Lost Lake - Sarah Addison Allen

It happens one morning - Kate finally wakes up from the slumber she's been in since her husband's death a year ago. Feeling a fresh sense of desire to take control of her and her young daughter's life, she decides to visit Suley, Georgia - home to Lost Lake. It's where Kate spent one of the happiest summers of her life as a child. She's not sure what she expects to find there, but it's not a rundown place full of ghosts and other curious oddities. Kate's Aunt Eby, Lost Lake's owner, wants to sell the old place and move on. Lost Lake's magic is gone. As Kate discovers that time has a way of standing still at Lost Lake, can she bring the cottages - as well as her heart and the hearts of all the guests - back to life? Because sometimes lost loves aren't really lost. They're just waiting for you to find them again. 

My thoughts:

You know these words by now; It was good BUT it was not as good as previous books. It did not have that comfort feeling, that awww magical realism feeling. It felt rather bland to be honest. It was a good fiction book, but it was not a good magical realism book.

So yes that was the main issues. What magical realism? A crocodile? No. I want the magical realism to be felt, to really feel it and think yes, there is magic in the south. Here I never felt that. There was no real magic in this book.

But that does not make it a bad book. She is still a great author, and wrote a good fiction book. Just not a great magical realism book.

The story is about Eby who owns Lost lake, but the place is dying. No new guests are coming. She wants to sell and then her niece Kate turns up. Kate who will learn to love again and her daughter who will find a home to love. And Eby will find peace again. It's also the story of 2 guests, and the cook. Everyone finding what they need.

Conclusion:

But yes, disappointing that the Allen feeling was not there. Though, still good.

Cover

eh

Paperback, 296 pages
Published February 13th 2014 by Hodder & Stoughton
Fiction
Own

Generation V - M.L.Brennan

Fortitude Scott’s life is a mess. A degree in film theory has left him with zero marketable skills, his job revolves around pouring coffee, his roommate hasn’t paid rent in four months, and he’s also a vampire. Well, sort of. He’s still mostly human.

But when a new vampire comes into his family’s territory and young girls start going missing, Fort can’t ignore his heritage anymore. His mother and his older, stronger siblings think he’s crazy for wanting to get involved. So it’s up to Fort to take action, with the assistance of Suzume Hollis, a dangerous and sexy shape-shifter. Fort is determined to find a way to outsmart the deadly vamp, even if he isn’t quite sure how.

But without having matured into full vampirehood and with Suzume ready to split if things get too risky, Fort’s rescue mission might just kill him.… 

My thoughts:

I am wavering between a 3 and a 4, and only cos I really did enjoy it, but what if the second book is even better? Oh well then it will be :) So more a 3.75 or something ;)

I liked Fort, he was so not kick-ass. He let his room mate walk all over him, his girlfriend, his boss. But you know what, I do not always need kick-ass. Would I be able to stand up to everyone all the time? No. So it only made him more human. But as the progresses he doe get better, which I liked. Because sometimes you really do need to stand your ground.

Fort is a vamp, but has not really become one yet. And he likes being "human" as long he can. His family is rich and arrogant and all vampire. While he has a shit job, a room mate who does not pay his rent, and a degree that gives him nothing.

The world was interesting. Vamps, we saw kitsunes (I have always liked those), and humans who know nothing (as I like it).

Conclusion:

There was a bit of action, a hunt, and just good times. I enjoyed the book nad I certainly look forward to book 2. *fingers crossed it will be good too*

Cover

ok

Mass Market Paperback, 312 pages
Published May 7th 2013 by Roc
Generation V #1
Urban fantasy
Own

Carole's Sunday review: Cloaked in Fur by TF Walsh

Author: TF Walsh

Title: Cloaked in Fur

Genre: Paranormal Romance, Fantasy, Murder Mystery, & Drama

Pages: ebook

First Published: August 2013

Where I Got It: My shelf (Given to me by author/publisher for my honest and unbiased opinion)

As a moonwulf, Daciana never expected to fall in love with a human. Hell, she never imagined that she’d abandon her pack, endanger everyone around her, and break the worst rule possible. But she did.

A rogue werewolf is killing Daciana’s friends, and she sets on capturing the creature. She’ll do whatever it takes to stop the beast. The police and her boyfriend, Inspector Connell Lonescu, are starting to question her involvement in the murders, which is endangering the pack’s secret existence. But when the pack alpha kidnaps Connell, revealing the awful truth about the creature and its connection to the pack, Daciana must choose between saving the man she loves and saving her pack family from certain death.

I pretty much read this all in one sitting. Work had to get in the way and so I had to put it down, but the moment I could I grabbed it up and finished it. Rarely do I finish a book in one day! I like my books how I like my wine, a little at a time. However, I had to know what was going to happen next!!

Poor Daci! She has had SUCH a crappy week. She is trying to find the elixir recipe, so she can keep herself from completely turning to a wulkin (a werewolf) and be forever attached to her pack and be together forever with her human boyfriend. However, at the same time that said love of hers is really feeling like she is hiding something and is being distant from him, so he's on her case trying to pry out her secret. AT THE SAME time there is a rogue wolf killing/eating people Daci knows which is making her look suspicious. AND at the same time her alpha is being anti-helpful with this rogue wolf, so she teams up with an ex flame from the pack to hunt it down. UGH! Poor chit! I would just take Connell and run. hahaha. 

Poor Connell. I totally get why he was angry and hurt...I would be too...but MAN! I wanted to choke him and shake some sense in his head, but he didn't have the information I had on what she was trying to do so they can together for ever. UGH! I wish Daci would've let the secret slip, so his mind would be at some sort of peace (he would totally freak, so is his mind really at peace? haha)

Yes, this is a romance, but there is so much more at play (in which you can tell), so it made much better in my opinion. It felt real and I had no idea whether or not Connell and Daci will be together forever. It's a tough, tough road and there is so much at play. I loved it! It really had me on the edge of my seat since page one. Yes, I did get ansy, because I needed to know how everything was going to play out. There was one point where the action and drama seemed to drag on and on, but the author threw in a nice scene that gave me a breather before the next storm of action and drama took place. Like the calm before the last battle in a sense. It seemed impossible for a good ending!

WHICH...speaking of ending...kuddos TF Walsh! It certainly was a twist I did NOT see coming! I literally had to re-read a section to make sure my eyes told me right. I simply loved the ending. It left me wanting more, but it was not cliff-hanger-ish. I just really want to read more about the characters and that world in general. Especially the rest of the pack. What journey do they have next? Will they find love? Especially Daci's ex. He was alright and I felt bad because he really did care for Daci. They were suppose to be "mates", but then Daci wanted to be human and be with Connell. 

In the end, this was such an amazing ride! I was giving up on PNR, but this one certainly resparked my love for the genre. It was a romance, there was so much more at play here. Murder mystery, action, drama, and just felt like "reality" (BC it is a fantasy, so reality for a fantasy) and I wasn't sure IF Daci and Connell would get there HEA. There was one point where it started to drag from too much action and drama, but TF Walsh threw in a nice scene and it calmed down for a moment before more action and drama kicked in for the last time. I totally recommend this to PNR and action lovers, also I totally recommend it for those that need a good PNR to get back into the genre. Out of five stars, I stamp this with 5 stars. 

Favorite Character(s): Daci & Connell (even tho he drove me crazy, but he had no idea what was happening, so you can't blame the guy)

Not-so Favorite Character(s): The pack leader (*shakes head* Dumb, dumb)

Carole interviews TF Walsh

Today, we have a special guest on the blog! May we have a nice warm applause for TF Walsh the author of the new book 'Cloaked in Fur'! She was so sweet to have an interview with me. I simply adore interviews, I really should do more. 

Tell me a little about yourself. 

Thanks for having me on your blog today.

Well, I was born in Romania and moved to Australia with my family at the age of eight. My dad has always loved writing and is quite well known in Romania, so I guess from an early age I started to show interest in writing. Sure, they were only poems or lyrics, but it was a start☺ It was only when I finished university that I considered trying to write stories. Fast forward many years later, when I was home sick from work that I attacked my first novel, and no looking back from there. Aside from writing, I’m a huge baking fan with snickerdoodles being my all time favorite cookies. I live with hubby and two gorgeous kitties.

 Tell me about your book? 

Cloaked in Fur is book one in the Wulfkin Legacy series. Here’s a little blurb: As a moonwulf, Daciana never expected to fall in love with a human. Hell, she never imagined that she’d abandon her pack, endanger everyone around her, and break the worst rule possible. But she did. A rogue werewolf is killing Daciana’s friends, and she sets on capturing the creature. She’ll do whatever it takes to stop the beast. The police and her boyfriend, Inspector Connell Lonescu, are starting to question her involvement in the murders, which is endangering the pack’s secret existence. But when the pack alpha kidnaps Connell, revealing the awful truth about the creature and its connection to the pack, Daciana must choose between saving the man she loves and saving her pack family from certain death.

 What inspired you to write this book? 

I grew up listening to bedtime Romanian stories that could only be compared to the Brothers Grimm tales, and ever since then folklore and mythology has fascinated me. These influences have trickled into my stories, and in particular Cloaked in Fur, which is based in Transylvania—a place seeped in legends. Now, when it comes to love, I’m a sucker for stories about two people from different worlds falling madly in love and fighting against the odds to stay together. This is the story I wanted to tell in Cloaked in Fur; showing how far someone was willing to go to hold onto true love.

 Why werewolves? 

I grew up watching horror stories, in particular, monster ones. My favorites were the vampire and werewolf stories. Because I wanted to base my book in Romania, I wanted to show the country had legends beyond Dracula, so I went with my next favorite topic. Plus, what I love about werewolves is their hidden nature. Anyone could be a werewolf hiding in his or her human guise. Whether a person's lycanthropy is beyond their control, or whether they maintain their control, when they change, they are equally frightening. Traditionally stories of werewolves were used to inspire fear, but they have since been romanticized in popular culture. In Cloaked in Fur, I wanted to use both of these sides of the werewolf.

 What inspired such unique names such as Daciana or Connell? 

I did a lot of research for my character names as I wanted them to fit both their location, but also have a deeper meaning. Daciana is derived from the Roman Dacia – a name for the region that is today Moldova in Romania. Stories say the Dacians were originally known as daoi, which means wolf. Connell is from England, and his name just caught my interest… can’t really explain it, but it felt right for my character.

 What’s next for all your fans? Maybe a sequel? ;) 

The sequel, Cloaked in Secrecy, is set to come out very soon. I’m so excited to be telling Enre’s story. Here’s a teaser: What better way for a pack of wulfkin shifters to hide themselves from the world than right before their eyes performing in a circus.

 Thank you so much TF for joining us! I am excited to see what you have in store for us next!