Bitten TV Series: First Impressions

I wasn't going to write a post about Bitten or at least, not yet... not just after one episode. However, I got an email from Brie this morning asking me if I was going to watch the show... Ever since the first press release for Bitten, I knew I was going to give the tv series a try because I love the novel and the book series by Ms Armstrong... And I know I'm not the only one :) So might as well discuss the adaptation all together, right?

Apparently, Bitten premieres tonight in the States on the Syfy channel... but it being a Canadian production, seems like Canada will be getting advance viewing as Bitten's first episode was shown on Saturday on the Space channel :) After watching the episode, here are my first impressions... but please keep in mind that 1) I'm a huge fan of the book, the series and Ms Armstrong (although it's been a while since I last re-read Bitten) and 2) I'm not an avid tv series/movie watcher. This means I can be biased in some aspects and totally ignorant in others ^_^; Anyway, here we go...

Overall, I think the first episode was good. It was mainly about introducing the characters and setting up the story and world building and I think they were successful in both aspects. In addition, the pacing was good and the episode, well balanced. It wasn't about just the characters or the world building, but really both and they even started the storyline about the mutt. I also quite enjoyed how viewers got to meet most of the supporting cast - quick, but efficient.

The feel of the series is also quite good in my opinion. I liked the opening credit, I think it fit the mood the series is trying to convey and is not too revealing of what's to come. Also, I don't know if it was intentional - probably not LOL - but I thought it fit with the covers of the Canadian edition of the books. The location/scenery so far seems to be pretty spot-on, especially Stonehaven :) And while Bitten is a Canadian production and I'm quite happy about it, I wouldn't be able to tell at first glance. What I mean is that Bitten doesn't feel like a low-budget tv series or differently from any other American productions - which is a good thing :) The only thing I would like the production to improve is the werewolf special effect. It's not bad, but there's something about it... I like that the werewolves are the right colors, but they could look a bit more real feel like they belong in the scenes more.

I know, I know, all of the above is good and well, but it's not what matters most right? What you really want to know is the cast right? One of the main draws to Bitten is the actress who plays Elena, Laura Vandervoort, because she portrayed Supergirl in Smallville... and I think she can definitively carry the series on her shoulders. So far, she's doing a good job as Elena. The only complaint I can see people coming up with - and it'd be the readers - is that she's a bit too feminine. Elena doesn't care about make-up, fashion and would never be caught wearing high heels! However, I think that Laura Vandervoort's portrayal of Elena right now is good and her femininity works. I mean, Bitten's cast is predominantly male given the world that Ms Armstrong created... so playing up Elena's femininity is a good visual contrast in the tv series and I think it really drives home the point that she's the only female werewolf and what it means to be surrounded by all those males. As for the rest of the cast, they had pretty limited screen time, but I'm pretty satisfied with what I've seen so far - especially Michael Xavier as Logan, Joel Keller as Peter and Greg Bryk as Jeremy (even though he is not Asian). Yes, of course, Logan and Peter had very small roles in the novel, so their casting wasn't very crucial, but still, it's nice they fit. Furthermore, it seems to me one of the important changes that they've decided to make was not to kill off Logan's character (he's credited for the 13 episodes at IMDB), which means his role was expanded. Hopefully, it's going to keep the essence of the book and Logan will be Elena's good friend and confident which is the way it is shaping up. And so far, I like what I see of Logan and Elena :)

Greyston Holt and Paul Greene

While I'm happy with most of the actors and actresses chosen, there are two miscasts in my opinion. The first and critical one is Greyston Holt as Clayton. Clayton was always going to be the most difficult character of Bitten to cast... and unfortunately, the casting is a questionable choice for me. Clay is supposed to be traffic-stopping-gorgeous, almost angel-like, with a sandpaper personality LOL. I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but Greyston Holt isn't handsome enough. Even with that classroom full of girls looking subjugated, I didn't buy it ^_^; In fact, he looks too brutish to be Clay... although the moodiness is there. Personally, I would have swapped Greyston Holt and Paul Greene who plays Philip (Elena's boyfriend) roles. Then again, this is only the first episode and Elena and Clay barely had any interaction, so it's a bit early to tell... who knows, they might have incredible chemistry and that would make his casting all right. Oh and for those who wonder, Clay unfortunately doesn't have his accent in the tv series :( Guess it would have been too hard to explain? Or just too hard for the actor to maintain?... The other flagrant miscast is Paulino Nunes as Antonio. Mr Nunes is just not big enough, doesn't have the immovable presence that Antonio is supposed to have. Antonio might not have a big role, but a miscast is a miscast...

My one big complaint from what I've seen of Bitten so far is the amount of sex/nudity. I was actually concerned about this from the beginning, ever since I read "An erotically charged thriller, Bitten..." in the press release. Erotically charged thriller, really?! And seems like my concern was not for naught :( I know that Bitten not being shown on a mainstream channel, it allows the production to push the limits, I know that sex sells and attracts viewers and most of you probably think I'm a prude... but I just don't want the series to be overtaken by those scenes. Personally, the way the show started and how Elena and Philip were introduced, I could have done without. Then again, I'm probably going to be in the minority...

My verdict? I'm a purist when it comes to tv/movie adaptations. I want them to be as faithful as possible and I take the fact that I didn't spend the first episode of Bitten rolling my eyes, fuming or screaming at the screen as a good sign LOL. In all seriousness, the first episode showed promise and I'm looking forward to the rest of the series. So far, the changes done to the story have really been minimal and I hope it continues that way. I mean, if they keep to the original storyline as much as possible, combined with good acting, I don't see why Bitten wouldn't be the next big TV hit :) The biggest question mark for me is going to be Greyston Holt as Clayton... guess we're going to find out soon.

What about you? Any plan of watching it? And if you did already, what did you think?

***

Extra: My book review of Bitten

Review: The Rising by Kelley Armstrong

Wow, another week that goes by without a post ^_^; Let's hope I put an end to this right now with this review! Yes, finally a review! LOL. And you won't believe how long it took me to write this one ^_^; However, I'm glad that I've finally managed to finish it because The Rising is a book I've really wanted to share with everyone :) Beware, it's not my best review. I think I'm a bit rusty...

By the way, in case you guys are wondering, no new books this week, so no Hauling Sunday post. Now, ready? Because here we go! :P


***Warning: This review contains spoilers. Read at your own risk***

The Rising by Kelley Armstrong
published by Harpercollins in April 2013

Things are getting desperate for Maya and her friends. Hunted by the powerful St. Clouds and now a rival Cabal as well, they're quickly running out of places to hide. And with the whole world thinking they died in a helicopter crash, it's not like they can just go to the authorities for help.

All they have is the name and number of someone who might be able to give them a few answers. Answers to why they're so valuable, and why their supernatural powers are getting more and more out of control.

But Maya is unprepared for the truths that await her. And now, like it or not, she'll have to face down some demons from her past if she ever hopes to move on with her life. Because Maya can't keep running forever.

Genre: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy
Series: Darkness Rising, Book #3

The Story: The Rising basically picks up where The Calling left off. Maya, Daniel and Corey are on their own and trying to figure things out - where to go, what to do, whom to contact... and to trust, all the while staying ahead of the Cabals hunting for them. With most of their companions captive and the world thinking they have died in a helicopter crash, their options are scarce. One thing they know for sure; they cannot keep running all their lives nor do they want to... Is there a possibility that life could go back to the way it was? If there is, Maya and her friends will do everything and reach the necessary people for it to happen.

My Opinion: I love Ms Armstrong's writing, but to be honest, the Darkness Rising trilogy hasn't been my favorite work of hers so far. So when I got The Rising, my initial intent was to take a peek and put it aside for later. However, once I took that peek, I was completely hooked - simply couldn't put it down and ended up reading the whole thing LOL.

My enjoyment of The Rising is in large part due to Maya's gang finally meeting up with Chloe's group from the Darkest Powers trilogy. This is something I've been hoping for throughout the trilogy and it finally happening, well it made my day :) I just enjoyed the interactions between the two groups as their circumstances differed a lot. On one hand, you have Maya's gang who all grew in this community of experiment subjects, being monitored without really knowing it. Now on the run, they have to rely on themselves. While most of Chloe's group has been aware of being experiment subjects and have been trying to learn and control their powers. In addition, they can rely on Chloe's aunt and Derek and Simon's father. The contrasting idea between the two projects was also interesting to me. Project Genesis which Chloe stems from was to genetically enhance powers of supernaturals while Project Phoenix which includes Maya was  to revive supernatural beings that have been extincted. But quite honestly, at the end of the day, I just wanted updates of Chloe's group as I personally preferred them to Maya's ^_^; And LOL, let just say Derek's reaction didn't disappoint :)

What I also really liked in The Rising was the resolution at the end. Maya and Chloe's groups have been on the run for a while... Is that all their future holds for them? The answer is no :) I personally really wished that they had gone to the supernatural council. I think Paige and company need to know about them, about these projects... However, as they hadn't gone to the council, I think the person they went to make the best sense: Sean Nast. With Lucas and Sean taking leading positions in the Cabal clans and the emergence of the supernatural council, you can see that things are starting to change... and it's quite exciting to actually see Sean's position in the Cabals solidifying :) Perhaps I'm biased, but I feel Sean is someone that Maya and Chloe can trust. He's the one that going to be the most upfront with them. In any case, as I said, I liked the resolution at the end. Yes, they are still dependent on the Cabals, but at least, they are no longer on the run. They can live a "normal" life with their families. Also, they are now aware of their powers and the choices they will have to make in the future. It's not perfect, but it's better than what they could hope for at the beginning of The Rising.

Now, what about the story of The Rising itself? It was okay. To me, the scenes where Maya and her friends were on the run were a bit draggy. There were also some events that I felt were a bit too convenient such as Maya's twin Ash appearance. Still, there were some good twists and those kept the story going :) And finally, Maya realized her feelings for Daniel! Finally! I've been rooting for Daniel since the beginning and seriously, he's such a good guy... How could Maya not like him? This is one thing that Ms Armstrong hasn't handled really well in my opinion in both trilogies: love triangles. There haven't really been any in her adult books and I know YA books need a bit of drama, but she's just not very good at them ^_^; Perhaps because there is such an unbalance between the two potential love interests. In the Darkest Powers trilogy, she did a better job because Simon and Derek started on an equal footing - they both met Chloe at the same time and as brothers, they knew each other so well. But in Darkness Rising? I think everyone was rooting for Daniel.

At the end of the day, I'm glad the Darkness Rising trilogy is over. Ms Armstrong did her best with this trilogy; however, I think the odds were stacked against her... There were technically two huge flaws to this series. The first one is that being an avid fan of Ms Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld series, I knew so much more than the characters themselves... So waiting for the blocks to fall into place and the characters to figure things out was just agonizing! The second flaw was the similarities of what Maya and her friends were going through to the events from the Darkness Powers trilogy. Yes, circumstances were different, but in both cases, the heroines found out she was a supernatural and ended up being on the run, having to figure things out. It just took a lot of the thrills out. However, I'm really excited to see what Ms Armstrong has in store for Maya and Chloe in the future! The Women of the Otherworld series is now going on hiatus and so are the characters for these two trilogies... but I would love Ms Armstrong to pick up this world again in a few years and show us what have become of Maya and Chloe and mix them with our beloved characters from the Women of the Otherworld series :) That is going to be really exciting :)

My Grade: B+. This grade is a bit on the high side, but keep in mind that I'm really a fan of the Women of the Otherworld series :) For me, The Rising was definitively the best installment out of three books in this trilogy and it was in large part due to the cross-over and the resolution :) As I mentioned earlier, once I started the book, I was hooked and that deserves recognition, hence the B+. As a whole, the Darkness Rising trilogy might not have been Ms Armstrong's best work, but the doors it opens... I can't wait to explore that!

Review: Loki's Wolves by K.L. Armstrong and M.A. Marr

Yay, another review!! I think I'm really getting back into a rhythm :)

Today, I chose to review Loki's Wolves by K.L. Armstrong and M.A. Marr because I know some of my blogger friends wanted my opinion before they decided whether or not to pick up this book. So I hope this review helps!

Loki's Wolves by K.L. Armstrong and M.A. Marr
published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

In Viking times, Norse myths predicted the end of the world, an event called Ragnarok, that only the gods can stop. When this apocalypse happens, the gods must battle the monsters--wolves the size of the sun, serpents that span the seabeds, all bent on destroying the world.

The gods died a long time ago.

Matt Thorsen knows every Norse myth, saga, and god as if it was family history--because it is family history. Most people in the modern-day town of Blackwell, South Dakota, in fact, are direct descendants of either Thor or Loki, including Matt's classmates Fen and Laurie Brekke.

However, knowing the legends and completely believing them are two different things. When the rune readers reveal that Ragnarok is coming and kids--led by Matt--will stand in for the gods in the final battle, he can hardly believe it. Matt, Laurie, and Fen's lives will never be the same as they race to put together an unstoppable team to prevent the end of the world.

Genre: YA, Fantasy
Series: The Blackwell Pages, Book #1

The Story: This one is a tough one to summarize ^_^; Matt Thorsen is a descendant of Thor and is therefore very familiar with every Norse myths and legends. However, they are the last of his concerns because he's too busy living up to his family standards - his father is the sheriff, his grandfather is the mayor and his two older brothers have set the bar very high as perfect students and athletes. However, when the rune readers reveal that Ragnarok is coming, it turns out that Matt is the one chosen as Thor's champion. Now, he has to follow the path of his ancestor if he wants to prevent the world from ending... His first step is to gather the other champions, starting with Fen... which won't be an easy feat as Fen really dislikes Matt.

 If the Thorsens are the perfect families, the Brekkes are like the other side of the track - the wrong one. The Thorsens believe to be the only ones who have retained the knowledge of their ancestors, but they are in for a surprise. Fen Brekke is a descendant of Loki and has the ability to shapeshift into a wolf. As one who has present with power, Fen has three choices: to join the wulfenkind - a gang made up of Loki's descendants, to pay his dues or to become a lone wolf which means never staying in one place long. Fen really hopes that his cousin Laurie will also develop powers so they can join Laurie's father as lone wolves. For now though, it's time for him to pay his dues and for some reason, the wulfenkind wants an old shield... and Matt Thorsen.

My Opinion: If I remember correctly, I first heard about Loki's Wolves at the RT conference in 2010.  Wow, that is a while ago ^_^; It was during a YA panel and immediately, I put it on my radar. This book is a collaboration between Kelley Armstrong (squee!) and Melissa Marr. Initially, I think the plan was for each author to write one of the protagonists' POV, but I can't remember which ^_^; My best guess would be Thor for Ms Armstrong and Loki for Ms Marr. In any case, the plan must have changed along the way because we ended having a third POV, Laurie, or perhaps they wrote that part together? Anyway, fast forward 3 years and I pre-ordered Loki's Wolves because I'm a huge fan of Kelley Armstrong :) I was excited that Ms Armstrong was having a new series which seemed different from her Women of the Otherworld series... but unfortunately, as it turns out, not refreshing and unique enough to stand out from other YA books with similar concepts, which in the end, was the downfall of Loki's Wolves :(

As a whole, I thought Loki's Wolves was not a bad read. However, when you have a story about kids having powers, being related to Gods, and having to fulfill prophecies that are legends - well you are not going to escape comparison with Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Olympians series... and the truth is, Mr. Riordan's series is better. As a result, "not being bad" gets bumped down a few more notches ^_^; In its favor, Loki's Wolves has good writing, good incorporation of the Norse mythology and some good dynamics. But all this is outweighed by so-so storyline and characters ^_^;

Let's start with the good elements. Ms Armstrong and Ms Marr are two very popular YA authors and writing-wise, they did not disappoint in Loki's Wolves. I think they did a good job at meshing their styles and voices as Loki's Wolves flow really well. They also did a good job at integrating the Norse mythology in the story. Let's be frank, Norse mythology is not as popular as Greek or Egyptian ones and my knowledge of it basically comes from the Thor movie ^_^; However, I didn't feel lost while reading Loki's Wolves and I don't feel my lack of knowledge affected my enjoyment of the book :) Also, I enjoyed the different dynamics between the characters. Fen and Laurie are cousins and are very close, a brother-sister's relationship where Fen looks out for Laurie and Laurie trying to show she can stand her own. I thought it was very sweet and seriously, given Fen's background, I was so happy that he had someone he could lean on. Fen and Matt's relationship was also an interesting one in the sense that you have two guys who aren't friends, but have to cooperate with each other and are kind of vying for the leadership position. It'll be interesting to see how this develop and how it will turn out. For now, there is a truce between the two boys... but Thor and Loki's relationship is never far in their mind.

As I mentioned above, for me, the weaknesses of Loki's Wolves were the storyline and the characters because they failed to engage me, to hook me in. A large part of the book was dedicated to the world building which was necessary of course, but the rest of the story was one-dimensional. I felt like the characters were just going through the motion... They were running around with no inkling of what to do and still managed to stumble across the other champions. The storyline was simply too straightforward and lacked subtleties and hints for what is to come. In addition, the book is meant to be for middle graders and I think it was reflected in the action sequences. As for the characters, I thought they were well developed, each of them having an interesting background and his own issues. Matt is the son of the sheriff with two older brothers that excelled at everything so he feels the pressure. He's already the youngest and the smallest, he's not about to be the disappointment as well. Fen on the other hand has a big chip on the shoulder, he's sullen and never backing down from a fight. He's been shuffled from one relative to another and lacked familial stability. And so, when you bring them together, you have the golden boy and the bad boy butting heads. And then, you have Laurie in the middle who doesn't really know what is happening and is discovering the truth along the book. I thought the characters were likable and well developed... but for me, they lacked the charisma to pull me in, to make me root for them unconditionally.

Before I wrap this review, I want to mention the illustrations in Loki's Wolves. I was quite surprised at them because I did not expect them at all. They are a fun addition to the book although I think they do reinforce the the middle grade feeling of the book. They were like the rest of the book, very straightforward and the style of it was pleasant. I have to admit though I much prefer the cover style and I wonder why they had two different artists. I mean, if you knew they were going to be illustrations in the book, why not offer that person to do the cover? Because the cover is the first image you have from the book and is the one that sticks with you and suddenly, you see the illustrations inside and they don't have the same imagery... Oh well, that's just me being picky ^_^;

Overall, as I said, Loki's Wolves was not a bad book... it simply probably wasn't for me. It's clear the target audience was a younger crowd (middle graders) and they might enjoy it a lot more. As an adult, I just feel the story is too straightforward, simple and serious to be fully engaged. In addition, I'm a huge fan of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series and so, perhaps I'm biased. At this point, the only reason I'd pick up Odin's Ravens would be that I'm a big fan of Ms Armstrong.

My Grade: C-.

Review: Forbidden and Amityville Horrible by Kelley Armstrong

Hey everyone! How are you doing? Sorry for the lack of posts ^_^; I've been pretty tired lately - curling, Chinese New Year, hanging out with friends = lack of sleep - and I think it's been affecting my mood, my reading and my blogging :( Hopefully, I'll be able to catch up on my sleep this week!

Today is a two-fer reviews because well, lack of reviews in the past couple of days, but also because both books were written by the same author: Kelley Armstrong. These are novellas that were published back in December with  Subterranean Press. Seriously, I'm really happy Ms Armstrong has decided not to end the series and just go on hiatus :P Anyway, with these two reviews, I'm almost done with 2012! Yay! Then, I'll start tackling 2013, given my blogging muse comes back soon :) However, as my blogging muse seems to be on vacation for now, I gotta warn you that these reviews might not flow really well ^_^; I really had a hard time writing them, it just wouldn't come :( I hope you can still enjoy them though :)


Forbidden by Kelley Armstrong

published by Subterranean Press in December 2012

The team-spirit sign by the side of the highway seems a good omen to loner Morgan Walsh, as he drives to what could be the most important visit of his life — a chance to join the North American Pack. Then he wakes naked in the woods, surrounded by wolf tracks and a ring of suspicious cops. The situation only gets worse when he’s bailed out by Alpha-elect Elena Michaels and Clayton Danvers, her terrifying enforcer and mate.

Disappointed that such a promising young werewolf risked exposing them, Elena isn’t expecting anything from the pesky retrieval job except some much-needed alone time with Clay. Instead, she finds a different kind of evil stalking the streets and forests of Westwood, New York. Trapped in town by a snowstorm and sabotage, Elena, Clay and Morgan must find the mysterious threat before it sets its sights on them.

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Women of the Otherworld/Otherworld stories

The Story: The synopsis is pretty accurate. Morgan Walsh comes from a family of fishermen in Newfoundland and is a hereditary werewolf. Not interested in his family's lifestyle, he set out to see what the world had to offer. That led him to Anchorage, Alaska, where he tried to live as a wolf, exploring his second nature. It's during that time, eighteen months ago, that he met the American Pack (Frostbitten). They issued him an invitation to visit and perhaps recruit when he was done with his wolf experiment. Interested and intrigued, Morgan has finally decided on the visit. However, his visit starts off on a bad note when during a rest stop, Morgan finds himself in need of Changing and the next thing he knows, he's being arrested, naked in the forest during winter. Then, Elena is called in to bail him out. On their way out, their car's tires are slashed, effectively trapping them in town for the night...

My Opinion: The Women of the Otherworld series is one of my favorite urban fantasy series and so, I always look forward to new additions, whether they are full-length novels or novellas. I was even more excited about Forbidden when I found out it was about Morgan :) Ever since Frostbitten, I've been curious about his character and wondered whether he would join the Pack or not... As such, I'm really glad Ms Armstrong  finally wrote a story that provided me some of the answers.

All in all, I thought Forbidden was an interesting read. First, I always enjoy reading about the Pack and this time was no exception. Packs are one of my favorite elements in series that have werewolves, shapeshifters, changelings, etc. because they are an integral part of the world building and really set the tone, the atmosphere. I also enjoy them because I find the hierarchy fascinating and for the Pack politics and dynamics which are very akin to court intrigues :) In the Women of the Otherworld series, I think Ms Armstrong has created a very unique Pack. Part of it is has to do with the hierarchy which is not as strict and rigid. There's simply less emphasis on dominance and instinct. I mean, I wouldn't consider Clay a beta male, LOL, and Jeremy and Elena were both chosen/elected as Alphas. In that sense, the Pack is more humane and therefore, there is more focus on personalities. However, the reason I find the Pack stands out is its size. At the beginning of the series, the North American Pack was almost decimated and for the longest time, it consisted of only 5 werewolves. Finally though, in the past few books, it's slowly being built back and  new werewolves are joining. It's been interesting to read about the process, especially because because Ms Armstrong has done an excellent job at creating characters with distinct personalities and motives :) For example you have Karl which is really a veteran and has been a lone wolf for so long, but who craved territory. Then, there's been Reese and Noah who are younger and more malleable... and then, Morgan who is more individualist. I really enjoyed reading Morgan's thoughts about joining the Pack, especially his worries about not being up to standard. The nervousness he felt coming down for this visit, because he's evaluating whether he wants to join or not, but he knows he's also being evaluated. Anyway, I'm glad that Morgan has chosen to give the Pack a chance and I'm really looking forward to see how the Pack grows :)

As usual, I also enjoyed re-visiting Elena and Clay and see how they are dealing with parenthood LOL. I wonder what is harder for Elena, being a mother of twins or transitioning into her responsibilities as Alpha? :) However, while it's fun to catch up with one of my favorite pairings, it's pretty much the same as always... there's not much growth or development to their characters. It sounds a bit weird to write this given there are some big changes that have occurred - them becoming parents, Elena taking over Jeremy - but the transitions have been so smooth... Sure Elena has doubts and worries, but then again, she always had had those for different reasons and Clay as always is her rock. Anyway, I guess what I mean is that it's fun to see Elena and Clay again, but not much is happening with them, they just serve as narrators. It wouldn't really be an issue in full-length novels because then, there'd be the plot, suspense and action to detract the attention from them... but as this novella is not focus on them as was Hidden, well it feels like Ms Armstrong is pleasing fans more than anything. Not a bad thing, but more substance would be appreciated.

The plot of Forbidden, aside from Morgan joining the Pack, was okay given the length. That wasn't the reason why I read the novella, so it could overlook its flaws. The fact that it involved a bit of woo-woo made sense - it's urban fantasy after all - but seemed a bit too coincidental to me. Two things though that bothered me about Forbidden. The first is when does the story take place in the series timeline? I was a bit confused because there was a mention about Karl and Hope having a special news and I was wondering if it's the fact that Hope was pregnant in which case, the story took place before Waking the Witch. If that's not the news they were alluding to, then I'm really curious to know what is the special news!! ^_^; And the second thing is the art... I'm sorry, but I really wasn't a big fan of the art in Forbidden. It was a bit weird and the white/black/red color scheme did not help ^_^;

My Grade: B. Plot-wise, Forbidden wasn't the best novella Ms Armstrong has written. However, I got to know Morgan better, revisit Elena and Clay and read about the Pack, so it was still quite enjoyable for me :)

***

Amityville Horrible by Kelley Armstrong
published by Subterranean Press in e-book - December 2012/ in print - January 2013

Jaime Vegas—spiritualist, entertainer and, unbeknownst to her audience, real-life necromancer—swore she’d never do another reality ghost show after the last fiasco. But when she’s railroaded into a charity gig, she finds herself back on the set, this time with a cast of photogenic college kids, an up-and-coming Russian spiritualist, and a tale of missing girls and murder in New England. It’s cheesy, but that’s show business. With her werewolf Alpha lover, Jeremy Danvers, along to keep her nights interesting, it’s not so bad really. Until the bloody ghosts show up. Jaime has never faced spirits like these, and no matter how hard she tries, they won’t be ignored.

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Women of the Otherworld/Otherworld stories

The Story: Once again, the blurb is pretty accurate and I'm not going to try to summarize more, because I'd be giving too much away ^_^;

My Opinion: I had absolutely no idea about Amityville Horrible's release until I stumbled across it over at Kobo, so it was a really nice surprise! And given Jaime and Jeremy are another of my favorite pairings of the series, I was thrilled! Lucky for me Amityville Horrible turned out to be as enjoyable as Forbidden :)

Okay, this review is going to be short and sweet since Amityville Horrible was even shorter than Forbidden. All in all, I think Amityville Horrible was a good novella because it was well balanced between the plot and the relationship. I think it helped that Ms Armstrong had a focal point to concentrate on: Jaime. As it turned out, the storyline was actually quite interesting and spooky! And I thought the twist was clever - I did not see it coming. People keep underestimating Jaime and I love that she surprises them, LOL. I also very much enjoyed the outlook we got on Jaime and Jeremy's relationship - how they deal with it and how it works for them. Jaime and Jeremy's relationship is quite unique and it really contrasts from Elena and Clay's. While they are a couple and have a 'HEA ending,' they are not constantly together, attached to the hips. I love that the two of them haven't given up their lives, their responsibilities. Instead, they  compromise and it works. It feels very mature. I also liked that we got a glimpse of Jaime's role in the twin's lives, because I've been wondering :)

My Grade: B. Amityville Horrible turned out to be a very enjoyable novella :) If you are a fan of this series and particularly for Jaime and Jeremy, you won't want to miss this one.

TBR Challenge 2012: Exit Strategy by Kelley Armstrong

Wooohooo, made it for this month's TBR challenge :) Every time, it's an exploit LOL. This month, I did not stick to the theme even though we had a choice between paranormal and romantic suspense, but I wasn't that far off, having chosen a mystery book :) However, what I am most proud of is that this book is the farthest I've gone back - not in term of publication date, but actual years spent in my TBR pile!! Oh I'm sure I have older books in my TBR pile, but their chances of being read are quite slim ^_^; But Exit Strategy... well I always meant to read it one day... and it seems like the day has come. Keep reading to find out what I thought of it :)




Exit Strategy by Kelley Armstrong
published by Bantam Books in June 2007

Regulars at Nadia’s nature lodge don’t ask what she does in the off-season. And that’s a good thing. If she told them, she’d have to kill them. She’s a hit woman for a Mafia family. Tough and self-sufficient, Nadia doesn’t owe anyone any explanations. But that doesn’t mean she always works alone. One of her contacts has recruited her in the hunt for a ruthlessly efficient serial killer cutting a swath of terror across the country. The assassin is far too skilled to be an amateur—and the precision of the killings is bringing the Feds much too close to the hit man community for comfort.

To put an end to the murders, Nadia will have to turn herself from predator to prey as she employs every trick she knows to find the killer. Before the killer finds her...

Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Series: Nadia Stafford, Book #1

The Story: Nadia Stafford comes from a family of cops and has always known she would join the force. She also learned at a young age that cops and evidence cannot always bring justice and that criminals do walk away. This led to the 'incident' after which Nadia was asked to retire from the force and became persona non grata among her family. Nadia escaped the scandal to a remote area and nowadays, owns a nature lodge and shows her regulars a good time through the firing range and extreme sports... and to keep her business in the black, she'll accept assignments as a hit women for the Tomassinis, a Mafia family.

Nadia is coming back home from such an assignment and finds her mentor, Jack, waiting for her. It turns out a serial killer dubbed The Helter Skelter killer because he leaves a page of the book with each of his victims has been making the news and rumors have it that he's in the business... which is bad publicity for the others. So a group of hit men and women have decided to hunt him down and Jack wants to know if Nadia wants in. The only other hit man that Nadia knows is Jack and keeping it that way would be the safest... but it seems the assassin has not totally taken her over and there's still some cop in her.

My Opinion: I bought Exit Strategy when it first came out to support one of my favorite authors, Kelley Armstrong, and it's been sitting in my TBR pile ever since. Yep, 5 long years. Why haven't I read it yet? I don't really know. My best guess would be some kind of mental block and the fact that it was a departure from Ms Armstrong's usual style. So why picking it up now? Well because I've been craving for Ms Armstrong's writing... Unfortunately for me, I seem to have developed a new mental block for Waking the Witch. Yeah, I know, very ironic ^_^; Since I can't read Spellbound and 13 without Waking the Witch, I decided to give Exit Strategy another try. It also motivated me to know that Ms Armstrong has gone back to this series, now that the Women of the Otherworld series is on hiatus.

All in all, I'm happy to have read Exit Strategy :) It's not my favorite book by Ms Armstrong, but it's still a solid read and something very different. Having a hit woman as your main character is something tricky and I feel Ms Armstrong has definitively pulled it off, especially since she has kept it very realistic as opposed to the Elemental Assassin series by Ms Estep which takes place in an urban fantasy world. At the same time, while it was realistic, it wasn't overly dark or gory... and the biggest feat here was that the characters felt normal, regular despite their unusual occupation. So kudos to Ms Armstrong.

Overall, I liked the characters in Exit Strategy. I think Ms Armstrong did a good job with each of them, but more importantly, she did a great job at balance. She avoided exaggeration and stereotypes, she didn't make "being an assassin" sound cool and I think that was important. In the case of Nadia, her becoming a hit woman was all about circumstances. It's not a path she chose, instead it's a crucial event in her life combined with some decisions she made that led her here. She didn't make excuses or justified herself and she didn't pat herself on the shoulder either, thinking this was the best decision. I felt there was an honesty in Nadia that  is rare, an objectivity that you hardly ever come across... I liked the fact that for her, being a vigilante isn't better than being a regular hit man or more excusable. I also liked Jack... the first word that comes to mind is indescribable and I think it fits him :) I like that he let Nadia take her own decisions, that he didn't push her in the direction that he wanted or manipulated her. The other characters were also quite interesting and it showed me that hit men come in every shape :)

What I liked best though in Exit Strategy was the mystery: the serial killer's motivations and the rush of adrenaline he felt as well as the idea of assassins binding together to get rid of one of their own who has crossed a line. I really liked the idea that it's a network and that people in this line of business would know one another, their personalities, their work... Also, in this case, there was a lot of investigative work involved... and a lot of theories. Why was this killer killing? And why these people? In the end, I enjoyed the story as I thought it was intriguing and I liked the world it showed. By the way, one of the best scene was when Evelyn, an old lady and Jack's mentor, met with the FBI agent in charge of this investigation:

"[...] We want one thing: this guy's name removed from our ranks. Once he's yours, he was never one of ours."
p.444

It just sounds so bad-ass LOL.

I did have some issues with the book though. Mostly, it all boils down to the pacing which I thought was slow. Exit Strategy was somewhat a slow read and as much as I liked the elements above, I have to admit I simply wasn't hooked. I think it has to do with the story itself being slow at times, because it was weighted down by Nadia's long monologues since the book is written from her POV. Also, there wasn't as much action as I expected which is probably more realistic, but it also means less suspense and excitement in my opinion. Furthermore, I was a bit disappointed at how some events unfolded and a bit dubious at some relationships forming :(

My Grade: C+. Exit Strategy was a solid book with an original premise. I was going to give it a B-, but the truth is, after finishing it, I didn't jump on its sequel Made to be Broken and I think that has to be taken in consideration - hence the grade.

Monthly Reads: July 2012

I'm slowly catching up on my reviews and blogging and re-establishing my blogging pace. Yay! It helps that I've calmed down a bit about the New Bride with White Hair :) I'm still excited and checking for the subbed version every hour, but I'm less giddy ^_^; I know, I know, kind of pathetic, but what can I say LOL. Here is a picture of the series, just because :P Ma Su is so pretty in my opinion, but a lot of people don't think so. I guess beauty is really in the eye of the beholder... But I think many of them are blind LOL.

Oh and I'm also getting used to the new blogger interface. Okay, it's not new, but I didn't do the switch back then and now, I no longer have a choice. Still don't love it, but I can live with it...

Okay, enough of ramblings :) Take a look of my reads for July and what I thought :) Now, only one month behind!


1) A Duchess to Remember by Christina Brooke: B
Upcoming Review.

2) Angelic by Kelley Armstrong: C+

This is one of the novellas, part of the Women of the Otherworld series, that Ms Armstrong published with Subterranean Press. I missed its initial print release, but luckily, it's been released as an e-book. I have to say, that's when I'm really glad for e-books :) Since it's a novella, it goes without saying that the story is short. It features Eve Levine who's ready to put aside her angel duties for 6 months of vacation in the ghost world where her lover, Kris, is. However, the Fates have other plans and Eve ends up investigating some djinns rebellion and it leads her to some surprising findings.

I thought Angelic started off very strongly, but at the end of the day, it was simply too short. Perhaps if Ms Armstrong had only focused on the investigation, it would have been fine... but instead, Ms Armstrong added some personal developments and therefore, there was not enough time to make the mystery as suspenseful as possible. It also affected the resolution of the case which I thought was a bit too rushed. That being said, I wouldn't want Ms Armstrong to take out the personal developments LOL. I really liked the flashback of Kris and Bryce, it explains why Bryce disliked Savannah so much. And while I was not totally sold on Eve's work conflicts, it was interesting to see what Eve's afterlife was like :)


3) Starlight by Carrie Lofty: C-
Upcoming Review.


4) Scandal Wears Satin by Loretta Chase: B-
Upcoming Review.


5) About Last Night by Ruthie Knox: B+


6) Sweet Stuff by Donna Kauffman: B-

I came across this book when I was browsing the bookstore and the cover caught my attention, so I decided to give it a try :) It's the story of Riley Brown who used to be a food stylist in Chicago, but moved to Georgia  with her enormous, clumsy and lovable dog, Brutus, after a particularly difficult break-up. She lives on her friends' boat and has re-invented herself as a house stager. It's during one of her jobs that she meets Quinn Brannigan, a best-seller author who's come to Sugarberry to finish his latest novel and is therefore looking for a quiet place. The two are instantly attracted to each other and their attraction only grows deeper as they get to know each other... However, Riley is still wary and is not ready to risk herself in a new relationship yet... What does Quinn have to do to prove to Riley he is worth the chance?

I know I have a few books by Ms Kauffman in my TBR pile, but Sweet Stuff was actually my first book by this author and I ended up enjoying it quite a bit :) I thought Riley and Quinn had great chemistry together and loved that getting into bed was not their first priority. Each had reasons not to commit immediately, although those reasons were stronger for one of them, and they both respected it. While I was happy that Riley and Quinn did not jump into bed right away - which is often one of my complaints in romance, I have to say that in Sweet Stuff, I felt it took the H/H too much time to get together ^_^; I know, I know, very ironic. It's simply that Sweet Stuff was very character- and romance-orientated, but at the same time, not much happened. It was a lot of wishy-washy attitudes from both parties. It would have been nice to see more lovey-dovey scenes between Riley and Quinn or some action or something. I don't mind low levels of conflicts in romance, but I think in that case, you need a certain balance between the attraction, courting and relationship and in this case, the balance was a bit off. Still, it was refreshing to have a contemporary romance where the H/H didn't get together just for a fling! That is the prevalent theme lately and I'm so over it. Plus, Riley and Quinn were nice and likable characters and I felt their personalities complemented each other :) Aside from the H/H, I loved Brutus!! LOL. He was such a great dog - not smart, but the kind that will always be there for you and that you want to hug when you feel down :) Would have loved to have more scenes of him in the book. I also liked the other secondary characters and thought the Cupcake Club was a lot of fun :) Made me hungry and wanted a cupcake :)

7) Sugar Rush by Donna Kauffman: C

I enjoyed Sweet Stuff so much, I decided to go back and read the first book in the series. This book is about Leilani Trusdale, Lani for short, and Baxter Dunne who made an appearance in Sweet Stuff. Baxter is a renowned pastry chef, very popular and in demand at the moment. Not only does he have his own restaurants, but also has a TV show. Lani used to work for him in New York City and had a huge crush on him. However, she gave up her stellar career up and came back to Sugarberry after her mother passed away and her father had a heart attack. She's settled back home and opened her own cupcake shop and has never been happier. Of course, she misses her friends, but not the cut-throat and backstabbing environment of the kitchens... The last thing she needs is for Baxter to come to her neck of the woods to film his next series for his culinary TV show, but that's exactly what he does. Forcing the two to acknowledge their feelings and taking a decision.

Overall, I did like Sugar Rush. Once again, the H/H have good chemistry and I enjoyed their interactions and dynamics. And once again, it was nice that they worked through their issues and problems before becoming a couple. At the same time, it also felt like it took them forever to get together and I just started getting bored. The difference between Lani/Baxter and Riley/Quinn is that Lani and Baxter knew each other. They had a past and both have had feelings for one another for quite a long time. Baxter even came down to the South to film his TV show! They meant something to each other, a lot more than they wanted. As a result, it didn't make sense that it took them so long to sort things out. I simply wished there had been more scenes of the two together as a couple and I think it would have been more interesting to see them work out their relationship and overcome the obstacles than just waffling back and forth. I just wished Baxter had swept Lani off her feet, that there was a bit more passion between the two and they stopped being so logical.

Otherwise, Sugar Rush wasn't a bad book... but because I read it right after Sweet Stuff, I couldn't help comparing the two and I definitively enjoyed Sweet Stuff more. It was nice to see how the Cupcake Club started and to meet the secondary characters. I do wish we'd have seen more of Charlotte and Carlo, they are an interesting couple.


8) Off the Menu by Stacey Ballis: B`

*** 

Balance 
Books bought: + 5
Books read: -8
TBR pile: -3 

Genres
Contemporary Romance – 3
Women's Fiction/Chick-Lit – 1
Historical Romance – 3
Urban Fantasy – 1

***

July was a slow month, both reading-wise and book-buying-wise, but it makes sense since I was on vacation. I really thought I would have had more time to read, but alas. LOL, I underestimate Europe :) Still, at the end of the day, I'm happy with the numbers. It's not half-bad and I did at least manage to read some.

What about you? Do you manage to read when you're on a trip overseas?

Monthly Reads: June 2012

Eeeep, I missed the Week-End's Minis feature again ^_^; I guess I'm still not totally back into my blogging mojo... However, I'm trying! And eventually, I'll get back into it LOL. However, I at least had an excuse: bachelorette party :) It was my friend's sister's bachelorette party and so, we attended a burlesque dance class... It was definitively interesting and yep, I'll never look at some of my friends the same way again LOL.

I did not buy any books this week! Yay! I really need to start curbing my book-buying a bit. Sigh. But that's another story for another day. Since no new books = no Hauling Sunday post, I decided to catch up on things a bit and post my Monthly Reads post for June! So take a look at what I read in June! Post for July should follow shortly... Good news is I was so busy I didn't read much LOL.


1) A Night Like This by Julia Quinn: B-
Upcoming Review.

2) Bedding Lord Ned by Sally Mackenzie: C-

Eleanor Bowman has been in love with Lord Edward, second son of the Duke of Greycliffe, forever and is still carrying a torch for Ned, despite the fact that he married her best friend and is now a widower. But as the years go by, Ellie realizes that she wants a family of her own and as such, needs to put an end to her infatuation. This year, at the Valentine's house party hosted by the Duchess of Greycliffe, also known as the Duchess of Love due to her matchmaking skills, Ellie is determined to marry one of the eligible men the Duchess has invited for her. However, this is easier said than done, especially when Ned has decided it was time to marry again.

I was really looking forward to Bedding Lord Ned because the cover and the blurb had both caught my attention. However, I was quite disappointed because I feel the blurb was misleading. The way it was worded, I thought Ellie would actually be bold enough to go after Ned and seduce him. Instead, Ellie and Ned spent their time denying their feelings and attraction for each other and then, being jealous or trying to make the other jealous. At the end of the day, I simply did not see any chemistry or connection between Ellie and Ned and didn't care much about their romance - which is very unfortunate. I felt frustrated at Ellie, spending years pining after Ned and letting her life slipped through her fingers... And seriously, how dense is Ned?!? I mean, everyone knew of Ellie's feelings for Ned... Sigh.

There were some positive elements in Bedding Lord Ned and they included Ned's family and the cat LOL. The cat was a good way to infuse some humor :) I liked Ned's brothers and their friendship with Ellie. I also liked Ned's parents, although I found it a bit weird we saw more close-doors sex scenes from them than Ellie and Ned ^_^; In any case, I'm not ready to give up on Ms Mackenzie yet and will be digging through my TBR pile to find her books :)


3) Crazy People by Jennifer Crusie: B


4) Rescue Me by Rachel Gibson: C++


5) Chaos Burning by Lauren Dane: B


6) Larkspur Road by Jill Gregory: C


7) Jacked Up by Erin McCarthy: C


8) Never a Lawman by Jo Goodman: C+


9) No Tan Lines by Kate Angell: B+


10) More Than a Stranger by Erin Knightley: B-


11) Perfectly Matched by Heather Webber: B
Upcoming Review.


12) Dark Frost by Jennifer Estep: B-
Upcoming Review.

13) Haunted by Kelley Armstrong: B-

I'm actually not sure whether I've read Haunted or not ^_^; If I remember correctly, I picked up Haunted just after I finished reading Industrial Magic... And most probably, what happened, is that I skimmed through it - more interested in Eve and Kris relationship than the intrigue. This time around, I decided to pay attention to the storyline LOL.

So in Industrial Magic, in order to help Paige and Lucas, Eve broke some rules and owned the Fates. Well in Haunted, they have decided to call in their marker. Basically, they need someone unconventional like Eve to capture Nix, an evil spirit which has escaped from hell. This spirit has a past of haunting humans who have an evil core, pushing them through their threshold and turning them into serial killers. The Fates have sent many angels after the Nix, but she has eluded them all... which is another complication for Eve. In order to stop Nix, Eve will need an angel's sword which can only be yielded by angels. Thus, she is given the choice of becoming one... However, that will mean giving up the ghost dimension in which Eve and Kris are finally reconnecting.

While Haunted didn't turn out to be one of my favorite books in the Women of the Otherworld series, I have to say I'm glad I finally gave it another go :) I enjoyed getting to know Eve better and I have to say, I simply love Ms Armstrong's writing style :) There are many popular authors whose style I just don't click with, but Ms Armstrong is definitively not one of them :P Anyway, as a whole, Haunted was an interesting book. As I said, I liked getting to know Eve better. Is she my favorite heroine in this series? No, but she's different. She's a mother who is still trying to help and protect her daughter and so, her priorities are not the same. Her relationship with Kris was also very interesting. I wished we've seen more of them together, but I think that's the romance reader in me talking LOL. Still, no matter what or when, Kris had Eve's back and I admired that. It was also interesting to see Kris and Eve work through their issues, past and current.

The intrigue of Haunted was interesting and you had a nice amount of action in the storyline. I especially liked Eve meeting Dantalion, a high-ranked demon and also her uncle. However, I can't say I was engrossed in the plot and I think it's because some parts of it were long and draggy and there was a lot of things going on. Perhaps Ms Armstrong should have streamlined the story a bit. And then, you add in Eve's dilemma - whether she would become an angel or not. It was an interesting dilemma that Eve had to face, but at the same time, her reaction and the resolution were a bit obvious and not different than similar dilemmas in other series.

At the end of the day though, I still enjoyed Haunted. I also thought Ms Armstrong did a good job at integrating other characters of the series in the storyline and foreshadowing.

14) Slow Summer Kisses by Shannon Stacey: B

Slow Summer Kisses is a straight contemporary romance novella about Anna Frazier who's been laid-off her work in the financial industry. In order to save money, she's decided to stay at her grandparents' cabin while hunting for a new job. During her stay, she gets reacquainted  with Cameron Mayfield with whom she used to play with as a kid when she visited her grandparents. Cameron is now living permanently at the camp in New Hampshire, doing some handiwork and checking on cabins. He was headed for a great career, but working too hard... and when his father passed away from a heart attack, Cameron realized he needed to slow down and enjoy life. It's exactly what he's doing and he isn't very happy to have Anna come and disturb his peace - especially since she has not changed: always on the go with tons of lists and always talking. However, Cameron feels obligated to help her out and the more time they spend together, the more he wonders whether he should strangle or kiss her :P

I think Ms Stacey did a good job with this short story as it was a very enjoyable read :) It was a sweet romance with two interesting characters. I liked that Ms Stacey focused on them and their lives, what made them ticked and what made them happy. I very much enjoyed Anna and Cameron as characters, but also their interactions. As usual, Ms Stacey infuses a good amount of humor and her writing is as solid as ever. The story is low in conflict and that's exactly how it should given the number of pages. Finally, I liked the resolution to the conflict, I liked that Anna took a chance on their relationship :)

***

Balance
Books bought: + 20
Books read: -14
TBR pile: +6

Genres
Contemporary Romance – 6
Cosy Mystery  – 1
Historical Romance – 4
    --> ( Regency - 3/Western - 1)
Urban Fantasy – 1
Paranormal Romance – 1
YA – 1

***

Overall, not bad numbers, but I admit I'm a bit disappointed ^_^; I really feel like I should be reading more - I'm so behind on my reading objectives ^_^; But not much I can do about it. I guess I should remember that what matters is that I enjoy myself and what I'm reading :) And yep, a lot of work ahead of me when it comes to reviewing. That sucks a bit because I was doing so well for the first half of the year... Ah well, another thing I can't do much about.

Did you read any of the books in this list? Did we differ in opinion? :) How was your month of June? Is the summer and vacation time getting in the way of your reading?

Hauling Sunday LXXXVII

Awwww, the Olympics are over T_T The closing ceremonies are on right now... I'm going to miss it. Already, I don't know what to watch :( The good news is I should have more time to read and blog!

This week was pretty quiet, only got one new book :) Although I did hunt for it for a while. I was checking the online indicator every day... It finally arrived at the bookstore on Thursday, so ahead I went. Of course, it wasn't on the shelves, so I ask one of the sale persons to go to the back room for me. He asked if I worked in a bookstore... Nope, just years of book-buying experience LOL. So what book is it?

A Witch Before Dying by Heather Blake - This is the second book in the Wishcraft mystery series. I enjoyed the first book, It Takes a Witch, and I really like Ms Blake's, aka Heather Webber, writing :) So win-win!

***

Part of last week's haul was 13 by Kelley Armstrong. I debated for a while which version of this book I'd get and in the end, went with the Canadian copy because of the special cover. Well Li asked for some pictures and I'm happy to comply :)

Voila! I think it would have been better if the cover's background (without the vellum jacket) would have been white like what I thought it'd be. Still, it's a pretty book and they did a great job to make it special as the last book of the series :) What do you think?

Review: The Calling by Kelley Armstrong

So my sister is in Australia right now and my co-worker, on vacation. It's only been a day and it's been so lonely!! Luckily, I came home to a nice new toy... the iPad2! Yes, I finally broke down and went to the dark side LOL. I think it'll take me a couple of days to figure it out, so it should keep me occupied :) The good news is that now, I can buy Crazy People by Jennifer Crusie! Yay!

In the meantime, I finally finished this review! I've started it a few weeks, but didn't want to bombard you with too much YA, so I wanted to space it out with other reviews/mini-reviews... And then, time just slipped away ^_^; Well now, it's finally done and I hope you guys enjoy it!


The Calling by Kelley Armstrong

published by Harpercollins Publisher/ DoubleDay Canada in April 2012

Maya Delaney’s paw-print birthmark is the sign of what she truly is—a skin-walker. She can run faster, climb higher, and see better than nearly anyone else. Experiencing intense connections with the animals that roam the woods outside her home, Maya knows it’s only a matter of time before she’s able to Shift and become one of them. And she believes there may be others in her small town with surprising talents.

Now, Maya and her friends have been forced to flee from their homes during a forest fire they suspect was deliberately set. Then they’re kidnapped, and after a chilling helicopter crash, they find themselves in the Vancouver Island wilderness with nothing but their extraordinary abilities to help them get back home. Plentiful action and romance in this second installment in the Darkness Rising series will keep readers enthralled to the last page.

Genre: YA, UF
Series: Darkness Rising trilogy, Book #2

The Story: The Calling picks up right where The Gathering ended, as the town of Salmon Creek is burning and the kids are being evacuated according to plans in helicopters. So Maya and her dog, Kenji, find themselves in the same helicopter as her best friend Daniel, Mayor Tilson and his daughter, Nicole, and niece, Sam, as well as Hayley, Corey and Rafe. Quickly, they realize something is not right with the mayor being inert and the pilot, suspicious. One thing leads to another and the helicopter crashes...

Now, the group of teenagers find themselves stranded on a little island, east of Vancouver Island - their island. If they stay and wait to be rescued, there's no telling who will come for them. As a result, they decide to return home on their own... and thus their journey begins. As they make their way home, they start figuring things about, putting all their information together. They also must avoid the Cabals who are after them and other obstacles... and when they finally reach their destination, a big surprise is waiting for them.

My Opinion: It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Ms Armstrong :) However, it feels like I haven't been as excited for her new releases as I used to and I'm pretty sad this anticipation/excitement feeling is absent :( I know part of the reason is because I haven't read Savannah's books in the Women of the Otherworld series yet since I'm waiting for all three books of the trilogy to be out so I don't go crazy with the cliffhangers... and another is I was a bit disappointed by The Gathering. I think deep down, I'm just wondering where Ms Armstrong is going with all these series... I hope they will interconnect and it'll go back to how it used to be, but it seems like wishful thinking ^_^;

Okay, enough of the depressing stuff. Let's discuss The Calling! I admit I had some doubts going into it, but in the end, I'm happy that I read The Calling. No matter how I feel about the upcoming releases, I still love Ms Armstrong's writing and voice and reading this book reminded me of that. Really, it was like reuniting with a long-time friend :) Her writing is just smooth and familiar and her voice, comforting. And for added bonus, it turned out I enjoyed The Calling more than The Gathering! Yay!

Aside from the writing, one of reasons why I enjoyed The Calling more is because the story finally picked up and the kids started to figure things out - who and what they were, the project and who was after them. I remember when I read The Gathering, I was waiting for things to happen and it was so frustrating to see the characters being so clueless. At least in The Darkest Powers trilogy, Chloe, quickly figured out something was wrong... whereas in The Gathering, they have grown into that environment and so, it took forever. And in the end, the anticipation feeling just killed the book for me. In The Calling, it's different because pieces of the puzzle are starting to fall into place. It's actually even more exciting for readers who are familiar with Ms Armstrong's world, because it feels as if you have the upper hand on the characters! You pick up on things that are significant while the characters have no idea... Seriously, while reading, I was eagerly looking for any hints and clues and every time there was a mention of the Edison Group, the Cabals, the supernatural, I couldn't help but smiling and get excited LOL. So that definitively worked for me. Something else that I found interesting was the Project Phoenix itself which consists in reviving supernaturals which are extinct like skinwalkers, etc. Seriously, I'm really curious to find out what Corey is... At first, I thought he was a clairvoyant... but since we've met some throughout the series, it can't be. I definitively can't wait to find out. Finally, as usual, I find the in-fighting between the Cabals really interesting and it's good to get to know them more.

I haven't spoken too much of the characters so far and that's because I cannot make up my mind about them. Quite frankly, I have to say that as a heroine, Maya isn't really doing it for me. I just don't connect with her and I don't find her particular likable or easy to relate to. She gives off a superior vibe, although I'm not sure she does it consciously. It's simply that she is quick to judge sometimes and stubborn in her convictions. So I was happy to see that she realized in this book that her assessments of people could be faulty... and hopefully, she'll work on it. Still, it wouldn't be bad in her situation at the moment to keep an open mind ^_^; One thing about her that I'm really looking forward to is her background. I really hope we'll find out more in the last book, The Rising... My favorite character in the series is definitively Daniel. He is just a genuinely nice guy, considerate and caring. Seriously, Ms Armstrong knows how to write dreamy guys :P And overall, I did enjoy Maya and Daniel's friendship. The two of them have chemistry and they have each other's back. I also liked their interactions with Corey especially, and the other characters. Deep down, I wish Maya would choose Daniel - I really don't care for Rafe. I know the heart wants what it wants, but seriously, between Rafe and Daniel? Is there even a choice. But it seems Maya is really attracted towards Rafe, sigh... And if in the end, she chooses Daniel, it would feel a bit like it was by default. Unless something drastic would happen in The Rising. So I'm going to be crossing my fingers :) As for the other characters, they were likable to a point... but not developed enough to be sure.

Finally, here are the things I really didn't care about. First, I was really not fond of them all keeping secrets from each other ^_^; How do you expect to be ready, to prepare for what's coming if you don't have all the information? I know that at times, it was to avoid panic... but it really didn't sit well with me. It seemed to me as they were all involved, they all had a right to know. It would also explain so much of what was going on. Also, as a whole, the story was so-so. The beginning was really exciting and as I said above, I really liked that they were figuring things out. However, the whole trek from the crash site back to their town... while avoiding the Cabals? It didn't seem realistic to me. Yes, I know these teenagers are more skilled than the everyday teen you'll meet, but they're still just teenagers and most of them have not come into their powers yet. Sure, they haven't come out all scoff-free, but enough to wonder if the Cabals employees are competent ^_^; Also, the fact that everyone they ran into was either a Cabal or someone with bad intentions... It just didn't work for me ^_^;

My Grade: B-. As I said, I enjoyed The Calling better than The Gathering... but I still had some issues and unfortunately, they weighted heavy when it came to grading this book. Also, one thing that's not helping is that you can't help but comparing this trilogy to The Darkest Powers trilogy and unfortunately, I think that Chloe's story was more interesting. Still, there is no doubt in my mind that I will be picking up The Rising. I'm really curious to see what happens next.

Also, I was thinking of the book and the grade while writing this review... and I figured this is a trilogy which would work so much better if I read the three books at the same time, instead of one each year. So if you have not yet read these books and are patient, I advice you to wait till The Rising is out to embark in this trilogy :)

Switching of genres: an evolution?

Hi everyone :)

how are you doing? Did you have a nice week-end? I hope you're getting as nice weather as I am! It's really gorgeous outside :) Sunny and not too hot - perfect really. So Saturday was my aunt's surprise party and she was surprised!! LOL, we were sure my uncle would give it away - he's not really good with keeping secrets and lying, but he pulled it off, so kudos to him :) LOL, my cousin thinks it's more like my aunt is naive... Could be a bit of both. I guess it did help my aunt's b-day is actually a month away.

The funny story of the evening was our gift to my aunt :) We actually bought her tickets for a show we knew she would enjoy on the week-end of June 15-16 (think Quebec's version of American Idol). We told my uncle, because we wanted to be sure it'd be a hit with her and also, to know which date would be better. Well turns out when my aunt saw the ads for the show, she asked if my uncle was interesting and my uncle said "No, no." You have to know my uncle: sweetest man on the face of Earth and he rarely says no LOL. So she thought my uncle and cousin was organizing something for her that week-end!! LOL, so now she knows why he said no :P What's funny is my uncle thought it was weird my aunt didn't argue more about going to see the show LOL. Now, everyone's happy :)

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Before I get to the main discussion topic, I'd like to give you a little update on my dilemma concerning which edition of Thirteen by Kelley Armstrong I was going to get. Remember? Well thanks to Li, I've finally made a decision  and... surprise, surprise, I'm going with the Canadian edition!!

Why you ask, when the Canadian cover was clearly my least favorite... and the weirdest? LOL. Well Li sent me a link from Ms Armstrong's forum about the cover and turns out that Random House has something really special planned!! Here are the details.

First, the edge is going to be dyed red and patterned to match this image:

LOL, I had to look up Jennie's post about Fun Book Vocabulary to ascertain what the edge was. If I'm not wrong, it's the pages on the side of a book. I wonder how thick the book is for it to be patterned with that image...

And then, the image imprinted on the actual book cover is the following:

This I really love!! If this had been the cover jacket, I would have gone with this one without a doubt :)  It still doesn't go with my other books covers, but I think it's pretty and the mood it conveys fits in my opinion.

And you'll have the cover jacket that we've all seen:

The neat thing though is apparently, the jacket will be in vellum, i.e. thin and semi-transparent, and therefore, the image imprinted on the cover will show faintly! As for the text on the cover jacket, it'll be silver and red. Obviously, it'd be better if we could see the effect right now, but so far it sounds really cool... And if it still doesn't work for me, I'll just remove the cover jacket :P

So problem solved!! And a big, big, big thank you and hug to Li for sending me the link! Otherwise, I would have pre-ordered the UK version! Thanks Li!!!

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So now, onto today's discussion topic :) Not too long ago, I asked what was your definition of Women's Fiction. Well the reason is I wonder if Women's Fiction is the natural evolution for authors who write contemporary romance. This is not the first time this question has popped up in my mind... and I decided this time, I'd asked for your thoughts :) However, it's much harder to put it into words than I expected!!

Basically, I was looking for new releases by authors that I enjoyed in the past and realized my list of authors seems to be shrinking. Or at least, the list of new releases by these authors is definitively not as long as it could be. And I realized that in a lot of cases, it's because the authors have changed genres. Let's take Susan Wiggs for example. She started off as a romance author... but I felt there was a definitive shift throughout her Lakeshore Chronicles series. Actually, she seems to waver back and forth in that series between contemporary romance and women's fiction... but if you look at her two last stand-alones, Just Breathe and The Goodbye Quilt, those two are definitively women's fiction. Another author that comes to mind is Barbara Delinsky. When I started reading, Ms Delinsky's career was already well-established and I think her transition into women's fiction/fiction had already started. My first and favorite book by Ms Delinsky is Three Wishes... I think it's contemporary romance, but her subsequent releases lean more and more into women's fiction realm. However, there is no doubt she started off in romance :) Proof: Wendy just reviewed The Forever Instinct which is being re-issued in e-book format. More recently, an another author that seems to be making the transition slowly is Susan Mallery. Oh, her Fool's Gold series is definitively contemporary romance, but Almost Home and Barefoot Season are women's fiction books... and I wonder if it's the start of the end?

But aside for the fact that these authors are switching genres... my question is why? And I can't help but think deep down, it has something to do with the author's age. Perhaps they feel a disconnection to romance and draw inspiration from what they're going through in life? Or do you think it's because the two genres are so closely related, it's easy to cross into the other? Is it just a natural step in the evolution of things? I guess it doesn't limit to contemporary romance --> women's fiction. There's also romantic suspense --> mystery, paranormal romance --> urban fantasy. However, are these switches a conscious choice? I mean, when you take a closer look, authors who write historical romance are more likely to do it throughout their whole careers... or am I making generalization?

In the case of Sandra Brown or Kay Hooper, I always thought it was more about going mainstream, which is not a bad reason. Although when I consider Ms Hooper's books, a lot of her romance books had psychics and she liked her characters mysterious and intriguing... So perhaps her switch was really simply where her writing led her. Hmmmmm.

I guess my question is: Why do you think romance authors branch out to other genres? Is it simply the evolution of their writing or is there more underlying the switch? Is age also a factor? Is women's fiction the natural evolutionary path from contemporary romance?