This Gorgeous Game by Donna Freitas

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THIS GORGEOUS GAME
Author: Donna Freitas
  • Reading level: Young Adult
  • Hardcover: 224 pages
  • Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR); 1 edition (May 25, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0374314721
  • ISBN-13: 978-0374314729
SYNOPSIS:
A CHILLING NOVEL ABOUT THE ISOLATION OF BEING STALKED AND THE ABUSE OF POWER.
 
Olivia Peters is over the moon when her literary idol, the celebrated novelist and muchadored local priest Mark D. Brendan, offers to become her personal writing mentor. But when Father Mark’s enthusiasm for Olivia’s prose develops into something more, Olivia’s emotions quickly shift from wonder to confusion to despair. Exactly what game is Father Mark playing, and how on earth can she get out of it?
 
This remarkable novel about overcoming the isolation that stems from victimization is powerful, luminous, and impossible to put down.
 
MY THOUGHTS:
Olivia is an aspiring writer who wins a contest that gives her the chance to meet her author idol, Father Mike.  She is on cloud nine thinking that her life is finally getting better.  You quickly learn that Father Mike’s meetings with Olivia are more about obsession than mentoring.  
The characters were not as interesting as I thought they would be.  The plot was a little blah as well.  Yet, even with those feelings about the book, I could understand the story the author was trying to tell without over doing it.  It flowed nicely and the obsession progressed at a normal pace. I just wish I could have liked the characters a little more.  I was not a big fan of the ending either. It left things unfinished.  I hope this is something the author will plan on fixing with her next books.
Overall it wasn’t a bad read, but it wasn’t great either.  It left me wanting more ends tied up and the characters to have had a little more depth to them.
MY RATING:


 
  If the library doesn’t have it, don’t worry about reading it! 2 STARS

(ARC Review) Raised By Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

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RAISED BY WOLVES
Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Source: Publisher
*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

  • Category: Juvenile Fiction – Animals – Wolves
  • Format: Hardcover, 432 pages
  • On Sale: June 8, 2010
  • Price: $17.99
  • ISBN: 978-1-60684-059-7 (1-60684-059-2)

SYNOPSIS:
 Adopted by the Alpha of a werewolf pack after a rogue wolf brutally killed her parents right before her eyes, fifteen-year-old Bryn knows only pack life, and the rigid social hierarchy that controls it.  That doesn’t mean that she’s averse to breaking a rule or two. 

But when her curiosity gets the better of her and she discovers Chase, a new teen locked in a cage in her guardian’s basement, and witnesses him turn into a wolf before her eyes, the horrific memories of her parents’ murders return. Bryn becomes obsessed with getting her questions answered, and Chase is the only one who can provide the information she needs.

But in her drive to find the truth, will Bryn push too far beyond the constraints of the pack, forcing her to leave behind her friends, her family, and the identity that she’s shaped?

MY THOUGHTS:

I knew from the first few paragraphs of this book that I was going to fall in love with this author and her writing!

“Bronywn Alessia St. Vincent Clare!”
Four names, five words, one pissed-off werewolf.  The math in this particular equation never came out in my favor.

That is the first two lines of the book.  I knew that this author was going to bring me witty writing, some laugh out loud dialogue, wolves and page turning suspense with just the first two paragraphs of the book.  I loved the character of Bryn.  She was the typical headstrong and I-know-it-all teenager you would expect at her age of 15 except that she is a human raised by wolves.  Callum found her when she was 4 years old after a Rabid wolf attacked and killed her parents. He marked her as his and she was brought into his pack to live.

Along the way we get to meet many other dynamic players in this great read that will capture your interest and keep you turning the pages for more. My favorite side character in this book is Devon.  He is Bryn’s best friend in the pack, a pure bred werewolf, and just as witty and smart mouthed as Bryn.  When they are together you can expect some laugh out loud dialogue. 

Bryn is always snooping around when she is told not to.  She comes across Chase who was attacked by a Rabid and is now a werewolf.  She feels an instant connection to him and vice-versa.  They become protective of each other. Bryn finds herself challenging everything she has been taught to keep him safe.  At times the book can become a little confusing only because there is so much going on and you have to try and figure out the mystery along with Bryn.  The author did a wonderful job of just giving you enough to think you know what it is going to happen, but then she will throw you for a loop in the end.

This was a great new read and a new author to me.  I had to sink my teeth into this book and hold on for an incredible journey with Bryn. It will leave you howling with joy for the great read and howling with sorrow waiting for another book by this author!  Whatever the author has in store for us next, I will be waiting in line for the next adventure she writes!

MY RATING:


Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading! 5 STARS

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Yolanda Sfetsos

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To start off, welcome and can you tell the readers a little about yourself?

Hi Amy, and thank you so much for having me here today! I had a lot of fun answering your questions. 🙂

Well, I’m a writer who lives in Sydney, Australia. I’ve got a very supportive husband, a gorgeous 9-year-old daughter, and a cheeky cat called Loki. With a name like that he was bound to be cheeky, I suppose. Anyway, I write stories in a variety of genres—ranging from urban fantasy to SciFi—but there’s always some kind of supernatural theme stuck in there.

I write every day, though I take most weekends off. When I’m not writing I enjoy hanging out with my small family, going for walks, watching TV shows and movies. I’m also a huge reader.

Can you tell us a little about your upcoming or latest release?

My latest release is called BOUNDLESS. It’s the book that brings the main character’s demonic problem to a conclusion. Alyce finally finds some sort of closure and happiness with Ross, while picking up a few other issues along the way.

Here’s the blurb:

Alyce remains estranged from her celebrity status as a Faith Healer and is holed up inside a motel room with the mysterious Sebastian. Her soul might no longer belong to Buer, but the fight is far from over. The price for her freedom was devastating.

Ross made a deal with a demonologist in order to save Alyce, and is now at the mercy of the crazy woman and the demon Buer. There is no escape from the basement in which the three are trapped in, and he has to bear the torture.

When Sebastian finds a way to save Ross, Alyce must engage in an ancient, carnal ritual that complicates her life further. But for Ross, she’s willing to put both her heart and soul on the line… even if it means losing him.

BOUNDLESS is now available from Damnation Books and will soon be released in print.

I am a fly on your wall. What would I report back to my master of the daily grind of Yolanda?

Cool question. You’d probably tell your master that I’m always doing something. That I can’t sit still, and don’t seem to know how to relax. Even when it looks like I’m sitting back on the couch, things are ticking over inside my head so I probably make funny faces too. lol.

When you are not writing, what kind of books do you like to read? Do you have any favorite authors, that are must reads?

I love to read in a variety of genres, but my most favorite is definitely urban fantasy. I’m hooked on a lot of UF series, so there are several authors that I buy instantly—Rachel Caine, Jeanne C. Stein, Jenna Black, Patricia Briggs, Charlaine Harris… to name a few. There are definitely more on the list.

I’ve added a lot of YA books to my TBR pile lately, and I’m a sucker for post-apocalyptic/futuristic stories.

Oh, Stephen King and Clive Barker have been on my instant-buy list for years!

What are 3 things that are “must haves” for you when you sit down to write a new book?
I need my trusty laptop, a notebook/post-it notes & pen, plus the folder containing all of the notes-slash-research I’ll need to refer to.

Do you have a blog or website that your readers can keep up with you and your books? Twitter?

Actually, I do:

My website: http://www.yolandasfetsos.com/ You can find out what my latest releases are, what I’m currently reading, and I also offer several free reads.

My blog: http://ysfetsos.blogspot.com/ I blog almost every day, about what I’m up to writing and life wise, as well as post book reviews.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/yolandasfetsos I love to pop into Twitter and have it open (almost) all the time when I’m working away at the computer.

Now for some fun stuff:

1. What came first–the chicken or the egg? I’d say the chicken.
2. Why doesn’t glue stick to the inside of the bottle? Maybe it does.
3. If you choke a Smurf, what color do they turn? Purple?
4. If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a song about him? Probably because Jimmy worked so hard he deserved a song.

Favorite perfume: CK One
Favorite TV show: Dexter/Supernatural/True Blood/Burn Notice—I had to cheat on this one.
Favorite Movie: The Lost Boys
Favorite Drink:Vanilla Coffee
Favorite Dessert: Cheesecake

Thanks for joining us on My Overstuffed Bookshelf!!

WEEKLY CONTEST/GIVEAWAY

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Here is this weeks giveaway contest.
  At times, there will be more than one book, but most of the time I will be featuring a weekly giveaway of one book. For these giveaways, I will NOT contact you if you win.  I will announce the winner and you will have 48 hours to respond.  If I don’t hear from you.  the book will be passed to the next winner in line. 
Now here is the book(s) for this week and the rules will follow after the description:
 ARC copy
Laura Kinsale’s unique and powerfully written love stories transcend the romance genre. In this, her first new book in five years, she delivers a poignant, funny, sexy, Regency romance sure to delight her many fans and attract a whole new readership. 
Trevelyan and Callie are childhood sweethearts with a taste for adventure, until the fateful day her father discovers them embracing in the carriage house and, in a furious frenzy, drives Trevelyan away in disgrace. Nine long, lonely years later, Trevelyan returns. Callie discovers that he can still make her blood race and fill her life with excitement, but he can’t give her the one thing she wants more than anything—himself. 
For Trevelyan, Callie is a spark of light in a world of darkness and deceit. Before he can bear to say his last goodbyes, he’s determined to sweep her into one last, fateful adventure, just for the two of them.
GIVEAWAY RULES:

1. You must be a follower to enter.
2. Contest is only available to the USA.  
Sorry, but limited funds at this moment in time. 
This could change later.
3.  Leave a comment on this post.

OPTIONAL: 

4. Mention the contest on your blog for +1 extra entry.
(Please post the link in a separate comment to qualify.)
5.  Tweet about this contest for +1 extra entry. 
(Please post the link in a separate comment to qualify.)
6. Follow me on Twitter for +1 extra entry.
(Please post the link in a separate comment to qualify.)
7. Subscribe by email for +1 entry.
This contest is open until 6/7/2010 with the winner being announced on 6/8/2010.
GOOD LUCK!!