{November 17, 2013} {ARC Review} Soar by Alyssa Rose Ivy (The Empire Chronicles #1)

From Goodreads: In the city that never sleeps the Chronicles continue…

Serving coffee is temporary, just like Casey’s year off from school. She’s going to come up with a plan to stay in New York City and go back to college, and that plan does not involve dating a paranormal creature—let alone two.

Running the supernatural society of New York is not as fun as it sounds, especially when you still have to answer to your ex-girlfriend’s fiancé. Toby doesn’t mean to bring Casey into the chaos of his life, but he can’t resist the girl who makes him smile when he thought no one else ever could.

Jared’s in New York checking out a security risk for his best friend, the king. He plans to return to New Orleans quickly, but not if it means losing his chance with the brunette who pretends she wants nothing to do with him.

In over her head with a bunch of winged creatures who most definitely are not angels, Casey has to figure out who to trust with her life and maybe her heart.

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Readers are happily thrust back into the world of the Pterons in this spin off series to the Crescent Chronicles, meshing together new and old characters alike. Casey, the new heroine of his novel, is in much the same boat as Allie was when she first learned of the Pterons, yet she’s vastly different. I like Casey, but I also found her wishy-washy attitude between Toby and Jared a bit jarring. She had a hard time making up her mind about who she liked more, and it made me mad. I have a tendency to want my heroines to go with the first good guy that captures their heart, so when it’s a battle between two lovers, it takes me time to change allegiances, and I don’t always do so, even though the characters do. I am kind of miffed about Casey’s final choice, truth be told. However, I have a feeling that it’s all going to change for both Jared and Toby based on the final few pages and their twist of events, one I never saw coming!

I feel kind of bad for Toby in this novel, which I wasn’t expecting going in. He is stuck missing Allie–and while I admit he didn’t handle things too well in the first series and I kind of hated him, I do feel sorry for him just the same, which is why I was hoping he’d catch a break in this novel, especially because he seems so much nicer. And while the break does seem to come, the appearance of Jared muddies the waters and it seems that Toby may never meet his other half.

I enjoyed that our main characters from series one are also side characters in this novel, so even though it’s a new heroine, my faves are still there in the background, helping to make sense of it all for Casey. And, again, based on the twist here at the end, it looks like we’re going to be seeing a lot more of Levi and Allie in the next installments in this lovely spinoff series, too, which is a huge plus because I really enjoy them.

One aspect that really intrigued me in this novel is the appearance of the shapeshifters; I really want to know what they’re doing, and why they’re doing it, but Ivy doesn’t give too much away, leaving me yearning for the next installment already… especially based on the twist at the end. Four stars.

I received an ARC of this novel from the publicist in exchange for an honest review.

{November 16, 2013} The 99 Cent Club–Feature 71–Ten Books for Ten Bucks

Every Saturday I run a feature for the 99 Cent Club, and below are the eBook picks for this week that caught my eye and are currently ONLY 99 Cents on Barnes and Noble and Amazon. I don’t know if these are permanent prices, so please don’t shoot the messenger, and double check pricing before pressing the buy button. Enjoy! (If you could help give these authors some love by spreading the word, that would be epic.)

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Always by Ellery Rhodes

A new university, a fresh start, and no falling in love.

After a freshman year from hell, Juliet Stowe’s heart is in a million pieces. She transfers to a new school, determined to leave the past behind.
But when she’s paired up with Lucas McNamara, the ‘boy next door’ all deliciously grown up, she knows she’s in trouble. Back then she didn’t understand why her mother, who used to work for Lucas’ family, told her not to get attached. But they were inseparable -until her mother was fired because the McNamaras don’t mix with the help.

He never thought he’d see her again…

Lucas McNamara knew there was something familiar about his biology partner and is floored when it hits him. She’s ‘Julie’–the barefoot beauty who was unlike any girl he’d ever met then or since.

While years have passed and he’s far from the carefree kid that Juliet once knew, one thing remains the same. He wants her. He’s always wanted her–but he’s the heir to the McNamara multi-million dollar empire and his family is hell bent on keeping them apart.

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Beneath Your Beautiful by Tamsyn Bester

On the outside, Huntley Morgan is your typical girl-next-door, with her long blonde hair and piercing blue eyes, and that’s exactly what she wants people to see. Her name exposes her to the demons of her past but remembering her reason for moving across the country to start over is what keeps her alive. For the first time since the brutal murder of her mother, Huntley allows herself to care about the people around her.

Grayson Carter has everything a 21yr old College Senior could wish for – he’s the star of Whitley University’s football team, he has a different girl willing to be in his bed every night and a supportive family. For years he has managed keep his family together and hide their dark secrets from the small town of Breckinridge, Alabama.
When Huntley and Grayson meet, a force so strong pulls them together in a hurricane of feelings neither of them could have ever anticipated. Huntley and Grayson try to stay away from each other, but when Huntley’s demons seek her out, their pasts become the biggest storm of all.

Will they learn to trust each other and build a new future together or will they simply do nothing to prevent history from repeating itself?

*Content Warning: Contains Language & Mature Situations. +17*

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Beyond the Horizon by Kristen Kehoe

Mia Evans has one goal in life: to be perfect enough that her parents will love her, or at least love each other again.

Three years ago, her brother left her family, choosing a girl over the Evans name. Watching her mother cry and her father shut the rest of them out, Mia made a promise to herself that she would be the one to bring them back together again. Yet, despite her acceptance to Stanford, her perfect academic record, and a flawless resume`, Mia finds her family getting further and further apart.

Enter Ryan Murphy, the boy next door.

Ryan has loved Mia Evans since the day he saw her sitting on her front porch weeping into her knees. Fifteen then, Ryan had been unsure of what to do, so he’d sat at his window and watched over her, and in that time, a piece of him became hers.

Now, three years later, Ryan hasn’t told Mia how he feels, but he gets the chance when he’s forced to beg her to tutor him and save him from his mother. As their relationship progresses, Ryan realizes that Mia is more than he could have ever dreamed of, and that his feelings go a lot deeper than he ever imagined possible. And still, can they work?

Mia didn’t want to want Ryan Murphy. Just the opposite, actually. She agreed to tutor him because that’s her job, but she doesn’t have to like it, or the fact that she can’t seem to stop noticing how gorgeous he is.

Against all of her better judgment, Mia finds herself falling for Ryan, and falling hard. When the time comes for Mia to make the same decision that broke her family three years ago, she’s torn: follow her heart, and lose her family, or follow her family and lose the only person whose ever really loved her.

Find it on Amazon.

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On the Edge of Glass by Autumn Doughton

You can’t plan for everything…

That’s what Ellie Glass realizes after she has a chance encounter with a young musician. Long-haired, a bit scruffy, and undeniably sexy, he’s the exact opposite of her “type,” but now Ellie can’t stop thinking about him. When fate intervenes and the two are thrown together, Ellie gets more than she bargained for. Pretty soon she finds herself feeling and doing things that she never thought were possible.

This is the captivating story of an undeniable attraction, the choices that we make, and ultimately, the unexpected power of love.

Find it on Amazon.

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Shaded by Alannah Carbonneau

A girl who nurtures a curse. A boy determined to protect her future. A war rages between Heaven and Hell.

There are servants living on earth alongside the ignorance of mankind. Not only to protect their wellbeing – but for their destruction.

Seventeen year old, Myla believes herself to be human despite her inhuman quirks. She begins to question her true lineage only when she meets Josh. He’s dangerous. He’s handsome. He’s captivatingly cocky. He’s everything she should run from – but he’s her only chance at survival. Burdened by a prophecy – bound by a curse, Myla has no choice but to accept the only help she has been offered. Forced from her home and the only life she’d ever known, Myla embarks on the adventure that challenges every fabricated illusion she’d crafted about the world she thought she knew. As the frightening reality of the world she’d been born to walk in unfolds around her, Myla is forced to adapt in order to survive. But she never took into consideration the embers of desire burning in the depth of her heart. When loving someone who can’t love in return becomes too much, too painful, the heart must either build a wall or take a chance at crumbling.

Find it on Amazon.

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Choosing You by Allie Everhart

When Jade is given a scholarship to an elite private college in Connecticut, she sees it as a chance to finally escape her painful past and get a fresh start. She’s determined to succeed and that means keeping her focus on school and not guys. But that plan falls apart her first day on campus when Garret, a wealthy prep school boy with swimmer abs and a perfect smile, offers to help her move in.

Jade tries to push him away but she can’t deny her attraction to him and Garret won’t let her. Things quickly heat up between them, but then come to a sudden halt when reality hits and Jade realizes that a relationship with Garret may never be possible. He comes from a world of wealth where there are rules, including rules about who he can date. And not following those rules has consequences.

As the two of them try to overcome the obstacles working to keep them apart, Jade is confronted with another challenge. On her 19th birthday, she receives a letter that her now deceased mother wrote years ago. In it are revelations that explain her traumatic childhood but also make her question the past she’s been running from.

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Landlocked by C.S. Moore

Maribel dreams of the ocean, but has never been. Her overprotective aunt and uncle have kept her away from the place that calls to her at night. And trying to push them into taking her isn’t an option. She knows how much it hurts them to talk about the very thing that took her parents’ lives so many years ago in a boating accident. In fact Maribel never pushes anything with her loving adopted family, until she meets Jaron.

He is unbelievably hot and the only boy that she has ever been attracted to. For the first time in her life she feels exhilarated and truly alive. She can tell that he feels it too, so why does he keep disappearing on her? And why is it that as soon as her secretive brooding knight shows up, her world is turned upside down? People are following her, she’s having terrifying nightmares, and she suddenly gets the feeling that her beloved aunt and uncle are keeping something from her. Can she unravel the secrets of her past without her life falling apart along the way? Will the truth forever change the way she sees the people that she loves?

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Betraying Innocence by Airicka Phoenix

October 31, 1983, seventeen year old Johnny Baits vanishes without a trace, leaving the slumbering town of Chipawaha Creek, British Columbia reeling with his mysterious disappearance. Twenty-nine years later, The French family moves into his home, never realizing they’re not alone in the house.

For seventeen year old Roseanna French moving to a strange new town is a problem she can handle. But even she’s not prepared for the evil that has been sitting dormant for years… waiting. When seemingly harmless noises and creeping shadows at night leads to the murder of the people closest to her, Ana has to find a way to stop the evil before it can consume her completely and she can no longer wash the blood from her hands.

Rafael Ramirez is battling his own demons. Unlike Ana’s, his has been haunting him for years. But running isn’t an option. He has a mother, a brother and a sister looking to him to keep them safe. He doesn’t have time for pretty girls with issues, even if the sight of her makes him hope for things a guy like him doesn’t deserve. But when Ana asks Rafe for help, what can he do except give it? But what happens when the evil comes after his family? Can they stop it before it’s too late or will it claim them the way it had claimed Johnny?

Find it on Amazon.

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In the Shadows by Erica Cope

Mia Carrington is struggling to come to terms with the fact that she killed a man, while trying to find a balance between her role as the Princess of the Light Elves and attempting to lead the life of a normal human teenager.

Too bad her dual life doesn’t come with an instruction manual.

Just when she thinks that fate can’t throw anything else at her, the Duchess Isobel is found on the brink of death and Mia’s boyfriend Jacoby is the only suspect.

Despite the suspicion surrounding him, Mia is sure of the innocence of the boy she loves and she is determined to prove it no matter the risk.

The problem is, the one thing that can save Isobel and clear Jacoby can only be found in the shadows of the Underworld.

Oh boy.

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Keep Me Still by Caisey Quinn

Layla Flaherty had the perfect life, or close to it. Until a stranger gunned her parents down right in front of her, leaving her with seizure inducing PTSD. After years of trying to pass as normal and failing miserably, she resigns herself to being invisible. But new to town Landen O’Brien sees her, and he likes what he sees. Much to Layla’s surprise, he doesn’t freak out when she has a seizure in front of him. He does the exact opposite, calming her until the tremors subside. But Landen has secrets of his own. Secrets that both bind them together and tear them apart.

Scarred by loss, Layla leaves her hometown of Hope Springs, Georgia, hoping to put her painful past behind her and start over in college in California. When she runs into Landen at freshmen orientation, she has a choice to make. Reinforce those steel walls she’s built up around herself or give the only boy who can keep her still a second chance.

Landen’s more than ready to tear down those walls but this time when they come crashing down, they might bury her.

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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If you could help give these authors some love by spreading the word, that would be epic.

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{November 16, 2013} {Review} Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter #7)

From Goodreads: Harry Potter is preparing to leave the Dursleys and Privet Drive for the last time. But the future that awaits him is full of danger, not only for him, but for anyone close to him — and Harry has already lost so much. Only by destroying Voldemort’s remaining Horcruxes can Harry free himself and overcome the Dark Lord’s forces of evil.

In this dramatic conclusion to the Harry Potter series, Harry must leave his most loyal friends behind, and in a final perilous journey find the strength and the will to face his terrifying destiny: a deadly confrontation that is his alone to fight.

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The end. Finito. Terminé. It is done, and I’m having a hard time accepting it. The wonderful wizarding world of Harry Potter has so enraptured me that I have been able to think of little else while reading this amazing series. While many of the novels themselves are on the long side, I still feel as if more could be said. Spanning from around 300 pages at its shortest to over 850 pages at its longest, the series itself encompasses over 4000 pages that grip readers and bring them into this world through amazing themes, events, characters, and connections to the real world. Likewise, it presents a fantasy world that allows our imaginations to run rampant, especially in regards to the question of “what if.” What if it really did exist…

This seventh and final novel in the Harry Potter series is just as amazing and gripping as the first (and all those that come in-between). Of course, it follows in its predecessors footsteps with its dark undertones as Harry, Hermoine, and Ron attempt to find the final horcruxs before their battle with Voldemort. The wizarding world is in chaos, and people, both magical and muggle, are dying left and right…

From the very beginning, the novel strums our emotional cords as the magic surrounding Privet Drive is about to expire, sending the awful and repulsive Dursley family away once and for all as their safety is now in question. Although these muggles are ones we love to hate, Rowling finally adds a piece of sentimentality in the form of Dudley, and readers just know that this is going to be an emotional read from beginning to end. How can it not, as it dives deeper into the recess of good versus evil.

While absolutely amazing, the death toll in this novel will leave readers in a somber mood for days, because even though they are fictional characters, they have become a part of our lives just the same. And while I wish Rowling didn’t do it—I’d love for this to have been all roses and butterflies—it just wouldn’t carry any validity or as much steam has Rowling not made these difficult decisions to kill off some of our most beloved characters.

And Snape? While I still find his actions appalling, in this novel I can’t help but feel a twinge of sadness for him, and rejoice in his ultimate decisions because we finally know the absolute truth behind the man we’ve hated for so long. Just writing this review of such a riveting novel brings all the emotions to the forefront again, and I cannot say it enough: this series, this book, this world, is amazing. Five stars.

I own all these books and movies.

{November 15, 2013} {Review} Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Harry Potter #6)

From Goodreads: The war against Voldemort is not going well; even the Muggle governments are noticing. Ron scans the obituary pages of the Daily Prophet, looking for familiar names. Dumbledore is absent from Hogwarts for long stretches of time, and the Order of the Phoenix has already suffered losses.

And yet, as with all wars, life goes on. Sixth-year students learn to Apparate—and lose a few eyebrows in the process. Teenagers flirt and fight and fall in love. Classes are never straightforward, though Harry receives some extraordinary help from the mysterious Half-Blood Prince.

So it’s the home front that takes center stage in the multilayered sixth installment of the story of Harry Potter. Here at Hogwarts, Harry will search for the full and complex story of the boy who became Lord Voldemort—and thereby find what may be his only vulnerability.

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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is another amazing installment in the Harry Potter Series. On the plus side, the wizarding world is once again standing behind Harry and Dumbledore, aware that they were telling the truth about the return of Voldemort. On the negative side, however, many have met a premature death in the fight against pure evil. These are dark times, and though it seems impossible, the events that unfold in this novel are even more ominous than those that came before it.

This is the first time readers are given a glimpse of the life that Tom Riddle led before becoming Lord Voldemort, beginning with his ill-conceived birth, and taking us through his time and actions in an orphanage, and his acceptance and studies at Hogwarts. Finally, we are able to begin to put together the pieces that made Voldemort who he is today—a killer intent on ruling forever and riding the world of mudbloods—anyone who isn’t a pureblood witch or wizard. I really enjoyed this backwards glance into the life of our foe, Voldemort, as the puzzle-pieces began to come together and it is impossible not to be curious about the life and times of someone so inherently evil. Readers learn much about Voldemort’s heritage, and perhaps the most important detail comes to light in this novel in terms of his life: the horcruxes. As the truth becomes clear concerning how Voldermort survived his backfiring curse the night he attempted to kill Harry, and with this knowledge, the race against time begins.

This is an extremely engaging novel and, though sinister in tone and ominous in nature, it is an amazing tale that will leave you glued to the pages; it will haunt you long after it’s over, especially as the unthinkable happens in this novel, an event that had me so aghast that the tissues by my side were not enough to do it justice. It is the beginning of the end, and while I do not want this amazing world that Rowling has created to end, I am more than ready to see justice served. Five stars.

I own all these novels and movies.

{November 14, 2013} {Review} Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix (Harry Potter #5)

From Goodreads: Harry Potter is due to start his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. His best friends Ron and Hermione have been very secretive all summer and he is desperate to get back to school and find out what has been going on. However, what Harry discovers is far more devastating than he could ever have expected…

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If there was only one thing I was allowed to say about this novel, it would be this: “I hate Umbridge!!!”

Unlike the first four novels in this series, I was less familiar with the many events that take place in this fifth installment as it’s the longest book and also the worst movie, in my opinion. The movie itself was excessively choppy and off kilter, as far as I’m concerned, so I didn’t watch it as much as the first four movies. But, where the movie is stifling and inconsistent, the novel contains in-depth detail and really brings home the many atrocities and difficulties that Harry and his true friends face during their fifth year at Hogwarts, and re-reading this novel has given me a new appreciation for the storyline that the movie so vastly failed to portray.

As much as I hated everything that was happening to Hogwarts and Harry, especially as the entire wizarding world, it seems, stands against Harry, this novel has some great themes, especially for young adults struggling through their own identity crisis as they battle their way through high school. And it really shows just how much people would rather look the other way than see the truth, or deal with anything unpleasant, which can again be equated to the real world as the entire bullying epidemic has come to the forefront.

What I found to be the most interesting aspect of this novel, however, was the way the Ministry of Magic attempted to control Hogwarts and its teachers, subjecting them to multiple unfair observations and write-ups, firing at will. This is not so different from the reforms happening in the real world, with states and the government attempting to flay teachers based on poor student performance without taking anything else into consideration. And though I really doubt tgat Rowling was thinking about education reform when she wrote this novel, I found that it still had a very heavy social commentary on education and the powers that be attempting to control it with little to no knowledge of teaching or how the system really works. With the Ministry’s long reaching hands now up to its elbows in the running of Hogwarts, the system begins to crumble. A very interesting concept indeed. Five stars.

I own all these novels and movies.

{November 13, 2013} {Review} Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Harry Potter #4)

From Goodreads: The summer holidays are dragging on and Harry Potter can’t wait for the start of the school year. It is his fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and there are spells to be learnt, potions to be brewed and Divination lessons (sigh) to be attended. Harry is expecting these: however, other quite unexpected events are already on the march…

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This fourth installment in the awesome Harry Potter Series marks the start of a much darker tone, yet it is perhaps my favorite of the series to day. It also is the last of the series that I am quite familiar with in movie form–so I am quite looking forward to reading books five, six, and seven since I am less familiar with all that happens in them.

This novel is so well written—the entire world created by Rowling is by far one of the best I’ve ever immersed myself in, and this is the first novel in the series to actually make me cry. While the others are extremely well written, I feel as if the first two novels are much lighter a fluffy, though they hold their own evils; they are in no way like this fourth novel, following the deaths of many, one of which is a very awesome character we’ve learned to love. Even the third novel, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, with it’s escaped prisoner on the prowl and dementors attempting to suck the life out of wizards and witches alike, didn’t feel nearly as dark or foreboding as this.

Opening with a murder, death eaters terrorizing muggles, and then the advent of deadly games, this novel is the first to put a darker spin on these lovable MG/YA novels. And I love it. While I do love the first three novels, this one takes a fun world and makes it darker, adding real threats and testing the reader’s emotions on a whole new level. It’s superb. Five stars.

I own all these novels and movies.

{November 12, 2013} {Review} Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter #3)

From Goodreads: Harry Potter is lucky to reach the age of thirteen, since he has already survived the murderous attacks of the feared Dark Lord on more than one occasion. But his hopes for a quiet term concentrating on Quidditch are dashed when a maniacal mass-murderer escapes from Azkaban, pursued by the soul-sucking Dementors who guard the prison. It’s assumed that Hogwarts is the safest place for Harry to be. But is it a coincidence that he can feel eyes watching him in the dark, and should he be taking Professor Trelawney’s ghoulish predictions seriously?

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Rowling has, once again, written a gem that keeps adults just as entertained as it does the MG and YA age group for which it was written. This world is just… amazing. The series transports me to another world that I am highly invested in, and Rowling sheet amount of detail and her ability to interlace the plot and twists throughout her ongoing series just amazes me. This is a series that I will continually come back to time and time again because it’s a classic. A must read.

This third installment in the amazing Harry Potter Series is actually extremely different from the movie, and I didn’t realize it–even though I’ve read these books once before (7 years ago, so apparently I’ve forgotten). I guess I need to watch the movie again, maybe I just didn’t see it before, but Snape is definitely a lot nastier in this novel than I’ve ever perceived him to be in the movie. It’s like the escape of Sirius Black has made Snape into a crazed monster, which I guess it has, in a way, knowing what I know about Snape’s love for Lily Potter, but this is the first time his true colors seem to be coming out. While he was definitely a “meanie” in the first two books, Rowling takes his character to a whole new level in this novel, and I was appalled by his behavior!

I originally thought Snape’s antics on the big screen to be slightly humorous, and he’s one of my favorites in the movies, truth be told, but in the novels he’s completely awful and full of hate—no redeeming qualities can be seen in this book, and he really made me angry! I understand his prejudices against Harry, and I know his back-story from the text, but I didn’t ever see him as being such an awful person before now. And he is. I mean, I knew he was the resident sourpuss and that he was mean to students, but rereading his actions in this novel gave me a brand new perspective that I either hadn’t seen before, or had forgotten existed; Snape takes hatred to a new extreme. The way he treats the students, all of them, really, is inexcusable. Perhaps I’m seeing him in a new light as I’m now seasoned teacher myself, and I wasn’t when I first read the books, but regardless, Snape’s actions within this book made me livid. The way he talks to Hermoine, Ron, and Harry made me cringe; he’s just an unacceptable person—no matter how much you dislike a person, you just don’t treat them the way Snape treats Harry and his friends. You just don’t.

Rowling definitely presents Snape in a different light than the directors in the movie, possibly because the directors didn’t want viewers to hate him to the extreme, but even so, I was floored by just how different the portrayal really is. At least now I completely understand why some of my friends have always been so adamant about their hate for Snape. Wow. Just, wow.

But, despite Snape’s actions, I adored this novel, especially the explanation and replaying of events through the unique time changes that are presented. Just in case you haven’t read the novels or seen the movies, I won’t go into too much detail here, but I personally felt that this novel does a much better job handling the time change than the movie does because I never felt like events were being repeated, whereas in the movie I thought this portion dragged on a little too long. Rowling keeps it short and sweet, though, in her novel, explaining it perfectly, and I highly enjoyed this aspect. And, if you’ve only seen the movie and haven’t read the book, then you’re seriously missing out. In this instance, it isn’t even a close second, the novel completely beats out the movie. No contest. Go read it. Five stars.

I own all these novels and movies.

{November 11, 2013} {Review} Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter #2)

From Goodreads: The Dursleys were so mean and hideous that summer that all Harry Potter wanted was to get back to the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. But just as he’s packing his bags, Harry receives a warning from a strange, impish creature named Dobby who says that if Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts, disaster will strike.

And strike it does. For in Harry’s second year at Hogwarts, fresh torments and horrors arise, including an outrageously stuck-up new professor, Gilderoy Lockheart, a spirit named Moaning Myrtle who haunts the girl’s bathroom, and the unwanted attentions of Ron Weasley’s younger sister, Ginny.

But each of these seem minor annoyances when the real trouble beings, and someone–or something–starts turning Hogwarts students to stone. Could it be Draco Malfoy, a more poisonous rival than ever? Could it possibly be Hagrid, whose mysterious past is finally told? Or could it be the one everyone at Hogwarts most suspects…Harry Potter himself.

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This second book in the famous Harry Potter series is just as riveting and captivating as the first, solidifying in my mind that Rowling is an absolutely amazing author.

Truth be told, I actually have found that I don’t usually like fantasy novels all that much, but the world that Rowling creates for Harry Potter actually makes me feel right at home, and I can easily connect with the characters. This might have something to do with the fact that I watched the movies first, so I have visuals and such imprinted in my brain, but even so, this fantastical world is easy to follow and become a part of, in my personal opinion. The story jumps right off the page, wrapping readers up in the awesomeness that is Hogwarts and beyond.

One aspect I really love about this novel is its continuous detail. From the wizards to their families, potions, spells, and backstory, there is just so much detail that it blows my mind. Rowling is complete in her descriptions and creation of this world, and the fact that it exists right alongside the human world (which opens the doors for that giddy wishful thinking that maybe, just maybe, it all exists) brings a spark of wonder and jubilation to all.

Dobby is an awesome addition in this novel, and I really liked the introduction of the House Elf. His abilities and class within the wizarding world is also a bit of a social commentary on our very own society and the way society has treated others, such as slavery, and even the way society treats people today.

And of course, I love the ingenious way that Rowling found to bring Voldemort back into the picture. The idea of the journal was ingenious, and I am amazed how Rowling is able to bring everything together, from book one to two, and how she’ll be able to keep this up in the next five books as well. Amazing.

Another aspect that I adore about both novel and movie is that, I feel, the movie got it right, from the big to the small, the casting and characters were perfect, in my mind. Professor Lockhart was even more annoying in the book than in the movie, and I loved Rowling’s portrayal of him. Potter is, as always, a wonderful role model, and this novel is an all-around feel good story with many happenings to keep it all interesting. From Dobby and his mischievous antics to a Quidditch match gone awry, from spiders trying to eat people to a snake with the same powers as Medusa, the novel kept me glued to the pages and in this for the long haul. Of course, the characters are even more defined in the novel than they are on the big screen, making it impossible for readers not to connect with them on some level; I loved every minute of this. Book still beats movie, but it’s another close call. Five stars.

I own all these novels and movies.

{November 10, 2013} Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter #1)

From Goodreads: Harry Potter has never played a sport while flying on a broomstick. He’s never worn a Cloak of Invisibility, befriended a giant, or helped hatch a dragon. All Harry knows is a miserable life with the Dursleys, his horrible aunt and uncle, and their abominable son, Dudley. Harry’s room is a tiny cupboard under the stairs, and he hasn’t had a birthday party in ten years.

But all that is about to change when a mysterious letter arrives by owl messenger: a letter with an invitation to a wonderful place he never dreamed existed. There he finds not only friends, aerial sports, and magic around every corner, but a great destiny that’s been waiting for him… if Harry can survive the encounter.

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This is my second time reading this series, and I must say, it only gets better with age. I initially waited until all the Harry Potter books were out before reading them the first time because I didn’t want to have to wait in between them all, so to tide myself over, I watched the movies many a time. And you know, I’m glad I did it this way because I’m actually one of those people who doesn’t have an active imagination and I have no pictures of what characters look like in my brain as I read. None. An author can tell me exactly how they look and how they sound, but unless I stop reading and try to draw them (and I’m not artistic in the least), there really isn’t much there in terms of my imagination. It’s like a blurry shell for me. And that’s why I loved watching the movies first, because I now have an exact image of what each character looks like, and I can see them doing everything the text says, and it’s amazing. It’s also amazing because these books are so wonderful—I was a teenager when they first came out, and so I’ve pretty much grown up with Harry Potter over the years, and to sit here and reread the entire series as an adult bring back much nostalgia.

The Dursley’s are awful, just awful, but I enjoyed reading about them in the beginning of this novel. It took a great many more pages than I initially thought it would to get Harry from the Dursely’s to Hogwarts, but I loved it from the beginning. But, even having read this once before, do you know what I didn’t ever realize? Neville is actually in this book a whole lot more than the movie portrayed, and I never knew it! I mean, I always knew he was an important character (and it’s been seven years since I last read these books, so don’t judge me), but I guess I either forgot or never really internalized how much he’s really in this novel. It’s not just a group of three friends, but actually four, though Neville gets angry at some points and disappears from the text, only to reappear later. This was eye opening to me, and now I wish there was more of him in the movies as well because he does actually play a huge part. But, regardless, both the movie and the book did a phenomenal job creating a story that I just can’t get out of my head. Which is better? The movie or the book? Well, that’s actually a hard one to answer. I think the book wins because it’s got so much more information, but the movie is a close second. Five stars.

I own this entire series and all the movies.

{November 10, 2013} {Review} Harry Potter: The Prequel (Harry Potter #0.5)

From Goodreads: The Harry Potter prequel is an 800-word story written by J. K. Rowling, and was published online on 11 June 2008. Set about three years before the birth of Harry Potter, the story recounts an adventure experienced by Sirius Black and James Potter.

At the bottom of the card, JKR wrote: “From the prequel I am NOT working on – but that was fun!”

There is no official ‘cover’ for this short story, seeing as it was penned (By JKR) on an A5 card for the auction by bookseller Waterstone’s, in aid of two reading charities, Dyslexia Action and English Pen. It was auctioned off for £25,000.

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I really liked this very short (800 words short) glimpse into the antics of James Potter and Sirius Black, but as it’s so short, it really leaves more questions than answers. Who were the three men on broomsticks? I can only assume, since this is approximately three years prior to Harry’s birth, that they were Death Eaters. Perhaps? And, what’s to happen to the muggle policemen after it’s all said and done? Ultimately this is a teasing glimpse into the world before Harry Potter, but it’s not enough to give satisfaction. I would LOVE a series that actually follows James Potter’s life prior to Harry’s birth, maybe showing the dark times of Voldemort’s reign… perhaps one day.

You can read this very short prequel here: http://www.mugglenet.com/potterprequel.shtml (it will take you about 3 minutes). Enjoy.

I read this prequel online.

{November 10, 2013} {Cover Reveal} Blood Reign by Tamara Rose Blodgett (Blood #4)

Title: BLOOD REIGN

Genre: NA dark urban fantasy PNR

Release: late spring

Synopsis:

Julia’s sworn enemies are safely sequestered in a prison of the fey and her forever mate has been chosen. Not by blood, but by a circumstance shaped from coincidence. However, it’s not enough to save Julia and the others who came from Alaska their fate by the hand of the Alaska den, whose reacquisition has come alarmingly full-circle to capture them.

Tharell of the fey aligns with the Singers, Were and remaining vampire to take back the one Queen who could stop the interspecies wars and establish a truce of genetics that would free all the groups from extinction and conflict.

Can they rescue Julia and her allies before it’s too late? Will the Red Were’s lineage prove to be the catalyst of victory against a corrupt pack that’s grown too debauched by greed and power to be overcome?

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About the author:

Tamara Rose Blodgett is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of dark, romantic new adult novels, including A Terrible Love and its companion novel A Brutal Tenderness under the pen name Marata Eros. A passionate writer who loves interacting with her readers, Tamara lives in South Dakota with her husband.

{November 9, 2013} The 99 Cent Club–Feature 70–Ten Books for Ten Bucks

Every Saturday I run a feature for the 99 Cent Club, and below are the eBook picks for this week that caught my eye and are currently ONLY 99 Cents on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. I don’t know if these are permanent prices, so please don’t shoot the messenger, and double check pricing before pressing the buy button. Enjoy! (If you could help give these authors some love by spreading the word, that would be epic.)

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The Digging Crew by Nathalie Mallet

Sammy’s life is a nightmare, and it’s all her fault. First, she is caught shoplifting-a big no-no in the hard-on-crime Dominion’s world-and is shipped to a prison-mine for women on a faraway desert planet. Then on her very first week there, she destroys a droid belonging to the prison… on purpose. So when she’s sent deep into the pit of the mine as punishment, Sammy doubts she’ll live to see her sixteenth birthday. After all, this is the diggers’ level, and they are the prison’s most violent criminals. To her surprise, she finds a new family in one of the digging crews. But she also makes a deadly enemy. Can she and her crew manage to escape the prison and regain their freedom?

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Dead Flesh by Tim O’Rourke

When Kiera and her friends return from the dead, they soon realize that the world is not the same – it has been pushed. Returning to Hallowed Manor, Kiera soon learns that it’s not only the world that has changed, she is changing, too.

Asked to help solve the murder of missing school teacher, Emily Clarke, Kiera and her friends soon discover that they are now living in a world where humans and wolves live together, sharing a fragile peace.

But during her investigations, Kiera soon discovers that the world is now a much darker and dangerous place than the one she left behind.

Find it on Amazon.

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Moonlight by Tim O’Rourke

When eighteen-year-old Winter McCall is offered a chance to leave her life of poverty behind on the streets of London, she moves to a remote part of the South West of England. Here she takes up the job as housekeeper to the young and handsome, yet mysterious, Thaddeus Blake.

Warned that he has some curious habits, Winter soon realises that not all is as it firsts appears at the remote mansion where she now lives and works.

Blind to the real danger that she is in, Winter finds herself becoming attracted to Thaddeus, and with nowhere and no one to run to, she slowly succumbs to his strange requests. But none of them are as strange as asking Winter to stand each night in the moonlight.

Find it on Amazon.

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Black Hill Farm by Tim O’Rourke

Detective Chief Inspector John Walker hasn’t a suspect or motive for the murders at Black Hill Farm. That is until sixteen-year-old Benjamin McCloud walks into Beechers Hope Police Station, asking to be arrested for the killings. During twelve police interviews, Benjamin gives a disturbing confession about his relationship with Andrea and how his love for her became a dangerous obsession.

Finding themselves alone on a remote farm and desperate to stay together, Benjamin and Andrea’s world spirals out of control. And as they fight for survival, every step they take leads them into an ever darker world of deceit, blackmail, and murder. A dark romance for young adults recommend for sixteen-year-olds and over.

Find it on Amazon.

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Defiance Rising by Amy Miles

Illyria has never known a life without the Rebellion.
Instinct.
Survival.
Nothing else matters…until she ventures out into unknown territory and is faced with an enemy that proves even more fierce and determined than she ever thought.
Bastien is infuriating, dangerous and annoyingly gorgeous. Eamon is familiar, comforting and turning into a man before her eyes. Both want her heart…but she is torn between duty and desire. When her choice affects all of mankind, how can she allow herself to be selfish?
There is a power within her that can change everyone’s fate…but she underestimated the most potent force on Earth—love. Illyria must discover if she has the strength to sacrifice her heart to save mankind.

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Fire in the Darkness by Stacey Marie Brown

It’s been four weeks since Ember Brycin witnessed what her powers are capable of. The Electrical Current Storm has turned Seattle, Washington into a natural disaster zone. The death toll is in the thousands with countless others homeless and hungry.

And Ember is the one who caused it. Something she will have to live with every day.

Those people who were unable to escape either turned quickly into gangs or live in shelters. Ember, on the other hand, can’t do either. With a price on her head and a Dark Dweller on her ass, she is constantly on the move. Both Light and Dark are hunting her for their own purpose to use her as a weapon or a pawn in the war between the Unseelie King of the Dark and the Seelie Queen of the Light.

Em needs help but doesn’t know who to trust: Lars, the mystery man Torin told her to find? Torin, the Seelie Queen’s personal knight, who has sworn to keep Em safe? Or Eli, who wants to turn her over to the Unseelie King, but whom she has an undeniable, intense connection with?

No matter what she chooses she will probably lose—her life or everything and everyone she loves.

Find it on Amazon.

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Celestra Series Books by Addison Moore

This Boxed set includes the first 3 books in an 8 book series. Young adult, paranormal romance.

*ETHEREAL:

Sixteen year-old, Skyla Messenger is a dead girl walking.
When her newly remarried mother moves the family to Paragon Island, to a house that is rumored to be haunted, Skyla finds refuge in Logan Oliver, a boy who shares her unique ability to read minds.
Skyla discovers Logan holds the answers to the questions she’s been looking for, but Logan’s reluctance to give her the knowledge she desires leaves her believing Logan has a few secrets of his own.
Skyla’s bloodlines may just be connected to the most powerful angelic beings that roam the earth, and the more she knows, the more danger she seems to be in.
Suddenly an entire faction of earthbound angels wants her dead, at least she still has Logan, or does she?

*TREMBLE (Celestra Series Book 2)

Sixteen year-old, Skyla Messenger is determined to bring back the dead.
For Skyla, being an angel from the coveted Celestra faction hasn’t been easy.
An entire band of wicked angels is after her blood, a Sector is after something far more sinister, and her newfound powers lead her on a quest to save her dead father. Skyla and her boyfriend Logan try to piece together a plan to take down the Countenance in order to maintain their relationship, but will Skyla’s burgeoning feelings for Gage get in the way?And when Skyla decides to use her powerful blood to change the fate of another deceased soul, just who is going to stop her?

*BURN (Celestra Series Book 3)

Sixteen year-old, Skyla Messenger is having difficulties with the living and the dead.
With Chloe’s diary in her hands, Skyla embarks into the mind of one of Paragon’s most twisted former residents.
After accidentally kick-starting the faction war, Skyla finds herself in more danger than ever before. So, when Marshall offers her a taste of the gift of knowing, Skyla attempts to use it to alter the outcome of future prophecies.
And now that Skyla’s love life seems to involve one boy too many, she must choose who to be with. If she waits too long, the decision just might be made for her.

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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The Cain Chronicles by S.M. Reine

Rylie Gresham has enjoyed two peaceful years as Alpha of the last werewolf pack in existence. But she’s feeling kind of confused. Her boyfriend, Seth, has been away at college, and her feelings for his brother, Abel, have been growing as they run the pack together.

Everything gets a lot more complicated when someone sends her a silver bullet and a threatening message. It throws her into a deadly battle with enemies old and new, which is only slightly less perilous than the battle inside her heart. Sooner or later, she’s going to have to choose: will she marry Seth, or follow her feelings for Abel?

This is a collection of the first four

episodes of The Cain Chronicles, a serialized novel. It amounts to approximately 65,000 words. If you’ve read episodes 1-4 before, there’s nothing new here. If you’re just joining the story — enjoy! :) NEW MOON SUMMER
Rylie is Alpha: the leader of the werewolves. They’re an endangered species living in a sanctuary, and she’s guarded them for two peaceful years. The peace is shattered when somebody sends Rylie a threatening silver bullet. A new member of the pack goes missing. And to make things worse, her inner wolf is strangely attracted to her boyfriend’s brother, leaving her torn between the love of two men–one of them a werewolf, and the other a former hunter. BLOOD MOON HARVEST
Rylie’s home has been turned into a battle zone by attacking hunters–and by her conflicted heart. Her wolf and human sides are in love with different men, and neither Seth nor Abel will give Rylie up without a fight. To save her pack, Rylie will have to find out who Cain is. To save herself, she’ll have to choose between the man she wants and the man she needs.

MOON OF THE TERRIBLE
Abel is struggling to find his footing at the werewolf sanctuary when he receives terrible news: the girl he loves and his brother have vanished. Seth calls to claim that they’re eloping, but Abel knows it’s a lie. There’s no way that Rylie would get married without telling him. Not when the memory of her scorching kiss is still burning on his lips. Certain that something is wrong, Abel drops everything to rescue Rylie and Seth–and stake his claim over his mate.

RED ROSE MOON
Rylie Gresham, Alpha of the endangered werewolf species, is pregnant. The fact that she’s only eighteen and maybe a tiny bit in love with her boyfriend’s brother isn’t even the worst part: the baby is going to be a werewolf, too. Certain that Seth is the father, she finally agrees to marry him, even if her heart is still filled with doubt.

Abel is being held captive by Cain when he hears about Rylie’s condition–and the shocking circumstances surrounding the conception. Rylie and Abel have been mating on the full moons, so there’s a chance that he’s the father, and she has no clue. Now Abel has to escape Cain and crash the wedding before his mate marries his brother.

A zombie mother-in-law, back-stabbing hunters, and wicked morning sickness mean that they’re all in for one heck of a party.

Find it on Amazon.

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The Faerie Guardian by Rachel Morgan

Protecting humans from dangerous magical creatures is all in a day’s work for a faerie training to be a guardian. Seventeen-year-old Violet Fairdale knows this better than anyone-she’s about to become the best guardian the Guild has seen in years. That is, until a cute human boy who can somehow see through her faerie glamour follows her into the fae realm. Now she’s broken Guild Law, a crime that could lead to her expulsion.

The last thing Vi wants to do is spend any more time with the boy who got her into this mess, but the Guild requires that she return Nate to his home and make him forget everything he’s discovered of the fae realm. Easy, right? Not when you factor in evil faeries, long-lost family members, and inconvenient feelings of the romantic kind. Vi is about to find herself tangled up in a dangerous plot-and it’ll take all her training to get out alive.

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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The Academy by Emmaline Andrews

Where things are not always as they seem…

My name is Kris Jameson and I’m a student at the Royal Academy. I’m at the top of all my classes, what they call a “model student.” There’s only one problem—the Academy is an all boys school and I’m a girl.

It started as a prank when I took my brother’s place. But things got complicated when I caught Broward, the school bully, in a compromising position. They got even worse when I was assigned my roommate—the handsome but enigmatic North who saved me several times from the bully’s attacks.

Now the consequences of my deception are coming back to haunt me. The penalty for fraud at this exclusive school is much worse than simple expulsion—I could lose a hand. Worse, so could my beloved brother.

With so much at stake, it’s imperative that I keep my secret safe. And the person I’m closest to, North, is the one I have to be most wary of.
The trouble is, I think I’m falling in love with him…

Find it on Amazon.

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If you could help give these authors some love by spreading the word, that would be epic.

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{November 8, 2013} {Review} In the Blood by Sara Hantz

From Goodreads: For seventeen years Jed Franklin’s life was normal. Then his father was charged with the abuse and murder of four young boys and normal became a nightmare.

His mom’s practically a walking zombie, he’s lost most of his friends, and the press camps out on his lawn. The only things that keep him sane are his little sis; his best friend and dream girl, Summer; and the alcohol he stashes in his room. But after Jed wakes up from a total blackout to discover a local kid has gone missing—a kid he was last seen talking to—he’s forced to face his greatest fear: that he could somehow be responsible.

In a life that’s spiraled out of control, Jed must decide if he chooses his own destiny with Summer by his side or if the violent urges that plagued his father are truly in the blood…

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From the very first chapter, I was drawn into this story with its short but powerful introduction to the subject, immediately showing Jeb’s disdain for his father, a man he thought he knew, but who ultimately fooled everyone around him. In the Blood deals with some very heavy topics, pedophilia being the main one, and Hantz’s look into the life of a young man shattered by his father’s past is one that I feel is extremely well written. I cannot imagine how painful and awful a realization that a parent is capable of committing such evil deeds would be to a child, but I feel that Hantz portrayal of the epic inward battles that Jed faces throughout the novel are extremely real. Imagine finding out the man you’ve idolized your entire life is a murdering pedophile. Now imagine that the entire community turns their back on you, the child, because they believe you are capable of the same; they believe you knew what your father was doing and that maybe you were a part of it. Imagine being bullied and finding notes in your locker that tell you it’s only a matter of time before you become your father—that you’d be better off dead. This is Jeb’s life as it spirals out of control. With a parent who he despises on trial, and a unresponsive parent idling at home, Jeb truly feels he’s alone, and as the bullying and his research of pedophilia get to him, his fear of becoming like his father begins to permeate his life.

Although I certainly don’t agree with many of Jed’s decisions in this novel, and many a time I wanted to reach through the pages and shake him, I believe that his character is true to life. Teenagers don’t always think things through—their brain is still developing, and impulse sometimes gets the better of them, especially when extreme stress and fear take over. And this is what I see Jeb doing: pushing people away, fighting, drinking to drown his fears of becoming his father, and unfortunately, I find Hantz’s portrayal very realistic.

However, while the psychological aspects of this novel are very well done, there are some minor issues I had with the book. For one, naming Jeb’s father Benjamin Franklin doesn’t make much sense to me. Of all the fictional names available in the world, picking one that brings to mind a Founding Father every time it’s uttered, and giving it to a despicable pedophile, is not a great idea. Likewise, I thought the ending was a bit too abrupt, and while I understand that readers are meant to piece the rest of it together, in a novel like this, where so much is at stake, I would have liked a cleaner break. But, these small complaints aside, I enjoyed this book overall—it is an in-depth look at the human psyche and bullying, and I believe Hantz did a very good job with her presentation. Four stars.

Entangled Teen has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read this novel, via Netgalley.

{November 8, 2013} {Review} Sometimes Never Sometimes Always by Elissa Janine Hoole

From Goodreads: Cassandra fears rocking the family boat. Instead, she sinks it. Assigned by her English teacher to write a poem that reveals her true self, Cassandra Randall is stuck. Her family’s religion is so overbearing, she can NEVER write about who she truly is. So Cass does what any self-respecting high school girl would do: she secretly begins writing a tarot-inspired advice blog. When Drew Godfrey, an awkward outcast with unwashed hair, writes to her, the situation spirals into what the school calls “a cyberbullying crisis” and what the church calls “sorcery.” Cass wants to be the kind of person who sticks up for the persecuted, who protects the victims the way she tries to protect her brother from the homophobes in her church. But what if she’s just another bully? What will it take for her to step up and tell the truth?

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I really enjoyed this novel, and I actually found it much more interesting that the synopsis itself makes it out to be. Not only is it about bullying, a hot topic in the nation right now, but it also deals with over zealous religion (borderline cult), intolerance and homosexual relations, advice columns, and the philosophical question of right and wrong. Honestly, I think this novel is extremely well written and while I wasn’t sure if I would really like it going in, I came out of it absolutely in love with Hoole’s writing style and characterization.

The novel begins with Cassandra attempting to take a survey during which time she realizes she’s completely boring. She has no great answers to any of the questions, not like her friends or even her sister, and so she struggles to make herself stand out. As the novel unfolds, each chapter is titled with one of the questions from the survey, launching into what Cassandra does in order to be different, and in my opinion, this technique really worked well.

Cassandra Randall has spent much of her life as part of an extreme religion/cult society within her small town, thanks to her overzealous parents. But, as her church and its members only make-up about half the town’s population, and as Cassandra continues to witness the vast differences between her life and those of others outside the church, she decides it’s time to put her foot down and rebel. After all, Cassandra doesn’t tend to believe anything her church is spouting, at least, she hasn’t for a while now, anyway. I once knew someone who had a family similar to Cassandra’s, and it’s a bit scary to think about. The extreme strictness and labeling of everything outside the Bible as evil is a bit much, in my opinion, and having actually known someone in a situation similar to Cassandra’s made it easy for me to connect with her. I understand her mindset and the need to rebel, which is ultimately what Cassandra is doing through her tarot reading and blogging, and while that may seem a bit extreme, it is indeed the perfect rebellion, even if she doesn’t actually tell her parents about it…

What I really loved, from the very beginning, was the characterization and voice of Cassandra. She is extremely unique and, like all high school students, struggles to find her identity. And while aspects of the novel may be far-fetched, I still really liked the overall message, especially as it isn’t neatly tied up with a bow at the end. Cassandra still has to grapple with her actions, her parents, her beliefs; and she has to own up to her actions, but in the end, it’s an extremely engaging story that I highly enjoyed and definitely recommend. Five stars.

Flux books has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read an this recent release, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

{November 7, 2013} {Review} Through the Portal by Justin Dennis

From Goodreads: When Jem and Oliver accidentally fall through a portal to another world just before their first year of high school, they quickly discover that all is not well here. The first person they meet, a creepy old man named Atychis, almost gets them killed by a ferocious, fire-breathing dragon. They’re only narrowly saved when Sierra, a shy farm girl from a nearby town, uses illegal magic to help them escape. Allowed to stay with her family while they try to figure out a way back home, Jem and Oliver begin to learn of magic and the Regime that is oppressing it.

It isn’t until the Regime kills a woman that the three kids realize they have to do something to stop the Regime from taking over completely. After being framed for a crime they didn’t commit and banished from the town, Jem, Oliver, and Sierra take off on an adventure across this strange world in an attempt to defeat the Regime. New creatures and new kinds of magic are around every corner, but so are dangers that could have them wishing they were back safe at home.

Through the Portal is the first book in a planned trilogy.

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This novel’s premise of traveling through a portal through the bottom of a lake is absolutely ingenious. It really impressed me because it’s such a unique idea that really worked well in this story. I am always impressed by the imagination of others, mainly because I have none of my own, and after the fact I always wish I had thought of it myself. In this case, Dennis has done a great job creating the backdrop for his novel and drawing the reader in. As our heroes travel through the portal, they are taken to a very different world all together, one with magic, dragons, and an intense dictatorship intent on ruling their world.

While I really enjoyed the ingenuity of this novel, I didn’t necessarily connect with the characters as much as I’d have liked to, and I feel that is because they are a bit juvenile for me. However, I believe that a MG and YA aged readers who enjoyed fantasy and sci-fi will really enjoy this novel as it’s a true escape from our own world. Three stars.

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

{November 6, 2013} {Review} Arrow of the Mist by Christina Mercer (Arrow of the Mist #1)

From Goodreads: Terror strikes the Celtic inspired kingdom of Nemetona when barbed roots breach the veil of a forbidden land and poison woodsmen, including 15-year-old Lia’s beloved father. Lia and three others embark on a quest to the forbidden land of Brume to gather ingredients for the cure. But after her elder kinsman is attacked and poisoned, she and her cousin, Wynn, are forced to finish the quest on their own.

Lia relies on her powerful herbal wisdom and the memorized pages of her late grandmother’s Grimoire for guidance through a land of soul-hungry shades, trickster creatures, and uncovered truths about the origin of Brume and her family’s unexpected ties to it. The deeper they trek into the land, the stronger Lia’s untapped gift as a tree mage unfolds. When she discovers the enchanted root’s maker, it forces her to question everything about who she is and what is her destiny. Ultimately she must make a terrible choice: keep fighting to save her father and the people of the lands or join with the power behind the deadly roots to help nature start anew.

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I’m not necessarily a science fiction or fantasy buff myself, but this is a very well written story that follows Lia as she embarks on a journey into the forbidden forest of Brume. Within this fantasy world, evil exists in a very real manner, and it is ever encroaching on the people of Nemetona. Filled with magical creatures and situations, the novel deals with many intense situations, but I personally didn’t really connect with the characters very well. I honestly think this has to deal with the fact that science fiction and fantasy are usually hit or miss with me as my imagination lacks a bit when it comes to alternate worlds and universes. As I can’t really see it in my mind, I sometimes struggle to see what the characters are experiencing if it’s not immediately tangible in my own life, and so I sometimes get lost in the mix of it all. Truth be told, this isn’t any fault of the author, but rather a personal quirk, and I thought this novel, overall, was very well written. Had I more of a liking for sci-fi and fantasy novels, I’m sure I would have enjoyed this one much more, but as it stands, I still really liked it and think that true sci-fi and fantasy lovers will thoroughly enjoy this novel. Three stars.

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

{November 5, 2013} {Cover Reveal} Iron Pendulum by Megan Curd (The Periodic Series #2)

By Megan Curd

BLURB:

A month ago, Avery thought the world ended outside Dome Four. Thought she was one of the few of her kind. Thought the war that brought the human race to the brink of extinction was over.

But a month can change everything.

Returning to the dome she longed to escape is a challenge for Avery, but now she knows there’s corruption lurking in the shadows. A massive steam shortage leaves half the dome without power, and people are falling ill. Dying.

And they’re blaming Avery.

A month can change everything. Another month could kill everyone. The clock is ticking.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17984513-iron-pendulum

Twitter: @MeganCurd

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMeganCurd

Buy STEEL LILY: http://www.amazon.com/Steel-Lily-The-Periodic-Series-ebook/dp/B00EH0DF8S/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1383511312&sr=8-2&keywords=steel+lily

{November 5, 2013} {Review} This is W.A.R. by Lisa Roecker and Laura Roecker

From Goodreads: This is not a story of forgiveness…

The mystery of their best friend’s murder drives four girls to destroy the Gregory family. Emily Thorne would be proud.

Everyone at Hawthorne Lake Country Club saw Willa Ames-Rowan climb into a boat with James Gregory, the Club’s heir apparent. And everyone at Hawthorne Lake Country Club watched him return.

Alone.

They all know he killed her. But none of them will say a word. The Gregory family is very, very good at making problems go away.

Enter the W.A.R.— the war to avenge Willa Ames-Rowan. Four girls. Four very different motives for justice and revenge, and only one rule: destroy the Gregory family at any cost.

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This is one of those stories where the synopsis drew me in and I was very interested in reading the novel, but then found I couldn’t stand any of the characters based on their actions and attitudes, and so I didn’t really end up enjoying it much at all. I mean, I feel like this might be a great novel for those who enjoy Pretty Little Liars, but I personally just don’t enjoy novels where I can’t connect with any of the characters.

Rich beyond their means and flaunting their wealth and ability, the Gregory boys are quite despicable. Drinking, popping pills, fondling women—and no one tries to stop them, so when James kills Willa, no one bats an eye. No one, except Willa’s three friends and Rose, the daughter of one of the Gregory’s club employees. These four girls eventually band together to try to bring down the Gregory’s, but as their inner monologues unfold and we see events through their points of view, it becomes apparent that these young vigilante girls are just as bad as the Gregory’s themselves. Truthfully, I didn’t like any of the characters and their general lack of self-respect, and while I did enjoy the twist at the end concerning the murder, I felt like it wasn’t enough to really change my mind about this novel on the whole. It’s just not really my style. Two stars.

Soho Teen has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read this novel, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

{November 4, 2013} {ARC Review and Giveaway} Whispers and Wishes by Hollie Westring

From Goodreads: Eliza Monroe has been traveling the United States for three years, immersing herself in the towns she visits as she searches for the mother she’s never known. She hopes returning to her grandmother’s inn in Sage Springs, Mo., will provide the break she needs to evaluate her lonely life.

What Eliza isn’t expecting is to have two men enter the picture, not making her decision to stay or leave any easier. One has been her foundation, while the other is as comfortable as she is hopping from city to city. Throw in a kooky grandmother, a cheerful best friend, a sarcastic guest, a town where residents and spirits interact like neighbors, and Eliza has little time to contemplate her future.

Friendships grow, webs are spun and lies are revealed before Eliza comes to terms with what she wants in life and learns what’s really important.

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Whispers and Wishes is a sweet tale of love and redemption as Eliza Monroe learns what’s really important in life. Having spent the better part of the last three years on the road looking for the mother she’s never known, leaving behind a potential love relationship and the ghosts that peacefully haunt Sage Springs, Eliza is finally home for a short reprieve. Her grandmother’s inn is in danger of closing, and Eliza can’t help but feel that this is where she belongs, but at what cost?

Westring has a created a cute and interesting story that revolves around the choices that we must make and how we know when enough is enough. With the revelation that Jake, the boy she left so long ago, still loves her, and the attentions of the gorgeous and mysterious drifting handy man, Gavin, Eliza isn’t sure what to do, but one thing is clear, she has to make a choice. Pulled in both directions, Eliza must decide where her loyalties lie, and as events come to a head and Eliza finds that not everyone is who they say they are and that not everything is what is seems, everything Eliza’s been working toward these last few years begins to crumble. But, with great friends and a strong home base, Eliza is ready to face her fears, the truth, and love.

If you’re looking for a charming story and a quick read that will leave you with a smile on your face and a renewed belief in the goodness of people, then this is the book for you. Four stars.

I received an ARC of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review prior to its release on November 7, 2013.

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About the author:

Hollie Westring hails from Kansas City, Mo. She used to be a journalist, which probably explains her extreme dislike of the serial comma and her preference for AP style.

After realizing the hours of journalists were not productive to any type of social or family life, she settled into a job at a publishing syndicate. She worked with comics, astrology columns, word puzzles and feature columns for six years. Although she enjoyed her time there, Hollie decided to leave the nine-to-five world and join the twenty-four/seven world of motherhood. Now she edits from home.

When not writing, editing or reading, Hollie can be found baking cookies or watching more than her fair share of crime TV. She’s a loyal Royals and Chiefs fan.

Links:

Blog: www.holliewestring.com

Twitter: @holliewestring

Facebook: facebook.com/authorholliewestring

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6622356.Hollie_Westring?from_search=true

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Giveaway:

Grand Prize: One signed paperback of Whispers and Wishes, a custom necklace, and a $50 Amazon Giftcard

Runners Up: 2 winners will receive an ebook of Whispers and Wishes

Click this Rafflecopter Link to enter!!!

{November 3, 2013} {Review} Unscathed by Tim O’Rourke and C.J. Pinard

From Goodreads: Mina Porter’s mother sent her away because of a terrible secret. When Mina meets tattooed bad boy Jax McElvoy, she’s immediately drawn to him, but not for the reasons he might think.

Jax falls for Mina too, but quickly figures out she’s hiding something. He’s determined to break down her walls and find out her secret. But Jax soon realizes he should have just let hidden secrets stay buried, because this one will cost him his dearly.

Unscathed is a contemporary romance with a deadly twist by bestselling author Tim O’Rourke and author C.J. Pinard.

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One. Crazy. Lady. That’s what I kept thinking as I read this novel. Mina seems harmless enough in the beginning, but as readers learn small snippets about her past, mainly her love for her phone and taking pictures of others without their knowledge, it becomes quite clear that something is up, and the more that’s revealed, the more sinister and insane it all seems to be. However, there’s a rhyme and a reason behind it all, as I’ve learned is always the case with novels by Tim O’Rourke, and together with C.J. Pinard, another gem has been created with a twist so shocking that I didn’t see it coming (not even a little bit).

Of course, this novel has some aspects of the paranormal intertwined, but as the synopsis doesn’t reveal this, I imagine most readers will be thrown for quiet a loop, as I was, especially if they’re looking for a straight contemporary romance. Romance there is, and this novel is definitely full of swoon worthy scenes between Mina and Jax, but be pre-warned, nothing is as it seems. Four stars.

4 stars I received this novel from the authors in exchange for an honest review.

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Title: BLOOD REIGN

Genre: NA dark urban fantasy PNR

Release: late spring

Synopsis:

Tharell of the fey aligns with the Singers, Were and remaining vampire to take back the one Queen who could stop the interspecies wars and establish a truce of genetics that would free all the groups from extinction and conflict.

Can they rescue Julia and her allies before it’s too late? Will the Red Were’s lineage prove to be the catalyst of victory against a corrupt pack that’s grown too debauched by greed and power to be overcome?

About the author:

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By Megan Curd

BLURB:

A month ago, Avery thought the world ended outside Dome Four. Thought she was one of the few of her kind. Thought the war that brought the human race to the brink of extinction was over.

But a month can change everything.

Returning to the dome she longed to escape is a challenge for Avery, but now she knows there’s corruption lurking in the shadows. A massive steam shortage leaves half the dome without power, and people are falling ill. Dying.

And they’re blaming Avery.

A month can change everything. Another month could kill everyone. The clock is ticking.

LINKS:

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17984513-iron-pendulum

Twitter: @MeganCurd

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMeganCurd

Buy STEEL LILY: http://www.amazon.com/Steel-Lily-The-Periodic-Series-ebook/dp/B00EH0DF8S/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1383511312&sr=8-2&keywords=steel+lily

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Giveaway:

Grand Prize: One signed paperback of Whispers and Wishes, a custom necklace, and a $50 Amazon Giftcard

Runners Up: 2 winners will receive an ebook of Whispers and Wishes

Click this Rafflecopter Link to enter!!!

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