Dark Eden By Patrick Carman review

7 kids with life changing fears, fears that haunt your dreams and fills your throat with a scream. Will has been seeking treatment for his fear.  His doctor has tried to help but there has been no change. His doctor finally refers Will to a place that can really cure him of his fears and make him normal again.

When the 7 kids make their way to dark Eden Will starts to feel jumpy and uneasy. Will ends up hiding away from everyone else right under everyone's noises. Will end's up watching everyone else from the safety of a bomb bumper.

The book is told from will's point of view so you see and hear everything he does. You don't get to hear what Will true fear is till half way through the book so it leaves you guessing about what's wrong with him. I'll be honest for a big part of book I did think that Will was crazy little bit mental but as you go along in the book you start to see what Will is getting at and maybe he has a right to be scared.

While you watch the other get cured and Will time get closer you wonder what's really going on and what does this strange so called doctor really after from these kids.

I really did get into the book and I fell in love with the story it was fresh and different. The start of the book was really just getting to know the kids and to get to grips with the story but from the half way mark thing started to get creepy. Things start to become clearer and you start to see secrets unfold and you understand that not everyone is telling the truth. It's a well put together book and by the end your shocked at the outcome of the book. 

A great book that will make you look at your own fears.

4 stars   

SPOOK-A-LICIOUS: WHERE BOO-KS DEVOUR YOU: BLOG HOP TOUR (Oct 17-24)

http://shadowmundane.blogspot.com/2011/10/spook-licious-where-boo-ks-devour-you.html

HEY EVERYONE!!!!




There is a Halloween themed blog hop going on serveral blogs. My friend, Ella is participate in it and hosts a HUGE Giveaway.

She puts an extra entry into it and this is the part where I come in to the scene.


GIVEAWAY (SCAVENGER HUNT) RULES:

A list of blogs will be participate in this, and basically you travel to each blog and the blogs will be given a puzzle piece of the cover that is related to that letter in HALLOWEEN.

Each blog will have a hint to help you narrow down your choices of the books you're possibly thinking of that fits with that letter.

Here's the catch, you MUST save that puzzle piece to your laptop or computer or wherever because you'll need those pieces to email to Ella along with your answer, so She can see that you want those extra entries for doing the hunt! At the end of the blog post, there will be a link to the next blog and so forth. The blogs will be in order, so you don't have to hunt around.

Each right answer that you figure out, you will get one extra entry. If you get one of them wrong, then you still have 8 other answers to get right! You will get a free extra entry, so that makes a total of 10 extra entries for doing the hunt!

stop one on the hunt is 
H-Yousra from I'm a book nerd, so what?  http://imabooknerdsowhat.blogspot.com/2011/10/world-of-words-scavenger-hunt-letter-h.html

BEST BOOKS is number 2 on the stop, the 3rd stop is
sassy book lovers

now for the puzzle piece


hint for the puzzle piece is:

the girl has a gift, or is it a curse? She sees the future and others most hidden feelings, but how? she doesn't know, but an assassin does. mortal enemies. forbidden love. Good Vs Evil. nothing is as it seems

remember you must save the image to your computer/laptop

as well as doing all the blog posts you need to fill out the form on ella's orignal post
http://shadowmundane.blogspot.com/2011/10/spook-licious-where-boo-ks-devour-you.html

ends 24th october

Darker Still (Magic Most Foul #1) by Leanna Renee Hieber GIVE AWAY!

Darker Still (Magic Most Foul #1)

by Leanna Renee Hieber

The Picture of Dorian Gray meets Pride and Prejudice, with a dash of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

New York City, 1882. Seventeen-year-old Natalie Stewart's latest obsession is a painting of the handsome British Lord Denbury. Something in his striking blue eyes calls to her. As his incredibly life-like gaze seems to follow her, Natalie gets the uneasy feeling that details of the painting keep changing...

Jonathan Denbury's soul is trapped in the gilded painting by dark magic while his possessed body commits unspeakable crimes in the city slums. He must lure Natalie into the painting, for only together can they reverse the curse and free his damaged soul.

In my mailbox

Hi everyone

This is my new In my mailbox instead of me talking about the books i did something new and different. 

I really hope you all like it and please let me know what you think. 

Thanks to Natalie and misty from facebook :D  

Ashfall by Mike Mullin Winner

Hush, Hush contest

Did you miss out on the signed graphic novel and 2011 books that bite purse?  Well don’t be sad for we are doing it AGAIN and this time it’s BIGGGGGGEEERRRRRR and BEEETTTTTTTEEERRRR.  In celebration of the upcoming release!  We thought a graphic novel this epic deserved something extra special!!!

On our store tab ( http://store.sealionbookstore.com ) you can purchase the limited edition Hush Hush graphic novel prologue for $10.00.  WE WILL ONLY BE RELEASING 1,000 COPIES AND IT WILL ONLY BE AVAILABLE ON OUR WEB STORE.  So not only is this an important piece to the contest puzzle but you will be one of a thousand people to own this piece of Becca Fitzpatrick’s history!!!  Keep in mind since there are only 1,000 copies of the prologue being made we need to limit the number of copies you can purchase.  It is limited to 2 copies per person.

Now here is the fun part!  Once you receive the book, take a picture of yourself with it and email the picture to us along with a paragraph as to why you should be the next to make a cameo in the next volume of Hush Hush!  In this cameo you will even interact with Patch and Nora.  NOW REMEMBER I SAID THAT I WAS GOING TO BE ENVIOUS OF THE NEXT WINNER!!!  WELL HERE IS WHY!  The winner will not only get to interact with Patch and Nora in the next Hush Hush Graphic Novel, BUT the illustrator for the graphic novel will also IMMORTALIZE you from head to toe in Patch’s arms!  Your image will be held lovingly safe in his arms!  How awesome is that!!!

SO LET'S RECAP!!!

1.    1,000 limited edition prologues will be available for sale on www.SeaLionBooks.com.  Limit 2 please!

2.    Once you receive the Hush Hush prologues you must take a picture of yourself with it and post the picture on our FB page with a paragraph in the comments under the picture as to why they should be the next to make a cameo in the next volume of Hush Hush!

3.    The winner gets an interacting cameo with Patch and Nora in Hush Hush volume 2, and they get a unique one-of-a-kind poster with Patch holding the winner in his arms. 

4.    The limited edition prologues will ship the first week of October.

Carnal press release

Carnal

GRAPHIC NOVEL SERIES FROM

SEA LION BOOKS

ATLANTA, GA - October 5, 2011 – Sea Lion Books announces the release of John Connell's graphic novel CARNAL.

Created by award winning artist, John Connell, CARNAL is a world where humans are a simple, nomadic species, at the bottom of the food chain. The animal kingdom has evolved and they can speak, walk upright and they fight for dominance. "Breathing life into the Carnal story has been a passion for most of my life. The idea originated from a nightmare that I had years ago – with Carnal, we really aim to create a graphical story that is as unique as it is intense," said Connell. "CARNAL is a completely unique concept. The book, the artwork and the story pulls the reader into this world of intense mood filled art that will draw them back to the series over and over again."

Lion prides have forged massive cities, hyena clans burrow deep into the earth, and the water buffalo race has walled themselves off from the rest of the kingdoms. Remnants of humanity fight for survival amid the warring animal societies.

The first of five graphic novels in the series, PRIDE OF THE LIONS, follows a female tracker named Omi as her inexperienced hunting party is sent to rescue a missing warrior. What they find is something that will unravel the very foundation of life for all species.

"In this war-torn world of carnage and survival, the balance of nature has been ripped apart.

Humans are left at the bottom of the food chain and it is the beasts that freely roam the land."

Writer Jason Bergenstock's says "working on the Carnal project is an honor. John's ideas and designs are incredible. I have been involved in story creation for about five years and when I look at how far we've come since the beginning sketches I'm truly amazed." "Being given the opportunity to work with John and Jason to bring Carnal to life has been very exciting.  You can feel the love these guys have for the project in every single page. It adds an extraordinary series to an already amazing lineup of books we are producing here at Sea Lion Books."

About The Creators: John Connell is a graduate of the Art Institute of Boston. He is a freelance artist working in many mediums, from oil paintings to digital art. His clients include numerous Fortune 500 companies. He lives with his family in Massachusetts. You can visit John Connell on the Internet at www.uglydogart.com or www.nightmarerhino.com Jason Bergenstock  has a BS degree in Business Administration & Management and currently attends graduate school at the University of Rhode Island for Digital Forensics. You can visit Jason Bergenstock at www.nightmarerhino.com About Sea Lion Books: Located in Atlanta, Georgia, Sea Lion Books LLC is a newly established publishing house which specializes in all formats—hardcover, trade paperback, and mass market and in urban fantasy and young adult genres. Sea Lion Books LLC recent roster of authors include: International Bestselling author, Anne Rice, Paulo Coelho, New York TimesBestselling authors, Richelle Mead, Richard A. Knaak, F. Paul Wilson and Becca Fitzpatrick.  You can visit Sea Lion Books at www.sealionbooks.com

FITZPATRICK SPEAKS UP ON "HUSH, HUSH

This October, Sea Lion Books brings one of the most popular Young Adult novels to comics with "Hush, Hush," the first of three graphic novels adapting the New York Times bestselling YA novel by Becca Fitzpatrick.

"Hush, Hush" follows the story of average teenager Nora Grey, a good student and writer for the school paper whose routine life suddenly goes off track when a new student named Patch becomes her lab partner and turns her entire world upside-down. While Nora finds herself inexplicably attracted to Patch's bad-boy image, danger begins following her at every turn. As the story progresses, Nora learns more than she bargained for about her past and her dark connection to fallen angels, becoming embroiled in an ages-old conflict. Along with her best friend Vee, Nora has to sort out who she can really trust between Patch and new arrivals Jules and Eliot.

Becca Fitzpatrick took time out of her busy schedule to break the silence to CBR News about the "Hush, Hush" graphic novel adaptation, the process of designing her characters from prose to illustration, the style of the book, the challenges of adapting her work for comics and the special 18-page story that bridges the gap between "Hush, Hush" and its sequel, "Crescendo."

CBR News: Becca, tell us about "Hush, Hush" as a graphic novel. What's in, what's out and what's new?

Becca Fitzpatrick: The first "Hush, Hush" graphic novel will cover one third of the "Hush, Hush" novel. [Publisher] Sea Lion Books are determined to make it as close to the novel as possible. The big surprise with the graphic novel will be the original bonus story. It reveals what happens to Patch and Nora between "Hush, Hush" and the sequel, "Crescendo."

The first "Hush, Hush" graphic novel adaptation covers one third of the original novel

So much of a novel involves readers imagining setting and how characters look and move. How closely are you working with the creative team of the graphic novel in order to help smooth the transition from text to image?

In the early stages, there was quite a bit of back and forth as I provided character and setting descriptions to artist Jennyson Rosero and he, in turn, translated my input into sketches. It was such a fun process, and rewarding too -- with each round, I felt that we were getting closer to nailing the artwork. I also posted several of the sketches on my blog, and we got an incredible amount of feedback from readers. They've definitely had a hand in shaping the graphic novel.

By the same token, how involved have you been in character design work? How do you feel the character designs reflect your descriptions of Nora, Patch, Vee, Eliot and Jules?

While I understood going into the project that the images in my head couldn't be perfectly replicated on the page, I've been very pleased with the designs. I also think it's important to note that I didn't want to dictate every last detail. Part of what I think will make the graphic novel successful is the blending of my suggestions with Jennyson's creative energy.

How long is the graphic novel and how does it compare to the level of detail provided in "Hush, Hush?"

The first graphic novel will be 120 pages. Sea Lion Books are working hard to capture the essence of the "Hush, Hush" novel. All important events, characters, settings, etc., are included in the graphic novel. The first novel, "Hush, Hush," will be adapted into 3 graphic novels.

While many other young adult novels have been adapted into graphic novels, most of them (notably "Twilight") have taken the route of the manga-inspired art. What is the art style like for "Hush, Hush" and how do you feel it reflects the story you're trying to tell?

"Hush, Hush" will be done in an Amerimanga style. Manga definitely appeals to young adult female readers, but I believe by going with the Amerimanga style, the graphic novel will capture both male and female readers.

Why do you think the graphic novel format is a good medium to adapt your story?

Fitzpatrick hopes the graphic novel's Amerimanga style will capture the attention of male and female readers

"Hush, Hush" is a very pacey and plot-driven story, and I think because of this, it translates well into a more visual medium. Readers often tell me they can see scenes playing out in their minds -- almost like watching a movie. Many of them are anticipating "viewing" the story through the graphic novel.

Sequential narrative is very different than prose. Did you find the art in line with the vision in your head when you're working on the novels?

I've been really impressed by the transition. I feel the pages are following the novel closely. At one point during the process, Sea Lion Books sent me a picture of the farmhouse where Nora lives and it was drawn to be a single story. Since quite a bit of action down the road in "Crescendo" takes place on the second story of the farmhouse, I did ask the artist to redraw the house.

What are you most excited about for the release of the graphic novel?

Fans' reactions! Since announcing the graphic novel, there has been an amazing amount of enthusiasm for the project. I hope my readers feel as though they're experiencing Patch and Nora's story again for the first time.

Sea Lion Books Bring Anne Rice’s ‘Christ The Lord’ to Comics

When I first heard that novelist Anne Rice had agreed for her work to be adapted into a graphic novel, I must confess I groaned. More vampires? Really? Isn’t this trend done yet?

But I had not reckoned on publisher Sea Lion Books going against my expectations, for as it happens the book in question is Christ The Lord: The Road to Cana. I can remember the initial controversy following the book’s publication. What was this horror writer doing writing about Jesus Christ?

Writer Anne Elizabeth, who is adapting the novel for Sea Lion books.

However, like Nikos Kazantzakis before her and Philip Pullmanafter, Rice confounded critics by producing a deeply personal work articulating her feelings about Christianity and its legacy. It is also worth pointing out that her most famous book, Interview With The Vampire, contains numerous musings on damnation and the existence of God bound up in amongst all the melodrama. Perhaps it simply took the writer some years to come to the point where she was comfortable directly addressing these ideas?

Sea Lion Books are notable for their focus on adapting literarature to comic form, introducing new audiences to both classic and upcoming genre fiction. It is certainly an interesting choice to take on Christ The Lord, especially since religion is a subject rarely tackled in sequential form. Off-hand I can only think of Marvel’sbiography of John Paul II and Mike Allred’s The Golden Plates.

Writer Anne Elizabeth has been given the task of converting Christ The Lord into sequential form and she recently gave an interview on her experience so far to The Examiner. The original press release from Sea Lion can be seen below -

International Bestselling Author Anne Rice’s novel,

Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana, to become Graphic Novel.

International bestselling author Anne Rice’s critically acclaimed novel,
Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana, receives a graphic spin as newly
established publishing house, Sea Lion Books, acquires the worldwide rights
to this graphic novel publication. The novel will be adapted by the author
Anne Rice and comic creator Anne Elizabeth and will feature artwork by Siya
Oum. This graphic novel is scheduled for release in time for Easter 2012.

“Christ the Lord: the Road to Cana, I consider one of my personal
favorites,” said Rice.  ”The writing of it took less time than the research
because I feel driven to recreate authenticity in the narrative.  The
characters must see what people saw in first century Palestine because I
want my readers to see the same.  Any artistic effort short of that fails
not only for me but also for the actual figures I endeavored to recreate in
my novel.  Today this work is being reinterpreted through the marvelous
medium of graphic novels.  The visual imagery will give my characters a new
dimension that cannot be captured in words alone.  Sea Lion Books will
translate The Road to Cana into a format that will do as I have done:
Recreate first century Palestine with the women and men who changed the
course of human history.  The characters you know will be there — Jesus,
Mary, Joseph — in the rich colors and beautiful forms that only artists can
draw.   This is going to be a thrilling adventure for my characters, for me,
and I think for you readers and viewers as well.”

The book is the second within a series dramatizing the life of Jesus Christ.
Based on the four Gospels, current New Testament research, and studies of
Jewish culture, Rice created and described the early stage in Jesus’ life
before his baptism in the Jordan and the miracle at Cana. Faced with a
winter of no rain, endless dust, and talk of trouble in Judea, Jesus must
confront his destiny.  The book’s power derives from the profound feeling
Rice brings to the writing and the way in which she summons up the presence
of Jesus Christ.

“Working on such a spiritually beautiful book is a remarkable experience!
Not only is it an opportunity to work with brilliant storyteller Anne Rice
and talented artist Siya Oum, but it is a chance to explore my own faith,”
said adapter Anne Elizabeth, whose graphic novel The Pendulum is also being
released by Sea Lion Books.

Derek Ruiz, Vice President and Publisher of Sea Lion Books, said, “It’s
an honor to be working with Anne Rice, one of my all time favorite authors.  We
at Sea Lion Books are excited to introduce the Christ the Lord series to the
Graphic Novel Market.  Anne Rice and the Christ the Lord series are great
additions  to the lineup we have been building at Sea Lion Books.  With each
new announcement  we continue to show that we want to bring quality stories
to the visual medium we love.”

The full-color Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana graphic novel edition,
ISBN: 978-0-9836131-4-5, will be available April 2012 and will sell for
$24.99. For more information, please visit http://sealionbooks.com/

Seers by Heather Frost review

Seers by Heather Frost 

Kate changed after the car accident that killed her parents and it nearly killed her to. After that Kate life has been full of other people’s colours because she can see their auras. It’s like she can see everything that people are feeling but her life gets weirder when she starts seeing invisible people is she losing her mind or is this all real. Then Patrick O'Donnell walks into her life his different he has no aura just silver what’s going on and does Patrick hold the answers that Kate needs.

Kate’s life really is an interesting one from the start of the book you really got to see how Kate was feeling even though she was hiding it away from others. She is dealing with so much and it leaves you really caring for Kate. There is so much going on in her life since the death of her mum and dad her life seems to have been turned on its head. She seems auras but she has not told anyone but her best friend and the faceted she living with her grandparents and it’s taking a while to get used to all the changes.  I loved that you got to see all this rather then rushing through into the action it built up and you felt just as on edge as the characters. Then Patrick walks into her life and while she does not trust him she feels that he holds the answers to her problem. Kate soon see’s the true changes that are really happening around her. Her life is in great danger along with the ones she loves.

The book was a mix of highs and lows for the characters. The author really let’s you get to know the characters not only that the story is not rushed and over explained it’s simply and honest. I’m not normal into loved up stories but in this book there was a balance of hard action and romance that was not over done. You could relate to the pain that Kate was going through and the new confusion in her life. The faceted she no longer felt the same way she did before.

I really did fall in love with the story it’s so easy to be sucked into the book and most of all it just a breath taking story the author put together.

I gave the book 4 stars and recommend others read the book.

Best Books review by Annmarie   

Amelia Maylock: book one. The 12th year awakening. By Jay Ellis

Wanda Hart

Amelia Maylock: book one.  The 12th year awakening. By Jay Ellis.

Genre: Young Adults, paranormal.

Basic story line:

This book is the first of a series of books by Jay Ellis.  Amelia, a twelfth year old girl learns that she is special.  Real special. Amelia is a witch.  Not any old witch either.  She is a very powerful witch.  A witch who will need all her powers to face the future destined for her. 

Amelia learns that she, as a witch is the counter to her evil twin, Erryas.  As witches, the two of them together with others can move between dimensions.  This is cool right?  Not always!  Amelia gets drawn into dimensions she is unfamiliar with and in which great mortal danger resides.  She survives these exploits at first due to her friends and later due to the fact that this girl is built out of guts and determination.  She is only twelfth though and unlike her sister she is new to her powers.  It becomes a race against time to get Amelia first to accept her true calling then to get her to accept her powers and train for a battle against the ultimate evil. Erryas. 

Amelia learns that she and her evil twin, Erryas were born during a massive evil thunder storm.  She was taken to the earth dimension where she grew up loved, wanted and protected.  What happened to Erryas is a mystery.  It becomes clear that only person knows what happened during that storm.  Only one person can answer Amelia?s questions.  But that person is dead. 

Amelia needs to learn how not only to protect and defend herself, but also to protect those dimensions opposed to evil.  But will she live to be able to do that, and is she powerful enough to go up against the greatest evil in all dimensions - her twin?

Amelia's friends include an old Hag; Ellis' description of this old woman had me laughing out loud.  You cannot help but love her. Anin is Amelia's primary trainer.  And not a women to be messed with. I loved the fact that she is a strong character who cares so deeply for Amelia and that she is not scared to make her feelings known.  Apart from the evil and unknown forces Amelia also has a voice that keeps popping up, instructing her.  Guiding her.  The question is; can she trust the voice?

Review:

I give this book a 4 / 5 star review.  At first I was skeptical as to the pace the story takes on from basically the beginning of the book. Soon however I discovered that the pace is indicative of the danger lurking and the fact that in the fight between good and evil, time is not on the side of good.  This is brilliantly displayed by the pacing of the story, fast to start with and almost speeding along at the end.  The reader cannot help but be swept along with it.  The sense of urgency of the coming dangers had the reader riveted and the role of time is unmistakably written into each and every page as the story builds from one momentum to the next.  I personally find this technique of Jay Ellis a brilliant one, the tempo?s increase has the reader thinking that this is a fast sweet read in the beginning but soon the frantic feelings of the Old Hag and Anin becomes the readers own.  As the intervals between incidents grow smaller all the time the reader is left with the same urgency of that of the Old Hag and of Anin.  Amelia must be ready.  Or all hope is lost. 

The story line is fresh and not boggled down with any overly long dialogues.  The fast pace of the story lets little time for character development of characters although Ellis' seems to fit in enough information to make the reader not only like the characters but also to have us rooting for the good guys and leaving us in anticipation of the next book in the series. 

Although this book is primarily aimed at the younger spectrum of the YA market it is soon apparent that the book is a great read for any age kid.  At 38 I myself enjoyed it immensely and did not find that patronizing tone from the author that I have come across previously when reading YA books.  I am about to start the second book in the series and cannot wait to read the next adventures of the young heroin.  So for now, I say goodbye and hope you will read the book.  It is really worth it. 

winner of Shifting by Bethany Wiggins is

Winner of Shifting by Bethany Wiggins is kayla merritt please email me at annmarieager@googlemail.com

bookaholics monthly giveaway

hey best books followers,
check out this amazing blog and enter their monthly giveaway,  both on the blog october giveaway!!!!
and on their facebook page bookaholics facebook

they are a great bunch of ladies so please pop on over and have fun :)
alice