Dark Eden Trailer and App

Title: Dark Eden by Patrick Carman
Release Date: Nov 1, 2011
Publisher: HarperCollins Children’s Books

Synopsis: Fifteen-year-old Will Besting is sent by his doctor to Fort Eden, an institution meant to help patients suffering from crippling phobias. Once there, Will and six other teenagers take turns in mysterious fear chambers and confront their worst nightmares—with the help of the group facilitator, Rainsford, an enigmatic guide. When the patients emerge from the chamber, they feel emboldened by the previous night's experiences. But each person soon discovers strange, unexplained aches and pains. What is really happening to the seven teens trapped in this dark Eden?

Not only does Dark Eden sound like a thrilling and exciting read, but you can also enhance the reading experience throughout a downloadable app that enriches the elements of the traditional story. I downloaded the app to my iPad yesterday and it’s really fun. It also makes me really excited to read the book! Download The Arrival, the first free episode, available through the Dark Eden mobile app in the the Apple/iOS App Store and the Android Market.

Giveaway: A Vampire Christmas Carol

Title: A Vampire Christmas Carol by Sarah Gray
Release Date: Sept. 27, 2011
Publisher: Kensington

Goodreads Summary: Ebenezer Scrooge has never been known for the greatness of his heart. A miser, a leech, a penny-pinching old coot... Say what you will about him, though—he’s never actually sucked someone’s blood. That dubious honor belongs to the vampires who surround him, preying on the weak and laying traps for the strong. They’ve dogged his footsteps since he was born, driving him from the love of his friends, family, and faithful fiancée.

Now, on Christmas Eve, Scrooge’s old friend Jacob Marley rises from the grave to warn him about the evil gathering around him. With three mysterious spirits to guide him, he rediscovers his lost love Belle, toiling fearlessly as a seamstress by day and vampire hunter by night. He sees the secrets of his nephew Fred and his clerk Bob Cratchit, who risk their lives as Belle’s loyal soldiers. And he learns of the plot mounting to attack all of them, starting with the innocent sacrifice of Bob’s son Tiny Tim…

Scrooge has only one night to save himself and all that he once treasured—but if he can vanquish the vampires, he might finally earn back the love he cast away...

Since I have two ARCs of A Vampire Christmas Carol, I thought I would give someone an opportunity to read it by doing a giveaway, plus I will inclucle some swag. Please fill out the form and while you don’t have to be a follower to enter, you will get an extra entry if you are and another for tweeting the about the giveaway. Good luck and thanks for participating!

FILL OUT THIS FORM 

Winner of the Back to the Books Giveaway!

The winner of the Back to the Books Giveaway Hop is Marci Clark! The winner was chosen by Random.org and has been notified by email.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the giveaway and since I love doing giveaways and Rafflecopter made it so easy, I will be starting another one tomorrow! Make sure you enter.

Mini Review: Daimon

Title: Daimon by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Release Date: May 10, 2011
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Pages: 62 pages
Genre: Mythology
Rating: 4.5 stars
Source: Free Download

Goodreads Summary: For three years, Alexandria has lived among mortals—pretending to be like them and trying to forget the duty she'd been trained to fulfill as a child of a mortal and a demigod. At seventeen, she's pretty much accepted that she's a freak by mortal standards... and that she'll never be prepared for that duty.

According to her mother, that’s a good thing.

But as every descendant of the gods knows, Fate has a way of rearing her ugly head. A horrifying attack forces Alex to flee Miami and try to find her way back to the very place her mother had warned her she should never return—the Covenant. Every step that brings her closer to safety is one more step toward death… because she's being hunted by the very creatures she'd once trained to kill. The daimons have found her.

Daimon is an awesome prequel to Half-Blood. We are quickly introduced to Alex, our main character and she is a snarky, spunky, kick-butt type of girl. I love her already. In such a short story, Armentrout does a great job of introducing us to her mythological world of demigods. She has also packed so much action into these 62 pages, I can only imagine how exciting Half-Blood will be. The mythology is cool, Alex’s crush is swoon-worthy and the ending leaves you dying for the next book. Make sure you download this for free from Spencer Hill Press and enjoy before Half-Blood comes out on Oct. 18.

Content: Kissing, references to sex, some swearing and violence

Waiting on Wednesday – A Breath of Eyre

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine, and specifically spotlights upcoming novels we can't wait to read. This week’s choice is:

Title: A Breath of Eyre by Eve Marie Mont
Publisher: Kensington
Publish Date: April 1, 2012
Genre: Historical

Goodreads Summary: Emma Townsend has always believed in stories—the ones she reads voraciously, and the ones she creates in her head. Perhaps it’s because she feels like an outsider at her exclusive prep school, or because her stepmother doesn’t come close to filling the void left by her mother’s death. And her only romantic prospect—apart from a crush on her English teacher—is Gray Newman, a long-time friend who just adds to Emma’s confusion. But escape soon arrives in an old leather-bound copy of Jane Eyre…

Reading of Jane’s isolation sparks a deep sense of kinship. Then fate takes things a leap further when a lightning storm catapults Emma right into Jane’s body and her nineteenth-century world. As governess at Thornfield, Emma has a sense of belonging she’s never known—and an attraction to the brooding Mr. Rochester. Now, moving between her two realities and uncovering secrets in both, Emma must decide whether her destiny lies in the pages of Jane’s story, or in the unwritten chapters of her own…

I have really been enjoying historical fiction lately, especially the ones that have some supernatural element to them. A Breath of Eyre sounds so awesome and I love the cover! This is exactly my kind of book and is pretty much a must read for me....

Book Review: Wolves Among Us

Title: Wolves Among Us by Ginger Garrett
Release Date: April 1, 2011
Publisher: David C. Cook
Pages: 304 pages
Genre: Christian, Historical
Rating: 3.5 stars
Source: Library

Goodreads Summary: In this richly imagined tale, Ginger Garrett takes readers to a tiny town on the edge of the Black Forest in 1538. In a medieval German village, a double murder stirs up festering fears. The overworked sheriff is baffled, so the village priest sends for help to solve the mystery. But the charismatic Inquisitor who answers the call brings with him a deadly mix of spiritual fervor and self-deceptive evil. Under his influence, ordinary village fears and resentments take a deadly turn, and soon women are the targets of his crusade. Terror mounts. Dark secrets come to light. But in the midst of it all, a man and woman—the priest and the sheriff's unloved wife—somehow dare to listen to another Voice ... and discover what it means to love instead of fear.

Wolves Among Us is one of those books that starts out slow and you may be tempted to put it down in the first few pages. I know I wanted to but I’m glad I didn’t because it got more exciting as the story progressed and I did enjoy it.

Set in 1538, Mia is married to the small town sheriff. She spends her days taking care of her sickly three-year-old, Alma, and her husband’s sick mother. Mia attends Mass and prays constantly for Alma to be healed from what appears to be asthma. She works hard to be a good wife and keep a good house in the hopes that if she is perfect, only then will God heal Alma. I wish I could say Mia came up with this misconception on her own but unfortunately, this is what women were being taught by the church.

Mia lives a sad, lonely life. None of the women in the village will befriend her or even speak to her with the exception of the town gossip who Mia avoids. Her husband is harsh and unloving but all the men in this book are horrible, even the village priest who thankfully redeems himself.

Wolves Among Us is a darker novel than I expected. Yes, I realize the book is about witch hunts and innocent women being wrongly accused and burnt alive so what levity could I have expected? In addition to the accusations and persecutions, the life of the women in the story, the Inquisitor’s hypocrisy, the truth behind the murders and the real evil in the town is depressing. Thankfully, there is a much greater story/message beyond the darkness and I appreciate it.

Like I said, the book does pick up the pace and the ending is neatly wrapped up. While I was not sure what to expect when I began reading, I do like the story and recommend it to anyone who enjoys Christian historical fiction. I am looking forward to reading more books from this author.

Content: Violence and references to rape.

Back to the Books Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Back to the Books Giveaway Hop hosted by I Am A Reader Not A Writer and Buried in Books. For this hop, I am giving away a copy of Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep or an ARC of The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong. Fill out the form below, good luck, thanks for stopping by. Don't forget to visit the other participating blogs.