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.

Review: Moribund by Genevieve Iseult Eldredge

Title: Morbund
Series: Circuit Fae #1
Author: Genevieve Iseult Eldredge
Format: Paperback, Print, 300 pages
Pub. Date: October 24th 2017
Source: Goodreads First Reads


Book Description:

Dark Fae. Romance. Evil Plots. High school.
Our heroines could be in for the greatest adventure ever.
​
If only they could decide whether to kill or kiss each other.

High school sophomore Syl Skye is an ordinary girl. At least, she’s trying to be. School photographer and all-around geek, she introverts hard and keeps her crush on sexy-hot glam-Goth star Euphoria on the down-low. But when a freak accident Awakens her slumbering power, Syl is forced to accept a destiny she never wanted—as the last sleeper-princess of the fair Fae.

Suddenly hunted by the dark Fae, Syl’s pretty sure things can’t get any worse. Until she discovers her secret crush, Euphoria, is really a dark Circuit Fae able to harness the killing magic in technology. Even worse, she’s been sent to destroy Syl. With mean girls and magic and dark Fae trying to kill her, it’ll take more than just “clap if you believe in fairies” to save Syl’s bacon—not to mention, her heart.

Review:

★★★

I wanted to love this book, really I did. It has a lot going for it, but unfortunately for me it just fell a bit fact.

Plus, the cover is beautiful. I would love to have a print of it on my wall.

I love books with gothic/punk characters. And this book definitely has one. Euphoria seems so cool. She's a gothic musician and a dark fae, and she's pretty bad ass. She has a great sense of loyalty and of sticking up for what she wants. Plus, she's LGBT. So, I absolutely love this character. I love the idea of taking faerie magic and combining it with technology and a cyber punk type style. It's an original idea, and I think it's a cool one.

The main character, however, fell flat for me. I found Syl pretty irritating and I didn't really care for her. I love that she loves girls. I love that she has a sense of fighting for what's right. But everything else about her just bugged me. She makes so many emo jokes, and self depreciating jokes about herself to the point of annoyance. There's a bunch of catty mean girl drama that's forced and eye-rolling. Her vocabulary also really bugged me- I'm not sure who this book is written for. The whole bad ass saving lives and being in love with rock stars in night clubs thing feels high school to me, but the way Syl talks is definitely more junior high, but it all seems confused. One quote is "so darn sexy".... So she's old enough to be thinking about sex and sex appeal, but can't say damn? It's weird. She can also "sure as heck try" and "holy cats". Not to mention she knows her true identity for all of 3 seconds before she somehow solves a problem that none of the other faeries have thought of.

It's also really hard to differentiate these voices at times. The chapters alternate, but the two characters are written very similarly to the point of confusion.

This book also has what I like to call Batman Syndrome. Remember all those old episodes of the Batman tv show, where while Batman was tied up, the villain would narrate his whole master plan while Adam West struggled to undo the ropes? And the whole time, you're thinking "Why are you telling him all this, just do the plan!" That's what happened here. There's a ton of dialogue and narration but not enough actual story telling and world building and actions. I got kinda talked out.

All in all, this book was a mixed bag for me. I totally understand why people love it, and I definitely love parts of it. But parts of it were just a bit too disappointing for me. I'd be willing to reread this in the future to see if I still feel the same way, but for now I'm going to hold off on continuing the series.

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Blog Tour Review & Giveaway: From the Earth to the Shadows by Amanda Hocking!

Title: From the Earth to the Shadows

Series: Valkyrie #2

Author: Amanda Hocking

Pub. Date: April 24th 2018

About the Book:

The epic conclusion to the thrilling Valkyrie duology by New York Times bestselling YA author Amanda Hocking, From the Earth to the Shadows.

While dealing with dark revelations about her life and her world, Malin finds herself with new allies--and new enemies. Her quest for the truth leads her to places she never thought possible, and she's never been one to shy away from a fight. But for all her strength and determination, will it be enough to save the world before it's too late?

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 very excited to get a chance to read this book. It's no secret that I'm a fan of Amanda Hocking's work. Plus, I had read book one in this series - Between the Blade and the Heart - earlier on in the year and I enjoyed it very much.

From the Earth to the Shadows contains the same lovable cast that were in book one. I appreciated the characters in this book as well, since even the ones that I didn't care for, I understood why I didn't care for them. Not all people in life are likable, so why would fictional people? I feel like I liked Malin a bit more this time around, she seemed more approachable. Maybe I'd just gotten used to her. Either way, it worked.

There is a lot of action packed into this book, as is true with the first one. There's a lot to take in, and a lot to follow. On the one hand, this is great because it feels like it could be an action movie. It keeps the pace quick, and it feels like you're flying through the story. I appreciate that- one of my least favorite feelings is when a book d r a a a a a a g s on forever.

But on the other hand, it is a lot to take in. There's a lot of characters to remember, and background/plot information to keep straight. Some times it felt a bit rushed, like it moved along too quickly, or like some plot steps were a bit too convenient.

Ultimately though, I enjoyed this book. It felt very similar to the first in tone and pace, and I loved a chance to go into the world that Hocking created. I definitely recommend reading book one before you read this one, though. If you've read book one and enjoyed it, then I'll think you'll like the second part of the duology as well. It mixes romance, mythology, and a kick butt heroine into one fast paced adventure through the underworld.

Giveaway:

- One (1) winner will receive a finished paperback copy of FROM THE EARTH TO THE SHADOWS, U.S. entries only.

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Review: Monsterland by Michael Okon

Title: Monsterland
Author: Michael Okon
Format: Paperback, 232 pages
Pub. Date: December 19th 2017
Source: Author


Book Description:

Welcome to Monsterland—the scariest place on Earth. Wyatt Baldwin's senior year is not going well. His parents divorce, then his dad mysteriously dies. He’s not exactly comfortable with his new stepfather, Carter White, either. An ongoing debate with his best friends Melvin and Howard Drucker over which monster is superior has gotten stale. He’d much rather spend his days with beautiful and popular Jade. However, she’s dating the brash high-school quarterback Nolan, and Wyatt thinks he doesn’t stand a chance. But everything changes when Wyatt and his friends are invited to attend the grand opening of Monsterland, a groundbreaking theme park where guests can interact with vampires in Vampire Village, be chased by werewolves on the River Run, and walk among the dead in Zombieville. With real werewolves, vampires and zombies as the main attractions, what could possibly go wrong?

Review:

★★★★

This is a great concept for a book. In this novel, humans are fully aware of the existence of monsters like vampires, werewolves, and zombies (also known as the vitally challenged). Not only that, they are the topic of politics, study, and either admiration or abomination. Enter Monsterland: a theme park where humans can step right up and see zombies, vampires, and werewolves in a safe environment, up close and personal. Some say it's genius, others say its cruel. As for me.... I fluctuated between the two.

I sincerely hope that Mr. Okon takes this as a compliment; Monsterland gives me major 1990's RL Stine nostalgia. He was my absolute favorite author as a kid, and this book took me back. But at the same time, this book is like Fear Street all grown up. There's more death, more philosophy, and honestly I was taken by surprise the issues and topics that made me think as a reader. What makes a human more human than a vampire? Are we worthy of more rights? Are they just animals? Is it humane to display other living things in glass cages, or take advantage of the ill?

My opinion switched over the course of the novel. At the beginning, I was like the main character. I was PUMPED for Monsterland. Seeing vampires up close? Sign me up! But then you learn more about how the park works and boy does it get sinister. Like the fake moon that rises every hour that forces the wolves to go through their painful transformations against their will. And then I felt bad. Because that's awful, and of course I wouldn't want anyone to do that.... The moral dilemmas are interesting and unexpected.

The world building is well done. You learn why the monsters are there, about the politics of a mixed species society, about the anticipation of the park. It's a solidly written book. The violence is descriptive and gory (bones breaking, blood oozing) without being gratuitous. There's quite a few characters to follow, but they're pretty distinct from one another so it's easy to follow. The speed of the book is well paced, albeit a little rushed at the end. I think it may be a set up for a second book though, so I get why it ended the way it did.

I liked the twists on classic monsters that Okon brought to the story, such as how vampires turn people and how zombies came to be. It was intriguing (and kind of made me want a more NSFW vampire book, to be completely honest with you).

I'm glad I read this, and I can already tell you this book is underhyped and underrated. This book can be enjoyed by anyone regardless of (relative) age or gender; there's romance, there's high school drama, there's murders, there's zombie decapitations, there's something for everyone.

If you're a fan of young adult horror and vampires that don't sparkle, or books that are set in amusement park/circus/carnival type settings, this book is worth getting. I would read another book in this series in a heartbeat.

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

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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Review: Snow White Lies by Sarah J. Pepper!

Title: Snow White Lies
Author: Sarah J. Pepper
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: April 26th 2015
Source: Sarah J. Pepper


Book Description via Goodreads:

“Evil poisons everyone. Period. Our mouths water when we sink our teeth into what we have always craved. Surrendering to our desires by biting off delectable piece of the forbidden fruit is nothing more than a meager confession: Poison tastes sinfully sweet,”—Confessions of the Big Apple Debutante, by blogger Miss Snow White.

Review:

★★★★

Before I even talk about the book, can we just take a moment to admire the cover? It's gorgeous, and is possibly my favorite cover so far this year. Stunning.

I wasn't too sure what to expect when I started this book, I've never read anything by Sarah J. Pepper before. That said, this definitely wasn't what I expected. I don't mean that in a bad way, of course, but I've read a lot of retellings before so I went in with assumptions of how this would go, and I was definitely wrong.

Snow White Lies is not your mother's Snow White. It's a contemporary, new adult, urban fantasy-esque book that turns the familiar tale we all know on its head. There's familiar characters, such as Snow herself and the dwarves, but they're twisted into a whole new story. In this book, Snow is a blogger and good lord she is sassy. I loved it. She's a strong character and I liked watching her story unfold. I was never really quite sure what directions this book was going to take, which made it engaging and hard to put down. This is a darker retelling that has gritty/dark themes throughout the book, which helped to hold my attention.

I'd definitely read more of Pepper's work based off of my experience with Snow White Lies. I think grown up fans of fairy tales will eat this one up, and another chunk of readers will pick it up for the cover art alone. Fans of urban fantasy, as well as darker stories, I think would also enjoy reading this one.

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.”

Buy it here: Amazon | BN | iBooks

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.
Facebook | Website | Twitter | Pinterest

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.

Giveaway:

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Birthday Blogoversary Fangirl Bash Part Two Review & Interview: Zeus is Dead by Michael G. Munz!

Title: Zeus Is Dead: A Monstrously Inconvenient Adventure
Author: Michael G. Munz
Format: Kindle Edition
Pub. Date: January 1st 2014
Source: Author

About the Book:

THE GODS ARE BACK. DID YOU MYTH THEM?

You probably saw the press conference. Nine months ago, Zeus's murder catapulted the Greek gods back into our world. Now they revel in their new temples, casinos, and media empires—well, all except Apollo. A compulsive overachiever with a bursting portfolio of godly duties, the amount of email alone that he receives from rapacious mortals turns each of his days into a living hell.

Yet there may be hope, if only he can return Zeus to life! With the aid of Thalia, the muse of comedy and science fiction, Apollo will risk his very godhood to help sarcastic TV producer Tracy Wallace and a gamer-geek named Leif—two mortals who hold the key to Zeus's resurrection. (Well, probably. Prophecies are tricky buggers.)

Soon an overflowing inbox will be the least of Apollo’s troubles. Whoever murdered Zeus will certainly kill again to prevent his return, and avoiding them would be far easier if Apollo could possibly figure out who they are.

Even worse, the muse is starting to get cranky.

Discover a world where reality TV heroes slay actual monsters and the gods have their own Twitter feeds: Zeus Is Dead: A Monstrously Inconvenient Adventure!

Interview:

I'm so excited to have Michael G. Munz back on the blog for a second round of questions to celebrate both my birthday week and this amazing book. Thanks again for taking the time to answer some questions!

Happy to do it! Thanks for the opportunity.

In our previous interview, we talked a little bit about what books and movies inspired you as an author. Since Zeus is Dead is a book that centrals around Greek mythology: What is your favorite mythical movie?

If we're talking Greek mythology, it's a toss-up between Jason and the Argonauts and the original Clash of the Titans. It's been decades since I've seen the former, though. (I should really re-watch it to see if I enjoy it as much as I used to.) Without the Greek qualifier, I'd have to go with The Dark Crystal, which is an amazing creation with a mythology of its very own.

If you were given a spot in the pantheon, what would you like to be the god of?

I'd love to be the god of geeks and geek culture. But I think I'd have to overthrow Wil Wheaton first.

All hail Wesley Crusher. Would you follow the rules, or would you interfere with the lives of your chosen worshippers (or enemies, for that matter)?

I'm one of those weirdos who tries to stick to the rules. Though there IS a difference between bending and breaking, isn't there? I might do a little interfering, if I thought I could get away with it. Mostly, though, I think I'd tend toward humor and pranks rather than doing things that have grand effects on people's lives. Making people laugh is fun.

You're among like minds, I was always tend to follow the rules too. Now, can you tell us a little about your writing process? Do you have to be in a certain room or in a certain mind set?

I have difficulty writing at home (I get distracted with other things), so, as cliché as this may sound, I tend to go out to write in a café or something. I'm lucky enough to have a number of great choices where I live. I find I work best in a place with a lot of warm tones (wood, reds, dark greens, etc.), with enough people in it to keep it lively without being overcrowded. I look for corner tables where I can face the room; it's hard to write if I feel someone is behind me, even if they're not actually paying attention to what I'm doing. (Plus, as we know from Frank Herbert's Dune, sitting with your back to a room is an invitation to assassination!)

Also, some manner of caffeine is helpful.

What scene was your favorite to write?

The first one that comes to mind is the introduction of Baskin, a newly created god of battle and ice cream. It's a short scene, but it was a blast making him come to life. A close second is the scene where Tracy and Leif confront Dionysus in his never-ending party atop the Dionysian Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.



I do love me some Dionysus. I mean he is the original god of tits and wine. Which scene gave you the most trouble?

The entire bit with The Fates. I really wanted to portray them as being on a completely different level from everyone, gods included. They needed to be mysterious, paradoxical, and beyond. At the same time I needed to keep them funny (this is an adventure comedy, after all) and able to advance the story in a way that wouldn't confuse the reader. What do the Fates look like? What does their abode (a serviceable room above a convenience store at the intersection of the two parallel streets of Sparkwood and 23rd on the eastern side of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan) look like? How do they talk?

It was slow-going, with a lot of revisions. I do like how it turned out, though. Plus I got to introduce the concept of a "Moebius balcony"!

Have you at all considered fundraising to make razorwings a genetic possibility? I would like a litter. (Colony?)

If I may quote Egon Spengler, I think that would be an extraordinarily bad idea. Do you really want a bunch of playfully feral kittens who can chew through metal and slice off a human arm with their wings running around your house spitting paralytic poison on everything? Though that would be cute…

Genetic tampering aside, my publisher and I are considering the possibility of a Kickstarter to make some razorwing plushies, but we need to wait for the book's readership to grow a little more, first. More and more people are reading it each day, though, so, I don't know, maybe this summer? (Keep watching Michaelgmunz.com for news!)

And I believe a group of cats is called a "clowder." Though razorwings themselves travel in swarms…



I WOULD FUND THAT SO HARD. Are you working on any books now?

I'm doing my best to get the third book in my cyberpunk series (The New Aeneid Cycle) completed in time for a late 2015 release. It's called A Dragon at the Gate, and will conclude the trilogy. It's an interesting challenge to make sure the series culminates in a powerful, satisfying way, and I'm excited to see if I can pull it off.

I'm a big fan of cyberpunk, I'll have to check out that series as well. Hades has dominion over those who are no longer with us. If you could chat with any three people, living or dead, who would they be and why?

1) Leonardo da Vinci. I'm sure he was a fascinating guy in general, and it'd be fun to tell him about the modern world and see what he thinks of it. 2) Homer (the author of The Iliad and The Odyssey, not the Simpsons character), assuming he actually existed. The guy was one of the earliest known storytellers, and that, along with his obvious interest in Greek mythology (would he even term it "mythology"?) is pretty tempting. 3) This one's personal.

This is really just a fangirlish request and not even really a question: More Hecate and Hades, pretty please!

Well, I make no promises, but one idea I'm toying with for a Zeus Is Dead sequel does involve Hecate, despite what happened. And there might just be a way for Hades to be involved in that.

…or maybe I'll just toss something together with vampires.

I won't get my hopes up, but I will eagerly await the sequel regardless. Thank you again for being a part of Bitches n Prose!

Review:

★★★★★

So, I came across this book initially on the wonderful imgur. I was drawn in by the puns. Those of you who follow me know I have a serious problem with puns. It's an epundemic. (See!?). Add Greek mythology on top of that? This Classics minoring internet-dweller was sold.

Y'all, this book is effing hilarious. I loved the way that Munz sucked the reader in, not just with the plot of his book but with his engagement with the readers. It was as though the book narrator was telling you, the reader, a story personally. This might sound like an odd comparison, but the way the author "breaks the fourth wall" so to speak with his readers was reminiscent of Lemony Snicket in his Series of Unfortunate Event. But less dark and macabre, of course. I snickered aloud more than once, and that takes skill. I'm admittedly a bit of a humor snob when it comes to books, but I guess me and Munz are just on the same humor wave length because this was simply great.

The story features a lot of characters, including the entire Greek pantheon. This wasn't a problem though. Each character was written in a unique style/personality so that I was never left confused or concerned by the cast. Munz also did a great job with story navigation. Zeus is Dead follows different plot lines and characters, but again the flow just worked well and it was easy to transition. And in a rare display, I was interested in each of these characters' stories. There was never a point where I was like "ugh, we're back on him again?" I thoroughly enjoyed everything that this novel had to offer.

As for the plot itself, I really liked the concept behind it. Could you imagine if any god or gods from any denomination just popped up and said heyyyy we're real by the way and started living like celebrities? I may be alone in this, but I would totally watch Juno's new reality show Juno What I'm Sayin'? or read Rama's new book. There's a hero and a quest and an homage to Hecate which just makes me insanely happy because no one ever mentions Hecate and she's easily my second favorite god(dess). It's a fabulous idea that's well constructed from start to finish. And the more you read, the more you'll want to know what exactly happened to Zeus?

It's worth noting that even though I came to the table with a pretty good knowledge of the Greek gods and goddesses, that is absolutely not a requirement to enjoy this book. Each deity, myth, muse, monster, and any other "m" words are well explained and elaborated. This book is approachable to anyone, regardless of their mythological education. And if that's the case, you just might learn a thing or two from Zeus is Dead.

If you are in search of a Greek epic for the Social Media age, a good laugh, or a book that features fucking murderous flying kittens, then I cannot recommend this book enough. Please go and enjoy this book. It's fantastic and will be joining my Classics shelf as soon as I can get my hands on a physical copy. (And next to my razorwing plushie, right Michael?) Thank you to Munz and his blog tour lovelies for my copy in exchange for my honest review.

Buy it Meow:

You can get your copy today on:

Amazon | BN | iTunes

About the Author:

An award-winning writer of speculative fiction, Michael G. Munz was born in Pennsylvania but moved to Washington State in 1977 at the age of three. Unable to escape the state’s gravity, he has spent most of his life there and studied writing at the University of Washington.

Michael developed his creative bug in college, writing and filming four exceedingly amateur films before setting his sights on becoming a novelist. Driving this goal is the desire to tell entertaining stories that give to others the same pleasure as other writers have given to him. He enjoys writing tales that combine the modern world with the futuristic or fantastic.

Michael has traveled to three continents and has an interest in Celtic and Classical mythology. He also possesses what most “normal” people would likely deem far too much familiarity with a wide range of geek culture, though Michael prefers the term geek-bard: a jack of all geek-trades, but master of none—except possibly Farscape and Twin Peaks.

Michael dwells in Seattle where he continues his quest to write the most entertaining novel known to humankind and find a really fantastic clam linguine.

Find out more about him at michaelgmunz.com. While there, it wouldn't hurt to get a FREE copy of Mythed Connections, the spiritual prequel to Zeus is Dead.

Facebook | Twitter

Blog Tour: Mini Review & Guest Post: Bound by Blood by Margo Bond Collins

Guest Post- Casting:

I think every author spends some amount of time dreaming of a movie made from his or her books—I suspect that an inordinate amount of time goes in to casting these imaginary films—at least, it does around here!




For this post, I'm casting only the adults in the novella. There are also two children, a five-year-old boy and a twelve-year-old girl, but when I started trying to cast them, I realized that the child actors I had imagined in the roles had all grown up! I finally decided that I would leave child-actor casting to the professionals, instead.

So here are my choices for those actors I did cast. Take a look at them, and then tell me, who would you cast in these roles?

 






Dr. Lili Banta, a doctor from a Filipino-American family

played by Vanessa Hudgens

Until I started writing this novella, I was unaware of just how many Filipina actresses I already knew and loved. Although Hudgens looks a little young for the role of Lili, I think she could definitely pull it off!







 








Dr. Will Manning, a doctor in Houston, Texas, and Lili's ex



played by Patrick Dempsey

. . . because who better to play a handsome doctor?






 









Harry Iverson, a detective from Dallas, Texas


played by Jensen Ackles

. . . because he's Texan, and he's one of my favorite actors. I would cast him in everything, if it were up to me.





 









Nurse Susan Yee


played by Zhang Ziyi

. . . because she is my favorite Chinese actress!







 








Lili's grandmother, nicknamed Inang


played by Beverly Salviejo

. . . because she looks exactly like I imagined Lili's Inang.












I would love some help casting the children! Who would you cast to play Kenny (a five-year-old boy) and Felicity (a twelve-year-old girl)?




____________________________

 

 

 

 

Sometimes the monsters in the dark are real...



As a child, Lili Banta ignored her grandmother's cryptic warnings to avoid
children outside their Filipino community in Houston. When many of those other
children fell ill, Lili ignored the whispers in her community that a vampiric
aswang walked among them.



Years later, Lili returns to Houston to work for the Quarantine Station of the
Center for Disease Control—but she is plagued by dark, bloody dreams that
consume her nights and haunt her days. When a strange illness attacks the
city's children, Lili is called in to find its source, and maybe even a cure.



But in order to save the city, she must first acknowledge the sinister truth: A
monster stalks the night—closer than she ever expected....

_____________________________________________

Excerpt:

 

Sitting
straight up in bed, I gasped and threw myself back against the headboard, the
thud dying away along with the remaining shreds of my dream.



But
the word still ricocheted through my mind.



Aswang.



Until
yesterday, I hadn't thought of the term in years—not since I'd left Houston for
med school in Maine, determined to get as far away from home as I could.



But
this resurgence of the same, odd illness that had swept my city years before
was apparently also dredging up the old stories from deep in my subconscious:
the aswang, a vampiric woman who
lived a quiet life by day and fed on children in the night, flying back home on
bat-wings just before dawn.



My
unconscious mind had clearly also expanded on the idea, casting me in the role
of aswang and adding schizoid conversations with a chorus of internal voices.



Great. I'm
insane in my dreams.



And I'm a
monster.



Shuddering,
I wiped my hand across my gritty, raw eyelids.

_____________________________________________

Buy Links

Only $.99 via Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Bound-Blood-Night-Shift-Novella-ebook/dp/B00PB3AIGC/

Paperback: http://www.amazon.com/Bound-Blood-Night-Shift-Novel/dp/0990743365/




Audiobook, Narrated by Hollie Jackson: http://www.amazon.com/Bound-Blood-Night-Shift-Book/dp/B00QUB5T9U/

_____________________________________________

About the Author 

 

Margo Bond Collins is the author of urban fantasy,
contemporary romance, and paranormal mysteries. She has published a number of
novels, including Bound by Blood, Sanguinary, Taming the Country Star, Legally Undead,
Waking Up Dead, and Fairy, Texas.
She lives in Texas with her husband, their daughter, and several spoiled pets.
Although writing fiction is her first love, she also teaches college-level
English courses online. She enjoys reading romance and paranormal fiction of
any genre and spends
most of her free time daydreaming about heroes, monsters, cowboys, and
villains, and the strong women who love them—and sometimes fight them.

_____________________________________________

Connect with Margo

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/margobondcollins

Email:
MargoBondCollins@gmail.com

Website:
http://www.MargoBondCollins.net

Blog:
http://www.MargoBondCollins.com

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/MargoBondCollin  @MargoBondCollin

Google+:
https://plus.google.com/116484555448104519902

Goodreads
Author Page: http://www.goodreads.com/vampirarchy

Facebook
Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/MargoBondCollins

Pinterest:
http://www.pinterest.com/mbondcollins/

 

_____________________________________________

 

Review:

★★★★

Let me start the review by saying I've never read anything by Margo Bond Collins before Bound by Blood, nor have I read a lot of urban fantasy books at all. Still, I am a sucker for vampire stories still after all these years, and I couldn't resist giving this short story a read.

I'm impressed with how the author managed to drag me into the story and create world building in such a short space, but she did. I was never left confused or wanting more information, which is something to highlight in a novella. I also have to say that I really liked the folklore twist of the "traditional" vampire story by using influence from Filipino culture. This isn't a culture I know too much about, if I'm being honest, and it was really cool to have it featured in a story such as this one.

It is a bit violent and descriptive, but personally I found that to be a plus in the book's favor. It was well detailed and well written, and I would definitely go back to read more of Margo Bond Collins' work in the future. I'd recommend it to urban fantasy fans as well as lovers of vampires and those who are addicted to books about plagues and epidemics.

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

Mini Holiday Review: I'm Dreaming of an Undead Christmas by Molly Harper!

Title: I'm Dreaming of an Undead Christmas
Series: Half Moon Hollow #2.7
Author: Molly Harper
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: November 17th 2014
Source: Netgalley & Pocket Star

Description via Goodreads:

Experience the vampire world for the holidays through the eyes of Gigi Scanlon in this e-novella prequel to The Dangers of Dating a Rebound Vampire from beloved paranormal romance author Molly Harper!

College co-ed Gigi is headed home to Half-Moon Hollow for her first Christmas since her sister, Iris, was turned into a vampire by her beloved undead husband, Cal. Iris is working overtime to make this holiday as normal and special as possible. After all, it’s taken her months of working with Jane Jameson and the Hollow’s vampires to convince herself that she won’t bite her baby sister on sight.

Gigi has her own worries. She’s falling out of love with her high school sweetheart, Ben, and has no idea how to tell him. She’s got a secret job interview with terrifying teen Council official, Ophelia Lambert. And there’s a handsome but cagey vampire following her around town and then disappearing before Gigi can confirm that he’s not, in fact, a figment of her fertile imagination. Holidays with family are complicated. Christmas with an undead family can be downright dangerous.

★★★ ★

I'll be the first one to admit that this is my first reading experience from Molly Harper. I know that this is book 2.7 in a series, but when a book stumbles into your inbox about vampires and Christmas, you read it no matter what number in the series it is. I have to say that I really love Harper's writing style, and I'll definitely be reading the rest of the Half-Moon Hallow books.

It was a little bit harder for me to get a grasp on all of the characters (there's quite a cast of them) because I haven't read any of the other books, but I was still able to keep them fairly straight. I love the relationships they all had with each other, and even though this was only a novella it came across quite clearly the strength of their friendships. It gave the holiday theme that extra oomph of warm fuzzies.

Not to mention the fact that this book is hilarious. I wasn't expecting to get any laughs from this novella but I'll be damned if I didn't. Molly Harper and I apparently share a very similar sense of humor, because I was snickering every few pages.

Between the jokes, sisterly insults, the bonds of the families/relationships, and Iris trying so, so hard to just have a normal Christmas despite her newly acquired vampirism, this story is a great little feel-good read that all fans of urban fantasy and paranormal romance should check out, especially if you're familiar with this book series already.

All the hints and peeks that Harper gives in this book to the various couples' futures and pasts, as well as into the main character of this novella, Gigi's, life- from a new job to a mysterious pretty man friend- have ensured that I will read this series to find out more about what the holly is going on. Ha. Christmas profanity. Anyway, well played, Harper, you win this round. I'll read your books, you've made a fan of me.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and Pocket Star who provided me with a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Firebug by Lish McBride

Title: Firebug
Series: Firebug #1
Author: Lish McBride
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: September 23rd 2014
Source: Netgalley & Henry Holt and Co

Description via Goodreads:

Ava can start fires with her mind . . . but is it a blessing or a curse?

Ava is a firebug—she can start fires with her mind. Which would all be well and good if she weren't caught in a deadly contract with the Coterie, a magical mafia. She's one of their main hit men . . . and she doesn't like it one bit. Not least because her mother's death was ordered by Venus—who is now her boss.

When Venus asks Ava to kill a family friend, Ava rebels. She knows very well that you can't say no to the Coterie and expect to get away with it, though, so she and her friends hit the road, trying desperately to think of a way out of the mess they find themselves in. Preferably keeping the murder to a minimum.

★★★★

Firebug is a really solid series debut. I really enjoyed what this book had to offer, and though I had a few faults with it, I would definitely pick up the next book in the series to see what happens next.

Perhaps what I loved most about this book is the characters. There were some that I loved and some that I hated, and some that I'm still torn about, but they were each a distinct voice. Every character was in place for a reason, and despite the fact that there gets to be a fairly large cast of characters, it was easy to keep them straight because they were defined so differently. I know this is Ava's book, but for me her best friends/co-workers Ezra and Lock stole the show for me. Ezra is sexy and he knows it and has a great sense of humor, and Lock has cool powers and a sense of protectiveness that I find endearing. I look forward to seeing what happens with them in the future. And as much as I'm supposed to hate the "villain" of this story, Venus, I actually kind of love her. If I were a villain, she's who I'd look to for inspiration. Just sayin'.

Speaking of Venus, I also really liked the settings of this book, particularly Venus's nightclub. It's a front for her "organization" that sounds like the place I'd want to party if, you know, there wasn't the whole threat of imminent death thing going on. It kind of reminded me of the bar scenes in the Sookie Stackhouse series, which was a welcome comparison to me.

The "organization" that meets is the Coterie... Kind of like a mafia system for paranormals. I thought this was all very well explained and I liked the way it was laid out. I also liked the wide variety of gifts/breeds/whatever you wish to call them that were present. There are vampires, shifters, elementals, blood witches, nymphs, you name it, this book has it. It was well pulled off, diverse without being too much.

This book has a nice blend of humor (I laughed out loud more than once, admittedly), action, and fighting. The pacing is good and there's always something happening. And when there's not... Well, there's the tone that some stuff is going to start going down soon enough. I also totally didn't see the ending coming, so props for that.

The fighting, while overall well-written and rather plentiful in this book, is one of the drawbacks for me, at no fault to the author. I have a hard time visualizing fight scenes a lot of the times, so in books were fighting is heavy it sometimes gets hard for me to follow. That's just a personal quirk, and I'm sure you won't have a problem with it unless you feel the same about fight scenes as I do.

Firebug is a great start to a young adult fantasy/urban fantasy series that I think fans of magic and paranormal will enjoy. I look forward to book two in the series and recommend it to anyone who wants to read about a paranormal mafia and the bring down of a vampiric goddess tyrant.

Thanks to Netgalley & Henry Holt and Co. for my copy in exchange for my honest review.

Blog Tour: Review, Playlist, & Giveaway: The Last Changeling by Chelsea Pitcher

Title: The Last Changeling
Series: Faerie Revolutions #1
Author: Chelsea Pitcher
Format: Paperback, 360 pages
Release date: November 8th 2014
Publisher: Flux Books

Book Description:

A Kingdom at War . . .

Elora, the young princess of the Dark Faeries, plans to overthrow her tyrannical mother, the Dark Queen, and bring equality to faeriekind. All she has to do is convince her mother’s loathed enemy, the Bright Queen, to join her cause. But the Bright Queen demands an offering first: a human boy who is a “young leader of men.”

A Dark Princess In Disguise . . .

To steal a mortal, Elora must become a mortal—at least, by all appearances. And infiltrating a high school is surprisingly easy. When Elora meets Taylor, the seventeen-year-old who’s plotting to overthrow a ruthless bully, she thinks she’s found her offering . . . until she starts to fall in love.



Buy it here:

Amazon

About the Author:

Chelsea Pitcher is a native of Portland, OR where she received her BA in English Literature. Fascinated by all things literary, she began gobbling up stories as soon as she could read, and especially enjoys delving into the darker places to see if she can draw out some light.
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Playlist:

For my tour stop today, I'm excited to include a playlist of songs that I thought of while I was reading The Last Changeling. They're very different and don't necessarily seem like they belong in the same library, but I have wide tastes. As of now the playlist embed isn't working, but here is my list of songs:

1) Revolution by The Used
2) The Popular Song by Mika ft. Ariana Grande
3) One Day I'll Fly Away by Nicole Kidman
4) Lips Like Morphine by Kill Hannah
5) Dark Lady by Cher
6) Time for Tea by Emilie Autumn
7) Alive by Omnia
8) Broken by Seether ft. Amy Lee
9) It Ends Tonight by All American Rejects
10) I Will Follow You Into the Dark by Death Cab for Cutie
11) Revolution by Jim Sturgess
12) Walk Through the Fire by Sarah Michelle Gellar
13) Goodnight Demonslayer by Voltaire

Review:

★★★ ★

Three and a half stars.

This book left me really torn. It wasn't at all what I thought it was going to be, but in spite of that it was still a book that I enjoyed well enough to read in one sitting.

When I first read the blurb of this story, and saw mention of queens and faeries and courts and revolution, paired with the amazingly beautiful winged cover art, I thought that I would be diving into a fantastical, fairy tale book. This is not that book. It is set almost exclusively in our mortal world, and any history of the faeries and their world are told only through the bedtime stories that the lead female, Elora, tells the male lead, Taylor. I'm a bit disappointed by this lack of faerie world building and setting; it's what I expected to be reading. This goes for the character species/beasts/monsters too. I would have liked more time dedicated to explanations.

Now with that out of the way, once I got used to the contemporary earthly setting (which took a while, admittedly), I found myself enjoying this book for different reasons. Though I was bummed by this lack of fantasy worlds, I did like the continuing theme of Elora telling Taylor her story in snippets as a nightly story. I thought it was cute, and it helped to illustrate how they grew towards one another. The characters overall were something I really enjoyed. I liked Elora's "weirdness". She's not from our world, so when she gets here, she has some learning to do. I appreciated the diversified characters. Gay, non-white, disabled, and bisexual characters all make their appearances. I liked watching how Elora's very presence helped to shape Taylor from a quiet, passive outcast into a stronger character, and by end of the book I was rooting for their romance to work. There was insta-love at the beginning, but Elora does keep him at bay, which I also liked.

Back to the LGBT characters for a moment, Taylor and Elora make friends (and gain bullies) by joining the Gay Straight Alliance. They tackle issues regarding same sex couples at prom and equality and as a member of this community, I was really excited to see these elements being featured in the story. We have a lot more freedoms now than in the past, but getting kicked off the team for being gay or getting unequal treatment by school faculty is very alive and very real in a lot of communities. I did think that this was talked about a bit longer or more in depth than Elora's plot needed but hey, I'm not really about to complain about exposure to this topic. Pitcher also had one of the most accurate quotes about being in the closet that I've ever read, especially in YA fiction:

"People hate you and they haven't even met you. But it's better than the alternative... Because when you're hiding, all you do is hate yourself." page 82

Once acclimated, I liked this mix of fantasy and realism. I think it's an entertaining read that has romance, humor, action, and of course, faeries. If you don't go into this thinking it's as fantastical-set as I did, I think you'll enjoy it more. This is a good read for people who like contemporary fantasy/urban fantasy, romance without sex, and mythical creatures from other worlds. Be warned that there's drinking, drug use, bullying, and gay slurs in this book, but they're there for importance.

Thank you to Flux Books for my copy in exchange for my honest opinions.

---

Check out the rest of the tour here!

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway