From Goodreads: 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 beast 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.

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I was so excited to see that there was a spinoff series to Seasons of the Moon!  I really enjoyed S.M. Reine’s werewolf novels, and though it ended extremely well, every reader is always dying to know what happens next, after any tale concludes.  Luckily for us, Reine is giving us more to the story—much more—and she even let her readers have a say in what happened, which I think is extremely awesome!

This spinoff series is written as short novellas, perhaps 50-74 pages in length, if I had to guess (since my Kindle doesn’t do page numbers), and it looks like they’ll all end on cliffhangers, at which point Reine asks her readers to help out.  I missed the bandwagon on the helping part, and am so kicking myself in the butt, but I’m also really excited because, so far, this novella is everything I wanted it to be.

I love Rylie—I always have, and it’s exciting to see her take on her role as Alpha.  The novella opens with a quick rehash of events from the final novel in the original series, cluing readers in to the characters in case they need a refresher (or perchance because they haven’t read the original series—which they need to read, stat!), and then jumps ahead two full years.  I liked that this novella gives this time and distance because I feel like Rylie, Seth, and Abel all deserve some down-time, and that’s exactly what is alluded to during these two years off, but if you know Rylie, you know it can’t possibly stay that way for her, or her pack, forever.

I loved the relationship building that we see happening in this novella concerning the brothers and their love for Rylie.  Of course, Seth is somewhat allusive in this novella, and we certainly don’t get enough of him, but I enjoyed seeing Rylie interact with her pack, and Abel.  She is a bit confused, it seems, when it comes to her love life, but so far she has remained true to Seth, which makes me a very happy girl.  But I love Abel’s angst, and I believe Reine does a superb job portraying angst it between all the characters.

And, kudos to Reine for glossing over the sexual encounters.  I mean, I just have to say it.  Most YA novels nowadays exploit sex like it’s going out of style—there’s the slow taking off of clothes, the wet, slimy kisses, and way too many details that I just don’t need (or want), but Reine refrains from following the crowd.  We know sex has happened between the characters without having all the grimy details, and that, my dears, makes me one happy reader.  In my opinion, young adults already have sex thrown at them from every angle imaginable.  They don’t need it written out for them, detail by detail, in their novels, too.  Seriously, Reine is my hero!

Anyway, though, this novella is just the tip of the iceberg; it’s somewhat slow paced in its reveal, but once the plot thickens, Reine slams her readers with some fast-paced action that happens all at once, and then she leaves us with a deadly cliffhanger.  The good news?  The next installment is already out (as is the third and fourth, all for just 99 cents a piece), so these cliffhangers won’t hurt too badly, because I’m about to pick up the next installment as we speak.  And I can’t wait to see where Reine and her readers’ input takes us.  Four stars.

I purchased this novella from Amazon.

Check out the Original Series, Seasons of the Moon:

Six Moon Summer (#1)

All Hallows Moon (#2)

Long Night Moon (#3)

Gray Moon Rising (#4)

From Goodreads: Dead on Ice is the first installment of Lauren Carr’s new series (Lovers in Crime) featuring Hancock County Prosecuting Attorney Joshua Thornton and Pennsylvania State Police homicide detective Cameron Gates.

Spunky Cameron Gates is tasked with solving the murder of Cherry Pickens, a legendary star of pornographic films, whose body turns up in an abandoned freezer. The case has a personal connection to her lover, Joshua Thornton, because the freezer was located in his cousin’s basement. It doesn’t take long for their investigation to reveal that the risqué star’s roots were buried in their rural Ohio Valley community, something that Cherry had kept off her show business bio. She should have kept her hometown off her road map, too—because when this starlet came running home from the mob, it proved to be a fatal homecoming.

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Lauren Carr’s novels never cease to intrigue me.  I love the many mysterious aspects Carr incorporates, and trying to figure out who is behind the murders in all her novels is highly entertaining—Dead on Ice being no different.  Joshua Thornton and Cameron Gates are back in their very own series, and I’m excited to see them outside the Mac Farady novels, though I loved them in those novels, as well.  Cameron Gates is awesome, and her cat that looks like a skunk makes me overly happy.  I don’t know what it is about Carr and her animals, but I love every one she creates and adds to her stories, from Gates’ crazy cat, to Mac Faraday’s kleptomaniac dog, Gnarly; I’m in love.

The murder mystery surrounding Cherry Pickens really begins with the explosion of a house, a house a large group of people are working to clean out after the death of the owner, a lawyer related to Joshua Thornton.  And then, the finger pointing begins.  Carr sends us off on a highly enticing adventure as we attempt to figure out the truth behind not only Cherry Picken’s identity, but also her murder.  There are so many intriguing characters in this novel that the finger pointing really never ceases, not until Carr reveals the truth, which floored me.  This is a great murder mystery novel, which I thoroughly enjoyed, and I think all adult readers will enjoy it as well.  Four stars.

Acorn Books has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read a copy of this novel, via Netgalley.

From Goodreads: Clio Kaid’s had one crazy summer.

After learning she was one of a hundred teens who were genetically modified before birth, she and the others departed for “camp” at a classified military site.

Besides discovering her own special ability, uncovering a conspiracy, and capturing a killer, she’s also forged new friendships, found love, and managed to lose them both.

With no answers and the end of summer closing in, Clio’s terrified of going home more lost than when she arrived.

Will she finally find everything she’s been looking for?

Find out in this exciting conclusion to the Solid trilogy.

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The final installment in the Solid series is finally here and, thankfully, it’s a very tidy ending for a series I really enjoyed.  I was worried that perhaps not all my questions would be answered, but Workinger did a great job with her conclusion, though the epilogue may leave readers wondering what’s to come… perhaps a spinoff series?  I’d like that!

While I would have liked a little more action in this final novel, Sound is more or less a novel focusing on Clio’s final turn-around, her actual coming of age, as it were.  In Solid, we begin learning about Clio’s special powers and, in the midst of all the chaotic new abilities as the teens try to figure out answers, they become good friends, and I really connected the with characters—namely Clio.  Settling, the middle novel, deals more with the collapse of everything around Clio as she begins to lose herself, and everything she holds dear, making her fall from grace a bit shocking.  With Sound, Clio must come to terms with what she’s done, learn to accept forgiveness and, once again, figure out who is beyond the strange occurrences around camp, which is always fun for me.  In this final installment, I was once again able to connect with Clio, which I thoroughly enjoyed, and I liked the resolution of the series very much, though, once again, the epilogue has me asking questions about what’s to come.  If you have a chance to read this series, I highly suggest it, especially as the novels pick up one right after the other, and I’m sure Solid will leave you breathless, wanting so much more, which you’ll get in Settling and Sound.  Three stars.

I borrowed this novel from Amazon Prime for free in order to read it on my Kindle after the author contacted me for an honest review.

From Goodreads: There is a mysterious new student at Fitzgerald High, Jake Garret. He seems to have it all figured out. He looks like he just stepped off the cover of the J. Crew catalog, he is the best kicker the football team has ever had, and best of all, he hosts the party to go to every Friday night. All the guys want to be like him and all the girls want to date him, but Jake only has eyes for Didi, the girlfriend of alpha male and quarterback, Todd Buckley . As Jake’s friend Rick gets to know him, he at first admires him, then starts to like him, but soon grows to fear for him as he learns Jake’s dangerous secret. From beloved young adult author Gordon Korman, comes a new look at age-old themes about popularity, acceptance, and human nature.
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I originally picked up this novel when I was researching books about sports for my male students. I’m not really interested in football, by any means, but I was really hoping this would be a great football read for students. Unfortunately, it’s not as much about football as it is about throwing vast parties with lots and lots of alcohol, lies, and making out. The library catalog made this novel out to be more or less about the sport, and that’s what I was looking for. That, and the mystery about who Jake really is, which I did find intriguing. But, I thought the big reveal was a little bit of a letdown. I was really thinking it was going to be a big drastic exposure, but it became plain to see the twist prior to it actually being revealed, and it wasn’t all too drastic, in my opinion. People reinvent themselves all the time, and Jake, honestly, is no different.

While I did enjoy this novel, Jake drove me up the wall, especially at the end—he’s a bit… psycho, if you ask me. Which may be the big idea of Jake reinventing himself in the first place. However, I didn’t care for the end of the novel and the way everything panned out, what with the innocent taking the blame and the guilty getting away. Hopefully that doesn’t give away any spoilers, but I don’t think it does. Overall, this was a decent read, but it wasn’t what I expected. Three stars.

I borrowed this novel from the library.

From Goodreads: Laurel was mesmerized, staring at the pale things with wide eyes. They were terrifyingly beautiful–too beautiful for words.

Laurel turned to the mirror again, her eyes on the hovering petals that floated beside her head. They looked almost like wings.

 In this extraordinary tale of magic and intrigue, romance and danger, everything you thought you knew about faeries will be changed forever.

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This is another novel that I picked up a while ago and then didn’t get around to reading, until recently.  Seriously… kicking myself in the seat over here.  This is such a cool faerie novel—completely different than any of the fae novels I’ve read before, and I really enjoyed it.  The idea of plant petals and the extreme connection to nature really piqued my interest, and I loved getting to know Laurel, as well as getting to know the truth about her as she discovers it herself.  Pike has created an extremely ingenious storyline, though I will admit that I was a little weirded out in the beginning, and Laurel’s lack of trust for her parents did drive me a little insane.  Perhaps I’m the odd child out here, but if I had weird things growing out of my back, I’d be all over my parents about it.  But that’s just me, I guess.

Otherwise, I really enjoyed this novel.  Laurel is very interesting, but my favorite character is Tamani. Of course, his “main” appearance in the novel isn’t until close to the end, but I really liked him.  He has smaller appearances throughout the novel, but I love his longer stint and I’m hoping to see so much more of him in the sequel!

And, I loved the evil presence in this novel.  I won’t say too much so that those who haven’t read it don’t have any spoilers, but I really did think it was epic and very well played.  I’m definitely looking forward to the sequel.  Four stars.

I purchased a copy of this novel from Amazon.

From Goodreads: Inside little blue envelope 1 are $1,000 and instructions to buy a plane ticket.

In envelope 2 are directions to a specific London flat.

The note in envelope 3 tells Ginny: Find a starving artist.

Because of envelope 4, Ginny and a playwright/thief/ bloke-about-town called Keith go to Scotland together, with somewhat disastrous-though utterly romantic-results. But will she ever see him again?

Everything about Ginny will change this summer, and it’s all because of the 13 little blue envelopes.

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I loved this novel.  I’ve had it in my sights forever, and once I bought it, nearly two years ago, I meant to read it right away, but, obviously, that didn’t happen.  This seems to be the pattern I fall into… I put off a novel, and just keep putting it off, until one day I read it and want to kick myself in the seat for not reading it much sooner, because it’s so good! The same thing happened with The Hunger Games and Divergent, and if I were a betting woman, I’d say the same thing will happen when I eventually get around to The Mortal Instruments novels by Cassandra Clare.  But, about 13 Little Blue Envelopes…

Honestly, I had such a good time reading this novel.  That probably sounds weird, but I really connected with Ginny.  Yes, it’s a bit unreal that she just picks up and goes to London on a whim, with just a thousand bucks, wandering aimlessly and meeting up with strangers all because of notes left to her, but I loved it.  And, who is to say that things like this don’t really happen?   I wish it would happen to me…

What I really loved about this novel is Ginny’s phenomenal character.  She’s a real sweetheart, and she’s also traveling all around Europe, like I did, once upon a time.  It was amazing reading about her interactions with people as she was “sightseeing,” following the envelopes her aunt left her.  I loved the many descriptions concerning what Ginny saw as she attempted to fulfill each envelope’s request, and it really felt like I was right there alongside Ginny.  Her many adventures reminded me so much of my time abroad, and though we were both there under different circumstances, it brought back so many awesome memories for me, which, in turn, made this such an amazing read.  If you’ve ever been to Europe, or if you’ve ever wanted to go, I highly suggest you read this amazing novel!  Five stars.

I purchased this novel from Amazon.

From Goodreads: An unforgettable novel about family, loyalty and survival in sub-Saharan Africa.

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This novel takes place in Africa, in an Aids devastated area where mentioning the name of this illness is so taboo that everyone looks the other way—and no one seeks treatment for fear of the stigma that will follow.  It is a heartbreaking tale, but also one of hope and redemption if you can push past the sadness that pulses throughout the pages.  To be honest, I had a very hard time initially getting into the novel.  It is a bit slow paced, detailing the life of Chanda as she watches those close to her die a miserable death, and it made me extremely sad to read.  I don’t usually read this type of story; I prefer action packed paranormal type reads as opposed to true-to-life dramas, but I will say that this novel packs a punch that will leave the reader breathless.  And, though the story started a bit slowly for me, as the characters develop and we learn more about their lives and loves, it quickly becomes “unputdownable.”  I highly recommend this novel to any looking to engage in an emotional page-turner. Four stars.

I borrowed a copy of this novel from the library.

From Goodreads: Sixteen-year-old Autumn has spent her entire life worrying about others. Her ailing grandma, meth-addicted mom, and a best friend who is always in trouble. She’s spent the last few years attempting to worry less, to be carefree, without success.

Enter Evan, whose radiant attitude is an Autumn magnet. With Evan at her side, Autumn’s able to let some of her worries go as they trudge through life’s difficulties and fall for each other in the process.

A girl who no longer wants to care and a boy who cares enough for the both of them, Dream Smashers is a love story, but most of all, it’s about letting go.

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This is a novel I’ve heard so much about for such a long time, so I finally picked up a copy.  And boy, was it good!  Sixteen-year-old Autumn has had a difficult life, so it’s not surprising that she has some major trust issues.  Her mother is addicted to meth and is less than stable, or caring, for that matter, and her harsh words towards her daughter and her mother leave invisible scars all across Autumn’s soul. But Evan, as ever persistent as he is, slowly begins to help Autumn heal; he’s almost too good to be true.  Almost.  I can’t say I’ve ever met a young man quite like Evan—I mean, I’ve certainly never met a guy who is so understanding or so good hearted, but I know young men like him do exist.  Somewhere.  Perhaps I’ll be lucky enough to meet one someday? Perhaps.

This novel is a true-life-drama; a raw story that will make the reader cry at some points, and smile from ear-to-ear at others.  Though many of Autumn’s experiences are quite terrible, I really enjoyed this window into her heart as she learns to forgive, forget, and put her trust in those who truly love her.  If you like novels that really look into the window of the soul, then this is the novel for you.  Four stars.

I purchased a copy of this novel from Amazon.

From Goodreads: What if the price of immortality were a broken spirit?

After more than three centuries as a carrier spirit, Mara has finally found a willing host in sixteen-year-old Belinda. She sets out to help Belinda find the missing ingredient in her life: love.

Belinda agrees to let Mara help her fall in love so Mara can earn her body back. But Belinda has only agreed to their arrangement because she desperately hopes that a new romance will help her finally get over her failed date with her best friend, Frankie.

With the promise of a new body, Mara dares to hope she can repair her broken spirit. With sweet and handsome Conor as her new boyfriend, Belinda dares to hope she has found someone who can mend her broken heart. Until a spirit with whom Mara shares a dark past begins possessing Conor. Now a war is waging inside and outside Belinda’s body and she quickly discovers what Mara has known for centuries:

Falling in love is as dangerous as exorcising evil spirits.

Set in a California beach town, Parallel Spirits is a different kind of paranormal romance about the power of love, water, and hope.

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This novel was completely unique and a hundred percent awesome!  I loved every minute of it, and the best part, in my opinion, was the creation of the spirit realm.  It’s such a cool idea, and I loved the immense detail Welti pays to the creation of this alternate world we cannot see.  Getting to know Mara’s previous identities, as well as those of some of the other characters we meet from the spirit realm, was interesting, and I love novels that captivate readers through the slow reveal of identities and motivations.  And this is exactly what Welti through her well-formed plotline.

Welti’s vast ability to create amazing characters also really helped make the book.  I completely fell in love with Belinda, Frankie, Conor, and Mara.  The idea of a spirit realm wreaking havoc on their lives highly intrigued me, and getting to see their intertwined romances play out was a lot of fun.

My favorite character, by far, though, was Frankie.  He’s come a very long way, and seeing his many changes throughout the novel was really neat.  He is a lover, a romancer, a surfer, a best friend… and I adore him.  Though there are some terrible things brought to light throughout the story, Frankie is a good soul, and he really made an impression on me, even though I wasn’t always on his side as I read.  Overall, the characterization and unique situation of carrier spirits make this a must read.  Five stars.

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

From Goodreads: Marinette (Nessy) is half vampire and half human. Fleeing her maker Hervidor, the strongest of their kind and the ruler of the underworld of vampires, Nessy longs to be able to live her life as she chooses. With vengeance in her heart for the coven Hervidor created, The Tellis Coven, she ventures into unknown parts of life that she has never seen or experienced.

Hervidor has kept Nessy locked away for centuries. His taunting and the tauntings of his coven have made Nessy stronger and capable of fleeing his grasp.

As she runs through the unknown woods with her thirst on high alert, she meets Charles and his coven. Their ways and teachings are shocking and exciting to Nessy, who learns to adapt so she can walk among humans during both day and night. Nessy quickly falls in love with Charles and they seal the bond that will link them together for eternity.

With the threat of Hervidor constantly at her heels, Nessy makes the final decision to stand and face him in the fight that will decide her fate. The Gulon and their own pack of cats become involved as Heracio (Hera), Nessy’s biological cousin, decides to impart to Nessy the many family traits she wasn’t aware of as a human. Nessy’s own self discovery becomes apparent as she too transforms into a Gulon creature. Nessy hands over the reins of the leadership back to Hera, the biggest and strongest of the Gulon. Long ago destined to become their leader, Hera claims the ownership is his by mutual right, mutual consent and adoration of his pack.

As Nessy tries to come to terms with the changes happening to and around her, she continues to slide on the path of love. Together, Charles, his coven, and Nessy make the final stand against Hervidor and the detested Tellis Coven in an effort to banish them from the earth. But can they succeed?

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I have to say that this novel just isn’t for me.  I struggled to get through it due to the storyline—I just wasn’t connecting with the characters as I read.  The plot itself seemed very brusque, as in, the character’s interactions with each other were more choppy than I like in my novels, and the amount of typos made it a bit difficult for me to read, as well.  The novel opens with Nessy running for her life, but she runs across another group of vampires and also her friends, the Gulon’s (cat-like creatures), causing her run from Hervidor to be suspended for the time being.  From there, the story unfolds, as the synopsis pretty much explains in detail, but the scenes seemed to morph from one to the next without much transitioning, and for me, that’s difficult to stomach, but, many great authors do this in their writing, so it obviously works for many readers.  But, due to the lack of fluid interactions and characterization, I personally, didn’t care for the novel. Two stars.

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

From Goodreads: The day I turned 16, my boyfriend-to-be died. I brought him back to life. Then things got a little weird…

Molly Bartolucci wants to blend in, date hottie Rick and keep her zombie-raising abilities on the down-low. Then the god Anubis chooses her to become a reaper—and she accidentally undoes the work of another reaper, Rath. Within days, she’s shipped off to the Nekyia Academy, an elite boarding school that trains the best necromancers in the world. And her personal reaping tutor? Rath.

Life at Nekyia has its plusses. Molly has her own personal ghoul, for one. Rick follows her there out of the blue, for another…except, there’s something a little off about him. When students at the academy start to die and Rath disappears, Molly starts to wonder if anything is as it seems. Only one thing is certain—-Molly’s got an undeadly knack for finding trouble…

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This was a very interesting novel, though similar to others I’ve read, such as Vampire Academy and Half Blood.  But even though the premise of all these novels seem to be on the same page, for me, it’s all about the execution of the story and the different types of characters involved in the plotline.  In Vampire Academy, it’s all about vampires, which was interesting, but a bit overdone, in my opinion.  In Half Blood, it’s all about demi-gods, which I loved, and with Undeadly, it’s all about necromancers, which is extremely interesting, and something I haven’t read too many books about.  I’ve been in love with the Death Series, by Tamara Rose Blodgett since those book first started coming out, and it really piqued my interest about necromancers.  And, since I enjoyed Half Blood so much, I really couldn’t wait to read Undeadly, since it deals with both a plotline I enjoy, and a group of characters I want to know more about.

Molly is a great character, though she struggles to accept her role in life as a pawn of Anubis’.  I can relate, I don’t think I would like learning that everything I even know was a lie, including my parentage, but even so, I also wouldn’t be making promises to gods when I have no idea what they’re asking of me.  So.  Molly seems a little naive.  I like her a lot, but her blindness to the truths around her, especially when it comes to the dead, makes her a bit daft, in my opinion.  But, love does make us blind, right?  It’s easy to critique others where we’re on the outside looking in, but in all honesty, if I was in Molly’s shoes, I might have done the same thing.  Who knows.

I like the idea of the evil in this novel.  Those who are “evil,” versus those who are “good,” made this really interesting because it was difficult to tell who was really on what side.  I had a good inkling throughout much of it, but my thoughts weren’t always spot on, which made for a fun read.  If you are looking for an intriguing novel full of necromancers, uncertainty, and a few harrowing experiences, check this novel out.  Three stars.

Harlequin Teen has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read a copy of this novel, via Netgalley.

From Goodreads: Ariel’s birthday weekend looks to be the event of the season, with a private concert by rock star Hudson Winters on the grounds of her family’s east coast estate, and all of Ariel’s elite prep school friends in attendance. The only person who’s dreading the party is Sera, Ariel’s former best friend, whose father is forcing her to go. Sera has been the school pariah since she betrayed Ariel, and she now avoids Ariel and their former friends. Thrown together, Ariel and Sera can agree on one thing: this could be one very long night.

They have no idea just how right they are.

Only moments after the concert begins and the lights go down, thugs open fire on parents and schoolmates alike, in a plot against Ariel’s father that quickly spins out of control. As the entire party is taken hostage, the girls are forced apart. Ariel escapes into the hidden tunnels in the family mansion, where she and Sera played as children. Only Sera, who forges an unlikely alliance with Hudson Winters, knows where her friend could be. As the industrial terrorist plot unravels and the death toll climbs, Ariel and Sera must recall the sisterhood that once sustained them as they try to save themselves and each other on the longest night of their lives.

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I loved this book!  It has just the right amount of mystery, intrigue, romance, and action… it’s right up my alley and I’d love to see it turned into a movie! Sera’s predicament is painful—her ex-best friend, Ariel, has skewered Sera’s reputation and yet Sera must still attend Ariel’s birthday party, a fate worse than death, or so it seems.  I can’t imagine being in Sera’s shoes, especially when the reader learns the trivial reason that Ariel defriended Sera in the first place. Teens can be so cruel, but even so, this is a true story of redemption.  I was glued to the pages from the very beginning; I laughed, and I certainly cried, and it was all well worth it.

Sera is a truly good character.  I kept waiting for the shoe to drop, to learn a deep dark secret about her past that would paint her in a different light, but it didn’t come.  She is epically good.  While some readers may find her esteemed character to be hard to believe, I actually found her refreshing and very lifelike.  It’s true I haven’t met very many truly good people, and I mean exceptionally good people who only want the best for others, always, but they do exist, and I have met a few, and, therefore, I can’t help but love Sera.

Hudson is very dreamy and down to earth, and I love that he’s not afraid to mix with everyone, even though he’s “popular.” He has a good soul, just like Sera, and I really enjoyed getting to know him, especially as he divulged his own secrets and stuck up for Sera and the others throughout the terrible hostage situation.  I’d like to meet a guy like him…

Overall, this is a phenomenal novel and I highly suggest lovers of suspense and romance should read this awesome novel. Five stars.

Merit Press has been extremely gracios in allowing me to read a copy of this novel, via Netgalley.