#T5W is back with Hidden Gems

Hello there!  Yes, I've finally decided to get back into Top 5 Wednesday.  This week we are exploring Hidden Gems.  Your favourite books in your favourite genre that don't get a lot of hype.

Now some of these books I have never seen on BookTube, while others make a rare appearance, but they all have one thing in common - they are all some of my favourite Urban Fantasy series.  I've put the book synopsis down below for your convenience.  So without further ado, here are my Top 5 Favourite Urban Fantasy Hidden Gems

T5W: Books I'd like to see as a TV series

It's been a while since I've done a Top 5 Wednesday list, but I thought I'd get back into it as there are so many books/series that I think would be amazing to adapt for television.  

With special effects being so realistic these days it means that shows based on fantasy or magic are no longer the second class programs with cheesy effects.  Hopefully at some stage in the future I might get to watch one of these ;-D

As usual, these are in no particular order - enjoy!

I could see a great series being made with the characters from Stephanie Plum series - and I'd rather like forget about that horrible movie - and with so many books in the series there are a whole range of scenarios to pick and choose from for episodes.  However, I'd only watch it if it was done well!

Next we have the In Death series by J.D. Robb.  This is such an amazing world with complex characters that would make for great TV.  Set in the future not to distant future, there are so many technologies that can be done visually.  A great police series with a myriad of cases to choose from (book 41 out later this year!) and so many strong characters, both good and totally evil, to portray that it would make for a must watch series.

Couldn't resist an urban fantasy or two.  The Guild Hunters series would also be a truly amazing series for TV.   Archangels, angels, vampires... what more could you want?!  Like In Death it takes place mainly in NY, however foreign exotic locations would also be a must.  Can't recommend this highly enough for a TV spot.

Moon Called is my nod to the current fascination with all things shapeshifter.  This is an amazing series that mixes mythology and folklore, Gods and vampires, witches and other things that go BUMP in the night, and puts them into a contemporary American city.  Full of murder, mystery, drama and betrayal.  I'd love to see this ;-D

And finally, I couldn't resist a shout-out for this intriguing Australian series.  I only need to give you the series title for you to begin imagining the possibilities ... Kannon Dupree: Timestalker.  Are you imagining episodes full of Roman Gladiators, seductive 1920's noir, Aztec gods, Wild West gunfights yet?  I am ;-D

So, those were my top 5 books that I'd love to see made into TV shows.  What do you think? Would you like to see these?  Let me know in the comment area below whether or not you think these would make a great TV show.

Until next time,

 

Top 5 over 500!

Hello, and welcome to another Top 5 Wednesday list!  This week we are demolishing our shelves, trying to find our top 5 books over 500 pages.  Yes, that's right - 500 pages!  Luckily I do have rather a few huge books on my shelves but as I was riffling through I realised that a few of them were in my TBR shelves.  Bugger!  Can't put those in my top 5, so this is what I ended up with...

 

Through Wolf's Eyes by Jane Lindskold

608 pages

This is the first book in the Firekeeper Saga, and essentially is about a girl who lost her parents when she was a young child and happened to be found and taken in by a pack of intelligent wolves.  Years later, they send her back to the humans {as they'd promised her mother} and the humans think that she is the lost heir to the throne (I think?) and there is a lot of political manoeuvring involved.  Set in an equivalent medieval era, it is a great introduction to Jane Lindskold if you love adult fantasy.

PS - this item is no longer available on Book Depository, etc.  Can find it on sites like AbeBooks.com {that's where I just ordered mine from ;-D}

 

Divine by Mistake by P.C. Cast

698 pages

This is the first book in Cast's Partholon Trilogy.  The story revolves around Shannon Parker, a teacher, and during her summer vacation she purchases, at auction, a Celtic vase and finds herself magically transported to the world of Partholon where she becomes the Goddess Incarnate of Epona and must find a way to return to Oklahoma before war erupts - oh, and she is married off to a centaur! ;-D

Much better than her series with daughter, this is an light, adult contemporary/fantasy trilogy.

 

 

Gladiatrix by Rhonda Roberts

582 pages

I love it when I can plug a great book from an Australian author!

When time travel was invented, everyone thought it would solve their problems. But for 22-year-old Kannon, it's about to turn her life upside down. Left for dead in the Blue Mountains when she was just a baby, Kannon has now discovered that an American Time Marshal, Victoria Dupree, could be her real mother. But Victoria has gone missing in ancient Rome while investigating the Hierophant, the mysterious leader of the Isis cult.  Kannon desperately wants to find Victoria, but the US National Time Administration is standing in her way ...

So amazing!  The next two books in the series have been published, Hoodwinked (set in the 20's I think), and Coyote (which is set in Wild West USA).

 

A Kiss of Shadows by Laurell K. Hamilton

521 pages

I love this series, and stumbled across A Kiss of Shadows when it was first published way back when.  It is an adult contemporary fantasy series with explicit sex scenes, so if that's something that bothers you then I'd recommend you either skim those scenes, or try another book.  This series is NOT FOR YOUNGER READERS!

Merry Gentry, princess of the high court of Faerie, is posing as a human in Los Angeles, working as a private investigator specializing in supernatural crime. But now the queen's assassin has been dispatched to fetch her--whether she likes it or not. Suddenly Merry finds herself a pawn in her dreaded aunt's plans. The job that awaits her: enjoy the constant company of the most beautiful immortal men in the world. 

The reward: the crown--and the opportunity to continue to live. 

The penalty for failure: death.

 

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

690 pages

A world of witches, daemons and vampires. A manuscript which holds the secrets of their past and the key to their future. Diana and Matthew - the forbidden love at the heart of it. When historian Diana Bishop opens an alchemical manuscript in the Bodleian Library, it's an unwelcome intrusion of magic into her carefully ordered life. Though Diana is a witch of impeccable lineage, the violent death of her parents while she was still a child convinced her that human fear is more potent than any witchcraft. Now Diana has unwittingly exposed herself to a world she's kept at bay for years; one of powerful witches, creative, destructive daemons and long-lived vampires. Sensing the significance of Diana's discovery, the creatures gather in Oxford, among them the enigmatic Matthew Clairmont, a vampire geneticist. Diana is inexplicably drawn to Matthew and, in a shadowy world of half-truths and old enmities, ties herself to him without fully understanding the ancient line they are crossing. As they begin to unlock the secrets of the manuscript and their feelings for each other deepen, so the fragile balance of peace unravels...

OMG! Such an amazing trilogy!  Can't say enough great things about these books, and would recommend anyone who loves magic, witches, forbidden love and history to pick up this book!

plus an

 

At just a smidge under the 500 page limit - 487 pages to be exact - I had to include Written in Red by Anne Bishop as an Honourable Mention as I love this book so much!  While not targeted as a YA fantasy, this book is a great read for anyone (of any age!) that loves shapeshifters, elemental beings, vampires with a difference, and other magical beings and wants to segue into adult fantasy. 

This is the first book in The Others series, the second book, Murder of Crows, is currently out in hardcover/trade while the third - and hopefully not last - book in the series, Vision in Silver, is due for release next March!   I so want an ARC copy of ViS! - if anyones listening {*hint hint *} :-D

So if you loved Written in Red and are looking for more of Anne Bishop's books that are aimed at an adult audience, then I would highly recommend that you try her Black Jewels series.

You'll might have noticed 3 a glaring omission from this list.  There is no LOTR, nor any Harry Potter books.  I've tried to stay away from YA (sorry The Diviners and Harry!), and I only read LOTR every couple of years and since it was originally published in 3 parts, I don't really think I could put it here - that and I didn't want to be that predictable ;-D

Okay, so that's me done for another week.  I hope you found something new to read, and if you want to find out more about this series, it was created by the lovely Lainey at GINGERREADSLAINEY and I'll include a link to the Goodreads group {here} if you would also like to participate.

If you have any questions, or comments, I'd love to hear from you... and you know what to do down below ;-D

So until next time,

 

Top 5 Wednesday - Books you didn't think you'd like

Just a really quick post to answer the T4W question for this week. . .

"what were the books that you didn't think you'd like?"

Okay, here we go - and in no particular order

Gladiatrix by Rhonda Roberts (AUS author)

Although it sounded great (and I love the cover) I was just so hesitant about buying this book.  I kept putting it back on the shelves and after about 5 weeks of looking at it I just decided to buy it and take the risk.  Thankfully it was great, and I've now read the following 2 books in the Kannon Dupree: Timestalker series.

 

Three to Get Deadly by Janet Evanovich

This is the first book I read in the series, and I never used to read 'chick-lit', or contemporary books.  However I really needed something to take with me to work as I'd forgotten my book, so the cover looked quirky and a book about a bumbling bounty hunter sounded interesting.  Loved it, and now have all the books in the series, as well as the Diesel and Lizzie books.

Naked in Death by J.D. Robb

Out of all the books in this list I'd say that this was the one I was most dubious about.  I'd read Nora Roberts books, but I was never much of a police/detective story-goer.  My mum on the other hand loved this series (I think only 8 books had been published then) and I was really hesitant about reading a book that my mum thought was great.  I 'borrowed' it from her bookshelf one afternoon and darned if she wasn't right.  I loved it.  I then started to buy my own copies so I wouldn't have to keep borrowing hers.  Book 40 is due out next year, and I still enjoy the series ;-D

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

Like Stephanie Plum, I was a tad hesitant to get this book.  I had no idea that it was part of a trilogy - and although I usually like all things paranormal and fantasy - I just wasn't sure about this book.  I ended up caving after a few weeks of staring at it on the shelves (and because it was the second last copy on the shelves) and when I got home I was nearly going to put it on my TBR bookshelf, but something made me just dive right in.  I loved it, and couldn't believe that I'd almost self-sabotagued myself into missing out on such an interesting book/trilogy.

White Tiger by Kylie Chan (AUS author)

Another along the lines of ADoW (above) where I found the concept interesting, but just was so hesitant about buying it.  I bought this book a few weeks after it was first published, but had no one to either recommend or discourage me from picking it up.  Once I'd read it, I fell in love with the main characters, and couldn't wait to read the rest of what I thought was a trilogy.  Turns out it is now a trilogy of trilogies, and book 8 was released a few months ago.  Can't wait to get my hands on the paperback binding and look foward to the ninth - and final - book in the Dark Heavens saga.

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you enjoyed my top 5 books I didn't think I'd like, and if you have any questions or comments you know what to do down below ;-D

This series was created by the lovely Lainey at GINGERREADSLAINEY and I'll include a link to the Goodreads group if you would also like to participate {here}

Until next time,

 

Gladiatrix

Gladiatrix

Kannon Dupree: Timestalker Bk 1

Rhonda Roberts

HarperVoyager, 2009 (582 p.)
ISBN: 978-0-7322-8855-6

Browse Inside Gladiatrix by Rhonda Roberts

Back cover

When time travel was invented everyone thought it would solve their problems. 

But for 22 year old Kannon Jarratt it's about to turn her life upside down ...

Left for dead in the Blue Mountains when she was just a baby, Kannon has now 

discovered that an American Time Marshal, Victoria Dupree, could be her real 

mother. But Victoria has gone missing in ancient Rome while investigating 

the Hierophant, the mysterious leader of the Isis cult.

Kannon desperately wants to find Victoria but the US National Time Administration 

is standing in her way...

Finally!  An Australian author that kicks arse.  Rhonda Roberts introduces us to Kannon, star of the  Kannon Dupree: Timestalker series.  A feisty new heroine for a new millennium.

Set in a contemporary alternate reality, 22 year old Kannon’s life is about to be turned on its head.  Left for dead in the Blue Mountains as a baby, Kannon survived and is all grown up now.  After the death of her surrogate mother, she begins to look into her own origins and she uncovers the truth of her identity.    Travelling to America, she believes that American Time Marshall, Victoria Dupree, could be her real mother.  Victoria lost her baby girl about the same time that Kannon appeared in Australia, but Victoria has gone missing. Desperate to find Victoria, the only thing that stands in her way is the US National Time Administration . . . and two thousand years.

I devoured this book, and though I have only found a few Aussie authors that write the kind of paranormal/urban fantasy books I like, this does not strictly fall under that category.  A time travelling Aussie was definitely a draw card for me, but it was the cover was what drew my eye. And after reading the blurb I just could not resist temptation.

Kannon is a smart, tough and as much of a kick arse heroine as you could wish for.  It takes balls to travel back in time with no help or background information and yet she does just for the chance to find her mother.  Now, there is a lot of action packed into this detective story, and a dash of espionage thrown in for good measure.  But the icing on the cake is the burgeoning romance between Kannon and an ex-gladiator, Alexander, whose Roman mistress bought him to serve as Kannon’s bodyguard.

Be warned, it can get a little gruesome at times - hello, Gladiators! - but there is no overt or graphic sex in this book thank goodness.

Now, if this ticks all your boxes be aware that so far there two other books published by the author in this series - Hoodwink and Coyote (out 1 Sept 2012) - and you need to read them in order or you'll get totally lost.  If you’re in Australia then Gladiatrix, Hoodwink and Coyote, are available at Collins, Fishpond, QBD, and other bookstores.  I haven’t found paperback copies available on any overseas databases yet like Amazon or Book Depository, though you can buy it as an eBook through Kindle.

If you love Kylie Chan or Keri Arthur then you’ll enjoy this book.  Not for bus or train consumption as you’ll get too into it and not want to stop – and who knows where you’ll end up :P

New Kannon Dupree:Timestalker book

Heads up for all the Kannon Dupree: Timestalker fans.  The third book is due out later on in the year (yeah!) and it sounds like a good one...


Coyote - A Kannon Dupree: Timestalker Novel
Rhonda Roberts

Release Date: 01 September 2012


Synopsis

A fabulous new TimeStalker novel.

A missing diary holding dark secrets, a lost Spanish royal treasure and a serial killer operating in the Wild Wild West...

Kannon Dupree, the time travelling detective, is hired to go to New Mexico in 1867 to find the missing diary of a Wild West hero. Disguised as a bounty hunter, the chase takes Kannon from gunfights in Old Santa Fe, across hostile territory in the middle of an Indian War, via a mysterious convent of nuns banished to die in the desert and into an ancient pueblo city on a cursed mesa sacred to Coyote, the trickster god.

But what she doesn′t know is that the diary holds a spine-chilling secret that someone in the present may be willing to do anything to hide...