Book Giveaway for the Spring Blog Carnival

Ahoy, mates! It’s that time of year again. The weather is starting to heat up and what better to occupy our imaginations than some good ol’ pirate fun? Imagine yourself, if you dare, sailing the high seas, your boots firmly planted on the rolling deck of a wooden vessel, the wind captured in its sails pushing you ever onward to a place shrouded in mystery known only by the tales whispered around the fire’s glow...

I could be talking about Pirates of the Caribbean, On Stranger Tides because this movie franchise is one of my absolute favorites of all time, but I have another series that fits the bill just as easily, and has proven time and time again to be a fun, entertaining read filled with wild adventure and high seas hijinks.

The Bloody Jack Adventures, written by L.A. Meyer, are about the life and times of one Mary Faber, a happy young girl from a middle class London family until her family dies of the black plague. Orphaned and with nowhere else to turn, she joins Rooster Charlie's Gang, living on the tough streets of 18th Century London. But her friend and protector, Rooster Charlie, is killed by a corpse seller named Muck, and Mary runs away, dresses in boys clothing, changes her name to Jack, and secures her place on the ship, the HMS Dolphin, as a ships boy. And so begins the adventures of Jacky Faber, Ships Boy, Midshipman, Fine Lady, Lily of the West, Soldier, Sailor, Mermaid, Spy.

There are eight Bloody Jack Adventures published, and if you haven't started the series, I highly recommended it. Historical fiction has never been so entertaining, witty and fun. And as Jacky grows, romance blossoms, adding a nice saucy element into the mix. But Jacky--charming and impetuous--gets herself into some tight spots, and soon has young men fighting for her affections!

I love this series so much that I can easily imagine it on the big screen. It's that fun! That's why I chose to give one book from the Bloody Jack Adventure series away for the Spring Blog Carnival and because it almost coincides with the release of On Stranger Tides. If you're new to the series, pick Bloody Jack: Being An Account of the Curious Adventures of Mary "Jacky" Faber, Ships Boy, or if you need to catch up with a different book, choose the next one you need! Open Internationally.

Leave your comment below (tell me what you think of the books or the On Stranger Tides movie trailer) with the book you'd like to win and your email. The winner will be chosen using a random number generator on May 8th. I'll announce the winner on this website and contact them via email to get snail mail information.

Don't forget to visit our hard working Carnival hosts: Candace, Reading Angel, Pure Imagination, and The Book Swarm.

Be sure to stop by the rest of the booths held through the week!

May 1st-

Reading Angel: Haunted House
Reading Teen: Fortune Tellers Booth

May 2nd-

Candace’s Book Blog: Food Court
The Mod Podge Bookshelf: House of Mirrors

May 3rd-

The Book Swarm: Roller Coaster
Actin’ Up With Books: Karaoke Booth

May 4th-

Pure Imagination: Kissing Booth
Lovely Lit: Once Upon a Time Booth

May 5th-

Awesomesauce Books: Gaming Booth
Books R Us: Medieval Booth

May 6th-

Extreme Reader Book Reviews: Guessing Booth
Colloquium: Cotton Candy Booth

May 7th-

The Minding Spot: Teacups Booth
Miss Remmers Review: It’s a Bad World Booth

Now on to the next blog, ye blackguards, but stay tuned, because this lucky scoundrel scored the ARC for The Mark of the Golden Dragon: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, Jewel of the East, Vexation of the West, and Pearl of the South China Sea (Bloody Jack Adventures). Review forthcoming.

Good luck to 'ee and fair wind!

1.	Reading Angel	77.	Lov Liv Life Reviews (Int)	153.	Stella @ Ex Libris (INT)
2.	Candace's Book Blog (Int)	78.	Books R Us (Int)	154.	Cedar Fort Books (US/ CA)
3.	Pure Imagination	79.	Colloquium	155.	Gina C.
4.	The Book Swarm	80.	Lorielle	156.	One Book Per Week (US/ CA)
5.	Reading Teen	81.	Amanda @ letters written inside out (US)	157.	Bianca (Wicked Good Books)
6.	Bookworm Lisa (Intl)	82.	Julie Anne Lindsey	158.	The Bookish Brunette (INTL)
7.	Supernatural Snark (Intl)	83.	Jen @ At Random (US)	159.	Confessions and Ramblings of a Muse in the Fog (Int)
8.	Down The Rabbut Hole (Intl)	84.	Rebecca Irvine	160.	Pimpin' Reads
9.	Confessions of a Bookaholic (INT)	85.	PNR & UF Fanatics!	161.	Book Savvy Babe
10.	I Am a Reader, Not a Writer (Int.)	86.	Lori's Reading Corner	162.	Sarah @ The Brazen Bookworm
11.	Poisoned Rationality (Int)	87.	Helen Smith (Int)	163.	Laurie Carlson - lauriehere US & Canada
12.	Kate (I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read!)	88.	Truly Bookish (US)	164.	Jen @ What's on the Bookshelf (Intl)
13.	The Reading Fever (US & CAN)	89.	The Zealous Reader (Canada)	165.	Natalie (Id So RatherBe Reading)
14.	Black Fingernailed Reviews	90.	Hope @ A Little Hope... Amidst the Chaos	166.	My keeper shelf (INT)
15.	Book Addictions by Christina	91.	darkangel88	167.	Living, Loving, Laughing, Reading
16.	Shell's Stories	92.	Diversion Press	168.	Sara @ Just Another Story (Int)
17.	Hott Books	93.	Cleverlyinked	169.	Books & Other Creative Adventures (Int)
18.	Star Shadow	94.	Marilyn's Romance Reviews	170.	Muriel Reeves
19.	Books Devoured	95.	Carissa @ Preternatural Primer	171.	E. B. Walters
20.	The Elliott Review (INT)	96.	Icey Books	172.	Ednah Walters
21.	Vampires and Tofu	97.	The Enchanted Book	173.	PK Hrezo
22.	bookgoonie	98.	Mommies Point of View	174.	Book Passion for Life
23.	My Bookish Ways	99.	Susie Bookworm	175.	Hedgeland
24.	Laura Kreitzer (US)	100.	Ruby's Reads (Int.)	176.	Dr A Nyland (International)
25.	Books Like Stars (US)	101.	Book Flame	177.	Love & Money with Feng Shui (INT)
26.	Manga Maniac Cafe (US)	102.	Just Children's Books (US)	178.	Lorielle
27.	Actin' Up with books	103.	Lorien Velez (US)	179.	Dr. Stravagante
28.	Dfor Darla's Definite Reads (US)	104.	Valarie	180.	Amy Jones
29.	I Like These Books - (INT)	105.	Lori Calabrese Writes! (US/ Canada)	181.	Elaina@ New Reading Mania
30.	See Scoot Read (Int)	106.	Joyce@whereismymind	182.	Hale & Salvatore Supernatural Must Reads { Canada/ U.S }
31.	Mysteries And Cupcakes	107.	Lisa Peters	183.	Jess resides here
32.	Joy @ Edgy Inspirational Romance	108.	Safari Poet	184.	Inga Silberg Books
33.	Minding Spot	109.	Kelly's Lucky You (US)	185.	A Bookful of Thoughts (Int)
34.	Southern Fiber	110.	Lisa's Loves Books Of Course( Int)	186.	Family Literacy and You
35.	Bitsy Bling Books	111.	Do Not Disturb My Books	187.	Simply Stacie (International)
36.	Gabrielle Carolina @ The Mod Podge Bookshelf	112.	Bada Bing Now	188.	Midnight Bloom Reads (INT)
37.	Truth Be Told (US)	113.	Kadambari	189.	Livingston Hall Publishers (US, CA)
38.	Ruth @ Bookish Ruth	114.	Beverly @ The Wormhole	190.	24/7 Book Cafe (US, CA)
39.	Betty- Reflections with Coffee	115.	Brenda Pandos - Author	191.	TEENS READ AND WRITE (Intl)
40.	The Lucky Ladybug (Int)	116.	The Daily Harrell - YA (Int)	192.	Must Love Books
41.	A Myriad of Books (US & CAN)	117.	Rex Robot Reviews	193.	To Read or Not To Read
42.	What Book is That?	118.	Book of Secrets (International)	194.	Reading With Bakin_Goddess
43.	Mommies Point of View	119.	Roof Beam Reader	195.	Talking with Tundra (US/ CAN)
44.	Stacy Juba: Mysteries, Murder & More	120.	Rachel (US/ AU)	196.	Barb @ Sugarbeat's Books
45.	Laurie, Meg & Caity (Reader Girls)	121.	Meredith@ Mint Tea and A Good Book	197.	Nikki
46.	Chelsey @ Starry Sky Books	122.	ROOTS IN MYTH	198.	The Book Fiend (Int)
47.	Figuring Out the Small Stuff	123.	Bookworming in the 21st Century	199.	Sharon's Garden of Book Reviews
48.	Sugar Creek Cottage-International	124.	Demon Lovers books & more (US)	200.	Spades High Reads
49.	Sarah Reads Too Much	125.	Paperback Treasures (Int.)	201.	Brave New Adventure
50.	Books and Things US	126.	Lady Reader's Bookstuff	202.	Loretta @ Between The Pages
51.	Amethyst Daydreams	127.	Joan Holub	203.	Book Twirps
52.	Cuzinlogic (INT)	128.	Fiction Flurry	204.	Curling Up By The Fire
53.	paula schuck	129.	Reading, Writing and Waiting	205.	The Chey Show (US)
54.	Extreme Reader Book Reviews	130.	Got YA	206.	Melanie @ ohslowdown
55.	Andrea Contillo	131.	The Itzel Library (Int)	207.	charla
56.	Mysteries and My Musings (US & Canada)	132.	Books Like Breathing	208.	Cici's Theories
57.	Guen @ Ezine of A Random Girl	133.	Devon Ashley	209.	A.G. Wright
58.	From the Trees	134.	The Book Pixie (US only)	210.	Kimberly's Bookshelf (US)
59.	Alyssa @ The Babbling Bookworm	135.	A Tale of Many Reviews (Int)	211.	Book Talk
60.	KM @ One Page At A Time Reviews (US Only)	136.	Nastasha	212.	River Plantation
61.	Jennifer @ An Abundance of Books	137.	Mayra's Secret Bookcase	213.	Becky Wallace
62.	Fiction State Of Mind	138.	Erika @ Moonlight Book Reviews	214.	Book Hounds
63.	A & C Book Junkies (INTL)	139.	~ Sweeping Me~( INT)	215.	FOREVER YOUNG (adult)
64.	Paranormal Opinion (Int.)	140.	PJ Schnyder	216.	Lindsay Writes
65.	Fire and Ice	141.	pamela black	217.	Life's a Blog
66.	Getting Naughty Between the Stacks	142.	glenda cates	218.	Rinoa
67.	Coffee Table Press (INT)	143.	My Love Affair With Books (Int)	219.	Sommer Leigh
68.	Carina L. Tai	144.	Jen @ In the Closet With a Bibliophile	220.	Luellen Jenkins
69.	Muggle- Born. net (US)	145.	The Cait Files (Int)	221.	Kirby Reed (US)
70.	Samantha Jo @ YA Enthusiast	146.	Absconditas (INT)	222.	kelli
71.	Between the Bookcovers	147.	Book Lungs ♥ (INT!)	223.	Adventurez In ChildRearing
72.	Lovely Lit (US)	148.	Ramblings From A Chaotic Mind	224.	Elli Winchester
73.	Anne K. Albert	149.	Whispers by Rhiannon Ellis	225.	Kara Malinczak
74.	Kate George	150.	Read Now Sleep Later (US)	226.	Lissa
75.	Sheery's Place	151.	Two Readers Reviews	227.	Children's Interactive Mysteries
76.	Mimi @ SoManyBooks (US)	152.	Evie @ Bookish

What to read next?

I stumbled upon this really cool book site if you're wondering what to read next.

Faithful Place by Tana French

• Hardcover: 416 pages
• Publisher: Viking Adult; First U.S. Edition edition (July 13, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9780670021871
• ISBN-13: 978-0670021871

Flap copy:

Back in 1985, Frank Mackey was nineteen, growing up poor in Dublin's inner city and living crammed into a small flat with his family on Faithful Place. But he had his sights set on a lot more. He and his girl, Rosie Daly, were all set to run away to London together, get married, get good jobs, break away from factory work and poverty and their old lives.

But on the winter night when they were supposed to leave, Rosie didn't show. Frank took it for granted that she'd given him the brush-off--probably because of his alcoholic father, nutcase mother, and generally dysfunctional family. He never went home again.

Neither did Rosie. Everyone thought she had gone to England on her own and was over there living a shiny new life. Then, twenty-two years later, Rosie's suitcase shows up behind a fireplace in a derelict house on Faithful Place, and Frank is going home whether he likes or not.

Getting sucked in is a lot easier than getting out again. Frank finds himself straight back in the dark tangle of relationships he left behind. The cops working the case want him out of the way, in case loyalty to his family and community makes him a liability. Faithful Place wants him out because he's a detective now, and the Place has never liked cops. Frank just wants to find out what happened to Rosie Daly-and he's willing to do whatever it takes, to himself or anyone else, to get the job done.

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My thoughts:

5 Stars: Loved it

Tana French knocked her third book, Faithful Place, out of the park. It isn’t just any old whodunit sleuthing story, but a great, emotionally charged story about love, longing and dysfunctional relationships that definitely raises the bar in the mystery genre. Her voice is fresh and believable. The prologue completely sucked me and I had to buy this book. I don’t normally read prologues; they often seem weird and confusing to me so I skim the first few sentences, head straight for chapter one, then maybe I'll go back and read them once I’m committed. But not this time, not this one:

"In all your life, only a few moments matter. Mostly you never get a good look at them except in hindsight, long after they've zipped past you: the moment when you decided whether to talk to that girl, slow down on that blind bend, stop and find that condom. I was lucky, I guess you could call it. I got to see one of mine face-to-face, and recognize it for what it was. I got to feel the riptide pull of my life spinning around me, one winter night while I waited in the dark at the top of Faithful Place.

I was nineteen, old enough to take on the world and young enough to be a dozen kinds of stupid..."

Brilliant. Tana French does an outstanding job of setting the tone, setting up the main character, Francis Mackey, as the now long suffering middle-aged detective haunted by an event from his past.

“…Over more than half my life it had worn itself a nice little corner in my mind, like a bullet lodged too deep to dig out; I didn’t feel the sharp edges, mostly, as long as I didn’t touch.”

I couldn't help but fall in love with Frank Mackey, and find out his story. He's complicated, real, and oh so believable. The pacing was perfect and as the plot unfolded, I was on the edge of my seat. Flashbacks are handled skillfully and without confusion. Every character is rich and well rounded with their Irish slang and quick wit. I laughed. I cried. I wanted a pint of Guinness. I felt the full gamut of emotions on a visceral level.

Faithful Place wins a spot on my "favorite book" list, and Tana French as a new "must read" author.

Excellent story and highly recommended if you enjoy mysteries. And even if you don't. Enjoy!

I'M BACK AND JUST IN TIME FOR THE SPRING CARNIVAL!

Evie the Book Fiend is back, ready to read and blog her fiendish little heart out!

It's been a long time--too, too long. That silly thing called work got in the way, but now my nursing position is a little less demanding (I always did say my reading had a job problem) and it's my hope to start making my way through the stacks again.

Funny, working long hours never stopped me from accumulating books. Some people are shoe people, or purse people, or technology people. Me...I'm a book person all the way. New, used, bookstore, yard sale, thrift shop--I don't care. I heart me some books!

This is just a picture of one small shelf; hardly a true representation of my collection or what my house looks like. There are books everywhere. Honestly. Piles of them. I'm just not brave enough to post that picture yet. ; ) There's a reason why my husband calls me a book fiend. To me, books are a feast for the senses; I love to see them nestled together on my bookshelves, to hold them in my hands, hear the soft sound of pages turning, all the while getting swept away by the stories hidden within.

On a different note, around the blogosphere I've notice bloggers taking pictures of their most recent book purchases. This includes two of my favorite things: books and photography. I've recently discovered an awesome app, Hipstamatic, that takes photos but gives them the feel of an old instamatic pocket camera. Cool! As I play and learn more about it, I'll post more pictures, but here are some recent purchases.

Faithful Place by Tana French and Darkest Mercy by Melissa Marr were both fantastic reads. Reviews forthcoming. I've heard nothing but great things about Game of Thrones by George Martin, so I'm looking forward to reading it if I can keep my nose out of the HBO series. Right now I'm reading The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht.

Please come back and visit as I'll be participating in the SPRING BLOG CARNIVAL May 1st through the 8th. (I hope the weather's nice!) I'm not beneath bribery: I'll be hosting a giveaway!

Hmm, what to choose...what to choose.

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(twists mouth, furrows brow)

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Just remember, carnivals are never quite what they seem. Some are shrouded in mystery and intrigue,

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promises and curses,

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with frightening creatures and fruit out of season

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(Laughs wickedly)

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Check back, good reader. If you dare...

Shadowfever: 20% Awesome, 80% Yawn

• Hardcover: 608 pages
• Publisher: Delacorte Press (January 18, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385341679
• ISBN-13: 978-0385341677

My review: 3 Stars

Let me preface my review by saying I really enjoy Karen Marie Moning's books, and loved her Fever series, and the overall story arc. This just wasn't my favorite.

Shadowfever was surprising, and clever at times, but 80% of the book left me waiting for something truly amazing to happen. Perhaps my expectation was the problem. The last 20% of the book makes up for it; the ending is awesome, and I love how she pulls things together. It's a must read if you've been following the series.

All questions were answered, but without Moning's usual finesse. I can not say this enough. Normally, she is an eloquent writer, but Shadowfever seemed plain, riddled with cliches. I want books to lure me in, seduce and enchant me, whether they're book one or book five. It felt like the author already had us hooked on her series line, so she just pounded out words to get to the end. It didn't even seem like she tried to make it pretty. Mac's internal dialogue was redundant, and at times a struggle to get through.

The eroticism of the male characters, and their effect on Mac was over emphasized, and it seemed silly; in some instances it felt odd and inappropriate for the circumstances. Hot, sensuous males is a Moning trademark, but in some scenes, it just didn't fit. I just saw you die now I have to *&^% you. I get where she's coming from--the male expressing emotion after a traumatizing event-- but it doesn't flow, and to me, comes across as ridiculous, laughable. The picture Mac finds of Darroc is creepy, and there are no words she could throw at it to make it anything else. Oh, and poor Darroc, the Lord Master. The resolution of his storyline is sadly anticlimactic.

Finally, we find out what Barrons is. I'm not upset at what he turned out to be, but after the big reveal, he's no longer the classy, barely- contained sexual Barrons we've come to know and love. He's suddenly just a boorish tough guy. The sexual tension just isn't there and that's a sad thing because Moning writes it very well.

I was very surprised to learn the mystery behind the sounds in the garage, but even this was fumbled by Barrons pretending to fall for a lie Mac tells him. He smiles his winning smile because the lie makes him realize Mac loves him. What? After all his suffering, a MILLENNIUM of pain and suffering, and suddenly rainbow girl loves him (he's only know her a few months) and all is right with the world? NO. WAY. It would be far more palatable for Barrons to be angry, hurt, disappointed (pick your adjective), and have these feelings force Mac deep within herself in search of a solution to help the man she loves.

Moning wanted to create a monster unknown to readers, one that would defy categorization and labels, but Barrons is just an amalgam of all the fiendish horrors without all the brooding and self pity.

When done well, I love young adult novels full of raw, coming-of-age emotions, and I enjoy young characters in adult fiction, but Dani, the fourteen-year-old sidhe seer, is simply annoying--no funny snark there. Moning needs to practice writing a YA character that is believable to the reader. Portraying young adults is a completely different animal, and not just an adult projection of what a young adult "should be."

Shadowfever gets a generous three stars for the few surprise appearances and revelations in the magical denouement of the fever series. It's obvious the author is planning to write more in the fever world but this reader is done, done, done. My curiosity hasn't been piqued quite enough, and I have absolutely no interest in Dani at all. Wait! But what about Christian? Ahh. Never say never.

Favorite Books of 2010

Reading is my favorite past time. My husband has labeled me a crazed bibliophile and rightfully so. I have stacks of books all over the house. I'm not talking bookshelves, or even neat stacks, but Jenga style stacks on the floor that sway with the slightest vibration. Our bedroom looks like a used bookstore. I love it, however he isn't too terribly fond of the clutter. He bought me a Kindle for Christmas in 2009 in an attempt to steer me in a more organized, neat, de-clutter direction. But no. I'm crazed. Completely. Totally. Now I purchase books on my Kindle first, and if I like them, I buy them in precious book form so they can take their rightful Jenga place with a book plate in them. I want to look at the cover art, smell the pages, feel them beneath my fingertips, hear the delicate sound as they turn. It's deeply satisfying to sometimes glance at a book, remember my favorite scene, wonder what the characters are doing now (kudos to the author so skilled at character development that they seem as real as you or I.) So what books did I read in 2010 on my Kindle that I absolutely had to buy...again?

Lips Touch Three Times by Laini Taylor. A collection of three short stories about first kisses. The stories are original, wildly imaginative and beautifully crafted. Everything about these stories--setting, characterization, storyline, dialog-- is evocative of old world, magical folktales told 'round a crackling fire. It's Young Adult, but females of all ages will love this book. I've recommended it often and everyone that read it is now smitten with the author.

Faithful Place by Tana French This is a great murder mystery. Detective Francis Mackey-Frankie-returns home to Dublin after deliberately staying away for years when an old suitcase is discovered during the renovation of a house in his old neighborhood. The story is not only a whodunit, but a study in family relationships told with wit and charm as only the Irish can tell it. Great story with excellent characterization. I wonder about Frank even now.

I read only thirty books in 2010 (my reading has a job problem.)

Other books worth mentioning:

Darkbringer and Silksinger by Laini Taylor. Excellent reads, highly recommended. After reading Lips Touch, I just went out and bought these in hardback because I knew I'd love them forever. This author has another book due out sometime this year, Daughter of Smoke and Bone. I can't wait!

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins The final installment of the Hunger Games. Great. Can't wait for the movie.

The Wake of the Lorelei Lee: Being an Account of the Adventures of Jacky Faber,on her Way to Botany Bay by L.A. Meyer, the eighth book in the Bloody Jack series. While vacationing in Maine this summer we stopped by The Clair de Loon in Bar Harbor, the author's gallery and shop, and he autographed all of my books, and then some. I asked Mr. Meyer how long he planned to continue writing the series and how he might end Jacky's epic story. He said he'd keep writing as long as his publisher kept asking for more. He was tight-lipped with the details of how Jacky's story would end, but he did say her final book has already been written, and is locked safely away. Jacky Faber is such an epic character-opening with her orphaned on the streets of London after her family succumbs to the black plague on that dark day to sailing her own ship on the South Sea- and it would be so distressing if she just dropped off the map never to be heard from again. I'm so relieved there will be a proper ending to the story.

Speaking of endings, Karen Marie Moning's Fever series concludes on January 18th with the release of Shadowfever. O.M.G. I've waited three years for this. The 15th is my birthday and I've taken the week off to read it. What an awesome gift-to find out the truth about Barrons and see what crazy fate befalls our precious Mac. There's a launch party for the book in New Orleans, but how can you go to a party lasting a whole weekend and read? I was so tempted to go to NOLA, but I chose devouring the book at home.

So, what are your most memorable books of 2010? What are you looking forward to in 2011?