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Visualizzazione post con etichetta english. Mostra tutti i post

20/12/13

Honey Moon by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

It will be because Christmas is approaching , and we all feel more the need for a family, or simply because the last book I read "The Diary of Marie Antoinette 2" (or " The lost diary of Marie Antoinette " )  bored me a lot, the fact is that  I literally devoured Honey Moon. And I was moved to tears (very often , too) , despite being forced to read it in English (that is, obviously, not my native language).

Let's start with the title , which also means less Anglophone knows that " honeymoon " , but which in this case is nothing more than the name of the protagonist : Honey Jane Moon . A special name for a girl even more strange . We met her for the first time when she is 15 years old , an orphan who lives in an almost abandoned amusement park , with a depressed aunt  , and an eighteen year old cousin , not quite awake and fairly " easy." The life of Honey has so far been a big mess , and the future looks even worse , but she is not girl from surrender. Never. Indeed, despite being the smallest, all the responsibility are falling on her shoulders . So, to keep his family afloat, she groped to sell the amusement park at Disney, to make the next Disneyland. But it will be for the position, in the middle of nowhere in South Carolina, or will be because it is completely dilapidate, but this business plan does not seem to be successful . So, she jump on option B, which consist to make the recalcitrant cousin a TV star. And to do that , she thinks is enough to carry her physically in Los Angeles, with a battered van , and let her pass an audition to get the part . But of course life is never how we expect it.

Honey Moon in my opinion is a beautiful novel. The main character, Honey , is adorable : a bitch with a heart of gold, so as to make imperfect tenderness. Personally, I have found much in her, even though on paper we have very little in common . Probably it is this unconscious need of a family that binds us together . And the fear , and sometimes the need to be alone.
Honey is a very well outlined , and although some of the pages makes you want to get inside the novel to spank her butt, then you strangers a second and rem

ember that she's just a little girl, with all her sacrosanct defects  . Even the male characters are well sketched , even if they are not as attractive as those to which we have become accustomed by Susan Elizabeth Phillips in her  " Chicago Stars" series . I believe that in "Honey Moon", Phillips has faced more than ever, the concept of " imperfection" (which is one of the main themes of her works ) . In addition, one must give credit to the writer , who is one of my favorites , to be able to touch also important issues ( such as pedophilia ) trying to remain " mild ." Although we must admit that the idea of change of Lily is too sudden to be credible . But these facts due notes , my judgment on the book remains unchanged : a very good read , enjoyable perfectly in English ( if, like me, you are starnger), because written in a simple way.
So good reading!

RATING: 8 , could not be otherwise after all the tears I shed ;)

Tht image is taken freely from the author's website : http://www.susanelizabethphillips.com/books.html

23/10/13

Biting Bad by Chloe Neill

And here we are on the eighth volume of my favorite vampire series : "The Chicagoland Vampires. And I really loved this one.
But here's where we are : the Cadogan's house has officially left the Greenwich Presidium, but obviously this step will not be without problems ... And things are not going well in Chicago . Let's say that Merit & Co. at this time are not exactly the most beloved people in the city. Among a series of spontaneous riots against the vampires and the public subdued by that funny guy called McKentrick , the life of Merit is increasingly messy ... And what about Mallory ? She decided to repair the mess that she'd combined, making amends right in the Cadogan family , but Ethan does not feel like this idea ... and who does not understand ? But the truth is Merit & Co. , with all the problems that they have,  can afford to make it without a super witch? I'm not really sure...
And then there's the relationship between Merit and Jonah ... always on the edge of the attraction ....

And here is the updated order of the series:

1 ) Some Girls Bite
2 ) Friday Night Bites
3 ) Twice Bitten
4 ) Hard Bitten
5 ) Drink Deep
6) Biting Cold
7) House Rules
8) Biting Bad
9) Wild Things , will be published in America in February 2014


If you are interested in the saga of Chloe Neill , please take a look at Chloe Neill's web site: http://www.chloeneill.com/

28/04/13

The Morganville Vampires 6 - Carpe Corpus by Rachel Caine

And now here we are at the sixth volume of this beautiful saga "The Morganville Vampires" by Rachel Caine. Start by saying that "Carpe Corpus" is a beautiful novel ... finally one that keeps me awake until late at night to finish it.

In addition, this sixth volume is critical for the series, because here ends the brackets (Bishop - Amelie), which kept us in suspense for 6 novels. Do not expect any cliffhanger ... this time there are not ... But rest assured, the story of Claire and his friends continue .... (I'm currently in the middle of 7 ...)
Well, since in Italy has not yet been published even the 5th novel (Lord of Misrule), obviously this post is all a spoiler, so if you do not want to give surprise effect, forget it and do not read on!
But where were we? Claire has been transformed into a sort of "mindless slave" from Bishop, while Shane (more charming than ever), is locked in a cell with that asshole of his father. Amelie is reported missing, Michael was deprived of his will, Eve is alone, pissed and feels abandoned, and finally Myrnyn seems the biggest traitor in the history of vampires. Here, the story begins from this "pleasant" situation ... Luckily the power of  Bishop on Claire is not permanent, but is "activated" only when he wants, and this is perfect, because then, our queen of the gray cells can still make them work ... sometimes. Obviously, in a small town like Morganville, the voice that Claire has become a kind (and very reluctantly) of "shoulder" of the terrible Bishop puts us just to go out, and our little heroine is transformed in a short time in the human person most feared and hated of all. Surpassing even Monica (amazing right?), Which due to her non-transferable "skills", seems to have managed to ingratiate himself with Bishop, doing it again forget everyone to be a real bitch. So if you were hoping to find a Monica frightened and weak, let it stay, because ... "Tremble, tremble, witches are back!"

Carpe Corpus is a novel very enjoyable to read. The constant twists and turns confuse us and draw us continually in reading. Also, I must admit that the doubles final, oddly enough (since I'm not very fond of the genre) just works. In addition, in fact, to give us a starting on how can continue the story, gives us another side of Claire. Up to the last pages, in fact, I had never Claire so terrified.
And to think that to make she so afraid is not a vampire or some supernatural being, but a "simple" human ...

But let us close this review of "Carpe Corpus" with a juicy spoilers: Shane and Claire finally make love ... But do not expect the fireworks ... remember that this series is classified young adult, and so no juicy details ...

Our other reviews:



The Morganville Vampires 5 - Lord of Misrule by Rachel Caine




The Morganville Vampires 4 - Feast of Fools by Rachel Caine




The Morganville Vampires 3 - Midnight Alley by Rachel Caine




The Morganville Vampire 2 - The dead's girl dance by Rachel Caine




The Morganville Vampires - Glass house by Rachel Caine



RATING: 8 1/2 (for now this is my favorite volume of the series)

SUITABLE FOR ABOUT: Do not take itself too seriously, and want to immerse themselves in a "fun" way to spend a couple of hours of "joyful" reading, without forgetting moments with a lot of action!

13/04/13

The Morganville Vampires 5 - Lord of Misrule by Rachel Caine


And here we are at the fifth volume of the urban fantasy saga "The Morganville Vampires", Lord of Misrule.

OH OH ... I just finished reading (of course in English as in Italy has not yet been published), and the only thing I would say is: OH OH ....
So where were we? Ah, yes, after the "wild party" , we are officially at war with Bishop, and the sides seem to be well defined. On one hand we have the "good ones" : Claire, Eve, Michael, Shane, Amelie, Oliver, and virtually all of the Morganville we have hitherto known and in the part of the "invaders" are Bishop and his merry company ... Obviously, these camps are not stable at all, in fact. To complicate matters, a spirit of rebellion is raised by humans of Morganville, convinced that the time has come to finally banish the vampires from the city ... And who they take it immediately "insurgents"? but obvious, the vampire sympathizers of the old regime, for example the Morrels. Here, I must say that the pages dedicated to Monica, the most beloved / hated throughout the city, I was very impressed. She's a bitch, no doubt about it, obviously, but my passion for the characters 'bad' has long been known, for which, see "break down" psychologically and somewhat physically upset me a lot .. .
But back to the story: the war in the city quickly becomes guerrillas, Claire seems to be a turning point of the story (remember that at the end of the 4th novel by Amelie was leaving on a mission to save the crowds Myrnyn?), But perhaps and most likely, it's just a pawn in a chess much larger than her. And then there is the problem of trust. Whom can we trust? At this time, I swear, I do not know.

I like this 5th novel, Lord of Misrule, although I must admit less than the previous ones. See the whole story from the point of view of Claire (which often is not in the center of the story), it's pretty frustrating. It seems to be truly hidden during the war, with two enemy armies that fight behind the door of your house, and you do not know what's going on ... It 's really frustrating.
And then, as if that were not enough, the last pages are pure adrenalin: fear and bewilderment are mixed, leaving you exhausted, with only one idea in mind: to go to a library to buy the next one, Carpe Corpus  .. . and while we're waiting to open, we can always turn to the internet in search of juicy spoilers, and I guarantee you, there are lots of them!

VOTE: 7

SUITABLE FOR ABOUT: In previous reviews of the series, I'd recommend it to anyone looking for something that is fun and also action, but to me this 5th novel differs slightly from the previous ones. The "funny" parts, in fact, are present in very minor part. It 's like the story  Rachel Caine wants to tell us is "maturing", becoming more complicated, infact she  introduce some new feelings, like frustration and compassion.

http://www.rachelcaine.com/

OUR REVIEWS:


The Morganville Vampires - Glass house by Rachel Caine




The Morganville Vampire 2 - The dead's girl dance by Rachel Caine




The Morganville Vampires 3 - Midnight Alley by Rachel Caine




The Morganville Vampires 4 - Feast of Fools by Rachel Caine


10/04/13

Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton


Today we'll talk about one of the sexiest heroines, lustful ever written: Anita Blake. Eyes and hair blacks, a strong character, and a particular craft ... the "re-animation" at Animators Inc. of St. Louis. You do not know what it is? Well, Anita, with  "special" powers, awakens the dead in cemeteries for questioning ... about what? From the evidence in the processes of murder, to inheritance disputes, there are many occasions to create "temporarily" zombie. But Anita does not stop here. Beside her full time job, in fact, is also a vampire slayer authorized (and here there is not need too much explanation, no?) Oh, yes, because in this world the supernatural beings exist and are well known, and the law of man has equipped for: if a supernatural being (vampires, werewolves, etc..) commits a murder, the law'll provide a "contract", thanks to which Anita or those few who do her work, has the right to delete the "monster". And Anita is very good at this, so that the supernatural beings have saddled a tender nickname ... "The Slayer" ...
The St. Louis that offers us Laurell K. Hamilton, is a special world: mysterious, sensual, and very dangerous, because if you'd have doubts, you are assured that this  "martial" law on supernatural beings does not detract them at all to commit the worst crimes ... 
Since the second chapter we meet Jean Claude, a super sexy vampire who prefer as weapon, the sensuality  to the brute force (which still does not hesitate to use). And sensuality is just one of the main drivers of this series. If in fact, in this first novel, our protagonist seems so cold as to seem frigid, you can be sure that going forward in the saga, her eros will take over ... and in a lot of ways very "atypical" and various ...

Oh yes, I must admit that I have loved this series (which still has not arrived at the end), although novel after novel, often turns into a sort of "50 shades" version of urban fantasy ... But honestly, if you love the genre, it's not so bad ... indeed! ;)
So, you just need to arrange the first book  and give you the reading ... It will not be a waste of time!

RATING: 8/9 (this is the first urban fantasy book I've read, and since then I am madly in love like that, so maybe I was a bit tight with the vote. Beacuse, if it was not for Anita, I never found out the full urban fantasy).

SUITABLE FOR ABOUT: who loves a good novel full of action, but if you go along with the saga, you have to be prepared and not too picky: the parties take over super HOT!

READ ALSO: This item is difficult. I sincerely believe that Laurell K. Hamilton is the author of more hot like that, it's hard to find someone else to write about sex in a more valid and "colorful" way. So, if you liked this saga, you should also give a chance to the  Merry Gentry' series, also written by her. Here the events are still HOTTEST, and instead of vampires we are talking about fairies and related ... If not, if you want to change the author, you can try Kery Arthur, and her most famous saga, whose main character Riley Jensen, a rare hybrid of vampire and werewolf. Here, too, there is a high rate of seduction, although less and less respect to Anita and Merry ... Belive me!

08/04/13

Single White Vampire by Lynsay Sands


Ok, now let's talk about one of the most enjoyable vampire series ever written: The Argenau Series. If you've never read one, I suggest you get started now!
Meanwhile we say here, "vampirism" has a strange genesis (very different from those we are used to), and the characters are in their own way ... very "special".
This series is very prolific (for now in America have been published no less than 18 novels), although in Italy have been published only 5, and with an order not very faithful to the original. But there is no problem, since the novels are pretty self-conclusive. Yes, because every story revolves around the family Argenau (they are all vampires), and each novel is about a device.
But today we talk about "Single White Vampire ", the third in the series, but the first published in Italy. Here the protagonist is Lucern, a sexy vampire just 600 years, the eldest son of the family, who works as a writer of romance novels in costume ... And here begins the story surreal.
The co-star is Kate, his new publisher, who, despite knowing that his hot author is a kind of hermit, forces him to do a promotional tour ... Obviously Lucern is not very easy to manage as well as the "light problem" and the "blood issue" (which of course Kate did not even imagine), in fact, say that the temper of associating the beautiful writer crabby and combines perfectly with a "festival literature rose ", where among a herd of wild fans, and a host of writers a bit 'special (there is not one normal), where one of the scenes that I absolutely have more fun, thanks to the medieval " balls' bag "(pass me the very "technical "term) of the tights of the protagonist ... prepare the handkerchief, I cried from laughing ...
Among gag delicious, and growing suspicions, we not only discover the true nature of "vampirism", and forget about demons etc., but we see the birth of one of the most  absurd "odd couples" of the history ...
Of course, and needless to say, no one in the  Argenau family is very "normal" ... so, I highly recommend you continue reading this saga to immerse yourself in one of the worlds most fun ever created by a human pen ...

What can I add to this novel? I must admit that I read a couple of years ago, and after, I completely immersed myself  into the whole saga, reading a dozen ... After a while, my mind, however, needed to wander a bit, so, I abandoned it (for now). Of course,  I remain vivid memories about the family Argenau (and especially this novel), and, obviously a wonderful evening spent with laughter (which never hurts ;)

RATING: 8

SUITABLE FOR ABOUT:  who needs a book to have fun. Do not expect too many adventures, here the action is almost non-existent, but despite this, I recommend it loudly!

READ ALSO: obviously if you combine the words "vampire" and "laugh", we immediately think of the saga of Sookie Stackahouse, although in my personal opinion you laugh less than the novels of Lynsay Sands. But I make a provocation: if we abandon the fantasy to read (time to time, that is) for a good romance novel full of humor? Here's my advice: read the  "Chicago Stars" saga by Susan Elizabeth Phillips (in America is considered one of the most valuable "pink" pen ). In her novels, of course vampires or elves and witches, there are none, but what about laughters ... those there are several! Guaranteed!

Here is the website of the author, Lynsay Sands

http://www.lynsaysands.net/books/

30/03/13

The Morganville Vampires 4 - Feast of Fools by Rachel Caine

And here we finally arrived on the 4th volume of the series "The Morganville Vampires, it's called Feast of Fools, the last, for now, published in Italy by Fanucci.
What can I say? If at the end of the third we were convinced that there was something big and dangerous coming, now we are absolutely certain!
A new big bad vampire has come to town, and the balance is messed up immediately. All our certainties go to hell, and the readers (that are now completely become one with the Glass House), find ourselves in the midst of doubts and hopes ... Oh yes, because while we are absolutely convinced that Bishop and his two henchmen are the most dangerous in the city, on the other hand, perhaps it is thanks to them that we can imagine positive developments for Morganville and all its inhabitants (of all types).
And then into the city are arrived also the parents of Claire, who despite their authoritative tone, look just lambs led to the slaughter ...
In this reality so similar to a chessboard, where the future is at stake (and life!), of so many people, black and white mix all the time, and it is very difficult to distinguish what is right.

In this book, the story gets even more messed up, and the characters are more "twisted", but also very "human". Oh, yes, it is very easy to understand, for us, who are outside, what moves every move of Michael, but perhaps, in the role of Eve would be displaced in the same way ... who knows ...
And then there's our favorite young couple, Claire and Shane, as usually adorable. She, more and more the real turning point of the whole affair, and he ... well he is always the same, a bright knight with apparently no stains, but we swear, hides a lot of secrets (and I'm sure not very nice).

Between a party "triggered" (and if I may say so I think that the ability of the author, Rachel Caine, makes the maximum right in the paint these parties, extreme, dangerous but absolutely irresistible), battles, danger, and a series of twisted lies , we come to the end, more than ever opened. And Morganville will never be the same.

Compared to previous novels, here the tone evolves, palpitations rise to a thousand and anxiety takes over. I defy anyone to walk away from the scene of the dance. Impossible!

RATING: 8 - I think that this series will amount to this brilliant media.

SUITABLE FOR: Do not take itself too seriously, and want to immerse themselves in a "fun," to spend a couple of hours of "joyful" reading, with a lot of action!

OUR REVIEWS:


The Morganville Vampires - Glass house by Rachel Caine


The Morganville Vampire 2 - The dead's girl dance by Rachel Caine


The Morganville Vampires 3 - Midnight Alley by Rachel Caine



The Morganville Vampires 3 - Midnight Alley by Rachel Caine


And here we come to the third volume of this amazing saga, "The Morganville Vampires . Where were we? Ah, yes ... 
Obviously, if you have not read the first two novels, I do NOT RECOMEND TO CONTINUE TO READ!

At the Glass House is always on fashion loves and disasters ... and transformations! Michael made the great leap from half ghost, half man turned into a 100% vampire ...  It is not a small thing ... Especially because no one haven't understood what is involved, and how to behave ... And Claire was given herself spontaneously to Amelia as her "protected" or better slave, but for now there are still neither required nor bites ... Eve has decided that for now it's okay to have a vampire boyfriend, but she is definitely not too thrilled, and Shane is always the same, perhaps more controversial than usual. He has a crush on Claire, who certainly reciprocates, and hates all vampires, and consequently Michael ...
Monica, the super enemy of Glass House, seems determined to forge a friendship with Claire, but who knows why, there seems not to be a choice, so spontaneous and natural ...
And then there's Amelia, who wants something from Claire, and  Oliver wants Claire because Amelia wants her  ... In short it is a mess!

In this third novel, we finally understand why Claire is so important (and let me tell you it is wonderful that finally this is due to the super healthy minds, than supernatural powers), and especially what is really Morganville.

I must say that I loved this novel. Meanwhile, in the saga joins Myrnin, a very old vampire, scholar and completely insane, whose relationship with Claire is worth hours and hours of analysis ...
Also, I think compared to the other two volumes, here Rachel Caine has managed to dose correctly the various components: there is plenty of action, and a lot of feelings, humor and a good dose of sex appeal ...
And then, this saga gives dependence, in short, was the time when I read "Chicagoland Vampires", which passed so quickly from one novel to the next, so completely losing myself in the events and relationships that I think are dotted really well. In fact, in this arc, although the story is always told from the point of view of Claire, the other main characters, do not lose intensity, indeed ...
So, to close, I would recommend to anyone who has read the first volumes to continue reading, and those who do not read them (and that should not even reading this post!) To be brave and face the first novel. It will not be a waste of time. I PROMISED!

RATING: 8, as I said I liked it as much as the first volume, and then the surprise ending is always a winner .... So, do not start it if you do not immediately available to the 4th. Trust me, you will not be able to leave Morganville!

SUITABLE FOR: Do not take itself too seriously, and want to immerse themselves in a "fun," to spend a couple of hours of "joyful" reading, without forgetting the moments much action!

OUR REVIEWS:


The Morganville Vampires - Glass house by Rachel Caine




The Morganville Vampire 2 - The dead's girl dance by Rachel Caine


Ok, as anticipated, I was struck by the town of Morganville, and I'm literally devouring them one by one. Today we speak of the second novel, The dead's girl dance.  Life in Morganville is always the same: the vampires rule and humans live in fear. Until in the Glass House comes the father of Shane, ready to make a bloody revolution, driving forever sucking blood from their city. The plan is not as well articulated, and fellow-warriors of the "revolutionaries" are a gang of bikers, beer lovers and super wrapped in leather jackets. And their leader, does not seem all right, but still ... 
I must say that compared to the first novel, the story here is much more heart-pounding, with a lot of twists and battles. The rhythm of the author is super addictive, and in the blink of an eye you will find yourself immersed in this world, so "different"and, let me tell you, "demonic." Morganville seems obviously that hell, but at the same time, I love that it remains so "human", a place  where there is still friendship, wild parties, and other  "normal" problems.
Of course I could not not fall in love with the characters. Starting with Claire, who, not very slowly, evolves from a shy little girl, into a super heroine all gray cells ... Which will be also 16 years old, but looks much smarter than a lot of people of 30 (they also often combine a lot of trouble, so ...). Sure, maybe the side that has left me upset more, is the whole love affair :an absolutely NO to sex between a 16 year old (almost 17 year old!) and a twenty year old ... Well, first of all, in Italy, all the girls are always the ones with the olders (and no one ever does a scandal), and then I want to say that after a daily risk of dying from monsters, why she is not ready for the big step to lose her virginity? In short, I swear, it seems to me that she has a head on his shoulders a lot more than me ... And for wanting to be super critical to the core, I must say that this "morality" from village bothers me a little ... Obviously probably think so because to us here in Italy there is no ban on drinking alcohol up to 21 years, but the question is: when there are all these issues of life and death, and you, the human, are not more that a gas walking with blood, is so necessary to demonize alcohol and other excesses? Mah .. And then there's Eve, the dark girl. Maybe she is the one that is evolving most of all. In the first novel she was a character completely deird, fairly new, but now she has become more "normal", losing, in my opinion, much of hers strength. In short, I preferred the foul-mouthed and strange Eve more than the "cleaned" one. 
And now let's talk about boys: there is someone for all tastes. From super charming blond, to the reddish with sad eyes, passing to the "indomitable knight" and matched trouble ... 
In short, as Eve tells us in his diary, to be with a guy who died for half the time does not have to be just a walk ... 
And here we come to the point that I really love most about this saga: the intelligent humor with which Rachel Caine tells the story.

http://rachelcaine.com/welcome/

RATING: 7 1/2, I will counter, but I liked it less than the first novel, that I found much more lighter and fun. 

SUITABLE FOR: Do not take itself too seriously, and want to immerse themselves in a "fun," to spend a couple of hours of "joyful" reading, without forgetting a lot of action!

If you want to read a "review" of the first volume of "The Morganville Vampires", go to our article:

http://sexyurban.blogspot.it/2013/03/the-morganville-vampires-glass-house-by.html

28/03/13

The Morganville Vampires - Glass house by Rachel Caine


Ok, I've finished now to read, and I can tell you that I liked it a lot! Its biggest flaw? It 's too short ... I would have liked more pages to devour.
But let's start with calm. The mai character is  a young girl (nerd) of 16 years old,: she is absolutely stubborn and obstinate. For now, she does not have much in common with the other heroes of the sagas I've read so far: there are no super powers, just a lot of intelligence and common sense.
Let's start with a little summery of the plot: Claire, the girl whose first, is not only intelligent, but a true genius, infact she is admitted to college with a couple of years in advance. Claire is sent by her parents to study in Morganville, a little town in Texas, in a little college. Obviously the life for a young girl and super smart nerd, is not exactly pink flowers ... Alone, without any friends, it takes no time to get into trouble with the Queen Bee of the campus, Monica (she's even worse than the Queen of "Mean Girls"). Treacherous and dangerous, she forces, in a very short time, Claire to leave her room on campus for an house in the city. So she meets her three new roommates: Eve, a dark bartender , Shane, amazing don giovanni, and Michael, the owner of the villa, charming and mysterious. Of course, the town of Morganville, is not a normal place, but it's full of secrets and "special" inhabitants  ....

In this novel (and I hopeit'll be in the entire series, I promise I shall devour  in no time), the tone of the story is so light, to remember me the Sookie's adventures. Even the characters, especially the 4 tenants, are outlined in a delicious way, almost like being catapulted into the sitcom like "Friends" or "How I met your mother", where the characters are super well together. In addition, unlike other series that I've read lately, here, no one grieves all the time, but rather, they are all very pragmatic: for every problem there is a solution, maybe it'll mess up everything even more, but at least you have tried ....
I find beautiful even the idea of ​​choosing a gothic waitress for the co-main character. After reading dozens of Shadowhunters and Anita Blake' novels, I must admit that I love the idea that the "Gothic style" can be considered a mockery of vampires. Honestly, I'd had enough of rompers techniques from "hunter" and lace blacks. And then, if I were a vampire, I probably will be offended by  all the clichés, from all black gothic clothing, Romanian accent and so on.
I would like to close with a film metaphor, if we were talking about a Batman movie, the one represented in this novel would be much more similar to Tim Burton's ones than Nolan ... Irreverent, funny and somewhat clever, never take itself too seriously!

http://rachelcaine.com/welcome/

RATING: 8

SUITABLE FOR WHO : Do not take yourself too seriously, and want to spend a couple of hours of "joyful" reading

READ ALSO: Well, as written above, the saga of Sookie Stackhouse is a little the touchstone of this genre. In addition, although there are substantial differences in the stories told, I recommend you to read the "Argenau Series". Here the comic tone is much more pronounced (in Morganville Vampires is only hinted at), even if the stories, purely romantic, do not contain many action elements.

27/03/13

Shadowhunters - City of Bones by Cassandra Clare


Today, we speak the language of teen ... Or rather Young Adults (YA) ...
We are talking about "Shadowhunters" a  urban fantasy saga, where we can find anything and everything, from vampires to werewolves, through fairies, demons and so on and so forth ...

In these days I immersed myself in this world, where the main character is "Clary" or better Clarissa, a sixteen year old little girl with red hair, nice but not a sex bomb ...
Hers normal world, made by the school, a friend a bit "strange", and overprotective mother and a little pain in the ass, is to a certain extent distorted by "visions" of incredible beings, and the encounter with 3 guys a bit " special: they are hunters, or rather Shadowhunters ....

Sure, summarized as the story of the first novel seems very trivial, but as once the genius of John Irving wrote in the introduction to "The World According to Garp" (which if you have not read, do it now because it is a masterpiece ), if we are talking about a good novel, the question and the answer to "what is the book about ?" are both irrelevant.
Now, just to be absolutely explicit, for sure, "Shadowhunters" does not become part of the cornerstones of literature, not of kind, but it certainly contains some interesting aspects.

I have to admit that last week when I started reading the first novel, I have not exactly lost in its pages, it may be because the  teenager's issues who still live with their parents are left behind me many years ago, the fact is I was about to leave the company to read the whole series. But then the story took an unexpected turn, and then here I am to devour them one after the other. Of course, we're not talking about novels that keep you awake until the morning, but some are appealing to all tastes.
In this saga, as well as  "family" problems(which I personally leave me a bit chilly), there are two interesting topics. Like any good romantic person worthy of respect, of course, the concept of unrequited love tearing me apart ... In addition, the theme of forbidden love, in this case because incestuous, made me immediately turn on the light and a thousand questions jumped to my mind ...
In particular, I wondered if it should be considered "incestuous" relationship between two individuals, brothers simply because of the DNA ... in other words, if two people have grown up in two completely different worlds, without knowing each other, love each other is necessarily forbidden? I must admit that, despite my preconceptions, I'm not so sure .... Of course, nature tells us that this is so, marrying between blood relatives,  the health of future generations is weakened, but the question remains: is morally wrong? Or if we want to put in another way, the "blood" is so fundamental to define us?

Here, as you can see, even though we are talking about a series set among teenagers, in a world of teenagers, surely these novels are not so "simple" that it should be left out, if you are a little older and fans of urban fantasy genre.

VOTE: 6

SUITABLE FOR WHOM: not afraid to delve into a world of teenagers, of prohibition, curfews and parents ...

READ ALSO: the saga " house of the night." Even here we are talking about teenagers novels, but with a tone much more "lightweight" (I personally prefer this series so far, I hope the next novels make me think different).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Cassandra Clare was born to American parents in Tehran, wrote mainly the series "Shadowhunters", which so far consists of two strands:

Shadowhunter:

Shadowhunters (The Mortal Instruments)
Shadowhunters - City of Bones (2007)
Shadowhunters - City of Ashes (2008)
Shadowhunters - City of Glass (2009)
Shadowhunters - City of Fallen Angels (2011)
Shadowhunters - City of Lost Souls (2012)
City of Heavenly Fire (publication is expected in 2014)

Shadowhunters - Origins (is a series of prelude, set in the Victorian era)

Clockwork Angel (2011)
Clockwork Prince (2012)
Clockwork Princess (2013)

18/03/13

The Midnight Breed Series by Lara Adrian


Today we'll talk about a vampire saga, "The Midnight Breed Series," written by Tina St. John under the pseudonym of Lara Adrian. The saga for now includes 10 novels, all of them already published :

1)  Kiss of Midnight
2) Kiss of Crimson 
3) Midnight Awekening
4) Midnight Rising
5) Veil of Midnight 
6) Ashes of Midnight
7) Shades of Midnight
8) Taken by Midnight 
9) Deeper Than Midnight 
10) Darker After Midnight
11) Edge of Dawn (Coming Soon)

This saga is different from the more traditional ones (like Twilight), because it is choral: the protagonists change, novel after novel. Despite this, the stories intersect each other, so it's  not recommend to read them in a different order from the publication.
The core of the story revolves around the ORDER, an ancient group of vampires' warriors that  are meant to protect their people from various enemies. Since the first novel it's clear that the problems mainly arise within the community of vampires: we start with the Rebels, or bloodthirsty vampires that have lost their head completely, and then continue with other more "complex" problems .
We're talking about a series that is mainly romantic, any novel focuses on the love story of a character. Here love is seen as the absolute sense, which does not require an end, in fact, in most of the cases  when someone realizes that he loves someone, the doubts disappear and do not appear NEVER '(real life maybe a little more fucked up isn't? )
I must admit that this is one is not one of my favorite series, I don't know if it's the fault of the structure that tends to recur in an increasingly similar, novel after novel, or because I personally too fond of a character and I would never leave it ... who knows?
However, despite this, I have to admit that the reality of vampire's world and some characters are very interesting.
For example, I particularly liked " Midnight Awekening" (No. 3), where we feature two of the most special characters. Her, Elise, devoured by the desire for revenge, and he, Tegan, the most controversial and dangerous warrior of the Order.

In this series, the sexual component is really present, although I think there are novels or series where the attraction "makes more sparks" (such as the series Chicagoland Vampires or Fever).
However, to close, we are talking about one of the most successful urban fantasy series, so I suggest you try to read the first, you are not constrained to read them all ... maybe I'm completely wrong.... ;)

If you want to read this series I recommend you go to this website, where you'll  find a
lot of information plus: 
http://www.lastirpedimezzanotte.it/index.php

The site author is instead: 
 http://www.laraadrian.com/home.php quiet

VOTE: 6

SUITABLE FOR WHO: Love romance novels and you want to completely immerse in a different world. Probably the idea of ​​choral narration makes the reader enter more into the fantasy world created by Lara Adrian.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Lara Adrian, or rather Tina St. John, is not new to the series, in fact, has already published the "Warrior Trilogy" and a medieval saga-called paranormal "Dragon Chalice Series".

17/03/13

Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning


If you don't have read the forth novel yet ( In pursuit of the ultimate truth), I recommend to jump over and DO NOT READ!










I must admit that I started reading this book late at night, and I could not stop until 7:00 in the morning, when I finished (no problem, the next morning was Saturday, so I could sleep). And while I was sleeping I continued to dream about Mac and Barrons, as if these two characters, that are so different,  had entered under my skin. But what left me? I do not know exactly ... definitely sad, because this novel was the last in the series, and I can not wait, even now that it took a couple of days, to throw myself into this dangerous and mysterious world again, where I can not understand very well what white  is. .. I would say many other things about this novel, but I'm afraid to spoil the surprises (and believe me there are so many that you do not have no idea). So, to close, maybe if someone reads it and then want to talk with me, please email me so that we discuss it together ....
Happy reading ...

The FEVER SAGA

The Chicagoland Vampires by Chloe Neill


Ok, now let's talk about one of the vampire series I am most passionate about: The Chicagoland Vampires.
This series creates an incredible addiction!
Why? Well, it's fun and very very sexy. We are in a world where vampires have announced to the world their existence, ending it to live in the shadows. The main character is Merit, a Chicago girl, stubborn, lover of books and with not a very active life, until she is transformed into a vampire. At that moment, her life takes an unexpected course. From "scholar" is transformed into a war machine super-equipped and very difficult to defeat, and enters in her life one of the most sensual and irresistible character that I have ever read: Ethan Sullivan, Master of Cadogan family of Chicago Obviously he is beautiful, charming and has a somewhat ironic unbeatable. The sexual tension between the two leaves you breathless ...
That's if I had to look for another male character that joins, I think he'll be Erik's "Cycle of Sookie Stackhouse." I do not know why, maybe because they are both blonde and irresistible, the fact is that in my personal altar of villains / heroes (depending on your point of view) are super sexy and funny. They are together in the first place.
In the world created by Chloe Neill, there are not only vampires, but we have from werewolves to witches, from nymphs to fairy, she does not miss anything, and of course the stakes you do, book after book, more and more high ...
The series consists of seven novels so far, and in total it provides 10:
1) Some girls bite - Some girls byte
2) The girls bite on Friday night - Friday Night Bites
3) The second bite - Twice Bitten
4) The going gets tough - Hard Bitten
5) Threat from deep - Drink Deep
6) Biting Cold (not yet translated into Italian)
7) House Rules (not yet translated into Italian)
8) Bad Biting (output in America is scheduled for August 6)

Since, as already mentioned, this series creates absolute dependence, Chloe Neill decided to come to us, in fact, going on her website you can find a section where there is the first chapter of the next novel ...

http://www.chloeneill.com/

VOTE: 7 - 8 - 9 ... (I will put the best, but maybe it's just because I find absolutely irresistible Ethan Sullivan ... who knows? I can not be impartial this time)

SUITABLE FOR WHO: Looking for something to replace the "Cycle of Sookie Stackhouse." However, although here you laugh, you do not do so much ...

Battle Royale by Koushun Takami


Ok, let's start by saying that if anyone has not read this book should definitely read it. This is a masterpiece. And  it's from this first work that inspired the Hunger Games trilogy, so ...
Can not miss it. To entice you a little bit more, I tell you that the film based on this novel, is the top ten of Quentin Tarantino ... need I say more? Well, I can also say that it is one of the best-selling books in the history of Japan ...
However, now we enter the details: this novel is a kind of modern and splatter "1984". Hunger Games, which I of course I loved and devoured and which I will discuss in a couple of posts, is the Disney version of Battle Royal, so if you have trouble reading of strong scenes, this is NOT the book for you. For everyone else, go immediately to buy it!
We are in the Republic of Greater Asia, at a time not well defined. In this reality completely totalitarian, takes place each year on "program". A third class average is taken and transported to sneak up on a desert island, and the purpose of the program, which is nothing more than a sadistic game, is to stage a fight to the death, where the 42 participants (21 males and 21 females) will kill one with the other, until obtaining a single winner and survived.
The pace of this novel is relentless, and the fact that each chapter begins with the accounts of the survivors makes it even worse. The fact that the narrator changes, making speak on "players" that they die is exhausting. In the description is left unturned, every gruesome detail is present and there are no tricks of any kind, the kids die, and not in a "polite", indeed.
The result, in my opinion, is a novel super addictive, making you twist your guts and leaves you drained, disgusted and perplexed at the same time with the mechanism crazy but not so far away from the reality of men. By gladiators to the "players of the Program", there is not much difference, apart from the age ...
This is a book that comes in, and does not go out, as only the best stories can do.

VOTE: 10 - is a bastion of genere
SUITABLE FOR WHO: You can not be too impressed. Do not expect romance. This book is about surviving and how to survive.
THE AUTHOR: Koushun Takami. Unfortunately it seems that Battle Royale is to be his only novel ....
READ ALSO: All the work of Bret Easton Ellis, in particular "American Psycho" and "Glamorama." Although the plots are completely different, these two authors share the same style "raw" in the telling of evil and his "madness". In addition, as mentioned above, the Hunger Games trilogy, it seems to take inspiration from this novel, smoothing the corners too sharp, and bringing the story to a level even "romantic", that in Battle Royale is virtually nonexistent.

16/03/13

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Who does not like fairy tales? I certainly love them, especially if they are revisited in a clever and post-apocalyptic way...With this novel, we are in the distant future, where the earth is populated not only by men but also by cyborg. The protagonist is Cinder, a "Cinderella" made more than metal than meat ... We are in the Far East, in a New Beijing overpopulated and very racist. If we have seen the Disney's story, we'll usually imagine a Cinderella a little passive waiting for her handsome prince , but our Cinder is not at all this kind of woman. And if the original dreamed long dresses full of laces, our heroine prefers hers convenient and dirty mechanic's suit. And what about Prince Charming? In this book he is full of doubts, he is a little prince and very man.In this chaotic and overcrowded world, wanders a new disease, fatal: it is the plague. Takes all, no one is immune, not even the King, and the search for a antidote has no results. And as if all that were not enough, to complicate matters there is the danger of a war between the earth and the moon almost certainly see the Lunars winners.In this reality, we find our Cinder, which, as in the fairy tale, it is not loved by anyone, except by a friendly "robot" bungler , and to make matters worse she believes to be "wrong" because made of metal and not meat.This is the real clue of this novel: racism, the fear to be accepted by others and by yourself .
http://www.marissameyer.com/id/VOTE: 7
SUITABLE FOR WHO: looking for a book is "different",  urban fantasy but with different ingredients. A dispassionate advice: this novel in US has had amazing reviews, try to read it even if you're not passionate about cyborgs, science fiction or fairy tales, because in my humble opinion, we are talking about a small pearl. This is definitely a book smart and funny, and I think that we should try to "help" those who try to do something different ...
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: This book is the first in a series that the author, Marissa Meyer (which is obviously not the CEO of Yahoo), plans to write revisiting the classic fairy tales, from Cinderella to Snow White,  passing by Rapunzel.The second in the series, called "Scarlett" (and that is the retelling of Little Red Riding Hood), was released in America last month. I have not read it yet, but from what I understand from the various U.S. blog, even though the protagonist changes, the story of Cinder continue ...Unfortunately the other two novels that should be the standard are not yet been published (we hope, however, that they have already written ;)

Fever Series

This is the latest series of urban fantasy books I've read, and, of course recommend it to everyone. Reason? Brilliant, sexy, with absolutely incredible characters and a tone somewhere between fantasy and trhiller. Everything is not what it seems, no one is who he claims to be, the truth is perhaps overstated.The main character is Mac, an American girl from the South and sidhe seer totally unaware. 22 years of beauty and huge love for fashion and pink. With this series we are in a Dublin almost apocalyptic, including fairies (FAE) of all kinds. In a world where black and white, good and evil, are never what they seem ...Obviously can not miss male protagonists absolutely fascinating, from the dark and irritating Barrons, to the beautiful and deadly V'lane. Between continuous twists, Mac (and the reader) is thrown into a whirlwind of emotions too complicated to analyze, surrounded by brotherly love and the most sensual, looking for revenge, peace and salvation for the world.For those who have not yet penetrated the world FAE, but for now it is still tied to the security of books about vampires, this is a nice way to start: the reality that Monig offers us is concrete and sureale, dark and complex, and overwhelming .
 
The series consists of five books:1) The secret of the forbidden book2) The Mystery of the Lost Talisman3) The curse of the black moon4) In pursuit of the ultimate truth5) Shadowfever (not yet published in Italy, but been out for years in America)The success of this series is global, so that Dreamworks has already won the rights ....RATING: 9SUITABLE FOR ABOUT: loves a rapid pace, and before long to immerse themselves in this incredible series. A word of advice: if you start to read the first, you can not help but devour them all, because, like any self-respecting series, everyone ends up with a nice twist completely unexpected.ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Karen Marie Moning, who may know for its hit series "Highlander" (but I still have not read), has a style easy to read, even in English (although I must admit that when certain characters speak in "slang" Irish is a bit complicated).www.karenmoning.com/kmm/

 P.S. I'm sorry for my english, I'm an italian girl, and it's the best can i do for now... I'll try to do best...