Awakened by P.C. and Kristin Cast Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (January 4th, 2011) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardback: 336 pages Series: House of Night #8 Rating: 4 of 5 stars
“My love, speak to me. Tell me everything.” Neferet went to Kalona, kneeling before him, stroking the soft, dark wings that unfurled loosely around the immortal. “What would you have me say?” He didn’t meet her eyes. “Zoey lives.” Neferet’s voice was flat, cold, lifeless. “She does.” “Then you owe me the subservience of your immortal soul.” She started to walk away from him. “Where are you going? What will happen next?” “It is quite simple. I will ensure Zoey is drawn back to Oklahoma. There, on my own terms, I will complete the task you failed.” Exonerated by the Vampyre High Council and returned to her position of High Priestess at Tulsa’s House of Night, Neferet has sworn vengeance on Zoey. Dominion over Kalona is only one of the weapons she plans to use against Z. But Zoey has found sanctuary on the Isle of Skye and is being groomed by Queen Sgiach to take over for her there. Being Queen would be cool, wouldn’t it? Why should she return to Tulsa? After losing her human consort, Heath, she will never be the same – and her relationship with her super-hot-warrior, Stark, may never be the same either… And what about Stevie Rae and Rephaim? The Raven Mocker refuses to be used against Stevie Rae, but what choice does he have when no one in the entire world, including Zoey, would be okay with their relationship? Does he betray his father or his heart? In the pulse-pounding 8th book in the bestselling House of Night series, how far will the bonds of friendship stretch and how strong are the ties that bind one girl’s heart?
Review: I think I may have even liked this book better than Burned, which I reviewed a few weeks ago. It seems to tell more about the characters and focus on that a little more than just giving constant action. I'll try to stay away from spoilers but I will say that I'm surprised by how much I like the new addition, Rephaim. Wow! Although he has been around for a few books now, we get the chance to really get to know him in Awakened and I was not disappointed. Because of that, even Stevie Rae didn't annoy me as bad as usual.
Some of my same complaints from book 7 are still in book 8. Too many points of view, Stevie Rae's dialogue takes away from the story, and the plot has focused too long on Kalona and Neferet. I can't figure out how so many of the"adults" don't know what Neferet is up to. Why is it only Zoey and her group? I just think it's time to wrap up that part of the story and step away.
Awakened, finally, gave Zoey and Stark some time together. I won't give details but I was happy to see Zoey have some time to relax and explore a new place. The ending of this book was shocking! I know some people will be unhappy with the new development but I, personally, was pleased and can't wait to see what that new plot goes. Interesting stuff!!
I will absolutely be picking up Destined (book 9) when it comes out in November. I can't seem to break away from these characters!
Find P.C. and Kristin Cast Website | House of Night | P.C.'s Blog | Facebook
Purchase Awakened Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository
Burned by P.C. and Kristin Cast Publisher: ATOM (April 27th, 2010) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardcover: 323 pages Series: House of Night #7 Rating: 4 of 5 stars When friends stop trusting each other, Darkness is there to fan the flames…
Things have turned black at the House of Night. Zoey Redbird’s soul has shattered. With everything she’s ever stood for falling apart, and a broken heart making her want to stay in the Otherworld forever, Zoey’s fading fast. It’s seeming more and more doubtful that she will be able pull herself back together in time to rejoin her friends and set the world to rights. As the only living person who can reach her, Stark must find a way to get to her. But how? He will have to die to do so, the Vampyre High Council stipulates. And then Zoey will give up for sure. There are only 7 days left…
Enter BFF Stevie Rae. She wants to help Z but she has massive problems of her own. The rogue Red Fledglings are acting up, and this time not even Stevie Rae can protect them from the consequences. Her kinda boyfriend, Dallas, is sweet but too nosy for his own good. The truth is, Stevie Rae’s hiding a secret that might be the key to getting Zoey home but also threatens to explode her whole world.
In the middle of the whole mess is Aphrodite: ex-Fledgling, trust-fund baby, total hag from Hell (and proud of it). She’s always been blessed (if you could call it that) with visions that can reveal the future, but now it seems Nyx has decided to speak through her with the goddess’s own voice, whether she wants it or not. Aphrodite’s loyalty can swing a lot of different ways, but right now Zoey’s fate hangs in the balance.
Three girls… playing with fire… if they don’t watch out, everyone will get Burned. Review: I'll do my best to stay away from major spoilers for this series. I know that several people have stopped reading the House of Night series recently but I still really enjoy the books. I actually think that the most recent books (Burned and Awakened) were very well written and suspenseful. I was worried that this book would be filled with only Zoey's depressed emotions but it wasn't, at all!
Burned does give us several perspectives for this book. It ranges from Zoey, to Stevie Rae, Stark, Rephaim, and others. At times, this was a little too much. I thought that a few things could have been left out (not particularly with these characters but with lesser ones) and the book may have had a little better flow. I admit that Stevie Rae is not one of my favorite characters and I think that is what initially kept me away from the recent books. I knew she was going to have a much larger part as they continued. I think her accent and word choices are a little extreme and draw away from the point of what she is saying. Other than that, I've actually enjoyed her character a lot more in Burned.
Rephaim is a newer character in Burned and we really get a chance to get to know him. I wasn't fond of him, at all, in Tempted but he's grown on me. I'm excited to see what happens with him next. Stark has always been one of my favorites and he has really grown a lot over time. I need more Stark! Zoey continues to amaze me with her strength and spirit. She is a very strong character.
I enjoyed the plot in this book. It still had just as many twists and turns as the previous books. There was never a dull moment. I do think that the drama with Kalona and Neferet needs to end soon. It goes on and on and after a while it will be way too much! I think that the story could have much more going on even long after the Neferet story line is complete.
Overall, I was really impressed with Burned. I still enjoy this series a lot and the characters that I fell in love with long ago. P.C. and Kristin Cast keep coming up with unique ideas and crazy fight scenes that draw me in from page one.
Find P.C. and Kristin Cast Website | House of Night | P.C.'s Blog | Facebook
Purchase Burned Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository
1. What are the biggest differences now that you are promoting the second book, Purpose, from when you were promoting Promise? Releasing Promise was one of the most exciting times of my life because it was my debut. My first in everything. That also made it a lot more stressful, because I was scared to death people would hate it. Fortunately, they didn’t. J And now they’re looking forward to Purpose. Combine that with my own feeling that Purpose is a better story and I’m not quite as worried about that part of the equation. Of course, I’m still anxious – maybe it’s not what readers are expecting, maybe the change in Alexis turns them off, maybe it takes a direction fans don’t like, etc. – but this is the book I started out writing, the one that grabbed my heart and soul. So whether people like it or not, I personally feel a lot better about it than I did Promise.
2. I do know that you have had a few major events and awards since you were last on here, would you like to share some of those? Hehe Yes, Promise has exceeded my expectations in the big world. It won the 1st Place Fantasy (Published) Royal Palm Literary Award for the Florida Writers Association. That is a huge honor that I don’t take lightly. It’s also received some great reviews, including a “highly recommended” by the prestigious Midwest Book Review. MBR may not mean a lot to the average reader, but it has a strong influence on booksellers and librarians. It’s a feather in the industry cap. Promise is also (finally!) available at all major and indie retailers (though you may have to request it), including for international delivery through The Book Depository. I’ve also done some appearances, like at the Miami Book Fair International, and have some signings and presentations coming up in January.
3. Can you share with us some of what we can expect for the continuation of this story? In Promise, Alexis starts out as a young woman just barely getting started in this world she had no idea existed. Purpose really initiates her into the world, giving her (and the reader) a taste of what’s to come. She has many challenges ahead of her as she fulfills her destiny of being the fierce protector of human souls and, eventually, taking her leadership role of the Angels’ army on earth. She transforms from vulnerable, pretty naïve and nearly human in the first book to kickass warrior in the books to come. The love story of Promise evolves into stories about the various forms of love we all experience, from love of our soul-mates to our children to complete strangers and people we never thought we could love.
4. Will any other books be featuring these characters? The rest of this part of the series – 5 or 6 books – is Alexis’s story, so, yeah, there’s a lot more coming. Some of the major-minor characters have been sharing more of their stories with me, too. I don’t know if they’ll be full series or even books, but at least some short stories or novellas.
5. Do you have any other books in the works? We NEED more from you!: ) I’ve started book three, but it’s been back-burnered for quite a while, so I don’t know where I’m really at with it. I’m really looking forward to getting back to it, however, I’m also excited to work on some of these other stories. So many ideas, so little time…
6. What is the main thing you have learned from the entire process of getting a book out to the public? Patience. That goes for any writer, regardless of where you are in the process. You need patience to produce the best story possible; patience in seeking publication; patience with the publishing process; and patience on the other side, as well. The word has been spreading, but it takes time to build buzz and momentum. Just because someone wants to read a book doesn’t mean they go out and buy it right away. Or even if they do, they don’t necessarily read it right away. I’m the same way. My TBR pile is a mile high. And I know most readers are that way. So we just have to have patience while the snowball grows.
7. Did you have to take out any scenes that you wish you could have kept in the story? What were the biggest changes in the story from the time you first wrote it, to the finished version? Promise and Purpose started out as one story. Now, ending up as two books, they are, in some ways, quite a bit different than when I wrote that first draft. There are many scenes that didn’t make it and many new ones that have been added. I’m happy with the final results, but there were some sweet scenes originally in Promise with Alexis and her mother Sophia and others with Alexis and Tristan that just didn’t do enough to move the story along so they had to be cut. Probably the biggest change from that very first draft, however… something I didn’t see at first while focused on just this one book… something that has added a whole new twist to the entire series… originally, Dorian wasn’t born alone.
8. You've had quite a roll in the promoting of Promise and Purpose and you have done a fabulous job! Is that part more stressful than the writing? Marketing is my background and I mostly enjoy it, but writing is my passion. The most stressful part, really, is not having enough time to do everything.
9. Do you have any recent events planned that you would like to share? Of course, there’s the virtual release party for Purpose going until 12/18. After the holidays, I’ll be doing some local signings and by spring, I should be expanding the tour into other states, including Virginia, Arizona and Minnesota.
10. Can you give us a little excerpt from Purpose?
A shadow shifted in the corner. Two small, red lights glowed from about two-thirds up the wall. I realized they were eyes. It can’t really be Daemoni—can it? We hadn’t been bothered for over seven years. Not a single visit or even a threat. Nothing at all. They had what they wanted. “Don’t you know?” The shadow moved forward, just enough for the light from my clock to slightly illuminate a face—pale, bluish-white in the clock’s glare, glowing eyes and… fangs. The light reflected off his glimmering teeth, bared in an evil grin, if that’s what you could call it, and I knew for sure those were fangs. And I knew immediately what he was. From what I could see, he favored some of my characters, as if he’d stepped out of the pages of the books I wrote. Such a strange feeling—to feel as though I’d awakened in my usual way but know I was dreaming again. I had to be. Monsters were real, but vampires were not. “C-Claudius?” My voice shook. I knew this dream was about to become a terrible nightmare. With his dark hair floating around the sides of his face, this visitor looked similar to my Claudius, leader of the evilest vampire nest in my make-believe world. “Ha!” the shadow barked. “So you do see the resemblance.”
Purpose by Kristie Cook Publisher: Ang'dora Productions (December 15th, 2010) Reading Level: 17 and up Paperback: 377 pages Series: Soul Savers, book #2 Lost in despair, Alexis teeters on the edge of an abyss, her lifeline of hope fraying into a thin thread. If it snaps, she’ll plunge into complete darkness. With the help of her son and her writing, she’s been able to hold on. Until now. Erratic impulses, disturbing delusions and her own demonic blood threaten her sanity. When she’s forced to choose between hanging onto hope or letting go to serve her Amadis purposes, she faces a decision with inconceivable sacrifices.
Alexis runs to the one place she thinks will provide answers, only to find herself at the center of another battle of good versus evil, not only with the Daemoni, not only within herself… but also against the worst opponent imaginable. But even if she wins, what will she lose?
Don't forget to check out the Re-Cover contest of Promise and Purpose. Entries must be in 12/18.
Find Kristie Cook Kristie Cook / Promise / Goodreads Purchase Signed Copies of Purpose
Hello everyone! Sorry this is late. I didn't get back from vacation till late Friday and it took me a few days to get back on track. BUT I was super excited when I did get home because I came home to lots of packages! Some of those, however, will remain a mystery because they are prizes for the Haunted Halloween event which starts Friday!
Thanks to HarperCollins, EgmontUSA, Feiwel & Friends, Ednah Walters, Kurt Frenier, Aliseonlife, Book Faery, Fantastic Book Review, Christine Johnson, Albert Borris.
Review The Lost Saint (ARC) by Bree Despain Virgin Territory (ARC) by James Lecesne Rich and Mad (ARC) by William Nicholson Raised by Wolves (ARC- Not Pictured cause I'm reading it!) by Janenifer Lynn Barnes Desires of the Dead (ARC) by Kimberly Derting I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett Firelight by Sophie Jordan Halo by Alexandra Adornetto The Study Train by Kurt Frenier (came with wax sealed letter) Awakened (signed) by Ednah Walters Crash Into Me (signed) by Albert Borris (2 copies & cards for tour giveaway)
Won White Cat by Holly Black- won from Aliseonlife Siren (signed) by Tricia Rayburn- won from Book Faery Bring on the Night by Jeri Smith-Ready- won from Fantastic Book Review Claire de Lune bookmark and signed bookplate- won from Christine Johnson
Purchased Girl v. Boy by Yvonne Collins & Sandy Rideout Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers I Love Lucy bookmark from the beach!
*IMM is a weekly meme hosted by Kristie at The Story Siren and it was inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie.
I am honored to kick off the tour for Damned, the second book in the Crusade series. I have an interview with both authors, Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguié and an amazing ARC giveaway listed below. Be sure to follow the rest of the tour. You can see the stops on Nancy Holder's blog.
1. What is it like working with another person on a book? Do you two have a certain system for writing?
Debbie: It’s amazing and fun. What’s great about our relationship is that her strengths are my weaknesses and vice versa. We are able to rely on eachother. Also, the ideas are exciting because with the two of us working on a book it morphs into something awesome that isn’t necessarily what either of us would have done if working solo. Being a co-author means you have to put your ego aside and decide together what’s best for the story. Nancy and I have had no problems doing this with each other and the results have been remarkable! We usually trade off writing chapters and then we swap and edit until by the end we can’t even tell who wrotewhat originally!
Nancy: The real question is, What is it like to working with DEBBIE on a book? It’s no wonder we write about magic. Not only do we complement each other’s strengths and weaknesses, but we often independently come up with the same edits and fixes. We’re about to celebrate a decade of partnership and it’s flown by.
2. This question is for both of you. Who is your favorite character to write about? Do you tend to focus on certain characters over others while writing?
Debbie: I love writing for Jamie. He isn’t my favorite character, but writing him is just fun. We try really hard to give all the characters a lot of time to have their story unfold. We try to make sure we have several point of view scenes for each main character.
Nancy: Antonio. I love him. I admire him and I would tell you that I pity him, but if he found out he’d be very cross with me.
3. How did you develop the world we see in CRUSADE and DAMNED?
Debbie: We thought about what it would be like if WWIII happened with vampires as the enemies. We tried to craft a world that we thought was a realistic depiction of how people and nations react in times of great despair and how they try to fight foes that seem unbeatable.
Nancy: Our vampire hunters are like the Resistance in World War II. They’re outnumbered and outgunned, but they have stealth and courage on their side. There were so many unsung heroes in WWII. This is our tribute to them, and to soldiers in the trenches today.
4. If each of you could describe your main characters in one word each, what would they be?
Debbie: Jenn heroic Antonio devoted Skye conflicted Jamie explosive Eriko tormented Holgar compassionate Father Juan enigmatic
Nancy: Jenn couragous Antonio idealistic Skye awakened Jamie bitter Eriko suffering Holgar warm Father Juan mysterious
5. What was your reaction to the new covers for the series?
Debbie: I love, love, love the cover of Damned. I think it’s vibrant and exciting and the fact that Antonio has his sleeves rolled up in a snowstorm shows you just how different he is from humans.
Nancy: I also love the cover of Damned. The name of our cover model is Sterling and he’s been in Los Angeles auditioning for pilot season. Good luck, Sterling!
6. If you could both pick to be a vampire, werewolf, witch, or hunter, which would you pick and why?
Debbie: Werewolf. You get to live a normal life except for one night a month at which point you get to unleash your inner animal. It sounds very cathartic. (Frightening and horrific too, but not as life altering ultimately as the others.)
Nancy: Witch Definitely. You have powers to change the fabric of the universe based in a tradition of goodness and mercy.
Damned by Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguié Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing (August 30th, 2011) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardback: 384 pages Series: Crusade #2 There is a fine line between love and sacrifice… Antonio would do anything for his beloved fighting partner Janen. He protects her, even suppresses his vampire cravings to be with her. Together, they defend humanity against the Cursed Ones. But tensions threaten to fracture their hunting team and his loyalty—his love—is called into question. Jenn, the newly appointed Hunter, aches for revenge against the Cursed One who converted her sister. And with an even more sinister power on the rise, she must overcome her personal vendettas to lead her team into battle. Antonio and Janen need each other to survive, but evil lurks at every turn. With humanity’s fate hanging in the balance, they must face down the darkness… or die trying.
Prize:
1 winner will receive an ARC of Damned by Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguié and a SIGNED bookplate for your book (signed by both authors!).
Rules:
You must be at least 13 to enter.
Name and email must be provided and counts as 1 entry.
Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
Contest is INTERNATIONAL and ends August 15th.
Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
Wow, two reviews in two days. Wow — I'm on a roll. So after my pretty negative review of Chosen (book three in the House of Night series), I am happy to say that Untamed is my favorite book in the series (so far)! I just loved it and ate it up in three sittings.
From Amazon.com...
"Life sucks when your friends are pissed at you. Just ask Zoey Redbird – she’s become an expert on suckiness. In one week she has gone from having three boyfriends to having none, and from having a close group of friends who trusted and supported her, to being an outcast. Speaking of friends, the only two Zoey has left are undead and unMarked. And Neferet has declared war on humans, which Zoey knows in her heart is wrong. But will anyone listen to her? Zoey's adventures at vampyre finishing school take a wild and dangerous turn as loyalties are tested, shocking true intentions come to light, and an ancient evil is awakened in PC and Kristin Cast's spellbinding fourth House of Night novel."
Wow, this book really was amazing. It grabbed my attention right away (and obviously kept it) — I really could not put it down. I think what made this book so much better than the first three books (Chosen, Betrayed, and Marked) was that I could finally begin to relate to Zoey. Her friends were mad at her, she had betrayed her 'boyfriends', she felt alone and afraid — these are all things that I, as a reader, can relate too. Another reason I think that Untamed was so much more captivating than the first three books is that, as a reader, I wasn't completely sure that Zoey could defeat evil this time. I obviously knew that she had to since there were two other books out there, but I didn't know how she was going to; the evil just felt a little too big for her to defeat it. So it was extremely captivating to read how she was going to go about doing it.
Again, the ending was different — which is good. The ending was — really, just wow. I mean, it ended perfectly, just enough to make me want to pick up the fifth book right away. Thank goodness the fifth book, Hunted, is already out as of March 2009. I am worried that I am going to finish Hunted and it's going to be an intense wait for October for the sixth book to be released. But I mean, wow! This book was really just — wow!
Also, I think I liked this book a lot better because it wasn't all about the boys and relationships — although they were present, it wasn't such a central focus like in Chosen. Zoey was also making better choices, more mature and less egotistical choices.
Like the last couple reviews in regards to this series — Aphrodite has quickly become my favorite character in the book. She's just a hoot to listen to and I love to learn about her. I mean — wow!
What did I not like about this book (every review has to have this bit, right?) — I suppose, if I had to pick something, I'd have to say the 'relationship' between Stark and Zoey. It just bothers me that they knew each other for all of five seconds and were already in love — or whatever. Also, in regards to Stark's ability — it could have been explained better. I know it was done to add mystery or suspense or whatever — but it was really vague (too vague) and that annoys me. But really, that's it.
Wow, again, wow! I know my reviews have been, let's say less than mediocre, for the first three novels, but if for no other reason than to get to Untamed, I'd recommend you read them. I mean, wow! I'm very excited to start Hunted, and again — The Man Who Loved Jane Austen will have to wait another day.
Here are my reviews for Marked, Betrayed, and Chosen.
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