Book Review: Waterfall by Lisa Tawn Bergren

Waterfall (Book 1 River of Time) by Lisa Tawn Bergren
Date of Publication: 1st February, 2011
Publishers: David C Cook
Source: Bought


Lisa Tawn Bergren's new YA series, River of Time, is romantic, historical fiction in which the plucky heroine doesn't have to fear a vampire's bite but must still fight for her life.

In Waterfall, American teenager Gabi Betarrini accidently finds herself in Fourteenth-Century Italy . . . Knights. Swords. Horses. Armor. And Italian hotties. Most American teens want an Italian vacation, but the Betarrini sisters have spent every summer of their lives there with their archaeologist parents. Stuck on yet another hot, dusty dig, they are bored out of their minds... until they place their hands atop handprints in an ancient tomb and find themselves catapulted into the Fourteenth Century and in the middle of a fierce battle between knights bent on killing one another.

My Review:

My Favourite Quote:  We froze.  Neither of us moving, simply staring at each other if the other was going to move first.  
"You are," he whispered, "uncommonly stirring."
He closed his eyes then, as if he had to in order to break the bond between us, then lifted me to the saddle and stare at the ground as he guided my feet into the stirrups.

AWESOME!  I am not usually a fan of anything that slightly resembles historical fiction and well this is time travel back to Fourteenth-Century Italy.  But I love everything about this book the setting, the characters, the history, the romance.  It has to be one of my favourite series of 2011.

Bergen prose is elegant and magnetic while the plot is fast paced and addicting. Often with historical fiction I feel overloaded with information and sometimes a little bored but Waterfall was effortless read that had me on the edge of my seat.  I was completely captivated by this story.   Immediately when I finished it I looked up how long I would have to wait for the next one.  It is one of those books that you just don't want to end thanks to the amazing writing of Bergren.  

The characters are fantastic.  And not just this main ones.  The secondary character are just as strong and entertaining and I admit it is hard to pick a favourite.  Gabi is a compelling character.  Strong, mature and caring.  She showed a lot of courage and I don't think I could have handle myself as well as she did if got sent back to Fourteenth-Century Italy and lost my sister.  Then there is Marcello.  My first thoughts was WOW.  A  fierce fighter, smart, loyal and kind.  Gabi and Marcello has chemistry from page one.   There is loads of tension and obstacles as their relationship builds slowly.

Overall, Waterfall is an electrifying and enthralling tale.  Do not miss out on this awesome new series.


Overall Rating: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Romance: 4.5/5
Cover:4/5


For more info:  Visit Lisa Tawn Bergren website.
For more reviews:  Small Review

The second book in the series Cascade has just been released!

New Blog Design

Thanks to the wonderful Tara at PIP Design I have a gorgeous new blog design.    Tara did such an amazing and super quick job (it took less than a week from ordering date).  She even made me my own cute little button.

So a big thank you to Tara.  I hope everyone likes the new look!





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My Book Boyfriend #20

My Book Boyfriend is hosted by the awesome blogger Missie at The Unread Reader.   What is My Book Boyfriend you might ask.  Well it is a weekly meme where we talk about a literary crush including stats, a picture of what you imagine he looks like and some quotes from him that make you swoon.  If you are interested in participating please check out Missie blog The Unread Reader.

Four from Divergent

He has a sparse upper lip and a fuller lower lip.  His eyes are so deep-set that his eyelashes touch the skin under his eyebrows, and they are dark blue, a dreaming sleeping waiting colour.

Four would have to be one of my favourite book boyfriends.  He is not the most gentle or sweetest guy but he is smart, fair, trustworthy and brave.  Oh and not to mention a bit of a dare devil.

He sinks to the floor and pulls me down with him, so he is sitting with his back against the wall and I'm facing him, my legs trailing to the side of the dusty floor.  The wind pushes strands of my hair loose and tosses them over my face.  He presses his palms to my face, his index fingers sliding behind my ears, and pulls my mouth to his.

"Peter would probably throw a party if I stopped breathing.'
'Well,' he says, 'I would only go if there was cake." 

"What do you want?" Then his face tightens  "Me?"

Slowly I nod.

He nods too, and takes my hand in his gently.  He guides my palms to his stomach.  His eyes lowered, he pushes my hands up, over his neck.  My palms tingle with the feel of his skin, smooth, warm.  My face is hot, but I shiver anyway. 

"I might be in love with you." He smiles a little. "I'm waiting until I'm sure to tell you, though." 

Anybody else fall in love with Four at first read like I did?

Thanks to Missie again for hosting this awesome meme.

Interview with Jessica Shirvington

Today I have the very talented Aussie author Jessica Shirvington stopping by for an interview.  Jessica is the author of the Violet Eden Chapters, Embrace (review here) and Enticed (review here).  

1. Why YA?

I don't really think there was any other option for me. I read more YA than anything else. They are the stories and authors I love to read and when I started to write EMBRACE, I didn't even pause to consider what genre it would be, I just knew.

  

2. What were you inspirations for this series?

 All the small thoughts.

Little by little I had ideas that I then went and researched, starting with the name Violet and an interest in the angel hierarchy. When I found stories of a group of angels referred to as the 'Grigori' I used that as a base for the story and then built around that. I also think a lot of my inspiration has come from researching many different types of religious text and folklore rather than one specific religion - it has helped to open story lines to many possibilities.

3.  Did you have a clear idea at the beginning of what was going to happen in the series or has it changed while writing each book?

I knew where I wanted the first three books to end (and I thought I knew where I wanted Book4 to end, but over the course of writing the first 3, that has organically changed), but that was it. From there, each time I start the process of writing a new book, I try to look at it with a fresh perspective and find something new to offer. I am definitely open to change as I am writing and find that sometimes even though I had plans for one particular character, somehow they seem to take themselves in a different, more appropriate, direction. That's half the fun.

  

4.  Where is your favourite place to write?

I like to mix it up, depending on what stage of the writing process I am in. Sometimes I just have to lock myself away at home and put in the quiet hours, other times I love to be out and about. I have a few favourite cafes that I haunt and every now and then I will work from the library for a while. As long as I have my laptop with me, I'm generally pretty flexible.

5. What has being the most challenging part of writing this series so far?

As each book goes on, I face different challenges. It's a new experience each time. I tend to get very wrapped up in the characters lives and since I know all their secrets I also know the ins and outs of how each situation affects them and all of their hidden sorrows. At times I find that hard and have to build myself up to writing a certain section.

6.  After Emblaze do you have plans for another project?

Yes. The Violet Eden Chapters is set to continue. It was always planned as a four book plus series and it is important to me to finish the series at the right place for the characters. At this stage, I believe the final number will be six. In addition to The Violet Eden Chapters, I am tinkering with another couple of ideas that I am hoping to give some more attention to shortly.

7.  What are some of your favourite books?

There are so many. Recently, I think the stand out books in YA have been:

Slightly younger end of YA:

Gallagher Girls Series - Ally Carter

The Gone Series - Michael Grant

 Upper end of YA:

Poison Study Series - Maria V. Snyder

The Hunger Games  - Suzanne Collins

Graceling - Kristen Cashore

Anything by Melissa Marr or Holly Black

AND I'm looking forward to reading the debut novel by Veronica Roth - Divergent. I know I am going to love it.

8.  The Violet Eden Chapters has a great bunch of characters (I adore Spence).  Do you have a favourite? 

I'm glad you like Spence. He was one of those characters that almost wrote himself. I love where he is going.

Since I write from Violet's pov, I am most invested in her. That said, I find myself constantly pulled between the three main characters; Violet, Lincoln and Phoenix. To me, each of them has an equally important road to travel / story to tell. Depending on what point I am in each of their stories, I find myself pulled between them. And sometimes out of nowhere, another character will completely blow me away and they become all I can think about - like Spence or Steph, for example. My mind is a busy place sometimes!

Thank you Jessica for taking the time to answer my questions.  I am excited to hear that it looks like there is going to be six books in the series (and hopefully Spence will be in them all ~crosses fingers).

Embrace and Enticed are available now in Australia with Emblaze set to come out in October 2011.

Also Embrace will be available internationally from The Book Depository in October, 2011.

For more details visit Jessica Shirvington's website.  


Check out the German covers for Embrace and Enticed.  They are gorgeous!

Go Aussie Book Tour Picks

We have had great success with Round 1 of the GO AUSSIE BOOK TOURS and we are hoping to do another round of books.  But we need your help.  We would love to hear what books you would like to see on Round 2.  


All the titles we have picked are ones that aren't available internationally that we would love to share. 


Please feel to add any other suggestions on the list.  And a BIG THANK YOU for taking the time to answer the poll! 

Book Review: The Dead I Know by Scot Gardner

The Dead I Know by Scot Gardner
Publication date:  May, 2011
Published by:  Allen & Unwin
Source:  Thanks to Allen & Unwin 


When Aaron gets a job at a funeral home, he surprisingly takes to it. But there are dark secrets hidden in Aaron’s subconscious.
He experiences dangerous bouts of sleepwalking and recurring dreams he can’t explain: a lifeless hand, a lipsticked mouth, a man,
a gun... Can he piece the clues together and figure out the truth of his past? For ages 14+.

My Review:

Favourite Quote:  There was the unknown, the dark, the cold and the emptiness to contend with out there, but those concepts are all relative.  Cold compared to what? A dead hand? Dark compared to what? Unblinking eyes? At times the ocean seemed full beside my emptiness.  At times it was the one knowable thing in my world.

The Dead I Know is a story that comes together like pieces of a puzzle.  It is dark, mysterious and refreshingly different read.


This story is so different from what I expected but in a good way. I wasn't expecting it to be such a gritty and emotional read.  There are many scene in this book that made want to hug Aaron, the main character, and say it is going to be okay.  This story shows how hard life can be sometimes especially when you are trying to do it on your own.  But that being said they were also some very funny moments and overall it was had somewhat of a hopeful feel.


Another thing I enjoyed about this book is I never knew what to expect.   It is a story that constantly surprised me.  I was completely stunned about Aaron's past.   It just unravelled wonderfully.   


However, I did struggle with the style of writing at the beginning.  It probably took me about 30 or so pages to get use it.   Also there was also a few squeamish scenes.


My favourite thing about this story is the unique bunch of characters especially Aaron.  He is a multi-layered character and it doesn't take long to become emotional invested in him.  And the secondary characters Mr Barton and Skye were very entertaining.


Overall, The Dead I Know is a fast paced and compulsive read.  I recommend for this fans of contemps who like them a little gritty and raw and also to male readers.


Overall Rating: 3.5/5
Writing: 3.5/5
Plot:4/5
Characters:4/5
Romance: N/A
Cover: 3.5/5 - Matches well with the story and a cover that makes you curious about what is inside the pages.  


For more info:  Visit Scot Gardner's website.


For more reviews:  The Tales of Compendium


*** This is an Aussie author for those of you participating in the Aussie YA Reading Challenge.

In My Mailbox #28

In My Mailbox was created by Kristi at The Story Siren and inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie.

BOUGHT:
Cascade (River of Time #2) by Lisa Tawn Bergren (kindle)- YA time travel.  I love this series.  Will be posting my review for the first book in this series Waterfall this week.
The Lighter Shade of Life and Death by C.K. Kelly Martin - YA contemp.  After reading Nomes' review at Inkcrush  for this I knew I had to get my hands on it. 

REVIEW:
The Taste of Apple by James Laidler - YA contemp told in verse by an Australia author.  


SWAP:
The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade - YA paranormal.  Heard lots of good things about this series.

What did you get in your mailbox?