Review of Silver Frost by Kailin Gow

Synopsis: "Breena, the beautiful half fairy, half human princess from Oregon, has ascended to her rightful place in Feyland, as Queen of the Summer Kingdom. Secretly in love with her intended Winter Prince Kian, now Breena is faced with the realization of war, and the possibility of Kian as her greatest enemy." My Review: Well I am going to have a hard time getting through this review, about as much as I did getting through the book. Its a shame because there is just so much p...moreSynopsis: "Breena, the beautiful half fairy, half human princess from Oregon, has ascended to her rightful place in Feyland, as Queen of the Summer Kingdom. Secretly in love with her intended Winter Prince Kian, now Breena is faced with the realization of war, and the possibility of Kian as her greatest enemy." My Review: Well I am going to have a hard time getting through this review, about as much as I did getting through the book. Its a shame because there is just so much potential there but the characters just drive me batty. I swear the MC, Breena, is bi-polar or something, she gives me whip lash with her crazy moods and ideas. All through the book it talks about how mature she is and how she wants to be a good leader and dedicates every thing she has to the people, but no matter how much it is said in the book, more than half she is just a selfish brat who only thinks of herself and her love for Kian. Gow has even done away with most of the subcharacters that I liked in the last book, which was really my only hope for enjoying the rest of the series. I hate to give such a bad review but there are just too many flaws for me to look past. The spelling errors and misuse of words drove me up a wall, I may just have to take a red pen to the next one. My Rating: I really can't find much I did enjoy about the book except potentially great ideas that never get to come out fully. I have to give this one One Paw and a Stump Wag. I have the next book in this series and will read it but I won't be getting any more of this series. This book was read for the Mount TBR challenge

In My Mailbox - January & February

Friday, January 13, 2012

December In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a weekly event hosted by The Story Siren that I have decided to participate in.

How IMM works:
Make your own IMM post! You can post about books you've bought, gotten from the library, received for review... books don't have to arrive via your mailbox.
I post every week, but you don’t have to. You can do one week out of the month or every other week it’s up to you.
You don't have to call your post In My Mailbox... (some people don't even have mailboxes!)
I post my IMM on Sunday, but choose a day of the week that works for you.
Once you have your IMM posted, come back to The Story Siren on Sunday and add your link to the list.
Try to post a comment on other bloggers IMM posts. I don’t expect you to post a comment on every single one, but pick a few!

All book bloggers are welcome, while I’d like to keep the theme to YA literature it’s NOT a requirement.

There is no right or wrong way to do In My Mailbox, you can vlog, you can take fun picture, you can use the books cover art, it’s up to you!

Most importantly HAVE FUN!

So boy has it been a while since I had an IMM!  So here is what I have purchased in the past two months. 

So we will start with Audio Books (just cause I have next to no time and need something to listen to while packing)

Synopsis from Goodreads: "A gripping tale of betrayal, blood-gorged blades, and the pursuit of heart's desire, Eric Brighteyes follows the adventures of a young man raised on Coldback farm-a lonely place to be found where the Westman Isles rise from the sea.Plagued by misfortune, the golden-haired youth finds himself outlawed and exiled-even as he wins Whitefire, the legendary sword of King Odin. Eric struggles against treachery to fight his way back to his home and to the two women whose lives are fatefully intertwined with his: Gudruda the Fair, and Swanwild the Fatherless."

Synopsis from Goodreads: "Taken from the poverty of her parents' home, Fanny Price is brought up with her rich cousins at Mansfield Park, acutely aware of her humble rank and with only her cousin Edmund as an ally. When Fanny's uncle is absent in Antigua, Mary Crawford and her brother Henry arrive in the neighbourhood, bringing with them London glamour and a reckless taste for flirtation. As her female cousins vie for Henry's attention, and even Edmund falls for Mary's dazzling charms, only Fanny remains doubtful about the Crawfords' influence and finds herself more isolated than ever. A subtle examination of social position and moral integrity, Mansfield Park is one of Jane Austen's most profound works."

Synopsis from Goodreads: "Skinny Bitch created a movement when it exposed the horrors of the food industry, while inspiring people across the world to stop eating “crap.” Now the “Bitches” are back—this time with a book geared to pregnant women. And just because their audience is in a “delicate condition” doesn’t mean they’ll deliver a gentle message. As they did with Skinny Bitch, Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin expose the truth about the food we eat—with its hormones, chemicals, and other funky stuff. But even though they are “Skinny,” they want women to chow down on the right foods and gain their fair share of weight through their pregnancies.They also won’t mince words on these topics:• the best foods for a healthy baby and mommy • the dangers of common lotions, creams, and beauty products that women slather on their bodies (many contain carcinogens)• why every mother should “suck it up” and breastfeed• the lowdown on what really happens “post-push” (after birth)• how the companies we trust don’t care about children (choosing baby food and other products carefully) With the same sassy tone that made Skinny Bitch laugh-out-loud funny, Skinny Bitch: Bun in the Oven will give expectant moms the information they need to “use their head” and have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby."

And Print Books:

Synopsis from Goodreads: ""I am Catalina, Princess of Spain, daughter of the two greatest monarchs the world has ever known...and I will be Queen of England."
Thus, bestselling author Philippa Gregory introduces one of her most unforgettable heroines: Katherine of Aragon. Known to history as the Queen who was pushed off her throne by Anne Boleyn, here is a Katherine the world has forgotten: the enchanting princess that all England loved. First married to Henry VIII''s older brother, Arthur, Katherine''s passion turns their arranged marriage into a love match; but when Arthur dies, the merciless English court and her ambitious parents -- the crusading King and Queen of Spain -- have to find a new role for the widow. Ultimately, it is Katherine herself who takes control of her own life by telling the most audacious lie in English history, leading her to the very pinnacle of power in England."

Synopsis from Goodreads: "Two sisters competing for the greatest prize: the love of a king

Synopsis from Goodreads: "Returning to the scene of The Other Boleyn Girl, historical powerhouse Gregory again brings the women of Henry VIII's court vividly to life. Among the cast, who alternately narrate: Henry's fourth wife, Bavarian-born Anne of Cleves; his fifth wife, English teenager Katherine Howard; and Lady Rochford (Jane Boleyn), the jealous spouse whose testimony helped send her husband... and sister-in-law Anne Boleyn to their execution. Attended by Lady Rochford, 24-year-old Anne of Cleves endures a disastrous first encounter with the twice-her-age king -- an occasion where Henry takes notice of Katherine Howard. Gregory beautifully explains Anne of Cleves's decision to stay in England after her divorce, and offers contemporary descriptions of Lady Rochford's madness. While Gregory renders Lady Rochford with great emotion, and Anne of Cleves with sympathy, her most captivating portrayal is Katherine, the clever yet naïve 16th-century adolescent counting her gowns and trinkets. Male characters are not nearly as endearing. Gregory's accounts of events are accurate enough to be persuasive, her characterizations modern enough to be convincing. Rich in intrigue and irony, this is a tale where readers will already know who was divorced, beheaded or survived, but will savor Gregory's sharp staging of how and why. "

Synopsis from Goodreads: "It is winter, 1553. Pursued by the Inquisition, Hannah Green, a fourteen-year-old Jewish girl, is forced to flee Spain with her father. But Hannah is no ordinary refugee. Her gift of "Sight," the ability to foresee the future, is priceless in the troubled times of the Tudor court. Hannah is adopted by the glamorous Robert Dudley, the charismatic son of King Edward's protector, who brings her to court as a "holy fool" for Queen Mary and, ultimately, Queen Elizabeth. Hired as a fool but working as a spy; promised in wedlock but in love with her master; endangered by the laws against heresy, treason, and witchcraft, Hannah must choose between the safe life of a commoner and the dangerous intrigues of the royal family that are inextricably bound up in her own yearnings and desires."

Synopsis from Goodreads: "In the autumn of 1558, church bells across England ring out the joyous news that Elizabeth I is the new queen. One woman hears the tidings with utter dread. She is Amy Dudley, wife of Sir Robert, and she knows that Elizabeth's ambitious leap to the throne will draw her husband back to the center of the glamorous Tudor court, where he was born to be.
Elizabeth's excited triumph is short-lived. She has inherited a bankrupt country where treason is rampant and foreign war a certainty. Her faithful advisor William Cecil warns her that she will survive only if she marries a strong prince to govern the rebellious country, but the one man Elizabeth desires is her childhood friend, the ambitious Robert Dudley. As the young couple falls in love, a question hangs in the air: can he really set aside his wife and marry the queen? When Amy is found dead, Elizabeth and Dudley are suddenly plunged into a struggle for survival."

Synopsis from Goodreads: "Brother turns on brother to win the ultimate prize, the throne of England, in this dazzling account of the wars of the Plantagenets. They are the claimants and kings who ruled England before the Tudors, and now Philippa Gregory brings them to life through the dramatic and intimate stories of the secret players: the indomitable women, starting with Elizabeth Woodville, the White Queen.

The White Queen tells the story of a woman of extraordinary beauty and ambition who, catching the eye of the newly crowned boy king, marries him in secret and ascends to royalty. While Elizabeth rises to the demands of her exalted position and fights for the success of her family, her two sons become central figures in a mystery that has confounded historians for centuries: the missing princes in the Tower of London whose fate is still unknown. From her uniquely qualified perspective, Philippa Gregory explores this most famous unsolved mystery of English history, informed by impeccable research and framed by her inimitable storytelling skills."

Synopsis from Goodreads: "Beatrice Lacey, as strong-minded as she is beautiful, refuses to conform to the social customs of her time. Destined to lose her family name and beloved Wideacre estate once she is wed, Beatrice will use any means necessary to protect her ancestral heritage. Seduction, betrayal, even murder -- Beatrice's passion is without apology or conscience. "She is a Lacey of Wideacre," her father warns, "and whatever she does, however she behaves, will always be fitting." Yet even as Beatrice's scheming seems about to yield her dream, she is haunted by the one living person who knows the extent of her plans...and her capacity for evil. "

Synopsis from Goodreads: "Josiah Cole is a small dockside trader in 1787 Bristol-- a city where power and wealth beckon those who dare to take risks. Josiah is willing to gamble everything to be among the 'players.' The only thing he lacks is the right wife. At thirty-four, Frances Scott is penniless and unwed. Her background is indeed aristocratic, making for a perfect match of convenience. Frances's job is to train slaves as house servants. But when Frances meets Mehuru, a priest from an ancient and civilized African land, she learns about the conflicting desires of passion, love, and the vital need for freedom."

Synopsis from Goodreads: "Incorporating everything that's new in pregnancy, childbirth, and the lifestyles of parents-to-be, complete with a preconception plan, information on choosing a practitioner, birthing alternatives, second pregnancies, twins, making love while pregnant, and coping with common and not so common pregnancy symptoms."

Synopsis from Goodreads: "The Pregnancy Bible covers the complete sequence of fetal development in utero week by week. Each stage is illustrated with full color photography. Many photos are life-size and reproduced from state-of-the-art ultrasound images. The book also uses step-by-step illustrations, sidebars, practical suggestions, topics to discuss, checklist charts, quick-reference gatefold spreads, check-up calendars, a directory and other easy-to-accessinformation and advice to guide expectant parents through the pregnancy, birth and early infancy."

Synopsis from Goodreads: "A cowboy through and through, ranch owner Mallory Kirk knows what it means to put in a full day’s work. But does his new cowgirl? He has his doubts that Morie Brannt will be able to pull her own weight, even if the petite young woman does seem to have a lot of spirit.

As they spar over events at the ranch and a past that threatens their hopes for the future, sparks begin to f ly, and Mallory can’t help but notice Morie in a new light. But is this tough Wyoming man ready to love?"

And Lastly On my Nook:

Synopsis from Goodreads: "While spending the summer with their grandparents on a remote farm in South Carolina, Ben Alderman and his sister Casey uncover a hidden world of magic; a world their grandmother is secretly visiting. It is a world where elves and dwarves are locked in mortal combat against a witch who is trying to free the last surviving wizard from exile. The witch has been defeated once before but with the combined power of the wizard, no one will be able to stand against them. Much to Ben's dismay, he learns that he is the one foretold in the ancient elfin prophecies to bring about the downfall of the witch and save this exciting new world from destruction."

Synopsis from Goodreads: "Biographer Margaret Lea returns one night to her apartment above her father's antiquarian bookshop. On her steps she finds a letter. It is a hand-written request from one of Britain’s most prolific and well-loved novelists. Vida Winter, gravely ill, wants to recount her life story before it is too late, and she wants Margaret to be the one to capture her history. The request takes Margaret by surprise–she doesn’t know the author, nor has she read any of Miss Winter’s dozens of novels.

Late one night while pondering whether to accept the task of recording Miss Winter’s personal story, Margaret begins to read her father’s rare copy of Miss Winter’s Thirteen Tales of Change and Desperation. She is spellbound by the stories and confused when she realizes the book only contains twelve stories. Where is the thirteenth tale? Intrigued, Margaret agrees to meet Miss Winter and act as her biographer.

As Vida Winter unfolds her story, she shares with Margaret the dark family secrets that she has long kept hidden as she remembers her days at Angelfield, the now burnt-out estate that was her childhood home. Margaret carefully records Miss Winter’s account and finds herself more and more deeply immersed in the strange and troubling story. In the end, both women have to confront their pasts and the weight of family secrets. As well as the ghosts that haunt them still."

Synopsis from Goodreads: ""Think I can turn that boy bad?" 17-year-old Jen turns her life upside down when, out of boredom, she makes a bet that she can turn school geek Trevor into someone like her. Instead, the goth girl finds herself sucked into his world of sci-fi movies, charity work, and even-ugh!-bowling. To truly belong with him-and with her new foster family-she must first come to terms with her violent past."

Synopsis from Goodreads: "“It’s not that I don’t like people,” writes Maureen Corrigan in her introduction to Leave Me Alone, I’m Reading. “It’s just that there always comes a moment when I’m in the company of others—even my nearest and dearest—when I’d rather be reading a book.” In this delightful memoir, Corrigan reveals which books and authors have shaped her own life—from classic works of English literature to hard-boiled detective novels, and everything in between. And in her explorations of the heroes and heroines throughout literary history, Corrigan’s love for a good story shines."

Synopsis from Goodreads: "PRINCE OLAF OF NORWAY—Lord of the Wolves, the golden Viking warrior who came in his dragon ship to forge a great kingdom in the Emerald Isle.

PRINCESS ERIN—Daughter of the Irish High King, the ebony-haired beauty who swore bitter vengeance on the legendary Norseman who had brought death and destruction to her beloved homeland.

Yet, in the great Norse and Irish alliance against the invading Danes, it was her own father who gave her in marriage to her most hated enemy. Bewitched by Olaf's massive strength, seduced by his power, still Erin vowed that neither the wrath of his sword nor the fire of his kiss would sway the allegiance of her proud and passionate heart."

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Okay, so I was a little bad and bought too many books, especially since I haven't been reading as many!  But at least most of them were on my to be purchased/ wish list, that gives me some points right?! LOL

March - RAK & other news

Welcome to March! It's a big month, our handsome dobie Niko is featured in a calendar this month!! So supporters of his rescue all over the country gets to see his happy face all month long!

March also happens to be a very busy birthday month including my father-in-law, sister-in-law, several friends & my own! Spring also officially arrives, even though it hasn't been a horrible winter, I am looking forward to spring and summer arriving!

March RAK Signup

It has been a couple of months since I signed up for RAK, however I have been sending books out as often as possible!  If you would also like to join RAK head over to Book Soulmates to sign up.

Here are a couple of my most wanted books this month:

I am getting so much closer to a complete Robin Cook set!!

My complete wishlist

So what books top your list?



Wednesday Writing

So Wednesday is my official writing update day. I have so many story projects going on and I need a push to get some done. So I will be trying to post each Wednesday about how my writing adventures are going (and I may need a swift kick in the pants by you guys sometimes).

Current Active Project:

Princess Bs - 32,131 words

A story about a woman, recently divorced and returned to her home town to figure out what is next. She encounters an old friend and spends a weekend with him and his daughters. Feelings that are long since buried are rising up again, but are her recent loss and his current life going to stand in the way of their happily ever after?

Other Works in Progress:

The New Old Home - 17,193 words

Everyone dreams of winning the lottery, but what would you do with that money? That is the question presented to Natalie, when she is at the lowest point in her life, she is presented with an opportunity to make any normal person's dreams come true, but all those winnings can't give her what she wants most.

Tamlyn Marie's Grace - 12,072 words

Think Cinderella only with a matchmaker ;)

The Last Mountains - 15,352

A equine shapeshifting family is being hunted to near extinction and the young new leader must go against all her lessons and approach the elite council for aide. Will they help her? How will she keep her family's traditions and values alive, let alone her herd?

Night Rider - 17,229

Alice is a recent high school graduate who is a very accomplished competitive rider in Hunter/Jumper, Dressage, and Western/Rodeo. Her parents had arranged for her to attend a private college on the east coast geared specifically to equine professions. However, Alice wants to focus on her studies in English Literature. When she arrives at the college she hides her riding abilities, but can she keep her talent and love of horses hidden?

Other Ideas Plotting:

Bloodsoar's Story

A pegasus struggles through life, ejected from the herd, near capture by humans.

The Assassin's Assassin

A student learns what the school is really teaching and sets out to destroy those who support the program.

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Nothing new :(  soon hopefully!

After Dark Review of A Stroke of Midnight by Laurell K. Hamilton

I have added After Dark Reviews to my blog as a way of notifying you of a review of a book with Adult themes and scenes. From now on I will keep my reviews of all books I read that have explicit scenes in them for late night posts for those of you who prefer to avoid them or easy to find for those of you who seek them out ;)

Synopsis: "I am Meredith Gentry, P.I. and Princess Merry, heir to the throne of Fairie. Now there are those among me who whisper I am more. They fear me even as they protect me. And who can blame them? I’ve awakened the dazzling magic that’s slumbered in them for thousands of years. But the thing is, I can’t figure out why.

I am Meredith Gentry, P.I., solving cases in Los Angeles, far from the peril and deception of my real home–because I am also Princess Meredith, heir to the darkest throne faerie has to offer. The Unseelie Court infuses me with its power. But at what price does such magic come? How much of my human side will I have to give up, and how much of the sinister side of faerie will I have to embrace? To sit on a throne that has ruled through bloodshed and violence for centuries, I might have to become that which I dread the most.

Enemies watch my every move. My cousin Cel strives to have me killed even now from his prison cell. But not all the assassination attempts are his. Some Unseelie nobles have waited centuries for my aunt Andais, Queen of Air and Darkness, to become weak enough that she might be toppled from her throne. Enemies unforeseen move against us–enemies who would murder the least among us.

The threat will drive us to allow human police into faerie for the first time in our history. I need my allies now more than ever, especially since fate will lead me into the arm of Mistral, Master of Storms, the queen’s new captain of her guard. Our passion will reawaken powers long forgotten among the warriors of the sidhe. Pain and pleasure await me–and danger, as well, for some at that court seek only death.

I will find new joys with the butterfly-winged demi-fey. My guards and I will show all of faerie that violence and sex are as popular among the sidhe as they are among the lesser fey of our court. The Darkness will weep, and Frost will comfort him. The gentlest of my guards will find new strength and break my heart. Passions undreamed of await us–and my enemies gather, for the future of both courts of faerie begins to unravel."


My Review: Possibly the best of the series in my opinion! Hamilton lightened up a little bit on the magic in this one and go back to the court politics, word play and danger! I absolutely loved this one. I am not really sure about all the additional men added in this one, I am really not too fond of several of them but I think that is what is meant to be. I have to say though I really enjoy the huge diversity of the characters and personalities, she makes it easy to distinguish between each of them without having to go back and check who is talking. I have to say this book made me actually like Merry, but Doyle is still by far my favorite character. Frost is still annoying and Galen is still naive but they are all growing as the series continues.        

My Rating: Definitely a Four Paw and Stump Wag book for me!!

Warning: Adult themes, situations, nudity, danger, blood and death.

Monday Reading List

Its Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Shelia at Book Journey. Share what books you have finished in the last week, are currently reading and what might be coming up next!

What I Read Last Week:

Links will take you to my review

Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - (review will be posted after book club)

Stroke of Midnight by Laurell K. Hamilton (after dark) review coming soon

Currently Reading:

North of Need by Laura Kaye - on my nook - on Page 32 of 621

Silver Frost by Kailin Gow - PB - on page 54 of 272

Next Books to be Read:

Catundra by Stephen Cosgrove - Childrens/Bedtime stories

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas - April Book Club

Frost Kisses by Kailin Gow - Mount TBR Challenge/ YA

Mistrals Kiss by Laurell K. Hamilton - Fantasy Romance

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So I was feeling a little better towards the end of the week last week so did manage to get some reading done. Hopefully I am finally  on the mend and can really get into the reading mode and get  caught up!

 

I have also learned that I am going to have to pack up all my books and move them into the basement since we are going  too start more house construction. What a huge project that will be *hides in corner*