Shiny!!

How many of you have purchased books based solely on the cover? *raises hand*
Even purchased the book knowing you probably weren’t going to like it because the cover was so eye catching you just couldn’t resist?

I know I’m not alone out there.

Thankfully, I have a little more self control now than I did when I was younger, but that temptation is there. Constantly lurking in the back of mind as I walk through a book store looking at the new releases. Then there is always that one that just jumps off the self at you and you do the mental “Ooooooo Shiny!!” as you start to drool. Okay, maybe I’ve even done the Shiny squee out loud a time or two. And if you’re a dire hard bibliophile and denying you’ve ever done such a thing... Liar, liar, pants on fire!

The first book I can recall purchasing because of the cover was George R. R. Martin’s A Game of Thrones. Thankfully, I loved the book itself and anxiously the next book in the Song of Ice and Fire Saga. Please Mr. Martin...hurry.


There’s just something to be said about great cover art. At least I can get my cover art fix online with all the great book blogs I frequent. I’ve been seeing quite a few lately that has had my wish list growing even longer. (Admittedly, it was already out of hand as is my TBR pile.)

Some of my favorite blogs that help feed this addiction:
All Things Urban Fantasy - I love how she gives them a thumbs up or down.
SciFiGuy
Dark Faerie Tales

That’s just to name a few.

And a few of the covers that have recently caught my eye are:



So what’s caught you’re eye lately? New, old, reissue?

Chronicles of the Warlands upcoming book

Elizabeth Vaughan's latest to the Chronicles of the Warlands series will be released this May. For those of who have come to love Xylara and Keir, we've been anxiously awaiting this -


Warprize, the first book of the series, is also going to be reissued with a new cover.



For those of you who have not read this fantasy romance series, I highly recommend it.


If you would like a chance to win either the reissue of Warprize or a copy of Warcry, click your way over to LovLivLife Reviews to enter her contest for a chance at one.

Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck

Synopsis from Goodreads.
Passion. Fate. Loyalty.
Would you risk it all to change your destiny?
The last thing Kelsey Hayes thought she'd be doing this summer was trying to break a 300-year old Indian curse. With a mysterious white tiger named Ren. Halfway around the world.
But that's exactly what happened.
Face-to-face with dark forces, spellbinding magic, and mystical worlds where nothing is what it seems, Kelsey risks everything to piece together an ancient prophecy that could break the curse forever.
Tiger's Curse is the exciting first volume in an epic fantasy-romance that will leave you breathless and yearning for more.

My thoughts:

I won this books from a Goodreads giveaway.

Overall, I enjoyed this YA book – the first of the Tiger series. The story was intriguing and held my interest. I will say that Ren and Kelsey’s relationship dilemmas were on the edge of trying my patience at times. Never have carried for the "must hide my feelings and push him away" premise in books. Too much mental hashing of feelings and emotions for my taste.

The use of Indian mythology really help develop the story for me. I’ve not read or seen much on this country, so it was something new for me. It was a bit of a refreshing break from the usual Egyptian and Greek twists.

I was a bit disappointed in the ending, but only because it left the reader hanging until the next book on several issues. I look forward to it’s release though.

Love the cover art on the trade paperback edition. Very eye catching.

3.5 stars

Deadtown by Nancy Holzner

Book summary:

They call it Deadtown: the city’s quarantined section for its inhuman and undead residents. Most humans stay far from its borders — but Victory Vaughn, Boston’s only professional demon slayer, isn’t exactly human…

Vicky’s demanding job keeping the city safe from all manner of monsters is one reason her relationship with workaholic lawyer (and werewolf) Alexander Kane is in constant limbo. Throw in a foolhardy zombie apprentice, a mysterious demon-plagued client, and a suspicious research facility that’s taken an unwelcome interest in her family, and Vicky’s love life has as much of a pulse as Deadtown’s citizens.

But now Vicky’s got bigger things to worry about. The Hellion who murdered her father ten years ago has somehow broken through Boston’s magical protections. The Hellion is a ruthless force of destruction with a personal grudge against Vicky, and she’s the only one who can stop the demon before it destroys the city and everyone in it.

My thoughts:
This has been getting so much praise on blogs, I decided to give it a try. Plus I really liked the cover art.

I was under the impression this would have more of a zombie angle to it than demons. I'm not normally interested in books about demons. I enjoyed it overall, though it was little predictable. It caught my attention enough that I'm interested in the next book in this series.

3 stars

What else I have read lately?

The Undead Next Door by Kerrelyn Sparks – 2.5 stars - had a little more emotional dilemma than I care for
Apollyon – Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins – 4 stars
Ghost Walk by Heather Graham – 3 stars
Murder For Revenge – edited by Otto Penzler – 2 stars

Num8ers by Rachel Ward

I won this book from GoodReads First Reads. Thank you very much GoodReads!

Synopsis from GoodReads:

Whenever Jem meets someone new, no matter who, as soon as she looks into their eyes, a number pops into her head. That number is a date: the date they will die.

Burdened with such an awful awareness, Jem avoids relationships. Until she meets Spider, another outsider, and takes a chance. But while they’re waiting to ride the Eye Ferris
wheel, Jem notices that all the other tourists in line flash the same number. Today’s number. Today’s date. Terrorists are going to attack London. Jem’s world is about to explode!

My thoughts:

I actually read this a couple of months ago, but I wanted to post this since it was released this year.

I found this book to be tedious at times. I finished because I was curious enough to want to see how it ended. Then I was disappointed in the ending because it was predictable. I couldn’t help but thinking during one part – Hey!! Nothing like promoting a little unprotected teenage sex.
I gave it 2 out of 5 stars.

Funny thing is I ended up with 2 copies of this book from the publisher. I’ve already Book Crossed one and I’ve registered the second one at BC so it will be looking for a home soon. At least Abby (my Bagle Hound) didn’t get hold of the second copy to chew on the cover.

Being Human Season One

Season One of Being Human, a BBC series, will be released on DVD and Blue Ray on Tuesday, July 20th.

A vampire, a werewolf, and a ghost share an apartment in Bristol, England!

A paranormal lovers must see.

Beautiful Creatures Giveaway

Chance to win Beautiful Creatures from Katie's Book Blog

Contest ends May 30th.