Sabriel by Garth Nix

Series: The Abhorsen Trilogy Book 1
Genre: YA Fantasy
Copyright: 1995
Pages: 395

For many years Sabriel has lived outside the walls of the Old Kingdom, away from the random power of Free Magic, and away from the Dead who won't stay dead. But now her father, the Charter-Mage Abhorsen, is missing, and to find him Sabriel must cross back into that world.

Though her journey begins alone, she soon finds companions: Mogget, whose seemingly harmless feline form hides a powerful --- and perhaps malevolent --- spirit, and Touchstone, a Charter-Mage long imprisoned by magic, now free in body but still trapped by painful memories.

With threats on all sides and only each other to trust, the three of them must travel deep into the Old Kingdom, toward a battle that will pit them against the true forces of life and death --- and bring Sabriel face-to-face with her own hidden destiny.

Nix takes a familiar quest/journey storyline and gives it a very unique flavour. I really enjoyed this dark fantasy but it did take me a while to read, I put it down and picked it up a number of times. Parts of the novel were a bit slow, but that may have been because it was an involved read with quite a few new concepts for me. (I actually read this 12 months ago, reviewed it but never posted. I think this would be a quicker read now as I've read so much more in the fantasy genre.)

The setting of 'Sabriel' moves from Ancelstierre, a modern society to the Old Kingdom a world of free magic. 18 year old Sabriel becomes the next Abhorsen, a challenging & dangerous job protecting the living from the dead, when her father is trapped in 'death' by a powerful, evil opponent.

Nix's magic system was enthralling - free magic; unbound, chaotic, dangerous magic & charter magic; used by Charter Mages, all those bearing a baptismal charter mark on their forehead. This was also my first involved reading about necromancers (usually free magic sorcerers who summon and control the dead with seven bells.) However the Abhorsen family necromancers use the bells to defeat the dead who won't stay dead and force them to return to 'Death' beyond the 9th gate, the point of no return.

I loved the description of the seven bells & their powers and the nine gates & precincts of death. I also loved the ending; it wasn't a 'get out of jail free' ending. You might think from all the mentions of death, dead, undead, raising dead, defeating the dead, that this is a dark, horror read but it isn't like that at all. Yes there are a few bits that are not for the squeamish and there are some concepts that are a little confronting but I didn't find it a dark, depressing read, the magic more than negates any nasties. I'm definitely intrigued so I'll be continuing on with the next book in the trilogy, Lirael.

Australian author Garth Nix has a fantastic website for The Abhorsen Trilogy which explains much about this unique fantasy world.

To celebrate my 1st Blogoversary two lucky readers can take their pick from a choice of 6 books in this month's spookalicious competition. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.

Happy Birthday

To my best friend and the sister of my heart ~ Alaine

Happy Birthday 

Wishing only good things to come your way,
not only today, but every day! (hey that  rhymes lol)

You all know her as Alaine - Queen of Happy Endings

Pop on over to Alaine's blog and wish this special lady a Happy Birthday

To celebrate my 1st Blogoversary two lucky readers can take their pick from a choice of 6 books in this month's spookalicious competition. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.

What Are You Reading On Monday

A weekly event hosted by J. Kaye’s Book Blog to discuss your reading week ~ the books you've read and those you plan on reading in the coming week.

Well the wheels fell off the bus for me this week, my intentions were great but the energy and motivation just wasn't there. Early in the week I did finish 3 books but sadly only 1 review and blog visiting was almost non-existent (sorry guys.)  I'll just see how things go this week, not going to make any wild predictions as it's my son's 18th birthday on Halloween so I'll be busy organising his party.

Congrats to all the wonderful readers who participated in Dewey's 24hr Read-a-Thon. Awesome job!! Alaine, Annie and I participated in April but not this time. Hopefully next year!

**Don't forget to check out my interview with Lee Moylan & enter the ONCE UPON A NIGHTMARE giveaway  - open to everyone!!**

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Books Completed Last Week:

AT GRAVES END by Jeaniene Frost - 4.5 stars (review coming) 

THIS PEN FOR HIRE by Laura Levine - 3 stars

TWENTY BOY SUMMER by Sarah Ockler - from my friend Jen @ Jenny Loves to Read - 4.5 stars (review coming)

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This Week's Reading List:

HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins - page 60

GRACELING by Kristen Cashore

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And this is my reminder for reviews still to do (eek! the list is creeping up again)

Twenty Boy Summer
Shiver
At Graves End
Evermore
The Painted Veil


To celebrate my 1st Blogoversary two lucky readers can take their pick from a choice of 6 books in this month's spookalicious competition. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.

Q & A with Lee Moylan & Once Upon A Nightmare Giveaway

After reading Once Upon A Nightmare, (one of the best horror thrillers I've read in a long time but check out my review  if you need more convincing) author Lee Moylan took time out of her busy schedule to answer some questions and generously offered a giveaway of her book. I've had a lot of fun talking with Lee over the last month & I hope you enjoy her answers as much as I did. 

Please join me in welcoming Lee Moylan to The Eclectic Reader, and read on for an absolutely fascinating interview! I kid you not, Lee has some really interesting and seriously freaky stuff to share and her sense of humour is pretty cool too :-)

As per usual my questions are in bold & Lee's answers are in normal type.

Can you give readers a description of what Once Upon A Nightmare is about?

Once Upon a Nightmare is a graphic and disturbing story about two women who share a kind of psychic bond and the sadistic serial killer who has targeted them. Despite both women having an ability to 'sense' bad things on the horizon, neither one knows the who, what, where or when. The killer watches them - is near enough to touch them - yet they don't know who he is. As the story unfolds, we get a glimpse inside the killer's mind - hear the dark, twisted thoughts that drive him. But only as he gets closer to his ultimate goal, Sara Bishop, do we get a real taste of the true evil within...

I understand that your inspiration for Once Upon A Nightmare came from a nightmare you had yourself. Can you give us all the gory details?

Yes, but beware, it’s not for the squeamish… I woke in the morning to my husband getting our kids ready to go out for breakfast. Good ol’ McDonald’s. They asked if I wanted to go, but considering I had the rare opportunity to sleep-in undisturbed, I took it. I closed my eyes and went back to sleep. That’s when the nightmare started...

In the dream, I awoke to an unnaturally quiet home. As soon as I opened my eyes, I saw it. My mouth just dropped! My entire room was splattered with blood, not just droplets - it was as if buckets had been splashed around! My walls were covered. My ceiling was sprayed. My beige carpet was saturated. Right beside my bed was a large butterfly-shaped pool of red. I was in shock. I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. And I thought I was awake!

I knew my husband and kids had just gone to eat, so I assumed a stranger had come in while I was asleep and killed someone in my home! In addition to the blood, there were body parts everywhere, organs, tissue. It looked like photos I’ve seen from Jack the Ripper’s last victim, Mary Kelley. I couldn’t scream. I was completely mute.

Then I looked around my bed. It, too, was covered in blood. I started to feel faint when I noticed this strange out-of-body thing happening… Wherever I wanted to be in the room, like magic, I was there… Across the room… On top of the bed… By the window… But I knew I wasn’t walking, I wasn’t moving. I was simply just there!

That’s when I realized I was no longer of body. I forced myself to look at the largest remains on the floor. It was a torso I recognized. It was mine. I had been the one mutilated! I couldn’t breathe. I just felt a hollowness well up inside me words will never be able to describe.

And I can still remember my very next thought. It wasn’t how did this happen. It wasn’t’ why. It was of my family. I knew they’d be coming home soon, and I couldn’t let them find me like that. I knew it would be a life-altering trauma they would never recover from…

So I set off to stop that from happening. I (well actually my spirit) went to my neighbour who was one of my closest friends. I tried yelling, shouting, pushing her, anything to get her attention, but she couldn’t hear me. When I finally started to cry beside her, she seemed to sense my presence. I kept saying, “something horrible has happened, get my key…” She stopped typing at her computer, stood up and began looking around her room. I knew somehow I was getting through… She understood. She sensed what I was saying. And then she got my key and went to my home.

The entire time I was beside her. I just kept telling her to call the police, keep my family from seeing me and lastly, I begged her to find out who did it. Those were my last wishes…

And then I really woke up!!! My family still wasn’t home, so the first thing I did was race to my friend’s house! When I finished telling her about the nightmare, I knew. This was it. This was the story I was going to write…

How long did it take you to write?

Just over two years.

You have a degree in biochemistry and a passion for forensic science which I believe comes through in your writing. No doubt you have drawn on your personal experience/education to bring the reader that degree of believability?

Thanks for the compliment! Yes, I’ve drawn on years of reading/studying every science I could – physical, life, behavioural, you name it. My anatomy and physiology courses definitely helped with the bodily descriptions, and my psychology courses helped with the mental profiles. My own life story and the cast of characters I’ve encountered throughout my days filled in the rest… You know what they say, be careful or you’ll end up in my novel! Now isn’t that a comforting thought?

Do you find it difficult slipping into the skin or the mind of the truly sick, evil, twisted characters you write about?

Yes, it is a troublesome place to be. When I write from their perspective, I obviously must go there. It reminds me of a quote by Friedrich Nietzsche, “When you stare into the abyss the abyss stares back at you.”

It’s a darkness most people avoid because it’s just not a good place to be. It can be quite overwhelming. For me though, it was always something I needed to understand - regardless of how uncomfortable it made me. I can’t stand to see an animal suffer, let alone a human being. How does one take pleasure from another’s pain? I needed an answer.

Thankfully, I’m good at compartmentalizing. I have no doubt the material I’ve exposed myself to is the source of my nightmares, but I believe the knowledge I’ve gained far outweighs the occasional night terror.

I commented in my review, Once Upon A Nightmare is “poop your pants” scary, does some of the stuff you write actually scare you?

Well what I write doesn’t scare me because I wrote it!!! But the subject matter, oh yeah. I write about the evil men do. That stuff scares me... Or should I say, it profoundly disturbs me…

Is there anything you find particularly challenging when you’re writing?

Due to life’s daily interruptions, it takes a while for me to write a novel and the characters, both the good ones and the bad, stay with me the entire time. And I absolutely hated writing those truly gruesome scenes. I had to take frequent breaks to get the visions out of my head. I was in those scenes while I was writing them and had a hard time disconnecting from the victims. It was gruelling. My friends and family could tell when I was writing something bad by the disturbed look I wore throughout that day.

But I am happy to report that is no longer the case… Thank goodness! Now, I can finally detach myself from the scenes I’m writing and carry on my day with little wear and tear! Sigh…

What’s next on the table for Lee Moylan? And what was the inspiration behind it?

I have another thriller I’ve been working on, not titled yet... And this one’s inspiration happens to be another nightmare! This particular dream was so twisted and creepy, I put the story I was writing on hold to start this new one.

When you were little what did you want to grow up to be?

From the first time I saw the TV show Quincy, I wanted to be a medical examiner. Yeah, I know… What twelve year old kid wants to grow up to be a coroner, right? Well, I did! OK, let me explain… Being an avid watcher of the show, I learned Quincy helped solve crimes/murders. That’s what I wanted to do!

Favourite book as a child?

How about favourite book as a teen? It was Flowers For Algernon by Daniel Keyes. It’s a story that can still bring tears to my eyes.

What are you reading now?

You Suck: A Love Story

Is there another horror/thriller writer that really scares the pants off you?

That would be Stephen King. Pet Semetery caused me quite a few sleepless nights. And Pennywise from It… Ooohh, that clown still gives me the creeps!

If you could be any character from a novel who would you be and why?

I don’t know that I’ve ever read a character I wanted to be, but I do have a favourite - Meggie Cleary from The Thorn Birds. She possessed such a pure love. She made every sacrifice for it. But she wasn’t perfect. She was flawed. Her life filled with tragedy. But despite every heartbreak, she never lost her ability to love. I found her painfully tragic and triumphant all at the same time. She was a great character.

Tell us a secret, something the blogosphere doesn’t know?

I’m a black belt.

Bookmark or Dog ear?

Oh, bookmark… I can’t crease my pages!

Favourite junk food?

It’s a toss-up… Pizza or hot dogs.

Favourite way to relax?

Going to a movie – anything from horror to romantic comedies. It’s great down-time.

Do you have a Guilty pleasure?

Yes, chocolate. Lots and lots of chocolate!

What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?

I’ve been scuba diving in Hawaii and white water rafting in Canada. They were both pretty exhilarating.

If you could go anywhere for a holiday, where would you go and why?

Hmmm… It would probably be either Rome or London. I’ve been to both before and being a huge history fan, I was awe-struck to have stood where some of the greatest historical figures once were. Walking around the Forum in Rome and the Colosseum gave me goose bumps. Julius Caesar walked those same steps.

Oh, or Copenhagen - my grandparents’ hometown. They walked there!

3 must have items if you were stranded on a tropical island?

Let’s see… I need a flashlight, an ice skate and a volleyball I can name Wilson… Oh wait, that was Tom Hanks in Castaway... OK, then I want a Boeing 747, a runway, and a pilot so I can get the heck off the island!

Describe yourself in three words.

Passionate, Intense, Perceptive

Anything random you’d like to add?

Yes… Embrace your imperfections – they are the source of your uniqueness! It’s my thought of the day!

Thanks so much Lee, I loved the in-depth look at the inspiration behind Once Upon A Nightmare. I've had some wicked nightmares but I hope never to have one as graphic as yours. If you'd like to know more about  Lee Moylan visit her website.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

I am thrilled to be able to offer readers a chance to win a copy of Once Upon A Nightmare thanks to Lee Moylan. Lee will post to the winner personally, isn't she awesome!!

Competition is international

HOW TO ENTER:

Leave a comment or question for Lee with an email address to be entered in the giveaway ~ no email, no entry!

+ 1 share your worst nightmare.

+ 2 comment on my review of Once Upon A Nightmare & let me know. (if you've previously commented, you'll get the points)

+ 2  post this on your blog, sidebar, tweet it etc & leave me a link

Competition ends Monday November 9th and winner will be announced on this blog. Good luck to all!

Can't wait ~ purchase Once Upon A Nightmare from Amazon or Barnes & Noble or The Book Depository (free postage)

To celebrate my 1st Blogoversary two lucky readers can take their pick from a choice of 6 books in this month's spookalicious competition. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.

Woohoo Another Challenge Finished

Thanks to J.Kaye of J.Kaye's Book Blog for this fabulous challenge which really pushed me out of my comfort zone and into some new-to-me sub-genre's. I didn't think this one would be much of a challenge as I love suspense/thrilllers but since I usually stick to tried and true favourites and this challenge required the participant to read 12 suspense/thriller novels from 12 different sub-genres, it was actually more difficult to complete than I thought it would be.

My favourites of the challenge - The Surgeon, Frantic, Loving Natalee & Once Upon a Nightmare.

What I learnt -  I'll definitely be reading more from the True Crime sub-genre (thanks Yvette from True Crime Book Reviews for recommendations) and I think I'll pass on the cozy mysteries. 

Thanks again J.Kaye, your challenges ROCK!!

This is what I completed: (click on titles to see reviews)

THIS PEN FOR HIRE by Laura Levine (Cozy mystery)

ONCE UPON A NGHTMARE by Lee Moylan (Horror thriller)

THE DARKEST HOUR by Katherine Howell (Inverted suspense/thriller)

LOVING NATALEE by Beth Holloway (True Crime)

THE KEEPSAKE by Tess Gerritsen (Forensic mystery)

FRANTIC by Katherine Howell (Crime suspense/thriller)

HARDCASE by Dan Simmons (Hardboiled suspense/thriller)

WHITE LIES by Jayne Ann Krentz (Romantic suspense/thriller)

THE CHAMELEON'S SHADOW by Minette Walters  (Psychological thriller)

THE DARKEST EVENING OF THE YEAR by Dean Koontz (Supernatural thriller)

AT THE STROKE OF MADNESS  by Alex Kava (Serial killer thriller)

THE SURGEON by Tess Gerritsen (Medical thriller)

To celebrate my 1st Blogoversary two lucky readers can take their pick from a choice of 6 books in this month's spookalicious competition. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.

This Pen For Hire by Laura Levine

Series: Jaine Austen Mystery #1
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Copyright: 2002
Pages: 224
Book Source: Own purchase

In the first novel in her wickedly witty new mystery series, Laura Levine introduces Jaine Austen, a hip, jack-of-all trades writer who spends her days penning smarmy personal ads and daring declarations of passion--and her nights looking for Mr. Right in Hollywood's swinging singles scene.

Jaine's letter writing skill on behalf of her geeky client Howard, earns him a date with the stunning aerobics instructor Stacy. Unfortunately the first date ends before it really begins, with Howard arrested for murder when Stacy is found bludgeoned to death with a thigh master. Jaine, sympathy and curiosity aroused begins her career in amateur sleuthdom to prove Howard's innocence.

This was my first chick-lit/cozy mystery and I'm pretty sure it will be my last. An ultra fluffy, quick read, light on substance, and heavy on self-depreciating humour. If you like your banter centred mainly around thighs big enough to rent out as condos, "queen-sized pantyhose" or dates with a trusty vibrator and a bottle of cheap chardonnay then you'll probably find this a hoot. Jaine's cat Prozac (love the name) was my favourite character but I'm surprised poor Prozac survived the story after "inhaling" her gourmet tuna, ad nauseum.

Definitely a giggle or two in this one but just a bit too cute for me!

To celebrate my 1st Blogoversary two lucky readers can take their pick from a choice of 6 books in this month's spookalicious competition. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.

Teaser Tuesday

MizB of Should Be Reading hosts this cool weekly event. Grab your current read. Let the book fall open to a random page.


Share (2) “teaser” sentences from that page. Share the title & author of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR list if they like your teaser. Please avoid spoilers!



Together. Happy. Whole.
The three of hearts.
The possibilities endless.
And then ... my sundae flying out of my hands into the dashboard.


Page 16 - Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler




To celebrate my 1st Blogoversary two lucky readers can take their pick from a choice of 6 books in this month's spookalicious competition. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.

What Are You Reading On Monday & Mailbox Monday

A weekly event hosted by J. Kaye’s Book Blog to discuss your reading week ~ the books you've read and those you plan on reading in the coming week.

One of the few weeks where I've managed to stay focused & on task, reading what I actually listed last Monday. YAY for me :-)

What's coming up this week?  Some more surgery for me today, kind of getting tired of 'minor' procedures getting a life of their own and interrupting my schedule LOL. Anyway this time my BF Alaine will be with me to hold my hand and chat and all going well I'll get lots of reading done the rest of the week and hopefully do some blog visiting & catch up on a few reviews. And for you, stay tuned for an interview with author of Once Upon A Nightmare, the lovely Lee Moylan and if you're on your best Halloween behaviour, there just might me a creepy surprise or two in store.

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Books Completed Last Week:

SHIVER by Maggie Stiefvater ~ review coming ~ 5 stars

ALONG FOR THE RIDE by Sarah Dessen ~ 4.5 stars

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This Week's Reading List:

AT GRAVES END by Jeaniene Frost  - page 245

THIS PEN FOR HIRE by Laura Levine - page 40

GRACELING by Kristen Cashore

TWENTY BOY SUMMER by Sarah Ockler - from my friend Jen @ Jenny Loves to Read

HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins

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See my review for The Last Wife of Henry VIII by Carolly Erickson

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Thank you to Marcia at The Printed Page for hosting Mailbox Monday every week.

I got a surprise in my mailbox this week, a book I won back in July arrived and it's an author I've been dying to read for a while, woohoo exciting! How about you?

Requiem for the Devil by Jeri Smith-Ready.

I won this one over at Smexy Books, thanks Mandi and thank you very much Jeri for my signed copy and the great bookmarks.

A genre-busting novel that challenges the world's oldest destiny.

Set in modern-day Washington, D.C., REQUIEM depicts the end of the Devil's ten-billion-year career. For the first time in his existence, Lucifer falls in love, and this event threatens to transform his identity and perhaps even his destiny. Gianna O'Keefe is the woman who drags him out of his ancient despair and points him toward possible salvation.

Yet Lucifer's path from evil is neither straight nor smooth. Pursuing love means betraying his fellow fallen angels, the loyal friends who once followed him to damnation. Divine and infernal forces seem to conspire against his and Gianna's union. Lucifer's empire crumbles around him as he dares to defy the natural order and question his fate.



To celebrate my 1st Blogoversary two lucky readers can take their pick from a choice of 6 books in this month's spookalicious competition. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

Genre: YA Fiction
Copyright: 2009
Pages: 383
Book Source: Library borrow

It’s been so long since Auden slept at night. Ever since her parents’ divorce—or since the fighting started. Now she has the chance to spend a carefree summer with her dad and his new family in the charming beach town where they live.

A job in a clothes boutique introduces Auden to the world of girls: their talk, their friendship, their crushes. She missed out on all that, too busy being the perfect daughter to her demanding mother. Then she meets Eli, an intriguing loner and a fellow insomniac who becomes her guide to the nocturnal world of the town. Together they embark on parallel quests: for Auden, to experience the carefree teenage life she’s been denied; for Eli, to come to terms with the guilt he feels for the death of a friend.

This was my first Sarah Dessen novel and it certainly won't be my last. Along For The Ride was such an enjoyable story, easy to read, character driven, with a lot more to it than just "boy meets girl." It's about growing up and finding yourself,  it's about seeing things how they really are, not how you'd like them to be, it's about making mistakes and facing life head on, it's sad and funny and romantic and entirely relatable.

Auden chooses to spend her summer before starting college with her father & stepmother Heidi and her new baby sister Thisbe, and her anticipated carefree summer quickly becomes far more than she imagined. Dessen writes relationships really well, they ring true and  while I disliked Auden's parents, I enjoyed seeing the change in dynamics as Auden takes off the rose coloured glasses of youth. I liked Heidi, actually I liked her a lot and I felt a huge amount of empathy for this sleep deprived, exhausted and emotionally distraught new mother & it was nice to see Auden's relationship with her stepmother grow and change. And lets not forget the secondary characters, Ms Dessen certainly doesn't. I loved Auden's new friends, Maggie and Adam and I adored Auden's brother Hollis's words of wisdom.

"You're always a kid around your parents," he repled. "Unless they're acting like children. Then you don't get the chance. You know what I'm saying?"

Auden isn't the type of character I'm usually captivated by. She's a perfectionist, academically driven, reserved, emotionally repressed and socially awkward but I liked her and I found myself invested in her quest to experience the normal everyday things she missed out on as a child; making friends, gossiping with girlfriends, paper deliveries, playing hooky, riding a bike, having a boyfriend, going to parties. When Auden meets Eli, their common bond of insomnia opens a door on a whole new world for Auden & the quest provides a unique setting for their friendship to flourish into something more.

Sarah Dessen says on her website, the inspiration for Along For The Ride came not long after her daughter was born and for me it's pretty clear that this story comes from a place of honesty and personal experience.

"There was a whole other world at night, one I’d been completely unaware of, and it made me start thinking about the people who chose to live in it, and how they found themselves there. That’s where Auden’s story began."

So to all the Sarah Dessen fans out there, which novel should I read next??

Visit Sarah Dessen's website and blog to find out more about this wonderful author.

 

To celebrate my 1st Blogoversary two lucky readers can take their pick from a choice of 6 books in this month's spookalicious competition. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.

The Last Wife of Henry VIII by Carolly Erickson

Genre: Historical Fiction

Copyright: 2006

Pages: 326

Book Source: Own purchase

A novel about Catherine Parr, The Last Wife of Henry VIII. The least known of Henry VIII’s six wives was the cleverest of them all. Alluring, witty, and resourceful, she attracted the king’s lust and, though much in love with the handsome Thomas Seymour, was thrown into the intrigue-filled snakepit of the royal court. While victims of the king’s wrath suffered torture and execution, Catherine withstood the onslaught, even when Henry sought to replace her with wife number seven. She survived her royal husband, and found happiness with Seymour---but it was shadowed by rivalry with the young Princess Elizabeth, whose affection Seymour coveted. Catherine won the contest, but at great cost.

This was a quick, entertaining read following the dramatic life of Catherine Parr from childhood to her death. Told from Catherine's point of view it spans the history of all King Henry's wives giving the reader a brief overview of  much of Henry's life as king & the ill-fated outcomes of each of his marriages. Cat is familiar with the workings of King Henry's court from a young age, her mother being Catherine of Aragon's lady-in-waiting. She finds favour with the King over her lifetime not only for her fairness but her wise & often refreshingly honest counsel until she finally becomes his sixth & last bride.

 

Erickson takes some liberties re-creating Catherine's life but as this is a work of fiction I wasn't bothered by the inaccuracies, if anything I found the embellishments added to the romance & drama. However if you're pedantic about an author taking artistic licence with history, then this may not be the novel for you. To give you an example, the novel recounts Catherine's 4 marriages, the first to Ned Burgh (Cat's one true love according to Erickson) then John Neville, King Henry VIII and finally Thomas Seymour but Catherine's first marriage was actually an arranged one, to the elderly Edward Borough.

Catherine was quite the humanitarian, skilled with herbs & poultices, well educated & level headed, although I did wonder at her intelligence when she recommenced her affair with Tom Seymour while married to Henry, obviously passion outweighed the possible loss of her head. She skillfully manages the delicate & often dangerous dance between honesty & protecting herself & those she loves.   I thoroughly enjoyed her often un-complimentary thoughts about Henry's character & her opinion of his former wives and I actually laughed at her audacity in voicing some of those thoughts. The following response from Catherine to King Henry, regarding his marriage proposal is a wonderful example of her temerity (and she managed to keep her head lol)

"I still feel fear and revulsion at the memory of you putting your hands on me, kissing me, when I was a young girl. I still feel the fury and anguish I knew when my beloved Ned died, a victim of the heartless demands of your court! I feel sorrow for poor Queen Catherine of Aragon, that noble and gracius lady, and for poor foolish Catherine Howard, and even for the one you call the Witch. They all got entangled in the deadly web of the court, and in the end the great spider at the heart of the web devoured them! As he will no doubt devour me!"

Plenty of page-turning action in this one, the usual court intrigue & treachery, religious turmoil, pilgrim revolts, accusations of heresy & treason. All in all, a fascinating look at the last woman standing.

To celebrate my 1st Blogoversary two lucky readers can take their pick from a choice of 6 books in this month's spookalicious competition. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.

Teaser Tuesday

MizB of Should Be Reading hosts this cool weekly event. Grab your current read. Let the book fall open to a random page.

Share (2) “teaser” sentences from that page. Share the title & author of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR list if they like your teaser. Please avoid spoilers!

"It was an accident," he yelled. "I didn't mean to kill her, I just took too much."

An accident? Oh he had to be kidding me. "Her heartbeat slowing down would have warned you," I replied. "Don't try that accident crap on me, I live with a vampire, and he hasn't had an 'oops' moment once."

page 3 At Grave's End by Jeaniene Frost




To celebrate my 1st Blogoversary two lucky readers can take their pick from a choice of 6 books in this month's spookalicious competition. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.

Mailbox Monday

Thank you to Marcia at The Printed Page for hosting Mailbox Monday every week.

Two great books in my mailbox this week. How about you?

A Christmas Ball by Jennifer Ashley, Emily Bryan, Alissa Johnson

This one arrived in my mailbox courtesy of the wonderful Emily Bryan, thanks Em. Looking forward to my first anthology.

Headed by USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Ashley, A Christmas Ball contains three Regency-set novellas featuring the most talked-about ball of the year.

In Alissa Johnson’s “Traditions,” a man of exacting self-discipline must learn how to be spontaneous if he is to share a lifetime of Christmas “traditions” with the unconventional woman he loves.

In Emily Bryan’s “My Lady Below Stairs,” once a head groom learns the scullery maid he loves must pass as her well-born half-sister to accept a proposal of marriage for the good of the estate, there’ll be more than one party crasher at this ball!
 

In Ashley’s “The Longest Night,” Mary Cameron encounters Baron Valentin, the exotic man she met and fell in love with the year before. Valentin is back in England, ready to discover whether the tradition of the Longest Night of the year is true—that if he spends it with Mary, she’ll be by his side the rest of his life.

 

At Grave's End by Jeaniene Frost

I bought this one from The Book Depository U.S (free postage) to complete my set of all the Cat & Bones action to date. I'm reading it immediately!!

SOME THINGS WON'T STAY BURIED...AT GRAVE'S END

It should be the best time of half-vampire Cat Crawfield's life. With her undead lover Bones at her side, she's successfully protected mortals from the rogue undead. But though Cat's worn disguise after disguise to keep her true identity a secret from the brazen bloodsuckers, her cover's finally been blown, placing her in terrible danger.

As if that wasn't enough, a woman from Bones's past is determined to bury him once and for all. Caught in the crosshairs of a vengeful vamp, yet determined to help Bones stop a lethal magic from being unleashed, Cat's about to learn the true meaning of bad blood. And the tricks she's learned as a special agent won't help her. She will need to fully embrace her vampire instincts in order to save herself - and Bones - from a fate worse than the grave.

To celebrate my 1st Blogoversary two lucky readers can take their pick from a choice of 6 books in this month's spookalicious competition. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.

What Are You Reading On Monday

A weekly event hosted by J. Kaye’s Book Blog to discuss your reading week ~ the books you've read and those you plan on reading in the coming week.

A better reading week for me but how could it not be with another awesome Cat & Bones' installment. 2 books read & 1 reviewed, click on the title to see my review. I hope soon to be back to my usual prolific reading status!

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Books Completed Last Week:

ONE FOOT IN THE GRAVE by Jeaniene Frost  - 5 stars

THE LAST WIFE OF HENRY VIII by Carolly Erickson - 4 stars

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This Week's Reading List:

ALONG FOR THE RIDE by Sarah Dessen - page 75

SHIVER by Maggie Stiefvater (audiobook) - chapter 29

AT GRAVES END by Jeaniene Frost

THIS PEN FOR HIRE by Laura Levine

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See my review for

EVERNIGHT by Claudia Gray

To celebrate my 1st Blogoversary two lucky readers can take their pick from a choice of 6 books in this month's spookalicious competition. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.

One Foot In The Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Series: Night Huntress Book 2
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Copyright: 2008
Pages: 357
Book Source: Own purchase

You can run from the grave, but you can't hide . .

Half-vampire Cat Crawfield is now Special Agent Cat Crawfield, working for the government to rid the world of the rogue undead. She's still using everything Bones, her sexy and dangerous ex, taught her, but when Cat is targeted for assassination, the only man who can help her is the vampire she left behind.

Being around him awakens all her emotions, from the adrenaline kick of slaying vamps side by side to the reckless passion that consumed them. But a price on her head—wanted: dead or half-alive—means her survival depends on teaming up with Bones. And no matter how hard she tries to keep things professional between them, she'll find that desire lasts forever . . . and that Bones won't let her get away again.

Another brilliant installment in this series. Honed to perfection, Jeaniene Frost has created an unputdownable read, a perfect blend of intense action, sexy romance, hilarious dialogue and nail-biting suspence, and I didn't think it was possible but ... Bones is even hotter, I kid you not!

Four years on from Halfway to the Grave, Cat is a meaner, bitchier, more dangerous, sex-deprived vampire slayer consumed by her work as a federal agent. But hey, in all fairness, 4 years of no Bones & no sex, I'd be snaky too LOL. Cat is still ridding the world of bad vamps and still seeking revenge against her father but she now has a lean, mean team of men backing her, men she has trained herself. As much as I love reading about Cat and Bones (any page with Bones on it, is a great one, in my absolutely un-biased and humble opinion) I really enjoyed the introduction to the guys on Cat's team; fun, tough, interesting men that I hope to see more of in future novels.

We learn more about Bones & his powers in One Foot In The Grave, this completely and utterly drool-worthy master vamp will take some beating in the sexiest bad-boy stakes. The reunion between Cat and Bones at a friend's wedding is well worth the short but anxious wait and once again the witty one-liners & humorous scenes provide many laugh out loud moments.

"Hallo luv. Long time no taste."

"You and I need to talk, Kitten."

"Now?" I asked in disbelief, gesturing to the dead vampire near his feet.

"It's not like he's going anywhere, so yeah. Now."

The 'cat' fight between Cat and Annette (the 1st vampire Bones' made) is a hilarious scene of jealous rivalry that leads to this excerpt that I just have to quote and subsequently to some smokin hot, set the sheets on fire horizontal action that had me needing a cold shower!! Chapter 32, chapter 32 *sigh*.

"You could go ahead and beat her bloody, or ... you could give me such loud, screaming orgasms that the sound of them blisters her ears. If you have any former-whore-turned-promiscuous-vampire tricks you've been holding back, well, bring them on. I only have one stipulation: You'd better outperform any service you gave to her or anyone else, because if I don't wake up tomorrow red in the face from embarrassment at what you did to me, I'll be disappointed"

Kudos to Jeaniene Frost & my undying gratitude for a series that is turning out to be 'the series of the year' for me and the most reading fun I've had in a long time!
Bring on more Cat & Bones action, I'm going straight on to book 3, At Graves End.

Visit Jeaniene Frost's terrific website & blog to find out more about this author and her work.

See my review for the 1st book in the Night Huntress series  - Halfway to the Grave - 5 stars

To celebrate my 1st Blogoversary two lucky readers can take their pick from a choice of 6 books in this month's spookalicious competition. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.

Evernight by Claudia Gray

Series: Evernight Book 1
Genre: YA Fantasy
Copyright: 2008
Pages: 327
Book Source: Own purchase

When the story begins in Evernight, Bianca has just left the small town where she's spent her whole life. She's a new student at Evernight Academy, a creepily Gothic boarding school where her classmates are somehow too perfect: smart, sleek and almost predatory. Bianca knows she doesn't fit in.

Then she meets Lucas, another loner, who seems fiercely determined not to be the "Evernight type." There's a connection between Bianca and Lucas that can't be denied. She would risk anything to be with him—but dark secrets are fated to tear them apart... and to make Bianca question everything she's ever believed to be true. www.claudiagray.com/

My thoughts on Evernight are quite conflicted, and before I get booed off the stage or egged, let me try to explain. I loved the concept, star-crossed lovers, Romeo & Juliet style feud, dark, gothic setting casting a menacing, edgy aura, interesting characters and some pretty suspenseful writing. So what you ask was my problem?? The first 100 pages or so are a little slow, lots of teen angst and striving to fit in, then a surprise development. Now there's nothing wrong with surprise developments, I actually love them, but I was shocked by the author's execution. When reading a first person narrative I expect a degree of transparency to that character's thoughts and feelings, and for me to suddenly believe something that the narrator knew all along was just not ... believable. I have a feeling that the author has done this with intention rather than poor writing as there are hints along the way but I just wasn't convinced by the 1st person rendition.

I don't think the above mentioned issue will be a problem in Stargazer or subsequent novels, simply because it's already done. After the 'reveal' I enjoyed the rest of the book, the new twists were entertaining and there is plenty of plot potential. The vampire mythology is a mix of traditional and new ideas which I thought worked well and and despite the growing number of vampire books centred around academies, Evernight is actually quite orginal as the boarding school was established to help teen vampires become savvy with modern technology.

Bianca is likeable enough, she's a little awkward and while she constantly makes mention of her painful shyness, there wasn't really much evidence of it. Lucas is a complex character, he's secretive, protective, hot-tempered, abrasive and not at all conventional which I really liked but he's not without a certain vulnerability. There's an immediate connection between Bianca & Lucas, their friendship develops into love but the road to true love is not without some major speed bumps. The secondary characters are all quite interesting but the character I wanted more of was Balthazar. I have my fingers crossed that Balthazar will be a character in the forefront of Stargazer.

The ending, while not a cliffhanger leaves many unanswered questions obviously setting the scene for Stargazer and I for one am keen to find out where this series is going.

Next books in the Evernight series:

• Stargazer (March 2009)
• Hourglass (March 2010)
• Afterlife

Visit Claudia Gray's website to find out more.

To celebrate my 1st Blogoversary two lucky readers can take their pick from a choice of 6 books in this month's spookalicious competition. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.

Teaser Tuesday

MizB of Should Be Reading hosts this cool weekly event. Grab your current read. Let the book fall open to a random page.

Share (2) “teaser” sentences from that page. Share the title & author of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR list if they like your teaser. Please avoid spoilers!



THE E-MAILS ALWAYS began the same way.

Hi Auden!!

It was the extra exclamation point that got me. My mother would call it extraneous, overblown, exuberant. To me, it was simply annoying, just like everything else about my stepmother, Heidi.


Something a little bit different, page 1, the first paragraph of Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen




To celebrate my 1st Blogoversary two lucky readers can take their pick from a choice of 6 books in this month's spookalicious competition. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.

1st Blogoversary Giveaway - Spookalicious!

This month's competition is SPOOKALICIOUS in celebration of my 1st Blogoversary and in keeping with Halloween. In my year of blogging I've made wonderful friends across the world, received loads of support & encouragement, developed a loyal following of readers & had heaps of fun so to say a heartfelt thank you Two Lucky Readers will win the book of their choice from above.  There may also be a surprise or two during the month as my eldest son turns 18 on the 31st October. A Halloween baby (and how!!)

This month I've included a choice of books with a paranormal theme from authors I love and authors I'd love to try. (I also have trouble picking just one book so my solution is to leave the decision to you lol.)

Good luck choosing! All books are brand new and the winners choice will be purchased by me from The Book Depository in the UK or the US specifically for the winner.

Blaze of Memory by Nalini Singh
Psy-Changeling book 7
(Release Date: November 3rd, paperback)

Nalini Singh returns to the Psy/Changeling world and its "breathtaking blend of passion, adventure, and the paranormal" as a woman without a past becomes the pawn of a man who controls her future...

Dev Santos discovers her unconscious and battered, with no memory of who she is. All she knows is that she’s dangerous. Charged with protecting his people’s most vulnerable secrets, Dev is duty-bound to eliminate all threats. It’s a task he’s never hesitated to complete…until he finds himself drawn to a woman who might yet prove the enemy’s most insidious weapon.

Stripped of her memories by a shadowy oppressor, and programmed to carry out cold-blooded murder, Katya Haas is fighting desperately for her sanity itself. Her only hope is Dev. But how can she expect to gain the trust of a man who could very well be her next target? For in this game, one must die.

Shadowlight - a Novel of the Kindred by Lynn Viehl

(1st October paperback)

"New York Times"-bestselling author Viehl reveals the secret progeny of the Darkyn: the Kyndred, ordinary people unaware that they've been altered by vampire DNA, but who are destined to become the next generation of heroes.

On The Edge by Ilona Andrews

The Edge book 1

(September 29th, paperback)

Rose Drayton lives on the Edge, between the world of the Broken (where people drive cars, shop at Wal-Mart, and magic is a fairy tale) and the Weird (where blueblood aristocrats rule, changelings roam, and the strength of your magic can change your destiny). Only Edgers like Rose can easily travel from one world to the next, but they never truly belong in either.

Rose thought if she practiced her magic, she could build a better life for herself. But things didn't turn out how she planned, and now she works a minimum wage, off the books job in the Broken just to survive. Then Declan Camarine, a blueblood noble straight out of the deepest part of the Weird, comes into her life, determined to have her (and her power).

But when a terrible danger invades the Edge from the Weird, a flood of creatures hungry for magic, Declan and Rose must work together to destroy them, or the beasts will devour the Edge and everyone in it . . .

 

Give Up The Ghost by Megan Crewe
(15th September, hardcover)

Cass McKenna much prefers the company of ghosts over "breathers." Ghosts are uncomplicated and dependable, and they know the dirt on everybody... and Cass loves dirt. She's on a mission to expose the dirty secrets of the poseurs in her school.

But when the vice president of the student council discovers her secret, Cass's whole scheme hangs in the balance. Tim wants her to help him contact his recently deceased mother, and Cass reluctantly agrees.

As Cass becomes increasingly entwined in Tim's life, she's surprised to realize he's not so bad--and he needs help more desperately than anyone else suspects. Maybe it's time to give the living another chance...

Intertwined by Gena Showalter
(1st September, hardcover)

Most sixteen-year-olds have friends. Aden Stone has four human souls living inside him:

One can time-travel.

One can raise the dead.

One can tell the future.

And one can possess another human.

With no other family and a life spent in and out of institutions, Aden and the souls have become friends. But now, they’re causing him all kinds of trouble.



My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent

Soul Screamers book 1

She doesn't see dead people, but…

She senses when someone near her is about to die. And when that happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder. Literally.

Kaylee just wants to enjoy having caught the attention of the hottest guy in school. But a normal date is hard to come by when Nash seems to know more about her need to scream than she does. And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason, only Kaylee knows who'll be next…

Here's how to enter:

Competition is international & only open to followers of this blog!

(if you're not a follower & you'd like to enter just click on the follow button on the right hand side of my blog - easy peasy)

Leave a comment, telling me which book takes your fancy & please include your email address with your comment ~ no email - no entry!

+ 2 entries, post about this give-away on your blog and leave me a link

+ 1 entry, post the giveaway on the sidebar of your blog, tweet about it etc etc and let me know

Competition ends October 31st and the winner will be announced on this blog. Good luck to everyone!

I hope you enjoy the monthly give-aways on The Eclectic Reader. I purchase books to give away as a way of supporting my favourite authors and to give a little something back to loyal readers! Watch my blog for upcoming reviews of these books.