Review & Giveaway: Poison by Bridget Zinn

Poison by Bridget Zinn
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Release Date: March 12, 2013
Pre order: Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Sixteen-year-old Kyra, a highly-skilled potions master, is the only one who knows her kingdom is on the verge of destruction—which means she’s the only one who can save it. Faced with no other choice, Kyra decides to do what she does best: poison the kingdom’s future ruler, who also happens to be her former best friend.

But, for the first time ever, her poisoned dart . . . misses.

Now a fugitive instead of a hero, Kyra is caught in a game of hide-and-seek with the king’s army and her potioner ex-boyfriend, Hal. At least she’s not alone. She’s armed with her vital potions, a too-cute pig, and Fred, the charming adventurer she can’t stop thinking about. Kyra is determined to get herself a second chance (at murder), but will she be able to find and defeat the princess before Hal and the army find her?

Kyra is not your typical murderer, and she’s certainly no damsel-in-distress—she’s the lovable and quick-witted hero of this romantic novel that has all the right ingredients to make teen girls swoon.

My Thoughts:
Poison is a great thrilling fantasy novel with a little romance thrown in which is just what I needed.

Kyra, a master potioner, is on the run for trying to kill her best friend who just so happens to be a princess.  Not knowing how she could have missed Kyra knows that she has to finish what she started even though it means killing someone she dearly loves.  Kyra has to save the kingdom at whatever cost.  While she is on the run she meets an interesting boy who she can't shake.  Everywhere she goes, Fred is right there one step behind her.  What follows is hilarious at times, romantic at others, and action packed throughout.  This in one fantasy book you won't want to miss.

I really enjoyed this book.  It was fun and not as intense as some of the books I have been reading lately which is a good thing.  I needed a break and Poison was just what I needed.  I loved the whole potion aspect of the book.  I find that type of thing very interesting and it was so awesome to see how Kyra made potions and I loved that she was awesome at it. The only problem I had with the story was towards the end it got to feel a little more middle grade than the beginning.  I liked that in the beginning we had murder, mystery and a bar arse heroine, but towards the end it all started to feel a little childish and I felt like the age really dropped.  I wish it had stayed consistent and kept with the older feel, but honestly if that is my only complaint then I think I can overlook it.  The story kept me glued to the pages.  I couldn't wait to see why Kyra had to kill Ari and if she would succeed.  

If you are looking for a fun fantasy novel then this is for you.  I was very sad to hear that the author, Bridgit Zinn, passed away.  I didn't find this out until I had already started reading and I the world has truly lost a talented writer. I would have loved to have seen more from this potion world, but I know that will never happen and that really breaks my heart.  Ms.Zinn you are amazing and I am so thankful we at least have this one work of art from you.

4 Snowflakes

As a special treat we are giving away our ARC copy of Poison to one lucky follower.  Fill out the rafflecopter from below to enter.  Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Teaser Tuesday, #16

Welcome to Teaser Tuesdays!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teaser Tuesday is for the following...

The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead

Published: February 12, 2013

Publisher: Razorbill

My Teasers from ebook Page 50

Adrian's lips were a breath away. "Then we'll meet in two hours by the hotel's service door."

"I'm a master of self-control, he declared."

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Teaser Tuesdays post, or share your ‘teasers’ in a comment here if you don’t have a blog Thanks!

Author Event: Breathless Reads Tour 2013

Mrs. Nelson’s Bookstore in La Verne, CA on Monday, February 2013

Last week, I found myself hauling through rush hour traffic in Southern California to get to this amazing author event. It was rather closer to me, but when you live in SoCal, an 18 mile drive can take anywhere from 30 minutes to over an hour. But, I'm going to see authors, so I'm not complaining. =}  Lucky for me, I had my book friend Rachel from The Readers Den save me a seat, which not only gave me a chance to catch up with her on our book gossip for the week, but also enjoy the event.

For this author event, I had the pleasure of attending The Breathless Reads Tour hosted by Penguin Books at Mrs. Nelson’s Bookstore in La Verne, California. I love this little quaint store, and I find myself visiting it quite often because no matter how big the author names, I can always count on an intimate setting where there’s plenty of opportunity for interaction with the authors.  

There were four awesome authors in the panel, including:

Jessica Khoury author of Origin, Marie Lu author of Legend, Brenna Yovanoff author of Paper Valentine, and Andrea Cremer author of Nightshade

There was an editor from a neighboring newspaper at the event that hosted the question and answer session of the event. I have to say, I loved her pre-selected questions because they gave me a TON of insight into this group of authors that ranged from influences to book crushes to advice for aspiring authors. So let me share with you what I learned.

Marie Lu

The authors were asked what were some of the unexpected challenges they face in writing that they never would have anticipated prior to entering this profession. Marie Lu mentioned how it surprises her that half of the year is spent not writing, but rather participating in author events and engaging in social media to spread the word about her books. She goes from a solitary situation to a social situation, which has been both fun and interesting. 

Andrea Cremer

They were then asked how trends and pop culture play a part in their writing and it seemed like the consensus was that it is always part of their subconscious but as Andrea Cremer put it, she tries not to let the issues “trump her story.” She did mention that music plays a significant part in her writing and she produces a playlist for her books.

Brenna Yovanoff

When the author panel was asked if they ever had an issue “reigning the story in” for the sake of their YA audience, I had to smile at Brenna Yovanoff’s honesty that her first drafts are always rather violent and the “reining in” happens at the editing stage. She refuses to reign in the emotional aspect of her stories because she feels they need to be authentic to her style. They did seem to be in agreement that today’s writing is not getting racier, but rather today’s authors are making an honest attempt to address current topics.  They feel their YA audience knows what’s real and what’s not, so the best approach is to be truthful in their writing because their readers seem to appreciate that.. for the most part.

One of my favorite questions of the night was if the panel could pick an author to have dinner with, who they would choose. My favorite response came from Andrea Cremer. She picked Neil Gaiman and went on to share her obsession that’s not really an obsession as far as she's concerned, ~emphatic nod~ but really she has an obsession over this man. I loved her animated approach to answering this question and my only advice to Neil Gaiman is if he bumps into her at the grocery store ~whispers~ it’s not accident. Just saying… J

Jessica Khoury

One of the final questions centered around advice to up and coming authors. I always enjoy this question as well, not because I’m a writer (which I’m not BTW), but it shows how authors have grown from their experience and what they hope to impart on the newbies. My favorite response came from Jessica Khoury who shared that as it’s always good to do plenty of reading and writing as part of your profession, it’s also important to put the pen down and engage in the real world where you can “have your own adventures” and visit new places. By building your repertoire of experiences… that’s where your story begins. Loved that piece of advice!!

As I mentioned, this event was well attended but still quite intimate, so it really allowed the readers to chat with the authors when the book signing began. At the beginning of the event, I received an event postcard, which I was able to get signed by all four attending authors. I will be including this author keepsake with my giveaway. So let me tell you about that.

So, I have to share that I had the pleasure of borrowing Rachel’s Prodigy book before it was released and read that fantastical book. I had no intention of getting another copy of the book for myself. However, as Rachel knows, I’m easily influenced and all she had to do was show me the pretty colors, beveled edges and gorgeous layout and I found myself running up to the register and buying myself a copy. Thanks Rachel, it looks pretty on my shelf. Good call! J 

For one lucky follower, I was able to get a copy of BOTH Legend AND Prodigy signed by Marie Lu as well as a copy of Paper Valentine signed by Brenna Yovanoff. One lucky WinterHaven follower will get all THREE books and the signed Author Keepsake card. Just fill out the rafflecopter and share a thoughtful comment of the event or about these authors/books. Good luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Until I Die by Amy Plum

Until I Die by Amy Plum
Publication Date: May 8, 2012
Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers

Kate and Vincent have overcome the odds and at last they are together in Paris, the city of lights and love.

As their romance deepens there’s one question they can’t ignore: How are they supposed to be together if Vincent can’t resist sacrificing himself to save others? Although Vincent promises that he’ll do whatever it takes to lead a normal life with Kate, will that mean letting innocent people die? When a new and surprising enemy reveals itself, Kate realizes that even more may be at stake—and that Vincent’s immortality is in jeopardy.

In Die for Me, Amy Plum created a captivating paranormal mythology with immortal revenants and a lush Paris setting. Until I Die is poised to thrill readers with more heart-pounding suspense, spellbinding romance, and a cliff-hanger ending that will leave them desperate for the third and final novel in the series.

My Thoughts:
Absolutely loved this!If I don’t get my hands on If I Should Die (revenents, #3) soon, I may be another casualty of a broken heart. Until I Die was everything I had hoped it to be and more. Amy Plum has yet again surpassed my expectations.

“Every time I need a hit of joy, I think about you. You are my solace, Kate. Just knowing that you are in this world, everything makes sense.”

The story picked up from where we were left off in Die For Me. Now Charlotte and Charles were moving from La Maison so he could get away from Paris and the memories of what happened. Charlotte and Kate had grown close and the sadness of her departure was felt. It was New Year’s Eve and the twins’ moving party. Two newcomers would arrive to take their place; Enter Violette de Montauban and Arthur Poincare. During the party Kate learns that Vincent is Jean-Baptiste’s second. Kate and Vincent seek a way for him to resist death. When Vincent begins showing negative results to assuage the need to die, Kate takes matters into her own hands and begins searching for another way. Following a lead from a book she found in her grandfather’s study, she found a guerisseur, which according to the text could heal and see auras.
Kate hadn’t gotten a very good opinion of Arthur who came across a little cold. Since he requested she leave a revenant meeting, Kate developed sour feelings toward him.

“You might be from a time when humans were looked down on by beings like yourself. A time when men were the only ones considered smart enough to educate”—I gestured toward his pile of books—“and girls like Violette had to have protectors. But this is the twenty-first century. And I’ve got this”—I pulled out the signum and held it up for him to see—“that says I’m kindred. And I’ve got this”—I pointed to my head—“That says I’m as smart as you. And I have this”—I held up my middle finger—“that says go to hell, you immortal bigot.”

It was so easy to immerse myself right back into the world of Kate and Vincent. I had forgotten how attached to the characters I had become, so when I entered back into this installment and the lives of the revenants, I was totally hooked and I didn’t want it to end.

Kate and Vincent had both been holding back secrets and I’m so glad she decided before they could move forward and be together body and soul, they needed to be honest with each other. I enjoyed watching Kate turn into a strong protagonist and fight for the relationship she and Vincent have. It wasn’t an easy path, but her determination surpassed any other emotions and focused on what she wanted most.

One of the kindred has leaked information to the numa and they are after Kate. But finding out who the perpetrator was, wasn’t only shocking, it was maddening. I was totally caught off-guard. I swore I knew who it was and when the truth was presented, I was in awe.

Until I Die, ends off on a cliffy, folks. I had tears in my eyes and all I wanted, was to have that next book in my hands. This was an astounding story and I absolutely cannot wait to see what will transpire in If I Should Die.

Upcoming Release & Giveaway: US Edition of Quintana of Charyn by Melina Marchetta

WinterHaven Books is excited to announce the upcoming release of the US Edition of Quintana of Charyn by Melina Marchetta. This book marks the final installment of the gorgeous series The Lumatere Chronicles. 

We were lucky enough to get our hands on a copy of the US Edition, so be sure to enter the rafflecopter for a chance to win this epic conclusion to a fantastical series. Good luck!

US Edition

Quintana of Charyn (The Lumatere Chronicles #3) by Melina Marchetta
US Publication Date: April 9, 2013
Publisher: Candlewick Press

The climactic conclusion of Printz Award winner Melina Marchetta’s epic fantasy trilogy!

Separated from the girl he loves and has sworn to protect, Froi and his companions travel through Charyn searching for Quintana and building an army that will secure her unborn child’s right to rule. While in the valley between two kingdoms, Quintana of Charyn and Isaboe of Lumatere come face-to-face in a showdown that will result in heartbreak for one and power for the other. The complex tangle of bloodlines, politics, and love introduced in Finnikin of the Rock and Froi of the Exilescoalesce into an engrossing climax in this final volume.

To read Arlene and Amber's review of this book, please visit our post HERE.

Be sure to fill out the rafflecopter for a chance to win an ARC of the US Edition of Quintana of Charyn by Melina Marchetta. Don't forget to share with us your favorite book by this author. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway