Sunday 10 June 2012

My Review of Bread of Fools by Duncan McGonall ***



Book Blurb:

A new Incarnation cycle will not happen without the Keys. Some of them are missing. There are eleven in all. The Keys establish Mana, and bring to order Flux, the force in all things, the blood and breath of the Universe and the Arcanon control them—or they did until Tolen refused his seat. Bruce is caught in the middle. Terra Supra is the domain of the Gragona, a powerful, magickal race of beings that the wizards of the Arcanon believe they control. One family possesses the heart of the truth. One man knows how to use it. Three must work together by opposing one another. Bruce is ignorant of these hidden realities, but he realizes his struggle to wipe his brother, Tolen, from his memories is not only vain, but it will tear apart his own consciousness. Bruce searches for answers buried in his childhood and all the while, he is immersed in a world teeming with secrets. Information alone isn’t enough. Nothing is what it seems. All the while, the Shift, a reversal of Mana's polarity, moves steadily closer to a permanent reality.

My Review:

I'm not quite sure how to go about this review because I'm still not really sure how I feel about this book. In the beginning I was intrigued, all the questions were there piling up on top of each other as we learnt about Bruce's childhood with his brother Tolen and it's all quite well written. But intrigue soon enough turned to frustration as the answers continued to elude me, I was over 40% through before we started getting hints about what might actually be happening and I am, admittedly, not the most patient person on this earth. We were 60% of the way through before any action started happening but that was when I got totally confused. With characters named Maramore, Mannanan, and  Marasale I have to admit I had a bit of trouble following what was happening to who and I still don't really know what Marasales death had to do with anything.
Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad story, and I loved learning about Bruce's childhood and the antics he got up to, and the way it was written into the the story under the premise that he was writing his own story was very clever. Overall it was just a bit slow getting started to keep me interested, not really my cup of tea as the saying goes. I'd recommend it to real fantasy lovers though it has a lot of promise as a series and you might just love it.
*** for this one from me.

If you want a copy of Bread of Fools, pop over to
http://www.amazon.com/Bread-Fools-Spiral-Dance-ebook/dp/B007SHFRY2/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1339322232&sr=1-1&keywords=duncan+mcgonall

Please check out Duncan McGonall's Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/gillian.schafer#!/DuncanMcGonall


My ratings :
* Not something I would recomend to anyone.
** You may enjoy it but it definately isn't for me
*** It wasn't too bad but I'm not going to read it again, and I'm not going to look for others in the series.
**** Thoroughly enjoyed it and will definatly look out for other books in the series and by the same author.
***** Loved it! Plan on reading it again and will chase other books in the series or by the same author.


Saturday 2 June 2012




My Review of NorthWest

by JH Glaze: *****

Please let me know what you think of my first attempt at a full review. I haven't tried this before and I'd really appreciate some comments and feedback.

Book Blurb:

John Hazard is back on the trail of danger! After a life-altering event, he has resigned from the police department in small town America and enrolled in a Paranormal Investigation course at Bay University, a community college in San Francisco. For their final grade, the class ventures to the Pacific NorthWest to film a documentary on a mysterious phenomenon they call “The NorthWest Triangle,” where scores of small aircraft and people have gone missing without a trace. Professor Macy Renner believes the answer lies in an unsolved mystery from her own past and is determined to discover it, no matter the cost. Emily Sparks has her own reasons for going, and it’s not just about the money. She is about to jump from the frying pan into the fire as she signs on for a journey that will transport her into the veritable jaws of hell. Can a rag-tag team of misfits succeed in uncovering the source of the supernatural anomaly, or will the terror that lies in wait consume them in the process? Come along on an adventure where you will learn that you don’t have to outrun the creatures behind you. You only have to run faster than the person beside you!
 
 
 
 

 

 

 My Review:

There was no fear or trepidation at all when I started reading NorthWest by JH Glaze. I had already read and enjoyed The Spirit Box so I had an inkling of the authors writing style and macabre ideas and the premise was one that truly interested me anyway. I mean alien sci-fi horror, It doesn't get much better does it? All it was missing was vampires but hey we can't have everything at once can we! I was mildly intrigued with John Hazzard in the first book so it was nice to be further introduced to him in this one and to get a closer glimpse into his psyche, and yes he is a character one could easily fall in love with girls, the strong sexy hero type.
If you have a week stomach, it might be best if you skip this one, graphic blood and guts galore but if are a horror fan then this one is definately for you. If you haven't read The Spirit Box though don't worry, you won't miss anything by reading this first as there is nothin more than a few obtuse references to Johns past but it works perfectly well as a stand alone. Personally I loved it, edge of your seat suspense and lots of action, all I really have to say about is "Stephen King, eat your heart out" get this one while you can. It's definitely a 5 star read.

If you want a copy of NorthWest, pop over to http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0983906912/ref=sib_dp_kd#reader-link

Please check out JJ Glaze's Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=258119304253138&set=a.151409864924083.38247.151408358257567&type=1


My ratings :
* Not something I would recomend to anyone.
** You may enjoy it but it definately isn't for me
*** It wasn't too bad but I'm not going to read it again, and I'm not going to look for others in the series.
**** Thoroughly enjoyed it and will definatly look out for other books in the series and by the same author.
***** Loved it! Plan on reading it again and will chase other books in the series or by the same author.

Saturday 7 April 2012

Easter Bunny book Hop Giveaway.

Hey do you guys like books?


Would you like to win lots of books?


Then go and check out this Blog. Wanda and Angie are just amazing girls and have set this monsterous giveaway up from woe to Go. I think there are now over 60 authors giving away everything from signed paperbacks, to eBooks, to bookmarks and other swag. My own books Guardian and Forever are included in the prize list.





And while your at it why not pop over and follow their facebook page Easter Bunny Book Hop as well.

So what are you waiting for. Click the link and get cracking, before it's too late.

Monday 12 March 2012

The Cover and Everything in Between 200 follower Giveaway.

If you don't follow already, you really need to pop over and follow the the page linked below.

This is what you can win:

  • *SUPER* GRAND PRIZE consisting of: 1 signed copy of JH Glaze's The Spirit Box or NorthWest (your choice), 1 ecopy of Willow Cross' Birthright, 1 ecopy of Willow Cross' Inheritance, 1 ecopy of Nathan Squiers' Death Metal, 1 ecopy of MJ Schutte's Energy, 1 ecopy of Kymberlee Burks-Miller's Compulsion, 1 ecopy of Ella James' Here, 1 ecopy of Tish Thawer's Scent of a White Rose, 1 ecopy of Gillian Joy's Guardian, 1 ecopy of Crystal Cattabriga's Saving Bobby, 1 ecopy of Lauren Hunter's The Coffee Shop, 1 ecopy of E.H. James' Laura AND a signed Compulsion bookmark and a Ghostly Encounters postcard by Kymberlee Burks-Miller; 1 God Blessed the Broken Road - Mariza mug, one Saving Bobby t-shirt, a Saving Bobby magnet, signed Saving Bobby poster from Crystal Cattabriga
  • GRAND PRIZE consisting of: 1 signed copy of JH Glaze's The Spirit Box or NorthWest (your choice), 1 ecopy of Willow Cross' Birthright, 1 ecopy of Willow Cross' Inheritance, 1 ecopy of Nathan Squiers' Death Metal, 1 ecopy of MJ Schutte's Energy, 1 ecopy of Kymberlee Burks-Miller's Compulsion, 1 ecopy of Gillian Joy's Guardian, AND a signed Compulsion bookmark and a Ghostly Encounters postcard
  • 1ST PRIZE consisting of: 1 ecopy of Willow Cross' Birthright, 1 ecopy of Willow Cross' Inheritance, 1 ecopy of Nathan Squiers' Death Metal, 1 ecopy of MJ Schutte's Energy, 1 ecopy of Kymberlee Burks-Miller's Compulsion, AND a signed Compulsion bookmark and a Ghostly Encounters postcard
  • 7 x 2ND PRIZES consisting of: 1 ecopy of Willow Cross' Birthright, 1 ecopy of Willow Cross' Inheritance, 1 ecopy of Nathan Squiers' Death Metal, 1 ecopy of MJ Schutte's Energy
Wow! Amazing right. Who wouldn't want a chance to win all that:

follow here,
http://thecoverbybrittany.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/200-blog-fan-giveaway.html

Sunday 26 February 2012

We Got Tagged!



I've been tagged by Sassy Book Lovers to answer some questions. I've never done anything like this before so thought, why not! Let's give it a go hey!







To participate:

THE RULES

  1. You must post the rules.
  2. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post and then create eleven new questions to ask the people you’ve tagged.
  3. Tag eleven people and link to them on your post.
  4. Let them know you’ve tagged them! 



My Answers To Sassy's Questions

  1. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? - I love where I live! I don't think I would want to live anywhere except Australia for an extended length of time.
  2. What book that you have read have you had the most connection? - I have absoultely no idea! Whatever book I'm reading at the time.
  3. What is your favourite smell? - Rain (I love that fresh smell when the rains coming in.)
  4. What is your favourite animal? - Can I pick a Dolphin? I now its not technically an animal but I thin it answers the question.
  5. Vampire, werewolf or fae? - Vampire definatly. I have lived vampires for soooooo long.
  6. If you could meet one character from any book, who would it be? and why? - Oh there are so many I would love to meet, I want to say Lestat, from The vampire Lestat, but I think he might be a bit scary. Oh what the heck - Lestat.
  7. What's your favourite quote? (could be from anything) - "Do as I say. Not as I do!" My mother used to say it all the time when i was growing up and now I seem to always be using it on my kids.
  8. If you could have one super power, what would it be? and why? - Mindreading! I would just love to know what other people are really thinking, does that make me a bad person? Or just an honest one?
  9. Latest book crush? Hmmm, there are a few. But I think Patch from the Hush Hush series, I love Patch!
  10. Which do you prefer hardcover, paperback or ebook? - Paperback, but I am growing quite fond of my kindle.
  11. What do you enjoy about blogging? - Being able to just say what I feel like and put it out there to the world.





Here Are The Bloggers I'm Tagging. 
  1. Paranormal Reads
  2. The Cover (and everything in between)
  3. Paranormal Goddess book blog
  4. I love books
  5. Tattle Tale
  6. The writing between the shelves
  7. Delphina Reads too much reviews
  8. Ali's bookshelf
  9. Best Books
  10. Totally Bookalicious
  11. Stacey eaton - Author
Here Are My Questions. (copy & paste)
  1. Are you a writer, reader or reviewer?
  2. How long have you been writing, reading or reviewing?
  3. What book was your biggest inspiration, and why?
  4. What book is your favourite?
  5. Do you prefere stand alone books or series?
  6. Do you like and do you ever read fan fictions?
  7. Do you dream about the books your reading / writing?
  8. How many books are you reading right now?
  9. What are you reading right now?
  10. Does your family feel you have an addiction to books?
  11. Do you feel you have an addicyion to boos and can you justify your answer?


For those who participate and pass this on, Thank you! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!

Friday 24 February 2012

Author Spotlight

Pop over to this Blog page and check out the Author Profile about me.
Follow the page while your there and you just might be lucky enough to win a pile of books in their 200 follower giveaway.

http://thecoverbybrittany.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/spotlight-author-gillian-joy.html

Cheers
Gillian

Wednesday 25 January 2012

It's Australia Day

Hey Guys,
This is my special Australia Day post, because just in case you didn't realise. I AM AUSTRALIAN! And guess what, I'm proud of it!  I love Australia, everything about it. I love the drouts, I love the floods, I love the fires, I love the support and enthusiam Aussies have for Aussies. I love the support and enthusiasm Aussies have for the world.
I wear my thongs on my feet, with my singlet and shorts. I eat vegimite sandwiches, and meat pies with sauce. But I never ever drink Fosters. Aussies DON'T drink Fosters. I wear jumpers not pullovers, and tracky daks not sweats, and I'm really sorry but your fanny is not your bum. I love Aussie music Aussie movies and Aussie books. Yeah!!!
I don't love the fact that Aussies are branded racists for stupid things, like waving the Australian flag, like wanting to celebrate Xmas in our schools, like expecting people who want to immigrate to our country to do so via the legal channels, not just rock up in a boat and expect us to lay out the welcome mat. We have of lots of beautiful open space, our own resources and a huge hearts.
I love our native Flora and Fauna, I mean who doesn't love Kangaroos and Koala bears, but I even love Crocodiles, Brown snakes and Red back Spiders, (preferably not in my linen cupboard though. i love camping and bushwalking and the great outdoors.
Yes we are a land of hardship and extremes, a few years ago we had extreme bushfires, killing hundreds of people and destroying entire towns. Last year we had flooding and cyclones killing and destroying, and everytime as Aussies we ralley together and help out. it's just what we do, so let's not ever change that.
This post doesn't mean anything at all, It's just a chance for me to express a bit of Aussie pride on Australia Day, something that is only just starting to gain acceptace and become the norm in Australia, for far too long it has been considered a shame to show pride in Australia and I'm so glad that trend is changing.
I want to share with everyone this poem

My Country, by Dorothy McKellar, It was written in 1904 when she was 19 years old and epitomises all that is Australian. The second verse is actually the most famous and I know it by heart.

The love of field and coppice,
Of green and shaded lanes.
Of ordered woods and gardens
Is running in your veins,
Strong love of grey-blue distance
Brown streams and soft dim skies
I know but cannot share it,
My love is otherwise.

I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding rains.
I love her far horizons,
I love her jewel-sea,
Her beauty and her terror –
The wide brown land for me!


A stark white ring-barked forest
All tragic to the moon,
The sapphire-misted mountains,
The hot gold hush of noon.
Green tangle of the brushes,
Where lithe lianas coil,
And orchids deck the tree-tops
And ferns the warm dark soil.

Core of my heart, my country!
Her pitiless blue sky,
When sick at heart, around us,
We see the cattle die -
But then the grey clouds gather,
And we can bless again
The drumming of an army,
The steady, soaking rain.


Core of my heart, my country!
Land of the Rainbow Gold,
For flood and fire and famine,
She pays us back threefold -
Over the thirsty paddocks,
Watch, after many days,
The filmy veil of greenness
That thickens as we gaze.

An opal-hearted country,
A wilful, lavish land -
All you who have not loved her,
You will not understand -
Though earth holds many splendours,
Wherever I may die,
I know to what brown country
My homing thoughts will fly.

Gillian

Tuesday 24 January 2012

Review for Guardian

hey pop over and check out this review for Guardian.
I don't care if some say only 5 * reviews are bad, I can't help but smile everytime I get one.

http://madsheepno1.blogspot.com/2012/01/guardian-gillian-joy.html?showComment=1327403004072#c5024019726827092151

Friday 20 January 2012

A quick edit! - Is it possible?

I actually wrote this well before Christmas but then I got caught up in the Debutante Ball and I forgot all about it.
I was still wondering though if there are any writers out there who can actually manage to do a final check of their story without trying to rewrite it at the same time?
I was trying to do a quick final check of Guardian, before I uploaded it for publication in paperback, just looking for spelling and punctuation mistakes and trying to make sure I had all my italics right, it had been edited by a professional but even they miss things. (Chapter 2 of Frostbite by Richelle Mead and "Dimitri examinated the house further" I chuckled just a little.) So even though I really basically just wanted to read it I couldn't help but rewrite as I went. And yes it has already been rewritten at least a dozen times and here I was doing it again, I mean were not talking about a major rewrite here, just small rewrites of ocassional phrases and paragraphs, as I said, nothing major just enough to keep me from the main task at hand. In truth it probably involved changing some of the phrases back to the way they'd previously been written anyway.

I don't think I'm exceptionaly OCD but I couldn't help but think this probably fairly normal for a writer.
Stay posted for a future blog post on weather or not a writer should have their work professionally edited!
Cheers
Gillian