Review: Venom by Fiona Paul

Title: Venom
Author: Fiona Paul
Publisher: Philomel
Publishing Date: October 30th 2012
Pages: 432
Genre: YA Historical Fiction, Mystery/Thriller
Series: Secrets of the Eternal Rose #1
Source: Print ARC Provided by SouthernBookBloggers

Goodreads Summary:

Cassandra Caravello is one of Renaissance Venice’s lucky elite: with elegant gowns, sparkling jewels, her own lady’s maid, and a wealthy fiancé, she has everything a girl could desire. Yet ever since her parents’ death, Cassandra has felt trapped, alone in a city of water, where the dark and labyrinthine canals whisper of escape.

When Cass stumbles upon a murdered woman—practically in her own backyard—she’s drawn into a dangerous world of courtesans, killers, and secret societies. Soon, she finds herself falling for Falco, a mysterious artist with a mischievous grin... and a spectacular skill for trouble. Can Cassandra find the murderer, before he finds her? And will she stay true to her fiancé, or succumb to her uncontrollable feelings for Falco?

Beauty, love, romance, and mystery weave together in a stunning novel that’s as seductive and surprising as the city of Venice itself.

Review:

I love historical fictions and I love mysteries. This book sounded perfect for me. The cover grabbed me right away. It is so gorgeous and the tittle is very intriguing. The book was full of mystery, suspense, romance, and adventure.

Short and fast version of the book, Cassandra lives with her aunt, kept under lock and key for the most part, and has been arranged to marry in the near future to a man she barely knows. One night a close friend is murdered, then her body stolen which leads to Cassandra meeting a very mysterious boy named Falco, learns to break a few rules, and gets mixed up in the mystery of a killer. In a web of lies and secrets she doesn’t know who trust and finds herself in danger.

I loved the setting in Renaissance Venice, the parties, the city, and the way of living. The author made the setting feel real to me. I loved reading about the gowns, the jewelry, the masks.

The plot was awesome The mystery was woven together so well, I couldn’t figure it out for the life of me. I would think “oh it’s got to be…” but then within the couple of chapters, I was ready to change my mind. I am usually good with mysteries, but this one had me stumped. I didn’t know how to trust and was afraid of who it would turn out to be.

The characters were pretty cool too. Cassandra was a real character for me. I loved her at times and hated her at others. She seemed so smart one moment then the next she would make a stupid decision. Normally I would chalk this up to being a teenager, but in the era this book takes place she was considered to be a mature lady. She really wanted to do right by her friend who died, to find her body, solve the mystery. She was fearless and determined, I admired this at first. The further along in the story it became apparent that Cassandra didn’t care who she put in danger along the way, herself, her friends, her family, or even her staff. That kind of bugged me, but I the good side of Cassandra still won me over in the end.

The two boys in the story, Falco the mysterious boy and Luca, her intended were equally awesome yet questionable.  I liked both boys well enough but the book spun me into such a spiral I really didn’t trust either. I think in the end it ended the way it needed between the subtle love triangle.

The book started a little slow, but still kept me interested enough to keep on going. A little over halfway, I couldn’t put the book down and in the end I felt satisfied and very eager for the next book.

Rating:

Trailer: 

24 Hour Read-A-Thon Literacy Mini-Challenge

Literacy Mini-Challenge

I really wish that I had some pictures of my children reading. I do somewhere but my pictures are so disorganized. Both of my children ages 15 and 19 now enjoy reading. My daughter,19, loves everything and anything like me, my son, 15, is a bit more picky but once he finds one that he likes, he latches on and reads straight through. 

I have always loved reading and I really have my mother, a avid reader, to thank for this lovely hobby, OK obsession of mine. I remember when I was young, probably around 7-8 years old she signed up for a monthly mailing of books. Sweet Pickles. I loved these books. They were the first books I read on my own. If you have never heard of Sweet Pickles you should find one and read it. There were 26 of them that I know of. A-Z, each with an animal that needs to learn a lesson. I still remember some of my favorites and looked them up to show you. 

 

So when my daughter was about two I signed her up for the Disney monthly mailed book club and when my son was but the same age I signed up for Dr. Seuss. we spent many nights before bed reading their favorites,  first My hubby and I read to them then when they were older they read to us. 

  

  

24 Read-a-Thon Mini-Challenge: Book Puzzle

My Book Puzzle:  

   

   "The" 


Update on my Reading: I have been distracted alot and yes started to get tired. I I have not finished a book yet. I am 50 % done with Dead is a Killer Tune and 25% done with The Scarlet Omen. I am running slow but I am getting there!  

Hour 10 Challenge- Bookmark Challenge

I chose option 2 to post what I like to use as bookmarks. First off I am a bad doggie-ear person. If the book I am reading is my book to keep I doggie-ear and I make really large doggie-ears. If it is a book I borrowed or going to use as a giveaway I use bookmarks. I like to buy cute magnetic bookmarks

(these are the ones I am using right now, cute huh) 

 but I tend to loose them A LOT, so I grab whatever I see. I have been know to use my library card, postcards from magazines, junk mail, receipts, ticket stubs, whatever I can find nearby. 

So my updates.

I have started Sora's Quest and am 30 percent done. I am switching back and forth pretty good, ADD with books.
I hope to at least finish 2-3 books by the time I go to bed.
I am about to take a walk and start my audio of Back Dead Than Ever. 

Blog Tour: Ember and Iridescent by Carol Oates

Tour Schedule Here

Title: Ember
Author: Carol Oats
Publisher: Omnific Publishing
Publishing Date: July 19th 2011
Pages: 237
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
Series: Ember #1
Source: Kindle

Goodreads Summary:

When Candra Ember wakes up in hospital after a dangerous encounter with a red-haired woman, she is shocked to discover that seeing a winged boy wasn’t her imagination. Candra is exposed to a world of rivalry and sacrifice she never knew existed, and the aftermath of a war to save humanity thousands of years ago. Soon she finds herself relentlessly stalked by Sebastian, a beautiful and arrogant Watcher Angel and romantically pursued by his darkly seductive rival, Draven. Ultimately, dubious about her own goodness, Candra’s very existence compromises a tentative peace in the city of Acheron.


Review:

I have had my eye on this book for quite a while, Once When I found a blog tour for the first book, and I jumped on it. I was drawn to the book by the cover alone. It is so beautiful; in fact when I signed up for the tour, it didn’t even register the book was about angels. I only skimmed the synopsis. I am actually glad I did. I have had my share of angel books as of late and would have missed out on a wonderful, beautiful, powerful read. I absolutely fell for this book.

So the short version of the story: teenage girl, Candra (love the name) wakes up on a normal day, ends up in the hospital, realizes some creepy new stalkers in her life, she was lied to and kept secrets from her entire life, nothing is at it seems, and now her life isn’t even her own…. Oh and there are 2 hot guys fighting over here?

Short version with a little more detail: Candra has a terrible accident and ends up in the hospital. From this moment nothing in her life will ever be the same. She finds out angels exist, she is part angel, and now she has to save the angels and the world. She was pretty okay with this until she actually falls in love with the one guy she shouldn’t be with. She has to choose, love or life.

I will admit that I was a bit confused in the beginning and for the first 50 pages or so; I had a hard time getting into the story. The story moved pretty quickly but it was almost too quick into the background and I found myself having to reread a few things and was still a little lost. The explanations didn’t always seem to be clear, maybe it was intentional because further down I was no longer confused and I was in deep. Could not put the book down, don’t talk to me, don’t look at me, I am in my zone.

The plot was a bit different the most fallen angel and angel stories, I really enjoyed the spin on the age old tale of angels in the YA section of the book store. There was a bit of a love triangle but not really, one was love and the other a strange pull, attraction, chemistry. The love story was actually very heart wrenching for me, a forbidden love that just didn’t seem to have way to be. There were a few scenes where I was crying, chest aching, and I wanted to throw the book, except it was my kindle so I couldn’t. I was really glad for those really sexy steamy scenes to give my emotions some balance.

I was really attached to Candra and to Sebastian; it was very easy to do. Candra was a very selfless heroine and she took her fate with grace and dignity. She believed she only had one choice and no matter how hard it was to save the world at the expense of her own happiness, she would do it. I respected her; I would have been selfish and kept the hot guy. As long as I had him, right. I fell for Sebastian, but it was a slow fall. At first he is arrogant, hot-headed, and pretty cold. Once he opened up and started to allow himself to feel, I fell hard. He is smooth, sexy, and saws just the right things at the right moments.

This was not just a paranormal romance for me, the love, the sacrifices, the pain, and the rare moments of joy really got to me. I laughed and I cried. I can’t wait to read the next book.

Rating: 

Ember Book Trailer:

Iridescent (Ember #2)

October 16th 2012

Candra Ember used to dream of saving the world one person at a time. She never expected to become an angelic weapon and the last hope in the battle against ultimate darkness.

Falling for a Nephilim wasn’t part of Sebastian’s plan. Distraction is something he can’t afford when his rival, Draven, wants what Sebastian has.

Lies, manipulation, and corruption are twisting the lives of the citizens in Acheron. The Arch is missing from Heaven, and a demon is intent on claiming the city. At a time they should be growing closer, grief and paranoia is driving Candra and Sebastian apart.

If the price of restoring the Watchers to Heaven is a human soul, who deserves to be saved?

Iridescent Book Trailer:

About the Author: Carol Oates

Carol Oates has never been one to remain still for long. After her mother’s mad dash to the hospital through the empty city streets of Dublin, Ireland, Carol made her debut into the world in the early hours of Christmas morning. Since then her pace has not slowed down in the least.Carol was introduced to the world of supernatural books when, as a child, her family moved to a coastal suburb of north Dublin known as Clontarf; famous as the birthplace of Bram Stoker, the prolific author responsible for breathing life into the legendary story of “Dracula.” This stirred in Carol an early passion for reading about all things supernatural. When that passion was combined with a deep interest in the history and folklore of Ireland, as well as an active and vivid imagination, Carol Oates, the author, was born. Carol’s love of writing about anything not entirely “human" emerged.

Website/Goodread

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Readathon: 24 Hour Readathon

I was so excited when I saw this posted on a fellow bloggers site. I love read-a-thons and it was time for another one. I will not be able to stay away for the entire 24 hours and read but I will read for as many hours as I can. If you would like to join.. it starts Saturday October 13th 7am CST- Sign ups here!

Here are some books I hope to get through.... 

Will you join? and What will you read?

Introductory Questionnaire

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?

I am reading from the great state of Texas

2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?

I am really looking forward to Dead is a Killer Tune and This is not a Test. 

There are a few I need to get out of the way first, so I hope I at least get to one of them. 

3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?

I have guacamole dip and Chips, cheese cubes, and kolaches and coffee on the way for breakfast. I may make a candy run later and probably lots more coffee. 

4) Tell us a little something about yourself!

hmmm, I am book obsessed (apparently) I am not too good with words, I love people (especially ones that are book obsessed) I prefer to read snuggled in my oversized chair cuddled with my German Shepherd. 

5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is

 your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?

This is my first 24 hour read-a-thon, I hope to be able to stay up late. I am looking forward to a bunch of reading, mini-games, and getting to know so new to me bloggers and chatting with those I already know.