From Goodreads: SHE’S FINALLY MANAGED TO SUMMON HER FIRST DEMON…

Dora Carridine is trying to summon a demon, but she’s not very good at Latin and nothing ever works out the way she plans.

Her life is fraught with weekly exorcisms and having to watch her father’s fire and brimstone TV show every Sunday. So, when Dora finally succeeds in summoning an incompetent demon lord, she’s absolutely delighted when all hell breaks loose.

She thought summoning a sexy demon lord would be the answer to all of her problems, but her problems are only just beginning when her zealot parents try to burn her at the stake, and Dora is left with only one option—to escape and follow her demon straight into Hell.

____________________________________________________

I was absolutely enamored by the cover of this novel, and the synopsis made it sound like my kind of read, but unfortunately, this novel really isn’t my cup of tea, which I realized fairly quickly.  The story just drops the reader right in, opening on a scene where Dora sits in her church reading a grimoire while her father gets ready to give a televised sermon to his flock. What’s missing is the reason Dora feels the need to be evil and wants to summon a demon.  There is no background information given, and as the reader, I struggled to follow Dora’s train of thought because I didn’t know her or why she insisted on being evil.  Of course, as the synopsis tells us, she does succeed in summoning a demon, though he’s actually quite nice and human looking, and then her parents and entire town decide to burn Dora at the stake due to demonic happenings during the televised church service.  Now, here’s where my issues lies.  The entire town, in what must be present day (TVs) is willing to burn Dora at the stake.  And, who heads it up?  Her father—the preacher—and the police chief.  That right there struck me as odd.  Perhaps she was in a very rural town where vigilantism took the forefront, but then… her father has a televised church service every week, so it can’t be all that small, and if the demonic happenings were televised, then people saw it happen outside of the town, right… ?  I don’t know, but all these questions within the first 20% of the novel gave me great pause as I read.  It just doesn’t add up in my mind.

Now, another aspect of this novel that really made it difficult for me was that I just didn’t like Dora.  She was nasty the entire novel, selfish, mainly, and she and most of the other characters cussed non-stop, which didn’t make her seem anymore “badass,” or endearing, or humorous, as I suspect was the reason the cussing was placed within the novel to begin with.  From the first time she called Kieron her “bitch” and then repeated it (as did he) for multiple pages, well… it’s just not funny to me.  I’d say there is cussing on a majority of the pages in this novel, and so I certainly can’t recommend it to a MG or YA reader because it’s just not appropriate.  However, it reads on a MG level, which thoroughly confused me because I’m not sure who this book is actually intended for.  Many of the scenes within the novel were focused on a very juvenile humor—such as the multiple poop references (on at least three occasions people are crapped on by entities such as a huge flock of birds or a dragon, etc)—which makes me think it’s for a younger audience who still finds that type of thing funny (I know I did at age 10), but with all the cussing and sexual tension, I also say it’s definitely not for that age group.  So, I’m confounded.

Hell itself was also extremely trivialized, with barbeques, dragon hunts, and carnivals which made for an interesting rendition of hell, but flowed in such a way that I again thought it was written for a younger audience.  If the language was cleaned up (I don’t think demons need to cuss every other sentence to be viewed as evil) and Dora’s life was explained from the very beginning, connecting the witch burning and explaining her society, I think this would be a read I would enjoy much more.  As it is, though, I cannot recommend it to anyone.  One and half-stars.

Ragz Books has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read an ARC of this novel, via Netgalley, prior to its release on June 30, 2013.

From Goodreads: I looked down at the paper, still touching the tip of my shoe. I reached for it, flipping the page over to look.

Scrawls of ink outlined a drawing of a girl lying on a bench.

A sick feeling started to twist in my stomach, like motion sickness.

And then the girl in the drawing turned her head, and her inky eyes glared straight into mine.

On the heels of a family tragedy, the last thing Katie Greene wants to do is move halfway across the world. Stuck with her aunt in Shizuoka, Japan, Katie feels lost. Alone. She doesn’t know the language, she can barely hold a pair of chopsticks, and she can’t seem to get the hang of taking her shoes off whenever she enters a building.

Then there’s gorgeous but aloof Tomohiro, star of the school’s kendo team. How did he really get the scar on his arm? Katie isn’t prepared for the answer. But when she sees the things he draws start moving, there’s no denying the truth: Tomo has a connection to the ancient gods of Japan, and being near Katie is causing his abilities to spiral out of control. If the wrong people notice, they’ll both be targets.

Katie never wanted to move to Japan—now she may not make it out of the country alive.

________________________________________________________________

I found the premise of this novel to be really exciting because it’s dealing with a topic that I haven’t read about, or really heard about before: the Kami gods of Japan.  So, of course my interest was piqued right away!

In high school, I went to an international school in the US that boarded many students from Japan and Korea, and I had many friends from both countries, including a few love interests.  That being said, I loved learning all about the differences between our cultures, but one thing I never discussed with my friends was the mythology from their countries.  In fact, I’d never heard of paper gods before I stumbled upon Ink on Netgalley, and I was super excited to read it.  And, If you’re looking for something completely different, then you definitely want to check this out.

Katie is attending school in Japan, fully immersed, which is quite terrifying.  I studied abroad in Thailand, attending Chaing Mai University and living with a non-English speaking host family, but it wasn’t full immersion; my professors spoke English much of the time, while my host family spoke only Thai, and that was hard—just adjusting to a different culture, with the customs and food is hard enough, but to be taught in another language, well, it’s just daunting.  Thus, I easily connected with Katie because I have an in-depth idea of what she’s going through, and I am in awe of her ability to adjust so well.  Now, Katie’s character isn’t exactly my favorite—she is very needy and tends to freeze up a lot at the most inopportune times, but truth be told, that’d happen to any one of us if we were completely immersed in another culture.  I would have loved to see her take control more often than she does, but, again, I think it’s all part of the territory of full immersion—she hasn’t been in Japan long by any means, and overall I found her quite intriguing and steadfast.

Now, Tomohiro is a harder character to swallow.  He is the dark, brooding young man putting on a facade, and his hard exterior is just the shell to his warm loving self, but due to his ability when ink hits paper, he’s got to hide his true nature in order to protect those around him, and I loved this about him.  Yes, he’s a jerk on multiple occasions, but, here’s where I lucked out: I read the prequel, Shadow, prior to Ink, so I went in knowing it was all a façade and that he wasn’t really as much of a jerk as he pretended to be.  So, I highly suggest you read Shadow first because not only is it short, but it gives great insight into Tomohiro’s real self, which allows the reader to start this novel liking Tomo instead of spending a vast majority hating him until the truth is bared.

I really enjoyed that Sun wrote her book using actual Japanese (in English phonetic form) with a guide in the back and explanations following the Japanese in English.  This was awesome because it adds authenticity to the novel as we read it, and having a small knowledge base of Japanese, I found it was fun to read along and know the translation prior to Sun adding it after the fact.  Honestly, I really enjoyed the paper gods.  It’s so interesting and refreshing, and I’m dying for more already.  Four stars.

Harlequin has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read an ARC of this novel, via Netgalley, prior to its release tomorrow, June 25, 2013.

From Goodreads: Meet two teens whose worlds are about to change forever in this paranormal Young Adult novella, a prequel to Ink by debut author Amanda Sun…

Katie Greene’s worst nightmare comes true when her mother dies, and she’s devastated to learn that she will have to leave the only home she’s ever known. Desperate to find where she belongs, she must decide if she has what it takes to start a new life across the ocean.

For Yuu Tomohiro, every day is a nightmare. He struggles to control his strange ability, and keeps everyone at a distance so they won’t get hurt—even his girlfriend, Myu. At night, a shadow haunts his dreams, and a mysterious woman torments him with omens of death and destruction. But these haunting premonitions are only the beginning…

________________________________________________

This novella introduces readers to the two main characters that will take the stage in Ink.  Told through alternating perspectives, readers get to know the circumstances that bring Katie to Japan, giving insight to her grieving process that seems to be missing in the full novel. Readers also begin to learn about Tomohiro and his strange abilities, presenting his softer side, which isn’t seen much in Ink, either.

Shadow starts with the death of Katie’s mother and ends just a little before Ink begins, which is great for giving readers the background knowledge they need to understand the full novel.  I know it helped me immensely to have this background knowledge.  However, while I enjoyed the differing perspectives, I didn’t actually fall for either of the characters—there wasn’t much depth for me to hold on to or connect with, but I liked that I got to see the inside of Tomohiro because he’s got a pretty hard shell in Ink.  And, though I knew the characters would connect in Ink, I didn’t get how that would happen until the very end when the connections actually takes place—up until this stage, they’ve been telling their stories on different continents.  Truth?  I read this prior to Ink and I wasn’t too impressed until after I read Ink, but I think that this novella really need to be read first in order to enjoy Ink, if that makes sense?  Three stars.

I purchased this novella from Amazon.

From Goodreads: Winter McCall and Thaddeus Blake flee the burning mansion. Both are hunted by two relentless police officers and vampires. With time running out, Thaddeus leads Winnie towards Scotland, where he believes the Moonbeam, a precious stone with the ability to destroy those that hunt him, is hidden.

But Thaddeus has held the Moonbeam before and with it came betrayal, madness, and murder. Will the Moonbeam protect Thaddeus, last of the werewolves, or is he truly the only surviving member of his race?

With her journey fraught with danger and haunted by Ruby Little, Winnie struggles with her growing feelings towards Thaddeus and what her life and she has become.

_____________________________________________________

Tim O’Rourke’s second novel in The Moon Trilogy blew me away.  The mysterious Thaddeus Blake is laid bare as we learn his background, dating back hundreds of years and explaining his previous loves and cruel life.  It is impossible not to feel sorry for Thaddeus as we hear his tale, and it’s a rather gruesome one, at that.  It explains so much about his character and made me fall in love all over again, right there alongside Winnie.  Although Winnie attempts to fight her attraction, there are many underlying aspects at work within the novel, and I am excited to see where O’Rourke takes it in the next installment, slated to be the last of the series (but fingers crossed—The Kiera Hudson Series was supposed to be a trilogy as well, and it’s now two series and over ten books long and still going, so…).

In this novel, readers learn more about the vampires as well, and I must say they are shaping up to be an evil bunch.  Many of Tim’s descriptions of them made me cringe, especially when it came to feedings other interactions with humans and the like.  They are extremely dark and harrowing, and I have a strong feeling of foreboding as they close in on Thaddeus and Winnie.

O’Rourke also threw a bit of a wrench into the mix, and it seems that not all the characters in this novel are who they say they are… and there is a strong allusion that the next novel will be jammed packed with twists and turns as O’Rourke drops the secrets he’s been holding onto the reader.  I’m so excited!  Five stars.

I received this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

For MORE books by Tim O’Rourke:

Kiera Hudson Series 1

Vampire Shift (#1)

Vampire Wake (#2)

Vampire Hunt (#3)

Vampire Breed (#4)

Wolf House (#4.5)

Vampire Hollows (#5)

Kiera Hudson Series 2

Dead Flesh (#1)

Dead Night: Potter’s Secrets (#1.5)

Dead Angels (#2)

Dead Statues (#3)

Dead Seth (#4)

Dead Wolf (#5)

Dead Water (#6)

Black Hill Farm Series

Black Hill Farm (#1)

Black Hill Farm Andy’s Diary (#2)

The Moon Trilogy

Moonlight (#1)

Moonbeam (#2)

Samantha Carter Series

Vampire Seeker (#1) (Formerly known as Cowgirls and Vampires)

Doorways Series

Doorways (#1)

The League of Doorways (#2)

Flashes Series

Flashes (#1)–Coming 2013

From Goodreads: Nick Abbott and Trent Dawson have nothing in common but basketball. It’s sophomore year and Nick is trying to deal with his parents’ divorce. He also really wants to be a star on the basketball team. Trent, his neighbor, is angry and aggressive. The two form an uneasy bond as they quietly practice each night on Nick’s backyard basketball court. But as the basketball season progresses, their lives become unexpectedly intertwined. In this story of an unlikely bond, Carl Deuker explores the confusing place between loneliness and friendship, between faithfulness and betrayal. Filled with gripping game play, this is a story about choices.

While trying to prove that he is good enough to be on his high school’s varsity basketball team, Nick must also deal with his parents’ divorce and the erractic behavior of a troubled classmate who lives across the street.

____________________________________________________

Okay, so let me preface this with the fact that I don’t care for sports and that I normally wouldn’t pick up this novel, accept that one of my students wanted to read it for a project.  So, since I don’t have all that many sports books on the approved list for my students to read, I allowed it under the condition that I read it too so I could grade the project accordingly.  This all being said, please note that if you enjoy sports like basketball or MG novels, then this is definitely a book for you.  As a middle-aged female more interested in paranormal teen romance, well, this book didn’t hit the spot for me, but that doesn’t mean it’s not good.  Deuker is actually a quite accomplished MG author with multiple novels concerning sports for you MG and YA male, and I will definitely be reading more of his work in order to broaden the genre’s I have on my approved reading lists.  Deuker has solid themes and though not all the characters are positive in this novel, he has strong male leads that work through problems, creating a happy ending, which is something more books need, in my opinion.  I loved the fact that both nick and Trent had their own set of problems, but were able to overlook them and come together for the greater good and their team, and I liked that they worked to solve their problems.  Divorce is a very hard topic to write about, as are troubled households, and Deuker did a phenomenal job creating life-like scenarios and causing the reader to feel for his characters.  Though I’m not in love with the story since it’s not my cup of tea, I know good writing when I see it, and I definitely think MG males will love this novel.  Three stars.

I borrowed this novel from the library at my school.

From Goodreads: When a punk poker superstar loses millions in a mysterious game, he hires disgraced champion and ex-cop Grisham Stark to investigate. As Stark confronts cold-blooded players in Monte Carlo and Las Vegas, he realizes his one shot at redemption is to catch the most dangerous poker cheat of all time: the Superuser.

Behind the scenes, a politician is hijacking the scandal to wage a legislative battle in Washington. A beautiful female player is blackmailed into hiding a deadly secret that threatens to unravel the entire deception, and the ruthless Superuser is killing anyone who dares stand in his way.

Grisham Stark will ultimately face a terrifying question: Is the Superuser’s final goal far more than money?

________________________________________

This novel has a great premise and murder mystery that develops within, but there was so much poker lingo and speech that it bogged me down, forcing me to read the novel in sections because I just couldn’t keep up.  I am not a poker player, and I don’t crunch numbers or understand science all that well, so this leaves me at a disadvantage with novels that focus more on the left side of the brain as I’m a right side brain thinker all the way.  There was just so much lingo and discussion using terms and ideas I was unfamiliar with that I had a difficult time focusing on the novel, but I don’t think everyone will have that problem.  In fact, this novel would be great for the poker lover, someone into the sciences and technology, or someone who just wants to learn a bit about the gambling world.  And, like I said before, there’s a fairly intriguing murder mystery in the mix, making it all the more enticing, and the characterization was very well done, I just had a hard time with the poker aspect, which was much of the novel.  Two and a half stars.

 I received an ebook of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

From Goodreads: In the midst of a catastrophic August rainstorm, a grisly discovery shatters the serenity of a summer evening in northern Wisconsin. Moving quickly to prevent a panic among tourists, Loon Lake Police Chief Lewellyn Ferris enlists the forensic and interrogation skills of her close friend and fellow fly fisherman, the retired dentist “Doc” Osborne. Within hours of launching their investigation, they find themselves faced with a national media circus as Loon Lake becomes the focus of a murderous scenario that links the murder to the race for the U.S. Senate by a woman who is heir to a Northwoods fortune and other, less savory, family traditions.

In the meantime, Doc Osborne’s eldest daughter, Mallory, enters into a relationship that may put her life at risk–unless her father and Chief Ferris can find the killer stalking the residents of Loon Lake.

________________________________________________________

This novel started out very slow for me, to the point that I was afraid that I wasn’t going to like it since, by 30% in, I still felt like nothing had happened except introductions of characters and fishing related talk.  However, these introductions are extremely important, as I later found out, and once the murder itself took place (around 33% in), the pacing picked up and the story unfolded quite nicely.

I have to say that the characterization throughout the novel was done very well.  By the end, I truly felt like I knew all the characters, even those who weren’t mainstream, and it takes a lot of effort and ability to make all the characters so real and relatable.    And, while I wasn’t a fan of all of them, each character played an extremely important role within the story—and the mystery behind it all was highly intriguing.  Filled with politics, country traditions, and good old fashion mystery, this novel will sweep readers up in its lies and deceits until the truth is laid bare.  I have to say, for most of the novel I really didn’t expect the murderer to be who it was, and I really enjoyed sleuthing alongside the characters and trying to put it together.  Nothing is as it seems in this novel.  Four stars.

F+W/Adams Media has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read an ARC of this novel, via Netgalley, prior to its release on June 18, 2013.

From Goodreads: As Cole begins to accept her new life as Akhet, someone who can remember flashes of her past lives, every new vision from her past lives helps explain who she is in this life. As her passion for Griffon grows, she learns to identify other Akhet around her, including Drew, the young self-made millionaire who reveals his startling connection to Cole-he was her husband in Elizabethan England and gave her the ankh necklace that has been returned to her after centuries in hiding. Drew’s attentions are overwhelming as he insists that their connection in the past signals their future destiny together, but before she can decide who she truly loves, Cole must learn to harness her unique Akhet abilities if she is to ever understand her role in this strange new world

_____________________________________________________

While I thoroughly enjoyed the first novel in this series, Transcendence, I absolutely adored this second installment.  Cole is much more defined and the fact that there’s a bit of a love triangle wrapped me right up—mainly because it was so different from what I’m used to.  For those of you who’ve read Transcendence, you know that Griffon and Cole are old souls who remember their past lives, and they’ve fallen in love.  But, when Drew shows up, a soulmate of Cole’s from long ago, things start to heat up, and Griffon backs down.  Now, while this absolutely killed me since I’m always team whoever got there first (strange, isn’t it?) but Omololu does a great job turning the tides and making Drew just as dreamy and swoon-worthy as Griffon, and with the plaguing question of “what if” on the horizon, it’d be a shame if we didn’t get to see what it’s be like if Cole and Drew were together.  And so we do.  Props to Griffon for stepping back and being the bigger man, understanding destiny and fate to a level that Cole can’t quite grasp, but it was heartbreaking to watch.  Add in the cold should Griffon suddenly turns on Cole, and there’s no where else for her to go but to Drew.  But will they last?  Or does fate have something else in store?

I really, really loved this novel.  Not only for the love triangle aspect, mind you, but because the Akhet are really interesting people and I sort of wish I could be one, too.  I know living forever isn’t all that glamorous, but to remember each past life, if there were such a thing, would be awesome, or at least I think so.  Maybe if I experienced it, I’d feel differently?  Who knows, but I love the world that Omololu has created for her audience as she pieces everything together, and the fact that there’s a murder mystery on top of it all, well… it just takes the cake.  I was surprised when I learned who the culprit was, and my heart was definitely in my throat a few times as I read, a sign of a great book as far as I’m concerned.  And, what I also liked about this novel is that, though a sequel, I didn’t feel like I had to have read the first novel to understand what was happening in this one, which is always a plus when they release a year apart.  But, definitely read them both!  Five stars.

Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read an ARC of this novel, via Netgalley, prior to its release on June 18, 2013.

From Goodreads: Once Again, Earth is under attack. An alien species is poised for a front assault. The survival of humanity depends on a military genius who can defeat the aliens.

But who?

Ender Wiggin. Brilliant. Ruthless. Cunning. A tactical and strategic master. And a child.

Recruited for military training by the world government, Ender’s childhood ends the moment he enters his new home: Battle School. Among the elite recruits Ender proves himself to be a genius among geniuses. In simulated war games he excels. But is the pressure and loneliness taking its toll on Ender? Simulations are one thing. How will Ender perform in real combat conditions? After all, Battle School is just a game.

Right?

________________________________________________________________

In my book club, my librarian and I decided the next novel we’d read with our students would be Ender’s Game as the movie rendition is slated to release this coming November.  Truth be told, I never would have picked this up on my own, so I’m glad my librarian brought it to my attention.  That, and it was inexpensive enough that the club could buy multiple copies… so we read it.  Truthfully, it was a very well written book, even if it was a little too detailed for my liking… I’m not a spatially inclined person, so trying to figure out the gravity issues and techniques Ender and his peers used throughout the novel was way beyond me.  But, even so, the story was phenomenal! 

I will say that it was a bit long—there were a ton of details that I felt prolonged the story, and I could have done without them, but the fact that there were so many details just solidifies Card’s writing genius.  This novel originally released in 1985, before the internet became popular and so fully developed, before virtual video games, etc., and Card visualized it all and created an alternate universe.  A lot of the elements concerning the games and technology were way before its time, and I loved that I could connect with it.  The sheer thought that most of the technology Card discusses wasn’t even invented yet boggles my mind.

The one issue that drove me crazy throughout, though, was the fact that the nakedness of the children in the space station was touched on so much.  It’s just a sentence here or there, but I just couldn’t get over it, and we discussed this element in book club because it irked me that much.  I felt like it was an unneeded aspect, but half of my students didn’t even notice it, and another teacher said he felt it went to show just how little control Ender really had over his life.  He wore what they gave him, and if he didn’t, he was naked.  Most of the kids at the station were male, but there was a female who ran around naked sometimes, too (though the boys weren’t allowed to do so around her), and I just was floored by the repetition throughout the novel.  It’s just one line here and there, but that’s all it takes for me, I guess.  Perhaps my co-worker is right and this repetition was used to make him feel less in control and on his own, but I don’t necessarily see how that would make him feel that he couldn’t rely on anyone.  Instead, I feel that it would make him feel as if they’re more so comrades because they ran around naked… but, whatever.  That was the only thing that really bothered me, and it’s really no big deal, right?  Four stars.

I borrowed this novel from the library at school.

From Goodreads: From the shadowed realms of the paranormal comes 16 chilling tales that dwell in the South and South West. Resurrected in your very hands are stories that will make you laugh, ponder, and shiver as the reader is introduced to spirits that are humorous, saddened, and vengeful. From 16 authors, learn of haunted homes, buildings, landmarks and roads where restless entities from beyond the grave desire acknowledgement amongst the living. Become acquainted with the aftermath of an eclipse that awakens the dead in a Memphis cemetery, see what horrors dwell in the woods at Hell’s Gate, learn the dark secrets of Sidney’s Cotton, and dare to travel down Ghost Road. These and many other tales are sure to keep you awake as you are introduced to what makes the South and South West so unique…. History and GHOSTS!!!!! So, sit back, dim the lights and prepare yourself to face the spirits that walk among us.

________________________________________________

I really tend to shy away from reviewing anthologies because I feel like it’s so hit or miss, especially when there are multiple authors throughout, but I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher, and who doesn’t love a good ghost story?  So, of course, I read it.

Now, as I said before, anthologies can really be hit or miss, especially when there are a large amount of contributors, which is the case with Southern Haunts.  In all, there are about 16 different authors, while means 16 very different stories and writing styles.  That being said, keep in mind that some of these stories are sure to be a real hit for you as the reader, and some might not do anything for you, so definitely don’t take this review as the end all in terms of whether or not you’ll read the anthology. 

Overall, I thought this anthology was very well written and put together, but the stories didn’t really do much for me as the reader.  It wasn’t what I was expecting. I wanted chilling ghost tales that make me ponder and want to visit where they originated, but in many of these stories, I personally didn’t feel like that was the case.  And, while some of these stories read like actual stories, some others read a little like histories of the places themselves, which is okay, but didn’t draw me in as much as I wanted them to.

Truthfully, there are some really good stories in here, and there are some decent ones, and, of course, there are some I just could never get into.  So, if I had to rate the anthology overall, I’d say it’s about two and a half stars on my scale, but individually some stories rank way above that, so… try it and see what you think.  You never know, you might just love them all.

I recieved a copy of this anthology from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

From Goodreads: On a Sunday morning, Florida couple James and Bethany Fenner discover they have won the $161-million state lottery. The middle-aged city auditor and his 31-year-old trophy wife dream of exquisite homes, high-performance cars, and lavish vacations. In order to collect, they must first make the three-hour drive from Jacksonville to the state capital, Tallahassee. Fearful that someone might rob them of the winning ticket, they tell no one and hire 29-year-old limousine driver, Riley Lake, to chauffeur them across the state in style. But Lake harbors a secret that he’s hidden since his childhood; a secret that will soon be exposed.

As Jacksonville Detective Kay Larsen investigates a series of gruesome murders where the female victims overdose from a powerful hallucinogen, the clues begin to mount against Riley Lake. Yet the evidence is circumstantial, and there is no motive. When she discovers Lake is driving the Fenners, Larsen fears for the couple’s safety.

For the Fenners and Riley Lake, the journey will take them down a dark road fraught with sex, greed, and murder. Only when Detective Larsen digs deeper into Riley Lake’s past will a disturbing question arise: Who is the hunter and who is the prey?

___________________________________________________

This latest thriller from Gary Williams and Vicky Knerly keeps readers enthralled as the many twists and turns make it an epic adventure that you won’t want to miss!  The characterization and deceit are perfect, making it a whodunit style mystery that will blow readers’ minds when the truth is revealed. 

I really enjoyed this novel—it’s the perfect length to include depth of character and plotline, but not so long that the reader becomes bored with the scenarios. It’s extremely fast-paced with only minimal downtime, and it’s also quite interesting because each character, as we learn about them, becomes despicable in one way or another, making them the type of characters we love to hate.  By the end, there isn’t one main character for which I felt sorry, and, while I certainly don’t wish bad things on them, they do get their due… karma definitely strikes back in this novel.

I am always floored when I read a murder mystery of this magnitude as I can’t fathom how the authors were able to create such a perfect, seamless plot.  I believe it takes much expertise, planning, and exact execution for a novel to unwind to perfectly, and Williams and Knerly certainly know how to design and write a gripping novel.  If you haven’t read Manipulation or any of their other novels, I highly suggest you pick them up stat.  These novels are amazing.  Four stars.

Other novels by Gary Williams and Vicky Knerly:

Death in the Beginning

 Three Keys to Murder

“Before the Proof”

Indisputable Proof

I received a copy of this novel from the authors in exchange for an  honest review.

From Goodreads: Life has always been a little strange for Noah Morgan, an ex-con working below the radar as an unlicensed private detective in San Francisco, but strange doesn’t begin to describe the goings on as he is hired to investigate the disappearance of a priceless Guarneri del Gesu violin. At the same time, his name keeps cropping up in the oddest places in connection with the thirty-year-old heist of a fabulous trove of jewels, the centerpiece of which is a spectacular 40 carat green diamond. Sought after, in quick succession, by the FBI, an energy mogul who brings new meaning to the word evil, and an urbane East Bay gangster, all of whom believe that he has the diamond, Noah discovers that he is also the focus of intense—and at times deadly—interest by various and sundry denizens of a previously unsuspected spirit world. An amorous faerie, a beautiful but murderous Ukrainian vampire, the demonic leader of the 18th century Haitian slave rebellion, and a scarily powerful dark entity named Mildred are but a few of the characters Noah encounters in his efforts to not only find the missing violin, but also, and most importantly, stay alive.

_________________________________________________

This novel has a very interesting concept, and I enjoyed the seedy underworld Miller creates, especially as it focuses on the spirit world within the human realm (that which we mere humans don’t notice).  It reminded me of The Godfather, but filled with vampires, faeries, demonic entities, and the like—all vying for one precious green diamond and willing to do anything to obtain it. 

Overall, the story itself was a lot of fun, and I thoroughly enjoyed Noah’s character.  He’s a very good Private Investigator that fell on hard times due to drugs and drink, but now free again, he’s working to get his life back.  I think my favorite part of the entire story is his pet tarantula, Josephine, whom he rescued from a bee and allows to live under the kitchen sink.  He’s also trainer her to be an attach Tarantula, and it’s the little quirks like this that made me really like Noah all the more, as well as his cluelessness when it comes to why all these people seem to be after him, both human and non.  While Noah can see auras, this is a new phenomena for him, developing within the last few years, so he’s not 100% in control and he doesn’t always know what the auras mean, but he’s a great investigator with fairly adept instincts that help keep him grounded and one step ahead of the crazies.  Overall, you never know what’s going to happen next in this novel, and I thought it was very well written.  Three stars.

I received this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

From Goodreads: It says quite a lot about Jeremy Johnson Johnson that the strangest thing about him isn’t even the fact his mother and father both had the same last name. Jeremy once admitted he’s able to hear voices, and the townspeople of Never Better have treated him like an outsider since. After his mother left, his father became a recluse, and it’s been up to Jeremy to support the family. But it hasn’t been up to Jeremy alone. The truth is, Jeremy can hear voices. Or, specifically, one voice: the voice of the ghost of Jacob Grimm, one-half of the infamous writing duo, The Brothers Grimm. Jacob watches over Jeremy, protecting him from an unknown dark evil whispered about in the space between this world and the next. But when the provocative local girl Ginger Boultinghouse takes an interest in Jeremy (and his unique abilities), a grim chain of events is put into motion. And as anyone familiar with the Grimm Brothers know, not all fairy tales have happy endings…
_________________________________________________________

While I liked this novel overall, I will admit that there is what I consider much downtime; it’s very slow paced and it takes a while for the plot to thicken, and even then, it seems to slow itself down repeatedly as the narrator, Jacob Grimm, tends to focus on things that I didn’t find all that important, or funny.  What I really wanted was a fast-paced ghost haunting that focuses on the grim (no pun intended), but this is more or less a MG story that spends a lot of time explaining prior events and not really showing the reader, but telling in a way that a younger audience might find humorous.  Jacob Grimm, to me, sounded like the vocal narrator in the children’s movie Charlie and the Chocolate Factory from 2005.  That narrators’ voice reverberated in my mind as I read this novel because the narration style is very similar. The statements made in both are meant to be funny, but don’t necessarily appeal to, or connect with, the older crowd, like me.  Or, at least, that’s my personal opinion. But, either way, if you’re familiar with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, then you have a fairly decent idea of how the narration within this novel flows. 

Narration aside, I enjoyed the overall plot elements and characters: a recluse father, a son who hears the voice of a ghost, a girl who loves mischief, a jovial baker, and a town that never forgives.  What I would have liked, though, is a bit more action.  When things finally do take a turn for the worse for Jeremy Johnson Johnson and the perpetrator is found out, there is a very quick succession of events that will have readers on pins and needles in fear and anticipation, but then there is another lull in activity, which is a bit disheartening.  I can’t explain the lull any further without giving away the plot, so I will stop here.

Honestly, I think this is a great novel for MG readers, perhaps fourth through seventh grade.  The writing is easy to read and understand, and I think younger readers will find it quite humorous, unlike my old self.  And, for those who enjoy the narration, I believe the novel itself will be the perfect pace because action isn’t everything, and sometimes humor makes the story.  Three stars.    

From Goodreads: The wilding Estin just wanted to be left alone, find shelter and food, and live to a nice old age. With war escalating around him, these may be beyond his reach. Instead, survival becomes his only goal as he flees civilization to pursue the chance at a better life by following a fox wildling into the mountains, far from the war’s conflicts.

The war might still be raging elsewhere, but Estin will find the mountains are far from safe. Estin must decide what he is willing to do and become, as well as who to trust if he is to survive, no matter where he lives.

__________________________________________________________

This is a very well written fantasy novel, complete with world building, magic, wildings, gypsies, orcs, dwarves, war, and the undead. It’s an epic journey, transcending many years, trials, and tribulations for Estin as he struggles not only in the city of man, orphaned and alone, evading slavery, but also in the in the woods, meeting Feanne and her clan, learning healing magic and patrolling against the undead.

The entire premise of the novel is absolutely amazing, and I love that the main characters are anthropomorphic, having extreme human qualities and the ability to speak and walk upright, but still being animalistic in features.  The closest I’ve come to a novel like this is Watership Down, but to be quite honest, I think In Wilder Lands beats out that classic ten-fold due to its epic nature and the absorption of so many fantastical elements. 

The characterization of the many characters was absolutely superb, fleshing them out to the point that I actually felt that I knew them on a personal level, and as the story unfolds over the course of many years, readers learn their entire histories and make a deeper connection with them than many shorter novels allow.  Truthfully, it’s an absolutely amazing read, but also an extremely long one. I’ve been spoiled by shorter novels and, while I truly enjoyed this novel, I do think it could have been a bit shorter, or split up into two novels. But that’s just a personal preference.  Four stars.

I received a copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

From Goodreads: I live in a world without magic or miracles. A place where there are no clairvoyants or shapeshifters, no angels or superhuman boys to save you. A place where people die and music disintegrates and things suck. I am pressed so hard against the earth by the weight of reality that some days I wonder how I am still able to lift my feet to walk.

Former piano prodigy Nastya Kashnikov wants two things: to get through high school without anyone learning about her past and to make the boy who took everything from her—her identity, her spirit, her will to live—pay.

Josh Bennett’s story is no secret: every person he loves has been taken from his life until, at seventeen years old, there is no one left. Now all he wants is be left alone and people allow it because when your name is synonymous with death, everyone tends to give you your space.

Everyone except Nastya, the mysterious new girl at school who starts showing up and won’t go away until she’s insinuated herself into every aspect of his life. But the more he gets to know her, the more of an enigma she becomes. As their relationship intensifies and the unanswered questions begin to pile up, he starts to wonder if he will ever learn the secrets she’s been hiding—or if he even wants to.

The Sea of Tranquility is a rich, intense, and brilliantly imagined story about a lonely boy, an emotionally fragile girl, and the miracle of second chances.

__________________________________________________________

Katja Millay’s debut novel, The Sea of Tranquility, grips readers from the very first page and haunts them long after it’s over.  It is epic, heartbreaking, absorbing, and beautiful.  The first-person point-of-views, told from the alternating perspectives of the two main characters, Nastya and Josh, easily carry away the reader as the story unfolds, slowly unraveling and laying bare their downtrodden souls to the point of redemption and healing.  It is a superb read that I highly recommend to all.

Nastya’s past is a secret, one she holds close to her as she begins a new life, throwing away her old identity and reinventing herself.  Uncaring of the rumors that spread themselves in her wake as she closes herself off, refusing to speak, Nastya is a novelty to her peers, especially to Josh Bennett, a young man just as closed off as Nastya herself.  Together, these two form an unlikely bond, and as they navigate the choppy waters of life side-by-side, they uncover the hidden truths about one another in a most breathless, heartbreaking way. 

Millay seamlessly brings her novel and characters together as events unfold, giving readers small glimpses into Nastya’s past while showing the slow healing process that unites both Nastya and Josh as they come to grips with their own realities.  Perhaps the most refreshing aspect of the novel is that the events leading up to Nastya’s silence and thirst for revenge, while extremely ruthless and painful, are not that of a typical boy hurting girl story, and yet it is just as treacherous and heart rendering, causing the aftermath and hatred to run deep enough to shatter a soul. 

It is a beautiful tale that will tug at readers’ hearts, minds, and souls as they press onward in the journey that is The Sea of Tranquility.  Five stars.

Atria Books and Simon and Schuster have been extremely gracious in allowing me to read this novel, via Netgalley, prior to its re-release on June 4, 2013

From Goodreads: Kris Langley has always been obsessed with murder. She blames herself for the violent death of her cousin when they were kids and has let guilt invade every corner of her existence. Now an editorial assistant and obit writer for a Massachusetts newspaper, Kris stumbles across an unsolved murder while compiling “25 Years Ago Today” items from the microfilm. She grows fascinated with the case of a young cocktail waitress who was bludgeoned to death and dumped in the woods. Determined to solve the case and atone for the death of her cousin, Kris immerses herself in the mystery of what happened to Diana Ferguson, a talented artist who expressed herself through haunting paintings of Greek mythology. Not only does Kris face resistance from her family and her managing editor, she also clashes with Diana’s suspicious nephew, Eric Soares – until neither she nor Eric can deny the chemistry flaring between them. Kris soon learns that old news never leaves the morgue and that yesterday’s headline is tomorrow’s danger, for finding out the truth about that night twenty-five years ago may shatter Kris’s present, costing her love, her career, and ultimately, her life.

________________________________________________________

This novel has a bit of a slow start, but it ends quite nicely. The beginning spends much time situating the story, but once all the characters are identified and the mystery begins to take off, I was very interested in the book!   Originally, I was worried that I knew who the killer was very early on, but Juba throws in many kinks in the story, and I was pleasantly surprised when the truth of concerning the murder was revealed.  I actually didn’t see it until the big reveal was upon me, and I thought it was a great surprise.

Kris Langley is an interesting character that, though she pushes a little too hard on occasion, has a great resolve and yearning to solve the 25-year-old murder.  While I could have done without all the newspaper descriptions and issues within the novel itself, the mystery aspect and sleuthing that Kris undertakes was highly enjoyable and I liked how her relationship with Eric was portrayed.  Overall, this was a good read that those interested in mysteries should definitely pick up.  Three stars.

I purchased this novel from Amazon.

From Goodreads:   Forever is worth the fight.

Maryah erased all memory of her past lives, but she couldn’t erase her soul mate Nathan, or his undying love. Now, Maryah and Nathan have a second chance at a future together, but first Maryah must remember the person she used to be and embrace her supernatural gifts—more than one kindrily member’s life depends on it.

Maryah’s power is Harmony’s best hope of finding her kidnapped soul mate, Gregory. But Harmony isn’t big on asking anyone for help, and she’s tired of waiting, so she’s taking matters into her own hands. Heaven help anyone who stands in her way.

*Recommended for ages 15 and older due to mature content.*

_____________________________________________________

This second novel in the Kindrily Series picks up just a few days after the first novel, Grasping at Eternity, ends, which is great for readers who are continuing the series without a huge lapse between readings.  However, for those who haven’t read the first novel in quite some time, I highly suggest refamilarizing yourself with the cast of characters and the ending plotline, because there are a ton of characters to keep track of, and things move very quickly in this sequel. 

I was pleasantly surprised to find that this novel piqued my interest even more so than the first—Hooper’s characters are more refined and now that Maryah remembers pieces of her past life, mainly, Nathan, the novel dives even deeper into the romantic side of the story, which made me very happy.  Gone are the wishy-washy ways of Nathan and Maryah as they tip-toe around one another (which heavily irked me in the first novel), and instead we see these two characters develop together, pulling the reader deep into their mix and, honestly, making us feel like a part of the story. 

This novel, like the last, ends on a happy note, though fear and sadness are present throughout; however, if you’re like me, then you won’t’ be able to wait for more, and Hooper delivers in a rather awesome way.  At the very end of the novel, Hooper tells readers that she couldn’t decide where to end the novel, because some readers like cliffhangers, and some don’t, so she does something I found rather remarkable: she lets the reader choose.  The novel has technically concluded, BUT, if the reader so chooses, they may turn a few pages after the conclusion and note from the author and continue the story, which ends with a pretty epic cliffhanger, even if it was heavily foreshadowed throughout the last 1/5 of the novel.  I highly suggest reading it—it will leave you screaming for more!

I also really enjoyed learning even more about the kindrily gifts each member of the kindrily possessed, and the novel itself reads like a classic journey story, which was fantastic.  Like I previously stated, I liked the characters much more in this novel, and I felt much deeper connections to them, and even days after finishing the novel, I still have thoughts about the characters and their plights, as if I’m a part of their world.  

My one concern with the series, however, is that every time the novel seems to take a turn of the worse, it seems that Hopper quickly squelches it and makes the heroes and heroines come out on top fairly quickly, which isn’t bad, by any means, but I’d like to see a little more adversity between the members and the evil they are fighting—especially because I still don’t know all that much about him.  Four stars.    

From Goodreads: Leave it to Maryah Woodsen to break the one rule that will screw up eternity: Never erase your memories.

Before entering this life, Maryah did the unthinkable—she erased. Now, at seventeen years old, she’s clueless that her new adoptive family has known her for centuries, that they are perpetually reincarnated souls, and that they have supernatural abilities. Oh, and she’s supposed to love (not despise) Nathan, the green-eyed daredevil who saved her life.

Nathan is convinced his family’s plan to spark Maryah’s memory is hopeless, but his love for her is undying. After spending (and remembering) so many lifetimes together, being around an empty version of his soulmate is heart shattering. He hates acting like a stalker, but has no choice because the evil outcast who murdered Maryah in their last lifetime is still after her.

While Maryah’s hunter inches closer, she and Nathan make assumptions and hide secrets that rip them further apart. Maryah has to believe in the magic within her, Nathan must have faith in the power of their love, and both need to grasp onto the truth before they lose each other forever—and discover just how lonely eternity can be.

_________________________________________________________________

This novel starts off with a pretty quick jab to the gut as a fairly gruesome murder scene takes place, instantly gripping the reader and piquing interest while also creating sympathy for the main character, Maryah.  From here, the reader is whisked away on a journey of self discovery as Maryah must come to terms with the loss of her family and the truths that surround her concerning her past. 

The fantastical side of this story was absolutely amazing, and I loved getting to know all the characters and their special powers, but truth be told, Maryah and Nathan drove me a bit insane.  Between Nathan’s mopiness and Maryah’s continues silence and trust issues, the two dance around one another in a way that I felt was a bit too drawn out for my liking.  Nathan is rude and sulks a bit too much for me, and while it was plain to see that he loves Maryah, he has a very strange way of showing it to her, and some of his actions made me really angry.  The fact that he disappears from the home for so long also makes him seem childish, and I couldn’t wait for him to finally tell Maryah the truth because his actions were killing me.  Maryah also made some choices that made me upset, such as her silence and lack of trust, even in her best friend.  If I had dreams or believed I had an angel of death following me around, and then I saw him in the flesh, the first thing out of my mouth would be that I knew this guy.  I mean, maybe I’m just bold and don’t care what others think, but if I’m pretty sure someone is out to kill me, I’d hoot and holler as soon as I saw him in the flesh.  And, this would have saved much time in the storyline because what I really wanted was for Maryah to remember and Nathan to help her do so. 

Of course, the plot drives itself and, main character antics aside, the story was very well written and fairly captivating.  There is much foreshadowing leading up to the climax of the novel, which was nice because I knew what was going to happen without knowing exactly how or when, and I was extremely excited by the last fifth of the novel, especially as many of the questions I had as a reader were revealed, and Maryah and Nathan stop dancing around each other.  So, although I didn’t care for the main characters in this first installment, they grew on my as the story concluded, and I’m excited to read the sequel and see what happened next, especially because the characters are now exactly where I want them to be.  Three stars.