Gizmo's Reviews Top 12 of 2012

Top 12 Books of 2012

I've finally decided that it was time to put together a listing of my favorite books of 2012.

I can honestly tell you that there were lots of books that I absolutely loved that didn't make this list :( I also didn't read as many books that I did in 2011. But, it's not about the quantity any longer, it's the quality, and 2012 was an awesome year for being a reader/reviewer!

I had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing some awesome authors this year, and I hope to continue this trend into 2013 when there are even more awesome books expected to be released! Maybe I'll even see some of you authors at the Olde City, New Blood Convention in St. Augustine, Florida this coming February!

There are not necessarily in any order. Enjoy!

1. The Last Bastion of the Living by Rhianon Frater

2. Dust and Decay by Jonathan Maberry

3. Blades of Winter by G.T. Almasi

4. Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet by Darynda Jones

5. Blood Winter by Diana Pharaoh Francis 

6. Lust for Life by Jeri Smith-Ready

7. Ashen Winter by Mike Mullin

8. Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff

9. Clay & Susan Griffith The Kingmakers

10. Widow's Web by Jennifer Estep

11. Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas

12. Full Blooded by Amanda Carlson

 My Honorable Mentions: (All our worthy of my top 12 list!)

Tim O'Rourke's Kiera Hudson series volume 1 and 2!

E.S. Moore's Kat Redding series

Amanda Bonilla's Shaede Assassin series

Sealed with a Curse by Cecy Robson

Crimson Frost by Jennifer Estep

Jenn Bennett's Arcadia Bell series

River Road by Suzanne Johnson

After Dark by Emi Gayle

Daughter of the Sword by Steve Bein

The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke

Biting Cold by Chloe Neill

Kristen Callihan's Darkest London series

Thank you to everyone who stopped by and checked

out my list of my favorite books of 2012. In the coming

week ahead, I am going to put together my list of the

top 12 books I am looking forward to in 2013!

Interview & Giveaway with Diana Pharaoh Francis

 

Today, I am happy to be interviewing Diana Pharaoh Francis author of the Horngate Witches series. Her latest installment is called Blood Winter and releases on December 26, 2012. It will be the last book of the series and I have a copy of the book to giveaway! (See Rafflecopter below to enter!)

GR - Hi Diana! Thanks for joining me! First question, when did you begin writing?

I didn’t start writing fiction until I was in college. It wasn’t til then that it occurred to me that I actually could write down some of the stories I’d been spinning in my head.

GR - What brought you to the paranormal genre with your series Horngate Witches?

I love paranormal fiction. Anything fantasy really. I have always loved the idea of magic in our world. What’s better than walking into a little shop and back out into a new world. Or opening a book and finding answers to every question. Or walking into a wardrobe and out into Narnia? Or crashing through the wall of a train station and climbing aboard a train to Hogwarts. I wanted experience magic in the real world. But of course, my world is always violent and a struggle between good and evil, gray and grayer.

3. If you could be any paranormal character or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?

Paranormal characters are usually in trouble too much to be one of them. I mean, they seriously suffer and bleed too much. I wouldn’t want to be one. I mean, sometimes, when they are kicking ass and taking names, but not so much when they are broken and close to death. So I’ll go with a supernatural talent. But what to choose? My kids have been watching Avatar and bending elements would be awfully cool. But then so would being able to heal. Or talk to animals. But in the end, I think I’d like to be able to cast spells. Be a witch.

4. Tell readers why they will enjoy Blood Winter.

It’s a fabulous adventure with lots of magic, violence, snark, romance, wonderful heroes and unexpected twists. It’s also the finale of the series and I think it ends with quite the bang. I love this book.

5. Can you tell readers how many books you are currently contracted for?

In the Horngate series, this is it. For Crosspointe, we’re working out finishing it with a publisher. After that, I’m in the wind and getting to play a bit.

6. What is your favorite comfort food(s)?

Pizza. And this custard/bread pudding combo that my mom used to make when I was a kid. It’s amazing. It’s a custard with a bread pudding top crust. I also have a love for spiced chai, so when I can’t have food, I opt for chai.

7. What is your favorite place(s) to write?

My desk. I can close the door and turn up the music and all my research books are there. I don’t do well writing in public places, and elsewhere in the house, it’s hard to escape distraction.

8. If there was that one person you would love to meet, who is it and why?

Oh there are so many! But I’ll be a fangirl. And I’ll cheat. It would be a tie between Nathan Fillion and Robert Downey Jr. Both seem so funny and down to earth. I’d probably break a rib laughing.

9. Favorite movie of all time?

Pride and Prejudice. The Colin Firth version. Though I do love Keira Nightly in that version.

10. Favorite actor/actress?

Hmmm. I’m going with Morgan Freeman. Oh wait. Tommy Lee Jones. No, Morgan Freeman. No . . . I just can’t decide!

11. What is your favorite TV Show?

Just at the moment, I would say Leverage. Though I’m a fan of Grimm, Haven, Castle, and Criminal Minds.

12. What other genres do you enjoy reading?

I like regency romance, mystery, thriller, and some literary fiction. I also like to read historical nonfiction.

GR - Thank you so much Diana for joining me today! I appreciate the fact that you took time out of your busy schedule in order to sit for a few questions!

Thanks so much for having me today!.  Now, everyone, what superpower would you want? 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review - Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet (Charley Davidson # 4)

“Doing nothing is hard. You never know when you’re done.–T-SHIRT”

Charley Davidson, aka the Grim Reaper, has been having a hard time lately. She’s still suffering from the effects of being tortured by Earl Walker, and has decided that the best remedy for her recovery is to spend all her money on the Buy from Home Channel. She's also moved her PI business to her apartment so that she's away from her father.

Thanks to her best friend and receptionist Cookie cutting up her cards and demanding that Charley send 12 turkey basters back to where they came from, Charley comes to realize that she has been wallowing in her own self-pity and needs to find work in order to pay her bills and Cookies paycheck. Of course, there’s the fact that her own father ARRESTED HER while she was in a hospital recuperating from being attacked by Walker! That puts your worthiness to the test as well. Thankfully her sister Gemma has come around and has become part of Charley’s support mechanism and Charley hasn’t lost her sarcasm or snark that I’ve come to love.

“Insanity does NOT run in my family. It strolls through, takes its time, and gets to know everyone personally.” Pg 101

This is the novel that everything pretty much comes to light. It comes to light why her father decided to arrest her so that he can keep her safe. Of course, Charley doesn’t need to be kept safe when she has sexy as hell Reyes Farrow watching her back. The same Reyes who spent 10 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit and was finally freed after Walker attacked Charley. It also comes to light that Charley isn’t exactly from this planet and has her own unique mission and abilities to protect herself when nobody else can. She also understands now why Reyes calls her Dutch which is about bloody time!

This is one of those books that I didn’t mind the fact that Charley is being courted by two separate men; the biker Donovan, and of course Reyes. We only got a peek at Donovan, but what we did see was enough to last me until the next book. We do, however, get plenty of hotness and sex between Reyes and Charlie that has been festering between the two characters since the first book.

This book wouldn’t be a Charley Davidson novel if it weren’t for the fact that she gets a case from Harper Lowell claiming that someone is trying to kill her. Even though it doesn’t take up the whole story, it was enough that Charley ends up tying up a bunch of other crimes at the same time!

Lastly, can I also say that I adore Amber, Cookie’s precocious 12 year old daughter? Well I do!

“I can hear other things, too. Before you came around, I had no idea a man could make a girl scream like that. Reyes seems very talented.”

I am definitely looking forward to Fifth Grave Past the Light when it releases July 9th 2013 by St. Martin's Press.

Title - Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet
Author - Darynda Jones
Publisher - St. Martin's Press
Released - October 30, 2012
Genre - Paranormal Romance

Review - Dead Wolf by Tim O'Rourke

I've now read each and every book in the Kiera Hudson series (both incarnations) and look forward to when Tim wraps up his series in the months ahead. The second installment has been, mostly, an enlightened journey into discovery about each of the secondary characters like Potter, Isidor, and now Murphy.

This is a strange world the characters now live in. It's been pushed so that Lycanthropes are in an uneasy alliance with humans which now, thanks to Kiera and group, has been broken. Yet, we also find out that there may or may not be several different time lines and layers to the world which leaves questions whether or not anyone can truly die for good. We also know that Kiera has some sort of destiny that is still waiting to be played out.

Ever since Kiera and gang were brought back to life, they've been on the run, attacked by the Lycans including Jack Seth, and learned valuable lessons about each of the characters backgrounds. For Kiera, the last year has been a painful one in that she’s been imprisoned, beaten, attacked, hooked on blood, murdered and told she had to choose between races and now she’s paying the price for not making that choice. She’s also learned that she’s not what she thought she was, and now has to determine where that leaves her in the general scheme of things.

Dead Wolf is a surprising addition to this series. It flip flops between Kiera and Murphy, with readers learning pretty much everything there is to know about Sergeant James Murphy, including where he got his comfy slippers from and the fact that he in love with someone that was supposed to be forbidden by the Elders. We also, if we are to believe Jack Seth, get the identity of the mysterious photographer who seems to appear out of nowhere at the most opportune times. It seems only fair that we have a Murphy installment after reading about Jack Seth's story in Dead Seth.

Once again, we get to witness the banter between Potter and Murphy thanks to Kayla, Sam and Murphy’s timely rescue of Potter from the Lycans.

“In the future, will you do us all a big favour?” 

“What’s that,” Potter winced, still holding his sides. 

“If one of these wolves ever tries to sell you a talking parrot, check to see that there isn’t a tape recorder stuffed up its freaking arse!” 

Dead Wolf will make readers understand why Murphy is so protective of Kiera and why his actions, while wrong on so many levels, were the only ones that made any sense. We also get a nice scene in which Vampyre Burton shows Murphy and his love the movie Wizard of Oz. I’m still waiting to see why there are so many CREEPY STATUES following Kiera and gang around and what happened to Kayla and Sam!

Now, onward and upward to Dead Waters, and then Dead End! 

Author - Tim O'Rourke
Title - Dead Wolf (Kiera Hudson Series Two)
Released - December 2012
Genre - Horror, Urban Fantasy

Waiting on Wednesday 12/18/2012

"Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at “Breaking the Spine”, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. 

This weeks selection is...Touch of Death by Kelly Hashway.

Reason I am waiting on this book.

This book has been on my radar for sometime now. I was lucky enough to have the ARC sent to me by Spencer Hill Press. This book sounds interesting to me in that the character is a necromancer and descendant of Medusa. The synopsis itself was what hooked me.

Expected publication: January 15, 2013 by Spencer Hill Press

What are YOU waiting for?

Synopsis:

Jodi Marshall isn't sure how she went from normal teenager to walking disaster. One minute she's in her junior year of high school, spending time with her amazing boyfriend and her best friend. The next she's being stalked by some guy no one seems to know. 
After the stranger, Alex, reveals himself, Jodi learns he's not a normal teenager and neither is she. With a kiss that kills and a touch that brings the dead back to life, Jodi discovers she's part of a branch of necromancers born under the 13th sign of the zodiac, Ophiuchus. A branch of necromancers that are descendants of Medusa. A branch of necromancers with poisoned blood writhing in their veins. 
Jodi's deadly to the living and even more deadly to the deceased. She has to leave her old, normal life behind before she hurts the people she loves. As if that isn't difficult enough, Jodi discovers she's the chosen one who has to save the rest of her kind from perishing at the hands of Hades. If she can't figure out how to control her power, history will repeat itself, and her race will become extinct.

Review - Outpost by Ann Aguirre (Razorland # 2)

“There came endless wars of escalation. The Dragon fought with the Eagle, and the Hydra wrestled the great Bear. They sent fiery death unto each other, but even that was not sufficient for the demon kind humanity had become.”

As we delve into the story of Outpost, the sequel to Enclave, Deuce, Fade, Stalker, and Tegan have found themselves a home in the town of Sanctuary. For Deuce, she soon realizes that things have changed and she is expected to put her life as a huntress behind her and attend school and learn how to do things that girls are supposed to be doing like sewing and wearing pretty dresses. Instead of being considered as an adult, she is now a child in the eyes of the townsfolk.

“Elders prefer that young people spend their time puzzling over how to read and cipher numbers, as well as history lessons with endless tests. There are rules for everything in Salvation. Unfeminine, improper behavior is not tolerated.“

In the meantime, away from the preying eyes of certain busy bodies in the town, Deuce keeps her training up by sparring with Stalker at night, and learning the ropes from her mentor Longshot. She also deals with the fact that her partner Fade has been closed lipped and distant towards her since they arrived in town and that Stalker is taking a much more keen interest in her than I would have liked.

This leads me to debate the merits behind Stalker’s supposed conformity and leaving his gang land living behind. I just don’t buy the fact that Deuce would have any inclination romantically or otherwise towards Stalker knowing what he did to Tegan and others. I guess there’s a point to this that the characters are living in a post-apocalyptic world where forgiveness and change is possible. It doesn’t mean that I like it, nor tolerate anything that pushes the characters into a 3 way triangle. Deuce belongs with Fade and that is the end of my preaching.
 
As for the rest of the story, once the summer planting season arrives for Salvation, Deuce jumps at her chance to be a part of the guards that will be overseeing the planters. She somehow manages to talk Fade and Stalker into helping her. She knows that she is one of the best fighters around, regardless of her gender, and this is her opportunity to show the elders what she is made of instead of being stuck in some school where she is far and away the worse student in the classroom.

On the outside of Salvation, the Freaks learned and have a rudimentary understanding about things they shouldn’t know. They horde, they build cages to keep humans in them. They attack in masses which leaves Deuce and company worried they are about to overwhelmed with extraordinary numbers. In the end, the decision is made that leaves readers wondering just how Horde will play itself out and whether or not anyone will actually live through the Freak onslaught.


I liked the relationship between Deuce and her step parents who I thought actually made the book that much better. There is a strong evangelical message that the town folk of Salvation carry with them. I’m not much for the argument that women should do womanly things, while men fight and do the rest of the hard work which is why I will always get into fights and arguments over old habits that should fade away.

Although I found Outpost interesting enough, it wasn’t action packed like Enclave was. I do respect the way this book was written and will definitely follow up with Horde when it releases October 2013. I liked the fact that Deuce has had to change her perception and learned a new way to live while continuing her internal struggle as the only female huntress in town.

Title - Outpost (Razorland #2)
Author - Ann Aguirre
Publisher - Feiwell & Friends
Genre - YA Dystopian
Released - September 4, 2012

Early Review - Blessed by A Demon's Curse (Kat Redding # 3)

“Blessed By A Demon’s Mark” picks up 3 months after the end of “Tainted Night, Tainted Blood.” As we pick up the story, reluctant vampire Kat Redding (aka Lady Death) has left behind her friends, allies, and job as a vampire/werewolf hunter, and fled to the small town of Delai where she hoped to find solace and retirement from the job that has brought her nothing but heartache, misery, and enemies coming out of the woodwork.

In the past two books, Moore has held secrets of not only Delai, but of Levi and why he seems to be smitten with Kat, close to his chest. He leaves readers minds to wander wondering why this town just happens to appear to Kat when she needs it the most. When you are finally given the real story behind the town, it’s like a light bulb goes off in your head. Pop…Of course! How did we not pick up on that fact? How could we neglect the fact that Levi’s wife and adopted daughter seemed to be hiding things from Kat and anxious for her to leave? How can we believe that Levi has anything but good intentions towards Kat and not an ulterior motive?

Ah, but Moore has a few other naughty surprises in store for his readers as well. There’s the fact that Kat owes the demon Beligral a favor that she can’t get out from underneath if she doesn’t return home. On top of this, everyone believed that she was dead for the past 3 months, and there are repercussions for being gone for so long. She is being hounded by a vampire countess who believes that Kat killed her lover and expects a whole lot in return for not killing Kat’s friends including Ethan. Then, there is the egomaniac werewolf Adrian who demands that Kat come and visit him for her own good and leaves Kat wondering about her future. If you believe that Beligral is finished using Kat, you are sadly mistaken!

E.S. Moore’s Kat Redding series is a cross between Urban Fantasy and Dystopian. There is a profound feeling of dread and darkness in this series. The so called humans, or Purebreeds, live next to vampires, and werewolves who make their lives absolutely impossible to live without giving up something in return. You have a heroine who may or may not be one of the darkest heroines you will find in these genres and loves to shoot and stab things like they’re coming out of the woodwork. She finds herself questioning each and every move she makes, and the people she comes in contact with.

Overall, a really dark addition to the series with plenty of twists, and betrayal that will leave you coming back for more. As for me, I will be keeping a keen eye out for the next installment to find out what happens next!

Title - Blessed by a Demon's Mark
Author - E.S. Moore
Publisher - Kensington
Genre - Urban Fantasy/Dystopian
Releases December 31, 2012