Claudia Gray Archives

Coming Soon – Balthazar by Claudia Gray

balthazar by claudia grayBalthazar by
From Publishers – HarperCollins Aust.
Release Date – 1st March 2012
Check it out at Goodreads | The Book Depository

When Balthazar emerges from his isolation to help Skye Tierney, a human girl who once attended Academy, he has no idea how dangerous it will be. Skye?s newfound psychic powers have caught the attention of Redgrave, the vampire responsible for murdering Balthazar and his family four centuries ago. Balthazar will do whatever it takes to stop Redgrave, and exact his long-awaited revenge against his killer. But just as Balthazar grows closer to Skye, Redgrave realizes that he can destroy Balthazar once and for all…by taking Skye for his own.

Review – Fateful by Claudia Gray

fateful by claudia gray

Fateful by Claudia Gray

From Publishers – Harper Collins Aust.

Release Date – 1st September 2011

Check it out at Goodreads | The Book Depository | Kobo

New from the No.1 bestselling author of the EVERNIGHT series

The RMS TITANIC might be the most luxurious ship in the world, but all passenger Tess Davies wants

to do is escape her dreary existence as a maid. Trapped in a web of painful memories and twisted family secrets, Tess vows to make a run for it as soon as the ship reaches New York. A new world awaits … and a new life!

Her single-minded obsession shatters when she meets Alec. Handsome and mysterious, he captivates her immediately — but Alec has secrets of his own. As she uncovers the darkness lurking beneath his sophisticated surface, Tess discovers a horrifying truth. Werewolves, once only the stuff of nightmares, are real– and they are stalking Alec. Tess?s love for Alec puts her in mortal peril, but an even greater danger lies in front of her before their journey on the TITANIC is over …

My Thoughts: Fateful by Claudia Gray takes place on the Titanic during its historical voyage in 1912. But unlike other romances set on the infamous ship, Gray has combined romance with the supernatural – werewolves to be more specific.

Like the movie Titanic, Fateful tells the story about two passengers from different levels in the social hierarchy. One a maid, the other from a rich family, who fall for each other on the doomed voyage. Ok, so you think that their social status’ of the two is going to cause some major obstacles but that is the least of their problems. Alec is being pursued by Mikhail, a cruel and ruthless member of a werewolf brotherhood and Tess is caught in the middle.

I loved how the relationship between Tess and Alec progressed, and I adored Alec. Who can resist an adorably sweet rich guy?

I really enjoyed this book. Knowing the fate of the ship gave the story a sense of urgency, which I really enjoyed and I’d recommend it to any fan of the young adult paranormal genre.

claudia grayAbout the Author: About the Author: Claudia Gray is not my real name. I didn’t choose a pseudonym because my real name is unpleasant (it isn’t), because I’d always dreamed of calling myself this (I haven’t) or even because I’m hiding from the remnants of that international diamond-smuggling cartel I smashed in 2003 (Interpol has taken care of them). In short, I took a pseudonym for no real reason whatsoever. Sometimes this is actually the best reason to do things.

I live in New York City. So far, in life, I’ve been a disc jockey, a lawyer, a journalist and an extremely bad waitress, just to name a few. I especially like to spend time traveling, hiking, reading, and listening to music. More than anything else, I enjoy writing.

 

Have you read this book yet? Leave a comment letting me know what you think!

I got some fantastic books in my mailbox this week. It’s going to be hard to choose what to start first!

hades by alexandra adornettoHades by Alexandra Adornetto
#2
From Publishers – Harper Collins Aust.
Release Date – 1st September 2011
Check it out at Goodreads | The Book Depository | Kobo

HALO enchanted me from the very first page? CLAUDIA GRAY

What will happen to an angel in Hell?

Jake Thorn and his demons have been banished and Xavier and Bethany settle down to resume a normal life. But on the night of Halloween, a childish prank goes terribly wrong and Jake is

summoned back to the sleepy town of Venus Cove. Bethany is deceived and like the mythical Persephone she finds herself dragged into the nightmarish underworld of Hades.

While the call on higher powers to help rescue Bethany, Jake decides to play dirty and goes after the one thing she loves more than anything. But to spare Xavier?s life, Bethany must make the ultimate sacrifice. Will she make a deal with the Devil? And what will happen to an angel in Hell?

fateful by claudia grayFateful by Claudia Gray
From Publishers – Harper Collins Aust.
Release Date – 1st September 2011
Check it out at Goodreads | The Book Depository | Kobo

New from the No.1 bestselling author of the EVERNIGHT series

The RMS might be the most luxurious ship in the world, but all passenger Tess Davies wants

to do is escape her dreary existence as a maid. Trapped in a web of painful memories and twisted family secrets, Tess vows to make a run for it as soon as the ship reaches New York. A new world awaits … and a new life!

Her single-minded obsession shatters when she meets Alec. Handsome and mysterious, he captivates her immediately — but Alec has secrets of his own. As she uncovers the darkness lurking beneath his sophisticated surface, Tess discovers a horrifying truth. Werewolves, once only the stuff of nightmares, are real– and they are stalking Alec. Tess?s love for Alec puts her in mortal peril, but an even greater danger lies in front of her before their journey on the TITANIC is over …

emblaze by jesica shirvingtonEmblaze by Jessica Shirvington
From Publishers – Hachette Aust.
Release Date – 11th October 2011
Check it out at Goodreads | The Book Depository

Once again Violet Eden faces an impossible choice … and the consequences are unimaginable.

Violet has come to terms with the fact that being part angel, part human, means her life will never be as it was.

Now Violet has something Phoenix – the exiled angel who betrayed her – will do anything for, and she has no intention of letting it fall into his hands. The only problem is that he has something she needs too.

Not afraid to raise the stakes, Phoenix seemingly holds all the power, always one step ahead. And when he puts the final pieces of the prophecy together, it doesn’t take him long to realise exactly who he needs in order to open the gates of Hell.

With the help of surprising new allies, ancient prophecies are deciphered, a destination set and, after a shattering confrontation with her father, Violet leaves for the islands of Greece without knowing if she will have a home to return to.

bloodlines vampire academy spin off by richelle meadBloodlines by Richelle Mead
From Publishers – Penguin Books Aust.
Release Date – 23th August 2011
Check it out at Goodreads | The Book Depository | Kobo

Sydney’s blood in special. That’s because she’s an alchemist – one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of human and vampires. They protect vampire secrets – and human lives. But the last encounter Sydney had with vampires got her in deep trouble with the other alchemists. And now with her allegiances in question, her future is on the line.

When Sydney is torn from her bed in the middle of the night, at first she thinks she’s still being punished for her complicated alliance with dhampir Rose Hathaway. But what unfolds is far worse. Jill Dragomir – the sister of Moroi Queen Lissa Dragomir – is in mortal danger, and the Moroi must send her into hiding. To avoid a civil war, Sydney is called upon to act as Jill’s guardian and protector, posing as her roommate in the unlikeliest of places: a human boarding school in Palm Springs, California. The last thing Sydney wants is to be accused of sympathizing with vampires. And now she has to live with one.

The Moroi court believe Jill and Sydney will be safe at Amberwood Prep, but threats, distractions and forbidden romance lurk both outside – and within – the school grounds. Now that they’re in hiding, the drama is only just beginning.

the help by kathryn stockettThe Help by Kathryn Stockett
From Publishers – Penguin Books Aust.
Release Date – 2nd August 2011 (Movie tie-in Edition)
Check it out at Goodreads | The Book Depository | Kobo

Enter a vanished world: Jackson, Mississippi, 1962. Where black maids raise white children, but aren’t trusted not to steal the silver . . .

There’s Aibileen, raising her seventeenth white child and nursing the hurt caused by her own son’s tragic death; Minny, whose cooking is nearly as sassy as her tongue; and white Miss Skeeter, home from College, who wants to know why her beloved maid has disappeared.

Skeeter, Aibileen and Minny. No one would believe they’d be friends; fewer still would tolerate it. But as each woman finds the courage to cross boundaries, they come to depend and rely upon one another. Each is in a search of a truth. And together they have an extraordinary story to tell.

 

What did you get in your mailbox this week?

The Story Siren runs a meme called where Book Bloggers can interact and talk about the they have received in their mailbox each week. Go and check it out and join in the fun!

In My Mailbox (8)

Happy IMM Day fellow book lovers!

I was lucky enough to get 3 books in my mailbox this week:

afterlife by claudia gray by Claudia Gray ( Book #4)
From Publishers – Harper Collins Aus
Released – 8th March 2011

Book Depository | Kobo

I read and reviewed this book a few months back, you can find my review here!

Bianca and Lucas have always believed they could endure anything to be together. When a twist of fate not only transforms Bianca into a ghostly wraith, but also turns Lucas into a vampire—the very creature he spent his life hunting—they are left reeling.

Haunted by his powerful need to kill, Lucas can turn to only one place for help… Evernight Academy. Bianca is determined to remain with him. But with the vampire leader of Evernight waging a war against wraiths, her former home has become the most dangerous place she could be, despite the new powers her transformation has given her.

A battle between wraiths and vampires looms, and Bianca and Lucas face a terrifying new reality. They’ve overcome every obstacle life has thrown at them, but is their love strong enough to survive the challenges after life?

Falling Under by Gwen HayesFalling Under by Gwen Hayes
Publisher: Penguin Books AUS
Release Date: March 28th 2011
Book Depository | Audible

IN HER DREAMS HE’S SEDUCTIVE, CHARMING AND UNDOUBTEBLY DANGEROUS . . .

Theia Alderson has always led a sheltered life, but when a devastatingly handsome boy appears at her school, she feels every urge she’s ever denied burning through her at his slightest glance.

Theia does not understand why she dreamed of Haden Black before they met, by as the Haden of both the day and the night beckons her forward, Theia knows she cannot resist him – even when she discovers what he truly is; and even if the cost of that knowledge is her soul.

. . . IT ONLY TAKES A MOMENT TO FALL

the cursed ones crusade by nancy holder and debbie vigueCrusade: by Nancy Holder and Debbie Vigue
Publisher: Simon and Schuster AUS
Release Date: 1st April 2011
Book DepositoryAudible

From two authors who have both been on the NY Times Best Sellers List comes Crusade: The Cursed Ones, or vampires, have made their presence known to mankind. They promised to help bring peace to the world but then declared war on humanity. The identity of their leader is unknown. Most people are too afraid or unwillingly to take a stand against them. Others, like eighteen-year-old Jenn Leitner, train secretly to become vampire fighters and risk everything in the process. Alongside her is fellow Hunter, Antonio de la Cruz. But Antonio has a secret – he is a vampire fighting on the side of humanity. Jenn must battle with her hatred of all things vampire, and her love for Antonio. For together only they can bring light into the darkness the vampires have drawn over the face of the planet…

 

What did you get in your mailbox this week?

The Story Siren runs a meme called In My Mailbox where Book Bloggers can interact and talk about the books they have received in their mailbox. Go and check it out and join in the fun!

Coming Soon – Afterlife by Claudia Gray

afterlife by claudia grayBook 4 in the

Bianca and Lucas have always believed they could endure anything to be together. When a twist of fate not only transforms Bianca into a ghostly wraith, but also turns Lucas into a vampire—the very creature he spent his life hunting—they are left reeling.

Haunted by his powerful need to kill, Lucas can turn to only one place for help… Academy. Bianca is determined to remain with him. But with the vampire leader of waging a war against wraiths, her former home has become the most dangerous place she could be, despite the new powers her transformation has given her.

A battle between wraiths and vampires looms, and Bianca and Lucas face a terrifying new reality. They’ve overcome every obstacle life has thrown at them, but is their love strong enough to survive the challenges after life?

Publishers: HarperCollins Australia
On Sale: 1st March 2011

Read my early review here!

Preorder yourself a copy now!

Early Review – Afterlife by Claudia Gray

Title: Afterlife (Book #4)
Author: Claudia Gray
Series: The
Age Group: Teen / Young Adult
Release Date: 8th March 2011
Publishers: HarperTeen

Book Summary: Bianca and Lucas have always believed they could endure anything to be together. When a twist of fate not only transforms Bianca into a ghostly wraith, but also turns Lucas into a —the very creature he spent his life hunting—they are left reeling.

Haunted by his powerful need to kill, Lucas can turn to only one place for help… Evernight Academy. Bianca is determined to remain with him. But with the vampire leader of Evernight waging a war against wraiths, her former home has become the most dangerous place she could be, despite the new powers her transformation has given her.

A battle between wraiths and looms, and Bianca and Lucas face a terrifying new reality. They’ve overcome every obstacle life has thrown at them, but is their love strong enough to survive the challenges after life? 

My Thoughts: I have really enjoyed reading the Evernight series but I have to say that I found this book a little depressing. It was quite difficult for me to read at times and I had to keep putting it down and coming back to it at another time.

Having said that, I did enjoy the story line and enjoyed reconnecting with each of the characters. The storyline was good and was quite exciting but I would have liked to have more light moments in amongst the dark just to balance the emotions a little more.

My Rating: (out of 5)

Other Books in the Series:

1. Evernight
2. Stargazer
3. Hourglass

About the Author: Claudia Gray is not my real name. I didn’t choose a pseudonym because my real name is unpleasant (it isn’t), because I’d always dreamed of calling myself this (I haven’t) or even because I’m hiding from the remnants of that international diamond-smuggling cartel I smashed in 2003 (Interpol has taken care of them). In short, I took a pseudonym for no real reason whatsoever. Sometimes this is actually the best reason to do things.

I live in New York City. So far, in life, I’ve been a disc jockey, a lawyer, a journalist and an extremely bad waitress, just to name a few. I especially like to spend time traveling, hiking, reading, and listening to music. More than anything else, I enjoy writing.

Find out more about Claudia and her writing on her website here!
Befriend her on Facebook!
And follow her on Twitter!

You can preorder your copy already from The Book Depository!

This review copy was supplied by Netgalley.

In My Mailbox (4)

Happy IMM Day fellow book lovers!

I haven’t participated in IMM over the last few weeks, so here’s what I received in my mailbox over the last two weeks:

Firstly, my lovely friend Holly bought me a copy of Angelology by Danielle Trussoni. I am dying to get started on it but I need to finish off a few books that I need to review first. But it’s sitting here on my desk teasing me :)

Book Summary: Sister Evangeline was just a girl when her father entrusted her to the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in upstate New York. Now, at twenty-three, her discovery of a 1943 letter from the famous philanthropist Abigail Rockefeller to the late mother superior of Saint Rose Convent plunges Evangeline into a secret history that stretches back a thousand years: an ancient conflict between the Society of Angelologists and the monstrously beautiful descendants of and humans, the Nephilim.
For the secrets these letters guard are desperately coveted by the once-powerful Nephilim, who aim to perpetuate war, subvert the good in humanity, and dominate mankind. Generations of angelologists have devoted their lives to stopping them, and their shared mission, which Evangeline has long been destined to join, reaches from her bucolic abbey on the Hudson to the apex of insular wealth in New York, to the Montparnasse cemetery in Paris and the mountains of Bulgaria.
Rich in history, full of mesmerizing characters, and wondrously conceived, Angelology blends biblical lore, the myth of Orpheus and the Miltonic visions of Paradise Lost into a riveting tale of ordinary people engaged in a battle that will determine the fate of the world.

I signed up with Netgalley and received:

Afterlife by Claudia Gray

Book Summary: Bianca and Lucas have always believed they could endure anything to be together. When a twist of fate not only transforms Bianca into a ghostly wraith, but also turns Lucas into a vampire—the very creature he spent his life hunting—they are left reeling.
Haunted by his powerful need to kill, Lucas can turn to only one place for help… Evernight Academy. Bianca is determined to remain with him. But with the vampire leader of Evernight waging a war against wraiths, her former home has become the most dangerous place she could be, despite the new powers her transformation has given her.
A battle between wraiths and looms, and Bianca and Lucas face a terrifying new reality. They’ve overcome every obstacle life has thrown at them, but is their love strong enough to survive the challenges after life? 

Angelfire By Courtney Allison Moulton

Book Summary: Every night Ellie is haunted by terrifying dreams of monstrous creatures that are hunting her, killing her.
Then come the memories.
When Ellie meets Will, she feels on the verge of remembering something just beyond her grasp. His attention is intense and romantic, and Ellie feels like her soul has known him for centuries. On her seventeenth birthday, on a dark street at midnight, Will awakens Ellie’s power, and she knows that she can fight the creatures that stalk her in the grim darkness. Only Will holds the key to Ellie’s memories, whole lifetimes of them, and when she looks at him, she can no longer pretend anything was just a dream.
Now she must hunt.
Ellie has power that no one can match, and her role is to hunt and kill the reapers that prey on human souls. But in order to survive the dangerous and ancient battle of the angels and the Fallen, she must also hunt for the secrets of her past lives and truths that may be too frightening to remember. 

Once in a Full Moon By Ellen Schreiber

Book Summary: Beware of a kiss under the full moon. It will change your life forever.
Celeste Parker is used to hearing scary stories about —Legend’s Run is famous for them. She’s used to everything in the small town until Brandon Maddox moves to Legend’s Run and Celeste finds herself immediately drawn to the handsome new student. But when, after an unnerving visit with a psychic, she encounters a pack of wolves and gorgeous, enigmatic Brandon, she must discover whether his transformation is more than legend or just a trick of the shadows in the moonlight.
Her best friends may never forgive her if she gives up her perfect boyfriend, Nash, for Brandon, who’s from the wrong side of town. But she can’t deny her attraction or the strong pull he has on her. Brandon may be Celeste’s hero, or he may be the most dangerous creature she could encounter in the woods of Legend’s Run.
Psychic predictions, generations-old secrets, a town divided, and the possibility of falling in love with a hot and heroic werewolf are the perfect formula for what happens . . . once in a full moon. 

And lastly I bought a copy of Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

Book Summary: Nora should know better than to think her life can return to normal after falling in love with a fallen angel. And Nora’s life isn’t normal – her dad was murdered, and the facts about his death just don’t add up. Now Nora’s own life is in imminent danger. Are she and Patch strong enough for the battle ahead?

 What did you get in your mailbox this week?

 The Story Siren runs a meme called In My Mailbox where Book Bloggers can interact and talk about the books they have received in their mailbox. Go and check it out!

Come back on Tuesday for a new meme here at Fictional Fantasy – On My Radar: The idea is to showcase a few books that have sparked our interest in the last week. You can read more here!

On My Radar (2)

On My Radar is a new weekly meme here at Fictional – The idea is to showcase a few books that have sparked your interest in the last week. These can be books you have seen in store or from visiting other  Bloggers. For more details head to the On My Radar info page!

Here are a few books that are on my radar this week:

Remember Me by Christopher Pike
Release Date: October 1st 2010
Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Shari Cooper wakes up dead. The last thing she can remember is falling from a balcony during her friend’s party. Her death has been ruled a suicide, but Shari knows she was murdered. All of her closest friends are now suspects. As she tries to find her killer from the other side, she discovers her friends may not have been so loyal to her after all. Now Shari is not just out for justice, she’s out for revenge. . .

Ripple by Mandy Hubbard
Release Date: July 21st 2011
Publisher: Razorbill

Lexi is cursed with a dark secret. The water calls to her, draws her in, forces her to sing her deadly song to unsuspecting victims. If she succumbs, she kills. If she doesn’t, the pain is unbearable. To keep herself and those she cares about safe, she shuts herself off, refusing to make friends or fall in love—again. Because the last time she fell in love with a boy, he ended up dead. Then Lexi meets Cole. Against her better judgment, she finds herself opening up again, falling in love when she knows she shouldn’t. But when she’s offered the chance to finally live a normal life, she learns that the price she must pay to be free of her curse is giving him up. In Ripple, Mandy Hubbard spins a sea-ravaged tale of melancholy beauty, and the choices one girl makes between land and waves, love and freedom, her future—and her heart. 

Afterlife by Claudia Gray ( #4)
Release Date: March 2011
Publisher: HarperCollins

Bianca and Lucas have always believed they could endure anything to be together. When a twist of fate not only transforms Bianca into a ghostly wraith, but also turns Lucas into a —the very creature he spent his life hunting—they are left reeling.
Haunted by his powerful need to kill, Lucas can turn to only one place for help… Evernight Academy. Bianca is determined to remain with him. But with the vampire leader of Evernight waging a war against wraiths, her former home has become the most dangerous place she could be, despite the new powers her transformation has given her.
A battle between wraiths and vampires looms, and Bianca and Lucas face a terrifying new reality. They’ve overcome every obstacle life has thrown at them, but is their love strong enough to survive the challenges after life?

So what’s on your radar this week?

Enter your details into Mr Linky below, so we can all come by your blog and please don’t forget to link back to Fictional Fantasy :)