YzhaBella's BookShelf: May 2011

5/26/11

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

Wow! What a ride!

A Discovery of Witches is most definitely one of my most favorite 2011 releases, by far! Admittedly, I was a wee bit concerned at the immense size of this 592 page adventure, but due to the intriguing story blurbs and review comments to be found on GoodReads and across the blogosphere, I was determined to ignore its immensity and experience this novel to its fullest.

Although I am an avid reader, I will be honest in that A Discovery of Witches has plenty of “big” words that I couldn’t define without assistance. But, don’t let that deter you in the least. Harkness’ ability to so masterfully write each and every sentence allows even those of us with a “normal” vocabulary to understand her intended meaning without losing anything in translation. Let’s face it, not many of us are scholars and there are probably 1000’s of words we don’t fully understand let alone use in every day conversation but, Deborah Harkness has the ability to use whatever terminology she so chooses and still be understood!

With an exorbitant amount of verbiage, some may (and have according to some posted reviews) find the amount of world building and descriptive narrative too extensive, resulting in a somewhat slow start and a subsequent time consuming read. However, for many readers such as myself, the words and sentences of a story are like movie frames, each lending more and more to the “film” that plays through our minds as we read. As long as the abundance of information is laid out in a proper and effective manner, then the more words used to describe persons, places and things, the better picture we are able to “view”. So, while there may be an exceptional amount of information, every single bit of it is worth while and contributes quite effectively to the overall enjoyment of the story.

A Discovery of Witches is a paranormal adventure with a twist. Complete with alchemy, magic, long lost manuscripts and secret societies, Deborah Harkenss introduces readers to a world where many prominent scholars and political figures are actually vampires or witches and those of an eccentrically inclined creative nature are, most likely, daemons. Very cool! In this world, there is a centuries old covenant of secrecy to which all “creatures” must abide. Hundreds of years ago a group of witches, vampires, and daemons formed the Congregation whose sole purpose is to govern all creatures and ensure that all mandates of the covenant are withheld. And, should any of the rules be broken, may the good Lord have mercy upon you because the Congregation sure as hell won’t!

One of the Congregation’s rules is that those of a different “species” shall not enter into relations for fear of drawing too much attention. their biggest fear is that this attention may lead to the fiercely protected secrets of all creatures becoming known to humans. Here’s where we find the “twist” to be found within the pages of A Discovery of Witches. While a thought provoking, intriguing, and genuinely wonderful adventure, I believe that Deborah Harnkess has also shared a very important lesson with her readers. A lesson though taught in many fictional stories, it’s not one usually found in the paranormal genre: “Don't let the bigots and old school prudes dictate your life. Love who you want to love and fight for the right to choose your own destiny! What may have worked in the past may not be the proper course for the future. Times change and so do people so what’s to say a new generation can’t be more accepting than the last?”

You see, the main characters Diana, a witch, and Matthew, a vampire, fall in love. Despite all the rules, regulations, and reasons to the contrary, they defy the odds…and the Congregation…and fall completely and hopelessly in love. The road is not easy and Matthew definitely has his work cut out for him, but alas Diana just can’t refuse her destiny. You love who you love and no matter who tells you it’s wrong, you just can’t turn the “love bug” away when he comes a flutterin’ in your direction!

Harkness brings to the imagination a wonderfully intriguing cast of characters which readers will find interesting to learn about, yet a little difficult to relate to. While all characters are well presented and lend definite importance to the story, I found that almost all had a bit of a “cold” edge which made identifying with them a bit hard. I fear that the abundance of foundation and world-building may have detracted from the effectiveness of the character development. Diana is rather “stand-offish” and frustrating in her staunch refusal to use magic. Matthew is quite controlling and somewhat abrupt. Many others just seem somewhat “incomplete”. Please don’t take these points too seriously when weighing in on your decision whether or not to read A Discovery of Witches because at the end of the day, there is just so much going on that this lack of development was really only apparent in retrospect and in no significant way detracted from my overall enjoyment of the adventure.

The apparent amount of research and time that Deborah Harkness obviously spent on her “baby” is mind boggling. Complete with rich, full bodied detail and a breathtakingly intense romance between a vampire and witch, A Discovery of Witches is not a quick read to be sure, but one well worth the time required to complete.

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A Discovery of Witches
by Deborah Harkness
Viking Adult (Penguin USA)
February 8, 2011
ISBN-10: 9780670022410
ISBN-13: 978-0670022410

From the Publisher
A richly inventive novel about a centuries-old vampire, a spellbound witch, and the mysterious manuscript that draws them together.

Deep in the stacks of Oxford's Bodleian Library, young scholar Diana Bishop unwittingly calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript in the course of her research. Descended from an old and distinguished line of witches, Diana wants nothing to do with sorcery; so after a furtive glance and a few notes, she banishes the book to the stacks. But her discovery sets a fantastical underworld stirring, and a horde of daemons, witches, and vampires soon descends upon the library. Diana has stumbled upon a coveted treasure lost for centuries-and she is the only creature who can break its spell.

Debut novelist Deborah Harkness has crafted a mesmerizing and addictive read, equal parts history and magic, romance and suspense. Diana is a bold heroine who meets her equal in vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont, and gradually warms up to him as their alliance deepens into an intimacy that violates age-old taboos. This smart, sophisticated story harks back to the novels of Anne Rice, but it is as contemporary and sensual as the Twilight series-with an extra serving of historical realism.

Read an Excerpt

And remember!

Book 2 of the All Souls Trilogy will be out in 2012!

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Find Deborah on the Web

Reviews are written on a volunteer basis and are only the opinions of the individual review author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and/or views of the author, publisher, or public readers in general Copyright © YzhaBella's BookShelf 2010-11

5/17/11

Review & Giveaway! The Sapphire Talisman by Brenda Pandos

(Contest details are at the end of this post)

Reader beware, this may have a "spoilery" hint or two!

When delving into the works of a “New To Me” author and series, I try to avoid any spoilery reviews or excerpts that may share too much information about what is to come. It’s this habit that helps to keep me intrigued and eager to find out what happens next! Needless to say, I was in for a few surprises with The Sapphire Talisman by Brenda Pandos!

One such surprise occurred when it was finally revealed to me why there are “Team Phil” badges floating around the web! Before jumping in to The Sapphire Talisman, I had thought that Phil was just a fleeting character in book one; created only to be an obstacle in the budding relationship between Julia and Nicholas. I truly never imagined there was more to come for him! (Lol, sometimes I avoid posts so successfully that I end up feeling like a dweeb for missing really important pieces of information!)

Pandos’ writing style and abilities have evolved to such a degree that I found my self wondering where it came from. Don’t get me wrong, Brenda’s debut was well written for certain, but as with many a debut author, her expertise still had some room for improvement. I found this next installment to flow much better, character development was smoother, and narrative descriptions were so extremely well written that with very little effort, the words “popped” into my head like a film strip, as I read along.

The relationship between Julia and Nicholas becomes much more realistic in book two. As mentioned in my review of The Emerald Talisman (found here), I initially had a hard time with how quickly they came together. As we all know, teenagers' feelings are fleeting and they rarely think in terms of the “not so distant” future, let alone anything about “Happy Ever After”. Julia and Nicholas' relationship progresses into a much more mature and level headed state in The Sapphire Talisman. Julia seems less the gushing, immature teen infatuated with a hot boy and more the responsible young lady truly in love with her beau. Additionally, Julia’s angst over separation(s) from Nicholas seem much more rational, adding to the overall believability of the relationship.

With plenty of relationship road blocks, fabulously frightening foes, and intriguing new characters and friendships, Pandos has created another wonderful tale about a girl and her knight in shinning armor! So what if he’s a vampire, she’s an empath and they are fighting to save the world! It’s all in a days work…right?

My only regret, (not that I am even entitled to one) is that the Nicholas we knew and loved from The Emerald Talisman goes through a bit of a “change” that I had hoped would never happen. He was extremely unique and while we still have more of the adventure to come in The Onyx Talisman, I can’t help but feel the loss of the character we were originally introduced to.

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The Sapphire Talisman
Taliman Series Book Two
by Brenda Pandos
Obsidian Mountain Publishing
December 15, 2010
ISBN-10: 0982903332
ISBN-13: 978-0982903339

From the Publisher
With the local vampire coven decimated, Julia and Nicholas try to begin a somewhat normal life together. Bound by secrecy from a shape shifter determined to see Julia’s world-saving prediction come to fruition, Julia isn’t allowed to tell Nicholas the leader survived, ransacking her happiness with guilt. When Alora returns, bent on revenge, the reunion forces Nicholas and Julia to choose what they are willing to live and die for.

Visit Brenda on the Web: Blog, FaceBook, GoodReads, Twitter

Books in the series:
The Emerald Talisman (May 24, 2010)

The Sapphire Talisman (December 2010)

The Onyx Talisman (Late 2011)

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Contest Time!

One luck commenter will get a totally rockin'
"Swag Bag"

Included in this mysterious gift pack is not one, but
TWO Talisman Series Bookmarks
SIGNED by Brenda Pandos!

And that's not all!
Also included will be select few additional pieces of swag and quite possibly even a book or two!

Rules:
US/Canada Entrants only, please
Contest Ends May 31, 2011 11:59pm est
Required for Entry:
Meaningful comment about this review or the Talisman Series
Additional Entries:
Spread the Word! Please leave links for verification
You do not need to be a follower for entry, but it is wonderful if you choose to do so!

Winner will be announced via blog post and
a reply will be required within 72 hours of said announcement

5/8/11

Blog Tour Guest Post: Bringing Life to Paper by Jeff Bennington

A short time ago, I had the honour or reading and reviewing Reunion by Jeff Bennington. Reunion is a horrifically tragic and emotionally engaging story which tells the tale of a school shooting and the effects such a horrific life event can have. This supernatural thriller is an excellent read and I encourage you all to check it out! Please take a peek at my review here.

Today I am happy to share the "BookShelf" with Jeff as a part of the Blog Tour he is currently having to promote the release of Reunion. To celebrate his success, Jeff giving away 2 Kindles on May 15th – one will go to a Reunion Blog Tour follower the other will go to a Reunion Blog Tour host. For details about the book, giveaway rules, tour dates, post topics, etc. please go to the Reunion Blog Tour Schedule here. So, with out further ado, shall I "pass the mike"?

Bringing Life to Paper
By Jeff Bennington

I fell in love with writing for the same reason I fell in love with reading: Escape.

When I read a book, I want to disappear into the story, forgetting everything else for a time and discover new worlds, meet interesting and frightening people or simply learn something new. The amazing thing about reading is that you can literally enter into a different place and a different time by scrolling your eyes across a page of letters and shapes, usually in black and white and your mind will interpret those characters and fill your imagination with colors, smells, sounds, screams and explosions! It’s truly nothing less than a miracle.

On the flip side, from an author’s perspective, that is a very tough order to fill. It takes quite an imagination to bring a blank screen to life. And every writer knows, or will one day find out, that it takes more than a creative story line to bring a reader to that sweet spot, that place that they are longing to explore. To simply tell a tale is not enough. If you only fill in the holes of a plot outline, you will leave a reader bored, sleepy and eventually turned off.

Library shelves are filled with books on literary instruction and style and How to Write a Damn Good Novel. There is no lack of instruction on how to turn a book into something more than a black and white silent movie. I know, I’ve read a few of them. Not enough of them, but a few. And these books can make all the difference in the power of an author’s prose.

When I write, I have certain goals that I want to accomplish. The most important of these goals is to bring my characters to life by peering deep into their feelings, thoughts, insecurities and weaknesses. Another goal of primary importance for me is to create the world as I see it, painting the setting with everyday items and actions that a reader can relate to. An example of this can be found in the first chapter of Reunion, where David Ray contemplates his childhood. Here’s an excerpt…

David walked to his small window. He pushed the roll-up blind to the side, peeked through the glass and watched the fog sinking into the sage-covered valley to the east. He observed the sun stretch its arms over the rocky hilltops to wake the ponderosa pines and heard the mountain bluebirds singing in the distance. For the last time, he witnessed the river in the valley, flowing downward in search of rapids and lower ground. He stared into the gorge with cold and unfeeling eyes. The sight reminded him of the time when Bill, his stepfather, had taken him down there and let him shoot his shotgun just for fun. David knew the activity was meant to keep him silent, a form of hush money.

This scene gives the reader a clear image of the setting and begins to plant the seed that David has a dark past, one filled with childhood pain. Mission accomplished.

Another scene that I feel really brings Maria Vasquez, one of the survivors from the school shooting, is the flowing piece. This is another scene that establishes her insecurities and a sense of place (her apartment).

Maria entered her apartment, and meandered toward her bedroom. She dropped her purse and keys on a semicircular lamp stand near the door. The jingle of the keys announced her presence. She walked straight through the bookshelf-laden apartment, took off her shoes, and lay down on her bed to rest.
Her limbs trembled and her heart beat rapidly. She pulled her quilted comforter over her shoulders and assessed her emotions, still shaking. Her obese yellow cat pawed its way onto the bed and snuggled beside her, purring, warming himself against her body. It had been a while since she’d had such an intense experience. She felt a chill down her spine. She curled up and shivered.
Her roommate, Connie, a short, heavy, redhead, followed Maria and stood in the doorway.
“You okay?” asked Connie.
“I’m…not...sure.” The words came out thick as molasses. “I just had a real doozy of a flashback.”
Maria stared at a picture of Darrin that sat on her nightstand.
“Is there anything I can do?”
Maria gritted her teeth. “Sure. Bring Darrin back. That would be nice.”
Maria watched Connie through her vanity mirror. Connie opened her mouth but nothing came out. As she looked down at Maria, her frizzy red hair drooped around her neck. She sighed and sat on the bed and rubbed Maria’s shoulder.
“I don’t understand.” Maria sobbed, gripping her pillow. “More than anyone, I know I need to move on. But it’s so hard to live without thinking about him, and what life could have been—”

There are a few other techniques I strive to use to bring my work to life. Here are just a few:

•    Pile on the conflict.
•    Keep the reader curious, by wrapping up each scene with a What? You’re kidding me!, type of ending.
•    Make them want to turn the page, deleting boring paragraphs that go nowhere.
•    Create a realistic and high sensory atmosphere, bringing touch, smell, sight, and sound into each page.
•    Reduce redundancy in verbage.
•    Minimize “he said” and “she asked” and replace them with action.

In my opinion, a good book should start with a black and white concept, but finish in living color. I’m easily bored, so I strive to keep in mind that a reader could easily be bored with my work as well. The thought of that absolutely kills me, so I’ve made it my mission to make every book I write worth every penny and every minute that my readers invest in me! We all want an escape. But who wants to escape into a dead pile printed paper?

Jeff Bennington
Author of Reunion& my blog, The Writing Bomb.

Thanks for reading! Be sure to follow Yzhabella's Book Shelf, comment, and then go get your copy of Reunion and email your receipt to reunion.kindlegiveaway@yahoo.com to win a Kindle on May 15th. Go to go to the Reunion Blog Tour Schedule here for details.

Find Jeff on the Web

Reunionby Jeff Bennington
Publisher: nexGate Press
ISBN-13: 978-0615443683
Genre: Suspense/Paranormal

Reunion for Kindle
Reunion for Nook

David Ray killed eight students and then turned the gun on himself. He thought the shooting and suicide would fix his world. It didn't. The massacre threw Tanner Khan and the other survivors into chaos.

Twenty years later, Tanner and his fellow classmates reluctantly agree to hold a reunion to lay the past to rest. Although they suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, they come back to their hometown and reunite in the defunct school building. Old flames are rekindled, fears are ignited, and their lives are about to explode in a whirlwind of memories, haunted by the spirit of David Ray.

Once inside the old school, they discover that a dark entity has joined them. It has come to collect a debt, long overdue, and someone has to pay. Will Tanner and his classmates overcome their fears and put the pieces of their lives back together, or will they be consumed by their worst nightmare?

This multi-genre thriller has, at times, elements of the supernatural, horror, romance, and certainly suspense, without disregard for the trauma and long term Post Traumatic Stress that many survivors will deal with the rest of their lives.

5/7/11

Wanna See My "RAK"?

Hosted by the loverly ladies over at Book Soulmates, RAK (Random Acts of Kindness) is a wonderful way for book lovers to connect and share in their love of the written word!

What could be more fun for a Book Lover than to unexpectedly receive a bookish treat in the mail? You never know! You might just be the lucky ducky who gets that book you've been "dying" to have!

Rules (from Book Soulmates):

Sign up each month you'd like to participate in.
Show off your participation! Grab one of the buttons available :)
Create a wish-list and post it in the Google Doc located in each R.A.K post for the month. Post on your blog, Amazon, where ever as long as there's a link to it.
If you choose to do a R.A.K for someone, check out their wish-list and contact that blogger for their address.
At the end of the month, SHOW US YOUR R.A.K! Make a post saying 'Thank You' to whoever granted one of your wishes :)

OPEN TO EVERYONE!
Let's keep our International bloggers in mind and in our hearts.
Remember, there's always the Book Depository and they offer FREE shipping!

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So c'mon and join the fun!

Click the RAK button and get yourself signed up!

Here's my "RAK"!

Lol, wanna show me yours? Share the link below!

5/3/11

New Release News! Shift by Jeri Smith-Ready

OOOHHH!

I CAN'T WAIT TO GET MY HANDS ON THIS ONE!

Shift, (Sequel to Shade)
by Jeri Smith-Ready
Simon Pulse, May 2011
ISBN-10: 1416994084
ISBN-13: 9781416994084

From the Publisher
Aura's life is anything but easy. Her boyfriend, Logan, died, and his slides between ghost and shade have left her reeling. Aura knows he needs her now more than ever. She loves Logan, but she can't deny her connection with the totally supportive, totally gorgeous Zachary. And she's not sure that she wants to.

Logan and Zachary will fight to be the one by her side, but Aura needs them both to uncover the mystery of her past—the mystery of the Shift.

As Aura's search uncovers new truths, she must decide whom to trust with her secrets…and her heart.

Check out this excerpt from Shift!

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Last year, I was the lucky recipient of book one of this series, Shade. I received the ARC, as a contest winner, courtesy of Simon's Urban Fantasy Blog, a direct publicity relation of Simon & Shuster Canada

I LOVED THIS STORY!

I CAN'T WAIT TO GET MY HANDS ON A COPY OF SHIFT!

WOOT WOOT!

If you are intrigued, please check out my review of Shade here!

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Find Jeri on the Web
Website
Blog
Twitter
FaceBook