Sentence Sneak Peek - Bad Taste in Boys

Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris

The first sentence from each chapter of Bad Taste in Boys, it's a mini summary of what you can expect to read.

*All first sentences are from an ARC I read via Around The World ARC Tours 
*Book will be released July 12, 2011

"You're one of those genius types," said Coach, nudging me with a beefy elbow."

"You'll be my lab partner today, won't you Kate?"

"After the game, my brother Jonah met me outside the locker room wearing a giant chicken suit."

"I spent the first minute of our sprint trying not to squeal in Aaron-induced excitement and the next minute trying not to trip over anything."

"The EMTs looked back and forth between Mike and me, trying to determine whether they ought to be treating the butt groper or the screaming hysteric."

"I vaulted out of the car the second we pulled into our driveway."

"Bryan's mom answered the door of their tiny little ranch house."

"When I came to, it felt like someone had stabbed me in the frontal lobe."

"The lunch line inched along at a funeral pace."

"I had a late lunch period, so I only needed to endure AP History and Calculus II before I was free to put my plan into action."

"I took the vials straight to the chem lab."

"I could see the glow of our house all the way from the end of the block."

"I stared at the empty table and tried not to panic."

"I forgot to set my alarm, but I was such an overachiever that I woke myself up without it."

"Our bus was always ungodly early, so the chem lab was dark and empty when I arrived."

"We walked the rest of the way to bio in silence."

"I felt pretty guilty rifling through Mrs. Rooney's desk again, but not guilty enough to stop."

"Mike Luzier stood in the doorway."

"Forty minutes later, I swung into my driveway."

"The waiting area at the health department was packed with chil-dren running around and screaming at the top of their lungs."

"I could tell the difference between an immature-freshman-type scream and a zombies-are-chasing-me scream, and I immediately knew this was the former."

"I felt an intense wave of déjà vu as I knelt by Mike's prone body with Aaron by my side."

"A huge stretch of woods ran along the back of our school."

"I woke up in a dim room, covered with sheets that smelled funny."

Recent Reads Received

Here's some great books I've received over the last couple of weeks.  :)

Hunted by the Others by Jess Haines

Belong to the Night by Shelly Laurenston, Cynthia Eden, Sherrill Quinn

Won this cool looking ARC from Simon & Schuster

Deadly Fear by Cynthia Eden

 

Gentlemen Prefer Succubi by Jill Myles

The Demon Trapper's Daughter - My Favorite Quotes/Lines

Here's some lines/quotes from  The Demon Trapper's Daughter that will show you why it's such an intriguing look at a future world full of demons.

*All quotes/lines taken from a book I received via For What It's Worth's Book Tours

"Libraries and demons," she muttered.  "What is the attraction?"

"Biblios are into books.  Rathre than stealing stuff they like to pee on things."

"They could scratch and bite and pee on you, but they couldn't suck out your soul  and use it as a hockey puck for eternity."

"The world could end and she'd always look neat.  Maybe it was a librarian thing, something they taught them in school."

"Kicking Hell's Ass One Demon at a Time."

"Though some thought it sacrilegious, the condoms were for Holy Water."

"She's cool, even if she's Luci-fer's biatch."

Winner of the Describe Your Happy Place Contest

There was a clear winner that received almost 20 votes.

The winner is Katy who described her happy place as:

"Ok don't judge me...but my happy place would be at Hogwarts...I really have a hard time picturing any place I would rather be...well...except in a magical meadow with 30 of my top guy characters from YA and UF literature hehe...and a chocolate river flows through this meadow which is serviced by some oompa loompas. And I have a magic bookshelf that conjures up whatever books I want...and the most comfy chair in the world that can fit Me, Jace from the Mortal Instruments, Joseph Jared from the bloody jack books, and Clay from The Otherworld series...Yeah...juuuust like that..."

I've contacted Katy and if I don't hear back from her before 3/4 the second place person will be contacted.

So congrats to Katy and a big thanks to everyone who entered the contest and voted on the results.

Tremendous Trapper

The Demon Trapper's Daughter by Jana Oliver

*Read via ARC from  For What It's Worth's Book Tours

This delightful book full of demons and all sorts of other supernatural goodness gets a fantastic 5 gnomes out of 5 gnomes.  I knew I was going to love this book after the very first page where Riley meets a "Biblio-Fiend" in a library.  The story is told by both Riley the main character and Beck a fellow trapper who apprenticed with her Dad.

Riley Blackthorne is the only female demon trapper apprentice.  The whole trapper's guild is pretty much an old boy's network so girls aren't thought of very highly and they're not exactly fast to change their policies.  It doesn't help that her father's one of the only three master demon trappers in their guild.  Her dad is very protective of her and is hoping that she'll choose another career path.

The 2018 future setting is really intriguing.  It has some elements that could be pretty feasible like gas being $10 a gallon, metal being scarce/stolen, and the failing of the education system.  Classes aren't held in schools but at various failed businesses around town.  With all the loss of educational jobs people like her dad had to find other ways to survive.

I like the fact that that demons and other paranormal creatures are real and common knowledge.  The mythology and system of catching these demons is very well set up and pulls you more into the story.  The system of commerce set up around the demon trapper industry is also another great element.  The level one demons are fun to read about especially the magpies who like to steal shiny things.

There are two potential love interests in the story.  Simon is a fellow demon trapper and extremely religious.  He's also very quiet and reserved compared to Riley.  Simon is there for Riley during a hard time in her life and it looks like she may fall for him.  I personally think that Riley has more chemistry with the other potential love interest, Beck.  These potential relationships are a lot of fun to read about and root for.

Den (Denver) Beck is one heck of a guy.  He is my favorite character in the book.  Beck has plenty of metaphorical demons from going to war and the way he was brought up.  He's the bad boy with a heart of gold archetype character but one that the reader will find themselves really caring about (I know I did.)  Beck helps Riley learn more about demon trapping even though they don't have the best relationship at first.  

The major conflict of the book will have severe implications for the future of this world and Riley's life.  It seems that the demons of this world are overly interested in Riley.  You'll think that you know what's going on then wham, you're in for a surprise and the end of the book will leave you questing for the next.

There is plenty of mystery, fighting and suspense that will leave you on the edge of your seat. I think I liked this story so much because of all the little details that are put into everything and the view that it takes of paranormal people and creatures.  The ending really lets you see how big Riley's problems in the future may be.  I can't wait to read whatever Jana Oliver writes next and will be eagerly awaiting the next book in this series.

Sentence Sneak Peek - The Demon Trapper's Daughter

The Demon Trapper's Daughter by Jana Oliver

The first sentence from each chapter of The Demon Trapper's Daughter, it's a mini summary of what you can expect to read.

*Read via ARC from  For What It's Worth's Book Tours

"Riley Blackthorne rolled her eyes."

"Forced to wait outside the library, Denver Beck gave a lengthy sigh as he ran a hand through his short blond hair."

"Riley paused on the sidewalk, shaking inside."

"The moment Riley reached the truck she kicked the closest tire, imag-ining it to be Beck's head."

"Once her dad had departed, Riley spent a long time in the shower."

"Whistling "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" louder than was necessary, Beck waited in the middle of Alabama Street as night settled in for keeps."

"Beck began his slow ascent."

"Riley woke to household noises, the sound of clanking pans and water running in the sink."

"Riley dug out the black dress and held it to her body."

"As Riley peered through the grill on one of the bronze doors, her fin-gers traced the cold metal of a lion's head."

"Whatcha want?"

"Beck peeled open his eyes and did a slow scan of the terrain."

"Peter's voice rose in indignation."

"A sharp, sparking noise caused Riley to sit bolt upright in the sleeping bag, her heart hammering."

"Morning brought Max to Riley's door and more bills in the mailbox."

"Serious nerves kept Riley rooted to the car seat."

"The dial on Beck's watch glowed blue in the growing light."

"Riley awoke in semidarkness."

"Beck's anger began to fade about the time he wheeled his truck into Cabbagetown and made the turn toward his house."

"You trapped a what?"

"Riley heard the telltale clomp of boots in the hallway before the knock-ing started."

"It took Riley a while to decipher the peeling sign on the concrete build-ing."

"Déjà vu, Riley grumbled, pulling into the parking lot near the defunct Starbucks."

"Riley reluctantly looked up from her father's manual, clicking off the flashlight to save the battery."

"The Armageddon Lounge wasn't busy, but the folks inside eyed the three of them like refugees would a free Sunday buffet."

"Fewer cars should equal more parking."

"Riley laid the cash on the master's desk in a neat stack right next to his box of cigars."

"Riley pulled herself up against the concrete pier."

"As Riley waited for Simon at the edge of Centennial Park, she tried to relax."

"Quit stallin'."

"The right rear tire was flat—as in Riley wasn't going anywhere."

"Riley forcibly extricated herself from her car, wincing on a cellular level."

"Riley didn't remember much about the ride to class, her brain was too busy replaying her conversation with Mr. Mysterious."

"By the time they returned to their seats there were forty-some trappers milling around the center of the hall, trading stories and proudly dis-playing their latest wounds."

"Dad?"

"Frantic, Beck tried to fight his way through the flames to reach Morton."

"Riley found herself at the gateway to the cemetery."

"When Riley finally stirred, Beck was gone along with his duffel bag."

"The ICU nurse in the blue scrubs took one look at Riley and went wide-eyed."

Imperturbable Iron

The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney

*ARC read via Around The World ARC Tours 

This book gets a rock steady 4 out of 5 gnomes for having great characters with quite interesting backgrounds.  

Donna Underwood is not a normal teenage girl, she wears gloves everyday and is home schooled because of the incident she caused at her former school.  She lost almost everything when she was saved from a monster at the age of seven.  Her father died saving her, her mother is now insane, and Donna lost her hands and much of her arms.  She now lives with her aunt and continuing to learn about the world of alchemy that her parents played a large part in.

She's seen as a freak by most people at her school that she now only goes to for testing and special events.  Donna wears gloves all the time so nobody can see what her hands look like.  Her hands and part of her arms were fixed by Maker an alchemist using iron tattoos so it looks like she has silver arms.

I like the point of view that's used in this book.  Getting to read Donna's journal entries also helps flesh out the story some more.

It's great seeing the world of the alchemists and what Donna knows and what she needs to find out.  Everything starts to change when her best friend Navin talks her into going to a party.  While there she meets Xan who has a pretty big secret of his own that he's hiding from the world.

The wood elves are the bad guys in this book and they are a scary lot.  They are supposed to be confined to the woods but it seems that they moving more freely then they should be.  These elves are interested in Donna and seem to know more about her past then she does.

There's fighting, kidnapping, and even some kissing.  Donna has to figure out who to trust and what her future will hold.  The ending of the book leaves Donna's future with the alchemists in question.

Overall there is a strong story with some very nice fantastical elements that I know I can't wait to read more about.  I'm looking forward to the next book in the series to see what happens next.

Sentence Sneak Peek - The Iron Witch

The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney

The first sentence from each chapter of The Iron Witch, it's a mini summary of what you can expect to read.

*All first sentences are from an ARC I read via Around The World ARC Tours 

"It all started with the party."

"Donna sat on a narrow bench bolted to the roughly hewn roof-deck."

"Donna slouched deeper into her seat and stared out of the greasy window, barely noticing the scenery that the bus grumbled past."

"Scrape-scrape-click-click."

"Donna sat cross-legged on her bed as Navin slouched (his usual position) into the oversized beanbag on her bedroom floor."

"After Navin had gone, Donna lay on her bed listening to the familiar sounds of her aunt clattering mugs and plates in the kitchen."

"Donna tried not to feel nervous as she waited for Alexander Grayson in the middle of Ironbridge Common."

"As they turned onto the wide residential street lined with oak trees and town houses, the hair on the back of Donna's neck prickled."

"That was the best meal I've had in ages," Donna said, her stomach full to bursting."

"Donna sat in Simon Gaunt's wood-panelled study at the Frost Estate, trying not to fall asleep as Alma Kensington droned on about alchemical theory."

"Mildred's was a tiny coffee shop that stayed open from eight 'til eight most days."

"Donna checked her phone for what seemed like the hundredth time since she'd gotten up."

"Lying motionless on her bed, eyes closed in concentration, Donna's first impulse was to go to Maker's workshop to see if he was still acting strangely."

"Ttrying to swallow her anger and disappointment, Donna walked up and down the street outside Ironbridge High."

"It was like walking down a shadowy hallway."

"Donna fiddled with the delicate silver charm bracelet around her wrist and tried not to think about her mother."

"Donna shrieked and dropped it."

"Donna ran until she thought her chest would burst."

"The dark green leaves and ragged branches of the Ironwood waited, silent, under a full moon bruised by indigo clouds."

"Give me the elixir," demanded the Wood Queen."

Vote for the winner of the Describe Your Happy Place Contest

I couldn't pick just 2 to vote on, so now everyone has an equal chance to win a copy of Slice of Cherry by Dia Reeves.  Vote on your favorite, the person with the most votes wins. :)

Voting ends on February 24th at Midnight.  Winner will be announced on January 25th.

New This Week

Happy Place Contest Page/Poll

Sentence Sneak Peek and Review

Sentence Sneak Peek and Review

Top 5 Sundays - Favorite Fantasy Movies

This feature was thought up by the awesome Larissa's Bookish Life

Rules:

1 - Write a post listing your TOP 5 choices within the theme I chose (or was chosen on a poll) for the week.
2 - Mention this Blog on the post and link back to it.
3 - Fell free to use the Feature's image (there is a smaller size version of it bellow)
4 - After you've finished your post, add you link (of the post, not your blog's main page) to the Mr.Linky at the end of that week's post.

5 – If you don’t have a blog to post, just leave your list in the comments =)   

Top 5 Favorite Fantasy Movies

One of the first fantasy movies that I remember watching over and over.

This movie along with The Little Mermaid is the reason that I love mermaids so much.

One of the first movies I remember watching and loving immediately.  

A great movie to watch at any time of the word, I think I have the soundtrack memorized.

Love everything about this movie, aliens + humor= always good.

Actionless Angels

Kindred by Tammar Stein

* I read this ARC via Star Book Tours.

This book gets a meh 2 gnomes out of 5 gnomes because it was not even half as exciting as the description made it sound, I actually fell asleep while reading this book on two separate occasions.  In this book you find out way too much about the main character's gastrointestinal problems.  I don't know about anybody else but when the word diarrhea is mentioned more then once in a book it doesn't really encourage me to read more.

The premise of the book has so much potential but there's not enough actually happens.  The tag line on the front of the book, "Twins. Best friends. Enemies. Good and evil have never been so close."  Now that's an awesome tag line and made me think well all heck is about to break loose in this story but nope not so much.

The main character, Miriam seems like a normal college student and then she gets visited by an angel.  It's not a peaceful visit either, it literally scares the pee out of her.  From this vision she figures out that she's supposed to protect someone then this mission ends up not going as planned.

Plus just like the tagline says her twin brother Mo also gets a visit but he has a lot more fun during his visit.  I kind of wish that Mo was the narrator for the book instead of Miriam because he seems to be a lot more interesting.  His end of the conflict seems to have more going on too.

Miriam ends up in a small town still on her mission.  Her fear of what to do next and medical problems add to her discomfort.  The story gets interesting at points but it's a tad too preachy for my tastes.  

My biggest problem though is that she knows what her brother is doing/who he's communicating with.  I'm pretty sure that if a normal person heard that someone that they love is making a deal with the devil that they are going to cause more of a commotion about it then Miriam ever does.

The ending is rather blah but does leave room for a sequel.  The events leading up to the ending do make you wonder who will succeed in the end.  

Overall this book is an interesting look at some aspects of religion and great for anyone who likes low key action.  

Sentence Sneak Peek - Kindred

Kindred by Tammar Stein

The first sentence from each chapter of Kindred, it's a mini summary of what you can expect to read.

*All first sentences are from an ARC I read via Star Book Tours. 

"THE FIRST TIME I MEET AN ANGEL, it is Raphael and I am eighteen."

"PERHAPS IT IS DIVINE INTERVENTION that made Raphael choose spring break to come visit"

"IN 1429, A YOUNG PEASANT GIRL in rural France experi-enced a series of encounters with heavenly voices."

"BACK AT THE LIBRARY, I sit alone, trying to process what I've discovered."

"I DON'T KNOW if Mo is right or not."

"MY ADVISOR'S FRIEND, Frank Hale, is supposed to meet me at the bus station, but I don't see anyone who matches the image I have of him."

"TWO WEEKS INTO MY LIFE IN HAMILTON and more than a month since Raphael spoke to me and no shoes have dropped, nor have any other angels popped in for a visit." 

"ON MY WAY TO THE NEWSPAPER OFFICE, I notice the strange flags again."

"I TURN IN THE STOOL SAMPLE THE NEXT DAY, humili-ated that I'm carrying my own feces in a cup."

"WHEN I DON'T HEAR BACK from Dr. Kreger after a week, I call his office."

"THOUGH HAMILTON IS SMALL, it has three locally owned coffee shops."

"FIRST THING IN THE MORNING, I have my appointment with Dr. Messa, the gastroenterologist who agreed to see me the soonest."

"MO DOESN'T ANSWER QUESTIONS he doesn't like, and so, despite my prodding and poking, he doesn't give me a good answer for why he's here."

"IN THE MORNING, I wonder if I dreamt the whole encounter."

"TWO DAYS LATER, I'm prepping for my colonoscopy."

"WHEN I WAKE AGAIN, the afternoon sun is streaming through a gap in the curtains."

"EMMETT DROPS ME OFF at my empty apartment."

"WHEN IT COMES TIME for my weekly phone calls to my par-ents, I again fight the urge to tell them about my diagnosis."

"I NEVER INTENDED to snoop through any of Jason's things."

"WE NEED TO TALK."

"AFTER A LONG, SLEEPLESS NIGHT, I know I'm ruined for work."

"WHEN MO COMES HOME THAT EVENING, I can tell by the set of his shoulders that he's expecting another fight."

"THE NEXT DAY I HAVE MY APPOINTMENT with Dr. Messa, and I arrive in the waiting room heavy with a dull sense of dread."

"MO IS AVOIDING ME, but now that I know what I have to do, that's easy to fix."

"WHEN I ARRIVE AT JASON'S PLACE, a modest duplex in tired complex close to the local paint factory, Mo's not there."

"ONCE I'M BACK IN THE APARTMENT, I take a minute to gather my thoughts; then I call Mo's cell phone." 

Wonderful Witch

The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

* I received this book via Different Area Codes tours
* Book will be released on August 2, 2011

This beautifully written book gets a glorious 5 gnomes out of 5 gnomes for its strong characters, lyrical writing quality and having a story that just draws you in so you'll be eagerly awaiting what happens next.  I loved this book.  The setting was mysterious yet creepy at the same time and the tension throughout was palpable.

Lexi is a marvelous main character and heroine in general.  She is strong and capable in a town that doesn't really reward this kind of behavior in women.  I wanted to cheer when she punched someone in the face who really deserved it.  She learned a lot about the world from her father about tracking, hunting and witches too.  

Her family hasn't been the same since her father's death.  She's much more restricted by her uncle Otto then she ever was by her father.  Lexi's mother is a shell of her former self but at times you can still see the love she has for her daughters.

As the story opens Lexi is telling her sister Wren the story of the Near witch.  Witches in this world are real but are also feared and misunderstood.  Lexi knows about witches because her father respected their ways and what they stood for.  The witches in Near are the Thorne sisters, Magda and Dreska.  They look out for the town but people still don't trust them.

The moor itself definitely feels like its own character and is integral to the story.  It sets the atmosphere very well and really adds to the spookiness.  The wind too has a major impact in the story, I know I'll never look at a windy day the same way again.

At night Lexi sees a stranger out on the moor but as she's watching he just seems to disappear into thin air.  The next day the town finds out that a child has gone missing.  Of course this leads people to blame the stranger for the missing child.  Then kids continue to go missing.

With children missing the tension in the village rises because they need someone to blame. So then the for lack of a better term, witch hunt really begins.

There's quite the mystery to solve about who the stranger is and who exactly is taking the children.  There's romance among the mystery but it takes a tragic turn at times so the reader is not sure if there will be a happy ending.  The bad guy in this book is one scary son of a gun and the final resolution is an awesome read.

Overall this was a wonderfully written gem of a story.  I cannot wait to see what Victoria Schwab writes next.

Sentence Sneak Peek - The Near Witch

The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

The first sentence from each chapter of The Near Witch, it's a mini summary of what you can expect to read.

*All quotes/lines taken from an ARC I read via Different Area Codes tours
*Book will be released on August 2, 2011

"IT STARTS WITH A CRACK, a sputter, and a spark."

"LEXI."

"MY FATHER TAUGHT ME A lot about witches."

"I QUICKEN MY PACE AS I HEAD home, frustrated and chilled from sloshing through the wet grass."

"KNOCK."

"I MAKE IT HOME BEFORE OTTO, and for that I am thankful."

"WREN IS SKIPPING UP AND down the hall in her nightgown, playing games with the wooden floorboards."

"THE ENTIRE WORLD VANISHES."

"LONG, LONG AGO, THE NEAR Witch lived in a small house on the farthest edge of the village."

"I DON'T REMEMBER FALLING asleep."

"MY BOOTS ARE CINCHED AND I take off, winding a course around the back of the house, behind a small hill and safely out of sight of the chopping block in the front yard."

"CECILIA'S HOUSE IS A TANGLE of bodies."

"I PULL MY SLEEVES DOWN AND scold myself for not dressing warmer."

"THE MOON IS BRIGHT AND the night is still, and the wind is humming in a far-off way."

"COLE PULLS ME BACK INTO the shadow of the grove just as Otto and Bo climb into sight on the moonlit moor."

"SUNLIGHT, SUDDEN AND WARM, pours across the bed."

"THE NEAR WITCH LIVED on the edge of the village," Magda begins, "on the seam where Near met the wild world."

"I LOOK OUT AT THE UNENDING hills, but all I feel is hopeless."

"I REACH A NEST OF HOMES just south of the sisters' house and the center of town."

"INSIDE, THE HOUSE IS TOO quiet."

"FIVE HILLS DUE EAST, IN A small forest."

"COLE, LOOK!"

"WREN'S CHEST RISES AND FALLS."

"MY HAND HURTS, BUT I'm sure his face hurts worse, and none of it compares to the sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach."

"I HOLD MY BREATH, BUT nothing happens, nothing comes."

"THE FIRST THING I REALIZE is that the room is dark."

"IN MY DREAMS, SOMEONE IS screaming."

"I CUT BETWEEN THE HOUSES, weaving out of the town center."

"I SPRINT THROUGH THE dead forest, and the light slips lower and lower, impossibly fast toward the horizon."

"MY FATHER USED TO SAY THAT change is like a garden."