Waiting on Wednesday (162)

I received an email not long ago, and of course as soon as I seen that one of the authors was Rachel Caine, I had to share.  Honor Among Thieves is the first book in The Honors series.  I'm not sure how many books will be in this series but expect to see it out 13th February 2018


Synopsis
Zara Cole has been in and out of New Detroit’s rehab facilities for treatment of her antisocial disorder. There’s no adjusting Zara’s attitude, though. A painful past has made her stronger than most, which is why she chose life in the Zone instead moving with her family to Mars. In her eyes, living inside a dome isn’t much better than a prison cell.

Still, when Zara commits a crime that has her running scared, jail might be exactly where she’s headed. Instead Zara is recruited into the Honors, an elite team of humans selected by the Leviathan–a race of sentient alien ships—to explore the outer reaches of the universe as their passengers.

Zara seizes the chance to flee Earth’s dangers, but when she meets Nadim, the alien ship she’s assigned to along with fellow Honor Beatriz, Zara starts to feel at home for the first time, along with a devotion she’s never experienced before. Yet nothing—not her Honors training or her street smarts—could have prepared her for the dark, dangerous truths that lurk behind the glitter of starlight.

Honor Among Thieves is the first book in a daring new sci-fi series by bestselling authors Rachel Caine and Ann Aguirre.

So what are you waiting on?

Book Trailer: Gap Year in Ghost Town by Michael Pryor

*This post may contain affiliate links

Synopsis
Let's get this straight - ghosts are everywhere. I can see them. You can't. And, see them or not, they're dangerous. This is why my family has hunted ghosts for hundreds of years to protect people like you.

The Marin family are outcasts of the ghost hunting world. They run a two-man operation in inner city Melbourne. Anton has the Ghost-sight, but his father does not.

Rani Cross is supremely skilled in hand-to-hand combat, with enhanced speed and strength thanks to her magical initiation into the Company of the Righteous.

When it comes to ghost-hunting methodology, Anton and Rani don't see eye to eye - Anton likes to 'ease their passage' to the next world, while Rani's all about the slashing.

But Melbourne is under threat; with a massive spike in violent ghost manifestations, Anton and Rani must find a way to work together to keep supernatural forces at bay.

And what with all the blindingly terrifying brushes with death, Anton must decide if he really wants in on the whole ghost hunting biz anyway.

Add to Goodreads // Buy at Book Depository

Book Trailer

Check it Out: 20th Anniversary Harry Potter Editions

  

*This post may contain affiliate links

I don't know about anyone else, but when I went to the bookstore last weekend I came across these amazing Harry Potter Books.  20th Anniversary Editions! So I had to share:

Aren't they amazing?!!  

 

 Click on each of them and they will send you across to Book Depository.   

 

I've only just bought the latest starry ones and unfortunately don't have room at the moment to own a second set.. YET!  But I'll make room I swear.

That's not all though.  They've also released the Hogwarts Library with new covers too!!

 

   

So as you can tell, I'm super excited to see these new covers out. Fingers crossed you'll have room on your shelves for a beautiful set :)

Book Trailer: A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess

*This post may contain Affiliate links

Synopsis:

I am Henrietta Howel. The first female sorcerer. The prophesied one. Or am I?

Henrietta Howel can burst into flames. When she is brought to London to train with Her Majesty's sorcerers, she meets her fellow sorcerer trainees, young men eager to test her powers and her heart. One will challenge her. One will fight for her. One will betray her. As Henrietta discovers the secrets hiding behind the glamour of sorcerer life, she begins to doubt that she's the true prophesied one. With battle looming, how much will she risk to save the city--and the one she loves?

Add to Goodreads // Buy at Book Depository 

Book Trailer: The Fate of Ten

*This post may contain affiliate links.

Synopsis:

 The sixth book in the thrilling, action-packed, New York Times bestselling I Am Number Four series! For years the Garde have fought the Mogadorians in secret. Now all of that has changed. The invasion has begun. If the Garde can't find a way to stop the Mogs, humanity will suffer the same fate as the Lorien: annihilation.

There is still hope. When the Elders sent the Garde to Earth, they had a plan—one which the Garde are finally starting to understand. In the climax of The Revenge of Seven, a group of the Garde traveled to an ancient pyramid in Mexico known to their people as the Sanctuary. There they awoke a power that had been hidden within our planet for generations. Now this power can save the world . . . or destroy it. It will all depend on who wields it.

Add to your Goodreads List!  // Buy this at Book Depository

Afterworlds Book Trailer

I've read this book and it was pretty awesome.  Check out the trailer!!

And shortly after I found the book Trailer.  I came across this one. Absolutely brilliant!!

Way Down Dark by JP Smythe

Title: Way Down Dark 

Author: JP Smythe
Genre: Young Adult / Science Fiction / Fantasy
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Publication Date: 2nd July 2015
ISBN: 9781444796322
Stand Alone/Series: The Australia Trilogy #1
Pages: 288pages
First Lines: The story goes taht Earth was much older than the scientist thought.

Synopsis:  
The first in an extraordinary new YA trilogy by James Smythe, perfect for fans of The Hunger Games and Divergent.

There's one truth on Australia: You fight or you die. Usually both.

Seventeen-year-old Chan's ancestors left a dying Earth hundreds of years ago, in search of a new home. They never found one.

The only life that Chan's ever known is one of violence, of fighting. Of trying to survive.

But there might be a way to escape. In order to find it, Chan must head way down into the darkness - a place of buried secrets, long-forgotten lies, and the abandoned bodies of the dead.

Seventeen-year-old Chan, fiercely independent and self-sufficient, keeps her head down and lives quietly, careful not to draw attention to herself amidst the violence and disorder. Until the day she makes an extraordinary discovery - a way to return the Australia to Earth. But doing so would bring her to the attention of the fanatics and the murderers who control life aboard the ship, putting her and everyone she loves in terrible danger.

And a safe return to Earth is by no means certain.

My Thoughts:
Thanks to Hachette Australia for sending this to me.  I must admit that the first few pages in, I struggled.  Not with the writing because it was amazing, but the scene that it painted.  Of a life that you had to fight tooth and nail for survival and there being no escape.  A life where children die for something as simple as getting in the road, or for being in the wrong gang, or for just existing.  So this was hard, being the mother of a six year old, and reading about the struggles that Chan and the people on Australia had to face just to survive.

In saying that, It's been a while since I've picked a book up that has contained so much grit and drama as Way Down Dark had, that I struggled to put it down.  Chan is a strong willed and determined character to do what's right, not just what's selfish and not just 'staying alive'.  Because she believes there to be a better way.  

JP Smythe paints a bleak atmosphere for the occupants of Australia.  On one half of the ship are the lows.  A gang that is violent and cruel doing whatever it takes to claim more of the ship.  They encroach on the free area and this spurs Chan into action, against the warnings from her dying mother and that of her mother's friend Agatha.

The one thing I'm the most happy about is that you find out right at the beginning that this is part of a Trilogy.  In all honesty after reading other books about people in space, I'm not sure what it was about those, but I've never gone for anything that has been space related.  The synopsis on the back of this did suck me in though.  Once I started reading, it's not that you forget that they are on the ship, because it's there in the description but it's so wonderfully done, that it feels real and it feels legit.  So I can't wait to go looking for more of this Author's writing.

Overall I recommend this read to others to try.  Be aware that it is graphic at times, in both it's words, and what it doesn't say, so you have been warned, but in saying that, don't pass up on this.

I look forward to reading what happens next for Chan and the characters of Way Down Dark.

Book received from:  Hachette Children's Book

Day Shift by Charlaine Harris

Title: Day Shift

Author: Charlaine Harris
Genre: Paranormal / Fantasy
Publisher: Gollancz
Publication Date: 5th May 2015
ISBN: 9780575092891
Stand Alone/Series: Midnight Texas#2
Pages: 320 pages
First Lines: It isn't the rumbling of the trucks that seizes Manfred Bernardo's attention; it is the silence that falls when their ignitions die.

Contains Possible Spoilers if you haven't read Midnight!

Synopsis: 
There is no such thing as bad publicity, except in Midnight, Texas, where the residents like to keep to themselves. Even in a town full of secretive people, Olivia Charity is an enigma. She lives with the vampire Lemuel, but no one knows what she does; they only know that she’s beautiful and dangerous.

Psychic Manfred Bernardo finds out just how dangerous when he goes on a working weekend to Dallas and sees Olivia there with a couple who are both found dead the next day. To make matters worse, one of Manfred’s regular—and very wealthy—clients dies during a reading.

Manfred returns from Dallas embroiled in scandal and hounded by the press. He turns to Olivia for help; somehow he knows that the mysterious Olivia can get things back to normal. As normal as things get in Midnight…

My Thoughts:
Day Shift is the second book in Charlaine Harris' new series Midnight, Texas.  I thoroughly enjoyed Charlaine's Sookie Stackhouse series and the Midnight series does not disappoint!

 The series begins with Manfred Bernardo a psychic, moving to Midnight, Texas.  There he finds and unusual close-nit group of residents with their own closet of secrets.

I found Day Shift jumped into the action a little quicker than Midnight, and it certainly hooked me from the first chapter.  An unusual event occurs in Midnight and it has the residents on edge.  A mysterious company has resurrected the boarded up hotel and it is bringing traffic to Midnight.  Not something that they want at all.

Another mysterious guest appears roughly the same time as the opening of the hotel and takes up temporary residence in the Rev's chapel.  What really gets the story going, is when he is out on a working weekend to Dallas and a long standing client of his dies.  Which sets the dominoes falling.

I really enjoyed the secrecy of each character.  I won't give up any secrets there but there were a few surprises amongst the group and I am curious to see where  Charlaine takes this in the third book.

Manfred as usual is the favourite for me but in these novels Charlaine has given multiple viewpoints told in third person omniscient, which could get confusing if you read too fast.  There were a couple of times I had to reread a paragraph to pick up who was telling this particular part of the story.

I loved how Charlaine makes reference to characters from her other books in this series, including one character that I know of that shows up in the Sookie Stackhouse novels.  If you know those books you have a fair idea of this particular person's skills and background.  Another nice tie in I think!

All in all I love Charlaine Harris' writing style and her stories! I'm definitely going to look into the other series she has created for my next lot of reading material.  I just can't wait for Night Shift to be published.

Book received from:  Bought this one!!

Waiting on Wednesday (156)

Waiting On Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for!

I read through first three books so quick.  I'm looking forward to reading The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater on 29th September 2015.

Synopsis

The fourth and final installment in the spellbinding series from the irrepressible, #1 New York Times bestselling author Maggie Stiefvater.

All her life, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love's death. She doesn't believe in true love and never thought this would be a problem, but as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she's not so sure anymore.

In a starred review for Blue Lily, Lily Blue, Kirkus Reviews declared: "Expect this truly one-of-a-kind series to come to a thundering close."

What are you waiting on?

Waiting on Wednesday (151)

Waiting On Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for!

I really love the cover design of Artisans by Julie Reece.  The book will be released 19th May 2015 and I'm looking forward to reading this.

Synopsis

They say death can be beautiful. But after the death of her mother, seventeen-year-old Raven Weathersby gives up her dream of becoming a fashion designer, barely surviving life in the South Carolina lowlands.

To make ends meet, Raven works after school as a seamstress creating stunning works of fashion that often rival the great names of the day.

Instead of making things easier on the high school senior, her stepdad's drinking leads to a run in with the highly reclusive heir to the Maddox family fortune, Gideon Maddox.

But Raven's stepdad's drying out and in no condition to attend the meeting with Maddox. So Raven volunteers to take his place and offers to repay the debt in order to keep the only father she's ever known out of jail, or worse.

Gideon Maddox agrees, outlining an outrageous demand: Raven must live in his home for a year while she designs for Maddox Industries' clothing line, signing over her creative rights.

Her handsome young captor is arrogant and infuriating to the nth degree, and Raven can't imagine working for him, let alone sharing the same space for more than five minutes.

But nothing is ever as it seems. Is Gideon Maddox the monster the world believes him to be? And can he stand to let the young seamstress see him as he really is?

What are you waiting on?

Waiting On Wednesday (150)

Waiting On Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for!

Looking forward to reading The Cage by Megan Shepherd which will be out on the 4th March this year.

Synopsis

The Maze Runner meets Scott Westerfeld in this gripping new series about teens held captive in a human zoo by an otherworldly race. From Megan Shepherd, the acclaimed author of The Madman's Daughter trilogy.

When Cora Mason wakes in a desert, she doesn't know where she is or who put her there. As she explores, she finds an impossible mix of environments—tundra next to desert, farm next to jungle, and a strangely empty town cobbled together from different cultures—all watched over by eerie black windows. And she isn't alone.

Four other teenagers have also been taken: a beautiful model, a tattooed smuggler, a secretive genius, and an army brat who seems to know too much about Cora's past. None of them have a clue as to what happened, and all of them have secrets. As the unlikely group struggles for leadership, they slowly start to trust each other. But when their mysterious jailer—a handsome young guard called Cassian—appears, they realize that their captivity is more terrifying than they could ever imagine: Their captors aren't from Earth. And they have taken the five teenagers for an otherworldly zoo—where the exhibits are humans.

As a forbidden attraction develops between Cora and Cassian, she realizes that her best chance of escape might be in the arms of her own jailer—though that would mean leaving the others behind. Can Cora manage to save herself and her companions? And if so . . . what world lies beyond the walls of their cage?

What are you waiting for ??

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Title: Red Queen

Author: Victoria Aveyard
Genre: Young Adult / Sci-Fi / Romance/ Dystopia / Fantasy
Publisher: Orion Books (Hachette Australia)
Publication Date: 12th February 2015
ISBN: 9781409155843
Stand Alone/Series: Red Queen #1
Pages: 383 pages
First Lines: I hate First Friday.  It makes the village crowded, and now, in the heat of the summer, that's the last thing anyone wants.

Synopsis: 
This is a world divided by blood – red or silver.

The poverty-stricken Reds are commoners, living in the shadow of the Silvers, elite warriors with god-like powers.

To Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red girl from the Stilts, it looks like nothing will ever change.

Then Mare finds herself working at the Silver palace, in the midst of those she hates the most. She quickly discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy Silver control.

My Thoughts: 
In all honesty, I wasn't real keen on picking up Red Queen.  Without even reading the Synopsis, I imagined this being a romantic Victorian times book, something that wasn't really up my alley. Thank god I was wrong.  Very!

It is even being mentioned that it is for fans of Divergent and The Hunger Games.  Well there certainly are aspects from Red Queen that I would have likened to these two also.

For me, I got to about page 12 before thinking, yeah this is interesting.  I can see myself reading more.  By the time i hit half way that book was NOT leaving my hands.

I really liked the main character Mare/Mareena.  She's a red girl caught up in the politics of a silver world and as you can gather from the synopsis, Mare's world is divided between Reds that are slaves, servants, workers and poor, and Silvers, royalty, upperclass, with super powers.  Two very different people.  But when she gets thrown into the deep end at the arena, she discovers she has powers of her own.  Something not heard of among the red people.  So the Silver Royal family does the only thing it can.  They lie and welcome the long lost Mareena from House Titanos soon to be betrothed to the Queen's son Maven.

The moment this happens, the book sped up pace for me.  I felt up until that point the first part of the book sets the scene of the Reds and their way of life.  It was interesting but hadn't quite completely grabbed my attention up until that moment.  There is pressure for Mare to in the beginning too.  Her 18th birthday nears, and with that the compulsory conscription of the army looms over her.  Those lucky enough to have someone train them get to stay, for those that don't, it's off to the army. Probably never to be seen again.;

There is romance in this, but it's not what I'd call the main event of the book.  I'd certainly think the Scarlet Guard takes most of the focus.  So if you are looking for a book for romance alone.  This won't be it.

But in saying that, the action for me was what propelled the story to the end.  The worldbuilding is pretty awesome.  The author has definitely put alot of thought into Mare's world and while we only catch fleeting glimpses of both the Red and Silver's world, I dare say we will get a more look-see with the second and third books.

If you are after a decent fantasy read, I suggest giving this one a go.  I'm curious to find out what Victoria has in store for the next two books.

Fave Lines:  Anyone can betray anyone.
Book received from:  Hachette Australia

A Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder Book Trailer

I have this book on my TBR shelf and can't wait to pick it up.  Hope you all enjoy the trailer

Silverbirch: Fall of the Epicenter by Robert Kaay

Title:  Silverbirch: Fall of the Epicenter

Author:  Robert Kaay

Genre:  Fantasy

Publisher:  Self Published

Publication Date:  11th October 2012

ISBN:  9780980687767

Stand alone or series:   Silverbirch #2

Pages:  270 pages

Book Received from:  Author

First Lines:  It's funny how human beings feel the need to pay respect to the dead by attending a funeral.

Synopsis: Although Nudge hates the red lightning-bolt mushrooms, if he doesn't manage to find their source, he has no chance of reuniting with his soul mate.

My Thoughts:
Silverbirch: Fall of the Epicenter is the second book in the Silverbirch series and I was very interested to see how Nudge the main character was going to manage now that he'd lost almost everyone he'd cared about.

Robert takes the fantasy up a notch in this book.  We not only are dealing with one race outside of the human one but three and it sure makes things interesting.  When I first got this book I looked at the front and thought.. "I wonder how this ties in."

The one thing I definitely loved about Nudge was the more he tried to help, the more it seemed to dig himself a bigger hole in the human world.

I'm also glad that we get to meet back up with Chase and Hayley once again but this time things are a little different.

Also for me, I felt that book two didn't have quite as much action as the first one.  That was one thing that made book one really awesome.  Book two is focused alot more on the finding more mushrooms and working a plan to reunite with his friends.  But I must say the glitches along the way make Nudge shine as a main character.

I look forward to were the Silverbirch story ends especially with the way Robert has tied things up at the end of this book.

  

Waiting on Wednesday (101)

Waiting On Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for!

After reading Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta I can't wait to read Quintana of Charyn.  This won't be released until October 2012 so it's a little bit of a wait!

Synopsis:

I haven't been able to find a synopsis yet but that won't stop me from sharing this with all of you.

What are you waiting on?

Sela by Jackie Gamber

Title:  Sela

Author:  Jackie Gamber

Genre:  Young Adult/Fantasy

Publisher:  Seventh Star Press

Publication Date:  18th March 2012

Stand alone or series:   Leland Dragon Series #2

Pages:  256 pages

Book Received from:  Seventh Star Press

First Lines:  Sela's art was dead inside, just like her hoper.  But she tried.

Possible spoilers if you haven't read Red Heart

Synopsis:
Peace was fleeting. Vorham Riddess, Venur of Esra Province, covets the crystal ore buried deep in Leland's mountains. His latest device to obtain it: land by marriage to a Leland maiden. But that's not all.
Among Dragonkind, old threats haunt Mount Gore, and shadows loom in the thoughts of the Red who restored life to land and love. A dragon hunter, scarred from countless battles, discovers he can yet suffer more wounds.
In the midst of it all, Sela Redheart is lost, driven from her home with only her old uncle to watch over her. As the dragon-born child of Kallon, the leader of Leland's Dragon Council, she is trapped in human form with no understanding of how she transformed, or how to turn back.
Wanderers seek a home, schemes begin to unfurl, and all is at risk as magic and murder, marriage and mystery strangle the heart of Esra. A struggle for power far older and deeper than anyone realizes will leave no human or dragon unaffected.
In a world where magic is born of feeling, where the love between a girl and a dragon was once transformative, what power dwells in the heart of young Sela?

My Thoughts:
Jackie has done it once again.  Sela, the second book in the Leland Dragon series is about the daughter of Kallon and Riza who is stuck in human form after a frightening encounter.  She lives with her Uncle Orman a wizard who has been able to keep her out of the spotlight up until now.

I was completely absorbed with this book from beginning to finish.  So many wonderful characters in this story that I just don't know where to start.  Sela the main character is a naive young woman trapped in a human and kept away from her parents for her safety.  Not that she's happy of this.  I really liked her spirit from start to finish.  She just had that way about her that you could just fall in love with her as a character.

Banon was another absolute favourite of mine.  From the first run in with Sela to the castle scenes I couldn't help but think of him as a charming guy.

Jackie has done a brilliant job of really bringing the reader in amongst the action.  I was so absorbed that I didn't realise the pages flying by until I hit the final climax of the book and I've thought, "Is this over already?".  

While I don't want to reveal too much of the story, if you loved Red Heart you will not be disappointed in the next instalment in the Leland Dragon series.  Looking forward to book number three!

Fave Line:  

Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta

Title:  Froi of the Exiles

Author:  Melina Marchetta

Genre:  Young Adult/Fantasy

Publisher:  Penguin Australia 

Publication Date:  3rd October 2011

ISBN:  9780670076086

Stand alone or series:   #2 Lumatere Chronicles

Pages:  608 pages

Book Received from:  Penguin Australia (Publisher)

First Lines:  They call her Quintana the cursemaker.  The last female born to Charyn, eighteen years past.

Possible spoilers for those that have not read Finnikin of the Rock

Synopsis:
Blood sings to blood, Froi . . .
Those born last will make the first . . .
For Charyn will be barren no more.
Three years after the curse on Lumatere was lifted, Froi has found his home - or so he believes.
Fiercely loyal to the Queen and Finnikin, Froi has been trained roughly and lovingly by the Guard sworn to protect the royal family, and has learned to control his quick temper. But when he is sent on a secretive mission to the kingdom of Charyn, nothing could have prepared him for what he finds. Here he encounters a damaged people who are not who they seem, and must unravel both the dark bonds of kinship and the mysteries of a half-mad Princess.
And in this barren and mysterious place, he will discover that there is a song sleeping in his blood, and though Froi would rather not, the time has come to listen.

My Thoughts:

I was a bit hesitant to picks this up to begin with.  The size alone is large for a YA novel and not only that, this was going to follow Froi of the Exiles.  The POV's do change throughout the story but I wasn't sure if I was going to like Froi.  In Finnikin of the Rock, he's almost savage, knowing no manners and being reduced to the most base of boys coming of age.  To my surprise, the story of Froi of the Exiles takes place three years later and he has come a long way.  In saying that there are still hints of his dark past laced throughout the book but I found myself completely absorbed with his POV all the way through.

We get to see what is happening with Froi, Beatriss, Lucian the Mont and Finnikin and Isaboe throughout the story but alot of my attention was drawn to Froi's travels to Citavita and the curse that lay about the Charynites 18 years ago.  While not going into too much detail we get to find more about Froi's past as well which gives him more depth as a character.

Another character in this book that we are introduced to is Quintana, a strange princess that lives in the Citavita.  One moment she's strange the next she's almost normal, and I really liked how this character stood out from the rest of the others even if she was a little crazy.  Actually now that I think about it, it was because she was crazy that I loved her.  So blunt and to the point at times then others as innocent as a little girl.  Such a complex character.

Like I said, the story is long but it's one that you will want to savour every page and absorb the words completely.  I love how Melina has created the land of Skuldenore.  She has really brought them to life that I can see the places, the landscapes, the people.  I also love how there are maps situated at the beginning of the book and I felt myself constantly going back and forth following each characters journey throughout the lands.   This is a big winner for me as I used to struggle to visualise purely fictional places when I was younger.

After reading this I'm itching to read the third book in The Lumatere Chronicles but I must say I felt this was for the higher end of the young adult market, possibly for at least fourteen and above as there are discussions of mature nature laced throughout.

If you haven't picked up Froi of Exiles yet I recommend this read but make sure to read Finnikin of the Rock as there are references throughout the book that link back to the first book.  Don't be intimidated by the size of this book either.  After turning the last page I wished the book was just a tad bigger.  Just sayin'.

Fave Line:  "..it is what you do for strangers that counts in the end." Page 163

Waiting on Wednesday (75)

Waiting on Wednesday was brought to you by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for!

I so can't wait for the third instalment of the Seven Kindoms series called Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore.  This ones out on the 1st of March 2012 so mark it up on the calendar.

Synopsis (Goodreads)
"Book 3, tentatively titled Bitterblue and currently in progress, is a companion book to both Graceling and Fire and takes place in the seven kingdoms eight years after Graceling. Bitterblue will tie all three books together in some way. Bitterblue is the sixteen-year-old protagonist, and Katsa, Po, Giddon, Helda, and other characters from Graceling will be part of the fabric of the book. Plenty of fighting still to come!"

Redheart by Jackie Gamber

Title:  Redheart

Author:  Jackie Gamber

Genre:  Young Adult/Fantasy  

Publisher:  Seventh Star Press  

Publication Date:  6th April 2011 

ISBN:  9780983108672

Stand alone or series:  1st Book in the Leland Dragon series

Pages:  294 pages 

Book Received from:  Publisher  

First Lines:  Kallon soared.  He thrust his crimson wings to chase the clouds, tethered to the earth by only his massive shadow. 

Synopsis: 

Enter the lands of Leland Province, where dragon and human societies have long dwelled side by side. Superstitions rise sharply, as a severe
drought strips the land of its bounty, providing fertile ground for the darker ambitions of Fordon Blackclaw, Dragon Council Leader, who
seeks to subdue humans or wipe them off the face of the land.
As the shadow of danger creeps across Leland Province, a young dragon named Kallon Redheart, who has turned his back on dragons and
humans alike, comes into an unexpected friendship. Riza Diantus is a young woman whose dreams can no longer be contained by the narrow
confines of her village, and when she finds herself in peril, Kallon is the only one with the power to save her. Yet to do so means he must confront
his past, and embrace a future he stopped believing in.

My Thoughts:
Redheart is the first  in the Leland Dragon series and probably the first book I've come across where you hear from the dragon's point of view as well as the humans.  I must admit it took me a couple of chapters to really get into this story as it's told from multiple point of views which include Kallon, Riza, Jastin and Blackclaw.
The story revolves around Kallon Redheart a talking dragon.  Kallon is the last of the red dragons and has isolated himself off from the rest of his species.  He's bitter, and pessimistic, and spends alot of time on his own in Leland province, his territory.  The only person who visits is an old wizard by the name of Orman.  The rest of the town is frightened of the dragons so Kallon keeps his distance.  When Kallon is out in the sky one day flying over the drought stricken land, he comes a cross a woman who is being tormented by a group of men.  Kallon steps in and scares off the group and takes the unconscious Riza back to his cave until she wakes up.  It's there that Riza and Kallon spark up an unusual friendship.  One that Kallon denies exists in the beginning.

While it took me longer to get into the story, once I did I was absorbed in what was going to happen next. I found myself cheering for the underdog at the best of times and cursing when things weren't going in their benefit.  I think Jackie has done a brilliant job at portraying each character with depth and substance that really brings them to life.

I really enjoyed reading Redheart.  I love how the author has included the map at the beginning to help the reader follow along on the journey and the glossy prints that were included with Redheart were awesome!


Great Book