Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Genre: YA Dystopian
Series: Delirium #1
Publication Date: Feb 1st 2011
Pages: 440
Book Source:  HarperTeen & NetGalley

Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -the deliria- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

Review:

WOW! I fell in love with Delirium upon reading the synopsis and I'm so glad I wasn't disappointed after turning the final page. I know some have found it a little slow to start but I have to say I found it 'unputdownable' ... Haunting, addictive, beautiful ... I inhaled it!

Portland, Maine, where love is a disease, amor deliria nervosa, and the cure is something akin to a lobotomy. Where society is made up of the cured and those under 18 yet to receive the cure, and then there's the invalids, those who refuse to conform, those who escape to the wilds. I loved the world-building but I would also have loved to know the catalyst dictating this incredible change in society. Now the story is not without discrepancies and implausibilities but surprisingly I was able to look past these and be completely transported.

The pace is fitting with Lena as narrator, as she moves from fearful to courageous, from conformist to questioning, to risk taking and outright rebellion, the pace ramps accordingly and I cheered her on. Lena and Hana's friendship has real ups and downs but the cornerstone of this novel is the blossoming love between Lena and Alex and it's oh so beautifully written. Oliver's prose is simple and complex, sad and uplifting, effortless and powerful but above all; beautiful.

"my heart is drumming in my chest so hard it aches, but it's the good kind of ache, like the feeling you get on the first real day of autum, when the air is crisp and the leaves are all flaring at the edges and the wind smells just vaguely of smoke - like the end and the beginning of something all at once."

And finally ... Waaah!!! Stamps feet and pouts; cliffhanger tantrum in progress. I commend Lauren Oliver for the breathtaking ending but one can only hold one's breath for so long and I loathe to be left hanging :(

I enjoyed Before I Fall but Delirium was so much more and I'll be waiting with bated breath for Pandemonium in 2012

Visit Lauren Oliver's website and blog to find out more about this talented author and her work.

This month on The Eclectic Reader 2 readers will win a copy of Delirium by Lauren Oliver or The Tudor Secret by C W Gortner, or Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning. Check this blog post for details. Open Internationally.

2010 The Year That Was

Well another wonderful year of blogging has come to an end, many of you know that for me 2010 has been a year of new personal challenges, nurtured friendships, new beginnings and a new found peace and happiness. Admittedly some of the new 'challenges' limited my reading for a while but hey that's life. I am grateful for all that I have in my life, my family, my friends, the best and the worst times, the good, the bad, the sad, and the ugly; it's all helped shape who I am and I'm looking forward to 2011 with hope and happiness.

Wishing all my bloggy friends love and laughter in 2011, be kind and stay safe.

In 2010 I:

~ recovered from major surgery

~ began my recovery from an emotionally abusive marriage

~ added a furry member to our family

~ earned a google degree in pool repairs and maintenance

~ became stronger and happier

~ had some heartbreaking sad and side-splitting funny times with my best friend

~ read 72 books

~ completed 11 challenges

~ bombed out on 6 challenges

~ read some of the best YA fiction around and surprisingly some awesome general fiction

Challenges completed:

1st in a Series Challenge
2nd Challenge
Audiobook Challenge
E-book Challenge
Fantasy Challenge

Finish That Series Challenge
Historical Fiction Challenge

New Author Challenge

YA Challenge
Romance Challenge

RYOB Challenge

Challenges not completed:

100 + Challenge - 72/100 it's the first year in 3 years that I haven't completed this one :(

Aussie Author Challenge - 3/8

Library Challenge - 4/25

Read Your Name Challenge - 4/6

What's In A Name Challenge - 2/6

Wish I'd Read That Challenge - 0/3

I read a lot of wonderful books this year but my favourites ** are linked to their book review so just click on the title to see what I thought.

Historical:

1. Women of Magdalene by Rosemary Poole Carter
2. The Midwife's Tale by Gretchen
3. The Confessions of Catherine de Medici by C W Gortner **
4. Roeing Oaks by Kristina Emmons
5. The Scarlet Lion by Elizabeth Chadwick
6. The Forever Queen by Helen Hollick **
7. The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory

Young Adult:
8. Blue Moon by Alyson Noel
9. Shadowland by Alyson Noel
10. Dark Flame by Alyson Noel
11. Night Star by Alyson Noel
12. Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl **
13. Devoured by Amanda Marrone
14. Glass Houses by Rachel Caine
15. Kisses and Lies by Lauren Henderson
16. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
17. My Love Lies Bleeding by Alyxandra Harvey
18. Stargazer by Claudia Gray
19. The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong **
20. Need by Carrie Jones
21. Captivate by Carrie Jones
22. Forget-Her-Nots by Amy Brecount White
23. Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
24. The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson **
35. Linger by Maggie Stiefvater **
26. Blood Promise by Richelle Mead
27. Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead
28. Stolen by Lucy Christopher **
29. Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott **
30. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
31. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
32. My Soul To Lose  by Rachel Vincent
33. My Soul To Take by Rachel Vincent
34. The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williiams **
35. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
36. Girl, Stolen by April Henry
37. Fallen by Lauren Kate
38. Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink
39. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
40. Delirium by Lauren Oliver ** review Jan 2011
41. Patch by Mucheru Njagu
42. I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

Fantasy:
43. Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris
44. Destined For An Early Grave by Jeaniene Frost **

Romance: Paranormal, Historical, Contemporary
45. A Good Yarn by Debbie Macomber
46. The Twilight Before Christmas by Christine Feehan
47. Witch Fire by Anya Bast
48. Savour The Moment by Nora Roberts
49. Happy Ever After by Nora Roberts

General Fiction:
50. Eternal on the Water by Joseph Monninger **
51. The Crying Tree by Naseem Rakhar **
52. House Rules by Jodi Picoult
53. Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman **
54. Sand In My Eyes by Christine Lemmon
55. Hidden Wives by Claire Avery **
56. The Neurology of Angels by Krista Tibbs
57. Still Missing by Chevy Stevens **
58. The Lies We Told by Diane Chamberlain
59. Stay by Allie Larkin **
60. The Weight Of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf
61. Life From Scratch by Melissa Ford ** review in Jan 2011

Non-Fiction:
62. Your Family Constitution by Scott Gale
63. A Dog Named Slugger by Leigh Brill
64. What I Thought I Knew by Alice Eve Cohen **

Suspense/Thrillers:
65. Burn by Ted Dekker & Erin Healy
66. Saving Max by Antoinette van Heugen
67. Cold Justice by Katherine Howell **
68. The Healers by Thomas Heric
69. Never Let You Go by Erin Healy
70. Damaged by Pamela Callow

Children's Fiction:
71. Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
72. The Adventures of Rusty & Ginger Fox by Tim Ostermeyer

Stay by Allie Larkin

Genre: General Fiction/Chick-lit
Copyright: 2010
Pages: 308
Book Source: Own audio

Synopsis: Savannah “Van” Leone has been in love with Peter Clarke ever since she literally fell head over heels in front of him on the first day of college. Now, six years later, instead of standing across from him at the altar, Van is standing behind her best friend Janie as maid of honor, trying to mask her heartache and guilt as Janie marries the only man she’s ever loved. Before Van’s mother died, she told Van never to let Peter go, but as the couple exchanges vows, Van wonders if her fairy-tale ending will ever come true.

After the wedding, Van drowns her sorrows in Kool-Aid-vodka cocktails and reruns of Rin Tin Tin, and does what any heartbroken woman in her situation would do: She impulsively buys a German Shepherd over the Internet. But the pocket-size puppy Van is expecting turns out to be a clumsy hundred-pound beast who only responds to commands in Slovak. Van is at the end of her rope...until she realizes that this quirky giant may be the only living being who will always be loyal to her, no matter what.

Van affectionately names her dog Joe, and together they work to mend the pieces of Van’s shattered heart. And it certainly doesn’t hurt that Joe’s vet is a rugged sweetheart with floppy blond hair and a winning smile. But when the newlyweds return from their honeymoon, Van is forced to decide just how much she’s willing to sacrifice in order to have everything she ever wanted — proving that sometimes life needs to get more complicated before it can get better.

Review:

I adored this book, it was an absolute hoot and one of my favourites of the year for the pure enjoyment factor! Van is messed up, her mother has died, the man she has loved for years marries her other best friend, she's lonely, miserable and has a fondness for Kool-Aid Vodka cocktails.

When Van over indulges in her beverage of choice, orders a puppy over the internet and awakens with the hangover from hell I was almost rolling on the floor laughing. When Van lets fly with some very unladylike profanity after being knocked into a pile of poop I was giggling like a loon while grocery shopping (and getting some very strange looks) but there's a whole lot more to this story than a much appreciated gigglefest.

In Stay we get an up-close-and-personal view of Van's dysfunctional relationships, losses, loves, friendships and the unconditional love and acceptance she receives from Joe, the new furry member of her family. I was rooting for Van the whole way through, I laughed (a lot) and cried (a little) and cheered as she healed.

Van could easily be the girl next door, or my best friend, or me for that matter, although I'm not a fan of Kool-Aid *snigger* but I do have first hand experience with buying a puppy to mend a broken heart and bring some much needed joy into a family. Larkin's characters are just so real, I know that sounds cliched but they truly are. Louis (Alex's elderly friend) is an absolute darling, I wanted him to be my quirky old friend and Ms Larkin where do I find a vet like Alex??

Have I conveyed just how much I loved Stay? If you like a genuine, touching story with laugh out loud moments then I urge you to pick this one up ... go on, you know you want to :)

PS. Allie's German Shepherd Argo is pictured on the cover of Stay (cool hey)

Visit Allie Larkin's website to find out more about this author and her work

This month on The Eclectic Reader you can win a copy of Entice by Carrie Jones, or The Distant Hours by Kate Morton or The Lost Saint by Bree Despain. Check this blog post for details. Open Internationally.

Still Missing by Chevy Stevens

Genre: Fiction
Copyright: 2010
Pages: 340
Book Source: Own audio

On the day she was abducted, Annie O’Sullivan, a thirty-two year old Realtor, had three goals—sell a house, forget about a recent argument with her mother, and be on time for dinner with her ever- patient boyfriend. The open house is slow, but when her last visitor of the day pulls up in a van as she's about to leave, Annie thinks it just might be her lucky day after all.

Interwoven with the story of the year Annie spent captive of a sadistic psychopath in a remote mountain cabin, which unfolds through sessions with her psychiatrist, is a second narrative recounting events following her escape—her struggle to piece her shattered spirit back together and the ongoing police investigation into the identity of her captor.

The truth doesn’t always set you free.

Review:

What an incredible debut novel, a brilliantly written story that was gripping, raw and intense. The intensity doesn't come from suspense as you know immediately that Annie survives, it comes from the horror of her ordeal, the heart-stopping sense of fear, it comes from the shocking intimate details and the constant wondering ... when will it be over, for Annie and for me.

In sessions with her therapist Annie reveals not only the specifics of her year in captivity but the aftermath of her escape, the gruelling details you don't often hear about. When the person you used to be no longer exists how do you learn to live again?? I really liked the character of Annie, her intelligence, her dark sarcasm; a protective mechanism devolped as a result of the trauma she suffered, her unflagging determination, her honesty and courage.

I think people can be so crushed, so broken, that they'll never be anything more than a fragment of a whole person.

Apart from the obvious traumatic and heartbreaking details tears rolled down my face when Annie described the dog pound where she used to help out. This got to me almost as much as the psychological abuse and physical torture that Annie endured.

This one dog, Bubbles, an ugly little thing with a skin condition was there for ages but as soon as anyone new came in he pranced up to the front of the cage like he was the most beautiful creature in the world ... always hopeful.

 ... I hoped they put Bubbles to sleep before he finally figured out no one was coming for him.

This won't be a story for everyone but it's superbly written and one of my favourites this year; kudos to Chevy Stevens for making it terrifyingly real without being gratuitious. I guess some may find the twist a little far-fetched, but it worked for me; not much surprises me in regards to human disloyalty. And it's worthwhile having a box of tissues handy for the last sentence of the book ... *sob, sob.* I'll be one of the first in line to buy Chevy Stevens' next novel, Never Knowing due for release mid 2011.

Visit Chevy Stevens' website to find out more.

This month on The Eclectic Reader THREE lucky readers will win their choice of books. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.

Stolen: A Letter To My Captor by Lucy Christopher

Genre: Young Adult
Copyright: 2009
Pages: 301
Book Source: Own Purchase

Snyopsis: Gemma, 16, is on layover at Bangkok Airport, en route with her parents to a vacation in Vietnam. She steps away for just a second, to get a cup of coffee. Ty--rugged, tan, too old, oddly familiar--pays for Gemma's drink. And drugs it. They talk. Their hands touch. And before Gemma knows what's happening, Ty takes her. Steals her away. The unknowing object of a long obsession, Gemma has been kidnapped by her stalker and brought to the desolate Australian Outback. STOLEN is her gripping story of survival, of how she has to come to terms with her living nightmare--or die trying to fight it.

My Thoughts:

Stolen was one of the most unique reads I've ever read; disturbing, confusing, complex, thought-provoking and lyrical. Told from Gemma's point of view in the form of a letter to her captor; this unusual format gives the reader an intimate perspective of Gemma's emotions during her captivity. Stolen was unputdownable, I read it in one sitting, reading through until 3am and the story has been on my mind a lot since finishing it.

As an Australian who has spent time in the outback, Lucy Christopher's vivid descriptions of the desert were on the mark, I found myself spellbound by the stark beauty of the setting and Ty's love for the land. I confess that the kindness shown Gemma by Ty while he held her captive, really messed with my head. I can only surmise that Christopher's extraordinary writing elicited a 'reader form' of Stockholm Syndrome. It's far easier to hate a character who is pure evil, as a reader you know what's expected of you. Giving Ty a gentle, intuitive side made me feel unbalanced, it gave the plot and my feelings ... complexity.

I thought the character development was excellent as it has to be when there are really only two characters to focus on. Well, three, if you count the camel who you cannot help but fall in love with. I loved the subtle connection between both Gemma and Ty's experience with being 'Stolen' and the Stolen Generation being removed from their land. Stolen is a haunting and suspenseful read and Lucy Christopher is a new YA voice I thoroughly recommend. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Lucy Christopher was born in Wales but grew up in Australia. Her second novel, Flyaway was published in January 2010. Visit her website to find out more.

This month on The Eclectic Reader one lucky reader can win The Sky Is Everywhere OR Mockingjay OR By Fire, By Water. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.

The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

Genre: YA Fiction
Copyright: 2010
Pages: 300
Book Source: IBT

Synopsis:
Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life—and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey’s boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie’s own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they’re the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can’t collide without the whole wide world exploding.

This remarkable debut is perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Francesca Lia Block. Just as much a celebration of love as it is a portrait of loss, Lennie’s struggle to sort her own melody out of the noise around her is always honest, often hilarious, and ultimately unforgettable.

Review:
Simply breathtaking!! I spent the entire book alternately crying and laughing, goofy smile on my face, tears in my eyes, sighing, giggling, savouring. The Sky Is Everywhere is exquisitely written; it's a book of contrasts exploring love and grief with raw honesty and lyrical beauty, despair and darkness, joy and sunshine, humour, passion, poignancy, I couldn't read it fast enough, I didn't want it to end. It's the first time a book has ever made me wish that I could write, wish that I could so eloquently express on paper exactly how I feel about the 'losses' in my life and how they've shaped who I am.

When I'm with him

there is someone with me

in my house of grief,

someone who knows the architecture as I do,

who can walk with me,

from room to sorrowful room,

making the whole rambling structure

of wind and emptiness

not quite as scary, as lonely

as it was before.

All the future we will not have rips and retches out of me into the garbage pail I am crouched over, until there's nothing left inside, nothing but me in this ghastly orange room. And that's when it hits ...

Without the harbor and mayhem of Toby's arms and the sublime distraction of Joe's, there's only me. Me, like a small seashell with the lonliness of the whole ocean roaring invisibly within.

This is no ordinary YA book, it's an 'ageless' read, that resonated deeply for me. I won't rehash what the story's about, (you can read the synopsis for that) I have too much to rave about as it is. I fell totally in love with all the characters. Lennie, her eccentric Gram with the aphrodisiacal roses, pot-smoking Uncle Big, her sister's boyfriend Toby and of course sweet Joe. In Lennie I recognised a kindred spirit as I'm sure many who have experienced life changing loss would identify. The sex-crazed side of things added a whole other dimension of confusion and guilt for Lennie but I confess it brought me lots of laughs.

"I thought maybe we could hang out," he says.

This is what I hear in my mind: boner, boner, erection, hard-on, woody, boner, boner, boner.

The Sky Is Everywhere is a beautiful five star read, a favourite for 2010 and one I know I'll re-read again and again, (something I rarely do.) It has earned a place on my bookshelf and captured a special place in my heart. Have I conveyed how much I loved this book? I truly hope so.

I'll be waiting with bated breath for more from Jandy Nelson. Visit Jandy's website to find out more about this talented author.

 

This month on The Eclectic Reader one lucky reader can win Linger OR Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage OR The Confessions of Catherine de Medici OR Eternal on the Water. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.

The Confessions of Catherine de Medici by C.W. Gortner - Review & Giveaway

Genre: Historical Fiction
Copyright: May 2010
Pages: 397
Book Source: Pump Up Your Book

Synopsis: The truth is, none of us are innocent. We all have sins to confess.

So reveals Catherine de Medici in this brilliantly imagined novel about one of history’s most powerful and controversial women. To some she was the ruthless queen who led France into an era of savage violence. To others she was the passionate savior of the French monarchy. Acclaimed author C. W. Gortner brings Catherine to life in her own voice, allowing us to enter into the intimate world of a woman whose determination to protect her family’s throne and realm plunged her into a lethal struggle for power.

The last legitimate descendant of the illustrious Medici line, Catherine suffers the expulsion of her family from her native Florence and narrowly escapes death at the hands of an enraged mob. While still a teenager, she is betrothed to Henri, son of François I of France, and sent from Italy to an unfamiliar realm where she is overshadowed and humiliated by her husband’s lifelong mistress. Ever resilient, Catherine strives to create a role for herself through her patronage of the famous clairvoyant Nostradamus and her own innate gift as a seer. But in her fortieth year, Catherine is widowed, left alone with six young children as regent of a kingdom torn apart by religious discord and the ambitions of a treacherous nobility.

Relying on her tenacity, wit, and uncanny gift for compromise, Catherine seizes power, intent on securing the throne for her sons. She allies herself with the enigmatic Protestant leader Coligny, with whom she shares an intimate secret, and implacably carves a path toward peace, unaware that her own dark fate looms before her—a fate that, if she is to save France, will demand the sacrifice of her ideals, her reputation, and the passion of her embattled heart.

From the fairy-tale châteaux of the Loire Valley to the battlefields of the wars of religion to the mob-filled streets of Paris, The Confessions of Catherine de Medici is the extraordinary untold journey of one of the most maligned and misunderstood women ever to be queen.

Review:

Well firstly, I have a little confession of my own to make; I've looked forward to The Confessions of Catherine de Medici with much anticipation and yes I admit a certain degree of trepidation. C.W. Gortner's debut novel, The Last Queen was one of my favourite reads last year and my favourite historical novel of the year so I confess to an element of fear regarding his new novel ... would it be just as captivating, would it surpass my expectations? (phew, the pressure!) Well I'm ecstatic to tell you that my fears were completely unfounded, I loved The Confessions of Catherine de Medici. It is C.W. Gortner doing what he does best, combining meticulous research & historical accuracy with eloquence, emotion & excitement, to bring us a humanised take on the legend of Catherine de Medici.

Even though I've read a bit about this time frame in history and know of the French Wars of Religion, before reading this novel I knew little about Catherine apart from her part in the St Bartholomew's Day massacre where thousands of Heugenots (Protestants or so-called heretics) were slaughtered.

Catherine is forced into marriage to forge an alliance between Italy & France, wed at age 14 to Henri, the second son of King Francois I of France. Spanning the years 1527 to 1589 we hear in Catherine's voice of her personal & political travails, successes and sorrows, her strange 'bedfellows', her attempts to cultivate tolerance and peace between Catholic & Heugenot, her sacrifices for the good of France and her quest to safeguard the throne for her sons.

Throughout history many have found it easier to believe the stories that vilify & condemn rather than challenge prejudices but this is a portrayal that shows a very human and believable side to Catherine, it doesn't randomly justify her actions but shines a light of understanding on many of her choices, right or wrong.

"It was the price of privilege, of our roles as royal women. Before comfort, before hopes and dreams, our countries must come first."

The Confessions of Catherine de Medici was almost impossible to put down, I found myself immersed in the rich tapestry of history, intrigue and emotion. When a novel takes you on a journey, a journey you want to prolong & savour, when you finish with a sigh because the journey is at an end, when you feel sated with knowledge but inspired to learn more, then I believe the author has done his job brilliantly.

Bravo Christopher, your novels have earned a place on my bookshelf with other favoured historical fiction writers; Dorothy Dunnett, Michelle Moran, Elizabeth Chadwick, Sharon Penman.

Christopher is currently working on The Princess Isabella, a historical novel about Isabella of Castile and The Tudor Secret, the first book in his new Tudor suspense series, The Elizabeth I Spymaster Chronicles to be published January 2011.

You can find out more about C.W. Gortner & his work by visiting his website and blog Historical Boys. While you're there be sure to check out the Q & A about this book.

Thank you to C.W. Gortner & Cheryl of Pump Up Your Book for my copy of The Confessions of Catherine de Medici and for allowing me to participate in the tour.

Click on the title to see my review of C.W. Gortner's first book The Last Queen.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

I am thrilled to be able to offer readers a chance to win a copy of The Confessions Of Catherine de Medici thanks to the generosity of C.W. Gortner. Christopher will personalise the UK copy of his novel and post to the winner. Open internationally - woohoo!!

HOW TO ENTER:

Competition is only open to followers of this blog. (so 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 with an email address to be entered in the giveaway

+ 2 comment on C.W. Gortner's fascinating guest post and let me know.

+ 2 post this giveaway on your blog, sidebar, twitter etc & leave me a link

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

Cold Justice by Katherine Howell

Genre: Suspense/Thriller
Copyright: Feb 2010
Pages: 329
Book Source: Library borrow

A teenage girl stumbles across the body of her classmate, Tim Pieters, hidden amongst the bushes. His family is devastated, the killer is never found.

Eighteen years later, political pressure sees the murder investigation reopened. Detective Ella Marconi tracks down Georgie Riley, the student who found the body, and who is now a paramedic. Georgie seems to be telling the truth, so then why does Ella receive an anonymous phone call insisting that Georgie knows more? And is it mere coincidence that her ambulance partner, Freya, also went to the same high school?

Katherine Howell has done it again and brilliantly. Cold Justice is a compelling, multi-layered read that combines "all that is good" from this author. Howell's attention to detail is once again, meticulous. The sights, smells, sounds and emotions of the paramedic scene are visceral, the next best thing to actually being there. When an author writes what she knows and a reader feels like a participant rather than an observer, I think it's safe to say the author has done her job superbly! 

I don't know how Katherine Howell ties the many threads of this finely crafted suspense into a cohesive and engrossing story that remains realistic but I guess I don't have to know; my job is to hang on tight and enjoy the ride. Detective Ella Marconi (from Howell's previous novels, Frantic & Darkest Hour) returns again in Cold Justice and is assigned a cold case, the unsolved murder of Tim Pieters and what follows is an insighful look at police procedure and the paramedic environment. We get an intimate view of the personal and work lives of Ella & paramedics Georgie and Freya and feel the pain of a family haunted by tragedy. With red herrings thrown in to keep the suspense high and the reader off balance this is one thrilling read! 

Aussie author Katherine Howell is on my official auto-read list so I was excited to learn her next book Violent Exposure, the fourth in the Detective Ella Marconi series, is due for release in December 2010. To find out more about this author and her work visit her website.

Click on the titles to see my reviews of Katherine's previous works FRANTIC (2007) & DARKEST HOUR (2008)

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Series: Book 1
Copyright: Dec 2009
Pages: 576
Book Source: Birthday present from Alaine - Queen of Happy Endings

Some loves are meant to be…

others are cursed.

There were no surprises in Gatlin County.
At least, that’s what I thought.
Turns out, I couldn’t have been more wrong.
There was a curse.
There was a girl.
And in the end,
there was a grave.

I loved, loved, LOVED Beautiful Creatures. It was unputdownable, 576 pages breezed by and I was completely enthralled. Hooked from page 1, there wasn't one page, not one moment that dragged. Haunting, darkly romantic, unique and mysterious, this was a beautifully written tale, a story to completely lose yourself in.

This southern gothic novel is set in the small town of Gatlin where history is revered, outsiders are shunned, prejudices run deep and secrets abound. It's told from Ethan's point of view which was refreshingly different, and I have to say I totally bought the story through Ethan's eyes. He's sensitive and sweet and he adores Lena, which reminded me of my 18 year old son who is smitten with his girlfriend and writes her poetry even though he's a typical testosterone loaded guy. I'm not going to give away the details of the mortals and not-so-mortals or the intricacies of the magic but I can tell you it isn't like anything I've read before. Lena & Ethan must battle generations of secrets and curses to decide their fate and their future.

I loved the unique world created by Garcia & Stohl, I loved the rich, addictive writing, I loved the star-crossed love story, I loved the dark, slightly sinister feel throughout the novel and I loved the suspense created by the countdown, I loved the role the history of Gatlin played in the story and if you've read to Kill a Mockingbird, you'll love the references to this classic; the reclusive Boo Radley, the similarities between Gatlin & Maycomb.

Beautiful Creatures has so many wonderfully developed characters, not only Ethan and Lena but Macon, Lena's uncle, Amma, Ethan's substitute grandma, and Ethan's best mate, Link who I found just adorable and totally hilarious. Two quotes that particularly tickled my funny bone -

this one from Link;

"Shut up. You're so whipped I should buy you a saddle."

and this from Macon;

"I suppose I am a snob. I loathe towns. I loathe townspeople. They have small minds and giant backsides ... They're junk food. Fatty, but ultimately, terribly unsatisfying."

Garcia and Stohl give readers a seamless and totally addictive story, it's a 'keeper' on my bookshelf. I'm dying to read the next installment so all I can say is ... write fast!

Warner Brothers has acquired the rights to Beautiful Creatures *woohoo* what a brilliant movie it'll make. To find out more about Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl and their work visit their website.

This month on The Eclectic Reader one lucky reader can win The Iron King OR Ecstasy Unveiled OR Captive of Sin. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.

Eternal On The Water by Joseph Monninger

Genre: General Fiction, Romance
Release Date: February 16th 2010
Pages: 344
Book Source: ARC from Barnes & Nobel First Look Club

From the day Jonathan Cobb and Mary Fury meet on the banks of Maine’s Allagash River, they approach life with the same adventurous spirit with which they conquer the river’s treacherous rapids. But rivers do not let go so easily. And so for them, the life they love demands equally that they confront the most difficult of choices, and they vow, when time and illness necessitate, to return to the river together so that Mary can make one final journey. Set against the rugged wilderness of Maine, the exotic islands of Indonesia, the sweeping panoramas of Yellowstone National Park, and the tranquil villages of rural New England, Eternal on The Water is at once heartbreaking and uplifting—a timeless, beautifully rendered story of true love’s power.

Eternal on the Water is a beautiful, graceful, sad, whimsical, funny, joyful story and I absolutely fell in love with it. As I came to the last few chapters I read slower and slower not just because I knew I'd cry buckets at the ending but because I wanted to savour the feelings this story evoked. It's a book about 'Yeti' love, about life and really living it.

"... Yeti love. You never expect to see it, but you've heard it's out there and it might just be a legend. But you keep looking for it anyway."

"You don't value a fire any less because someday it will go out."

I don't want to give too much away because this is truly a book you have to experience yourself to appreciate its beauty. Joseph Monninger begins Eternal on the Water with the ending but I can tell you that knowing the ending and seeing the ending play out, are two very different things. Mary and Cobb felt real to me, more than characters in a book, and when you're emotionally invested & connected taking the journey with them is so much more than just ... knowing. This story reinforces my belief in the well known quote "it's the journey that matters, not the destination."

Monninger's storytelling is a gift, the vivid imagery, the beautiful descriptions of nature, the quirky myths & tales of bears and crows, put you right in the moment. I don't even like crows and yet I found myself captivated by Mary's enthusiasm and love for corvids (crows & ravens.) This story would not be what it is without the Chungamunga girls, and even though I can't explain their significance without giving away spoilers, they play an integral part, both heartwarming and heartwrenching. I'm sure each person reading Eternal on the Water will take something different from the seamless blend of laughter, tears, joy, and sadness and I'm sure my review can't possibly do this story justice, so please read it yourself and decide.

Eternal on the Water touched my heart and the story has stayed with me long after the last page was turned. It invites you to believe in love at first sight, it inspires you to celebrate life, to value each and every moment, to live each day to the fullest and find joy in the simple things. It's one of those special stories you want everyone to love, just as much as you do.

Visit Joseph Monninger's website to learn more about this author and his work.

This month on The Eclectic Reader one lucky reader can win The Iron King OR Ecstasy Unveiled OR Captive of Sin. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.