Book Haul #29

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly event hosted on Tynga's Reviews and Letterbox Love is a UK edition hosted by Narratively Speaking. Here we can share what new books we've picked up this past week. There are also lots of other 'book haul' memes out there for you to choose from!

Another good week for me, visited two lovely (new to me) independent bookshops and was really good! By that, I mean I only bought two books... By the time this post appears the Neil Gaiman event I'm attending will be over and I'll have to find some more bookish events to go to. Maybe Charlaine Harris in July?

Bought

The Wilful Eye - ed. Nan McNab

The Wicked Wood - ed. Nan McNab

Fables From The Fountain - ed. Ian Whates

The Ocean At The End Of The Lane - Neil Gaiman

Won

The Child Thief - Dan Smith

Netgalley

A Wounded Name - Dot Hutchison

What did you all get this week?

June New Release Giveaway Hop!

Welcome to the June New Release Giveaway Hop hosted by Book Twirps and Refracted Light Reviews! The hop runs from today through to midnight on June 30 2013. Up for grabs is any new release this month up to the value of $15 from the Book Depository as long as they deliver to your country - find the list of countries here.

All you have to do is choose any new release published in June and leave me a comment stating what book you would like (you can change your mind later) and a way of getting in touch with you if you are the lucky winner (either an email address or Twitter) - following the blog via GFC, email, Linky or Bloglovin', Goodreads or Twitter is not compulsory, just nice!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Check out the list below for lots more chances to win, thanks for entering and good luck!

Waiting On Wednesday #29

Waiting On Wednesday, where we put the spotlight on upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating, is hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine.

This week's choice is -

Fire & Ash (Benny Imura #4) - Jonathan Maberry @Twitter
ISBN UK - 9781471117954 
          US - 9781442439924
Publisher - UK Simon & Schuster Childrens Book
                  US  Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Expected release date - UK/US - September 26th 2013
Find - Book Depository/Goodreads

Proceed with caution, here be spoilers!

'Benny Imura and his friends have made it to Sanctuary, they've found the jet and they've discovered that civilization is struggling to regain its foothold in the aftermath of the zombie apocalypse. Scientists are on the verge of finding a cure for the zombie plague. It should be time for celebration, but it's not. Benny's best friend, Chong, has been infected by an arrow dipped in the flesh of a zombie and he hovers between life and death and Dr McReady, a researcher who may have the critical formula for a cure, has gone missing. So Benny convinces Captain Ledger to mount a search and rescue mission to find the doctor and help Chong. But with the Reapers still pursuing their plan to turn all zombies into super-fast shock troops even if they can save Chong, can they save themselves? In the fourth book of the thrilling and emotionally charged Rot & Ruin series, the battle to end all battles is about to begin...' - Goodreads

I was a relative latecomer to the Benny Imura series but in my quest for good zombie stories someone recommended Jonathan Maberry and I requested the first book, Rot & Ruin, at the library. I was hooked! I've now read all three books available plus the prequel & shorts that fit between each book, check the reading order here! I'm so excited to see what happens next to Benny & co!

What's your WoW this week?

Reading RoundUp #25

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from!

A better reading week for me to start with, then it went downhill rapidly when I developed the worst hay fever I've had in years... By Friday I couldn't see at all so resorted to meds & eye drops which are gradually working and making me look a lot less puffy! It all has to clear up by Friday as I can't possibly meet Neil Gaiman looking like some sort of demonic chipmunk!

Finished

Hysteria - Megan Miranda

A Ranger's Tale - Mysti Parker

A Kiss At Midnight - Eloisa James

Started

Working Stiff - Rachel Caine

NOS4R2 - Joe Hill

Ink - Amanda Sun

Still reading

The Crimson Shard - Teresa Flavin

Up next

Full Blooded - Amanda Carlson

The Year Of The Great Seventh - Teresa Orts

Oksa Pollock: The Last Hope - Anne Plichota & Cendrine Wolf

Full Blooded is for the Random Reads challenge I signed up for and Oksa Pollock and Year Of The Great Seventh are both review books, look out for them over the next few weeks!

What have you been reading?

Witchstruck - Victoria Lamb

Witchstruck - Victoria Lamb
ISBN UK - 9780552566117
          US - 9780373210978*
Publisher UK - Corgi Childrens
                US - Harlequin Teen*
Release date UK - July 5th 2012
                     US - September 24th 2013*
Find - Book Depository/Goodreads

'Meg Lytton has always known of her dark and powerful gift. Raised a student of the old magick by her Aunt Jane, casting the circle to see visions of the future and concocting spells from herbs and bones has always been as natural to Meg as breathing. But there has never been a more dangerous time to practise the craft, for it is 1554, and the sentence for any woman branded a witch is hanging, or burning at the stake.

Sent to the ruined, isolated palace of Woodstock to serve the disgraced Elizabeth, daughter of Henry VIII and half-sister of Queen Mary, Meg discovers her skills are of interest to the outcast princess, who is desperate to know if she will ever claim the throne. But Meg's existence becomes more dangerous every day, with the constant threat of exposure by the ruthless witchfinder Marcus Dent, and the arrival of a young Spanish priest, Alejandro de Castillo, to whom Meg is irresistibly drawn - despite their very different attitudes to her secret.' - Goodreads

Witchcraft and Tudor history? Sign me up! Meg is lady-in-waiting to an imprisoned Elizabeth and, along with her aunt, are instructing & aiding Elizabeth with magic. Things take a turn for the worse when a Catholic priest and his young apprentice are sent to Woodstock, not only because Meg is a witch but because Alejandro just might be the one thing to bring everything crumbling down around her. The return of the witch-hunter,Marcus Dent, also sends Meg's life into a tail-spin and having been told by her aunt that a traveller would bring danger. The witch-hunter is determined to have Meg as his wife and to her horror this is encouraged by her father & brother.

Although mostly a tale of romance, the historical and witchcraft aspects of the book were fascinating. I really felt how dangerous it was for Meg to be a witch in the 1500's and just how one wrong move in front of the wrong person would bring everything tumbling down. Meg was a great character, strong, wilful, independent and fiercely loyal. Like most girls her age though she was also capable of making mistakes and in those times the penalties were much more severe.

The biggest part of the story though, is the romance between Meg & Alejandro, between a witch and a soon-to-be Spanish Catholic priest. You don't get a much more risky romance than that! I liked how it was Alejandro that was more open to the idea of being with Meg, that Meg was so obviously falling in love with him but couldn't/didn't want to see that, didn't want to have to give up everything she held dear. The tension and chemistry between the two was palpable, the sexual tension especially leapt off the page and I for one can't wait to find out what happens in Witchfall which comes out in the UK on July 4th!

*This is the US cover

Book Haul #28

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly event hosted on Tynga's Reviews and Letterbox Love is a UK edition hosted by Narratively Speaking. Here we can share what new books we've picked up this past week. There are also lots of other 'book haul' memes out there for you to choose from!

My name is Fi and I'm a bookaholic... I'm getting worse instead of better, sneaking books in like a ninja and pretending I've had them for months/years!

Bought

The Oathbreaker's Shadow - Amy McCulloch

Ice Forged - Gail Z Martin

Zombie - ed. Christopher Golden

Bought - Kindle

Angelfall - Susan Ee

Outcast - Adrienne Kress

Kindle Freebie

Stitch - Samantha Durante

For review

All The Truth That's In Me - Julie Berry

The Jade Boy - Cate Cain

Won

The Candle Man - Alex Scarrow

Huge thanks to Templar Books for All The Truth That's In Me and The Jade Boy, these were both on my wishlist and I can't wait to read them! And yes! I won a book! The Candle Man involves the Titanic and Jack the Ripper so looking forward to this one too, thank you Orion!

What did you all get this week?

A Ranger's Tale - Mysti Parker

A Ranger's Tale - Mysti Parker @Twitter
ISBN - 9781612351209
Publisher - Melange Books
Release date - December 18th 2010
Find - Goodreads

'In the world of Tallenmere, an elven noblewoman longed to leave her gilded cage. A half-breed former pirate wanted nothing more than to escape his guilty past. Easier said than done...

High elf Caliphany Aranea leads an enviable life as King Leopold's niece and daughter of Sirius, Leogard's most famous wizard. Yet, being forced to follow in her father's footsteps and being betrothed to a man she doesn't even like makes her want a taste of life outside the city walls.

As a young boy, half-elf Galadin Trudeaux witnessed his parents' death at the hands of pirates. After being raised by those same murderers and forced to do their bidding, he escaped and now lives an honest life as a sea merchant and ranger.

When two brutes at Leogard Harbor attempt to kidnap Caliphany while she dreams of faraway lands, Galadin comes to her rescue. Impressed by his skills, she asks him to train her as a ranger. Though he is hesitant at first to train a woman of her class, Caliphany's hefty sack of gold finally persuades him. Unfortunately, her father is not amused, and the two must escape before Caliphany faces a forced marriage and Galadin faces a noose.

From that moment on she and Galadin embark on an adventure of a lifetime. Only if they can survive the trials ahead, will they find a love that stands the test of time.' - Goodreads

After a slow (but good) start A Ranger's Tale races along at a fast pace. There are secret organisations, pirates, ogres, trolls and all manner of fantastical creatures making for a great fantasy read but ultimately this is a romance.. The story is about Caliphany, sheltered daughter, full blooded elf & niece of the King of Leogard and Galadin Trudeaux, half human, half elf, ranger & ship's captain who meet when Cali is attacked by two men at the docks.

On discovering that Galadin is a ranger Cali decides to put into action her plan to break free from her stifling life & arranged marriage and begs him to train her so she can survive by herself. They have three months to do so whilst Cali's father is away and in that time the inevitable happens, Caliphany & Galadin fall in love although this is never admitted by either of them until, having been locked up by her disapproving father Cali escapes using her new-found skills and stows away on Galadin's ship. The pair declare their love for each other but unfortunately the path of true love never runs smoothly and tragedy strikes. This is where I fell out of love with the characters a bit as I'm not a fan of love triangles in the slightest and, considering her circumstances, Cali moved on a bit too quickly for my liking. Both men were interesting characters but it was blatantly obvious from the start who was a better fit and even though Jayden was her childhood friend he just didn't mesh as her husband. Thankfully, without being too spoiler-y, there's a happy ending for everyone involved!

A Ranger's Tale was well written and held my attention all the way through once I got sucked into the story, hard to believe it's a first novel at times. I loved the development of all the characters but especially Caliphany, she went from whiny & petulant (more like a teenager than a century old elf) to a strong, confident woman perfectly capable of looking after and making decisions for herself. I'm excited about reading the next instalment of Tallenmere, Serenya's Song, soon and hopefully it will be just as good as this one!

Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of both A Ranger's Tale and Serenya's Song! Please bear in mind there are a couple of adult scenes in this book so more suitable for readers of 18+.