Review - The Kraken's Mirror

Captain Alan Silvestri is a man haunted by a strange curse. Good luck is his to command, but it comes at the cost of any place to call home or people to reckon as family. Resigned to die and shunned by all, he is forced to sail every three days, until he begins to dream of a special woman. Treated by our youth-oriented society as invisible and sexless, Emily Pawes is ready to move on with life. She attends a pirate festival, hoping to recapture the make-believe magic she knew as a young woman. Lucky to win an interesting bit of booty at a brick-a-brac stand, she finds herself transported by the Krakens mirror through a magical portal to a land of Hollywood piratitude, where swashbuckling heroes own iPods. With little choice, Emily embraces the madness. Playing pirate has to be safer than falling into the arms of handsome Captain Silvestri, right? When they meet, sparks fly, passion flares. He needs her to be free, but more than that, he needs her to be whole. Setting sail and uncertain of who actually controls the wheel, they seek ways to defeat his curse of good luck and discover the Krakens mirror has plans for them. Will Emily stay in this pirate haven to fight alongside him or will he lose her because of his curse?

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My review:

This was a fun book that I am glad I got the chance to read. I really enjoyed the characters and the world that has been created here.

As you can see from the description it is set in a mixture of times and worlds. You have the modern period where Emily is from. And you have the world she is transported too which is similar in concept to the idea of the Bermuda Triangle. Things enter the world but they rarely find their way back to where they came from. But everything is accepted and incorporated into use.

The characters were fascinating and very well done. They have their own complexities and backgrounds that make them interesting and you want to find out more. Although thing I liked about the characters is that neither Alan nor Emily are younger like we usually see. They both have lived and experienced parts of life before they meet.

The characters are also fun, because as the world is a bit of a mix match between past, present and future. They each have characteristics and language that comes from their time. Alan really speaks a lot like you would expect a pirate from the past too, while Emily responds back with modern terms.

All the secondary characters are just as great as the 2 mains. And there is even paranormal creatures that exist. So far we have been introduced to the vampires in passing. And I am hoping we learn more about these characters in the future as well since they seem to have quite a history behind them and the deal they have to live in peace with the town.

I am looking forward to the next book and hope to see this world continue on for a while. If you are looking for a fun read with time travel, romance and a touch of the paranormal pick this one up.

YA Bound: Breathless Reads Fall 2012 Epic Giveaway + Author ...

YA Bound: Breathless Reads Fall 2012 Epic Giveaway + Author ...: The awesome Morgan Rhodes (hmm, she looks familiar), author of the upcoming Falling Kingdoms has generously offered a box of ARC’s of some ...

Review - Blood Guilt

The first of a new vampire romance series, a sequel to the Awakened by Blood trilogy.

Mihaela, a fearless vampire hunter secretly haunted by loneliness and childhood tragedy, finds it difficult to adjust to the new world order where vampires are not always the bad guys. She's taking a much needed vacation in Scotland when she sees a little boy being chased through the streets of Edinburgh. Rescuing him brings bigger problems - two vampires from her past: Gavril, who killed her family; and the reclusive and troubled Maximilian, gifted Renaissance artist and one-time overlord of the most powerful undead community in the world. Maximilian once saved her life and now needs that favor returned.

The earth moves for Mihaela in more ways than one. From Scotland to Budapest and Malta, she races against time to prevent a disastrous, vampire-induced earthquake and save an innocent yet powerful child – all while fighting a dreadful attraction to Maximilian, her only ally, whom she can’t afford to trust. For Maximilian, the hunter becomes a symbol of renewed existence, as he struggles to accept his past and rediscovers his appetite for blood and sex - and maybe even happiness.

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My review:

I loved the Awakened by Blood trilogy when I read it last year. And I was excited when I when I found out about this sequel. And I was not disappointed. This is a great new story with an interesting new plot line and twists.

Blood Guilt takes off after the events of the last book in the trilogy but can be read as a standalone easily. You would miss out on some of the history and previous events but they only background to the story here.

Mihaela was an interesting secondary character in the first series. So I really enjoyed seeing her get her own story and finding out more about her character. Maximilian was also introduced in the last series. Here we get to find out more about him as well.

The setting is well done and the story is interesting and action packed. It really keeps you moving and you feel like you are on the same race against time as the characters.

I really enjoyed this new book in the world previously created and liked getting to know more about this previously introduced characters. It was also fun to get to see other characters from the previous series and see what they are up to now. It helps to satisfy my curiosity because I always want to know what happens to them next.

If you like paranormal stories, that include romance, action and adventure. Then this is one you want to pick up and read. You wont be disappointed. And you will join the rest of us in anxiously awaiting the next book.

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The Qwillery: Guest Blog By Hanna Martine - The Dreams You Keep...: Please welcome Hanna Martine to The Qwillery as part of the 2012 Debut Author Challenge Guest Blogs. Hanna's debut, Liquid Lies (The Elemen...

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Trailer - Diabolical

Review - Sanctus

An explosive apocalyptic conspiracy thriller from a major new British talent that will set the world alight…

REVELATION OR DEVASTATION?

The certainties of the modern world are about to be blown apart by a three thousand year-old conspiracy nurtured by blood and lies …

A man throws himself to his death from the oldest inhabited place on the face of the earth, a mountainous citadel in the historic Turkish city of Ruin. This is no ordinary suicide but a symbolic act. And thanks to the media, it is witnessed by the entire world.
But few understand it. For charity worker Kathryn Mann and a handful of others in the know, it is what they have been waiting for. The cowled and secretive fanatics that live in the Citadel suspect it could mean the end of everything they have built – and they will kill, torture and break every law to stop that. For Liv Adamsen, New York crime reporter, it begins the next stage of a journey into the heart of her own identity.
And at that journey's end lies a discovery that will change EVERYTHING …
SANCTUS is an apocalyptic conspiracy thriller like no other – it re-sets the bar for excitement and fascination, and marks the debut of a major talent in Simon Toyne.

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My review:

This is my favorite suspense of the year. It has everything from suspense, to action, mystery and conspiracies that stretch back to the beginning of the human race.

The author creates a mysterious sect that is hiding an ancient artifact that no one except the highest ranking in the group know what it really is. They have a very detailed history that you discover over the course of the story and that keep you figuring things out until the end of the story.

The setting as well is fictional but is so detailed that as you read you are wondering does it indeed exist. And if so where exactly in Turkey will you find it. You can easily picture it and imagine what it would look like should you be able to visit. From the streets to the buildings to the security.

At the same time you are getting these great character and setting details. You are on a roller coaster ride with the story. Once you get going it is almost non-stop until the end.

I thought this was an excellent debut for this author and I was completely surprised by the ending. It was not at all what I was expecting and it threw in one final twist to the story. While this is the start of a trilogy it is a complete stand alone that concludes the main story at the end. I am however really looking forward to the next in the series to see what happens next as a result of what happened here.

If you are looking for a great suspense. Pick this one up immediately. It is reminiscent of other religious thrillers. But as it is completely fictional and not based on any one "real" religious sect it can easily be classified in a standard thriller category.