In My Mailbox #21

In My Mailbox was created by Kristi over at The Story Siren and is a great way to see what other bloggers are reading and reviewing. I always love seeing what everyone else got for their week!




FOR REVIEW:
The Vampire's Promise by Caroline B. Cooney
Griffin Rising by Darby Karchut

BOUGHT:
The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney
A Brush of Darkness by Allison Pang
Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg

WON from Geeky Blogger's Book Blog:
Visions of Magic by Regan Hastings

Thanks so much to Scholastic, Darby Karchut, and Felicia of The Geeky Blogger's Book Blog for sending me books this week!

Cover Critique: Romance Cover Categories Part 4

Let me preface this post by saying that my design critiques of these covers are in no way, shape or form a reflection on the author, the content or the publisher. I know the authors have very little, if any, control over the design. These are strictly my thoughts meant simply to be humorous and not insulting.

Okay everyone, today marks the last day of my romance cover categories series (not the last critique ever) and I think I have a few winners for you so I hope you all enjoy! I have one new category to introduce and then some additions to ones I've already mentioned, because, really, some of the past categories warrant a return visit.

CATEGORY: The Stud on a Steed




Let's start with the one on the left shall we? Her officer and gentleman here seems to be in danger of not only falling off his horse, but losing his, um, shirt? cape? toga? as well. Poor studmuffin is doing his best to stay on board by putting a freakishly clawed hand on the horse's flank while he glances behind him with the utmost seriousness, though it seems to me he's facing the wrong direction. If the horse is rearing in fear (as seems to be the case given the wide open mouth), it's obviously afraid of something that has crossed its path. Presumably in front of it. If something scared it from behind, it would most likely be running forward and away. So, as it stands, there appears to be a threat off-page in front of the horse, but our hero is staring down the lack of threat from behind. Well done sir, well done.

I think we should all take a closer look at the horse's head, specifically at the presence of reins miraculously growing directly out the side of its mouth. This is a special horse people. It can grow leather straps from its head. Impressive. Now, even if you haven't spent a lot of time around horses, common sense will help you with this next part. Typically, the reins are attached to either side of the bit in the horse's mouth to help with navigation. Again, not the case here. Both reins are attached to just the left side of its mouth, so I imagine this officer/gentleman combo spends a great deal of time going in circles as he tugs futilely in a single direction. Maybe that's why his cape is dislodged? Clearly, the speed at which he's been spinning in circles for an indeterminate amount of time has disrobed him. Marvelous.

Let's move on though, as there's so much more to see. At first glance, Destiny's Captive seems like a fine cover, nothing overly impressive but also nothing outrageously laughable. Except, upon closer inspection, it becomes clear this shirtless cowboy is either miniature in size or riding the biggest horse ever created. Look at its head in comparison to the cowboy's body! It's enormous! The front half of this horse is grossly disproportionate, it's like he's wading through the river on a moose. And why is he shirtless? I've ridden a lot of horses in my time and I'm pleased to report that I never spontaneously lost my shirt. Not once. Amazing! Of course, I didn't ride mutant water-dwelling moose-horse hybrids either, so maybe that has something to do with it. I guess we'll never know for sure.

CATEGORY: The Prop (again)



Here's what I imagine is going through this highlander's head at the moment:

I am a man. I want all who gaze upon this cover to know that I am a man. A man of muscles who rocks a tartan like nobody's business. If you are unable to tell I am a man given the red, flourish-y font covering up my impressive naked chest, just look at what's in my hands. A sword. That's right, it's long, wide, and I wield it with spectacular skill. As I do the magnificent appendage hidden by my kilt. You're welcome for that visual.

There's nothing wrong with this cover per se, I just find it entertaining that his entire upper and lower body is covered with type, leaving his hand-covered groin as the only part of him we can clearly focus on. Since our gaze really has no where else to linger once we've read the author's name and title, we can't help but notice him holding the large sword so it juts out at just the right angle from his crotch, leaving anyone with a less than clean mind (such as myself) to draw a parallel between the sword we see and the sword we don't but will no doubt be introduced to once we start reading.

CATEGORY: The What Were They Thinking? (again)




It's almost as though the designer of this cover was thinking of me when he created this. Like he knew how happy the utter ridiculousness of it all would make me. And he was right. It makes me giddy happy and completely made my day when I saw it for the first time. Has it made yours?

I think we all know by now that I'm not one to mince words when it comes to these critiques, so I'm just going to say it. This man has quite the rack. Color me a little jealous! I'm pretty sure he has me beat in both size and perkiness. They're just so firm aren't they? Not even a hint of saggage. I wonder if it hurts when he runs? I imagine given their size they get a good bounce going when he moves quickly, so I can't help but be curious as to what sort of support he gives them when he works out. Look at his face too–he's got that little smirk going on that says he knows he's got impressive man boobs and he's just daring us to look away from them, which of course we can't do because they're just so...bulbous.

Once we've blatantly stared at his breasts and gotten our fill, we then have the long silver hair, the black collar, and the large shoulder veins to deal with. It's a visual overload and there's entirely too much to take in at once! I feel like my brain might short circuit due to a prolonged exposure to this magnificent beast–a beast we are apparently going to attempt to cage if we decide to read. He is a marvel, and this is perhaps my new favorite cover ever.

A big thank you to Katiebabs for finding this last cover and to Ash for bringing the find to my attention! Happy Friday everyone!

Review: Angelfire

ANGELFIRE (Angelfire #1)
Courtney Allison Moulton
Paranormal Young Adult
464 Pages
Harper Collins/Katherine Tegen Books
Available February 15th
Received from publisher via NetGalley

THE STORY
Ellie considers herself pretty normal. She has normal problems like escalating tension between her parents and the gradual decrease in her grade point average. What is not normal are her nightmares. Every night she sees herself killing and being killed by great monsters who revel in the taste of her blood.

With the horrific murder of one of her teachers and the sudden appearance of attractive and mysterious Will, Ellie's whole view of normalcy is radically changed. According to Will, she's an ancient being sent from above and placed in a mortal body to wield angelfire, thus destroying the demonic reapers that feed on innocent souls and trap them in Hell for all eternity.

As it turns out, Ellie is the only one capable of harnessing angelfire, and Will has been her Guardian for the past five hundred years. Upon her death, she is reincarnated in another mortal body and raised in a human family until her powers are ready to be awakened. Only this version of Ellie can't remember all of her history despite her awakening, and as she attempts to learn her abilities all over yet again, the demonic reapers are uncovering a way to destroy not only her body, but her very soul, thus eliminating her forever instead of a paltry seventeen years.

MY THOUGHTS
Fun, fast, and full of action, Angelfire never gives us the opportunity the get up and walk away, forcing us to keep our noses firmly adhered to the pages as we voraciously consume every morsel of information provided. It's a beautifully balanced story, one where the supernatural is tempered by the regular trials and tribulations of a teenage girl, where impressive fight sequences are offset by quiet moments wrought with romantic tension, and where the overpowering weight of responsibility is paralleled by a light-hearted humor. No single element dominates the story and we are spared some of the prominent plot devices running rampant in paranormal young adult fiction, leaving us with a story that perhaps isn't as profound in the emotions it evokes as some, but one that keeps us thoroughly entertained and constantly questioning, reminding us with every devoured page why it is we enjoy getting lost in books so very much.

Utterly refreshing in her acceptance of the supernatural, Ellie surprises us after her initial understandable denial by fully embracing a destiny that has haunted her dreams with its violence and bloodshed. Her moments of "o woe is me" are blissfully limited as we read on with unabashed eagerness, just waiting for the physical strength and mental confidence of Ellie's past incarnations to catch up with her present mortal body. She brandishes some wickedly curved blades with enviable skill, yet remains completely accessible as she juggles her new preternatural obligations with her desire to cling to what is normal and understood–fending off the unwanted affections of a best friend and nursing a foreign yet intimately familiar connection to Guardian Will. It's in these moments of relatable emotional unease, both romantically and between her family members, that Ellie truly wins us over, her fighting prowess impressive but her mental and emotional insecurities ensuring the formation of a tangible character and reader bond.

The lack of a love triangle scenario is yet another welcome exclusion from this story, with Will being the only male of interest, and their relationship progresses at a gloriously reserved pace as they get to know one another again despite multiple lifetime's worth of knowledge. We sense this latest version of Ellie varies more significantly from those who came before, and her temporary amnesia leaves Will on equally unsteady footing in terms of his feelings, unsure as to where he stands with her when she can't remember their shared past. Though Will isn't quite as memorably attractive as some other notable male protagonists, and his utter subservience to Ellie outside times of training or battle is a bit grating at times, the chemistry between them is undeniable–the strands of history connecting them pulled so taut they seem to dangerously vibrate in time to our thudding heartbeats, each loud thump echoing in our chests bringing those fine threads, and them, that much closer to sensually snapping. The tension seems to be a character in and of itself; a living, breathing, pulsing, entity radiating from the pages in waves we greedily inhale as we lick our lips in anticipation of feeling that blistering warmth on our faces one more time.

Completing the sense of balance and leaving us fully satisfied is an ending where the details of the first leg of Ellie's journey are thoroughly explained and her mission accomplished. We aren't left with a teasing last sentence or a taunting epilogue, instead able to close the back cover with a pleasant sense of fulfillment and a strong, but not frustrating, desire to continue onward with Ellie and Will. There are enough questions remaining, along with a multitude of interesting characters in place, that the second installment shouldn't feel like a forced continuation of a completed story, and it will hopefully be sure to stand as alone as this first book has while returning us to a world that pairs angels with demons, romance with mystery, and a troubled past with an uncertain future.

Rating: 4/5

The Vyne Blog Tour: Character Interview with Scar

Today I have the pleasure of welcoming Scar to the blog, she's a main character in Daniel Walls's young adult fantasy novel The Vyne. If you haven't had a chance to read my review, you can check it out here. Hope you all enjoy and thanks for stopping by Scar!

Describe your relationship with Ash in 5 words or less.

Mutual disparity, trust, emotional, uncertainty

If you could only keep one memory from either the time before you became number 97 or the time you spent as Scar again, what memory would it be?

I don’t remember actual things from before I became 97. It’s more like a dream. What is most real to me than anything is my time with Ash. Everything seemed so vivid. And if there was one moment in time I could relive it would be the nights Ash used to sneak down to his father’s fishing trawler to visit me. It was so…perfect. I know it sounds weird—being trapped, hiding the shadows of his father’s boat. But we had everything we needed. We had each other. I never expected Ash to come. But he just did. Every single night he would show up with food and we would sit and just talk. Sometimes we wouldn’t talk, we’d just sit there in silence, staring out the little frost-covered porthole, out over Willow Lake. It was so peaceful. But that was before they found us. Before everything erupted.

No matter how many times you tell Ash not to trust you he continues to stand by your side, what is it about you that you think inspires his unwavering loyalty?

I often wondered that myself. At the time it didn’t seem rational. But there was just something about Ash. You can’t fake that kind of compassion for someone. I feel like he never really allowed himself to love another person (his parents, friends, even himself) until he met me. I know that sounds very assuming, but you don’t know Ash like I do. He’s a very special person. And this world is luckier than they’ll ever know for having him in it.

If you were to put one object in a time capsule that you think best represents the world of The Vyne so future generations could see what it was like, what would it be and why?

For nostalgia’s sake, it would be the deep-green, hooded coat he lent me. But then again, that wouldn’t be very informative about the entire world of The Vyne. So I guess the best thing would be…well, let’s see… Actually, the best thing for future generations to see would be a broken-down, rusted drone-soldier. That way they could get a glimpse of what tore our world apart. Hopefully this would help in deterring them from repeating the same mistakes.

What is the first thing you remember thinking when Ash found you in the woods?

Fear. Not because of Ash. In fact, the moment his face came into focus something began to change. Even as the villagers were passing through the woods, somehow I knew that things would be ok. I’ve never felt that way before. And I never will again.

What is the biggest regret you have from your time with Ash and company?

Running out on Ash when he took me to the Clock Tower. I think I did some damage that night. I wish more than anything in the world that I would have just let go and let Ash open up the way he wanted to with me. Things changed after that moment. It was like he clammed up again and became unsure of himself, unsure about me.

There are so many interesting places in your world, is there one area or city in particular you’d most like to visit?

As beautiful as Copi Bienna was, it was a terrible, frightening experience. I really thought that I was going to die. There was something about the world beneath the water’s surface (when we were traveling to the Colonel’s cabana) that was so…quiet and calming. It felt like we were able to be unseen by the rest of the world. It felt safe (although it wasn’t). But in all honesty, my favorite place is still Garbbit Harbor. Everything good happened there. Well, I guess not everything. But it was where I met Ash. It was more special than I even realized at the time.

If Mr. Walls could rewrite your character, is there anything you would request he change?

Are you kidding me? Everything. Everything about me. I’m sorry, I can’t do this interview any longer…


THE VYNE (from Amazon):

For as long as he can remember, Asher has possessed unexplainable abilities, which his widowed father has forced him to keep hidden. But when an elusive girl named Scar enters his village, Asher's life is forever transformed.

Bound by despair, the teens plot to run away. However, when a mystical medallion finds its way into Asher's hands, they soon learn that running is not an option, it's imperative. Asher is thrust into the pursuit of a legendary treasure, believed to possess the power to save the world from the prophesied apocalypse. And the key to unlocking this power lies within the secret of his curse.

While hunted by dark forces, Asher realizes that Scar has secrets of her own; she is not the girl he thought she was. Time is running out as he struggles to find the strength to let go of his feelings and summon the courage to embrace his destiny.

A chilling, heart-wrenching tale of colliding worlds and forbidden love, The Vyne reinvents steampunk-fantasy for a whole new generation.

For additional information on this tour, please click on the banner below.

Teaser Tuesday: The Vespertine

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading and here's how it works:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share a snippet from somewhere on that page but be careful not to include spoilers

My teaser this week is from The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell:

"How strange," Miss Brosmer said.
Poisonous curiosity drove me to turn back. "Is it?"
She held it up, rubbing the imprint of my name with her thumb. "The ink looks like blood."
And truth, in the slanting vermilion light, it did.


THE VESPERTINE (from Goodreads)

It’s the summer of 1889, and Amelia van den Broek is new to Baltimore and eager to take in all the pleasures the city has to offer. But her gaiety is interrupted by disturbing, dreamlike visions she has only at sunset—visions that offer glimpses of the future. Soon, friends and strangers alike call on Amelia to hear her prophecies. However, a forbidden romance with Nathaniel, an artist, threatens the new life Amelia is building in Baltimore. This enigmatic young man is keeping secrets of his own—still, Amelia finds herself irrepressibly drawn to him.

When one of her darkest visions comes to pass, Amelia’s world is thrown into chaos. And those around her begin to wonder if she’s not the seer of dark portents, but the cause.

Review+Giveaway: Shadowfever

SHADOWFEVER (Fever Series #5)
Karen Marie Moning
Urban Fantasy
594 Pages
Delacorte Press
Available Now
Received via TLC Book Tours for review

This review contains NO spoilers.

THE STORY
MacKayla Lane used to have a pretty simple life. She was pretty. Boys always liked her. She had a home, loving parents, and a best friend in her sister Alina. Then, with no warning, Alina was brutally taken from her, leaving behind only a cryptic message that changed Mac's life forever.

Now, having been in Dublin, Ireland for months trying to determine who killed her sister and forced into an uneasy alliance with the mysterious Jericho Barrons, Mac is no longer that pretty southern girl. She knows darkness and she knows pain. And as she finds herself more deeply immersed in the world of the fae and the hunt for the Sinsar Dubh, her life is more complicated and dangerous than ever.

She thought she knew what side she was on. She thought she'd already experienced the worst pain and loss a person can endure. She thought her sister was the one who mattered most. She was wrong. On all counts. Questions abound, blackness hovers ominously at every turn, and the young woman with a love for all things pink finds herself a key player in the most epic of battles in the conclusion to this stunning series.

MY THOUGHTS
The Fever Series is extraordinarily aptly named, inciting a burn in us from the very first page that increases in intensity with each subsequent book until it culminates in a finale that sends our hearts up in flames as we lose ourselves in the all-consuming visceral awareness of Mac and Barrons, and the palpable, complicated friction between them. Our body temperature ratchets up with every wordless communication they exchange and every careful avoidance of physical contact until sweat beads on our skin in a conditioned physiological response to seeing their two names side by side in inky blackness, just as the pages practically smoke as a result of the speed with which we're flipping them in our haste to know every last detail of this spectacular fantasy. This story is passion and fire, pain and loss, and vengeance and forgiveness, reaching out with invisible fingers to wrap our hearts in an unyielding grip as it promises not necessarily a tale of joy and hope, but rather one of addicting darkness. Part of the appeal is an end that has the potential to deny us the happiness we seek, keeping our feelings in constant flux as we consider the possibility we may arrive at the last page with the hope of finding our emotional wounds stitched together and healing, only to discover a mere tourniquet awaits to help slow the bleeding.

Mac is a character who begins her journey as a young girl of sunshine and warmth, content with being pretty and blond as she revels in pastel colors and other superficial trivialities. What she becomes is a woman of substance, fundamentally altered by the trials we experience vicariously by her side, watching in shock, awe, and incomprehensible pain as she is emotionally eviscerated, physically beaten, and almost completely stripped of all her comforting and recognizable attributes. Though her story is dark and she at times makes decisions with a flawed logic that results in yet another mental or physical scar, she always manages to maintain a death grip on that rainbow girl we met four books prior, and we hold tight to that remnant as the black and crimson of Dublin's battle with the fey comes in various forms to render us both monochromatic.

A man and character who utterly defies definition, Jericho Barrons has us melting at his feet despite the fierce independence of which we think ourselves so capable the moment he opens his mouth and overwhelms us with intensity of his presence. He is a man who embodies qualities that should unnerve us, emanating an unforgettable and predatory sexual ferocity as well as a confidence and intelligence that is neither assumed nor learned, but is part of his very makeup. Though we may struggle and attempt an ultimately futile resistance, we find ourselves drawn into the inexplicable force field he projects–consumed, owned, and shockingly addicted to a complete enigma. This is a man we know virtually nothing about despite having read four novels of which he is a main character, and every tidbit of information we are given in this final installment only serves to further increase our hunger for knowledge–thrusting us into a perpetual cycle of information gathering and seeking from which we have no desire to escape if it means we get to linger a few more moments in his company. In this last book we learn more about him that we ever have before, and we drink in the new facets of a man that has haunted us greedily, quenching a thirst years in the making.

A simple review can never adequately describe Shadowfever, words on a page being spectacularly poor substitutes for the strength of feeling and broad emotional spectrum captured between its covers. Ms. Moning is more than a storyteller, her characters far more tangible than fictional beings could ever be thought to be, and she has created a world of infinite complexity that openly challenges us, dares us to experience it and remain only a passive observer, and then yanks us in with a shocking brute strength as it subjects us to the sharpest of pains sparsely interspersed with the warmest of joys. Enter into this final piece of the puzzle with a first-aid kit at the ready, as Ms. Moning is a master at inflicting wounds designed to injure but not kill, and she subjects both her characters and us to numerous events that leave indelible marks on the soft flesh of our hearts. Despite the pain, we revel in the emotional injuries, honored to be privy to a book capable of having such a remarkable effect.

Rating: 5/5

GIVEAWAY

Thanks to the fabulous people at Random House and TLC Book Tours, I have a copy of Shadowfever to give away to one very lucky commenter. This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents only and will run through midnight EST on February 14th after which time a winner will be chosen and announced on the blog.

Each stop on this blog tour offers a new opportunity to win a copy of Shadowfever, so be sure and check out the other participating blogs so you can read their reviews and enter their giveaways as well! Good luck everyone!