Parched Blog Tour

Hey everyone!  How have y’all been?  Hope each of you had a great New Years.

Thanks to this wonderful website known as Prism Book Tours, I was offered the chance to join the Parched by Georgia Clark blog tour.  Now I can tell you a really good book to read!!

Synopsis:

      In sixteen-year-old Tessendra Rockwood’s world, natural resources are at an all-time low. Most of the remaining supplies are funneled into Eden, known as the “powerful city of shining abundance,” while citizens of the Badlands eat gelatinous gray porridge and drink reddish iron water. Tess was born an Edenite, but after the death of her scientist mother she decides to combat this inequality by joining a rebel group called Kudzu. Together they uncover a shocking government plot to carry out genocide in the Badlands using artifical intelligence. Unofrtunately, Tess has some complicated ties to the project that test her loyalty. Robots, renewable resources, and romance get tangled together as Tess risks her life to bring justice to Eden.

My Rating:

The Review:

       Parched was a very interesting read at first.  It took me a while to wrap m mind around the way that Georgia had imagined this dystopian place.  After I reached about the third or fourth chapter, it was easier.  As far as the characters go, I thought that the main characters were growing, changing, and learning through the extent of the novel.  Tess was probably my favorite though, (As cheesy as it sounds to have the main character be your favorite…)  I loved how while reading the book I kept seeing her try to have this tough exterior and act like nothing could hurt, while her human emotions continued to show through this wall.

      The plot was good too.  Upon starting to read it, I found that I just kept wanting to read and read and read.  Nothing could distract me from wanting to find out what was going to happen to Tess next.

About the Author:

Georgia Clark is a young adult author currently living in New York City. Her second novel, Parched, is out now through Holiday House.

Georgia was born in Sydney, Australia. Her BA in Communications (Media Arts & Production) saw her becoming active in the student movement and blow way too much money on making short films and music videos.

After graduating she became a professional hipster for a while as Editor of The Brag, an excellent weekly music street press magazine. This also involved being in a band, the seminal electropop trio, Dead Dead Girls. She went on to become an Online Producer for a soapie called Home & Away, and Online Writer for Fremantle Media Australia.

In 2008 her first novel, She’s With The Band was published by Australia’s largest independent publisher, Allen & Unwin. She’s With The Band was released in the U.S. and the U.K. in 2011. It attracted five-star reviews.

Georgia has worked as a freelance journalist and copywriter for ten years. She is published in Cosmo, CLEO, Daily Life, Sunday Life, Girlfriend and more. She has attended writers’ residencies in Martha’s Vineyard and Portugal, and has also received grants for her work.

Georgia moved to from Sydney to New York in 2009 just for fun. Here, she performs improv, creates the award-winning SHO Sync app for Showtime and enjoys meeting new and interesting cheese platters. She writes from the New York Writers Room, which involves macaroons and many, many cups of tea.

Despite the fact Georgia writes and loves thinking about artificial intelligence, science and the future, she doesn’t own a smart phone and never learnt to drive. She lives in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.

Follow her on Goodreads, Facebook or Twitter.

Hope you enjoyed this review!

Until next time,

Kat

From the Author Notes to the Review

So I ended up not coming home yesterday, so here are the reviews from then.  I know it is a day late, and I’m sorry about that!

A Little Note

Hey guys!

So it looks like today is another double post day!!

This is a note from Katarina West, author of Witchcraft Coulture.  

Syd Blue Guest Post

Well here is a special treat for everyone!  I was able to get Syd Blue to do a guest post.  I hope you enjoy reading what she has to say.  Syd is one really cool girl!

Double Feature

So I know that I didn’t finish the review for Glenn Parris and I have a review for Arcana!!  I was going to post the Glen Parris review Sunday, but I ended up getting worse instead of better.  Gotta love being sick.  Now I’m basically all better except for a slight cough.  (Woot Woot  🙂 )

Glen Parris Post Part One

Hey guys, I’m so sorry I haven’t been on lately.  Let’s just say that being sick sucks.

Anyway, here is a guest post  from the author Glen Parris, who I have had the chance to read and review his book The Renaissance of Aspirin.  I’m going to post the review either saturday or sunday depending on when I get home.

Without further delay, your guest post…

The Other Side of the Tale

Ever ask yourself, “what draws you into a story most?” Most would say a compelling hero, or in literary terms, a protagonist. Well, I contend that that’s only half the story. A great three-dimensional protagonist is the hook, the selling point of a good tale. Yes, you have to have a good plot and yes, you have to have good supporting characters. If you have those elements, then yes, you have a good story. But if you want a really great story, you need a good villain (again, in literary terms an antagonist).

Just ask yourself, would Sherlock Holmes have been nearly as compelling without Prof. Moriarty? Would Star Wars have been nearly as exciting without Darth Vader? What would the Dark Knight be without the Joker? Hell, what would the Bible be without Satan?

We always cheer for the hero: let him get the girl, let him win the prize, let him seize the day! But what would be the point without a really intense challenge that the audience can connect with. A villain must have some redeeming characteristics. He must have fallen from grace. He must have some common failings, something reflected in most people. I submit, we have to empathize with the villain nearly as much as we empathize with the hero. Think about it, how engaging is it when the hero wins, but at the same time loses some of his innocence when he takes down the villain who turns out to be not so evil? When we learn that the villain and the protagonist have a lot in common except for maybe one or two wrong turns?

And let’s admit it, don’t you always kind of long for the villain to come back? Don’t you want to see him menace the world again? You know you want to see the protagonist win over and over against the same villain. Isn’t it always a let-down when another villain’s takes our endearing villain’s place? Someone not quite as bad or even not quite as likable? Don’t we usually find that “replacement” villain somewhat two-dimensional? Of course we do. That’s why, so often in fiction, evil never dies.

It’s great fun when the villains are more three-dimensional isn’t it? Not just a single individual, but layers of bad guys. Maybe I should have said, levels of bad guys? Sort of like a videogame. Don’t we love winning the videogame on the simple level to learn the rules of The World then moving up to level II? Don’t we feel special when we get to the final level? That’s when the game is fun, when you have to work at it.

One of the best rewards we get from villains is knowledge. It’s the “Great Reveal”. Something the hero doesn’t know until the last minute. “Yes you’ve won, but you still don’t know what I know. There’s still a secret that you have to solve.” It’s a little extra seasoning to make the sweet victory a little bit bitter. Savory!

Sometimes a really good villain is almost like a mentor to the hero. He makes the hero better, stronger, not quite so lighthearted. Forged in fire. Finally, the antagonist administers the acid test to the protagonist. “You can have the easy way out, the prize, unearned wealth. All you have to do is sin ‘just a little bit’.” A good villain lends the protagonist gravitas! Usually, the protagonist finds the strength of will to resist the temptation, but not always. Sometimes the protagonist disappoints us “just a little bit”. A precious sacrifice of the soul. This is always delicious foreshadowing when dealing with a trilogy or series. How will he ever redeem himself? We look forward to learning more about the imperfect heroes that we come to love. We look forward to seeing how the villain comes back as we look around every corner and under every rock and down every dark alley.

So when you pick up your next mystery, thriller, suspense, big adventure –Watch out, the unexpected this way comes!

BOO!

A Little about Glen Parris:

As a board certified rheumatologist, Glenn Parris has practiced medicine in the northeast Atlanta suburbs for over 20 years. He has been writing for nearly as long.

Originally from New York City, Parris migrated south to escape the cold and snow, but fell in love with the southern charms of Georgia and Carla, his wife of nearly 23 years. He now writes cross-genre in medical mystery, science fiction, fantasy, and historical fiction. The Renaissance of Aspirin is his debut novel.

His Links:

Website:  http://www.glennparris.com/

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/GlennParris.FictionWriter

Until the next time where you will find out more about his novel,

Kat

The Science of Manhood review

So through this wonderful website called twitter, I was able to get in touch with Erik Barnes, who was looking for someone to review his book, The Science of Manhood.  I was quick to tell him that I would be glad to review his book.

And that brings me to where I am now.  About to review his book.

So as always, here is a picture of the cover to kick everything off.

Synopsis:

This isn’t your feel good fiction nor is it your drama filled novel; this is a direct life line thrown in a desperate attempt to help revive the rapidly decaying image of young black men and males in general. I wish I had the time too eloquently describe the bountiful traits displayed within these pages. Unfortunately we are running out of time. The death toll for young black males throughout the inner cities; are increasing in great numbers. Parents are burying their sons more frequently than ever before. The prisons are bursting at the seams with our young men. Our communities are over run with violence mostly at the hands of our own young men. In this book I strive to reveal some of the steps and strategies to re-direct our young men from a path of riotous living, incarceration and death.

My Rating:

Review:

      Derik Barnes has swept me away.  I didn’t really know much about him before reading The Science of Manood, so I was not sure what to expect.   Let me say that I was in for a ride.  His book was a hoot.

      I don’t have any sons, but it was still a great read.  I would suggest this book for any guy though.  Barnes gives real life examples and experiences that any guy could learn from.  This is a finely thought out guide for success.

      Even if you aren’t reading this as a guy or to raise a son, there are still some awesome life lessons that can be learned.  He just gives out great tips for anyone wanting to learn how to go far in life.

Hope all of you go out and try to find this book!

What kind of genre would y’all like for the Tuesday Teaser tomorrow?

Kat

Tuesday Teaser

So today’s little teaser come from Firelight by Kristen Callihan.  This is the final book I have to read for an October Pick It For Me challenge.

I did finish the book today!!  It was really good.  Here is just a little taste to get you in the mood to want this book.

         She crossed her arms in front of her chest and looked away.  Better to ignore the brute.  Oh, why had she admitted to being moved by him?  A sound of irritation broke from her lips.  Despite herself, she glanced his way, and her traitorous mind chose that unfortunate moment to call forth the memory of his tongue sliding over hers, the hot kiss of his breath against her skin.

He blinked in response, his mouth softening as though remembering too.  He was silent for a moment.

“I see…” The silkiness of his voice had a ring to it she did not like-like the chiming of warning bells.  He took a step closer.  An odd half-smile flittered across his lips.

Wariness crawled up her spine.  “Archer…”

So what do y’all think?  Doesn’t it make you want to just see what is going to happen next between Miranda and Archer?

Hopefully that will gee you something to look for at the store.

Kat ❤

Russian Roulette Review

Sorry I didn’t get to post this yesterday, but sometimes work has to take the priority.

Anyway, here is that second review I promised.

I reviewed Russian Roulette by E. E. Smith

My Rating:

Book Overview:

      Back in Sacramento again, where the sign on the door of her detective agency reads ALEXIS J. SMITH—Discreet Inquiries, Lexie finds that her old room at Mrs. Snidely’s Establishment for Young Ladies (a fancy name for a boardinghouse) has been let to someone else while she was away on a case in England. The new tenant is supposedly a ballerina, and a defector from the Russian Bolshoi, seeking political asylum in this country. But is she? Lexie doubts the story and begins to investigate, determined to get at the truth, while ignoring the danger to herself.

      With that case successfully concluded, she is free to accept another assignment from her friend Inspector Harry Hawkins at Scotland Yard. The case sounds bizarre from the beginning, but gets more so with each turn of events. It seems that a Russian count, a nephew of the late Tzar Nicholas II, is living in exile in Oxfordshire, with his young American bride. In Harry’s opinion, the countess is more than a little mad, demanding that Scotland Yard recover her dog, a Russian wolfhound, which she claims has been stolen by—of all people—Humphrey Bogart! It will take all of Lexie’s skill and unflinching determination to connect the dots, right up to the deadly conclusion.

Review:

      As you can tell from a lot of my previous reads, I am in a murder/mystery mood.  Must be the month of October getting to me! 😉  Anyway, I really did enjoy reading this book.  Evelyn Smith is a great writer.  Upon doing some research for this review, I discovered this was actually the second in the series.  Luckily, this book can easily be read as a stand alone book and does not require you to read the first book, Death by Misadventure, or the second book, Bad Blood.

      The characters were great!  My favorite is probably Lexie, just because I think I am secretly an awesome detective that can figure anything out. Of course, that could also be my love for Sherlock Holmes on the show Sherlock.

      I thought that the plot was excellent too.  Every mystery has to have its twists and turns.  How else could it be a mystery?  The plot was simple to understand but interesting enough to keep reading.

Be sure to keep an eye out for the next book in the series, Prescription for Murder!

Author Info:

Evelyn Eileen Smith resides in the San Francisco Bay area and is an award-winning playwright of more than a dozen plays. The debut novel, Boardinghouse Stew, was inspired by her own real-life experiences working in a boardinghouse in Sacramento during World War II. Times Like These is based on more real-life adventures through the end of WW II, six years of peace, and the beginning of the Korean War. In the next book, In Love and War, Evelyn shared her experiences as a young bride during wartime and how decisions made in haste affected her entire life. She debuted as a mystery writer with Death by Misadventure, the first in the “ALEXIS J. SMITH—Discreet Inquiries” series, followed by Bad Blood, and now Russian Roulette.

Until next time,

Kat

Murmurs of Insanity Review

Hey guys!!

What all has been going on while I was out for a couple of weeks?

Well, I had the privilege of getting an ARC of Murmurs of Insanity by Gerrie Ferris Finger.

Synopsis:

        Teen Johndro Phillips is missing after witnessing a drug deal turn to murder in his Atlanta neighborhood. Johndro is a spotter and runner for drug lord Devus Dontel “Big DD” McFersen, who was acquitted when Johndro couldn’t testify against himself.
Lake asks Dru to talk to his ex-wife, Linda. Seems her half-brother’s predilection for young women has gotten him mixed up with the student art community, two of whom go missing. Damian Hansel, his friend Arne Trammel and the mysterious Cho Martine devised a Conceptual Art Performance to shake-up the tranquil community. Articles of Damian’s are found on nature trails, and, absent a body, the police think it’s a treasure hunt. Dru thinks not.

Rating:

My thoughts:

      I really thought this book was very good.  Gerrie Ferris Finger did an excellent job in writing this book!  Her characters were so well thought out.  They had just enough quirkiness to where you didn’t think they were over the top weird.   Not to mention all of the twist that were in his plots.  This is a very light mystery novel, compared to some of the other ones that I have read.  But, that’s what makes it interesting.  Some of my friends aren’t huge readers, yet I would gladly recommend this book to them, knowing that they would enjoy it.

This is a series.  Hopefully I will be able to get the others and read them.  This book has made me want to read all future novels by Gerrie Ferris Finger!

Info on the Author:

Gerrie Ferris Finger won The Malice Domestic/St. Martin’s Minotaur Best First Traditional Novel for THE END GAME, published by St. Martin’s on April 27, 2010. The second in the series, THE LAST TEMPTATION, will release July 2012 from Five Star. Five Star will also releasse the third in the series, THE DEVIL LAUGHED, in 2013.

Gerrie grew up in Missouri then went South to write for The Atlanta Constitution. She traveled the Tobacco Roads of Georgia and Alabama and the narrow, historic streets of New Orleans. She wrote about Natchez, Mississippi’s unique history, Florida’s diverse population, and the Outer Banks struggle to keep light houses from toppling into the sea. Visits to Cape Hatteras resulted in her historical paranormal, THE GHOST SHIP.

WHISPERING, a romance, is set on one of Georgia’s barrier islands.

Three books in the Laura Kate O’Connell Plantation Series were set in southwest Georgia’s plantation region. They are: WHEN SERPENTS DIE, HONORED DAUGHTERS and WAGON DOGS. The print editions of the Laura Kate Series will be released beginning January 2012

MERCILESS is the first in her novella series. HEARTLESS is the second.

How to get more information about Gerrie Ferris Finger:

www.gerrieferrisfinger.com

Email:

gfinger@mindspring.com

Blog:

www.gerrieferrisfinger.blogspot.com
www.crimewritersblog.blogspot.com

Got some more reviews coming your way tomorrow!

Until then,

Kat