Review: The Hollow of Mont Noir

The Hollow of Mont Noir by Jennifer Krey

*Review copy received from the author.

Allison Spencer was no stranger to the paranormal. An animal empath, she had the unique capacity to sense the feelings of animals around her - an ability she liked to call "Crittervision." She had never met anyone else with unusual powers and had gotten used to the fact that she was just an eccentric in a world full of normal people.

Allison lived an otherwise ordinary life and was looking forward to finishing high school along with her friends and her boyfriend in her hometown of Ocean City, Maryland. But when her older brother, Logan, suddenly disappeared from a small college town near the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York, Allison's entire world was turned upside down.

Logan still hadn't been found after several months, so Allison's parents decided to move the family to the Hollow of Mont Noir, New York to look for him themselves. In addition to leaving behind her home and her friends and being dumped by her boyfriend, Allison suddenly had to deal with life in a small town, a strange creature that seemed to be stalking her, a new school full of cliques and cattiness, parents who were preoccupied with her missing brother, and an illogical fascination with an outcast boy who didn't talk to anyone at school.

As Allison settled into her new home, she began to realize that not everything - and everyone - was what they seemed. She soon learned of the existence of supernatural creatures living side-by-side with humans and was faced with a whole new set of questions - and some shocking answers - about herself and her family.

This book was lovely and the first half was very enjoyable. It had everything I like and a good paranormal YA should have. There was a smart, strong, and slightly cynical main character Alison with her special gift, Crittervision as she calls it, the ability to sense animals and their moods. There was the dark cloud hanging over her and her family since the time her older brother disappeared. There was wild nature and some encounters with wild animals. There was a very special friend who helped her to get through tough times. There was a bitchy school mate who tried to boss Allison around, unsuccessfully.  And of course, there was the strange mysterious guy who Allison slowly fell for. And I'd love to stress the word slowly. It was natural and it felt just right.
The second half was still good, but the dialogues between the two main characters sometimes felt awkward. Also, for my liking there were far too many I-love-yous. On the other hand, there was a bit more action and some interesting twists. So even though the second part wasn't as good as the first, all in all it was fun.
I'm also glad Allison's brother and the family situation played its role in this book as well. It just gave it another dimension.
Even though there were some things that I would change, I'm really glad I had a chance to read this book and I'm looking forward to book two. :)

Rating:

Teaser Tuesdays

 Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

 Moon Called by Patricia Briggs

"I killed a werewolf at my garage," I said, then hung up. To Mac's raised eyebrows I said, "That will get a faster reaction than spending twenty minutes explaining. Come on, you and I need to get the body off the street before someone spots it."

Review: House of Night: Legacy

*Copy received through NetGalley.

Title: House of Night SubTitle: Legacy Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Pub Date: July 04, 2012 ISBN: 9781595829627

House of Night: Legacy by PC Cast, Kristin Cast, Kent Dalian, Joelle Jones, Karl Kerschl, Joshua Covey, Daniel Krall, Jonathan Case, Eric Canete


This is a collection of all five HoN graphic novels that have been published so far.

Click to get to Goodreads.

If there is any YA series that I really love, then it is without doubt the House of Night series. Of course there are some things I don't like about it. Like some of the pop-culture references; I know that some teenagers might appreciate that, but it makes me roll my eyes. Also, the Twins, they are seriously getting on my nerves sometimes. Otherwise, the world of HoN is beautiful and mesmerizing. There are so many things in it that are close to my heart. It is very pagan oriented with lots of mythology, folklore, and magic. And even though it is light read it talks about some big things. Free will, the importance of tolerance for people with other beliefs, and as all P.C.Cast's books, the way women are treated in society. I'm not saying these books are huge on philosophy, as I said this is fun and light read, but it's there.


I was very pleased to see there are graphic novels based on the HoN series. I might be pretty biased, but I really enjoyed all the five stories. They are based on the two first books in series, but focus more on Zoey and the five lessons she is supposed to learn. Each graphic novel is one lesson connected with one of the five elements. The first story takes us to Norway and talks about Earth. The second one explains how the Dark Daughters were founded and it's connected with Air. The third story, probably my favourite, is about Water. It takes one of the most famous story of the Greek mythology, Odysseus and the goddess of magic and witch Circe, and changes is so it fits into the HoN series.The fourth story talks about Fire and shows us the story of Cleopatra and Mark Antony. The last one is about Spirit and Hippolyte, the Queen of the Amazons, and Heracles meet in it.


All in all these stories were enjoyable and the illustrations were just amazing. I think Nyx would approve! ;)

Rating:

In My Mailbox

IMM is a meme created by Kristi at The Story Siren.

It's just e-books this time again.

Bought:



Hunting Kat by Kelley Armstrong
Bewitching the Werewolf by Caroline Hanson


For Review:



Dark Mercy by Zoe Winters
Caged Moon by Rachel Deagan

NetGalley:



House of Night by P.C. Cast, Kristin Cast, Kent Dalian, Joëlle Jones, Karl Kerschl
Silver by Talia Vance

Many thanks for providing me with these review copies! :)

What did you get? :)

Petra

Review: Intangible

 Intangible by J. Meyers

*Review copy received from the author.

Twins Sera and Luke Raine have a well-kept secret—she heals with a touch of her hand, he sees the future. All their lives they’ve helped those in need on the sly. They’ve always thought of their abilities as being a gift.

Then Luke has a vision that Sera is killed. That gift they’ve always cherished begins to feel an awful lot like a curse. Because the thing about Luke’s ability? He’s always right. And he can’t do anything about it.

This was a refreshing read for two reasons. First, there are different POVs, which makes the story more interesting, complex, and just better. Second, it focuses on twins! Don't worry, there is some romance, too. :) But it is so good to read about the importance of your own blood. To see how the siblings genuinely care about each other it's not only nice, but it makes this paranormal YA different and unusual, and that is a good thing! :)


The main characters are likeable, goodhearted people and other creatures.
Sera, the first twin, has a real problem with accepting who she really is, even in the end of the book. That is kind of sad, but on the other hand there are some circumstances, which make you realize you can't really blame her for that. Oh well, there is a long path in front of her.
Luke, the other twin, is more comfortable about who he is, even though his gift (or curse) is giving him real hard times.
My favourite character is without doubt Marc, because he is quite ambiguous and I always love that! Other characters sometimes felt too "good" or too "bad".


I hope there is going to be more trips to the Realm in the second book, as I would love to learn more about it! :)
I can't really say I totally loved it, but it was an enjoyable and unusual read. If you are a YA fan, don't hesitate, go read it! :)

Rating:

Trailer Reveal + Excerpt: Taste

Taste by Kate Evangelista

At Barinkoff Academy, there's only one rule: no students on campus after curfew. Phoenix McKay soon finds out why when she is left behind at sunset. A group calling themselves night students threaten to taste her flesh until she is saved by a mysterious, alluring boy. With his pale skin, dark eyes, and mesmerizing voice, Demitri is both irresistible and impenetrable. He warns her to stay away from his dangerous world of flesh eaters. Unfortunately, the gorgeous and playful Luka has other plans.

When Phoenix is caught between her physical and her emotional attraction, she becomes the keeper of a deadly secret that will rock the foundations of an ancient civilization living beneath Barinkoff Academy. Phoenix doesn’t realize until it is too late that the closer she gets to both Demitri and Luka the more she is plunging them all into a centuries old feud.

Trailer: 







Excerpt:

I mentally stomped on the intimidation their perfection brought into my mind and said, “Excuse me.”

The group froze, startled by my words. The girls had their brows raised and the boys stopped mid-speech, mouths agape. They stared at me with eyes the shade of onyx stones.

I smiled and gave them a little wave.

The boy a step ahead of the rest recovered first. His stunning features went from shocked surprise to intense interest. He reminded me of a hawk eyeing its prey. I gulped.

“A Day Student,” he said, his eyes insolent and excited.

Something about the way he said “Day Student” made my stomach flip. “Excuse me?”

They snickered. The boys looked at each other while the girls continued to stare, muffling their laughter by delicate hands. I seemed to be the butt of some joke. 

“You broke the rule.” The boy’s grin turned predatory.

The students formed a loose semi-circle in front of me. My gaze darted from face to face. Hunger filled their eyes. The image of lions about to chase down a gazelle came to mind. I mentally shook my head. I was in the mountains not the Serengeti for crying out loud.

I took a small step back and cleared my throat. “Can any of you give me a ride back to the dorms?”

The boy wagged his forefinger like a metronome. “Ah, that’s unfortunate for you.”

One of the girls pinched the bridge of her nose. “Eli, you can’t possibly—”

“It’s forbidden, Eli,” another boy interrupted, pronouncing the word “forbidden” like a curse.

The nervous murmur at the pit of my stomach grew louder. Six against one. Not good odds. Instinct told me to cut my losses and run. Bad enough I faced expulsion, now it seemed like weird, beautiful people who’d suddenly appeared on campus wanted to beat me up. No, scratch that. Judging from the way they studied me, beating me up wouldn’t satisfy them. Something more primal prowled behind their looks.

I definitely wasn’t going down without a fight. Years of self-defense and hand-to-hand combat classes had me prepared. While other children from rich and important families got bodyguards, I got defense training. But I think my father meant for my skills to go up against potential kidnappers, not against other students who may or may not be crazy. Oh God! Maybe I stepped into a parallel universe or something when I reentered Barinkoff.

“None of the students are supposed to be on campus,” I said. Then, realizing my mistake, I added, “Okay, I know I’m not supposed to be here either. If one of you gives me a ride back to the dorms, I won’t say anything about all this. Let’s pretend this never happened. I didn’t see you, you didn’t see me.”

“We’re not ordinary students,” Eli answered. “We’re the Night Students.”

He’d said “Night Students” like the words were capitalized. I didn’t know Barinkoff held classes at night. What was going on here?

Eli smiled with just one side of his mouth and said to the group, “She’s right, no one will have to know. We’re the only ones here. And it’s been so long, don’t you agree?”

The rest of them nodded reluctantly.

“What’s been so long?” I challenged. I fisted my hands, ready to put them up if any of them so much as twitched my way.

“Since the taste of real flesh passed through my lips,” Eli said. He came forward and took a whiff of me then laughed when I cringed.

“Flesh.” Yep, parallel universe.

“Yes,” he said. “And yours smells so fresh.”

Someone grabbed my shoulders from behind and yanked me back before I could wrap my mind around the meaning behind Eli’s words. In a blink, I found myself behind someone tall. Someone really tall. And quite broad. And very male.

I realized he wore the same clothes Eli and the other boys did. Not good. He was one of them. Although… I cocked my head, raking my gaze over him. He seemed born to wear the uniform, like he was the pattern everyone else was cut from. My eyes wandered to long, layered, blue-black hair tied at the nape by a silk ribbon. Even in dim light, his hair possessed a sheen akin to mercury.

I looked down. The boy’s long fingers were wrapped around my wrist like a cuff. His fevered touch felt hotter than human standards, hot enough to make me sweat like I was standing beside a radiator but not hot enough to burn.

“I must be mistaken, Eli,” the boy who held my arm said in a monotone. “Correct me. Did I hear you say you wanted to taste the flesh of this girl?”

A hush descended on us. It had the hairs at the back of my neck rising. How was it possible for the atmosphere to switch from threatening to dangerous? Unable to help myself, I peeked around the new guy’s bulk. Eli and his friends bowed. They all had their right hands on their chests.

“Demitri, I’m sure you misheard me,” Eli said.

So the guy standing between me and the person who said he’d wanted to taste me was named Demitri. I like the sound of his name. Demitri. So strong, yet rolls off the tongue. Definite yum factor.

“So, you imply I made a mistake?” Demitri demanded.

“No!” Eli lifted his gaze. “I did no such thing. I simply wanted to show the girl the consequences of breaking curfew.”

“Hey!” I yelled. “Don’t talk about me like I’m not here!”

Demitri ignored my protest and continued to address Eli. “So, you threatened to taste her flesh.” His fingers tightened their grip around my wrist. “In the interest of investigating this matter further, I invoke the Silence.”

All six students gasped, passing surprised glances at one another.

Before I could ask about what was going on, Demitri yanked me down the hall toward the library. But why there? Oh, maybe we were getting my things. No, wait, he couldn’t have known about that. Everything was too confusing now.

Eli and the others didn’t try to stop us when we passed them. Demitri’s cold command must have carried power. Handsome and powerful, never a bad combination on a guy.

We reached the heavy double doors in seconds. He jerked one open effortlessly. I’d needed all my strength just to squeeze through that same door earlier. To him, the thick wood might as well have been cardboard. I raised an eyebrow and mentally listed the benefits of going to gym class.

“Why are we here?” I asked after my curiosity overpowered my worry. I’d almost forgotten how frightened I’d been right before Demitri showed up. I wasn’t above accepting help from strangers. Especially from gorgeous dark-haired strangers with hot hands and wide shoulders.

Demitri kept going, tugging me along, snaking his way deeper into the library. I had to take two steps for every stride his legs made. I tried to stay directly behind him, praying we didn’t slam into anything.

He stopped suddenly and I collided with him. It felt like slamming into a wall.

“Hey,” I said, momentarily stunned. “A little warning would be nice!”

He faced me, and I gasped. His eyes resembled a starless night, deep and endless. Their intensity drilled through me without pity, seeming to expose all my secrets. I felt naked and flustered beneath his gaze.

“You could have died back there,” he warned.

A lump of panic rebuilt itself in my throat.

The Author:

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When Kate Evangelista was told she had a knack for writing stories, she did the next best thing: entered medical school. After realizing she wasn't going to be the next Doogie Howser, M.D., Kate wandered into the Literature department of her university and never looked back. Today, she is in possession of a piece of paper that says to the world she owns a Literature degree. To make matters worse, she took Master's courses in creative writing. In the end, she realized to be a writer, none of what she had mattered. What really mattered? Writing. Plain and simple, honest to God, sitting in front of her computer, writing.

Reviews: Whiteout & Hunting Kat

These two are only short-stories, so I thought I put them together in one post, as I won't write that much about them. Still they are absolutely worth mentioning!


Whiteout by Cambria Hebert

Lost in a world of white, I lay. Pain and cold were my only companions. How long would it take me to die? Would the cold freeze my heart and stop its beating?

A red plastic sled saved the day. A woman saved my life.

Unfortunately, saving my life might cost Grace her own. We get one day together, Christmas day, one day of bliss among misery. Too soon the tree is down and all that’s left of the cinnamon biscuits are crumbs.

The people who want me dead come back to see their task complete. I didn’t have a plan, but Grace did.

Never trust a woman with a shotgun.

I loved the beginning. It was kind of raw in a poetic way. That always works with me. There were some nice surprising moments, and it was slightly thriller-ish.
On one hand the romance seemed a little bit rushed, but on the other it felt actually right. I would definitely read more about these characters, they were likeable! The setting was perfect.


Rating:

Hunting Kat by Kelley Armstrong 

Kat is a sixteen-year-old vampire, and she's not too happy about it. After an experiment-gone-wrong and a bullet to the heart, she now hungers for human blood, and the worst part about that is the guilt. But guilt isn't the only thing stressing her. Kat is being hunted by the Edison Group, a dangerous Cabal that is responsible for her undead state. Kat is running out of places to hide, and she has no one to turn to—until she meets Chad and Neil. They're on the run like she is, and they offer to help Kat against their common enemy. But the boys aren't all that they seem, and for Kat, deciding whether to trust them may be a matter of life or death.


Set in the world of Kelley Armstrong's New York Times bestselling Darkest Powers and Darkness Rising series, "Hunting Kat" will leave you on the edge of your seat and thirsting for more.

I don't know why it took me so long to discover Kelley Armstrong! Last year I read The Gathering and I was very excited about it. It was fun, the main character was more than likeable, there was wild nature, animals, Native American legends, just everything I like! I bought The Summoning and also Bitten, and I can't wait to read them, but first I'm going to read The Calling.
Anyways, "Hunting Kat" was an amazing short-story and a teaser for her series.  It only confirmed that Kelley Armstrong is a great writer who easily creates an interesting story with creepy atmosphere, and with characters that are fun, clever, and kick-ass.


Rating:

Review: Uncle Vanya

Uncle Vanya by Anton Chekhov

Characters:

Serebryakov - a retired university professor.
Helena - Professor Serebryakov's young and beautiful second wife.
Sonia/Sonya - Professor Serebryakov's daughter.
Uncle Vanya
Astrov - a country doctor.

This structurally and psychologically compact drama takes place on an estate in 19th-century Russia, exploring the complex interrelationships between a retired professor, his second wife, and the daughter and brother-in-law from his first marriage. Interwoven themes of weakness, delusion, and despair are balanced by an underlying message of courage and hope.
Previously known as The Wood Demon, the play was rejected by two theaters before premiering in Moscow in December of 1889 to a very poor reception (it closed after three performances).

I wasn't very patient with the characters from The Three Sisters. They were weeping all the time, dreaming about better life, and in the end they did nothing at all, only let others to take control over their lives. They failed living their lives and their dreams. That drove me crazy. But in the case of Uncle Vanya it was different. The theme of a wasted life is still there, but in other forms.
First, there is Helena who decided to spend her life with the professor. She is obviously unhappy, but still she stubbornly insists on "living" her life with him, no matter how tyrannical the man is. Also, she manages to be the reason of everyone's trouble and sadness.
Because Astrov, the doctor, falls for Helena and so he pays no attention to Sonya at all. Sonya who is in love with Astrov. And Uncle Vanya is in love with Helena. So everyone has feelings for someone, but sadly it's always an unrequited love.
Interesting is that the only person who actually mentions "a wasted life" in the play is Uncle Vanya. He worked whole his life hard on the estate to earn enough money for the professor. When he realized how rotten the professor is and how meaningless everything the professor did during his "career" is, it's understandable that he feels like his life was wasted. But still, there was a purpose in his life, he worked, he was taking care of the estate. There's some work left behind. For me the really wasted life is the one Helena lives, and she doesn't even try. She's beautiful, but her personality is rather plain.
The most interesting characters for me are surely Uncle Vanya and Sonya. They are both very fragile, yet still strong and beautiful. Both of them worked hard and their dreams were simple, they dreamed about love. And this love was denied. Still they managed to stand up for themselves and then go on with their lives. I always thought all the Chekhov's characters were unable to protect themselves and let others control them. These two are an exception. And however sad their fate is, morally and humanly they are higher than anyone else.
Vladimir Nabokov said: ‘‘What mattered was that this typical Chekhovian hero was the unfortunate bearer of a vague but beautiful human truth, a burden which he could neither get rid of nor carry.’’ I believe this captures Uncle Vanya perfectly.

I enjoyed The Three Sisters, but Uncle Vanya is so much better. Or better put, it is more intense, especially when it comes to pain. The pain is so strong it's almost touchable.

"What can we do? We must live our lives. [A pause] Yes, we shall live, Uncle Vanya. We shall live through the long procession of days before us, and through the long evenings; we shall patiently bear the trials that fate imposes on us; we shall work for others without rest, both now and when we are old; and when our last hour comes we shall meet it humbly, and there, beyond the grave, we shall say that we have suffered and wept, that our life was bitter, and God will have pity on us. Ah, then dear, dear Uncle, we shall see that bright and beautiful life; we shall rejoice and look back upon our sorrow here; a tender smile—and—we shall rest."

After this I'm madly in love with Chekhov.

Giveaways Winners and The Wheel of the Year Giveaways

Congratulations to all the winners of my previous giveaways! Thank you for entering! :)
All of them were contacted via email.

In My Mailbox

IMM is a meme created by Kristi at The Story Siren.


This is a rather big haul, but I was in London and Waterstones is such a nice place! ;)


Bought:

London haul.

A Witch in Winter by Ruth Warburton
The Calling by Kelley Armstrong
Lenobia's Vow by P.C. Cast, Kristin Cast
The Watchtower by Lee Carroll
The Book of Summers by Emylia Hall
Forsaken by Jana Oliver  

London haul.

Time's Arrow by Martin Amis
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

Book Depository.

The Restorer by Amanda Stevens
Moon Called by Patricia Briggs
Secondhand Spirits by Juliet Blackwell
It Takes a Witch by Heather Blake
The Hunted by Kristy Berridge
The Thorn and the Blossom by Theodora Goss
Grave Witch by Kalayna Price
Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison

Book Depository.

National Geographic Desk Reference to Nature's Medicine by Steven Foster, Rebecca Johnson
The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton

For Review:

Kevin's Point of View by Del Shannon
Thank you! :)

Won:

I won a giveaway hosted at On the Broomstick. Thank you! :)

All's Fair in Vanity's War by Elizabeth Marx

What did you get? :)

Petra

Review: The Book of Lost Fragrances

The Book of Lost Fragrances by M. J. Rose

* Copy received through NetGalley.

Title:		The Book of Lost Fragrances
Publisher:		Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Imprint:		Atria Books
Pub Date:		March 13, 2012
ISBN:		9781451621303

Jac L’Etoile has always been haunted by the past, her memories infused with the exotic scents that she grew up surrounded by as the heir to a storied French perfume company. In order to flee the pain of those remembrances—and of her mother’s suicide—she moves to America, leaving the company in the hands of her brother Robbie. But when Robbie hints at an earth-shattering discovery in the family archives and then suddenly goes missing—leaving a dead body in his wake—Jac is plunged into a world she thought she’d left behind.

Back in Paris to investigate her brother’s disappearance, Jac discovers a secret the House of L’Etoile has been hiding since 1799: a scent that unlocks the mysteries of reincarnation. The Book of Lost Fragrances fuses history, passion, and suspense, moving from Cleopatra’s Egypt and the terrors of revolutionary France to Tibet’s battle with China and the glamour of modern-day Paris. Jac’s quest for the ancient perfume someone is willing to kill for becomes the key to understanding her own troubled past.

This was an easy and fun read, but very sophisticated and wrapped up in an alluring perfume. It's a long time since I enjoyed a contemporary fiction so much.

The main character is Jac L'Etoile, but the book follows many other people from different parts of the world and also from different times of our history. It might sound scary at first, but don't worry. The author managed to connect all the story lines into one big picture. It is very well structured and all the pieces fit together nicely in the end.

This is supposed to be more of a fun read, but it touches big themes. There are parts about Tibet and the Chinese occupation. It makes you realize (again) how sad it is to see someone who is systematically destroying other people and their culture just because of their beliefs. Nothing new for the human race though.
It also touches spirituality and the possibility of reincarnation. Reincarnation is actually the main theme of this book, which I personally like, as I believe in it. And basically everything mentioned in this book is in one way or another close to my interests and/or beliefs. Beside reincarnation there's a lot of mythology (Greek and Egyptian), some history, C. G. Jung, philosophy, and of course the artisan perfumery. But the beauty of this book is that you don't have to believe in anything, or be really into the things it talks about in order to enjoy it. You can read it just as a very entertaining mystery and you'll be happy.

The romance aspect of this book was amazing. I have very often problems to enjoy the romance part in many books for various reasons. But here the intimacy is portrayed so well. It is the intimacy between two people who belong together, the intimacy that is so strong and pure that it goes through all the layers of your being. Well, that blew my mind. This is how I imagine love, nothing superficial, but raw and painful emotions that capture you completely, body and soul. Yeah, I love that!

Different perfumes, incenses, and smells are intertwined throughout the whole book, and I feel like the writing is soaked with the smells as well. It kind of takes you into a different reality full of scents that wake up different emotions. And even though you are in a dreamy state, it makes you see things more clearly.

All in all this was very enjoyable mystery romance flavoured with spirituality and history. Both thumbs up! :)

Blog Tour Stop: The Hunted

The Hunted by Kristy Berridge

Elena Manory is by no means an ordinary teenage girl. Being born with the ability to heal herself from any injury, and with the knowledge that on her eighteenth birthday she will become a Vampire, Elena is aware that she is more than a little different from other girls her age.
It isn’t until she meets William Granville, an alluring and impossibly handsome vampire, that she begins to question her destiny and what secrets the Institute of Magical Intervention and her adopted family have withheld—secrets that could change the fates of not only her own life, but of the lives of all the immortals.
As events spiral out of control, William may be the only person Elena can place her trust in. He, and Elena’s magical family, must fight to save her, joining forces to defeat a common, deadly foe. For William, it is his chance to save the girl that he has searched eternity to find.

About the Author:

Blog  Twitter  Facebook

I was born in Perth, Western Australia in 1982, ushered into the world in a decade of bad hair, parachute pants, and blue eye shadow. Fortunately, I managed to avoid all three influences by immersing myself in the business of growing up, hitching a ride with my fun-loving, and adventure-filled parents to the sunny state of Queensland. Here I completed most of my education.
Besides learning that boys don’t have cooties, and that algebra wouldn’t kill me, I pointedly set the path of my high school career towards success in Art and English-based subjects, winning numerous awards for my efforts.
After high school I went on to study Graphic Design and Illustration at James Cook University, and then furthered my studies at the local TAFE college with an Interior Design course. With this practical knowledge under my belt, I also decided to undertake a three year Design course at Rhodec International in London, completing my education in the Interior Design industry.
I still live in sunny Cairns with my husband Navaro, who is my biggest support and a constant source of motivation to finish the next novel.

Guest Post: 


Let’s start this off nice and simple … hello. I’m Kristy Berridge, author of The Hunted and various other amazing books yet to be released as part of this series (wink wink). I am for lack of a better word, indecisive, a serious chocoholic (really, I have issues), and a massive techtard. I am petrified of cockroaches, I have a love-hate relationship with my treadmill, and I cry every single bloody time I watch The Notebook.
Apart from that, I adore writing. I never thought I’d say that coming from a designer background. I used to be all about wallpaper samples, paint, and soft furnishings. Now I’m all about the auto-correct, thesaurus, and track changes.
There is something very special about pressing the keys on your computer and watching words you’ve created appear on the screen, coming together to form a sentence, and before you know it, creating a paragraph of literary delight. The only limits are your imagination … and of course your bad grammar and spelling if this is an issue.
I personally started writing when I was still in school, short stories and bad, bad, bad poetry were in abundance. But time is transient and I didn’t see myself looking seriously at the written word again until five years ago. I was sitting in front of my computer, utterly filthy that Home Design shows on the television had robbed me of a constant income. Do-it-yourself renovations became all the craze and I was for lack of a better word, semi-redundant.
So I looked down at the keypad in front of me, I opened Microsoft word, and wrote two single words that stoked a fire deep within … Chapter One. My fingers never strayed far from the touch of the keys after that moment. And, with the support of a fantastic husband who doesn’t scream at me when I wake him up in the middle of the night to run through ‘ideas’, The Hunted gave birth to a further four books – The Damned, The Aligned, The Condemned and The Delivered.
So now that I have left the decorating world behind and embraced the literary world with both hands and a rabid imagination, I can’t see myself doing anything but describing the tantalising kiss of a vampire, the hot, fetid breath of an alpha werewolf, or describing the kaleidoscope of colourful possibilities open to the touch of magical users. And hopefully, The Hunted will inspire you, not only to read the rest of the series (because it’s totally awesome), but to embrace the possibility of growth and change, to never give up, to always inspire, and to accept responsibility for your actions.
Life and its possibilities are yours for the taking; all you have to do is want it.
And hopefully want my book …
So, I look forward to sharing this journey with you, uncovering more details in the series, and embracing all the literary world has to offer. Enjoy The Hunted Blog Tour!

Kristy :)

Kristy's design days