Jack Seth | Books: The Cheapest Vacation You Can Buy

{December 24, 2013} {Review} Dead Lost by Tim O’Rourke (Kiera Hudson Series Two #8)

From Goodreads: Confronted by the photographer, Potter reluctantly gets caught up in delivering photographs and letters that could either destroy the pushed world or make the wolves stronger.

After Jack Seth pushes the lever, Isidor sets off in search of Melody Rose. His journey takes him back to Lake Lure where a series of child murders have been taking place. The murders are believed to have been committed by a winged creature, making Isidor the prime suspect.

While both Potter and Isidor hope the journeys they’re taking will push the world back to how it once was, neither of them can truly understand why cracks are forming in the ground…and in the sky above them.

______________________________________________________________

I’ve waited so very long to know who the photographer is, and I finally have my answer. And of course, I never ever would have guessed it is who it is. Once again, O’Rourke has floored me and left me speechless with his amazing plot twists and I am in awe of his sheer writing genius.

With the revelation in book seven, Dead Push, that time travel is possible, readers will be delighted to see just how this time change has been working out for our heroes Potter and Isidor, especially as the truth behind Kayla and Sam’s disappearance in book five, Dead Wolf, finally comes to light. Heroes on their way to change the world, or pawns unknowingly doing the bidding of their mortal enemy? The truth awaits those who dare to be consumed by the awesomeness that is Dead Lost.
And I can’t say much more than that without giving away any of the secrets within this novel.

Dead Lost is the eighth in this second Kiera Hudson series, and at this point, it really cannot be read without having read all the others. O’Rourke creates such an intricate web, and the idea of the pushed world, especially with the revelation of the photographer, has become so much more complicated that readers jumping in at this point without an anchor in the texts would be dually lost. And that’s one of the many reasons why I love this set of series so much. O’Rourke has made me fall in love with every single character, both the good and the bad, through extensive characterization and world building—they have become a wonderful part of my life. The ideas are so creative and well written that I have been engrossed in every single novel in the series and I am always on pins and needles waiting for the next as these characters continually evolve and change. The amazing Kiera Hudson series, both one and two, are definitely not to be missed, and I highly suggest you start from the beginning if you’ve not already done so—Vampire Shift, the book that started it all, is FREE on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Scoop it up, because by the time you’re done you’ll be hooked, and it won’t take you long to read through them all and make your way to this phenomenal novel, Dead Lost. Five stars.

I purchased this novel from Amazon.

Amazon

For MORE books by Tim O’Rourke:

Kiera Hudson Series 1

Vampire Shift (#1)

Vampire Wake (#2)

Vampire Hunt (#3)

Vampire Breed (#4)

Wolf House (#4.5)

Vampire Hollows (#5)

Kiera Hudson Series 2

Dead Flesh (#1)

Dead Night: Potter’s Secrets (#1.5)

Dead Angels (#2)

Dead Statues (#3)

Dead Seth (#4)

Dead Wolf (#5)

Dead Water (#6)

Dead Push (#7)

Dead Lost (#8)

Dead End (#9) Coming Soon

(Formerly known as Cowgirls and Vampires)

Doorways Series

Doorways (#1)

The League of Doorways (#2)

Stilts Series

Stilts (#1)

Flashes Series

Flashes (#1)–Coming 2013

Pick Series

Pick (#1)–Coming Soon

{November 1, 2013} {Review} Hollow Pit by Tim O’Rourke (The Jack Seth Novellas #1)

From Goodreads: When Jack Seth and his younger brother, Nik, find themselves pushed into a new world, they both plan to lead very different lives to the ones they had left behind. On the outermost edge of a vast and desolate wasteland, they come across a town called Hollow Pit. It is surrounded by a mountainous wall of junk and the brothers wonder who or what the people of Hollow Pit are trying to keep out.

But struggling with their own very real demons, will Jack and Nik be able to keep out of trouble long enough not to reawaken the monsters lurking within them?

“Hollow Pit” is the first Jack Seth spinoff story from the bestselling Kiera Hudson Series.

*This is a New Adult book for 17 years plus due to sexual situations*

__________________________________________________________

For those of you who read my blog on a regular basis, you know that I’m in love with all things Tim O’Rourke. This fabulous author hasn’t written one novel I haven’t liked, and his fast turn around time when writing novels provides me with little wait time between stories, which I vastly appreciate (and am in awe of) as I just can’t get enough. O’Rourke has written over 20 books in the past two years, and though they range in genre from vampires, werewolves, and robots to psychotic killers, sexy police detectives, and paranormal observers, perhaps my favorite series to date are his two Kiera Hudson series. And now, O’Rourke has given readers an early Christmas present in the form of a new spin off series from the beloved Kiera Hudson series: The Jack Seth Novellas.

If you’ve read Kiera Hudson Series One, you know who Jack Seth is. And if you’ve read Kiera Hudson Series Two, then you have an even better handle on the many nuances that make up this extremely complex character who has, until recently, been slated as evil incarnate. But, what about those of you who haven’t read the series at all? Well, you could start here, with this first novella in the Jack Seth Novella Series, as Jack Seth attempts to turn his life around in this pushed world that is so different from the one he left behind (pushed basically means that the characters are in a parallel world where a different version of their self resides, alongside different versions of all their friends and enemies, and some elements are out of place, such as different rulers, new dangers, etc.). As it’s a new world that mirrors our own and those that Jack resided in prior to the push, I think this is a great introduction to Jack Seth and his brother Nik, and it will definitely leave you wanting to know more about the worlds they came from and what happened to them prior to their existence in this parallel world.

I was once again pleasantly surprised by the twist ending, which I never saw coming, as I never do, and I think this will leave many readers yearning for more. It did me, at least, and as O’Rourke is a master storyteller, I am sure that many readers will feel the same upon finishing this novella. Five stars.

I purchased this novella from Amazon.

{August 7, 2013} {Review} Dead Push by Tim O’Rouke (Kiera Hudson Series Two #7)

From Goodreads: When two enemies push back together!

“…Most of them just sit as if waiting for someone to join them on their impending journey. Others are rushing for their train as if late for some important meeting. They can’t wait to board one of those trains below ground. When I first discovered this place, I don’t know how long I sat here watching the dead hustle and bustle about, queue at the ticket office and take drinks from the vending machines. Like any new place you visit, like your first day at a new school or in a new job, you soon figure out how things work. I knew I was dead…”

______________________________________________

Tim O’Rourke’s pushed world in the Kiera Hudson Series Two novels just got even cooler with the revelation that turning back time is possible. Similar to the concept of Hermoine Granger’s Time-Turner in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the characters in O’Rourke’s novel discover that, in this pushed world, they can turn back time and review events, a task Potter and Jack Seth must complete in order to help push the world back into its right alignment.

Think about it. How cool would it be to turn back time and witness events as they happen as an outsider? I’d love that, though the pull of wanting to change events and to interfere would be unbearable, as Potter and Jack Seth soon find out. Together, these two enemies must overcome their hatred for one another in order to save a common love: Kiera.

This time, readers get to see both sides of the story, viewing the events leading up to Isidor, Melody, and Kiera’s deaths in the pushed world, and new information has come to light; information that will floor you. As always, O’Rourke surprised me at every turn, and as events came to their climax, I was bowled over by the revelations thrown at me concerning Kiera, Isidor, and Jack Seth.

Jack Seth’s inner monologue is absolutely hilarious in this novel. As he works through his sinister feelings, leaping into the past and watching for the photographer, his musings about Isidor and Melody Rose had me snickering to myself as I read. His pet names and thoughts about their actions were quite funny, especially as readers of this series have heard this story before, from a much more serious standpoint in Dead Angels. However, seeing it through an observer’s eyes, obtaining both sides of the picture added a new twist to the story and it is beautifully done, especially as it forces Jack Seth to take a long hard look at his inner soul. And what he finds and chooses to do will surprise you.

Potter, ever the snarky mouth-off, finds himself leaping into the past to watch for the photographer at Kiera’s house, however, he soon finds himself battling against his feelings for Kiera—not his Kiera, might I add, but the pushed version; the version destined to die in a robbery shootout. Potter’s thoughts and feelings, and ultimately his actions reveal much about himself and the pushed world, and it is through him that we learn even more concerning the Wolf Man and his seemingly “all-knowing” intentions.

So much is revealed in this novel about the pushed world, the elders, and even the wolves—it’s an intense read told from alternating perspectives of Potter and Jack Seth, and I absolutely adored it. Of course, there is a major cliffhanger at the end, but, with Tim O’Rourke’s writing expertise, it won’t be long before we have the next installment, Dead Lost. Five stars.

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

For MORE books by Tim O’Rourke:

Kiera Hudson Series 1

Vampire Shift (#1)

Vampire Wake (#2)

Vampire Hunt (#3)

Vampire Breed (#4)

Wolf House (#4.5)

Vampire Hollows (#5)

Kiera Hudson Series 2

Dead Flesh (#1)

Dead Night: Potter’s Secrets (#1.5)

Dead Angels (#2)

Dead Statues (#3)

Dead Seth (#4)

Dead Wolf (#5)

Dead Water (#6)

Dead Push (#7)

Vampire Shift Graphic Novels

Vampire Shift Volume 1

Black Hill Farm Series

Black Hill Farm (#1)

Black Hill Farm Andy’s Diary (#2)

The Moon Trilogy

Moonlight (#1)

Moonbeam (#2)

Samantha Carter Series

Vampire Seeker (#1)

(Formerly known as Cowgirls and Vampires)

Doorways Series

Doorways (#1)

The League of Doorways (#2)

Flashes Series

Flashes (#1)–Coming 2013

Pick Series

Pick (#1)–Coming Soon

{November 5, 2011} {Review} Vampire Hunt by Tim O’Rourke (Kiera Hudson Series One, #3)

From Goodreads: In search of Kayla and on the run, Kiera and her friends make a race against time across the Cumbria Mountains. With the vampires predicting their every move, the trust amongst Kiera and her friends starts to fade.

From the desolate monastery set high between the mountains to the mysterious lake and the caves beneath the fountain, Kiera must discover the connection between the vampires and her mother, Isidor and Kayla, and resolve her inner feelings for Potter and Luke.

Kiera herself has started to change and this frightens her. So turning to her friends for help, she realises that it is only her mother who can provide the truth. But Kiera has other questions that she needs to have answered. Why did Isidor murder an innocent girl? Who is the person that Murphy has been meeting in secret? But above all, why have they put their lives and trust in the hands of a serial killer?

__________________________________________________

I don’t know how it is possible to write a series and have each new book always be better than the last, but that is exactly what O’Rourke is doing with his Kiera Hudson novels. These novels, Vampire Shift, Vampire Wake, and now Vampire Hunt, have been an extremely riveting rollercoaster ride, each novel taking the reader further into the story and creating more action and suspense. It seems so unfeasible to be able to create such mind-blowing texts, yet O’Rourke obviously possesses the gift of storytelling, and this dark vampire novel cranks up the action tenfold as Kiera and her friends run for their lives. Vampire Hunt picks up right where the second novel, Vampire Wake, left off, jumping directly into the action, with cars and helicopters blowing up, vampires taking on vampyrus and, overall, trust being shaken among Kiera and her friends.

This novel deals more intently with a love triangle than the previous novels did, and something that I absolutely love about O’Rourke is that he keeps his novels clean. While Kiera harbors feelings for both Luke and Potter, none of the scenes are racy or inappropriate, which is rare to find in both YA and adult novels in this day and age. I really enjoyed O’Rourke’s portrayal of this love triangle and, though I do hate to say it, I am starting to lean a little more towards Potter, whereas in the previous novels, I haven’t even given him a second thought! The fact that O’Rourke has been able to cause me to swing sides is a testament to his sheer writing abilities, and I am stunned.

I especially enjoyed watching Kiera begin her shift and, though we don’t have all the answers yet, O’Rourke has set the scene for a pretty intense plotline in the near future. The ending of this novel left me breathless, and I am extremely excited to read the next installment–I’ve now read the first three books in the series for a second time, and my thoughts remain the same: 5 amazing stars!! So if you haven’t yet begun this series, I highly suggest you do. It’s an amazing tale and you really won’t be disappointed. Five stars!!

I received this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review and have read it twice.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________