Happy Mainstream Monday!!! There has been a LOT of news in the mainstream story world the past few weeks.
Julie Kagawa, author of the Iron Fey and Book of Eden series, sign a six digit contract with Harlequin for a series that isn't set to come out until 2015. All that has been released about the series is that there are supposed to be five books. But that isn't all of the news. Universal has already snatched up the books, all five, to be made into movies or a series. I am a huge Julie Kagawa fan and although as of now I would love to see the Iron Fey be made into a movie I'm excited to check out these new books and definitely excited for another book series to look forward to.
With Harry Potter's 15th aniversary coming up Scholastic announced that they will be rolling out a new shipment of covers for all of the books in paperback. Illustator, Kazu Kibuishi, will be doing the covers. Each cover will be a scene fromteh book and the characters in the that particular scene. The imagery for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone has already be released. The Harry Potter books are the reason I love to read. Until I started reading those, reading was a chore and a struggle so these books are near and dear to my heart. I part of me hates the idea of the covers being redone and a part of me is planning on running out and buying them all.
Divergent, by the young and talent Veronica Roth, is also in the long process of coming to the big screen. The only character currently cast is Shailene Woodley as Tris. You may know Shailene from Secret Life of the American Teenager or The Descendents. The movie rights were taken by Summit Entertainment in March 2011 and the movie is currently set to release on March 21, 2013. The screen writer is Evan Daugherty, who is best known for his work on Snow White and the Huntsman. A lot of people are probably going to say, "Oh it's another Hunger Games" but for these books blew the Hunger Games Triology right out of the water. The second Hunger Games book, Catching Fire, was basically the same as the first and then the third one completely flopped for me. I'm a rereader but that is one series I probably won't reread. While all of the Divergent books are out yet so far so good. The second one was just a killer as the first. The third book, that's title and cover have not been released yet, is set to come out October 22, 2013.
The information found for todays post is from IMDB, MTV's website, and USA Today.
"There were no surprises in Gatlin County. We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of nowhere. At least, that's what I thought. Turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong. There was a curse. There was a girl. And in the end, there was a grave. Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever. Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them. In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything."
Gatlin is just a normal Southern town. Small, rural, and quiet. Nothing interesting happens in Gatlin, South Carolina. That is, not until Lena Duchannes arrived in town. Beautiful, smart, and dangerous, Lena carries a secret that she is trying desperately to keep hidden from the narrow-minded townspeople. But there's one person in town that she can't hide anything from - someone who shares a mysterious connection to her. Ethan Wate is drawn to Lena, the girl he's been having dreams about night after night before she ever set foot in Gatlin. Surprises are coming to Gatlin on Lena's heels. Surprises that could very well turn the town on its head. Beautiful Creatures is the first novel in the Caster Chronicles by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. And it's sure to leave you on the edge of your seat, from beginning to end.
I picked this book up after seeing the trailer for the new movie adaptation a few times. And I could not put it down once I started reading it. The authors have done a fantastic job of weaving a story of love, loss, and magic that is simply breathtaking. I loved how vivid and descriptive they were throughout the entire novel. Every single detail made me feel like I was right there in Gatlin County with Lena and Ethan every step of the way. That feeling of everything being so very real is something that really made me want to keep reading.
I also really enjoyed the fact that the reader is able to see everything from Ethan's point of view. Because he is the narrator of the story, we are able to experience things as they happen for him and Lena throughout the entire novel. We share his thoughts, his feelings, and get to see his actions firsthand, which only adds to the realness of the story. And, considering he's a mortal who has been immersed into the magical world of a Caster family, it's almost as if Ethan serves as our guide to the strangeness that surrounds Lena and her family.
Another thing that I really, really liked about this book was the relationship between Ethan and Lena. These characters are so well-developed that it's difficult not to see them as real people while reading. And, since you guys know I'm a sucker for romance, it should come as no surprise that I was rooting for them as a couple from the very beginning. The authors did a flawless job with the characters of Ethan and Lena, and developed their forbidden relationship in such a phenomenal way that it kept me intrigued throughout the entire book.
I rate this book:
If you haven't read Beautiful Creatures, I seriously recommend that you pick it up as soon as you can. It's an amazing and quick read that is sure to please all types of readers. And the best part: It's been made into a movie that just came out yesterday! So grab a copy of the book and be sure to check the movie out, too. I know I'll be headed to the movie theater in the very near future. Will you?
Margaret Stohl is the author of the ICONS series, as well as the New York Times, USA Today, Publisher's Weekly, Los Angeles Times, Indie-Bound and Internationally Bestselling co-author of the Beautiful Creatures Novels. She is a graduate of Amherst College, where she won the Knox Prize for English Literature and earned a MA in English from Stanford University. She also completed classwork for a PhD in American Studies from Yale University.
Kami Garcia is the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly & international bestselling co-author of the Beautiful Creatures Novels (Beautiful Creatures, Beautiful Darkness, Beautiful Chaos & Beautiful Redemption). She is also the author of Unbreakable, the first book her solo series, THE LEGION. Kami grew up outside of Washington DC, wore lots of black, and spent hours writing poetry in spiral notebooks. She has an MA in education, and taught in the Washington DC area until she moved to Los Angeles, where she was a teacher & Reading Specialist for 14 years. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, son, daughter, and their dogs Spike and Oz (named after characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer).
Happy Mainstream Monday! As many of us know on Valentine's Day the movie adaptation of the southern gothic YA novel Beautiful Creatures hits movie theaters. So whether you're spending Valentine's Day with your love, hot fling, family, or pals, here is everything you need to know before Thursday (an excellent date idea btw ;]).
The movie Beautiful Creatures takes place in Gatlin, South Carolina and while you wouldn't think of it as a southern place compared to Louisiana or Texas, in the movie it very much is. It's a small town full of Republican church goers that are portrayed to be very hateful and narrow minded. That is except for Ethan Wate who wants nothing more than to get out of Gatlin. He spends his time reading and dreaming of the all of the places he'd rather be. When a new girl joins his class at school things become a lot more interesting for him. Lena Duchannes comes from an old family from Gatlin but is the first in twenty years to join the town and go to school although there she isn't accepted by her peers. At school she is called a Satanist and kids don't even want to be in the same room as her. Except Ethan. He sees that Lena is different and that is exactly what draws him to her. When Ethan discovers that Lena is a Caster (witch) he becomes even more fascinated. But their relationship is far from easy for them. Besides the town of haters, her family doesn't approve of her being friends with a mortal much less dating one. Then there's this little thing where Lena's powers can be claimed for the light or the dark on her sixteenth birthday and some type of curse where it appears that the Duchanne women keep being claimed for the dark. On top of that Lena's mother, Sarafine, and cousin, Ridley, both seem to be pulling for her powers to be claimed by the dark while Macon Ravenwood, Lena's uncle, is hoping they are claimed for the light. This is a major deal considering that she may be the most power Caster the world has ever seen. No pressure or anything.
Lena Duchannes is played by Alice Englert, a New Zealand actress born to oscar winning director Jane Campion and film maker Colin Englert. She has only been in a handful of films starting in 2006 but it wasn't anything that I have ever heard of but with parents like that she's bound of have had plenty of unofficial practice growing up. Plus, we've all go to start somewhere right?
Alden Enrenreich will bring the beloved southern gentleman Ethan Wate to life. Alden currently goes to NYU, has had appearances on the hit shows Supernatural and CSI, and will star in Running Wild that comes out later this year.
While the movie has some new comers there are some major big name favorites that will bring the town of Gatlin to life. Jeremy Irons, an Oscar winner who does the voice of Scar in The Lion King and is in blockbusters such as Die Hard, Eragon, and The Man in the Iron Mask will be playing Macon Ravenwood. Viola Davis, who won a Tony award for her work in theater and was in movies such as The Help and Disturbia will play Amma, the keeper of information and secrets about being a Caster. Emmy Rossum, who is on the Showtime show Shameless, was in the movies The Day After Tomorrow, and The Phantom of the Opera, will portray Ridley Duchannes. British actress Emma Thompson, who played Professor Trelawney in the Harry Potter movies, did the voice of Elinor in Brave, and starred as Nanny McPhee in the 2005 adaptation will play Mrs. Lincoln a "bible thumpin" hater, as Emma calls her, as well as Sarafine, Lena's dark mother.
The screenplay writer and director is Richard LaGravenese who was the screenwriter for other big movies such as the tear jerker P.S. I Love You as well as A Little Princess and Water for Elephants. He has several popular movies under his belt so with those type of writing skills and the killer cast he has to work with, Beautiful Creatures may just be one of his best movies to date.
Is anyone planning on spending there Valentine's Day at the movies? I'm think this is going to be a girl's night movie more that a Valentine's day movie for myself. Although Harry Potter will always take the cake for my witch/wizard book and movie I am looking forward to seeing this one.
**Spoiler Alert: If you haven't read the other books in the Otherworld trilogy, then you'll want to wait on this review.**
"Meghan Elam knows that she belongs in the Otherworld, but she doesn't know if she's quite ready to take that leap. With Cade on the mend and her mortal family aware of their daughter's true identity, everything seems lined up for her to make a smooth transition into her new life. Unfortunately, Meghan has a mortal enemy, an angry goddess who has not yet given up on her chance for revenge. As Meghan struggles to find her place in Eile, secrets from a past she knows nothing about well up and threaten to tip the scales even further. And when the Morrigan vows to bring a war down upon the Otherworld, she finds herself stuck in the middle of an epic battle, one that promises to destroy all that she holds dear. In order to save the ones she loves the most, Meghan must be prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice and hope that she will be strong enough to vanquish her enemy once and for all."
Now that she's graduated high school, Meghan is free to live in Eile, the realm of the Otherworld where she was born. It's where she belongs, where she can learn more about her magic and how to use it. Unfortunately, it's also where a powerful goddess lives and wants to kill Meghan so that she can harness her magic and become more powerful than any other Otherworld god or goddess. Thankfully, Meghan's got a few friends - and even some family - who are willing to help protect her from the Morrigan. But will they be enough to rid the Otherworld of the Morrigan's evil once and for all? Luathara is the third and final installment in the Otherworld trilogy by Jenna Elizabeth Johnson.
Like the other two books in this series, I really enjoyed this book. I felt like it was a perfect way to wrap up the trilogy. Something that I fell in love with from the very beginning of the series was the relationship between Cade and Meghan. And this book didn't disappoint in that area at all. I loved how real the relationship felt while I was reading and I'm really glad that my favorite characters got a good ending.
While I still really enjoyed the way that Johnson incorporated ancient Celtic figures into her story, I think what I loved most about this book was the world that she built for this series. The Otherworld is meant to be this beautiful and magical place in the series. And, while I was reading, I could picture it in my head, thanks to the immense details that the author used to describe the scenery.
One thing I didn't really care for while reading this book is actually a problem I've had with the series from the beginning. That is the overabundance of internal dialogue that we are shown from Meghan. I'm all for seeing inside a character's head, but there comes a point where it begins to hinder my enjoyment of the book. Luckily, this wasn't enough to keep me from loving the book overall, it was a little annoying.
I rate this book:
If you haven't checked this series out, you have no idea what you're missing. The Otherworld trilogy is full of magic and romance, with a little bit of myth thrown in, too. You guys should definitely check it out. And, if you've already read Faelorehn and Dolmarehn, then it goes without saying that you should pick up Luathara as soon as you can. You won't be disappointed in this ending to the series.
Jenna Elizabeth Johnson grew up and still resides on the Central Coast of California, a place she finds as magical and enchanting as the worlds she creates. She received a BA in Art Practice with a minor in Celtic Studies from the University of California at Berkeley. It was during her time in college that she decided to begin her first novel, The Legend of Oescienne - The Finding. Reading such works as Beowulf, The Mabinogi, and The Second Battle of Maige Tuired in her Scandinavian and Celtic Studies courses finally inspired her to start writing down her own tales of adventure and fantasy. She also enjoys creating the many images and maps for her various worlds. Besides writing and drawing, she is often found reading, gardening, camping, hiking and bird watching. For more on the author and her books, and for contact information, visit www.oescienne.com or her blog www.jennaelizabethjohnson.com.
Life sucks when your friends are pissed at you. Just ask Zoey Redbird –
she’s become an expert on suckiness. In one week she has gone from
having three boyfriends to having none, and from having a close group of
friends who trusted and supported her, to being an outcast. Speaking of
friends, the only two Zoey has left are undead and unMarked. And
Neferet has declared war on humans, which Zoey knows in her heart is
wrong. But will anyone listen to her? Zoey's adventures at vampyre
finishing school take a wild and dangerous turn as loyalties are tested,
shocking true intentions come to light, and an ancient evil is awakened
in PC and Kristin Cast's spellbinding fourth House of Night novel.
Zoey Redbird's life could not get much worse. Sure, they saved Stevie Rae's humanity but everyone is beyond pissed at her, Neferet has lost her mind and fallen off the path of the Goddess, and the only person she has to rely on is Aphrodite and she is no longer a fledgling. Aphrodite is now Nyx's human prophetests and her latest visions see Zoey dead. The only bright side is that her and Heath's imprint is broke and she now has zero boyfriends as opposed to the very confusing three boyfriends. When a new guy, Stark, shows up at the Tulsa House of Night, Zoey plans to steer clear, that is until he died in her arms after they had a deep and serious connection. But as we all no not all that die at this House of Night stay dead. So much for things being uncomplicated. Untamed is the fabulous fourth installment of the House of Night series that has magic, friendship, good vs evil, and uniqueness that will blow your mind away.
As a dog person I love that there is a dog at the House of Night that is so over flown with cats. Dutchess adds a friendlyness to the book that only dogs have in real life. Her love and loyalty for Stark is literally heart breaking and she is in some seriously funny parts of the book that literally had me laughing my butt off.
Aphrodite has been through some major changes throughout the series so far. She started out the 'hag from hell' we all loved to hate. But slowly, you begin to see behind her tough exterior and realize that she's actually kind of awesome. She is smart, smart assed, loyal, and strong. She is the only person that would help Zoey when everyone else abandoned her and she is the only person, besides Zoey, that Neferet can't read. She will fight tooth and nail for the people that she cares about.
There are several new characters in this book that are awesome. Particularly Darius, Stark, and Shekinah. Darius is a Son of Erebus warrior that we don't completely get to know yet but he's protective and smart and probably the only person, besides Zoey and Stevie Rae that actually likes Aphrodite. Stark is the new kid at the House of Night. Hot and Cocky but smart and sensitive he seems like an awesome guy. Plus he's a dog lover! He is also gifted by Nyx which is why Neferet seems so interested in him. Shekinah is the High Priestess of all High Priestesses. Her power is amazing, power, and even for the reader a bit fightening.
The House of Night books are in my top five favorite series of all books so far. Have any of you all read them? Got mad love for the House of Night vamps?
The
House of Night Series is written by P.C. and Kristen Cast. P.C. cast
has written several series and she has received several awards for them.
Kristin Cast is P.C.’s daughter and has written a few other series
herself. She currently goes to college in Oklahoma, where they both
live. To learn more visit www.pccast.net.
**Spoiler Alert: If you haven't caught up with the other books in the Premonition series, then you may want to hold off on reading this review.**
"Cold, fine drops of rain fall softly on my cheeks as I emerge from the darkness of the ship’s interior to the gray, overcast sky of the main deck. Pulling my dark pea coat tighter to my body, the wind lifts red tendrils of my hair. I walk slowly to the railing overlooking the water. I catch my first sight of the Irish coastline; its craggy landscape makes me shiver in dread. I find it difficult to imagine now how the Gancanagh had made this their home for so long without anyone realizing it. The cold, moss-covered edifices practically scream their presence. As I study the shadows between the falling-down stone, I imagine creeping shapes of undead Faeries grasping the rock, waiting for our ship to draw nearer to their position. Tipping my face up, I let the rain wash over me. It bathes away the frigid sweat of fear that has broken on my brow. “You don’t know how fiercely beautiful you are, do you?” A quiet voice behind me asks, causing me to stiffen and fix my eyes on the rocks along the shoreline."
Once again, Evie and her friends are attempting to find a way to eradicate the Gancanagh while trying to keep Brennus from getting his hands on Evie. But this time, there are some new players to help Evie, Reed, and the gang, even though they want to control everything about the situation - including Evie herself. Can Evie and her friends manage to stop their enemy, while still keeping Evie safe from these newcomers? Incendiary is the fourth book in Amy Bartol's Premonition series.
As with the other three books in this series, I enjoyed the relationship between Reed and Evie, but this book provided another relationship that I grew to enjoy just as much as the main one. Russell meets a new character in this book who becomes very important to him. It was nice to finally see another character share a bond similar to the one that Evie shares with Reed in this series. Also, the familiarity of these characters will always be a plus for this series for me. I love how easy it is for me to relate to them while I'm reading.
Even though there were things that I liked about this book, Incendiary had a few things that I didn't particularly care for. For starters, I don't like that the plot in this book is the same that it's been for the past three books - trying to eliminate the Gancanagh and keep Evie from Brennus. After three books that have focused on this goal, I feel like it's time for the characters to move on to something new, and I'm hoping that they do in the next installment. This was something that nearly kept me from finishing Incendiary. I just felt like the plot was tired and it made me want to stop reading altogether. Another thing I didn't really enjoy was the fact that a new character was introduced in this book who is supposed to be Reed's rival for Evie. Like Russell, this new guy is connected to Evie's past - she just doesn't remember. What I don't like about this, aside from the fact that it's already been done in this series with Russell, is that it gives the impression that everyone is in love with Evie. This is something that really took away from my enjoyment of the book, too.
I rate this book:
I really wanted to like this book. And I'm still holding out hope for the next book in the series. But there were just too many things that bothered me and made me want to quit reading Incendiary. As always, please don't take my word for it. If you've read the other books in the Premonition series, then I still want to recommend that you keep reading. Hopefully, you like it better than I did. And, if you're like me, maybe the next one will make up for it.
Amy A. Bartol lives in Michigan with her husband and their two sons. Her family is very supportive of her writing. When she's writing, they often bring her the take-out menu so that she can call and order them dinner. They listen patiently when she talks about her characters like they're real. They rarely roll their eyes when she tells them she'll only be a second while she finishes writing a chapter...and then they take off their coats. They ask her how the story is going when she surfaces after living for hours in a world of her own making. They have learned to accept her "writing uniform," consisting of a slightly unflattering pink fleece jacket, t-shirt, and black yoga pants. And they smile at her nerdy bookishness whenever she tries to explain urban fantasy to them. In short, they get her, so they are perfect and she feels blessed. Check out her website: http://www.amyabartol.com.
**Spoiler Alert: If you haven't read Faelorehn yet, then you'll want to hold off on reading this review.**
"A year ago, Meghan Elam learned that she was Faelorehn, a being of the Otherworld. Immortal. Now she must juggle her life in the mortal world with the one she has started to build in the Otherworld. However, keeping her identity secret from her friends and family while trying to avoid a wrathful Celtic goddess is no easy task. With the help of the intriguing Cade MacRoich, Meghan will learn that not only does she come from a place full of magic and wonder but that she, too, is far more powerful than she ever thought possible."
Meghan's had an interesting year, to say the very least/ She's discovered the answer to why she's been so different from everyone in her family all of her life -- Meghan's an immortal Faelorehn from the Otherworld. She's also just barely survived her confrontation the Morrigan, an ancient Celtic goddess who resides in the Otherworld and is bent on killing her and taking her magic from her. And, on top of all that, Meghan is struggling to deal with her growing feelings for Cade MacRoich, the young man who has not only given her the answers she so desperately desired, but has also protected her from the Morrigan's creatures for the past year. Throw in the fact that she's just starting her senior year of high school, and things couldn't get any more complicated for Meghan Elam - or so she thinks. Dolmarehn is the second book in Jenna Elizabeth Johnson's Otherworld trilogy and it, like the first book in the series, will leave you craving more of Meghan's story.
I rate this book:
Quite often, I will read the first book in a series and then have to put the series aside because the second book hasn't come out yet. As a result, I will usually forget about a series for a time while I wait for the next installment. This is exactly what happened with Johnson's Otherworld series. I read the first book, Faelorehn, and loved it, but I had to put the series aside as the second book wasn't even remotely close to coming out yet. More than six months later, I remembered the series and finally got my hands on Dolmarehn. And I'm so glad that I did. This book reminded me of everything that I loved about Faelorehn and made me just as eager to continue the story as I was before. I instantly fell back in love with the relationship between Cade and Meghan in this book. With this series, I quickly became invested in the lives of both Cade and Meghan; this left me rooting for them as though they were actual people, instead of just characters in a book.
Something else I really enjoyed in this book was Johnson's development of Meghan herself. It's always nice to see such a strong female character at the center of the story. It was also refreshing to watch Meghan transform into that strong character throughout the course of the plot in Dolmarehn. Seeing everything she's gone through in a year's time in the story, it was nice - and quite a relief - for her to be able to stand up against everything and come out stronger than ever. Not many authors are capable of developing their characters in such a way, but I think Johnson has done it quite well. I also loved Johnson's inclusion of several other Celtic gods and goddesses in Dolmarehn. In the world this author has created, the Otherworld is ruled by these ancient gods and goddesses whose histories are rooted in the legends of the ancient Celts of the mortal world. What I found so interesting about this particular aspect of the story was the fact that legends mentioned in Dolmarehn are ones that readers can look up on their own, to learn more about them. It's always refreshing, at least for me, when there's a bit of history tied in with the fiction.
While I genuinely enjoyed this book, there was one thing that I didn't particularly care for while I was reading it. As I said, Meghan really transformed into a strong character, but reading her thoughts while that transformation was taking place did tend to get a bit repetitive. The character would often cycle back to the same worries and fears multiple times throughout the novel, which got to be a bit painful to read after a while. Regardless, I wholeheartedly recommend this series to any and everyone who is willing to check it out. If you haven't yet read Faelorehn, then you should pick that one up first, obviously. If you're anything like me, that'll be all you need to convince you to continue the story with Dolmarehn.
Jenna Elizabeth Johnson grew up and still resides on the Central Coast of California, a place she finds as magical and enchanting as the worlds she creates. She received a BA in Art Practice with a minor in Celtic Studies from the University of California at Berkeley. It was during her time in college that she decided to begin her first novel, The Legend of Oescienne - The Finding. Reading such works as Beowulf, The Mabinogi, and The Second Battle of Maige Tuired in her Scandinavian and Celtic Studies courses finally inspired her to start writing down her own tales of adventure and fantasy. She also enjoys creating the many images and maps for her various worlds. Besides writing and drawing, she is often found reading, gardening, camping, hiking and bird watching. For more on the author and her books, and for contact information, visit www.oescienne.com or her blog www.jennaelizabethjohnson.com.
Divergent, by the young and talent Veronica Roth, is also in the long process of coming to the big screen. The only character currently cast is Shailene Woodley as Tris. You may know Shailene from Secret Life of the American Teenager or The Descendents. The movie rights were taken by Summit Entertainment in March 2011 and the movie is currently set to release on March 21, 2013. The screen writer is Evan Daugherty, who is best known for his work on Snow White and the Huntsman. A lot of people are probably going to say, "Oh it's another Hunger Games" but for these books blew the Hunger Games Triology right out of the water. The second Hunger Games book, Catching Fire, was basically the same as the first and then the third one completely flopped for me. I'm a rereader but that is one series I probably won't reread. While all of the Divergent books are out yet so far so good. The second one was just a killer as the first. The third book, that's title and cover have not been released yet, is set to come out October 22, 2013.
