for clues....they are all methodically planned and being done for a purpose....and this is how the story begins.

This is not about just one character, its about them all, Evie, Uncle Will, Jericho, Sam, Mabel, Theta, Memphis, Blind Bill & Isiah. Every chapter brings a little closer to these vibrant characters bit by bit as we foray into their past, present and future. Ms. Bray's excellent penmanship not only brings these characters to life but makes us connect with them on a much deeper and sentient level.

Ms. Bray's fantastic writing not only brought the 1920s New York to life but makes it believable too with all the nifty details and the language of the era. The supernatural too has its own way of making itself known but Ms. Bray.....wonderful woman....grounded it in the era. Mounting with each chapter its haunting aura enough to send us to the seat's edge as we read about Evie and Jericho towards the end of the book battling the evil in that haunted house. 

I am definitely going to get the next book in the series when it comes out and read her other books now....such extravagant work....you have made me a fan Ms. Bray!!!!

"Flapper era galore. Vibrant parties and the evil lurking in the shadows. From the author of the acclaimed Gemma Doyle saga, comes a tale stranded in the past but modern enough, an exciting, exhilarating and a new venture towards the battle of good and evil"

Genre :      Historical Fiction, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy


Publisher: Atom


My Copy:  Hachette India


Rate:              5/5 (It was Amazing)

The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel #6 The Enchantress

The epic conclusion..... Presenting The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel #6 The Enchantress by Michael Scott.

Here is the summary of the book:

The two that are one must become the one that is all. One to save the world, one to destroy it.

San Francisco:
Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel have one day left to live, and one job left to do. They must defend San Francisco. The monsters gathered on Alcatraz Island have been released and are heading toward the city. If they are not stopped, they will destroy everyone and everything in their path.

But even with the help of two of the greatest warriors from history and myth, will the Sorceress and the legendary Alchemyst be able to defend the city? Or is it the beginning of the end of the human race?

Danu Talis:
Sophie and Josh Newman traveled ten thousand years into the past to Danu Talis when they followed Dr. John Dee and Virginia Dare. And it’s on this legendary island that the battle for the world begins and ends.

Scathach, Prometheus, Palamedes, Shakespeare, Saint-Germain, and Joan of Arc are also on the island. And no one is sure what—or who—the twins will be fighting for.

Today the battle for Danu Talis will be won or lost.

But will the twins of legend stand together?

Or will they stand apart—one to save the world and one to destroy it?

Folklore and Mythology, two subjects that have no beginning and consequently no end, Scott's The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel takes this with all the minuscule details of the lore, coagulated into the astonishingly amazing plot suited for the ages. The Enchantress, is the epic conclusion to this journey that began in the first book, The Alchemyst.

Thoroughly epic and episodic. All the loose ends are tied up. The true meaning of the prophecy comes to light. For both Josh and Sophie, the Gold and Silver, the twins of Legend, it is a true test of mettle to make the right choice at the end.

It is not just about Nicholas Flamel or his wife anymore, the safety of the world is at stake and all the players are lining up to battle for their dues. Mr. Scott's writing is what makes this whole idea work to serve us an unforgettable tale of epic proportions.

"A tale of two worlds. A struggle for power, a struggle for balance and a struggle to prevent the end of the world."

Genre :     Young Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy


Publisher: Delacorte Press


Rate:             5 /5 (It was Amazing)

White Rabbit Chronicles #1 Alice in Zombieland

Truly amazing and another book from my favorite imprint that is going to be hard for me to put in words. Presenting White Rabbit Chronicles #1 Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter.

Here is the summary of the book:

She won’t rest until she’s sent every walking corpse back to its grave. Forever. Had anyone told Alice Bell that her entire life would change course between one heartbeat and the next, she would have laughed. From blissful to tragic, innocent to ruined? Please. But that’s all it took. One heartbeat. A blink, a breath, a second, and everything she knew and loved was gone. Her father was right. The monsters are real….To avenge her family, Ali must learn to fight the undead. To survive, she must learn to trust the baddest of the bad boys, Cole Holland. But Cole has secrets of his own, and if Ali isn’t careful, those secrets might just prove to be more dangerous than the zombies….I wish I could go back and do a thousand things differently. I'd tell my sister no. I'd never beg my mother to talk to my dad. I'd zip my lips and swallow those hateful words. Or, barring all of that, I'd hug my sister, my mom and my dad one last time. I'd tell them I love them. I wish... Yeah, I wish.

Lewis Caroll's classic with a zombie twist. Not a new concept, there are others of the same title by different authors but we don't need to concern ourselves these.....Showalter's rendition in what we need right now. This is the tale of Alice Bell, who in moments of weakness losses all she holds dear. Zombies are very real and very much in existence and very disgusting.

It is an upside down world that Alice finds herself in with the death of everyone in her family in that car crash. What she never believed in now holds truth. Her father was right. Zombies are real and if you are not careful enough then such beings of dark and negative emotions will be the ones to feast on your soul.

Its a new beginning for her as she must come to terms with the violent death of her parent and her sister in the crash and the resultant ambush by the zombies, to re-discover her life and makes a grounded headway to her own mission to destroy these monsters. And she must learn to trust some new very interesting people at the school she relocated to. Maybe the strange connection with the resident bad boy, Cole Holland, may be helpful.

Characters make the story work, you may have a brilliant plot in mind but if you don't have great and developed characters to coincide by them it is simply a waste. And Ms. Showalter's characters definitely did  not disappoint. Kat, Cole, Nana, Pops, Frosty, Mackenzie and all the others, they each serve to flesh out Alice's character layer by layer.

Nana and Pops remind her that she is not alone there are still some family left. Kat as her best friend, the certainty that she is not an adult with all the baggage but still a teen. Cole, the possibility of love and how that road is not an easy one to take. And the others, of the life out of reality, the unique mission to fight for mankind's survival against darkness.

Excellent pacing and excellent leads as well as secondary characters that provide the necessary weight to this phenomenal rendition of the Caroll classic. This is my first Gena Showalter book and OMG it was "Jaw-dropping" awesome. Strong, resilient characters like our heroine Alice and tall, dark, brooding and HOT, Cole. Every character dynamic with much more than what appears on the crust. There is a different approach to the zombies too, I definitely love when the authors spin known mythical creatures in different ways but keeping their origin and characteristic intact. Waiting deligently for the next book "Through the Zombie Glass"....check out that amazing amazing cover....seriously can't wait....

"Its dark, and sublime and its new, Ms. Showalter explores the Caroll classic in ways never before seen or heard off. A must read."

Genre :     Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Classic Re-imaging 


Publisher: Harlequin Teen


Rate:             5 /5 (It was Amazing)

Nightwatchers #2 Wicked Kiss

Day by Day Harlequin Teen's books are getting even harder to review with their increasing standard of goodness.......but i'm not complaining. Presenting Nightwatchers #2 Wicked Kiss by Michelle Rowen.

Here is the summary of the book:

MY KISS CAN KILL. I used to be ordinary Samantha Day, but that's changed. Now, after one dark kiss from a dangerous boy, I can steal someone's soul...or their life. If I give in to the constant hunger inside me, I hurt anyone I kiss. If I don't...I hurt myself. Bishop is the one whose kiss I crave most, but if I kiss him, I'll kill him. Then there's another boy, one I can't hurt. One whose kiss seems to miraculously quell my hunger. They're both part of a team of angels and demons that's joined forces in my city to fight a mysterious rising darkness, an evil that threatens everyone I know and love. I just wonder if I'll be able to help Bishop-or if I'm just another part of the darkness he's sworn to destroy....NIGHTWATCHERS. When angels and demons must work together, something beyond evil is rising...

Truly when Angels and Demons start working together, then its a far greater evil that we are dealing with here. Balance is important, it is very important....and when it gets threatened then things get out of order. And this is what Bishop and the motley group of Angels and Demons need to control alongwith the much appreciated support of Samantha.

There is nosy, there is broody, there is hateful, there is sincere, there is vengeful and there is suspicious. Every flavor is here. Every mood is here that describes this rather unusual congregation perfectly. But Sam, Bishop and Kraven have their hands full into trouble. And the problem is way bigger than before......time is a must....in the limited time period they need to fix all the grays, find a way to save Sam and try to fix almost everything that could go wrong.

The writing, the prose.....its impeccable as ever. This is now a time bound affair and that makes it all the more interesting than ever. And out leads fulfill every criteria we have for them to make this a journey like no other. The dynamics between these three really came at a head here. Sam is a full blown gray but is also a nexus and the hunger to kiss Bishop is too much.....hard to control when that victim is so way good looking than should be allowed..... Bishop is also not fairing well. He is a fallen angel now and slowing he is loosing his mind trying to keep it together.....thinking about it all...all that passion and that everbound love makes the hair stand on its edge......so HOT!!!!!

The epic fight at the end really took the topping here. And the subtle and sublime manner of Ms. Rowen weaving the characters and making us sit tight and see is to the end.....commendable.......well done I say. Ms. Rowen you have put up a story and such rich characters......Kudos to a job well done......

And since is the final book in this series, so i'd like to say that u an keeping my fingers crossed and that this is not hopefully the last time we see these characters and hopefully you will revisit them in the future again.

"Dark and Exhilarating. This is a tug-of-war to achieve the much needed balance but for Sam, Bishop and the group this is a time sensitive mission and it sis running out even as they speak. An epic conclusion that serves to take your heart away......"

Genre :      Paranormal Romance, Young Adult

Publisher: Harlequin Teen


My Copy:  netgalley and publisher


Rate:              5/5 (It was Amazing)

The Last War

Presenting The Last War by Sandipan Deb.

Here is the summary of the book:

Watch Mumbai turn into Kurukshetra in The Last War. The Greatest Story Ever Told . . . Again. A modern-day version of The Mahabharata, The Last War is a page-turning account of brothers in arms and families at war. In the gritty expanse of India’s most dynamic city, Mumbai, from its ritzy high-rises to its mean streets and slums, loyalties are tested, blood is drawn and only ‘dharma’ can justify the means to a devastating end.

Authors are re-imagining the popular myths and classic literature into something new and modern everyday and they have been all successful in their attempts (with a few misses here and there) leading to some popular books and series'. Now our Indian authors also shouldn't stand back in this and its commendable of them to do so too. But when it comes to classic Indian literature like the Puranas, the Ramayana, the Upanishads or the one in question here the Mahabharata; well long standing and popular Indian authors have failed in that prospect.

Decidedly there had been many re-imaging of Mahabharata before. So, Sandipan Deb's The Last War is  definitely not the first one out there. But he did this little trick, he simplified the hefty classic, clipping away some major important characters, reconstructing the story in his own way to try to tell a story that had spanned over the ages into a 500 paged book. Mumbai is the Kurukshetra. Mumbai underground rather. And whomsoever wins, gets the rule of the city under their thumb.

Now let's be clear, it is rather IMPOSSIBLE, to squeeze in all those characters together and all the myriad elements and story arcs from the original into a small book. Clever of the author to reconstruct it accordingly, add in match fixing and the 9/11 attack to provide a more contemporary and a simplistic tale.

The characters and their  background were well thought off but the biggest problem of such a rendition, it missed the strong points, the layered stories....frankly every other thing that made Mahabharata an epic. The pace of the story was good though as a matter of fact. But what the Mahabharata represents... "dharma" doesn't ring true rather it goes stale after repeatedly hearing about throughout.

"An OK attempt. Doesn't have the epic feel the original held"

Genre :      Contemporary, Re-imaging, Thriller


Publisher: Pan Macmillan India


My Copy:  Publisher


Rate:              2/5 (It was Ok)

Goddess Test #3 The Goddess Inheritance

This is the real deal people. This is where it ends. Presenting Goddess Test #3 The Goddess Inheritance by Aimee Carter.

Here is the summary of the book:

Love or life. Henry or their child. The end of her family or the end of the world. Kate must choose. During nine months of captivity, Kate Winters has survived a jealous goddess, a vengeful Titan and a pregnancy she never asked for. Now the Queen of the Gods wants her unborn child, and Kate can't stop her--until Cronus offers a deal. In exchange for her loyalty and devotion, the King of the Titans will spare humanity and let Kate keep her child. Yet even if Kate agrees, he'll destroy Henry, her mother and the rest of the council. And if she refuses, Cronus will tear the world apart until every last god and mortal is dead. With the fate of everyone she loves resting on her shoulders, Kate must do the impossible: find a way to defeat the most powerful being in existence, even if it costs her everything. Even if it costs her eternity.

One of the most anticipated books of the year. The Goddess Inheritance marks a bittersweet end of this long standing extravagant piece of literature that portrays the Greek myths exactly as the semantics state. Carter's epic conclusion will leave you extremely jovial but notwithstanding some big bad news along the way.

It takes strong characters, strong plot and an ability to think outside of the box to present a known idea into something new. That was what Carter did, she took a known and over used topic, Greek Mythology and presented am epic tale never before heard of or even thought about and made us readers feel every bit of what these characters are going through.

Kate really came out as the strong heroine, Ms. Carter made her to be. Her love for Henry is as strong as Henry's is for her but those take a back seat since she is a mother now and stands to loose it all if she doesn't choose it right. Calliope and Cronus true to their myth and vindictive as ever stoop to all the low levels they have to get what they want. The Gods......they just infuriated with their drive to endanger a child's life and that of their loved ones to be one step away from the enemy....that's just disgusting don't you think....

The twists and turns and the unravelings added endeavors to supply us with the action-packed conclusion that we need because the end in nothing but the start of something new.

"Breadth-taking and an action-packed conclusion. A true test of courage for Kate and Henry and Carter's penmanship is enough to envoke all the right feelings at all the right places"

Genre :      Paranormal Romance, Young Adult

Publisher: Harlequin Teen


My Copy:  netgalley and publisher


Rate:              5/5 (It was Amazing)

Lunar Love GIVEAWAY HOP

2nd Annual

Lunar Love Giveaway Hop

March 8th to 13th

Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & Bookworm Lisa

RULES : 

1. There will be only One Winner (subjected to change). 

2. Winner will be informed via email and *must* reply within 48 hours else I won't have a choice but to select another winner. 

3. All entries would be verified. 

4. Just fill in the rafflecopter below :

a Rafflecopter giveaway