Robin Hood

Robin Hood--Season 1 5 of 5 stars!
With a modern sensibility and a plot from age-old English folklore, the first season of this groundbreaking BBC series follows Robin of Locksley (Jonas Armstrong) as he returns from the Crusades to claim his family estate. With the land under the thumb of the ruthless Sheriff of Nottingham (Keith Allen) and his sadistic deputy (Richard Armitage), Robin becomes history's greatest vigilante. Lucy Griffiths stars as Robin's true love, Maid Marian.

This show popped up on my netflix the other day and since then I have been completely and totally engrossed in it. So, I decided to share it with you. The series is hilarious but it can also be very intense. The thing I enjoy the most about it is the back story, how Robin had been fighting in the Holy Wars for the last five years and because of this couldn't stand the thought of killing anyone. It isn't a gruesome or gory tv show--though there is plenty of action--the way Legend of the Seeker and others are, but it is totally epic and satisfying anyway.

Below is a video with some clips I found on youtube. They have whole episodes there if you look for them.

Sing Me to Sleep

Okay, so here's a Waiting on Wednesday on Friday. Yes, rules were meant to be broken! =)

I am simply dying to read the book Sing Me to Sleep by Angela Morrison. I've had my eye on it for a little while and just saw the trailer today, so I had to share it with you! The song at the end is absolutely beautiful and the story sounds awesome.



Sing Me to Sleep will go on sale March 4, 2010. Can't wait!

Christopher Paolini Interview

Christopher Paolini, author of the Inheritance Cycle, my all time favorite series, recently did an interview with authorhour.com that I thought I would share with you. You can go to his page by clicking here. He's totally funny and I always enjoy hearing what he has to say. If you listen to the bonus questions there's alot of good information for young writers.

Enjoy!

Arya

The Enchanted Quest by Frewin Jones

The Enchanted Quest by Frewin Jones 5 of 5 stars.
5th Book in the Faerie Path Series

"Faeries tread the Faerie Path
A trail that leads from Faerie Realm
A ship upon the Western Sea
Dark sister's hand upon the helm

"Into Alba, into Erin
Enchanted quest to undertake
An ill to cure, a truth to learn
A life to lose for true love's sake"

Tania's adventures continue as she sets upon a quest to save the Immortality of the people of Faerie. With Rathina and Connor by her side she must unravel clues and mysteries spun to her by mystical being she isn't sure she can trust. They will cross mysterious and dangerous lands on their journey to save the Realm from a plague that is running rampant. Trouble comes from near and far to bar their way to the Divine Harper, but a trouble they cannot begin to imagine is hiding in their midst. Dark secrets lying before them, and even darker ones lying among them. As their trek takes impossible turns the group is reminded that nothing is impossible with true love. But love is a strange and rare thing indeed with Rathina's beloved but malevolent Gabriel Drake long gone, Connor's seemingly unrequited love for Tania, and Edric's soul being eaten away by the Dark Arts.
But new and old friend will return to help them along their quest as they work to fight the impossible. All the while they struggle, Rathina and Tania's strength and the strength of their family is being sapped away to fuel the Gildensleep that covers the land of Faerie. Will Tania finish her quest in time to save Faerie or will their endurance fail them before all is done?

And so the adventure continues. I must say this fifth book did a good job of keeping me on the edge of my seat all the way through. There were so many questions I was dying to have answered from, "Will Tania end of with Edric or Connor?" to "Is the door to the Mortal World really closed forever?!". This book did a good job answering those question but now I find myself with even more question dancing in my head not to mention all of the riddles woven neatly throughout the novel only to leave me with a major cliff-hanger. But there is no question as to whether you should read this series. I honestly believe anyone would love it. The writing is magnificent and you cannot help but become attached to the character and find yourself cheering for them at every turn. All I have to say is; Bravo, Mr. Jones! You've done it again!...Now hurry up with that last book before I die of suspense. =)

For fans of: Frewin Jones, Carrie Jones

Jaclyn Dolamore's Book Release

Oh, it is good to be home! I did love Orlando though. We just barely got there in time for the Magic Under Glass book signing but I am so glad we did!! Ms. Dolamore did an amazing job with her speech and was very sweet. I feel bad that I wasn't able to get any really good photos but I thought I would pass you along to someone who did. Meg Kat, the photographer who also took Jaclyn's head shot in the book was there and got some great pics. You can check them out here.

This was my first book event and I can honestly say I wasn't disappointed. I just wish there were some closer to home. I'm going to have to get a job so I can go to more! haha =)
For those of you who haven't gotten your hands on a copy of Magic Under Glass definitely should. It's a wonderful book. I have a signed copy I hope to give away later next month so keep you're eyes out for that.

Much love,
Arya

News~

Hi, everyone! I've been totally busy trying to get ready to go to Orlando tomorrow. I'm driving down for the launch party of Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore. A totally awesome book with an even cooler author! =) I hope to be sharing some pictures with you all soon. If you're in the area you should definitely come by.
It will be tomorrow at 7:00p.m-8:00p.m. at the Barnes and Noble on 2418 E Colonial Drive Orlando, Fl.
I'm so excited! I've got some much needed shopping to get done with too. ;)
I also got a copy of Anastasia's Secret by Susanne Dunlap in the mail today and it looks AMAZING.

Much love,

Arya

Need by Carrie Jones

Need by Carrie Jones 5 of 5 stars.

Pain shoots through my head.
Fireworks. Explosions. All inside my brain.
The white world goes dark and I know what's about to happen.

Zara White suspects there's a freaky guy semi-stalking her. She's also obsessed with phobias. And it's true, she hasn't exactly been herself since her stepfather died. But exiling her to shivery Maine to live with her grandmother? That seems a bit extreme. The move is supposed to help her stay sane... but Zara's pretty sure her mom just can't deal with her right now.
She couldn't be more wrong. Turns out the semi-stalker is not a figment of Zara's overactive imagination. In fact, he's still following her, leaving behind an eerie trail of gold dust. There's something no right--not human--in this sleepy Maine town, and all signs point to Zara.

Carrie Jones's interpretation of pixies are far different than your average Tinkerbell. In fact, they are almost like vampires in nature. I thought the plot was greatly original, the folk lore that she uses to create the stories with is rich. I absolutely adored the characters. They all have a very real quality to them. Its interesting watching Zara grow from a completely pacifist to someone who is willing to do whatever it takes to protect the people she loves, even if she doesn't like it. She's the reluctant hero that every one wants to cheer for. The intensity of the story is mixed with sarcasm and humor. Anyone who is a fan of paranormal fantasy is sure to adore this book. I did.

For fans of: Faerie Path, Never Cry Werewolf, Beautiful Creatures, Twilight

Destiny's Path by Frewin Jones

Warrior Princess Book 2: Destiny's Path by Frewin Jones 5 of 5 stars.

HER DESTINY MUST BE FULFILLED. . .

Branwen refuses to take orders from anyone--even the Shining Ones, the ancient gods whose power is feared throughout the land. They want her as their Chosen One, destined to save her country from the Saxons. But Branwen doubts she's truly ready to be a leader.

Then a messenger from the skies shows her a vision of a bleak and violent future--a future in which Branwen has abandoned her destiny, and those most dear to her suffer unspeakable horrors. There's a blurry line between good and evil, and those Branwen trusts the most are capable of the greatest betrayal. The Shining Ones have Shining Ones have spoken. Will Branwen answer their call?

Frewin Jones is one of my favorite authors for a reason. His books are vividly descriptive, they see everything and leave nothing out. Destiny's Path is no exception. It blows me away the details to the battles within this second book in the Warrior Princess series. I could never have guessed how this story would unfold, I was surprised all the way through. Old and new characters turn up everywhere and you are never sure how they're going to come or where they are going. The ending of this novel is such a complete surprise it takes your breath away. There is suspense all the way through. (I started reading this about lunch time and couldn't put it down until I was done with it at one in the morning.) While Warrior Princess seemed more historical fiction with just a dash of the supernatural thrown in, Destiny's Path is full of vividly wonderful fantasy. I love the characters completely and totally. The heroine especially. Now, I just can't wait to get my hands on that next book and see what other adventures come Branwen's way!

For fans of: Frewin Jones, Carrie Jones, Christopher Paolini, Esther Friesner

Mail Time!

Okay, I'm pretty sure the mail man thinks I'm completely insane. I go squeeing out the door and lunge for an Amazon box in my PJ's before he even has time to pull out the driveway. =) But, come on, I've been waiting on these FOREVER!

Now, what to read first?? Destiny's Path or Need? Hmm... Probably Destiny's Path, I've been waiting SO long to see what happens to Branwen! =)

Happy reading,

Arya

Captivate by Carrie Jones

Captivate by Carrie Jones 5 of 5 stars.

Zara and her friend knew they hadn't solved the pixie problem for good. Far from it. The king's needs grow deeper every day he's stuck in captivity, while his control over his pixies gets weaker. So when a new, younger pixie king shows up, war is imminent. The new king, Astley, claims he's not evil, that his pixies can coexist peacefully with humans and weres. Zara's boyfriend, Nick, isn't buying it: no pixie could possibly be a good guy. But Zara is half pixie herself, and she is just starting to think Astley could be right when Astley lets her in on another secret: he believes Zara's relationship with Nick is about to come to an end--and that she is fated to be his queen...

Being I haven't had the pleasure of reading the first book by Carrie Jones, Need, I was a little slow picking up on the story. In the beginning Zara comes off a little too much like one of those swoony heroines who doesn't have any backbone and is leaning completely on her boyfriend. But all doubts fade when she faces off with a fearsome Valkyrie to save a pixie king. The story is original in so many ways, while the plot is fast paced and suspenseful. I absolutely loved the characters. They were very vivid and real. The writing had an easy tone. It wasn't formal, but natural and funny. I found myself about to cry a few times as well. I absolutely loved that the story is slightly tied in with Norse mythology. It gives a definite tone to it. The worst thing I have to say about this book is that the ending is completely horrible. Talk about a cliff hanger. I can't wait to get my hand on the next book.

For fans of: Faerie Path, Warrior Princess, Twilight

Impossible by Nancy Werlin

Impossible by Nancy Werlin 5 of 5 stars.

A line of strong, defiant young woman are cursed to be broken, body and mind by an evil creature known as the Elfin Knight. Forced to become pregnant at the age of 17 these girls are face with four impossible tasks. They must make a shirt with no seams or needlework, find an acre of land between the salt water and the sea strand, plow in with just a goat's horn, and sow it over with one grain of corn. Now its up to Lucy, 17, to save herself and her unborn daughter from the clutches of this evil creature. If she does not complete these impossible tasks and break the curse she will have the child, go mad, and become a possession of the Elfin Knight. And her daughter will then follow in her footsteps.

But Lucy and her baby are not alone. Guided by her mother's journal and the love of her family and friends Lucy struggles to save herself and her child in an extraordinary show of strength and determination. But nothing is sure and there is no way to know if all of their toils are working or not.

Impossible was a simply beautiful novel. I loved the idea and the style even if I was hoping for something that seemed a little more of an adventure. In the beginning Lucy's character seems strong and I get a good idea of her personality, but as the story progresses she fades out. I get a great view of Zach, though, and see inside his personality. He was a very lovable character but I would have liked to see a bit more of Lucy. It felt slightly vague to me in spots. There are things I think Nancy Werlin could have shown a bit better rather than telling. On the other hand, it did give the story a classic fairytale ring that went along well with the lyrical sound of the story.
All in all it was a wonderful read I could hardly put down and I would suggest this to anyone.


For fans of: Fantasy, Graceline, Gail Carson Levine

UPDATE: COMMENTS

Hi, sorry everyone! I don't know what was wrong with my comments boxes but I changed some of my setting around and it should be working now. Hopefully everyone can enter the contest now. Thanks to those who let me know!! =)

<3 Arya

101st Post + 1st Contest!

Today is January 5th! Do you know what that means?? No!? Delia Ephron's new novel The Girl with the Mermaid Hair comes out today! =) Know what else? This is my 101st post. I'm so proud!

In honor of this I've decided to have a giveaway. And what better to give away today than my ARC copy of The Girl with the Mermaid Hair? Okay, here's the deal:

Prize:
1 ARC of The Girl with the Mermaid Hair by Delia Ephron, writer of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants screenplay! (this copy is blue)


Must be a resident of the US or Canada. (Sorry! Postage...)
To enter you must be a follower! Old or new.
To enter leave a comment below, along with your email address.
For a better chance of winning you can do any of the following.
+1 Everytime you spread the word; Tweet, Sidebar, Facebook, etc. (Give link)
+3 Old followers
+3 Blog post
+2 New followers
+1 Tell me your favorite scene from Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

Contest ends January 30!

Much love,

Arya

Vampire Academy: Chat with Richelle Mead

Hi, everyone! I hope you will excuse the mess that is my blog right now, I'm trying to redo the layout. Talk about annoying. Anybody have any tips on how to create a third column? Email me! =)

But that's not all I'm posting about. My friends at Penguin have sent me some information about a live chat they're having with one of your favorite authors... Yes, Richelle Mead author of the New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy will be chatting it up on Thursday, January 7th at 8:00 PM Eastern Time. (You know, after its dark and all of you beautiful vampires can come safely out to see her.) All you have to do, is click here to get to the chat.

I hope you will all participate. I've never read the Vampire Academy books myself but I love author chats, so I'll probably drop in myself.


Much love,

Arya

Fantasy Reading Challenge!

Royal Reviews is holding an awesome challenge! Its the Fantasy Reading Challenge 2010. The goal is to read so many fantasy novels. This includes all types of fantasy from vampires, faeries, historical fantasy, whatever. I will be participating at the Obsessed level, the goal being to read 20 fantasy novels this year. That's easy for me, but for those of you aren't completely insane ;) they have other easier levels as well. So, check it out!
I'll be posting my progress on this page. To see the reviews, simply click on the link below.
1. Impossible by Nancy Werlin
2. Captivate by Carrie Jones
3.Need by Carrie Jones
4.Mistwood by Leah Cypess
5. Fire by Kristin Cashore
6.Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
7. Rampant by Diana Peterfreund
8. Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner
9. Perchance to Dream by Lisa Mantchev
10. The Evil Within by Nancy Holder
11. Insatiable by Meg Cabot
12. Nightshade by Andrea Cremer
13. Guardian of the Gate by Michelle Zink
14. Immortal by Gillian Shields
15. Love Sucks by Melissa Francis
16. The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller
17. Linger by Maggie Stiefvater
18. A Pirate's Charm by C.T. Douglas
19. Secondhand Charm by Julie Berry
20. The Emerald Flame by Frewin Jones
21. Crusade by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie
22. Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce
23. Entice by Carrie Jones
Yay! Official date of completion: October 29, 2010. I'm sure I will have more to add before the end!

Top 15 Books of 2009!

In honor of all the extraordinary releases of 2009 I have compiled a list of my favorite book released in the last 12 months. These books do not include those that have yet to be released. I added some fun categories just for the heck of it. This was a very tough list to create. Please don't take the numbers too seriously because there are so many I wanted to add to #1!! =) Enjoy!



1. Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl- Best Dark Fantasy

2. Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink - Best Beginning Trilogy

3. Faerie Path The Immortal Realm by Frewin Jones- Most Shocking

4. Never Cry Werewolf by Heather Davis- Best Paranormal Debut

5. Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran- Best Historical Fiction

6. Sphinx's Princess by Esther Friesner- Worst Cliff-Hanger

7. Devil's Kiss by Sarwat Chadda- Most Original Plot

8. Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev- Funniest Theatrical Performance

9. Oracles of Delphi Keep by Victoria Laurie- Most Likely to Become a Movie

10. Girl in the Arena by Lise Haines- Best Urban Fantasy

11. A Kiss in Time by Alexandra Flinn- Funniest Fairytale

12. Guinevere's Gamble by Nancy McKenzie- Best Arthurian Retelling

13. The Ameranth Enchantment by Julie Berry- Favorite Fairytale

14. Secret Society by Tom Dolby- Best Mystery

15.Voices in the Dark by Catherine Banner- Most Loved Characters

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl 5 of 5 stars.

There were no surprises in Gatlin County. At least, that's what I htough. Turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong.

There was a curse.
There was a girl.
And in the end,
there was a grave.

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps, and crumbling graveyard of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.
Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.
In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

Beautiful Creatures is the kind of dark fantasy that draws you in from the moment you pick it up. Perfectly balancing the gothic chill of the story is humor that anyone, especially Southerners, can relate to. This is a story that can blow the socks off of today's typical paranormal fiction. It reminded me of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee a great deal. It is even mentioned in the book. The characters are believable and full of heart, while the plotline moves along at a satisfying speed. While I don't see how to tell you too much more without spoiling the story for you, all I can say is read it! Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl have created a story to remember. I could barely put it down.

For fans of: Gemma Doyl Trilogy, Faerie Path, Twilight, Fantasy