Athena's Curse by Stacey Darlington

Goodreads Blurb:
Is it a curse or a gift of the gods?

Thirteen-year-old Asudem has a hard enough time having snakes instead of hair but now her eyes have a burning new power that turns living things into stone. She sets out across the most dangerous part of Lower Olympus to learn how she got this infuriating ability. Her best friends, Drella the Goddess of Chaos and Vanity and Pretal the Lion Goddess, join her as she battles past the most terrifying monsters of Greek mythology on her journey to find the answers. Can she discover where she fits in this world of gods and goddesses?

My Thoughts:
Athena's Curse by Stacey Darlington
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Middle Grade novel

Pages 144

Published by Bedazzled Ink Publishing and their Dragonfeather book imprint

www.dragonfeatherbooks.com

Cover Design by: Deborah Davidson


Let me start by saying that I love, love, love this amazing cover. It is vibrant and fun and stunningly beautiful. This is a story of coming to age with thirteen-year-old Asudem on a journey of self discovery. She's thirteen, her head is covered with 14 beautiful and individual snakes. Each one has their own name and personality. Her eyes burn red and can turn living objects to stone with a heated glance.


Asudem is accompanied by her friends Drella and Pretal. They are very detrimental in Asudem's quest to  find her destiny. They make an equal amount of friends and enemies during this adventure and it will keep you wondering what is going to happen next.


Asudem's journey would not be as fun, adventurous, or enlightening without all the help and guidance she receives along the way. This book is a great read for those looking for a new adventure into mythology and the Gods. Very clever read.


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Hot Seat with Cally Jackson!

Today I am being Roasted    Hosted over at Cally Jackson's blog at Cally Jackson Writes so I please visit over there as I am away steeping in my ice bath trying to recover. If your feeling up to it, sign up with Cally for your turn in the Hot Seat. It is a blast and she is a wonderful hostess!

This the the HOT SEAT, come sit and have a chat with Cally!
I also have some Google+ invites I can hand out. Let me know if you need one and send me your email address!

Left, Right, … no, go Straight!

Image by jimmyharris via Flickr

Way back when I was a teenager, I used to play a game with my friends on the weekends. We would jump in the car and play left, right, straight. Once we start driving we would take turns telling the driver which way to go.

Yes, you can get lost out in some really awesomely spooky country settings this way but it is totally hilarious and fun. Many times we would be indecisive on where to go so this was always a fun way to spend our time and find new adventures.

I sometimes relate this to my writing because when you are in a scene and getting ready for another chapter you may not know where to take it. So it is similar to playing this game. You might make them turn left into some obstacle or right to find some wonderful adventure. But you can also keep them on the straight and narrow to keep the story on track to build the story a little more.

Everything that we do with our writing is sort of this game of chance to see where we will end up. I love the adventure and will always be willing to play along. The surprises of turning off course once in awhile always surprise me in the most unexpected ways and lead my characters and stories down paths that I would have not normally plotted out for them.

It is my joy of being a punster because I don’t make any definite decisions for where my story will go and it will flow as I turn or stay on course. And yes, occasionally I get lost, but it is finding my way back that completes my journey.

Have you had anything like this happen to you or can you relate your writing to? Tell me what your writing is like.


Also look for me Thursday over at Cally Jackson's blog. I landed my tush in the HOT SEAT! Read how I sweat it out.

Werewolf Descent by Elizabeth J. Kolodziej

Werewolf Descent by Elizabeth J. Kolodziej

My rating: 4 of 5 stars




Well now I am on the edge of my seat again. We last left Faith with Trent recovering from a butt kicking journey of her discovering her heritage of becoming a witch, being stalked by slayers, her mother revealing more than Faith wanted to know about her father's death and an uncertain fate.

Now just when Faith and Trent think that they can start building their new relationship, a new man moves to town. Vincent -- a psychic vampire, who is obsessed with Faith and is likely to move in on Trent's territory. But the problem is, Faith feels the surge of energy too when she is with Vincent. He cannot be ignored. But the question that begs to be answered is will she?

Faith's connection with Zou Tai is tested when they find that the werewolf pack is being hunted and the werewolves are being murdered. She is willing to do what she can to protect him and help his family from being kidnapped and slaughtered. Faith soon realizes that her powers will be tested when she is up against a powerful alchemist.

Friendships, bonds and futures are strained, bent and tested through this magnetically charged novel as Faith and her team go up against deadly forces, deceptive gods and love. This book was very seductive and alluring making it a tough choice for Faith.

Elizabeth surprises me again and has me wanting more as I am yet again salivating over her latest creation!

You can also read my review of her first book Vampire Kisses here.
If you want more information on Elizabeth and her work go here.


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The Lake - Banana Yoshimoto

I got the chance to read this from NetGalley

Goodreads Blurb:
A major literary sensation is back with a quietly stunning tour de force about a young woman who falls for a cult escapee.

While The Lake shows off many of the features that have made Banana Yoshimoto famous—a cast of vivid and quirky characters, simple yet nuanced prose, a tight plot with an upbeat pace—it’s also one of the most darkly mysterious books she’s ever written.
It tells the tale of a young woman who moves to Tokyo after the death of her mother, hoping to get over her grief and start a career as a graphic artist. She finds herself spending too much time staring out her window, though ... until she realizes she’s gotten used to seeing a young man across the street staring out his window, too.
They eventually embark on a hesitant romance, until she learns that he has been the victim of some form of childhood trauma. Visiting two of his friends who live a monastic life beside a beautiful lake, she begins to piece together a series of clues that lead her to suspect his experience may have had something to do with a bizarre religious cult. . . .
With its echoes of the infamous, real-life Aum Shinrikyo cult (the group that released poison gas in the Tokyo subway system), The Lake unfolds as the most powerful novel Banana Yoshimoto has written. And as the two young lovers overcome their troubled past to discover hope in the beautiful solitude of the lake in the country- side, it’s also one of her most moving.

What I thought:
The Lake by Banana Yoshimoto

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Chihiro becomes distant from her father and sees her dead mother. She is very much and introvert and loves watching out her window until she finds that she is has something in common with another neighbor in the apartment complex who window watches as well.



Chihiro befriends her window watching neighbor Nakajima and begins an intimate relationship but doesn't know how much of a commitment either one can have. Nakajima has some traumatic past experience that Chihiro is trying to figure out.



It took me awhile to get into this book. It was a good read but it didn't have me right away.



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Rules of Attraction - Simone Elkeles

Goodreads Blurb:

When Carlos Fuentes returns to America after living in Mexico for a year, he doesn’t want any part of the life his older brother, Alex, has laid out for him at a high school in Colorado . Carlos likes living his life on the edge and wants to carve his own path—just like Alex did. Then he meets Kiara Westford. She doesn’t talk much and is completely intimidated by Carlos’ wild ways. As they get to know one another, Carlos assumes Kiara thinks she’s too good for him, and refuses to admit that she might be getting to him. But he soon realizes that being himself is exactly what Kiara needs right now.

What I thought:

Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This doesn't leave off where Alex and Brittany did in Perfect Chemistry. Instead it focuses on his younger brother Carlos. He comes back to live with Alex while Alex is in college. A rival gang of Carlos' in town is looking to recruit him into their new family.



However when Carlos gets busted with drugs, he is forced to go and live with friends of Alex's and starts to develop a strange friendship with Kiara. Kiara is the daughter of the professor that Carlos is staying with and she doesn't want to admit that she is falling in love with Carlos.



Carlos is in over his head with El Diablo is threatening his family if he doesn't join them. Kiara strains the boundary of their friendship and pushes the limits of their passion.



This book is highly recommended for those who love YA contemporary.



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Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I cannot even begin to tell you how much fun I had reading this book. Since I read all formats on all devices, I will tell you I read this one on my iPhone through my Kindle App. This book had it all, fun, mystery, romance and quirky YA sardonic undertones.


When school pop-princess, Brittany Ellis is paired with macho gang member Alex Fuentes in their Chemistry class, all hell breaks loose. I almost fell out of my chair and truly laughed out loud when I read their partner introductions. That brought me back to high school in a big way. Assigned seating and getting a short Q & A with your new lab partner and then having to introduce them to the class.


All of Alex’s sarcastic and perverted advances to Brittany during Chemistry fail. His hatred of everything she stands for makes him do the unthinkable. Alex makes a bet with one of his friends to seduce Brittany Ellis and win a car.


The only thing that Alex doesn’t count on is falling for her. Brittany has many challenges that she faces in her home that not everyone is aware of. Her sister Shelly has Cerebral Palsy and doesn’t communicate well. Britt’s parents expect her to be perfect, but she can’t and goes into total rebellion when her parents decide to send her sister away.

Alex is in the Blood to protect his family. His mother and two brothers that were left behind after his father was murdered. Alex is man of the house and must find balance between both his and Brittany’s worlds. Alex is plagued with more trouble when he goes around questioning his father’s murder. He finds more than he bargains for.


They both make enemies and unexpected allies along their path or romance. I would highly recommend this book to everyone. Especially those drawn to YA contemporary.



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Next I am reading Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles.