Rainy Day Ramblings

Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Presents Flush Fiction: A Tantalizing Collection of Short Stories by Bathroom Readers' Institute

Prepare to be entertained by this unique collection of short-short stories--all fewer than 1,000 words--handpicked by the master story-teller himself, Uncle John. Whatever genre you're into--humor, mystery, romance, horror, adventure, sci-fi, or slice-of-life--it's in here.

You'll laugh! You'll gasp! You'll go places you've never been before thanks to some of the nation's most talented fiction writers. So sit back and settle into these 88 tiny tales that all pack a really BIG punch!
Paperback, 288 pages
Expected publication: April 10th 2012 by Portable Press (first published April 1st 2012)

Three stars: This book is exactly as advertised.  Numerous short stories perfect for a toilet read.

I picked up a copy of Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Presents Flush Fiction, expecting a quirky book of short stories, and that is exactly what I got.  Now, I don't know how much time many of you have to spend perched on the crapper leisurely reading, but if you do then you might be interested in this book.  I personally, am one of those people who has two young toddlers.  Just trying to escape to the bathroom to quickly do my business is often tricky.  Inevitably, more often than not, I end up on the potty listening to one or both of my kids pounding and crying at the door. There is no way, I could take the time to sit and read.  Don't let that deter you if you are in a similar situation.  This book can be read whenever, wherever, and no it is not filled with bathroom humor.  In fact, the stories range over a wide range of interesting topics.  Some of the stories are funny and entertaining, while others are strange, and some will have you scratching your head, wondering what on earth.  I am not going to promise that you will love each and every story in here, but what you will find is a collection of eclectic  stories, perfect for when you are in the mood for a light, quick read.  For instance, this would be great to read while waiting for the bus, or at the doctor's office.  This a fun book to have on hand when you need a mindless, short read.  Each story is under a thousand words so you can easily read one in five minutes or less  If you are the type of person that likes to have something in the bathroom, pick up a copy.  Uncle John's has a whole array of bathroom reading books to suit your fancy.  A fast read would be what you would need if you are the type that likes to read while sitting on a port a potty or non flushable outhouse, (believe it or not, I personally have seen people carrying newspapers into the outhouse).  I can't imagine you would care to sit and read while inhaling the odor of Outhouse au jour, but if you do then Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Presents Flush Fiction, might be the perfect book for you. 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review.

 

 

Hounded Read Along Final Week

March 02nd: Chapters 1-5 hosted by Geeky Blogger's Book Blog

March 09th: Chapters 6-10 hosted by On a Book Bender

March 16th: Chapters 11-15 hosted by Smash Attack Reads!

March 23rd: Chapters 16-20 hosted by In the Closet With a Bibliophile

March 30th: Chapters 21-25 + epilogue hosted by The Unread Reader

April 06th: Special interview with Kevin Hearne & announcement of winners!

 

 

Well here we are folks, the end of The Hounded Read Along.  Again it has been a fun journey and I met some great new friends.  Stay tuned next week for the Kevin Hearne interview and prize winners.

1.  In a moment of anger, Atticus reveals something about himself that he usually keeps very secret, for his own benefit. Has something similar ever happened to you? Have you ever spilled a closely guarded secret in a moment of excitement or anger or absent-mindedness? 

I hate to be boring here but for the most part, I tend to be pretty tight lipped, I guard my secrets and those of others with locked lips. The only times I have been known to slip, was when alcohol was involved but even then nothing startling came out. The worst secret I spilled was when I was in Vegas, having dinner and drinks with my bosses, yeah, don't drink with your bosses. ( for a fun story on drinking with co workers see my guest post from yesterday) Anyway, I was a little buzzed and I let it slip that one of my coworkers had a little street corner business on the side that was not exactly legal. As I let this out, I was a little horrified and managed to hit my nice, expensive wine glass on the table edge and shatter the stem. Needless, to say my co worker got a talking to and she wasn't exactly thrilled, but on the other hand she gave up her illicit activity so it was probably a good thing.  

2. Atticus tells Mrs. MacDonagh, "the universe is exactly the size that your soul can encompass. Some people live in extremely small worlds, and some live in a world of infinite possibility." Then he asks her what she is going to do with the new information she has discovered. What would you do if you found out that other beings were among us? Would you deny it or embrace it?

Hmm depends, if they were soul sucking creatures bent on evil and destroying humanity probably not, I would run and hide. If they were a good species I would be inclined to share at least with close friends and confidants.  I think if I went to the media and started spouting off about other beings, I could end up in a straitjacket. Let's face it, people in our society who claim to have interacted with aliens or sighting Bigfoot, well they aren't exactly considered to be operating with a full box of french fries.  So since I am not quite crazy, yet, maybe I will just keep it to myself.

3. So far, Atticus has revealed a few of his powers and has even shared some power by putting bindings on Granuaile. What do you think has been his coolest or most helpful power so far? 

I like his ability to heal, mighty handy skill to have. The coolest, though, is the ability to shape shift into four different creatures, stag, owl, otter and wolf.  How cool would that be?  He can fly, swim and run.  I would love to be able to transform into a bird and fly.  I just hope he can grow himself a new ear. 

4. Atticus gets pretty pissed when he finds out that Aenghus Óg is drawing power from the Earth and, in turn, killing it. That's when Atticus decides he must fight the old Fae for committing such a heinous offense. What is something you would fight for, even if it meant you might die trying?

I could be pseudo noble here and say my country, but in reality, I have no desire to die in combat, hey I am a wuss, maybe if I had my blow gun with the magic balls.... Thank god, there are so many brave men and women who do fight for our country.  They have my utmost respect, and I am truly grateful for their sacrifice.  The one thing I would fight for, to the death, is my husband and two kids.  Yes, the kids are at that crazy difficult age 1.5 and 3.5 years old and they sometimes drive me crazy, but I love them with my entire soul. So, if someone or something tried to hurt them, I would open an angry can of whoop ass! 

5. What did you think of the final showdown between Atticus and Aenghus Óg? Did it go down the way you expected? Was there anything about their battle that surprised you?

I hoped that Atticus would prevail, I mean how could the series continue if the hero dies?
  There were so many twists in those final scenes.  Everyone had a duplicitous role in getting Atticus to fight  Aenghus Óg.  I was definitely caught off guard by Flidais and her actions.  I really liked Death showing up and hauling Aenghus Og off to Hell. Oh, and I loved that Emily got what was coming to her. Morrigan and her little seductive show was also a bit of a surprise. 

6. What was your favorite/least favorite part of Hounded? Who was your favorite/least favorite character?

My favorite part of Hounded was definitely all the entertaining dialogue between Oberon and Atticus, who are also my favorite characters.  I loved all Oberon's talk on Ghangis Kahn, sausages, French Poodles and arse sniffing.  Seriously, Oberon stole the show.  A favorite secondary character was the old widow. I laughed at how she tossed back some whiskey before going to church. My least favorite chatacter, aside from all the baddies, was Flidalis. Even though she was a good guy for the most part, there was just something about her that didn't sit well with me, perhaps it was the way she could control the werewolves and Oberon. I just don't trust her.  

 

7. What do you think is coming up next for Atticus? Will you continue reading this series, and if so, what do you hope to see happen in the next book?

I have absolutely no idea what is in store for Atticus, considering all the trouble that came after him in this book, I can't even begin to imagine what is lurking around the corner. I absolutely want to continue the series. I love the Atticus and Oberon duo. I would like to see Atticus perhaps find a legitimate love interest, see how he gets a new ear and I would love to see more of the widow.  Any old gal that throws back neat whiskey before church is okay in my book. 

Ok guys, I had an amazing adventure reading this with you all.  In case you are already having read along withdrawals, I have a one already lined up for you to join in.  I am helping to host a read along for the month of April for Cambria Hebert's book Masquerade.  Hopefully, most of you met Cambria on the read along, she is a fantastic lady.  We would love to have you join in.  Ebook copies of Masquerade are available for $2.99 at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Smashwords.  Here is the link to sign up. I hope to see you next week. Happy Reading everyone! Click the badge for details.

 

Friday Forecast

Happy Friday! It is the end of March! That means spring weather is right around the corner....here is hoping.  There is a whole bunch of books out this coming week.  I could only bring you the highlights.  What are your picks for the week?  Is it sunny where you are? 

Wow! That is a load of books! I would like to check out The Lifeboat and The Wedding Dress.  What about you guys?  As always click on any of the book covers for more details. 

Weather for Portland Oregon:

Saturday: H 57 L 45 Partly Cloudy/Rain           Sunday: H 54 L 39 Partly Cloudy/Rain                             

Lila from Babbling About Books and Stuff Tipsy Friday...errr Thursday

Here it is Friday Eve and the end of March.  Still waiting for the warm days of Spring.  It is spring break week and it has been a little quiet around the blogosphere.  Thursdays are usually guest post days on Rainy Day Ramblings, but today I have something a little different.  I invited my best book buddy, Lila from Brazil and the funny mind behind Babbling About Books and Stuff.  Lila has a small little blog and I think more of you need to get to know her.  This girl writes some crazy reviews.  She recently started a fun little meme for Fridays called Tipsy Fridays.  Where she shares some of her embarrassing and not so shining moments and also a fun little drink recipe.  So if any of you have some great drinking stories to share then you should join her meme.  To give you a little taste, Lila is here today with a post for Tipsy Friday... The Rainy Day Ramblings Friday Eve Edition.  She is sharing with us a story about what happens when you go drinking on a work night.  Here is Lila:

Howdy, everyone!!!!

When Heidi invited me to do a guest post I was like: Holy Moly!!!!

I was so happy!!! Heidi is one of my best friends. She is so cool and,, well, you all know how awesome she is. I don’t need to tell you this, do I? LoL

 

As some of you may know, I have a meme called Tipsy Friday.

Every Friday I tell all my little, embarrassing, shameful tales. So much fun. So,  I’m gonna tell you all about a little something called Hangover.

Such a dreadful word, but it’s the beginning of most of the best stories. Stories to be told and retold over the years, to friends, family, grandsons and post on facebook. Yep, good times, good times. *sigh*

Ok, so let the shameful times roll. *thumbs up*

This happened a couple of years ago, so you know I wasn’t young enough to feel bad about what I was doing. My level of embarrassment was far behind me by then.

My boss (yep, that’s right, my boss) invited me to go to a club with him and my other friends. We were all friends, but that was the first time we would go out, so I was a little nervous about it. 

I spent like 40min trying clothes and straightening my hair, make up, the whole deal. 

We got to the club and, well, we wanted drinks. Unfortunately, they only had beer. I don’t like beer very much. I know, I know. Nations bow before the all mighty beer. But  I don’t, never did.

 

The problem is that I was thirsty, I needed something to drink, so I took the beer. 

We danced all night.

 It was summer, hot as hell in February (July for you guys LoL)

So, I kept on drinking beers. I don’t know if you ever drank lots of beers, but one thing that happens is: you pee a lot. I mean, a looooooot. Every five sec I had to run to the little ladies room to leave some of the beer. Not cool, not cool at all.

But, little did I knew that this wouldn’t be my most shameful moment of that night. After the 400th trip to the ladies room, I ran, again, feeling my bladder about to burst and when I pushed open the door and ran inside,  *suspense song*  SHAME!!!!

 

I found myself surrounded by a bunch of guys. Yep, I was in the little boys room.

Red doesn’t even cover the shade my face turned in that moment.

What to do? What to do? What to do? So I did what I always do when in a moment of crises: I improvised.

I slap my forehead and exclaimed: Oh, I always forget. I’m not a boy anymore. Later dudes. 

Than I walked away feeling their eyes on me and their what-the-fudge-faces. 

Did they believe me? I have no idea. Did any one of them hit on me again that night? Nope. So I guess it worked, a little. LoL 

It was 5am when we get home to sleep. The next morning (3 hours later) I woke up in a strange house. It took me almost 2minutes to remember I was sleeping on my friend's couch.  And another 2minutes to remember I had to work in 2hours.

Problem nº 1 – I was in another city. It is like 1hour away from my work.

Problem nº 2 – I had no idea how to get to the bus stop

Problem nº 3 – I had no idea where my friend was or who the heck were all these people sleeping on the floor around me.

You see how the thing was messed up? Yep, pretty much.

I stumble over them and got out of there. I got to the bus, I got to my job and then eventually I got home. How did I do all those things? I have no idea. Until now it is a mystery to me. 

The thing the really makes me scratch my head is that my boss, my other boss (I had like five of them) sent an e-mail to the whole company complimenting me on my work that was well done that day.

After that, I knew I had to look for another job. How can I trust a company with such low
employee standards. LoL

Ok, peeps. That was one of my shameful and great treasured moments. I hope you all had a good time and learned something from it.

 

At least not to enter a room without looking at the sign on the door. Unless you want people thinking you are a perv or a crossdresser. LoL

Now, lets get to the really good part of this post. The recipe!!!!!

As far as I know, a very good way to ease the pain of a hangover is to drink lots of liquids. Energetic drinks are really effectives. That’s why the recipe of the day is one I found online a long time ago. It tastes good and is easy to make.  

Homemade Energetic Drink!!!!

What you need to make it:

1 (1/4 ounce) envelope unsweetened flavored drink mix (enough for 2 quarts) 

1/2 teaspoon table salt (sodium chloride) 

1/4 teaspoon salt substitute (potassium chloride; eg. Morton Salt Substitute) 

1/4 cup sugar 

1/4 cup granular fructose (can substitute 1/4 cup sugar plus 2 tbs. corn syrup) 

1/2 teaspoon citric acid (can substitute 2 tbs. lemon juice) 

water to make 2 quarts

How you make it:

Place all ingredients in a large pitcher or jug and stir or shake until well mixed.

Chill and keep refrigerated until used. I like to put in a empty Coke plastic bottle and shake it to the sound of a really cool music. Its fun LoL

Note: You can add more sugar if you like it more sweet. I like it extra sweet 

Oh, and its extra fun to put in a really colorful glass with a really cute straw in it.

That’s it for today guys, I hope you like my post.

Thanx again, Heidi for having me in your blog.

XoXo

Lila @ Babbling About Books And Stuff

Seriously, this girl is a riot. I totally laughed my butt off at her shame.  You need to head over and meet Lila on her blog.  She could use some more followers so she can get approved for The Immortal Rules on Netgalley.  Plus she writes some funny posts. 

Thank you so much Lila for being here today!

The Kingdom (Graveyard Queen #2) by Amanda Stevens

Deep in the shadowy foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains lies a dying town…My name is Amelia Gray. They call me The Graveyard Queen. I've been commissioned to restore an old cemetery in Asher Falls, South Carolina, but I'm coming to think I have another purpose here.Why is there a cemetery at the bottom of Bell Lake? Why am I drawn time and again to a hidden grave I've discovered in the woods? Something is eating away at the soul of this town—this withering kingdom—and it will only be restored if I can uncover the truth.
Paperback, 1st Edition, 384 pages
Published March 27th 2012 by Mira 

 

1/2

Four and half stars: Amanda Stevens returns with more chills and thrills in this creepy sequel to The Restorer.

Amelia Gray, is escaping Charleston after the terrifying and climatic events at the end of book one, The Restorer. She takes on a new graveyard restoration job, in the small town of Asher Falls, South Carolina.  Amelia is hoping that burying herself in the cemetery restoration will take her mind off Devlin.  She ended her relationship with him, knowing that it could not continue as long as the ghosts of his wife and daughter haunt him.  Her brief romantic interlude with the handsome, overly protective detective, led her to break several of the cardinal ghost rules, that were stamped into her head, by her father during her childhood.  Disregarding these all important, safe keeping rules, has left Amelia open to the ghosts and possibly the evil that creeps at the fringes of our world.  On the ferry ride over to Asher Falls, she peers into the water and sees a ghostly form.  Then a handsome stranger, and resident of Asher Falls, Thane, informs her that Asher Falls is no ordinary town.  It is an isolated town, cut off from the main road, and steeped in secrets.  The old cemetery was flooded several years ago, during a construction project, and now it lies at the bottom of the lake.  This revelation is just the beginning of the creepiness that awaits Amelia in Asher Falls.  It seems this small little town, in danger of becoming a ghost town, has many dark secrets and evil lurking around every corner.  A place where many have tried to bury their secrets and the darkness in their hearts with the dead, but sometimes the dead still whisper and deadly clandestine information refuses to stay buried.  What evil is hiding in the town?  Why is it stalking Amelia?  

What I Liked:

• Amanda Stevens knows how to create a chilling atmosphere. The first pages draw you in when Fate's long, cold boney finger stabs out, gesturing for Amelia to come closer.  Fate continues  her deathly lure, dragging a reluctant Amelia into a town with mystery, deadly secrets, ghosts, an unmarked grave, something evil hiding in the mountains and a life shattering revelation.  This book will grab your imagination.  You can almost feel the spectral fingers that shiver down Amelia's spine.  Yet, the scenes are perfectly woven into the story, just enough to provide the right amount of chills without going over the top.  If you love a good ghost story with plenty of spine tingling tension, get this one right away! If you scare easily, don't read this one alone at night.
• I appreciated that this book is written so that it can be a stand alone book.  Amelia plunges into a mystery in Asher Falls, that draws upon her background, but for the most part, it is a separate story line from The Restorer.  You can easily slip into the ghostly pages of this book, without having read book one.  Ms. Stevens provides enough background information to fill you in along the way.  Honestly, it has been a year since I read The Restorer, so many of the details were fuzzy for me anyway, and it truly was not a problem in reading this title.
• I am fascinated by the whole concept of graveyard restoration (I know a little creepy, right?) since I read The Restorer.  Let's face it, graveyards are not something that most of us care to ponder over at great length. However, Ms. Stevens will intrigue you with her careful descriptions of headstones, their symbols and their meanings, as well as the discussion of graveyards and their restorations.  Ms. Stevens has certainly done some meticulous research in creating her series.  I had no idea that graveyards could be so intriguing.  My only complaint, there isn't more on this topic in the book.
• Can I just say, I love Angus!  When Amelia arrives at her new lodgings, she spots a maimed, starving dog wandering loose.  This poor pooch was the victim of a dog fighting kennel.  Amelia ends up taking in this dog, and he ends up stealing the show.  I wanted to scratch his stumpy little ears.  

And The Not So Much:

• This book focuses on a murder mystery with roots that go back twenty eight years.  When the terrifying events lead to a thrilling climax and a satisfying ending, (no cliffhanger) I was left with many unanswered questions.  The revelations felt a bit hurried and many of the details were glossed over. There were just too many loose ends for my taste.  I needed more detail especially on Luna, her behavior and actions.  
• Two secondary characters Tilly and Sidra were brilliant additions, unfortunately they spend much of the book lingering in the shadows until both come forward and divulge some eye opening information.  I would personally like to see them both play more of a significant role.  They were fascinating.  I only hope that they will be back for book three. 
• The other story line left dangling was the discussion brought up in the first pages about Pell Asher and his sins that ruined the town.  This was just barely touched upon in the final pages, leaving me wondering, what were all of his crimes?  

The Kingdom furls out its ghostly tendrils and drags you into a story filled with mystery, ghosts, secrets and the evil that can consume ones soul and mark it with darkness.  If you are a fan of hair-raising, spine chilling ghost stories, you need to check out The Graveyard Queen Series by Amanda Stevens.  Ms. Stevens brilliantly crafts a chilling atmosphere that will leave you shivering long after you close the pages.  This is an addicting series that you won't want to miss.  I immediately wanted the next book after reading the conclusion of The Kingdom.  Luckily, The Prophet, book three is set to release, April 2012.  Reader beware, if you are faint of heart don't read this alone on a dark night, you may find yourself peering at all the dark corners in your room once the lights are out. If you want a tantalizing taste of this series, you can read the prequel, The Abandoned for free on Amazon.     

Favorite Quotations:

“The dead down there don’t want to be forgotten...ever again.”

“She had the air of someone who knew dark things.  Like me.”

“In that in-between moment of light and dark, the night creatures hadn’t yet stirred.”

“How can you know who you are if you don’t know where you come from?
“Something was seriously amiss in this town.  I’d felt it the moment I crossed Bell Lake.  The shadows seemed deeper, the nights longer, the secrets older.  Even the wind felt different here.”

“Without the touchstone of family, one leads an imbalanced life.”

“The strongest ties are blood and land.  They are constant.  Romantic love is all too fleeting.”

“Grudges are like supersitions.  You know they don’t make sense, but you cling to them, anyway.”

“The breeze lifted my hair and stroked my face like a lover’s caress.”

“Moonlight shimmered through the live oaks, silvering the Spanish moss that streamed like an old woman’s hair in the breeze.”

“He kissed me, again and again, his tongue weaving a trail of black magic that lured and enthralled  and seduced.”

A big thanks to Mira Publishing for provding me a copy of this book for review.

Tell Me Something Tuesday

The last week of March is upon us.  Can you believe it?  Today is Tuesday, time for another riveting edition of Tell Me Something Tuesday, hosted by Cambria Hebert.  Please think about joining in, head over to Cambria's blog, add your link, and grab next week's question.  

Who is your favorite sidekick in a book?

I needed a bit of inspiration for this, so I googled top literary sidekicks, and some good  ones popped up.  Such as:  Samwise Mcgee from Lord of the Rings,  Frodo would never have survived the journey to Mordor without him, a good choice.  Then there was Dr. Watson to Sherlock Holmes, again a magnificent duo.  Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, a pesky pair of pals for sure. 

How about Peter Pan and
Tinkerbell?  Peter would never have gotten out of some tight jams without the pixie's help.  There were many more literary classics on the list.  While I loved many of the pairings, they weren't  my favorites.  Believe it or not, inspiration struck in the night, I awoke with the answers. I am sure you will all have some input on great sidekicks, but here is what I came up with:

 

 

First, From the Harry Potter Series, Ron and Hermione.  Harry Potter would never have defeated the Dark Lord without the aid of his two best friends, Ron and Hermione.  Ron was an ever loyal mate, while Hermione with her quick thinking, studious nature saved their butts time and time again.

Next there is Puck and Grimalkin from the Iron Fey Series by Julie Kagawa.  Puck with his jocular antics provides the comedic relief, while the sage Grimalkin with his bored indifference and typical cat behavior stole my heart.  If I ever wander into the Nevernever, I would want these two rascals as my guides.  

 

Last week I picked Abilene from The Help as a favorite heroine.  Of course, I had to include her sidekick Minnie.  Without Minnie and her memorable pie, there would be no book.  Besides, the book would lack its color without Minnie and her biting commentary.  Chocolate pie anyone? 

I couldn't forget Link from Caster's Chronicles.  Link is Ethan's best friend starting from age five when he shared his Twinkie with Ethan on the bus, granted he gave him the half that dropped on the floor, but a friendship was born over that spongecake.  Link is hysterical with his commentary.  He also has a set of wheels to cart Ethan around, the Beater.  I adore Link and Ethan, they are so much fun. 

Finally, my new found favorite sidekick is Oberon, the Irish Wolf Hound, from Kevin Hearne's Iron Druid Chronicles.  Oberon is able to communicate telepathically with the hero, Atticus.  Oberon is loads of fun, with all his talk about arse sniffing, sausages, Ghangis Kahn and his harem of french poodles.  Truly, Oberon has stolen my heart.  

I am sure there are many more sidekicks that could be added to the list, and I am certain I have forgotten some good ones that you all can help to remind me.  Tell me, who are your favorite sidekicks?  

 

Spellcaster (Spellbound #2) by Cara Lynn Shultz

Finding your eternal soulmate - easy. Stopping a true-love-hungry evil - not so much… After breaking a centuries-old romantic curse, Emma Connor is (almost) glad to get back to normal problems. Although...it's not easy dealing with the jealous cliques and gossip that rule her exclusive Upper East Side prep, even for a sixteen-year-old newbie witch. Having the most-wanted boy in school as her eternal soul mate sure helps ease the pain-especially since wealthy, rocker-hot Brendan Salinger is very good at staying irresistibly close.... But something dark and hungry is using Emma and Brendan's deepest fears to reveal damaging secrets and destroy their trust in each other. And Emma's crash course in über-spells may not be enough to keep them safe…or to stop an inhuman force bent on making their unsuspected power its own.
Paperback, 384 pages
Expected publication: March 27th 2012 by Harlequin Teen

Three Stars: Freed from the lovers curse, but happily ever after is not in store for Brendan and Emma as dark enemies seek to destroy their happiness. 

Spellcaster, drops back into Brendan and Emma's lives four months after the neat resolution of Spellbound.  The book opens with a cryptic email to an unknown addressee at the Vince A Prep School.  The anonymous emailer is bent on unleashing revenge on Brendan.  Meanwhile, the lovebirds have settled back into school.  Emma is working with Angelique to hone her witchcraft.  The two novice witches attempt a simple spell and end up with a dire prediction.  Something black and malicious is coursing toward Emma and Brendan, intent on destroying their bond.  A hate so malevolent that it could possibly eclipse the true love of soul mates.  Severely shaken, Emma attempts to push  the dire warning out of her mind.  The next day, what starts as a typical day, turns ominous as Brendan is hauled to the office under accusations of drugs.  He is detained, unable to accompany Emma on the school field trip.  At the end of the excursion, Emma wanders off into the park and is attacked by a masked, knife wielding assailant.  The attacker wants her blood, but Emma fights back.   This is just the beginning of a series of horrible events that drags danger to Emma and Brendan.  Can the pair once again stand together and fend off the blackness that threatens to destroy them?

What I Liked:

• Brendan and Emma are back, and their sizzling, hot romance is just as heated.  I again enjoyed the electric chemistry between the pair.  Together they are passionate and deep, but yet they show restraint.  I appreciate that Ms. Shultz lets the sparks fly between them, but they show maturity regarding sex.  Meaning, they choose to wait until an appropriate time.  So, those of you who prefer not to have sex in your YA, this has plenty of simmering scenes (kissing etc.) but no actual sex scenes.
• I appreciated that this time Angelique comes into focus and you get to know her better, in fact there are a couple of times where she takes over the narration.  Angelique is full of surprises.  Cisco also is more prevalent in this book, which I liked since he is one of my favorite characters.
• I liked the way the author drops little clues and small tidbits that seem inconsequential at the time, but then later they resurface and become important.  I enjoyed following the trail and seeing how they all fit together.  Almost everything has a place in the story. 
• I mentioned in my earlier review of Spellbound, that this series has the ubiquitous mean girl.  While I hate the inclusion of the tormentors, at least the main characters take a stand against the bullying.  I admired the way that Emma admonished herself when she stooped to the low tactics of the mean girls.  She sees the error in her actions and chooses to rise above that nasty type of behavior.  
• I appreciate that this series stays away from the horrendous love triangles and the dreaded cliffhangers.  Both books center around the smoking hot romance between Brendan and Emma, and they both resolve nicely.  I applaud Ms. Shultz for endeavoring to refrain from my two most hated nemesis in the YA genre. 
• I love Emma's voice, she is just a touch sarcastic and a bit edgy, which leads to some fun dialogue.
• I liked that the author included at the end of both books a downloadable playlist of songs on Brendan and Emma's ipods.  A fun little addition to the books. 

And The Not So Much:

• This book explores Emma's newfound powers as she begins to accept that she is a witch.  For some reason, I just don't feel like the whole witch concept is thoroughly explored and explained.  Some of the spells just don't make sense.  For instance, it becomes evident that powerful spells can be performed if the caster has a personal item, so why then would the characters agree to give blood to get the attacker to back off?  A sample of blood is one of the most potent ingredients, usually to perform a dark spell.  The witchcraft, just didn't feel realistic to me.
• Again this book starts off slow.  It takes a good while before the true plot unfolds, and the action doesn't kick in until at least half way.  The book does build and build to a big dramatic finish, but you must be patient.  
• This book has a darker tone in comparison to its predecessor.  I found that I had a harder time staying engaged in this plot, it may have been just me, but I thought the focus on the romance in the first book was fun, this time the story revolves around a dark predator bent on breaking up Emma and Brendan.  Perhaps the reason I wasn't as entertained by this book was that the plot lacked the originality that was present in Spellbound.

Fans of the Brendan and Emma, soul mates, will delight in the return of their spicy hot romance.  This book delves into the paranormal world of witches and spells.  Angelique steps forward and adds her unique voice to the book, a lively addition indeed.  I can recommend this book to anyone who is looking to read outside of the typical triangle trios and escape the pain of the cliffhanger.  This is a good read, but in my opinion not quite as unique as its predecessor. 

Favorite Quotations:

"I thought at the time---she'd had so much Botox for the grand opening of one of her husband's hotels that her face was about as flexible as brick."

"So I could think of better ways to pass the time than discussing his past, like slamming my face into a drawer---repeatedly."

"I rolled my eyes at her.  "You watch too much porny latenight TV."

"Looks like someone put on her pervy pants this morning."

"Which left me standing right next to Kristin, the Creamsicle---colored harpy.  I felt like the chained-up goat from Jurassic Park, just waiting for the T-Rex to come and bite my head off."

"I sat on the rim of the bathtub in his messy bathroom, blowing my nose into a continuous roll of toilet paper like the sexy beast I am."

"You're a diamond and she's a....Twinkie wrapper."

"He thought her tan made her look like she bathed in nacho cheese."

"The empath in me was hit with such a display of he-man testosterone swagger I was worried I'd feel like trying to write my name in the snow."

"Overlooking it all like an eye in the sky was the moon, a deep rust color bleeding into its side as the lunar eclipse continued its progress." 

A Copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Harlequin Teen, in exchange for an honest review.

Spellbound (Spellbound #1) by Cara Lynn Shultz

What's a girl to do when meeting The One means she's cursed to die a horrible death?

Life hasn't been easy on sixteen-year-old Emma Connor, so a new start in New York may be just the change she needs. But the posh Upper East Side prep school she has to attend? Not so much. Friendly faces are few and far between, except for one that she's irresistibly drawn to—Brendan Salinger, the guy with the rock-star good looks and the richest kid in school, who might just be her very own white knight.

But even when Brendan inexplicably turns cold, Emma can't stop staring. Ever since she laid eyes on him, strange things have been happening. Streetlamps go out wherever she walks, and Emma's been having the oddest dreams: visions of herself in past lives—visions that warn her to stay away from Brendan. Or else.

Paperback, 324 pages

Published June 21st 2011 by Harlequin Teen

 

 

1/2

 

Three and a half stars: A novel with a curse, star crossed lovers and more.

Emma survived a rough couple of years.  She lost her twin brother and mother in two years time.  She was left living with her drunken stepfather, who nearly killed her in a car accident while driving drunk.  Thankfully, her Aunt Christine, who is a recent widow with no children, takes her in and turns Emma's life around.  Emma moves to New York and is enrolled in a prestigious, private school for her junior year.  Emma dreads being the new girl in a small, wealthy school.  At least, she has her plucky fourteen year old cousin, Ashley.  On her first day, she immediately draws the attention of the resident mean girl and the pretty boy, who thinks his ass is made of gold.  Her rebuffs don't  allow her to slip under the radar.  Thankfully, she does make some new friends.  She settles into her English class, and in strolls a handsome, tousled bad boy with glittering green eyes.  Brendan.  Emma is immediately drawn to this boy, but after their initial meeting he ignores her.  That doesn't stop her from drooling.  A few weeks into the school year, some inexplicable things start happening.  Street lights go dark when she runs by and she feel as if something dark is following her.  Then bad dreams start haunting her, visions of dying over and over but as someone else. She finds the same crest that is on her charm necklace in Brendan's locker.  Why is she drawn to this boy?  Is something after her? Is it possible to have past lives?

What I Liked:

• I was pleasantly surprised by this book once it began to unfold.  This story moves a bit beyond the typical high school romance.  It starts with an instant attraction between Emma and Brendan, but then it cools off when Brendan disengages and becomes aloof.  Now, I know some reviewers have complained about this seemingly being an insta love type relationship, but I didn't see it that way.  First, they are attracted but then Brendan withdraws, and you are left guessing, along with Emma, as to his true intentions.  Once the author reveals the twist and you see why they are drawn together, well things heat up and start to sizzle.  Truly, this really isn't an insta love, love at first sight type of romance, there is much more to it than that, and I can't say much without involving spoilers.  Let's just say it involves some magic, old legends, curses and a great love.  I honestly enjoyed the relationship between the two.
• I liked both Emma and Brendan.  Emma has dealt with a great deal of sorrow in her life, but she doesn't let it consume her.  She moves forward. I liked that she was a bit insecure and felt awkward around Brendan.  She is also a bit sassy, which makes some of her lines fun and memorable.  I admired that she was courageous and willing to take a stand against the bullies, even risking a physical attack when she defends her cousin.  Brendan on the other hand, is a bit of a mystery at first, he is a handsome (a hot mess) like-able bad boy. As the story progresses, his layers peel back and he has a lot of depth, he then becomes very swoon worthy.
•   I enjoyed the various twists and turns, as well as the surprising inclusion of some super natural elements.  A book that starts out as your typical teenage romance filled with high school drama, evolves into something far different than I expected.

And The Not So Much:

• This book is slow going in the beginning.  The first third of the book reads like a traditional YA high school romance, girl meets smoking hot guy, sparks fly, boy ignores girl leaving her second guessing, enter mean girl and mean guy, more drama and then  once the book hits the two thirds mark, the story picks up when some big stuff is revealed, and it transforms. 
• One of the characters, Angelique, remains much of a mystery.  She and Emma become friends.  Angelique is all about shock, as she is the school's resident witch.  This character is so fun, but she is not developed.  She just flits in and out.  Finally, at the conclusion of the book, there was a short excerpt from Angelique's point of view, and wow! It was very revealing, to say the least.  It made me wonder why this side of her wasn't shown in the main story. 
• Another character that I wanted to see more of and learn more about was Cisco, he immediately becomes Emma's friend and confidant.  Then during the latter half of the book, he just fades out and is hardly present.  I really enjoyed him and I wished that he had stayed in the picture.
• Sigh....this book includes a very nasty mean girl and boy.  Why do we have to have so many of these characters?  I absolutely detest the entire bullying/ mean kid theme.  At least in this book, our main characters, Brendan and Emma stand up to the bullies. 
• Toward the end of the book there is a big reveal regarding Emma's heritage and her abilities, I won't say anymore to alleviate spoilers, but this exposure did not flow well in the story, is just felt like something that was thrown in, and it wasn't thoroughly explained or explored.  I am guessing this will be a theme in the sequel.
• Emma's twin brother, Nathan, is already deceased when the novel opens.  However, he is still an integral part of the story.  I would like to have had more insight on him; what was he like? Tell me more about the bond between he and Emma, etc.

Spellbound was a surprisingly fun read.  This book takes a seemingly typical teenage attraction and turns it upside down, with some mystery and a pair of star crossed lovers.  Brendan and Emma are both great characters and together they have electric chemistry.   Beware of the mean girl theme, but luckily this is a book where the protagonists rise above it.  If you are looking for something that steps outside the typical YA storyline, plus it lacks a love triangle and cliffhanger, big bonus points there, give Spellbound a try.  Look for the sequel, Spellcaster, March 27, 2012. 

Favorite Quotations:

“I knew that juniors did not hang out with the lower classes.  It was like hanging out with a bunch of vegetarians and wearing a bacon necklace.”

“The slick smile was back on his face as James Blond spoke directly to my shirt’s third button.”

“I’d always heard the phrase “mentally undressing someone with your eyes” but never had I actually seen it in action.  This dude’s eyes could perform a freakin’ CAT scan, they were so thorough.”

“She was a little waterfall, overflowing with good cheer.”

“The rest of the weekend seemed like a never-ending ocean of time”

“The pathway was velvet dark, the only illumination coming from Queens, across the river.”

“That’s because girls are evil,” I muttered.  “High school girls are demons, seriously.”

“I had all the warning signs---and yet I’d run into danger’s welcoming arms and given it a kiss.”

Friday Forecast

Okay it is supposed to be Spring right? Well here in Portland we have had snow all week.. recording setting in fact, and we hardly ever get snow.  Let's hope next week is a little kinder.  Here as always are the highlights of some of next week's upcoming releases. Next week for the first of April, there will be a crazy number of books released.  So save your pennies!  What are you looking forward to picking up this week, and how is the weather where you are? Here is next week's forecast:

This weekend's weather forecast for Portland, Oregon:

Saturday: High 66 Low 43 Partly Sunny/Rain  Sunday: High 57 Low 41 Overcast/Fog

             Have a great weekend everyone!

Hounded Read Along Week Four

March 02nd: Chapters 1-5 hosted by Geeky Blogger's Book Blog

March 09th: Chapters 6-10 hosted by On a Book Bender

March 16th: Chapters 11-15 hosted by Smash Attack Reads!

March 23rd: Chapters 16-20 hosted by In the Closet With a Bibliophile

March 30th: Chapters 21-25 + epilogue hosted by The Unread Reader

April 06th: Special interview with Kevin Hearne & announcement of winners!

 

 1.  Just after Atticus is shot, Oberon has to "ninja" his way out of the shop and into Hal's Beamer (with the icky air freshener). Have you ever been in a situation where you had to "ninja" your way out and try not to be discovered? If so, what happened?

Well, my ninja skills are a bit lacking, because I always start giggling while trying to make a stealthy get away. For instance, a few years ago a whole gaggle of us cousins were together for a sleep over, most of us were teenagers at the time.  Well, my little sister had a brilliant idea: the first person to fall asleep would get a make over. I dozed off, but being the oldest and a light sleeper, I was left alone.  I awoke to giggling and snorting, my brother and cousin, Travis, were giving my sleeping sister a make over. ( Ironic since it was her idea). Anyway, a few years later, my sister sought revenge.  We were once again all together, older and wiser (yeah right) most of us were early twenties and late teens now. My sister wanted to get back at Travis, who was sleeping upstairs on the air mattress.  Myself, my sister and two cousins, Josh and Tausha, sneaked up to give the dozing Travis his long overdue makeover.  Unfortunately, none of us have stealth, I kept giggling (it's contagious you know) and the others started in as well, and Travis woke up. We tried to make a sneaky get away, but Josh managed to jump up and bang his head on the lamp, thus the secret ninjas did not melt quietly in the shadows. The next morning after the night's adventure, the ninjas required Red Bull, (which they found located right next to the cans of Whoop Ass in the store) for they stayed up too late plotting and doling out revenge.

 2. Atticus's main goal through a large portion of the book is not only protecting Oberon, but also protecting the sword. You are now living in a paranormal world and you need a weapon! What weapon do you choose and what can it do?

Easy, I would pick a blow gun that blows out little balls of sleeping potion or whatever power I wish to inflict on perpetrators.  I think blow guns are way cool, plus it could be small and easy to conceal.  It would also be easy to expel my balls of magic undetected because it is quiet.  Besides, you could spit on them too, added bonus.

 3.  To recharge and heal after being shot, Atticus sleeps naked, tattoos to the earth, in a patch of grass near the Civic Center in downtown Scottsdale. Where is the weirdest place you have ever slept?

I wish I could say I slept somewhere wild and crazy, on second thought it is probably a good thing that I haven't.  Waking up in the bushes or some strangers bed would be terrible.  I do not sleep well anywhere but in a nice comfortable bed, so I always head straight to my nice, soft bed.  I can honestly say for the most part as a young adult, I refrained from wild and crazy drinking escapades, unless you count the time I drank too much and threw up out the window in the bed of a pickup truck, but still made it home to my bed.  I did trip over the bed post and face plant, before climbing into bed. 

 4. We finally find out some very interesting information about Granuaile and I don't know about you, but I certainly wasn't expecting to find that she's sharing her head with someone else. What about you, did you expect anything along those lines? If not, what were you expecting concerning Granuaile? 

I was definitely not expecting Granuaile to be sharing her head with a powerful sorceress.  Again, Mr. Hearn throws another brilliant twist at us. I was thinking she would be the powerful and beautiful seductress out to seduce and betray him.  So far she seems to be on the right side, but then again she could still be his undoing.  

5.  Laksha is a witch, a truly evil one at that for many of the things she's done in the past. However, she's supposedly seen the error of her ways. Do you think she really has? Would you be willing to trust her? Do you think Atticus is smart to have decided to trust her to help him with the "other" witches?

Well, the jury is still out on Laksha.  She seems to be on the up and up and willing to make amends for her deviant behavior.  But, can Atticus really trust her? I don't think so, and he doesn't seem like he is trusting her fully either.  However, she has a vendetta against the powerful coven leader and she should make a great ally.  Atticus still needs to proceed with caution, who knows what lies in store, at this point there could even be zombies.  

That is it! Another week done.  Next week is the conclusion.  I am sure this book will end with an exciting and dangerous finale.  This book is all kinds of awesome.