Chime by Franny Billingsley

Chime is set in the time when women were burned at the mere thought or idea  that the could be a witch

Briony Larkin’s a witch, well that is what her stepmother told her.

All her life she has believed that she is evil, that every bad thing that has ever happened to her family and friends is her fault.
But when Eldric comes to town Brionys life will be turned on its head.

At the start of the novel I couldn’t tell whether the Old Ones and witches was real or just something made up to scare the town in to staying out of the woods. But as the story progressed I was able to see that the town truly believed in the old ones and witches.

There were moments when I found aspects of the story a little hard to follow, I also found some of the wording a little hard to understand.  But as I  got deeper into this world I found myself understanding there way of life so much more.

The last half of the book was my favourite . this is when the story really starts to get exciting and the truth comes out about Briony. At the heart of this story is love and truth. The love of a friend the love of family. Knowing when it is ok to tell the truth.

The truth will set you free  

The story 

Before Briony’s stepmother died, she made sure Briony blamed herself for all the family’s hardships. Now Briony has worn her guilt for so long it’s become a second skin. She often escapes to the swamp, where she tells stories to the Old Ones, the spirits who haunt the marshes. But only witches can see the Old Ones, and in her village, witches are sentenced to death. Briony lives in fear her secret will be found out, even as she believes she deserves the worst kind of punishment.
Then Eldric comes along with his golden lion eyes and mane of tawny hair. He’s as natural as the sun, and treats her as if she’s extraordinary. And everything starts to change. As many secrets as Briony has been holding, there are secrets even she doesn’t know.

3 stars 

comp time

To make up for my lack of blogs lately i am going to be having a xmas giveaway. Details coming soon

Wool By Hugh Howey

I was lucky enough to be asked to read and review Hugh Howey Wool.                                              This is a post-apocalyptic novel where readers are introduced to a society of humans living in what appears be a silo transformed into an underground habitation. The people living in the silo are focused on living their lives and surviving below ground. In the instances when people show dissatisfaction, or  hope about the  world outside of the silo,  they are given what they want. To go outside.

The descriptions and imagery throughout the story, orients readers to how life has changed in subterranean lifestyle.

Wool is a warning cry against the dangers of maintaining the status quo without any  thoughts of the future. It tells of the dangers of controlled information, and how control of  information and communication can be used to control a population even without that population’s knowledge. 

Wool is an interesting and exciting story but its message about the dangers of the manipulation information and communication is thought provoking.  

The story

IS SEEING ALWAYS BELIEVING?
How would you live in a world where…
Grey skies are blue
And air is unbreathable
Where love is the greatest release
And the deadliest bond
Where every birth requires a death
And the choices you make could save lives – or destroy them.
This is Jules' story
This is the world of Wool.

Shine Light Blog tour Stop 9

Shine Light Blog tour

Welcome to the Shine Light blog tour. At each stop we’ll be revealing something new about the characters in Shine Light. What makes them tick? Do they have any secrets? Read on to find out . . .

Dark Eve

Following on from our conversation about Clash, it’s timely that I talk to you about Dark Eve. Almost none of her back story is shared with the reader, so we only get to know her though her actions. I've portrayed her as a charismatic, physically imposing person with strong leadership abilities. For some reason when I pictured her, I saw little silver daggers hanging from her leather tunic. I could not get them out of my head. I also knew instantly that her weapon of choice would be something heavy, lethal but blunt – in a way symbolic of her own style.

Eve falls deeply in love with Joel/Clash from the moment she meets him but she keeps it a secret, especially from him.  Instinctively, sets about binding him to her through The Cursed League. Clash is a willing devotee of her cause and the only obstacle to her seduction of him is Charlonge. Clash cares for the Vank supervisor in a way that keeps him questioning himself and what he does.  Charlonge’s pacifist ways and obsession with books annoy Eve, but she knows better than to let it show. Also, the calculating part of her brain knows it’s to the League’s advantage to have someone with Charlonge’s knowledge of history on their side.

Ultimately, Eve is all the things she appears to be; a forceful and capable saviour of the Young Ones. Despite her determination to have Clash as hers at any cost, she is a good leader and a level-headed thinker. Definitely a person you want on your side when the s… goes down. I would think twice before crossing her though, and she and Charlonge engage in a dangerous battle of wits as the story unfolds after SHINE LIGHT finishes.

Break each code at the end of every blog post on the tour and your name will go in the draw to win a**super mystery prize** basket. Email your answers tomarianne@mariannedepierres.com.

“YOUIZ GK ROT. “ TCT ZG ZIT EXKLTR STQUXT.

Ready for your next fix? Meet Varonessa at http://www.darkmatterfanzine.com/dmf/

Did you miss the feature on Clash? See http://thekylieverse.com/

For the full tour listing see http://www.burnbright.com.au/

Sneak Peak

Shine Light By Marianne de Pierres
Stop 9 of 13


Ruzalia left the window and spoke into the narrow voice tube to one of her crew below. ‘Cut the engine and employ the draculins.’
For long moments the ship dipped and bobbed with the change in speed. Then slowly they regained stability. Naif heard the whip of long wings slicing through the air. The draculins were towing them.
‘The gantry awaits,’ announced Ruzalia. She led them all down the narrow steps to the under-cabin of the ship. From there they would be lowered to the ground.
Markes hung back as the others descended, his hand on Naif ’s sleeve.
‘I’m not sure when I will start to weaken.’
Naif wanted to hug him and say that she’d do anything to find a way to reverse or remove the badge. But she lacked courage to do either with the others nearby. She settled for squeezing his arm. ‘My badge was revoked. Yours can be too.’
‘But if something happens to me . . . Please, will you see that Emilia and Jarrold are safe?’
‘Jarrold will take care of his sister,’ said Naif carefully.
‘I know,’ said Markes, a scant smile touching his lips. ‘But who will take care of Jarrold? I just want to know that you won’t abandon them. Please, Naif.’
‘What if they abandon me?’ Naif answered. ‘There is no way of knowing how any of our futures will play out.’
Markes took her hand from his sleeve and pressed it to his mouth.
The warmth of his breath eased her dread.
He leaned in closer. ‘I haven’t had a chance to explain to you about Emilia. Naif, I feel for you. As I do for her. But differently –’
Naif ’s heart skittered at the untimely declaration. Her stomach curled on itself. ‘You don’t need to –’
Ruzalia’s stern tones cut across her reply. ‘Naif! Markes! Attend us! We must lower the gantry now.’

What happens next? Visit http://www.darkmatterfanzine.com/dmf/ to find out!

Thank you for visiting and please Don't forget to Follow My Blog

The Diviners by Libba Bray

I have been  lucky enough to get my hands on a copy of  The Diviners by Libba Bray.

 I had heard whispers that this was going to be amazing and captivating start to this series and i have to say it defiantly does not disappoint 

This is the much antisipated first book in the series. The Diviners in a riveting tale that dives into the depths of human wickedness brought about by religious fanaticism and fascination with the occult. The blend of tension, charm, creepiness, atmosphere and characterization come together to ensure this to be an absorbing and intellectually stimulating experience. This is an absolutely phenomenal book and one of the best of the year thus far. An indisputable must-read for anyone who enjoys a thoroughly bone-chilling story set against well researched historical backdrop. 

Taking place in 1920's  New York City, were cultures and religions  mix. 

The Diviners  is the story of a group of missed matched people investigating a series of gruesome occult-based murders. 

When something sinister dark and powerful is unleashed in New York, This evil force is determined to bring about an apocalypse in order to cleans the world of its sin.

People are being found murdered and some of their body parts missing. As the case unfolds we discover that it seems to be following a dark and disturbing pattern. Suggesting that these murderer are anything but random. As it appears the murder is trying to finish a dark ritual started 50 year prior

Evie (or Evil as Theta calls her) is sent to New York to live with her Uncle Will, After crossing the line with her parent.( who are still dealing with her brothers death) She images that life will be full of glamorous parties, and fantastic people. The last thing she imaged was that she would be at the centre of a murder investigation.

This investigation is going to be anything but normal when they discover that what they are  hunting is not quite human.

“Naughty john does his work with his apron on “

Evie is a fascinating character she is a strong, caring and determined female, but at times can be incredibly selfish and self absorbed. Often not thinking about how what she says and does will effect others.  All in all, she's a fine example of a fun-loving, convention-breaking flapper gal of the 1920’s.

Evie is also a diviner. Her talent allows her to tell people's secrets just by holding an objects that belongs to them and concentrating on it.

There is a large cast of character in the Diviners all well fleshed out and their behaviour, motivations and reactions to events taking place around them are realistic and the range of emotions they show is quite incredible.

Each characters story seem to intersect each other at points throughout this story, without them really knowing what effect they are having. 

Whether it is Sam’s hunt for is missing Mum

Uncle Wills’s hidden secrets 

Memphis healing power and love of poetry.

Or one of the many characters that your meet on this visit to the 1920’s   

Like in any story there are characters that  I liked more than others, but overall each one of them had a role to play that is essential to the overall story.

Though moments in the book for sum may seem a little confronting ( as is amy time murder is talked about )

I loved the amount of detail, that Libba Bray weaved into the plot. It adds a really depth and pulls you further into the roaring 1920’s.

The Diviners is an incredible story that will have has all queuing to get our hands on the next amazing chapter in this series.  

The Plot

Evie O’Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City—and she is pos-i-tute-ly ecstatic. It’s 1926, and New York is filled with speakeasies, Ziegfeld girls, and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is that she has to live with her uncle Will and his unhealthy obsession with the occult.

Evie worries he’ll discover her darkest secret: a supernatural power that has only brought her trouble so far. But when the police find a murdered girl branded with a cryptic symbol and Will is called to the scene, Evie realizes her gift could help catch a serial killer.

As Evie jumps headlong into a dance with a murderer, other stories unfold in the city that never sleeps. A young man named Memphis is caught between two worlds. A chorus girl named Theta is running from her past. A student named Jericho hides a shocking secret. And unknown to all, something dark and evil has awakened..

Rating: 4 stars 

Book: The Diviners

Author: Libba Bray

 Type:  series 

Website:http://thedivinersseries.com/