Book Review: The Scorpio Races (and giveaway)

Cappall Uisce
Water Horse

It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die.

At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.

Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.

I was lucky enough to get my hands on an arc of The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater. I loved her previous five novels so I had high expectations for this one. And I wasn't disappointed.

Sean, the returning champion of the Scorpio Races, and his cappall uisce, Corr, return to the beach to train with new racers. Including Puck, and her horse, Dove. Puck intends to race Dove, a horse not much bigger than a pony, against several deadly cappall uisce. They emerge from the sea onto the island of Thisby, hungry for flesh each Autumn. They ravage sheep, dogs, anything they can find, and they return to the sea unless caught to be trained to race. Riders die before the race even begins, and people come from afar to bet on and see this race on the beach of Thisby.

Puck, who's real name is Kate, is one of our main characters. She splits narration with Sean. The two meet and share an instant dislike for each other. Sean doesn't want to see a girl and her horse on the dangerous beach. And Puck doesn't care for this bossy know-it-all. But as time goes by, things change.

Puck is racing to save her family's home - it's just her and her two brothers - and to keep the older one from leaving for the mainland. Sean is racing for the right to buy Corr, his red cappall uisce. But both can't win the races.

I loved this book so much. I almost felt like I was there on Thisby. My favorite part was the festival where the riders announced their decision to race. There were so many incredible aspects to that scene that I loved, but I'll leave those for when you read it. I'm also very much into faery lore. The cappall uisce, which translates to water horse, is a kelpie. Don't get on one's back in the water, or he'll drown you.

I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone. Especially if you like faery. The Scorpio Races ranks in at number two of my favorite Maggie books, topped only by Ballad.

Maggie Stiefvater is doing a book signing in two days time. I plan to go and get a copy signed for myself. I also plan to get a copy for one of you! (If I don't make it to the signing, I will give away an unsigned copy.)

1. Must follow my blog
2. Must be 13 or older.
3. Open International (US cover).
4. Fill out this form.

Good luck! Giveaway ends 10/30, midnight EST. Winner announced on Halloween.

Book Review: Graveminder

"Sleep well, and stay where I put you."

I have been a fan of the Wicked Lovely series since book one. I was lucky enough to get to read three of the books in the series early, and now, Graveminder. I wasn’t sure what to expect. I loved her faeries. But this was walking dead… and adult.

I LOVED IT!   Honestly, in my opinion, it was even better than her Wicked Lovely books. The writing was amazing. If you’ve read her young adult series, you can see the writing getting stronger with each book. The story was new and unique. The characters were well developed. I can’t say enough good things about this book. Definitely pick this one up when it hits shelves.

Synopsis:

Rebekkah Barrow never forgot the tender attention her grandmother, Maylene, bestowed upon the dead of Claysville, the town where Bek spent her adolescence. There wasn't a funeral that Maylene didn't attend, and at each Rebekkah watched as Maylene performed the same unusual ritual: three sips from a small silver flask followed by the words "Sleep well, and stay where I put you." 

Now Maylene is dead and Bek must go back to the place--and the man--she left a decade ago. But what she soon discovers is that Maylene was murdered and that there was good reason for her odd traditions. It turns out that in placid Claysville, the worlds of the living and the dead are dangerously connected. Beneath the town lies a shadowy, lawless land ruled by the enigmatic Charles, aka Mr. D--a place from which the dead will return if their graves are not properly minded. Only the Graveminder, a Barrow woman, and the current Undertaker, Byron, can set things to right once the dead begin to walk.

*If I get to 750 blog followers by the time I meet Melissa again on May 27, I'll give a signed copy away ;) *

Book Review: Darkest Mercy

I got a chance to read an ARC of Darkest Mercy by Melissa Marr months ago. The Wicked Lovely series is without a doubt one of my favorite series. So when this book came in the mail, I hugged it, and then I had dinner with it sitting next to me, and then I dove in. I was excited and afraid. I devoured the book in one evening, staying up late to finish. I didn't want to finish, but I didn't want to put it down. I needed to know how it all ended.

This is quite possibly the hardest review I've ever had to write. I want to just gush and gush and gush. Because I thought it was absolutely amazing. But I'm really trying to stay away from the fangirling as a general rule. When I'm reading a book that is part of a favorite series, I find I have higher hopes than I do for other books. So I'm always nervous. But this being the final book in the series caused me to be extra nervous. Of course, once I dove in all nerves ran away with my eyes glued to the page.

The Wicked Lovely community is the one place I hang around online the most, so I'm worried about saying too much. Too many people who haven't read it know what I wanted to happen. Some of it did happen. Other things didn't. There was some disappointment when things didn't go the way I wanted, but I have to admit... the choices Melissa made, the way she took the story made more sense than some of the things I wanted. I am more than pleased with the final book in the series. 

If you've read the four first books in the series, you know what's coming. You knew there would be deaths and sadness. But I actually didn't cry during the book. One part shocked me so much I had to put the book down and walk away for a few minutes. It wasn't one of the sad parts, though. But once it was over... when I finished the epilogue, I cried. I put the book down and cried. Because it was amazing. Because one of my favorite series is over. Because I ate it all up in a few hours instead of savoring it over the course of a few days.

Despite the fact that I've read the book, February 22 is still bittersweet. That's the day this book hits the shelves. And it's not really the end. I still have the third manga, Resolve. I still have the short stories that are set to come out digitally, and then in an anthology spring 2012. 

I can in no way be disappointed. This series ended on a high note. Is there more story? Yeah... there could be. But I have to commend Melissa on ending it where she did. Nothing is worse than seeing a series so drawn out that no end is in sight and the writing/story grows boring and monotonous. I really can't put into words how much I love this series and this book in particular. I'm pretty sure it's my new favorite of series. 

So... if you haven't read this series, you have just enough time to read Wicked Lovely, Ink Exchange, Fragile Eternity, and Radiant Shadows before Darkest Mercy hits the shelves.

Thank you, Melissa, for writing this amazing series. It's been such an important part of my life, I can't even say. 

Synopsis:

The Summer King is missing; the Dark Court is bleeding; and a stranger walks the streets of Huntsdale, his presence signifying the deaths of powerful fey.

Aislinn tends to the Summer Court, searching for her absent king and yearning for Seth. Torn between his new queen and his old love, Keenan works from afar to strengthen his court against the coming war. Donia longs for fiery passion even as she coolly readies the Winter Court for battle. And Seth, sworn brother of the Dark King and heir to the High Queen, is about to make a mistake that could cost his life.

Love, despair, and betrayal ignite the Faery Courts, and in the final conflict, some will win . . . and some will lose everything.

The thrilling conclusion to Melissa Marr's New York Times bestselling Wicked Lovely series will leave readers breathless.

ARC Review: Clockwork Angel

I scored a copy of CLOCKWORK ANGEL at ALA. If you were there and didn't see them, that's because they were sneaky. You had to request one. I was surprised to get mine at the end of Sunday, but a lot of people didn't know where they were because the company wanted them only to go to people who were really wanting it.

I finally got to it, after a lag in reading and a few other things I needed to finish first. I can't believe I put this one off for anything. While I really enjoyed The Mortal Instruments books 1-3, I loved this one. The story was just as interesting, but with twists that you don't see coming. Cassandra Clare's writing has improved with each book, as well as her story-telling. I love when you get blind-sided at the end when you think you have it all figured out, and then you are so wrong. Of course, truth be told, I tend to miss obvious pieces in books.

Another reason I think I enjoyed this one more was the characters. While all of Cassie's books have been ensemble pieces, Clary was definitely a main character in TMI series, as Tessa is in this one. I was never really a fan of Clary (or Jace), which I know is not the popular opinion, but I loved Tessa. She was a really great character. And I'm definitely Team Jem. There were so many other characters in this book that I really enjoyed, and hope we get to see more of in the next two books: Charlotte, Henry, and Sophie among them.

This book should definitely not be missed. If you're a fan of The Mortal Instruments, you'll be a fan of The Infernal Devices. Pre-order it now on Amazon for almost half the price.

And... while we're on topic of The Mortal Instruments, and in case you hadn't heard, there will be three more books in the series. CITY OF FALLEN ANGELS will not be the last. Here's when to look for more fabulous books by Cassandra Clare:

August 31, 2010: The Clockwork Angel
April 5, 2011: City of Fallen Angels
September 2011: The Clockwork Prince
May 2012: City of Lost Souls
December 2012: The Clockwork Princess
September 2013: City of Heavenly Fire

And don't forget to check Cassie's LJ for more details --------> http://cassandraclare.livejournal.com/

Synopsis:

Magic is dangerous—but love is more dangerous still.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What’s more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by—and torn between—two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length . . . everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world. . . . and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

ARC Review: Beautiful Darkness

Book two in the Caster Chronicles by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl is BEAUTIFUL DARKNESS. It is available from Little, Brown on October 12, 2010. I was able to score a copy at ALA.

I really enjoyed this one. As usual, I'm not sure which book in the series I like better. The writing was fantastic. The story was interesting. I love when you can read a book and have no idea what's going to happen next. There's a lot of mystery in this gothic romance, and it keeps the reader guessing. Predictability is not something I enjoy in a book. It's a really long book for a YA. And I think because of that it takes a while for things to really get going. The second half of the novel moved a lot faster than the first.

I love Ethan. He is swoon-worthy. Where I can find one of him? Well, an older version of him. I love so many characters in this series... which is rare. Most of the time there are characters I don't like. In this series, it's just the baddies I don't like. The world was expanded. Characters were added. But Amma remains one of my favorites, as well as Ethan's great aunts. I didn't like Lena as much in this one, but I like that we got to know Ridley more.

I loved the Star Trek Prime Directive reference. I'm a Star Trek geek, so I loved this. There was one line that made me laugh so hard I had to put the book down. For those who have the ARC, page 152... the line with "nekkid" in it.

I'm excited for the next installment. Curious about the Epilogue. Definitely pick this one up when it hits the shelves.

Synopsis:

Ethan Wate used to think of Gatlin, the small Southern town he had always called home, as a place where nothing ever changed. Then he met mysterious newcomer Lena Duchannes, who revealed a secret world that had been hidden in plain sight all along. A Gatlin that harbored ancient secrets beneath its moss-covered oaks and cracked sidewalks. A Gatlin where a curse has marked Lena's family of powerful Supernaturals for generations. A Gatlin where impossible, magical, life-altering events happen.

Sometimes life-ending.

Together they can face anything Gatlin throws at them, but after suffering a tragic loss, Lena starts to pull away, keeping secrets that test their relationship. And now that Ethan's eyes have been opened to the darker side of Gatlin, there's no going back. Haunted by strange visions only he can see, Ethan is pulled deeper into his town's tangled history and finds himself caught up in the dangerous network of underground passageways endlessly crisscrossing the South, where nothing is as it seems.

And below is the cover that the ARCs have. It was the original cover. It's hard to tell in the pic, and even when you have the ARC in your hand, but I saw a poster and the white spots are snowflakes. I originally thought they were stars, but they definitely look like snowflakes. Which makes no since as the book takes place during the summer.

Book Review: Radiant Shadows

OMG! I was very lucky to win an ARC (advanced readers copy) of Radiant Shadows by the absolutely fabulous Melissa Marr. And this book was definitely my favorite. I love Ani. She's one of the most interesting characters in the series. And Devlin. *swoon* He's my new favorite guy. Definitely look for this one on the shelves in mid-April. And in the meantime read WICKED LOVELY, INK EXCHANGE, and FRAGILE ETERNITY.


And don't forget the manga series: SANCTUARY and CHALLENGE (which hits stores early April).