Musings by Knitwits - The Global Bakery by Anna Weston

Once a month or so, Christinabean and I like to bring a craft, knitting or cookbook to your attention. We both love to pick up a pair of knitting needles or some other type of needle, or putter about in the kitchen and we like to share the love when we find a book that will help. This months selection is:

Published: October 14th, 2014

Publisher: New Internationalist

Pages: 184

Copy: From Publisher via Edelweiss

Summay: Goodreads

The diversity of the world's cakes are represented for the first time in one thoroughly researched volume. The amateur baker is taken on a journey across the continents visiting Cote d'Ivoire, Libya, Finland, Hungary, Azerbaijan, India, Cambodia, Papua New Guinea, USA, Colombia, and many more countries along the way.

Working on the premise that every culture must have a favorite cake, author-baker Anna Weston started researching the wonders of baking in corners of the globe that she's not likely to visit in the flesh. She soon discovered an amazing richness of cakes and found herself investigating cakes and delicacies that are well beyond the scope of most other books about baking—let alone her mother's fund of knowledge.

With all tastes and occasions catered for, the recipes have been fully tested in a domestic kitchen and feature sumptuous photographs. The book includes a number of vegan and wheat- and gluten-free recipes. These are marked in the contents list and in the recipes.

Anna Weston is the Office Manager at New Internationalist. She has been an avid cake baker for many years, taking great pleasure in adapting recipes to create new flavors and then trying out the results on her family and colleagues. She is passionate about getting the message across that baking is not just for the experts and that, all over the world, delicious cakes have always been produced in domestic kitchens with rudimentary equipment and ingredients


One thing I liked about this wonderful cookbook right off the bat was the fact that the author lets us know very early on that many of the cakes are baked with gluten-free flours.  This has become a huge issue lately and it's nice to know that authors/bakers are aware of it without having to devote entire volumes to the fact.  I also loved that she took 64 cakes into the office for her co-workers to taste test for the book, although - as she points out - not all at the same time! I don't like to cook much, but I do enjoy baking every now and again, and I have to admit that I was spoiled for choice. The recipes in this book come from every corner of the world and while all are very different, the similarities will surprise you 

 A lot of the recipes, from all over the globe, have fruit in them, which is nice for this time of year, and a lot seem to have almonds or other nuts - not my favourite, unfortunately. Many were incredibly simple, with only a few ingredients, like Bara Brith from Wales, or very complex, like Black Forest Cake from Germany. Mango Cake from India looks and sounds delightful and the Jablecznik (Applecake) from Poland wasn't far behind. How about Num Taloak (persimmon cake) from Cambodia - this one can use overripe peaches apricots or plums if you can't find persimmon. To be honest, there were so many interesting cakes I had a hard time choosing one to try. In the end, the Banana Cake from St Lucia won out, but mainly because I already had the pineapple and bananas in the house.  The result?  Mmmmm delicious. Carmelized bananas for topping anyone?

In short, if you love to bake and are ready to try something just a little different, I am sure you'll have no trouble finding something in this visually delightful book.

Enter to win a copy of Haze or Shadows by Paula Weston!!  Currently there are LOW ENTRIES so your chances are HIGH!!

Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the Shelves allows us to share the books we have added to our collections - physical, virtual, borrowed, bought or received.

Summary (by Goodreads)

New Year's Eve ended with a bang and Mary, Kat and Lillia may not be prepared for what is to come.

After Rennie's death, Kat and Lillia try to put the pieces together of what happened to her. They both blame themselves. If Lillia hadn't left with Reeve... If Kat had only stayed with Rennie... Things could have been different. Now they will never be the same.
Only Mary knows the truth about that night. About what she is. She also knows the truth about Lillia and Reeve falling in love, about Reeve being happy when all he deserves is misery, just like the misery he caused her. Now their childish attempts at revenge are a thing of the past and Mary is out for blood. Will she leave anything in her wake or will all that remain be ashes?

Ashes to Ashes is the last book in the Burn for Burn series.  Its a little bit like Mean Girls meet Carrie.  A contemporary series with a bit of a supernatural twist.  I was hooked with Book #1 and I'm looking forward to how it all wraps up.  Girls....we just can't duke it out and then let it go, can we?

- Christinabean

Enter to win a copy of Haze or Shadows by Paula Weston!!  Currently there are LOW ENTRIES so your chances are HIGH!!

The Madness Underneath - Maureen Johnson

Published: Feb 2013

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile

Pages: 290

Copy Provided by: Library

Summary: Goodreads

Summary:

After her near-fatal run-in with the Jack the Ripper copycat, Rory Deveaux has been living in Bristol under the close watch of her parents. So when her therapist suddenly suggests she return to Wexford, Rory jumps at the chance to get back to her friends. But Rory's brush with the Ripper touched her more than she thought possible: she's become a human terminus, with the power to eliminate ghosts on contact. She soon finds out that the Shades--the city's secret ghost-fighting police--are responsible for her return. The Ripper may be gone, but now there is a string of new inexplicable deaths threatening London. Rory has evidence that the deaths are no coincidence. Something much more sinister is going on, and now she must convince the squad to listen to her before it's too late. 

In this follow-up to the Edgar Award-nominated THE NAME OF THE STAR, Maureen Johnson adds another layer of spectacularly gruesome details to the streets of London that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

Review:

It has taken me a little while to get to book #2 of the Shades of London series.  I wasn't sure how the story would continue after Jack the Ripper in Book #1. He is a pretty serious player when we think of ghosts in London...unless you count royalty.

In The Madness Underneath, Rory becomes a terminus and can send ghosts onward with just a touch.  It does take a lot out of her though and others have discovered her skills as the ultimate ghost hunter. But they have different uses for her terminus skills.  The old Scooby team comes together again but in a more loose knit way.  Rory is stuck at school and only Stephen can seem to break her out because of his connections with the authorities.  As I was reading, I found myself giving Stephen a British accent in my head.  I'm sure Curlypow would get a kick out of that.

The storyline was rather slow for the first 1/2 of the book but then picked up quickly.  This second book took a turn that was completely unexpected and unpredictable but it worked and right when I was beginning to lose interest in the book.  Maureen re-invented the story and made it interesting again.  I love how this novel has been given a new lease on life.  This new twist has freshened things up immensely! One of the other things that kept me reading was Maureen's sense of humor.  I don't think I have ever read a novel that discusses the main character's boob job.  You really should follow her on Twitter. I get a kick out of some of her posts.

You will find language in this series but it is like a modern day Ghost Hunters (sorry Maureen, I know you don't like this show) meets Nancy Drew.  Fun!

Enter to win a copy of Haze or Shadows by Paula Weston!!  Currently there are LOW ENTRIES so your chances are HIGH!!

Friday Follow - September 26

Friday Follow is a blog hop that was started by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read.  Each week a different question is posted by our hosts and we will answer!  This is a great opportunity for bloggers to network and interact. 

This week’s question –

Question of the Week: Book character(s) you'd like to see with their own Twitter page - Suggested byA Great Read
One of my favorite characters is Jace from Mortal Instruments.  He makes me laugh outloud.  Although, so does Simon (just because he is SO geeky).  I would love to see their tweets. Another character I would like to see tweet is Calaena Sardothien from Throne of Glass.  I'm sure she would have some interesting things to say about her occupation as an assassin....

- Christinabean

Welcome to the Paperback Princesses! Make yourself at home, take a look around our blog and let us know what you think in the comments section. We would love to hear what you have to say about our posts. We often try to comment on your comments as well so feel free to start a conversation! Since there are two of us running the show, we always have a variety of titles and event postings. Be sure to check out our own personal meme page. Check out Fantastic Fairytales, Let's Hear it for the Boys, In Case you Missed it and a few others. We try to not only focus on new YA books but also great titles from the past.

Enter to win a copy of Haze or Shadows by Paula Weston!!  Currently there are LOW ENTRIES so your chances are HIGH!!

Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick

Published: Oct 2014

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Pages: 400

Copy Provided by: Publisher

Summary: Goodreads

Summary:

Sometimes danger is hard to see... until it’s too late. 

Britt Pfeiffer has trained to backpack the Teton Range, but she isn't prepared when her ex-boyfriend, who still haunts her every thought, wants to join her. Before Britt can explore her feelings for Calvin, an unexpected blizzard forces her to seek shelter in a remote cabin, accepting the hospitality of its two very handsome occupants—but these men are fugitives, and they take her hostage. 

In exchange for her life, Britt agrees to guide the men off the mountain. As they set off, Britt knows she must stay alive long enough for Calvin to find her. The task is made even more complicated when Britt finds chilling evidence of a series of murders that have taken place there... and in uncovering this, she may become the killer’s next target. 

But nothing is as it seems in the mountains, and everyone is keeping secrets, including Mason, one of her kidnappers. His kindness is confusing Britt. Is he an enemy? Or an ally? 

Review:

It has been awhile since I read a gritty novel like this one and I LOVED IT!!  My first thought after finishing the last page?  That. Was. Awesome.

In this gripping story, a girl is fighting for survival in the woods while being held hostage by two shady characters who may have murdered someone in an abandoned cabin.  Not only that but they have forced her to abandon her friend (Corbie) and lead them down the mountainside!

Becca Fitzpatrick is the author of the Hush Hush series with angels.  I wanted to see what this book was about because I LOVED Hush Hush.  I also like to see how authors continue writing with different storyplot ideas.  What a departure from writing about the supernatural!  She uses her beautiful poetic and descriptive writing style to create just the right ambiance for the reader.  The novel blazes through with detail, drama and lots of action.  

There are 3 main characters in Black Ice who play crucial roles - 

Britt, the main character is quite a spitfire. She is sure-headed when it comes to emergencies and seems to think pretty quickly on her feet.  The Britt we see in danger is a far cry from the Britt we encounter at the convenience store with Calvin before she climbs the mountain.  Its good to see a character come out of her shell when put into a difficult situation and take charge.  She wants to vacation on the mountain with her best friend Corbie.  Just so happens Corbie is her ex-boyfriend's sister and he will be chaperoning their vacation.

Calvin - he is the mountaineer and a perfect candidate for keeping an eye out for the two girls.  Coerced by his parents to watch his younger sister and her friend, he ends up meeting the girls on the mountain to make sure they have a safe holiday.

Mason - Mason is one of the men Britt meets when the girls get stuck in a storm and are looking for shelter.  He is tough to get to know though and seems to be hiding something.  He is a mystery and as a reader, I wasn't sure if he was a friend or a foe.  Its hard to figure out if he has a split personality and Britt should trust him or toss him to the elements.  

Be prepared for A LOT of action and suspense in Black Ice.  I found it to be a fast read because the pace of the storyline made me read more quickly.  I LOVE how this is a standalone title and Becca did an excellent job of providing a proper ending for the characters.  Something that was (what word do I say without giving anything away??) logical.  Black Ice would be a great getaway read...just don't start it in the evening because you may not want to put it down until you get to the last page!

Check out the book trailer below and don't forget to enter our GIVEAWAY for a copy of Shadows or Haze by Paula Weston.  There are low entries right now so your chances are HIGH!!  Good luck!

Enter to win a copy of Haze or Shadows by Paula Weston!!  Currently there are LOW ENTRIES so your chances are HIGH!!

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine,  that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating or books that are in our TBR pile.  This week’s “can’t-wait-to-read” selection is

Summary (by Goodreads)

The Breakfast Club meets Pretty Little Liars in Gretchen McNeil’s witty and suspenseful novel about four disparate girls who join forces to take revenge on high school bullies and create dangerous enemies for themselves in the process. 

Bree, Olivia, Kitty, and Margot have nothing in common—at least that’s what they’d like the students and administrators of their elite private school to think. The girls have different goals, different friends, and different lives, but they share one very big secret: They’re all members of Don’t Get Mad, a secret society that anonymously takes revenge on the school’s bullies, mean girls, and tyrannical teachers.

When their latest target ends up dead with a blood-soaked “DGM” card in his hands, the girls realize that they’re not as anonymous as they thought—and that someone now wants revenge on them. Soon the clues are piling up, the police are closing in . . . and everyone has something to lose.

I love a good suspenseful book and Gretchen McNeil always seems to come up with good ones!  This title was released last week but I did want to make mention of it.  If you do become a Gretchen fan, you might also want to check out Ten, Possess and 3:59 as well.  All VERY different story lines but great reads!

- Christinabean

Enter to win a copy of Haze or Shadows by Paula Weston!!  Currently there are LOW ENTRIES so your chances are HIGH!!

Fantastic Fairytales - Pennyroyal Academy by M A Larson

Published: October 7th, 2014

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile

Pages: 304

Copy: Publisher via Edelweiss

Summary: Goodreads

Pennyroyal Academy: Seeking bold, courageous youths to become tomorrow's princesses and knights….Come one, come all!

A girl from the forest arrives in a bustling kingdom with no name and no idea why she is there, only to find herself at the center of a world at war.  She enlists at Pennyroyal Academy, where princesses and knights are trained to battle the two great menaces of the day: witches and dragons. There, given the name “Evie,” she must endure a harsh training regimen under the steel glare of her Fairy Drillsergeant, while also navigating an entirely new world of friends and enemies. As Evie learns what it truly means to be a princess, she realizes surprising things about herself and her family, about human compassion and inhuman cruelty. And with the witch forces moving nearer, she discovers that the war between princesses and witches is much more personal than she could ever have imagined.

Set in Grimm’s fairytale world, M.A. Larson’s Pennyroyal Academymasterfully combines adventure, humor, and magical mischief.

It was lovely to read a fairytale retelling that was so different from the norm.  This takes all of the established 'Princess' tales and turns them upside down.  I loved the nod to stereotypes and the fact that princesses are not born, but are made.  The idea that a girl has to go to school to learn how to become a princess fit for a fairy tale is just wonderful and Ms Larson does a great job in setting up the story.

The mystery that is Evie was quite compelling and I for one was fascinated when I realized just exactly who she was referring to as her mother and father - what a wonderful departure from the norm. It's hard to talk about the story without giving major spoilers, but suffice to say, if you are a fairytale fan, I think you're going to love Pennyroyal Academy.  With plenty of fledgling princesses and knights and hordes of dragons and witches for them to fight, you can't go wrong. Oh and there is a lovely twist at the end.  I just loved this story.

Enter to win a copy of Haze or Shadows by Paula Weston!!  Currently there are LOW ENTRIES so your chances are HIGH!!

Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the Shelves allows us to share the books we have added to our collections - physical, virtual, borrowed, bought or received:

I've been rocking the ereader lately, courtesy of Edelweiss.  Look out for upcoming reviews of all of these.

This one from the library - Curlypow

Enter to win a copy of Haze or Shadows by Paula Weston!!  Currently there are LOW ENTRIES so your chances are HIGH!!

Shout Out to Indies - Anna: The Starseed Series by Meghan Riley AND Elixir by Ted Galdi

We here at The Paperback Princesses often receive emails from Indie authors requesting reviews and are blessed with free book copies. Often we are unable to get to so many titles before our mass market published books take over our TBR shelves. That doesn't mean there aren't plenty of great reads though! We want to give back to those Indie authors and are declaring EVERY SECOND SUNDAY our SHOUT OUT TO INDIES MEME. For those of fellow bloggers, please feel free to add our meme to your regular schedule. We only ask that you quote and link back to us as a courtesy. For all of you Indie authors, we invite you to contact us at the contact link to your top left. We will select 1 - 3 titles (each time we post) that sound interesting. Lastly, for you readers, this is a bit of a test so please do comment and let us know what you think. We will also be offering up giveaway copies whenever we can! So without further ado, here are this week's picks:

Blurb:

For as long as Anna can remember, she has had a smattering of freckles on her arm. But these freckles are starting to change, causing hallucinations and odd side effects that only she seems to notice. When a strange shadow man starts to haunt her nights, she decides to go on a hunt for the truth of what is truly happening to her.

The hallucinations grow stronger, the shadow man more nefarious, and Anna realizes that she can no longer hide from her friends and family what is happening to her. But as she shares her secret with those closest to her, Anna never imagines that her very life will be put in jeopardy.

Progressing toward the novel’s stunning conclusion, audiences will be left breathless as the ultimate question reveals itself: who—or what—is Anna?

Why I chose to write YA:

Growing up, books were always a comfort for me. They got me through a lot of rough patches by providing an escape. I wanted to write books that would do the same for other young people. I chose Young Adult, rather than children's books, because it's such an exciting time of a person's life, full of young love and new experiences. It's when a person starts to really decide who they're going to be as an adult and I think that's magical.

Author Info:

Meghan Riley graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Maryland and immediately pursued her lifelong passion for the written word. Her debut novel, Anna, presented itself as a way for Riley to inspire teenage girls to expand their interests beyond the typical teenage quandaries, ultimately encouraging females toward an interest in science. She is currently hard at work on the sequel toAnna.

Prior to editing and publishing, Anna was a 2012 Watty Award winner in the Science Fiction category and garnered over 108,000 reads. Now, the book is available to everyone on all major book channels. You can keep up-to-date with developments in the series at Meghan Riley's website and Facebook page.

http://www.mmriley.com

https://www.facebook.com/MeghanRileyAuthor

 And our second title for today: 

Blurb

Meet 14-year-old Sean Malone.  He has an IQ above 200, a full-ride scholarship to one of the country’s top universities, and more than one million dollars from his winning streak on Jeopardy!  However, Sean wishes he could just be normal.

But his life is anything but normal.  The US government manipulates him, using him as a codebreaker in pursuit of a drug lord and killing innocent people along the way. 

For reasons related to his personal security, Sean finds himself in Rome, building a new life under a new name, abandoning academics, and hiding his genius from everyone.  When he’s 18 he falls in love.  The thrills begin again when he learns that his girlfriend is critically ill and it’s up to him to use his intellect to find a cure, a battle pitting him against a multi-billion-dollar pharmaceutical company and the demons of his past.   

Elixir is a story about identity, secrets, and above all, love.

Why I write for the YA Audience

The late-teenage years are a terrific backdrop for stories because they involve a lot of "firsts": first love, first time being away from home, first taste of adulthood, etc.  Revolving the conflict of a book around characters who are in the midst of some of these "firsts" amplifies the emotional journey; there's not only more uncertainty among teenage characters in the face of conflict (while compared to "seasoned" adults), but also more passion, which leads to more drama and ultimately stories that leave an impression.

From a timing perspective, I also feel I'm in a unique position to write about YA characters.  As a twenty-nine-year-old, I'm far enough removed from this time in my life to be able to reflect on it with a clear head, which lets me understand the dynamics of that time without all the crazy emotions that were clouding it while I was living it.  However, as a twenty-nine-year-old, I'm also not that far out of touch with this point in my life - and some of the memories are still just as vivid as ever, which helps add an authentic kick to the writing.

Bio

Ted Galdi is a twenty-nine-year-old author living in Los Angeles.  Elixir is his first book.  He can be contacted atted@elixirthebook.com.

Official website: www.elixirthebook.com and

Goodreads page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/sho

Win a copy of Shadows or Haze by Paula Weston!!

Made for You by Melissa Marr

Win a copy of Shadows or Haze by Paula Weston!!

Published: September 16, 2014

Publisher: Harper Collins

Pages: 368

Copy: Publisher

Summary: Goodreads

Bestselling author of the Wicked Lovely books Melissa Marr’s first contemporary YA novel is a twisted southern gothic tale of obsession, romance, and murder. A killer is obsessed with Eva Tilling. Can she stop him, or will he claim her?

When Eva Tilling wakes up in the hospital, she’s confused—who in her sleepy little North Carolina town could have hit her with their car? And why? But before she can consider the question, she finds that she’s awoken with a strange new skill: the ability to foresee people’s deaths when they touch her. While she is recovering from the hit-and-run, Nate, an old flame, reappears, and the two must traverse their rocky past as they figure out how to use Eva’s power to keep her friends—and themselves—alive. But while Eva and Nate grow closer, the killer grows increasingly frantic in his attempt to get to Eva.

For the first time, New York Times bestselling author Melissa Marr has applied her extraordinary talent to contemporary realism. Chilling twists, unrequited obsession, and high-stakes romance drive this Gothic, racy thriller—a story of small-town oppression and salvation. Melissa’s fans, and every YA reader, will find its wild ride enthralling

First off, I have to say I just loved the whole Southern Gothic feel of this contemporary thriller/mystery. I've said it often that I'm not a huge fan of contemporary novels, but this one sucked me in very early on and had me so engrossed that I finished it in less than 24 hours. 

Eva's character was real. Her confusion and suspicions were palpable and her reasoning sound.  Following along with the 'clues' as she did, made for several rather nasty surprises, many from out of left field and I was just as confused as to who the killer was as the characters were.   Hindsight is always 20/20 and after the conclusion I was hit with a major duh! moment when I realized that there had been a pretty big clue that I missed completely.  Don't you just love it when that happens?

The blurb calls 'Made for You' a wild ride and I have to agree in every way.  This was a fast paced thrill ride that had me gasping in several places.  I could not put it down.  A very exciting stand-alone novel that I thoroughly enjoyed and will have no trouble at all in recommending. - Curlypow

Follow Friday - September 19

Friday Follow is a blog hop that was started by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read.  Each week a different question is posted by our hosts and we will answer!  This is a great opportunity for bloggers to network and interact. 

This week’s question –

Blogger pet peeves? – provided by Take Me Away…

I absolutely hate broken links....so if you find a broken link on OUR site, please let us know!!
Another pet peeve is that I prefer when I click on a link, that it opens in a new tab so I don't have to flip back and forth.  That INCLUDES contest entries!
- Christinabean

Welcome to the Paperback Princesses! Make yourself at home, take a look around our blog and let us know what you think in the comments section. We would love to hear what you have to say about our posts. We often try to comment on your comments as well so feel free to start a conversation! Since there are two of us running the show, we always have a variety of titles and event postings. Be sure to check out our own personal meme page. Check out Fantastic Fairytales, Let's Hear it for the Boys, In Case you Missed it and a few others. We try to not only focus on new YA books but also great titles from the past.

Win a copy of Shadows or Haze by Paula Weston!!

Haze Blog Tour

Welcome to the Haze Blog tour!

So if you missed the first book in The Rephaim series, let me re-visit - 

Summary (by Goodreads)

It's almost a year since Gaby Winters watched her twin brother die. In the sunshine of a new town her body has healed, but her grief is raw and constant. It doesn't help that every night in her dreams she fights and kills hell-beasts. And then Rafa comes to town. Not only does he look exactly like the guy who's been appearing in Gaby's dreams, he tells her things about her brother and her life that cannot be true, things that are dangerous. Who is Rafa? Who are the Rephaim? And who is Gaby? The truth lies in the shadows of her nightmares.

In Shadows we were first introduced to the Rephaim.  It was complicated for someone who had lost their memory. Gaby discovers that she is much much more than a girl who has encountered tragedy and lost a loved one.  Her life is much more complicated and valuable. In fact, she is so important that people are looking for her...but what do they want from her?  

Shadows brought us into the world of the Rephaim.  I don't have much experience reading about angels but I did find it interesting how Paula explained so much in this book.  About how angels go to war and their different factions.  Gaby's life is complicated and oh so interesting!  I couldn't wait for Book #2 to continue so we could unravel more about her life.  And of course see how Rafa fits in...

Summary (by Goodreads)

"But what if we can’t find Jude?" 
He leans closer. His breath is warm on my ear. "We will."
"How can you be so sure?" I want to believe him so badly, but this is Rafa. The guy who’s all action and no plan. His smile is tired, knowing. An echo of a shared past I don’t remember. 
"Because I’m not smart enough to give up, and you don’t know how to." 

Gaby Winters’ nightmares have stopped but she still can’t remember her old life. Still can’t quite believe she is one of the Rephaim—the wingless half-angels who can shift from place to place, country to country, in the blink of an eye. That she was once the Rephaim’s best fighter. That demons exist. That Rafa has stayed. 

But most of all, she can’t quite believe that her twin brother, Jude, might be alive. 

And Gaby can’t explain the hesitancy that sidetracks the search for him, infuriates Rafa, and sends them, again, into the darkest danger.

Review:

(Yes, there will be spoilers!)

Ah, Jude!  Book #2 of the Rephaim series centers around discovering more about Gaby's planted memories and the possibility that her brother may still be alive.  Before she lost her memories, they were on different sides.  But what if he were alive now? Would he remember her?  Would they still be feuding?

To be honest, the first half of the book was a bit of a slow read for me.  It could be for you as well but there are plenty of details that will help you understand the last 1/2 of the novel.  The book REALLY picks up about 1/2 way through as Paula weaves her story and the reader feels more integrated.  I felt like I was reading at warp-speed!!  There is some serious pulse-pounding, heart-thumping action!  Things start to get very involved as we see the relationship between Rafa and Gaby develop.  After all, he becomes the main character she depends on.  Jason also begins to shape into a better supporting character in Book #2.

There is so much that starts to be uncovered in Haze!  Thank god there are 4 books in this series!  I'm not sure that Paula could have packed so much into a trilogy!

One of my biggest concerns when reading a series is that a title suffers from "second-book" letdown but Paula pulled out all the punches and kept me engaged in the story. Book #1 helped shape the characters and Book #2 shaped the story with plenty of intrigue and action to carry the reader into a suspenseful, anticipatory wait for Book #3.

Overall, I am really enjoying the Rephaim series.  I think you will too so I'm going to offer up a GIVEAWAY!  You can choose either Shadows (Book #1) or Haze (Book #2).  The rules? You must be a follower of this blog.  The contest is open to anywhere The Book Depository ships.  Additional entries can be earned by following the directions in Rafflecopter.  GOOD LUCK!  The contest will run until the end of the September.  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A HUGE thank you to Paula Weston and Tundra books for including us in their blog tour!!

Oh, and by the way...I took a little quiz to find out which character I am and...

Must be my desire to make things...and my lack of supernatural abilities :)

For those of you who have read either Shadow and/or Haze, which character would you be most likely to hang out with?

Happy Reading!

- Christinabean