Oldest book in my collection (I think)

So I was having a wee shoofty through my books earlier (you'll see why in my next post) and I came across the following book. I believe it to be the oldest book I own, in the published sense but also in the sense of how long I've owned it.

It's a book called Carbonel by Barbara Sleigh. Look at the state of that cover? I've obviously owned this from before I realised how horrific it was to damage books.

Oh yeah, and apparently I thought it was OK to vandalise books as well. Look at that writing? So childish, lol.

Ok, so according to this picture, I've owned this book since at least 1991. So the reason the writing is so childish is because I was only 9. Actually 8, since it was August!
Why was I writing the dates in my books? I was playing libraries with my friends, I believe. There's a chance I've owned this book for longer. I honestly don't know.


So to my knowledge, this is my oldest books ~ in both senses.
What's the oldest book in your collection? Either the one you've owned the longest or the oldest published book?

The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

Maya Delaney has always felt a close bond with nature. The woods around her home are a much-loved sanctuary - and the pawprint birthmark on her hip feels like a sign that she belongs.

But then strange things begin to happen in the tiny medical-research town of Salmon Creek. A young girl drowns mysteriously in the middle of a calm lake. Mountain lions appear around Maya's home, and won't go away. Her best friend Daniel starts experiencing bad vibes about certain people and things. One of those people is Rafe - the new bad boy in town. What is he hiding - and why is he suddenly so interested in Maya ...?

Another YA trilogy from the awesome Ms. Armstrong. A seperate trilogy from the Darkest Powers (The Summoning, The Awakening and The Reckoning) series, with different characters but still related because of the Edison Group.

As with all of Kelley's books before this, I read this in one sitting. Thank god I'd come off an early shift and was working later the next day! If I'd been early shift the next day as well, I would've been screwed, lol.

I love the new setting and I really like the new characters as well. I think a lot of the Darkest Powers fans were worried about the lack of Chloe, Derek and Simon but I think Maya, Rafe and Daniel are a nice team. I think the first characters you meet in a series always make an impression but I really enjoyed the friendship between Daniel and Maya. Plus I like Maya as a YA lead, she's a good role model.

If you like your supernatural YA and don't mind waiting to finish the story, this is a definite must read.


Book Depository: The Gathering
Amazon UK: The Gathering

Photographs and Phantoms by Cindy Spencer Pape

Brighton, 1855

As a member of the Order of the Round Table, Kendall Lake is overqualified to be investigating strange phenomena at a seaside photography studio. But since the photographer is related to the Order's most powerful sorcerer, Kendall reluctantly boards a dirigible to Brighton.

Amy Deland is haunted by a shadow that appears in some of her recent portraits. In each case, the subject died within days of the sitting. Does she have her grandmother's gift of foresight, or has she somehow caused the deaths?

As Kendall and Amy search for answers, their investigation draws them together in a most improper way-but it seems the evil presence in the studio is determined to keep them apart...

Release Date 25th April 2011

A sequel/companion to Steam & Sorcery. Set in the same time span with the Order of the Knights of the Round Table investigating some more weird goings on.

The characters in Steam & Sorcery are mentioned at the beginning and then they actually make an appearance a little later on. I liked Amy straight off, I always like characters that break from the norm. Plus I like to think that if I had lived in that time, I'd be more like Amy and less of an actual lady!

I like a strong leading man but I really can't fall in love with the oldy-timey men. I like a manly man and books set in bygone years never have manly men. But still I like to read the pretty words and hope for more.


Amazon UK: Photographs & Phantoms

Fang Me by Parker Blue

The vampires want it. The demons want it too. And someone is willing to kill Val for it.
Val and Fang have to find the powerful Encyclopedia Magicka before either of San Antonio’s warring underworld factions locate it, or the consequences will be deadly for the entire city. As usual, Val’s vampire enemies (they still call her The Slayer), want her dead, and even some of her fellow demons may be less than trustworthy, since they'd like to grab the legendary book of spells before she does. Val has a personal claim to the Encyclopedia - her demon father left it to her when he died - but someone stole it recently. And that can’t be good.

Battling vamps and dodging demons, Val struggles to unravel the mystery and find the thief. At the same time, she's fighting her attraction to sweet, sexy Shade, her favorite shadow demon. Rumour has it that Val will lose her part-demon, vampire-fighting powers if she gives herself to him.

With a crowd of vamps and demons out to trick her or kill her, it’s not a good time for her to risk her job as the city's best vampire hunter by falling in love. The stakes are high and aimed right at her heart. But Lola, Val's hungry little lust demon, doesn't like being denied. Will Lola finally get her way?

What’s a part-lust-demon-teen supposed to do? Whatever it takes.

Third book in the Demon Underground series, following Bite Me and Try Me.

Story in this one felt kind of slow to start but was still a good story. The one thing that bugged me about this book was the fact that Val kept referring to Dan as her ex-boyfriend and I never ever read their "relationship" as the boyfriend/girlfriend type. It was really just a couple kisses, small thing but still it bugged me.

Val's relationship with Shade is moving on, making it hard for Val to try and keep her Succubus strengths in play. I also have to admit I figured out a fairly large part of the storyline about halfway through the book. It may have been intentional by the author or I may just read too many books, who knows.

It definitely didn't ruin the book for me, I still loved it and would definitely recommend the series to any of the genre's fanbase.


Book Depository: Fang Me
Amazon UK: Fang Me

Ascension by Sable Grace

The gates of hell have opened, and one woman will stand in the crossfire as the Dark Breed - vampyre, demons, shape shifters - and mankind fight their last battle for survival.

Kyana is half Vampyre, half Lychen ... and the last of her kind. Determined, dangerous, and damned, she has no love for the mortals who have imprisoned and misused her. But when the Order of Ancients entrusts her with a mission - to find the key that will send the Dark Breed back into Hell for eternity - Kyana has no choice but to accept.

She is furious to learn her assignment comes with an escort ... Ryker, a demigod and fierce warrior who long ago found a way under her skin and stayed there. In a shaky alliance, they discover an ancient cult with dangerous motives and a god who seeks to destroy all others. And as Kyana begins to feel the heat that threatens to bind her to Ryker, she knows she has to resist. For it could only mean the undoing of them both ...

Release Date 1st May 2011

I didn't realise when I read the info on this book that it was going to be a story about Greek gods ... with a nice wee twist. Not that there's anything wrong with that, I'm just saying! It's the 2nd book about Greek gods with a modern twist that I've read lately. They've both made me remember my interest in Greek mythology and I feel I must act on that interest somehow. Any clues how would be helpful!

Back to the book though ... Ascension was fairly awesome! Kyana is kick ass with a background to make her angry and pissed at everyone, just what I like in a heroine. The story and the characters are really well written. It was quick paced and easy to get lost in.

I loved it and can't wait to read more. There must be more judging by the ending!


Book Depository: Ascension
Amazon UK: Ascension

Try Me by Parker Blue

This part-demon teen vampire fighter and her faithful terrier hellhound are once again patrolling the dark streets of San Antonio, Texas. Val's hunky human partner, Detective Dan Sullivan, is giving her the cold shoulder since she beheaded his vampire fiancée. Vamp leader Alejandro is struggling to keep the peace between vamps, demons and humans. The mucho powerful Encyclopedia Magicka has been stolen, someone in the Demon Underground is poisoning vamps, and Val's inner lust demon, Lola, is getting very restless since Val's now partnered with sexy Shade, the shadow demon with the blond good looks of an angel.

Excellent follow up to Bite Me. Plus we get to see so much more of Shade ~ he's most yummy! And I absolutely adore Fang, he reminds me a lot of Giguhl from Jaye Wells' Sabina Kane series with his sarky sense of humour.

Val learns some new stuff about her demon powers and her background. Plus she's learning how to control Lola but still keep her fed. I really can't wait to get the next book read, Val is fast becoming a new favourite character for me (as is Shade).

Go out and get this series read!!


Book Depository: Try Me
Amazon UK: Try Me

Bite Me by Parker Blue

Barely eighteen-year-old heroine Valentine Shapiro got a raw deal in the parent lottery. Her father was part incubus demon, and her mother's never forgiven her for that.

Life after high school is tough enough without having to go 15 rounds with your inner demon. Thrown out of the house by her mother, Val puts one foot in front of the other and does the only thing that seems to make any sense - she takes aim at the town vampires. A stake a day, keeps the demon at bay. (But don't call her Buffy. That makes Lola, her demon, very cranky.)

Her dark side makes everyday life a roller coaster, but means she's perfect for her night job as a bounty hunter. San Antonio's vampires are out of control, and it's up to Val, her faithful hellhound Fang, and her new partner, a handsome San Antonio police detective, to get the deadly fangbangers off the city streets.

Soon enough she finds herself deep in the underbelly of the city, discovering the secrets of the Demon Underground and fighting to save those she loves. Whether they love her back or not.

Why have I never heard of this book before now? I loved the premise of this book and really enjoyed the writing. Parker Blue wrote a great cast with an awesome story.

I loved Val and totally felt her confused feelings about her family. Totally hated her mother. That was the point though and her mother really came across as a complete bi-a-tch! You can't help but hate her.
And I love, love, LOVE Fang. He's such an adorable little hellhound, although I always have a soft spot for animals, especially humanised ones.

I thought this didn't come out until the end of this month but apparently it's been out for a while and it's actually the 3rd book that's out this month. The good thing is this means I have plenty to read before I catch up with everyone else.

Definitely recommended if you like your paranormal based YAs.


Book Depository: Bite Me
Amazon UK: Bite Me

Steam and Sorcery by Cindy Spencer Pape

Sir Merrick Hadrian hunts monsters, both human and supernatural. A Knight of the Order of the Round Table, his use of magick and the technologies of steam power have made him both respected and feared. But his considerable skills are useless in the face of his greatest challenge, guardianship of five unusual children. At a loss, Merrick enlists the aid of a governess.

Miss Caroline Bristol is reluctant to work for a bachelor but she needs a position, and these former street children touch her heart. While she tends to break any mechanical device she touches, it never occurs to her that she might be something more than human. All she knows is that Merrick is the most dangerously attractive man she's ever met - and out of reach for a mere governess.

When conspiracy threatens to blur the distinction between humans and monsters, Caroline and Merrick must join forces, and the fate of humanity hinges upon their combined skills of steam and sorcery...

I'm not a huge fan of books set in years-gone-by but the vague steampunk feel to this one made it enjoyable. Cindy Spencer Pape wrote a great cast of characters and an awesome world full of clockwork machinery, vampyres and werewolves.

The only thing that bugged me about this book was at the very beginning. Merrick's weapon was like a sword but instead of being made of metal, it was made of wood. The author called it a sword-stick, for some reason that annoyed me. It seemed like a mouthful and I feel she could've just made up another word for it. But one tiny complaint (that's really just a minor annoyance on my part) does not ruin a great story.

Recommended for any supernatural, steampunk or romance fan.


Amazon UK: Steam & Sorcery

River Marked by Patricia Briggs

Car mechanic Mercedes Thompson has always known she was different, and not just because she can make a VW engine sit up and beg. Mercy is a coyote shapechanger, a talent she inherited from her long-gone father. And she's never known any other of her kind - until now.

As Mercy takes in this new situation, an evil is stirring in the depths of the Columbia River. Something deadly is coming, facts are thin on the ground and Mercy feels ill at ease. However, her father's people may know more. To have any hope of surviving, Mercy and her mate, the alpha werewolf Adam, will need all the resources the shifters can offer. Or death will be the least of their worries.

Before I start my actual review I'd like to mini rant about publishers changing book covers during a series. River Marked has a completely different cover from the rest of the series and the book is also a different size. The overall size of the book is bigger and so is the writing. I hate when publishers do this, there was nothing wrong with the size of the writing before now. Why do they feel they have to make it huge all of a sudden? Do they feel they need to pad the book or something? Just annoys the crap out of me!

Anyway, rant over, now onto the actual review.

I liked reading more about Mercy's Indian/Coyote half, even though it was still only a little and it was kind of far into the book before you found out anything. This book helped with my Adam likeage as well, as I said in my previous blogs about the Mercy Thompson series I was never a huge Adam fan until the last book.

A lot of the other characters are only in this book for a short time, it's very Adam and Mercy based. As much as I enjoyed the storyline in this book, it's nowhere near my favourite of the series. But still a must read for any Mercy Thompson fans.


Book Depository: River Marked
Amazon UK: River Marked

Click here for Mercy Thompson Part 1.
And here for Part 2.

The Goddess Test by Aimée Carter

EVERY GIRL who has taken the test has DIED.

Now it's KATE'S TURN.

It’s always been just Kate and her mom — and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate’s going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won’t live past the fall.

Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld — and if she accepts his bargain, he’ll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.

Kate is sure he’s crazy — until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she’ll become Henry’s future bride, and a goddess.

If she fails...

Release Date 26th April 2011

The idea of this book instantly stood out to me. It was just so different from all the other books out there, not that I don't love me some werewolves or vampires or witches etc. But Greek Mythology has always intrigued me, so this seemed really interesting.

I like the twist that Aimée put on the classic mythology and I really liked the characters of Kate and her mom. The storyline of Kate having to come to terms with her mother's impending death and, once they're in Eden having everyone know about it, is really heart wrenching. I'd hate to have everyone treating you special and constantly pitying you because they knew your bad news, it's the main reason I'd hate to live in tiny town or village.

I thought I'd worked out the ending about halfway through the book but I was entirely wrong! I loved that, lol. I hate when I know the baddie/twist/whatever before it's revealed, it makes it less exciting.

This is the first book I've read from Aimée Carter and it certainly won't be the last. I can't wait for the sequel!


Book Depository: The Goddess Test
Amazon UK: The Goddess Test