ARC Review: A Fall Of Water by Elizabeth Hunter

A Fall Of Water by Elizabeth Hunter

Series: Elemental Mysteries #4

Genre: Paranormal, Romance

Release date: June 5th, 2012
Buy Link
Amazon

Synopsis from goodreads

“No secret stays hidden forever.”

Still grieving from their loss in the far East, Giovanni Vecchio and Beatrice De Novo discover that for them, all roads really do lead to Rome. But nothing is quite as it seems in the Eternal City. Joined by Carwyn and Tenzin, unexpected clashes greet them almost immediately, and rivalries churn beneath the glittering facade of the old Roman court. They quickly realize that allies might be enemies, and ancient rivals could hold the key to a deadly secret.

Giovanni and Beatrice will be forced to call on old alliances, ancient power, and fierce cunning to survive for the eternity they both desire. Sometimes, finding the end means going back to the beginning. Fire, Earth, Wind, and Water finally meet with devastating results in the conclusion of the Elemental Mysteries.

My thoughts

I finished reading this about ten minutes ago, I'm sure there is going to be TONS of typos when I'm done writing this post but I have to write this down now before I forget all these feels. I have so much love for this book right now it's simply indescribable!

A Fall Of Water, is final installment of the Elemental Mysteries series. I have been sticking with this series from the very beginning and I am really glad that I stuck to it till the end. I still remember reading about Beatrice and Giovanni meeting for the first time in A Hidden Fire. Tenjin, Carwyn, Dez every one throughout these books have grown on me. And in A Fall Of Water, Ben has been one of my favorite character to read about. He is just a big sweetheart and I want more about this Vecchio.

The last book goes into a bit deeper in the vampire myth than the previous books. Revealing more about the elements of the vampires and the power to manipulate it. One of the main thing that was fascinating to me was Giovanni's vampire bloodline, at the end I felt like learning more of the ancient vampires history. But hats off to Miss Hunter for bringing this awesome characters to life and thank you so much for introducing me to them.

It breaks my heart to say goodbye to the characters and this story but this was really one of the perfect ending for a series. If you are a fan of paranormal vampire novels, Elemental Mysteries is a MUST read.

It was a cupcake worthy book

About the author

Elizabeth Hunter is the author and publisher of the Elemental Mysteries Series. She is a graduate of the University of Houston Honors College in the Department of English (Linguistics) and a former English teacher. A native of Central California, she now lives in Southern California with her husband, son, and an assortment of dogs. She enjoys reading, writing, travel, and bowling. Someday, she plans to learn how to scuba-dive. And maybe hang-glide ... but that looks like a lot of running. A Hidden Fire is her debut novel.

Find out more about Elizabeth Hunter from her Website / Twitter / Goodreads

Review: Grave Mercy by R.L. LaFevers

Grave Mercy  by R.L. LaFevers
Series: His Fair Assassin #1
Genre: Historical fiction, Romance
Release: April 3rd 2012
My copy: Special reader's edition from NetGalley
Buy Link
Indie Bound
Barnes & Noble

Book synopsis from goodreads

Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae's most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

In my head

I had this since the end of February. Sadly my lack of reading time kept me away from the awesomeness that is Grave Mercy. Grave Mercy is under YA genre but for me I felt the book was a combination between adult and young-adult genre.

The book is set around the time of late 1400's when Anne of Brittany was straggling to get her duchy. My European history is not that good but I do remember a little bit about Anne of Brittany. The author put in a lot of historical information of that period. Sticking with the story line of Anne's marriage so some of the names of the Dukes who intended to have her hand for marriage were familiar.

The story in told in Ismae's point of view, with a very little about her past and the three years she spent in the convent learning the secrets of assassination. She sets of with Lord Duval, Anne's stepbrother to find the traitor in her court. Ismae had me hooked from the very beginning, and the most important part about her that made me I fall in love with was that she can take care of herself! Yes, no kidnapping or holding her for ransom if you want to have your throat slit or be poisoned by this lithe assassin.

Ismae and Duval's banter and the slow built up romance was just cherry on top with my chocolate sundae. 

I can sit here and tell you how awesome this book is but it's better if you just go ahead and read the book. And be awesomified (is that a word!)

I give this

Epic

About The Author 

R.L. LaFevers (Robin Lorraine when she’s in really big trouble) grew up surrounded by shelves of old dusty books and a passel of brothers. She has also spent a large portion of her life being told she was making up things that weren’t there, which only proves she was destined to write fiction. She is the author of over fourteen books for young readers, including THEODOSIA AND THE SERPENTS OF CHAOS, (Houghton Mifflin, 2007) which received starred reviews and was a Junior Library Guild selection, a Booksense Summer Pick, and nominated for the Malice Domestic’s Agatha Award, and the NATHANIEL FLUDD, BEASTOLOGIST series. Her first young adult novel, GRAVE MERCY, will be published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in Spring of 2012. She currently lives with her husband and a demonic cat in Southern California and spends her days gazing longingly at ancient artifacts or wallowing in old forgotten texts.

Website/ Goodreads/ Facebook/ Twitter

My Hippy Birthday!

My Hippy Birthday Blast!

source: weheartit

Yup that's what I mean, hippy. Although I can never be a total hippy, as much as I would like to but still very hippy birthday with both sides of my family. And my bestie, who acted like she forgot on the phone and then showed up on my door :)

Audiobook Review: A Spy In The House by Y.S Lee

A Spy In The House by Y.S. Lee

Narrated by Justine Eyre Series: The Agency #1

A Spy In The House

The Agency #2

The Body At The Tower

The Agency #3

The Traitor In The Tunnel

Genre: Historical, Young-Adult

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Released: 1st December, 2010

Length: 7 hrs and 29 minutes

Buy Link

 Audible

Synopsis From Goodreads 

Steeped in Victorian atmosphere and intrigue, this diverting mystery trails a feisty heroine as she takes on a precarious secret assignment.

Rescued from the gallows in 1850s London, young orphan (and thief) Mary Quinn is surprised to be offered a singular education, instruction in fine manners — and an unusual vocation. Miss Scrimshaw’s Academy for Girls is a cover for an all-female investigative unit called The Agency, and at seventeen, Mary is about to put her training to the test. Assuming the guise of a lady’s companion, she must infiltrate a rich merchant’s home in hopes of tracing his missing cargo ships. But the household is full of dangerous deceptions, and there is no one to trust — or is there? Packed with action and suspense, banter and romance, and evoking the gritty backstreets of Victorian London, this breezy mystery debuts a daring young detective who lives by her wits while uncovering secrets — including those of her own past.

My Thoughts After and During Listening: 

Again, LOVE, EPICLY EPIC LOVE!

Now that we have that part cover I can continue with why I loved the audio book as much as the book itself.

Justine Eyre's narration of A Spy In The House takes you back in the 1800's to experience the adventure with Mary Quinn and James Easton to the Tharold's. I have read all three books of The Agency series, so I know what happens. But listening to it again was a great experience and to re-live the book as though it's happening was just plain wonderful. Mary's character was more defined through the voice of Justine Eyre. Justine didn't only imitate Mary's voice she also brought out the drunken accented coachman of Tharold. Her voice imitation was lovely and it sure did keep me entertained.

Now if you follow anything in my blog or just surfing by here you can find out just how much love I have for this series by clicking the label Y.S. Lee. Ying writes wonderful character and brings them to life through her writing. James Easton, Mary's wardrobe partner teams up with her to find out what is Tharold hiding. And as I have said before I already know what happens further down the series so I was fully anticipating James and Mary's scenes. It was nice to see James for the first time through someone's narrating.  Paints a rather cute picture of him in my mind.

Ying promised her readers there will be a fourth book and Mary will be back with her mysteries. Squeeee! I can promise this, I will be doing my best to get my hand on this book before it releases otherwise I will be waiting like the rest of the world for it's release date.

Recommended to EVERYONE! I really do love this series. I think by now, I have established that I am obsessed with this series.

Epic Cupcake

About this Y.S Lee

Y. S. Lee was born in Singapore but brought up in Canada. She also lived briefly in the United Kingdom. An academic with a PhD in Victorian literature and culture, she wrote MASCULINITY AND THE ENGLISH WORKING CLASS IN VICTORIAN AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND FICTION. She lives in Ontario, Canada. Find out more about Y.S. Lee from her Website / Facebook / Fan page / Twitter

Me and my box #3

Well it's the start of December, the holiday moth. Also this month my semester ends slow update in the blog and ALLOT of studies. 

So last month was quite slow as well. I didn't get to finish as much I would have liked. But I did get some reading done and also found a brand NEW book boyfriend. 

I finally finished The Agency Series book #3, The Traitor and The Tunnel and let me tell you I think this book is so awesome that I am now marking it as cupcake awesome series. I can not believe I waited sooooo long to read this book. So just be prepared there will be a lot pimping of this series on my blog :D

I also found myself falling in love with a new genre. Contemporary romance. Kristan Higgins's All I Ever Wanted convinced me to read more from this genre anyway. 

While trolling on goodreads I found out Karen Marie Morning (author of Fever series) wrote a scene from Jaricho Z Barrons POV. IT'S A SEX SCEEEEENE!! Oh dear god I squeed like a fourteen year old when I saw that even though Fever is not a favorite series of mine. lol

 

Book Reviews: 

The Traitor and The Tunnel by Y.S. Lee

The Book of Lost Souls by Michelle Muto

All I Ever Wanted by Kristan Higgins

iDrakula by Bekka Black

Just One Bite: Volume One

My book boyfriend James Easton from The Agency Series.

Review: The Traitor and the Tunnel by Y.S. Lee

The Traitor and the Tunnel by Y.S. Lee

Series: The Agency #1

A Spy In The House

The Agency #2

The Body at the tower

The Agency #3

The Traitor and the Tunnel

Genre: Mystery, Young -Adult, Historical

Publisher: Walker

Released: 28 February, 2012

My Copy: Paperback

Buy Link

Amazon

Synopsis from goodreads:

Get steeped in suspense, romance, and high Victorian intrigue as Mary goes undercover at Buckingham Palace - and learns a startling secret at the Tower of London.  Queen Victoria has a little problem: there's a petty thief at work in Buckingham Palace. Charged with discretion, the Agency puts quickwitted Mary Quinn on the case, where she must pose as a domestic while fending off the attentions of a feckless Prince of Wales. But when the prince witnesses the murder of one of his friends in an opium den, the potential for scandal looms large. And Mary faces an even more unsettling possibility: the accused killer, a Chinese sailor imprisoned in the Tower of London, shares a name with her long-lost father. Meanwhile, engineer James Easton, Mary's onetime paramour, is at work shoring up the sewers beneath the palace, where an unexpected tunnel seems to be very much in use. Can Mary and James trust each other (and put their simmering feelings aside) long enough to solve the mystery and protect the Royal Family? Hoist on your waders for Mary's most personal case yet, where the stakes couldn't be higher - and she has everything to lose.

My Thoughts:

After reading all three books of The Agency series, I have to say this has been my favorite. 

Mary is yet again set to solve a mystery set in Buckingham Palace, and who else is there to cross her path? Why it was James Easton. The duo manages to keep out of the others toe for a time being but that was only momentary of course.

While trying to discover the main culprit to the case of missing pieces from the palace Mary stumbles on to something much more darker. A murder, and she is hell bound to find out the truth. Her venture to truth leads her to a secret of her own past and for the first time since I have been reading this books, I see Mary thinking with her heart rather than her head. As a trained spy Mary evaluates what she says, do sometimes not that much. But in the end, even when it was James Easton she has always been guarded of herself. So I think I liked this Mary as well as I did her in the previous books. James and Mary's relationship which they finally acknowledge as 'friendship' might finally see the light of day.

At the end, I say this will be one of my favorite series from now on. If you love young adult mysteries this is a book you need to read.

I give thiiis:

  AND 

Find yout more about Y.S. Lee from her

Website / Facebook / Fan page / Twitter

Review: The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook

The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook

Genre : Steam punk/romance

Publisher : Berkley (October 5, 2010)

Kindle Edition 384 pages

Purchased from Amazon

Book Synopsis- (Goodreads)

After the Iron Duke freed England from Horde control, he instantly became a national hero. Now Rhys Trahaearn has built a merchant empire on the power — and fear — of his name. And when a dead body is dropped from an airship onto his doorstep, bringing Detective Inspector Mina Wentworth into his dangerous world, he intends to make her his next possession.

Mina can’t afford his interest, however. Horde blood runs through her veins, and despite the nanotech enhancing her body, she barely scratches out a living in London society. Becoming Rhys’s lover would destroy both her career and her family, yet the investigation prevents her from avoiding him…and the Iron Duke’s ruthless pursuit makes him difficult to resist.

But when Mina uncovers the victim’s identity, she stumbles upon a conspiracy that threatens the lives of everyone in England. To save them, Mina and Rhys must race across zombie-infested wastelands and treacherous oceans — and Mina discovers the danger is not only to her countrymen as she finds herself tempted to give up everything to the Iron Duke.

 Favorite quote from The Iron Duke

"He cupped her face in his hands, made her meet his gaze. Solemnly, he said, “I heard you say that when two people love each other, they fight through everything together. Every doubt, every challenge, every pain. Fight with me, Mina. Please. You are the only one for me, for as long as I live. And if you love me, fight with me." 

My Review

I am writing this review for the third time and still feel like I am not doing it Justice. I have never been sucked into a book like this. It’s made of all kind of freaking awesomeness.

At first I was a bit lost I admit. I didn’t get why we were talking blacksmith Horde world. Then I find out The Iron Duke is the second book to The Iron Seas series. I had to go back to the first one “Here There Be Monster” to understand this world a bit better. While it didn’t explain the whole thing but it definitely helped a lot. And OMFG! not enough Mad Machen and Ivy. More on that later let’s talk about Mina and Rhys.

The Iron Duke starts with detective Inspector Wilhelmina Wentworth, investigating a murder which took place at Rhys Trahaearn, a former pirate captain, and recently titled The Duke of Anglesey. Now when I started this I was prepared for no sex at all. The time period mentioned, just made me think yeah maybe a bit of romance a peck on the lips and boy was I wrong!

Mina is a strong female character which makes this book so great. There were moments where I was sure she would just give in and throw her arms around Rhys and let him carry her off to the sunset. But no. she stood strong till the very end. A+ for Mina.

She travels dangerous paths to rescue her brother with the help of the Iron Duke. Mina is not ready to give in to romance that’s until Rhys steps in. Rhys plays dirty, he is an opportunities and everything vulgar.

It’s easy to fall in love with the leading man. So was Rhys. I like them shameless vulgar and pirate URGH!

But there was moments where I thought oh my god he did not just offer her that!! I am ready to stop liking him then he goes into parliament so Mina’s doesn’t have to accept his offer, she comes with him willingly *it’s a heavy spoiler so I am staying away from that*

How can I not love him, when he sees Mina he has an exceeded amount of lust for her, his behavior towards her is a mixture of pirate and sorta gentleman.

Their journey to rescue Mina’s brother leads into something more. Being born in the Horde world Mina restrain herself from falling for Rhys and Rhys is just not ready to let her go. We find out just what he is willing to do have her.

NOW the big ending, I am a big angstville person, I practically live there. Lols. Two to three pages left and I am in tears. And incredibly enough when I thought no HEA was possible

Meljean Brooks delivers just that. A perfect ending with a me sniffling.

I really loved this book. Meljean Brooks is an wonderful storyteller.

The Iron Duke has become one of my favorite books. I cannot wait for the next Iron Seas series.

  

My rating for this book