A Review for Being Jamie Baker by Kelly Oram

Posted by Melanie 
Release Date: June 14th, 2010 
Finished Date: October 25th, 2013

Publishers: Bluefields
Genre: YA, Paranormal, Romance 
Source: For Review

Format: eBook
Pages: 353

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US 

An accident that should end in tragedy instead gives seventeen-year-old Jamie Baker a slew of uncontrollable superhuman abilities. To keep her secret safe Jamie socially exiles herself, earning the title of Rocklin High's resident ice queen. But during a supercharged encounter with star quarterback Ryan Miller she literally kisses anonymity goodbye. Now the annoyingly irresistible Ryan will stop at nothing to melt the heart of the ice queen and find out what makes her so special. Unfortunately, Ryan is not the only person on to her secret. Will Jamie learn to contain her unstable powers before being discovered by the media or turned into a government lab rat? More importantly, can she throw Ryan Miller off her trail before falling in love with him?

The Review: Being Jamie Baker was a fun, easy read but also dealt with real issues and was quite emotional too and I would say that if you took out the paranormal element it could have easily converted to a YA contemp read. Jamie was a great character to get to know and it was very easy to connect with her. I thought it was very realistic how she was portrayed as an ‘Ice Queen’, she did keep everyone at arms length & when you read her story you understand why she puts on this façade but that all changes when Ryan strolls into her life. I love how they met, if was fun & daring and an awesome ice breaker between them, opening up a gap in the façade to let Ryan see a glimpse of the girl underneath….and hooking him instantly. I really liked how their relationship unfolded, I admired Ryan for his persistence, I felt so much for Jamie as she fought to keep her feelings sheltered in an effort to not only protect herself but Ryan too and sometimes my heart broke for her especially with how much upheaval her life has gone through.

The storyline was really good, easy to read and get involved with. As I said there are real issues, emotional issues but also there’s the paranormal element and as the blurb tells us – Jamie is a superhero – I like her powers and how she came about them, it all ties into her issues and only Jamie knows the real story of what happened, so we discover it along with all of the other characters. A lot of the book is devoted to the relationship aspect as our main characters begin a relationship but it is through Ryan’s determination to uncover the real Jamie Baker that we find out about her powers, he encourages her to test herself, to challenge her preconceptions and is such a positive influence that I think he could make anyone a better person. Of course there is your usual high school drama and some of it was very harsh on Jamie, especially when she started to open up because when you hide from your emotions for so long and let yourself feel again, it’s intense, the feelings are amplified and that adds to the drama too. The threat comes from unexpected sources and brings about a major twist towards the end but also opens up what could be a series threat and I look forward to that as much as I look forward to more from Jamie & Ryan. I would really like to see her put her powers to good use, she manages to control them a lot in this and we see some of their potential plus we get a couple of instances of her using them to help in this and I liked that, so hopefully more of that in the next book. This is a great start to the series though. 

A Review for Shadows of the Past (Others of Edenton #2) by Brandy L. Rivers

Posted by Melanie
Release Date: October 5th, 2013
Finished Date: November 11th, 2013

Publishers: Self Published 
Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Source: For Review

Format: eBook
Pages: 289

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US 

Haunted by memories of her past, Amethyst Lakes left her home to come to Edenton. She was ready to start a new life on her own after being stalked relentlessly.

Hayden Hunter is too busy being Sheriff to take interest in a woman.

That is until his officer drags Amethyst into his life. For the first time he wants to protect and claim.

There’s instant attraction between the two, but Amethyst isn’t ready for anyone since she found out her ex killed himself after she sent him away for good.

Preston has always protected Amethyst, and when he finds out something of legend and nightmares is coming for her, he’ll do everything he can to keep her safe.

Amethyst is either the catalyst to bring nightmares fully into this realm, or the one to end them. Can she find the power to stop the darkness, or will she wind up its prey?

Pretty little nymph, suspicious but sexy earth fae, cocky mage, and a nightmare of old.

The Review: 4.5 flowers! 

Shadows of the Past is a great addition to the Others of Edenton series and this time around we have Amethyst Lakes, a nymph featured in the Shadows Fall novelette and Hayden Hunter – Edentons very own Fae Sheriff! The synopsis is very accurate in its description of the book but I would add that apart from the relationship drama there are other ‘shadows of the past’ for both of them to deal with and the main threat of the book.
I liked all of the characters that feature in these books so Amethyst & Hayden are no exception, they are a cool pair, Amethyst is very confident sexually so you would expect her to be a bit more dominant in that department but Hayden is more than man enough to deal with this nymph and give her what she needs. I liked that even though she is more than capable of looking after herself that she had a vulnerable side too….not that it lasted long. I thought Hayden did a great job of winning her around even though the chemistry between them was smokin’ so he didn’t need to push but I appreciated that he was willing to put his needs to one side in favour of her needs and it was great to see him in another light than the surly Sheriff we had been introduced to in the first book. I was actually surprised that Hayden turned out to be Amethyst’s love interest because Preston was my bet and actually I thought Dacia had made a connection with Hayden in book one.
The story featured a different threat than book one and I liked the introduction of the ‘Shadow Fae’, I liked the threat they posed to everyone, how they gained their strength and what they were trying to do, they gave the book a darker feeling and made you think that anyone could be turned into the enemy. I like how both Amethyst & Hayden’s families were connected to them also, we get all of the history in the prologue so don’t worry about missing anything. I liked how the story from Shadows Fall continues in this but I must say that you really must read Shadows Fall before reading this as you wouldn’t really know the ins & outs of what had happened to Amethyst and why everyone seems uber protective of her.
I never like love triangles or ‘other women’ but there is one in this series who takes it upon herself to claim every eligible man even though they wouldn’t touch her and as soon as I knew who Amethyst’s love interest was, I knew this woman would be a problem…. It’s quite amusing how she pops up to claim a man that has nothing to do with her, she’s the token bitch of the series and although she has ‘issues’ you can actually feel for her and when we get her book I think it will be emotional but for now, she amuses me. We also get to meet a few new characters in this and I liked them all, there are a few notable ones and we are introduced to book 3’s couple too which I am very much looking forward to but I’m looking forward to Preston’s book a lot more. I also wanted to know what gift Sapphire bestowed upon Hayden & his family… will we ever find out? Never the less this was an awesome read (I would expect no less) and as always, I’m left wanting more! 

Book Blitz for Alive (Crave #1) by Megan D.Martin + INT Giveaway

Alive (Crave #1) by Megan D. Martin
Release Date: November 22nd, 2013

Genre: New Adult, Post-Apocalyptic, Romance

Buy: Amazon US / Smashwords

Flesh-eating zombies, dirty sex, and a shattered past…
What’s more dangerous—the man who broke her heart or those trying to eat it?

Fighting to survive, Eve finds herself alone in the world after the Crave—the only parallel of her former life. On the hunt for her sister, she runs into Gage—the first and only boy to have her heart and break it. It’s been four years and he isn’t a boy anymore, nor is he the same person he used to be. Against her better judgment, Eve agrees to stay with him when he divulges information on a safe haven near the small town they grew up in—but that doesn’t mean she has to like it…

Returning home elicits a myriad of emotions that both Eve and Gage thought they had buried. The past and present collide and they are forced to the face bitter deceits that ruined them in the before and threaten to destroy them now…

Excerpt from Alive

He jerked her body forward as she struggled against his iron grip. He didn’t stop until he had her back pressed against the decaying wall of the old wooden building with her backpack scrunched painfully in between.

“I know what you need, Eve. You need me.” White-hot heat stabbed through her body like a knife. She fought the urge to rub against him. No, don’t let him control your body like this! “You can deny it all you want. You can escape and head to Eden on your merry way. I know you know where it is. I know you don’t need some fucking tour guide.” His words were vicious, his gray eyes brighter than moments before.

“Then why won’t you let me go? Huh?” She choked the words out, hoping he didn’t notice how he affected her.

“You don’t know what’s out there.”

AUTHOR BIO:

Megan D. Martin is a multi-published author, mother, student and editor. In her spare time she enjoys decorating her house with strange things that do not match, playing her old school Nintendo Entertainment System, and buying fish for her many fish tanks.

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Waiting on Wednesday (#63)

 

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. 

Jess's WoW

Out of Control

by Sarah Alderson

Release date: 22nd May 2014
 

When 17 year old Liva witnesses a brutal murder she’s taken into police custody for her own protection. But when the police station is attacked and bullets start flying it becomes clear that Liva is not just a witness, she’s a target.

Together with a car thief called Jay, Liva manages to escape the massacre but now the two of them are alone in New York, trying to outrun and outwit two killers who will stop at nothing to find them.

When you live on the edge, there’s a long way to fall.

Jess's thoughts: Beautiful. HUGE Sarah Alderson fan and I really cannot wait to read this new book by her, it sounds amazing.

Donna's WoW

A Beautiful Wedding
(Beautiful #2.5)
by Jamie McGuire
Release Date: December 10th 2013

You know that Abby Abernathy unexpectedly became Mrs. Maddox. But what do you really know?

Why did Abby pop the question?
What secrets were shared before the ceremony?
Where did they spend their wedding night?
Who else knew about it . . . and didn’t tell?

Everything about Abby and Travis’s elopement was top-secret . . . until now. Fans of Beautiful Disaster and Walking Disaster will get all of their questions answered in this whirlwind tale of the wedding day (and night!)—and as with all good stories, this one will definitely have been worth the wait.

Donna's thoughts: More Abby and Travis???....YES PLEASE!! 

<What's your "waiting on" pick this week?

Want to participate? 
Grab the logo, post your own WoW entry on your blog, and leave your link at Breaking the Spine. 

Happy Reading!

Blog Tour for Snowed Over by Angie Stanton; Excerpt + Giveaway

Posted by Donna
Release Date: October 12th, 2012

Publishers: Vanguard Management, Inc
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Pages: 126
Tour Schedule: HERE

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US

To college student, Katie Brandt, ‘Home for the Holidays’ sounds like hell. When her parents separated, their holiday traditions shattered like a dropped ornament. What could be worse than celebrating Christmas with her suddenly single mom and mom’s new boyfriend?

Alex Walker, an engaged 20-year-old, dreads going home for his own reasons. He has a daunting task ahead of him and wishes he could skip the holidays altogether. So when a friend of a friend needs a ride north, Alex finds that having beautiful Katie seated by his side proves to be just the distraction he needs.

A simple ride home for Christmas turns into a nightmare when light snow rages into a full-scale blizzard. Katie and Alex find themselves stranded, and a vacant cabin becomes a haven from the storm.
Under different circumstances, time alone with Alex would be the ultimate Christmas gift, but Katie knows Alex is engaged and she must hide her growing attraction.

However, Alex harbors a secret that just might change this holiday from the worst Christmas ever, to the best.

Excerpt of Snowed Over.

Katie knew she should offer him the couch, but she aches all over and sleeping on the cold floor sounded horrible. “Are you sure? I feel terrible making you sleep on the floor.” But the couch wouldn’t hold two people unless they were twisted together like red licorice.

“It’s fine. Unless— He eyed the brown sofa with the leaf patterned upholstery. He lifted up the center cushion. “—It’s a hide-a-bed!”

He removed the other cushions to reveal a handle and mattress hidden within. He turned to Katie with a naughty smile and asked. “Want to sleep with me?”

AUTHOR BIO

Angie Stanton never planned on writing books, she wanted to be a Rockette. However, growing up in a rural setting with her brothers' 4-H pigs as pets, dance didn't work out. Instead she became an avid daydreamer. After years of perfecting stories in her head she began to write them down and the rest is history.

She loves dipping french fries in chocolate shakes, natural disaster movies and Broadway Musicals. When not writing, Angie is concocting ways to make more dreams come true, whether it be tickets to a Broadway show or convincing her family they should rent an RV and travel the country. She's still working on that one.

Angie is a proud double finalist of the 2011 National Readers Choice Awards for Love 'em or Leave 'em, as well as a finalist for the Golden Quill Awards.

Author Social Media Links:

AngieStanton.com

Facebook.com/AngieStantonAuthor

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A Review for Blood Bound by Keshia Swaim

Posted by Melanie
Release Date: October 8th, 2013 
Finished Date: November 4th, 2013

Publishers: Spencer Hill Press
Genre: YA, Paranormal,
Source: For Review

Format: Paperback
Pages: 194

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

Starting college a year early is hard. Starting fae college and learning to protect the world from the Unseelie is harder.
Brielle Reed has always been an over-achiever, but this time she may have bitten off more than she can chew. 

Between her crash course in fae politics, struggles to control her new mind-reading ability, training sessions with the demanding Dr. Schwartz, and discoveries about the father who is still a mystery to her, Brielle finds herself longing for a chance at a normal life.

But she may not get that chance. Or chance at a life at all, for that matter.

The Review: Blood Bound is the debut novel by Keshia Swaim telling the story Brielle Reed, a half blood fae who has only recently discovered her lineage and is off to Fae College, her boyfriend Alex is already there so things should be perfect right? Well they would be if she could just keep up with juggling her workload, her boyfriend, discovering who her father really was, mastering her new abilities and gaining the attention of the dean of the college- Dr Schwartz- who will push her to her limits. Not only that but the Unseelie are creeping ever closer to campus, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake and not only did they want her father…now they want her!
I really enjoyed Blood Bound and read it all in one go. I like Fae stories and of course when you get to 17 and only just find out who you really are, there’s some major discovering to do. I liked Brielle as a character, she was easy to connect with and I really felt her relationship with Alex. I loved their secret communications and it helped to feel that they were spending time together even though they were apart. I also like Pamie –her roomie- she is fun and a great partner to Brielle’s personality. The storyline was really good although in the beginning I felt like I was reading a sequel and had to check it out online, they reference some happenings, who her father was and her discovery about herself… it was a tad confusing because I had no idea what she was on about and felt like I had missed some major details. Once that was out of the way, I just carried on and some things were explained but others weren’t really relevant to the story so it was easy to put it to the back of my mind. I liked the idea of the college for Fae, there are full bloods & half bloods with some hint of tension between the two and that’s on the good side, I like how they all have certain powers and that they are different from each other, I liked the lessons they were taught etc. I like that Brielle is new to all of this and we are learning with her, there are some secrets to be uncovered alongside her too which was very intriguing. I like the two opposing sides of the Fae world, it did come across as if politics could become a big factor with it having a council & certain characters views, so if this was made into a series it would be interesting and I’m curious to see how that would play out. The book was really hard to put down and I was never bored, it may not have been all action but there was always something going on to keep me interested and I loved where it all went towards the end, it was a really good addition to the story and gave it a different feel, harsher, more violent and we get a good look at the Unseelie which promises good things for any future books. I thought this had tons of potential and hope it gets picked up for more because the characters & their world have a lot more to give and we haven’t even stepped foot in the Fairy Realm yet! 

A Review for Lost Seraphine (Seraphine Trilogy #2) by KaSonndra Leigh

Posted by Melanie
Release Date: November 24th, 2013
Finished Date: November 17th, 2013

Publishers: TriGate Press
Genre: YA, Paranormal, Romance
Source: For Review

Format: eBook
Pages: Unknown

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US 

Caleb Wood now knows the Dark Seraphine's true identity. 

Life should be a little more sane now, right? Wrong! It’s kind of hard to ignore the walkers, fallen souls taken by the Angel of Chaos. Oh yeah, only Caleb can see them.

After saving his girlfriend from the wrath of a sea witch, Caleb finds himself faced with a new problem…understanding the strange tattoos showing up on his body. He must also deal with his Lost Seraphine, the girl who left her family behind to save the boy she loves. The same girl who just happens to be the daughter of a mythological god. 

Gia gave up one of her powers to be with Caleb. She knew that she was connected to the Dark Seraphine in some way. You see, there’s a prophecy, something she always believed to be a fairy tale linking her with the girl who also wants Caleb. Haunted by visions of her dead brother, Gia realizes she has made a terrible mistake. The ability she gave up is the one thing she will need to keep her boyfriend safe. 

Will Caleb be able to accept the things he will learn about his real father while trying to save the girl he loves from herself? Book Two of the Seraphine Trilogy and prequel to the Lost Immortals Saga is coming soon.

The Review: Lost Seraphine is a great continuation to the Seraphine trilogy…at the end of book one, we were hit with some pretty big pieces of information including Caleb’s parentage, Gia’s true identity and also the identity of the Dark Seraphine and when you put all three together we get a nice big prophecy! As events start to unfold we find there are a LOT of secrets being kept and that nearly everyone is hiding something. Both Caleb and Gia suffer with guilt in the beginning and start assuming that they aren’t worthy of one another. Caleb carries guilt for Gia having to give up her life for him, he doesn’t feel he can be what she needs, protect her as well as he should. Whereas Gia feels like she isn’t good enough for Caleb or her family, why should she have to choose between them and let down her people. she already let down her friends and her brother when she couldn’t save them and this led to a quite solemn start to the book as the characters all take stock of what’s happened. I enjoyed getting both Caleb & Gia’s point of views this time around, I like how they are written and I really like their personalities which comes through in the writing easily but in the beginning it was heavy on the inner voice as our characters took on a sort of retrospective aspect and whilst I understand why, I was wishing for less. I liked the progression in the relationship, I like them together as a couple and once they started actually communicating again… it was a lot better. The storyline, again was great progression and I really liked how the events from book one carried over. As I mentioned earlier, there are a LOT of secrets & reveals in this which was awesome, everyone is hiding something and whilst some secrets are just little omissions, some are huge and have the capacity to change a persons life. Allegiances will be made & also broken as peoples true colours rise to the surface. I do like the magical/supernatural element to this, it’s interesting and I want more, I like that we’re getting some good interaction with the ‘bad guys’ and that we’re getting explanations about how Caleb is involved. I don’t feel we’re seeing the full extent of everyone and what they can do but I love the action we do get in this and wish there was more. For all there are a lot of explanations about characters, I want to know more about the kind of power they all have, Caleb especially because he has heritage from more than one parent and his maternal side is just as interesting. We meet a couple of very interesting characters in this who really piqued my curiosity, Mabry is one, he seems familiar and because I know that these books are connected to the ‘Lost Immortals’ series, I keep looking for clues and he rings a bell… the other is a seer, she was super creepy and we all know how seers can affect a story but always in a good way and considering there’s now a prophecy to play out… I’m very happy! I did think this was a really good read but just as some questions were being answered, more were being brought up so that it really whets the appetite for the final book, I want to know how everything interlocks, I want the magic to make a big impact, I want to know about Mabry & his scheduled talk with Caleb, I want to meet the missing pieces to Caleb & Gia’s lives, I really want to work out the ‘bad guys’ & I want a connection to Chela & Castle Hayne, Is Darren’s fence, ‘the’ fence from Castle Hayne?...the plot thickens. 

Book Blitz for Deadly Promise by Mia Hoddell

Deadly to Promise (Elemental Killers 

#2)

by Mia Hoddell

Genre: YA/Romance/Paranormal/Fantasy

A broken promise is all it takes.

Becoming an E.K isn’t a choice for Serena – it’s a necessity to survive. To destroy the Elementals she has to leave her old life behind. She has to train and follow a strict regime. But with time against her, she has only a few weeks to master the skills Kai spent his whole life perfecting.

The knowledge passed down from her ancestors is crucial to the Elementals demise and the success of their mission. However, the path they must follow is lined with riddles, each more confusing than the next. It doesn’t matter how close to succeeding they get, it’s never enough. The Elementals are one step ahead at every revelation and that can only mean one thing – the E.Ks have a traitor among them.

For one week only, both Deadly to Love and Deadly to Promise are 99c / 77p!

Buy Now: Amazon | Amazon.co.uk

Excerpt:

“Have you ever been swimming here?” I asked moving my head to watch his reaction as I brought my feet up out of the water and folded them beside me.

“Yeah, most summers when I came here. We all used to use it as a way to cool off or just have some fun in between training.”

“How about skinny dipping?” I asked my grin growing due to the thoughts running through my head.

“Why? You want to try it?” he challenged.

“Only if you go first,” I laughed but stopped instantly when he removed his shirt and tossed it behind us. My eyes widened in surprise and I started to regret my words. “You’re not being serious are you?” I stuttered as he pulled off his shoes, throwing them over to where his shirt was crumpled.

“You can’t chicken out now Rea. It was your idea,” he said smiling as he removed each sock, teasing me as they ended up with the rest of his discarded garments.

I just stared at him, my lips moving but not making a sound as I tried to find an excuse.

He laughed at me. “Relax Rea, I’m just teasing you. Well unless you’ve changed your mind. In that case I’m being deadly serious.” He had a cheeky grin on his face as he spoke and I pushed him hard, toppling him into the water below.

There was a lot of splashing but Kai surfaced finally, taking a deep breath as he flicked the hair out of his eyes. I was clutching my stomach in fits of laughter as I bent over. The shock on his face was priceless.

“Oh you are so dead Rea, so, so dead,” he said, his voice ragged as the cold water and shock affected his half naked body. I just continued to laugh as he floated in front of me, his head bobbing up and down in a comical way.

Deadly to Love (Elemental Killers #1)
by Mia Hoddell
Genre: YA/Romance/Paranormal/Fantasy

The world is dangerous – but love will kill you.

Little did Serena Jackson know that one simple, flirty remark to an anonymous guy online would lead to her world being changed forever.

She doesn’t know him, but inexplicably, is drawn. She knows it is wrong but she agrees to meet.

His real name is Kai. He is beautiful. And immediately Serena feels herself blindly falling for him even though she senses a lie. She knows he is hiding something and it terrifies her.

What she doesn’t realise is that her entire life has been built on secrets and lies. The people she loved left her in the dark for a reason.

She trusted them. She trusts Kai. But as he pulls her straight into the heart of the danger the lies and deadly secrets are revealed. They overwhelm her, and the person she once was no longer exists as she is thrown into a ruthless world of elemental forces. The price of truth is her life—and now the world wants her dead.

Buy Now: Amazon (Kindle) | Amazon (Paperback) | Lulu

Praise:

“I couldn't put it down. So I finished it last night and all I can say is WOW! This book was amazing and different.” Brianna (Book Blogger)

“I loved how the author took a different approach to writing a love story in modern times with the paranormal element present. I thought it was absolutely wonderful and refreshing. Marvelous!” Kathy H (Amazon Reviewer)

“In the end I had fallen in love with this story…completely untraditional it was a very original idea, not to mention modern. This story had such a good plot and the story structure was sound.” Kacii – The Kooky Bookworm (Book Blogger)

About the Author

Mia Hoddell lives in the UK with her family and two cats. She spends most of her time writing or reading and loves anything paranormal. Mia always had a love of writing but never reading. She was more interested in sports and hated sitting still - despite getting three poems published before the age of sixteen. Finally though, she found some novels that captured her interest and developed a love of reading which is now one of her favourite hobbies.

Mia began with poems before moving on to short stories. Although she enjoyed this, Mia found she had too much to tell with too little space, so later on she created her first series 'The Wanderer Trilogy' and from there other ideas have emerged. With a total of nine books planned at this moment, she is busy working on her second series 'Elemental Killers' before moving onto the next idea on her ever growing list.

Links: 

Blog |Twitter@MiaHoddell | Facebook Page |Goodreads | Amazon Author Page

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Deadly to Love

by Mia Hoddell

Giveaway ends December 06, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

A Review for World After (Penryn & the End of Days #2) by Susan Ee

Posted by Melanie 
Release Date: December 31st 2013 
Finished Date: November 20th, 2013

Publishers: November 19th 2013 
Genre: YA, Dystopia, Romance
Source: For Review

Format: Paperback
Pages: 315

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

In this sequel to the bestselling fantasy thriller, Angelfall, the survivors of the angel apocalypse begin to scrape back together what's left of the modern world.

When a group of people capture Penryn's sister Paige, thinking she's a monster, the situation ends in a massacre. Paige disappears. Humans are terrified. Mom is heartbroken.

Penryn drives through the streets of San Francisco looking for Paige. Why are the streets so empty? Where is everybody? Her search leads her into the heart of the angels' secret plans where she catches a glimpse of their motivations, and learns the horrifying extent to which the angels are willing to go.

Meanwhile, Raffe hunts for his wings. Without them, he can't rejoin the angels, can't take his rightful place as one of their leaders. When faced with recapturing his wings or helping Penryn survive, which will he choose?

The Review: World After is the long awaited sequel to AngelFall and what a sequel it was!! It was just EPIC!!! Pure perfection in a paperback.
At the end of AngelFall, Pen is assumed dead and only the fear of her mother and sister keep the resistance from not allowing her to travel with them….. but she wakes up much to the astonishment of everyone, but it isn’t a happy awakening as suspicion is thrust upon her family, people fear them - a girl who has awoken from the dead, a child that resembles a mechanical, medical experiment and a mentally disturbed woman prone to using a cattle prod and talking in tongues – things are not looking good for them and they have few supporters. After an episode where Paige is made to seem like a monster, she flees, so Pen has no option but to follow. As they search for Paige, they are thrust right into the middle of a nightmare as they come upon some of the Angel’s secrets & plans. As Pen again tries to save her family, she is forced to put her life on the line yet again as she heads to the heart of a new airie and she comes face to face with him again….Raffe. he had assumed she was dead too and had been chasing Belial around in order to get his wings back so that he can rejoin the angels, but seeing her knocks him for six and when the danger she is in becomes so desperate…. Who will he fight for?
So… this was amazing! I just can’t describe how this book enraptured me, it pulled me in and I seriously put my life on hold to read it all. It was so easy to reconnect with the characters especially Pen, she is a really cool character and I love that she still feels fear in dangerous situations but does it anyway, we could all take a leaf out of her book. I think her mother is great too, I’m so curious about her, about how she always seems to know what’s happening or what needs to be done etc. Is it mental illness or something more supernatural? And poor Paige, bless her, what have they done?
The storyline was amazing aswell, great progression and it starts more or less exactly where we left book one. I know that some people are wondering whether to re read book one but in my opinion there is no need, I know it made a big impact on me and I remembered a lot plus we get some excellent recaps told from Raffe’s POV, they were really good and I appreciated that insight into his head and we even get to see Pen through his eyes. :D The Angels may have hit a bit of a bump in the road with what the resistance did at the end of book one but they are by no means out of the picture and we find that they have others places set up doing the same type of thing. We find out quite a bit of information too as the focus of this book is the Angel’s plans, we find out who’s in on it, what’s happening with the weird test tube flying man/scorpions and how they fit into it, we find a little about how it all became possible, what the experimentation on the kids was for and what the ultimate goal is. For all the book is filled with humans in despair, struggling to survive now that they’re not at the top of the food chain, I also feel like it shows how that can bring out the best and the worst in people and even though the world is now fraught with danger, humans are showing their guts, they may be down to their primal instincts but their survival skills shine through giving a ray of hope & determination which I think Pen displays perfectly. I love the tentative relationship between Pen & Raffe, who doesn’t love a little forbidden love? I missed his character throughout the book and that was another reason I couldn’t stop reading….just waiting for the reunion and I thought Raffe’s reaction to finding her again was great and even though he struggles with his feelings for her, they came across loud & clear giving me hope for them - if they survive. There are awesome action scenes in this also and I can’t wait for the movie for some of those visuals because if they’re as good as my imagination then we’re in for a treat!

A Review for Unteachable by Leah Reader

Posted by Jess
Release Date: July 27th, 2013
Finished Date: September 28th, 2013

Publishers: Velvet Pony Press
Genre: New Adult Romance
Source:  Bought

Format: eBook
Pages: 356

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

This novel contains graphic sexual content and strong language. It is intended for mature readers. 

I met him at a carnival, of all corny places. The summer I turned eighteen, in that chaos of neon lights and cheap thrills, I met a man so sweet, so beautiful, he seemed to come from another world. We had one night: intense, scary, real. Then I ran, like I always do. Because I didn’t want to be abandoned again.

But I couldn’t run far enough.

I knew him as Evan that night. When I walked into his classroom, he became Mr. Wilke.

My teacher.

I don’t know if what we’re doing is wrong. The rules say one thing; my heart says screw the rules. I can’t let him lose his job. And I can’t lose him.

In the movies, this would have a happy ending. I grow up. I love, I lose, I learn. And I move on. But this is life, and there’s no script. You make it up as you go along.

And you don’t pray for a happy ending. You pray for it to never end.

The Review: "...You should love something while you have it, love it fully and without reservation, even if you know you'll lose it someday. We lose everything. If you're trying to avoid loss, there's no point in taking another breath, or letting your heart beat one more time. It all ends." His fingers curl around mine. "That's all life is. Breathing in, breathing out. The space between two breaths.”  

I enjoy New Adult books. I can read them over and over, and although some are pretty much the same, I still enjoy them. I especially enjoyed unteachable, I've always liked forbidden romances, and this one was a very good one.

I was hooked from the beginning, and what a beginning it was. From the moment I started I couldn't put it down. This was just a very well written story. Unteachable is full of lust, romance, forbidden and unrequited  it's got betrayal, trust, friendship and loyalty, pretty much every sort of ingredient a good NA book should have. 

I really liked Maise, she isn't the typical innocent 18 year old that you sometimes come to meet in a NA book, she's a bit of a rebel, sticks up for herself, and although she lacks some self respect (based on her past sex life), she still manages to be a likable character,but there is enough back story to her past that explains the way she is in the book. When her and Evan (Mr Wilke) are on the page together, you get the intensity and the obsession they both have with each other in their relationship. Their relationship is naturally a complicated one, but it's a powerful one, and although they try their hardest to stop it, they always come back to each other in some way. 

The entire story is handled really well with regards to the forbidden student/teacher romance, this is truly a captivating story, with the romance and the illicit affair that Maize and Evan embark on. It'll just leave you wanting more and more. 

The ending, although I wouldn't call it happy, it's sort of bittersweet and it leaves you wondering, huh, ok then. To me it felt a little open and like their story wasn't yet finished, and I'd be happy with a sequel BUT I'll also be happy to leave it how it was, because to me, although it did seem open and bittersweet I think you can definitely take it as a happy ending, and you can just sit their and ponder after you've closed the book. You can think it over. 

This was most definitely one of my favourite reads of 2013 so far, and I would happily re-read it, and I most definitely look forward to more from Leah Reader, because she most definitely has things to say, and the woman can definitely write a story. 

So, if you haven't read Unteachable yet, then I most definitely suggest that you go out there and read it, I guarantee you won't regret it.

Waiting on Wednesday (#62)

 

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. 

Jess's WoW

Landry Park

by Bethany Hagen

Release date: February 4th, 2014

ORDER, ELEGANCE, PROSPERITY.

The words might as well be branded on 

seventeen-year-old Madeline Landry herself.

Here in the future United States, ruled by the lavish gentry, very little is left to choice—and even less is left to Madeline. Gentry decorum and Madeline’s domineering father insist that she must marry, like a good Landry woman, and run the family estate. But as she steps outside the decadent walls of her world,

Madeline begins to question everything she has ever learned. In her desperation, she turns to the only person who seems to understand: handsome, beguiling David Dana. Soon, rumors of war and rebellion start to spread, and Madeline finds herself and David at the center of it all. Ultimately, she must make a choice between her duty—the family

and estate she loves dearly—and her desire.

Jess's thoughts:  I am looking forward to this, the only issue I have is that I can't seem to enjoy dystopia now as much as I used to. I haven't found any as good. I hope this one will be worth the read.

Donna's WoW

Cruel Beauty
by Rosamund Hodge 
Release Date: January 28th, 2014

Graceling meets Beauty and the Beast in this sweeping fantasy about one girl's journey to fulfill her destiny and the monster who gets in her way-by stealing her heart.

Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny.

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.

With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle-a shifting maze of magical rooms-enthralls her.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

Donna's thoughts: This had me at Beauty and the Beast! SOLD! I can't wait to read it!

<What's your "waiting on" pick this week?

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Grab the logo, post your own WoW entry on your blog, and leave your link at Breaking the Spine. 

Happy Reading!