"The Passage" by Justin Cronin~The Best of Apocalypse Novels!

SUMMARY :

NAMED ONE OF THE TEN BEST NOVELS OF THE YEAR BY TIME MAGAZINE AND ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY
The Washington Post • Esquire • U.S. News & World Report • NPR’s On Point • St. Louis Post-Dispatch • BookPage • Library Journal

An epic and gripping tale of catastrophe and survival, The Passage is the story of Amy—abandoned by her mother at the age of six, pursued and then imprisoned by the shadowy figures behind a government experiment of apocalyptic proportions. But Special Agent Brad Wolgast, the lawman sent to track her down, is disarmed by the curiously quiet girl—and risks everything to save her. As the experiment goes nightmarishly wrong, Wolgast secures her escape—but he can’t stop society’s collapse. And as Amy walks alone, across miles and decades, into a future dark with violence and despair, she is filled with the mysterious and terrifying knowledge that only she has the power to save the ruined world.

USA Today has named The Passage as a must summer read: Booksellers across the country are buzzing about this novel, which features a jacket blurb by Stephen King. Film rights have been bought by Fox 2000 for Ridley and Tony Scott.

PARTICULARS OF THE BOOK :

Published by:  Ballantine Books
Pages:  766   Plus Excerpt of 2nd book in the series The Twelve
Genre:  Fiction/SyFy/Apocalyptic/Thriller
Author:  Justin Cronin
Website of author:  http://www.justincronin.com
Purchase this book:  Barnes & Noble    Amazon



ABOUT THE AUTHOR :

Justin Cronin is the New York Times bestselling author of The Passage, Mary and O’Neil (which won the PEN/Hemingway Award and the Stephen Crane Prize), and The Summer Guest. Other honors for his writing include a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts and a Whiting Writer’s Award. He lives with his family in Houston, Texas. - See more at: http://enterthepassage.com/author/#sthash.0IbItywA.dpuf

You can find Mr. Cronin on Facebook and Twitter!

THE BOOKISH DAME REVIEWS :

Every once in ten years an absorbing, heart-stopping thriller comes along that keeps you reading for a non-stop week.  "The Passage" is such a book.  It's one of those books that you put everything in your life on hold to read because you can't wait to turn another page.  It's one of those books that keeps calling to you even when you'd like to ignore it.  "The Passage" is so addictive you'll lose sleep and forget to shower!  I suggest you just block off several days for it right off the bat.

I had no idea what I was getting into when I sat down with this novel.  I actually thought it might be one of those heavily touted but mildly forgettable ones.  This is anything but that.  Set in current times and then a near future, you'll be able to easily relate to the people and situations.  I found it just gripping.  And the plot is unique, as well, though it may seem from the simplistic cover summary that
it isn't.  The book is just difficult to summarize...you've read those types.

Although Amy is supposed to be the central character, I found myself more caught up in the adult survivors of the horrendous "experiment gone wrong" in their make-shift society.  Cronin digs deep to give us vivid characterizations of people living and trying to survive in an impossible situation.  The relationships they forge are tenuous at best, but loving and strong, nevertheless.  It made me keep tracking with them, and it made me have hope for what could happen to us if we ever faced an earthshattering situation as a contemporary society.

Cronin is an author whose time has come.  He's the storyteller of our century with a tale that seems unbelievable and plausible at the same time.  Think of Stephen King only more literary.

You can't miss this one this year.  I can't recommend it highly enough! I've already purchased "The Twelve."

 

5+ stars                  Deborah/TheBookishDame

 

"The Ghost Runner" by Blair Richmond~Environmentalist Meets Ghost/Vampires

SUMMARY :

Introducing Book Two in the Lithia Trilogy...
 

In The Ghost Runner, Kat is still in Lithia, trying not to see Roman's face everywhere she looks. It's not easy, but she tries to move on: She starts taking classes at the local college, keeps up with her job at the running store, and is beginning a relationship with Alex.

Yet Kat's past is never far behind, and as old ghosts begin to catch up with her, she finds herself fighting to defend the things she believes in, from the hope of a new family to the deeply wooded forests that she has begun to call home. As her relationship with Alex begins to crumble, a new secret from her past emerges, and she is once again torn between those she loves as she struggles to reconcile her dark past with her hopes for a brighter future.

The Ghost Runner, continuing Kat's adventures in Out of Breath, brings us further into the mysterious town of Lithia, where the old traditions of logging and gold mining-and the new traditions of development-collide with conservation. Meanwhile, the spirits of the town keep watch over everything-and occasionally find it necessary to intervene...

The Lithia Trilogy, which blends adventure and the paranormal with environmental awareness and Shakespeare, offers an exciting new series in young adult fiction.

PARTICULARS OF THE BOOK :

Published by:  Ashland Creek Press
Pages:  258
Genre:  YA Fiction
Author:  Blair Richmond
Website:  http://www.blairrichmond.blogspot.com


ABOUT THE AUTHOR :

Very mysteriously, Blair Richmond is the pen name of a writer who lives in the Pacific Northwest.


INTERVIEW WITH BLAIR RICHMOND COURTESTY OF ASHLAND CREEK PRESS:

 Q&A with Blair Richmond, author of The Ghost Runner and Out of Breath

 

 

Q: What gave you the idea for The Lithia Trilogy? Did it begin as a trilogy or as just one book?

A: I remember watching the Twilight movie and silently simmering as Ed Cullen explained how he and his family were “vegetarian” vampires. Ed Cullen may be easy on the eyes, but he’s no vegetarian. I guess we were supposed to feel better that the Cullens only killed animals instead of people, but I wasn’t sold on the idea. I love animals. So I went home and tried to forget about it, but I just couldn’t. And soon my crazy imagination took over, and I began thinking about the character of Kat—a young woman, a runaway, who hides out in a small town in southern Oregon.
I had a feeling when I set out to write Out of Breath that I wouldn’t say everything I wanted in just one book. But I didn’t think then I had a trilogy in me—and I’m still not completely sure (I’m still working on book three!).
What I did know is that I wanted to write a book set in southern Oregon. I live here and love the area and the people, and it’s hard for my mind not to imagine paranormal stories set here.
I knew I wanted to write a book about a runaway who takes cover in a magical town of many secrets, only to realize that she cannot outrun her past. I wanted to write about a young woman who believes she can make a difference in the world. And succeeds, in ways she doesn’t expect. And I wanted to write a book about love. About how love can turn a person—even a vampire—into something different, something better.
And as it turned out, I couldn’t say everything I wanted to say even in two books. That’s when I knew it would be a trilogy. And then, I think I’ll be done!

Q: Is the character of Kat based on you? That is, are you also a vegan and a competitive runner?
A: I wish I was as good a runner as Kat! But she and I do share a love of animals and nature. I think Kat is the person I wish I was when I was much younger. A strong-willed woman with unending optimism about changing the planet.

Q: What made you decide to use vampires as an analogy for writing about animal protection and veganism?
A: First, I love vampire novels. I’m attracted to lost and damaged souls, and vampires fit the bill. But I also thought that if a vampire could give up on blood, there would be hope for all of us.
I believe everyone is capable of making great changes in their lives. Giving up meat was, for me, an extremely difficult change. My family wasn’t supportive. I alienated a few good friends (and made a few new friends along the way). And I mostly felt alienated myself. Because vegans are still a minority in the world.
I realized that there were emotional similarities between a vegan (Kat) and a vampire (Roman) and I wanted to explore this more.

Q: Why do you write for young adults rather than an adult audience?
A: My books may be labeled YA, but I first write for myself, which I suppose makes me an overgrown young adult. But I guess I also focus on young adults because they are our future. And if this world is going to be saved—and I believe it will—it will be thanks to this generation. My generation (and I won’t be any more specific than that) has kicked the environmental can down the road for far too long. The younger generation is not going to repeat our mistakes. At least that’s my hope.

Q: What do you hope your readers learn from reading your books?
A: I hope readers enjoy the journey as much as I have. I hope they love Kat and maybe learn a thing or two about Oregon—also about how veganism and environmentalism are so closely connected. And I hope young people are inspired to change the world.

THE DAME INTERVIEWS BLAIR RICHMOND (THE ILLUSIVE AUTHOR) !!!

1       Tell us something about yourself, please.  How do most people describe
you?

Stubborn. Eccentric. Reclusive. I’d love to include drop-dead beautiful but that
would be my imagination taking over.

2      Where is your favorite place to write?  Any special gimmicks, writing
tools or keepsakes that you keep near you when you write…I hear authors can be
superstitious!
I like to write at the public library. I find all the distractions there
actually force me to concentrate more. At home, I distract myself far more than
others can accomplish.

3      Who first told you could write well, and how did it affect you?
My high school English teacher said I had talent. But too many years passed
before I actually believed her.

4      Which contemporary authors do you most admire?
Ursula K. Le Guin. Stephen King. Cormac McCarthy. And I have a particular debt
to Stephenie Meyer, who inspired me to create TRULY vegetarian vampires.

5      Which are your favorite classical authors?
Shakespeare of course!

6      Jump into any book — which character would you be?
I like Katniss from The Hunger Games Trilogy because she’s so tough. But as my
readers know, I’m a pacifist so I’m probably more like Kat from my own books.

7      If you could have 5 historical people to dinner, who would they be?  What
would you have to eat?
Lincoln. Hemingway. Shakespeare. Rachel Carson. Virginia Woolf.  I’d serve a
vegan meal, and I think that alone would make some very interesting
conversation, particularly from Hemingway.

8      Ocean or Lake?
Ocean. Probably because I’m so far away from one these days.

9      Favorite two TV shows:
The Killing – I’m ecstatic that they’re bringing the show back for another
season. And I'm a softie for Northern Exposure – with the nature and small-town
life.

10   Favorite movie of all time:
Impossible to choose just one!

11   Are you working on a new book?
I’m nearly finished with book three of The Lithia Trilogy. I’m behind schedule.
But because it’s the last book (or so I’ve told my publisher), it’s hard to let
go. After this book, who knows what’s next. But I won’t stop writing now that
I’ve begun.

12   Anything else I forgot to ask you?

My real identity. But I’m relieved you didn’t. : )


THE BOOKISH DAME REVIEWS :

I haven't been reading much YA fiction lately.  But when Ashland Creek Press contacted me about Richmond's latest book in the Lithia series I grabbed the opportunity to read and review it.  I read and reviewed "Out of Breath" here in 2011: http://abookishlibraria.blogspot.com/2011/10/out-of-breath-by-blair-richmond-runners_27.html. 

There aren't any other books similar to this one on the market as far as I can tell.  Very environmental-conscious, inclusive of health issues and exercise in the greater outdoors, and spotlighting vampires and ghosts!  Well, you go figure!  One wonders how all this could fit together and be good reading...
It is, though.

Richmond has an easy way of bringing us into the story by attracting us to her/his major character, Kat.  She's a normal young woman in most cases, but she fraternizes with vampires and ghosts!  Her interests lie in running and saving the environment, as well as in drama.  All this makes for a well-rounded and interesting person, but she's also a sympathetic and loving friend and daughter. Her vampire love interests and villains, ghostly encounters, and other cast of characters bring the book to full bloom with Kat at the center.  This is a rich story with lots of players to chew on.

I found this novel easy to read.  Blair Richmond isn't trying to win any writing contests with his/her books.  It's just a well-written story that has something to say about how we live our lives in full circle...in the world around us, in our fantacies, and in our relationships.

A good read for the YA crowd.

3 stars                        Deborah/TheBookishDame

"Blood Prophecy" by Alyxandra Harvey~The Drake Chronicles Continues!!

SUMMARY :

In the thrilling conclusion of the Drake Chronicles, love and loyalties will be tested ... and proven once and for all.
 
Solange Drake has been officially crowned Queen of the Vampires, fulfilling the centuries old prophecy that foretold the rise to power of a daughter born to an ancient vampire line. Except Solange's thoughts and actions are no longer her own—she's been slowly being possessed by the spirit of Viola, the first daughter born into the Drake line, since her bloodchange. And instead of uniting the vampire tribes under the rule of an ancient daughter as the prophecy predicted, Viola would rather destroy them all and enslave humans in a personal vendetta for the devastation both wrought to her life centuries ago. Can Solange break her hold in time to save everyone she loves from a vampire civil war, hunter attack, and each other? Not everyone will survive the prophecy . . . perhaps not even her.


PARTICULARS OF THE BOOK :

Published by:  Walker Children's
Pages:  496
Genre:  YA Fiction/Horror
Author:  Alyxandra Harvey
Purchase here:  Amazon



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

ALYXANDRA HARVEY is the author of The Drake Chronicles—Hearts at Stake, Blood Feud, Out for Blood, and Bleeding Hearts—as well as two stand-alone novels, Haunting Violet and Stolen Away.

Alyxandra Harvey lives in a stone Victorian house in Ontario, Canada with a few resident ghosts who are allowed to stay as long as they keep company manners. She loves medieval dresses, used to be able to recite all of The Lady of Shalott by Tennyson, and has been accused, more than once, of being born in the wrong century. She believes this to be mostly true except for the fact that she really likes running water, women’s rights, and ice cream.

Among her favourite books are ‘The Wood Wife’ by Terri Windling, ‘Jane Eyre’ by Charlotte Bronte, and of course, ‘Pride and Prejudice’ by Jane Austen. Elizabeth Bennet is her hero because she’s smart and sassy, and Mr. Darcy is, well, yum.

Aside from the ghosts, she also lives with husband and their dogs. She likes cinnamon lattes, tattoos and books.

You can find her easily here:

www.alyxandraharvey.com

www.thedrakechronicles.com



THE BOOKISH DAME REVIEWS :

I became an instant fan of Ms Harvey's books when I ran into "Stolen Away" a couple of years ago.  I've had to back track to read about the Drake Chronicles and have loved every single word and story about them since then.  "Blood Prophecy" is just a continuation of the story...and I was greedy about it, frankly.

There's nothing new to add about my addiction to the series.  I find Alyxandra Harvey a queen of vampire writing and one who crosses the lines between YA and adult fiction very well.  Although for the most part her characters are teens and young adults, there are enough adult vampires intervening in their lives to keep things very interesting...especially in this book.

Ms Harvey has a very compelling imagination.  I love her work and would read just about anything she writes. 

I highly recommend this series.  It's not rocket science...but that makes it easy, good reading as far as I'm concerned.  You won't be sorry you've discovered her once you read one of her books.  This one is well worth the read. 

5 stars for a great vampire series           Deborah/TheBookishDame


 

"The Accursed" by Joyce Carol Oates~Daunting & Damned Good!

SUMMARY :

A major historical novel from "one of the great artistic forces of our time" (The Nation)—an eerie, unforgettable story of possession, power, and loss in early-twentieth-century Princeton, a cultural crossroads of the powerful and the damned.

Princeton, New Jersey, at the turn of the twentieth century: a tranquil place to raise a family, a genteel town for genteel souls. But something dark and dangerous lurks at the edges of the town, corrupting and infecting its residents. Vampires and ghosts haunt the dreams of the innocent. A powerful curse besets the elite families of Princeton; their daughters begin disappearing. A young bride on the verge of the altar is seduced and abducted by a dangerously compelling man–a shape-shifting, vaguely European prince who might just be the devil, and who spreads his curse upon a richly deserving community of white Anglo-Saxon privilege. And in the Pine Barrens that border the town, a lush and terrifying underworld opens up.

When the bride's brother sets out against all odds to find her, his path will cross those of Princeton's most formidable people, from Grover Cleveland, fresh out of his second term in the White House and retired to town for a quieter life, to soon-to-be commander in chief Woodrow Wilson, president of the university and a complex individual obsessed to the point of madness with his need to retain power; from the young Socialist idealist Upton Sinclair to his charismatic comrade Jack London, and the most famous writer of the era, Samuel Clemens/Mark Twain–all plagued by "accursed" visions.

An utterly fresh work from Oates, The Accursed marks new territory for the masterful writer. Narrated with her unmistakable psychological insight, it combines beautifully transporting historical detail with chilling supernatural elements to stunning effect.

PARTICULARS OF THE BOOK :

Published by:  Ecco/Harper Collins
Pages:  667
Genre:  Fiction
Author:  Joyce Carol Oates


YouTube Video about "The Accursed:"

 

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR :

 

 

By now most of you know who Ms Oates is but here is a brief synopsis of her and her work...

 

Joyce Carol Oates is a recipient of the National Medal of Humanities, the National Book Critics Circle Ivan Sandrof Lifetime Achievement Award, the Chicago Tribune Lifetime Achievement Award, the National Book Award, and the PEN/Malamud Award for Excellence in Short Fiction, and has been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. She has written some of the most enduring fiction of our time, including the national bestsellers We Were the Mulvaneys, Blonde, which was nominated for the National Book Award, and the New York Times bestseller The Falls, which won the 2005 Prix Femina. She is the Roger S. Berlind Distinguished Professor of the Humanities at Princeton University and has been a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters since 1978.

Biography

Joyce Carol Oates is one of the most influential and important storytellers in the literary world. She has often used her supreme narrative skills to examine the dark side of middle-class Americana, and her oeuvre includes some of the finest examples of modern essays, plays, criticism, and fiction from a vast array of genres. She is still publishing with a speed and consistency of quality nearly unheard of in contemporary literature.

A born storyteller, Oates has been spinning yarns since she was a little girl too young to even write. Instead, she would communicate her stories through drawings and paintings. When she received her very first typewriter at the age of 14, her creative floodgates opened with a torrent. She says she wrote "novel after novel" throughout high school and college -- a prolificacy that has continued unabated throughout a professional career that began in 1963 with her first short story collection, By the North Gate. Oates's breakthrough occurred in 1969 with the publication of them, a National Book Award winner that established her as a force to be reckoned with. Since that auspicious beginning, she has been nominated for nearly every major literary honor -- from the PEN/Faulkner Award to the Pulitzer Prize -- and her fiction turns up with regularity on The New York Times annual list of Notable Books. On average Oates publishes at least one novel, essay anthology, or story collection a year (during the 1970s, she produced at the astonishing rate of two or three books a year!). And although her fiction often exposes the darker side of America's brightest facades – familial unrest, sexual violence, the death of innocence – she has also made successful forays into Gothic novels, suspense, fantasy, and children's literature. As novelist John Barth once remarked, "Joyce Carol Oates writes all over the aesthetical map."

Where she finds the time for it no one knows, but Oates manages to combine her ambitious, prolific writing career with teaching: first at the University of Windsor in Canada, then (from 1978 on), at Princeton University in New Jersey. For all her success and fame, her daily routine of teaching and writing has changed very little, and her commitment to literature as a transcendent human activity remains steadfast.

Good To Know

When not writing, Oates likes to take in a fight. "Boxing is a celebration of the lost religion of masculinity all the more trenchant for its being lost," she says in highbrow fashion of the lowbrow sport.

Oates's Black Water, which is a thinly veiled account of Ted Kennedy's car crash in Chappaquiddick, was produced as an opera in the 1990s.

In 2001, Oprah Winfrey selected Oates's novel We Were the Mulvaneys for her Book Club

THE DAME'S REVIEW OF "THE ACCURSED"  :

Daunting...nearly 700 pages of Joyce Carol Oates writing in her Gothic style.  One never knows what to expect.  I certainly wasn't ready for vampires in her hands, but she's capable of any and everything!
Ghosts and vampires creep through the pages of this book, but they travel it beside such well-recognized old gents as Woodrow Wilson, Grover Cleveland and Upton Sinclair.  Princeton University never looked so hallowed, and the grounds so clearly delineated, either.  But, I'm Ms Oates faithful reader, so all was well in my book!  I read every page like it was chocolate.

Ms Oates has a way with satire/humor and it's run rampant in this novel.  She enjoys poking fun at the old standards of Princeton and the wealthy establishment of patriarchy that founded it.  She also glides through their phobias and insecurities like a hot knife through butter.  I loved it.

Women characters are also described in the finest details and are not left unscathed by her piercing eye. Early awakenings of feminism are heartening. I particularly love the diary entries. 

I relish a good villain in the hands of Joyce Carol Oates because the "good" are so beautiful and vulnerable and the villains are so slimy.  She seemed to have great fun with this book, and we sense it in all the hissing and lip-smacking that goes on.

While "The Accursed" is a large book, I highly recommend it.  It's legendary in terms of the history of Princeton and its venerable inhabitants, and the accompanying fictitious parts are like icing on the proverbial cake!  For instance, I'll never look at Woodrow Wilson in the same way again!  The Gothic elements are to die for.

This is a fantastic book by Ms Oates!  You'll be sorry if you don't read it.

5 stars                   Deborah/TheBookishDame



 

"Covet" by Melissa Darnell~Good Vampire Read for Christmas!

SUMMARY :

Dangerous to be together. Painful to be apart.

Savannah Colbert knows she broke up with Tristan Coleman for the right reasons. Most of all, to keep from killing him with her new vampire abilities. But try telling her heart. Now, lost in a sea of hostile Clann faces, Sav tries to come to terms with what she's becoming and what that means for her future. And that someone is doing their best to bully her into making a terrible mistake.

Tristan can't believe Sav won't even talk to him. If being apart is her decision, fine. Just don't expect him to honor it. But even as he prepares to fight for the girl he loves, forces beyond their control take them both in directions neither could have foreseen or prepared for.

A reckoning is coming…and not everyone will survive.

PARTICULARS OF THE BOOK :
Published by:  Harlequin
Pages:  496
Genre:  YA Fiction/Thriller/Vampire/Fantasy
Purchase:  Amazon
Series!! 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR :

Melissa Darnell is the author of a growing list of adult and YA fiction and nonfiction books, including The Clann Series #1: Crave, The Clann Series #2: Covet, The Source, and The Ultimate Guide to Making Cheer/Dance Gear & Gifts. Born in California, she grew up in Jacksonville, Texas and has also called the following states home since then: Utah, West Virginia, Louisiana, Alabama, Kentucky, Iowa and South Dakota. She currently lives in Nebraska with her husband Tim and two children, Hunter and Alexander, where she enjoys watching Whale Wars, Glee and True Blood, designing digital graphic products for the virtual world of Second Life, and of course writing her latest book.
Visit her websites for news, online playlists for each of her books, and more at www.MelissaDarnell.com  and
www.TheClannSeries.com


THE BOOKISH DAME REVIEWS :
This is one of those rare books nowdays about vampires, witches, etc. that has a very fine writer!  Melissa Darnell is one.  I was surprised to find this when I read her opening chapter.  It captured my attention and kept me thumbing through the pages to the end of her story.  Catching us up from the beginning (I hadn't read the first book in this series:  "Crave: The Clann Series #1"), I felt I hadn't started in the middle of a book of characters I knew nothing about.  This is actually a good read!

The characters and plot are well-formed with the adults being as interesting as the teens.  It made the reading smooth-going for me through the 400-some pages.  Though things trail behind towards the middle of the book, Ms Darnell picks up the pace again and brings the story home with the two star-crossed lovers, Savannah and Tristan. She sets us up for the next book in her series.  The "Romeo and Juliet" sweethearts are hard to resist!  They aren't sappy young things, but have substance to their characterizations.

I thought this book would be the perfect holiday gift for the mid-teen group...but then, I also enjoyed it for a quick getaway, myself.  So, I'm recommending it to young adults and as a crossover adult piece.  It was light reading, but it was as good as any of the vampire books on the market, and better than most! As I said to begin with, Melissa Darnell is a good writer, and a good storyteller.  I think we'll all be looking forward to the next installment in the series...

4 stars             Deborah/TheBookishDame


 

YA Novels~Signs of the Times

Before I begin my post, let me direct your attention to this humongous giveaway going on at Beth Revis's blog!!!  See the link: http://bethrevis.blogspot.com  Talk about a Thanksgiving Special!  Please do yourself a favor and go there to sign up for a change to win this spectacular stash...

I just wanted to take this time to be thankful this year about the plethora of YA novels and writers of them.  I used to spend more time reviewing them, and  hope to continue in that vein in coming months. 

What has impressed me most with the ones I've chosen to read, and which have become the best sellers in the past years or so is their impact on how our future is interpreted for young adult readers, and not only them but adults who are cross-over reading the same books.  Books like the obvious "Hunger Games," but also "Divergent," "Pure" and many others will see our future as projected through the eyes of authors for this generation who may experience a time in the future holding destruction and survival like we've not known to this point.  Frightening...and hopeful at the same time.  I'm drawn to the dystopian novels in particular.

Personally, I've found the fantasy novels with angelics, psychics and faeries interesting, as well on most counts.  But, they fail to hold my attention and they aren't the first books I reach for on the shelves.  To me, most are less compelling than the dystopians and more infantile.  I can see they have a huge draw for the young adults, however, and I've read some very well written examples of them!

I'm a die-hard vampire fan for those who don't know me well.  So, all those having to do with vampires, were's and such are just chocolate to me!  All I can say is give me more!  Richelle Mead is one of my favorite authors in this genre...but there are so many more.  Love them all.

I've left out categories, I know, but there are so many!  If you haven't tried the YA section of your bookstore or library or online shop, you just have to.  There's more than "Harry Potter" out there today for you. 

Here are some new recommendations:

"Reached" is the third in the "Matched" trilogy which is a futuristic novel series.

"The Evolution of Mara Dyer" is the second book in a series you have to read!  "The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer" is an unforgettable novel!

"Pure" is a novel I reviewed here recently about a post-apocalyptic world...fantastic book.

and "Divergent" is a sort of "Hunger Games" book, only better in my humble opinion.  This one could be the next great movie.  It already has a cult following.

(Have I erred on the side of dystopians?  Oh, well, you can see where my heart is....  :]  )

Happy reading!

Deborah/TheBookishDame

GIVEAWAY!! "The Unfailing Light: The Katernina Trilogy Vol.II" by Robin Bridges

SUMMARY :

Kirkus Reviews

In the sequel to The Gathering Storm (2012), the tsar forces Katerina to put aside her ambition to attend medical college and return to Smolny Institute for another year of finishing school, immersing her in the dangerous paranormal intrigue of the Russian court. Since the blood bond created with vampiric Prince Danilo in the previous effort, he now has access to her thoughts, but Katerina knows better than to trust this handsome royal. Her thoughts are centered instead on Grand Duke George Alexandrovich, but he's been sent to Paris to acquire a better understanding of magic, and besides, he's aligned with the Light Court and she's tied to the Dark. Thanks to her inborn talent as a necromancer, she can reanimate the dead at will. Now, in spite of a protective spell cast over Smolny Institute, an evil spirit has taken over the library, threatening students and staff. Katerina is determined to resolve the situation. The pace is deliberately slow; readers will have to be sustained by Bridges' complex worldbuilding rather than any rapidly rising level of suspense, although the climax is satisfyingly perilous. Given the back story's complexity, the second volume cannot stand alone. Katerina's first-person voice is smart and believable, fitting well into this atmospheric romance. The simmering tale never quite reaches the boiling point, but fans will nonetheless yearn for the conclusion. (Paranormal romance. 11 & up)


PARTCULARS OF THE BOOK :
Publisher:  Delacorte Press/Random House Children's
Pages:  306
Genre:  YA Fiction/Paranormal
Series:  Volume II of III
Author  Robin Bridges
Find out more:  Author
Purchase the book here:  Amazon   and  Barnes & Noble

Who Is The Author?

I think I’ve been writing since before I was old enough to write. My mom has a poem I dictated to her when I was five:

“When you are a baby, you are a little seed.
When you are a child, you are a little bud.
When you are a grown-up, you are a beautiful rose.
And when you are old, the wind blows your petals away.”

All right, so what if it didn't rhyme? When I was six or seven, I made my first book by stapling two pieces of cardboard and some notebook paper together. I was in love with Laura Ingalls’ Little House books, but I did not live in the Big Woods, or on the Prairie. At the time, we lived on 11th Street, so my story was called “The House on 10th Street”. It was about a house with a mean family that lived in it, and the bad kids drew all over the walls. The house was very sad. Then a nice family moved in and fixed up the house. The house lived happily ever after.

I stuck with writing poetry until seventh grade, when I wrote my first novel, a hundred-plus page mystery written on notebook paper, called “The Tunnel Murders”. I don’t think there was a single murder in it, actually. It was more like a bad soap opera rip-off. With smooching scenes! I can’t believe I let my grandmother read it.

In high school, I was more interested in being a rock star and a movie actress than being a writer. I kept a journal and I wrote lots of horrible songs with obscure lyrics. A little too obscure, perhaps. Blood and dragons were mentioned a lot. And no, I will not post any of my song lyrics here for your amusement.

During our senior year, a group of us published our poems in a chapter book, titled Revolutionary Pen and Ink. It led to a short-lived lit magazine, named Back Alley Review. We were interviewed in Coast Magazine! We were famous! Umm, or not.

I went to college and studied theater. One day in Fundamentals of Acting, our teacher held up a picture of a bunch of rocks and told us to write a scene based on that picture. Two hours and seven pages later, the class was over and I was still sitting in that tiny arena theater writing a short story about a girl who grew up in Hollywood and met Lucille Ball. I’m not sure how I got from rocks to Lucille Ball- but I should have known that day I was in the wrong major. It wasn't long before I switched to English and began down the path of becoming a Serious Writer. I wrote serious and depressing literary short stories until I finished school and began teaching seventh graders. Two revelations occurred to me then:

1. I was not meant to teach middle school.
2. I was not meant to write literary adult fiction.

I quit teaching, and wrote a middle grade fantasy, set in ancient Ireland. And then I wrote another middle grade story, about a girl who could talk to dolphins.

(And then I went back to school for a nursing degree because I really like to eat.)

Then I wrote my first YA paranormal. I got an agent. The book didn't sell. I had an idea for a book but I was scared I wasn't ready to write it. I wrote another instead. It didn't sell. I decided to write the scary book idea, a fantasy about a girl growing up in Imperial Russia. The agent didn't think it would sell. I got a new agent. We revised this book over and over before submitting to publishers. It didn't sell. We revised it again. And it sold. Along with its two sequels.

The Bookish Dame Reviews :

This would make a dazzling little Disney movie with darling Russian characters that give it zing.  Abounding in light magic, faerie arts and witches, not to mention blood thirsty beauties and the darkness of ghosts and wolves, this book is a treasure trove of the paranormal.  After all, what's Russian myth and magical tales without wolves and faeries?  I loved this book as an escape.

A nearly unattainable love between Katerina and her Grand Duke, George will pull at your heart reminding you of the pains of young love hindered by unaccepting parents.  And, the unwanted attachment and pesky attention of the boy from the dark side adds another dimension to twist the story.  The villians are many and fill this story with imaginative action.  Such fun to read!

Katiya just wanted to go to med. school to become a regular doctor  when the tsar and associated aristocracy expected her to be contented with her naturally selected role as court Necromancer.  Of course she did!  Hurray for her and the role model Robin Bridges develops through the novel.  This brought the book into a future dimension for today's young women.

While this is a wonderful YA novel which can be entertaining in and of itself, it would be more adviseable and best served if you'd read the first book in the trilogy: "Katerina..."  That one lays the groundwork and sets the characters.  As a single read, it may be a bit confusing.

However, if you'd like a fairytale trip to Russia amongst the royal tsarist court of the 1800's in an imaginary paranormal setting, read "The Unfailing Light."  It's a treasure.

4 stars             Deborah/TheBookishDame

                                                     GIVEAWAY!!!

To win your own copy of "The Unfailing Light..." please leave a comment and your email address.

And follow me on Twitter!

This giveaway ends  October 31st.

Good for US and Canada only, please!

GIVEAWAY!! "Blood and Whiskey" by Clark Hays and Kathleen McFall

SUMMARY : 

Wanted: Lizzie Vaughan, Dead or Alive.
Relationships are always hard, but for a broke cowboy and a newly turned Vampire, true love may be lethal. After barely surviving an undead apocalypse in The Cowboy and the Vampire, Tucker and Lizzie hightail it back to quirky LonePine, Wyoming (population 438), to start a family. But she’s got a growing thirst for blood and he’s realizing mortality ain't all it's cracked up to be when your girlfriend may live forever. With a scheming Vampire nation hot on their boot heels and a price on her head, how far will Lizzie and Tucker go to protect their unlikely love?

Blending evolution, religion and an overly sensitive cow dog named Rex, Blood and Whiskey drags the Vampire myth into the modern west.

 

PARTICULARS OF THE BOOK :

Publisher:  Pumpjack Press

Pages:  365

Genre:  Paranormal/Mystery

Authors: Clark Hays and Kathleen McFall

Purchase the book:  Amazon  and Barnes and Noble

 

 

RAVE REVIEWS FROM THE BIG WIGS!

From Kirkus Reviews

...Introducing racial issues isn’t the only adjustment the authors have made to the vampire mythos, but it’s more than just the details that set this series apart. Rather, it’s the way the authors utilize those details to create meaningful conflicts and world-altering choices for the characters. While a number of existentialist underpinnings give the series some depth, the book is first and foremost a thriller, upping the ante in every chapter as bullets fly and relationships strain under the weight of old loyalties and new revelations. In a way, it’s a shame more time isn’t spent exploring the existence of this meta world where consciousnesses wait out the daylight hours and immortality has all sorts of ramifications for human spirituality. But with strong writing, funny characters (no irony is lost on one vampiress who takes to sporting a “Future Farmers of America” jacket) and plenty of action, it’s hard to fault the authors for keeping the focus on a story this riveting.

Those who missed out on the first book will really have to hang on if they want to follow what’s happening, but it’s worth it for this tale of love and blood in the modern West.

 

 

About Kathleen and Clark:

 

Clark Hays grew up in Montana in the shadow of the Tobacco Root Mountains. In addition to his fiction work, he is a cowboy, a published poet and occasional food critic. Recently, he was nominated for Pushcart Prize for short fiction and not so recently for a Rhysling award for poetry. Clark brings a deep knowledge about the modern west, weaponry, country music and existentialism to his writing.

Kathleen McFall grew up in the heart of Washington, D.C. She worked as a petroleum geologist and, later, as a journalist, and has published hundreds of articles about scientific research, energy and natural resources. An interest in the overlap of science and mysticism are an essential aspect of her fiction writing. She received an Oregon Literary Arts Fellowship for fiction writing.

Learn more at http://cowboyandvampire.com/ and www.facebook.com/cowboyandvampire

Visit McFall and Hay’s Website at:  http://pumpjackpress.com

 

Sneak Excerpt from "Blood and Whiskey"

 

Tucker was already in the shower, steam billowing out from the bathroom. Rex was curled up on his clothes tossed haphazardly at the foot of the bed and he thumped his stubby tail cautiously as she entered.

“Traitor,” she whispered and sat down on the toilet seat, watching Tucker through the glass door. His head was bowed down under the spray of water, shoulders slumped and lost in thought. He was motionless for so long she wondered if he was drowning himself, but at last he sighed and turned the knob off.

He opened the shower door and jumped when he saw her. “You scared me.”

She handed him a towel and watched as he dried off.

“Listen to me,” she said. “I’m scared too. Of everything. Of what’s happening around us. The baby. Losing you. What I’ve become.”

“Just ignore me,” he said. “You ain’t no different.”

“I am. You can’t deny that. It’s been months since I’ve seen the sun.”

“Maybe you’re a little different.”

“What you saw must have been terrifying. I know you must think less of Vampires. You should. It’s the only rational conclusion. I’m sorry. I would rather die than cause you unhappiness, and I would never kill someone innocent.”

He sighed and wrapped his arms around her waist. “I know. Just shush now. Ignore me and my stupid mouth.”

She pushed him away and he marveled, again, at how strong she was becoming.

“Listen to me. There’s one thing I have to know. Do you think I am a freak, a monster?”

“That’s two things,” he said. “And the answer to both is no.”

“I am,” she said, turning her head to the side. “Really, on some level, I’m no longer human.”

“Yes, you are.” He caught her chin in his hand and tipped her head up so she was forced to look in his eyes. “On the best level. You’re human plus something extra. The best part of you is still human, the other part is just different. Something we haven’t quite got our arms around yet.”

 

 

THE DAME'S REVIEW :

 

"Blood and Whiskey" and the first book in the series ,"The Cowboy and the Vampire," are like no vampire books I've ever read before!  Campy and cool, these authors know how to rock the vampire world and turn the wild west, wild again as they conquer everything you thought you knew about vampires and their associates!

 

Clark Hays and Kathleen McFall are original and entertaining authors.  Brilliant!These authors will excite you and turn you on your ear as you find out what's really happening in LonePine and worlds outside of our "natural" USA.

 

The dialog of this book is such fun.  Hilarious in parts, always witty, and fraught with some depth of humanity and feeling that is often missing between humans and vampires...and human males together in all books of this genre. I loved Tucker's relationship with Dad and Lenny, especially.  Tough western men with hearts of gold.

 

Characters are full-bodied (no pun!) and have extraordinarily humane, and at the same time crazy interactions that are juxtaposed against a world crisis of vampire vs. vampire in a universal take over where Lizzie is Queen. 

 

And while I'm speaking of it, Lizzie is a fabulous Queen!  Strong and feminine, a wise woman, a gentle wife, and a kick butt vampire fighter.  I loved this balanced combination of the modern woman in Lizzie.  This is a book with a perfection of a vampire feminist who could rule the world very well, thank you, Sir!

 

The setting of the west lends an odd, campy feel to the book.  This is an area of the US that's completely unfamiliar to me, so that culture and quality alone gave the book an other worldiness. 

 

I found Lenny the loose cannon of a brave and loyal friend to Lizzie's Tucker, just hilarious and fearsome as any vampire I'd ever read about.  The quintessential warrior with a heart, Lenny takes no prisoners where his family and friends are concerned.

 

Situations we found this crew of vamps in were unique.  Trucker vampire beds just killed me!  And, I couldn't believe the poor human victims hooked up to blood drains at a cattle farm!  Ugh!!  Vampires against vampires from different sects, times and with major political, spiritual and philosophical backgrounds was just unprecidented, I believe.  This is a treasure trove of a novel.

 

"Cowboy and the Vampire" is the first book in the series and it introduces us to Tucker, the handsome and virtuous western guy who falls in love with Lizzie, the journalist soon turned vampire Queen.  You don't have to read this one before "Blood..." but it's fun to do that for the sequencing.  I actually read them in reverse and liked it that way.

 

All in all these are fabulous vampire books with some existential twists, some humorous froth, and a dot of down right fantastic storytelling.  There's a question at the end about the baby of Tucker and Lizzie...when will it be born, boy or girl...vampire or human?  Can't wait to find out in the next book in the series.  And, will Lizzie make the new vampire confederacy rock to her tune?

 

For a break from the ordinary, I suggest you take a trip to "Blood and Whiskey" territory.

 

5 stars              Deborah/TheBookishDame

 



You can follow the Virtual Book Tour and learn more about this book at:  http://pumpupyourbook.com   Search:  Blood and Whiskey

Summary: 

Overview

Reporter Lizzie Vaughan doesn’t realize it, but she has 2,000 years of royal Vampiric

Lizzie battles for her life—and her soul—as she and Tucker find themselves caught up in a vampire war, pursued by hordes of Julius’ maniacal, bloodthirsty followers.

Who will be left standing when the sun rises?

“Deliciously dark.”—BOOKLIST

Find it here:  Amazon


For the GIVEAWAY:  Just leave your email address and follow me on GFC on the sidebar!
This one ends on Sept. 31st and is for the US and Canada only.  Your choice of ebook or paperback!

"The Immortal Rules" by Julie Kagawa~Awesome!

Of all the books I read this weekend (3), this one really had me mesmerized.  Julie Kagawa has outdone herself with "The Immortal Rules: Blood of Eden."  Richness of plot, gripping development of her dystopian world, and characters to absolutely adore, this is one of Kagawa's best books of all.  I highly recommend it.  Don't let it get past you because you don't want to be behind the 8 ball when the second in the series comes out, or the movie hits! 
Allie Sekemoto is the consummate feminist heroine caught up in what seems to be a no-win situation, but conquering it with panache, courage and inner strength despite the odds.  Her mentor and maker, Kanin is a dream of an older vampire whom I fell for harder than her young love interest, Zeke.  Which just makes "The Immortal Rules" the perfect cross over fiction!  Julie Kagawa is at the top of her form in writing with this book.  5 stars

Summary : (Taken from Goodreads)

In a future world, Vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity.Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die… or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn’t easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.

Particulars of the book:

Published by:  Harlequin Teen
Pages:  485 and Questions for Book Discussions
Genre:  YA Fiction/Dystopian/Vampire

Read more about Julie Kagawa: www.juliekagawa.com
Read more about this series at:  http://www.BloodofEdenBooks.com

You may wish to purchase this book on:  Amazon   or Barnes & Noble


FOR A MORE COMPREHENSIVE POST:
See my post here for more on this book:  http://abookishlibraria.blogspot.com/2012/04/immortal-by-julie-kagawais-it-all-its.html

"The Immortal Rules"~ by Julie Kagawa~Is it all it's cracked up to be?

"Meet 17-year-old Allie Sekemoto, a reluctant vampire struggling to hold on to her humanity and stave off the demon that lies in wait, thinly veiled beneath the surface of her undead skin. Over a half century after a plague has decimated the human race, vampires reign, and humans are little more than "blood bags" to serve their masters. Rabids, vicious hybrid creatures born of the plague, prowl the land beyond the walled vampire cities, eager for human prey. When Allie is savagely attacked by a rabid while scavenging for food, a mysterious vampire offers her the choice of a human death or "life" as a vampire. Ultimately forced to flee both the only city she's ever known and her maker, Allie's determination to remain more human than monster is put to the test, particularly when she joins a band of humans on a desperate journey to safety on the island of Eden. Particularly when she falls in love. Kagawa has done the seemingly impossible and written a vampire book, the first in a planned series, that feels fresh in an otherwise crowded genre. She mixes paranormal and dystopian tropes to good effect, creating a world that will appeal across audiences. Allie's a smart, strong and compelling heroine, and readers will gladly join her for this adrenaline-rich ride."(Paranormal/dystopian romance) KirkusReview



The Dame's Word On It :

By now we all know Julie Kagawa for her Iron Fey series the "Iron King," the "Iron Queen," etc. which has a tremendous following, but which is a far cry from this newest series on vampires that Julie's embarking upon.  See blurb below:  

School Library Journal

Gr 8 Up—On her 16th birthday, Meghan Chase's four-year-old half brother is exchanged for a changeling and she discovers that her best friend, Robbie, is actually Robin Greenfellow, aka Puck, from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. He is her guardian and will lead her into the faery world to rescue her brother. Once there, Meghan learns that she is a princess, daughter of Oberon, king of the Seelie Court. With a mortal mother and a faery king for a father, she is very powerful, and Oberon and Queen Mab, queen of the Unseelie Court, are both fighting to keep her. With help from Puck and a talking cat, Meghan sneaks into the Unseelie Court to rescue Ethan, only to discover that he is held captive by more powerful forces that could destroy the entire fey world. Meghan is a likable heroine and her quest is fraught with danger and adventure. The action never stops, and Meghan's romance with Ash, the handsome prince of the Unseelie Court, provides some romance that is sure to continue in the sequel. Faery books are in high demand now, and this is one of the better ones. Expect it to be popular with teens who liked Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely (HarperTeen, 2007).—Ginny Collier, Dekalb County Public Library, Decatur, GA

Show Less

"The Immortal Rules" has screams of movie rights!  YA's are just chomping at the bit to cast the movie.  See YouTube and Harlequin's official trailer below:

Read More

I just know YA's are going to be "casting" this one on YouTube within the next few weeks.  They just need time to read it.  Since it's only been released this week, we'll have to wait a few weeks to see who's going to get top billing in their minds!  LOL

Here Is A Quick Excerpt for You :

"Not our problem." I felt bad for saying it, but it was true. In the Fringe, you looked out for yourself and your immediate family, no one else. My concern didn't extend beyond myself, Stick and the rest of our small gang. This was my family, screwed up as it was. I couldn't worry about the trials of everyone in the Fringe. I had plenty of my own, thanks.

"Maybe…" Stick began, and hesitated. "Maybe she's…hap-pier now," he continued. "Maybe being Taken into the Inner City is a good thing. The vampires will take better care of her, don't you think?"

I resisted the urge to snort. Stick, they're vampires, I wanted to say. Monsters. They only see us as two things: slaves and food. Nothing good comes from a bloodsucker, you know that.

But telling Stick that would only upset him more, so I pretended not to hear. "Where are the others?" I asked as we walked down the hall, picking our way over rubble and broken glass. Stick trailed morosely, dragging his feet, kicking bits of rock and plaster with every step. I resisted the urge to smack him. Marc was a decent guy; even though he was Registered, he didn't treat us Unregistereds like vermin, and even spoke to us on occasion when he was making his rounds at the Wall. I also knew Stick had feelings for Gracie, though he would never act on them. But I was the one who shared most of my food with him, since he was usually too scared to go scavenging by himself. Ungrateful little snot. I couldn't watch out for everyone; he knew that.

"Lucas isn't back yet," Stick finally mumbled as we came to my room, one of the many empty spaces along the hall. In the years I had been here, I'd fixed it up the best I could. Plastic bags covered the shattered windows, keeping out the rain and damp. An old mattress lay in one corner with my blanket and pillow. I'd even managed to find a folding table, a couple chairs and a plastic shelf for various clutter, little things I wanted to keep. I'd built a nice little lair for myself, and the best part was my door still locked from the inside, so I could get some privacy if I wanted.

"What about Rat?" I asked, pushing on my door.

As the door squeaked open, a wiry boy with lank brown hair jerked around, beady eyes widening. He was older than me and Stick, with sharp features and a front tooth that stuck out like a fang, giving him a permanent sneer.

Rat swore when he saw me, and my blood boiled. This was my space, my territory. He had no right to be here. "Rat," I snarled, bursting through the doorway. "Why are you snooping around my room? Looking for things to steal?"

You can visit Julie's site here:  Julie Kagawa
Buy her book at these locations:
Amazon ,  Barnes & Noble ,  and  your local bookshops

Here's Julie's Bio. :

Julie Kagawa was born in Sacramento, California. But nothing exciting really happened to her there. So, at the age of nine she and her family moved to Hawaii, which she soon discovered was inhabited by large carnivorous insects, colonies of house geckos, and frequent hurricanes. She spent much of her time in the ocean, when she wasn�t getting chased out of it by reef sharks, jellyfish, and the odd eel.

When not swimming for her life, Julie immersed herself in books, often to the chagrin of her schoolteachers, who would find she hid novels behind her Math textbooks during class. Her love of reading led her to pen some very dark and gruesome stories, complete with colored illustrations, to shock her hapless teachers. The gory tales faded with time, but the passion for writing remained, long after she graduated and was supposed to get a real job.

To pay the rent, Julie worked in different bookstores over the years, but discovered the managers frowned upon her reading the books she was supposed to be shelving. So she turned to her other passion: training animals. She worked as a professional dogtrainer for several years, dodging Chihuahua bites and overly enthusiastic Labradors, until her first book sold and she stopped training to write full-time.

Julie now lives in Louisville, Kentucky, where the frequency of shark attacks are at an all time low. She lives with her husband, two obnoxious cats, one Australian Shepherd who is too smart for his own good, and the latest addition, a hyper-active Papillon puppy.

Okay, now I'm off to read "The Immortal Rules" so I can review it for you!  I'll be checking back tomorrow to let you know what I thought about it...stay tuned, please!!

Deborah/YourBookishDame  :]