Quite a while ago, Pavarti asked me to do a guest post on her blog, preferably about book covers. Now, a few months later, the post is finally there! I would like to thank Pavarti for letting me talk about my biggest passion of all time: books!
When you are standing in front of your local bookstore's fantasy section, or romance section, or whatever section is your favourite, there is one thing that immediately will catch your eye. The book covers. They all have different shapes, different colours, that make them unique. They will try to draw you in, mysteriously hinting at their insides. Some of them you will love instantly. Others will make you frown, or more likely, you won't even notice them. What makes a good cover?
Read my post on Pavarti's blog! >>
Tuesday, 30 August 2011
Wednesday, 29 June 2011
The End of The Road
The time has come. I didn't think it would come so soon, but somehow it did. My book blogging time is up. It's not fun any more, the drive is gone.
I apologize to every author that has sent me his or her book for review that I hadn't come to yet. I will keep reading and probably keep reviewing, but only through my Goodreads account. I will come to your book sometime, and I would like to thank you all for sending your books, I really appreciate it.
Nyx Book Reviews will stay online for at least a few more months, so the interviews I have done and guest posts I've had can still be read, but there won't be any new posts on here.
A big thank you for everyone that has followed me and read my posts. I hope to see you around, be it Twitter, Goodreads or your blogs.
I apologize to every author that has sent me his or her book for review that I hadn't come to yet. I will keep reading and probably keep reviewing, but only through my Goodreads account. I will come to your book sometime, and I would like to thank you all for sending your books, I really appreciate it.
Nyx Book Reviews will stay online for at least a few more months, so the interviews I have done and guest posts I've had can still be read, but there won't be any new posts on here.
A big thank you for everyone that has followed me and read my posts. I hope to see you around, be it Twitter, Goodreads or your blogs.
Sunday, 19 June 2011
Sunday Stew #9
Around the Web:
Last weekend I went to the festival called Pinkpop, where I got to see some terribly AWESOME bands.
The act that concluded the weekend were the Foo Fighters. Of all closing acts (Coldplay, Kings of Leon) I thought the Foo Fighters had the best performance. And it's always fun to see front singer Dave Grohl bouncing behind his microphone.
One band I was quite looking forward to were the Kaiser Chiefs, but I was a bit disappointed. They opened with a song from their new album, which isn't that successful here in the Netherlands. Musically they were perfect, but they didn't manage to get the audience to join in.
One of the best bands I've seen on Pinkpop was definitely Alter Bridge. The high notes lead singer Myles Kennedy can reach are almost inhuman, and their guitarwork is absolutely flawless. What made it also very cool is that I was standing second row during their concert.
The band I enjoyed most was Avenged Sevenfold, hands down. I waited three hours just to stand front row at their performance, and it was absolutely worth it. Not only did they have beautiful solos and catchy riffs, they had some impressive pyrotechnics going on. There were pillars of fire on the stage, and the gates spelling out A7X started to burn throughout the concert. It was good to see them with their new drummer, after the old one passed away. Even though he looks fairly young to be in the band, he is quite talented, and I hope that they will stick with this one. And last but not least, I got a guitar pick from lead guitarist Synyster Gates, and everyone knows he's the awesome guitarist!
Around Me:
Saturday, 18 June 2011
Review: The Apothecary by Samantha Jillian Bayarr
3 out of 5 stars
Published by Livingston Hall Publishers
Review copy received by the author
Review copy received by the author
I accepted this because of the blurb, and the quite professional looking cover. I was expecting a nice paranormal-historical mix with a bit of romance to bind the thing together. What I got was a mix that needed a lot more stirring.
When Claire discovers that she is the heiress of a big property, she finds out the girl from her dreams used to live here once. Is she going crazy, or is there more going on here?
I really liked Claire's voice, and her friendship with best friend Emily. The spooky-little-girl-in-your-dreams concept might not be very new any more, but I still enjoy a good ghost story. Unluckily, this story didn't get its cold-shivers moments from the ghost plot, but of the crazily irresponsible choices Claire makes.
I'm going to rant & spoil a little bit in this part. I've warned you.
How in earth can a woman marry a man that she has met two days ago? And even better, adopt a kid with him, the day after? I have asked the author about Claire's personality, and she told me she had to make her impulsive to make it believable that she would actually enter a haunted house. I agree, I think it's good the author thought of this. But oh my... this goes far beyond impulsive. This is completely insane. Who wants to commit oneself for a lifetime with a guy who might as well be a mafia-boss and a kid to complete the instant family? Really, things like this make me scared. I can imagine divorce rates are so high in the US if everyone has this mindset...
End of little rant. Completely organised thoughts coming up.
I think this book would have been a lot better if Ms Bayarr had picked up her story, thrown it in a mixer, and let it whirr for a long, long time. It has great elements, but it has such a clear structure that in the whole middle part of the book, there isn't even talk about the ghost. It goes a bit like this: introduction with the spooky ones, romance, romance, romance, put spooky ones to rest. I would have liked the romance spread out over the entire story a lot better. Now romance is the focus point of the whole middle part, taking the speed out of the ghost story. And don't get me started on the so-called "romance" again. I've been there already.
The Apothecary has everything a story needs, it has a likeable narrator (when she's not off doing something irresponsible), it has some cozy mystery. It took Claire a little while to understand what really happened at the manor, but I liked how everything was wrapped up. If you have nothing to read on a rainy day, I would certainly recommend this, just with a slight warning.
Blurb
When Claire Mayfield suddenly finds herself the new heir of a property that has lain vacant for over one hundred years, she becomes leery of the rumors of the hauntings from the three young children who were said to have been murdered there. As Claire explores the manor, she discovers her great uncle, Dr. Blackwell's apothecary and traveling medicine show from the late 1800's, and even stumbles upon clues that could help her solve her ancestor's one hundred-year-old murder-mystery—all with a little help from a young girl who has been dead for over one hundred years.
More links
Friday, 17 June 2011
Blog Tour: Raven's Kiss by Toni LoTempio (Interview)
I would like to welcome Toni on Nyx Book Reviews! She's the writer of paranomal romance Raven's Kiss. She has been so kind to answer my questions. This tour is part of The Bookish Snob Promotions. Click the banner to find more blogs participating!
Official Book Blurb
Raven Grace was a college senior with ambitions of a career in law enforcement when she met the demon Aega, whose bite turned her from mortal to Shapeshifter. Now a member of the Recovery Organization, Raven keeps the peace between humans and errant Hellhounds, trolls, wizards and the like while trying to track down Aega and bring him to justice. After a particularly dicey encounter one night with a Hellhound, she goes to the aid of a girl who’s been attacked and near death—and is amazed to find Aega’s bite mark on the girl’s arm. Determined to get to the bottom of this, she revisits the victim’s apartment and there discovers her closet is a portal to a parallel universe, where people she knows lead vastly different lives.
She also gets a glimpse of the Recovery Captain there—a six foot, redheaded Scotsman named Finn McPhee, whose sexy accent and even sexier bod sets her senses aflame. Seeking answers, Finn takes Raven to the magickal underworld, where an ancient fae informs them the demon’s quest is rooted in Scottish mythology and magick. As they delve deeper into legend, the truth comes to light—Aega is only a pawn, subservient to another, darker demon…a being who knows the truth about Raven’s heritage, and who orchestrated her return to this parallel universe for the ultimate showdown. Now, Finn and Raven find their passion for one another must take a backseat to Raven’s battle with a dark force who won’t be satisfied until he’s claimed her soul for his very own…
Buy This Book
Nyx Book Reviews: Hi Toni, welcome to Nyx Book Reviews! Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
Toni: Sure. Well, I’ve been writing off and on since I was twelve :) More off than on, unfortunately. In 1995, I joined the staff of SUSABELLA PASSENGERS AND FRIENDS, where I have been a staff reporter for over 10 years. In January, I joined the staff of NIGHT OWL REVIEWS as the suspense reviewer/columnist. My column, DARK STREETS, is featured on a monthly basis.
In 2007, Whiskey Creek Press published BOUND BY BLOOD, a tale of possession, and EBONY, which deals with zombies and the dark side of man. I have several other titles published by WCP, and Echelon Press published WITCH’S PAWN in 2008. In 2010 I self published NO REST FOR THE WICCA, which made Amazon’s list of top one hundred in Occult in March 2011, and my short story, THE SACRIFICE, appears in the e-published anthology KISS ME KILL ME. My latest, RAVEN’S KISS, debuted in April of this year.
I enjoy writing in the paranormal genre, but I can also write contemporary romance/mystery as well. Most of my writing is done on the weekends as I work full time and live in Clifton, NJ, with my muses: Rocco, Maxx, Gata and Trixie. Rocco is also known as Rocco the SciFi Blogging Cat and has appeared on the SciFi Saturday Night website and radio show, and also on the Kids Need To Read website where he holds the distinction of being the first (and possibly only!) blogging cat to support this charity.
Could you describe your book, Raven’s Kiss, in one sentence?
Hot Shapeshifter travels through parallel time in search of the demon who cursed her and becomes involved with a hotter than hot Scotsman.
When and why did you decide to become a writer?
I don’t know as anything actually inspired me, or if it was even a conscious decision. it was sort of a natural progression. My mother taught me to read when I was three, and growing up I loved comics – Superman, Batman, etc. If I didn’t like the way a story ended I’d just rewrite it LOL.
Where do you find your inspiration for your novels?
I get inspiration in the oddest places sometimes. :) It can come from the name of a street, sometimes someone will say a catchy phrase and I’ll build a story around it. And one book, a YA fantasy I wrote, got its name and the inspiration for the character from the side of a garbage truck.
Can you still find time to read yourself? If so, what books did you enjoy in particular?
Oh I always make time to read. I believe you have to be an avid reader in order to be a good writer. I tend to gravitate toward mystery and suspense, and I love books by James Patterson, Tess Gerritson and Alex Kava, as well as cozies by Rita Mae Brown and EJ Copperman. On the paranormal side I LOVE LOVE LOVE Michelle Rowan. I worship at her altar.
What are your plans for the future? Any more books coming up?
I’m currently working on two – no, wait – three other books I hope will become series, and since I’ve recently acquired an agent they will have to go through him first (the traditional pub route). On the indie side, I’m also working on two novellas which will be sequels to Raven’s Kiss and No Rest for theWicca, which I hope to release around the holidays. I still havent’ decided if I’ll release them seperately or as one book. I’ve also got a YA with a Dark Shadows tie-in planned for release next April.
Thank you for answering my questions! (:
And thank you for having me on your blog! I so enjoyed this chance to connect with readers, and I hope you all enjoy the book!
Raven Grace was a college senior with ambitions of a career in law enforcement when she met the demon Aega, whose bite turned her from mortal to Shapeshifter. Now a member of the Recovery Organization, Raven keeps the peace between humans and errant Hellhounds, trolls, wizards and the like while trying to track down Aega and bring him to justice. After a particularly dicey encounter one night with a Hellhound, she goes to the aid of a girl who’s been attacked and near death—and is amazed to find Aega’s bite mark on the girl’s arm. Determined to get to the bottom of this, she revisits the victim’s apartment and there discovers her closet is a portal to a parallel universe, where people she knows lead vastly different lives.
She also gets a glimpse of the Recovery Captain there—a six foot, redheaded Scotsman named Finn McPhee, whose sexy accent and even sexier bod sets her senses aflame. Seeking answers, Finn takes Raven to the magickal underworld, where an ancient fae informs them the demon’s quest is rooted in Scottish mythology and magick. As they delve deeper into legend, the truth comes to light—Aega is only a pawn, subservient to another, darker demon…a being who knows the truth about Raven’s heritage, and who orchestrated her return to this parallel universe for the ultimate showdown. Now, Finn and Raven find their passion for one another must take a backseat to Raven’s battle with a dark force who won’t be satisfied until he’s claimed her soul for his very own…
Buy This Book
Visit the next stop: The Great, The Good And The Bad
Wednesday, 15 June 2011
Review: The Demon Kiss by Lacey Weatherford
(Of Witches & Warlocks #2)
4.5 out of 5 stars
Published by Global Authors Publishers
254 pages
Received a review copy from the author
This review may contain spoilers for the previous books in the series
254 pages
Received a review copy from the author
This review may contain spoilers for the previous books in the series
The sequel to the romantic The Trouble With Spells, The Demon Kiss gives us a lot more suspense.
We come back to Portia and Vance after Vance is turned into a half-demon, and Portia is left behind while Vance goes on a search for his evil father.
What I really appreciate in these books is that Ms Weatherford doesn't keep you waiting for the action until the very end. There is enough going on throughout the book to keep you entertained. There were a lot of moments in the book that made me giggle, which is always a very good sign.
The most significant change in the series is that the focus of the story is shifting a bit from the romance between our main characters, to some more action and plot. Trust me, there is still more than enough romance to satisfy your fix of Vance, but it's nice to read some more about his father and learn more about the demon lore.
There is a little bit less magic in The Demon Kiss, but I still love the fact that it all feels so natural. The descriptions make it feel like a second nature of the characters, and not something the author forced on them. It was also nice to see Portia's friends getting some minor powers of their own. I hope to see more of them in the third book of the series.
The relationship between Portia and Vance is clearly more mature now, and I'm very glad for that. They're still deeply in love, but they now realise that there will always be disagreements within a relationship. It was interesting to see them deal with their problems.
Overall The Demon Kiss is a really nice sequel for The Trouble With Spells. It has the same atmosphere as its predecessor, but a bit more mature and with an exciting plot to keep you urging to read on.
Blurb
Can someone else's past come back to bite you?
After being drained of nearly all the blood in her body, novice witch, Portia Mullins, wakes up to find that her warlock boyfriend, Vance Mangum, has fled in search of his demon father. Determined to keep him from facing the evil alone Portia follows after him, unknowingly setting herself on the path of a new adventure that will take her, Vance, and their coven over international borders, into a foreign place where they will discover that the black magic which awaits them is far worse than they ever imagined. Portia finds herself tangled up in a web of lies and deceit in another's quest for demonic power in the excitingly romantic second paranormal novel in the Of Witches and Warlocks Series, The Demon Kiss.
After being drained of nearly all the blood in her body, novice witch, Portia Mullins, wakes up to find that her warlock boyfriend, Vance Mangum, has fled in search of his demon father. Determined to keep him from facing the evil alone Portia follows after him, unknowingly setting herself on the path of a new adventure that will take her, Vance, and their coven over international borders, into a foreign place where they will discover that the black magic which awaits them is far worse than they ever imagined. Portia finds herself tangled up in a web of lies and deceit in another's quest for demonic power in the excitingly romantic second paranormal novel in the Of Witches and Warlocks Series, The Demon Kiss.
Other reviews you might be interested in
More links
Giveaway Winner (A Season Of Transformation)
And the winner of A Season Of Transformation (by Jayne Fordham) is...
Jimmy!
Congrats! I have sent your email address to the author.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
