Dollhouse: The Epitaphs – Andrea Chambliss

Written By: Kellie - Jul• 17•12

Synopsis: The Rossum Corporation”s Dollhouse technology has gone viral with a synchronized phone call that wiped the minds of everyone it reached, turning them into mindless killers. Those who avoided the call – including show favorites Echo, Alpha, Mag, Zone, and Griff – must try to survive in the sudden apocalypse and be wary of Rossum”s expansive technological reach. This is only the beginning. -Goodreads

Review: While I was in Ireland I had the chance to read a Dollhouse graphic novel that I didn’t even know existed, and I lovveeddd it. For any Dollhouse (a TV show by the creator of Buffy) fans, this fills in some of the gaps between the big Rossum break in episode (semi finale) and Epitaph One. You get to see a little bit of what all the characters got up to, there are some crazy action scenes and overall, just great story telling.

I loved the art as well, there was rarely any question of which character was which and the horrible, end of the world setting came across beautifully. I would love to go into more technical detail but all I can really say is that the art compliments the story well and that the colours were really vibrant and matched well to each individual scene.

Even if you’re not a fan of the Dollhouse series this is worth checking out for some seriously cool futuristic apocalypse action. It also leads into the TV series really nicely without giving much (if anything) away.

One thing that caught me by surprise is that it ended on a cliff hanger. I will have to look into that as I would absolutely read more. Sigh, I’m into graphic novels now? Never thought I would see the day. I have never been much into comic books but I love the idea of continuing the stories of my favorite canceled TV shows and Dollhouse was really one of the best.

Buy the book @Amazon (US) @Amazon (CAN)

Rating:

 

 

 

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Welcome to Graphic Novel Week!!

Written By: Kellie - Jul• 16•12

Three cheers for feature weeks! This time we’re taking a close look at some new and upcoming graphic novel titles. Alas, not actually Watchmen but that has always been the icon for all things graphic novel in my mind. I should probably read it then, huh?

Graphic Novels have always been something that I wish I could spend ore time on, but there always seem to be too many books in my TBR pile. Yet I can’t help but feeling like I am missing out on some really great stories and visual effects that I just wont find on my bookshelf.

So, this week we look at some of the graphic novels that have managed to pull me in either by a beautiful cover or a continuation of a story I had already fallen in love with. Also, you can expect a whole lot of Felicia Day.

If you’re already a fan of the genre, feel free to chime in with some of your favorite graphic novels. If not, tell me why! We’ll be looking at the pros and cons of graphic novels later this week.

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World War Z- Max Brooks (Audiobook)

Written By: Kellie - Jul• 14•12

The Zombie War came unthinkably close to eradicating humanity. Max Brooks, driven by the urgency of preserving the acid-etched first-hand experiences of the survivors from those apocalyptic years, traveled across the United States of America and throughout the world, from decimated cities that once teemed with upwards of thirty million souls to the most remote and inhospitable areas of the planet. He recorded the testimony of men, women, and sometimes children who came face-to-face with the living, or at least the undead, hell of that dreadful time. World War Z is the result. Never before have we had access to a document that so powerfully conveys the depth of fear and horror, and also the ineradicable spirit of resistance, that gripped human society through the plague years. -Goodreads
Review: About a year ago I read the physical copy of this book and definitely enjoyed it. Not mind blowing, but good. There is no question that this book is better off as an audio experience, it is an oral history after all. Listening to World War Z was absolutely fantastic! The main role of the reporter is narrated by the author himself which was a very nice touch. For the rest of the roles there was a full cast which added a distinct feeling to each character that isn’t always found in audiobook narration

As for the story itself, it’s a pretty interesting take on a zombie novel as it focuses more on the hows and the whys then your traditional gruesome fight for survival. It’s the planets development as whole that we get to experience rather than that of any one character. Not that there aren’t some really interesting physiological elements that would understandably pop up in people who had survived the zombie war but they just aren’t part of the bigger picture.

Some of the stories you will hear focus on day to day survival and the plans that people came up with, some successful and some not. Other stories are from a decidedly military perspective. My favorites were the ones that focused on those in various governments across the world throughout the crisis. Big decisions had to be made and the loss of life brought on by those decisions sit heavily on the survivors minds. It’s dark and twisty in the very best way. Terribly realistic considering that there are zombies involved.

About this time next year there will be a third option for the World War Z experience, you’ll be able to go see it in theaters, starring the one and only Brad Pitt. Unfortunately, it will probably be difficult to capture the real essence of this book since it jumps around so much. It will probably still be a great zombie movie, but if you want the real World War Z: An oral history of the zombie apocalypse experience, go with the audiobook.

Buy the audiobook @Amazon (US) @Amazon (CAN)

Rating:

 

 

 

Second Opinions:
@Axiom’s Edge
@Mel’s Random Reviews
@Book Twirps

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A little bit of BEA wisdom

Written By: Kellie - Jul• 12•12

1. Rooms in New York are a lot smaller than you’re used to. I had stayed in NYC before but you never really appreciate it until you and three other women are staying in a tiny room with 300 books. Eep! We managed just fine, but it did take some creative thinking to keep everyone’s books straight.

2. Plan to spend time by yourself at the convention. Doesn’t matter if you are going with old friends or new but all of you will have individual things you want to do with each day so don’t be afraid to branch out on your own. Part of the fun is meeting up with everyone later and swapping stories of battles fought and book hoards won.

3. Take some time out to go to the education sessions. This is something I wish I had done more of, but the little I did see were really interesting and well thought out. Plus, there are occasionally some ARCs to be had at the end. For me, I felt like I didn’t want to miss out on anything happening on the show floor but I think I would have taken a bit more away from the experience if I had sat and listened a little more.

4. Anything involving YA will probably be a zoo. This I learned from the YA Editors Buzz Panel. I was one of the first few out the door and one of the first in front of the ARC tables and I was still trampled, only managing to get two of the books I was aiming for. Still great, but probably not worth the hassle since all of the titles are available on the show floor later and odds are everyone will be standing in a nice orderly line.

5. Give yourself time to rest. I went to NYC immediately after another travel adventure that involved being on my feet a lot and it took so much out of me, it’s ridiculous. I needed the down time at the end of every day or the whole experience would have been a bit of a disaster.

Overall, if you get the chance to go to BEA you should take it. There is a lot to be learned, and more great reads to find than you can possibly imagine.

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Haunted- Kelley Armstrong

Written By: Kellie - Jul• 09•12

Synopsis: Eve Levine — half-demon, black witch and devoted mother — has been dead for three years. She has a great house, an interesting love life and can’t be killed again — which comes in handy when you’ve made as many enemies as Eve. Yes, the afterlife isn’t too bad — all she needs to do is find a way to communicate with her daughter, Savannah, and she’ll be happy.

But fate — or more exactly, the Fates — have other plans. Eve owes them a favor, and they’ve just called it in. An evil spirit called the Nix has escaped from hell. She feeds on chaos and death, and is very good at persuading people to kill for her. The Fates want Eve to hunt her down before she does any more damage, but the Nix is a dangerous enemy — previous hunters have been driven insane in the process. As if that’s not problem enough, the only way to stop her is with an angel’s sword. And Eve is no angel. . .
-Goodreads

Review: Another epic addition to the Women of the Otherworld series by Kelley Armstrong. I really do mean epic as every book in this series seems to have far reaching effects that stem from the actions of one central character. Having some idea of where this series is headed and who the ultimate central figure will be, it makes for a great read seeing how everything comes together throughout the course of the books.

While Eve Levine is hardly my favorite woman of this series so far, she spent a lot of her time with some other very cool, well fleshed out characters that I would have loved to hang out with. I also love that these books don’t limit themselves to characters who are in their prime. It adds a great element of realism to a series that is otherwise characterized by witches and the afterlife.

The afterlife is where we spent most of our time in Haunted and there is no question that Kelley Armstrong spent a great deal of time fleshing out the rules of the world she created, adding various layers and nuances before throwing her characters into the mix. The various afterlife possibilities suit the secretly magical world that had already been established for the living.

That being said, I wasn’t sure how I would feel about the addition of angels and references to a creator but it was all handled well enough. I like to have some hard and fast rules with any magical series and this left a little too much up to the imagination, but when tackling these kinds of issues I’m really not sure what else you can do.

The plot itself was a whirlwind and a lot of fun. Despite the gradual changes to the arc of the series we also got to watch Eve attempt to capture a supernatural, body-jumping, demonic serial killer.

Overall, definitely a good book and this is still one of my favorite urban fantasy series but I just can’t realte to Eve the same way as I have the other women of the Otherworld. She’s still completely kick-ass though, no question. I will absolutely be continuing with the series, as what initially promoted me to get to reading them again is that I found the next three at a garage sale a couple months ago now. Score!

Buy the book @Amazon (US) @Amazon (CAN)

Rating:

 

 

 

Second Opinions:
@Concise Book Reviews
@Ruby’s Books
@Fangs For The Fantasy

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Honey, I’m home!!!

Written By: Kellie - Jul• 08•12

Hello, hello! As promised, I have returned. I’m all kinds of jet lagged but back all the same. Don’t worry, this is not an excuse not to jump back into things, I have been hard at work on various posts during my time away and have a few little revamps planned for the summer months just to spruce things up around here.

So, what’s on tap? (Common, I just came from Ireland where it’s all about what’s on tap)

This week I have a couple of reviews. Haunted by Kelly Armstrong and the audio book of World War Z, which restored my faith in the entire genre (audio books, no zombies). Plus, I spent some time looking back at BEA and decided to throw in my two cents for future generations of expo goers. Yay!

Annnd, next week is preplanned too, see I was productive! Graphic novels… yay! So be sure to stay tuned for that. Still working out exactly what I’m posting when so you’ll just need to check back. Pretty please.

In other news, I have recently taken on an additional writing gig at Geek Speak Magazine, which I am super excited about. Writing is fun! Writing about things you love, well that’s pretty much the dream.

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A mini hiatus…

Written By: Kellie - Jun• 23•12

Today marks my third big trip since I graduated at the end of April. It has been fantastic, but the downside is that I’m all kinds of behind. Since returning from BEA over a week ago I have finished count em (it)… one book! So I definitely don’t have scores of reviews waiting in the wings. I used em all up to keep things running while I was in Philadelphia and NYC.

So, for two weeks it’s all quiet on the western front. I’ll be back, I promise. I just don’t want to risk putting together half finished posts in a rush to keep things going. Instead my e-reader and I are going to get back in touch.

Big things planned for my triumphant return so I will see you all then! Mwah!

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IMM BEA Favorites Part 3 & 4

Written By: Kellie - Jun• 22•12

Part 3- Non Fiction Favorites

Wait: The Art & Science of Delay by Frank Partnoy
Mmm, psychology. I love books that try to explain why we do the things we do. Frank Partnoy’s Wait wants to have a look at delaying your decisions etc. rather than going with your gut, which is something I’d love to read about. Excited for this one!

 

Let’s Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson
I’ll admit, before BBC I didn’t know who Jenny Lawson was but after hearing her keynote speech… love, love, love. I don’t read many memoirs but I can’t wait to check out the magnificent Jenny Lawson and her dark and twisty brain. Also, new blog to follow! Yay for The Bloggess!
Why Does He Do That? Why Does She Do That? by Paula Bloom and Reef Karim

I got my booked signed by Paula Bloom and had a brief minute to talk to this fantastic lady. Gender psychology has always been a big interest of mine. I’m fairly sure this book will end up reading more like a relationship self help book but I’m still intrigued. I’ll be sure to keep you posted!
Part 4- Everything Else!
Speechless by Hannah Harrington
Brief summary- Teenage girl realizes the error of her ways and takes a vow of silence. Not sure why but this story has really caught my interest and I have really high expectations which can of course go horribly awry but I still think this book will impact me in some way or another that I probably don’t even see coming.

Enormity by W.G. Marshall
While I was doing my very last lap of the BEA show floor I came across W.G. Marshall signing his books. I had read Mad Skills awhile ago (there is probably a review for it buried somewhere in here) which was a little different and had a really great concept and so I jumped at the chance to read Enormity. Already a little baffled that the cover shows a woman when the enormous main character seems to be a man, but we shall see.

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The Shapeshifter’s Secret- Heather Ostler

Written By: Kellie - Jun• 20•12

ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Synopsis: Julia is finally discovering what–not who–she is.

Like any sixteen-year-old, Julia’s used to dealing with problems. From her overprotective father to her absent mother to a teacher who definitely has it in for her. But everything changes when Julia’s reactions become oddly vicious and angry—more animal than human. This action-packed adventure has it all: humor, romance, and a plot that will keep you guessing to the very last page. -Goodreads

Review: I had a bit of trouble getting into Heather Ostler’s The Shapeshifter’s Secret, but once I was in I was alllll in. I actually ended up initially writing this review on a train without internet connection and almost misplaced it forever. Woops! Anyways, once the world building established itself as really unique and whimsical I became a Heather Ostler fan.

I found the romance to be a little hard to follow and at points it seemed to be there just because it was expected. For me, romance isn’t a major reason to follow any particular storyline, but if it’s what you go looking for I’d be a little iffy about the Julia/Caleb/Terrence trio. I know who I’m rooting for and for once I’ve probably picked right as the alternative just doesn’t seem that believable.

No spoilers here as it’s right in the title but I really liked the Shapeshifter aspect. The world building was a little different from the norm which was exactly what I needed when I read this. Not enough other dimension stories out there these days!

If your looking for something a little different and a strong supernatural roller coaster, I would suggest picking up The Shapeshifter’s Secret.

Buy the book @Amazon (US) @Amazon (CAN)

Rating:

 

 

 

Second Opinions:
@Geek Speak Magazine
@The Girly Bookworm
@Confessions of a Future Librarian

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Top ten books on my summer TBR list

Written By: Kellie - Jun• 19•12

Top Ten Tuesday is of course brought to us by the wonderful The Broke and the Bookish. I don’t usually manage to make a decent list but I really couldn’t resist this one. Let’s have a look at our summer reading lists!!!

1. Shadow Bound by Rachel Vincent- I’ll be taking this one to Ireland with me because it’s going to be just that good.

2. Inheritance by Christopher Paolini- I have been waiting to read the final book in this series for a few months now, it just seems like such a huge undertaking. So, with a little luck I will get some posts scheduled ahead of time and will be able to take a whole week to really enjoy what will hopefully be an awesome book about dragons.

3. Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore- ‘Nuff said.

4. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas- I’m reading this right now as it was at the top of my BEA surprise gems list. ‘m just a few chapters in but I’m pretty sure I will love this book.

5. Changling by Philippa Gregory- Just last year I latched onto the P. Gregory bandwagon and totally fell in love with The Other Boleyn Girl so I’m curious to see what this talented author can do with YA and fantasy. Ooo boy!

6. Spark by Amy Kathleen Ryan- I’ve had this ARC for over a month now and somehow have still managed not to read it. Bah! How does this happen to me?!

7. Legend by Marie Lu- Thanks to BEA, I am the proud owner of Prodigy, but I should probably start at the beginning with what many have told me is a must read series.

8. Kitty Steals the Show by Carrie Vaughn- Book ten in one of my absolute favorite authors. I cannot wait! I’d also like to reread some of the earlier books in this series but there never seems to be enough time.

9.The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern- Yup, I haven’t read it yet. I never seem to read the big hype books on time and I never learn.

10. Something Steampunk- I’ve been meaning to try it on for size. Any recommendations? Either YA or adult is fine by me.

Posted in Fun Stuff & Promos , , | 2 Comments »
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