The Transplanted Tales Tour Stop

Today Kate SeRine is here as part of the blog tour to promote her second Transplanted Tales novel, The Better to See You, out February 7. Amazon | B&N | Kobo. 

The blurbage: "Once upon a time, a spell went awry and Make Believe characters were cast into the ordinary world. And the results aren’t always happily ever after…

Everyone thinks fairy godmothers can do no wrong. But if not for a certain spell mis-cast by Lavender Seelie, Cinderella’s former fairy godmother, the Tales would not be stuck in the Here and Now. Fortunately for Lavender, she’s about to get a second chance at a happy ending…

The Refuge, a sanctuary for wayward Tales, seems like the perfect place for Lavender to start a new life—especially when she discovers an unexpected ally in Seth, the brooding werewolf who’s been typecast as a villain ever since his run in with Little Red Riding Hood. But when humans from nearby towns start turning up dead, their bodies mutilated with archaic Tale symbols, Lavender wonders if Seth’s deep sensuality has blinded her to the truth. And that distraction could put innocent lives in danger. Including her own…"

My take: I really liked SeRine's Red (see my review here). Where that one felt more UF with a heavy dose of romance, this second installment had the romance aspect front and center. It is still first person, as we see everything from Lavender's POV. We just get into the romance faster than in book 1. It surprised me at first, until we find out why everything happened so fast. I liked Lavender's dilemma, and it showed how far her character has progressed.

When I first heard about book 2, I wasn't surprised that Seth was going to be the male lead. However, the choice of Lavender as the heroine did surprise me at first. Lavender is one half of the reason that the Tales are stuck in the Ordinary World. She made a lot of mistakes in the past, and in book 1 we see her as an alcoholic mess. At the start of book 2, a year has passed, Lavender is now friends with Tess, and she is trying to turn her life around. She also pisses off some powerful people and so Tess sends her to the Refuge to get away from the heat.

Being the reason the Tales are stuck in the real world doesn't endear her to many, but I like how she sticks it out and owns her part. 

Lavender is not a grandmotherly "bippity boppity boo" type. She's a little hottie and in the end I was very happy with how the romance came together. Both she and Seth have a lot of skeletons in their respective closets. They need someone who will accept them for who they are.

Having a hell of a lot of chemistry doesn't hurt, either.

And Seth? Seth was really endearing once we got to meet him in book 1. His life has been so tragic. I just wanted him to be happy. He can cook too. If you really dig romantic heroes, I think you will be quite satisfied with Mr. Wolf.

The overall conspiracy first unearthed in book 1 is still a big part of the problem in book 2. I was glad to see some parts solved, although there is still plenty left to explore. We also get to see a bit more of Trish Muffet, the heroine of book 3. That one involves Nicky Blue and I cannot wait to read it.

For those who really loved the world of the Transplanted Tales, this book fleshes it out more and gives us a peek into how the Tales who don't get along so well with the Ordinary World live. We also get to see one of my favorite literary characters: Puck. 

And now let's move on to a little Q&A with Kate SeRine:

Weird Girls Tour Stop: Sealed With a Curse

Hi all! The very wonderful, charming, and funny Cecy Robson is back on the Book Pile! She stopped by in October to talk about The Weird Girls novella. It's out now, so if you like action-packed shorts go get it! Amazon | B&N

This time, we're talking about book 1, Sealed With a Curse. There's also a giveaway!

First, though, Cecy answered some holiday-inspired questions:

KA: What is one way you get in the holiday spirit?

CR: Shopping for my children. Their excitement fires up mine.

KA: Name something on your wishlist.

CR: I’m not going to lie . . . I’d love to hit the NY Times Best-Seller’s list with my series. A new pair of sneakers would also be nice. : D

KA: What was your favorite book/movie/TV show in 2012?

CR: The Avengers—hands down. Book? Catching Fire, but I’ll admit I had several that I just loved. I don’t watch much TV but I’ve really enjoyed Teen Wolf and Grimm.

KA: What book/movie/tv show are you looking forward to in 2013?

CR: I, Frankenstein sounds / looks cool. Books? A CURSED EMBRACE and THE BETTER TO SEE YOU. TV? I’m waiting for Teen Wolf to come back. I have to say, it’s a very well-written and fun show.

 

Thanks, Cecy! Now to the book in question:

 

I do love this cover.

The blurbage: "Celia Wird and her three sisters are just like other 20-something girls-with one tiny exception: they're products of a backfired curse that has given each of them unique powers that make them, well, weird...

The Wird sisters are content to avoid the local vampires, werebeasts, and witches of the Lake Tahoe region-until one of them blows up a vampire in self- defense. Everyone knows vampires aren't aggressive, and killing one is punishable by death. But soon more bloodlust- fueled attacks occur, and the community wonders: are the vampires of Tahoe cursed with a plague?

Celia reluctantly agrees to help Misha, the handsome leader of an infected vampire family. But Aric, the head of the werewolf pack determined to destroy Misha's family to keep the region safe, warns Celia to stay out of the fight. Caught between two hot alphas, Celia must find a way to please everyone, save everyone, and oh yeah, not lose her heart to the wrong guy-or die a miserable death. Because now that the evil behind the plague knows who Celia is, it's coming for her and her sisters. This Wird girl has never had it so tough."

 

My Take: I love the set-up of this series, the origin of the sisters powers, and the relationships between the sisters. I mentioned in my review of the novella that it is not often that you get a fantasy book that has strong relationships between female characters. I like the dynamic.

 

Where the novella was romance free, this one has quite a bit. There is tons of action, of course, but also a good amount of romance, especially as the sisters get introduced to the local werewolf pack.

 

Celia is an interesting character. She is very strong - her inner tigress intimidates pretty much everyone. However, this also makes her isolated and lonely. It almost got too much for me at a couple of points where I wanted Celia to buck up and be more confident romance-wise, but at the same time it was believable why she was so unsure.

 

It seems like there might be a triangle, but no my triangle-weary friends, do not fear.

 

A snowy sunrise in Tahoe.

I like seeing the various supernatural creatures who are now in the Wird Girls world. I also really dug the setting - I've been to Lake Tahoe and can believe the mystical pull.

 

There is a lot of setting the stage here, of course, but also an action-packed story. Looking forward to more Weird Girl, especially as the girls grow in their place in the supernatural community.

 

Sealed With a Curse is out December 31. Amazon | B&N

 

Now to the Giveaway!!! Leave a comment here or tweet me @kindleaholic with a book you hope to get this Christmas, or your favorite christmas tradition, or just to say "Hi!". The holidays are stressful enough, let's make this easy. :) And while you're at it, follow Cecy on twitter too.

 

You have until Friday, December 21. This giveaway is international folks!!! So everybody can try!

 

Thank you so much, Cecy!

 

More links for Cecy Robson:

Website: www.cecyrobson.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cecyrobson

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/goodreadscomCecyRobsonAuthor

 

[received an ARC to review]



"Conjure"-ing Up Some Creepy YA Fun & a Giveaway!

Today, Lea Nolan is at the Book Pile to talk about her new book, Conjure, part 1 of The Hoodoo Apprentice trilogy. There's also a Q&A and Giveaway!

The blurbage:

"Be careful what you search for...
Emma Guthrie expects this summer to be like any other in the South Carolina Lowcountry—hot and steamy with plenty of beach time alongside her best friend and secret crush, Cooper Beaumont, and Emma’s ever-present twin brother, Jack. But then a mysterious eighteenth-century message in a bottle surfaces, revealing a hidden pirate bounty. Lured by the adventure, the trio discovers the treasure and unwittingly unleashes an ancient Gullah curse that attacks Jack with the wicked flesh-eating Creep and promises to steal Cooper’s soul on his approaching sixteenth birthday.

But when a strange girl appears bent on revenge, demon dogs become a threat, and Jack turns into a walking skeleton, Emma has no choice but to learn hoodoo magic to undo the hex, all before summer—and her friends—are lost forever."

My take: I really liked this YA paranormal. There is a little action, more towards the end, but my favorite part was following Emma as she learns hoodoo to try to save her brother.

The book is fast-paced and I found it an engaging read. It starts a little younger than many YAs - the three main kids are all 15, but the tone will progress as the series does (see Q&A below), which makes sense for this Middle School-YA crossover. There are some dark aspects, and enough creepy without being really gory or too scary.

Jack is more than a bit of a jerk, but I'm hopeful he will grow. Cooper is very sweet. Emma is quiet, but strong. I really liked her as a character. She is learning and she makes mistakes, but I love her resolve. She has a crush on Cooper, but I'm happy to say that this isn't an angsty romance. It's all very sweet (and bittersweet too). Of course, the story isn't done. We do get an ending, but everyone isn't out of the woods yet.

I enjoyed the mythology (any story involving Gullah history and folklore is of interest to me) and I'm looking forward to book 2.

And now, let's get to know Lea a little better.