New friends. Old enemies. Who can you trust?

Alone for the first time in her life, Wynter Moorehawke travels unprotected in bandit-infested mountains, searching for missing Prince Alberon.

But every tyrant and bully who has ever threatened the kingdom is gathering to Alberon’s table, and the forest is alive with spies and wolves. Within these crowded shadows, Wynter remains determined to find the Rebel Prince and heal the rift that has come between King and Heir….

Abandoning her father in the time of his greatest need, Wynter is alone. Completely and utterly alone in an unknown forest, with unknown enemies all around her, Wynter is trying to find her way to Alberon, the rebellious son and heir to the throne. Needing to dodge all manner of bandits and rebel enemy groups, Wynter almost doesn’t make it. Threatened with rape by a bandit who has tracked her, Wynter uses all her skill to get away, only to be tracked by a different group of rebel outcasts. That is, until she is saved but the most random of luck.

For who should she run into but Razi and Christopher who are on the same mission she is?

For they have deceived the King into believing that they were on their way to separate parts of the country – Christopher to return home and Razi to study medicine. Yet neither of them are where they are meant to be, and Razi’s decoy was discovered beaten beyond recognition. With the whole kingdom believing that he is dead, Razi is free to move around freely for the first time in years.

Razi and Christopher would both like to see Wynter return to the castle – especially once they learn that her father has finally succumbed to his illness and has passed onto the next life. But Wynter won’t have a bar of it, and since she is the only one with the knowledge of the exact location of Alberon camp, Razi and Christopher have no choice but to let her accompany them.

As they once again begin the perilous trek to find Alberon, the growing attraction between Christopher and Wynter is clear to all that see them, even if they seem hesitant to admit it to themselves. And a trip wouldn’t be a true adventure without a few more complications. Camped in their way, and their best chance to find Alberon is the bear-tribe of the Merron people – Christopher’s adopted culture.

When one of noble lady’s take a fancy to Razi, it seems that everything is going to be easy than they expect. That is…if they survive the visit to the Merron people. When the customs and language of the People are so different to anything Razi and Wynter have experienced before, there is only so much that can happen before tempers start to fray and lives hang in the balance.

For every step that Razi, Christopher and Wynter take could be leading them closer to a path that doesn’t leave them alive…

The Crowded Shadows is the second novel in Irish author Celine Kiernan’s Moorehawke Trilogy, and delivers a continuation of the characters, story and settings that I fell in love with in the first novel. The characters once again develop at a completely believable rate that as a reader I could identify with – the trials that Christopher and Wynter go through together and separately and the reactions and behavior that Razi displays at different points of the novel enriched the story to a point that I couldn’t put it down.

As we discover more history behind Razi, Christopher and Wynter, the complexities that Kiernan wove into the first novel, built upon and I suspect continue to develop in the final novel, play out in the actions and personalities of each character – we find out why Razi has a temper, how Christopher lost his fingers and Wynter’s true name.

However, this novel does have a slight filler feel to it, with a lot of character development but not much plot advancement, at times hardly seeming to move. As the only drawback to this brilliant work, The Crowded Shadows was an enchanting read that has me wanting the final book in the series now.

Pages: 510

Publication date: Ireland 2009, Australia 2010

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Teaser quote: Snatching her to him suddenly, he held her against his chest, his scarred hand covering her eyes as though he wanted to hide her…

Oaths sworn…loyalties tested…forces collide.

It’s been only months since Eragon first uttered “brisingr”, an ancient-language term for fire. Since then, he’s not only learned to create magic with words – he’s been challenged to his very core. Following the colossal battle against the Empire’s warriors on the Burning Plains, Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, have narrowly escaped with their lives. Still, there is more adventure at hand for the Rider and his dragon, as Eragon finds himself bound by a tangle of promises he may not be able to keep.

When unrest claims the rebels and danger strikes from every corner, Eragon must make choices – choices that will take him across the Empire and beyond, choices that may lead to unimagined sacrifice.

Eragon is the greatest hope to rid the land of tyranny. Can this once simple farm boy unite the rebel forces and defeat the king?

Murtagh is defeated – for now. But not after revealing the information the rocks Eragon to his core and changes everything he knew and thought was right in his life. Struggling with the true identify of his mother and rejecting that of his father, Eragon is trying to find where he truly belongs. After having his entire being affected by the Ageti Blodhren ceremony of the elves, Eragon is starting to feel the binds of the oaths that he has made – oaths to each race and the individual people of Alagaesia.

First, is the oath to his cousin Roran. Roran’s betrothed is being held hostage by the Ra’zac – servants of Galbatorix, they spread fear in their opponents making them a deadly enemy in battle. And for this battle, it is impossible for Eragon and Saphira to be together. For it is in the caves of the Ra’za, caves too small for Saphira to fit through. Eragon and Roran are on their own. And when further complications arise, Eragon is making the first of his decisions that will affect the entire Empire.

Then there is the oath to Elva, the blessed-yet-cursed child that Eragon has promised to help. Yet when it comes to the ancient language, nothing is a simple as it seems. The more Eragon learns, the more he beings to realise how hard it is to remove the cures he placed on Elva. One wrong pronunciation and it could become a lot worse.

Then there is the problem of his un-finished education and the promise to return to Ellesmera to complete this. Yet can Eragon really afford the time to travel across the Empire when the Varden need him now more than ever?

For it is Ellesmera that holds the key to the next stage of the battle against Galbatorix. For Ellesmera holds the only elf with the knowledge on how to forge a Rider’s sword. A sword Eragon is in need of after Za’roc was taken from him by Murtagh on the plains. For only a Rider’s sword can face another of its kind and only a Rider’s sword can withstand the pressure of magic. Yet this seemingly simple process is complicated further by more oaths and promises, some that Eragon himself doesn’t yet know the cost of.

As Eragon, Saphira, Arya and the Varden hurdle closer to the battle that will decide the fate of the world, each side begins to face the costs of what has be promised.

In Brisingr, I feel Paolini has outdone himself. This is by far the best of the series. The characters all come leaps and bounds, with the multiple viewpoints woven simultaneously into a smooth plot that gives you an understanding of each and every race that make up Alagaesia. One of the biggest things I noticed in Brisingr was the development of the characters and the relationship between these characters. You could see just how much each character was standing for and just how much they would lose if they failed.

Personally, I’m a sucker for romance in any for, and the continuing developments between Eragon and Arya had me happy in this novel. There still isn’t a relationship between these two, yet the strength and development of the friendship that Paolini developed between Eragon and Arya was so believable and strong, that it had me smiling at many stages in this novel. Not to mention the ending that had me tear up at one stage, due to the pure and raw emotion in the scene.

Once again, I would recommend Brisingr to any lover of epic adventure fantasy novels, and with one instalment left to go, I will be looking forward to the release date for the last novel in the Inheritance Cycle as much as the next reader.

Pages: 763

Publication Date: 2008

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Darkness falls…despair abounds…evil reigns.

Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, have just saved the rebel state from destruction by the forces of King Galbatorix, cruel ruler of the Empire. Now Eragon must travel to Ellesmera, land of the elves, for further training in magic and swordsmanship, the vital skills of the Dragon Rider. It is the journey of a lifetime, each day a fresh adventure. But chaos and betrayal plague him at every turn, and Eragon isn’t sure whom he can trust.

Meanwhile, his cousin Roran must fight a new battle back home in Carvahall – one that puts Eragon in even graver danger…

The rebel freedom fighters, the Varden, has just won their first confrontation with Galbatorix’s army, Eragon has defeated the Shade Durza with the help of Saphira and Arya earning him a new name – Eragon Shadeslayer. Murtagh has finally gained the trust of the Varden and Hrothgar, king of the Dwarves. Yet as everything seems to be looking positive for a while, the Varden are given a final blow. Ajihad, leader of the Varden, is betrayed by two of his closest advisors, and is killed on the very day the Varden are celebrating. A day of victory becomes a day of mourning. Along with this, Murtagh is kidnapped and clouded by a spell, making it impossible for Eragon to know if he is alive or dead. With the leadership of the Varden and their magicians in doubt, Eragon finds himself being wormed deeper into politics of the rebel army. Forced by the new leader to sear fealty to them and not the Varden, Eragon is beginning to gather more oaths then he is able to bear.

The Varden decided to move. Heading to near-by Surda to start their campaign against King Galbatorix, there is limited time for Eragon to learn what he needs to know, and the place he needs to learn it, is on the opposite side of the Empire. In the ancient city of the elves, Eragon receives instruction from a surprising teacher, being schooled in the finer points of magic, the ancient language and swordsmanship, yet even under the most careful tutorage, an old injury is holding Eragon back. As Eragon struggles with his new education, people in his past being to capture the attention of the Empire.

Roran, Eragon’s cousin, is faced with the tough decision that will define the rest of his life – to stay and Carvahall and fight a lost battle, or to move the whole town and to seek help in Surda, where members of Carvahall have only heard whisper’s of the legendary Varden. It is a decision that will cost Roran in more ways than one.

Eldest is the second instalment in Christopher Paolini’s the Inheritance Cycle, and starts right where Eragon left off. In Eldest we are now following three different points of view and three separate storylines, as Paolini introduces even further complications and obstacles in the path of all characters in the plot. We have Eragon and the elves, Roran and the people of Carvahall and Nasuada and the Varden. With three distinct and different series of events, it is easy to get lost in story, and Paolini’s handle on the multiple viewpoints rarely left me struggling for understanding.

Eragon’s character continues to develop, and in Eldest we glimpse many of Eragon’s future problems and being to get a grasp on the extreme and vast differences between the three cultures. Eragon’s attempt at trying to master these three cultures sometimes gets him into a spot of bother, and it is these moments of insecurity and failure that allowed me to connect with Eragon on a personal level – they are mistakes that I would have done in his place. The relationship between Eragon and Arya develops to a new level, and while I feel I know where this will end up, it seems that there will be some twists and turns to see it arrive in that place.

We are re-introduced to Roran, and he, along with the Carvahall villager’s, plays a much larger role in this novel than in Eragon. Roran, for me, lacked as a character. He seemed to be driven by one singular thought, and lacked reason or compassion for people around him. That being said, it was these characteristics that drove his plot and story, I just found his point of view difficult and trying to read from.

Eldest is filled with a lot more darkness and evil than seen in Eragon, slowing highlighting the true horror of Galbatorix’s reign on Alegaesia. Captivating from the shock beginning to the even more shocking ending, Eldest is the must read sequel for fans of Eragon. A truly compelling page-turner that had me reading from the first page, to the last.

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What was once your life is now your legend.

When Eragon finds a polished blue stone in the forest, he thinks it is the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy. But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon soon realizes he has stumbled upon a legacy nearly as old as the Empire itself.

Overnight he is thrust into a perilous new world of destiny, magic, and power. With only an ancient sword and the advice of an old storyteller for guidance, Eragon and the fledgling dragon must navigate the dangerous terrain and dark enemies of an Empire ruled by a king whose evil knows no bounds.

Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders? The fate of the Empire may rest in his hands.

Eragon is a simple country boy. Born and raised in the small village of Caravahall, Eragon believes that his destiny is simple - to follow in the footsteps of his father, farming the land for a living, marrying a simple country girl and seeing no more of the Empire than as far as the next town. Yet there is something different about Eragon. He doesn’t look like his father, and he is the only villager game enough to go hunting in the mountainous forest known as the Spine. Creepy and menacing, everything in the spine belongs to the King. When Eragon sets off to go hunting one night, his whole life is about to change.

Thousands of miles away, three elves from Ellesmera are desperately trying to outrun a Shade and his Urgal companion. An almost impossible feat when that Shade is Durza, filled to the brim with demonic spirits. Arya, leader of the elves, is carrying a stone more precious than her own life. In a last attempt to not let this stone fall into the hands of Durza, and in turn the King, Arya sends the stone by magic to Caravahall. But not everything goes as planned. The stone does not go to Caravhall where it was meant to, but lands in the Spine, in the exact position where Eragon is hunting.

Bringing the stone back with him to his father’s small homestead, Eragon soon discovers that the stone, in fact, is an egg. A dragon’s egg. An egg that isn’t meant to exist. And when more of his world starts falling apart – the death of his supposed father, the town being invaded by the King’s soldiers, and the betrayal by the local butcher – Eragon works out what they are looking for. Him. With the company of Caravahall’s mysterious storyteller who knows more about dragon’s than anyone else, Eragon sets out on a mission to find the only people who can help him - the last remnants of the freedom fighters, known only to members of the Empire as the Varden.

Along the way Eragon must learn how to protect himself and his dragon if they want any chance of survival. Eragon becomes proficient with the sword, refines his archery skills and is schooled in the Ancient Language – the basis of all magic. With each step, Eragon is carving out his own destiny and creating a legend. A legend that the King will stop at nothing to destroy.

Eragon is the first book in the Inheritance Cycle by author Christopher Paolini, and while at first glance has many similarities to Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings – the same three races, development of a language and an epic quest to defeat a dark overlord – the depth of the characters and the style interactions between the three races creates a fresh, new world that creates an epic fantasy for a younger generation. To me, I loved Eragon. It captured me from the fast-paced and intense prologue to the climatic ending that has you right in the thick of the action. Paolini’s style captivates the imagination, including just the right about of description to leave the settings and action up to the reader’s interpretation.

I love books that keep you reading, that are easy to read and aren’t a chore. Eragon defiantly fell into this category for me. Anything that I can fall into the world of the book and feel that it is reality for a short space of time, to me is a success on the part of the author.

Fast-paced and action-packed, Eragon does not disappoint.

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“It happened before. Burnt Mountain, Alaska. Novosibirsk, Siberia. Now it’s about to happen to a thriving city. Crack the code…or tomorrow is history…”

Auckland, New Zealand. A city with a population of 1.3 million. 25^th December. Already, 50 000 people have just vanished into a mystery white fog. They were never seen again. Their town was surrounded by white fog which defied gravity and wind, with whispers of ‘snowmen’ coming from the very few survivors. No one who goes in, comes out. No electrical transmissions can find their way through the storm, and nothing New Zealand authorities do can seem to stop the fog.

Imagine that you’re the only one who knew this was about to happen. Imagine that you’re the only one who has a chance of stopping it from happening again. Imagine that you had discovered a way to receive messages from the future and no one would believe you. Imagine that the fate of the civilization of the world could rest on how quick you can crack the code. Everything is stacked against you, you’re a teenager still in school, not old enough to be considered seriously, you have a mother that is only interested in the next episode of her favorite soap opera on TV and every minute that goes past is another death that could have been prevented.

This is Tane and Rebecca’s reality. Months earlier, Tane and Rebecca discovered a way to read messages that were transmitted through time. Messages coded and hidden in gamma ray bursts that are recorded by high-tech NASA space equipment, only you invented and discovered the program to read these messages. The messages that are decoded spell out a bleak future for live on earth. Receiving instructions from their future selves, Tane and Rebecca face a race against the clock to try and get the New Zealand and International military and bio-medical forces to listen to them. Every instruction that they have followed from these coded messages has been correct. From winning the lottery as a test, to breaking into NASA’s top-secret internet files, each step brings you closer to either saving humanity, or watching it descend further into chaos and destruction. Whispers of the Chimera Project that must be stopped, cryptic instructions for a device to send information to the future and juggling sudden millionaire status are just some of the issues that Tane and Rebecca have to deal with on a daily basis.

And this is only the beginning.

The Tomorrow Code is Brian Falkner’s first young adult novel, with three children’s novels being published prior to this. The style of writing and the way in with Falkner deals with some difficult concepts is remarkable. When talking about science, quantum foam and biology, it is easy to get lost in the technical terms, yet Falkner allows the reader to sympathise with either of the two main characters. Rebecca is the brains, the science and math whiz who more often than not is the one talking and explaining the technical jargon while Tane is the creative soul and often, like me, doesn’t have a clue what Rebecca is saying, yet somehow works it out in more simple and creative terms. Rather than subtracting from the plot, this actually adds to the sense of urgency and mystery of the novel. In all, I liked this novel, it captured my interest from the beginning and it was an easy read that I didn’t have to struggle through. The characters were interesting, plot well developed and style captivating from the first page to the end.

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Patrick Ness has announced on his website that on August 3, 2009, he’ll be announcing the title for the third Chaos Walking book. For those of you that read the interview we did with Patrick recently will know that everything about the third novel has been kept top secret. That includes the title. So, as you can imagine, we’re very excited about this!

Stay tuned for the announcement!

Has anyone seen this cover?

I can’t tell you how much I want to get my hands on a copy of this novel. How brilliant is this picture? The artist in question should be taking a bow, if you ask me. I can’t remember the last time I went so nuts over the cover of a novel. I’d buy it just for the cover alone, which actually supports my theory that people DO judge books by their cover. Period.

Becca Fitzpatrick has the whole package thing working for her, though, and Hush Hush actually sounds like a decent read. Check the synopsis from amazon:

For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She’s never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch came along.

With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora’s not sure who to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can’t decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life.

How COOL is the name Patch? I think I’m in love already!

Lucius opened his mouth slightly, and I felt the faintest touch of his fangs touching my skin just above the spot where my blood pulsed strongest.

His fangs…

I didn’t care it if was irrational. I didn’t care if it was impossible. I just wanted to feel them. I needed them, like I’ve never needed anything in my whole life. In my mouth, my own teeth began to ache. That delicious, delirious agony of something struggling so hard to be born.

When Lucius rocks into town, declaring that he’s a vampire and Jessica is his betrothed (and also a vampire), Jessica tells the big tall Romanian guy to take a hike. I mean, come on, vampires? Insert big, loud snorting noise here. Jessica isn’t buying it, not even when her parents encourage her to listen to Lucius’s story, especially the part about the whole betrothed stuff.

But vampires aren’t real. Right? Right. So that means that her parents must have gone crazy, and the guy with the hypnotizing stare and ancient disposition must be some kind of crack pot. And Jess can’t be a vamp. She’s lived in her body her whole life. She’d know about something like that, right? But then Jess’s parents invite him to stay with them for as long as he needs, and Jessica thinks that maybe her parents have gone a little mad too.

Lucius enrols at her school and wins everyone over. Well, everyone with ovaries, anyway. He follows Jess everywhere, holds the door open for her, buys her lunch, defends her honor – gah! It’s just so frustrating and Jess wonders why he just can’t leave her alone?

If you’re like me, you’re probably wondering what the hell Jessica’s problem is. If a really hot, European guy ambled into town and told me that he wanted me to be his princess, my reaction would be the exact opposite of Jess’s. But Jess has her reasons, or reason, rather, and his name is Jake.

Jake isn’t anything like Lucius. He’s American, for one. He doesn’t have any of that European allure that Lucius has, but he’s nice. And he likes Jess. Enter love triangle here.

In terms of character, I found Jess annoying. I found being inside her head incredibly frustrating and I almost wished – no, I definitely wished – that this story had been told through Lucius’s perspective. I hated her naivety. Sure, if someone told me that they were a vampire I wouldn’t believe them either. But when the proof is presented in front of you and you just keep denying and denying and denying on the surface when deep down you really believe, well, that just gets annoying. And I really hated that Jess decided she wanted Lucius when she realized he no longer wanted her. Even though I hated all these things about her, I was compelled to keep reading.

I did, however, love Lucius. Not at first – I needed some convincing – but after a hundred pages or so, I was sold. I loved his rebellious streak; I loved his old manner. I loved how he chose the one girl he knew Jessica would hate him to fraternize with.

The cover is beautiful, although the guy who is obviously supposed to be Lucius reminds me a little of the Count from Sesame Street. What do you think?

I’m pretty sure fans of teen vampire books will want to give this one a go. Make sure you tell us what you think!

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Wicked Lovely fans will love this.

Author of the books, Melissa Marr, has posted a deleted scene from Fragile Eternity (the third book in her faery series) on her blog.

Click here to view it.

Superpowers are awesome – unless you actually have them, as Avery does. There’s only so much he can pass off as “adrenaline” before people start to get suspicious. Probably it’s best to lie low so guys in white lab coats don’t come and carry him away, to find out what makes his freakish body tick. Who wants to be vivisected? But flying under the radar is a whole lot harder when you can actually fly. It’s dangerous to be different, so for now he’ll pretend to be normal, unremarkable Avery – a dull boy – anything to keep his secret safe.

It’s not every day you wake up and realise that you can fly, wake up and realise that you’re actually a whole lot more ‘special’ than you first thought you were. Avery isn’t stupid; he knows that he has to hide his powers from the world. Hiding his true self is something Avery becomes an expert at and soon learns that constantly having to cover for yourself can be the most isolating thing in the world.

Enter Cherchette. She’s the keeper of secrets – everyone’s secrets. She knows about Avery, and she wants to help. Suddenly Avery finds himself surrounded by people like him, people who are miraculously gifted in ways similar to his own talents. Suddenly, being special doesn’t feel so lonely anymore. But can Avery trust Cherchette? And what about his new friends? He’s not stupid, he’s seen the superhero movies a thousand times over: revealing one’s secret identity always lands the hero in trouble. Always.

This is one of those novels where I feel like I can’t say too much, or I’ll give the whole thing away. What I can tell you, though, is that Dull Boy has all the elements of a good superhero tale.

A nerdy kid turned superpro? Check!
Superpower? Check!
Secret Identity? Check!
Crazy costume? Check (sort of!)
A secret mission or desire to save the world? Check!

Avery displays all the qualities audiences expect of hero tales. He’s kind and passionate, just like Clark Kent. He harbours a thirst for justice, just like Batman. And deep down he’s just your average, run of the mill American kid, just like Peter Parker. I’m almost certain that readers will be able to relate to Avery on many levels, and I’m even more certain that you’ll become invested in his story. I mean, if someone like Avery can be ‘super’, why can’t someone like you?

A true superhero tale in all its glory! A must read for ‘super’ fans everywhere.

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If you’re in New York City tomorrow (that’s Sunday June 7, 2009) head on down to Books of Wonder. Holly Black is doing a book signing for Troll’s Eye View with Ellen Datlow, Ellen Kushner, and Delia Sherman. The event is scheduled to run from 1-3pm.

Set in the same world as her previous series, The Study Series, Maria V. Snyder tantalizes readers with another complex, masterful story set in a magical world so convincing that she’ll have you believing that it’s actually real. Being a huge fan of The Study Series, I opened Storm Glass with huge expectations. It didn’t take too long for me to realise that Maria V. Snyder was not going to disappoint me, either.

Opal Cowan is good with glass. Really good. There is only one other person in all of Sitia that can equal her talent, and that’s her father. She has been living in The Keep for the last few years trying to learn the art of magic, but magic, it seems, is not one of Opal’s stronger points. She did successfully help Liaison Yelana trap a whole bunch of evil souls once, but since then Opal hasn’t had a whole lot of luck learning how to use magic. The other students at The Keep call her a One-Trick-Wonder. Consequently, Opal is a bit of a loner.

But Opal underestimates her abilities and lacks the self-confidence required to identify and nurture her talents. You see, Opal isn’t just good with glass – she’s incredible. She has created a communications system for the Master Magicians out of ‘magical’ tiny glass creatures. Master Cowan believes in Opal, even if she doesn’t believe in herself, and when the Stormdancers orbs start shattering, killing Stormdancers in the process, Master Cowan orders Opal to accompany her on a mission to their caves to investigate the reason the orbs are shattering.

The recipe for the Stormdancers’s glass orbs is a big secret, and the glassmakers in their tribe are the only ones that know it. But Opal is smart and figures it out quickly. Then the glassmakers that know the recipe start dying – or rather, they’re murdered – and Opal finds her life in danger. Ulrick – a fellow glassmaker and good friend – appoints himself as Opal’s bodyguard. But Ulrick has a vested interest, you see. He’s hopelessly in love with Opal and would do anything to keep her safe. Opal feels a little spark with Ulrick, but there’s no raging fire, if you know what I mean.

Then there is Kade, a Stormdancer. When it comes to Kade, Opals insides explode like fireworks. But Kade isn’t interested in Opal – he’s too caught up in mourning the death of his twin to notice anything else. Would it be wrong of Opal to enter into a relationship with Ulrick – someone she only has luke-warm feelings for – when she feels so strongly for someone else?

The true scope of Opal’s power is astonishing, but she seems to be the only one who can’t see it. So when she’s kidnapped and forced to realise her power for herself in order to save her own life and the life of the one she loves, the outcome will leave readers gaping in amazement.

Storm Glass is a lesson in confidence and demonstrates that in order to reach one’s full potential, you must believe in yourself first and foremost. In this suspenseful page-turner Maria V. Snyder explores the depths of human relationships and evidences that love, honesty and compassion are far more powerful than magic ever could be. Opal is a bit of a door-mat and at several points throughout the novel, I found myself wishing that Opal would just grow a pair already. I’m happy to report that she does.

This is one for the underdogs of the world. You can be great, too, if you just believe in yourself first.

Storm Glass is scheduled for release on April 28, 2009.

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Hey folks, check out the cover of Noel’s new novel:

Pretty spiffy, huh? Fans of Evermore, her first novel in The Immortals series, will be pleased to know that Blue Moon is due for release on 08.04.09!

The heat is on. Rose is entering the final stages of her guardian training and before she can graduate into a fully qualified guardian, she is required to undergo six weeks of field experience first. After spending two years of her life guarding Lissa from real attacks, Rose thinks that the field experience will be a piece of cake. But the Academy throws her a curve ball and assigns her to guard Christian – Lissa’s boyfriend and the very same Christian that Rose doesn’t exactly like. Rose finds herself suddenly confronted with a whole stack of new challenges that have absolutely nothing to do with guarding and protecting the life of a royal.

As if spending six days a week with Christian isn’t enough drama for Rose to deal with, something weird is going on with her. She’s been seeing Mason, like really seeing him, and she thinks that maybe she’s going a little crazy. But Mason died, she saw him slip away with her own two eyes. So what, or who, is she seeing now? Ghosts aren’t real, right? Maybe not, but maybe they are… Rose desperately wants to talk to someone about ghost-Mason, or whatever it is that she is seeing, but she knows that sharing her story would lead to no good. No good at all.

Then there is Dimitri. Even though she’s tried, Rose just can’t shake her feelings for him. How could she, when he’s everything she’s ever wanted? How many girls can say they found their dream guy, their soul mate, during their adolescence? Not too many, I would assume. Rose however, has found her soul mate, it doesn’t take a genius to figure this out – she just can’t have him. It’s a cruel twist of fate, but soul mates or not, Dimitri and Rose know that guardian/guardian relationships are strictly forbidden. Will that be enough to keep them away from each other, or can love really conquer all? Loving Dimitri is the scariest thing in Rose’s life, and she knows that if anyone found out, both their lives could be ruined forever. Rose and Dimitri face some very interesting challenges indeed. Will they walk away from their guardian destiny to be with each other, or will they continue to deny themselves, deny each other?

Just when Rose thinks that her life couldn’t possibly get anymore complicated, the Strigoi launch a surprise attack on the Academy and suddenly everyone Rose ever cared about is unsafe. This time, the Strigoi fight dirtier than ever before and take something of Rose’s that will change her life forever.

“I ran. I didn’t look back. I didn’t ask what he was going to do because I already knew. He was going to stop as many Strigoi as he could so that I could get help. And a moment later I heard grunts and hits that told me he’d found another. For only a heartbeat, I let myself worry about him. If he died, I was certain I would too.”

Prepare yourself for a monstrous cliffhanger ending that will leave you gasping for breath.

Rose learns a lot in this installment and watching her develop as a person is a humbling experience. In all the loss, through all her trials, Rose never loses sight of who she is, or what she stands for. She is stubborn and fierce but she’s also selfless and loyal – qualities that are a rarity in today’s society.

Richelle Mead has outdone herself with this installment. Fabulously written, full of action and nail-biting suspense, Shadow Kiss is an unputdownable read.

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Melissa Marr has announced that from now until the April release of Fragile Eternity, she’ll be posting an excerpt from the book on her blog once a week! We here at yaReads couldn’t be happier about this, either.

To read this month’s excerpt, click here

Zachary is an angel – literally. He’s had many charges over the years but being Miranda’s guardian angel is his toughest gig yet. See, he’s in love with her and love just complicates everything. Deep down Zachary knows that he would do anything to keep her safe – he’d even risk his own position in heaven. When Miranda heads out one night with her friend, Zachary sees trouble coming a mile off – trouble of the vampire kind. In the process of trying to protect Miranda from becoming a meal, Zachary breaks the one rule guardian angels are never allowed to bend, under any circumstances, and he reveals himself in human form.

As punishment, Zachary is cast out of heaven and sentenced to life on earth, as a human. Knowing he failed the love of his life, Zachary begins on a downward spiral of destruction. Someone upstairs, however, thinks that Zachary deserves a second chance and the heavens assign him a task – to kill Dracul, the most bad ass vamp around. If he succeeds, he’ll win back his place in heaven and his guardian powers will be returned to him. When he gets to the Dracul castle, however, he doesn’t expect to find Miranda all vamped out and running the show. This complicates things, just a little. See, even though she’s now a vampire, Zachary can’t shake his feelings for her and embarks on a mission to not only eliminate her master, but save her soul from her vampire self.

Miranda is a lousy vampire. She’s not evil enough, nor scary enough to throw her authority around like her master expects her to. Some of the servants even like her a little. Then, Zachary arrives at the castle and she’s drawn to him immediately. He makes her want to be a better person – if its possible for a vampire to live like a person at all. She stops drinking human blood, opting for animal blood instead, and helps Zachary orchestrate his plan to eliminate the master. But the question remains – can Zachary save Miranda, or is she destined for a life of eternal damnation?

Eternal is narrated through both Zachary and Miranda’s points of view. I love this technique of dual narration because it allows the reader to really get both sides of the story. Zachary is an adorable character whose strength and conviction is admirable, at the very least. I found Miranda’s failed attempts at being evil humorous at first, but towards the end her self-pity was a little on the annoying side. Even so, I was compelled to keep reading. You know the author has some serious talent when you’re interested in reading about a character you don’t like very much. For Zachary’s sake I found myself hoping for the best. Does he get his girl and his place in heaven back? Or does the Dracul master ruin his life forever?

Only the pages of Eternal have the answers…

Set in the same world as Smith’s previous novel Tantalize, Eternal will draw you in - fangs, angel wings and all!

Available February, 2009

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Granna drummed her fingers on the table. “You’re about the right age for Them to start making trouble. Shallow things. I don’t think they have much use for anything old or not beautiful. They’re only interested in brand new toys.” She shrugged, as if she were talking about an ant problem or something equally mundane. “So I gave you the ring.”

Dee is not a normal girl. She can do things with her mind that no one else can. Unbeknownst to her, she’s caught the attention of a very powerful woman, and her life takes a weird, weird turn.

The fey are following Dee. Only Dee doesn’t know they’re fey, not at first. But then she meets Luke at a recital and she knows that something isn’t quite right about him. What she does know, however, is that she is drawn to him beyond belief. Dee has never had a boyfriend before, never even been interested in a boy before, but there is something really special about Luke that draws her in. And she can’t walk away from him, regardless what the consequences might be.

But Luke can touch iron. In fact, Luke gives her an iron key for protection against the fey. So if he can touch the one thing that they can’t, what does that make him? She knows he isn’t a normal human, but now she’s not so sure he’s fey either. So, what is he, then?

You wouldn’t believe me if I told you. All I’m going to say folks, is be afraid. Be very afraid.

Against her better judgement, however, Dee is unable to feel the fear she should in his presence. And so starts a love affair destined for doom even before it gets off the ground.

Nevertheless, Luke does everything in his power to keep the fey away from Dee, but the fey are smarter than they look and suddenly Dee finds herself in the worst situation imaginable. Conniving and vindictive, the fey blindside Dee and come at her from behind – if they can’t have her, they’ll take the two things she loves the most, instead.

Lament is one helluva tense read. From the moment Dee starts hurling at the recital in the first chapter, right through to the very last full stop, I had to remind myself to breathe. Once the action pops it just doesn’t stop.

Dee is an inspiring character who never forgets what being a decent person is all about. Even when the going gets tougher than one could ever imagine, Dee never forgets who she is and what matters most. Reading Dee’s journey was more like watching a movie and Stiefvater masterfully navigates the English language, bringing her characters to life with colour and a three-dimensional aspect that is so often missing from young adult novels.

Lament is the first novel in an ongoing series, and is also Stiefvater’s debut novel. We here at yaReads think its a pretty sensational effort, too. We can’t wait to see what else she’s got coming. Whatever it is, we know its going to be big!

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Have you ever wondered what your dreams mean? Well, Janie does, because her life is one huge dream after the other.

Except the dreams aren’t her own.

Janie is gifted – or cursed, depending on which way you look at it – and has the ability to step into other people’s dreams. Its something she can’t control, though, and she often finds herself being ripped out of her own consciousness only to be sucked into the dreams of those sleeping around her. And it seems that everyone around her hides their deepest, darkest secrets in their dreamland. She knows things about the kids around her that no one else does, but she can’t tell anyone because everyone would just think she’s crazy, right?

Wrong.

Cabel doesn’t think Janie is crazy, but he does know that something is quite right with her. Although she tells him nothing initially, he seems to understand that there is, in fact, something to tell. Cabel starts looking out for Janie and eventually, he finds himself in a bit of a predicament. You see, Cabel has some secrets of his own – secrets, which, if they were to be revealed, could destroy everything he has worked for.

That’s the pesky thing about love, though. It always seems to pop up at the most inopportune times. Often, it forces people to make very hard choices indeed. But Cabel isn’t having it, not this time. He wants the best of both worlds and does everything in his power to ensure that he can have a future with Janie. The question is, will Janie let him in?

She’s scared of her powers, and because she has spent her whole life shutting people out, including someone like Cabel in her life is going to take a bit of work. But as the novel progresses, it becomes clear that Janie can’t do this for much longer alone, and she’s actually a much more valuable player than she ever expected to be – in anything.

Wake is a short, punchy read that will have your head spinning from the very first page. It’s a unique story idea, and the narrator’s voice is raw, edgy and above all – it’s real. Wake is full of characters that remind me of teenagers found out in the real world. The people in Wake (for the most part) are doing things that kids everywhere are doing, too. Lisa McMann should be commended on her bravery, as she leaves nothing to the imagination. In an age where so many young adult novels are sugar-coated, McMann chooses an honest approach, instead.

Wake is a diamond in a sea of broken glass. I can only hope its brilliance is repeated in the upcoming sequel, Fade.

For those of you that are interested, we’ve been reading Wake in our bookclub on the forum this month. Click here to join the discussion.

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If you’ve been living under a rock somewhere, you might not have heard of this book. In case you haven’t, Frostbite is the second installment in the Vampire Academy series - a very popular series by Richelle Mead.

Those that have been following the site will be aware that I did not enjoy the first Vampire Academy book. Although I didn’t think my review was overly harsh, the vast majority of visitors that read it did. Nearly everyone disagreed with me, and some not so politely, either. So I made it my New Year’s resolution to read the rest, just to appease you guys – and I’m so glad I did. I picked up Frostbite yesterday afternoon and I read it all in about five hours.

Before I move on, I’d just like to say that I stand by my original review of Vampire Academy. The characters were shallow, and being inside Rose’s head was annoying. However, reading Frostbite changed my opinion of Rose and reading her narration was an enjoyable experience, rather than a tedious one.

The sexual tension that was more than evident between Dimitri and Rose in Vampire Academy kicks up a few gears in this installment. Rose has it bad for Dimitri and pines for him through most of the novel. Alas, Dimitri is still her mentor and – as people tend not to age backwards – is still much older than her. Would you defy everything, and everyone, for love? And at seventeen, is it really possible that Rose loves Dimitri in a ‘for life’ kind of way? Rose is a reckless girl, and clearly, is a bit of a slave to her emotions. And let’s be honest here – teenage hormones can get a little crazed at times. As the novel goes on, although readers never get the chance to step inside Dimitri’s head, it becomes clear that these are the kinds of questions he’s asking himself. So, in order to move on with his life and get over Rose he starts acting out a contingency plan and receives a very tempting offer from a very attractive royal. They hit if off immediately and things for Dimitri look prosperous. Accepting such an offer, however, will mean turning his back on Rose forever – in his capacity as her mentor, co-worker and any possibility - no matter how small - that they might become lovers.

So will he, or wont he?

All I’m going to tell you is that Rose does a pretty spectacular job of sabotaging any chance of them ever getting their problems sorted out. When it comes to Dimitri, Rose is her own worst enemy.

While the tension between Rose and Dimitri takes up a huge chunk of the story, its not the entire tale. I mean, this is a vampire novel, after all, so there has to be some kind of vamp action, right?

Right.

The Strigoi are at it again, causing havoc and embarking on killing sprees. Only this time, it looks as if the Strigoi are teaming up with an unsuspecting partner, and suddenly Rose and her friends find themselves in more trouble than they know what to do with. Lives are lost, friendships are broken, and new ones are made. The action in Frostbite is gripping enough that I actually found myself yelling at my book. Emotions were definitely running high.

My favourite thing about this novel is the way in which Rose’s character develops. She manages to grow up a whole lot without losing her edge, her rebellious nature. She makes a few mistakes, sure, but this time she actually learns from them. Lissa still remains her number one priority, but this time around, the novel isn’t entirely focussed on keeping Lissa alive. Perhaps that is another reason that I liked this one much more than Vampire Academy. In both Vampire Academy and in Frostbite, Lissa presents as a very self-centred character. She’s shallow, spoilt and bratty. She’s supposed to be Rose’s best friend, yet their friendship seems awfully one sided. The sections of the novel where Rose steps inside Lissa’s head are definitely my least favourite moments. I was happy to learn that there seemed to be a whole lot less of them this time around.

Frostbite is a sharp, engaging read that tantalizes the senses. Although it’s categorized as a vampire novel, it’s really a story about love, friendship and finding your place in the world – the vamp action just gives it that little extra kick!

I’m proud to say that you’ve made a convert out of me. Richelle Mead, I heart you!

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This is the fifth installment in the Morganville Vampire series. Here’s what it says on the back of the cover:

In the college town of Morganville, vampires and humans coexist in (relatively) bloodless harmony. Then comes Bishop, the master vampire who threatens to abolish all order, revive the forces of the evil dead, and let chaos rule. But Bishop isn’t the only threat.

Violent black cyclone clouds hover, promising a storm of devastating proportions as student Claire Danvers and her friends prepare to defend Morganville against elements both natural and unnatural.

Honestly, I don’t think the blurb does the book justice. Not even close. I’ve tried to write my review a few times already, and failed miserably. My delete button has been getting quite a workout over the past week or so. See, I’m afraid to leave out anything crucial, but the problem with that is, everything that happens in this novel is important. Every single sentence, every single word has some greater significance.

See my conundrum?

So I’ve decided, that instead of giving a summary, in a rare moment of weakness I’m going to let my inner fan girl out. I usually try and keep that part of my personality out of my reviews, but the Morganville books  have some kind of hold over me, and i’m incapable of being calm. So, I’ll be writing a number of reviews of Lord of Misrule, each on focusing on a particular aspect of the novel. I’ve just got so much to say, and the book is so good, that I think it is totally warranted.

For this particular review, the winner is … drum roll please …

Shane and Claire.

*cue fan girl screams here*

The book opens exactly where Feast of Fools left off. Amelie is rounding everyone up, assigning people jobs and preparing her ‘army’ against Bishop. Evidently, everyone is saying goodbye because Amelie split up all four members of the Glass House. It’s a tense moment because all four of them know that there is a huge chance that some, or all, may not return alive. In a very public display of affection that stuns Eve into action, Michael tells her that he loves her before running out. When Shane and Claire say goodbye to each other I was sitting on the edge of my seat, fully expecting him to do the same. But much to my annoyance, he doesn’t. And, neither does Claire. Frustration maximus.

*cue sad violin music now*

But fear not Shane and Claire fans. Although the scenes between the couple are so good that readers are tortured almost to boiling point, we do get a little pay off, and Shane eventually tells Claire that he loves her.

Finally!

Hallelujah!

Praise the Vampire Lord!

The whole scene is very Shane-esque, but its still super sweet and my heart made a whole lot of little thumpa thumpa noises while I was reading it. As soon as it was over I went straight back to the beginning (twice) and read it again before moving on. What I liked most about the scene is not the fact that he Shane finally admits that he’s in love with Claire (which of course, is what we’ve all been waiting for), but the fact that his character isn’t lost in amongst all the lovey-dovey goo. I find that’s a common problem with mushy scenes like this in YA books. When they’re being written, because the target audience is so often female, writers really ham up the love-mush, and male characters end up doing and saying a whole bunch of things that seem out of place just to appease the female readership. Shane Collins, however, is anything but mushy and this is reflected supremely well in this scene. His character remains firmly in-tact and true to himself. He’s quite direct about it all, actually, but Rachel Caine (being the goddess that she is) has weaved a tiny sprinkling of mushy love-goo in amongst Shane’s brashness which should have hearts beating, and girls swooning, all over the world.

All I have to say is, move over Edward Cullen, you’re about to lose your crown - to a vampire hating human!

There are many other Claire and Shane moments that really touched my heart throughout the novel, but I don’t want to give everything away. Needless to say, I’m stoked with the way their relationship is growing throughout the series. Their characters are evolving, and their relationship is progressing the way a lot of adolescent relationships do. Vampire problems aside, they’re believable in every way - something which I think is kind of rare in fiction for teens today.

Readers of Lord of Misrule are given just enough of Shane and Claire to temporarily satiate their hunger. But thats the thing about an appetite, it doesn’t stay satisfied for long. After just a couple of reads through, I guarantee you’ll be begging and screaming for more.

I’m sure the question on everyone’s lips is, do they, or don’t they? Their relationship comes a long way in this installment, and after you tell someone you love them, what else is there to do? I bet you’d like to know, right? Well, I’m not going to tell you. You’re just going to have to read it for yourself to find out.
Till next time, over and out!

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