Kelsey's Book Corner: February 2011

Monday, February 28, 2011

Review: Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning

Publisher: Dell

Publication Date: Aug. 28, 2007

SUMMARY

For MacKayla Lane, your perfectly ordinary twenty-first-century woman, life is good. Then her sister is murdered, leaving a single clue to her death on Mac's cell phone-and Mac journeys to Ireland in search of answers. The quest to find her sister's killer draws Mac into a shadowy realm where nothing is as it seems; where good and evil wear the same seductive mask. Mac is soon faced with an even greater challenge; staying alive long enough to learn how to handle a power she had no idea she possessed...

REVIEW (may contain some spoilers)

Moning has become one of my favorite authors! She is right up there with Laurell K. Hamilton, J.R. Ward and Charlaine Harris!

Moning takes us into a world of the Seelie and Unseelie and the quest for the Sinsar Dubh. MacKayla Lane's sister has been murdered in Ireland. Mac feels the police aren't doing their job so she flies to Dublin in hopes of finding the killer. She discovers more then she could ever bargain for. Not only is she and her sister adopted but that she is a sidhe-seer. After stumbling upon a store called Barrons Books and Baubles, she learns about her new life. Jericho Barrons is the one that is going to teach her. Barrons has been searching for the Sinsar Dubh for ages. Now that he knows Mac can sense any sidhe relic, his job has just gotten easier...or has it. The chemistry just kills me every time these two are in the same room!!

Mac wants to deny what she is now. She just wants to go back to her pink bubble where everything is normal. Unfortunately that isn't going to be possible. Even the prince of the Tuatha De Danaan, V'lane wants her help. The scenes where she meets V'lane are WOW. I probably wouldn't have had her control!

Underneath the whole story is the story of a family coming to grips with a tragedy. When Mac calls home to check in she finds that her father has started drinking and her mother will never come to the phone. It is really heartbreaking.

Fantastic fantasy! Love the characters and the world that Moning has created. The endings leaves you wanting more. I had to go out and buy the next two books! I could really go on and on about this book and the characters but that would give too many spoilers! Buy, borrow or steal this book!! It will be worth it! (Read the first chapter below!)

RATING: 5 STARS

Book was borrowed from my local library.
I received no compensation for this review and my opinions are my own.
Summary from back of book.Image from GoodReads

Sunday, February 27, 2011

In My Mailbox: February 20-26

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. Anyone can participate in IMM and you are not limited to only sharing books that arrive via your mailbox. You can also share books that you've bought or books that you've gotten at the library. If interested please click the link above and sign up!

LIBRARY

Bloody Valentine (Blue Bloods Novel)

by Melissa De La Cruz

PAPERBACKSWAP

I received an personal message for this wonderful lady named Debby Holda one day. She had seen a book on my bookshelf that she was interested in and was wondering if I would like to a do a swap for a book off her bookshelf. I said sure I would love to read one of the Queen Betsy books! She then informed me she had a couple of ARCs that she was willing to add to my order for free. I said sure again and had her throw Minding Ben in! I then get a message saying she has added an EXTRA book in my package (book 4 of the Queen Betsy series)! This is one nice lady. So what started out just a bookswap turned into a wonderful surprise...:)

Undead and Unappreciated (Queen Betsy, Book 3)

by Mary Janice Davidson

Undead and Unreturnable (Queen Betsy, Book 4)

by Mary Janice Davidson

Minding Ben (ARC)

by Victoria Brown

WON

From Heather @ All Things Supernatural

Torment

by Lauren Kate

Saturday, February 26, 2011

What's My Status (1)

I have decided to try this meme out. My friend Marcie at To Read or Not To Read takes part in this so I decided why not!

Zakiya from Butterfly Feet Walking on Life hosts this meme. In this meme you post your status of the books your reading this week, books you finished this week, books you're going to read next, and books you plan on buying this week. You can also post what reviews and memes you participated in for the week. If your interested in participating in this meme, check out Zakiya's blog for all the info and the linky to sign up.

Reviews this week:
American Vampire by Jennifer Armintrout
Captive Queen: A Novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine by Alison Weir

Memes this week:
In My Mailbox: January 13-19
Teaser Tuesday: The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell
Friday 56: Undead and Unappreciated

Books finished this week:
Soulless (The Parasol Protectorate) by Gail Carriger
The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell
Spider's Bite (Elemental Assassin, Book 1) by Jennifer Estep

Currently Reading
The Vampire Voss by Colleen Gleason (have read 5%)
Bloody Valentine (A Blue Bloods Book) by Melissa De La Cruz (on page 55)

Listening To:
Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantasky

Next on my TBR:
Seduced by Sin by Kimberly Logan
In Desperation by Rick Mofina
Bloodfever: The Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning

How about you? What is your status? If you don't have a blog you can post your status in my comment section or if you do have a blog leave me a link to where you have posted yours so I can check it out...:D

Friday, February 25, 2011

The Friday 56: Undead and Unappreciated

Freda over @ Freda's Voice has taken over the hosting of this fun weekly meme. All you have to do is:

* Grab a book, closest.
* Turn to page 56, find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of the blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to Freda's blog
*Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest or most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST!

Undead and Unappreciated (Queen Betsy, Book 3) (Berkley Sensation)

She put her size-nine foot down and that was the end of it. The clincher was when she told Sinclair it would be a shame if anything happened to any of his European suits while they were at the dry cleaners.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Review: Captive Queen: A Novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine

Captive Queen: A Novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine

by Alison Weir

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Publication Date: July 13, 2010

Genre: Historical Fiction

Format: Hardcover

Rating: 4 STARS

SUMMARY

Weir introduces the momentous incidents of Eleanor's life chronologically, each phase of Eleanor's path filled with historical import, beginning with the early days of Henry's unbridled physical appetites and ambitions, Eleanor matching his passion, albeit with an expectation of a marriage between equals. Except that Henry has no equal in wife or in hubris, driven by insatiable appetites and a vision for the future that includes the throne of England. And for all her beauty, wit and intelligence, by law Eleanor cannot oppose the will of her husband, her passion whittled away by years of betrayal and disappointment, her own arrogance broken on the wheel of Henry's will. The partnership is fruitful, sons and daughters destined for brilliant political matches, Henry his own worst enemy, ruthless and cunning, regardless of the coast to his relationships.

REVIEW


from Wikipedia

This novel covers the life of Eleanor of Aquitaine. She was a very head strong queen. Her first marriage to King Louis VII of France ended in a divorce leaving Louis very bitter (which is very clear throughout the story). Eleanor did have various affairs during this marriage, one of which was a man named Gregory, her future father-in-law. Gregory's son, Henry of Anjou (Henry II) is destined to be the next King of England. Eleanor falls immediately in lust and him likewise. Their love affair is full of passion and leads to many children. But like many marriages, it starts to unravel due to greed, paranoia and adultery. Eleanor believe their marriage was going to be a partnership in all ways including in the ruling of England. Henry has other ideas and is very power hungry. He even plays games with his children causing them to fight amongst themselves and against him. During her marriage to Henry, Eleanor never thought about having an affair and thought Henry was just as faithful (and if you know anything about this time period, you know he wasn't). When she is confronted with Henry's fair Rosamond, Eleanor is absolutely devastated. It really was heartbreaking to read. It is amazing how back then a man could have many affairs and not be blamed but if a women is even suspected of it, it is treason and the punishment is usually death.

All in all this was a wonderful read. One criticism that I have is once the story got to Eleanor's long imprisonment I thought the book started to read very much like a history book. It seemed to jump from one scene to another with not much story weaved in between.

I borrowed this book from my local library. I have received no compensation for my review and my opinions are my own

Summary from Paperbackswap

I am an Amazon Affiliate

Read as part of my 2011 Historical Romance Challenge

READ THE FIRST CHAPTER

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Teaser Tuesday: The Vespertine

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read

Open to a random page

Share two "teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page!

Perhaps this once I could find my visions-my awful, eerie gift-without the fires of sunset. Perhaps this once I could abandon the vespers and go there on my own. ~2%

Monday, February 21, 2011

Review: American Vampire by Jennifer Armintrout

American Vampire

by Jennifer Armintrout

Publisher: Mira

Publication Date: Feb 22, 2011

Rating: 5 STARS

SUMMARY

He's the good kind of vampire...sort of.

Buried in the Heartland is a town that no one enters or leaves. Graf McDonald somehow becomes its first visitor in more than five years…and he was only looking for a good party. Unfortunately, Penance, Ohio, is not that place. And after having been isolated for so long, they do not like strangers at all.

Jessa’s the only one to even remotely trust him, and she’s desperate for the kind of protection that only a vampire like Graf can provide. Supplies are low, the locals are ornery for a sacrifice and there’s a
monster more powerful than Graf lurking in the woods. New men are hard to come by in this lonesome town, and this handsome stranger might be Jessa’s only hope for salvation.

Even if she has to die first…

REVIEW
Graf McDonald...is he a good vampire or a bad vampire...I don't know but I'm in love! He has stumbled upon a town called Penance that has been trapped and terrorized for the last five years by "It". No one can get in and no one can get out...until now. Graf has also stumbled upon a fiery independent woman named Jessa. She is the town outcast and has been labeled a man hungry spinster. Jessa has lost everything she has known and loved. When Graf comes into her life, she is cautious for many reasons. One reason, why was he able to get in when no one else has. Also, there is something off about him and she is going to find out what. After Graf realizes what is happening, he is starting to get a little worried. If he can't get out, he is going to have to start snacking on the citizens of Penance...and his first choice is Jessa.

This is definitely an original vampire story. I love that you have the small town mentality of "burn the witch" theme throughout the book, keeps you on the edge of your seat!

E-ARC was provided free by publisher via Netgalley.

I received no compensation and my opinions are my own.

Summary taken from Netgalley