Review: The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade

Title: The Ghost and the Goth
Series: The Ghost and the Goth #1
Author: Stacey Kade
Format: Paperback, 281 pages
Pub. Date: May 10th 2011
Source: Little Library


Book Description:

Alona Dare–Senior in high school, co-captain of the cheerleading squad, Homecoming Queen three years in a row, voted most likely to marry a movie star…and newly dead.

I’m the girl you hated in high school. Is it my fault I was born with it all-good looks, silky blond hair, a hot bod, and a keen sense of what everyone else should not be wearing? But my life isn’t perfect, especially since I died. Run over by a bus of band geeks—is there anything more humiliating? As it turns out, yes—watching your boyfriend and friends move on with life, only days after your funeral. And you wouldn’t believe what they’re saying about me now that they think I can’t hear them. To top it off, I’m starting to disappear, flickering in and out of existence. I don’t know where I go when I’m gone, but it’s not good. Where is that freaking white light already?

Will Killian–Senior in high school, outcast, dubbed “Will Kill” by the popular crowd for the unearthly aura around him, voted most likely to rob a bank…and a ghost-talker.

I can see, hear, and touch the dead. Unfortunately, they can also see, hear and touch me. Yeah, because surviving high school isn’t hard enough already. I’ve done my best to hide my “gift.” After all, my dad, who shared my ability, killed himself because of it when I was fifteen. But lately, pretending to be normal has gotten a lot harder. A new ghost—an anonymous, seething cloud of negative energy with the capacity to throw me around—is pursuing me with a vengeance. My mom, who knows nothing about what I can do, is worrying about the increase in odd incidents, my shrink is tossing around terms like “temporary confinement for psychiatric evaluation,” and my principal, who thinks I’m a disruption and a faker, is searching for every way possible to get rid of me. How many weeks until graduation?

Review:

★★★

Well, I more or less got what I expected based off of the cover and the back blurb. This book is a fast read that's pretty predictable and not all that deep, so there's not too much to think about, nor is it something I'm particularly going to remember a week from now.

Alona Dare (yes, that is her name) is the wooooorst. She's shallow. Like, insanely shallow, and judgmental. Girls who kiss a guy must be whores and sluts. Every straight guy wants her, and she doesn't think every lesbian in the school wants her, she knows it. She calls Will a goth (uh, not even remotely?), a psychopath (cool insult bruh), and more than anything else, a freak. Wanna know what her supporting evidence is for him being a freak? He wears a hoodie. With the hood up, inside. Are you not clutching your pearls yet? Well get this. He also wears headphones. A teenager with headphones! Burn the freak! It's also super gross that she's friends with a guy that in her own word grooms young girls to sleep with him before he leaves them. Popular or not, it's super skeezy.

Now, I understand I'm supposed to not like her. This book is, at its core, a reverse "It's a Wonderful Life" where Alona gets to see how much better off everyone is when her rude, shallow ass is dead. Then she changes for the better for a better afterlife. Or she's supposed to. I didn't think she really changed that much. She might be nicer to Will but she's still insulting and rude, even as she's helping people. I expected a better arc for her and I was left disappointed.

Will Killian (yes, his name is Will Kill) is the most likable character in this book and is its saving grace. He's empathetic and a little brooding and mysterious. He has a whole web of secrets and masks to wear and it was admittedly interesting to see where his arc goes. His ability to hear and see ghosts, dealing with his father's suicide and the hospitalization of a friend, a doctor who might not have his mental health in mind after all, tangled with the weird and new feelings he has for the very dead cheerleader. There's a lot to unpack there and I think Kade did a pretty good job with this character. I get why Alona got attached to him.

As much as I have issues with this book, I actually liked the romance element. I liked that Alona and Will learned from each other. Alona gave Will some confidence and helped him get out of some trouble. Alona learned to be a little bit nicer and that her bullying actions did in fact have consequences. I liked seeing them warm up to one another and despite my overall "ugh" feeling of this book, I was rooting for them.

And then there's Joonie. Joonie is Will's one Goth friend. She is written as so unbelievably over the top as a "Goth" that it seems to be the only descriptors given to her. She doesn't really have personality, only traits that seem to be copied and pasted from a Wiki article about "Gothic Subculture". All I could picture in my head was Henrietta from South Park, which made all of her scenes hilarious for reasons I guarantee the author did not intend.

Like a lot of other contemporary set books, this one has a lot of pop culture references that really date this book. She makes references to Johnny Knoxville's (seven Razzie award nominated) version of The Dukes of Hazzard. She watches Joonie go to a MySpace page. There's just a LOT of oughts imagery here that I guess now works as a past setting, but since I was a teen in those years brings back definitely un-contemporary flashbacks of nostalgia.

I have to admit, the author does have my attention. I'd read the second book in this series if it came into my possession, though I won't be seeking it out. I'm just intrigued enough with where the Will/Alona romance is going. But, I don't really recommend this book. If you're into cheerleaders getting hit by a bus or fluffy books that don't take any brain power to get through, maybe you'll like it more than I did.

Review: The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black

Title: The Darkest Part of the Forest
Author: Holly Black
Format: Hardcover, 328 pages
Pub. Date: February 5th 2015
Source: Xpresso Reads


Book Description:

Tell the truth. Or face the consequences.

Near the little town of Fairfold, in the darkest part of the forest, lies a glass casket. Inside the casket lies a sleeping faerie prince that none can rouse. He's the most fascinating thing Hazel and her brother Ben have ever seen. They dream of waking him - but what happens when dreams come true? In the darkest part of the forest, you must be careful what you wish for...

Review:

★★★

My girlfriend picked this book for me to read. I warned her that I have never read a fairy book that I loved. I was hopeful that this would be the one that broke my streak... But unfortunately, it follows the same pattern. That's not to say this book was bad. It wasn't. But when I closed the book, having finished it, the only thought I had was, "huh." And then I reshelved it and picked up something else to read almost immediately. It's maybe worth nothing (since I know she's a bestseller and lots of folks love her) I had never read a Holly Black book prior to this one.

Conceptually, I absolutely adored this book. The idea of the horned boy in the coffin in the forest is captivating. I love the idea of a contemporary town where weird things happen and everyone in town knows that "ah yes, must be the forest folk." I loved the idea of a strong female character, a knight no less! I appreciated that so much of the book focused on the sibling pair of Hazel and Ben, and I appreciated the LGBT representation of Ben falling in love with Severin.

I also love the cover, though I know that has nothing to do with the story. And, I'll admit, after doing some Googling this book has some absolutely gorgeous fan art that I love.

So much of the writing was well done. Descriptive, flowery, detailed. Things that I look for in a fantasy novel.

But.... I was so bored through so much of it. And it hurts me to say that, because I wanted to love this book. Hazel was pretty unlikable to me. She was forever kissing people for no real plot. I felt like the kid in Princess Bride. She was very tell and not show. She didn't do anything that angered me and I don't think she's the worst. I just didn't find her particularly interesting- and that's saying something when she's living a double life as an Elfen knight!

It felt sort of fragmented. Not hard to follow, but more patched together in an odd way. It's mostly Hazel's perspective, but every once in a while another character gets a chapter, but with no regularity or pattern. They mention how their parents are artists, and how they weren't super great at being parents. But then there's a mention that they were downright neglectful, and there's no real expansion or closure about it. Thing just sort of get mentioned now and then when convenient.

The bad guy comes off almost as a cartoon villain. The sort of bad guy who announces his betrayals and master plans and then is shocked (insert Pikachu face) when the plan is thwarted. Don't worry though, Mystery Inc gets to the baddie before too much damage is done. Then there's the name.... The monster that is sad is named Sorrow. The name of one of the bad guy's assistants is Grim.

There was so much potential in this book, and there were plenty things about it that I liked... Ultimately, it just wasn't for me. If you're a fan of Holly Black's, of fairy related stories, or strong female leads. This may be a book that you enjoy more than I did- it seems that plenty of other people absolutely adored it. I hope that's the case for you too.

Review: Bloodsucking Fiends by Christopher Moore

Title: Bloodsucking Fiends
Series: A Love Story #1
Author: Christopher Moore
Format: Paperback, 300 pages
Pub. Date: June 1st 2004
Source: Goodwill


Book Description:

Jody never asked to become a vampire. But when she wakes up under an alley dumpster with a badly burned arm, an aching neck, superhuman strength, and a distinctly Nosferatuan thirst, she realizes the decision has been made for her.

Making the transition from the nine-to-five grind to an eternity of nocturnal prowlings is going to take some doing, however, and that's where C. Thomas Flood fits in. A would-be Kerouac from Incontinence, Indiana, Tommy (to his friends) is biding his time night-clerking and frozen-turkey bowling in a San Francisco Safeway. But all that changes when a beautiful undead redhead walks through the door ... and proceeds to rock Tommy's life -- and afterlife -- in ways he never imagined possible.

Review:

★★★★★

This isn't the first book by Christopher Moore that I've enjoyed, and I got exactly what I expected out of Bloodsucking Fiends: something irreverent, hilarious, quirky, and somehow immature in a mature way. This book helped me get out of a reading rut, and for that I am grateful.

One thing that I absolutely adored about this book was all the characters. They're all distinct, so even though there's quite a big and colorful cast of characters, I was never confused or left wondering who was who. The lead character, Jody, was my kind of person. A little bit of an ass kicker, a little bit bossy, but a little bit afraid and vulnerable. I was rooting for her. And then there's her minion of sorts Tommy, who was such a boy but in the best way. She's trying to figure out the meaning of her new life as a vampire, and all he can think about is sex and how cool it would be if she could turn into a bat. It sounded pretty realistic, as far as imaginary conversations about vampirism go. All of his co-workers are quirky, one is a liar, one is a holy man, one is a lady's man, one homeless man has the respect of the entire city. They get into all sorts of shenanigans at the night shift at the grocery store, and even those scenes are pretty funny, despite not having much to do with the main plot. I appreciated that the smaller arcs and storylines got their due.

The way that Moore wrote his vampires was interesting too. Everyone knows that every author who writes about vampires will have their own version of what "vampire" means or will put some twist on what their characters can do (like sparkles, regrettably). Moore's version was pretty standard. They can die, but also it's not that easy for them too, they can see auras around people and have heightened senses. What I liked about how vampires are treated in this book is that Jody and Tommy have no freakin' idea what's going on. They check out all the books that they can find about vampires and make a check list to see what she can and can't do when compared to other vampires (can't: turn into a bat, can: survive being locked in a freezer).

One thing that was a little bothersome for me was the assumed familiarity with San Francisco. I've never been there, I've no idea what most of the buildings or neighborhoods there are called, and apart from a few that everyone knows (the bridge, Chinatown, the house from Full House, you know the important stuff), I've got nothin'. Sometimes I had to double check some things with a quick google to get a sense of what they were talking about, like the Pyramid.

I recommend this to fans of Moore's other works, to people who want a vampire book that isn't about two teenagers in forbidden romance, and people who can appreciate jokes on topics like murder and necrophilia. If that sort of comedy isn't for you, than neither is this book. I look forward to reading the next book in this series to see what misadventures Tommy and Jody get into.

Mini Review: Passion Ignites by Donna Grant

Title: Passion Ignites
Series: Dark Kings #7
Author: Donna Grant
Format: Paperback ARC
Pub. Date: November 3rd 2015
Source: Goodreads


Book Description:

He consumed her with that kiss, leaving no question that whatever was happening between them was meant to be—that it had always been meant to be…

HE LOVES FOR ETERNITY

Thorn is the bad boy of the Dragon Kings, a gorgeous, reckless warrior whose passions run wild and fury knows no bounds. When he sees the brave, beautiful Lexi being lured into the Dark Fae’s trap, he has no choice but to rescue her from a fate worse than death. But by saving this tempting mortal, he exposes himself to his fiercest enemy—and darkest desires. As the war between Dragons and Fae heats up, so does the passion between Lexi and Thorn. And when love is a battlefield, the heart takes no prisoners…

SHE LIVES FOR VENGEANCE

Lexi is on a mission of justice. Every day, she searches for the monster who murdered her friend. Every night, she hides in the shadows and plots her revenge. But the man she seeks is more dangerous than she ever imagined. He is one of the Dark Fae who preys on human life, who uses his unearthly power to seduce the innocent, and who is setting a trap just for her. Nothing can save Lexi from a creature like this—except the one man who’s been watching her every move…

Review:

★★★

I got this book because I was told I didn't have to read them in order. While I might not have to read them in order, I feel like I definitely would have benefited from reading the other books.

The story was fine, but I never really grew to care for any of the characters. I think this is just a case of me not being the right audience. Fans of this series seem to really like it!

There was a lot of relationships and references to the past that were lost on me, so even when I was invested in parts of the story, I felt like I was missing something.

I'd read the series from the beginning though. There's good romance scenes, strong female characters, and sexy dragons. I love everything about all of that. I'll come back to this one, and hopefully appreciate it more.

I received a copy of this book from Goodreads First Reads in exchange for my honest review. Thank you.

Blog Tour Review & Giveaway: Between the Blade and the Heart by Amanda Hocking!

Title: Between the Blade and the Heart

Series: Valkyrie #1

Author: Amanda Hocking

Pub. Date: January 2, 2018

About the Book:

When the fate of the world is at stake
Loyalties will be tested

Game of Thrones meets Blade Runner in this commanding new YA fantasy inspired by Norse Mythology from New York Times bestselling author Amanda Hocking.

As one of Odin's Valkyries, Malin's greatest responsibility is to slay immortals and return them to the underworld. But when she unearths a secret that could unravel the balance of all she knows, Malin along with her best friend and her ex-girlfriend must decide where their loyalties lie. And if helping the blue-eyed boy Asher enact his revenge is worth the risk—to the world and her heart.

Get It Here:

BAM | Powells | IndieBound | Amazon | B&N

About the Author:

Amanda Hocking is the author of over twenty young adult novels, including the New York Times bestselling Trylle Trilogy and Kanin Chronicles. Her love of pop culture and all things paranormal influence her writing. She spends her time in Minnesota, taking care of her menagerie of pets and working on her next book.

Blog | Website | Twitter | Facebook

Review:

★★★★

I was beyond excited to get the chance to read this book. Amanda Hocking's book, Switched, was one of the very first books that I ever reviewed. It's cool to me that I still get to read her work, some five-ish years later. In addition to liking Hocking's work previously, I was also drawn in by the promise of Norse mythology. I wasn't left disappointed.

I really liked the characters in this book. Even the ones that I wasn't cheering for, I appreciated their development and had opinions on them. In particular, I really liked the relationship between Malin and her mother. It was complicated and frustrating, loving and hateful. In my opinion, there's not a lot of books that (successfully) portray how you can resent a parent but still feel love and warmth from them. I felt it was well done here. I liked her best friend, Oona, who is a crafty (pun absolutely intended) sorceress. And, I liked Quinn, the Valkyrie ex-girlfriend.

Which brings me to something else that I really liked: Malin's bisexuality is represented without it being the point of the plot/book. She just is and it has almost nothing to do with the book's outcome, save for a tiny bit of a love triangle type dilemma. It's not a big deal. It's never explained or explicitly stated. And in that same vein, I appreciated that neither love interest was a "first". There's no moony-eyed dilemma of having feelings for a girl for the first time. She point blank says hey, I've dated boys and girls before. And to me that's almost as bad ass as the whole sword-wielding contracted immortal killer thing.

Which, I also loved about her. I loved that there was never a moment where she's thinking poor me, I'm so average, whatever will I do? She is talented, albeit flawed, and confident and I appreciated it.

The world building was cool, but a bit confusing at times. The beings and gods and whatnot are timeless, so it has an old vibe to it. But then they're talking about technologies like eye scanners that are contemporary. But then there are some devices that certainly don't exist in our day and age, so it's also kind of futuristic. It's cool, but I wish it was flushed out a little more.

Similarly, I absolutely adore the fact that there are so many types of creatures and myths at play here; it's far more than just Norse. There's Lamia and demi-gods, and beings I had never even heard of. On the one hand, learning about all these creatures was super cool... But on the other hand, it's overwhelming because not all of them are explained. A lot of these words/beings are from mythos I know nothing about. I had to look up quite a few, because only some of them are explained or elaborated upon. It was a bit frustrating.

I think this book is like a Percy Jackson if it grew up and got a little more intense and steamy. There's profanity. There's sex. There's drinking. There's decapitating spider-women. But it's all balanced and not there for the sake of being there.

If you're a fan of young adult mythology or strong female characters, I'd recommend checking this book out. There's a mild cliff hanger and a slight love triangle situation, but neither really bothered me in this case. I read this book in one sitting despite my few grievances, and I'll definitely want to read the next book in the series.

Giveaway:

- One (1) winner will receive a finished paperback copy of BETWEEN THE BLADE AND THE HEART, U.S. entries only.

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HALLOWEEN COUNTDOWN REVIEW: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by April Genevieve Tucholke

Title: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
Series: Between #1
Author: April Genevieve Tucholke
Format: Hardcover, 360 pages
Pub. Date: August 15th 2013
Source: Purchased, HPB


Book Description:

You stop fearing the devil when you’re holding his hand…

Nothing much exciting rolls through Violet White’s sleepy, seaside town… until River West comes along. River rents the guest house behind Violet’s crumbling estate, and as eerie, grim things start to happen, Violet begins to wonder about the boy living in her backyard.

Is River just a crooked-smiling liar with pretty eyes and a mysterious past? Or could he be something more?

Violet’s grandmother always warned her about the Devil, but she never said he could be a dark-haired boy who takes naps in the sun, who likes coffee, who kisses you in a cemetery... who makes you want to kiss back.

Violet’s already so knee-deep in love, she can’t see straight. And that’s just how River likes it.

Blending faded decadence and the thrilling dread of gothic horror, April Genevieve Tucholke weaves a dreamy, twisting contemporary romance, as gorgeously told as it is terrifying—a debut to watch.

Review:

★★

Oh goodness. What did I just read?

I was super excited to finally get this book. I remember when it first came out and people were losing their minds for it. I was drawn in by the hype, not to mention the super intriguing title and the pretty cover. I shouldn't have judged it by that.

I could rant about this book for hours, but instead I'm opting to take the short, sweet high road version.

I'll start with the positives first, because there are some positives. The writing is absolutely beautiful. The author does a fantastic job in describing the setting and the characters. The writing is slow at times, in a style reminiscent of southern gothic novels. It's lyrical and haunting, and more than once I found myself internally complimenting a passage.

But that's all I've got.

Some of the reasons why I didn't enjoy this book include: instalove, adults that don't seem to know/care what's going on ever, terrible side characters (the awful brother, the "slutty" neighbor), and lots of questionable decisions by everyone involved.

A pet peeve (that's admittedly nitpicking) is that they refer to each other as brother and sister. Is this a regional thing? I've literally never called my sister "sister" in conversation.

The end was super disappointing too. The bad guy (maybe?) turns into a Batman/Scooby-Doo villain and reveals his whole origin story and plan. There's a lot of threads left untied at the end, and it ends in a cliffhanger. Unfortunately, I wasn't interested enough in the characters to pick up the second one any time soon.

There's a lot of people who really liked this book, so maybe it's just a case of "it's not you, it's me". If you like instant romance, paranormal powers, and gothic writing, maybe you'll have better luck with this than me.

HALLOWEEN COUNTDOWN! Mini College Review: Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler

Title: Fledgling
Author: Octavia E. Butler
Format: Paperback, 320 pages
Pub. Date: January 2nd 2007
Source: SIU Bookstore


Book Description:

Fledgling, Octavia Butler's new novel after a seven year break, is the story of an apparently young, amnesiac girl whose alarmingly inhuman needs and abilities lead her to a startling conclusion: She is in fact a genetically modified, 53-year-old vampire. Forced to discover what she can about her stolen former life, she must at the same time learn who wanted - and still wants - to destroy her and those she cares for and how she can save herself. Fledgling is a captivating novel that tests the limits of "otherness" and questions what it means to be truly human.

Review:

★★★

I'd like to preface this review by saying that apparently I'm the one person who hasn't read Butler's book, Kindred so I have no prior experience with this author's writing.

Moving on, this is a book that I had to read in my vampire literature course in college. I had really hopes for it. Theoretically, it's everything I love. Vampires? Good. Science fiction? Good. These two things blended together in Fledgling ? Meh. I didn't feel it.

It's kind of dull. When I think of the word vampire, I think "intensity". Whether it's a horror plot, or a love plot, vampire novels tend to be heavy-handed more than lacking when it comes to plot and characters. I thought for sure this book would be intense, because twisting together science-fiction "how did I get like this" type plot lines with the vampire mythos sounds like a fantastic time. But instead the writing is dry, uninspired.

It's also creepy. Not in the vampiric respect so much as the main character, who has the personality/mind of an adult, is in the body of like a ten year old girl. Sex and romantic interest are involved, and it's creepy. I understand that the mind is not young, but when you're playing this book in the movie theater of your brain while you're reading, it's a little girl doing very not little things with a grown man. Which... I'm not exactly sure how I feel about it. On the one hand, ew. On the other hand, vampirism is supposed to be kind of gross, and this is just sort of a twist on the same creepy factor vamps give off. Maybe it's a wash.

Despite my lack of enjoyment in this story, our class was able to cultivate a lot of good discussions from the issues presented in this writing, on topics like what it means to be submissive, sexism, racism, as well as a bunch of comparisons to the other vampire books we read in this course (which included Dracula and Carmilla). There's a lot of good themes that are in here... I just wish it was more interesting so that I wanted to dig deeper into the text.

It's an okay book. I'm glad it's just one and not a series. If you're looking for a tame read with creepy and science fiction undertones, go for it, but I want a little more *pop* in my vampire books.

Blog Tour Review & Giveaway: Freeks by Amanda Hocking!

Title: Freeks

Author: Amanda Hocking

Release date: January 3rd 2017

Summary:

Welcome to Gideon Davorin’s Traveling Sideshow, where necromancy, magical visions, and pyrokinesis are more than just part of the act…

Mara has always longed for a normal life in a normal town where no one has the ability to levitate or predict the future. Instead, she roams from place to place, cleaning the tiger cage while her friends perform supernatural feats every night.

When the struggling sideshow is miraculously offered the money they need if they set up camp in Caudry, Louisiana, Mara meets local-boy Gabe…and a normal life has never been more appealing.

But before long, performers begin disappearing and bodies are found mauled by an invisible beast. Mara realizes that there’s a sinister presence lurking in the town with its sights set on getting rid of the sideshow freeks. In order to unravel the truth before the attacker kills everyone Mara holds dear, she has seven days to take control of a power she didn’t know she was capable of—one that could change her future forever.

Bestselling author Amanda Hocking draws readers inside the dark and mysterious world of Freeks.

Review:

★★★★

I was so excited to get a chance to read this book, thanks to St. Martin's Press. I've read Amanda Hocking's work before, and loved it. I'm happy to say that Freeks didn't disappoint!

One reason that I really enjoyed this book is because the plot centers around a sideshow. One way to ensure that I read a book is to make it feature a side show, carnival, or circus. I have no idea why, but it's one of my absolute favorite settings to have for a novel. Naturally, this is what lured me into reading Freeks. I wish there would have been a little more focus on the actual traveling show, but that's nitpicking a bit.

It's also pretty dark and creepy, which is a huge plus. Hocking is great at getting that unsettling undertone into her writing, so that you're not exactly sure where the twists of the story will take you, but you know you should brace yourself for when it happens. Hocking also demonstrates her writing skills when it comes to the depth of her characters. They're the ones who sell this book, and by the end of the adventure you'll definitely have some feelings and connections to Mara and Gabe.

Speaking of Mara and Gabe, this book also features a romance. This was a little shaky for me. It wasn't bad, necessarily. I actually can't really explain why the romance didn't work perfectly for me. The timing seemed off somehow. It's okay, but there were some spots in their story where I was left raising a brow.

All in all, I am not sorry that I read Freeks. It is a paranormal young adult romance set in the 1980s that has the dark, southern charm of Louisiana mixed with a traveling side show and a super cool cast of characters. It's like Cirque du Freak grew up into a teen and got itself a boyfriend. If you like supernatural talents, mysteries, romance, or circuses and freak shows, I recommend Freeks for sure.

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Get it Here:

Amazon | Macmillan | BN | BAM

Find the Author:

Goodreads | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Blog | Pinterest

Giveaway:

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, who offered up one hardcover copy of Freeks for a US reader!

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Blog Tour Review & Giveaway: The Disappearance of Emily H. by Barrie Summy!

Title: The Disappearance of Emily H

Author: Barrie Summy

Release date: 5/12//15

Publisher: Delacorte Books For Young Readers

Summary from Goodreads:

A girl who can see the past tries to save the future in this compelling tween mystery.

A girl is missing. Three girls are lying. One girl can get to the truth.

Emily Huvar vanished without a trace. And the clues are right beneath Raine’s fingertips. Literally. Raine isn’t like other eighth graders. One touch of a glittering sparkle that only Raine can see, and she’s swept into a memory from the past. If she touches enough sparkles, she can piece together what happened to Emily.

When Raine realizes that the cliquey group of girls making her life miserable know more than they’re letting on about Emily’s disappearance, she has to do something. She’ll use her supernatural gift for good . . . to fight evil.

But is it too late to save Emily?

Review:

★★★

I'll admit it to you here, the reasons why I picked this book up are more personal than anything. My girlfriend's name is in fact Emily H. I took it as a sign to read this one. In short, it's a cute, quick read that I think younger audiences than me would appreciate more.

One of the big things that this book has going for it is the blending of realistic fiction and fantasy. It's really detailed and well-written as a realistic fiction. That is, there's a girl who is missing and a mystery to solve. Likewise, there's a clique-ish cast of girls who are mean bullies. It's a very real situation to believe, on the surface.

But then there's Raine. Raine has these "sparkles" or little touches that were passed on through her family that allow her to see pieces of the past. She wants to use her gift for the greater good in order to help find out for once and for all what happened to Emily. This gift is a cool touch, but is one that I feel isn't very well explained. I got the overall concept and it works on some level, but lacked a bit of information. Regardless, it was this gift that gave this story a nice fantastical pop.

There's also a little bit of romance, but I appreciated that it wasn't a main focus of the plot. It was sweet to read about though.

This book tackles a lot, sometimes more than enough at once. Despite that overload, the theme of bullying in this book is an important and a clear one. It's a little sad how many books on bullying have come my way lately, but I understand their importance in the world. I've been Raine's age and it can be a nightmare. I think while it's dealing with tough stuff, the author keeps a good balance of serious and less serious, both of which balance well to create a well-paced, fairly cohesive story.

I think that readers that are closer to Raine's age- that is, 8th grade- will really enjoy this one. It's got a well-written, well-paced story that deals with issues like bullying that are prominent throughout junior high. It has a nice blend of relatability and paranormal aspects, with a touch of romance and cuteness.

I was provided a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Get it Here:

Amazon | BN

Praise:

"The Disappearance of Emily H. has everything--a quirky, believable heroine, a complex mystery that keeps you guessing, and even a touch of the paranormal. Readers won't put this one down until the final sparkle." ~Gordon Korman, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"Magic exposes the extent of vicious school bullying in this arresting middle school mystery." ~Kirkus Reviews

"In this mild action-adventure, readers will value the captivating, emotional roller coaster young girls experience with friendships and new beginnings."
~School Library Journal

About the Author:

Barrie Summy grew up in Canada on a steady diet of books and tobogganing. She tries to read a book a week and always breaks for tea and cookies at three oclock.

Barrie lives in California with her husband, their four children, a veiled chameleon, and Dorothy the Dog.

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Giveaway:

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Spotlight Tour: Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway: Bite at First Sight by Brooklyn Ann!

Title: Bite at First Sight

Series: Scandals with Bite #3

Author: Brooklyn Ann

Genre: Paranormal Historical Romance

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Pub. Date: April 7, 2015

ISBN: 9781402274503

Format: $7.99 Mass Market Paperback

About the Book:

Her interest is purely scientific
Cassandra Burton wants to study medicine, surgery, healing, and everything related to the human body and its mysteries—and she's willing to rob graves to do it! But a lady can meet dark and dangerous characters lurking around the cemetery. And who could be more fascinating than Rafael Villar, Lord Vampire of London? If she could study his physiology, she could learn so much that would help humans. After all, he’s immortal—and Cassandra is now his prisoner…

Until she gets close enough to touch
As if Rafael didn’t have enough to worry about, with a rebellion brewing and his allies out of reach, now he’s confronted by a beautiful, fearless lady who wants to heal the scars he's borne for centuries. He can’t keep her, and he can’t let her go, and worst of all, he’s every bit as intrigued by her as she is by him.

Author Fun:

Hello!

First of all, I want to thank Bitches N Prose for having me on their blog today! To celebrate book 3 in my Scandals that Bite Series, I’ve invited the three heroes and Lord Vampires from by books, Ian Ashton (Bite Me, Your Grace), Vincent Tremayne (One Bite Per Night), and Rafael Villar (Bite at First Sight) to answer a question so you can catch up with the vampires responsible for the protection of their cities.

Best,
Brooklyn Ann

What was the last thing you and your lady argued about?

Ian Ashton (BITE ME, YOUR GRACE): "We had a misunderstanding about a certain book she wrote."

Tremayne (ONE BITE PER NIGHT): “Lydia and I had a small quarrel on whether or not I would assist Rafe when he asked for my aid. The way he treated me when I was in trouble, he would have deserved for me to refuse. Oh, all right, I would have helped the curmudgeon. I only wanted to see him sweat.”

Rafael Villar (BITE AT FIRST SIGHT): "On whether she would accompany into a dangerous situation. Alas, she gave me no choice."

Excerpt:

28 September 1823
St. Pancras Cemetery, London
“If one desires a task accomplished correctly, one must do it herself.” Cassandra Burton, Dowager Countess of Rosslyn, repeated the litany as she pulled the rickety little wagon through the moonlit aisle of tombstones.
She shivered under her velvet cloak. Her fingers had long since gone numb with the effort of navigating the dratted conveyance over uneven ground and across slippery, damp grass. Shovels and pry bars clanked across the wagon’s worn pine boards. The winch rattled on its frame.
Something flickered across the corner of her vision.
Cassandra jumped. She stopped and rubbed her gloved hands together for warmth, surveying the graveyard. The area was still and silent as…well, a tomb. Yet the chill in her spine refused to abate. A scornful frown turned her lips at such irrational behavior. Ghosts were an illogical figment of uneducated imaginations, and no one could possibly have business out here at this hour…except herself.
“Worthless curs,” Cassandra whispered in as haughty a tone as she could manage.
If only the men to whom she’d offered a more-than-generous sum to perform this troublesome task had done their duty, rather than disappearing. She shook her head. If not for their unreasonable negligence, she would now be comfortably ensconced in her laboratory unraveling the secrets of the human body…not out in this cold, dreary place, jumping at shadows.
Surveying the newest graves, she read the dates to decide which would be the best specimen. The mysterious disappearance of her hired hands nagged at her. Could a murderer be on the loose? She shook her head and pulled the folds of her cloak tighter. No, by now the authorities would have found their bodies and the news would be sensationalized in The Times.
They were cowards, but she was not. To prove her lack of fear, Cassandra halted her wagon and fetched out a shovel. Her hands trembled nervously as she grasped the wooden handle.
Removing the dead from their graves was illegal. If a constable caught her, she’d be sent directly to Fleet Prison. A fresh surge of trepidation curled in her belly.
Exhuming a corpse was quite a different matter from having one ready on her operating table. As objective as she tried to be, the prospect of removing the body from its carefully arranged resting place by winching it out of the ground and loading it onto her cart was undeniably gruesome. However, gruesome or not, Cassandra needed a specimen to continue her work. And she would acquire it, no matter how much her nerves protested.
Despite being barred from official education as a physician because of her sex, Cassandra was determined to learn the skills required to become a doctor. That included studying human anatomy, and for that, she required cadavers.
Returning to the graves, she made her selection. Alfred Lumley, born September first, 1801; died September twenty-sixth, 1823. Two days ago Alfred had been a living twenty-two-year-old man, three years younger than herself. Whether or not he’d been healthy, she would soon determine. A pang of sorrow struck her heart. His soul is in heaven, she reminded herself. A mere shell remains. A shell that will help me to aid the living.
She raised the shovel, ready to plunge it into the soft soil. “I am not afraid. I am not.”
“You should be.” A sinister, accented voice pierced her consciousness.
The shovel fell from her nerveless fingers, thudding onto the cold ground.
Cassandra knew that voice; it had the rich, dark cadence that had haunted her dreams since the night she’d first met him. She spun around, the hood of her cloak falling to her shoulders.
Rafael Villar stepped out from behind a mausoleum. The shadows embraced his bronze skin, obscuring the scars on the left side of his face while moonlight highlighted his exotic features on the right.
Known as “the Spaniard,” Villar had been an infamous pugilist in Cheapside despite having only one functioning arm. The eccentric and wealthy Duke of Burnrath was his sponsor. Cassandra had often encountered Villar at Burnrath House when attending the duchess’s literary circles. Right away she’d suspected that there was more to the relationship between Rafael and Their Graces. And she’d been utterly and completely fascinated by him.
When the duke and duchess departed for the Continent to travel, Villar had leased Burnrath House. By all accounts he was rich as a nabob. For the remainder of the Season, Don Villar was all the ton could gossip about. But when months passed without the Spaniard making the slightest attempt to join Society, he was forgotten. Cassandra would have forgotten him as well, if it weren’t for those damned dreams. Now he stood before her in the most unexpected place and at the most inconvenient time.
Good Lord, will he turn me in to the authorities?
She opened her mouth to ask the reason for his presence, but the words caught in her throat when she saw that his amber eyes were glowing like a funeral pyre. His sensuous lips—lips she’d unreasonably dreamed of kissing—drew back to reveal white, even teeth…with two gleaming fangs for incisors.
Before she could scream or flee, Don Villar’s fiery gaze widened, then narrowed in recognition. “You! You’ve been the one disturbing my people?”
“Y-your people?” Cassandra stammered, staring raptly at those sharp fangs. She’d certainly never seen those during their previous encounters. Her heart leaped into her throat in dawning horror. This man was not human.
His lips curled back in a sneer, puckering the scars on the left side of his face. “Don’t play coy with me, Countess.” The word was filled with disdain. “Some of my subordinates reported hunters disturbing their lairs.” He gestured at the mausoleum behind him. “It is hard to fathom that you’re behind this, though I should have guessed. Is that why you befriended the Duchess of Burnrath?”
“I haven’t the slightest idea what you are going on about. I came here to… Well, it is no concern of yours.” A wave of indignation bolstered her courage. How dare he speak of her most treasured friendship in such a manner? How dare he accuse her of duplicity when he stood before her sporting unnatural teeth and luminescent eyes? And of what exactly was he accusing her? “What does Her Grace have to do with this?” Cassandra took a shaky step back. “And, in the name of heaven, what are you?”
In a blink of an eye, Rafael stood inches from her. With the same impossible speed, he grasped her shoulder, pulling her close against him. Dizziness swarmed her mind at the feel of his firm heat and his intoxicating scent of forbidden spices. His crippled left arm moved lightly around her waist, his fingers delicately brushing across her lower back. The heady combination of rough and gentle made her tremble.
His eyes locked on hers. “I will show you, Countess.”
Then his mouth was on her neck, firm lips caressing the sensitive flesh, somehow more intimate than anything she’d experienced during her ill-fated marriage. Cassandra melted against him, tangling her fingers in his silken hair.
Sharp pain exploded in her throat as his fangs broke her skin. Cassandra cried out and tried to push him away, but his iron-like right arm mercilessly held her immobile. The pain took flight, and drugging pleasure fluttered within her belly. A low moan escaped her throat as she pulled him closer. Liquid desire pulsed between her thighs. Whatever this was, she needed more, craved it with mindless longing.
Rafael pulled away, muttering a foreign curse. “You’re a grave robber?” Lifting his finger to his mouth, he pierced his flesh with one pearly fang and then gently touched the wound on her throat. The soft touch was juxtaposed by his blazing eyes and furious snarl.
She barely heard his words as her eyes locked on those deadly fangs. Cassandra froze as realization shook her to the core. He wiped her neck with a handkerchief. In confirmation of her suspicions, blood spotted the snowy cloth like an accusation.
“Vampire,” she gasped, struggling to breathe. The foundations of her scientific beliefs quaked within her consciousness. Fairy tales were not true, and magic was not real. Yet here he stood, ready to devour her blood and perhaps her soul. Terror gripped her heart like ice.
The creature that should not exist outside of myth nodded. “Yes, but you will not remember the fact.”
His eyes glowed brighter, capturing her gaze. The intensity caused a fresh wave of dizziness, but Cassandra fought it off. The vampire stood like a statue, continuing to stare at her in a most unnerving manner.
After an endless moment, she shook her head and took another wary step back. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
Villar blinked and the fire dimmed from his gaze. An explosion of Spanish expletives came out in a growl as he seized her arm. “I apologize, Countess. You’ll have to come with me.”
“C-come with you where?” Cassandra stammered in confusion, trying to pull away. He’d already bitten her and drunk her blood. What more could he want? “Why? And f-for how long?”
“I am taking you to Burnrath House,” Rafael snarled through clenched teeth. “I have no choice but to place you under arrest until I can determine what to do with you.”
***
Rafe bit back another growl. Madre de Dios, why did the mysterious intruder have to be her? The Countess of Rosslyn was the only mortal in over three centuries to have gotten under his skin, and he still did not know why. And why did she have to be one of the rare individuals immune to mesmerism?
He’d wanted a brief moment to punish her for being a nuisance to him yet again. He’d wanted to punish her, to show her the folly in seeking out a monster, before banishing her memory. It was the worst of luck that the first mortal he’d deliberately revealed himself to was impervious to his power.
“Arrest?” Lady Rosslyn struggled in his grip, her warm flesh slipping beneath his grasp on the sleeve of her cloak, drawing his attention back to the vexing situation at hand. “Are you a constable?”
“Constable? Hardly. I am Lord of this city.” He held her fast.
“Lord? Of all of London? Whatever do you mean?” The countess tried once more to pull away. “And what of my wagon?”
Rafe tugged her closer before she could trip over a gravestone. “Damn it, woman. Devil take your wagon! You fail to grasp the severity of this situation.”
Truly, it would have been a simple matter had he succeeded in clearing the woman’s mind of the memory. Hell, it still would have been simple if the woman hadn’t been her. Not when her sweet, rich taste lay thick on his tongue. Not when her intoxicating scent of rose petals and woman engulfed his senses.
“Well, of course I do not grasp the situation!” Lady Rosslyn exclaimed, maddeningly oblivious to the tentative hold he had on his temper. “You have failed to explain it! First, I had no idea that vampires existed outside fiction. Furthermore, I have no notion why one would arrest me for exhuming a corpse for my studies. I am fully aware that my actions are illegal, but the logic eludes me as to how that should mean anything to you.”
Rafe sucked in a hissing breath through his teeth, biting back a stream of curses. Conversing with humans had never been his strong suit, but talking with Lady Rosslyn was always especially trying. “Your morbid hobby is of no concern to me. I had mistakenly believed you were hunting my people. You’re fortunate that my people didn’t take action themselves. That you weren’t beaten bloody by a mob, your house set aflame!”
Rafe closed his eyes, remembering how Ian’s third-in-command and a gang of other vengeful vampires had done exactly that to a prominent surgeon only three years ago. Ian had been apoplectic with rage. If the man’s wife hadn’t been in the country, she would surely have perished. Ian had punished the mob and issued a law that all suspicious mortals were to be handled only by the Lord of London from then on.
“Morbid?” Cassandra repeated, oblivious to the rest of his words. “You drank my blood only moments ago and you call me morbid?” Her sea-green eyes glared up at him from beneath impossibly long lashes. The captivating contact was broken too soon when she shook her head. “Well, if it is a mistake, then why are you arresting me?”
Ah and what a sweet drink it was. Yet somehow her life and memories had been more potent. Rafe usually closed his mind to his victims’ lives when he fed, but in the case of Lady Rosslyn, he had needed to discover what she was up to.
Lady Rosslyn seemed to have been a very busy woman during the last year. She’d had the daring to apply to Oxford, Cambridge, and Saint Bartholomew’s to master the healing arts. All those establishments had turned her away because of her sex. But she did not give up. Instead, she’d set forth with her studies alone, even robbing graves to learn the secrets of the human body.
Rafe sighed. This evening’s events had all been a misunderstanding. Unfortunately, one that could not be rectified. The Elders would not permit her to leave his presence alive.
“It is forbidden for mortals to know of our kind. I attempted to banish your memory of the encounter, but it appears you are immune to my powers. So now you must come with me until…” He trailed off, strangely reluctant to voice the rest aloud.
“Until when?” Her voice emerged in a frightened whimper.
Rafe closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. Unexpected sorrow churned in his gut at the consequence this encounter would bear.
“Until it is decided whether I kill you or Change you into a vampire.”

Buy It Here:

Scandals with Bite series:
Bite Me, Your Grace (Book 1)
One Bite Per Night (Book 2)
Bite at First Sight (Book 3)

BITE ME, YOUR GRACE – eBook now $0.00. That's right FREE!

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ONE BITE PER NIGHT – eBook now $1.99

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BITE AT FIRST SIGHT - $7.99

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About the Author:

A lover of witty Regencies and dark paranormal romance, Brooklyn Ann combines the two in her new vampire series. The former mechanic turned author lives with her family in Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho.

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Praise for Brooklyn Ann
“Solid writing, a tasty dash of originality, and realistic relationships that zing with sexual energy.” —Publishers Weekly
“Clutch the pearls, ladies. It’s wonderful.” —Lit Bites

Review:

★★★★


I'm not normally a big reader of historical romances, but I couldn't resist reading this one. I have a soft spot for vampire romances, and I was drawn in by the title and the summary for it. Overall, I'm glad I read it.

I have to say, Brooklyn Ann drew me into the setting. The reason why I don't normally read historical or regency fiction is because I have a hard time with the world building (or lack thereof) that puts me off from the rest of the book. With Bite at First Sight, that definitely wasn't the case. I was swept into the story and the setting in which it took place, which I really enjoyed.

And then there's the characters and the plot itself. Cassandra, the lead female, was relatable. She was smart and determined. She's a strong character without being abrasive or too much, which was a nice change for me. Then, there's Rafe, the monstrous leading vampire male. He's protective, loyal, kind, and misunderstood- exactly how I like my heroes. I liked watching their romance develop and grow, and as it did different sides of the characters came to light, making them well-rounded and deep. The character development for me was on point.

The plot was engaging and well paced, I wasn't ever bored or contrarily ever confused by the speed of events. I think it's a great read for those who are fans of romance, paranormal or historical, and fans of vampires.

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.

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Blog Tour Review & Giveaway: Praefatio by Georgia McBride

Title: Praefatio

Series: Praefatio #1

Author: Georgia McBride

Publication date: May 21, 2013

Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.

About the Book:

Seventeen-year-old Grace Ann Miller is no ordinary runaway...

After having been missing for weeks, Grace is found on the estate of international rock star Gavin Vault, half-dressed and yelling for help. Over the course of twenty-four hours Grace holds an entire police force captive with incredulous tales of angels, demons, and war; intent on saving Gavin from lockup and her family from worry over her safety.

Authorities believe that Grace is ill, suffering from Stockholm Syndrome, the victim of assault and a severely fractured mind. Undeterred, Grace reveals the secret existence of dark angels on earth, an ancient prophecy and a wretched curse steeped in Biblical myth. Grace’s claims set into motion an ages-old war, resulting in blood, death and the loss of everything that matters. But are these the delusions of an immensely sick girl, or could Grace’s story actually be true?

Praefatio is Grace’s account of weeks on the run, falling in love and losing everything but her faith. When it’s sister against brother, light versus darkness, corrupt police officers, eager doctors and accusing journalists, against one girl with nothing but her word as proof: who do you believe?

Get It Here:

Amazon | TBD | B&N | Indigo | Kobo | IndieBound | iBooks

Review:

★★★

I don't read a lot of books about angels, namely because honestly they don't come up on my radar too much. But when I read the synopsis and saw the pretty cover of Praefatio, I had to read it. Overall, it is a solid book that blends together fantasy and reality.

The whole book has this "what on earth is happening" vibe, but I mean that in a good way. You never quite know who is telling the truth, or who is the good guy and who is the bad guy. It leads for a lot of twists and turns that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. You can't help but to get emotionally invested in all of the characters' happenings.

Grace is one of the more interesting characters that I've come across for exactly that reason. The book starts with her upset in a police station, trying to defend someone that the police have pegged as her kidnapper, more or less. From then on, it's unclear and left to the reader to piece together if Grace's story of angels is a true one, or if the police are right and she has something akin to Stockholm Syndrome.

This book is a fairly quick one to get to, and worth it to get lost in this world of young adult, paranormal romance. I think fans of angels and paranormal romance will really enjoy this, because I think each person will take this book differently and get different things from it. (Which is pretty cool in my opinion). This is the author's first novel, and I think that it's a great first piece.

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Follow the tour:

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About the Author:

Georgia loves a good story. Whether it’s writing her own, or publishing someone else’s, story is at the heart of everything Georgia does. Founder of Month9Books, YALITCHAT.ORG and the weekly #yalitchat on Twitter, Georgia spends most of her days writing, editing, or talking about books. That is, of course, when she is not blasting really loud music or reading. She lives in North Carolina with four dogs, a frog, a parrot, 2 kids, parents and a husband. PRAEFATIO is her first novel.

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Giveaway:

·Five (5) winners will receive a digital copy of Praefatio by Georgia McBride (INT)

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Blog Tour Review, Guest Post, & Giveaway: Into a Million Pieces by Angela V. Cook!

Title: Into a Million Pieces
Author: Angela V. Cook
Release date: January 27 2015
Format: ebook

Book Summary:

Allison McKready is a succubus. So is her twin sister. But while Allison spends her summer

break hiding in the library behind her Goth makeup, Jade fools around as often as she can.

Allison can’t believe Jade would ignore their mother’s fatal example so recklessly, but

concealing a cursed bloodline and its dangerous effects is far from Allison’s only problem. Mean

girl Julie’s snob mob is determined to ruin her summer, and Aunt Sarah’s Bible thumping is

getting louder. Only her new friend, Ren Fisher, offers safe haven from the chaos of her life.

When one of Jade’s risky dates leads to humiliation and sudden tragedy, Allison reels, and Ren

catches her. But as her feelings for him grow, so does her fear that she’ll hurt him—or worse—in

an unguarded moment. The choice is coming—love him or save him—but Allison might not live

to make it. One way or another, the curse will have its due.

Guest Post:

Do You Offend? Yeah? Awesome!

After I wrote the first draft of INTO A MILLION PIECES, I let it sit for several weeks. I always do this to gain distance from the story before diving into edits. That particular time, I might’ve gained too much distance, because once I started reading over it, there were scenes I couldn’t believe I’d written. We’re talking about the types of scenes that make your face heat up and cause you to giggle like a thirteen-year-old girl. Yep, I’d had forgotten how… umm… steamy some parts of the story were.

Since I write for the young adult audience, I actually wondered if I should tone down the scenes to make them less offensive. Instead of them being PG13, they could just be… PG. Instead of describing the make out session, I could just say they made out. However, it didn’t take long for me to realize that not only were those scenes vital to the storyline, but they had to be hot and steamy. I had to show my characters walking that dangerous, fine line and their temptation to cross it. Changing those scenes, making them less sexy, would've compromised my story.

I don't think anyone should write for the purpose of offending (is there anything worse than a book/movie where the f-bomb gets gratuitously thrown around for shock value?), but I also don't think you should write worrying you might. If what you write doesn't offend someone, then it's probably not worth reading. I know—OUCH! Harsh words, eh? But the truth is, no one wants to read fluff.

The young adult genre is always "offending" people. Cheerleaders get mad because they get portrayed as snobs. The goth community doesn’t like being portrayed as freaks. Atheists hate books about angels, Christians hate books about demons, and blah, blah, blah. My point is, everyone is different; no matter what you write, there's no telling how people will perceive it. Write what feels true to the story and characters, and don't worry about offending people. The worst that can happen is you get people talking, and that's not always a bad thing.

Buy it here: Amazon | BN | Kobo | Apple | Google

About the Author:

Angela V. Cook lives a very unexciting, but never boring, life with her husband and two children just outside of Detroit. Like most writers, she’s been making up stories for as long as she can remember and can’t imagine a life that doesn’t involve creating worlds.

Angela loves to write novels for teens because it’s the best outlet for her sarcastic personality, immature sense of humor, and love of romantic firsts. Her idea of the perfect day involves a quiet house, a good book, and a piece of cheesecake. Or two.

Website | RAP | Twitter

Review:

★★★★

I was really excited when I was asked to be a part of this tour. My favorite genres are that of fantasy and young adult, so I thought this would be right up my alley. And then I saw the cover, which is absolutely gorgeous. I knew I had to read it... And I'm so glad I did!

What really drew me in to this book was the fact that it's a paranormal book that features succubi as the main characters. While I knew fully what that race of creature is, I honestly cannot recall ever reading a book, young adult or otherwise, that centered around a succubus character. Don't get me wrong, I love me some werewolves and vampires, but this was such a refreshing change of pace from the young adult paranormal genre. It's worth reading, honestly, for that little fresh sip of water alone.

The book features twin succubi lead characters that are written with unique, distinct traits. Allison is the bookish, quiet one and Jade is the one who goes out and has reckless fun. I was expecting to like Allison the most because I myself am bookish and goth, but I actually really liked Jade. They compliment each other quite nicely, and I enjoyed reading their story and watching them navigate their lives, as well as learn to handle and come to terms with the succubi curse that they inherited.

I think this book will appeal largely to a teen audience. There's swearing and succubi and cruses and adventure- I mean, what's not to like, really? This is also a clean read, which is another refreshing change of pace for me.

The writing is well done, and Cook does a really good job of blending fantasy into a contemporary story. The descriptions are all all well detailed, and the main characters were all well developed. That being said, there was a pretty big cast of side characters I didn't overly care about too much, but the appeal of Allison, Jade, and Ren more than made up for it. It's a quick read but there's a lot in here, and I think that fans of young adult paranormal fantasy will gobble it up.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Follow the rest of the tour here!

Giveaway:

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Mini Review: Lucas Mackenzie and the London Midnight Ghost Show by Steve Bryant!

Title: Lucas Mackenzie and the London Midnight Ghost Show
Author: Steve Bryant
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: February 24th
Source: Month9Books, LLC


Book Description via Goodreads:

“Lucas Mackenzie has got the best job of any ten-year-old boy. He travels from city-to-city as part of the London Midnight Ghost Show, scaring unsuspecting show-goers year round. Performing comes naturally to Lucas and the rest of the troupe, who’ve been doing it for as long as Lucas can remember. But there’s something Lucas doesn’t know. Like the rest of Lucas's friends, he’s dead. And for some reason, Lucas can’t remember his former life, his parents or friends. Did he go to school? Have a dog? Brothers and sisters? If only he could recall his former life, maybe even reach out to his parents, haunt them. When a ghost hunter determines to shut the show down, Lucas realizes the life he has might soon be over. And without a connection to his family, he will have nothing. There’s little time, and Lucas has much to do. Keep the lights on! Lucas Mackenzie’s coming to town.

Review:

★★

Ultimately, I don't have too much to say on this book. I was really excited when I got the chance to read it, because I love books that are given a circus-y setting. I don't know why I'm fascinated by it, but I'm the first to admit that I am. I was hoping that it would be something like the Cirque du Freak books, which is one of my favorite young adult series. Plus, I love the cover. And I should know by now that that is not the best way to judge.

Anyway, that's not what I got.

I don't have a lot to say about it, because I found to this book to be really, really boring. That's a very weird and rare thing for me to say. Normally if I don't like the book I can pick a reason, like bad writing or bad character development. This book wasn't badly written per se, though it did use outdated language that made it a bit irksome at times.

I just felt like nothing was happening. I expected action or excitement or even to be creeped out at a book that has "London Midnight Ghost Show" in the title, but at the end of the day I was left just glad that the book was over so that I could go and read something else.

By all means, give this book a try. I think this is just one of those times where a book and me aren't meant to be friends. Maybe this will be right up your alley. But for me, it was a swing and a miss.

I was provided a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Spotlight, Review, Excerpt & Giveaway: Vampires Never Cry Wolf by Sara Humphreys!

Title: Vampires Never Cry Wolf

Author: Sara Humphreys

Release Date: March 3, 2015

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Genre: Paranormal Romance



Book Summary:

Vampires are nothing but trouble…
As far as beautiful vampire Sadie Pemberton is concerned, werewolves shouldn’t be sticking their noses into New York’s supernatural politics. They don’t know jack about running a city—not even that hot-as-sin new vampire-werewolf liaison who’s just arrived in town.

Werewolves are too sexy for their own good…
The last thing Killian Bane wanted was to end up in New York City playing nice with vampires. Unfortunately, he’s on a mission, and when he encounters the sexiest, most stubborn female vamp he’s ever met, he’s going to have to turn on a little of that wolfish charm…and Sadie’s going to learn a thing or two about what it means to have a wild side…

Excerpt:

Sadie forced herself to look Killian in the face, and the instant she did, she knew it was a colossal mistake. His eyes looked like pools of liquid gold, and she could swear he saw straight through to her very soul. A growl rumbled in his chest and Sadie gasped. His eyes flickered and shifted into the glowing amber eyes of his wolf. The sudden and instinctive change was a glaring reminder of who he was…who they both were.

In a remarkably steady voice, Sadie whispered, “Last night should never have happened.”

“The only thing about last night that shouldn’t have happened was the way it ended,” Killian rasped.

Sadie stilled when his large hand cradled her cheek. Despite her best efforts to resist him, her body quivered uncontrollably as he surrounded her in every way a person could be surrounded. When the heat of his palm seared against her skin, a needy moan escaped her lips. Desire curled inside her like smoke, and regardless of the litany of warnings that ran through her head, Sadie’s hands found their way to the front of Killian’s shirt. She grasped the fabric, still warm from the heat of his body, and pulled him closer. Sweet Jesus, the man had a body that looked like it had been hand carved by the gods themselves.

“Is that so?” Sadie pulled his shirt loose from his jeans and slipped her fingers underneath before trailing them along the hard planes of his stomach. Arching one eyebrow, she held his heavy-lidded gaze. “How do you suppose it should have ended?”

“The same way it should end every night from now on,” he growled. Killian slid both hands into her long hair. Sadie shivered when his fingertips grazed her scalp. He pressed his hips against her before slipping his thigh between her legs. Sadie gasped with pleasure as he put pressure on just the right spot, and when a moan escaped her parted lips, a cocky grin emerged on his. Killian tightened his grip on her hair and leaned in so his mouth was just a breath away. “Every single night should end with me buried deep inside you.”

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About the Author:

Sara Humphreys has been attracted to the fantasies of science fiction, paranormal, and romance since her adolescence when she had a mad crush on Captain Kirk. An actress and public speaker, Sara lives in Bronxville, New York with her husband, who is very considerate of her double life, and four amazing boys.
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Review:

★★★★ ★

4.5/5 stars.

Every once in a while, I dare to read a book outside of my usual comfort zone. For example, urban fantasy and paranormal romance are not often books I read. That said, I absolutely loved this book. I was lured in with the promise of kick ass vampires, sexy werewolves, and nightclubs and all of those things definitely delivered.

This book is the third in a series, but can be read alone. I hadn't read the first two books in this collection, so this was my first introduction to this cast of characters. I loved them. Well, I liked them. I loved Killian. He is exactly what I look for in a romantic lead. He's strong, powerful, devastatingly handsome, and stubbornly loyal. He had me hooked from the first time that he set foot into Sadie's bar. Speaking of girls enamored by him, I really liked Sadie too. I thought she was strong and smart, though at times her pushing Killian away irritated me with how long it went on. Regardless, I loved them together and I thoroughly enjoyed watching them figure out their dangerous and forbidden relationship.

A relationship that is most definitely and satisfyingly sexual. I had never read Sara Humphreys' books before, but I will say that woman can write one hell of a sex scene. They were steamy and primal and helped to understand the lust (and blood lust) and passion that these two have for one another. These scenes were very well done.

I liked the world building as well. It was cool hearing about how the governments/societies of the paranormal creatures work. I'd love to go for a drink at either Loup Garou, the wolf club, or The Coven, the vampire club. The people and the places sound fascinating, and they are blended in well with the normal mortal world.

However, I do wish that the book didn't end so quickly. It felt a bit rushed. I loved the way it worked out, I just wish it would have dwindled a bit slower. I also wish that Killian's business partner, Christina, would have gotten more time in the book. I wanted to grow to hate her just a wee bit more.

I will definitely be checking out the first two books in this series, and I hope to see more of Killian and Sadie in the future. I recommend this to fans of vampires, werewolves, romance, sex, and forbidden love. This book contains sex and violence, so ye be warned.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca for my copy in exchange for my honest review.

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