Saturday, September 8, 2012

Stacking the Shelves (2)


Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews! It's where bloggers can share what they got for review, bought, borrowed, won or gifted (both physical and eBooks may be included! :D)

Here's what I got this week:



Bought:


Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin (Goodreads)

For review/ giveaway:


*signed* The Forsaken by Lisa M. Stasse + SWAG (Goodreads)

Won:


*signed* The Iron Legends by Julie Kagawa (Goodreads)


*signed* The Taker by Alma Kastu + SWAG (Goodreads)
[Click HERE to check out our review of The Taker! We loved it!]

Thanks so much to Julie Kagawa, Alma Katsu, Lisa M. Stasse, my parents and Fully Booked!

Stay tuned! We'll be hosting another giveaway soon!! :D

Friday, September 7, 2012

Feature and Follow Friday (5)

Feature and Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read! :)

Q: What are you reading right now? How do you like it?

A: I'm currently reading Throne of Glass by Sarah Maas and The Spymaster's Lady by Joanna Bourne!
I'm not really a fan of historical romances but The Spymaster's Lady is a really good and unique read, so I'm really enjoying it. And Throne of Glass is absolutely AMAZING, I am LOVING it.




Leave a link to your Feature and Follow Friday post and we'll check it out!


Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday (7)

Waiting on Wednesday/s are hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine in which you choose a book or books that you're excited and waiting for.
This week's Waiting on Wednesday book is:


Title: Black City
Author: Elizabeth Richards
Publication date: November 13th' 2012
Pre-order the book: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

A dark and tender post-apocalyptic love story set in the aftermath of a bloody war.

In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable--they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection that causes Ash's long-dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they're caught, they'll be executed--but their feelings are too strong.

When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths. (Summary from Goodreads)

Why I'm excited for this:
I absolutely love the play of colors happening on the cover and the rose shattering as well! It's gorgeous and I love it. The summary of the book really captured my attention, there's something about reading the word "Darkling" that always catches my attention. The premise really got me interested and I absolutely cannot wait until November so that I can finally read it!

Leave a comment with your WoW post and we'll check it out! :)

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Review: The Taker by Alma Katsu

Title: The Taker (The Taker #1)
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Published on: September 6th 2011
Source: Bought
Buy the book: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

True love can last an eternity . . . but immortality comes at a price. . . . On the midnight shift at a hospital in rural Maine, Dr. Luke Findley is expecting another quiet evening of frostbite and the occasional domestic dispute. But the minute Lanore McIlvrae—Lanny—walks into his ER, she changes his life forever. A mysterious woman with a past and plenty of dark secrets, Lanny is unlike anyone Luke has ever met. He is inexplicably drawn to her . . . despite the fact that she is a murder suspect with a police escort. And as she begins to tell her story, a story of enduring love and consummate betrayal that transcends time and mortality, Luke finds himself utterly captivated.

Her impassioned account begins at the turn of the nineteenth century in the same small town of St. Andrew, Maine, back when it was a Puritan settlement. Consumed as a child by her love for the son of the town’s founder, Lanny will do anything to be with him forever. But the price she pays is steep—an immortal bond that chains her to a terrible fate for all eternity. And now, two centuries later, the key to her healing and her salvation lies with Dr. Luke Findley.

Part historical novel, part supernatural page-turner, The Taker is an unforgettable tale about the power of unrequited love not only to elevate and sustain, but also to blind and ultimately destroy, and how each of us is responsible for finding our own path to redemption.
(Summary from Goodreads)

Review:

The Taker is a book that will seduce you until all you can do is give in to its addictive clutches.

I think that one of the things that really drew me to The Taker is the way that it was written. The intricacy of each word, line and dialogue was what really caught me. It was sophisticated and really had a sense of authenticity to it, the depth and feeling it had. You could really experience the events that happened to Lanny and you could also feel the emotions that she felt. Alma Katsu managed to make an incredibly strong yet vulnerable heroine that will really draw you to her. You will want to comfort her and smack her upside the head at the same time. There is a complexity to Lanny that will really just appeal to the readers.

The plot and storyline of The Taker is definitely a different perspective to the "Immortal" mythology. The way Alma Katsu weaves her characters with the plot and story will really pull at your heartstrings until all you are left as is a huge sobbing mess. I admit that there were a lot of parts in the book that made me cry like a baby. It wasn't just Lanny's anguish but also Jonathan's life, Adair's semi-heartbreak and a bunch of other things that really made me want to cry a river. There was just an influx of emotions that I really didn't know what to do anymore. The story of The Taker will definitely grip you until it leaves you breathless and no matter how much it hurts, you still come back for more. The Taker is a beautiful story that will definitely appeal to historical romance lovers, and the thing with this book is that it isn't one of those cliche romance novels. Oh no. It's not even that romantic. I'll tell you what it is: It's dark, obsessive and absolutely seductive, and will leave you craving for more.

But I did feel like Luke didn't really do much in this book, except bust Lanny out but I'm sure he'll have a bigger role in The Reckoning. I seriously recommend this book because so many elements in it will make you love it; it's writing, it's characters... EVERYTHING.

Quick question: Is The Taker classified as Adult or Young Adult? Thanks! :)

Rating:

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Author Interview: Josephine Angelini (Author of the Starcrossed trilogy)

Hey guys! We have a very special person on visiting our blog today! We're so very excited to have her with us today... and we're seriously trying to hold in our fangirling. Without further ado, presenting the very lovely JOSEPHINE ANGELINI!


Josephine Angelini is the International bestselling author of the Starcrossed trilogy. She was born in Nantucket and can totally drive a badass tractor. You can contact and chat her up at her blog, Facebook and Twitter as well!


Are these covers gorgeous or what?
Check out her books: Starcrossed and Dreamless, the first and second book of the Starcrossed trilogy! (Both which we've reviewed: Geraldine's review of Starcrossed, my review of Dreamless.)

And watch out for her third and the final book of the trilogy, GODDESS, coming out May 2013.


And we're so very happy to have her here today with us for an interview!


Check it out:



Hi Josie! Welcome to The Soul Sisters and thanks for agreeing to do this interview with us!

Hi Louisse!  I'm so happy you asked me.  If I answer all the question really, really good, can I get honorary Soul Sister status? (<-- Why yes, yes you may.)


What inspired or made you choose Greek mythology as the basis of your first book series? Did you originally have trouble picking out what to base your books on?


I studied classical theater at NYU (yes, that is an actual major) and so I was familiar with all the Greek plays.  The most common advice for new writers is, "write what you know" and Greek tragedy is something that I felt comfortable using as a jumping off point for my first book.  I've also always loved fantasy and science fiction.  I grew up reading a lot of Greek mythology so I had already done most of my research-- which was very convenient!

So far, I haven't had any problem picking what to base my books on but check back with me in about three or four years and I may have a different answer!

Do you ever feel like you need to change anything or fix parts of Starcrossed and Dreamless? And which of the two is your favorite or made you the most satisfied?

Neither books are perfect, but I am so grateful that I got published in the first place that I can't help but think I wouldn't change a thing.  I think all writers look back on their work and think, "who wrote that unbelievably cheesy book?" at some point, but just to have something published is something to be proud of.

Of the two books, I think Dreamless is more satisfying because of the ending.  I'm really pleased with how that turned out. 


Is it weird seeing your books in bookstores or when random people see you and scream, "OMGODS!! IT'S JOSEPHINE ANGELINI!! CHASE HER!!!!"?

I get really shy when I see my books in stores.  I know I'm supposed to introduce myself to the bookstore staff and ask if can sign the stock, but most of the time I chicken out.  I always think they'll be like, "who are you?  No, you're not important enough" and I end up slinking a side door.

I haven't been followed by rabid fans just yet, but when I do will you be my Penguin bodyguard?
(<-- The answer to this is yes. I'll totally bust out my ninja moves too!)

Can you give us any hint on what might happen in Goddess? Like, we dunno... if Helen were to ditch Lucas for Orion? Just a suggestion. ;)


Helen and Orion get their moment.  You'll just have to wait and see.  ;)

If Lucas were to go on a smackdown with either Edward Cullen or Percy Jackson, who do you think would come out victorious? And if shirtlessness were involved, who'd be the hottest? Ooooh.


The best part about writing about Greek gods is that the phrase "most beautiful man EVER" is totally applicable.  If Lucas were to take off his shirt while fighting, he'd win.  He'd blind the competition with his hotness.  On top of that, I've never really seen Edward as a fighter--he's more of a brooder, don't you think?  Now, if Lucas were to fight Percy I think we'd have a bit of a stand off for a sec, but Lucas would eventually win.  He's older and bigger than Percy.

Do you enjoy it when readers tell you you're evil and that you made them cry because of a certain part of a book? Because a little birdie did tell me that authors feed on their reader's tears...

Yes, I really enjoy hearing that I've made readers cry/stay up all night reading/made them a book junkie.  And yes, authors do feed on you tears.  They're like literary Red Bull.  They make us type faster.

Whenever you write, are there times when you feel like your characters don't always agree with you? Are there times when you just want to hit them on the head and choke them to death but you know you can't 'cause they're important or are they usually agreeable and you get your work done easily?

My characters never wander away from my outlines-- or at least they never wander far, although I do tend to build on them as I go.  There are characters that I love to hate, though.  But even the evil ones are sort of dear to me because I understand why they're doing what they're doing.  There is one character that I really enjoyed killing, though.  I don't want to ruin it for any new readers, but I get him really good at the end of Dreamless.  

Quick questions:


Sweet or Spicy?  Spicy

Coffee or hot chocolate? Coffee

Comedy or Horror?  Probably comedy.  Wait, what kind of horror?  I'm not into slasher movies.  I love movies like 28 Days Later, Alien-- action based horror with really good directing.  The problem is that I secretly love horror, I just get wicked nightmares and usually chicken out, but when I watch them I want to see them over and over.

Left or Right?  Left

Up or Down? Up up up.

Lucas or Orion? (Just had to put that there. LOL)  Lucas.  Although Orion is pretty tempting.

Cats or Penguins? (O.o)  Aw Penguin!  I'm going to have to go with cats.  

Any books you'd like to recommend to your readers? :) 

 Lately I've been telling everyone to read Eve by Anna Carey. But I think they already have. :D

Thank you so much for dropping by and we hope you continue to make swoon-worthy and heart-poundingly awesome books! :)

Me too!  :D  Thanks so much for the interview.  Big Hug from LA!