Thursday Quotables: Night Broken

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Welcome back to Thursday Quotables! This weekly feature is the place to highlight a great quote, line, or passage discovered during your reading each week.  Whether it’s something funny, startling, gut-wrenching, or just really beautifully written, Thursday Quotables is where my favorite lines of the week will be, and you’re invited to join in!

Night Broken (Mercy Thompson, #8)

Night Broken by Patricia Briggs

My hands hurt, my hip hurt, my cheek throbbed, and someone had thrown a finger at me — and I hadn’t eaten today. Adam’s hand curled around the top of my knee, and I relaxed and let myself drift off. Nothing was so bad that Adam’s touch couldn’t make it better. Even if he wouldn’t let me give Christy to the fire-dog from hell.

Just a typical day in the life of Mercy Thompson!

And in what I assume is a shout-out to one of my other favorite characters in urban fantasy:

The lawyer’s assistant, who was scribbling down notes, lit right up. “Magic is supposed to affect electricity  like that. I’ve read that wizards can’t be in the same room with things like computers and stuff.”

I knew where she’d read that. I bit my lip. It was to our advantage to spread a little misinformation whenever we could.

What lines made you laugh, cry, or gasp this week? Do tell!

If you’d like to participate in Thursday Quotables, it’s really simple:

  • Write a Thursday Quotables post on your blog. Try to pick something from whatever you’re reading now. And please be sure to include a link back to Bookshelf Fantasies in your post (http://www.bookshelffantasies.com), if you’d be so kind!
  • Leave your link in the comments — or, if you have a quote to share but not a blog post, you can leave your quote in the comments too!
  • Visit other linked blogs to view their Thursday Quotables, and have fun!

Book Review: Night Broken by Patricia Briggs

Book Review: Night Broken by Patricia Briggs

Night Broken (Mercy Thompson, #8)

You know how some series outstay their welcome? Well, as far as I’m concerned, Mercy Thompson can stay as long as she wants! In Patricia Briggs’s inventive and engrossing urban fantasy series, Mercy Thompson is the heroine extraordinaire. She fixes cars, kicks butt, bakes amazing chocolate chip cookies, and shifts into coyote form at will. Being married to the Alpha of the local werewolf pack means life is never boring, and she manages to hold her own among all the big, bad (but with hearts-of-gold) wolves, as well as with all the various and sundry supernatural beings that populate the Washington Tri-Cities area.

In Night Broken, the 8th in the series, Mercy faces a truly scary adversary: her husband’s ex-wife. Christy is a human who has perfected the art of manipulating everyone around her by eliciting sympathy for poor little her, and when she acquires a psycho stalker, of course she comes to the pack for protection. Mercy grits her teeth and tries to stay calm, but between Christy’s attempts to take over her home and the dangerous creature that threatens all their lives, it’s no wonder she’s feeling a wee bit tense.

Night Broken continues the author’s winning streak, providing a mix of exciting action and danger while also showcasing Mercy’s emotional side and her struggles and challenges. Having come so far with her, it’s lovely to see Mercy making her way in the pack and enjoying her rare private moments with her oh-so-sexy husband Adam and her stepdaughter Jesse.

I truly loved this newest addition to one of my favorite series — my only complaint being that I read it within two days of its publication, and now I have to wait again!

Obviously, anyone who hasn’t read a Mercy book yet should start at the beginning. If you enjoy urban fantasy with tough, smart women at the lead, this is a series not to be missed!

A final note: For a tiny taste of Night Broken, check out tomorrow’s Thursday Quotables post here at Bookshelf Fantasies!

And if you want to know more about the Mercy books, you can also check out my review of the 7th in the series, Frost Burned.

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The details:

Title: Night Broken (Mercy Thompson, #8)
Author: Patricia Briggs
Publisher: Ace Hardcover
Publication date: March 11, 2014
Length: 341 pages
Genre: Urban fantasy
Source: Purchased

Wishing & Waiting on Wednesday: Evergreen

There’s nothing like a Wednesday for thinking about the books we want to read! My Wishing & Waiting on Wednesday post is linking up with two fabulous book memes, Wishlist Wednesday (hosted by Pen to Paper) and Waiting on Wednesday (hosted by Breaking the Spine).

My most wished-for book this week is:

Evergreen

Evergreen by Rebecca Rasmussen
(Release date: July 8, 2014)

Synopsis via Goodreads:

From the celebrated author of The Bird Sisters, a gorgeously rendered and emotionally charged novel that spans generations, telling the story of two siblings, raised apart, attempting to share a life.

It is 1938 when Eveline, a young bride, follows her husband into the wilderness of Minnesota. Though their cabin is rundown, they have a river full of fish, a garden out back, and a new baby boy named Hux. But when Emil leaves to take care of his sick father, the unthinkable happens: a stranger arrives, and Eveline becomes pregnant. She gives the child away, and while Hux grows up hunting and fishing in the woods with his parents, his sister, Naamah, is raised an orphan. Years later, haunted by the knowledge of this forsaken girl, Hux decides to find his sister and bring her home to the cabin. But Naamah, even wilder than the wilderness that surrounds them, may make it impossible for Hux to ever tame her, to ever make up for all that she, and they, have lost. Set before a backdrop of vanishing forest, this is a luminous novel of love, regret, and hope.

Doesn’t this sound terrific? I love the wilderness setting, and the family dynamics sound fascinating. Can’t wait!

What are you wishing for this Wednesday?

Looking for some bookish fun on Thursdays and Fridays? Come join me for my regular weekly features, Thursday Quotables and Flashback Friday! You can find out more here — come share the book love!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Do you host a book blog meme? Do you participate in a meme that you really, really love? I’m building a Book Blog Meme Directory, and need your help! If you know of a great meme to include — or if you host one yourself — please drop me a note on my Contact page and I’ll be sure to add your info!

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books on my Spring TBR List

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Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week, we’re focusing on the books we most look forward to reading this spring… and yes, I have plenty! Here are the top 10 books on my to-be-read list — some upcoming new releases, and some books that have been patiently waiting for me for months (or years) already:

1) Written In My Own Heart’s Blood by Diana Gabaldon

Written in My Own Heart's Blood (Outlander, #8)

2) Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King

Mr. Mercedes

3) The Serpent of Venice by Christopher Moore

The Serpent of Venice

4) My Real Children by Jo Walton

My Real Children

5) Landline by Rainbow Rowell

Landline

6) The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

The Name of the Wind (The Kingkiller Chronicle, #1)

7) Burial Rites by Hannah Kent

Burial Rites

8) Life After Life by Kate Atkinson

Life After Life

9) The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency  (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #1)

10) In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

In Cold Blood

What books are you looking forward to reading this spring? Share your links, and I’ll come check out your top 10!

If you enjoyed this post, please consider following Bookshelf Fantasies! And don’t forget to check out our regular weekly features, Thursday Quotables and Flashback Friday. Happy reading!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Do you host a book blog meme? Do you participate in a meme that you really, really love? I’m building a Book Blog Meme Directory, and need your help! If you know of a great meme to include — or if you host one yourself — please drop me a note on my Contact page and I’ll be sure to add your info!

 

The Monday Agenda 3/17/2014

MondayAgendaNot a lofty, ambitious to-be-read list consisting of 100+ book titles. Just a simple plan for the upcoming week — what I’m reading now, what I plan to read next, and what I’m hoping to squeeze in among the nooks and crannies.

How did I do with last week’s agenda?

Real life interrupted my reading and blogging plans this week in a big way… but here’s what I did manage to accomplish in my bookish life this past week:

Sunrise (Ashfall, #3)Night Broken (Mercy Thompson, #8)

Sunrise by Mullin: Done! A great conclusion to an action-packed trilogy, Sunrise will definitely satisfy fans of the Ashfall series. Check out my stop on the blog tour here, and be sure to enter the giveaway!

Night Broken by Patricia Briggs: I’m absolutely loving this newest installment in the Mercy Thompson series — and just wish I’d had the time to devote to reading it. I hope to finish in the next day or two!

Fresh Catch:

Here’s what the kiddo and I brought home from the library this week:

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What’s on my reading agenda for the coming week?

Grasshopper JungleSide Effects May VaryThe Lost Sisterhood

The next few books I plan to dive into are:

Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith

Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy

The Lost Sisterhood by Anne Fortier

And also in the works:

Over Sea, Under Stone (The Dark Is Rising Sequence)The kiddo and are slowly working our way through Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper.

echoThe Outlander Book Club’s re-read of An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon continues! Coming up this week: Chapters 44 – 48. Want to join in? Contact me and I’ll provide all the details!

So many book, so little time…

That’s my agenda. What’s yours? Add your comments to share your bookish agenda for the week.

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Blog Tour & a Giveaway: Sunrise by Mike Mullin

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I’m thrilled to be participating in the blog tour for Sunrise by Mike Mullin. Thank you to Books With Bite for organizing the tour!

Sunrise is the third book in the outstanding young adult trilogy which begins with Ashfall and continues in Ashen Winter.

Synopsis:

The Yellowstone supervolcano nearly wiped out the human race. Now, almost a year after the eruption, the survivors seem determined to finish the job. Communities wage war on each other, gangs of cannibals roam the countryside, and what little government survived the eruption has collapsed completely. The ham radio has gone silent. Sickness, cold, and starvation are the survivors’ constant companions.

When it becomes apparent that their home is no longer safe and adults are not facing the stark realities, Alex and Darla must create a community that can survive the ongoing disaster, an almost impossible task requiring even more guts and more smarts than ever—and unthinkable sacrifice. If they fail . . . they, their loved ones, and the few remaining survivors will perish.

This epic finale has the heart of Ashfall, the action of Ashen Winter, and a depth all its own, examining questions of responsibility and bravery, civilization and society, illuminated by the story of an unshakable love that transcends a post-apocalyptic world and even life itself.

My thoughts:

sunrise1Ashfall and then Ashen Winter blew me away, and I had high expectations as I waited for the release of Sunrise. Well, those expectations were absolutely met, and then some! Sunrise continues the breakneck pace of the earlier books, with non-stop action and unrelenting danger around every corner.

Alex and Darla make a formidable team, and as young leaders trying to create a new community, they face challenges both from external threats and from internal mistrust and dissension. The pair are remarkably brave and cool-headed, and despite their youth, they manage to organize their small community’s defenses as well as to provide a vision for the future that just may get them — and their loved ones — through the grim realities of the awful present and into a future that might actually contain hope.

There are some truly horrifying moments, and the danger is real and insidious — all the worse because the most life-threatening dangers come not from the natural disaster, but from human reactions in the aftermath. Practically no one comes through unscathed, but the fact that Alex and Darla manage to pull together a random group of people into a community with a future is astounding — and given how far we’ve come with these two characters, it’s also quite believable.

I’ve tended to shy away from YA series lately after feeling let down or not fulfilled by the wrap-up. In the case of the Ashfall trilogy, I can definitely say that it’s worth sticking with! This trilogy delivers in all three books. No filler, no slack, no let-up — all three books are detailed, tight, and compelling, and once you start reading them, it’s impossible to stop.

About the Author:

Mike MullinMike Mullin’s first job was scraping the gum off the undersides of desks at his high school. From there, things went steadily downhill. He almost got fired by the owner of a bookstore due to his poor taste in earrings. He worked at a place that showed slides of poopy diapers during lunch (it did cut down on the cafeteria budget). The hazing process at the next company included eating live termites raised by the resident entomologist, so that didn’t last long either. For a while Mike juggled bottles at a wine shop, sometimes to disastrous effect. Oh, and then there was the job where swarms of wasps occasionally tried to chase him off ladders. So he’s really glad this writing thing seems to be working out.

Mike holds a black belt in Songahm Taekwondo. He lives in Indianapolis with his wife and her three cats. Ashen Winter is his second novel. His debut, Ashfall, was named one of the top five young adult novels of 2011 by National Public Radio, a Best Teen Book of 2011 by Kirkus Reviews, and a New Voices selection by the American Booksellers Association

Giveaway!

Don’t miss out on the awesome giveaway offered by Books With Bite! You could win a complete set of the Ashfall series!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour Info:

To buy Sunrise:

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Want to read my reviews of the first two books in the series? Here are the links:

Flashback Friday: The Icarus Girl

ffbutton2Flashback Friday is a weekly tradition started here at Bookshelf Fantasies, focusing on showing some love for the older books in our lives and on our shelves. If you’d like to join in, just pick a book published at least five years ago, post your Flashback Friday pick on your blog, and let us all know about that special book from your reading past and why it matters to you. Don’t forget to link up!

My Flashback Friday pick this week:

The Icarus Girl

The Icarus Girl by Helen Oyeyemi
(published 2005)

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Jessamy “Jess” Harrison, age eight, is the child of an English father and a Nigerian mother. Possessed of an extraordinary imagination, she has a hard time fitting in at school. It is only when she visits Nigeria for the first time that she makes a friend who understands her: a ragged little girl named TillyTilly. But soon TillyTilly’s visits become more disturbing, until Jess realizes she doesn’t actually know who her friend is at all. Drawing on Nigerian mythology, Helen Oyeyemi presents a striking variation on the classic literary theme of doubles — both real and spiritual — in this lyrical and bold debut.

I was reminded of this book, which I read several years ago, after reading the first batch of reviews for Helen Oyeyemi’s newest novel, Boy, Snow, Bird. It’s hard to believe that this talented writer, author of five novels to date, is only 29 years old!

The Icarus Girl, Oyeyemi’s debut, was published when the author was just 20. This is the only book of hers that I’ve read, so I don’t know how or if her style has changed since her first novel. In any case, while the entire plot didn’t necessarily hold together for me, what I remember about The Icarus Girl is the lovely writing, the sense of magic and mystery that pervades the novel, the very scary and eerie supernatural moments, and the use of Nigerian mythology to deepen and enrich the overall mood.

Have you read anything by Helen Oyeyemi? Do you plan to read Boy, Snow, Bird?

What flashback book is on your mind this week?

Note from your friendly Bookshelf Fantasies host: To join in the Flashback Friday fun:

  • Grab the Flashback Friday button
  • Post your own Flashback Friday entry on your blog (and mention Bookshelf Fantasies as the host of the meme, if you please!)
  • Leave your link in the comments below
  • Check out other FF posts… and discover some terrific hidden gems to add to your TBR piles!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Do you host a book blog meme? Do you participate in a meme that you really, really love? I’m building a Book Blog Meme Directory, and need your help! If you know of a great meme to include — or if you host one yourself — please drop me a note on my Contact page and I’ll be sure to add your info!

Thursday Quotables: Sunrise

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Welcome back to Thursday Quotables! This weekly feature is the place to highlight a great quote, line, or passage discovered during your reading each week.  Whether it’s something funny, startling, gut-wrenching, or just really beautifully written, Thursday Quotables is where my favorite lines of the week will be, and you’re invited to join in!

Sunrise (Ashfall, #3)

Sunrise by Mike Mullin
(to be released April 15, 2014)

Sunrise is the final book in the Ashfall series, a powerful young adult trilogy in which a supervolcano explodes and turns most of the country into a snow- and ash-covered barren landscape. A band of survivors struggles to find a way to get by, but starvation, illness, and violence lurk around every corner.

And yet… it may be the end of the world as we know it, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have a lighter moment once in a while:

“This foolish proposal illustrates why you should vote for experience over youth. Why you should return to office a trusted leader with almost a decade of experience leading this town. You can choose a man you know and trust or a boy who can’t even grow a proper beard yet.”

That was not exactly true. I couldn’t grow any kind of beard, let alone a proper one.

And on a more romantic note:

I took Darla in my arms, and she crushed me against her body. The world around us was frozen, quiet, and still, as if the last point of warmth in the universe burned between her chest and mine.

Intrigued? My blog tour post and review will be up this Saturday!

What lines made you laugh, cry, or gasp this week? Do tell!

If you’d like to participate in Thursday Quotables, it’s really simple:

  • Write a Thursday Quotables post on your blog. Try to pick something from whatever you’re reading now. And please be sure to include a link back to Bookshelf Fantasies in your post (http://www.bookshelffantasies.com), if you’d be so kind!
  • Leave your link in the comments — or, if you have a quote to share but not a blog post, you can leave your quote in the comments too!
  • Visit other linked blogs to view their Thursday Quotables, and have fun!

Wishing & Waiting on Wednesday: Henna House

There’s nothing like a Wednesday for thinking about the books we want to read! My Wishing & Waiting on Wednesday post is linking up with two fabulous book memes, Wishlist Wednesday (hosted by Pen to Paper) and Waiting on Wednesday (hosted by Breaking the Spine).

My most wished-for book this week is:

Henna House: A Novel

Henna House by Nomi Eve
(Release date: August 12, 2014)

Synopsis via Goodreads:

An evocative and stirring novel about a young woman living in the fascinating and rarely portrayed community of Yemenite Jews of the mid-twentieth century, from the acclaimed author of The Family Orchard.

In the tradition of Anita Diamant’s The Red Tent, Henna House is the enthralling story of a woman, her family, their community, and the rituals that bind them.

Nomi Eve’s vivid saga begins in Yemen in 1920, when Adela Damari’s parents desperately seek a future husband for their young daughter. After passage of the Orphan’s Decree, any unbetrothed Jewish child left orphaned will be instantly adopted by the local Muslim community. With her parents’ health failing, and no spousal prospects in sight, Adela’s situation looks dire until her uncle arrives from a faraway city, bringing with him a cousin and aunt who introduce Adela to the powerful rituals of henna tattooing. Suddenly, Adela’s eyes are opened to the world, and she begins to understand what it means to love another and one’s heritage. She is imperiled, however, when her parents die and a prolonged drought threatens their long-established way of life. She and her extended family flee to the city of Aden where Adela encounters old loves, discovers her true calling, and is ultimately betrayed by the people and customs she once held dear.

Henna House is an intimate family portrait and a panorama of history. From the traditions of the Yemenite Jews, to the far-ranging devastation of the Holocaust, to the birth of the State of Israel, Eve offers an unforgettable coming-of-age story and a textured chronicle of a fascinating period in the twentieth century.

Henna House is a rich, spirited, and sensuous tale of love, loss, betrayal, forgiveness, and the dyes that adorn the skin and pierce the heart.

I love the sound of this book! The story of Henna House focuses on a piece of history that I think is not well known — but for me, there’s a personal connection as well, as the time period and the community portrayed here are a close match for my husband’s family history. Henna House sounds deeply touching and quite fascinating, and I’m hoping (fingers crossed!) to be able to get hold of a review copy.

What are you wishing for this Wednesday?

Looking for some bookish fun on Thursdays and Fridays? Come join me for my regular weekly features, Thursday Quotables and Flashback Friday! You can find out more here — come share the book love!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Do you host a book blog meme? Do you participate in a meme that you really, really love? I’m building a Book Blog Meme Directory, and need your help! If you know of a great meme to include — or if you host one yourself — please drop me a note on my Contact page and I’ll be sure to add your info!

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten 1970s Horror Novels

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Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. For this week’s top 10, the topic is Top Ten All Time Favorite Books in X Genre — pick a genre, and write about whatever books you love. I was drawing a blank until a friend and I ended up discussing The Omen (yes, it just happened to come up in conversation), and that’s when I decided to make my list about all those amazing 1970s horror books with awesome covers:

1) The Omen by David Seltzer

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2) The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty

The Exorcist

3) Harvest Home by Thomas Tryon

Harvest Home

4) Audrey Rose by Frank De Felitta

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5) ‘Salem’s Lot by Stephen King

stephen king salem's lot signet 1976 pb

6) Suffer the Children by John Saul

Suffer the Children

7) The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson

The Amityville Horror

And three more books that — while not truly horror — certainly are horrifying in their own way, and are iconic works of the 1970s:

8) Jaws by Peter Benchley

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9) The Stepford Wives by Ira Levin

The Stepford Wives

10) Logan’s Run by William F. Nolan

Logan's Run (Logan, #1)

What genre did you pick this week? Share your links, and I’ll come check out your top 10!

If you enjoyed this post, please consider following Bookshelf Fantasies! And don’t forget to check out our regular weekly features, Thursday Quotables and Flashback Friday. Happy reading!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Do you host a book blog meme? Do you participate in a meme that you really, really love? I’m building a Book Blog Meme Directory, and need your help! If you know of a great meme to include — or if you host one yourself — please drop me a note on my Contact page and I’ll be sure to add your info!