The Scent of Salt and Sand, by P.C. and Kristin Cast

 

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I do not own this image. Image belongs to Diversion Books.

 

P.C. and Kristin Cast are a mother-daughter writing team. They wrote the NYT best-selling House of Night series. The Scent of Salt and Sand is a novella in their Escaped series.

The walls separating Tartarus have fallen, and now monsters from Greek mythology have escaped to the mortal world. The Sirens are part of the escapees. Bound for centuries because of their bloodlust, greed, and murders, the Sirens now run Siren Tours for tourists to Alcatraz, where they find their prey.

It’s Melody’s first time in the mortal realm, and she doesn’t want to be there. She’s different from the other Sirens:  she doesn’t like blood, she has no interest in murder, and she hears specters in the water. Then she meets Dean, who becomes her assigned target, and falls in love. Can she keep Dean safe from her monstrous family, or has their love doomed them both?

So…I like P.C. and Kristin Cast. I enjoy their writing, which has a decidedly young adult slant. I’ve met them both, and they’re very bubbly and funny. I’m a fan of P.C.’s Goddess Summoning series, as well as The House of Night. I have not read either of the books in this series. I enjoyed most of this novella. The Sirens have always fascinated me, and their move in the real world is well-done. However, I really didn’t care for the ending of The Scent of Salt and Sand. At all. I intend to read Amber Smoke, but I’m pretty undecided about reading any more about the Sirens.

(Galley provided by Diversion books via NetGalley.)

Over-commitment?

So…I’ve decided to do NaNo next month for the first time since 2012.

Yes, I have a full-time job with long, crazy hours. Yes, I go to school, too. Yes, I have a 5k to train for in 2 weeks, a 10k in 5 weeks, and a half-marathon in February. Yes, I have 2 blogs to maintain and I write book reviews for My Trending Stories.

What’s your point?

I participated in—and won—NaNo 5 years in a row, from 2007-2011. I started NaNo in 2012, but depression hit me hard, and I abandoned it (along with practically everything else). I found that barely-started story (about 35 pages of it) last year and did not even remember writing it. (But I was pretty impressed!)

When I had mostly conquered my depression (May 2013), I wanted to get back to my normal life. Then I had a stroke on June 1st. I spent the next 6 months in a haze of exhaustion, recovery, and adaptation as I came to terms with my new normal after almost dying.

I didn’t write a thing for over a year.

Slowly, I’ve gotten back into writing, but I miss the adrenaline-fueled rush of NaNo, so I’m giving it a shot next week.

Guess which story I’m going to finish? Yep. The one I started during my last NaNo.

Running Man, by Charlie Engle

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I do not own this image. Image belongs to Scribner.

Running Man is the autobiography of Charlie Engle, a former drug addict and ultra-runner who spent time in prison for mortgage fraud.

Charlie Engle got involved with drinking at a young age, and soon developed a taste for drugs as well. He forgot his love of running in the haze of drinking and drugs, his life a roller-coaster ride of near-misses, unconvincing excuses, and a struggle to keep it—whatever “it” was—together. He was only partially successful, until his son Brett was born. A few months later, Charlie started running again, in an effort to fuel his sobriety.

Marathons and ultra-marathons soon left Charlie unsatisfied, so he turned to adventure-racing and found his niche. Raising money to support causes he believed in had Charlie traveling the globe and tackling the biggest challenges of his life, including running the Sahara Desert. Then Charlie landed in prison for mortgage fraud, and he had to re-build his life from scratch, not a task for the faint-of-heart.

Running Man is for more than runners. This book will inspire anyone who has ever struggled to overcome a problem, from a physical injury or illness, to bad decisions or betrayal by someone they trusted. A powerful, moving story of one man’s fight to overcome his past as he forges his life into the future he wants, not what the world wants for him. You should definitely read this if you need inspiration for anything!

(Galley provided by Scribner via NetGalley.)

The Saint Louisans, by Steven Clark

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I do not own this image. Image belongs to Amphorae Publishing Group.

Steven Clark is the author of The Saint Louisans, which came out in August.

Saint Louis is home to Lee Bridger, hospice nurse and longtime observer of upper-class society and everything else in the city she calls home. When Margot Desouche, the matriarch of one of the city’s founding families, is diagnosed with cancer, she requests Lee, and Lee finds herself dawn to the regal woman.

But things aren’t so easy in Saint Louis. Lee has her boyfriend—an activist trying to save the city’s history—and her daughter—a con artist who Lee has never understood; and Margot has her two children—vindictive, spiteful, and determined to thwart their mother’s plans. Throw in a battle over one of the city’s oldest traditions and a mysterious missing goddess, and Lee’s wish for peace is but a distant dream.

At first, I wasn’t sure about this book. But soon enough, I was drawn into the complicated lives of these two families, with dark secrets, current mysteries, and hard-headed individuals with no desire to see anyone else’s point of view. Lee is a fantastic character, open about the mistakes in her past and wanting to make the world a better place. Margot is kind yet reserved, and fighting a battle no one knows about. I ended up really loving this complex, emotional book!

(Galley provided by Amphorae Publishing Group via NetGalley.)

So…

…I’ve decided to do NaNoWriMo for the first time in 4 years! I did it–and “won”–5 years in a row, from 2007-2011. In 2012, I started it, but then my depression kicked in and I stopped writing.

Had the stroke in June 2013, and I’ve been struggling to get my writing groove back ever since.

I’m not going to write a new novel, though. Instead, I’m going to finish the novel I started in 2012, now called Siren Song. I finished the outline months ago. Now I’m going to put it to use.

I’m witchofbreithla over there, if you’re interested.

Yes, it’s probably insane to be working full-time, finishing up my Bachelor’s degree, and training for a 10k..and deciding I need to spend most of November writing.

Insanity is relevant.

What I Read in September

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Labyrinth Lost, by Zoraida Cordova (Read to review.). Loved this!

Madame Bovary, by Gustave Flaubert (Read for school, and as one of my classics for the month.)

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Cutter Boy, by Cristy Watson (Read to review.). Quick, good read about a difficult topic.

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Darcy Moon and the Aroona Frogs, by Catherine Carvell (Read to review.) I didn’t realize this was a middle-grade book, but it was enjoyable, with a good message.

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The Sunlight Pilgrims, by Jenni Fagan (Read to review.) Wow. This novel is extremely well-done! Unique setting, and the characters are fascinating.

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Tracing the Bones, by Elise Miller (Read to review.) This book was both intriguing and painful to read.

Oedipus Rex, by Sophocles (Read for school). Read it before. It still bores me.

Scary Close, by Donald Miller (My spiritual book for the month.)

What We’ll Do for Blood, by C.L. Mannarino

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I do not own this image. Image belongs to C.L. Mannarino.

C.L. Mannarino lives in Massachusetts, and writes about family, friendship, and things that go bump in the night. The first novel in her Almost Human series is What We’ll Do for Blood.

Scott Whitney just wants to survive his final exams and finish up his senior year of high school. He has a great girlfriend, but dreams of getting away from his status-conscious family and going to college. He doesn’t fit into his family’s perfect little lives, although that doesn’t stop Scott from trying.

While celebrating his father’s promotion, Scott meets Maria, his father’s gorgeous co-worker. Soon, Maria is at the house all the time, helping his father, bonding with his mother, and setting Scott’s teeth on edge. Then one night, Scott finds Maria drinking his father’s blood, and he realizes he has no idea what’s going on. Scott is determined to save his father, despite Maria’s efforts to keep him quiet.  Family has always been important to Scott, but now “blood” takes on a whole new meaning.

 s set in 1989, so there’s no cell phones to call for help, and no internet to scour for information. This is a very diverse book, not the typical YA vampire fare, and Scott is an out-of-the-ordinary hero. This book is less Twilight, and more Interview with the Vampire, not bothering to romanticize vampires and instead putting a great character front and center.

(I was contacted by the author to do an impartial review of this novel.)

The Tea Planter’s Wife, by Dinah Jeffries

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I do not own this image. Image belongs to Crown Publishing.

Dinah Jeffries was born in Malaysia but moved to England at age nine. Her newest novel is The Tea Planter’s Wife.

Gwen arrives in Ceylon full of anticipation and fear:  newly married after a whirlwind courtship, now she joins her husband, Laurence, on his tea plantation. Ceylon is so much more than Gwen ever imagined:  a lush, other-worldly paradise filled with racial conflict and secrets. Lots of secrets.

Like the hidden grave she finds near the house. And the trunk of old baby clothes. Laurence won’t talk about these secrets, and soon Gwen is wrapped up in her pregnancy and a secret of her own. These secrets put up a wall between Gwen and Laurence, one that leads to more secrets, lies and manipulation, and a tragedy of the worst sort.

Some books leave you speechless and emotionally reeling. This was one of those books. Ceylon is so vivid and brimming with life I could almost smell the flowers and the tea. Gwen and Laurence are flawed and frightened, but love each other so much and so deeply as their relationship grows. Their secrets haunt them both through every page of the book. This book is a phenomenal, emotional rollercoaster!

(Galley provided by Crown Publishing.)

The Beauty of Darkness, by Mary E. Pearson

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I do not own this image. Image belongs to Henry Holt & Co.

 

Mary E. Pearson is former school teacher, a lifelong player at being different people, and an award-winning author. Her newest novel is The Beauty of Darkness, the third book in The Remnant Chronicles.

Lia is First Daughter in Morrighan, but she abandoned her family and what was expected of her years ago in favor of choosing her own destiny. She ended up a captive in Venda, where she learned of the great evil stalking Morrighan and the rest of the world.

With war looming, Lia has no choice but to return to her home to warn them, but she risks imprisonment or worse if she is caught. With Rafe forbidding her to return to Morrighan and one of her betrayers now seeking to aid her, Lia does not know where to turn. She has a choice between an impossible task that might claim her life, or doing what is expected of her.

I enjoyed this book quite a lot, especially considering I have not read the first two books in the series (yet). I don’t normally read only part of a series, so I assume I overlooked the fact that it’s the third—and final—book in one. Even so, I loved the characters and found the world intriguing. Great action and mystery here!

(Galley provided by Henry Holt & Co. via NetGalley.)

Labyrinth Lost, by Zoraida Cordova

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I do not own this image. Image belongs to Sourcebooks Fire.

According to her website, Zoraida Cordova says, “(I) write YA Urban Fantasy about mermaids and other things that go bump in the night. I also write about 20-something-year-old-girls searching for love and the meaning of life. I often wish my life were a cross between Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Sex and the City. I’m a contributing writer to Latinos in Kid Lit because #WeNeedDiverseBooks.” Her newest novel is Labyrinth Lost.

Alex is a bruja in a family of powerful witches. But Alex doesn’t want her powers. She wants to be normal. She’s hated magic for years, ever since it made her father disappear. Instead of a Quinceañera, Alex prepares for her Death Day:  the most important event in a witch’s life, and her one chance to get rid of her magic.

But the curse she performs during the ceremony goes wrong, and her entire family disappears, leaving her alone and with all of their magic. Nova is the only one she can turn to, a brujo with ambitions of his own. They must travel to Los Lagos, a land in-between two places that makes Wonderland look like a cartoon fairy tale.

The characters in Labyrinth Lost are so vivid they almost step off the page. The magic system is unique (with a hint of the feel of voodoo). Alex is conflicted over her heritage, but not her love of her family, and she grows so much in this book. There are a few twists in the book that will catch the reader by surprise.

 

(Galley provided by Sourcebooks Fire via NetGalley.)