Cover Reveal ~ Dreams of God's & Monsters

Dreams of God's & Monster's by Laini Taylor

Expected Published April 2014

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Goodreads

In this thrilling conclusion to the Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy, Karou is still not ready to forgive Akiva for killing the only family she's ever known. When a brutal angel army trespasses into the human world, Karou and Akiva must ally their enemy armies against the threat--and against larger dangers that loom on the horizon. They begin to hope that it might forge a way forward for their people. And, perhaps, for themselves--maybe even toward love. From the streets of Rome to the caves of the Kirin and beyond, humans, chimaera, and seraphim will fight, strive, love, and die in an epic theater that transcends good and evil, right and wrong, friend and enemy.

Brief Excerpt:

"Step right up, worlds, thought Karou, get your disaster here! She cast again around the table, but she was surrounded by warriors in the midst of a war council, and everything that had been decided here could be filed under “Of course, idiot. What did you think was going to happen?” Still, she tried. She said, “There is no acceptable level of collateral damage. And, humans aside, what about us? How many of us will die?” “As many as necessary,” responded Liraz from across the table, and Karou wanted to shake the gorgeous ice queen angel of death. “What if none of it is necessary?” she demanded. “What if there’s another way?” “Do you have another idea?” And, of course, Karou didn’t. Her grudging admission—“Not yet.”—was bitter. “If you think of any, I’m sure you’ll let us know.” Oh, the slice of her gaze, that sardonic, dismissive tone. Karou felt the angel’s hatred like a slap. Did she deserve it? She darted a glance at Akiva, but he wasn’t looking at her. It was beginning to feel as though he would never look at her again. “If we’re through here,” cut in Thiago, “we have resurrections to perform before we move.” And that was it. Thought Karou as the council broke up: Cue apocalypse."

About the Author:

Laini Taylor is the New York Times bestselling author of Days of Blood & Starlight, Daughter of Smoke & Bone, the Dreamdark books Blackbringer and Silksinger, and the National Book Award finalist Lips Touch: Three Times. She lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband, illustrator Jim Di Bartolo, and their daughter, Clementine. Her website is www.lainitaylor.com.

What I've been reading ~ An Australian Creation Story

What I finished reading this week

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith
The Bat by Jo Nesbo.- see below an australian creation story

What I am currently reading

Don't know yet

What I plan on reading.

I am looking forward to Halloween. For my October reading Challenge I plan to read...


The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker
The Graveyard book by Neil Gaiman

The Bat (Harry Hole #1)by Jo Nesbo

The bat is the Aboriginal symbol of death supposedly, and the aborigine man, Toowoomba, killed Inger Holter. I never guessed it was him either. I liked the explanation of the bat symbol. It comes from an interesting parallel story to creation the aborigines call The Dreaming. You can find it on page 51-52

An Australian Creation Story ~ The Dreaming

The first man was Ber-rook-boorn. He was made by Baiame, the uncreated, who was the beginning of everything, and who loved and took care of all living things. Friends called him the Great Fatherly Spirit. After Baiame established Ber-rook-boorn and his wife in a good place, he left his mark on a sacred tree~yarran~ nearby, which was the home of a swarm of bees.
 "You can take food from anywhere you want, in the whole of this country that I have given you, but this is my tree," he warned the two people. "If you try to take food from there, much evil will befall you and those who come after you." One day Ber-rook-boorn's wife was collecting wood and she came to the yarran tree. At first she was frightened at the sight of the holy tree towering above her, but there was so much wood lying around that she did not follow her first impulse ! which was to run away as fast as her legs could carry her. Besides, Baiame had not said anything about wood. While she was gathering the wood around the tree she heard a low buzzing sound above her head, and she gazed up at the swarm of bees. She also saw the honey running down the trunk. She had only tasted honey once before, but here there was enough for several meals. The sun glistened on the sweet, shiny drops, and in the end Ber-rook-boorn's wife could not resist the temptation and she climbed up the tree.

 'At that moment a cold wind came from above and a sinister figure with enormous black wings enveloped her. It was Narahdarn the bat, whom Baiame had entrusted with guarding the holy tree. The woman fell to the ground and ran back to her cave where she hid. But it was too late, she had released death into the world, symbolised by the bat Narahdarn, and all of the Ber-rook-boorn descendants would be exposed to its curse. The yarran tree cried bitter tears over the tragedy that had taken place. The tears ran down the trunk and thickened, and that is why you can find red rubber on the bark of the tree nowadays.'

Craft Project for Halloween

How to make milk jug Halloween ghost luminaries 

I came across this project and I was inspired by how easy and delightful it would be to make. Safeway sells these jugs for cheap or [you can recycle your milk jugs] and really you only need 3 at the least.

What you need to make this recycled Halloween craft:

• Plastic milk jugs 
• Christmas lights 
• Permanent marker 
• Scissors  

Rinse and clean your milk jugs first. Then have fun drawing some silly or spooky faces on them with a black marker.

Cut holes in the sides of your milk jugs so you can string the Christmas lights through them and have them sit side-by-side.

Feed the christmas lights through the holes making sure to bunch up plenty of lights in each milk jug

Line up the milk jugs, plug in the christmas lights, and admire your awesome halloween craft!

Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga’s Reviews, it’s all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

I spent way too much on books this month. What was I thinking?

The Iron Fey boxed set by Julie Kagawa. $47.96
I had only read The Lost Prince but I just had to have the whole series didn't I. Only it was YA and it probably was more of the same I'd read in The Lost Prince [sorry it just wasn't for me] so I returned that.
Prince of Thorns, King of Thorns by Mark Lawrence and my first graphic novel by Kim Harrison Blook Work.$25.97 I thought the pictures were cool but I ended up returning these too cause even though they are popular reads I need to start buying more mature adult books. Besides I started reading Prince of Thorns and I couldn't get into it.

Shadowfever $7.99 by Karen Marie Moning hardback copy was on sale and the cover was beautiful in plastic so I am keeping that one even though I already read it borrowed from the library. I just loved the Fever Series and I know it isn't over yet.

Cold Days $10.99 by Jim Butcher  is one I've been wanting to read for awhile now.
The Cuckoo's Calling $20.00 by Robert Galbraith. My review

In the end I really spent $40.98 :p

Book Club Friday 56: The Cuckoo's Calling

This week I am sharing the Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith

It's J.K. Rowling first crime novel written under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. Admitingly I was curious about it because of the author. Anyway I also had to ask the Chapters clerk if he had read it and what he thought of it. He told me basically that it was fantastic. I think the cover is nothing to be admired.

Cormoran Strike is a soldier veteran turned private detective who has a prosthetic leg that causes him some pain. He also just broke up with his beautiful girlfriend, Charlotte, and is living in his office. He quietly endures his share of suffering all the while fighting to get himself out of debt. It's a sad situation for him and when John Bristow hires him to investigate a murder that the police have already deemed a suicide, Strike reluctantly and selfishly takes the case hoping it will help his financial problems... but John Bristow may be a little off his rocker.

UPDATE: At this point [page 212] Strike has just spoken to Rochelle , a homeless girl who was friends with Lulu Landry, and my guess to whodunnit is either one of the two runners that are caught on video from a surveillance camera.

I loved how Strike was able to solve the murder mystery and convict a killer. I am looking forward to reading more about Cormoran Strike and hopefully Lulu Landry's brother, Jonah, will come back as well AND Robin the secretary of course.

"I hate it when the world is led to believe something that is proven as fact but is a lie."- Jackie B.

The Cuckoo's Calling

Synopsis:

When a troubled model falls to her death from a snow-covered Mayfair balcony, it is assumed that she has committed suicide. However, her brother has his doubts, and calls in private investigator Cormoran Strike to look into the case.

Strike is a war veteran – wounded both physically and psychologically – and his life is in disarray. The case gives him a financial lifeline, but it comes at a personal cost: the more he delves into the young model’s complex world, the darker things get – and the closer he gets to terrible danger . . .

My rating: 

The Friday 56 is all about sharing a sentence or two from page 56 of your current read but in The Cuckoo's Calling it is a blank page! ha! so I will post what's on page 55. It just happens to be Part Two and a quote

No stranger to trouble myself, I am learning to care for the unhappy. - Virgil, Aeneid, Book 1

I think this sentence represents what Cormoran Strike feels and that Robin and/or John Bristow are the unhappy? Most likely the unhappy is John Bristow.

Thankful Thursday

I am so thankful I got my computer back and that I'm able to use the internet again. I was going insane not being able to do the things I wanted to do. One of the many things I missed about the computer is looking up recipes. I am not that good a cook and I have to 'google it' when it comes to making dinner. uh huh. Yes. Google is like a crystal ball to me.

Let Me Explain:

I have not been able to use my computer for what seemed like forever, and I couldn't figure out what was wrong. In fact I still don't know what happened but nothing was appearing on the screen so after almost purchasing a laptop [that's another story], I decided I'd had enough and went to buy a new computer monitor today. That is all it took and voila! I feel normal again :p . So grateful I didn't have to buy a whole new computer.

What are you all thankful for today??

THROUGH GLASS Cover Reveal

We are so excited to be able to bring to you the cover reveal for Rebecca Ethington’s THROUGH GLASS which releases on September 20th, 2013.

Both the book’s cover and description are awesome and more than a little bit chilling and we cannot wait for its release.

If you’d like to know more about the author, Rebecca Ethington, be sure to check out her website, or any of the other places she hangs out online.

And if you can’t wait until September 20th for the release of THROUGH GLASS, the first book in her Imdalind series, KISS OF FIRE, is now available in eBook format for free at AMAZON, BARNES & NOBLE and for the KOBO.

We love the cover, but what do you think?

COMING SEPTEMBER 20TH, 2013

About THROUGH GLASS

Everyone remembers the day the sky went black. They remember the screams as the blackness ate those who were out in the open, those who surrounded themselves by light, and those who made noise.
Everyone remembers the voice from the sky, the way food disappeared.

Everyone remembers the day the sky went black, and the sun was wiped from the sky.
At least that’s what I hope. I hope that there is an ‘everyone’ that will remember.
I hope that I am not alone.
Because I remember.
I remember, because it was the day I became alone.

It was the day the house went silent, and the birds stopped singing. It was the day when everyone disappeared, everyone except the boy, the only person I have seen in two years.

The boy I talk to through the glass.

GOODREADS

***

About Rebecca Ethington

Rebecca Ethington has been telling stories since she was small. First, with writing crude scripts, and then on stage with years of theatrical performances. The Imdalind Series is her first stint into the world of literary writing.
Rebecca is a mother to two, and wife to her best friend of 14 years. She was born and raised in the mountains of Salt Lake City, and hasn’t found the desire to leave yet. Her days are spent writing, running, and enjoying life with her amazing family.

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