Same Image

Just saw the cover for Melina Marchetta’s The Piper’s Son, and it looked familiar. It is – this is the cover of Pete Murray’s Passing Time DVD, released a handful of years ago.

[REVIEW] Shiver – Maggie Stiefvater

Maggie Stiefvater
Shiver (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, Book 1)
Scholastic (US: 1st August 2009; UK: 5th October 2009)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)

Sam Roth is struggling to remain in human form. When winter comes, he’ll change into a wolf and stay that way forever. After six years, Grace Brisbane has finally connected with him, and she can’t stand to let him go. And so begins a final desperate attempt to find a cure.

Maggie Stiefvater has put enormous thought into her werewolves, eclipsing in my mind Kelley Armstrong’s, who’ve been my mainstay for so long. The romance doesn’t work for me, and neither does the poetry, but I’m left-brained and clearly not creative.

Also, what is up with all the shoddy parenting? After what happened to Grace as a child, her parents should’ve glued themselves to her – it’s the logical reaction. Instead, they pull further away. A plot device to get the adults out of the picture so Grace and Sam can sleep together every night? And Grace goes on about how her parents just don’t want to be with her, but when her mother reaches out to her, Grace rejects her and sticks with Sam. She claims it’s too little too late, but her mum was trying to meet her halfway, and Grace just stuck up her nose. If you want attention, don’t be a bitch when you finally get it – just take what you can get.

As for Sam’s parents…it’s heartbreaking, of course. As for his adopted family of wolves…there’s some effed-up shiz there. Why he became a werewolf. How his irises have been yellow since birth (Logical Brain says no). Shelby – jealous wannabe-lover plots just don’t work for me; too over the top. Paul’s an intriguing character, though, and I’d like to learn more about the latest batch of wolves.

Isabel’s parents have issues, too. Her dad is a trigger happy gun nut, as are others in Mercy Falls, including Grace’s dad. I’m very anti-guns, or at least against citizens who use them, and this novel does nothing to dispel the stereotype/myth that America’s gun laws are rather free-range. Isabel’s mum works in a clinic for the disadvantaged, and there clearly isn’t any security going on in there.

The characters may not ring true, and some things seem rather convenient, but there’s no denying that Shiver is one hell of a page-turner, an addictive read. Linger‘s July release can’t come soon enough.

Tez, Where You At?

This WordPress needs some personal faff. The REALLY personal faff is over at http://tezmillertm.livejournal.com Don’t post there often, but still. And thus my really personal Tweets are over at http://twitter.com/TezMillerTM

The creation of these accounts was sparked by a number of reasons, but most of all organisation. You know how obsessive I am with my book lists, and I’m trying to extend that to my other Internet activity. Basically I’m trying to cut down my Internet time, and the most effective way that I can see is to cut down on people’s blogs and Tweets. But I’m much more likely to read your blog than your Twitter, so be sure to keep your blog regularly updated with all the important shiz. Because after 40 pages of Following Tweets, Twitter stops showing anything earlier. Which means I’ve missed Tweets.

Did a big LJ cull yesterday. Once upon a time I followed every single Fangs, Fur & Fey member, even if their books didn’t sound like my thing. In case they later sell a novel that’s more my thing. But it is a timesink. Maybe this reorganisation is also a timesink. The ones I cut weren’t following me anyway, so that’s no issue.

But I like reading LiveJournal a lot more than Twitter and Facebook. Quality, rather than quantity. As for writing, I’m much more of a Twitterer. Because my thoughts are short shiz. And if I blogged daily, it would mostly be What Grinds My Gears, because a lot of things piss me off on a daily basis. The Internet probably doesn’t need any more bitching. There’s a feck of a load already.

Also, I’ve been thinking of getting back to writing, but it’s been two or more years, and I have no self-confidence in my abilities, even armed with new knowledge. I could really do with a mentor. One that I don’t have to pay with the money. Like I can’t join RWA, because I don’t have the money. Like I won’t be attending AussieCon4, even though it’s in my Melbourne, because I don’t have the money. But I’ve chosen a setting, and have been researching the hell out of it (have spent hours on Google Maps), and I’ve posted some stuff about that over at http://tezmillertm.livejournal.com

Any questions? Any requests for blog topics? Want me to guest-blog for you? Let’s talk.

Stay cool, and have a lovely day!

[REVIEW] All Souls’ Night – Jennifer Armintrout

Jennifer Armintrout
All Souls’ Night (Blood Ties, Book 4)
Harlequin MIRA (US: 1st June 2008)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)

The Soul Eater needs a couple more souls before he can become a god, and he has some particular ones in mind. From Grand Rapids to Chicago and Italy, All Souls’ Night tracks the battle to prevent a Godpocalypse.

I last read a Blood Ties book two years ago, and while this is a decent catch-up, there’s still a muddle. So each vampire has two hearts: one human, and one vampire. The human heart is not required, and sires like to keep their fledglings’ hearts as some sort of power thing? The vampire heart may explain why vampires can bleed and shag, but I’m still confused.

Max and Dahlia are not at their most awesome here. The melodrama with Bella’s family just doesn’t seem to belong amongst the hardcore soul eating story. This also could’ve done without Ziggy’s point of view, though his relationship with Bill is sweet. Bill and Henry are both welcome additions to the series, but Carrie isn’t at her cleverest. She makes an obvious mistake here, but is supremely cool when in the doctor zone.

A heart transplant, skin grafts, golems, zombies, and some hot m/m shagging are the highlights of this sometimes difficult novel. The pace is slow at first, but definitely picks up as the ritual draws nearer. The golems provide welcome humour, and happily remind me of the clones in a Simpsons Halloween special.

Though the ending is a little too HEA, All Souls’ Night is a fitting finale for this effed-up four-part series. Check my favourite quote, from page 251: It was depressing to think that people actually chose to spend their free time this way, all trying to out-goth each other with their Hot Topic wardrobes and grossly inflated attitudes of made-up depression.

[REVIEW] The Diamond of Darkhold – Jeanne DuPrau

Jeanne DuPrau
The Diamond of Darkhold (Ember, Book 4)
Random House Yearling (US & CA: 23rd March 2010)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)

Lina and Doon are struggling through winter when they obtain a book meant for the people of Ember. Only most of the pages have been torn out, and only eight pages remain, mostly graphs. And Sparks is running out of supplies, so Doon and Lina return to Ember to learn and gather what they can. But there’s a new danger in their underground city…

I love The City of Ember and The People of Sparks. I skipped the prequel, The Prophet of Yonwood, but the only reference to that is in the epilogue here. The Diamond of Darkhold is by all means a great read, but lacks the emotional connection that made the first two books so fabulous. The characters are clearly presented as good or bad, missing those shades of grey vital to avoid the players seeming like cardboard cut-outs.

I love the Ember books for bringing important worldwide issues to young readers. I love the futuristic and realistic settings. I love the affable characters. Buy this series for any tween, but most importantly for you. Many thanks to Jeanne DuPrau for creating and writing this awesomeness.

[REVIEW] Immortal – P. C. Cast with Leah Wilson (eds.)

P. C. Cast with Leah Wilson (eds.)
Immortal (Anthology)
BenBella (US: 6th October 2009)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)

Ordinarily, I’m not much for anthologies. Generally speaking, the more contributors, the less bothered I am to read every story. Thus this collection of eight YA vampire romances is a welcome surprise. It hasn’t made me chase up every author’s backlist, but I read each short.

Cynthia Leitich Smith’s “Haunted Love” is memorable and cringe-free. Kristin Cast’s “Amber Smoke” is good, before readers’ attention wanes. Rachel Caine’s “Dead Man Stalking” gives insight into effed-up family relations. Tanith Lee’s “Table Manners” has wonderful psychological depth, but the lead character talks to the reader. Richelle Mead’s “Blue Moon” is a treat. Nancy Holder’s “Changed” steps up when the characters hit the high school gym. Rachel Vincent’s “Binge” is gold. And Claudia Gray’s “Free” provides a view into race relations in pre-Civil War US.

Despite both vampires and romances not being my cup of tea, Immortal is a strong collection with something for everyone. The quality varies from good to great, but every story is worth reading.

March 2010 Releases

Done with February 2010 Releases? Here are the March 2010 Releases. To look further into the future, check my Reading Wishlist.

[REVIEW] Inside Out – Maria V. Snyder

Maria V. Snyder
Inside Out
HarlequinTEEN (US: 1st April 2010)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)

Trella lives as a scrub in the lower levels of Inside, but the Queen of the Pipes can access the upper levels thanks to her air duct navigating prowess. Rumours of Outside have circulated, various prophets proclaiming that all will be revealed in the millionth week. Enough of the waiting – within Inside’s computer system are files pinpointing the Gateway’s location. Trella has a lot of duct work to do…

The concept is by far the novel’s drawcard: futuristic, dystopian, and mysterious. Life Inside is stark, technological, and effed-up. But the settings are difficult to visualise, and the devices not fully explained. Drops that can change iris colour? And other drops that can restore iris colour to its original hue? Colour me confused.

Predictably, my favourite characters are Sheepy and Mama Sheepy

Inside Out brings up more spoilerish questions than answers, therefore making next year’s sequel a must-have. For the time being, I remain befuddled.

[REVIEW] The People of Sparks – Jeanne DuPrau

Jeanne DuPrau
The People of Sparks (Ember, Book 2)
Random House (US & CA: 12th April 2005; UK: 2nd February 2006; AU: 3rd April 2006)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)

Four hundred people from Ember have made it into the outside world, to a town where they’ve decided to integrate. The people of Sparks, however, have different ideas. They feed, house, and train the refugees, but supplies are dwindling and tension is rising.

Jeanne DuPrau brings up some big issues in a non-preachy way. Warfare, refugees, greed, hunger, toil, secrets, and lies are all major players, but the characters make these elements work. Lina and Doon are definitely flawed, but stick with them and they’ll come through. Realistic, relevant, thoughtful, entertaining, and emotional, The People of Sparks is a brilliant sequel to tough-to-beat The City of Ember. I’ve already reserved my copy of The Diamond of Darkhold…

[PROMO] Vivian Arend’s CLAIMING DERRYN & Lexxie Couper’s TIMELESS WRAITH

Looking for something to warm up your winter, or celebrate the summer heat Down Under? Vivian Arend and Lexxie Couper are spanning the globe to bring you two stories that are sure to make you sweat. Viv and Lexxie are both members of International Heat, and while their stories are not connected in any way, they happen to have drawn the same release day at Ellora’s Cave. What better reason to get together to celebrate?

Viv:

I’m very excited to be able to have Claiming Derryn available to you. This is my first futuristic novella, my first m/m/f, and my first release from Ellora’s Cave. Claiming Derryn is about three friends – and lovers during their days at the Space Institute – who were suddenly separated. Now rejoined in the midst of a rebel uprising, the lines between the good guys and the bad are extremely blurred. Surviving the situation is the goal, even as they find love. Oh, and if you’ve ever seen Star Trek‘s “The Trouble with Tribbles” you’ll understand when I say the “sharysa” are my salute to Star Trek.

It’s a hot, wild ride through the galaxy. Be prepared for a passion that’s out of this world.

Lexxie:

There must be something seriously wrong with me. I love writing stories that are dark and twisted, quite disturbing and full of wild dangerous sex. Enter Timeless Wrath. I wrote Timeless Wrath years ago and it was previously released as a novella called Deadly Sins: Anger. It won numerous awards (including the JERR Silver Star Award) but remained unknown to the reading public. However Evron and Ricki’s tale DEMANDED to be heard and, after quite a lot of rewrites, my most erotic book to date comes to you from Ellora’s Cave.

Timeless Wrath has just about everything you’d expect in a Lexxie Couper book – lots of explosive sex, tormented heroes, lots of wild sex, a villain that’ll scare the pants right off you, lots of passionate sex and a love story fated by the Highest of Powers. (Oh, and lots of sex. Did I mention that?)

I should warn you though. Timeless Wrath isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s violent, at times scary and has been known to cause nightmares…and wicked, wet dreams

Vivian Arend
Claiming Derryn (eBook)
Ellora’s Cave (US: 10th February 2010)
Buy
When a trade negotiation goes wrong, Melina Davenport is sure she’ll end up either a causality of war or a sex slave. Discovering one of her missing partners, Trev, is the new leader of the rebels who have captured her adds insult to injury. And what the hell does he think he’s doing, ripping her clothes away and touching her in front of the Derryn rebels? She was so going to kick his ass. But when her former lover whisks her away to a reunion with their third, Davis – now captain of the notorious outlaw vessel Nottingham – she has to decide if she wants to join her two lovers in their important but less-than-legal activities. Time is running out. The authorities are hunting them, the rebels are bomb crazy and the local fauna is reproducing at an astonishing rate aboard their vessel. If they don’t find a solution soon, they can kiss the universe goodbye.

Lexxie Couper
Timeless Wrath (eBook)
Ellora’s Cave (US: 10th February 2010)
Buy
Beatrice “Rickie” Sullivan is every man’s fantasy. Drop-dead gorgeous, she exudes a sensuality none can ignore. More than just a stunning face and body, she’s intelligent, kind, gentle…and madly, inexplicably in love with Evron, a man she’s known mere hours. Evron McKenzie is troubled, struggling with undeniable anger that scorches though his veins. And the irrational feeling he is someone else, something more. Someone rich, powerful…someone to fear. But in Rickie’s arms, Evron may have finally found his place in the world. At last he is at peace. So who is the seductive redhead who invades Evron’s dreams? Why does she urge him to touch a mysterious sculpture – a sculpture that seems to radiate death and sin? How can she make him hornier than he’s ever been in his life with just a look, and at the same time turn his anger into bloody, murderous rage? And, more frighteningly, why can’t he resist her?