Book review: Eye Of The Tempest, by Nicole Peeler

Title: Eye Of The Tempest

Author: Nicole Peeler

Publisher: Orbit (UK), Little, Brown (US)

Pub date: October '11

Source: Christmas present

Notes: Book 4 in the 'Jane True/Tempest' series - review may contain spoilers for earlier books.

Description: There's something lurking in the depths...

Supernatural halfling Jane True was hoping for a nice welcome home to small-town Rockabill - but instead an ambush awaits her and her new love interest. Coming under attack awakens a terrible new power within Jane, and she almost destroys herself when she unleashes it.

When Jane wakes, weeks later, she discovers that she's not the only thing stirring. Something underneath Rockabill is coming to life - something ancient and powerful, something that just might destroy the world. Whatever is rising from the waters must be stopped - and Jane has a feeling she's just the hlafling for the job.

My thoughts: If you're at all interested in publishing, or maybe even if you aren't, you'll have heard people talk about author "voice" before. Like many people, I didn't quite get it, but Nicole Peeler has it, in spades. I started following her on twitter a couple of months before I got the first book (Tempest Rising), and as soon as I started the book, I could see it - the writing is so totally Nicole. The way she talks on twitter is the way she writes in the books, and I love it. I haven't reviewed any of the others before (which I have as audiobooks - this is my first time reading a paper copy), so I get to gush about it ;-)

The book starts with Jane waking up on Anyan's sofa, them having just returned from the Alfar compound, where Ryu, Jane's ex, has been elected leader. Jane and Anyan have finally revealed some of their feelings for each other, and I was looking forward with this book to finally seeing them get past the awkwardness and just get together already! Unfortunately they're attacked before anything fun can happen, and by the end of chapter two, Jane wakes to find herself in hospital, next to a father who suddenly knows about all the supernatural creatures living in Rockabill. Although I'm glad he finally knows about everything that's going on, and what his daughter is, I did think it was a bit sudden for Mr True to know about everything. We miss the actual reveal, and I almost feel like that was taking the easy way out.

This wasn't my favourite book in the series so far as plot goes, it just wasn't as interesting as I felt like the others were, and I think the end result was pretty predictable once you see what's going on. I did still really enjoy it, and you can see how much Jane has changed since we first met her in Tempest Rising. I also really love the steamy scenes we get between Jane & Anyan in this book - talk about leaving the reader on edge! Haha.

I can't wait for the next book, mostly to see how the Jane/Anyan relationship continues to turn out, but also to see how Jane deals with this new challenge. I love these books for just how much fun they are - Jane narrates in a voice much closer to my inner monologue than a lot of tough fantasy heroines. Nicole Peeler writes in such a way that I find myself laughing out loud as I read. I highly recommend this book and the series, especially to people who want a little more light hearted urban fantasy, without losing the plot or romance elements that make grittier stuff good.

I give this book 7 out of 10.

~Ailsa

(P.S. - have you entered the birthday giveaway yet? Just leave a comment there, then each additional comment gives you 3 extra entries!)

In My Mailbox & weekly roundup

Hello! Welcome to another sunny Sunday! (Well, sunny in Edinburgh, anyway *g*)

As I've said, last week was my birthday (have you entered the giveaway yet?) and one of my friends got me this book:

I've never heard of this book before, but it sounds pretty cool! You can see the description on Goodreads here. And I'm pretty sure the author is from the UK, so it's another book that can count towards Kirsty's British Book Challenge.

That's all for my mailbox this week, but I think that's a good thing, because I didn't really get much reading done this week, and I have several books that I'm excited to read, but just don't have time at the moment because of uni work.

Quick round up of the week:

Sera posted a link to a giveaway on her blog - click here for details & to enter.

I reviewed 'A Kiss In The Wind' by Jennifer Bray-Weber

That's it from us this week, but hopefully I'll get caught up some more on work today, so next week will have more posts & reviews!

What did you get in your post/mailboxes this week? Let me know in the comments!

~Ailsa

More Free Stuff!

Photo found here

Hey, guys!

I'm hosting a giveaway on my blog. Two winners will be able to choose a bracelet handmade by me! To enter, just visit this post on my blog.

Even if you don't enter the contest, you should still head over and check out the redesign on my site if you haven't seen it yet. :)

Good luck!

Book review: A Kiss In The Wind, by Jennifer Bray-Weber

Title: A Kiss On The Wind

Author: Jennifer Bray-Weber

Publisher: Carina Press

Publication date: 26th March 2012

Source: e-arc from publisher via NetGalley

Genre: Historical Romance

Description: Marisol Castellan is in trouble - again. Against her pirate father's orders, she snuck off their ship to intercept a message meant for a rival captain, one that offers a clue to the whereabouts of her estranged brother Monte.

Pirate captain Blade Tyburn is not pleased to find the letter he's been waiting for is missing. He's even less pleased when he discovers the thief is a raven-haired beauty who bewitches his senses and muddles his thinking. The note gives the location of a silver-laden ship that'll make his fortune; Blade must find it, and if that means bringing Marisol along on the voyage, so be it.

Marisol believes Monte sails on the very ship Blade is to meet and strikes a deal with the handsome rogue. If he will give her passage to her brother, she will give him the exact location he needs. And both will get more than they expected...

My thoughts: Pirates! Mystery! Swash-buckling adventure! What's not to like?

Jennifer Bray-Weber pulls us in to Marisol's world straight away, as we meet her struggling with someone in a back alley. Seconds later, a man is dead, and around her panic and horror of what she's done, Marisol knows she has to run away if she wants to escape more trouble. Unfortunately she almost literally runs in to Captain Blade Tyburn. Blade is on the trail of a ship carrying a lot of money, one he was supposed to be meeting to guard, but which has slipped away. Through one thing and another, Marisol ends up on the ship with him.

I really liked seeing both their points of view. They are each fighting attraction to the other, but quite rightly are a bit mistrustful. And of course when they do get further than flirting, it throws up a whole new set of problems for them. While the romance is a big part of the story, the mystery of what's happened with the missing ship, and who the traitor in their midst is, takes an equally important part. While I did suspect the culprit a long time before the main characters figured it out, I could understand why they didn't come to that conclusion sooner.

A Kiss In The Wind is a fun frolic across the seas of the Caribbean. A sexy pirate captain, a brave runaway sailor girl, and a stolen ship make for a very enjoyable read in this historical romance.

I give A Kiss In The Wind by Jennifer Bray-Weber 7 stars.

~Ailsa

P.S - Have you entered the Big Birthday Giveaway yet? Any comment gives you extra entries! Click here to enter!

In My Mailbox, 11/3

Hi guys, time for another mailbox post! I only got one book this week, so I didn't think it was worth doing a video.

This week I got The Double-Edged Sword, by Sarah Silverwood:

Thanks Indigo/Orion!

Here's the description from the back:

Finmere Tingewick Smith has lived a double life for sixteen years - sixteen years today - spending alternate years at two very different schools and lying to everyone to keep his separate lives separate.

Today he's going to get some answers.

Or so he thinks.

I'm planning to read this one during the week, it looks like a fast read. And, Sarah Silverwood is British, so it'll count towards the British Books Challenge!

Also, today is my 21st birthday! Yay! :D I'm anticipating getting one or two books from friends - I'll be able to talk about them next week ;-) And to celebrate, I'm giving away some books - go HERE to enter (it's open internationally).

What did you get in your postboxes this week?

~Ailsa

(In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.)

Cover reveal: Falling To Ash, by Karen Mahoney

Karen Mahoney, author of 'The Iron Witch' and its sequel 'The Wood Queen' posted the cover this afternoon for the first book in her new 'Moth' series, 'Falling To Ash'.

Isn't it pretty? I can't wait to read this one!

For the curious, here's the blurb from Karen's website:

You can't choose your family... living or dead.

Trapped between two very different worlds, newly made vampire Moth is struggling to find her place in either. Not only does she have to answer to her strict Irish-Catholic family, but her over-protective Maker, Theo, is intent on making her the star attraction in his powerful Boston vampire clan. Moth will have to pull off the double-act of the century to please both of them...

Adding to her problems is the dangerously attractive Jason Murdoch, a trainee vampire hunter who loves to play cat and mouse in his spare time (Jace = cat; Moth = mouse). But when the teenagers of Boston's wealthiest families start to disappear, it forces Moth and Jace into an uneasy truce. Will they be able to solve the mystery behind the disappearances - before someone winds up undead?

How cool does that sound?? The book is scheduled to come out in September 2012. If you want a sneak peek at Moth before then, she's the main character in Karen Mahoney's short stories in the anthologies "Kiss Me Deadly" and "The Eternal Kiss".

Here's the announcement on her own site: Karen's website.

Who else is excited for this?

~Ailsa

Quick note about comments

I've changed the site so that you now type your comment at the bottom of the page, instead of in a pop-up window. This means you can still subscribe by email to comments, as blogger have changed the layout of their pop-up comments so that at the moment there is no 'subscribe by email to comments' button.

I try to always reply to comments, so do check back :)

(And remember, till the end of March, each comment you leave gets you a bonus entry in my big birthday giveaway!)

~Ailsa

In My Mailbox, 3/3

Hello everyone! This is my first time trying to schedule something to post, so I hope it goes up on Sunday when it's meant to!

As I said, I'm trying to get back to the book buying ban, but in theory I was doing that from November, and it didn't work out so well then! The only exceptions I'm letting myself have is if I've got vouchers or book tokens to spend. I'm still taking review books, though.

Books mentioned in the vlog:

Heart Signs, by Cari Quinn (author website) - for review from author (Thanks Cari!)

The Book of Blood and Shadow, by Robin Wasserman - bought with vouchers from amazon

Dark Parties, by Sara Grant (website) - for review from publisher (Thanks Indigo!)

So what did you get this week? Let me know in the comments!

Also, have you entered the birthday giveaway I'm doing? Each comment on another post gives you an extra entry! Click here to enter :D (Open internationally)

~Ailsa