Splintered

It’s national “Mad Hatter Day”!  This is the perfect day for me!!!  Why?  I guess the best way to explain it is to show you what is on my computer screen every time I log on …

That’s my life in a quote … a little crazy!  But that’s the way I like it.  J

In honor of this amazing day, I want to introduce one of my favorite books to you … SPLINTERED!

This stunning debut novel delves into the mad, magical, delicious, much-loved world of Wonderland.  When I first heard about this book, I was instantly taken by the idea of this story.  It has wonderful connections to the Alice Story we’ve known for years … taking us into the life of Alice’s very own great-great-great granddaughter – Alyssa.  However, I must admit, I almost passed this novel by.  I was attending the Vegas Valley Book Festival when A.G. Howard was there.  I picked up Splintered a few times thinking, “This is a book I would LOVE to read!”  The problem was … I had already spent TONS of money and this was one I decided to cut.  My daughter saw me contemplating the purchase and after seeing me put the book back down, secretly bought it for me, had the author sign it, and gave it to me for Christmas.  I am sooooo happy she did!

One of the things I loved about this book was A.G, Howard’s incredible talent for “world-building”. 

She takes the original Alice story and twists and turns it inside out.  This is NOT Lewis Carroll’s Wonderland.  This is a Wonderland that is darker, more seductive and more terrifying … but gorgeous and magical at the same time.  Everything Alyssa thought she knew was wrong or false.  I loved how we got a completely new “this-is-what-really-happened” story.  It’s brilliant!

If you were to ask me which character I liked best, I couldn’t tell you.  Each one was a “stand-out” on its own.

Alyssa - here's how I pictured her:

Alyssa at first appears … ummm … different.  She can hear the whispers of insects and flowers and is afraid of becoming what every women in her family has become … cursed with madness.  However, as you get to know her better, you warm up to her.  She’s independent, she’s sympathetic, she’s delightful, and above all – she’s brave.

Then there’s Jeb:

Jeb is the "best-friend" who is not the stereotypical boy-next-door.  He is definitely swoon worthy.  He is protective, a loyal friend, sensitive, and honest.  He is ruled by his emotions and sometimes that wasn’t a good thing.  Overall, “Team Jeb” has tons to brag about.

But we can’t forget about Team Morpheus!  When I read about Morpheus, this is the picture that came to my mind.

Morpheus is a Wonderland native who (we see hints) is madly in love with Alyssa and trying to win her over.  He is seduction and mystery, expertly wrapped into a dark, enticing package.  He’s all black wings, cockney accent, and a fetish for well-made hats.  In my opinion, Morpheus is sly, sexy, mischievous, and has his own way of caring.  He’s the guy we’re not supposed to like … so naturally … we like him more. 

All the other characters and creatures we meet along the way are based on the original Alice books but are definitely more twisted.

Splintered is a "can’t-put-down" book!  I found myself cheering for Alyssa as she went through her “tests” on her road to self-discovery.  I gasped along with her as family secrets were revealed.  I found myself walking beside her as I was sucked into the world of Wonderland, wanting to jump in and help her at times.  But what I especially appreciated was that Alyssa went through everything she went through out of love for her mother and father, and in the process, learned who she really was. 

The bottom line: you won’t regret reading this Splintered.  Its pages are full of heart-pounding adventure, and an unforgettable romance … not to mention a story you'll be thinking about for a long, long time.

Stay “mad” everyone!  After all … we’re all a little like that!

Here’s a closer look at what Splintered is all about:

RELEASE DAY PARTY!

Today the Third book in the Throne of Glass series came out. I am so excited for this next book in the series, I already went out and bought my copy! I know some of you haven't read this little gem yet so I'm going to introduce the series to you. Enjoy ...

Throne Of Glass

 We begin the series by meeting one of my favorite heroines, Celaena Sardothien.  Celaena is not your typical female roll. She is hard, ruthless, skilled, arrogant, and witty. The author, Sarah J. Mass's inspiration for Celaena was Arwen from lord of the Rings.

Sarah said this about developing the character, "Arwen's arrogance and fierceness made me want to write about a woman like her—about a woman who never once said sorry for being talented and determined and utterly in love with herself." I think that describes Celaena to a tee. 

Once you meet Celaena and fall in love with her, we then meet the other two points in the triangle. There is Chaol - the hunky captain of the guard. He takes his job very seriously. However, right from the start you know that Celaena is going to cause problems for him and not just the trouble making kind.

Second, there is the handsome Prince Dorian - the heart breaker! I loved his cocky personality right from the start. Prince Dorian saves Celaena from the dreaded salt mines of Endovier. Endovier ia a ruthless prison that no one can ever escape from. Not even the world's best assassins. Dorian saves her so she can compete in a compition to become the king's assassin. The King is a ruthless man who is responsible for the death of her family. Her opponents are all men ... the best there are across the Empire. If she wins, she will serve the King for three years and then ... Freedom!

Here is what Goodreads has to say about the book;

"After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom. 

Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best. 

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. 

Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined."

I was going to tell you all about the second book but I can't do that without giving away what happens in the first. I will just finish by showing you the awesome cover of the second book...

and the third book;

and say that you are in for a treat with the second one as well. Now we can all read the third together and fall in love with a world full of Princes, Guards, magic and best of all ... assassins together.

To read what Goodreads says about the second and third book keep reading ...

Surprise Saturday Book Review

"City of Heavenly Fire"

I had to do a post to review this book. I know I'm behind but I just finished this little gem this morning. Let me tell you, I hate to admit when I make a mistake (my husband will agree) but I was WRONG ... but wrong in a good way. There are a few series I have read in the past that at the beginning I LOVED.  Then they keep writing more and more when the series could have ended 5 books back. (cough...House Of Night...cough) I was afraid that this was where this series was heading. After I finished The Infernal Devices series I was a little "shadowhuntered" out. That's why it took me so long to read this book.  However, I was WRONG ... DEAD WRONG! This was the perfect ending to this series. Cassandra Clare took us on a whirlwind adventure as the Shadowhunters fought to save the world from Sebastian aka Jonathan. The book kept me on my toes and although I was sure they would pull through, made me constantly ask, "How are they going to get through this one?"

Now for the best news ... there is another spin off coming in 2015!! The story will begin 5 years after the Dark War and will be based on the Blackthorns and Emma Carstairs, whom we met in Heavenly Fire. I absolutely love Emma Carstairs and am excited to read on about her adventure and quest for revenge. 

One thing I wish is that we could have seen the seelie queen at the end of Heavenly Fire, I don't want to spoil more then I have but I learned to hate her and I would have loved to see her in the end (but I have a feeling she will play a big roll in the next series).

To Read what Heavenly Fire is all about, keep reading...

"Scarlet"

I always love books that friends recommend to me.  Firstly, it gives me new authors and new novels to dive into.  Secondly, it gives me a peek into the thoughts, feelings, and likes of my acquaintances.  I get to see a side of them that I may never have seen otherwise.  Most of the time I realize how much we really are alike on so many levels!  Books have a way of bridging people together and connecting us to others.

"Scarlet" is one of those books.  A friend that I really admire, and feel that we have a "book-bonding-kindred-spirit" ... recommended this book highly.  I quickly went out and purchased it only to have it sit on my shelf for a very long time.  One day I found myself in the mood for something "different".  I had recently been involved in a series of dystopia and historical romance novels, and knew that I needed to find a fresh genre to read.  If I didn't, they would all begin to blend together and each book would begin to sound the same.  That's when I revisited my bookshelf and found "Scarlet" ... calling out for me to pick her up. A retelling of Robin Hood might be just what the doctor ordered.

"Tiger's Curse"

This book is my newest obsession!!!  Ok … before I begin, I need to go back in history a bit.  A few years ago, I was on a “get-away-and-relax trip” and one of girls that was with us was reading this book.  She told me about it … I listened … and didn’t think too much more about it.  I guess the premise just didn’t grab a hold of me.  Then recently a different friend recommended it again.  This time I thought, “Let’s give it a try.  I have nothing else to read.”  Oh my gosh!  This book, this breathtaking, thrilling, romantic, and an utterly perfect book.  It swept me away in blissful awe.

I found myself completely trapped by the story, the setting, and the characters!  What could be better than a combination of India, mythical stories, an enchanted curse, and incredibly perfect young princes?  And the romance … I better not say too much except to say … it was gush worthy, butterflies in the stomach inducing, and breathtaking!  Everything was in place for the perfect read.

"Pandemonium"

Finally … FINALLY the sequel to “Delirium” is out and read!  “Pandemonium”  didn’t let me down.  It was fast paced and kept me on my toes.  When the end hit … I was like, “What!  It’s over?!!“  And THAT reaction was not a bad thing.

At first I didn’t know if I would like the writing style.  Each chapter went back and forth between the past and the present.  However, I think that helped the readers get lost in the story, always guessing and wondering what was going on.  It really made “The Wilds” feel real and distressing.  It also showed the growth Lena went through as you saw her before and then after.  The thing I liked best about Lena, is that even though her life was turned upside down, she stayed true to herself.

"Delirium"

Honestly, I didn't know what to expect before I started reading Delirium.  I had passed by this book numerous times before deciding to give in and give it a try.  But after finishing it, I can say that this book is amazing.  I loved it!  The story is gripping, intense and very captivating.

Lauren Oliver writes about a very sad world in which love is considered a disease that will kill you.  I can’t even imagine a life without feeling love for my children … love for my spouse … love for my friends and family.  Love is where true happiness lies.  If our society came up with a cure that takes us past feelings … I personally couldn't think of anything scarier.

"Witch & Wizard"

I hate making these kind of reviews, but with that said … here it goes.  I think my main problem I had with this novel, was that I was expecting a lot from this book when I first picked it up.  It wasn't bad.  It just wasn't up to the expectations I had.

The premise was good.  The story itself was okay.  It just seemed a bit slow.  Nothing much really happened.  I could probably summarize the book in a few sentences.  Don’t get me wrong … the story wasn’t terrible … it actually kept me curiously interested and I kept reading until the end, just to find out how it would finish.

"Divergent"

"Divergent" was definitely a new riveting tale that had me rapidly flipping the pages in a reading frenzy!  I have to say, I had an absolute blast taking this wild ride ...  I enjoyed every minute of it!  It had me jumping out of my seat, biting my nails to the quick as I was drawn into Beatrice's world, cheering her on one minute, and wanting to cry with her the next.  I haven’t been drawn into a book like this since the “Hunger Games” first introduced me to this genre of novels.  The characters, setting, plot, pace and narrative where perfectly blended to produce a highly action packed read that I’m sure will captivate dystopia fans.  This is one book that I wholeheartedly recommend to anyone who loves action, bravery, a little romance, and a ton of adventure.  Be forewarned that it will have you sitting on the edge of your seat and eagerly anticipating a sequel!

Here’s a quick look at what  “Divergent” is all about:

"The Hourglass Door"

I thought "The Hourglass Door" was really good.  It has all the stuff an amazing story should have.  Adventure, a bit of mystery, and love story mixed in.  ; )  I would recommend everyone, to read this.  It is an easy read but kept me entertained through the whole thing; a magical story.  Thanks Mom and Sis for telling me to read it!  I love the characters and am so excited to start the next one to find out what happens on a HUGE cliffhanger.  Lisa Mangum did a great job telling the concept of time so we all loved and understood it!  Two thumbs up!  Check out the above video and the summary below!