The Host by Stephanie Meyer – Review and Trailer

WOW! This is a MUST READ Sci-fi thriller. The Host is amazing. Riveting and engrossing, making my heart beat fast as I race through the pages, not wanting to put it down until I had turned the last page. Needless to say, this is a long book, so I didn’t make it. But, I picked it up first thing in the morning and began reading while waiting for my cup of coffee.

.

.
The Host (The Host, #1)

Add To Goodreads

The Wanderer relived Melanie’s memory of her flight to escape the Seekers. She screamed as the memory overwhelmed her. This was her body now, so what were these thoughts running through her mind? Was Melanie still in here? She had heard of it happening before, but not to her. How could that be?

This was not her first “host”. Everyone was sure this would pass and the Wanderer would take over.

Melanie was part of the resistance and the Seekers wanted what she knew. As they questioned the Wanderer, Melanie did her best to keep them from finding their way to Jared. But the wanderer knew his name.

Melanie’s life kept coming at her, even as she fought the Wanderer to keep her secrets.  But, Melanie didn’t fade with time, she became stronger. The Wanderer would wake, crying, wondering how humans dealt with the emotions that seemed to paralyze her.

They looked and acted exactly like us, so it wasn’t hard for them to take over. There were so few adult humans left, would human beings become extinct?

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos   5 STARS – Would Buy It for Them (lol)

A book being named a #1 National bestseller will always makes me want to read it. Then add that it was made into a movie and I see the promos on TV. I have not seen the movie, but I have been told that they followed the book.

I love the cover and the blurb was interesting. I won The Host as a paperback a while back. YAY, I have it. Perfect time to read it. I cannot remember how I won the book, but thank you very much.

I did not find one single flaw with this book. The writing was excellent and the story – well, it was off the charts.

The Hosts did not understand human emotion. I loved all the discussions about emotions – crying, dreaming ………. while humans try and explain to the Wanderer what they are. And love? Does anyone understand love?

For some reason, Stephanie Meyer’s books seem to create intense and sometimes down right ugly feelings and emotions. It seems like every time I mention (she whispers) Twilight, someone discounts whatever I am talking about just because I mentioned (she whispers again) Twilight.  You either love them or hate them. That too will make me want to read the things she writes. I have to find out for myself if I like them or not.

I love fiction books. I read to escape and go places I could never go in real life. I want to feel as if I am on the adventure with the characters. I like to let my mind stretch as far as it can go. Please, take me somewhere I haven’t been before. I dare you.

So, pick up the book and find out for yourself.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephenie Meyer     I was born in Connecticut in 1973, during a brief blip in my family’s otherwise western U.S. existence. We were settled in Phoenix by the time I was four, and I think of myself as a native. The unusual spelling of my name was a gift from my father, Stephen (+ ie = me). Though I have had my name spelled wrong on pretty much everything my entire life long, I must admit that it makes it easier to google myself now.

.
I filled the “Jan Brady” spot in my family-the second of three girls. Unlike the Brady’s, none of my three brothers are steps, and all of them are younger than all the girls. I went to high school in Scottsdale, Arizona, the kind of place where every fall a few girls would come back to school with new noses and there were Porsches in the student lot (for the record, I have my original nose, and never had a car until after I was in my twenties). I was awarded a National Merit Scholarship, and I used it to pay my way to Brigham Young University, in Provo, Utah. I majored in English, but concentrated on literature rather than creative writing, mostly because I didn’t consider reading books “work” (as long as I was going to be doing something anyway, I might as well get course credit for it, right?).

.
I met my husband, Pancho (his real name is Christiaan), when I was four, but we were never anywhere close to being childhood sweethearts. In fact, though we saw each other at least weekly through church activities, I can’t recall a single instance when we so much as greeted each other with a friendly wave, let alone exchanged actual words. This may have been for the best, because when we did eventually get around to exchanging words, sixteen years after our first meeting, it only took nine months from the first “hello” to the wedding. Of course, we were able to skip over a lot of the getting to know you parts (many of our conversations would go something like this: “This one time, when I was ten, I broke my hand at a party when-” “Yeah, I know what happened. I was there, remember?”) We’ve been married for ten and a half years now, and have three beautiful, brilliant, wonderful boys who often remind me chimpanzees on crack. I can’t write without music, and my biggest muse is, ironically enough, the band Muse. My other favorite sources of inspiration are Linkin Park, My Chemical Romance, Coldplay, The All American Rejects, Travis, The Strokes, Brand New, U2, Kasabian, Jimmy Eat World, and Weezer, to mention a few.

Website

Goodreads

To Host your copies of Stephenie Meyer’s books, simply click on the covers below.



To see all my Reviews, go HERE.
.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

To keep updated on the latest happenings here on fundinmental, follow by email.
If you were following me on my old blog, but have not subscribed here, on my new blog, you will need to follow by email again. I lost all my follower information when I moved. Thanks and I look forward to seeing you.

 

Giveaway and Review – A Lonely Vampire Looking For His Master Wreaks Havoc!

Giveaway and Review

of

The Vampire Murders by Matthew Blake

The Vampire Murders

Detective Fehkal was sent to investigate the murder of a Chinaman. Why was this case so special? Murders of Chinamen were a weekly occurrence in the Seattle Chinatown.

The man was decapitated and disemboweled. It was like nothing Fehkal had every seen teeth Pictures, Images and Photosbefore. The carnage and cruelty were beyond description. It looked like someone had chewed off his arms and legs, but the marks weren’t like any human teeth Fehkal knew of, and the limbs had been taken by whoever had done such a thing. As he examined the pool of blood surrounding the body, he noticed that it looked like it had been licked up, lapped up like a cat would do. He looked up at the ceiling and saw a name, Peytor Droysvich, was written in blood. It was still wet.The only witness was a young Chinese boy.

Fehkal’s boss, Chief Shaffer, had the Mayor hounding him to solve the murder, quickly. It was election time and the Mayor needed the Chinese vote.

The boy told Fehkal he saw a shadow, where a shadow couldn’t possible have been, vampire moon black background picture and wallpaperoutside the house. It looked like smoke and went through the window into the house. Then he heard screaming and other horribly weird sounds.

The next morning, Fehkkhal went to the library to do some research. In the archives, he found several references to Peytor. There had been a European vampire scare twenty years earlier. It had begun right after Peytor’s death in Serbia. Some family members died mysteriously and it was said that Peyotr was supposedly coming around, after he was dead, telling them how hungry he was.

As Fehkal left the library, Sally  invited herself out to lunch with him. He’d always had his eye on her. He had thought of asking her out, but something always stopped him.

When he went into work, the Chief was waiting for him.The fingerprints that had been found at the murder scene were the same ones that were involved with three other murders. But the suspect had died more than a year ago.

The witness’s parents were murdered during the night. Fehkal knew the kid was good, that he didn’t do it. As he interrogated Xiao, Xiao told him  what he had seen, when he came vampire bats animated flying graphichome from goofing off with this friends. The front door had been wide open. He looked in and saw a shadow. When the wind blew the door and banged him in the head, the shadow looked up. Xiao saw red eyes, then the shadow flew out the window.

Another night, another murder, two actually. The scene was even worse and a message had been left for Fehkal. Now it was personal.

“I know you’re trying to find me detective Fehkal. If you don’t’ stop, you’ll end up like these two.”

https://i0.wp.com/i-love-cartoons.us/snags/clipart/christmas/looney-toons/Christmas-Taz.jpg?resize=138%2C131       4 – Would Highly Recommend To Others

The cover is cool. The only way it could have been better, is if it was a man with a long black coat. The character, Fehkal, always walked the streets of Seattle, he had no car.

This is a novella that can easily be read in one sitting, preferably when you are alone at night – jumping at the settling of the house, wondering if something is trying to get in.The  writing was very good and I raced through the pages.

For such a short book, it was packed with suspense. Had Fehkal looking over his shoulder as he walks the dark streets. I kept waiting for him to be attacked.

halloween vampire night evil picture and wallpaper

I loved it. I always like being surprised and that is pretty hard to do because I read so many books. But I was very surprised as it neared the end. I was really bummed and pissed off, but I thought about it and thought, WOW, that’s pretty good. Evoked a lot of emotion.

I was given a copy of this book in return for an honest and unbiased review.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Matthew Blake   Matthew Blake lives in Spokane, Washington. He has been a fan of writing and reading horror since he was a boy. He keeps busy between writing and his three-year-old daughter. He was a soldier in the US Army and attained a degree in web development after his time in the service.

When he has free time he likes to play disc golf (a popular sport that a lot of people don’t know about, you should try it if you haven’t already,) and take long walks.

Follow Matthew Blake through the links below:

Website

Twitter

My Goodreads Review of Rose Blossoms at Midnight by Matthew Blake, click HERE.

taiwan flag smiley animated gif Pictures, Images and Photos

GIVEAWAY
.
Matthew Blake is generously offering up for the giveaway 10, count them, 10 ebooks. The Giveaway is International, so come one, come all.
As always, it is easy to enter. Simply leave an email address so I can contact you and answer the question – Are you prepared for when the Vampires come flying through your window?
.
Closed. Because of the great response and it being the holidays, Matthew says EVERYONE is a Winner. If you have not heard from the author by 1/8/2013, please leave me a message here WITH YOUR EMAIL and I will forward it to him.
.
Giveaway runs from 12/8 – 1/2/2013.
.
Please tweet this out to your friends, family and followers, not required.
.
I love it when you follow me, but, also, not required.
.
To see all my Giveaways, click HERE.
.
To order any of the books below, simply click on the cover.

Juicy Jungle Tidbits for Vampires Elisabeth Wheatley’s Fanged Mania

To join in, copy and paste these rules and the above banner into your Fanged Mania post and add your link to this week’s Fanged Mania post at Elisabeth Wheatley’s Blog. Fanged Mania is a Friday meme counting down to the release of Fanged Princess and displaying all things vampire and awesome. Fanged Mania posts can be a review of a vampire book, a quote from the latest Vampire Diaries episode, a showcase of a cool vampire book’s cover, or whatever you like so long as it is vampire related. Don’t forget, participants will be entered in the drawing to win a fanged-abulous prize pack!

The prize pack I mentioned includes Vampire Diaries and Breaking Dawn posters as well as a paperback copy of Erica Steven’s Captured (my review here) and the complete collection of The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter stories by Jennifer Malone Wright, in paperback, too! =D

Oh, and the contest is international. And the more Fanged Mania posts you have, the more entries you get! So what are you waiting for? Hop on the bandwagon!

Vampires Pictures, Images and Photos

MY REVIEW by Sherry Fundin

Goddess of the Moon – Mayan World of Vampires by Glenda Reynolds

.Goddess of the Moon: Mayan World of Vampires

King Tetaneeka and Queen Almika traveled to Chichen Itza.

While the king was occupied with palace business, Almika wandered off by herself.

Cenote at Chichen Itza by Sherry Fundin

Cenote at Chichen Itza by Sherry Fundin

She came upon the Sacred Sacrificial Cenote and threw her gold ring in, praying for her and her unborn daughter, Melanna. Unknown by anyone else, her labor started.  As she lay dying, a stranger came out of the jungle and she bade him, protect her baby. After her body and the baby were taken away, he found the ring she had tossed into the cenote, thinking he may need it in his duty to protect the baby.

Melanna grew up in Coba, which became a Mayan city of note, with far-reaching influence. When Melanna came of age, she went on a pilgrimage, the Women’s Right of Passage, to Izla Cozumel. While there, she had wandered off on her own and fallen into a cenote. Tez was there to save her.

Back home, her personal servant Quaileen told her some of her family history. Her mother had come from a line of warriors. As she was thinking about what she learned, she wandered out to the garden, where she ran into Micah. He told her his gift and purpose in life was to appear where there would be a terrible conflict. He went on to tell her that she would have an important role to play.

Melanna was ecstatic when Tez showed up at the door of the palace. He had always been near her, keeping her safe, but she was unaware of it. As they got to know each other, she asked about his family. He told her that a blood thirsty cult had killed, not only his wife and family, but his enter village. A group of men arrived shortly after and had taken him in. They became his family.

On Bonfire Night, they had a feast, dancing and celebrating the end of school. Manny and Melanna went together, Zonya cozied up to Noctli. When Melanna looked around, she thought she saw Micah and remembered his warning.

“It all begins now.”

Zafrina, the Dark One, climbed to the top of the bonfire and announced, unless they followed the way of human sacrifice they were doomed. It was time to choose. As a show of strength, she brought the fury of a storm down upon them. Lightning flashed and wind and rain tore at their clothes, while thunder clapped all around them. Zafrina vanished into the clouds. It looked as if they wrapped her up and carried her away. As if she was part of them.

El Castillo - Chichen Itza by Sherry Fundin

El Castillo – Chichen Itza by Sherry Fundin

They began to worship the Ancients and the droughts and plagues vanished as the sacrifices began. At first it was the prisoners that were chosen, then the ones who displeased Zafrina.

Melanna plead with her father, King Tetaneeka to stop the sacrifices. Her friend, Noctli had just been killed and she was devastated. He hated explaining to her he had no real power any more, he was just a figurehead. The Dark One, Zafrina, was the real ruler.

As events escalated for the worse, some felt a need to rebel, the Ancients had to be stopped.

Tex knew their freedom would come with a hefty price. He also knew he would have to tell Melanna his secret.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos   3 –  Would Recommend To Others

I liked the cover and when I read the book blurb and saw Mayan, I didn’t need to read any further, even though the vampires gave it an intriguing twist. I knew it was a book I wanted to read. I have many memories of travel to Cancun, Chichen Itza and Cozumel. I love to read about places I have been to and am familiar with. I remember standing in the ball court wondering how in the heck they ever got the ball through the hoop, and, of course, the legend of what happened to the players.

Ball court at Chichen Itza by Sherry Fundin

Ball court at Chichen Itza by Sherry Fundin

Good and evil. Mayans were pretty brutal in history, could that have been because they were vampires?

A fun and entertaining read. The plot is full and varied, with more than one storyline going on. The characters are both likeable and hateable (?). I really liked the book and wanted to get more involved, would have liked to see more depth and detail to draw me deeper into the story.

I didn’t race through the pages, but I did very much enjoy the read. I will definitely be interested in reading any further books Glenda Reynolds writes, as I think she will only get better.  If it was summertime, I would call it a summer read to be put on your to-be-read list.

I was given this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Glenda Reynolds    Glenda Reynolds was born in East Tennessee and spent her years growing up both in Michigan and later in Kentucky at a private Christian school. She currently resides in the Florida Panhandle with your husband of 29 years. Tales of the modern vampire inspired her to write about a paranormal romance saga involving her home state of Florida. Her writing is geared toward an audience who enjoys reading paranormal romances/fantasies/historical romances with Christian values such as those of Stephenie Meyer, author of the Twilight Saga.

To see what Glenda is up to, follow the links below.

Facebook

Goodreads

Enter Goodreads Giveaway HERE.

  To order the book, simply click on the cover.