What's On My Hold List?

 

Welcome to the January 2013 edition

of

"What's on My Hold List?"

 

One of the most beautiful things about working in a Library is that I have the ability to put lots of things on hold and read them *before* I buy!! These are some of the books that I'm currently waiting for, though I may buy one or two of them after reading, as well.

 

Rise

by Andrea Cremer

Nightshade prequels, book two

 

TeenBoat!

by Dave Roman, illus. by John Green

 

The Cadet of Tildor

by Alex Lidell

 

You can click on each title to go to their Amazon page for a description...

 

So, these are the books I'm waiting anxiously to get my hands on...what are you waiting for??



Rift

Rift

by Andrea Cremer

prequel to Nightshade

 

Sixteen-year-old Ember Morrow is promised to a group called Conatus after one of their healers saves her mother's life. Once she arrives, Ember finds joy in wielding swords, learning magic, and fighting the encroaching darkness loose in the world. She also finds herself falling in love with her mentor, the dashing, brooding, and powerful Barrow Hess. When the knights realize Eira, one of their leaders, is dabbling in dark magic, Ember and Barrow must choose whether to follow Eira into the nether realm or to pledge their lives to destroying her and her kind. (description from Amazon.com)

 

It's been a little while since I read an Andrea Cremer book and I'd forgotten how easily she draws me right into the Nightshade world! Now, this book is a prequel, so it takes place in an older society, and I thought she did a really great job fleshing out this time period. Though many things are still secret (we are dealing with a secret sect of a religious army derived from the Templars, after all), the process by which the initiates choose and are accepted into their branch of service was well thought out and interesting, and the power structure of their world was explored just enough to be illuminating, but Cremer wisely withheld enough to make things very intriguing for the sequel...

 

I liked the very Celtic feel of this time and place.  This was strongly enhanced by listening to the narrator of the audio book, Sile Birmingham, who did an excellent Scots accent.  With action, romance, and a very creepy "bad guy," I cannot wait to dive into this world again in the sequel, Rise, which will be coming out this spring.  

 

 

 

Full disclosure: Audio book received to review for AudioFile Magazine

The Secret World of Alaina Downs - With a Giveaway!

The Secret World of Alaina Downs
by Rebecca Rynecki

When 22 year old Alaina stumbles into a world that she thought only existed in her mind, she is understandably a little bit freaked out. Who wouldn't be? Characters that she had written down years ago are walking, and talking, and telling her that she is the only one who can save the princess and the kingdom of Isleen. Um...okay. As she travels down to the southern kingdom with Sir Gabriel, a really hot knight, she falls off horses, has an interaction with an evil witch, gets attacked by a sea creature, and even falls from lust into love. (description from Amazon.com)

As some of you know I am in a writer's group. This, THIS book is one of my writing partner's first books. So exciting!! Becca worked incredibly hard on this book and having read it several times, I can confidently say that I am super proud to have been a part of her journey to publication.

BUT...on to the book. This book would actually make a really great summer read so it's timely that it's just out now. :)  It has adventure. It has romance. It has, well...a dripping, hot knight with a wicked sense of humor. How can you go wrong?

Fan of Princess Bride? Then you NEED to read this book. It has the same tongue in cheek humor and homage to the fantasy genre. I laughed, I cried a little, then I almost shot tea right out of my nose when the next snarky spot hit.  I loved so much of this book...I kind of wish I'd written it myself! LOL.

Sea monsters
Hot knights
Dragon rides
Spiders in the Loo
Princesses in Comas
One bad-@ss  Baba Yaga

These are just some of the (you don't know it, yet, but...) hilarious things you will find in The Secret World of Alaina Downs. If you would like the chance to find out for yourself, you're in luck. I have a brand-y new published copy of  the book to give away! 

To enter, just leave me a comment with your name and email address. If you want for fun, you could also tell me your favorite fantasy hero... I love to learn about some hotties I may have missed in the past, LOL. You  have until Friday, July 20th to enter.  On Saturday, July 21st I will announce the winner chosen via Random.org and they will have until Tues., July  24th to get me their US mailing address so that I can ship  out this fantastic book! 

Good Luck!!  
 Full disclosure: Beta Reader for this book prior to publication

Your Highness - Movie Review

Your Highness
starring Danny McBride, James Franco, and Natalie Portman

When the glorious crown Prince, Fabius, returns home with a bride-to-be, his younger brother, Thaddeus, is none too impressed. When an evil wizard steals Fabius' fiancee from their wedding to use her as part of a nefarious plot to sire a dragon that would be under his control, Fabius sets out on a quest to save her. Sick of Thaddeus' antics, their father, the King, forces Thaddeus to accompany his brother so that he will become a man along the way. In the midst of their quest, the brothers meet a very pretty, very psychotic young woman, Isabelle, also questing to take out the evil wizard in revenge for killing her family years before.

If you like campy, slapstick, perverted humor, then this is the movie for you. If you don't like dirty humor, nudity, or wizards that shoot lightning out of their fingertips, you may want to skip this one.

I, for one, loved it. I guess there is a part of me that channels 12 year old boy humor, but I thought this movie was hilarious. I was horrified in spots at the dark depths of the humor and parts made me blush, but I would not have stopped watching for anything. So funny!!

Charlie Bone and the Red Knight

Charlie Bone and the Red Knight
by Jenny Nimmo
Children of the Red King, book 8

Charlie and his friends take on the most powerful and dangerous magic in book eight of this extraordinary series. As wicked forces come to a head at Bloor's Academy, Charlie and his friends must use all their magic and all their might to fight the evil and save Charlie's parents.

In his greatest adventure yet, Charlie must discover the fate of his family, the evil intention of the Bloors, what has become of Septimus Bloor's will, and most important, the destiny of the Red Knight's heirs. But are the Children of the Red King strong enough to defeat the darkness and find their answers?

Join Charlie and his friends as they race to unlock the mystery of the Red King in this final chapter...
(description taken from Amazon.com)

It was hard to see this series finally come to an end. When I was in my post-Harry slump, Charlie came along and took me on another magical ride. Nimmo was able to create another hero that I was wholeheartedly rooting for, with great family and friends, and intriguing enemies to battle!

I loved the first few books in the series, enjoyed the ones in the middle, and overall liked the final book. I did feel like, however, that maybe parts of this book could have been fleshed out and it could have been split into two books.

There were some really awesome twists (*no spoilers, I swear!) and awesome new magic, like a giant floating globe made of the world's oceans, and Charlie discovers some whopping secrets. Allegiances change, new friendships are forged, and the battle lines are finally, firmly drawn...and then it wraps up in one chapter.

One. One chapter. That was my only real issue. It just ended so abruptly! I wasn't prepared. There was a lot of set up, then BAM. There you go. The end. It almost hurt a little!

Has anyone else read these? Did you have the same reaction?

Knightley Academy

Knightley Academy
by Violet Haberdasher

All Henry knows is life as an orphaned servant boy at the Midsummer School, bullied by the privileged sons of aristocracy. But all that changes when Henry is the first commoner to pass the entrance exam for the prestigious Knightley Academy, where he will be trained as a modern-day knight alongside the cleverest and bravest fourteen-year-olds in the country.

Henry and his roomates, two other students from decidedly un-Knightley backgrounds, are not exactly greeted with open arms by their classmates. In fact, it soon becomes apparent that someone is going to great lengths to sabotage the trio's chances at becoming knights. But Henry soon learns that there is more at stake here than his future at Knightley, and only he can sound the alarm. Is anyone going to believe a former servant on the brink of expulsion? (description taken from Amazon.com)

I devoured this book...and then I sighed with happiness. It is very reminiscent of Harry Potter. To clarify, it is not one of the carbon copy wizard books that came out just after the whole wizarding explosion in MG/YA. What it has is the feeling that Rowling was able to evoke in her readers.

Yes, there is an orphan, some downtrodden, looked poorly upon friends, a slight romantic tension, and the struggle to fight for what's right...manners, valiance, fighting oppression, tyranny, and discrimination.

What makes this book special is that you are drawn into a new world with fantastic, well drawn characters. Henry, Frankie, and even his school nemesis, Valmont are mutli-faceted characters that grow and support each other right in front of the reader's eyes. The narrator's voice is also really funny, sarcastic, and similar to Lemony Snicket.

Another thing I loved was the blend of modern and medieval. This is what I would refer to as steampunk without the sci-fi feel. This book is set in "modern" times, yet there are still knights in society. They are detectives, police officers, and more, but they are KNIGHTS. Awesome!

If you've been missing something since Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows came out, ending an era, you need to try this new series!!