Review: The Smoke Thief by Shana Abe

The Smoke Thief by Shana Abe

Drakon Series, Book 1

Publication Date: January 1st, 2006

Published By: Bantam Books

Paperback, 352 Pages

Source: Purchased

Summary from Goodreads:

"In this bewitching novel, Shana Abe transports us to an exhilarating world of romance, adventure, and magic. Here, among northern England's misted hills, live a race of extraordinarily beautiful and sensual beings with the ability to shape-shift from human to dragon and back again. Now their secret—and their survival—is threatened by two forbidden lovers...and a passion that will break every boundary.

Dubbed the Smoke Thief for a series of daring jewel thefts, Clarissa Rue Hawthorne didn't expect the drakon leader himself to come to London dangling the tribe's most valuable jewel as bait: the Langford Diamond. But Christoff, the charismatic Marquess of Langford, had to catch Clarissa before anyone else did—or risk exposing the entire clan to the world of ordinary mortals. He never expected that the outcast halfling he pursued would have a proposition of her own to save the drakon—a proposition so dangerous, so tempting, that Christoff will find it impossible to resist: to join forces with her."

Review by Jackie:

I enjoyed this book immensly. It gives a totally different look into the world of dragons. You come to love, and identify with, the main characters.

The two main characters, Christoff and Rue, are part of a society of dragons. That is until one day, Rue flees. They don't see each other for many years and they run into each other when Christoff and his council are searching for The Smoke Thief.

This book has been out for a few years now so I feel I can tell you that... Rue and Christoff become close. Their relationship starts off rocky, with him knowing she is his mate, and her aware of her feeligns but unsure of his. As time goes on, her feelings change and they become mates. I had a sense from the get go that they would be together, and I'm glad that's the direction that the author took.

The Drakon Society as a whole, tries to blend in with humans while keeping itself hidden.. When The Smoke Thief starts stealing gems, we see the society take action so others don't discover them. It was interesting to me how the dragons sense gems, and how Christoff desinged the ploy to catch the thief using gems.

I found myself skipping ahead and I had to go back so as not to miss anything. I have the other three books in the series and I can't wait to read them!

***FYI These are adult books and do contain sexual behavior.

Jackie:)

50 Follower Giveaway!

It's been just under a month and we've already hit 50 51 followers! That's a cause for celebration.

I saw this the other day in one of those magazines they send to your house with a bajillion different things in it. I thought it would be perfect, since all of us here are major booklovers!

It's only 2.5" by 5" so perfect for a desk or for the top of your... bookshelf! You could even hang it if you wanted to!

Now we will only be able to ship this to residents in the US so we will also be giving away one book of your choice from the bookdepository up to $10.

Anyone can enter, as long as the bookdepository ships to your country!

So that's two winners!

If we reach 100 followers, we will add another winner for a choice of book from the book depository up to $10!

This is a giveaway to celebrate our followers, so you must be a follower to enter!

MUST FILL OUT THIS FORM TO ENTER!

***It would be really helpful if you could comment after you enter, so that way you know you already entered!!

Ends August 27th, 2010 at Midnight!

Good luck!

Jackie:) & Sherry<3

Time for my first contest!

I had bugged Sherry for a long time to help set up a blog for the both of us, and I haven't had any time to post anything. Oops! So today I'm going to have my first giveaway!

One lucky winner will win the first two books in Tamora Pierce's The Immortals Series.

Book 1: Wild Magic & Book 2: Wolf-Speakers

This contest is open to US/Canada residents only. Sorry but I don't work and I already spend most of my husbands money. :P

Extra entries are available. You do not have to be a follower to enter, but you will receive extra entries if you are!

FILL OUT THIS FORM to enter!

No comment entries accepted but I love comments just like everybody else. ;)

Ends August 18th at midnight.

Thanks for stopping by and good luck!

Jackie :)

Review: The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella

By Stephenie Meyer

Published June 2010

Published By Little, Brown

178 Pages, Hardcover

Source: Book was gifted to me.

Summary from Goodreads:

"Bree Tanner can barely remember life before she had uncannily powerful senses, superhuman reflexes and unstoppable physical strength. Life before she had a relentless thirst for blood... life before she became a vampire.

All Bree knows is that living with her fellow newborns has few certainties and even fewer rules: watch your back, don't draw attention to yourself and, above all, make it home by sunrise or die. What she doesn't know: her time as an immortal is quickly running out.

Then Bree finds an unexpected friend in Diego, a newborn just as curious as Bree about their mysterious creator, whom they know only as "her". As they come to realize that the newborns are pawns in a game larger than anything they could have imagined, Bree and Diego must choose sides and decide whom to trust. But when everything you know about vampires is based on a lie, how do you find the truth?"

 

Review by Jackie:

 

****1/2 Stars

(Doesn't contain spoilers unless you haven't read Eclipse)

 

I have previously read the entire Twilight Saga, and enjoyed it immensely.  I enjoyed the different viewpoint offered in this novella. It was interesting seeing the Twilight world through the eyes of newborn vampires(unlike Bella).

 

Bree Tanner isn't a savage vampire like the other newborns. She has the capability to think on her own and doesn't let her blood lust totally control her. While she viewed humans the same as the rest, as weak creatures, she refrained from acting in similar ways. I liked her character right from the beginning, and if I didn't previously know that she was going to die, I would have hoped that she became part of the Cullen Coven.

 

As a whole, this is a book that I will be reading again. If it wasn't given to me, I would have gone out and spent the money on it. It was nice being back in the world many of us have loved since Twilight first came out. I recommend it to any of the fans of the Twilight series.

 

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This is my first review. Sherry had to help me some because I'm not really sure how to word things yet. I hope it's good enough for you all!

 

 

Jackie :)

There's a new book blog in town!

Starting a new blog isn't any easier the second time around. I thought it would be... but it's not.

A lot of you know me from my original blog, Flipping Pages for All Ages. Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere.

 My mom has been asking me for awhile to start a blog for the two of us, and we finally had time to sit down and get it all sorted. So here today I introduce to you my mom, Jackie. While she enjoys reading my YA books she also loves her Romance and Fantasy, so the different array of genres will be interesting to see, and different for me.

For the most part we will post our own separate reviews, but we will read books at the same time so we can do joint reviews as well.

Things are still getting set up so don't mind the blankness of the page, just thought I would get things started with a post so that we can say hi, and likewise.

Hope everyone has a great day! :)

Sherry & Jackie