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[Manga Maniac Cafe] Good morning, Vanessa!  Describe yourself in five words or less.

[Vanessa Garden] Happy, creative, crazy, writer, mum  

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you tell us a little about Carrier?

[Vanessa Garden] I’d love to. Carrier is set in the Australian outback, seventeen years after the outbreak of a disease called the Y-Carrier (a disease which is carried by males but kills females). Lena, Carrier’s heroine, has lived a sheltered existence on a razor-wired, hundred acre property she shares with her mother. The story begins when Lena decides she wants to see what lies on the other side of the fence, and comes face to face with the first boy she has ever laid eyes on! But she soon discovers that boys and men are not the only danger she faces on the outside…

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?

[Vanessa Garden] Carrier began as a vision of a girl running through the beautiful and stark Australian outback. It was then up to me to fill in the blanks. Why was she running? Who or what was she running from? The second character to form was Patrick – inside my head Lena literally ran into him. Then came Lena’s mother, who is just as crucial as Patrick is to Lena’s story and growth as a character.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What did you enjoy most about writing this book?

[Vanessa Garden] I think I enjoyed the setting the most. During the writing process, the Australian outback almost became a character in its own right. This may sound odd, but I felt that the outback wanted to help Lena survive. As though the land she was born to was trying to protect her.

I also loved writing about the complex relationship between Lena and her mother. I won’t say too much so as not to give anything away, but I’d like to think that after finishing Carrier, that people can understand why Lena’s mother behaved the way she did and don’t judge her too harshly.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What gave you the most trouble with this story?

[Vanessa Garden] Bringing Alice’s character to life via her diary. It was tricky trying to capture the voice of a teen who has lived pre-Y-Carrier and post-Y-Carrier. Hopefully I’ve done Alice justice.  

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If you had a theme song, what would it be?

[Vanessa Garden] ‘That’s Amore…’ just popped into my head when I read this question. I love to cook, eat pasta and I love romance so I guess it fits, lol.

But I do love the musical score to ‘Edward Scissorhands’ the movie, that music is a little bit ‘me’ too.  

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What’s one thing you won’t leave home without?

[Vanessa Garden] My pocket-knife. Only kidding! Most likely my handbag – boring, I know.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Name three things on your desk right now.

[Vanessa Garden] A massive pile of books, a metal dragonfly and a pen.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If you could trade places with anyone for just one day, who would you be?

[Vanessa Garden] One of my kids. So that I could see the world through their eyes.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you share a few life saving tips in case of a world ending apocalypse?

[Vanessa Garden] What a great question! Pocket knife for hunting and building shelter. Water. And, most importantly, if the world is truly about to end, grab someone you love and just hold them <3

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are some books that you enjoyed recently?

[Vanessa Garden] I absolutely love the Elementals series by Brigid Kemmerer and I’m about to begin ‘Secret’ so I can’t wait. I also have ‘Forever’ by Karen Ann Hopkins waiting too. But I recently finished ‘The Book Thief’ and I was so touched and moved by it that I sat on the couch just holding the book against my chest for about half an hour because I just didn’t want to let the characters go.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?

[Vanessa Garden] Just hanging out with my husband and kids, doing things like going to the beach or parks. Oh, and I’m never without a book. I love watching movies too.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How can readers connect with you?

[Vanessa Garden] Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7349685.Vanessa_Garden

or my blog : http://vanessagarden.blogspot.com.au/

or twitter: @vanessagarden27

Thanks for having me

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Thank you!

About the book:

For fans of The Walking Dead and The Hunger Games comes a YA novel about freedom, choice and family — and the terrifying disease that makes them mutually exclusive.

From the day she was born, Lena has viewed the world through the jagged window of a razor-wired fence. The hundred-acre property she shares with her mother in the Australian outback may keep her safe from the Y-Carrier disease, but it is no longer enough to hold Lena’s interest, and her mother’s increasingly tight grip on her free will is stifling.
Just as her curiosity blooms and her courage rises, she meets a boy through the fence — the first boy she has ever laid eyes on. His name is Patrick and he comes with a dangerous yet irresistible invitation of adventure beyond the fence, an invitation to which Lena cannot say no.
But Lena’s newfound freedom is short-lived and she soon discovers that the Y-Carrier disease is not the only enemy she faces on the outside. Her new enemies want something Lena has, and they are willing to do anything to get it…

May Contain Spoilers

Review:

Much like the first volume of Attack on Titan, this series just feels like a mish-mash of things I’ve read before.  The action picks up with the carnage after the wall has been breached by the human-eating monsters, and the precious few humans on Earth run scattering like chickens from foxes.  The young military graduates, newly recruited, are being slaughtered at an alarming rate.  Eren has already fallen in a gruesome attempt to rescue Armin, Mikasa is struggling to help the citizens save themselves from their own greed and privilege, and everyone has pretty much lost their minds during the bloodbath and ensuing feeding frenzy.

There’s a flashback to Mikasa’s meeting with Eren; her parents were murdered when she was a young girl, and she was kidnapped because she’s the last human of Asian descent.  Her kidnappers think they can sell her for a bundle on the black market, but Eren helps put an end to their horrible plan, giving Mikasa the drive to fight and save those important to her in the process.  I found this character defining moment somewhat enlightening – at least now I understand what drives Mikasa to be such a badass.  It also made less of a muddle Eren and Mikasa’s relationship, and gave a underlying reason for their strong bond and Mikasa’s loyalty to Eren.

There’s a lot of action in volume 2 – the humans are hopelessly overwhelmed by the towering Titans, and they quickly fall before them.  Lots of eating occurs.  Then a huge Titan lumbers onto the scene, ruthlessly tearing other Titans to pieces!  The page flipping got a little more frantic after that – I wasn’t sure how the Eren Titan came to be, but I have to admit that I was jarred out of my disinterest and I wanted to find out what’s up with all of that. 

I have decided to read through two more volumes of Attack on Titan to see if it can take a better hold of my imagination.  The art is still butt ugly, though the action panels are well rendered.  I guess I just don’t have as high a standard for death and dismemberment.  I like that the most capable and commanding character is a woman, and I admit to a certain curiosity regarding the Titans.  What are they?  Where did they come from?  Why do they keep gobbling up humans with unrestrained zeal?  And what, what, what is up with Eren??

Grade:  C+

Review copy provided by my local library

From Amazon:

BIRTH OF A MONSTER
The Colossal Titan has breached humanity’s first line of defense, Wall Maria. Mikasa, the 104th Training Corps’ ace and Eren’s best friend, may be the only one capable of defeating them, but beneath her calm exterior lurks a dark past. When all looks lost, a new Titan appears and begins to slaughter its fellow Titans. Could this new monster be a blessing in disguise, or is the truth something much more sinister?
This volume of Attack on Titan includes special extras after the story!

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Good morning, Ruth, and welcome to Manga Maniac Cafe!  Can you please describe yourself in 140 characters or less.

[Ruth Browne] I’m a writer with escapist fantasies about lawyering.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you tell us a little about One Thousand and One Nights?

[Ruth Browne] It’s the story of a busty biker redhead blasting zombies with a shotgun. It’s also the story of a sharp-witted young woman looking out for her little sister in a hostile universe, spinning stories to keep hope alive. It’s a romance, in more ways than one (but also in the most important, pleasantly erotic way). It’s a retelling of the Persian legend of Scheherazade during a zombie apocalypse. 

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?

[Ruth Browne] I saw the Entangled ad for a zombified retelling of a fairytale, and took a few weeks to think about it. The mostly European Disney fairytales seemed pretty hackneyed, so I dismissed them. The 1001 Nights idea probably arrived via Aladdin, which is one of my favourite Disney movies. When it appeared in my head I pretended to ignore it so it would hang around. Pretty soon I was fleshing it out in my head, starting from the premise of being chained to the wall by an attractive man. The characters began as generic badasses of urban fantasy and developed from there. So, a combination of erotic daydreaming and Disney musicals. Forgive me.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three words best describe Sheri?

[Ruth Browne] Brave, uninhibited, lonely.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If Aleksy had a theme song, what would it be?

[Ruth Browne] Iron Maiden – The Trooper. I stole it from Max Brooks, sorry Max.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Name one thing Sheri is never without.

[Ruth Browne] Her sense of humour.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things will you never find in Aleksy’s bedroom?

[Ruth Browne] Pretty pictures. Crime fiction. Boredom.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is Sheri’s greatest regret?

[Ruth Browne] Sheri tries to live without regret, but leaving Lebanon and her parents for the States as a child is a decision she really regrets, even though she had no control over it.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are your greatest creative influences?

[Ruth Browne] Music, like the Beck track that plays in the van. Brilliant writers, like Gaiman and Miéville. And my own long-standing desire to write something I personally would want to read, especially in the genre of apocalyptic fiction. 

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things do you need in order to write?

[Ruth Browne] Time, inspiration and Ceylon tea.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What was your biggest distraction while working on One Thousand and One Nights?

[Ruth Browne] I was recovering from a death in the family. 1001 Nights was my distraction.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is the last book that you read that knocked your socks off?

[Ruth Browne] Max Brooks’ World War Z. Detailed, fascinating, epic beyond belief. It froze my blood with horror. 

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If you had to pick one book that turned you on to reading, which would it be?

[Ruth Browne] Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. I wrote an enthusiastic book review on it when I was six.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?

[Ruth Browne] Friendship and good times above all things, except food and sex.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How can readers connect with you?

[Ruth Browne] I’m on Goodreads, Twitter and Facebook so any contact is welcome.

https://twitter.com/browne_rh

https://www.facebook.com/onethousandandonecorpses?skip_nax_wizard=true

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7258617.Ruth_Browne

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Thank you!

Purchase link

About the book:

Title:  The Outside Author: Laura Bickle

May Contain Spoilers

From Amazon:

Review:

Last year, I read The Hallowed Ones, and it totally creeped me out.  It was scary and suspenseful, and protagonist Katie was brave, level-headed, and firmly grounded by her Amish beliefs.  I eagerly awaited The Outside, the next book in the series, which picks up right where The Hallowed Ones left off.  The end of the world has come, in the form of a terrible sickness that turns its victims into blood sucking monsters.  Katie, her English boyfriend Alex, and Ginger are trying to stay alive after being expelled from Katie’s Amish community.  They have no shelter, dwindling provisions, and the vampires are dogging their every step.  Only sacred ground is keeping them safe at night, as they trek north to find Alex’s family.  Winter is coming (sorry GoTs fans!), and the odds of their continued survival are bleak.

While I didn’t think The Outside was as suspenseful as the previous book,  I still had a hard time putting it down.  This outing is all about the running.  Running from vampires, running from the weather, running from the knowledge that the world has ended and there few survivors of whatever horrible virus has turned humanity into monsters.  Along the way, they meet some of the desperate survivors, and Katie and Alex are at odds about what to do with the weapon they receive to alter themselves to survive the fight with the Darkness.  Alex jumps at the chance to save himself and have a better way to protect Katie, but Katie struggles with her decision about what to do.  She has already gone against her belief system so many times, and she’s afraid that this measure of self-defense will steal away whatever humanity that she has left.  I thought that this method of battling the vampires was genius, in a Ha! Take THIS evil vampires!! kind of way. 

What I enjoyed best about The Outside was Katie’s struggle to accept the bad things that had happened to her.  She made some choices in both books that had very serious repercussions for both herself and for Alex and Ginger, and while she regretted some of the outcomes, she never regretted the initial decision to save Alex.  That one choice was the catalyst for everything else that happened; being shunned, being forced from the protection of her community, seeing the terrible things she saw while she was Outside.  She is angry with the Elders for not believing the Hexenmeister, and for how their treated Ginger.  She’s hurt that her parents did nothing when she was kicked out of the community, yet she can’t stop worrying about them.  Even though her friends and everyone she knows have turned their backs on her, she is still willing to give up her life to save as many of them as she can.  She’s a very admirable character.

One quibble with the book, and it’s the same quibble I have with most post-apocalyptic/dystopian novels, is how quickly they start to feel repetitive.  The steps are always similar to this – travel as far during the day as possible, forage for food and water, seek a safe place to sleep, encounter monsters and life-threatening events along the way.  Stop to rest after finding a safe haven, then gear up and get back on the road, facing even more danger than before.  The pattern and the pacing occasionally frustrate me.  Katie was an interesting enough character that I remained engaged in this story.  With her Plain upbringing, she’s even better prepared for the end of the world than most heroines.  Katie hasn’t been exposed to modern conveniences, so she’s used to a more rugged life-style.  She knows the land, and knows how to forage.  She hasn’t had a cushy life, but instead had chores and obligations to her family and her community.  I thought this gave her a huge advantage that made her survival more believable.

I enjoyed Laura Bickle’s foray into YA, and look forward to her next project.  I like her voice and I really like her characters.

Grade:  B/B+

Review copy purchased from Amazon

Title: Under a Graveyard Sky Author:  John Ringo

May Contain Spoilers

From Amazon:

Review:

When I saw Under a Graveyard Sky on Netgalley, I immediately clicked the request button.  I just can’t get enough of zombie books (you won’t catch me watching zombies shows, though – too gross!), and this sounded intriguing.  It takes place right as a plague is decimating the human population, causing chaos and countless, bloody loss of life.  The first 15% of the book felt a little draggy, as the author expounded on the science behind the man-made illness that was causing the infected to attack and eat their fellow humans.  The biology of it exhausted me, but not to worry!  Once things got underway with the out of control sickness, I was hooked, hooked, hooked!  I was reading this everywhere – when I was filling the gas tank, standing in line at the store, even making extended visits to the bathroom so I could have a little peace and quiet time away from the puppers so I could find out what happened next!

This is a blast to read.  The Smith family has fled to the sea in an attempt to escape the certain death that comes after contracting the virus, which is a modified form of  rabies.  The Smiths have been training for the end of the world for years, and they are more than prepared for the challenges ahead.  What they didn’t really count on was their daughters getting caught up right in the thick of things back on shore.  Steve’s brother has promised to keep the girls safe – and occupied – if they are allowed to help back in New York.  While this section of the tale didn’t make much sense to me, it did  get the action firmly moving forward.  Faith, the youngest daughter, seems to have a zombie beacon strapped to her back, because everywhere she turns, there’s another one, ready to bite her face off.  The fact that Steve and Stacey allowed their girls to go ashore once they were relatively safe on their boat didn’t seem like a smart idea to me, especially when they decide to go to a concert in the park. In the dark.  In the middle of a zombie apocalypse.   But no matter, it got my heart racing at the mere thought of being in that much danger, self-inflected or not, and made for very entertaining reading.

Once the family gets back on the water and sets sail for parts unknown, things really get nuts.  After rescuing a young girl, the only survivor after her family turns and tries to eat her, from their yacht, Steve has a new mission in life.  He isn’t going to take this zombie thing sitting down.  No way!  Steve is going to save as many people as he can, and take out as many zombies as he can, because there are people out there trapped and starving on boats just like Tina’s.  Now, I never stopped to think about what it would be like to be trapped in a cabin with no food or water while my family was locked outside, noisily eating each other.  Now that I have, well, I don’t know that being on a ship in the middle of the ocean would be such a good idea after all.  Especially if someone was infected, but we didn’t find out until it was too late.  What do you do?  Try to throw them overboard before they bite your brains out?  Not a pleasant thought, any way you contemplate it.

The sea rescues did get a little repetitive, at least until they got to the cruise ship.  Then it was Holy Crap, you have GOT to be kidding me!  How are a handful of people going to wade through that many zombies?  Despite some lags in pacing, I found this a fun, fun read.  The challenges faced by the small band of survivors made for compelling reading.  I couldn’t put my reader down, and I blew through this book in no time flat.  My one, major complaint?  Those three dreaded words on the last page – To Be Continued.  NO!! Really???  Why couldn’t there be just a teeny tiny bit of closure?!  The wait for To Sail a Darkling Sea isn’t THAT bad, but come on!  It won’t be out until February of next year!

Grade:  B+

Review copy provided by publisher

Please welcome special guest Katie to the virtual offices! Katie is on the run for her life, hiding from the undead.  Hopefully, they haven’t followed her here.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Describe yourself in five words or less.

[Katie} Faltering, but not yet broken.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What’s your typical day like?

[Katie} Before the end of the world, I had a peaceful Amish life. I worked on my parents’ farm. I raised Golden Retriever puppies and helped take care of my little sister, Sarah. There was plenty of work to be done: tending the garden, working the crops, feeding the cattle, cooking, laundry, and cleaning. But it kept me busy, and for the most part kept my mind from wandering to all the interesting things that must be in the outside world: comic books, Coca-Cola, jeans, and make-up.

But after…after the end of the world…I am on my own. I’ve been exiled from my community. With my two friends, Alex and Ginger, we search for other survivors by day. By night, we try to fight and outrun the vampires. We eat whatever we can scavenge and try to find safe places to sleep. Winter’s coming, and there’s less and less food as it grows colder.

I miss home.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If you could change one thing you’ve done in your life, what would it be?

[Katie} I know that my parents would want me to regret being shunned in the first place. Fearing contagion, the Elders made a rule that no one was to come in our community, and no one was allowed out. But I found Alex, an injured man, just beyond my fence. I brought him into our barn to heal.

I know that my parents would want me to say that I regret this, and that I regret falling in love with him. But I don’t.

The thing that I regret is not being able to make my family and my community understand what terrible evil was coming, that it could affect us just as much as it has the outside world. They didn’t believe me then. But I know that they do now.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What’s the one thing do you prize above all others?

[Katie} Of all things, certainly my faith. Though I wrestle with knowing that God has chosen not to intervene in this evil that has spread over the earth, I still treasure it.

In terms of material things? The only thing I really have is the Himmelsbrief my village Hexenmeister created for me. It is a letter to God, a beautiful and powerful thing. It deters the vampires, and I credit it with my survival so far.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Why do you think the world has become such a dangerous place?

[Katie] I have heard many explanations for this. My village Hexenmeister has said that the Darkness has always been with us. He says that it was with us even in the Old Country. He remembers the old ways of dealing with the Darkness: with stakes and fire and sunlight. People believed in it then, and struck it down before it had the chance to take root.

Others tell me that it is a scientific evil. That something has crawled out of a radioactive experiment in a place half a world away. Chernobyl? I can’t remember what it was called. Some think that a meteor fell. Others think that it is a virus.

I don’t know the answer. All I know is that there is Darkness and light, and that one must choose a side.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Why do you think you have survived, while so many others have not?

[Katie} Alex says that it’s because I’m used to being without modern conveniences: that I know how to make my way without electricity, cars, and telephones. I know what’s edible in the forest and which animal tracks to follow and which to avoid.

I think it’s partially because of the Himmelsbrief. Without it, I would have been devoured long before.

And it’s also because I am not truly alone. I have my friends, Alex and Ginger. We have a horse and have just been joined by a wolf. The wolf is good with hunting…more dog than wolf. He is good with finding chickens, and he shares what he finds.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you share your dreams for the future in five words or less.

[Katie} No more blood and Darkness.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Thank you!

[Katie} Thank you so much!

Purchase link:

About the book:

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

I enjoyed the heck out of Under a Graveyard Sky, so I am quite eager to get my hands on To Sail A Darkling Sea by John Ringo.  Check back tomorrow for my review of the first book in his zombie apocalypse series!

What are you waiting on?

Title:  Breathe Author: Sarah Crossan

May Contain Spoilers

From Amazon:

Review:

The premise of Breathe hooked me and made me what to read it.  I am a huge fan of dystopian fiction, and though I have been disappointed by many of them lately, Breathe kept me completely engaged in the plot.  That’s not to say that there weren’t any flaws, because there were quite a few, but I was so caught up in the story that I overlooked most of them.  One that was hard to overlook was the personality reversal of Petra, the leader of the Resistance.  When the chips were down, she went from being tough as nails to completely caving in and giving up.  I don’t understand how she was the leader of this rebel group for so long, how she sent her people out on dangerous, life-threatening missions that lead to many of their deaths, when she couldn’t even find it in herself to fight back when she’s confronted with a war.  Yes, the odds were so against her people that it didn’t look like they had a chance in Hell of winning, but just rolling over and giving up without a fight made me dislike her even more.  How she ever became the leader of the resistance in the first place is beyond me.

When Bea and her best friend, Quinn, head out of the pod for a short camping trip, their plans are disrupted by Alina, a member of the Resistance, who is fleeing from the Ministry.  Alina’s crime? She stole some plants.  Yup, in this horrific vision of the future, all plant-life has been destroyed, the oceans have been polluted, and as a result, there isn’t enough oxygen left in the atmosphere to support life.  The oppressive Breathe, the corporation that developed the pods and the life giving machines that fill them with breathable air,  making a fortune selling air to the citizens of the pod.  If you think having a gas meter or an electric meter is a pain, imagine having a monthly bill for the air you breathe.  The poor struggle to make ends meet, while the wealthy have so much money they can splurge on personal air tanks so they can jog or play sports.  Stewards patrol the streets, punishing those who walk too fast, or carry burdens without a permit.  In the public areas of the pod, there are strict rules dictating how quickly you can move or what you can do because you are sucking up all of that valuable free air into your lungs.  I love the concept behind this story!

After Bea and Quinn help Alina, their lives are thrown into chaos.  Quinn’s father holds a high ranking position in Breathe, and as a Premium, there is little that Quinn has had to do without.  Bea, on the other hand, has parents who are working themselves to death to pay for her air.  As she attends school and works hard to be promoted, Bea is consumed with guilt.  Her parents are always so tired, and always so worried about everything.  When she fails to secure a spot in the Breathe Leadership Program, she is devastated.  That was going to be her ticket to an easier life for her and her parents, and she blew it.  So a trip outside, to the Outlands, sounds like just the thing she needs to clear her head and forget her disappointment.  Quinn is providing everything she needs for the trip, so she might as well go and enjoy herself.  And she is, until they run into Alina.  Quinn, a very clueless, privileged young man, sees Alina, finds her beautiful, and immediately falls for her.  He’ll do anything in his power to help her.  Even hurt his best friend, Bea, who has loved him forever.

The love triangle did get a little annoying, because I didn’t think Quinn was worthy of Bea’s unyielding devotion, and Alina wasn’t my favorite character.  While I thought that Quinn and Alina deserved each other,  I didn’t want to see Bea hurt, because she is so kind.  She is willing to risk herself for others, without hesitation. Neither Alina nor Quinn have her best interests at heart when they both have the power over her to keep her from harm.  That was disappointing, because after everything that they had been through together, I expected better behavior from both of them.  Plus, Bea would have put herself in harm’s way to protect both of them, and they didn’t deserve that.

The ending is one of those non-endings that seem inevitable in YA books, and it left me disappointed.  I have been trying to resist starting new series until most of the books are out, but this was sitting on the library shelf, and despite a few reservations, I checked it out.  Now. When I knew the next book won’t be out until later this year.  Ugh.  I am glad that I read it now, but I worry that I won’t be in the same frame of mind when Book 2 hits shelves.

If you are in the mood for a fast-paced dystopian with a compelling premise, give Breathe a try.  I gobbled it up in a few short hours, and was engaged in the plot the entire time.

Grade:  B

Review copy obtained from my local library

Lots of nice stuff here! I am looking forward to The Space Between Us, Zom-B, and Crewel.  What’s on your want to read list?

Beta by Rachel Cohn (Oct 16, 2012)

Break My Heart 1,000 Times by Daniel Waters (Oct 16, 2012)

Crewel (Crewel World) by Gennifer Albin (Oct 16, 2012)

Game Changer by Margaret Peterson Haddix (Oct 16, 2012)

Have a Nice Day by Julie Halpern (Oct 16, 2012)

Hidden (House of Night) by P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast (Oct 16, 2012)

The Innocents by Lili Peloquin (Oct 16, 2012)

The Islands of the Blessed (Sea of Trolls Trilogy) by Nancy Farmer (Oct 16, 2012)

Kiss, Kiss, Bark! by Kim Williams Justesen (Oct 16, 2012)

Lily the Silent: The History of Arcadia by Tod Davies and Mike Madrid (Oct 16, 2012)

Lovely, Dark and Deep by Amy McNamara (Oct 16, 2012)

Out of Reach by Carrie Arcos (Oct 16, 2012)

Sanctum (Book 1 in the Guards of the Shadowlands series) by Sarah Fine (Oct 16, 2012)

Shadow of the Hawk (Wereworld) by Curtis Jobling (Oct 16, 2012).

The Shadow Society by Marie Rutkoski (Oct 16, 2012)

The Space Between Us by Jessica Martinez (Oct 16, 2012)

Starstruck: A Fame Game Novel by Lauren Conrad (Oct 16, 2012)

This Is Not Forgiveness by Celia Rees (Oct 16, 2012)

TimeRiders: The Doomsday Code by Alex Scarrow (Oct 16, 2012)

Zom-B by Darren Shan (Oct 16, 2012)

Daniel X: Armageddon by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein (Oct 15, 2012)

Here are some horror or post-apocalyptic young adult titles to get you in the mood for Halloween!  All priced under 4 bucks.  Click on the covers for the Amazon product page.

Sudden Independents by Ted Hill – .99

The Scourge by A G Henley 2.99

The Outside by Shalini Boland – 3.99

The Burn by Annie Oldham – .99

Open Minds by Susan Kaye Quinn – 2.99

The Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin – 2.99

There are a couple of big buzz titles this week.  Velveteen, Mystic City, and Valkyrie Rising are at the top of my wish list.  What’s on yours?

Click the covers for the Amazon product page.

All You Never Wanted by Adele Griffin (Oct 9, 2012)

After by Ellen Datlow (Oct 9, 2012)

Samurai Awakening by Benjamin Martin (Oct 10, 2012)

The Bridge by Jane Higgins (Oct 9, 2012)

Bushman Lives! by Daniel Pinkwater (Oct 9, 2012)

Guardian  (A Halflings Novel) by Heather Burch (Oct 9, 2012)

Jepp, Who Defied the Stars by Katherine Marsh (Oct 9, 2012)

The Katerina Trilogy, Vol. II: The Unfailing Light by Robin Bridges (Oct 9, 2012)

My Own Revolution by Carolyn Marsden (Oct 9, 2012)

Mystic City by Theo Lawrence (Oct 9, 2012)

The Opposite of Hallelujah by Anna Jarzab (Oct 9, 2012)

Paradise by Joanna Nadin (Oct 9, 2012)

Romeo Redeemed by Stacey Jay (Oct 9, 2012)

A Thunderous Whisper by Christina Gonzalez (Oct 9, 2012)

Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone (Oct 9, 2012)

Valkyrie Rising by Ingrid Paulson (Oct 9, 2012)

Velveteen by Daniel Marks (Oct 9, 2012)

What Happens Next by Colleen Clayton (Oct 9, 2012)

Demon Eyes (Witch Eyes) by Scott Tracey (Oct 8, 2012)

Foxfire (An Other Novel) by Karen Kincy (Oct 8, 2012)

The FitzOsbornes at War (The Montmaray Journals) by Michelle Cooper (Oct 9, 2012)

Here are this week’s YA releases.  A ton of these are on my wish list, including Breathe, Death and the Girl Next Door, Poison Princess, and Fall to Pieces.  Which titles are you most anticipating?

Click on the cover for the Amazon product page.

The Assassin’s Curse (Strange Chemistry) by Cassandra Rose Clarke (Oct 2, 2012)

Breathe by Sarah Crossan (Oct 2, 2012)

Chasing the Skip by Janci Patterson (Oct 2, 2012)

Broxo by Zack Giallongo (Oct 2, 2012)

Dark Lord: The Early Years by Jamie Thomson (Oct 2, 2012)

Death and the Girl Next Door by Darynda Jones (Oct 2, 2012)

Emily’s Dress and Other Missing Things by Kathryn Burak (Oct 2, 2012)  

Eve and Adam by Katherine Applegate and Michael Grant (Oct 2, 2012)  

Fall to Pieces by Vahini Naidoo (Oct 2, 2012)

Fangirl by Ken Baker (Oct 2, 2012)

Feedback by Robison Wells (Oct 2, 2012)

Forget Me Not by Carolee Dean (Oct 2, 2012)  

The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There by Catherynne M. Valente and Ana Juan (Oct 2, 2012)

Live Through This by Mindi Scott (Oct 2, 2012)  

The Last Dragonslayer (Chronicles of Kazam) by Jasper Fforde and Jane Collingwood (Oct 2, 2012)  

Lucid by Adrienne Stoltz and Ron Bass (Oct 2, 2012)

Lula Bell on Geekdom, Freakdom, & the Challenges of Bad Hair by C. C. Payne (Oct 2, 2012)  

Pirate Cinema by Cory Doctorow (Oct 2, 2012)

Poison Princess (Arcana Chronicles) by Kresley Cole (Oct 2, 2012)

Poltergeeks (Strange Chemistry) by Sean Cummings (Oct 2, 2012)   

Promised (The Birthmarked Trilogy) by Caragh M. O’Brien (Oct 2, 2012)   

Send Me a Sign by Tiffany Schmidt (Oct 2, 2012)

Shifter (Wicked Woods #6) by Kailin Gow (Oct 2, 2012)   

Son by Lois Lowry (Oct 2, 2012)   

The Suburban Strange by Nathan Kotecki (Oct 2, 2012)

Through to You by Emily Hainsworth (Oct 2, 2012)

Villain School: Hero in Disguise by Stephanie Sanders (Oct 2, 2012)

Whispers at Moonrise (Shadow Falls Novel (Quality)) by C. C. Hunter (Oct 2, 2012)

Amber House by Kelly Moore, Tucker Reed and Larkin Reed (Oct 1, 2012)   

Black Painted Fingernails by Steven Herrick (Oct 1, 2012)   

The Dogs of Winter by Bobbie Pyron (Oct 1, 2012)

League of Strays by L. B. Schulman (Oct 1, 2012)   

Magisterium by Jeff Hirsch (Oct 1, 2012)   

Pinned by Sharon Flake (Oct 1, 2012)

Samantha Sutton and the Labyrinth of Lies by Jordan Jacobs (Oct 1, 2012)   

The Savage Fortress by Sarwat Chadda (Oct 1, 2012)   

Skinny by Donna Cooner (Oct 1, 2012)

Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally (Oct 1, 2012)   

Undertakers: Queen of the Dead by Ty Drago and Eric Williams (Oct 1, 2012)   

Who I Kissed by Janet Gurtler (Oct 1, 2012)

There are a ton of awesome releases this week, so I split the adult list into two parts. First up are the PNR/UF and Fantasy titles. So many of these are on my wish list! What’s on yours?

Check back tomorrow for new romance releases.

Click on the covers for the Amazon product page.

Dark Currents: Agent of Hel by Jacqueline Carey (Oct 2, 2012)

Daughter of the Sword: A Novel of the Fated Blades by Steve Bein (Oct 2, 2012)

Death’s Rival: A Jane Yellowrock Novel by Faith Hunter (Oct 2, 2012)

Ember’s Kiss: A Dragonfire Novel by Deborah Cooke (Oct 2, 2012)

Ghosts of Memories: A Vampire Memories Novel by Barb Hendee (Oct 2, 2012)

Ironskin by Tina Connolly (Oct 2, 2012)

London Eye (Toxic City Book One) by Tim Lebbon (Oct 2, 2012)

Mate Claimed (Shifters Unbound) by Jennifer Ashley (Oct 2, 2012)

Mortal Ties (Lupi) by Eileen Wilks (Oct 2, 2012)

Phantom Shadows (Immortal Guardians) by Dianne Duvall (Oct 2, 2012)

Revelation (A Novel of the Seven Signs) by Erica Hayes (Oct 2, 2012)

Savage Hunger by Terry Spear (Oct 2, 2012)

Skarlet: Part One of the Vampire Trinity (Vampire Babylon Trilogy) by Thomas Emson (Oct 2, 2012)

Three Parts Dead by Max Gladstone (Oct 2, 2012)

Werewolf in Denver: A Wild About You Novel by Vicki Lewis Thompson (Oct 2, 2012)

Wicked Whispers (Castle of Dark Dreams) by Nina Bangs (Oct 2, 2012)

Courting Trouble by Jenny Schwartz (Oct 1, 2012)

Mark of the Witch (The Portal) by Maggie Shayne (Oct 1, 2012)

Wild Hearts in Atlantis by Alyssa Day (Oct 2, 2012)

May Contain Spoilers

From Amazon:

Review:

This book had me extremely freaked out at several points during the story, and I could not put it down.  Well, I did have to put it down once, because everyone else had wandered off to bed, it was dark, and I was FREAKED OUT.  I just could not sit in the living room by myself and continue to read, damn my easily frightened heart.  So I carefully marked my place, set the book down, and waddled off to bed, already counting down the hours until I would be home from work and able to read again.  It was probably for the best; it was a work night anyway, and the weekend beckoned just a few hours away.

I loved Embers, also by Laura Bickle, for both the heroine and for her cuddle-worthy elemental, Sparky.  I read a lot of books, and if I can remember most of the plot and even character names months after I have finished, it was a great reading experience.  When I saw that she had a YA title coming out, I was beside myself with excitement.  Would I enjoy it?   The Hallowed Ones intrigued me for another reason, too.  Katie is Amish, and she is about to set off on her Rumspringa, the time that young Amish are permitted to live with the English away from their communities, in order to determine whether or not they wanted to return and be baptized, and fully accepted as adults in their society.  Being baptized also meant putting aside non-Amish things, and having additional pressures to conform to accepted behavior.  I wondered if I would find Katie an interesting person.  She is supposed to be  humble and agreeable, and not make waves.  Guess what?  She is a fascinating heroine, strong, brave, and more than willing to make waves when she thought that an injustice was being committed.  This got her into a lot of hot water with the Elders, but Katie just could not step aside when she thought that someone needed her help.  Unfortunately for her people, everybody needed help after a devastating catastrophe befalls the Outside.

I can’t remember having read another book with an Amish protagonist, so I don’t know how authentic Katie is, but I liked her a lot.  She never backed down when she was needed, regardless of how unpleasant, and in several instances, how downright horrifying, the task was.  I don’t want to give too much of the plot away, because I want you to be as freaked out as I was.  Let me just say that there are evil, awful monsters Outside, and they are ravenous.  They are scary.  They are strong.  And worse of all, they are smart.  With the Elders denying that a darkness has descended and threatens to survival of the human race, things are looking particularly grim.  An Amish community, with its wooden houses and lack of technology, isn’t the first place I would choose to make my last stand with the world ending around me.  There are no radios, TV, or internet for the news, and cell phones?  Forget it!  You aren’t going to be able to send urgent, terrified text messages to your friends and family because they don’t have those there!  Several times I was struck by how difficult communication would be even without the end of days.  Heck, if I wanted to talk to my neighbors on the other end of the community, I would have to walk there.  Or hitch up my horse and drive there.  Thank goodness I know how to drive a buggy.

I thought the beginning of the story was a little slow, but now that I have finished the book, I don’t think that anymore.  We needed that calm before the storm, to establish both Katie and Elijah’s personalities, their role in their society, and what their hopes were for the future.  Katie firmly believed that she and Elijah would go on Rumspringa together, and after kicking up their heels, they would both be baptized, and then eventually they would be married and start a family of their own.  Everything was laid out in a simple path, and all she had to do was follow it.  But then the unthinkable happens, and there is no Outside anymore.  When the Elders, in an abundance of caution, closed off their community, Katie begins to question everything that she once accepted without a qualm.  She disobeys the Elders, and soon she has first hand knowledge of the evil they are up against.  Things don’t look good, and Katie thinks that it is just a matter of time before everyone in her knows and loves suffers an unspeakable end.

While I liked Katie, I think that the Hexenmeister is my favorite character.  There is just something about a crazy old guy who turns out to be a magical bad-ass that appeals to me.  While he lived on the fringes of his society because he was quite odd during times of peace  and contentment, during the end of the world he was just the guy to have on your side.  He, too, was strong and unwavering, even when confronted with the corruption that seethed within their community. 

The Hallowed Ones is an exciting, and at times, terrifying read, with a strong heroine ready to do whatever is necessary to save the lives of her family.  Without technology on her side, Katie has to rely on something many of us have forgotten how to use; her own cunning and common sense.  I enjoyed this book very much, and can hardly wait for follow-up.

Grade:  B+

Review copy provided by publisher

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

I am such a sucker for post-apocalyptic books!   I don’t know that I would be setting off on the adventure of a lifetime in a pair of shorts and a tank top, but Solstice by P J Hoover looks intriguing anyway.

In stores June 2013

What are you waiting on?

Laura Bickle is a favorite around the virtual offices, and I’m always delighted when she has time to drop in for a chat.  Today we are going to talk about her soon to be released young adult title The Hallowed Ones.  This is a scary glimpse at the end of the world!  I enjoyed this thrilling, frightening, exciting read, and I wanted to ask Laura a few questions about it, so let’s see what she has to say.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Describe yourself in 140 characters or less.

[Laura Bickle] Cat-rancher, Tarot enthusiast, and sometime salamander chaser. Writing urban fantasy and YA as Laura Bickle and Alayna Williams.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you tell us a little about The Hallowed Ones?

[Laura Bickle] Katie is on the verge of her Rumspringa, the time in Amish life when teenagers are free to experience non-Amish culture before officially joining the church. But before Rumspringa arrives, Katie’s safe world starts to crumble. It begins with a fiery helicopter crash in the cornfields, followed by rumors of massive unrest and the disappearance of huge numbers of people all over the world. Something is out there…and it is making a killing.

Unsure why they haven’t yet been attacked, the Amish Elders make a decree: no one goes outside their community, and no one is allowed in. But when Katie finds a gravely injured young man lying just outside the boundary of their land, she can’t leave him to die. She refuses to submit to the Elders’ rule and secretly brings the stranger into her community—but what else is she bringing in with him?

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?

[Laura Bickle] I was thinking about what would happen if the end of the world came…I know this is a common thing to think about on an everyday basis! But that’s part of the joy in being a writer. I get to think about odd things.

I was wondering who would be best-equipped to survive a large-scale disaster. It occurred to me that the Amish would be uniquely equipped to survive. They are incredibly self-sufficient and are not dependent upon things we take for granted in our world, things like electricity and cars.

I live not too far from a large Amish settlement. When I was a child, my parents would take me to visit, and I was fascinated by a world very different than the one I lived in. I’d see Amish girls my age over the fence and wonder what their lives were like. And that’s where Katie came from.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How did you research Amish culture and traditions?

[Laura Bickle] I spent some time visiting the Amish settlement near where I live. I also did a good deal of reading…there are a lot of great books out there that look at the Plain way of life from a sociological perspective. National Geographic has also done a number of very good documentaries about the Amish. Many of the ideas were very foreign to me. For example, the Amish do not wish to be connected to the outside world, so power lines, phone lines, and electricity are not used. That kind of voluntary isolation is fascinating to me. The only parallel I can draw in my own life is when storms came through our area and we were without phone, cable, electricity, and internet for a week. It was very still and very peaceful.

I’m acutely conscious that I can’t know or understand everything about the Amish, never having lived in an Amish community. But I learned enough to develop an immense respect for the Amish way of life.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three words best describe Katie?

[Laura Bickle] Katie is strong, quiet, and resolute. She’s a young woman growing into her power.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things would Elijah never have in his room?

[Laura Bickle] Hmmm…Elijah is the boy Katie has grown up with, who she expects to marry someday. Elijah is something of a straight arrow. He’d never have the keys to a car, a secret stash of Star Wars action figures, or anything with a remote control.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are three things Alex would never have in his pockets?

[Laura Bickle] Alex is an injured man Katie finds outside the boundaries of her community. Katie brings him inside her barn to recover, but can’t be sure what kind of evil he’s bringing in with him.

Alex is a graduate student in anthropology. You wouldn’t find any of the following in his pockets: more than twenty bucks, a comb, or directions to the nearest church.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If Katie had a theme song, what would it be?

[Laura Bickle] Hmmm. Katie doesn’t spend much time listening to popular music, but she was caught by her father humming “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction” by the Rolling Stones while milking the cows.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are your greatest creative influences?

[Laura Bickle] My herd of cats would say they’re my greatest influences. There’s always one or two draped on me while I’m trying to type, trying to hit the delete key.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things do you need in order to write?

[Laura Bickle] Quiet, Coca-Cola, and someplace to sprawl out.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is the last book that you read that knocked your socks off?

[Laura Bickle] FEVER by Lauren DeStefano. Her voice is so incredibly powerful – I can’t wait for the third book in the Chemical Garden trilogy. Both WITHER and FEVER were books that lingered with me for a long time after I finished – I love it when a story takes up real estate in my head and haunts me like that.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If you had to pick one book that turned you on to reading, which would it be?

[Laura Bickle] My all-time favorite is Robin McKinley’s HERO AND THE CROWN. I read it when I was a pre-teen, and fell in love with fantasy ever after. It was the first book I’d read that had a female protagonist who slew her own dragons. I was hooked.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?

[Laura Bickle] In my day job, I work in a library. I get to pet all the new books and come home with armloads of books to read for research and pleasure.
My husband and I are amateur astronomers. We were excited to finally get a break in the cloud cover to see a bit of the Perseids meteor shower this year.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How can readers connect with you?

[Laura Bickle] I love to connect with readers! My website is www.laurabickle.com. I blog about nerdy stuff like my action figure collection at http://laurabickle.com/category/blog/ I’m also on Twitter and Facebook.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Thank you!

You can order The Hallowed Ones from your favorite bookseller or by clicking the widget below.

Here are some cheap YA dystopian reads for your Kindle reader or Kindle app.

Memento Nora by Angie Smibert ($1.99)

The Forgetting Curve (Memento Nora) by Angie Smibert ($1.99)

Watersmeet  by Ellen Jensen Abbott ($3.99)

The Centaur’s Daughter  by Ellen Jensen Abbott ($3.99)

Here’s a small round-up of nicely priced YA eBooks for your Kindle or Kindle app.

 Eve by Anna Carey ($2.99)

Partials by Dan Wells ($2.99)

These Harper Collins’ contemporaries are at a lower price point, so check them out.  I enjoyed both of these.

Where I Belong by Gwendolyn Heasley ($5.69)

A Long Way from You (Where I Belong) by Gwen Heasley ($5.69)

Sarah Crossan is the author of Breathe, a post-apocalyptic read chronicling a dark future where people have to pay for the very air they breathe.  This book sounds fantastic, so I asked Sarah if she could answer a few of my questions.  Check out what she has to say below:

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Describe yourself in 140 characters or less.

[Sarah Crossan] Young adult author of novels. Irish but grew up in England, now living in New Jersey. Former English teacher missing the classroom.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you tell us a little about Breathe?

[Sarah Crossan] Breathe is a novel set in a post-apocalyptic future at a time when the earth’s oxygen levels have plummeted and humans are forced to live in pods and breathe chemically manufactured air which they must pay for. Sadly, some people can afford a lot more air than others.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?

[Sarah Crossan] Like many people, I fear for our planet. After seeing logging firsthand, whole mountainsides cleared, I wondered what life would be like on earth with no trees at all. The idea of living without an abundance of oxygen was a concept I found very frightening and the novel unraveled in my mind from there.

I don’t remember creating the characters. They seemed to exist before I imagined them. Quinn was the first character to come to me though, and his voice was always entirely clear in my head.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What was the most challenging aspect of writing Breathe?

[Sarah Crossan] The world was easy to imagine. The challenge was writing about it so readers could see what I see. That’s always the challenge for a writer, I suppose.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three words best describe Alina?

[Sarah Crossan] Tough, impatient, dependable

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are three things Quinn would never have in his pocket?

[Sarah Crossan] Quinn is the kind of person who could be carrying anything. Those pockets of his are probably brimming with unusual odds and ends.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is Bea’s single most prized possession?

[Sarah Crossan] Bea doesn’t care about material possessions. She is a people person. She prizes relationships above all else.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are your greatest creative influences?

[Sarah Crossan] I am inspired by nature, whether I am writing about it or not. I love the countryside and the ocean. Bleak weather isn’t necessary, but it helps!

Obviously I find myself inspired by the arts too: books, plays, art, music—anything that provokes emotion.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things do you need in order to write?

[Sarah Crossan] Time, space, and tea.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is the last book that you read that knocked your socks off?

[Sarah Crossan] The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt. It is so darkly funny and yet sad and true. It fully deserves all its accolades.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If you had to pick one book that turned you on to reading, which would it be?

[Sarah Crossan] Paul Zindel’s The Pigman was the first book to made me cry, and I remember staying awake at night worrying for the characters. After that I became a voracious reader and found myself constantly impacted by literature.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?

[Sarah Crossan] I paint a little, love to travel, and practice yoga. I have been learning Greek for over fifteen years, but I’m still a beginner: it’s a difficult language!

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How can readers connect with you?

[Sarah Crossan] Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sarah-Crossan/266594186686482

Twitter https://twitter.com/#!/SarahCrossan

Email [email protected]

Web www.sarahcrossan.com

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Thank you!

You can preorder Breathe from your favorite bookseller or by clicking the widget below. Available in print and digital.

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

I love Kat Falls, so Inhuman is high, high, high on my gotta have it list.  In stores 2013.

What are you waiting on?

Subscribe in a reader

Cover Shot! is a regular feature here at the Café. I love discovering new covers, and when I find them, I like to share. More than anything else, I am consumed with the mystery that each new discovery represents. There is an allure to a beautiful cover. Will the story contained under the pages live up to promise of the gorgeous cover art?

London Eye by Tim Lebbon takes place after a crippling terrorist attack.  I love the sense of devastation and bleakness.  I like that the models are front and center, and how the landmarks behind them are in complete ruin.  The cover is really, really cool.

In stores October 2012.

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Today I’m hosting Laxmi Hariharan in celebration of her new release The Destiny of Shaitan. Check out the interview below and make sure to enter the giveaway at the end of this post for a chance to win either a $15 Amazon Gift Card or Autographed Paperback of The Destiny of Shaitan

[Manga Maniac Café] Describe yourself in 140 characters or less.

[Laxmi Hariharan] A chai-swigging writer, technophile & futurist who is spiritually in tune with herself and with nature.

[Manga Maniac Café] Can you tell us a little about The Destiny of Shaitan?

[Laxmi Hariharan] Partially set in a futuristic Bombay, The Destiny of Shaitan is a coming of age story, painted against the backdrop of a post-apocalyptic world. When Tiina accompanies Yudi on a mission to save the universe from the ruthless Shaitan, she seeks more than the end of the tyrant; she seeks herself. Driven by greed and fear for his own survival, Shaitan bulldozes his way through the galaxy, destroying everything in his path. Tiina wants Yudi to destroy Shaitan, thus fulfilling the prophecy of Shaitan being killed by his son. But she finds that Yudi is hesitant to do so. The final showdown between Tiina, Yudi, and Shaitan has unexpected consequences, for Shaitan will do anything in his power to win the fight.  The stakes are high and the combatants determined. Will Shaitan’s ultimate destiny be fulfilled?

[Manga Maniac Café] How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?

[Laxmi Hariharan] I lived in Hong Kong for a few years. When I arrived there, it felt as if I had been dropped into a cauldron of seething emotions, like an alien planet. During my time here I met some really interesting people. To give you an idea; one person from the UK who renounced the corporate world to become Buddhist monk; another actress from Argentina who performed a one act play called ‘Sex’ at the local fringe theatre in the city; yet another from China was a professor of physics but also an accomplished salsa dancer. The range was incredible and inspired me to write a series of short stories, featuring fictional characters who mirrored the real life ones. When I read out the stories to my writers’ group, a friend pointed out that all the characters belonged in one story. Thus the Destiny of Shaitan was born.

[Manga Maniac Café] What was the most challenging aspect of writing the book?

[Laxmi Hariharan] The most challenging aspect was completing it. Writing the finishing scenes took me forever. It was as if I had to grow up first and face a few of my own life experiences before I could give the characters closure in their story.

[Manga Maniac Café] What three words best describe Tiina?

[Laxmi Hariharan] Free-spirited, feisty & intense.

[Manga Maniac Café] What are three things Yudi would never have in his pocket?

[Laxmi Hariharan] Iphone, razorblade, wallet.

[Manga Maniac Café] What is Tiina’s single most prized possession?

[Laxmi Hariharan] Her long-sword, with the ruby in the centre of the hilt. She calls it her third-eye.

[Manga Maniac Café] What are your greatest creative influences?

[Laxmi Hariharan] The stories from Indian mythology which my grandmother narrated to me as a child growing up in Bombay. The Russian scifi novels Day Watch & Night Watch by Sergey Lukyanenko is probably my single biggest creative influence. Later the movies I s

ZOMG!!!  Stop the presses!  The cover for Veronica Rossi’s Through the Ever Night has  been revealed!!  Under the Never Sky is one of my favorite books – EVAR!!!!  I am so excited  to read Through the Ever Night!!!  January can’t come soon enough!!!!  I love this cover and feel that it compliments the first one perfectly.  What do you think? Are you looking forward to reading this??

Check out Veronica’s website to learn more about her books, and if you haven’t read Under the Never Sky, what are you waiting for??

The Last Princess Galaxy Craze

First there were the Seventeen Days-- 17 days of hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions. So much ash was spewed into the air they rarely see the sun anymore.

Eliza's mother, the queen, was poisoned while Eliza watched. Her unborn little brother was quickly born, but is forever ill because of the poison. Food and water and fuel are scarce.

As the book opens, Eliza, her older sister Mary, and brother are returning to London after spending a carefree summer at Balmoral. Before she leaves, Eliza's best friend warns her about what the adults have been keeping from them all summer-- there's a brutal rebel group that's gaining ground and territory and its leader is the same man who assassinated the queen. Once they return, the palace is overrun by rebels, the king is shot (again in front of Eliza) Mary and Jamie are captured and the palace is burned to the ground.

Eliza swears revenge for her family and knows the only way to get to the leader is by joining the rebel forces. She walks straight into the enemy camp but hiding her true identity is harder than she thought...

Fun action adventure, light romance, and a destroyed London. I want to know more of the politics of the rebel group and also why the King had that much power-- much more than any modern king has held. The twist about the romantic interest was easy to spot, but I didn't mind. I liked how that story played out. The end was a bit tidy, but ah well. I don't have a lot to say about it. Eliza was pretty awesome. A few of her moves were a bit beyond belief, but they were so awesome I DON'T CARE. It was a very fun read and am very much looking forward to the sequel.

Book Provided by... my local library

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Monument 14 day continues at Manga Maniac Cafe!  To close the day’s festivities, I have a copy of Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne for you to win! 

To enter for your chance to win, just fill out the widget below! You can earn extra entries by following.   Contest open to US addresses only.