Most Anticipated

It's time once again to comment a bit on the books we're most looking forward to in the next year. Here we go...

May

A Prior Engagement by Karina Bliss: Yeah, the more I think about the premise of this book, the more excited I get to read it. It's a back-from-the-dead fake engagement fake amnesia type of thing, and if anyone can make that work it's Karina Bliss.

Dare You To by Katie McGarry: Pushing the Limits was a well loved book, and not just by me but in general. It was on the Dabwaha bracket (though it dropped off in round one), and I believe it's also a RITA nominee. So I can't be the only one looking forward to the second book like it's my birthday and Christmas and National Free Chocolate Day.

July

Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews: This book needs to be in my hands like now. This is probably my favorite ongoing UF series and I am too impatient to wait.

Saga, Vol.2, by Brian K. Vaughan: Saga is weird and wonderful, bizarre sci-fi goodness. I know it's not for everyone, and certainly not for my usual fan base, but I can't wait for it.

Midnight Frost by Jennifer Estep: What I'm most hoping for with this one is a more epic scale and more progression in the overall plot. Of course, I'm also just looking forward to more Gwen and hopefully more Logan.

Macrieve by Kresley Cole: This one seems promising to me, not only because Kresley Cole has amused me more often than she's disappointed me (though she did disappoint me in style), but also because I find that I generally like her Lykaes. Historically, those have been the heroes that I found the sexiest and most appealing, so I really don't see how this one could go badly.

The Chocolate Touch by Laura Florand: I liked the second book--and I'll admit, that kind of surprised me. It'll be nice to revisit Paris and gourmet chocolate.

September

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins: You know, I don't really know whether I liked or disliked Josh when he was introduced in Anna...I know I like his name! But yeah, let's hope he makes a good hero.

Destiny's Surrender by Beverly Jenkins: So we continue the theme set by the first one with a fairly old-school looking romance cover. I kind of like that, I'm not going to lie. Although, I'm collecting these in ebook format, so in the grand scheme I guess it doesn't matter anyway.

October

Archangel's Legion by Nalini Singh: The first thing I though when I saw this cover art was BOOBS. She has boobs. But, yeah, I guess she does look tough as well as sexy, so that's a plus. I like that she's so close to how I picture Elena when I'm reading (though I envision less cleavage). I also don't mind the monochromatic city scene behind her, and the overall tone leans to UF over PNR.

Eyrie by Emma Michaels: Well, as time goes on my enthusiasm for this book's release steadily wanes as I forget more details, particularly positive details. But, I don't know, I'll still probably read it. After all, it might improve on the first one.

January

Flame by Amy Kathleen Ryan: So, we don't know anything about this book yet, except that it's taking an excessively long time to come out, and I'm concerned all my interest will have drains out by January. I'll try to keep the excitement alive.

February

Drachomachia by Rachel Hartman: Now this one, I do think is worth waiting for. I loved Seraphina, and it's the sort of book I may buy and revisit before the sequel comes out.

Cress by Melissa Meyer: Oh my goodness, will I survive until February? I freaking love this series. Cinder was my #1 in 2012, I loved Scarlet, and Cress is just to far away.

March

The King by J.R. Ward: Ward is returning to Wrath and Beth, the couple that started it all. Beth made a big freaking deal about wanting to have a baby in Lover At Last, so that will obviously be among the conflicts. I confess, I am intrigued.

Misc. Monday: Top Ten Authors Reviewed on RtP

I promised to show you guys what my top ten authors list would look like if I nixed all genre restrictions, and here it is! To be fair, though, I did limit my list to authors of novels, leaving out graphic novel/comic writers, because I don't feel up to scoring those fairly. I'm a lot happier with this list, and I think it will be interesting to come back in six months or a year and see how things have changed. Or not.

 

#10: Julie Anne Long

Cumulative RtP Star Rating: 18

Reviewed Works: The Perils of Pleasure, Like No Other Lover, Since the Surrender, I Kissed an Earl, What I Did for a Duke, How the Marquess Was One

What Make Her Awesome: Julie Anne Long writes the Pennyroyal Green series, a which centers around a small English town with two feuding families. I didn't really care for the first book of the series, finding it mediocre and boring. But then, magically, as I tried more of her work, I discovered that she has a talent for writing a different, unique, and engaging story for each character. You never know exactly what you're going to get, but you know it's likely to be good. Visit Her Website: http://www.julieannelong.com/index.shtml

#9: Nora Roberts

Cumulative RtP Star Rating: 18

Reviewed Works: Sea Swept, Rising Tides, Inner Harbor, Chesapeake Blue

What Makes Her Awesome: Nora Roberts writes amazing contemporary romance with some of the best male characters around.  Visit Her Website: http://www.noraroberts.com/

#8: Gena Showalter

Cumulative RtP Star Rating: 18.5

Reviewed Works: The Darkest Night, The Darkest Kiss, The Darkest Pleasure, The Darkest Whisper, The Darkest Passion, The Darkest Lie, The Darkest Secret

What Makes Her Awesome: Until compiling this list, I had actually forgotten how very awesome I found these books. I was so fed up and disappointed by two or three of her books, that I actually stopped reading her altogether. Her place on this list, though, makes me think that I really ought to give her another shot. Her books are dark and sexy and worth at least a try.   http://members.genashowalter.com/

#7: Jennifer Estep

 Cumulative RtP Star Rating: 19.5

Reviewed Works: Spider's Bite, Touch of Frost, Kiss of Frost, Dark Frost, Crimson Frost

What Makes Her Awesome: I discovered this author via SBTB book club, when we read Touch of Frost. Since then, I've been following the Mythos Academy series pretty closely, and I've also started her Elemental Assassin series. She's very imaginative, writes wonderfully strong heroines, and ties everything together with a pleasantly simple style. Visit her website: http://www.jenniferestep.com/

#6: Karen Marie Moning

Cumulative RtP Star Rating: 20.5

Reviewed Works: Darkfever, Bloodfever, Faefever, Dreamfever, Shadowfever

What Makes Her Awesome: A long while back, before I started this blog, I read a fair number of the Highlander books. I've never reviewed them, but I enjoyed them well enough. Then the fever series came out, and I was extremely skeptical. Back then I didn't read urban fantasy in general, and I specifically didn't care for first person narratives. She totally converted me. Visit he website: http://www.karenmoning.com/kmm/

#5: Courtney Milan

Cumulative RtP Star Rating: 22

Reviewed Works: Unlocked, Unveiled, Unclaimed, Unraveled, The Duchess War

What Makes Her Awesome: Courtney Milan writes historical romance in a completely unique way. She writes heroines that you can like and respect, and deliciously unusual heroes that you fall in love with. No cookie cutter characters for her. Visit Her Website: http://www.courtneymilan.com/

#4: Larissa Ione

Cumulative RtP Star Rating: 28.5

Reviewed Works: Pleasure Unbound, Passion Unleashed, Desire Unchained, Ecstasy Unveiled, Sin Undone, Eternal Rider, Immortal Rider, Lethal Rider

What Makes Her Awesome: Larissa Ione writes dark, sexy paranormal books that I always enjoy in a purely guilty sort of way. I love the demons and the visits to hell and all of the characters with their possibly evil dark sides. All around good, creepy fun. Visit Her Website: http://larissaione.com/blog/

#3: Kresley Cole

Cumulative RtP Star Rating: 34

Reviewed Works:  A Hunger Like No Other, No Rest For the Wicked, Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night, Dark Desires After Dusk, Dark Needs at Night's Edge, Kiss of a Demon King, Deep Kiss of Winter, Pleasure of a Dark Prince, Demon From the Dark, Dreams of a Dark Warrior, The Poison Princess, Shadow's Claim

What Makes Her Awesome: Kresley Cole's writing has a brilliant, light funniness that somehow does not detract from the sexiness of her stories. He heroines are strong and independent and her heroes are fierce, scary monsters. I can't help but look forward to her books, even after a few let me down. Visit Her Website: http://kresleycole.com/paranormal-romance.html

#2: Ilona Andrews

Cumulative RtP Star Rating 34.5

Reviewed Works: Magic Bites, Magic Burns, Magic Strikes, Magic Bleeds, Magic Slays, Gunmetal Magic, On the Edge, Bayou Moon, Fate's Edge

What Makes Her Awesome:  Ilona Andrews is actually a husband and wife writing team, and they are awesome in general. Not only are they very talented, they're also fairly generous with their work, always offering little goodies and alternate points of view on their blog. I'm not that impressed with The Edge series, but the Kate Daniels series is easily one of my favorite ongoing series to date, and I'm not really sure what I'll do with myself when it ends. I've got a couple years to go, fortunately. Visit their website: http://www.ilona-andrews.com/

#1: Lisa Kleypas

  Cumulative RtP Star Rating: 38

Reviewed Works: Secrets of a Summer Night, It Happened One Autumn, The Devil In Winter, Scandal in Spring, Mine Til Midnight, Seduce Me at Sunrise, Tempt Me at Twilight, Married by Morning, Love in the Afternoon

What Makes Her Awesome: At first, her position in the number one spot on this list probably seems surprising. I haven't talked about Lisa Kleypas as loudly or as often as some of the authors lower on the list. But, in fact, Kleypas is responsible for sparking my interest in historical romance, when before I stuck almost entirely to PNR with the occasional contemporary thrown in. She can make a dull setting and situation funny, and her characters are as charming as you could ask for. Visit Her Website: http://www.lisakleypas.com/

Most Anticipated

Most Anticipated is the monthly post where I talk about book news, covers, synopses--from all of the books I'm looking forward to in the coming months. 

April

The Elite by Kiera Cass: When I try to describe The Selection to the uninitiated, I know it sounds awful. The premise is entirely awful. I did find it memorable though, with enough positive attributes that I'm looking forward to the sequel. Perhaps it will be an improvement.

May

A Prior Engagement by Karina Bliss: This Harlequin Superromance promises to be yet more proof of the wisdom gained from comic books and soap operas--no body, no death. Karina Bliss has a talent for making any trope work, so I can't wait for this one.

Dare You Too by Katie McGarry: I don't know that there's any way this could possibly be as good as the first book was. The bar is set high here, to say the least.

July

Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews:  According to Ilona Andrew's blog, there are now going to be ten books total in the Kate Daniels series (this will be the sixth). I was beyond excited about that, since this is one of my favorite ongoing series and I will definitely appreciate several more years of looking forward to these books.

Saga Vol. 2 by Brian K. Vaughan: I like something that comic book nerds like. I learned that recently, when I was in our local book store and the subject came up, and all of the comic nerds geeked out big time. So, yeah, I'm excited to add this too my shelf, and I bet I'm not the only one.

Midnight Frost by Jennifer Estep: More Gwen, and hopefully more Logan. What's not to look forward to?

Macrieve by Kresley Cole: After Shadow's Claim, my faith in Kresley Cole is actually somewhat restored, and I'll be curious to see what she does with this book. The cover is unfortunately more creepy than sexy, in my humble opinion, but I'll conform to the wisdom that tells me not to judge by it.

September

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins: *Sigh* Okay, this is probably the contemporary that I'm most looking forward to this year. The mid-series change in cover styles, though, kind of ticked me off. The author stated on her blog that she and the powers that be in publishing hope that the new, more minimalist covers would broaden readership. I can see that, since these covers do not scream Young Adult! the way that the other ones do. But, damn it all, I liked the old covers. I liked the cheerfulness and the happy people, and above all I like physical books to match on my shelves. It's very important. I'm a cranky penguin.

Destiny's Surrender by Beverley Jenkins: This will be the second book in Jenkins California ranch set historical series. I look forward to another joyful, passionate romantic story from her. 

October

Archangel's Legion by Nalini Singh: Still not much information on this one yet, other than the fact that it will return to Elena and Raphael. Stay tuned for this one.

Eyrie by Emma Michaels: I'm not waiting on pins and needles for this one, but I am waiting on it. Owlet was overly exposition-y for my taste, so I have to hope this one will be better.

 

January 

Flame by Amy Kathleen Ryan: I'm a little disappointed that we won't be seeing this book until 2014, since I'd like to see this trilogy come to a satisfactory conclusion. 

February

Dracomachia by Rachel Hartman: Either the original dates were wrong, or this book has been delayed (heavily delayed) since my last anticipation post. In any case, we've got at least 11 months to wait for this book now, and it's going to be a long haul.

And that's all that I have for now. We have some very busy months coming up here! I hope you'll join us!

Anticiapation List!

It's time once again to update the list of books I'm impatiently waiting for in 2013!

March

Requiem by Lauren Oliver: I both look forward to and dread this one. After the way book two ended, I can only hope the author does something to impress me here.

Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs: The time is coming up soon for me to pre-order this! I'm so excited for more Mercy!

Lover At Last by J.R. Ward: The BDB books are a drug for me, and I need my fix. Besides, I'm actually starting to get excited for Quinn and Blay's story.

April

The Elite by Kiera Cass: I can't explain why I look forward to this book...I just do. The Selection was a book that I liked against my better judgement, and I guess I just want more.

 

 

 

May

Prior Engagement by Karina Bliss: Who's ready for a back-the-dead story from the queen of Superromance? I am!

Dare You To by Katie McGarry: When I finished Pushing the Limits (the review of which is set to post soon), was desperate for more. May seems like way too far away.

 

 

July

Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews: I was excited to see that this has a cover now. I love the model they use for Kate: almost exactly how I picture her.

Saga Vol. 2 by Brian K. Vaughan: I almost bought the individual comics. Almost. I talked myself out of it because, in the end, I would really rather have the trade paperback--it sits on the shelf better.

Dracomachi by Rachel Hartman: Seraphina was probably the best dragon book I've ever read, so I'm really excited for it's sequel.

Midnight Frost by Jennifer Estep: After that last book, I can't wait to find out if Logan and Gwen can pull it together already.

MacRieve by Kresley Cole: Yay, a new Immortals After Dark book!

September

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins: First we had Anna, then there was Lola, and finally we'll have Isla. I'm beyond ready for more from Stephanie Perkins.

October

Archangel's Legion by Nalini Singh: The Guild Hunter series is quickly becoming one of my favorite ongoing PNR series. I have to say, also, that I'm actually excited to revisit Elena and Raphael again.

Eyrie by Emma Michaels: Owlet was definitely an exposition book, and I'm hopeful that this, the second book, will give us the full and satisfying story that it promised.

On Trial: A Review of Crimson Frost by Jennifer Estep

                                                                                           The Mythos Academy books are in many ways derivative, in many ways nothing new, and yet I really find myself drawn to them to a greater degree than any similar story in the young adult world. I think this is a credit to Estep's writing style--it doesn't feel overly polished, and yet it's clever in a subtle way.

Crimson Frost is book 4, and we find our heroine on trial for the very crimes that she tried to prevent. She's accused of being Loki's champion, and the entire school turns against her (with the exception of her very closest friends, and Logan of course). Gwen knows that there is an active plot to put Loki in power, and a real traitor in their midst, and she must stop that plot even as she fights for her personal freedom.

I like Gwen, because she's very much an average teenage girl, but she has a personality. Among YA heroines, that's a rare quality. At this point in the story, Gwen is still settling into her role as champion, and struggling to be active in that role, when she's put on trial. The trial brings to light the fact that Gwen is a quiet but stubborn disobeyer of many rules, and it becomes kind of obvious that she has some issues with authority.We also see her learn a lesson in self sacrifice and faith, which fails to be gut-wrenching only because it's so easy to guess the outcome.

Estep shows a lot of skill in crafting a cast of supporting characters that amuse and intrigue. This book gives us a peak into Logan's history, and a whole new perspective on what his skills and abilities mean. I'm eager to see where his character development will go from here, as there were certainly some game changing events for both he and Gwen. Daphne and Carson are fantastic as well. The book also provides Oliver, a Spartan who Gwen recently learned is gay, with a love interest. It's starting to feel like the Scuby Gang, but hopefully it won't become too cheesie.

Ultimately, this is a good book in a good series from a great author. Even if your a bit jaded on the "magic school" type of stories, I would still recommend trying this one. There's a lot to like. 4 stars.       

On Assassins: A Review of Spider's Bite by Jennifer Estep

I've already experienced Jennifer Estep's writing via her young adult series, the Mythos Academy books. This book, however, has languished on the TBR shelf for...probably a year or more. I suck like that. I finally read it...but did I like it?

Spider's Bite introduces Gin, an assassin who has a talent for quick killing, as well as some magic abilities. When she's offered a seemingly simple job for twice her usual fee, it seems like a great opportunity--especially since her handler, Fletcher, believes she can take the money and finally retire. But the job goes wrong and Gin is double crossed, putting her on the run and in search of whoever hired her. Along the way she teams up with Donovan Caine, an idealistic detective who is simultaneously repulsed by and attracted to Gin.

Positive Comments

I liked Gin. She seems like a badass, able to kill with the smallest of weapons in the most tense situations. She's cold in many ways, and yet she's not impossible to sympathize with. Predictably, she has a tragic back story, but fortunately we don't get weighed down with it. The people that she cares about, she cares about intensely. She operates under a moral code, though it's more flexible than most.

I liked the plot. It was simple enough to follow, not so much so that it put me to sleep. I liked the fact that it dealt with mobs and dirty cops and the seedy underworld of Ashland. I like that the story features vampires, dwarves, and giants, but I never had to sit through more than a paragraph of info-dump world building about them.

Critical Comments

 

There are a good many frustrating cliches in this story. Donovan is one of them--he's hot, and I like him, but his relationship with Gin as her opposite and sometimes/maybe enemy is extremely predictable. He shows up, and you immediately know that they're going to sleep together, but he's going to hate himself and judge her because she's a murderer, and so forth. It's hard to like them together, for this reason.

The narration is a bit awkward and even repetitive at times. For example, Gin describes her feelings of "guilt and grief" multiple, multiple times following the death of one character. And then there's the tendency to call characters by their full name for no reason...Mab Monroe, Alexis James, and Donovan Caine are all frequent victims. I found this to be annoying, distracting, but not too detrimental to the story.

Recommendation

 

Overall, I liked the tone of the story, the characters, and the authors voice (with a few stylistic issues). So yes, I'd recommend it to urban fantasy fans. 4 stars. 

Best Book of October/November Preview

My October reading went kind of off the track. I read quite a bit, just not what I really meant to. In any case, I've got two more months to finish up my reading goals. First thing, lets crown the book of the month!

Best Book of September/October Preview

Happy October, everyone! Oh boy, you guys, this is my favorite time of year! I love fall. I love the cooler weather and the pretty leaves. I love Halloween. I love baking with pumpkin. Plus, my birthday is this month! We've got a lot of great books coming up in October, but first we have to crown the best book of September.

Stacking the Shelves (8)

 
Hosted by Tynga's Reviews!

Best Book of May/June Preview

Well folks, the merry month of May is over, so it's time to crown the Book of the Month!

It was another close call, but in the end I have to go with Dark Frost by Jennifer Estep! In a month filled with a lot of mediocre reads, this book stood out for being far more amusing than annoying. Also it has wolves. You should check it out!

The June line up is full of awesome, guys. Here we go:


The Selection by Kiera Cass:I finished this yesterday, and my review for it should be up today or tomorrow. Probably tomorrow. I gave it 3.5 stars.

Castaway Dreams by Darlene Marshall: I'm 28% into this book. I started it because I had insomnia. But it's really good so far!

Insurgent by Veronica Roth: I just started reading this yesterday, so I'm only like 10 pages into it. At 520 pages, who knows how long it will take me.

The Last Timemaker and the Stolen Sun by S.A. Damus

Stand-in Wife by Karina Bliss

Breaking The Devil's Heart: A Logic of Demons Novel by H.A. Goodman


Bring Him Home by Karina Bliss

The Orphan, the Soulcatcher, and the Black Blizzard by Kimberlee Ann Bastian

First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones

Flicker by Kaye Thornbrugh

I'm insanely excited to have some contemporary romance back on the list, along with all of the paranormal and YA.

Now it's your turn: what do you plan on reading this June?

On Nott: A Review of Dark Frost by Jennifer Estep

I received an ARC of Dark Frost from the author in exchange for an honest review.

This is the third book in the Mythos Academy series, featuring a gypsy named Gwen. Gwen is a champion of the goddess Nike, and she's charged with finding and hiding a special dagger. This dagger has the ability to free the evil god, Loki, who would unleash chaos on the world.

Positive Comments:

I find Gwen extremely charming. I like that she's a comic book geek. She's blossomed a great deal since book one, going from loner to a confident young woman who supports her friends and flirts with Logan.

Logan is sexy as hell. He's a tormented bad boy, which is an extremely popular archetype, and I can't get enough of him. I'm anxious to see Logan and Gwen finally start to connect on a deeper level.

The secondary characters are fantastic. In this on, I give special mention to Grandma Frost, who kicks ass and bakes cookies. I love that. I also loved Nott, Gwen's mythical wolf companion.

This story was action packed from start to finish. It opens with a battle, has a mystery in the middle and finishes off with some big, game changing events.

Critical Comments:

Some of Gwen's actions--or lack of action--maddened me. She makes questionable (arguably stupid) decisions, and then when things go bad as a result, she survives only by luck and because her friends rescue her. I want to believe that she will improve in this--that soon Gwen will be standing on her own feet. But three books in, I expected more.

Recommendation:

I'm very fond of this series. I'd recommend it to fantasy fans, young adults, and those who love mythology. 4 stars.

Buy from Amazon: Dark Frost: A Mythos Academy Novel

Best Book of April/May Preview

Well guys, it's the first of the month again, which means its time to crown the best book of April, and give you a little taste of what's coming in May. 

Once again, there were a lot of great books in my pile this month, but the clear winner for favorite was Night Sky by Jolene Perry. I did not expect to love this book, but between the awesome male POV and the rich story of young love, I was enthralled. Go check it out, if you haven't already.

What's coming up in May?

Two reviews, already written, should be up for your amusement shortly. The first is for Bonds of Fenris, by S. J. Bell, which I liked quite a bit. The second is for Daphne and the Mysterious Girls Secret Bathroom Society, by Robert Shields, which I did not like at all. And I mean...not even a little bit.

And in our TBR we have:

Hammered by Kevin Hearne

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benajmin Alire Saenz

Spectral by Shannon Duffy

A Good Man by Venessa Morgan

Symphony of Blood by Adam Pepper

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

Dark Frost by Jennifer Estep

A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan

Knee Deep by Jolene Perry

And that's the official line up! What's in your TBR this month?

Best Book of November/December Preview

Time for a brief recap of November and a preview of the reviews you can expect to see all December long!

November was a bit of a rocky month reading wise. I was insanely busy, so not much of it got done. A lot of the books seemed to come out as average rating wise. That being said, of course I still have to crown a best book and that is--Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep! It earned 4/5 stars, which is not at all bad in it's own right. More importantly, it stood out because I believe this series is going to build to something pretty spiffy, and I can't wait to see that happen. You can read my full review HERE.

We have quite the line up for December, because I got slightly off track of my November list. These are the books that you can expect to see reviewed here on Reading to Penguins!

Sebastian by Anne Bishop How I ended up reading this one at all is something of a story in itself. I'm about 1/4 of the way into it, so look forward to that review sometime early next week.

Magic Slays by Ilona Andrews I promised to read this one in November, but got sidetracked by aliens and Anne Bishop!

A Kiss at Midnight by Eloisa James

Immortal Rider by Larissa Ione

Envy by J.R. Ward

Destined for an Early Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs

As always if your interested in reading along, doing a guest review, or have something that you'd like to see reviewed in January, email me at cmspencer8@yahoo.com. Happy Reading!