Feb 26 2014
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Coming Soon: Havoc by Ann Aguirre

havocTitle: Havoc

Author: Ann Aguirre

Series: Dred Chronicles #2

Genre: Science Fiction

Release Date: August 26, 2014

The Overview: Second in a new trilogy set in the Jax universe, pitched as Prison Break in space — on a prison ship filled with warring factions, hostile territories and savage retribution, only the strong survive.

[kind of a sad overview, isn’t it? It describes it in a nutshell, but I’ll definitely be updating it when there’s more information]

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Hosted by Breaking the Spine

 I know, I know – you all are sick of hearing how much I like this author. Well too bad – She’s got a new Dred book on the way and I am beyond excited! It’s the second book in a spinoff series that is shaping up nicely – I loved the concept, the characters, and the action in the first book and I’d be willing to bet it’s going to be even more exciting in the second! If you haven’t read this author, I strongly recommend reading Grimspace – the book that started it all.

What book are you waiting on?

Feb 25 2014
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Top Ten Fantasy Series I’d Like to Reread

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Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

I wanted to do a top ten fantasy books post, but I had so many outstanding books to choose from that I couldn’t narrow it down. Instead, I decided to present:

Top Ten Fantasy Series I’d Like to Reread

I loved all of these books the first time around, but it’s been so long since I’ve read them (10+ years) that I can’t speak to exactly why I loved some of them. I remember general things, but none of the specifics that usually helps me recommend books. Others were so good that I remember them vividly and can’t wait to experience them again. Either way, there are some killer books on this list.

 I know rereading these series will cut into all the new books I can get through (which is why I haven’t already read them five times over). It’s that constant battle between the thrill of the unknown versus guaranteed awesomeness…. this year I hope to have reread at least three of these.

What books are on your reread list?

Feb 21 2014
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Book Review: Caliban’s War by James S. A. Corey

caliban's warTitle: Caliban’s War

Author: James S. A. Corey

Series: Leviathan #2

Genre: Science Fiction

Rating: 5/5 stars!

The Overview: The alien protomolecule is clear evidence of an intelligence beyond human reckoning. No one knows what exactly is being built on Venus, but whatever it is, it is vast, powerful, and terrifying. When a creature of unknown origin and seemingly impossible physiology attacks soldiers on Ganymede, the fragile balance of power in the Solar System shatters. Now, the race is on to discover if the protomolecule has escaped Venus, or if someone is building an army of super-soldiers. Jim Holden is the center of it all. In spite of everything, he’s still the best man for the job to find out what happened on Ganymede. Either way, the protomolecule is loose and Holden must find a way to stop it before war engulfs the entire system.

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The Review:

I was a little hesitant to pick up Caliban’s War because the first book (Leviathan Wakes) was so amazing, how could the second book possibly compare? I was even worried I’d get bored because I thought I’d figured out which characters we’d be following and what direction the story was headed… Boy was I wrong! And happy to be so. It was definitely different from the first novel, and didn’t lack any of the adventure and excitement!

As I mentioned, I thought I knew which characters we’d hear from in Caliban’s War and was pleasantly surprised with the introduction of a handful of brand-new POVs who added fresh perspectives to the story without losing any momentum. Of course, it wouldn’t have been the same without Holden and his crew and I’m thrilled he seems to be the through-line for the series. Some of the new characters are among my favorite so far (specifically Avasarala, the feisty old politician – if I had half of her gusto, I’d be unstoppable!). As always, each character was interesting and well-rounded and I am eager to see who’s featured in the third novel.

The conflicts in this novel are a lot narrower, but by no means less exciting. It’s all working to build this brilliant momentum, and great momentum is what sets apart good books from great books in my opinion. Most of my favorite series have that in common. To that end, Caliban’s War gets an A+ for pacing. It’s that “holyshit-hold-your-breath-until-it-over” type of stuff that I love. I actually had to stop reading it before bed because it would get me too wound up to sleep.

Overall, if you like fast-paced adventure and excitement in your books, you’ll love these! I am certain I will be reading them again.

Recommended Reading: I would hand this series to sci-fi lovers, but it’s definitely a space opera (my new favorite genre). This is also an excellent series to hand someone wanting to try either genre. All I can say is, hold onto your seats – it’s going to be a wild ride!

Other books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes

Feb 18 2014
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Top Ten Reasons I Love Being a Bookblogger!

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Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

 I love these types of Top Tens because it gives me a chance to share a little more of my personality beyond my taste in books. This one took me a lot longer than usual to compose, so please forgive the late posting. In no particular order, here’s the:

Top Ten Reasons I Love Being a Bookblogger!

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 1. Level-up Bookseller

I knew a lot about books before, but my knowledge of what’s hot and what’s not has expanded considerably since I joined the book blogging community. I’m also better able to speak to the titles I’ve read because by the time I talk to a customer I’ve already thoroughly evaluated my opinions on each title. At the very least, it keeps me from getting tongue-tied when someone wants to know about a book. :-)

2. Now, It’s Personal

  Before I discovered book blogging, I spent several years logging all of my book thoughts by hand – even going so far as to print out little photos of the covers to tape inside my journal. Holy cow have I come a long way! This blog is something I’m really passionate about and I love how truly personal I’ve been able to make it. I would probably be utilizing it to track my reading even if there wasn’t a follower option (although I do love that I get to share my thoughts with other readers).

 3. Author Love

If you had told me a year ago that I have so many interactions with my favorite authors through this blog, I probably would’ve laughed and said “I wish.” After all, there are thousands and thousands of book bloggers, and even with the steady growth I’ve maintained over the last year, I’m nowhere near as accomplished as most of the ones I follow. Nonetheless, I’ve had some pretty amazing author moments – including a tweet of one of my reviews from my all-time favorite author!

 4. Righting my Writing

 I’m happy to practice my craft, no matter the format. Composing reviews and even responding to comments keeps me sharp. I’ve noticed a measurable improvement in my writing since I’ve made blogging a daily activity, particularly with grammar and sentence structures.

5. The Shrunken TBR

After reading a few lists today, I realized that most people have the opposite problem. Since my awareness of what is out on the market (due to book blogging and bookselling) is a bit more extensive than most, I already have a pretty good idea of what I want to read. Book blogging actually helps me eliminate titles off the list because I feel I can rely on other bloggers’ opinions a lot more than random customers (of course, my bookselling buddies help me with this too). They also help me prioritize my TBR.

 6. “You’re the Only One Who Understand Me” ::sobs::

I’ve never before felt so a part of such a cool community – all of you book bloggers are friggen awesome! You guys just get all of my bookish problems and woes, and that is a nice feeling. I’ve made a lot of friends and participated in some really cool events (all things books, of course) and have truly had a ball!

 7. Rainy Day ARCs

 As a book blogger, I of course have experienced the joys of Netgalley and Edelweiss. Not only have I discovered some of my favorite new authors, but have also gotten my hands on works from my favorite authors months before they hit the stands! This is a very dangerous thing for me, as I don’t like to put obligations on my reading. But I can never seem to stop hitting “request title” no matter how hard I try.

  8. Book Love

Specifically when I recommend a book to someone and they love it! It makes my day, and I thoroughly enjoy being the one to hand someone their next awesome read. I think this is my ultimate mission as a book blogger.

 9. Now We’re in Business!

 You know you’re really committed to something when you are willing to pay fifty dollars for a few hundred business cards. Even though I changed the name of the blog about a month after I got them, I still am positively thrilled any time I get to hand one out.

10. Niki Unleashed!

Sounds scary, doesn’t it? This blog has been an incredible creative outlet for me, and I have spent hours and hours figuring out how to display everything in a way that I find visually appeasing. I’m still not totally there, but if you’ve been around since the beginning, you’ll definitely be able to tell how far I’ve come. Every single post is an opportunity for me to get creative and present things my own unique way.

by Niki Hawkes

Feb 17 2014
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Escape Reality Book Club – February’s Selection!

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Hosted by your’s truly and Charlotte at Apathy and Rhetoric

Your votes have been counted and the results are in!

February’s 2014′s official book club book is:

SteelTitle: Steelheart

Author: Brandon Sanderson

The Overview: There are no heroes. Ten years ago, Calamity came. It was a burst in the sky that gave ordinary men and women extraordinary powers. The awed public started calling them Epics.But Epics are no friend of man. With incredible gifts came the desire to rule. And to rule man you must crush his wills.  Nobody fights the Epics… nobody but the Reckoners. A shadowy group of ordinary humans, they spend their lives studying Epics, finding their weaknesses, and then assassinating them. And David wants in. He wants Steelheart—the Epic who is said to be invincible. The Epic who killed David’s father. For years, like the Reckoners, David’s been studying, and planning—and he has something they need. Not an object, but an experience. He’s seen Steelheart bleed. And he wants revenge.

 So what happens now?

If you missed the Escaped Reality Book Club launch post, click here for more details.

Otherwise, you are all invited to join in the fun!

We will be reading Steelheart from February 17 – March 1 and geeking out about it on our official Facebook page and on Twitter at #escaperealitybc.

by Niki Hawkes

Feb 13 2014
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Book Review: Death Sworn by Leah Cypess

deathTitle: Death Sworn

Author: Leah Cypess

Series: Death Sworn #2

Genre: Teen Fantasy

Release Date: March 4, 2014

Rating: 2.5 stars

The Overview: When Ileni lost her magic, she lost everything: her place in society, her purpose in life, and the man she had expected to spend her life with. So when the Elders sent her to be magic tutor to a secret sect of assassins, she went willingly, even though the last two tutors had died under mysterious circumstances. But beneath the assassins’ caves, Ileni will discover a new place and a new purpose… and a new and dangerous love. She will struggle to keep her lost magic a secret while teaching it to her deadly students, and to find out what happened to the two tutors who preceded her. But what she discovers will change not only her future, but the future of her people, the assassins… and possibly the entire world.

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The Review:

When I first started Death Sworn, I had some mixed feelings about it. On one hand, the concept (a young sorceress is sent to a secret training facility for assassins where she is supposed to survive long enough to teach them magic) intrigued me because I thought it was a really cool idea for a story. On the other hand, it wasn’t presented quite as well as I was hoping it would be.

For one thing, I was at least 100 pages in before I realized Death Sworn was supposed to be a Young Adult novel. Everything about the writing style up to that point screamed middle grade, but what finally clued me in was the rather more mature subject matter. In any case, it never really fit comfortably in either category.

What started out as a thin plot developed into something I enjoyed reading about. It was a mite more complex than the initial chapters would have you believe. Although this wasn’t the best book I’ve ever read, I still found it engaging and a light, fun read. I will most likely be picking up the sequel.

Recommended Reading: This is a difficult one to recommend because of the conflicting subject matter versus writing style (YA or middle grade). I have a difficult time hand selling this one unless the customer already had their eye on it (the gorgeous cover doesn’t hurt).

Other books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes