One Book Shy of a Full Shelf

Friday, November 11, 2011

Review - Darwen Arkwright and the Peregrine Pact by A.J. Hartley

TITLE: Darwen Arkwright and the Peregrine Pact

AUTHOR:    A.J. Hartley
INFO:    Paperback, Fiction, 431 pages
PUBLISHED:   Penguin Razorbill, 2011
SOURCE:   Received from Publisher for Review

FROM GOODREADS:   Eleven-year-old Darwen Arkwright has spent his whole life in a tiny town in England. So when he is forced to move to Atlanta, Georgia, to live with his aunt, he knows things will be different - but what he finds there is beyond even his wildest imaginings!

Darwen discovers an enchanting world through the old mirror hanging in his closet - a world that holds as many dangers as it does wonders. Scrobblers on motorbikes with nets big enough to fit a human boy. Gnashers with no eyes, but monstrous mouths full of teeth. Flittercrakes with bat-like bodies and the faces of men. Along with his new friends Rich and Alexandra, Darwen becomes entangled in an adventure and a mystery that involves the safety of his entire school. They soon realize that the creatures are after something in our world - something that only human children possess.

MY TAKE: I love being taken on new adventures. Darwen Arkwright takes us on a grand one with his new American friends. In Darwen, A.J. Wright has created a very likable and relatable hero. Darwen is truly a fish out of the water when he's dropped into a new life in America. The proper young English boy is having a hard time fitting in when he accidentally sees a strange creature in the mall and follows it into a dusty old mirror shop. Little does he know that the odd owner of the shop will soon set him on a dangerous and mysterious path to a world on the other side of a magical mirror.

This is a fast-paced and fun story that will appeal to adventurous explorers of all ages. I especially think that boys of about 9 or older will get a kick out of the various creatures and gadgets that Darwen comes across. Wannabe archaeologist Rich is a stalwart friend to Darwen as well as an interesting character on his own. Girls will enjoy the eccentric Alexandra as she becomes a surprisingly stout supporter of the awkward Darwen. I was quite engrossed in the tale and enjoyed imagining the creatures that the author described.

This story is destined to be a classic and definitely has a place on the keeper shelf. I highly recommend this story, especially if you or the kids like jumping into another world for a while. Darwen Arkwright and the Peregrine Pact would also make a great gift this holiday season. I have a couple of young readers in mind to receive a copy.

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

Get your copy:

Amazon

Kindle

The Book Depository

Barnes & Noble

Nook

~~~~~ Disclaimer: All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own. I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links. I may receive books in order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one. Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Veteran's Day Blog Hop Giveaway

A Salute to Veterans

With this Veteran's Day Blog Hop, we are honoring the selfless service by veterans to our country. In keeping with this, we'd like to introduce Jessica Scott ~ active duty Army Captain, full time Mom and Author! We also salute her husband who is currently deployed on his final tour with the Army as a First Sergeant. Thank you both for all you do and thank you to ALL of the veterans ~ you are appreciated.
Jessica and Romance at Random's Loveswept line are promoting the first book in her new Coming Home series:

Because of You: A Loveswept Contemporary Military Romance
From the war-torn streets of Baghdad to the bittersweet comforts of the home front, two wounded hearts navigate the battlefield of coming home from war in this explosive eBook original from newcomer Jessica Scott.
Keeping his men alive is all that matters to Sergeant First Class Shane Garrison. But meeting Jen St. James the night before his latest deployment makes Shane wonder if there’s more to life than war. He leaves for Iraq remembering a single kiss with a woman he’ll never see again—until a near fatal attack lands him back at home and in her care.
Jen has survived her own brush with death and endured its scars. And yet there’s a fire in Shane that makes Jen forget all about her past. He may be her patient, but when this warrior looks her in the eyes, she feels—for the first time in a long time—like a woman. Shane is too proud to ask for help, but for Jen, caring for him is more than a duty—it’s a need. And as Jen guides Shane through the fires of healing, she finds something she never expected—her deepest desire..
Each of the following 25 blogs will be giving away a FREE ebook copy of Because of You. Be one of the first readers to enjoy this powerful love story. It is easy to enter ~ just comment below or on any of the participating blogs. Stack your odds by visiting all of the sites and entering their drawings. That's a total of 25 chances to WIN! Drawing ends 11/13/11 at midnight PST. Be sure to leave your email address with your comment.
If you don't want to wait (and why would you?) you can get your own copy:Amazon Barnes & Noble

Review - Never Been Bit by Lydia Dare

TITLE:    Never Been Bit
AUTHOR:    Lydia Dare
INFO:    Paperback, Fiction, 363 pages
PUBLISHED:   Sourcebooks, 2011
SOURCE:   Received from Publisher for Review

FROM GOODREADS:   Lydia Dare's paranormal historical romances feature the hottest theme in paranormal combined with the most popular time period in historical romance. This is the third in a trilogy of vampire Regency romances, where the glittering world of English high society is a playground for the rich, titled, and undead.

Vampire Alec McQuarrie's heart was broken long before it stopped beating. Now Alec's after-life is an endless search for pleasure. Young witch Sorcha Ferguson has come to London in search of a man, beast-or even a blood sucker-of her very own...

MY TAKE: Once again Lydia Dare has entertained me immensely. I reviewed In the Heat of the Bite earlier this year and was thrilled to get a chance to check out this book as well.

The author has continued her hot streak with Alec and Sorcha. Alec is a gentlemanly vampire who has known the fiery witch Sorcha all of her life. When she announces that she is determined to ensnare a Lycan for her husband, Alec goes into protection overdrive. The story that follows is hilarious, romantic and fun.

Ms. Dare has a knack for creating characters that make you laugh and root for their success. I love the fact that she has storylines occurring in the background the entire time. The machinations of some of the secondary characters is fascinating.

This is a fun series with stories that stand well on their own but also make great additions to the entire collection. I'm looking forward to the next Regency vampire story and to reading more about the wolfy men of her companion Lycan series.