Follow Friday #34

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: If you could "Unread" a book which one would it be? Is it because you want to start over and experience it again for the first time, or because it was THAT bad?

My answer: Truthfully, this is a horrid question. You see, I'm an author. So knowing the hard work that goes into writing, editing and publishing a novel means that I cannot ever bad mouth another's written word. Yes, there are some books I feel like dousing in kerosene and lighting up the night sky with, but that doesn't mean I'm going to muddy their efforts in print. 

So, in light of that fact, I have to say that I do like the flip side of this question. And yes, as lame as it sounds I wish I could unread Stephanie Meyer's Twilight Saga and Stacia Kane's Downside Ghost's series. Why? Because I loved them both so much I'd love to experience them for the first time again. There's nothing quite like the rush of a great book that you simply cannot put down.

Kristy :)

Book Review: Blood Bound by Rachel Vincent

Ever since The Shifter series I have been quite a fan of Rachel Vincent's writing. I fell in love with Faythe, Jace, and Mark but unfortunately Blood Bound has left me a little cold.
Following the story of both Cam Caballero and Liv Warren from first person perspective was to say the least, extremely jarring. For at least the first ten chapters I had a moment where I said to myself 'who the hell am I now?' before settling into the chapter, knowing in just a few short pages I'd be once again be taken by a new perspective. For me as both a writer and a reader, I prefer one angle of first person narrative and then a flip to third person so it's still identifiable who the protagonist of the story is. This is the first novel I've ever read where this has happened, and although I found no fault with the writing itself, this was more than a little distracting.
The characterisation was good. As per usual Vincent delivers a highly intelligent piece with plenty of twists and turns, however, I did at one point find myself flipping through the pages, wondering when all the back and forward bickering dialogue between characters was going to end. Sentences like 'Get a room already' or 'Just shoot the bastard' flew through my head at regular intervals, tampering my enjoyment.
On a much more positive note, I found the entire concept of the book fascinating - Shadow Walkers, Blood and Name Trackers, Jammers, and other supernatural entities with talents for finding, binding, killing or flushing out anyone and everyone to serve the purposes of two major crime syndicates was thoroughly entertaining. Yes, we've all read about the poor bound workers of crime families, sold, bargained, or chastised into slavery under the guise of protecting loved ones etc, but Blood Bound took it to the next level, exploring the depths of the underworld with a new and interesting twist.
Liv and Cam, once lovers and now estranged by certain events of the past and the syndicates they are now bound to, must work together to solve an unspeakable crime - the murder of a mutual friend's husband and the unfolding plot of stolen abilities, human trafficking, and the kidnapping of certain, useful children.
Relying only on their abilities, trust for each other, and the loopholes within their bindings, they are forced to work with some less than savoury characters to prevent an all out syndicate war and hopefully dispel some ghosts from the past.
All in all, I couldn't fault the plot or the writing of Vincent as she cleverly interwove a deceitful tale of love, lust and betrayal. Although the first half of the book was incredibly slow, the inevitable showdown at the end was worth the wait. I give this book three out of five fangs.

Synopsis:
As a blood tracker, Liv is extremely powerful. And in a world where power is a commodity that can get you killed, Liv's learnt to survive by her own rules.
Rule number one? Trust no one.
But when a friend's daughter goes missing, Liv is bound by a potent magical oath. She can't rest until the child is safe. And that means trusting her dangerous ex, Cam.
A sinister prophecy tells that she and Cam will be the death of each other, yet Liv is tired of being a slave to destiny. She's ready to play for the forces controlling her world at their own game, no matter what the cost.

Is Music Good for the Soul?

So, is it? Is Music good for the soul?
I'm going to have to say yes, except in any circumstance where ABBA or Country and Western music might be played with zealous enthusiasm. That shit just makes my ears bleed.
Apologies to the true believers ...
Anyway, there's just something about having your chosen boom box (look out, I'm going old school) turned up extremely loud to belt out your all time favourite tracks. Unfortunately, music also sometimes reminds you of the morose moments, almost like a bad smell in an elevator, the taste of cucumbers (hate those little green bastards), or the sight of your beloved pet crapping in the middle of your expensive Persian rug.
So, I was trolling through Itunes this afternoon wondering what songs I could add to my playlist. And, just what exactly did my collection of tunes do for my soul? What memories could I recall with certain songs, and which ones left a bad taste in my mouth?

1. One of my first boyfriends (who I was mighty keen on at the tender age of 14) declared that our song would be forever known as "Truly, Madly, Deeply" by Savage Garden. Alas, after he picked such a mushy track and dragged me off to the movies to watch Madonna in "Evita", I should have seen the writing on the wall. Alas, I'm now told this memorable boyfriend now has one of his own.

2. I'm not one for cleaning the house at the best of times, but I have to tell you, every time I hear Billy Joel's "Uptown Girl", I simply have to whip out a mop and go to town on the kitchen floor. *flies freak flag*

 

3. My husband who I have been happily tied to for over twelve years declared that our 'song' was Bachelor Girl's "Buses and Trains" - a song about disastrous relationships. It stuck for no other reason than it was the sound track to most of our bump ugly sessions when we first hooked up. *puts hands over parent's ears*

4. Don't hate on me, but I'm a massive Nickelback fan, and, every time I hear "Savin' me" in the car, I revert to a pimply teenage boy in a beat up old ford with way too much muffler resonance, and a mysterious confidence that makes me wind down the windows and share the experience with other drivers. Yes, for three minutes I think I'm King Shit in a Mazda.

5. There's a moment when I sometimes go for a walk. The sun is either rising in the distance or setting behind the hills as the warm breeze tousles my hair. I look over my shoulder, check for spectators, and then throw my arms out wide, toss my head back and sing Natasha Bedingfield's "Unwritten" because at that precise moment I think life is just swell and filled with endless possibilities. Naturally the accompaniment of my IPod makes me sound awesome.

I can think of plenty more, but these are just some of the most prominent that still often run through my mind. I'd love to know if anyone else has similar experiences with music. Make sure you comment so I can laugh at your expense too (kidding).
Have a great weekend.

Kristy :)

Follow Friday #33

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!

Okay, so this week's question is weird for me. I'm an Aussie and we celebrate Father's Day in September. But in the spirit of wanting to know who my favourite father figure in a book is, well, it's only fair to participate.

Answer: Roland from Richelle Mead's Storm Born Series. He may be a step-father figure, but this guy crosses spiritual planes in order to protect what he deems is his daughter - Eugiene Markham. He fights demons, he kicks ass, and he defends her honor - he sounds a lot like my dad (minus the completely unrealistic plot).

On another completely unrelated note- I just thought I'd drop a quick mention too for those of you that have been following The Hunted's progress. It is now officially selling on Amazon for $4.99 to celebrate the up and coming release of The Damned. So if you've been wanting to dip into this awesome supernatural fiction practically dripping with untamed violence, sexy vampires, and wild werewolves, then now is your chance! Follow this link for more information!

Kristy :)

Get Hunted!

Hey Everyone,


This is a quick post today to let you all know that my first book in The Hunted Series, aptly called "The Hunted" has now been reduced to $4.99 (Kindle version)!
Feel free to grab yourself a copy, especially in light of the fact that my second book, The Damned is due to be released in the up and coming months, so getting in and reading the very first installment is a must!
For those of you that don't know much about my series, I'll be as succinct as possible. The Hunted Series is supernatural fiction targeting young adults and seasoned lovers of paranormal romance. Vampires, Werewolves, Angels, Demons, and Magic rein supreme - peppered with true violence and a strong female lead, you've got yourself an epic little read (okay, not so little at 582 pages) but nevertheless pretty damn awesome according to just about every review I've received so far. Plus, you want to make sure that you're reading the next big thing ... it's uncool not to covet this book and tell everyone about its awesomeness. I'm just saying ...

Synopsis: 
Elena Manory is by no means an ordinary teenage girl. Being born with the ability to heal herself from any injury, and with the knowledge that on her eighteenth birthday she will become a Vampire, Elena is aware that she is more than a little different from other girls her age.
It isn’t until she meets William Granville, an alluring and impossibly handsome vampire, that she begins to question her destiny and what secrets the Institute of Magical Intervention and her adopted family have withheld—secrets that could change the fates of not only her own life, but of the lives of all the immortals.
As events spiral out of control, William may be the only person Elena can place her trust in. He, and Elena’s magical family, must fight to save her, joining forces to defeat a common, deadly foe. For William, it is his chance to save the girl that he has searched eternity to find.