Book Review: Mortal Coil

Summary: The blonde girl with the black lips turned to Valkyrie. 'We know,' she said. 'We've seen the future. We know you're going to kill the world!' 
  Skulduggery Pleasant and Valkyrie Cain are back -- just in time to see their whole world get turned upside down! While they struggle to protect a known killer from an unstoppable assassin, Valkyrie is on a secret mission of her own. This quest, to prevent her dark and murderous destiny, threatens to take her to the brink of death and beyond. And then the body-snatching Remnants get loose, thousands of twisted souls who possess the living like puppets, and they begin their search for a being powerful enough to lead them. Facing such insurmountable odds, Skulduggery, Valkyrie, Ghastly and Tanith can trust no one. Not even each other!

Thoughts: Not sure if I've already mentioned this but I really love this series! Granted it gets darker with each installment but really that just leads to even greater character development. I mean, Skulduggery Pleasant and Valkyrie Cain's relationship is one of my favorites in any book I've ever read. 
 And the plot...well, like all previous books it includes the end of the world on many different levels. But somehow, Derek Landy never allows the plot to become mundane or predictable. 
 The writing is still fabulous. Such wonderful witty sarcasm floating around you're laughing no matter what's going on!

Content: Dark and a few mature themes. Violence. Gore. Magic. SPOILER There's a hinting of romance between a character and a vampire END SPOILER. Lots of kissing. I wouldn't suggest handing this one to the kids any time soon but it's another great installment for teen or older fans of the series!

We're back!

Yes! Internet is back and the manuscript has been sent out! Sorry, it's been back for a few days now but things got a little hectic so I'm only just now getting back to the blog. But anyways, here we are and the posts and reviews are to be forthcoming.

To Our Beta Readers and Blog Readers

Just wanted to let everyone know that I currently don't have internet in my house. I'm hoping this will be fixed by tomorrow but until then I won't be able to post more than small notes using my phone. I also won't be able to send out the story for you Beta-Readers until this is fixed. Really sorry everyone. Thanks for your patience.
Ants.

Book Review: Destroy

Summary: Before the war, before the Blades, before the Leader…
 There was a boy and a scullery maid and a secret shame.
 One moonlit night of blood and knives destroyed their country and their lives forever.
 The Leader failed to die, but will he also fail to lead?

Thoughts: This was a great little addition to the Blades of Acktar series! A little insight into Keeven's past, present and hope for the future!
 Keeven and Addie are an adorable couple and they were amazingly wonderful characters for such a short book. The rest of the cast was also really well done and the story was excitingly well written. I was so happy to revisit the world of Acktar in this short story again. A must read for all fans!

Content: Violence. Gore. A little bit of mature content but it never actually became innapropriate. Otherwise clean and an exciting story!

Beta Readers

A note to everyone interested in signing/has already signed up here to beta-read for us.
 Firstly, I'm extremely grateful to you all, thanks so much!
 Secondly I plan on sending out the story next Monday and I'll provide more information on what we're looking for then.  

Book Review: Dark Days

  Summary: Skulduggery Pleasant is lost on the other side of a portal, with only some evil gods for company. Can he possibly survive? (Yes, all right, he's already dead. But still.)  
 Meet Skulduggery Pleasant: detective, sorcerer, warrior.
 Oh yes. And dead.
 Skulduggery Pleasant is gone, sucked into a parallel dimension overrun by the Faceless Ones. If his bones haven’t already been turned to dust, chances are he’s insane, driven out of his mind by the horror of the ancient gods. There is no official, Sanctuary-approved rescue mission. There is no official plan to save him.
 But Valkyrie's never had much time for plans.
 The problem is, even if she can get Skulduggery back, there might not be much left for him to return to. There’s a gang of villains bent on destroying the Sanctuary, there are some very powerful people who want Valkyrie dead, and as if all that wasn’t enough it looks very likely that a sorcerer named Darquesse is going to kill the world and everyone on it.
 Skulduggery is gone. All our hopes rest with Valkyrie. The world’s weight is on her shoulders, and its fate is in her hands.
 These are dark days!
  
 Thoughts: Part two in the miniseries "Books I Read Last Year and Forgot to Tell You Guys About!"
 I love this series so much! While the beginning of the story seemed to move a little fast, the pacing evens out by the middle. The plot thickens and slowly things start coming together, secrets are revealed but only when more are unearthed.
 The characters develop, relationships change, so do people. We're left unsure of anything...which is a way I rather like the middle of my book series to be. 
 And the writing, always funny. Always great. Always fun! I was laughing at loud by chapter two...again. 

Content: This book lived up to it's name, Dark Days, it was dark and even creepy. There was quite a bit of violence and some gore. A little language (D***, C***). Lots of magic. Kissing. Some mature themes. Definitely not for younger readers but a riveting and exciting read for teens and older!

Book Review:

Summary: This second novel begins in 1940, immediately after the first book ended. Having escaped Miss Peregrine’s island by the skin of their teeth, Jacob and his new friends must journey to London, the peculiar capital of the world. Along the way, they encounter new allies, a menagerie of peculiar animals, and other unexpected surprises. Complete with dozens of newly discovered (and thoroughly mesmerizing) vintage photographs, this new adventure will delight readers of all ages.

Thoughts: This the first in a two part blogging series titled "Books I Read Last Year and Forgot to Tell You Guys About!"
 Honestly, this book tops the first. We travel a bit, meet new characters and get more face time with already familiar side characters! I loved all the time we got with the other children (not just Emma or Jacob) and all the character development!
 And the plot twists! I can't even really touch on plot without giving anything away but basically, don't trust anything! Nothing is as it seems!
 The writing is amazing. Despite being told from the point of view of a teenage boy everything comes out with a certain poetic flow that is captivating and even beautiful.

Content: Things get even darker in here than the first book so I'm talking really dark and kind of scary. There's violence and gore. A bit of language (D***, Sh**, C***). Kissing. An adult man is seen completely naked for a brief time before he's given pants. Another man leers over a young girl. Nothing inappropriate actually ends up happening. all in all, not a good bok for the timid or young, but another great installment for older teens and up!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

 



So I really meant for this post to happen yesterday but my break from all things during Christmas extended a little farther than I meant for it to. And so here it is a slightly late Happy New Year from us to you!

Just to recap 2016:
 I got my license (yes, driver's license).
 I got a car.
 I got a job.
 A wonderful new addition was born into our family.
 Epic and I finished writing a manuscript.
 I managed to make a small animatic I'm rather proud of.
 I took a CPR class.
 Epic started learning Korean.

Resolutions for 2017 are...well probably the biggest I've ever had.
 I'm joining a charity foundation that will let me work with kids and horses over the summer-fall months.
 I'm looking into getting a second job in the evenings babysitting.
 I want to read a hundred books! I know I can, I just need to keep track of my reading.
 I'm (deep breath) planning on moving later this year. Yup, officially moving out of the house and out on my own. Well, mostly on my own. I'll be moving in with my cousin but we'll be sharing rent and bills and such.
 And here's the nearest one: I want to get my manuscript published...this year if possible but at least to dive into the editing process. Do you know what that means? Beta-readers. I need beta-readers to look through our story and give us feedback from a reader's perspective. And we really need all the help we can get. Details are below and, if you're interested, you can fill out the form to sign up and have us forever grateful!

Working Title:  To Catch A Dragon (Subject to change and any suggestions would be welcome).
Authors: Abby and Erin C.
Genre: YA Fantasy
Chapters: 62 (Averege length of chapters being about 4 Word Doc pages).
Page Count: 259 (Word Document)
Word Count: 159,726
Blurb: A retelling of the 12 Dancing Princesses.
            When Timothy Whillip's little sister is claimed as a sacrifice for the mysterious Dragon's Bane, he sets off on a quest to find a dragon to stop the bane before it's too late. Helping him is a group of strange princesses who all seem to be cursed...
Content: Some dark themes involving life and death. Some magic (as in fairies and wizards, fairly typical).

It's a really long book so to anyone gracious enough to be willing to devote time into reading and critiquing I'm thinking two months is a fair amount of time. And to everyone interested, Thank You!
To everyone else, thanks for reading our blog.
I wish all of you a Wonderful New Year!