Book Review: The Emerald Talisman (Brenda Pandos)

To be normal, sixteen-year-old Julia Parker would shed her empathic gift in a second. Life has been difficult since her mother's mysterious disappearance ten years earlier - an event she witnessed, but can't remember. Julia's situation becomes more complicated after a near death experience from a blood thirsty stalker. As high school students go missing it is clear there is a connection to her own experience--past and present. Someone has to stop the madness and a chance encounter with a creepy psychic foretells that only Julia is the key to stopping the madness, but it may require the life of the one she loves.

Saying this book tested my patience does not even begin to cover it; it truly exhausted every ounce of whatever patience there was in me. While I admit I was intrigued about its premise at first, and was thoroughly excited at having the book in my hands, eventually I had to get rid of it or risk insanity.

For the record, I actually did not finish the book. So whether or not you'd take my review as accurate, I'll leave it for you to decide. However, note that I did try to read as much of this book as I could possibly endure. But it just was not possible to finish the book.

The protagonist, Julia, narrates the story and this pretty much guaranteed it's downfall for me. She's a whiny character, one that comes across as stupid more than naive. She's also rather weak in character and I was especially put off with her incessant pining after Nicholas.

So the guy heroically saves her and she falls head over heels in love at first sight, granted. But when Nicholas fails to show up after his saving her, she acts as if her life has suddenly lost its purpose. She goes through the five stages of grief, as though she has lost a lover. She begins blaming him, acting as if Nicholas owed her a lengthy explanation for promising to show up and somehow failing to do so (sure, a promise is a promise - but when a stranger promised something to you, do you honestly fall into a depression when it's broken? Aren't you more likely to be surprised if that stranger actually fulfilled a promised visit?). She also actually gets into the point where she tells herself to finally 'move on' from Nicholas. Move on? As if they ever had a relationship in the first place? It was just too pathetic.

Of course a good mystery and even more mysterious hero is always welcomed in my book - but as I waited for the mystery to unravel, there was nothing else to sustain the plot other than Julia's never-ending pining for Nicholas. Not only did this lack of subplot resulted in the dragging of the storyline, it also made it boring, and Julia's narrative practically killed it for me. Being annoyed to death by this character overshadowed my reading experience so much I can hardly comment on the book's writing and structure.

So sadly, despite my initial enthusiasm, Emerald Talisman turned out to be rather unbearable.

One Star.

* Book courtesy of UK Book Tours.

Hot off the Press: RHCB acquires three new novels from YA author Karen Mahoney!

Fabulous news from RHCB today - to all the fans of The Iron Witch, this is something to delight you with I'm sure!

Random House Children’s Books is delighted to announce a three book deal with YA author Karen
Mahoney. Fiction Publisher Annie Eaton and Fiction Editor Jessica Clarke secured a deal for World
English Language rights for two titles in a brand new series called Beautiful Ghosts, on behalf of
Miriam Kriss at Irene Goodman, the first book of which will be published by Random House in 2012.
A separate deal was made with Heather Baror of Baror International for The Stone Demon, the third
and final book in The Iron Witch trilogy which will be published in 2013.

Annie Eaton, Fiction Publisher comments ‘Karen Mahoney is a natural storyteller with a wonderful
imagination. Her debut novel, THE IRON WITCH, was published to rave reviews, and there is an eager
audience out there wanting more!’

Jessica Clarke, Karen Mahoney’s Editor adds ‘Karen is a dream author, with an incredible passion for
YA fiction and a huge online following on both sides of the Atlantic. Her blend of strong female
protagonists and punchy paranormal drama is breathing new life into this genre, and we are very
proud to have her on the RHCB list.’

THE STONE DEMON is the final book of The Iron Witch trilogy, where Donna Underwood must work with the alchemical Order of the Crow in London to create a new Philosopher's Stone. If she fails? A three-way war between the dark elves, demons and alchemists will lead the world into an
unimaginable apocalypse.

BEAUTIFUL GHOSTS - Being a vampire is for life - not just a lifestyle. Reluctant teenage vampire Marie 'Moth' O'Neal infiltrates a group of Otherkin kids in Boston, teenagers who believe they are reincarnated vampires, in order to find out who or what is killing off the troubled teens... and then turning them into something truly undead with a taste for human flesh. All this while trying to stop sexy young hunter Jace Murdoch from shooting anything that doesn't breathe - including her.

Karen Mahoney is the author of The Iron Witch and The Wxtood Queen. She has been published
alongside some of her favourite authors, in anthologies like THE ETERNAL KISS and KISS ME DEADLY.

Karen lives in London though she dreams of one day living in Boston. You can visit her website at www.kazmahoney.com.

Score! :D

Book Covers: The Last Echo (Kimberly Derting) & Bloodlines (Richelle Mead)

Two very exciting cover releases that I wish to share with you guys tonight. First up is the third book in one of my favourite series - The Last Echo by Kimberly Derting! I am absolutely in love with Violet and Jay and can hardly do more waiting for the third book!

Kimberly has hinted on her blog that the colour is significant - perhaps there will be an echo with the colour purple in the book? What do you think?

Violet kept her morbid ability to sense dead bodies a secret from everyone except her family and her childhood-best-friend-turned-boyfriend, Jay Heaton. That is until forensic psychologist Sara Priest discovered Violet’s talent and invited her to use her gift to track down murderers.

Now, as she works with an eclectic group of individuals—including mysterious and dangerously attractive Rafe—it’s Violet’s job to help those who have been murdered by bringing their killers to justice. When Violet discovers the body of a college girl killed by “the girlfriend collector” she is determined to solve the case. But now the serial killer is on the lookout for a new “relationship” and Violet may have caught his eye....

Now for another much-awaited cover...

Fans of Vampire Academy rejoice! The UK cover of the much awaited first book in this brand new trilogy by Richelle Mead has finally been unveiled! May I present to you the cover for BLOODLINES?

LOVE AND LOYALTY RUN DEEPER THAN BLOOD…

Sydney protects vampire secrets – and human lives. As an alchemist, she is part of a secret group who dabbles in magic and serves to bridge the world of humans and vampires.

But when Sydney is torn from her bed in the middle of the night, she fears she’s still being punished for her complicated alliance with dhampir Rose Hathaway. What unfolds is far worse. Jill Dragomir—the sister of Moroi Queen Lissa Dragomir—is in mortal danger, and goes into hiding. Now Sydney must act as Jill’s protector.

The last thing Sydney wants is to be accused of sympathising with vampires. And now she has to live with one . . .

Published by Razorbill 25th August 2011 - mark the date!

Passion Blog Tour: Lauren Kate on Running Down a Plot!

Welcome to the penultimate day for Lauren Kate's Passion blog tour! Today here at Girls Without a Bookshelf, Lauren is going to share her other hobbies, apart from writing. Check it out -

Years ago, I went to a bookstore in Manhattan to hear Joyce Carol Oates read from her first YA novel, Freaky Green Eyes. From my view of her frail, birdlike physique, I found it hard to believe Oates when she spoke of running six miles everyday. She said running was this magical time when she plotted all her novels. At that point, I really didn’t believe her. Who could do anything while running other than count the seconds until you were going to be finished running?

I was not a runner then. But sometime in the years between leaving my hectic job at a publishing house in New York and beginning to write Fallen, I took up the sport. I found myself living on a tomato farm in Northern California. It was their first time in my life I’d lived somewhere with that much open space around me. One day, I started to run the boundaries of the tomato plots. I hated it at first. I hated it for months. I definitely did a lot of counting down the seconds until my run was up. But the seed of a dream to run a marathon someday had been planted in me, so I kept up the running.

I remember one day during the summer I wrote Fallen, I woke up worrying about Miss Sophia. Something about her character wasn’t all the way there. I got dressed for my run, laced up my shoes, went out the door into the hot California sun. I took off through the tomatoes vines. When I think of them now, I can smell their precise aroma in the morning—spicy and velvety at the same time. I ran a few miles and didn’t realize I wasn’t counting down the seconds, I was thinking about Miss Sophia. I was resolving what was wrong with her character. At one point, I stopped in the middle of the field and I knew with absolute certainty that Miss Sophia was not good, as I’d written into my first

draft. She was pure evil, one of the most evil forces in the book. I don’t know when my mind would have worked that out if I had not been running. Joyce Carol Oates had it right all along.

The plotting run became an almost daily ritual. I live in Los Angeles now—less space but still some beautiful trails—and I rely on those morning runs—with my dog, Milo, these days—to clear my mind and unlock the scene I plan to write that day. This morning, I realized something new about Cam about a mile and a half into my run. I came home ready to hit the keyboard and transcribe the scene. I still haven’t run that marathon, but I did a half-marathon last summer. Maybe I’ll save the marathon training for my next series when I have a whole new set of mysteries to work through on the trails.

Thanks Lauren! I've always wanted to run a marathon myself, but I'm too lazy to train. Whoops, lazy me :D

Are you excited about Passion? Check it www.ihavefallen.co.uk for more about the series, connect with fans at the facebook page www.Facebook.com/FallenNovels and check out the squee-worthy trailer below!




And don't forget to head over to Writing from the Tub on the last day of the Passion blog tour tomorrow!

Immortal War Blog Tour: Playlists & The Music of Vampirates!

Hello Vampirates fans! Welcome to the sixth stop at Justin Somper's Vampirates: Immortal War blog tour. I'm sure a lot of you have been enjoying the treats from this exciting blog tour so far and there's more fun to come! Today we get a glimpse at Justin's tastes in music as he reveals the music behind Vampirates!

Check it out below!

VAMPIRATES: PLAYLIST

Warning: this is a decidedly eclectic mix!

1. MC Sultan - Der Bauch (Arabesque) – I don’t usually listen to music when I’m actually writing or about to write but this track was my inspiration for the mesmeric music used to annouce Feast Night.

2. Camille O’Sullivan - Whatever Lola Wants (A Little Yearning) – “Whatever Lola wants, Lola gets. And, little man, little Lola wants you!” Originally she was going to be called Lady Angelika Lockwood but I though the alliteration of Lady Lola Lockwood sounded better and then the lyrics to this song removed any further uncertainty.

3. Jay-Z, Rihanna & Kanye West - Run This Town – This was chosen by the Nocturnal who won a competition on vampirates.co.uk to select Sidorio’s theme song. Actually, it also connects with my characterisation of the pirates. Warning: some versions of this have explicit lyrics!

4. The Eagles – Desperado (Very Best of) – “Desperado, why don’t you come to your senses?... These things that are pleasing you can hurt you somehow.” Every cowboy Vampirate needs a theme tune and this is Johnny’s.

5. Carter Burwell – End Titles (Theme from Miller’s Crossing) – If Lorcan had a theme, it might just be this. It would take him right back to his Celtic routes.

6. The Wannadies – You and Me – This song makes me think of Connor and Grace. As much as circumstances tear them apart, they will always be united.

7. Jack Johnson – A Pirate Looks at Forty – I just really like this song. “Mother, mother ocean, I have heard you call. I’ve wanted to sail upon your waters since I was three feet tall… you’ve seen it all.” I’d say it was a good anthem for Cheng Li if it wasn’t so mellow! Maybe for Bo Yin then.

8. Norah Jones – Chasing Pirates (The Fall) – Both this song and its accompanying video me think of Jasmine and her often challenging relationships with Jacoby and Connor.

9. Carla Bruni – You Belong to Me (Comme si de rien n’etait) – Bruni’s fragile voice and the romantic lyrics makes me think this is the kind of song Darcy might have sung aboard the Titania before its fateful crash. With its theme of exploring the world, this might also be a fitting song for Grace and Lorcan too.

10. Coldplay – Viva la Vida – This song has a strong sense of power lost and power won. It was one of those rare pieces of music that I did listen to to get me in the mood for writing. It made me think of both Sidiorio and Stukeley.

11. Sam Sparro – Black & Gold – Lots of oceanic and nocturnal lyrics here and I reckon this could be a great summary of Sid’s feelings for Lola. “If you’re not really here, then I don’t want to be either.”

12. 6 Day Riot – Reinkarnation of Take the time (The Folie a Deux LP) – I love this band and their distinctive sound. I met them at a radio show and have seen them live. This song is nostalgic yet timeless and suffused with yearning. It’s the kind of mood I’ve often tried to capture in the books. Incidentally, I wrote the group into EMPIRE OF NIGHT (they’re the ones massacred by Sid and Lola on their honeymoon!). It was my idea of a tribute!

13. Marianne Faithful - Pirate Jenny (20th Century Blues) – The Nina Simone version is on the Dirty Dolphin jukebox at Vampirates fansite www.tempesttwins.co.uk, which reminded me that this song was a definite inspiration for the books and, in particular, for Ma Kettle – the character and the tavern. Though it’s more likely it would be Sugar Pie who would sing this song than Ma! Warning: explicit lyrics in Marianne’s version!

14. Neil Diamond – Captain of a Shipwreck – A gem of a song (no pun intended!) from Neil Diamond. His voice as well as the lyrics make me think of Molucco’s awkward relationship with Connor.

15. Nina Simone – Here Comes the Sun (Soho Hotel) – a beautiful song with rather sinister implications for a number of my characters, especially in IMMORTAL WAR. If VAMPS ever does become a movie, this song might be a cool choice for the closing credits.

BONUS TRACKS

16. Jeff Buckley – Grace (Mojo Pin). A small but nonetheless heartfelt tribute to my infinitely accomplished heroine.

17. Ottmar Liebert & Luna Negra – Snakecharmer (The Hours Between Night and Day) – for Scrimshaw. Picture the scene…. Molucco’s cabin. Two old comrades. A plate of honeyed dates. Sheer bliss!

18. Angus & Julia Stone – I’m Not Yours (Down the Way) – a haunting song that makes me think of the complicated relationship between Darcy and Stukeley and in particular their return encounter in IMMORTAL WAR.


You can also check out some of the songs in the playlist below, or click HERE to listen on Spotify!

Special thanks to Justin for sharing with us his very eclectic taste in music indeed! Don't forget to head off to Wondrous Reads tomorrow for the next stop in the Immortal War Blog Tour!

QoTD Week: Queen of the Dead (Stacey Kade) Review

After being sent back from the light, Alona Dare - former homecoming queen, current Queen of the Dead - finds herself doing something she never expected: working. Instead of spending days perfecting her tan by the pool (her typical summer routine when she was, you know, alive), Alona must now cater to the needs of other lost spirits. By her side for all of this - ugh - “helping of others” is Will Killian: social outcast, seer of the dead, and someone Alona cares about more than she’d like.

Before Alona can make a final ruling on Will’s “friend” or “more” status, though, she discovers trouble at home. Her mom is tossing out Alona’s most valuable possessions, and her dad is expecting a new daughter with his wicked wife. Is it possible her family is already moving on? Hello! She’s only been dead for two months! Thankfully, Alona knows just the guy who can put a stop to this mess.

Unfortunately for Alona, Will has other stuff on his mind, and Mina, a young (and beautiful) seer, is at the top of the list. She’s the first ghost-talker Will’s ever met—aside from his father—and she may hold answers to Will’s troubled past. But can she be trusted? Alona immediately puts a check mark in the “clearly not” column. But Will is - ahem - willing to find out, even if it means leaving a hurt and angry Alona to her own devices, which is never a good idea.

Packed with romance, lovable characters, and a killer cliffhanger, Queen of the Dead is the out-of-this-world sequel to The Ghost and the Goth.

I waited with baited breath for this book. As in, If-I-died-without-reading-it-I-will-haunt-Stacey-Kade kind of crazy. So quite understandably, there was a lot of expectations that I put on this book even before I had it in my hands. I loved The Goth and the Ghost so much it was hard to rival. Well folks, Queen of the Dead is just as good - it's ACE!

With Will and Alona's 'Help the ghosts to the light' project firmly in operation, there are countless misunderstandings, drama and pretty hilarious antics to be expected from this sequel. There is also a multitude surprises that I'm sure will catch many readers off guard, as they did with me - and one massive, dramatic, completely on a level of its own twist that left me awestruck. Pick up this book and look forward to the twist because damn, I was bowled over!

Having said that, QoTD is still primarily character driven. The stupendous plot is due to the characters' own decisions and one can see exactly how the characters are epitomised by it. I have fallen in love with Alona Dare right off the bat from G&G, I think I have mentioned it a couple of times. She is such a superb, vibrant, true-to-life character. Out of all possible Alona antics, I did not quite expect to be moved to tears by her in QoTD! But she did just that - her instantaneous connection with readers propel this book into an emotional read at some key points in the book. Alona, strong as she is, shows her vulnerability quite plainly in this book. We discover the little things that makes Alona Dare the girl that she is and while her bitchy side is forever present, readers also see the extent of her selflessness. It's hard for my heart not to go out to someone like that!

In QoTD we also dig up a lot about Will's past as well as his talent. I'm very surprised how this part turns out, because while it's only touched on on G&G, it's a huge part of the plot in QoTD and I think Will is as surprised as everyone else. Mina adds depth to this part of Will's life, and all the tension, rift and reflection that occurs as a result of that really reflects the dimension of the characters. It's superb how the characters grow and develop - even secondary characters. Mina's a little bit of a bitch by the way, but she's a quirky character you can't help but like anyway.

Fast-paced, with the right amount of romantic tension flavouring the plot and a superb array of characters, QoTD is a fantastic sequel indeed!

Having said all that, THE TWIST! THE TWIST! Makes me want to demands book three. Now. Right now.

Five Stars.


* My ARC copy is from Stacey of course :D Thanks love!


Queen of the Dead is out today yesterday so you know what to do :D