Book Review: Alone with you in the Ether

Synopsis: Two people meet in the Art Institute by chance. Prior to their encounter, he is a doctoral student who manages his destructive thoughts with compulsive calculations about time travel; she is a bipolar counterfeit artist, undergoing court-ordered psychotherapy. By the end of the story, these things will still be true. But this is not a story about endings.

For Regan, people are predictable and tedious, including and perhaps especially herself. She copes with the dreariness of existence by living impulsively, imagining a new, alternate timeline being created in the wake of every rash decision.

To Aldo, the world feels disturbingly chaotic. He gets through his days by erecting a wall of routine: a backbeat of rules and formulas that keep him going. Without them, the entire framework of his existence would collapse.

For Regan and Aldo, life has been a matter of resigning themselves to the blueprints of inevitability—until the two meet. Could six conversations with a stranger be the variable that shakes up the entire simulation?

My two cents worth:

Aldo and Regan, the main characters of this rather simple, yet perplexing story of boy meets girl are the most confusing and mentally challenging individuals I've yet to encounter within a story. The author defines the book as a 'love story', but do not fool yourself into thinking there will be romance or the usual telling of lust and evolving relationship normality. This is a strange, and for lack of a better word, complex enmeshing of polar opposite characters that are magnetised to the other's eccentricities. 

The novel explores the evolution of thought as two individuals with their own unique mental struggles somehow define a new language in order to see the world through the same magnified glass. Unpredictable behaviours in both Aldo and Regan ignite curiosity, passion, and shared intellectual intelligence which within themselves unlocks some stability in their otherwise tumultuous thoughts and past patterns of behaviour.

I found this story intriguing and all together just plain different from anything I've ever read before. Even the story itself moved from being within a conversation between characters, to almost hovering above the ghost of history's past and re-living that particular moment. Did I enjoy this story? No, I don't think I actually did. The writing was good, the plot average at best, but the characters and their idiosyncrasies really set the novel apart from other stories within the 'love' genre.

I was intrigued, which I suppose is as much a positive as is not actually enjoying the story overall. I will say this is a very clever author with a very unique perspective, and if nothing else, this book should be well and truly celebrated for breaking the mold of conformity and arousing curiosity within its reader.

3 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐

Kristy :)

Cover Reveal - Diary of a Teenage Zombie

Well hello guys!
I must say I'm super excited to show you the cover for my brand new novel 'Diary of a Teenage Zombie'. This book is going to be a ripper - violence, sex and lots and lots of gory humour. I'm like a proud mama with this one, and thus, I've selected a cover to aptly represent poor old Katie Palmer and her Zombie-fied state.

Get it into you, get excited and get ready for an awesome literary adventure!

Synopsis:

Dear Diary. Today I ate the mailman. My bad.

Being seventeen is hard―Katie Palmer has to deal with school, pimples, hormonal boys, and malicious cheerleaders. After the Zombie Apocalypse, though, she no longer sweats the usual teenage drama.

Athletics star by day and flesh-eater by night, Katie’s done well to hide her transformation from friends and Zone-sanctioned security, but now someone or something’s onto her secret and if she doesn’t feed soon she’ll start falling apart.

Dead bodies are piling up and all the evidence points to Katie’s blood-stained hands. Will she end up killing the competition before security discovers she’s rotten underneath?

Book Review: The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda

I may be about the one-millionth person to say this, but The Hunt is Vampires meets The Hunger Games, and yet, decidedly better. It's impossible not to compare these lottery based novels involving a death defying hunt, as truly it's the purpose of the book.
The Hunt follows the story of a human, or heper, as the vampires refer to them, with the designation - Gene.
Gene isn't normal. At least not by this world's standards, a world where vampires are the dominate race and hepers are a dying breed - their only purpose - to serve as fodder in the hunt.
Gene is extremely intelligent and has been taught by his now deceased father the value of assimilation. Masking body odours, shaving hair, and wearing fake fangs are all part of the camouflage. Partaking in the strange animalistic rituals is also a must – frothing at the mouth at the thought of human flesh, scratching wrists when amused, and schooling all emotion is all part of Gene’s survival techniques.
And then he is selected for the hunt. Randomly? We never really find out, but to also be paired with Ashley-June, the vampire he is inexplicably drawn to can only lead to heartache.
Will the heper institute learn of Gene’s ongoing deceit? And will he finally be exposed to a species he can finally relate, perhaps form relationships with the very creatures he’s been selected to hunt and kill?
What I loved about this book was that clear skip of detail regarding how the world became vampire ridden, or how humans were hunted into non-existence. Andrew Fukuda’s writing is such, that as a reader, you merely accept the world as it’s painted with information supplied when necessary and without complication. Paired with sumptuous imagery, and strange, albeit compelling characteristics of the vampires, and you find yourself enraptured.
With strong, descriptive prose that was filled with enough moments of suspense and interspersed action to keep my heart stuttering within my chest, and I can say without a doubt this is one of the best novels I’ve read in a long time. Thank you, Andrew Fukuda for the wild imagination – five out of five fangs.

Synopsis:
Against all odds, 17-year-old Gene has survived in a world where humans have been eaten to near extinction by the general population. The only remaining humans, or hepers as they are known, are housed in domes on the savannah and studied at the nearby Heper Institute. Every decade there is a government sponsored hunt. When Gene is selected to be one of the combatants he must learn the art of the hunt but also elude his fellow competitors whose suspicions about his true nature are growing.

Book Review: Feast of Fools by Rachel Caine

Feast of Fools is the fourth book in the Morganville Vampires series by Rachel Caine, and yes, I will be reading all of them. Why? They are just that good.
I'm not going to lie, it's not Shakespearean text, and you won't learn anything particularly new or exciting about vampires, but what it does have in spades is mystery, scenes of action-packed drama, and just a trickle of romance to stop those throbbing pulse points from icing over.
Feast of Fools starts relatively slow. We are introduced to a couple of new characters, and as always, they are out for blood. Bishop is the founding vampire's father, a sadistic bastard covered in the stain of past indiscretions. He cares for no one, and he certainly has an agenda. Those who get in his path are mere fodder - vampire and human alike. Bishop will stop at nothing to retrieve what he's searched Morganville up and down to find, even if that means destroying his own daughter and the town she's built in the process.
The last third of the novel is where the action and intrigue really comes to a head. As always, protagonist Claire Danvers is sticking her nose in where it's not wanted, a quest to save her family and friends. With the very best of intentions, Claire pairs up with a vampire not quite in his right mind, and attends a feast in honor of Bishop's arrival.
Claire soon realises this feast is an offering ceremony, every vampire in Morganville either swearing allegiance to this rebel outsider, or their human companion to become part of the feast. As the action unfolds and blood is spilt, we see little Claire resolute and brave - a real fire starter and defender of the weak.
What I love about these stories is the never-ending drama paired with the equally vicious vampires and passionate drive to succeed. There's never a moment when Claire wonders if she'll fail, merely pushes ahead despite her fears, knowing she must to protect those that she loves.
With witty dialogue, amply described action and great narrative imagery - I'm hooked and again rate this novel four out of five fangs.

Synopsis:

In the town of Morganville, vampires and humans have learnt to live in relative peace. Still, Claire Danvers knows that after dark, her homework can take a backseat to staying alive. But this tenuous harmony is turned on its head with the arrival of Mr Bishop.
Bad to the bone, the ancient old-school vampire cares nothing about keeping the peace; staying at the top of the food chain is enough. What he wants from the town’s living and dead is unthinkably sinister. It’s only at a formal ball attended by vampires and their human dates that Claire realises Bishop’s plan—and the elaborately evil trap he’s set for the warm-blooded souls of Morganville…

Book Review: Rae of Hope by W.J. May

Wow. What a surprising little novel. 
Rae of Hope explores the exciting new world of magic for an almost sixteen year old girl oblivious to the world of gifted individuals. Marked by tattoos inherent from a singular parent, Rae Kerrigan is the unknowing recipient of such a mark.
Starting at a new school filled with students at the cusp of accepting these tattoos, Rae soon learns more about her past, the unusual coupling of her parents and the power of each tattoo. Speed, visions, strength, dream domination and the chameleon ability of adapting to others are just a few to name, and naturally everyone expects Rae's to be something extra special.
But with power also comes greed, and since Rae is a suspected prodigy, there are more than few characters at the school trying to muscle in on her gifts and exploit the darkness of her past.
Interestingly, I rather enjoyed reading this novel despite the fact that the plot was not interspersed with hard hitting action, riotous humour or bouts of horror. In fact, it was rather sedate but ironically engaging through character dialogue and the mysterious unfolding of Rae's past. With a touch of simmering romance and plenty of promise for an interesting second collaboration, I happily rate this novel three and a half out of five fangs.

Synopsis:

How hard do you have to shake a family tree to find out the truth of the past? 
Fifteen-year-old Rae Kerrigan has never questioned her family’s history. That is until she accepted a scholarship to Guilder Boarding School in England. Guilder is a very unique, gifted school. 
Rae has no idea what she is getting herself into or that her family’s past is going to come back and taunt her. She learns she is part of an unparalleled group of individuals who become marked with a unique tattoo (tatù) on their sixteenth birthday. The tatù enables them to have supernatural powers particular to the shape of their marking. 
Both her parents were marked though Rae never knew, as they passed away when she was young and never told her. Learning about her family’s past, her evil father and sacrificial mother, Rae needs to decide if there is a ray of hope for her own life.

Book Review: A Chance for Charity by SL Baum

Being a senior at a new school isn't easy, especially if it's the sixth time you've capitulated to too long days of calculus, social studies and the endless barrage of mindless, teenage gossip.
Charity, AKA Emily Johnston doesn't seem to mind. It sort of comes with the territory of being immortal. Blending in and moving from one small town to the next is all part of the process of keeping her unusual longevity and that of her two closest friends/family a secret.
Hunted for centuries, Charity is forced to constantly hide who she really is, lie to everyone she meets and avoid emotional connections. It isn't until she moves to the snow capped town of Telluride, Colorado and meets the handsome and strangely familiar Lincoln that she begins to question his existence, her past, and uncover a rather uncertain future.
A Chance for Charity spends most of the novel exploring Charity's cautious nature and inability to trust as well as the slowly evolving romance with Lincoln that tends to illicit much yawning. Quickly in love and physically sedate, there isn't a whole lot of excitement on the romantic front.
Well written and teamed with some angst ridden moments, I wanted to fall in love with the clearly defined characters and allotted roles. I wanted to immerse myself in Charity's conflict and be compelled to scream at her to take risk and live in the moment, but sadly, I was left wanting.
Perhaps the purpose of this novel was to warm the heart with an old fashioned romance and add just a touch of supernatural action as set up for future novels. 
The intrigue developed via additional characters seated in the last half of the novel, and did ramp up the plot to a suitable conclusion, but again, it was not entirely unexpected - a show down between immortal and hunter always on the cards.
Imagery was sufficient but not efficient in enticement. I wanted action, I wanted detail - I wanted ... more. A chance for Charity is an easy read, suitably pleasant and recommended for those that like to keep the darkness locked in their closets rather than head on in with a flashlight and baseball bat.
I rate this novel two and half fangs out of five.

Synopsis:

A new family has just arrived in the isolated mountain town of Telluride, Colorado. Welcome the Johnstons - Jason (a doctor), Rachel (a designer), and their niece Emily (a current High School Senior).
Emily has lived the life of a quiet loner in the past, trying to go unnoticed. But with Telluride being such a small and welcoming town, she finds a group of friends at school almost immediately. When Emily meets Link (another new transplant in town) her world turns upside down. She doesn't understand why she feels a magnetic pull toward him, or why she unknowingly lets her guard down around him. Link is just as confused by his own need to be with her.
Emily knows she is playing with fire. She should be doing whatever she can to keep herself isolated, to keep Link from getting too close. Danger has a way of finding Emily's family - that is what keeps them on the move. They arrive in a new town every few years - it is safer that way.
Because... Emily isn't really Emily... her real name is Charity - and Charity has an even bigger secret. Charity and her family are not like other people, they have "skills" that mere mortals cannot begin to comprehend.
Before long, Charity is struggling with the reality that her two lives are coming closer to each other with each passing day. Soon Link will find himself wrapped in a supernatural world that he never knew existed - and discover that mortals are not the only beings that walk this earth.

Book Review: The Dragron of Doughton Park by John Hundley

I was fortunate enough to be asked to review this book - the second in the Red Wolf series. The Dragon of Doughton Park is everything you expect in a follow up novel and just a little bit more. It's full of action, romance, angst and a bloody big twist at the end that just about made me throw my kindle at the wall.
That's the sign of a great novelist and good plot - the ability to create total immersion with characters and their antics.
The Dragon of Doughton Park pretty much picks up where the Draculata Nest left off (see review here). Following the protagonist Clifford Crane, a sixty year old werewolf with the body of a rock star and the courage of the cowardly lion - he is decent, kind and always serving the best interests of others, even if that means involving himself with undead girlfriends and a brewing Lycan war.
Clifford is once again forced to step up to the plate and fulfill a prophecy dictated by a dragon centuries previous while also uncovering his own path and purpose. Surprised by the respect and the admiration of his werewolf peers, Clifford soon begins to understand that destiny isn't the Chinese whispers of the past - it's the actions of the present and the faith he restores within his own abilities.
The Dragon of Doughton Park is riddled with action and enough romantic interludes to make your skin itch. The dialogue, as always, is carefully constructed and purposeful. Characterization is consistent as is the unfolding plot and various relationship turbulence. I especially enjoyed reading a novel from a man's perspective, and not necessarily the ridiculously dreamy variety found in other run-of-the-mill paranormal romances. Clifford is sixty years old, down to earth, realistically challenged by the preconceptions of others and damn sexy in his continuing reluctance to embrace his finer qualities.
Needless to say that once again the talented John Hundley has brought us a novel filled with danger, intrigue and enough plot thickeners to keep you guessing right to the very end. Teamed with the multiple character perspective and eloquent descriptive content - there is never a dull moment. I happily rate this novel four and a half fangs out five.

Synopsis:

Clifford Crane has led a tough life – failed marriages, bankruptcy, drug addiction, and a mind-numbing dead-end job. But he’s made it through, and now he’s a few short years from retirement. He’s looking forward to his golden years, until he meets an ancient Uwharrie Indian shaman, who turns him into a werewolf. She believes Clifford is the red wolf foretold in prophecy, the one who will unite the wolf packs and lead them to victory over the vampires for once and all time. Too bad she doesn’t tell him that before she dies. Now, rescuing beautiful young women from the clutches of the undead has its rewards, but will it pay the rent for the next thousand years?
Everyone has accepted the Prophecy of the Red Wolf except the Red Wolf himself. Clifford would like to reclaim some semblance of a normal life, but there are three beautiful reasons he cannot cut his ties to the pack of werewolves of which he has become a part. There’s Heather, the sister of the Uwharrie Pack alpha, whom the pack has chosen as Clifford’s mate. There’s Nicole, the talented young Omega wolf, a seeming reincarnation of Clifford’s once and greatest love, who shares a strange and disturbing bond with him. And there’s Danielle, the gorgeous young vampire who currently shares his bed in a forbidden affair.
Clifford faces a difficult choice indeed, but it may not be his to make. Powerful forces are afoot in the world, and to protect the ones he loves, Clifford must seek the help of the powerful Fae who foretold the prophecy in the first place, the one who might do anything to make sure the prophecy comes true, the mysterious Dragon of Doughton Park. 
The Dragon of Doughton Park is the second in a series of Red Wolf novels, depicting a world where vampires are mere generations away from realizing mankind’s destruction, the ultimate goal of the undead and the mysterious beings that created them.

Follow Friday #51

Happy Friday everyone!

Yes, it’s that time of week again where bloggers unite to participate in the Follow Friday venture. The idea behind #FF is to promote traffic to your own blog, make new friends with other like-minded bloggers and discuss new and interesting topics each week.

Participating is simple. First you need to follow my blog because I’m totally awesome, then you can follow me on Twitter @kristyberridge (actually you don’t have to do this, it’s wishful thinking), but do follow my blog or assassins will get you …

Then you must follow our illustrious hosts Rachel of http://www.parajunkee.com/ and Alison of http://www.alisoncanread.com/ If you want more details on how to enter your own blog in the follow and hop, all directions are on their webpages

Now, once you’ve followed, check out my answer to this week’s questions and don’t forget to leave a comment so I can do the right thing and follow you back!


This week's question: WHAT IS THE LAST BOOK THAT MADE YOU CRY? TELL US ABOUT THE SCENE…

My Answer: It's actually an Indie book I read recently called "Impossible" by Komal Lewis. It was an emotionally charged moment between the two protagonists, the bonding over the death of someone they both loved and respected. I definitely got a little misty which I wasn't expecting, and yet, loved the fact that another author could do that to me with only words and they images they created!

Book Review: Impossible by Komal Lewis

Impossible is a YA contemporary fiction, a novel so far outside the realms of my usual genre that you're probably wondering why I would delve into the teenage world of love, angst and sexual inexperience when I'm so clearly devoted to the supernatural/paranormal romance genre.
The quick answer is that "Impossible" was part of a blog tour obligation, one I have found to be surprising, enticing and all together a very pleasant experience!
Impossible follows the story of Ashton and Luca, friends since childhood and next door neighbours now estranged thanks to a life altering event from the past. Ashton is a selfish, acidic-tongued teen with ambitions of popularity and needless attention from the miscreants of her social circle. Luca is a reserved, thick-skinned rocker determined to ignore the stigma of his individuality and the unpoularity that it brings.
A strange twist in fate and the selfish desires of Ashton's whims of highschool sucess see her crossing paths with the neighbour she swore she would never speak to again. A social outcast, Luca is offlimits and clearly unsuitable, but underneath all the gothic make up, clothes and dismissive attitude lies a stud in the making and perhaps Ashton's chance to re-climb the ladder of the school heirachy.
Chemistry soon explodes between these two frenemies and the past is once again uncovered, Ashton and Luca diving deeper into the reasoning behind their initial rift. Bound by combined grief and the promise of a future, we soon see that perhaps Ashton can find substance - Luca being the one to bring it out in her.
Like any teen drama we are greeted with a lot of cliche's but somehow Komal Lewis finds a way to keep this relatively ordinary story of boy meets girl, boy loses girl and then finds girl again adrift with non stop emotional drama. I can honestly say that there were many moments of levity, sadness and even supreme depravity that the author explores through real emotional dilemas and significant reactions from her characters.
Dialogue was realistic and flowed concisely. Characterisation was consistent and interestingly explored via the perspective of two main protagonists - one male, one female - both completely different in thought process.
Congratulations to Komal Lewis on her debut novel, a succinct, entertaining and emotionally lucrative story that I will happily be rating four out of five fangs.

Synopsis:

Ashton Summers is on her way to becoming the most popular girl in school and nothing—or no one—is going to stand in her way. Especially not Luca Byron, her freak neighbour, with his tattoos, loud music, and distracting green eyes.
Luca Byron has three goals in life: get through high school with a low profile, make sure his garage band becomes something more than a hobby, and try to forget about his insufferable ex-best friend, Ashton, who he can’t get out of his mind.
The last thing Ashton and Luca want to do is rekindle their friendship, but when Ashton takes a tumble down the social ladder, Luca—with his new makeover—is the only one who can help her rise up again by pretending to be her boyfriend. At first, being together is unbearable and annoying, but things start to change as Ashton and Luca discover the real reasons they drifted apart seven years ago. 
Now, keeping their hands off each other seems impossible.

Don't forget to check out the giveaway for Komal Lewis's book right here!

Impossible - Blog Tour

Check it out on Goodreads now!
Get the Kindle addition on Amazon for only 99c!

Hey guys,
I'm trying something new - a blog tour stop in support of another author, and to top it off, she's a fair dinkum Aussie just like me, so yay!
Anyway, You all know that I am a massive fan of the supernatural/paranormal romance genre, but I have to say that I quite enjoyed stepping out of the box and reading "Impossible" by Komal Lewis which is more of a contemporary/YA romance.
So stick with me this week guys, because I have a full load for you! On Wednesday the 28th of November you are going to get the author interview with Komal Lewis, followed by a Saturday post which will be the book review of "Impossible". There's also a tour-wide giveaway that you probably don't want to miss, so make sure you bounce back for that one on the 26th of November!
Have a fabulous week guys, support an Aussie, promote good Karma and like my blog while you're at it to receive great big air kisses via secret technical blogging support.

Kristy :)

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Follow Friday #46

Happy Friday everyone!

Yes, it’s that time of week again where bloggers unite to participate in the Follow Friday venture. The idea behind #FF is to promote traffic to your own blog, make new friends with other like-minded bloggers and discuss new and interesting topics each week.

Participating is simple. First you need to follow my blog because I’m totally awesome, then you can follow me on Twitter @kristyberridge (actually you don’t have to do this, it’s wishful thinking), but do follow my blog or assassins will get you …

Then you must follow our illustrious hosts Rachel of http://www.parajunkee.com/ and Alison of http://www.alisoncanread.com/ If you want more details on how to enter your own blog in the follow and hop, all directions are on their webpages

Now, once you’ve followed, check out my answer to this week’s questions and don’t forget to leave a comment so I can do the right thing and follow you back!

This week's question: When you step out of your USUAL genre what do you like to read? Best books in that genre?

My answer: Well, I must admit that I never really step outside the supernatural genre. There's just something pretty special about diving into the world of horror and make believe. I never seem to get sick of vampires, werewolves, magic, angels or demons - probably why I write books paying tribute to my passion.

So, with that being said, the most recent jaunt outside my comfort zone was immersing myself in the world of ChickLit - books about romance, girl talk, shopping and moral dilemmas. Think Sex in the City!

And, I've recently read an author's debut novel called "The Seven Steps to Closure" by Donna Joy Usher. With quite a few laugh out loud moments and an endearing protagonist, I can honestly say I thoroughly enjoyed this ChickLit jaunt. You can read my review here!