The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater Release Date: October 18, 2011 Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy Source: Purchased in Hardcover Rating: 4 Bookworms Challenges: #2017HW, #ShelfLove Goodreads Synopsis It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die. At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them. Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn't given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition - the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.
First things first - I love Maggie. I always have. Her writing is so lyrical and her stories so engrossing. So it pains me to say that The Scorpio Races didn't grab me immediately. I can't even tell you why but I kept putting it down. Maybe too much YA too close together? I'm not sure but by 100 pages in, I was hooked. And by the end my heart was galloping to the rhythm of the race. The story revolves around Kate "Puck" Connolly and Sean Kendrick, two souls bound to the island by circumstance, participating in the Scorpio Races in an attempt at gaining freedom. These two are, to quote Mr. Malvern, "a strange pair." Puck describes Sean as having sharp edges and angles. Puck herself, in my opinion, is sharp edges and angles in personality. They're both unconcerned about what anyone else thinks and their closest friends are horses. They have much in common and when they meet each other, they're intrigued. I adore them both but Puck in particular as shes bucks island tradition by presuming to be the first girl in the races. It never occurred to her that she shouldn't be in them. Some of the things I found so fascinating about The Scorpio Races are:
freedom as a central theme, both for Puck, Sean, and Puck's brother, Gabe, as well as for the capall uisce, the water horses
the mythology of the capall uisce and how Maggie made it her own
the personification of Thisby island, where the story is set
The characters endeared themselves to me and the story was beautifully rendered. I'm so happy I pulled this one off the shelf!
Dream Magic by Michelle Mankin Magic Series #2 Release Date: June 7, 2016 Genre: Adult, Paranormal Romance Source: Purchased on kindle (I also had the pleasure of beta reading this installment) Rating: 5 Bookworms Challenges: #2016NewRelease Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ B&N Synopsis The dreamscape is a place of magic and mystery and meaning. In that nocturnal realm, ideas, images, sensations and emotions drift on the currents of the unconscious mind. Morpheus the Dream Falcon is most at home in that domain. By night, the one of a kind winged immortal soars on those winds, observing and sometimes even entering the slumbering thoughts of another. By day, he is a highly sought after mercenary feared by his immortal kin for both his unmatched ferocity and his wicked obsidian talons. None of his prey escapes him. Cecilia Ramirez y Aguilera is the one her truly wants. But the striking oracle of the Court of the Light Immortals is closed to the handsome outlaw, even in her dreams. Broken by unimaginable losses, the seer is but a slave, subject to the whims of a master who is mad and without mercy. Drawn together by fate, their impossible passion ignites. But will that be enough given the dangerous secrets each keeps from the other? Or will mistrust and the desire for revenge threaten to unravel the powerful magic that binds them?
Dream Magic is the continuing story of the characters from Strange Magic and introduces a new set of characters as well. Like Strange Magic, Dream Magic has it's own plotline but it also ties into an over-arching plotline. Therefore, Strange Magic *must* be read first. In Dream Magic, we're introduced to Cecilia, "Ceci", and her sister, Millie. They have interesting parentage and are blessed with interesting abilities. Certain events occur whereby the sisters, due to their abilities, are taken prisoner. They are held in the Court of the Light Immortals, and there are witness to parts of their world that their parents tried to shield them from. While at court, the sisters make many new friends and possibly some enemies. And Ceci meets Morpheus, the Dream Falcon. Mankin did an excellent job in crafting a fascinating story revolving around mythology: the different gods, both dark and light, evil and good. It was exciting but also relevant in its messages. I very much enjoyed seeing Morpheus, Thyme, Billy, and Bacchus again but I also liked how Mankin meshed the two stories with the introduction of new characters. All of Mankin's characters are well fleshed out, the mythology was used well, and the story was solid. I was pulled into the story in the first few pages and was loathe to put it down. Mankin tossed my emotions in different directions - one minute, I was gasping, the next cheering. I laughed and I cried. I was biting my nails in anticipation of what would happen next. I was enthralled with Ceci and Morpheus' story and enchanted when Billy and Thyme's story intertwined with theirs. Obviously, I adored Dream Magic. I may have liked it even more than Strange Magic. The ending was shocking in several ways and I'm more than eager for Twisted Magic, the conclusion to this trilogy. Ms. Mankin, write faster! :D
Strange Magic Part Two Strange Magic Series Release Date: February 5, 2015 Genre: Adult, Paranormal Romance, Mythology Source: I received a complimentary copy from the author in exchange for an honest review Rating: 4.5 Bookworms
Synopsis
Billy Blade is a hardworking, hard living, razor sharp musical force. Mysterious behind his dark shades, the rough around the edges Texan mesmerizes with his haunting harmonica and tantalizes with his dangerous looks and smooth country charm. His latest album is topping the charts. He's the newly crowned King of the Bacchus Krewe. He's definitely living the rock star dream. Exotic Creole beauty Thyme Bellerose couldn't be more content. She has it all. An adoring grandmother. A handsome Tulane medical student beau. A satisfying job in the heart of New Orleans' French Quarter. Her life is as rich as the ice cream she creates. She's got everything under control. But control is an illusion. Dreams can turn into nightmares. And now during Mardi Gras, otherworldly powers stand ready to shape their destinies in ways they could never imaging. Shadow and light. Magic and mystery. Reality and myth. All come together in a place where rules bend and lines blur. Even those between life and death. Please note: This is Part Two, the finale of Strange Magic. It does NOT stand alone. Part One must be read first. Part Two is available exclusively on Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RU3NNX6 Recommended for mature readers. 17 and older.
Wow! What an ending for Billy and Thyme. What a world Mankin has created! In this final installment of Strange Magic (but only the beginning of the series!) we learn more about Billy Blade and his connection to Thyme. We also learn more about about the Immortals and what they're up to. Strange Magic is an incredible story about second chances at love but it's so much more. Mankin created a fantastic mythological world, set in New Orleans, and is really setting the stage for what comes next. I liked how Mankin used circumstances in her mythological world to mirror ones in our own. The battle lines have been drawn and change is a comin'. I also liked the comparison between the Mississippi River -- caring for her people, healing them -- and Thyme's mother, doing the same. Mankin demonstrates her remarkable talent as she deftly incorporated her mythological world -- the In Between -- into that of New Orleans. I knew she could create kickass, realistic rock worlds. Here, she proved she's equally able to conjure a world of imagination -- one with bioluminescent waterfalls and duality demons. A world populated with Zeus, Hades, Ares, and Bacchus -- gods who set the rules that are being called into question. At it's heart, though, is the love story. Both Billy and Thyme had love and lost it. Both were "dead" until they found one another. All the elements Mankin surrounded Billy and Thyme with -- poetry and music -- were a delight. Their end is not the end and I'm eager to see where things go from here.
Trailers & an Awesome Giveaway at the bottom of this post!
YOU ARE INVITED
STRANGE MAGIC Release Party
January 15 to February 17th
Join us for a Mardi Gras/New Orleans themed party with games & prizes every day plus weekly video responses from Ask the Author. Party kicked off with a video interview of how Strange Magic came into being and will end shortly after an Anything-Goes-Embarrass-The-Author-Grand-Challenge for Author Michelle Mankin to undertake while in NOLA for the start of Mardi Gras.
STRANGE MAGIC is a novel in two parts.
Part Two, the finale of STRANGE MAGIC, is NOW AVAILABLE!
It does NOT stand alone. Part One must be read first. Recommended for mature readers. 17 and older
Billy Blade is a hardworking, hard living, razor sharp musical force. Mysterious behind his dark shades, the rough around the edges Texan mesmerizes with his haunting harmonica and tantalizes with his dangerous looks and smooth country charm. His latest album is topping the charts. He’s the newly crowned King of the Bacchus Krewe. He’s definitely living the rock star dream.
Exotic Creole beauty Thyme Bellerose couldn’t be more content. She has it all. An adoring grandmother. A handsome Tulane medical student beau. A satisfying job in the heart of New Orleans’ French Quarter. Her life is as rich as the ice cream she creates. She’s got everything under control.
But control is an illusion. Dreams can turn into nightmares. And now during Mardi Gras, otherworldly powers stand ready to shape their destinies in ways they could never imagine.
Shadow and light. Magic and mystery. Reality and myth. All come together in a place where rules bend and lines blur. Even those between life and death.
Strange Magic - Part One - $.99 for a limited time only
Strange Magic - Part Two
Michelle Mankin is the Amazon bestselling author of the Black Cat Records series of novels.
Romance with subtext.
Reimagining classic stories with sexy rock stars and thought provoking issues.
For many years she worked in the insurance industry as an underwriter. Somehow, the boredom didn't kill her but the hours and hours of looking at facts and figures provided ample time for her mind to wander.
Love Evolution, Love Revolution, and Love Resolution are a Brutal Strength centered trilogy, combining the plot underpinnings of Shakespeare with the drama, excitement, and indisputable sexiness of the rock 'n roll industry.
Things take a bit of an edgier, once upon a time turn with the Tempest series. These pierced, tatted, and troubled Seattle rockers are young and on the cusp of making it big, but with serious obstacles to overcome that may prevent them from ever getting there.
Rock stars, myths, and legends collide with paranormal romance in a totally mesmerizing way in the Magic series.
When Michelle is not prowling the streets of her Texas town listening to her rock music much too loud, she is putting her daydreams down on paper or traveling the world with her family and friends, sometimes for real, and sometimes just for pretend as she takes the children to school and back.
Connect with Michelle Mankin on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Michelle-Mankin/233503403414065
On Twitter: https://twitter.com/MichelleMankin
On tsu: https://www.tsu.co/AuthorMichelleMankin
On her website: http://www.michellemankin.com/
Receive the Black Cat Records newsletter: http://eepurl.com/Lvgzf
Love Evolution is a rock star romance based on Shakespeare's Twelfth Night
http://amzn.to/KZoJS4
After the death of her twin brother, nineteen year old guitar prodigy Avery Jones finds herself desperate, alone, and out of options. Hope arrives in the form of a job opening with Brutal Strength, one of the biggest rock bands out there. Only problem is temperamental lead singer Marcus Anthony doesn't want a woman in the group. So Avery and her manager Trevor come up with a plan involving a Bieber haircut and men's clothing. No one seems to be onto their little con. But what happens when Avery starts falling for Marcus? Will she be able to continue with the farce or will the whole thing come crashing down around her like a house of cards?
(Revised and an additional 10,000 words of content, including 2 new chapters and an epilogue)
Love Revolution is a rock star romance inspired by Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing.
http://amzn.to/1aeXf43
The wheels of love are always turning at Black Cat Records. Things are just starting to settle down when two Texas sisters start to stir things up at the Vancouver record label. CEO Mary Timmons sets spirited country superstar Sara Daniels on a collision course with cocky rocker Chris Alex. Meanwhile, Brutal Strength's suave drummer, JR, has his head turned by pretty young intern, Samantha Daniels. Do all their highways lead to happiness or will the wheels fly off when the sisters' tragic past comes back to haunt them?
Love Resolution is a rock star romance inspired by Shakespeare's The Tempest.
http://amzn.to/1whIVAp
To forgive or not to forgive...There's a storm brewing at Black Cat Records and lead singer Marcus Anthony and guitarist Avery Jones are at the center of it. Brutal Strength is leaving Vancouver and heading out on a big stadium tour with the reprobate rockers from Tempest as their opening act. Avery is forced to deal with a troubling figure from her past while being pursued by Tempest's tatted bad boy, Bryan 'Bullet' Jackson. Meanwhile, Marcus must battle his own internal demons as well as this rival for Avery's affection. Can Avery and Marcus keep their fairy tale happily ever after together when the prevailing winds of the real world are against them?
Three full-length rock star novels in one limited edition set
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: • Grab your current read • Open to a random page • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
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Strange Magic Part Two Strange Magic Series
Synopsis
Billy Blade is a hardworking, hard living, razor sharp musical force. Mysterious behind his dark shades, the rough around the edges Texan mesmerizes with his haunting harmonica and tantalizes with his dangerous looks and smooth country charm. His latest album is topping the charts. He's the newly crowned King of the Bacchus Krewe. He's definitely living the rock star dream. Exotic Creole beauty Thyme Bellerose couldn't be more content. She has it all. An adoring grandmother. A handsome Tulane medical student beau. A satisfying job in the heart of New Orleans' French Quarter. Her life is as rich as the ice cream she creates. She's got everything under control. But control is an illusion. Dreams can turn into nightmares. And now during Mardi Gras, otherworldly powers stand ready to shape their destinies in ways they could never imaging. Shadow and light. Magic and mystery. Reality and myth. All come together in a place where rules bend and lines blur. Even those between life and death. Please note: This is Part Two, the finale of Strange Magic. It does NOT stand alone. Part One must be read first. Part Two is available exclusively on Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RU3NNX6 Recommended for mature readers. 17 and older.
***Teaser***
"What happened earlier?" Billy's tone was low and menacing. "Morpheus, you wanna explain why Ty's got puncture wounds on both her hands?"
Half-Blood Covenant #1 Release Date: October 18, 2011 Genre: YA, Fantasy, Mythology Source: Purchased on Nook Rating: 4 Bookworms Goodreads SynopsisThe Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi pure bloods have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals -- well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures. Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1: Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden. Unfortunately, she's crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn't her biggest problem--staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck.
I adored Half-Blood - but I'm really torn... I can't decide if I'm going to be Team Aiden or Team Seth!! ;) Okay, seriously though, I'm so happy I finally dove into this series. I can't believe I waited so long. I know I'm one of the few who haven't read it - but better late than never. I don't want to repeat all you've said or read about Half-Blood, so I'm just going to tell you why I adored it.
JLA did an excellent job of taking Greek mythology and making it her own. The concept of the Pures and the Halfs was unique. I really liked how she set up this world.
I was riveted needing to know where all the clues about Alex were going to go.
The sexual tension between Alex and Aiden was palpable. This is something JLA does well.
The tension and snarky banter between Alex and Seth was fun and it was a nice break from the serious tone of the book.
Alex is a great heroine - I liked her more and more as the story moved along. She didn't always make smart decisions, which amp'ed up the angst, but I understood her logic (?). She's very much "foolishly brave", as Aiden describes her. She's also very strong, emotionally. She's endured very difficult things in her short life and persevered.
I liked the friendship between Alex and Caleb, the antagonism between Alex and Lea, and the familial struggle between Alex and her step-father Lucien, as well as her uncle, Marcus.
I felt JLA did an excellent job of realistically portraying a teenage girl facing many difficult events and decisions.
Aiden Oh, you want more? I liked how supportive of Alex he is - both professionally and emotionally. He was there when Alex needed him. And I'm impressed with his selfless decision regarding her. I'm sure it won't stick, but it's the thought, right??
Seth - yeah, he was kinda arrogant when he came on to the scene. Alex couldn't figure him out but she had some ideas once certain revelations were made and I tended to agree with her. And then, after certain other events, he shows a different side of himself and I see a lot of potential in him.
JLA set up the rest of the series nicely with the ending. I can't wait to get on into the rest of the series.
I'll get back to y'all on Team Aiden or Team Seth. ;)
Daimon Covenant Series #0.5 Release Date: Genre: Source: Rating: Synopsis "Love in my world usually ended up with someone hearing 'I smite thee!' as she was cursed to be some lame flower for the rest of her life." For three years, Alexandria has lived among mortals--pretending to be like them and trying to forget the duty she'd been trained to fulfill as a child of a mortal and a demigod. At seventeen, she's pretty much accepted that she's a freak by mortal standards... and that she'll never be prepared for that duty. According to her mother, that's a good thing. But as every descendant of the gods knows, Fate has a way of rearing her ugly head. A horrifying attack forces Alex to flee Miami and try to find her way tack to the very place her mother had warned her she should never return-the Covenant. Every step that brings her closer to safety is one more step toward death... because she's being hunted by the very creatures she'd once trained to kill. The daimons have found her.
Daimon was a nice introduction to Alex and her life outside the Covenant. We find out she's living in the mortal world, how things have been for her and background information on the world she left. We also get the details of the events that lead her back to the Covenant in Half-Blood. FYI, I'm writing this review after having finished Half-Blood. While I enjoyed the extra details Daimon added to Alex's story, it isn't absolutely necessary to read it. However, it will really whet your appetite for the story - as it did for me. And it was nice to know a little more about things - the finer details - when reading Half-Blood. I immediately dove into Half-Blood upon finishing Daimon.
My To-Be Read List is a new meme hosted by Michelle @Because Reading. Michelle has been doing this for awhile and recently decided to extend the fun for us all. I thought it was a fabulous idea because it gets y'all in the game and it helps me knock off some of the many, many books on my TBR list. You're more than welcome to join in the fun! I've included the basic rules below but you can click on the graphic above to hop over to Michelle's site where you can find all the details. Here's how it works: On the first Saturday of each month, I will make a post with three books from my TBR List (these books can be already on your ereader or bookshelf OR books you might want to purchase) and add your link on the linky that will be provided on Michelle's post. Y'ALL will help me choose which book I will read next. The following Saturday, I will announce which book won. Then the last Saturday of the month, I'll post my review. Fun, right?!?
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Okay, y'all know I'm participating in the Mythology Reading Challenge this year - where I plan to read 1-2 mythology-themed books per month. So I thought this month, I'd let y'all choose which book I read! Here are the choices:
Half-Blood Covenant #1 The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi pure bloods have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals -- well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures. Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1: Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden. Unfortunately, she's crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn't her biggest problem--staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck.
*****
The Scorpio Races It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die. At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them. Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn't given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition - the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.
*****
Troy High Homer's Iliad, the classic tale of love and revenge, is shrewdly retold for teens in Troy High. Narrated by Cassie, a shy outsider who fears that an epic high school rivalry is about to go up in flames, the story follows the Trojans and Spartans as they declare war on the football field. After the beautiful Elena - who used to be the captain of the Spartan cheerleaders - transfers to Try High and falls madly in love with Cassie's brother Perry, the Spartans vow that the annual homecoming game will never be forgotten. The Trojans and Spartans pull wicked pranks on each other as homecoming approaches. And the Spartans' wildcard football star, Ackley, promises to take down the Trojans' offensive line. But the stakes are raised when Cassie is forced to choose between the boy she loves (a Spartan) and loyalty to her family and school. Troy High will seduce readers with its incendiary cast of mythic proportions.
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I found out about this challenge through Angie @Pinkindle but the Mythology Reading Challenge is being hosted by Lili Lost in a Book. I have several books on my shelves that involve mythology in some form, so I figured this challenge would be an excellent way to move them from the TBR side to the Read side of my library. :)
You can get all the rules and details at Lili Lost in a Book. But here's basically how it works:
This is a year-long challenge ~ January 1 to December 31, 2015. The books must involve mythology in some form, whether it's Greek, Norse, etc., can be any genre, and any format (i.e. ebook, audio, print). Pick a level, sign up, and link up your post!
The levels are:
Demigod Level ~ 1-5 books
God Level ~ 6-10 books
Titan Level ~ 11-20 books
Monster Level ~ 21+ books
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I'm shooting for God Level this year. I may get in a few more but I'm setting the bar at a lower level. I'll keep you posted on my progress! :) Here are a few mythology books from my shelves that I hope to read:
Do y'all have any books sitting on your shelves with a mythological theme?? Join in the fun!
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
