My Favourite Reads Giveaway Hop

 I, Coriander by Sally Gardner

In this exceptionally well-crafted tale, Coriander tells the story of her childhood in seventeenth-century London, and of her discovery that she has inherited magical powers from her mother, who was a fairy princess. But her mother's sudden death brings on a dark time for Coriander, and after mourning her beloved mother and dealing with the disappearance of her father and the wrath of her evil stepmother, Coriander finds herself locked in a chest with no hope of escape and no will to survive. But when a bright light beckons to her, it is then that Coriander's journey truly begins. Beautifully written, this magical and luminous story is destined to become a children's classic.

I love I, Coriander! So I'm giving away one copy for this hop. The giveaway is international as usual. Good luck! :)



 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour Stop: Absolution

Absolution (The Elohim Trilogy #1) by Louis Corsair

In 1947, a gangster murders private investigator Raymond Adams. In 2011, he's brought back to life for 24 hours to solve the supernatural murder of a Hollywood Adult film star.

When the son of a Pit Lord is murdered in Hollywood, the celestial beings in charge of the Four Realms ask Raymond Adams to figure who did it and find the victim's missing soul. Without memories of his life, he accepts the case to gain eternal peace. But the job is daunting:

24 hours to nab a killer...
24 hours to find a missing soul...
24 hours to unravel the victim's exotic private life...
24 hours to stop a plot to send the universe into chaos...

With only the help of a possessed cop and a medium, Adams must trek through a Hollywood underground filled with pornography, prostitutes, the homeless, and sadists, along with supernatural monsters. But can he solve the case when his own haunting memories keep surfacing, telling him exactly what kind of man he was in life?

Excerpt:

A Return

I was in a preparation chamber made completely out of light. I hovered like a cloud watching child-like celestials regenerate and reanimate my corpse. They didn’t bother with new clothes and simply fixed up the suit I had been buried in. When finished, they vacuumed me into my old body, a loving experience I could only compare to dying.

“Cold...” I said and my throat was dry like the Mojave in the middle of summer. They explained my body was mostly dead but this would improve as time passed. To help me with the shivers, the merciful celestials threw in a brown overcoat, shoes, and a fedora.

“Gun,” I said. True I was dead, but the people I was going to deal with were not and I had a feeling they would want to stay that way. Protection was necessary.

They gave me a revolver loaded with ten Thunderbolt bullets. I also got a good watch to keep track of time, an enchanted magnifying glass, and a special rune to communicate with the Committee. The big people wanted regular updates on my progress.

The celestials opened a portal to the Realm of the Living and sent me through it.

Guest Post:

Hazel the Witch asked me to discuss the finer points of fiction as they apply to my debut novel, Absolution. She was very nice to let me do this. I promise not to move things around in the kitchen or leave the toilet seat up. 
It is important for a writer to understand the elements of fiction. To speak of all of them would be incredibly long (and dull) so I will focus on the characters and setting; this is only a brief look, I promise. With a wave of the witch’s wand, I being: 

I: Setting 

In a writer workshop last Fall, one of my fellow writers commented that the events depicted in the piece I had turned in were “ridiculous” because the place I had described “couldn’t be that bad.” The few pages were about gang violence and poverty in modern El Salvador. What he really commented on was the amount of realism in the pages. 

It is my belief that you ought to capture the landscape you write about without shame or censorship. If two men are having sex in a parking lot or doing drugs in a corner or trying to build a nest near a freeway to sleep in, if two women are trying to have a fun night out while a disturbing individual follows them, then you ought to show that. However, I don’t see why you need to be graphic about it--I don’t need to describe the sexual act performed in the car. I don’t need to describe the details. That’s gore. I’m not a fan of gore. 

In Absolution, I describe Hollywood down to the smell of feces and urine that lingers in some parts of the city. It is not sadism, but an orgy of scents. I also use specific locations (not all of them tourist attractions) so that the realism is more powerful. My intent was to contrast the fantasy elements with stark realism. So, sometimes you’ll see the most degrading human situations and conditions. And the next you might come across a celestial being or a magic bullet that summons lightning. The juxtaposition, I hope, will produce an exotic treat. 

II: Characters 

Picture this. You’re a beautiful woman and you walk into a crowded coffee shop. Men automatically gravitate towards you and try to make clumsy, and sometimes effective, small talk. It is warm outside so the outfit you have on reveals a few more curves than you normally would. And you can’t help but notice that primal hunger in the eyes of the men. They’re practically begging you for...what your moist lips can do...to let them survey the curvature of your breasts...more? More than that? What then? What do you want? Be honest. What they want, we all want. It is that hunger that drives cities, civilizations. It is that hunger that reveals us for animals who are trying desperately to caress, touch, penetrate... 

That was the woman’s point of view, but done in Third Person. She really did think that men were howling after her, when maybe she wasn’t their type. But she is so in love with herself that she’ll believe that every time. Vanity. 

I love to write about flawed characters. If you’re prone to violence, have a sex addiction, hate your closest friend and wish them dead, then you’ll end up in one of my stories. The problem is that characters like this, who are so self-serving, are difficult for a reader to get behind. So, for the stories I write for the public I keep my characters within a reasonable moral position. They are not perfect though. 

The main character of my novel, Raymond Adams, lets his detective nature run away with him. He is not of this place--he died in 1947--and understands what he sees through a more conservative lens. To contrast him I added Jenn, the medium. She is in her twenties and is not as constrictive. When the two meet, she is in a nightclub, a strip joint. 

Oh, I know, don’t say it. That comment you made just now came through even while I’m writing this. Why does Jenn have to be a stripper? Why is it the perpetual need of male writers to have that stripper in their stories? Can’t she be a lawyer? Okay, maybe not a lawyer, but why not a dentist? 

 Relax. I share your sentiments. But having these two types of characters plays well with one of my themes. They are both clichés. The detective in a trench-coat and fedora, who is a chain smoker. The stripper who spitfires insults at the main character, very often a medium and gorgeous. I know those clichés. I know them all. I’m playing with them for a reason. 

Trust me a little as you read Absolution. I promise, I know what I’m doing (or at least I think I do). 

Giveaway:


Louis was very kind to offer an e-book copy of Absolution for giveaway. It's international! :) It ends on June 20.
Also, there is a big giveaway (INT) at Dark Mind Book Tours blog! It's running during the whole tour, that means it ends on July 3.

a Rafflecopter giveaway  
The book is only $0.99/£0.77 for as long as the tour lasts.

Review: Aunt Dimity and the Village Witch by Nancy Atherton

Aunt Dimity and the Village Witch by Nancy Atherton

 *Copy received through NetGalley.

Title:		Aunt Dimity and the Village Witch
Publisher:		Penguin Group (USA)
Imprint:		Viking USA
Pub Date:		April 26, 2012
ISBN:		9780670023417

When Amelia Thistle moves to Finch, her new neighbors welcome her with open arms-and inquiring minds. Among them is Lori Shepherd, who isn't fooled by Amelia's unassuming persona. Amelia is, in fact, a world-famous artist with a rabid and eager-to-stalk fan base.
In order to keep peace in Finch, Lori must help Amelia conceal her identity. Amelia, meanwhile, sets about working on the riddle that brought her to town in the first place. A fragment of a family diary hints that one of Amelia's ancestors might have been Mistress Meg, the Mad Witch of Finch. Following the clue, Lori hunts through Finch's darkest and most secret corners, all the while dodging nosy neighbors and Amelia's frantic fans. With Aunt Dimity's otherworldly help, Lori inches closer to the true story of Mistress Meg-and Amelia.
Returning to the charming world of Finch, Nancy Atherton's latest novel is sure to delight faithful Aunt Dimity readers, Anglophiles, and cozy mystery fans.

This is the seventeenth book in the Aunt Dimity series and I hadn't read any of these books before I requested this one on NetGalley. But it really caught my attention, as I love cozy mysteries, I'm a total Anglophile, and anything with witches is a must read for me. I just hoped my zero knowledge of the previous books won't affect the joy of reading the Aunt Dimity and the Village Witch. And it didn't at all. This book, even though part of a series, stands on its own without a problem and it only made me curious about the whole history of Aunt Dimity! It is set in a small town in England called Finch. There are many different and colourful characters. But the good people of Finch have one thing in common, they all love a good gossip. So when there's a newcomer in the town everyone watches Amelia Thistle to move into her new home. But what a surprise when someone realizes that she is not who she pretends to be! Lori, the main character and "investigator", of course has to know the truth. Not only because it's essential for the peaceful life in Finch, but also because she is simply incredibly curious and nosy. From this point an intricate tale starts and many story lines are masterly woven together. I loved this cozy, it had everything a good cozy mystery should have. A small town with a great range of characters where the main one is a likable and clever woman. There is a great sense of humour (I laughed countless times!), there is a tiny bit of romance, and of course there is the mystery! And in this case the mystery was especially interesting. It took us three hundred years back when the witch hunts were a normal thing. And thanks to the witch hunt theme the book got quite serious several times when getting into the details of torturing the innocent women who were accused of witchcraft. On one hand this was quite sad and painful when the vicar wife, Lilian said: "What's sick," snapped Lilian, in a voice that was far from neutral and no longer scholarly, "is the willingness of one human being to brutally torment another in the name of God or country or anything else." On the other it nicely balanced the otherwise lighthearted tone of the book and made it more whole. All in all this was an amazing cozy that made laugh and even cry. I'm definitely reading the other books in the series some time in the future!
Rating:

Myths and Folklore: Cernunnos, Pan, and Herne the Hunter

Sometime a keeper here in Windsor Forest,

Doth all the winter-time, at still midnight,

Walk round about an oak, with great ragg'd horns;

And there he blasts the tree, and takes the cattle,

And makes milch-kine yield blood, and shakes a chain

In a most hideous and dreadful manner.

You have heard of such a spirit, and well you know

The superstitious idle-headed eld

Receiv'd, and did deliver to our age,

This tale of Herne the Hunter for a truth. 

— William Shakespeare, The Merry Wives of Windsor

In neopagan terms Pan, Cernunnos, and Herne are versions of the Horned God, and indeed they have many common attributes.

Pan is the Greek god of nature, mountains, shepherds and flock, rustic music, and he is companion of nymphs.
He has legs and horns as a goat. His Roman counterpart is Faunus.
Pan's origins aren't that clear. Sometimes he is the son of Zeus, but most often he is seen as a son of either Hermes or Dionysus.
Satyrs or fauns are his male companions, they are also half human and half goat. They are connected with pipe music.
The sculpture on the right is a Roman copy of Greek original. It is probably not very accurate, as Romans were rather liberal when copying Greek originals. But these Roman copies are often the only link to Ancient Greek art, because many of it was lost forever.




Cernunnos is the name for the Celtic horned god. He has either horns or antlers. There aren't any literary sources, but there is the Pillar of the Boatmen, which shows many deities including a horned god, probably Cernunnos. He is usually seen as the god of nature and animals.
Herne the Hunter is an English folklore figure. He is a ghost associated with the Windsor Forest. He also has antlers. Very often he is understood as an aspect of Cernunnos.

Books:

John Keats: The Major Works: Including Endymion, the Odes and Selected Letters by John Keats

Keats based the poem Endymion on the Greek myth of Endymion, the shepherd beloved by the moon goddess Selene.
It starts by painting a rustic scene of trees, rivers, shepherds, and sheep. The shepherds gather around an altar and pray to Pan, god of shepherds and flocks.

The Merry Wives of Windsor by William Shakespeare 

 The earliest written account of Herne comes from this play.

The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

First edition cover.

Pan is the "Piper at the Gates of Dawn" in the seventh chapter of this books.

In Search of Herne the Hunter by Eric Fitch

His work commences with an introduction to Herne's story, the oak on which Herne hanged himself and its significance in history and mythology. It goes on to investigate antlers and their symbology in prehistoric religions, with a study of the horned god Cernunnos, the Wild Hunt and its associations with Woden, Herne and the Christian devil and a descriptive chapter on the tradition of dressing up as animals and the wearing and use of antlers in particular. Herne's suicide and its connection with Woden and prehistoric sacrifice is covered, together with the most complete collection of Herne's appearances, plus an investigation into the nature of his hauntings. Photographs, illustrations and diagrams enhance the text. The book also contains appendices covering the 19th century opera on the legend of Herne, Herne and his status in certain esoteric circles and Herne and Paganism/Wicca.

Teaser Tuesdays

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

Lenobia's Vow (House of Night Novellas #2) by P.C. Cast, Kristin Cast

"Elle est morte!"

Lenobia's world exploded with the sound of a scream and three small words.

Review: Alanna: The First Adventure

Alanna: The First Adventure (Song of the Lioness, #1) by Tamora Pierce

"From now on I'm Alan of Trebond, the younger twin. I'll be a knight."

And so young Alanna of Trebond begins the journey to knighthood. Though a girl, Alanna has always craved the adventure and daring allowed only for boys; her twin brother, Thom, yearns to learn the art of magic. So one day they decide to switch places: Disguised as a girl, Thom heads for the convent to learn magic; Alanna, pretending to be a boy, is on her way to the castle of King Roald to begin her training as a page.

But the road to knighthood is not an easy one. As Alanna masters the skills necessary for battle, she must also learn to control her heart and to discern her enemies from her allies.

Filled with swords and sorcery, adventure and intrigue, good and evil, Alanna's first adventure begins -- one that will lead to the fulfillment of her dreams and the magical destiny that will make her a legend in her land.

I know that Tamora Pierce has many fans and I can see why. Sadly, I didn't know her when I was a child. I wish I did!
Alanna: The First Adventure is the first book by this author I've read and I loved it! (After so many YA romances this was a refreshing read.) The main character is a young and strong girl who decides to follow her dreams and go against society restrictions. She longs to become a knight and the fact that she is a girl won't stop her. (Thumbs up!) She breaks some rules and one of her best friends is the king of thieves, but still she is a truthful character. She is kind, loving, brave and loyal. Yet she's got a lot of things and issues to figure out. She is going through a lot of changes and I hope that there is going to be more growth when it comes to who she really is. There are many mentions about this in the book, so I guess she indeed will reach a place where it will be possible for her to follow her dreams and she still will be able to accept who she is, a girl.
Many of the other characters were quite complex, especially the mischievous and adorable thief!
And is there any romance? Well, it seems like something is going to happen in the future and when it happens it's going to be a relationship based on a great friendship and years of shared adventures.
All in all I loved this story! It was fun and very entertaining. I'm looking forward to the second book in the series.

Rating:

Owl Post

                        Owl Post is a new meme hosted by Brodie at Eleusinian Mysteries.

Hi guys, it's only e-books for the last two weeks! :)

Bought&Free:

Witch Song by Amber Argyle
Haunted Moon by Kymberlee Burks-Miller 
Bound, An Arelia LaRue Novel by Kira Saito
Paradox: The Angels Are Here (Paradox, #1) by Patti Roberts

NetGalley:

Vampires: A Field Guide to the Creatures That Stalk the Night by Bob Curran 
Aunt Dimity and the Village Witch (An Aunt Dimity Mystery #17) by Nancy Atherton

For Review:





WATERSPELL Book 1: The Warlock by Deborah J. Lightfoot



What did you get? :)

Review: The Coven

The Coven (Wicca #2) by Cate Tiernan

Morgan's powers are stronger than she ever imagined. She has visions, she lights fires with her mind, and her spells work miracles. When her boyfriend Cal, a member of the same coven, insists that witchcraft is in her blood, Morgan is confused. Her parents definitely aren't witches. They do seem to be keeping something secret, though-something about Morgan's past.

The second book in the series was better than the first one. First of all, the characters. There are some new ones whose presence is intimidating and let you know that something way bigger is going on than you suspected in the beginning. Also, the main characters - Morgan, Cal, Robbie, Bree, and Morgan's family- became more interesting. Less flat, more complex. Everyone and everything isn't just black or white (as it sometimes happens, especially in the YA books). This matches well the whole Wicca theme where things aren't only good, or evil. 
Speaking of Wicca, the author obviously researched a lot, which I appreciate. However, the beliefs of Wicca are here more of a foundation, on which Cate Tiernan built her own world for this series. But so far everything seems to fit within the Wiccan philosophy.
I also enjoyed the romance part. Maybe because of the witchcraft that brought there real intimacy and more depth. It isn't just about how hot Cal is, fortunately!
I liked the special entries taken from different BoSs/diaries in the beginning of every chapter. This helped the story a lot. It created a rather sinister atmosphere, which I always love! :)
Again, the plot was quite simple, but it's getting more complicated and the little pieces start to create a bigger picture.

Rating:

Thank You

First of all, congratulations to Darlene, the winner of my giveaway for the Children's Book Week! :)

I just wanted to say thank you to all my old and new followers, but also to people who sometimes just stop by and comment. Thank you, I really appreciate it!
So here is a thank you giveaway. :) It's international.
One winner will get a paperback copy of Tiger's Curse (The Tiger Saga #1) by Colleen Houck.

Good luck! :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Book of Shadows

Book of Shadows (Wicca, #1) by Cate Tiernan

Morgan and her best friend, Bree, are introduced to Wicca when a gorgeous senior named Cal invites them to join his new coven. Morgan falls for Cal immediately and discovers that she has strong, inexplicable powers.

I wish all the YA books were like this one. I'm enjoying the series very much, well, so far. :)
The first book is more of an introduction and the plot is quite simple. We meet Morgan who is kind of calm and shy girl, and her best friend Bree, the pretty (and shallow) one. At first Morgan seems like the more insecure person, but it is actually Bree who is the typical "my_parents_are_divorced_and_don't_have_time_for_me_so_I_compensate_it_somewhere_else" girl. Morgan on the other hand shows some growth even during the first book. She becomes stronger and more confident, even though she is unhappy about the way her relationship with Bree turned out. And of course, the reason there is bad blood between the two of them is the new guy, Cal. But his presence only helps to uncover who is a real friend and who is not.
I really enjoyed the Wiccan parts, the circles, connection with Earth and all the other magical parts. It was so lovely to discover all of this through Morgan's eyes. I felt happy for her. This actually made the series so much more interesting than any other YA series (maybe except the HoN series), but I have to admit, I'm totally biased here.
As I said, the plot was simple, but it was a great start for a series that seems to be more complicated and complex with every other book.

Rating:

Myths and Folklore: Mermaids, Selkies, Merrows and Co.

"... spirits of the water invoke longing and wonder. Glimmering beneath the moon, their mistress, they serve tides, currents and the gods of the sea, Lir, Mananan and Poseidon."
                                                                                                 
                                                                                                           Danu Forest, Nature Spirits



As a mermaid we understand an aquatic creature with human head, arms, and torso and fish tail. They are represented in folklore of many countries.

A Mermaid by John William Waterhouse.

From Greek mythology we know Nymphs. There are many types of them; there are celestial nymphs, wood and plant nymphs, underworld nymphs, and of course the water nymphs. To the group of water nymphs belong Nereids (the sea nymphs), Naiads (fresh water nymphs), and Oceanids (ocean nymphs).

A Naiad by John William Waterhouse.

There are also Sirens, best known from Homer's  epic poem Odyssey. Sirens lurk sailors with their beautiful singing, but when the sailors give in they end up dead.

In Ireland there are Merrows. It's said that they don't have a tail. They look very much like humans, but their feet are flatter and they have a thin webbing between the fingers.
In Scotland there are stories about Selkies, the seal people.

Damh the Bard - Selkie

Books:


Nature Spirits (Wooden Books Gift Book) by Danu Forest

A Field Guide to Irish Fairies by Bob Curran

What is your best defense against a phosphorescent land sheerie? Can you really find contentment with a wealthy merrow wife? The answers are disclosed at last in A Field Guide to Irish Fairies, the first and only such guide available. Expertly researched and compiled by an authority on the subject, with detailed illustrations to help wayfarers identify the 13 major varieties of these elusive fairy folk of the Emerald Isle, this pocket-size volume is indispensible both in the field and back in the (relative) safety of hearth and home. With information on habitat, history, and fairy customs at their fingertips, readers will be well prepared for encounters with saucy leprechauns, kindly grogochs, and even headless dullahans. A word to the wise: Take it along, or take your chances!

The Odyssey by Homer

It recounts the story of Odysseus' return to Ithaca from the Trojan war and tells how, championed by Athene and hounded by the wrathful sea-god Poseidon, Odysseus encounters the ferocious Cyclops, escapes Scylla and Charybdis and yields temporarily to the lures of Circe and Calypso before he overcomes the trials awaiting him on Ithaca. Only then is he reunited with his faithful wife Penelope, his wanderings at an end.

The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen

For love of a handsome prince, the youngest mermaid makes a bargain with the evil sea-witch and endures great suffering in order to become human.

Goddess of the Sea (Goddess Summoning, #1) by P.C. Cast

On the night of her twenty-fifth birthday, alone in her apartment, Air Force Sergeant Christine Canady wished for one thing: a little magic in her life. After drinking way too much champagne, she performed, of all crazy things, a goddess-summoning ritual, hoping that it would somehow make her life a little less ordinary...but she never believed the spell would actually work.

When her military plane crashes into the ocean, CC's mission overseas takes an unexpected turn. She awakens to find herself in a legendary time and place where magic rules the land—occupying the body of the mythic mermaid Undine. But there is danger in the waters and the goddess Gaea turns this modern, military gal into a beautiful damsel so that she can seek shelter on land.

CC is soon rescued (literally) by a knight in shining armor. She should he falling in love with this dream-come-true, but instead she aches for the sea and Dylan, the sexy merman who has stolen her heart.

The Lure of Shapinsay by Krista Holle

Ever since Kait Swanney could remember, the old crones of the village have been warning her to stay away from the selkies. They claim that like sirens of old, the seal men creep from the inky waters, shed their skins, and entice women to their deaths beneath the North Sea. But avoiding an encounter becomes impossible when Kait is spotted at the water’s edge, moments after the murder of a half-selkie infant.

Unexpectedly, Kait is awoken by a beautiful, selkie man seeking revenge. After she declares her innocence, the intruder darts into the night, but not before inadvertently bewitching her with an overpowering lure.

Kait obsesses over a reunion deep beneath the bay and risks her own life to be reunited with her selkie. But when she lands the dangerous lover, the chaos that follows leaves Kait little time to wonder—is it love setting her on fire or has she simply been lured?

Owl Post

                          Owl Post is a new meme hosted by Brodie at Eleusinian Mysteries.

Books:

Blood Bound (Mercy Thompson #2) by Patricia Briggs
River Marked (Mercy Thompson, #6) by Patricia Briggs
Masques (Sianim, #1 - Aralorn, #1) by Patricia Briggs

Wolfsbane (Sianim, #4 - Aralorn, #2) by Patricia Briggs 

The Gathering Storm (The Katerina Trilogy, #1) by Robin Bridges
The Coven (Wicca, #2) by Cate Tiernan
Blood Witch (Wicca, #3) by Cate Tiernan
A Modern Witch (A Modern Witch, #1) by Debora Geary
Born Wicked (The Cahill Witch Chronicles, #1) by Jessica Spotswood
Bewitching (Kendra Chronicles #1) by Alex Flinn
Tiger's Curse (The Tiger Saga, #1) by Colleen Houck
A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1) by George R. R. Martin
The Book of Lost Fragrances by M.J. Rose
The Hypnotist (The Reincarnationist #3) by M.J. Rose
The Book of Madness and Cures by Regina O'Melveny
The Lantern by Deborah Lawrenson
The Forever Girl: Sophia's Journey (Forever Girl, #1) by Rebecca Hamilton


Kindle:




NetGalley: 

What did you get? :)

Petra

Review: Fantastic Mr. Fox

Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl

Fantastic Mr. Fox is on the run! The three meanest farmers around are out to get him. Fat Boggis, squat Bunce, and skinny Bean have joined forces, and they have Mr. Fox and his family surrounded. What they don’t know is that they’re not dealing with just any fox–Mr. Fox would never surrender. But only the most fantastic plan ever can save him now.

"Boggis and Bunce and Bean
One fat, one short, one lean. 
These horrible crooks 
So different in looks
Were none the less equally mean."


This tiny book is one of the famous children's classics. It was very enjoyable and clever read!
I've read many reviews and noticed that some people weren't happy that the book is so naturalistic, like for example when Mr. Fox eats chicken. This is actually what I really like about the story. I think children are often underestimated when it comes to comprehending some books and things in them. Of course I don't support violence, but a fox eating a chicken is just natural.
Another thing I really appreciate about this book is how well it portrays people and our gluttony. The three mean farmers represent the worst of our kind. They are arrogant, cruel, and incredibly greedy. Just to get Mr. Fox they destroy a big part of wild nature and while doing so they terrorize their own people. It made me feel sad, because this shows the human nature so very well. And on the other hand, there is Mr. Fox and his other animal friends who take and eat only as much food as they really need. This is something children should learn early in their lives and something we adults should remind ourselves of often.
The last thing that made this story enjoyable was the British sense of humour. I can't ever get enough of it! :)
This was the second book by Roald Dahl I've read and I'm definitely reading more. Based on his writing, he was a great, witty, and clever man.

Rating:

R.A.K.

I'm super excited about R.A.K., because I love to give (and receive) books. But not everyone from my family and friends loves reading as much as I do. So I think R.A.K. is an amazing idea! :)
This is my very first R.A.K.!

For more info click here.

Here is my R.A.K. wishlist.

And now excuse me, I have to contact a few bloggers! :)

Children's Book Week Giveaway Hop

One winner will get a copy of Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl.
I read this book just a few weeks ago and loved it! (Review coming soon!) Also, my new blog design will surely appreciate my choice! :)
Giveaway is international. Good luck! :)

Blog Tour Stop: Dark Mercy

Dark Mercy by Zoe Winters

1955, Las Vegas, Nevada

Angeline has been on the run from her sire, Linus, for centuries. She’s tired, and she’s lonely. High from mescaline-induced blood, she sees a sign—a church that seems to glow in the distance—and she knows. Her future mate is in that building.


Important Author’s Note:

Dark Mercy is the beginning of Hadrian and Angeline’s story, not the end. Their HEA will happen later in their own full-length novel. This story is important both for the overall series and for this couple, but it’s not their HEA. Just a mild disclaimer so no one goes in with false expectations for this story.

Excerpt:

“A-Angeline. I haven’t seen you here in awhile.” Could he not get that schoolboy stutter out of his voice?

“I was fighting temptation,” she replied coyly.

Hadrian cleared his throat. “And did you succeed?”

“No.”

She glided closer—or floated. The length of her dress made it impossible to tell which. She stopped mere inches in front of him. He should have taken a step back, should have excused himself, but her strange eyes locked with his. They drew him in, hypnotizing him.

If he were another type of man, he would have proclaimed she was a witch putting him under a spell, but it was just as much his responsibility as hers for not moving away. It was his fault for not finding a replacement for midnight Mass.  His mind became fuzzy.

What was I just thinking about?

Her eyes pulled him in, making the rest of the room swirl around him in a slow blur. If he’d looked down to find them both floating and spinning in the air, he wouldn’t have been surprised. He was dizzy from the delicious scent emanating from her.

Her voice was a siren’s song when she spoke again. “Forgive me, Father, for I’m about to sin.”

Angeline’s mouth tasted like hot cinnamon candy as her lips descended on his. Her lip gloss left his mouth tingling. She might burn him alive with a single kiss. She chuckled as she continued her exploration of his mouth, as if he’d stated his thought aloud and she found it amusing.

Somewhere deep inside him was the place that was screaming that this must not happen, but it sounded like it was shouting from far away down a long, dark hallway, disappearing into a tinny echo. Quickly overtaking that voice was one penetrating thought that refused to release him.

I want her. I want her. I want her. I want her. The thought happened in rhythm to the beat of his heart.

Her lips left his mouth and made a burning trail over his cheek and up to the lobe of his ear. “Father Hadrian.” It was a breathy pant that held all the promise of a new universe unfolding.

He couldn’t remember what she said after that or even if she said something after that. The pounding of his own blood rushing through his ears—and other blood racing south in response to her nearness—had drowned out his ability to think or hear anything else but the lilting magic of her voice calling his name.

“Father Hadrian… ”

Her tone had gone from that of an angel to a writhing serpent as she rubbed her sinewy body against him. This was wrong. The thinking part of him clawed to get out. Something was all wrong about this, beyond the breaking of a vow. But he couldn’t form a coherent thought.

I want her. I want her. I want her.

“And you shall have me. Forever,” she said.

Had he spoken out loud? He wasn’t sure.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me right now,” he said, as her fingers slid under the Roman collar.

It startled him. His collar. Where were his vestments? There were more layers of clothing, or there had been a few moments ago. He glanced down to find the vestments somehow on the floor of the sanctuary. He started to pull away.

“No, Father. Eyes right here on mine. Stay with me.”

His gaze shifted back to her eyes and his will merged with her again. He didn’t realize his shirt was off until the air from the chilly room hit his bare chest.

“Oh, what a surprise. You must work out. Don’t be shy, Father Hadrian. It’s a crime
you never get to be inside a woman with this body.”

My Review:


One word that comes to my mind when I think about this novella: sinister. It might be the setting, because Las Vegas is just creepy (for me anyway), or the combination of a church with the twisted thoughts of the Father. Or all of it together. So if you like dark stories, this is something for you. :)


This story introduces us to the world of Angeline, half demon/vampire and half human, and Father Hadrian. Another character, Tamara, joins them soon. To be honest, Tamara is the most interesting character for me and I'm super curious who she really is and what is her story. Other thing I find quite interesting is the unique way of how Christians see the afterlife in this story. Very unusual.


This is light erotica, which is not usually my cup of tea, but the paranormal twist makes the story enjoyable for me. All in all I think the author managed to turn this novella into an intriguing introduction to the world of Angeline, Hadrian, and Tamara and that readers will want more. 

Rating:

Myths and Folklore: Persephone

Proserpine by Dante Gabriel Rossetti

 

Persephone is daughter of Zeus and Demeter, the harvest goddess. She is connected with spring, rivers, and plants and flowers, especially narcissus and pomegranate. During her childhood she was called Kore, which means maiden. Her Roman counterpart is Proserpina or Proserpine.
While she was picking up flowers she was abducted by Hades, the god/king of the Underworld also called Hades. She eventually fell in love with him, but still missed her previous life and her mother. So she decided to eat seven seeds from the pomegranate Hades gave her. (If you eat anything in the Underworld, you can't leave even if you are a goddess.) That meant a compromise, she could stay half of the year with her mother and the second half with Hades as his Queen.
There are many variations to her story as usual and everything is more complex.
Persephone also helped Psyche to pass Aphrodite's tests.





Books:

Goddess of Spring by P.C. Cast

An adult retelling of Persephone's story. Second book in the Goddess Summoning series.

To save her failing bakery, Lina trades souls with Persephone, the Goddess of Spring--and starts falling for hunky Hades.

The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

EVERY GIRL WHO HAS TAKEN THE TEST HAS DIED.

NOW IT'S KATE'S TURN.

It's always been just Kate and her mom--and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear that her mother won't live past the fall.

Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld--and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.

Kate is sure he's crazy--until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride and a goddess.

IF SHE FAILS...

Everneath by Brodi Ashton

 Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's...