Perilous by Tamara Hart Heiner *Giveaway*

Food to eat while reading: Pickles in a Pinch

Perilous is the type of adventure book that I like to cozy up with when I want to escape from the world for a while. Fast-paced and intriguing, Perilous explores hard issues in a way that readers of all ages can enjoy.


Tamara Hart Heiner's book is brand new.  I am a part of her blog tour. Yesterday's blogger is Ann Best

and tomorrow you can go over to Christine Bryant's blog.

Tamara is holding a few great giveaways.  If you post in this or any other review on the tour, you can win a copy of the book.  Also, you can win a Kindle if you are helpful in spreading the word about Perilous.  Visit Tamara Hart Heiner's blog for more info.
Read the synopsis of Perilous here.

The main character and point of view in Perilous, by Tamara Hart Heiner, is Jacinta Rivera. Heiner successfully alternates the point of view between Jaci and Detective Carl Hamilton, the man who has been given the task of finding Jaci when she is kidnapped by thieves from the local mall. I appreciate knowing both points of view. Somehow it makes me fell smart-knowing information that the character I am reading about hasn’t found out yet.

Jaci is Hispanic and I got very interested when I entered her home and interacted with her family. I love that her heritage and background are portrayed here. By the end of the book I was disappointing that her heritage did not come up again or play a role in the story. It would have been neat to see Jaci use her knowledge of her ancestry or ethnicity to her advantage--pushing the story forward and helping her out of the situation.

Detective Carl is a nice contrast to the teen storyline and I love his choice of brain food-pickles. I enjoyed his internal dialogue and his relationship with his wife. The only thing lacking in Carl’s storyline is a dynamic change from beginning to end. I did not see how following Jaci’s case changed him as a person.

I enjoyed the banter between the girls at the mall before the kidnapping occurs. I could have read a few more chapters of Jaci’s life before the capture and felt surprised when the event happened so soon in the story.

There are quite a few teenage females to keep track of in the story and they all started to blend together for me. Because of what happens to Sara, I was able to separate her from the others in the middle of the book. Again, I am disappointed in the lack of change that I saw in the girls. I wanted to get into Jaci’s head and really see how the events affected and changed her by the end of the story.

The twin boys, Neal and Ricky, add another layer to the story and introduce a bit of romance. Because Neal is introduced first, I became quite attached to him and I saw Ricky as immature and irresponsible. Later in the story I found it confusing when Jaci began to vacillate in her interest between the two boys.

Some of the scenes felt contrived to me, such as Jaci’s rescue at the river. And yet other scenes that might have felt artificial (including their ultimate rescue in the end) made me want to believe in miracles.

The ending felt abrupt and I didn’t get a sense of completion. There is a sequel coming out to Perilous and I realize that there needs to be a few loose ends, but I still wanted that missing catharsis.

I am impressed with the way Heiner is able to write a story about harsh topics that face teens today, such as murder and rape, but in a way that any parent would want them presented to their teen. The events that happen in the book are dealt with, but not played out in detail or dwelt upon in a way that would make a reader uncomfortable.

Purchase: Perilous

Genre: YA, thriller

Publisher: Published October 31st 2010 by WiDo Publishing

Where I got the book: ebook from the author*

*I received only a copy of the ebook as compensation for my review.

Tasty Tuesday-Steampunked Fish and Chips

My grandmother recently told me how my Nana (her mother) used to make fish and chips.  Nana lived in England in the late 1800's.  I decided to make this recipe while reading The Clockwork Three by Matthew Kirby.  Although the book is not set in England, the time period made me think of my European heritage and it gave me warm and fuzzies to make the recipe while reading the book.  Fish and chips go well with a steampunk setting.  Enjoy this authentic recipe.

Steampunked Fish and Chips

1 pound fresh halibut(I purchased mine from a fish market.  It made six servings)
Batter for Halibut:
Flour, salt, a pinchh of baking powder, with enough water to make it the consistency of pancake mix.  Note: I came home in a rush and just substituted pancake batter and it worked great!
Pat the fish with paper towels until dry.  Dip in batter.  Deep fat fry until golden brown.

Chips:
Cut desired amount of potatoes into french fry shapes(I used a Pampered Chef crinkle cutter).  Deep fat fry until golden brown.  Season with salt and malt vinegar.

The Clockwork Three by Matthew Kirby

Food to eat while reading: Steampunked Fish and Chips

I met Matthew Kirby at a Writing for Charity event in 2009 and have been eager to read his story ever since.

Read the synopsis here.

What I liked:

The first line: “When Giuseppe found the green violin, he did not think it would help him escape.” This line promises magic and tells me right away that the character is in a precarious situation.

I haven’t heard of a steampunk book for middle grade readers, and Kirby expertly fills the niche. Steamboats, a clockwork man, child labor and the impending Edison electricity all populate this fable-like tale.

Three children are in need of something that they can only get through dependence on another. The three storylines are woven together into a beautiful tapestry that could only be created by their collaboration.

Kirby’s descriptions dart in and out of the story, never distracting from the dialogue and flow. Here’s an example of Giuseppe biting an apple: “When he bit through its crisp skin, sour juice exploded in his mouth and twisted up his cheeks and his tongue.” Can you taste it?

Hannah, Frederick and Giuseppe are distinct from each other in personality, in emotions and the way that they react to situations. The characters recognize each other’s differences, and instead of letting it tear them apart, they use the differences to support each other.

There is a tiny hint of romance between Hannah and Frederick-just the perfect amount for middle grade. One tender scene in particular touched my heart at the end of the story.

What I would have changed:

Even though the three storylines were interesting, I started to get lost in the early middle of the book. I kept picking up other books because the pacing lagged a bit for me. I am glad that I didn’t put it down though, because the story delivers.

Not all of my questions were answered and I wanted more. I am hoping that we will see more of the three children, Madame Pomeroy and the clockwork man and the magic that made him come to life.

The verdict: A tale of the mystery and magic of time gone by, The Clockwork Three will enchant readers to the last page.

Purchase: The Clockwork Three

Genre: MG, steampunk, historical fiction

Publisher: Published October 1st 2010 by Scholastic Press, Hardcover, 400 pages

Where I got the book: ARC that I won in a giveaway (I’m trying to remember from whom).

Interview with Rachel Ann Nunes

"I love learning new things. I love dreaming. Combine the two and you have a novel." -Rachel Ann Nunes

Rachel Ann Nunes so kindly answered some of my questions regarding her book, Imprints and the sequel, Shades of Gray that will come out in 2011.  Thank you Rachel for allowing us to go "behind the scenes" and take a peek into the mind of an author.  

You can read my review of this wonderful book here.



Q: What inspired you to write your first book?

A: I simply knew from a very young age that I wanted to be an author. For as long as I can remember, writing novels is what I planned to do. I was an avid reader and always made up what I thought were wonderful stories in my mind. When I was in France for six months as an eleven-year-old, the seed for my first published novel, Ariana, began to grow, and two years in Portugal added to the European flavor of the novel.

Q: Does your family enjoy your books?

A: My daughters read them, and one particular daughter, Catia, is my biggest supporter. She pre-reads all my books for me.

Q:Is there a message in Imprints that you want readers to grasp?

A: If there's a message in Imprints, it's that you don't have to include a lot of raunchy sex scenes, child sacrifice, and swear words every page like all the national paranormal novels for adults out there. I believe the reason why young adult paranormal novels are so popular is that because they don't waste time with that sort of thing. There seems to be a real disconnect between publishers and readers these days in regards to what readers really want.

Q:Where did the idea for the ability to imprint come from?

A: It's one of those things that just happened. In fact, before the idea came to me, I didn't even realize there was a scientific name for the ability. I think on some level I sort of imagined those old handheld credit card imprint devices and how you'd slide the card and the number would appear magically on the paper. I figured an emotion would be a similar thing, only invisible to the eye.

Q: I love the covers for this series, did you have any input on them?

A: On the first mocked up of this cover, they had a girl in coat and boots who looked like she was walking around in a forest. There were fingerprints and sort of an old mystery look to the whole thing. In fact, you can still see that cover on Amazon. Not a bad cover, but the character doesn't look or feel like mine (who never wears shoes). When I suggested a change, my product manager thought we ought to use the Portland skyline as well, and this is what we ended up with http://rachelannnunes.com/Imprints_book.php. It fits the book a lot better. So, yes, my publisher is good to listen to my input about covers. I think they do a fabulous job.

Q:What kind of research did you do for this series?

A: I researched pychometry, which is the scientific name for the paranormal ability my character has, but most of my research involved cults, antiques, and the two cities in Oregon where my novel takes place. As the child of an herb store owner, I've always been interested in herbs and how people feel about them, so that's always fun to play into.

Q: What are you working on now?

A: I've just finished Shades of Gray, An Autumn Rain Imprints Novel, which as you can tell from the title, is the sequel to Imprints. My pre-readers were very positive about the book, and I'm excited for people to read it. The release date is likely in May 2011, give or take a month, and if you check on my website in April, I should have a sample chapter and the week of the release. In fact, I have sample chapters of most of my novels there: www.RachelAnnNunes.com. Currently, I'm working on a novel called Before I Say Goodbye, which is still in the early stages so I'm not ready to share much about yet. I do have to give my publisher a summary soon, and I'll put a bit of that up on my website in a few weeks. I plan to have it finished by the end of January for an August 2011 release.

Q: Do you have any advice for other writers?

My best advice is to read, read, read, and read some more. And then write, write, write, and pass your work around to other aspiring authors, and then rewrite again and send it out to editors or agents. Keep writing new novels or revising older ones and continue sending them out. Keep reading all the time (novels, grammar books, books about writing). If you don't give up, you will eventually make it.

Q: Are there any new books that have grabbed your interest?

A: I'm reading all the time, and right now I'm reading extensively in the urban fantasy market, which I'm writing on the side when I'm caught up on my current publisher deadlines. It's a fascinating genre, but I really only enjoy a few of those authors because of what I mentioned above about content. For my own writing in that genre, I may have to end up using younger characters just to avoid this. I'm not at all into the high school teen angst scene, but there is a newer genre of novels with twenty-something characters that are a mix of young adult and adult that I've found interesting.

Q: What inspires you to write and why?

A: I simply feel that I must write. When I do, I'm happier and my life and my relationships are smoother. It's like eating. If I'm away from it too long, I'm cranky and easily irritated. I believe we are all given gifts for a reason, and if we're not using them and stretching ourselves, we don't grow and progress, which makes the core of who we are unhappy. Also, writing is a unique profession in that you learn a little about many subjects. I love learning new things. I love dreaming. Combine the two and you have a novel.