Publishing News #Oathbreaker1

Signed a contract with Wayang Force to publish Oathbreaker 1. 

Book talk: Karen Mahoney's Falling to Ash

Summary

You can't choose your family . . . living or dead

Trapped between two very different worlds, newly made vampire Moth is struggling to find her place in either. Not only does she have to answer to her strict Irish-Catholic Dad, but her over-protective maker, 

Theo, is intent on making her the star attraction in his powerful Boston vampire clan. Moth will have to pull off the double-act of the century to please both of them . . .

Adding to her problems is the dangerously attractive Jason Murdoch, a trainee vampire hunter who loves to play cat and mouse in his spare time (Jace = cat; Moth = mouse). But when the young and gorgeous teenagers of Boston's wealthiest families start to disappear, it forces Moth and Jace into an uneasy truce. Will they be able to solve the mystery behind the disappearances - before someone winds up undead?

Thoughts:

I really liked it!

Eventhough the writer creats its own twist in the original 'vampire lore' it keeps the important points, e.g they're dead, they are violent and they do drink human blood. Yes, no vegetarians or sparkling here people. Move along.

Anyway, the story tells us of Marie who in the start of the novel has already been turned into a vampire by way of her Maker, Theo who is also a Master of his own House. The prologue of the book tells us how he changed her and it is violent and dark and painful. As it should be. Take that Twilight!

As is custom when turned you pick a new name, your vampire name, a new name that has no trace of your old life. Marie chose Moth.

Due to her transformation and how it had occurred strained the relationship between Moth and Theo though it is clear that there is a bond there outside of Maker and Childe. The angst and tension between them is delightful.

But the creation of Moth is somewhat of a problem for Theo because he has not been given permission to turn her by the Head of all Vampire houses. Theo did in fact turned her because he lost control 'in the head of the moment' if you know what I mean and nearly drank her to death. Rather than killing her, he turned her.

She was nineteen at the time. And now,she will always look nineteen.

Theo's lost of control is not a good quality to have as a Head of a House, it shows weakness. So Solomon, the great poobah of all Vamps said "give me the head of Murdoch, the vampire hunter who has vexed me so cruelly and I will not kill you and your childe. You have one week."

I like Moth. She's practical, she's funny, she's kick ass and she actually thinks before she speaks. But you know, she grew up with a drunk father and when you do, you kind of learn how to judge the mood and your surroundings. She's not brooding although she does have her dark moments and she makes the best of who and what she is.

One of the things that I like about this book is her relationship with her sister, Caitlin. Her fierceness when her sister was in danger.

And I find it hilarious and kind of sad that Caitlin struggles to keep her family together including to have a family dinner with her drunk father and vampire sister. Oh, and the other human sister.

Then there is Jace, Murdoch's son who is also a vampire hunter. I was intrigued that one of Theo's test for Moth was to fight Jace (he wrapped her up in silver chains and she broke his leg). Despite the fighting and the fact that they were supposed to kill each other there's a connection there. And when revanants kept popping out all over the place (and those people are actually known to Mother) both Jace and Moth actually worked together to find out what was going on.

As if having Theo in her life wasn't enough of a headache, Moth is also attracted to Jace and vice versa.

Theo is the typical politicking, Master of the house vampire, he is imperious, he is powerful, seriously hot, intelligent, stubborn and brooding. I kind of hope to see more of Theo as a Master vampire but since Moth is only just entering the vampire world, we don't get to see him in action. Although Solomon himself did say that Theo would be the heir to his throne once he ascends to a higher seat which says something about Theo's status (and Moth's as association). When it came to Moth he is protective and there are some undercurrents in their relationship that intrigues me. It is clear that Moth isn't just food to him, and also isn't a one night stand. He calls her anamchara which is Gaelic for soul friend or in this case soulmate.

And I love that he means that literally. Because in this world the mythology of being able to turn a human into vampire is to give them a piece of your soul. So not all vampires can turn a human, and they don't do it willy nilly.

There isn't much world-building but the book does stay true to the mythology. The vampires drink human blood (from bags and from vein), they are dead, they have no reflection and they exist in secret.

The story is good, the plot is good, the pacing is a bit off and there are bits and pieces that seems to be dump in randomly, but the characters keep me going.

Reading Next:

BookTalk: Jennifer Lynn Barnes' Every Other Day

Summary:

Every other day, Kali D’Angelo is a normal sixteen-year-old girl. She goes to public high school. She argues with her father. She’s human.

And then every day in between . . . she’s something else entirely.

Though she still looks like herself, every twenty-four hours predatory instincts take over and Kali becomes a feared demon-hunter with the undeniable urge to hunt, trap, and kill zombies, hellhounds, and other supernatural creatures. Kali has no idea why she is the way she is, but she gives in to instinct anyway. Even though the government considers it environmental terrorism.

When Kali notices a mark on the lower back of a popular girl at school, she knows instantly that the girl is marked for death by one of these creatures. Kali has twenty-four hours to save her, and unfortunately she’ll have to do it as a human. With the help of a few new friends, Kali takes a risk that her human body might not survive . . . and learns the secrets of her mysterious condition in the process.

Thoughts:

Jennifer Lynn Barnes like Maggie Stiefvater is one of those writers that write interesting books that I just can't seem to dive into. 

I like the idea of this book and the interesting preternatural creatures, especially the original use of chupacabras but either than that I'm not really immerse in the world building. 

There were no surprises for me, no twists, as I read I'm rewriting all over the place to make the plot a little more interesting for me.

I like that the three main characters are actually girls with characters so different from each other, and I like reading them together. 

AND FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, WHY?  WHY DOES MY FAVORITE CHARACTERS ALWAYS DIE. Well, that was sad.

I enjoyed the book, the story-line was okay and the pacing also was okay. I just wished the twist would have been more unpredictable. It probably would have been if I cared a little bit more about the characters but since I did I was like, "huh, that happened" without being shocked or feeling what the main character must have felt. 

Although I like the characters, I didn't connect with them and that was a bummer.

I'm not interested enough about this book to read book 2. 

Wait, will there be a book 2?

am reading next:

Book Talk: Maggie Stiefvater's The Raven Boys

Summary:

There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him."

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

From Maggie Stiefvater, the bestselling and acclaimed author of the Shiver trilogy and The Scorpio Races, comes a spellbinding new series where the inevitability of death and the nature of love lead us to a place we’ve never been before.

Thoughts:

Hm, the summary is kind of misleading for there isn't much romance in this book. Which I like.  Anyway, The Raven Boys is book one of Maggie Stiefvater's The Raven Cycle series. 

It kind of has everything: family drama, romance, intrigue, friendship, bromance, supernatural bits, mythical lore, murder...am I leaving something out? Nope, yeah, I think that's it.

It certainly has an interesting plot and world building and characters but--

I have no idea why but Maggie Stiefvater's books never really got to me. I tried to read them but I just can't seem to immerse myself in them, so I picked up this book with some trepidation.

But, hey, I liked it.

It wasn't epic for me but I liked it.

Honestly, eventhough I should actually love the story because it has all the elements that I love I think her writing style doesn't mesh well with me, I liked the characters but I didn't love them. I couldn't relate to them, I couldn't lose myself in their lives and in their stories. I laughed and sympathize but my emotions weren't involved.

It's a well written book, and the characters are appealing and I will read the second book but I don't think I will be rereading the book anytime soon.

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