Welcome to the blog tour for THE STARS FORGOT US, a standalone young adult paranormal suspense, by R.J. Garcia. See below for information on the book, buy links, my five-star review, and details on her giveaway.
THE STARS FORGOT US by R.J. Garcia
Synopsis Fifteen-year-old Jacob Kelly would love to go back to simpler times. Before his parents’ divorce and the onset of his brother’s Schizophrenia. But when he returns to his hometown, things feel off. After a series of strange occurrences, Jacob fears his new house is haunted or worse yet, he is losing his mind.
To his surprise, Jacob discovers a mysterious teenage runaway, Sanctuary Daniels, living in the house. She reveals she has been kept by a figure known only as Mother, in a place where downstairs children are languishing prisoners, and upstairs children do Mother’s bidding.
Jacob’s investigation into Sanctuary’s allegations, along with their budding romance, are cut short when she is reclaimed by evil beings. Beings who unleash terror upon Jacob and his family. Now he must journey to a real haunted house to save his first love and fight for his very life.
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My Review This was such a fun read! It starts off with a bang and just keeps going. Fifteen-year-old Jacob, his single mom, and his mentally ill older brother, Michael, move back to their hometown, and into a house that may or may not be haunted. The fact that Michael hears voices doesn’t help Jacob when he starts to hear a girl’s voice coming from inside his house. After all, schizophrenia can run in families. But it’s more than just voices with someone writing on the walls of his closet. Soon Jacob is seeing things, or someone specifically — Sanctuary (Ary) Daniels, the first girl he ever crushed on in middle school, who mysteriously disappeared before he moved away.
But nothing is as it seems. Ary tells a horrific tale of abuse at the hands of her foster mother, but she also tells obvious lies about how she ended up in his house, only making everything else she tells him suspect. But Jacob is drawn to her, and not just because she was his first crush. There’s something about her that makes him trust her more than not. And that’s when things get really interesting.
Plot The story flows really well and kept me turning the pages. Chapters are short and full of action and mystery that never stops coming. The romance is sweet and well done. The author does a masterful job of weaving in twists and turns that leaving you needing to know what happens next!
The Characters I love all the characters. They’re all so interesting and fun; like the kind of people you’d want to hang out with. You know, without all the dangerous stuff happening on-page. Jacob is sweet, Michael is multi-faceted, their mom acts like you’d expect a mom of teen boys to behave — I cannot overstate how rare that is in YA. Ary is by far the most intriguing character, with good reason, which I will not spoil for you.
Top Five Things I Loved About THE STARS FORGOT US 1. Jacob. He has his flaws, but he’s one of the good ones.
2. Twists. Just when you think you have it all figured out, you realize you have no idea what’s going to happen next.
3. Lucas. Jacob’s cousin, and one of his best childhood friends, is deeply layered. He kept me guessing on what his angle really was.
4. Pacing. The story moved at a perfect pace, keeping my interest throughout.
5. Ary. Her sweet innocence and complex nature made her an enigma that was a fun change from many YA love interests.
Bottom Line Fun fast read with excellent pacing and wonderful characters! This makes me want to read more by R.J. Garcia.
Disclaimer
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: THE STARS FORGOT US Author: R.J. Garcia Publisher: Midnight Tide Publishing Release Date: March 30, 2022 Pages: 298 Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Suspense Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
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Author by R.J. Garcia
About the Author R.J. Garcia is a wife and proud mom. She earned her MSW and worked with foster children and as a school social worker. Writing has been her other great love. She has published several non-fiction pieces. She has been writing short-stories for as long as she can remember. To her amazement, those short stories became novels!
Synopsis A young witch tries to unravel the mystery of who is framing her for dark magic in Georgia Bowers’ creepy YA debut fantasy, Mark of the Wicked.
Magic always leaves its mark.
All her life, Matilda has been told one thing about her magic: You use only when necessary. But Matilda isn’t interested in being a good witch. She wants revenge and popularity, and to live her life free of consequences, free of the scars that dark magic leaves on her face as a reminder of her misdeeds.
When a spell goes awry and the new boy at school catches her in the act, Matilda thinks her secret might be out. But far from being afraid, Oliver already knows about her magic – and he wants to learn more. As Oliver and Matilda grow closer, bizarre things begin to happen: Animals show up with their throats slashed and odd markings carved into their bodies, a young girl dies mysteriously, and everyone blames Matilda. But she isn’t responsible — at least, not that she can remember. As her magic begins to spin out of control, Matilda must decide for herself what makes a good witch, and discover the truth…before anyone else turns up dead.
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My Review I had no idea what I was getting into with this book, but I’m so glad I requested a review copy! MARK OF THE WICKED is enthralling, impossible to put down, and filled with the types of characters that are so complex, you don’t know whether to love them or hate them. I started off not much liking Matilda. She uses her magic to harm those she considers her enemies. The only problem is, if she harms someone with magic, she is scarred for life; their name carved into her face. But Matilda has learned how to hide her scars from everyone, so at the outset, it seems like she suffers no consequences for her actions. She’s angry, spiteful, and nearly impossible to sympathize with. At first.
When she meets Oliver, though, we get to see a side to Matilda that was missing — the reasons for the things she does. She reveals her deeper fears and her darker pain that she resorts to magic to help her cope, the way an alcoholic turns to booze to numb the pain. But there is something more sinister than Matilda afoot, with grisly animal deaths that somehow keep pointing to Matilda. But with her mother acting suspicious, her grandmother not having spoken in three years, and Matilda’s blackouts, anything is possible.
Plot MARK OF THE WICKED is superbly plotted, with intertwining plots. Debut author, Georgia Bowers, creates intrigue with her storytelling. The pacing is perfection. Set in a small town in England, with a dark history, similar to that of Salem, Massachusetts in the states, her backdrop comes alive, becoming a part of the story as much as the characters.
The Characters Speaking of characters, for me anyway, the ability to create an antihero like Matilda, and make us root for her the way we rooted for Walter White in the first few season of Breaking Bad, is a rare talent and Bowers does it masterfully. Supporting characters, like Matilda’s classmates, Erin, Oliver, her mother, and grandmother, are more than just cardboard cutouts and stereotypes. It would have been easy for the author to make someone like Ashley a less than sympathetic character, but even she has more depth than just the class queen bee.
Top Five Things I Loved About MARK OF THE WICKED 1. Magic. The magical world building is amazing and really adds to the plot and character development.
2. Characters. Their depth and complexity made this a book I couldn’t put down.
3. Plot. The story is unforgettable, with a number of twists and turns that made this a book I couldn’t put down.
4. Redemption. Matilda’s character arc is the opposite of Breaking Bad as she learns some brutal, valuable lessons about life, love, and what it means to be a good citizen.
5. Storytelling. The author does an amazing job of weaving in threads that stick with you, gnawing in your brain, that keeps you reading to find out what they mean.
Bottom Line A stellar debut novel by an author I cannot wait to read more from.
Disclaimer
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
About the Author Georgia Bowers lives in Bedford, a small market town in England. When it was time to decide what to do with her life, she was obsessed with two things: books and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It seemed sensible to follow in the brogued footsteps of Rupert Giles, so she became a librarian, though sadly not the demon fighting kind. But there’s still time.
Ever since her mum told her that witches used to meet in the woods near their village, she’s been obsessed with witchcraft and the paranormal. When she was a teenager, a weekly habit of Point Horrors satisfied her thirst for chilling tales before she moved on to reading Stephen King. These days she likes to give her nerves a break every now and then with a good YA romance.
After completing a course in writing YA fiction she was a winner in the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Undiscovered Voices. Since then she has dabbled with stories of chosen ones and ghostly best friends until she conjured up the magical ingredients for her debut novel, Mark Of The Wicked.
Welcome to the blog tour for AMENDS, the second book in the adult urban fantasy/mystery series, Diana Hawthorne Supernatural Mysteries, by Carissa Andrews. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, my review, and details on her giveaway.
AMENDS (Diana Hawthorne Supernatural Mysteries #2) by Carissa Andrews
Synopsis
For as psychic as she is, shit goes sideways far too often around Diana Hawthorne.
Diana now has everything she ever wanted–her memories, and the soul mate she didn’t realize she was missing. There’s just one problem… the old gods expect her to make amends for her absence. And her work starts now.
But time lost at the oracle isn’t the only thing she has to atone for. Her friend Demetri was stripped of his powers–and it was all her fault. If she could just set things right, she’d feel a whole lot better about moving forward. Unfortunately, Demetri wants nothing to do with her and knows exactly how to keep her out of his head.
To make matters worse, in the age of social media, Diana’s abilities have gone viral. People from all over the world are clambering to get on her books. One case, in particular, hits her radar and despite herself, she can’t shake it. A 14-year-old boy is wrapped up with a deadly governmental agency and he’s scared to death. And he should be–they want to weaponize his power.
Torn between what was and what is, Diana struggles to fully embrace who she’s becoming. Will she be able to help Demitri and make things right? Or will her new role mean leaving the past behind?
Calling fans of KF Breene, Shannon Mayer, and Shayne Silvers! If you like snarky-fun humor, gripping supernatural scenes, and twists that leave you spellbound — then you will LOVE Carissa Andrews’ world built especially for Diana Hawthorne.
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My Review She’s baaaack! Diana Hawthorne from ORACLE returns with a whole new host of problems. If you haven’t read ORACLE yet, be aware there are mild spoilers head for book 1. Our favorite psychic/goddess is back, along with the rest of the cast, with a new mission — fix the problem she created for Demitri, and oh yeah, make amends for her past. Now that Diana finally knows who she is (the big question in book 1), with Blake by her side again, just as annoying and steamy as before, she has her work cut out for her. While Diana attempted to live in the past before, she’s now thrust into the twenty-first century with a vengeance she cannot ignore, which only complicates what she needs to do.
AMENDS picks up right after where the first one ends. This time, Diana will be forced to choose between her two worlds or find a better way to straddle them, all while still carrying a heavy dose of guilt over Demetri’s loss of powers she fully blames herself for.
Plot As with book 1, AMENDS has an intense plot with solid subplots, including ones that span at least two books and definitely a third. Andrews does a stellar job with plotting, weaving the pieces together brilliantly. She ups the stakes this time, which was hard to do, considering we were dealing with a child sex-trafficking ring in book 1, but she manages to pull it off, generating another unputdownable page-turner.
Characters Once again, the characters are complex and fun. Bringing in new characters, like the curmudgeonly Kyros, who is the oil to Ren’s water, along with favorites from Greek mythology, including Apollo. The “will they or won’t they” between Diana and Blake is only further intensified, making this even more delicious. Especially since they now both have the added insights of who they each other truly is.
What I Enjoyed About AMENDS 1. Greek Mythology. I absolutely love this part of the book. The author incorporates the mythology with expertise, that only adds to the story.
2. Diana. She really grew on me over the course of ORACLE, so by the time I started AMENDS, I already loved her. She’s more her than ever, now that she has her memories back.
3. Blake. The man with the perfect ass is less of a mystery, making him much more fascinating.
4. Kyros/Ren. The battle of the assistants is worth the price of admission alone!
5. Psychic Powers. I’ve always been fascinated by this particular trope, and the author does a great job of brining the supernatural to the modern world without making things too easy for Diana and crew.
Bottom Line Better than the first, AMENDS is a wild page turner with a fantastic cast.
Disclaimer I was provided with a copy of the book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: AMENDS Series:Diana Hawthorne Supernatural Mysteries #2 Authors: Carissa Andrews Release Date: July 23, 2021 Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy/Mystery Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
About the Author “An author emerges from the depths of Minnesotan waters. Sci-fi/Fantasy is my pen of choice.”
Carissa Andrews is a Minnesota-based genre-bending author who writes a combination of science fiction, fantasy, and dystopia. When not writing her own books, she’s busy reading them. Carissa’s internationally bestselling trilogy, The Pendomus Chronicles, is now in digital, print, and audiobook formats. She has hit the scene as an up and coming speculative fiction author who uses a mix of scifi and fantasy, twisted in modern mythology and alternative history. Check out The Final Five, Oracle, Awakening, and Love is a Merciless God!
Carissa has big plans for 2020. Check out her upcoming series, The Windhaven Witches. For more information on their release, visit Carissa Andrews’ author website: www.carissaandrews.com and sign up for her newsletter notifications. She lives in central Minnesota with her husband and brood of five kids. Not to mention, her insane husky puppies, Aztec and Pharaoh.
Carissa is also a freelance graphic designer, writer and content creator, social media manager, and marketing professional. She writes consistently on topics of science, technology, art, writing, photography, graphic design, health, self-improvement, and more. Her articles can be found published across the interwebs. Carissa is also a Top-Rated Freelancer on Upwork, and can be contacted for freelancing opportunities: http://bit.ly/UpworkCarissaAndrews.
FIND ME THEIR BONES (Bring Me Their Hearts #2) by Sara Wolf
Synopsis No one can save her.
In order to protect Prince Lucien d’Malvane’s heart, Zera had to betray him. Now, he hates the sight of her. Trapped in Cavanos as a prisoner of the king, she awaits the inevitable moment her witch severs their magical connection and finally ends her life.
But fate isn’t ready to give her up just yet.
With freedom coming from the most unlikely of sources, Zera is given a second chance at life as a Heartless. But it comes with a terrible price. As the king mobilizes his army to march against the witches, Zera must tame an elusive and deadly valkerax trapped in the tunnels underneath the city if she wants to regain her humanity.
Winning over a bloodthirsty valkerax? Hard. Winning back her friends before war breaks out? A little harder.
But a Heartless winning back Prince Lucien’s heart?
The hardest thing she’s ever done.
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My Review
WARNING: Spoilers for book 1! I enjoyed this book more than the first one. The angsty romance tugged at my heart, but what really grabbed me was Zera’s growth. Sure, she continued to struggle with trust, and there were times I was frustrated with her backsliding, but she was still in a two steps forward one step back mode, making steady, albeit slow progress. Having accidentally said the name of her witch at the end of the first book, Princess Varia has become Zera’s new witch and has a new goal for her if Zera wants her heart back. A task that seems nearly impossible — she must teach the valkerax below the city to weep, the way she did. A beast so huge, dangerous, and angrily delusional, she can barely understand it, much less teach it anything. But she will do anything to get her heart back, even die over and over again.
Lucien hates her, Fione is terrified of her, and the only people she considers family are in the wind. Zera has no choice but to do Varia’s bidding. She’s singly-focused on her task, but as she so often laments, her unheart betrays her with feelings for Lucien. The thing is, as much as he wants her to believe otherwise, it’s so clear he still has feelings for her, too. There doesn’t seem to be any happy endings for this pair, but finding out what happens to them kept me turning the pages.
Plot Similar to book one, the plot revolves around Zera completing the necessary task to get her heart back. What’s different this time is who has her heart, the task she’s been ordered to complete, and the reasons behind it. Varia believes if she gets what she wants, she’ll be able to stop the impending war. While similar to her original goals, this one comes with a lot of caveats and new dangers. Numerous subplots are expertly woven throughout, and we learn more about the world that the characters inhabit. Just as vivid as the first book, FIND ME THEIR BONES builds upon what we already know, bringing new scenes to life and divulging new secrets that underpin the world Sara Wolf has crafted.
Characters I love everyone’s growth in this installment. Zera’s feels the most drastic, but Lucien, Malachite, and even Fione have significant growth as the come to terms with Zera’s heartlessness. Varia on the other hand seems to devolve through the book, becoming less stable and more maniacal as things come to a head at the end. But with all of Sara Wolf’s books, the characters are just as fascinating, developed, and enduring as ever.
What I Loved About FIND ME THEIR BONES 1. Zera. She really grew on me more throughout this book. I liked her in the first book, but by the middle of this one, I LOVED her. She’s determined, loyal, and strong, without ever losing her snarky streak.
2. Valkerax. The giant, white, feathery, scaly wyrm with six eyes won my heart with its overwhelming pain and longing to be free.
3. Lucien. The prince with a heart of gold is just as swoony as ever, but he’s a little extra so this time around.
4.Princess Varia. She’s both an antagonist and a protagonist, in a sense. While it’s Zera’s story, Varia has her own arc and the book wouldn’t be as amazing without her. But her wounds and desires and driving need to prevent war makes her someone to root for.
5. World Building. The author continues to unveil a fantastic fantasy world with rich details and stunning cinematography in written form.
Bottom Line Teenage angst, a gripping adventure, and phenomenal world building collide with epic results.
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About the Book Title: FIND ME THEIR BONES Series: Bring Me Their Hearts #2 Author: Sar Wolf Publisher: Entangled Teen Release Date: November 5, 2019 Pages: 400 Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | IndieBound | BAM!
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Author Sara Wolf
About the Author Sara Wolf is a twenty-something author who adores baking, screaming at her cats, and screaming at herself while she types hilarious things.
When she was a kid, she was too busy eating dirt to write her first terrible book. Twenty years later, she picked up a keyboard and started mashing her fists on it and created the monster known as the Lovely Vicious series.
She lives in San Diego with two cats, a crippling-yet-refreshing sense of self-doubt, and not enough fruit tarts ever.
Synopsis Delaney Murphy has always known she’s the Devil’s daughter. And although the title itself is a burden, she never expects to inherit all her father’s infernal abilities. When her newfound magic begins to poison the people closest to her, Laney must make a choice. To protect the world from the worst she can do, she leaves everyone she loves behind and builds a new life for herself, alone, in a place where she can control the urge to give in to the magic living within her.
But when she recognizes a familiar pattern in a string of murders, Laney leaves her peaceful, isolated life behind and goes on the hunt, unleashing a threat she never dreamed possible. Confronting this menacing specter could mean giving in to temptation and becoming the one thing she fears most. Will she use her magic to do the right thing, even if it means hurting the ones she loves?
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My Review THE DEVIL’S own is a different take on the paranormal/urban fantasy genre, with the devil’s offspring as the protagonist. Delaney Murphy grew into her powers at the age of 16 and unleashed a terror so awful, she disappeared from the world for two years before returning. She has no better control of her powers now, so she lives in seclusion, something her father doesn’t approve of. Not only is he worried for her safety, but her emotional wellbeing, so he sends a couple of companions who help Delaney unravel the growing mysterious deaths of girls who seem to have some connection to her.
Plot
The plot sort of meanders a bit, but is primarily about uncovering who is murdering young women. Delaney feels responsible due to her connection to them as well as some deep-seated guilt over events in her past. The main plot is criss-crossed with a number of subplots, including the slowly unfolding details of what happened when she was 16, her relationship with her devilish father, and a detective she accidentally bonds with when he comes to warn her about the deaths. The story slows down in a few places, especially early on, but it really takes off at the end, ending on a high note.
Characters
The characters are interesting enough. Delaney’s dad is probably my favorite as the former rock star who faked his own death to ensure the safety of his loved ones. Hardly the works of an evil man. Delaney is a little hard to get to know, but that makes her intriguing as the narrator. Torren the detective, Callum and a Hell hound, and a few other minor characters round out the cast.
What I Enjoyed About THE DEVIL’S OWN 1. The Concept. It’s an interesting switch up on the genre.
2. Fast Cars. Delaney drives a wicked sportscar that she has way too much fun in. I loved the scenes where she was racing around on the twisty roads in her sexy, fast beast.
3. Callum. He’s a good guy with a tough job – protecting the devil’s daughter. No room for making mistakes and it was a job he could hardly say no to. He handles the situation with humor and heart, though.
4. Angus. As Delaney’s dad and Lucifer himself, Angus Murphy is one of the best characters in the story. I hope he gets more page-time in book 2.
5. The Mystery. Usually I’m not a fan of the whole “murdering girls” trope. It feels way too misogynistic. But with Delaney as the protagonist, I could stomach it more than normal. And the way the author divvied up the clues kept me invested.
Bottom Line A nice twist on the urban fantasy/paranormal genre.
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About the Book Title: The Devil’s Own Series: Murphy’s Law #1 Author: K.A. Fox Publisher: Acorn Publishing Release Date: April 20, 2019 Pages: 224 Genre: New Adult Paranormal/Urban Fantasy
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars Links: Goodreads | Amazon| Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Kobo
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Author K.A. Fox
About the Author K.A. Fox is a proud military brat who has lived all over the world but now calls the Midwest home. She uses her psychological training to facilitate successful negotiations at work and to convince her husband and three sons that she’s always right. When not writing, she can usually be found hiding somewhere with a book and a bit of chocolate, or chasing after her own adorable Hell Hound.
MEDALLION OF MURDER (Nefertari Hughes Mysteries) by B.R. Myers
Synopsis Still struggling with nightmares from the past summer, Terry tries to bury her secret guilt and enjoy her family’s first Christmas in Devonshire. But when a murdered man is found with a postcard addressed to her, Terry fears the repercussions from that fateful night in Egypt are becoming a reality.
After she receives a coded message from Awad, Terry and her best friend Maude are thrown into the hunt for a lost medallion, an artifact that possesses a great power—and a gruesome destiny. As each clue leads to more disturbing truths (and bodies), Terry begins to suspect she’s the real target of the search. When Awad goes missing, she becomes certain the Illuminati are involved, and has no choice but to risk losing the thing she cherishes the most to get him back.
But Terry will soon discover the secrets of the tomb cannot be erased by distance or power, because the ghosts of her past are closing in quickly… and this time, they refuse to stay buried.
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My Review While I realized this was the third book in a series, its a mystery and in most cases, you can pick up any book in a mystery series and read it as a stand-alone. That is not the case with MEDALLION OF MURDER. This book builds on the events of the previous two books in the series. While it’s easy enough to follow the plot, a lot of the surprises and twists would no doubt have more impact if I’d read the other books first. With that said, I enjoyed this one enough that I will go back and read the other two books. I recommend reading them in order.
Nefertari (Terry) Hughes is the daughter of a noted archeologist who wants her to follow in his footsteps, but her recent adventures have her longing for a future in law enforcement. She’s haunted by past events and struggling with her role in them. On Christmas Eve, out with her best friend Maude, they run into a situation tied to what happened in Egypt, that launches Terry and her friends into their latest mystery. With a coded message from her friend Awad and a mystery gift, they spend their winter holidays attempting to solve another puzzle with dangerous consequences.
Plot The plot centers around the mystery, but with several subplots involving Terry’s life choices and her relationships with her friends. The events that unfold are masterfully crafted to keep the story moving at the perfect pace. The clues gave me just enough information to make me think I knew what was going on. With the history of the other two books, I may have figured things out sooner, but I love that I didn’t; it was more of a true mystery this way. There is some paranormal/urban fantasy elements, but otherwise feels more like a contemporary mystery. But those elements add interest and surprising ways for events to unfold. Lots of action and adventure, puzzles to solve, and a bit of romance round out a really nice young adult mystery.
The Characters Told in third-person, single-point-of-view, I felt at a distance from the characters. I got a better sense of who Terry was, but for the most part, the rest of them didn’t resonate deeply with me. They’re all likable enough, but this is a plot-driven story rather than character-driven so the characters aren’t crucial to me being able to enjoy the tale.
Top Five Things I Enjoyed About MEDALLION OF MURDER 1. Imperfections. I loved the diversity of the cast. With Terry’s prosthesis and Jackson’s blindness, the characters’ imperfections made them easier to root for.
2. Mystery. I love a good mystery and this had all of the elements to keep me invested to the very end.
3. History. The way the author weaves in historical figures and events into the story brought a young Indiana Jones feel.
4. Action. Plenty of action and adventure kept the plot from stalling.
5. Zach. As the love interest, Zach was the perfect romantic partner for Terry, making me want to read the first two books in the series so I can see how their romance evolved.
Bottom Line A young adult whodunit with paranormal and historical elements making this not your average mystery.
Disclaimer
I was provided a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: MEDALLION OF MURDER Series: Nefertari Hughes Mysteries #3 Author:B.R. Myers Publisher: Blue Moon Publishers Release Date: September 18, 2018 Pages: 282 Genre: Young Adult Mystery/Paranormal Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU
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Author B.R. Myers
About the Author Always in the mood for a good scare, B.R. Myers spent most of her teen years behind the covers of Lois Duncan, Ray Bradbury, and Stephen King. Her YA contemporary coming of age novel, GIRL ON THE RUN, was chosen by the Canadian Children’s Book Centre as a BEST BOOK for TEENS for 2016.
When she’s not putting her characters in awkward situations, she works as a registered nurse. A member of the Writer’s Federation of Nova Scotia, she lives in Halifax with her husband and two children—and there is still a stack of books on her bedside table..
THE DEVIL’S REVOLVER (The Devil’s Revolver #1) by V. S. McGrath
Synopsis She is Hettie Alabama — unlikely, scarred, single-minded, and blood bound to a revolver forged by a demon.
The first book in an epic, magic-clad series featuring the Wild West reimagined as a crosscultural stereoscope of interdimensional magic and hardship, The Devil’s Revolver opens with a shooting competition and takes off across the landscape after a brutal double murder and kidnapping — to which revenge is the only answer. Hettie Alabama, only seventeen years old, leads her crew of underdogs with her father’s cursed revolver, magicked to take a year off her life each time she fires it. It’s no way for a ranch girl to grow up, but grow up she does, her scars and determination to rescue her vulnerable younger sister deepening with every year of life she loses.
A sweeping and high-stakes saga that gilds familiar Western adventure with powerful magic and panoramic fantasy, The Devil’s Revolver is the last word and the blackest hat in the Weird West.
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My Review I’m a huge fan of the SyFy show Wynonna Earp, so fresh off of a trip to Comic-Con this seemed like something right up my alley. I was not disappointed. This is one of the most unique books I’ve ever read. Set more than a hundred years ago in the old west, it follows the story of seventeen-year-old Hettie Alabama as first tragedy befalls her family, then she begins to discover dark secrets about them and herself. With her young sister missing, Hettie is convinced she’s alive and will do anything to get her back. Anything includes imprinting on the Devil’s Revolver, known as Diablo, a gun with an endless supply of ammunition, never needs to be reloaded, and oh yeah, every time Hettie kills someone with it, she grows another year older. Surrounded by a colorful cast of characters, Hettie attempts to stay one step ahead of those who want Diablo and remain alive long enough to find her younger sister, Abby. Beyond that, she has no plan, so when everything starts to fall apart, Hettie lurches one from ill-conceived idea to the next. Filled with magic, history, and a mix of cultures, this is one of my all-time favorite reads.
Plot The plot centers around Hettie’s search for her missing sister, Abby. But there’s so much more going on. Dark family secrets, a band of ruthless gangsters hellbent on getting their hands on Diablo, Hettie’s recurrent sudden aging, the fight for survival, and more. The author does a masterful job of taking us into a can’t-win situation, only to find a way to just barely survive, then knock us back yet again. Every time I thought Hettie was finally close to getting what she wanted, V.S. McGrath would tear it away from her again.
The Characters The characters are nearly as fascinating as the plot. Each one is unique, with complex backstories, vivid characterization, and fully-developed goals and motivations. Hettie is by far the star of the story, and she’s so thoroughly developed, she could carry the story on her own. But the people who surround her bring more than just support to their roles. Even those who only show up in a handful of scenes are just as detailed and vivid as the characters who accompany Hettie throughout her journey.
Top Five Things I Loved About THE DEVIL’S REVOLVER 1. Expert plotting. One of only a handful of books I’ve read this year that I couldn’t put down.
2. Magical elements. I’m not usually one for fantasy or paranormal, but the way the author wove these aspects into the story felt natural. Although the magical elements are a big part of the story, I was still rooted in the natural world in a way a lot of fantasy doesn’t allow me to be.
3. Hettie. One of the all-time best fictional characters.
4. Diablo. The gun is nearly a character all its own and its powers drive some of the best plot points.
5. Scene setting. The author creates such vivid scenes, bringing the reader in with all five senses, I’ve no doubt this story will stick with me for a long time.
Bottom Line One of my favorite books of 2018 with amazing characters, an exhilarating plot, and unique aspects that make it unlike anything I’ve read.
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About the Book Title: THE DEVIL’S REVOLVER Series: The Devil’s Revolver #1 Author: V.S. McGrath Publisher: Brain Mill Press LLC Release Date: September 5, 2017 Pages: 323 Genre: Young Adult Historical Western Dark Fantasy/Paranormal Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo
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Author V. S. McGrath
About the Author Vicki So, writing as V. S. McGrath, is a published romance author (as Vicki Essex) and has six books with Harlequin Superromance: Her Son’s Hero (July 2011); Back to the Good Fortune Diner (January 2013), which was picked for the Smart Bitches Trashy Books Sizzling Book Club; In Her Corner (March 2014); A Recipe for Reunion (March 2015); Red Carpet Arrangement (January 2016); and Matinees with Miriam (November 2016). She lives in Toronto, Canada.
DEADLY SWEET (Spellwork Syndicate #1) by Lola Dodge
Synopsis For fans of Hex Hall, The Magicians, Practical Magic, and Food Wars!
Anise Wise loves three things: baking, potion making, and reading her spellbooks in blissful silence. She might not be the most powerful witch, but enchantment is a rare skill, and her ability to bake with magic is even rarer. Too bad one wants witchcraft on their campus. Anise’s dream of attending pastry school crumbles with rejection letter after rejection letter.
Desperate to escape her dead-end future, Anise contacts the long-lost relative she’s not supposed to know about. Great Aunt Agatha owns the only magic bakery in the US, and she suddenly needs a new apprentice. Anise is so excited she books it to New Mexico without thinking to ask what happened to the last girl.
The Spellwork Syndicate rules the local witches in Taos, but as “accidents” turn into full-out attacks on Anise’s life, their promises to keep her safe are less and less reassuring. Her cranky bodyguard is doing his best, but it’s hard to fight back when she has no idea who’s the enemy. Or why she became their target.
If Anise can’t find and stop whoever wants her dead, she’ll be more toasted than a crème brûlée.
Who knew baking cakes could be so life or death?.
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My Review This is a delicious tale of witchcraft, mystery, and finding your place in the world. Eighteen-year-old Anise Wise lives among the regular folk who run in fear the moment they find out she’s a witch. Making friends is impossible and dating? Yeah, that’s not happening either. All she really wants, though, is to get into pastry school and get her dream job in a bakery. After a rather horrific display of magic at the county fair, Anise is sent packing to Taos, New Mexico, the vortex of witchcraft, where she’ll work as an apprentice in her great Aunt Agatha’s magical bakeshop. For the first time in her life, Anise is among her people, and the local muggles see witches as celebrities, rather than something to fear. But life isn’t as magical as Anise had hoped. While she feels surrounded by people like her, someone has decided her death would be in their best interest.
Plot The plot centers around the attempts on Anise’s life, but there are subtle subplots involving her life goal of working in a pastry shop, her relationships with the other witches in the community, and even a little bit of romance. I figured out pretty early on who the warlock after Anise is, which made some of her actions more than a little annoying. I would have liked more red herrings, but Anise only has her sights set on one possible culprit. It’s so Snape-over-the-top, that it was clearly a misdirection. What really worked for me, though, was all of the magical world building. The imagery, analogies, and metaphors were unique and creative. The town of Taos comes alive on the pages.
The Characters Anise annoyed me more often than not which made it hard to really root for her at times. She did ridiculously reckless things for no logical reason I could discern. Her insistence on constantly risking her life because she was bored drove me insane. But when she was in her baking mode, I warmed up to her. I could identify with her love of creating things from scratch and her desire to be accepted for who and what she was. Wynn, her bodyguard, was by far my favorite characters. His gruff exterior only made him more loveable. Aunt Agatha was equally fascinating. Some of the other characters got jumbled in my head because there were a lot of them.
Top Five Things I Enjoyed About DEADLY SWEET 1. World Building. The world of witchcraft as part of everyday life is so well done. The way magic is infused into everything from baking to healing was well-developed and detailed.
2. Wynn. Anise’s moody bodyguard was my favorite character. I’ll read the second book just for more of him.
3. Agatha’s shop. Anise’s great aunt’s bakery is the first place I’d go in Taos if it existed in real life. The beauty and confectionary are so well described, I can’t believe it’s not an actual place.
4. Taos. This small mountain town in New Mexico came alive for me, brilliant and vivid, full of charm and secrets.
5. Finding your place. Anise struggles to fit in with regular humans as well as her witchy counterparts, never quite feeling like she belongs in one and fighting to be accepted in the other. This is something that transcends magic and is a wonderful message for all young adults.
Bottom Line An upper young adult paranormal adventure that is as delicious as it is action packed.
Disclaimer I was provided with a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Book Title: DEADLY SWEET
Series: The Spellwork Syndicate #1
Author: Lola Dodge
Publisher: Ink Monster LLC Release Date: January 16, 2018 Pages: 265
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy/Paranormal Romance Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo
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Author Lola Dodge
About the Author Lola Dodge is a compulsive traveler, baker, and procrastinator. She earned her BA in English from Stonehill College and MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University—and hasn’t stopped moving since. When she’s not on the road, Lola spends her time indoors where the sunlight can’t melt her, writing or bingeing on anime and cherry soda. She can be summoned in a ritual involving curry, Hello Kitty idols, and a solid chocolate pentagram.
MY SOUL TO KEEP (Rise of the Fallen) by Sean Hayden
Synopsis Ever have one of those bad ideas just pop into your head? You know the ones. They seem like a great idea at the time, but if you had stopped to think about it a moment…
I’m talking about those ideas where you just seize the moment and do what your heart tells you to. Then, after the dust settles and you get bandaged up, your parents say, “What the hell were you thinking?”
“But, Dad, I wasn’t!”
I had one of those moments.
I guess if you want to be technical, I had a whole chain of those moments leading up to the big bang moment. The problem was I didn’t have anyone standing around saying, “What the hell were you thinking?”
The moral of this story?
There are several.
First, stores don’t sell black candles for a reason. They’re bad news. If you happen to come across one in the mall that sells questionable items…walk away. Trust me on this one. Black candles are bad.
Second, always know what you want out of life. Coasting along, not caring about anything will get you into trouble. Maybe more than you can handle.
Lastly, if someone offers to grant you your fondest wish, wish for something you really, truly want. Wish for something that will make the world a better place or you a better person. Never ever wish to be a monster….
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My Review This was a fun, fast read with lots of action and great characters. Connor is a sarcastic teen with a quick wit and a sharp tongue, but he’s got a heart, which is his redeeming quality right out of the gate. When he says a mysterious chant he isn’t sure where he heard, he’s offered the opportunity for immortality. Connor turns it upside and asks for the one thing no one has asked for before, to become one of the Fallen, those with the powers to grant immortality to others. To say Connor doesn’t know what he’s gotten himself into is an understatement. Along with and annoying younger sister, clueless parents, and a snarky Fallen to help train him, Connor navigates the waters of his new “life.” What he doesn’t count on is falling in love with a mortal.
Plot The plotting was solid and there were more than a couple of unexpected twists. The pacing was constant, never dragging. The story mixes equal parts paranormal adventure and romance, with a hint at a love triangle, that’s well enough done to not be annoying. My only complaint is the ending. Even though this is a paranormal where anything goes, I thought it was just a little too neatly resolved.
Characters Connor is well-developed and a delightfully refreshing protagonist in the genre. The author brings a male perspective to young adult romance that fully illustrates the awkwardness and self-doubt of teen boys. Clarisse, as Connor’s unwilling teacher in all things Fallen, is also fully fleshed out and lends an element of angst that is anything but pathetic. Her feelings for Connor or clear, but she’s tough and determined, with a hint of anger thrown into the mix. By far, she’s my favorite character in the series to date. The remaining characters, including Connor’s sister, friends, and even his love interest, Jessie, fell a little flat for me, though.
What I Enjoyed About MY SOUL TO KEEP 1. Connor. His sarcastic wit made him easy to like, but his big heart made him an even better character that I came to love.
2. Clarisse. She’s totally kick-ass, take-no-prisoners, with a streak of vulnerability that easily made her my favorite character.
3. The Fallen. I love this twist on the paranormal genre. Looking forward to reading the second book in the series.
4. World Building. The author did quite a bit of world building, developing nuanced rules to create his own take on this aspect of the paranormal, creating a different stage upon which to set his characters.
5. Twists. There were a fair number of twists that kept the story engaging.
Bottom Line A fun twist on the paranormal genre with intriguing characters and a fast-paced storyline.
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About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: MY SOUL TO KEEP Series: Rise of the Fallen #1 Author: Sean Hayden Publisher: Untold Press Release Date: April 4, 2012 Pages: 187 Category: Young Adult Paranormal Romance Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU
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Author Sean Hayden
About the Author Born the son of a fire chief, Sean naturally developed a love of playing with fire. His family and friends quickly found other outlets for his destructive creativity. Writing is his latest endeavor.
Always a fan of the macabre, mythical, and magical, Sean found a love of urban fantasy and horror. After writing several novels in this genre, he found, fell in love with, and immersed himself in steampunk. He has always wanted to rewrite history and steampunk gave him that opportunity.
Sean currently lives in Florida as a fiber-optic engineer as well as an author. He was blessed with the two most amazing children he could ever hope for, has met the absolute love of his life, who coincidentally is his partner in everything. His hobbies include grand designs on world domination as well as a starring role in his own television sitcom.
UNDER SUNLESS SKIES (Starlight Saga #2) by Sherry Soule
Synopsis True love is hard. And a doomed relationship with epic trust issues and shady secrets? Even harder.
For Sloane Masterson, her forbidden love with Hayden Lancaster has been a series of highs and lows, which is overly complicated by those annoying interstellar dating laws.
But once Sloane discovers a shocking family secret, she won’t let those lame rules get in her way—she’s on a mission to win back her hybrid!
Too bad convincing her stubborn ex that they belong together isn’t Sloane’s only problem. . .
After receiving creeptastic blackmail messages, Sloane’s life becomes a real-life horror movie. And as if that wasn’t bad enough, Hayden slimes her with smelly ectoplasm and freaky mutants start tracking her every move. Insert one more major disaster. . .the unexpected arrival of Sector Thirteen.
If she hopes to survive all the crazy with Hayden at her side, Sloane needs to expose the blackmailer and get that potent residue off her skin—fast. Because with Sector Thirteen’s monsters hunting her, Sloane’s not going down without a fight, even if that means trusting the one boy who broke her heart.
*This series is intended for upper-YA readers, has lots of steamy romance and campy humor, and is not considered hardcore science fiction.
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My Review Book two in the series picks up where the first one ended. Sloane is reeling from being dumped by Hayden, but oh yeah, she’s got a secret, apparently she’s part alien, too. Hoping this will convince Hayden their relationship isn’t doomed after all, she sets her sights on winning him back. This was the first time I disliked her. Her singular focus on getting a boy to like her made her seem very un-Sloane like, the girl I loved in book 1. She spends a fair amount of the book pining over him, but since he’s equally lost without her, it’s mutually pathetic. That said, the angst is well-done, the snarky dialogue is as good as ever, and other than being a lovesick puppy half the time, Sloane is as kick-ass as ever. My biggest problem with this book is that it feels oh so familiar. Anyone who has read the Lux series by Jennifer L. Armentrout will notice many, many similarities. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, Armentrout’s own Covenant series borrows heavily from the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead. My issue is that too much of it was predictable as a result. However, if you haven’t read the Lux series, you’re in for a real treat with this.
Plot Primarily a romance, this main plot centers around the Sloane/Hayden will-they-or-won’t they dance. But there are subplots involving Sloane’s alien dad, Sector Thirteen, Hayden’s missing adopted sister, and the mystery surrounding who is blackmailing Sloane. Underlying all of that is Sloane’s obsession with all things horror, including her love of hanging out in her town’s cemetery.
Characters I still adore Sloane. She’s tough, witty, and so secure in who she is. She’s a great young adult role model except when she obsesses over Hayden. Don’t get me wrong, this is young adult fiction, and teens definitely obsess over the opposite sex. I just felt that in this case, it sas of out of character. With her newfound alien blood, she’s even a little tougher in some respects. Hayden seems to have lost some of his umph from the first book. He had that dark, brooding alpha male thing going on, but he came across as more…I’m not even sure what the right word is. Just less Hayden-esque. The supporting characters are all there to prop up Sloane and Hayden, but Sloane’s BFF seems to accept her huge secret a little too easily. That didn’t ring true. I think she’d want some proof or something. There was also something about Sloane’s mom that felt off, like she didn’t come across as authentically parental, even a parent married to an alien.
What I Enjoyed About UNDER SUNLESS SKIES 1. Dialogue. Once again, the author excels at witty repartee that deliciously moves the story along.
2. Blog Posts. I love how Sloane’s horror film blog posts help the reader grasp what Sloane’s going through without extensive internal monologue or exposition.
3. Sloane. She’s simply one of my favorite young adult protagonists. She embraces her plus-size self and doesn’t fret over her body image at all.
4. Hot Make-Out Sessions. Soule knows how to bring the heat without crossing a line.
5. The Mystery. I have to admit, I was never sure who the blackmailer was. The author does a great job of creating a pool of plausible suspects.
Bottom Line A fun, fast read that’s light on sci-fi and heavy on teen angst.
Disclaimer I was provided by a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Book Title: UNDER SUNLESS SKIES Series: Starlight Saga #2 Author: Sherry Soule Pages: 335 Category: Young Adult Paranormal/SciFi Romance Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU
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Author Sherry Soule
About the Author Sherry Soule lives with her family and two black rescue cats in Northern California. She’s always wanted to live in a world where sweatpants are sexy, cupcakes don’t make you fat, and she could adopt every homeless animal.
She writes young adult, new adult, and adult in urban fantasy, romantic comedy, and paranormal romance genres set in fictional places within the SF Bay Area that feature independent females and sexy alpha males.
Many of Sherry’s books have spent time on the Kindle bestseller lists and have been nominated as top picks in the “Best Paranormal Romance” categories.
Synopsis A teen writer discovers that every mirror is a portal into an alternate version of her life in this romantic YA fantasy by author L.E. DeLano.
Jessa has spent her life dreaming of other worlds and writing down stories more interesting than her own, until the day her favorite character, Finn, suddenly shows up and invites her out for coffee. After the requisite nervous breakdown, Jessa learns that she and Finn are Travelers, born with the ability to slide through reflections and dreams into alternate realities. But it’s not all teacakes, pirates and fantasy lifestyles…Jessa is dying over and over again, in every reality, and Finn is determined that this time, he’s going to stop it… this Jessa is going to live.
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My Review This was a fresh take on the urban fantasy genre. Jessa discovers she’s a Traveler, someone who can move between parallel universes. The purpose of the Traveler is to keep all the universes orderly, fixing things that can become catastrophic if left unchecked. Together with fellow Traveler, Finn, Jessa reluctantly accepts her fate until she discovers someone is trying to kill her, one universe at a time.The tale is magical with incredible world-building and complex characters. Because each character is slightly different in each universe, the author crafted a wonderfully deep cast. As Finn and Jessa race through portals, they develop a deep bond, but Jessa’s best friend, Ben, has strong feelings for her, setting up one of the most unique love triangles I’ve come across. The teen angst is palpable without being overly dramatic.
Plot The plot centers around Finn and Jessa’s search for whoever is trying to kill her. There’s a solid mystery component to it with some exciting moments. The romance almost takes a back seat, though. I was hoping for more romance earlier in the book. It takes a good three-quarters of the story to fully develop. Even so, it is well done and I feel as conflicted as Jessa does about the two boys in her life.
Characters While this is definitely a plot-driven story, the character development really shines. I loved seeing all the slight ripples in personality from Jessa’s viewpoint as she traveled. It’s clear the author spent a lot of time getting to know her characters.
What Didn’t Work for Me
1. Pacing. The story took too long to really get ramped up. At least for me. I had to plod through the first third waiting for it to grab me, and some sections I ended up skimming.
2. World Building. Don’t get me wrong, I love the world the author created, but I found some of the rules confusing and hard to follow.
What I Enjoyed About TRAVELER 1. Ben. I liked him immediately and I love how much he cares for Jessa.
2. Danny. Jessa’s brother takes different shape throughout the story as she travels to different dimensions, but her love for Danny, and seeing him the way he is in other realities and the way it affected her, was one of my favorite aspects of the story.
3. The ending. Even though it took awhile to build, once the story reached its pinnacle, it was a non-stop ride to the finish.
4. Alternate Universes. Or AUs as my teen likes to call them. This is almost as fascinating as time travel.
5. Finn. He’s such a tormented, complex hero. Strong, resilient, and so easy to love.
6. The cover. Seriously, this is absolutely gorgeous!! I’d totally frame it and hang it on my wall!
Bottom Line TRAVELER is everything I hoped it would be, a fascinating plot with plenty of twists.
Disclaimer
I was provided with a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Book Title: TRAVELER Author: L.E. DeLano Publisher: Swoon Reads Release Date: February 7, 2017 Pages: 351 Genre: Young Adult Fantasy/Romance Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo
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Author L.E. DeLano
About the Author L.E. DeLano is a YA novelist rep’d by Barry Goldblatt Literary agency, author of the upcoming “Traveler” (Swoon Reads/MacMillan 2017) and lifelong writer. Her work has been featured on various online outlets and she lives in Pennsylvania with two very adventurous kids and two very ridiculous cats. In her spare time, she writes (of course) and binge-watches way too much Netflix.
Synopsis I never thought it would end like this.
I never thought it would end at all.
But not all stories get a happy ending.
When Lennon Donnelly moves back to the quiet town of Puruwai, she never dreams that a chance meeting with a boy sitting at the cemetery will change her life. Her best friend warns her about Judah Mitchell. There are rumours that he killed his brother. But as Lennon is drawn deeper into the mysterious boy’s life, the events of his past unravel until she finds herself driving over the edge of a cliff and into the depths of the lake below.
Spanning over two years and starting at the end, this compelling novel tells of the intertwining relationships of Lennon, Ruben, Judah, and Cara. Told from the different perspectives of before and after, the story unfolds like a puzzle and reveals secrets that will haunt you long after you turn the final page.
“Devourable” – YA Books Central
“An unforgettable experience” – Readers’ Favorite
This story contains mild use of strong language and references to underage drinking and smoking..
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My Review A week after finishing Forever Blue I’m still not sure how I feel about it, and that’s the hallmark of good storytelling. I knew going in that there would be no happy endings. I can tell you that without spoiling anything because that’s right there on the very first page. Readers know from the get-go it’s not going to be a happily ever after kind of tale, but I still don’t think I was fully prepared for the way it ended. Forever Blue is the story of Lennon, new to town after her parents split. She hangs out with her cousin who is completely opposite of Lennon. Lennon is wallflower material, her cousin is the life of the party, the girl everyone wants to be around. No one really notices Lennon or pays much attention to her until Judah. Somehow this tortured boy with a tragic past really sees her. The two begin a strange romance that only gets stranger as the past and the present collide.
Plot The plot centers around the romance between Lennon and Judah and the mystery of what happened the year before. Judah knows what happened, but no one believes him, except Lennon. But as she learns more of the truth, she’s shocked in a way she never dreamed possible and everything she thought she knew is turned upside down.
The author slowly reveals the backstory through multiple points of view, finally giving us what we want to know in the closing chapters. The pacing is a little slow at first, but it picks up in the middle and kept me guessing until the very end.
Characters The characters are interesting, but one thing they lacked was a lot of differentiation. They were all dark, angry, tortured. It makes sense, they all lost someone, but with so many varying first-person POVs, it would have been nice to really delve deeper into each character and find those pieces that set them apart from the others. They all sounded a little too much alike.
What Didn’t Work for Me
1. The ending. I’m still not sure what to make of it. Not everything was resolved and I’m left with just as many new questions as I am answers.
2. Multiple points of view. I understand why the author took this route and the concept works, but as I mentioned above, I would have liked more differentiation of the characters.
What I Enjoyed About Forever Blue 1. The ending. Yeah, I know, I loved it and I hated it. What can I say? It’s an enigma which leaves me conflicted.
2. Lennon. She’s loyal and generous, two outstanding qualities in a protagonist.
3. The plot. I loved the unusual twists on both the mystery and the romance plot lines.
4. Twins. As the mother of identical twin teenage boys, I found this part of the story particularly intriguing. Especially since the brothers in the story were so different and mine are so alike.
5. Symbolism. The author uses symbolism throughout in sometimes unique ways that really tied the story together with the themes so well.
Bottom Line Forever Blue is a dark young adult romance with a paranormal twist, wrapped in a mystery.
Disclaimer I was provided with a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Book Title: Forever Blue Author: Abby Wilder Release Date: June 17, 2016 Pages: 372 Genre: Young Adult Mystery/Paranormal Romance
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars Links:Goodreads | Amazon
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About the Author AbbyWilder is an author from the bottom of the South Island of New Zealand. She loves stories in all forms; film, photography, music, but it’s the simplicity of written words that she loves the most . . . well, written words and binge watching television series.
Since a love of reading has remained constant in her life, she couldn’t imagine anything better than being a writer so she set out to achieve just that. Abby has one husband, two children, three cats and a dog called Joss.
Girl Behind Glass is her debut novel. Boy in Uniform is a short companion story and Girl Beneath Stars is the final in the Behind Glass Series to follow Willow Stanton..
The Delphi Effect (The Delphi Trilogy #1) by Rysa Walker
Synopsis In this thrilling new series from Rysa Walker, the award-winning and best-selling author of Timebound, a teen psychic is the key to stopping a government conspiracy.
It’s never wise to talk to strangers . . . and that goes double when they’re dead. Unfortunately, seventeen-year-old Anna Morgan has no choice. Resting on a park bench, touching the turnstile at the Metro station—she never knows where she’ll encounter a ghost. These mental hitchhikers are the reason Anna has been tossed from one foster home and psychiatric institution to the next for most of her life.
When a chance touch leads her to pick up the insistent spirit of a girl who was brutally murdered, Anna is pulled headlong into a deadly conspiracy that extends to the highest levels of government. Facing the forces behind her new hitcher’s death will challenge the barriers, both good and bad, that Anna has erected over the years and shed light on her power’s origins. And when the covert organization seeking to recruit her crosses the line by kidnapping her friend, it will discover just how far Anna is willing to go to bring it down.
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My Review Part paranormal, part thriller, part scifi, this book is really unique. Seventeen-year-old Anna has an unusual ability to channel the dead by touching something they have also touched. It’s like The Sixth Sense, except the dead know they’re dead, they just have something left undone before they can let go of their old lives. When Anna picks up Molly, a trafficked teen who was brutally murdered, she contacts Molly’s grandfather, a former detective, for help. To say Anna has an uphill battle convincing him that Molly is residing in Anna’s head would be an understatement. Together with friends of Molly’s, Anna and her best friend, Deo, try to help Molly get the closure she needs, only to realize they’ve stumbled into something huge that might have roots all the way at the highest levels of the government.
Plot The story is well-plotted, but takes longer to get going than I would have liked. It’s definitely an intriguing story, but there’s a lot of world building involved that is necessary to understand Anna’s situation and the world she lives in, but at times, it slows the story down. There is also far less romance than I like in my young adult novels. Which means this is perfect for anyone who thinks young adult has too much romance 🙂
Characters Anna is a fascinating character. I had a difficult time warming up to her, though. While I understand why she’s so distrustful and standoffish, it made it difficult to identify with her. Still, she’s intriguing with one of the best backstories I’ve read in awhile. I loved the rest of the characters as well, all are so well-developed they jump off the page. Everyone from Deo to Aaron, Sam, and even Daniel are living, breathing characters that drive the story as much as Anna.
What Didn’t Work for Me
1. The pacing. It was slow at times, almost too slow.
2. The ending. I realize it’s the first book of a trilogy, but it was still too much of a cliffhanger for me.
3. The cover. It doesn’t really do anything for me. It didn’t grab my eye at all, but the author’s name sure did, and the description sold it.
What I Enjoyed About The Delphi Effect 1. The world building. True perfection!
2. Deo. He’s anything but stereotypical as the gender-questioning best friend.
3. The plot. Unique. And that’s about all I can say without giving anything away 🙂
4. Aaron. He’s amazing as the guy, with a secret of his own, who swoops in to help Anna and Deo.
5. Conspiracies. I adore a good conspiracy, particularly one with ties to the U.S. government. This was my favorite aspect of the story!
Bottom Line The Delphi Effect is a fascinating paranormal/scifi/mystery/thriller for young adults.
Disclaimer I was provided with a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Book Title: The Delphi Effect Series: The Delphi Effect #1 Author: Rysa Walker Publisher: Skyscape Release Date: October 11, 2016 Pages: 380 Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars Links:Goodreads | Amazon
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Author Rysa Walker
About the Author Rysa Walker is the author of the bestselling CHRONOS Files series. Timebound, the first book in the series, was the Young Adult and Grand Prize winner of the 2013 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award. Rysa grew up on a cattle ranch in the South, where she was a voracious reader. On the rare occasions when she gained control of the television, she watched Star Trek and imagined living in the future, on distant planets, or at least in a town big enough to have a stoplight. She currently lives in North Carolina, where she is working on the next installment in The Delphi Trilogy. If you see her on social media, please tell her to get back to her Writing Cave.
Crossing the Barrier (The Gray Eyes #1) by Martine Lewis
Synopsis High school student Malakai Thomas, star wide receiver of the varsity team, collides with band member Lily Morgan on his way to football practice. As days go by, Malakai cannot get the petite clarinetist out of his head.
Lily Morgan can feel everyone’s emotions. She loses her ability to shield herself against them the day Malakai runs into her. Now she must try to maintain her sanity in the emotional jungle that is high school, as well as deal with her growing feelings for Malakai.
Can Malakai get over the social stigma and his own internal struggle to be with Lily? Is Lily’s secret too big to accept, even for him?
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My Review Lily Morgan is an empath. She feels what everyone else feels, but she has the ability to block those feelings. That is until Malakai slams into her in the hallway on his way to football practice. Lily hits her head and loses that ability. In high school, she’s overwhelmed with teenage emotions. Not to mention that Lily’s own mother hates her, which she can no longer shield herself from. Lily’s best friend, Sandra, and her brother, David, are the only two outside her family who know about Lily’s gift and they’re supportive in a way friends should be. Sandra helps her navigate the school hallways as she’s bombarded with everyone’s angst, drama, anger, fear, and every other emotion teens feel in the span of three minutes between classes.
Malakai and Lily have strong feelings for each other from the get go, but forces outside their control threaten to keep them apart. Other than Lily’s inability to block emotions, the paranormal aspect doesn’t really come into play much in the story. Until the very end in a surprise twist I didn’t see coming and absolutely loved!
Plot
The plot is a young adult romance. Will Lily and Malakai be together? There is a fair amount of angst threaded through this plot as one thing after another forces them to wonder if they are really meant to be. The subplotting of Lily’s relationship with her mother is interesting and a little over the top at first, until more is revealed about their relationship in yet another twist. The pacing was a little slow throughout, but not to the point that it dragged, but for a paranormal, I guess I was expecting more action.
Characters
The third-person point of view made it difficult for me to really connect with either character the way I normally do in young adult. At least at first, but once I got into the story, I almost forgot it wasn’t first person.Lily, despite her ability, is a little naive and a bit of a doormat at times. It made it hard to identify with her. I would have liked to see more backbone in her. She does grow through the story, though, and she’s tougher toward the end. Malakai has his own issues. His mother left him and his father as a child without explanation. Abandonment by your mother is tough on any kid. Add to that a usually absent military father, and Malakai is basically raising himself. I thought Malakai had a lot more depth than Lily and I was glad we got to see Lily through his eyes. I think that made her more sympathetic.
Ending The ending was my favorite part of the book and left me breathless for the next in the series.
Top Five Things I Enjoyed about Crossing the Barrier: 1. Transparency. Because Lily could feel everyone’s emotions, nothing was hidden. That was a cool angle for young adult.
2. Sandra and David. Loyal best friends are my favorite young adult trope.
3. Drama. The conflict between Lily and her mom was some of the best in the book and as the reasons became apparent, it only got better.
4. The ending. I won’t spoil anything, but it was one of the best twists I’ve read lately.
5. Football. This is my favorite sport. I thought I was going to be reading a paranormal, so the sports angle was a pleasant surprise.
Bottom Line Crossing the Barrier is essentially a contemporary young adult romance with a paranormal twist.
Disclaimer I was provided with a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Book – FREE from Sept. 1 through Sept. 5!!! Title: Crossing the Barrier Series: The Gray Eyes #1 Author: Martine Lewis Publisher: BMJ Chanapi Press Release Date: March 22, 2016 Pages: 380 Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Romance Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars
Links: Goodreads | Amazon
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Author Martine Lewis
About the Author Martine Lewis is a forty something who was born and raised in the French speaking province of Quebec, Canada. She spent her childhood looking forward to her summer vacations at the farm, which were a nice escape from the suburbs where she lived.
Her first written endeavor was a 200-page handwritten Duran Duran bandfiction which she wrote when she was eleven years old. Of all her written work, this is the only one she no longer has.
All throughout high school, Martine wrote more bandfictions and some original work, then she went to write fanfictions in the Star Wars, Buffy and Harry Potter universes. Her fanficiton in the Potterverse are mostly centered on characters of her own creation and can be found on fanfiction.net.
Following her viewing of Roswell on Netflix in 2012, Martine wrote book two and three of the Gray Eyes Series, then went on to create the Gray Eyes Series universe in which she has been playing ever since. She writes contemporary coming-of-age romance fiction (young adult/new adult) with a twist.
Martine is an avid reader and rollerskater. She loves sushi, hot chocolate on a cold day, and the beach. But what she loves above all else is to curl on her chair with her computer and write more stories for her readers.
Martine currently lives in Houston TX with her two cats..
Synopsis Elena Rosales has busted her ass to get into a good college. She’s the only one in her family ever to attend, and expectations are high. No pressure. But Elena’s got this one in the bag, because she’s as dependable as the molecules she studies, as reliable as the chemical reactions that comfort her in their predictability. Until they don’t.
Elena has always wondered why her mother abandoned her on her first birthday. It’s not until she turns eighteen and her chemistry experiments go berserk that she learns the truth: Her mother wasn’t human, and the Fae are willing to harm those Elena loves if she doesn’t use her power over the elements to cure them of a deadly disease.
Derek, Elena’s brooding neighbor, isn’t the friendliest guy, but he has access to an off-hours lab and is willing to help Elena create the antivirus. He has his own secrets to keep, and this business Elena is mixed up in could blow his cover. But when Elena and Derek get together, more than chemicals spark fire-and they soon discover just how complicated attraction can get when they find themselves on the other side of the portal, fighting for survival. Lives collide, and allegiance and love are tested, in Fates Divided.
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My Review I loved the Blue series by Jules Barnard, so I was excited to dig into her latest urban fantasy series, Halvan Rising. I’m happy to say it met my expectations! It has all the new adult romance I’ve come to expect from Barnard as well as a healthy dose of danger, adventure, and a brilliantly-created fantasy world situated within a modern-day college campus.
As Elena learns to navigate her new normal, Derek keeps an eye on her, both out of a sense of responsibility as well as attraction, and these two are a combustible combination! Elena and Derek each learn about their own pasts, families, and their newly acquired Fae powers, all while trying to stop a deadly virus poised to wipe out the entire Fae population. But not everyone wants them to succeed, and soon they’re fighting for their own lives as well as the Faes’.
Plot
The plot revolves around finding a cure for the virus, but there is plenty of subplotting, including who’s behind the virus, Elena’s missing roommate, Resse, a reluctant attraction between Reese and Elena’s Fae bodyguard, Keen, and of course the romance between Derek and Elena. About the only thing I felt lacking was the romance between Derek and Elena. I thought it developed too quickly and took a backseat to the main plot. But that is really my only complaint.
Characters
Told from alternating points of view, Derek and Elena are both well-rounded with decent character arcs. The secondary characters, including Keen and Reese are as fascinating as they are likeable.
World Building
The realm within modern life world-building is really well done. The descriptions are rich and they transported me to another place with vivid detail. The rules surrounding the status and discrimination of Fae versus the half-blooded Halven was believable and drove some of the best conflict in the book. I can’t wait to see how that resolves over the series.
The Ending
The main story was wrapped up well, but left open enough for the series to continue. I’m looking forward to finding out what happens next.
Top Five Things I Love About Fates Divided
1. The world building. Rich, vivid details brought the story to life in an exciting way.
2. Reese. Elena’s roommate is a hilarious spitfire, and I loved watching her get under Keen’s skin.
3. Keen. The big Fae bodyguard with a superiority complex is a riot. I really hope we get some scenes from his point of view in the future.
4. Magic. Because, come on, who doesn’t love magic?
5. Derek and Elena. They’re good together!
Bottom Line
I don’t read much fantasy, but if Jules Barnard is writing it, I’ll take more, please!
Disclaimer I was provided a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Book
Title: Fates Divided Series: Halvan Rising #1 Author: Jules Barnard Release Date: August 31, 2015 Pages: 430 Genre: New Adult Fantasy/Paranormal Romance Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | GooglePlay
Author Jules Barnard
About the Author
Before turning to storytelling, Jules earned a master’s degree in public health and spent many an hour running statistical analysis–until she realized her favorite part of the job was writing reports.
She decided to cut out the math and add in some hot guys, and so began her career as a novelist.
Jules is a Northern California native living on the coast with her husband and two children. She has no impulse control around cupcakes and credits herself with the ability to read while running on the treadmill or burning dinner.
Synopsis Originally published as the Run to You serial parts 4-6— Fourth Shadow, Fifth Touch, and Sixth Sense.
Deception So Dark is the complete second novel in the Run to You series, a riveting thriller about a family on the run from a deadly past, and a first love that will transcend secrets, lies and danger…
With no more secrets to keep them apart, Tessa and Tristan embark upon a desperate search to find her missing brother and sister. But not even Tristan can keep Tessa safe from the hostile classmates at her new school…or from the nightmare that haunts her even while she’s awake. As Tessa’s nightmare becomes all too real, her hope of getting her family back together feels ever more out of reach. When a psychic warns her that leaving town may mean her death, Tessa still cannot stay when she uncovers a potential lead to her brother and sister. Not even if she must go alone and risk losing it all: Tristan, her family, and even her life.
Run to You is Tessa and Tristan’s story—two full-length books about psychic gifts, secret lives and dangerous loves. Danger. Deception. Betrayal. It must be true love.
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My Review Book 2 picks up right where Book 1 ends with Tessa now staying with Tristan and his family. Jillian and Logan are on the run, believing Tessa and their parents are dead. Only Tessa knows the awful truth about their family. With Tristan’s help, Tessa searches for Jillian and Logan, only to be met with one setback after another. The author throws in a lot of twists, introduces some fascinating new characters, and takes the level of adventure up another notch.
Plot
Romance takes a backseat to the adventure and danger this time around. Now that Tristan and Tessa know each other’s secrets, they’re together. They have some ups and downs, but the story is about finding Jillian and Logan more than about whether Tessa and Tristan will end up together. The plot is interesting and anything but predictable, and aside from a few pacing issues, moves pretty well.
Characters
Tessa has a lot on her plate and I think she deals with it the way I expect a teenage girl to. She’s only known life on the run and settling down doesn’t come naturally to her, even though its what she’s craved her whole life. She struggles to come to terms with her parents’ crimes, and the constant taunting by the families of their victims isn’t helping. I got a better sense of Tristan this time around and he’s a good guy, although at times he’s almost too good to be true.
World Building The world of psionic powers is further explored, particularly when it comes to Tessa’s gifts and, again, the author weaves it into the story seamlessly.
Writing I didn’t think the fluidity was quite as strong as with the first one, but Clara Kensie is a master at creating tension and throwing in twists that in hind view, were perfectly foreshadowed. There’s a lot more symbolism in this story and I love the author’s use of it.
Ending I enjoyed the ending. I thought it wrapped up well but leaves the door open for maybe a spin-off from another character’s point of view.
Top Five Things I enjoyed about Deception So Dark: 1. Tessa’s loyalty to her brother and sister knows no bounds and it’s one of her strongest character traits.
2. Aaron. The sweet nerd of a boy with a computer-like brain who helps Tessa is someone I’d like to see more of.
3. Surprising plot twists. There were more than a few and they were all deliciously unanticipated.
4. Tristan. I wasn’t sure about him after reading Book 1. And although there were times he seemed too good to be true, his love for Tessa was never in doubt and he’d clearly do anything for her.
5. Dennis and Deirdre. They love Tessa as their own and they provide the paternal stability that Tessa needs.
Bottom Line Deception So Dark is a solid follow-up to the first book with lots of action and suspense.
Disclaimer I was provided with a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Book Title: Deception So Dark Series: Run to You #2 Author: Clara Kensie Publisher: Harlequin Teen Release Date: May 1, 2015 Pages: 252 Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Romance Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks
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Author Clara Kensie
About the Author …don’t forget to breathe…
Clara Kensie grew up near Chicago, reading every book she could find and using her diary to write stories about a girl with psychic powers who solved mysteries. She purposely did not hide her diary, hoping someone would read it and assume she was writing about herself. Since then, she’s swapped her diary for a computer and admits her characters are fictional, but otherwise she hasn’t changed one bit.
Today Clara is the author of dark fiction for young adults. Her debut series is the romantic thriller RUN TO YOU: Deception So Deadly and Deception So Dark.
Her favorite foods are guacamole and cookie dough. But not together. That would be gross.
Deception so Deadly (Run to You #1) by Clara Kensie
Synopsis Originally published as the Run to You serial parts 1-3: First Sight, Second Glance, and Third Charm.
Deception So Deadly is the complete first novel in the two-book Run to You series, a riveting romantic thriller about a family on the run from a deadly past and a first love that will transcend secrets, lies and danger…
Sarah Spencer has a secret: her real name is Tessa Carson, and to stay alive, she can tell no one the truth about her psychically gifted family and the danger they are running from.
As the new girl in the latest of countless schools, she also runs from her attraction to Tristan Walker—after all, she can’t even tell him her real name. But Tristan won’t be put off by a few secrets. Not even dangerous ones that might rip Tessa from his arms before they even kiss…
Run to You is Tessa and Tristan’s story—two full-length books about psychic gifts, secret lives and dangerous loves. Danger. Deception. Betrayal. It must be true love.
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My Review The story starts off with a bang as Sarah, aka Tessa, gets a text while sitting in class that it’s time to run. Again. Something her family has been doing for the past eight years. Her family isn’t normal. They have secrets. Secrets that the government wants.
Tessa doesn’t make friends, because what’s the point? But when they settle into Twelve Lakes, she’s pursued by Tristan, a boy with beautiful blue eyes and broad shoulders. She initially pushes back, but she’s a girl and he’s a boy and…hormones. While Tessa keeps her true identity from Tristan, she can’t help falling for the sweet boy who makes her feel things she never has before.
The push and pull of their relationship is raw and real and kept me turning the page. As Tristan and Tessa fall for each other, Tessa is constantly looking over her shoulder, never able to relax and be normal, because at any moment she’ll be on the run again, leaving Tristan behind forever.
Plot
The plot is a dual-pronged. It’s the story of Tristan and Tessa, but it’s also the story of Tessa’s family and their survival. They must stay one step ahead of their pursuers, never knowing when they’ll be found, because it is only a matter of when, not if. Both plots are very well done and kept me on the edge of my seat. They’re woven together seamlessly, each driving the other in complex fashion.
Characters
Tessa is complex, deep, and wounded — everything you want your teen protagonist to be. And while I liked the other characters, I didn’t get the same level of depth from them. Even Tristan didn’t come across as fully-developed as I would have liked. That may have been deliberate on the author’s part, though. We see the world and the other characters through Tessa’s eyes, and she’s got a lot going on, what she chooses to observe and not observe are part of her character. Tessa’s well-developed enough, I don’t know that the lack of depth of the other characters is really a problem, but I did notice it.
World Building The world of psychic gifts is a central part of the book, and while there isn’t anything really new here, it’s detailed and flows effortlessly through the story.
Writing Clara Kensie does a great job of building tension, making Deception So Deadly read much like a thriller, but without the gore, violence, and language often found in adult thrillers. A number of twists wind their way through the plot like vines. Some I saw coming, some not so much, and the pacing was damn near perfect.
Ending Considering this is the first of a two-book series, I thought the author did a great job of wrapping up the main story lines, leaving me satisfied, but still wanting to read the second book.
Top Five Things I enjoyed about Deception So Deadly: 1. The psychic abilities. Let’s face it, no matter what you call them, super powers rock!
2. Tessa. All four-foot-ten of her. She’s feisty, determined, and loyal. In her case, size really doesn’t matter.
3. The twists and turns. I won’t mention any of them because even one could spoil things, but I love the plotting in this book.
4. Tristan. I was hot and cold on Tristan throughout the book and I think that’s part of his appeal. Just like Tessa, the author was able to pull me in before making me doubt him and his motives, then pull me in again, only to question everything I thought I knew about him all over again.
5. Jillian and Logan. As Tessa’s older sister and younger brother, they look out for Tessa, but they each bring something different to the dynamic. Jillian pushes Tessa to have fun, to fall in love, because even love lost is better than not at all. Logan is two years younger, but he acts more like an older brother at times, protecting Tiny Little Tessa at all cost.
Bottom Line Deception So Deadly is a fun, fast-paced young adult paranormal romantic adventure that is as much about the danger as it is about the romance.
Disclaimer I was provided with a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Book Title: Deception So Deadly Series: Run to You #1 Author: Clara Kensie Publisher: Harlequin Teen Release Date: May 1, 2015 Pages: 264 Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Romance Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks
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Author Clara Kensie
About the Author …don’t forget to breathe…
Clara Kensie grew up near Chicago, reading every book she could find and using her diary to write stories about a girl with psychic powers who solved mysteries. She purposely did not hide her diary, hoping someone would read it and assume she was writing about herself. Since then, she’s swapped her diary for a computer and admits her characters are fictional, but otherwise she hasn’t changed one bit.
Today Clara is the author of dark fiction for young adults. Her debut series is the romantic thriller RUN TO YOU: Deception So Deadly and Deception So Dark.
Her favorite foods are guacamole and cookie dough. But not together. That would be gross.
Eve Collins has set in motion a chain of events that could destroy everything she’s ever loved. Surrounded by dangerous creatures, dark worlds, and the struggle to become who she was meant to be, Eve must complete her ascension and accept her destiny.
War has begun. Losing is not an option. With dangers lurking around each corner, and everything against her, will Eve sacrifice her own happiness in order to tip the scale of balance? Which side will rise to power, and which fall to fate?
In this fourth installment in The Revelation Series, Eve must risk it all in order to prevent a centuries old war.
Everything comes with a sacrifice, even love..
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My Review Revolution is the darkest installment in the series to date. It also covers a lot of territory. Picking up immediately after the end of Redemption, Eve is on a quest to save her mother, after mating with Asher and stabbing him in the heart, then leaving with Gage. As usual with the Revolution series, nothing is easy for Eve. Not rescuing Elizabeth, not accepting that the woman she thought was her aunt is really her mother, nor gaining Asher’s forgiveness. While it’s clear he still loves her deeply, she wounded him on such a fundamental level, she’s got her work cut out for her.
Plot This fourth book is action-packed, moving from one exciting, dangerous adventure to the next in rapid succession. As always, the best moments come in the rare quiet times when the characters interact with witty dialogue and playful banter. There are enough of these moments to offset the darkness.
World Building Once again, Randi Cooley Wilson paints a colorful world populated by equally colorful characters. The settings come alive through rich details that put the reader in the thick of it.
Characters
There is a little more character development taking place this time. While Eve still gets on my nerves at times, it’s nice to see the St. Michaels coming around. I’ve always loved Callan and Abby, but now we get to see another side to both Keegan and McKenna, that shows them in more depth than in the previous three books.
Top Five Things I Love About Redemption
1. Gage. He might just be my favorite gargoyle, but he needs to quit smoking.
2. The Witty Banter. Randi Cooley Wilson creates dialogue that sparkles like a Stephenie Meyer vampire.
3. Callan and Abby. They’re totes adorbs.
4. The Twists. There were several plot twists I didn’t see coming and I love when an author can do that and still foreshadow.
5. The Ending. Yeah, yeah, it’s a cliffhanger, which I’m not a fan of, but it still wrapped up the main plot lines from this story and left me wanting more.
Bottom Line The story moves us forward, revealing a devastating secret and setting up the fifth and final book in the series in typical RCW fashion.
Disclaimer
I was provided with a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
About the Book Title: Revolution Series: Revelation #4 Author: Randi Cooley Wilson Pages: 319 Release Date: May 31, 2015 Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Smashwords
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Author Randi Cooley Wilson
About the Author Randi was born and raised in Massachusetts where she attended Bridgewater State University and graduated with a degree in Communication Studies. After graduation she moved to California where she lived happily bathed in sunshine and warm weather for fifteen years.
Randi and her husband recently moved back to Massachusetts with their daughter where she was encouraged to begin writing again.
Revelation is her first novel and The Revelations Series is her first New Adult Paranormal Romance book series.
“I’ve had a love affair with books, writing and storytelling since childhood. It has been a dream of mine to introduce this world and these characters to you. I hope I’ve done them justice.”
Randi loves to hear from readers, you can reach out to her via Twitter: R_CooleyWilson and/or Facebook: authorrandicooleywilson
Giveaway One Winner: Signed Apron, Revelation, Restraint, Redemption and Revolution signed paperbacks.
Five Winners: One Signed Paperback of Either: Revelation, Restraint, Redemption or Revolution
Ten Winners: One Digital Copy of Revolution
Synopsis Meena has a secret guarded closely by her family—a secret as dangerous as the sea and buried just as deep. When court-appointed community-service workers are assigned to Flukes, the family-owned animal sanctuary, everyone is on high alert.
It doesn’t help that Meena finds herself attracted to sexy-as-sin Blake Weathering, one of the new workers. If he wasn’t so distracting, she might be able to land Flukes a much-needed cruise-line contract.
Blake Weathering, the first in his family to attend public school, has developed a tough image. Unfortunately, it lands him in trouble. Now banned from his high school graduation ceremony, getting his diploma is dependent upon a community-service gig cleaning up fish crap.
No diploma, no trust fund fortune—and no way to escape his overbearing father. The last thing he needs is the distraction of a mysterious girl with teal eyes who pulls at his heartstrings.
When Blake discovers Meena’s secret, they are both thrown into a desperate search for information about her past. Two worlds pull them in opposite directions, and they will have to fight to hold on to all that really matters.
*** This novel is not intended for young readers. ***
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My Review This is a fun, new adult paranormal/fantasy romance with plenty of heat and several good plot twists. Set in the Caribbean, it feels equal parts Splash the movie and the Australian teen mermaid adventure, H2O. Meena is a mermaid, adopted by two humans after her mother is killed by a fisherman’s net. Her parents own and operate a marine animal sanctuary that’s barely in the black. To help maintain the facility, they use the services of ne’re do wells fulfilling their court-ordered community service.
One of those just happens to be Blake Weathering, son of one of the wealthiest inhabitants of the island. Blake has his own secrets, like why he’s stuck doing community service the summer after his senior year instead of escaping the island and the stifling life under his father’s thumb.
Sparks fly when Meena and Blake meet, but the two bicker more than anything else. At least in the beginning. That bickering turns to playful banter, before turning into full-on flirting. But secrets, a pair of mysterious strangers, an angry guy named Devin with a chip in his shoulder, and Blake’s impending departure from the island Meena feels she can never leave, keep Meena and Blake at arm’s length.
Plot
Primarily an older teen romance, there is a fair amount of angst, which is what I love most about this genre. Add a couple of mysteries, hidden secrets, and the plot unfolds with a lot of obstacles that make it an engaging read.
Characters
Meena and Blake are interesting and well-developed. I didn’t get that same sense with Meena’s parents, although Blake’s dad has some interesting layers. There is some subtle character development, but this is definitely a plot-driven story.
Writing While written about older teens, it’s definitely more new adult than young adult. The characters are older teens, out of high school and there are some scenes that are inappropriate for younger readers. That said, the author does a good job of creating the kind of tension and angsty drama that makes a teen romance work.
Ending I liked the ending. It wasn’t necessarily thought-provoking or overly emotional, but it works for this story.
Top Five Things I enjoyed about Flukes: 1. Dolphins. I love Meena’s relationship with Mitch, Jallia and the gang.
2. Blake. He comes off as just another cocky, arrogant good-looking douche, but he’s got a heart of gold and the way he protects his brother makes him a hero in my book.
3. Meena. She wears her snarkiness like a protective armor and that makes her a more interesting character.
4. Mermaids. Nichole Chase’s mermaids are so different from anything else I’ve read or seen with these mythological characters and it’s a fun twist on fantasy.
5. The Caribbean. Beautiful, relaxing, exotic. It sounds like a fabulous place to visit, if only in my mind.
Bottom Line Flukes is a new twist on the mermaid genre with fresh characters and an intriguing plot.
Disclaimer
I was provided a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Book Title: Flukes Series: Flukes #1 Author: Nichole Chase Release Date: October 7, 2012 Pages: 162 Genre: Young Adult Paranormal/Fantasy Romance Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks
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Author Nicole Chase
About the Author Nichole Chase is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Suddenly Royal, Flukes, The Dark Betrayal Trilogy, and several short stories.
She is also the instructor of Say What? a dialogue class at the Romance Academy.
Nichole lives in Georgia with her husband, energetic daughter, superhero dog, Sulcata tortoise, and two cats.
When not writing, you may find her reading, painting, crafting, or chasing her daughter around the house while making monster noises.
Synopsis Allison McKready is a succubus. So is her twin sister. But while Allison spends her summer break hiding in the library behind her Goth makeup, Jade fools around as often as she can.
Allison can’t believe Jade would ignore their mother’s fatal example so recklessly, but concealing a cursed bloodline and its dangerous effects is far from Allison’s only problem.
Mean girl Julie’s snob mob is determined to ruin her summer, and Aunt Sarah’s Bible thumping is getting louder. Only her new friend, Ren Fisher, offers safe haven from the chaos of her life.
When one of Jade’s risky dates leads to humiliation and sudden tragedy, Allison reels, and Ren catches her. But as her feelings for him grow, so does her fear that she’ll hurt him—or worse—in an unguarded moment.
The choice is coming—love him or save him—but Allison might not live to make it. One way or another, the curse will have its due.
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My Review I’ll admit going into this, I had no idea what a succubus was. Yes, I know… But I really didn’t. Paranormal isn’t my normal genre. Sure, I read the Twilight series, but after that, I’d kind of had my fill and only pick up a handful of of paranormal stories a year. But this one, with the twin sisters and the bible-thumping aunt, caught my attention. As the mother of twins, I’m fascinated by stories about twins.
Allison tries to fly under the radar. She’s a succubus, and falling in love just isn’t for her. So by dressing like a goth girl, she attempts to keep people, particularly boys, at arms’ length. Somehow Ren sees through the facade to the beautiful girl inside, but they can never be anything more than friends. Or can they? Allison’s and Ren’s relationship moves beyond the friend-zone with consequences, but Ren is willing to take the risk, even if Allison isn’t. When her twin sister, Jade’s, riskier behavior comes back to bite her, it also affects Allison, resulting in tragedy. But Ren is there for Allison, taking their friendship to yet another level.
While the story starts off slower than I would have liked, it picks up about a third of the way in when it takes a twisted detour into tragedy. That was difficult to get through, but once I did, the story gripped me and never let go. Into a Million Pieces is a paranormal romance, but it reads far more like contemporary with a paranormal twist. That twist is responsible for creating a forbidden love that was so angsty, I could almost physically feel it at times. It’s also a bit of a mystery, which I didn’t see coming, although once I knew what had happened, I did figure out pretty quick who did it. That didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book, though, because at it’s core, it’s not a mystery.
World Building
The world building is very subtle, but utterly believable. The whole succubus thing is woven through the story without overpowering it. The story is about the romance between Allison and Ren. She just happens to be cursed with a gift that could kill the boy she loves if she ever has sex with him. If that isn’t the world’s best birth control for teens, I don’t know what is. But rather than a story about the world of succubi (is that the plural of succubus?), it’s about a girl, who just happens to be a succubus, falling in love with a boy.
Plot
The main plot is definitely the romance of Allison and Ren and it’s extremely well done. The teenage angst is as good as any I’ve read, and I felt the emotional pull far more than I ever did with Edward and Bella. The subplot revolving around Jade is strong and weaves through the main plot, touching every aspect of Allison’s relationship with Ren. Other than the slow start, I thought the plot was strong and there were a couple of really well-done twits.
Characters Allison and Jade are both well-developed as is the aunt. Ren is a little more than just two-dimensional, but I never felt like I got as good of a sense of who he is as I could have. He’s got some issues in his past as well, which are brought out, but I still felt like a little more development could have been done. However, if this is the first book in a series (please, please, please let this be the case) then it’s fine that the author has left this for a later book.
The Writing The writing is solid. Cook excels at scene setting and creating an incredible amount of heat between her characters without ever getting graphic. I wish more authors would do this, because it’s not easy, but it’s so much more intense to read.
The Ending The ending wrapped up all the main plot points, but left enough for another book (see above begging) if the author feels inclined. The conclusion is satisfying and hopeful without needing to create the perfect happily ever after. Because succubus and human.
Top Five Things I Loved About Into a Million Pieces 1. Twins. Because who doesn’t love stories about twins?
2. Ren. He’s sweet and the way he cares for Allison makes him a perfect book boyfriend.
3. Ren’s Grandmother. She’s an amazing woman who supports both Ren and Allison as only a grandmother can.
4. The mud fight. I actually smiled as I pictured the whole thing.
5. Allison’s integrity. The fact that she never gives into her desire in order to protect Ren is one of the things I love most about her.
Bottom Line Into a Million Pieces is a different kind of paranormal romance with a hint of a mystery that left me wanting more.
Disclaimer
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
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About the Book Title: Into a Million Pieces Author: Angela V. Cook Publisher: Red Adept Publishing, LLC Release Date: January 27, 2015 Pages: 206 Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Romance Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | GooglePlay
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Author Angela V. Cook
About the Author Angela V. Cook lives a very unexciting, but never boring, life with her husband and two children just outside of Detroit. Like most writers, she’s been making up stories for as long as she can remember and can’t imagine a life that doesn’t involve creating worlds.
Angela loves to write novels for teens because it’s the best outlet for her sarcastic personality, immature sense of humor, and love of romantic firsts. Her idea of the perfect day involves a quiet house, a good book, and a piece of cheesecake. Or two.
