Kendare Blake Answers YOUR Questions!

Here you go, my fellow bookworms! Enjoy!

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1) Can we expect things between Odyssues and Athena to heat up a little in future books?

Okay, don't be mad. They did have one steamy scene in Mortal Gods but I cut it. But their hearts heat up. Or at least hers does. Does that count? Probably not, huh?

2) Do we get a deeper look into what this Twilight of the Gods, really means for them? We've seen some of the affects of it, but I'm curious if we get a glimpse of what it all really means, and what happens to them if they meet their end?

More gods do meet their end, and there are some explorations about what might happen to them after they die. They're all certainly wondering, and Cassandra in particular is wondering where the heck Aidan went. But, while the source of the Twilight will eventually be revealed, what really happens to gods after they die may remain mysterious. It was one of the more interesting aspects of writing the gods this way, having them face mortality the same way we all do, with fear, and questions, and maybe acceptance.

3) Are you a fan of mythology? Is that what sparked your wanting to write this book?

EEEEFFFF Yeah. I love mythology. It's so twisted. And often gross. The Iliad and the Odyssey were favorites of mine growing up. I was that nerd who couldn't wait to study them in college and then when I did I sat in the back and did not contribute anything to the conversation.

4) Is there anything else you're working on that we can hope to see from you in the near future?

Yes! I just can't talk about it yet. So what can I talk about...there's a short story about a murdery girl on the road that I like a lot, and that will be in the anthology SLASHER GIRLS & MONSTER BOYS in 2015. I've also got two more anthology stories on the horizon and a new series to announce soon that I wish I could tell you about now. Poop.

5) Random question of the day: What is your favorite snack while writing?

I tend not to snack while writing. I'm a slob, you see, and it gums up the keyboard. But I have recently gotten into those baked pea crisp things, the ranch and caesar ones. YUM. Oh, duh, chocolate. I can eat chocolate all day without gumming up the keyboard. And chewy candy. Laffy Taffy. What do you call a grandmother who cracks jokes? A graham cracker.

6) Who is your favorite male character? Your book crush?

Like, ever? That's tough. I've always had a thing for Hector of Troy. Remember that movie Troy, with Eric Bana as Hector and Brad Pitt as Achilles? That was nice. It should have been renamed the Battle of the Beefcakes. Other book crushes include Mr. Rochester from Jane Eyre and The Vampire Lestat. I have no view on Gale vs. Peeta.

Member of the Month - Tina Recommends...

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Yet another month is at an end, my friends. Isn't it crazy how fast time passes? That means it's time for us to say goodbye to Tina as our member of the month, but not before she gives you her book recommendations! What books does Tina think that you should absolutely add to your reading list?

Check them out!

For my "top 5" I had a reeeeeeally hard time narrowing it down. I love a lot of books and I tried to pick a few from different genres to keep it interesting though you'll notice most of them have a little romance mixed in. 

***

CJ Lyons- Hart and Drake Series: I know it's not just one book but I enjoyed all of them. I have loved everything by this author. The books draw you in and keep you on your toes to the very end (which every good thriller does). I love that her female leads are always strong, independent and full of snarky comments. I would recommend these to anyone who enjoys thrillers. 

JK Rowling- Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince: I told you I was terrible at picking favorites. Every single book in this series would be on my top 5 list but since I have to pick one I would say Half Blood Prince was slightly in the lead as far as a favorite is concerned. I could read the whole series over and over again and never tire of finding new historical references and little nuances I hadn't noticed before. I even subscribe to the subreddit /r/harrypotter and enjoy all of the discussions on there. Characters are amazing and grow with the series, the plot development never fails to surprise and I feel like the Half Blood Prince is where Harry, Hermione and Ron really come into their own. They start making real decisions and taking on adult things. At the 16-17 age range is when many of us exerted our independence and these characters really came into their own.

Myra McEntire- Hourglass (Series): Yet again the first part a series (do you see a theme yet?), apparently one book is rarely enough for me. This one is a YA series with a bit of paranormal and a lot of twists and turns. The amazon description of the book sums it up pretty nicely "Full of atmosphere, mystery, and romance, Hourglass merges the very best of the paranormal and science-fiction genres in a seductive, remarkable young adult debut." The author has a great cadence and builds an atmosphere that you can jump right into. I felt like I could be sitting with that group of characters chatting and fit right in. The character development and building plot throughout the entire series kept me hooked. I read all of the series in a weekend because I could not put it down. Would highly recommend it!

Caisey Quinn- Girl with Guitar (Kylie Ryans Series): Not going to lie, I love me some country music. When this popped up on a sale I had to snatch it up and immediately fell in love with the series. For you romance readers, this series has a little bit of everything. Stubborn girl meets stubborn boy....you know how it goes. I love the country music setting and the supporting characters make all of the difference. Caisey Quinn did a great job of making it a lil' bit country without taking away from the full story (so don't fret if you're not a country fan). I loved this series from start to finish and those sexy scenes could make a girl swoooooon. 

Natasha Boyd- Eversea: Sexy movie star, gorgeous part of the country, small town girl... this is the stuff I love in a romance novel. Eversea is one of those hard to believe it really happened but totally seems like it could type of reads for me. Any time you throw in a famous (insert anything here) things get complicated. I loved the romance and courtship and the female lead was not an instantly in love fan girl which I adored. This 2 book series (of course it's a series!) won my heart and left me feeling fully satisfied in all aspects. Angst, betrayal, romance, dreams and everything that goes with it.

The August Book Pick is...

When the magic is up, rogue mages cast their spells and monsters appear, while guns refuse to fire and cars fail to start. But then technology returns, and the magic recedes as unpredictably as it arose, leaving all kinds of paranormal problems in its wake.

Kate Daniels is a down-on-her-luck mercenary who makes her living cleaning up these magical problems. But when Kate's guardian is murdered, her quest for justice draws her into a power struggle between two strong factions within Atlanta's magic circles.

The Masters of the Dead, necromancers who can control vampires, and the Pack, a paramilitary clan of shapechangers, blame each other for a series of bizarre killings—and the death of Kate's guardian may be part of the same mystery. Pressured by both sides to find the killer, Kate realizes she's way out of her league—but she wouldn't have it any other way…

Phew. This was a close month! Magic Bites and Side Effects May Vary had the same amount of votes twice in a row, with only one final (slightly late but still counted) vote to separate them. Ilona Andrews' book literally won by one vote :). It makes me so happy to see so many readers out there passionate about wanting to experience these books!

Still, this book won fair and square. So we'll be reading Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews in August.

You can find the book on Amazon Kindle for $5.99, but it's an older book so it's also out in Mass Market Paperback, and on audio. Your local library should have a copy or two, but you can also check out Abe Books for used versions. If you have the money to spend (or an Audible account) I'd highly recommend  the audio book! Renee Raudman is the narrator of these books, and she does a fantastic job. 

Keep an eye on your inboxes in the coming week for a newsletter and breakdown of this book. We'll start reading on August 4, 2014!

The Mister Trophy - Discussion Post

Well friends, we've reached the end of novella month. Thanks a ton for taking this trip with me, and I hope you had fun! Sometimes it's nice to take a step back from long books, and dive into something new with a shorter story. My wish for you is that you've found something new to love!

This week's novella falls slightly into the Urban Fantasy realm. The Mister Trophy by Frank Tuttle is one of the novellas in his Markhat series. I was told that they could be read in any order, but that this was one of the best to read first. Let's see what you thought about Markhat and his wise-cracking ways.

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Discussion Questions:

* Are you normally a reader of Fantasy books? Or does this book fall into a new genre for you?

* What were your initial impressions of Markhat? 

* Do you feel like this novella was a good standalone, or would you want more back story?

* Did this story spark a need for you to read more in this series?

* Share your thoughts on the ending. Do you feel like it wrapped everything up?

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My Thoughts:

Fantasy books were actually pretty much all I read for about five years when I was younger. I ran through the Dragonlance series, and devoured every book I could get my hands on that was similar. I have a soft spot for the world of Fantasy. Wizards, trolls, sprites and elves make my heart happy. So I was actually pretty excited to read this book. I was hoping to find something new to sink into as a series.

I liked Markhat right off the bat. The way he responded to the troll's inquiry for him made me giggle out loud. He reminds me a lot of Rincewind from the Discworld series, always in trouble but with the wit to get out of sticky situations most times. I liked his sarcasm, and the way that he was intelligent enough to see a few steps ahead. No wonder he's a good detective!

I feel like this was a decent standalone, but I really want more of Markhat's back story. According to the author's website, there's actually another novella he recommends reading before this one**, so I might give it a shot to see if there's more information about where Markhat came from. Which means, obviously, I'm wanting more of this series. It seems fun! As for the ending, I'd say it pretty well wrapped things up. It leaves things just open enough for Markhat to have more crazy events on the horizon, but the story he was a part of was all taken care of. I liked it immensely.

The Cadaver Client (Novella) ** This is the one!

Dead Man's Rain (Novella)

All the Paths of Shadow (Young Adult)

August Book Pick - Voting is OPEN!

It's that time again! Time to make your vote, and help us decide what we'll be reading in August. Based off of the suggestions you put together I've compiled a poll. You only get one vote, so choose wisely. The results are hidden, so you won't know which book wins until I announce it.

**EDIT: It's a head to head match!**

These are the two books that you've chosen as your tied favorites, so it's a head to head smackdown! Polls close tomorrow (7/26/14) at 12:00 pm PST. So hurry and vote!

online poll by Opinion Stage

August Book Suggestions

Here's the list of books that have been submitted for August!

** I'll update this list as new books come in, so keep adding **

The submission form will close at 11:59pm PST today.

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When River’s already broken life shattered further on her sixteenth birthday, she was forced to be with the wrong best friend of her brothers. She was meant for Sammy but circumstance and black mail forced her into a relationship with Danny, a troubled, abusive partner. Leaving the only boy she ever loved to flee. Now four years later he has returned. When her feelings and missing parts of herself that left with him return also, loyalty, restraint and love will be tested. Can she find a way to leave the threatening clutches of Danny, to finally be saved by her childhood love? Or will Danny’s hold on her tighten when more life shattering events consume their already troubled lives?

When Sammy returns home, after four years of being away from the girl that broke his heart, he’s not prepared for all his old feelings to force their way straight back into his heart. Questions that were left unasked when he left begin to plague him, when the sudden relationship between River and Danny all those years ago seems all the more confusing now. Secrets, mistrust and Danny’s possessive behaviour sends up red flags and Sammy begins doubting himself for leaving in the first place.

When the spark between Sammy and River finally ignites it will leave explosive consequences for everyone.

Chosen by: Tina
Length: 222 pages     Genre: New Adult Fiction / Romance
Why should we read this? This book is a roller coaster of emotion. It takes you to dark places brings you back and then does it again. It's described as a dark NA romance. I'd love to discuss these with my fellow readers and get their response.
Special Notes: New Adult books are for mature audiences, 17+. They often contain sexual content, as well as violence. Self-published.

After Kylie’s dad dies in a freak accident, he leaves her with nothing other than her crazy step-mother, Darla, and the ability to play guitar. When Darla kicks Kylie out and she loses her job all in the same day, she hops a bus to Nashville determined to make her late father’s dreams come true. Waitressing and saving her pennies to record a demo, her big break comes when she’s asked to join a tour going down the tubes with once platinum album-selling country music superstar Trace Corbin. But touring with Trace is hardly a dream come true since he’s pretty much drinking his career down the drain. If Kylie can’t pull Trace out of his rut, he’ll pull her and her dreams down with him.

Chosen by: Tina
Length: 210 pages      Genre: New Adult Fiction / Romance
Why should we read this? Obviously I am loving the romance genre lately. This one is a fun read about the country music scene (but not so country it ruins it for you non country fans *cough Jessica cough*) with some sexy cowboys. I love the lead character because she's sassy and doesn't take shit.
Special Notes: New Adult books are for mature audiences, 17+. They often contain sexual content, as well as violence. Self-published.

What if you'd been living your life as if you were dying—only to find out that you had your whole future ahead of you?

When sixteen-year-old Alice is diagnosed with leukemia, her prognosis is grim. To maximize the time she does have, she vows to spend her final months righting wrongs—however she sees fit. She convinces her friend Harvey, who she knows has always had feelings for her, to help her with a crazy bucket list that's as much about revenge (humiliating her ex-boyfriend and getting back at her archnemesis) as it is about hope (doing something unexpectedly kind for a stranger). But just when Alice's scores are settled, she goes into remission.

Now Alice is forced to face the consequences of all that she's said and done, as well as her true feelings for Harvey. But has she caused irreparable damage to the people around her—and to the one person who matters most?

Julie Murphy's Side Effects May Vary is a fearless and moving tour de force about love, life, and facing your own mortality.

Chosen by: Kari
Length: 336 pages     Genre: Young Adult Fiction / Contemporary
Why should we read this? This is one of my all time favorite books, that will make an amazing discussion book. Alice is not always a really likeable person, but I so understood her, and there were so many wonderful nuances in this story! Plus, what would YOU do if you were a teenager and had terminal cancer?
Special Notes: Traditionally published.

Perfection comes at a price.

As soon as the government passed legislation allowing humans to be genetically engineered and sold as pets, the rich and powerful rushed to own beautiful girls like Ella. Trained from birth to be graceful, demure, and above all, perfect, these “family companions” enter their masters’ homes prepared to live a life of idle luxury.

Ella is happy with her new role as playmate for a congressman’s bubbly young daughter, but she doesn’t expect Penn, the congressman’s handsome and rebellious son. He’s the only person who sees beyond the perfect exterior to the girl within. Falling for him goes against every rule she knows…and the freedom she finds with him is intoxicating.

But when Ella is kidnapped and thrust into the dark underworld lurking beneath her pampered life, she’s faced with an unthinkable choice. Because the only thing more dangerous than staying with Penn’s family is leaving…and if she’s unsuccessful, she’ll face a fate far worse than death.

For fans of Kiera Cass’ Selection series and Lauren DeStefano’s Chemical Garden series, Perfected is a chilling look at what it means to be human, and a stunning celebration of the power of love to set us free, wrapped in a glamorous—and dangerous—bow.

Chosen by: Kari
Length: 304 pages     Genre: Young Adult Fiction / Dystopian
Why should we read this? This is a somewhat uncomfortable book in the sense it's about human girls who are bred and raised to be the perfect pet for people. It toes some interesting lines, and just really had me thinking about a lot of things.
Special Notes: Traditionally published.

When the magic is up, rogue mages cast their spells and monsters appear, while guns refuse to fire and cars fail to start. But then technology returns, and the magic recedes as unpredictably as it arose, leaving all kinds of paranormal problems in its wake.

Kate Daniels is a down-on-her-luck mercenary who makes her living cleaning up these magical problems. But when Kate's guardian is murdered, her quest for justice draws her into a power struggle between two strong factions within Atlanta's magic circles.

The Masters of the Dead, necromancers who can control vampires, and the Pack, a paramilitary clan of shapechangers, blame each other for a series of bizarre killings—and the death of Kate's guardian may be part of the same mystery. Pressured by both sides to find the killer, Kate realizes she's way out of her league—but she wouldn't have it any other way…

Chosen by: Jessica
Length: 260 pages     Genre: Adult Fiction / Urban Fantasy
Why should we read this? I want to introduce anyone in the group who hasn't read it yet to Urban Fantasy, and Ilona Andrews is the best! Kate is a kick-ass heroine with a big heart, Curran is a swoon-worthy shape-shifter, and all the characters are amazing. I love this series, and I want to share it with you!

Jack & Jill - Discussion Post

Welcome to week three of our novella month! I wanted to say thank you to everyone who has been sharing in the conversations over these books! It's been a ton of fun to see where we agree and differ in opinions. Trust me when I say, none of us will ever fault you for not loving a book. We just want your honest opinion! So share it out.

This week's novella was one that I wasn't sure about presenting to you but, as it had a ton of recommendations from fellow bibliophiles, I figured I'd give it a shot. I know it was a darker read than some of you may be used to, so not to worry if you didn't click with it. Let's share our feelings on Jack & Jill.

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Discussion Questions:

* Are you normally a reader of the horror genre, or was this outside your normal reading pattern?

* How do you feel Jack & Jill stacks up against other horror you've read? Do you think it deserves that categorization?

* What did you think of writing style that Kealan Patrick Burke uses? Were the dream sequences an asset or a hindrance to your reading?

* Did you connect to any of the characters or situations?

* Share your thoughts on the ending. Are you a fan, or wish it had been different?

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My Thoughts:

As I said above, many of the people I talk books with on a daily basis utterly loved this novella. They sang its (and KPB's) praises over and over again, which is why I ultimately chose it for our novella month. I'm a little torn on this one, to be honest. There were things that I liked about it, and things that I'm not sure I really clicked with. I'll try to break them down the best I can.

In terms reading horror, I'm a definite fan of the genre. I read everything from zombie books, to slashers, right down to psychological horror. The thing is, this is a ridiculously huge genre that holds an umbrella over many types of books. I'd say KPB's book classifies more in the psychological department. I felt like his aim was to creep us out by wondering if the mother in this story was sane, or if she was going to snap because of her scarred childhood. 

I liked the dream sequences. I think they were the most interesting part of the story line, even if they were a little jarring sometimes. I liked seeing what she thought about when there was no logical part of her trying to push it all away. The problem was, that I didn't really care about her at all. I felt like she wasn't trying very hard to get out of her situation and that, despite how much she obviously loved her children, she really didn't want to fix herself that badly. It made me frustrated. It made me upset. Then the novella was ending, and I was so damn confused. What happened? Did she snap? Did he really do it? *sigh* I guess I'll never know.

I give points to this novella for the writing, for sure. It's haunting, and lyrical at times. I'll also give credit where credit is due, and say that the villain in this story (because all good horror needs a villain) is perfectly evil. It's not just her father that's the bad guy, but all the deep-seeded animosity and terror that he left behind. It makes the mother in this story her own type of villain, trapped in her head for all eternity. So did I like the ending? Not really. Did I like this book? For the most part, yes. I'd be willing to give KPB another shot.

The Turtle Boy (Timmy Quinn Series #1)

The Tent (Novella)

The Witch (A Milestone Story)

The Bridesmaid - Discussion Post

This week's novella was on the lighter side! I thought after diving into the macabre, it was time to get a little smooching and romance in your life. I hope you enjoyed reading The Bridesmaid, and have a lot to say about it. Let's get started.

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Discussion Questions:

* Are you normally a reader of romance, or was this outside of your normal reading pattern?

* What were your first impressions of Kate and Joe, before they met?

* Did you like the serendipitous way that these two happened to meet?

* Were there any events that you were hoping for that didn't happen?

* We're all adults, so let's talk romance. Sex scenes in your reading: yay, or nay?

* Share your thoughts on the ending. Do you love a good Happily Ever After?

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My Thoughts:

Up until about a year ago, I was completely anti-romance novels. Just the thought of reading about perfect meetings, random sexy times and happily ever afters made me want to run away screaming. I honestly couldn't even tell you why! It's just the truth. Then, I decided to suck it up and give a romance novel a chance. I figured, worse case scenario, I could always stop reading whenever I wanted. I was hooked. Caught up in the adorable nature of the book. Damnit. I still don't read them all that often, but, I do read them much more than before. It's a nice escape!

My first impressions of both Kate, and Joe, were pretty much the same. They seemed like perfectly normal people with perfectly normal problems. I knew that they'd meet, I knew that it'd be perfectly normal yet adorable, and it was! That's the thing about romance. You can see it coming. It's the characters that keep you reading on. So I was pretty happy overall with Kate and Joe's little romantic fling. A novella is too short for them to have too much tension, so I let that fact slide.

Talking romance, I'm all about spicy bedroom scenes! Yes, I admit it. I'm that girl who loves reading about bodice ripping, sexy times. So sue me. This book was actually pretty tame compared to some that I read. So their lovemaking didn't phase me one bit. In truth? I may have been a slight bit disappointed on that front ;). LOL. I mean, Joe sounded so yummy! As for the ending, I thought it was spot on. Was it totally believable that he'd give up his new job for a girl he just met? Maybe not. Does it fit perfectly with this romantic short? It absolutely does. So, again, I'll let it slide. Plus I'm a sucker for a HEA in romance books.

(Contemporary Romance) Homecoming Ranch (Pine River #1)

(Historical Romance) The Last Debutante (Secrets of Hadley Green)

 (Contemporary Romance) All I Need Is You (An Over the Edge Novel)

July Member of the Month!

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Are you ready? I said, ARE YOU READY? I'll take that as a yes. It's time to meet another one of our awesome members, and I know you're excited about it!

July's Member of the Month is Tina!

Commence the embarrassment! 

I count the awesome Tina among some of my oldest friends. We weathered all types of things together: high school crushes, breakups, college procrastination, and the occasional day of cathartic romantic comedies that give you a good giggle/cry combo. We were in one another's wedding for heaven's sake. Yup, it's that kind of friendship.

She's also a fellow bookworm, and so I had to convince her to get her butt over here and into the book club. Despite the fact that she's probably very busy with her job, you'll see her pop in and to comment. That's the bookworm way. Gush ended.  Time for the interview!

* If you had to describe yourself in just one word, what would it be?
Sarcastic

* Okay now that you have us in suspense, elaborate! Why did you pick that specific word?
I asked my husband to describe me in one word, his responses included: dainty, forgetful, graceful, negative, irritable, lame, etc. You get the idea. One of the things we have in common is our love of sarcasm. It's a rare occasion that I don't have something to say and at least half of what comes out of my mouth is sarcasm. It's a great communication tool and leads to lots of laughter. 

* Inquiring minds want to know, why did you join Bookishly Delighted?
Because it was my suggestion to start it ;) jk I love Jessica and books and the idea of a book club has always interested me. It's also a great way to stay in touch with friends and make new ones since I have very few local friends.

* What's your favorite type of book to get lost in?
Mysteries/Thrillers. I've loved them as long as I've been reading. I collected the Nancy Drew series in early childhood and The Great Train Robbery by Michael Crichton was the first full novel I fell in love with. I love the who-done-it and the why's and how's of the criminal mind. It's all fascinating. 

* Do you have any other bookish hobbies besides participating in the book club?

Sadly no. I've had a livejournal/blog on and off for years but am terrible at keeping it up to date. I just enjoy reading.

* Where might we find you reading?

On my oversized round swivel chair with my 16lb long hair cat curled in my lap (or rubbing his face against my Kindle because I'm clearly not paying enough attention to him)

* Who's your favorite male lead in a book? Your favorite female lead?

This is a tough one, I really hate choosing favorites. For female lead I am going to have to go with Hermione from the Harry Potter series. I grew up with those books and looked forward to the new releases like Christmas morning. I felt a kinship with Hermione from the get go. The super smart girl who is a little awkward because she doesn't know when she's being condescending.....that's pretty much my life story. Her fierce loyalty and love for her friends is one of my favorite parts of the series. She is always prepared but doesn't always know how to approach matters of the heart. I love that she falls for her best friend.

For a male lead... hmmm. It's so hard to pick just one.Since you're making me choose one, today's would be Jack Kyser from the Dragonfly series by Leigh Talbert Moore. He's broken and stubborn and makes all kind of mistakes and I love him for it. I have a thing for the broken boys (ask me about that later). 

* What are you reading right now?

Mosaic by Leigh Talbert Moore. It's the final book in the Dragonfly series and I've been anxiously awaiting its official release on 6/30!

* Any final thoughts?
You may be right, I may be crazy, but it just may be a lunatic you're lookin' for.

Can you find Tina? She's just lucky I picked this photo ;). I have way WAY more embarrassing ones! Ah, the joys of a long friendship.

Thanks for stopping by to read about our newest member of the month! Stay tuned for her book recommendations that are coming up!

The Wanderer in Unknown Realms - Discussion Post

Just to refresh your memory, this week we dove into The Wanderer in Unknown Realms by John Connolly. This was our first novella of the month, and one that came highly recommended by the Amazon community as a dark, sinister read.

I'm excited to see what you all thought about John Connolly's novella. So let's get started.

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Discussion Questions:

*Let's start with the basics. Is The Wanderer in Unknown Realms outside of your normal reads?

*Is this your first novella?

*What did you think of John Connolly's writing style? Did it hold your attention, or make this a tough read?

*Give us your first impressions of Soter as a character. Do you believe that he was well written?

* Did you feel that this story ended well, or were you wishing for more story?

*Share out anything else you want to chat about!

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Jessica's Thoughts:

Let me first say that I'm a long time fan of John Connolly, so I may have been a bit biased in recommending this book :). This is the first novella I've read of his, but his stories are always dark, and a bit odd, so I'm used to the way he writes. I'll admit that this particular story did take me a little bit of time to fall into. The writing style reminded me a lot of reading my beloved Poe stories, and I just had to switch tracks a bit after reading a lot of YA lately. Once I was able to make the switch, I fell in love with the atmosphere that this book all but oozes off the page.

I thought Soter was an interesting enough character, what with his background in the military. The fact that he was a veteran made his reactions to otherwise extremely creepy occurrences a little more palatable. I suppose if you've seen men die in horrific battle, it's probably not too much of a jump to take a man made of shadows head on, eh? Although, trust and believe that if creepy backward walking children were anywhere near me? I'd be running full tilt as far away as possible. I never felt fully attached to Soter, but I did like him as a protagonist.

The one thing that disappointed me, was the ending. I felt like it was apt, considering the fact that this is a novella, but I really wanted more! Especially once things picked up. I wish I knew what happened to Maudling. I desperately want to know what's going to happen to the world, and I feel like it was just a little to easy to end it where it did. Still, I've come to find that novellas tend to do that sometimes. I guess it's leave them wanting more?

Here are three more books by John Connolly to check out, if you liked this one! Since I've read him before, these are three of my favorites, from different grade levels of reading. Enjoy!

(Middle Grade Fiction) The Gates: A Samuel Johnson Tale

(Young Adult Fiction) The Book of Lost Things

(Adult Fiction) Every Dead Thing (Charlie Parker #1)

June Comment Winner

Sorry for the delay everyone! It's been a hectic week, but I had today off so I have a chance to get caught up on some things. Are you all ready for a holiday weekend? I sure was!

I'm sure you're all curious who won our $10 gift card this month, and I'll tell you right now that it was a super close race! Two of  you commented so much this month, that I actually had to count twice to make sure I was right! The winner won by only 2 comments. That, my friends, is amazing!

So without further ado the winner this month is...

KARI

Congratulations my dear! Your gift card will be sent to you shortly.

Thanks again to everyone for making June such a success! I hope you're all ready to get your commenting hats back on this Saturday for our first novella!