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. 

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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)