A Review for Ghost Planet by Sharon Lynn Fisher

Posted by Guest Reviewer Melanie
Release Date: October 23rd, 2012

Finished Date: January 8th, 2013

Publishers: Tor
Source: For Review 

Format: Paperback 

Pages: 342
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

Psychologist Elizabeth Cole prepared for the worst when she accepted a job on a newly discovered world—a world where every colonist is tethered to an alien who manifests in the form of a dead loved one. But she never expected she'd struggle with the requirement to shun these "ghosts." She never expected to be so attracted to the charming Irishman assigned as her supervisor. And she certainly never expected to discover she died in a transport crash en route to the planet. 

As a ghost, Elizabeth is symbiotically linked to her supervisor, Murphy—creator of the Ghost Protocol, which forbids him to acknowledge or interact with her. Confused and alone—oppressed by her ghost status and tormented by forbidden love—Elizabeth works to unlock the secrets of her own existence. 

But her quest for answers lands her in a tug-of-war between powerful interests, and she soon finds herself a pawn in the struggle for control of the planet…a struggle that could separate her forever from the man that she loves.

The Review: I’m not going to lie, I struggled with this in the beginning – it was hard to wrap my head around what was happening but once I got the gist of it, it turned into a really great read. I don’t usually read sci-fi books, I’m more of a paranormal girl but I’d thought I’d give this a go because I liked the sound of it and it can also be classed as paranormal and even fantasy just  by dealing with the ghost/alien subject.

The story was a unique one for me and I believe the synopsis truly says it all. I gelled with the characters straight away and felt their chemistry so when we got the big reveal about Elizabeth being a ghost, I was really shocked and then the curiosity kicked in. Because of the attachment I had to Elizabeth & Murphy, it was just horrible that things changed between them as soon as that discovery was made and Murphy implemented the ghost protocol on her, I didn’t see her any differently and was a bit puzzled as to why they couldn’t see that she could still be an asset to them in any form. I sort of knew where it was going in respect to what she would do about her predicament and how she would go about it but I always wondered why they hadn’t tried something like that before. I loved what happened later on between them and how that opened up a whole new insight, if only things could really be that way. I also loved that the tables were turned on Murphy too so he got a taste of what it felt like to be the ‘alien’. Their love story was a welcome lift and added a bit of spice to the story, it was sweet in a way and quite desperate as they fight it but bond anyway & let’s face it …. Who doesn’t like a bit of forbidden love?

The story was actually well rounded with both sides ghost/colonist being addressed and I liked that a lot, it made me question a lot of things as well especially the negative reaction from both sides, sort of like a modern racism against species that seemed to carry a message of tolerance, understanding and willingness to see the bigger picture of how they could help each other and unite, instead of segregation & unrest. I really liked the environmental aspect as well, how it was all linked together and when the truth comes out, the key is one we can only hope for… so not only do we get mystery, we get oppression, discrimination, power struggles, insurgence, jealousy, rivalry and a nice dose of forbidden love - hidden under the façade of big money organisations with ulterior motives and what started out quite slow with a psychological feel became an action packed adventure on a new planet where it seems like battle has only just begun & I would definitely read a sequel. It gives a lot of food for thought too. 

Blog Tour for Eternally Yours by Cate Tiernan; Review + Q&A with Cate.

Posted by Guest Reviewer Melanie.
Release Date: January 17th, 2013

Finished Date: November 2012

Publishers: Hodder & Stoughton
Source: For Review 

Format: Paperback 

Pages: 455
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

After 450 years of living, Nastasya Crowe should have more of a handle on this whole immortal thing....

After a deadly confrontation at the end of Darkness Falls, the second Immortal Beloved novel, Nastasya Crowe is, as she would put it, so over the drama. She fights back against the dark immortals with her own brand of kick-butt magick...but can she fight against true love? In the satisfying finale to the Immortal Beloved trilogy, ex-party-girl immortal Nastasya ends a 450-year-old feud and learns what “eternally yours” really means.

Laced with historical flashbacks and laugh-out-loud dialogue, the Immortal Beloved trilogy is a fascinating and unique take on what it would mean to live forever.

The Review: 4.5 Stars! What an awesome end to the series!

Following the end of Darkness falls, Nasty finds herself back at River’s Edge in the care of the people she has come to depend on. What she went through and the revelations she found out are having a lasting effect on her, making her question herself and her relationships once again but one thing is for sure – she’s glad it’s over….. but is it? Just as things start to settle and she finds herself in a nice routine, some unexpected visitors arrive and it soon becomes clear that Nasty is unwanted, they believe that wherever she is… trouble will follow, along with the dark magic and she should leave for the greater good. Nasty wants to do what she does best and run but how can she abandon these people who have helped her so much? Especially when strange things start to happen around River’s Edge, things dying, strange burnt circles surrounding the entire house not to mention that other Immortal’s are being killed in their own homes overseas…. Will they be next? And then there is Reyn, what is between them? Will there ever be a future for them, when all of their history has been against them?

I really liked this book, it was a very fitting conclusion and I’m happy with the outcome. I love when I read a whole series and I feel satisfied at the end, makes reading it worthwhile but I am sorry to be leaving these characters behind because Nasty has been so fun to read, her humour has always been very uplifting to what could, given the circumstances, have been a very solemn read and its one of the things that kept me reading. I’ve been routing for her since book one and it is great to see all of her endeavours come to fruition. I was seeing a lot of myself in her to be honest because I myself am going through some therapy and I was noticing some of the techniques that where being applied particularly mindfulness and challenging the automatic negative thoughts plus Nasty’s need to escape when the emotions became too much, so it has me wondering what I might not have picked up on in the previous books and thinking that basically the trilogy has been like following one person on their therapy journey – which I really liked. I loved the romance with Reyn, sometimes it seemed so impossible for the pair to come together, be it because of their shared histories or what type of people they were and I love that it developed extra slowly, so tentatively as they each found their feet, testing how they felt about each other and how they felt they could cope in a relationship. I liked also that it wasn’t just the man who was stand offish and that they didn’t just jump into it, it made it so much sweeter throughout the trilogy as they gradually got closer and realised how much they felt for each other.

I wondered where the storyline was going to go following book two because Incy was sort of took out of the equation and he was the main threat to Nasty, but everything you learn in this will show you what has really been going on and I had no clue until the very end which was a major plus for me because it seldom happens. I liked the new characters that came into this, I find myself very curious about them and wondering if they have possibilities for a spin off book, particularly Joshua. Now, because a lot that happens in this book is new and very revealing, I can’t really go into the plot of fear of revealing its secrets – but what I can tell you is that the danger & fear factors are amped up giving it a more psychological warfare feel, there are some revelations of the heart, there are some breakthroughs, a huge amount of humanitarianism (check that word out!) and there are a good few revelations, all leading up to a very epic ending that will leave you on the edge of your seat. I also liked the overall theme & messages I got from the books about being ourselves, being a better person no matter your past, giving others the chance to change and overcome, without judgement because let’s face it… none of us are perfect, letting people in emotionally, I could go on – but one thing I know for certain, I will definitely remember this trilogy. 

Thank you to Hodder for the opportunity to review this book. 

Author Interview with  Cate Tiernan, author of the Immortal Beloved Trilogy.

How did you come up with the idea for the trilogy?

The character of Nastasya is based loosely on a character from my Balefire series. I wanted to show a character who seemed irredeemable, just awful, and then show how she could redeem herself.

What made you put this different spin on an immortal?

Is it a different spin? I guess everyone has his or her own ideas of what an immortal (or vampire, or witch) is like--I just wrote the world in Immortal Beloved as I think it makes sense. This is the version of immortals that seems the most realistic and natural. 

The therapy has been a major factor in the series, did you want it to be like a rehab for immortals? Did you research this?

Yes, I wanted it to be a lot like rehab. I didn't do specific research into what rehab would be like, but I drew on various self-help books, and also my own personal beliefs about life and forgiveness.

What message do you want readers to come away with after reading the books?

That it's never too late to save yourself. And that one must save oneself--no one else can or should do it for you. Make your own decisions, take responsibility for your own actions, steer your own ship.

Who was your favourite character?

Oh, geez. I guess I know Nastasya the best, and I do love and admire her, even if she is annoying. But I love all the characters--Reyn, River, Brynne--all of them.

Who could you see playing Nasty & Reyn in a movie (other characters if you wish)

I never know how to answer this! I guess i could see Elle or Dakota Fanning as Nastasya? For Reyn, I just don't know--he should be the love child of Nickolaj Coster-Waldau and Chris Hemsworth.

What’s next for you? Any new books in the pipeline?

There's always something! Right now I'm working on a new trilogy for Simon Pulse, and I'm loving it! 

We asked our followers on the blogs face book page whether they would like to ask any questions, so this is what they came up with – a lot of people were interested in the Sweep questions..

From Elizabeth C Samione: Do you plan on revisiting the ‘Sweep’ series at any point? 

It would be so fun to see where life has taken Morgan and Hunter, but continuing Sweep is difficult because of the shared copyright. But I know what happens in my head . . .

From Elizabeth C Samione: Do you plan on touring? 

I would love to! If my publisher wants to send me out on tour, I would go!

From Melissa Portillo:  Do you still think about your characters Morgan and Hunter from Sweep? 

I do. Not to be all full of myself. But to me they're so real, they still exist, I know how their lives turned out. I think about them often. I actually reread Sweep every so often because I love it so much.

From Karen Connor: Do you have plans for any spin off books from the Immortal Beloved series? 

I've had some really fun ideas--it could go in a bunch of directions. Right now I'm working on this new trilogy, and then we'll see. You never know.

From Melissa Symonds: Out of all the books you have written, what is your favourite? 

I love all of them for different reasons. I have a nostalgic love for Sweep, because they were my first YAs and I love Morgan and Hunter so much. I love Balefire in part because it's set in New Orleans, my hometown, and I got to write about all the places I loved. And I love Immortal Beloved because I love Nastasya and Reyn, and I think the three books are, in some ways, the best books I've written. 

About Author: Cate Tiernan was born in New Orleans, LA. She loves the idea of magick, and tries to write worlds that she would prefer to live in. She currently lives in North Carolina with her husband, four children, and many pets.

Special Media Coverage; Angelfirel by Hanna Peach

Angelfire
by Hanna Peach
Release Date: November 22nd, 2012

Genre: Urban Fantasy/Paranormal

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US 

An army of angels walk among us. They have kept us safe and ignorant, so far.

Earthbound for centuries and ruled by the Elders, they have established hidden cities, a society and The Code: obey your Elders, kill all demons, eliminate Rogue-angels, protect the mortals, remain hidden. Their warriors are the ungifted earthborn angels armed with blades and the ‘borrowed magics’ of distilled angel-blood tattoos.

Alyxandria is a young warrior with a fondness for customized knives and illegal night-races. If only she could overcome the taint of her parents who abandoned her to become Rogues.

When Alyx saves Israel, a gifted mortal with a past, she is forbidden to see him again. But she can’t help herself, drawn to him through their Guardian-bond, an ancient and long-forgotten bond; if he dies, she dies.

An encounter with a handsome Rogue leaves Alyx questioning all she has been taught to believe. Alyx begins to dig into the Elders’ secrets. Two thousand years of secrets that begin with the death of the Archangel Raphael. She is not prepared when she uncovers an Elder’s dark plan.

Somewhere on earth is a key to unlock hell. Somewhere on earth are pieces of an amulet that controls Lucifer and his army. Somehow Israel is the link and now both sides are after him. Who can Alyx trust when Good and Evil is no longer clear?

The war for earth begins.

Alyx Flees Michaelea!

Jason:  Good morning listeners. This is Jason Petra and you’re listening to 4BHalo. We interrupt this regular broadcast with this breaking news...

Alyxandria has fled Michealea early this morning after a Command to Capture was issued against her. I have Elder Bezebel here as the Elders’ representative. Elder, can you tell us what happened?

Bezebel:  Alyxandria has been suspected of a crime against the Elder’s. A grievous crime. However, I can’t tell you any details of the allegations just yet as it may hinder our investigations. Just know that this matter is very sensitive and very, very serious.

Jason:  And how did you come to suspect her of this alleged crime?

Bezebel:  After the first entwinement ceremony it was discovered that some locations within the Elder-dome had been breached. Some local birds advised an Elder gifted with Animale that they spotted Alyxandria leaving the Elder-dome yesterday around the time of the entwinement ceremony. Hence, a Command to Capture was issued. Unfortunately she evaded capture.

Jason:  How did Alyxandria get away?

Bezebel:  We don’t know how she got past the arresting warriors. It was like she knew they were coming. Very suspicious indeed.

Jason: Where do you think she is now?

Bezebel: We have reason to suspect that she has connections with the Rogues. We believe she may be with them now, hiding out in one of the nearby mortal cities. We have Symon, Alyxandria’s flock leader in custody now.

Jason: Thank you for your time Elder.

Bezebel: I just wanted to say to all the Michaelean’s out there, if you have any knowledge of Alyxandria’s whereabouts you should come forward. We will not be lenient to you if it is found that you assisted in her escape or withheld any information from us.

Jason:  You heard it straight from Elder Bezebel, listeners. We shall keep you updated as this story unfolds, here on 4BHalo.

Visit Michelle’s Paranormal Vault of Books on 21^st Jan to see what the Elders discover during Symon’s interrogation.

Missed the previous Angelfire ‘media’ stories? Go to www.hannapeach.com for the full Angelfire ‘media’ schedule to follow it from the start.

Hanna Peach

A writer of fantastical things, especially stories with fangs, magic or wings.

I want to tell you tales that will rip away the glamour from your life, keep you running and fighting and gasping long past the devil’s hour and maybe, just maybe, reality will look a little bit different when you return.

Sit with me around this witchlight. Let me tell you a story.

Find out more about her at:  
Facebook / Website/Blog / Goodreads

A Review for Fallen Too Far (Fallen Too Far #1) by Abbi Glines

Posted by Jess
Release Date: December 14th, 2012

Finished Date: December 29th, 2012

Publishers: Self-Published
Source: Bought

Format: e-Book

Pages: 207
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

She is only nineteen.

She is his new stepfather’s daughter.

She is still naïve and innocent due to spending the last three years taking care of her sick mother.

But for twenty-four year old Rush Finlay, she is the only thing that has ever been off limits. His famous father’s guilt money, his mother’s desperation to win his love, and his charm are the three reasons he has never been told no.

Blaire Wynn left her small farmhouse in Alabama, after her mother passed away, to move in with her father and his new wife in their sprawling beach house along the Florida gulf coast. She isn’t prepared for the lifestyle change and she knows she’ll never fit into this world. Then there is her sexy stepbrother who her father leaves her with for the summer while he runs off to Paris with his wife. Rush is as spoiled as he is gorgeous. He is also getting under her skin. She knows he is anything but good for her and that he’ll never be faithful to anyone. He is jaded and has secrets Blaire knows she may never uncover but even knowing all of that…

Blaire just may have fallen too far.

The Review: "Because I’ve had a taste and I’m not sharing. This isn’t just for fun. I may be slightly addicted.” -Rush

Over Christmas I went on an Abbi Glines kick, after reading the Vincent Boy/Brothers I went straight into Fallen Too Far. Good God this book is so fracking awesome! 

Abbi is a great writer, I'm not sure why no publishers have picked her books up yet, I guess they can't see a good thing when it's there staring at them in the face. Fallen Too Far, was a crazy ass rollercoaster of emotions, not just for the reader but for Blaire and Rush. Fallen Too Far is a book that gets you hooked from page one, gets you wrapped up in their story, gets you addicted. 

Abbi Glines has a great way of sucking you into her stories. Getting you addicted to the characters, wanting to be inside the story with them. The plot to this story was excellent, it's not just the little things on top, but it's everything else underneath that you don't see or don't have revealed until the very end. You feel the emotion deep down, you just can't get enough.  

The pace of the story was great, not too slow, not too fast it was just right (like a story book the 3 bears would describe). There was always something going on on every page of the book. You're right there feeling it, feeling everything. 

The ending to Fallen Too Far is a killer, it's not a huge cliffhanger, but it makes you want to cry along with Blaire and Rush. 

I do love Abbi Glines, and I've loved the 3 books I've read of hers so far, however I do think she may need to branch away from the innocent virginal girl and the bad boy and maybe swap it around. Just to make it fresh, just to let people know you can write more than just the same type of story.  I definitely think it's her best book so far. It's just very much on par with her Vincent Boys duo. I can never get enough of her characters. I think she will need to branch out and change it up at some point, but if she sticks to what she does best with the virgin girl and bad boy then I'd be happy. Having said that, if you like the innocent virginal girl and the angsty bad boy, then Abbi Glines' books are most definitely for you. I absolutely love them, I cannot get enough. I just don't want her to fall into the author trap of every story being similar. I think she has some amazing potential as a writer to do other stories and plot lines. I love that all her characters have issues and demons, and having double points of views are great!

I eagerly anticipate Never Too Far in March, because I want more. I know I'm NEVER going to be able to get enough of them. 

A Review for The Torn Wing (The Faerie Ring #2) by Kiki Hamilton

Posted by Donna
Release Date: October 2nd, 2012

Finished Date: January 11th, 2013

Publishers: Fair Wind Publishing
Source: Bought

Format: Kindle

Pages: 318
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

London 1872 - 

A bloody escape, a deadly threat, a shocking revelation...

As an orphan who stole the Queen's ring - only to find the ring was a reservoir that held a truce between the world of Faerie and the British Court - Tiki’s greatest fear suddenly becomes all too real: the fey have returned to London seeking revenge. As war escalates in the Otherworld, Queen Victoria’s youngest son, Prince Leopold, is attacked. In order to protect her family and those she loves, Tiki needs to know the meaning of an fáinne sí, the birthmark that winds around her wrist. But will she be brave enough to face the truth?

The Review: 4.5 Stars

"What's going to happen?" She whispered. "Everything will change," Rieker said softly, his smoky eyes intent upon hers, "but our love will remain the same."

I loved it - just loved it! I honestly don't know why I put off reading this  for so long. It was released back in October but I guess time just ran away with me but finally, I did and I'm so pleased I did because it was fantastic.

In The Torn Wing we see Tiki who is hoping to try and forget all about the faerie world and the danger it brings to London but of course, things aren't as simple as that. Larkin is still claiming that Tiki needs to find out her true heritage because Tiki's place in the war is more important than she knows. Can Tiki really have a more important role to play and more importantly, is she brave enough to uncover the truth?

Kiki Hamilton did it! The Torn Wing is just as enchanting and magical as The Faerie Ring and anyone who is already invested in this series will truly appreciate Kiki's beautiful writing and gift for capturing every little detail that makes this series so believable. It's so easy to imagine myself walking the streets of London in 1872. It's easy to imagine the hardships of being poor in those times and it's also easy to imagine having enough money to survive. What I love it that we see two sides to these time, the rich and poor and we also see the Queen of England in this time. Like I said before, it's a very believable world that Kiki has created and honestly, I don't think many authors could pull it off - but Kiki does it so well.

Tiki really goes through a self-discovery journey in this book, mainly because she has to find out who she really is and of course, we as readers want to know that too. I really enjoy Tiki as a female lead, but what I enjoyed the most of this time around was how quickly she managed to adjust her feelings. She really grows and comes into a new person but always manages to remain herself. It's a fantastic discovery to watch and I know great things will come from her in the next story.

What I also loved was the romance - it's a slow burning one that constantly keeps you guessing. I wasn't to sure what to expect this time around, but there's still a bit of uncertainty in the air to start with. I wasn't all hearts and flowers which makes it all the more real. I love Rieker and Tiki together - they bring out the best in each other and you can see how they have each came alive with the other in they're lives. I am hoping that there won't be a love triangle with Dain - however, that's all I'm going to say on that because I don't want to spoil it for you. But Rieker and Tiki together are just perfect, they're moment's together are just perfect.

Rieker threaded her hair behind her ears with his other hands, his fingers lingering against her cheek. "We're different Tiki," he said softly. "We're caught between two worlds and honestly, I don't know which one we belong in. But I do know this - I don't want to be either place without you." He looked deep into her eyes. "I believe we found each other because we're meant to be together."

Overall, The Torn Wing provided me with everything I wanted from this sequel - excitement, suspense, danger, love and most of all, hope. A fantastic sequel from a fantastic author and I can't wait for more in The Seven Year King. 

Penguin Chats Info; Beautiful Creatures

We have some exciting news for you today from Penguin UK! In January their launching 'Penguin Chats' – a series of Twitter chats with some of the authors of their biggest YA brands. And their kicking this off with Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, the authors of Beautiful Creatures.

It will all start on Sunday 27th January @ 8pm for 30 minutes, during which time Kami @kamigarcia) and Margaret (@mstohl) will be there to answer questions on the book, the movie and anything else you guys may be interested in. So mark it down in your calendars....Live Twitter chats on 27th January with Kami and Margaret. 

And if you want to follow Penguin chats on Twitter #penguinchats

However, to keep you going in the meantime, here are some exclusive quotes from Kami and Margaret just for you....

The part Kami and Margaret most enjoyed writing…
Kami:  I love to write dramatic scenes and dark scenes.  Whenever the stakes and the drama are high, I am usually in the zone.  A close second would be writing Amma or the Sisters, because they all remind me of the ladies in my Southern family.
Margaret: I always love the bits between Ethan and Lena. Young love! I adore Ethan, he's really just such a good guy. I also think Ethan and Link are quite funny together, so those are fun to write.

The part of Beautiful Creatures that was the most difficult to write…
Kami:  The part that was re written the most was definitely the prologue. It felt like we wrote it 100 times. 
Margaret: The ending. We actually submitted the book with one ending and then wrote a different one during revisions - that radically changed the entire arc of the series!

So if you want more information about the chats that penguin have coming to you, visit their website here; Penguin Website. 

A Review for Dare You To (Pushing the Limits #2) by Katie McGarry

Posted by Donna
Release Date: May 21st, 2013

Finished Date: January 9th, 2013

Publishers: Harlequinn Teen
Source: For Review 

Format: Kindle

Pages: 304
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

"I dare you..." 

If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk's home life, they'd send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom's freedom and her own happiness. That's how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn't want her and going to a school that doesn't understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn't get her, but does.... 

Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock-with secrets he can't tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn't be less interested in him. 

But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams-and his life-for the girl he loves, and the girl who won't let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all.

The Review: Katie McGarry has done it again and created another heart-breaking and emotional story and turned it into something beautiful and truly unforgettable. This time around we see Beth - a misunderstood girl that always tried her best to protect her low life mother, one who always puts Beth last in her life. When Beth takes the blame for a stunt her mother pulls, she's arrested and is rescued by her Uncle, who she hasn't seen for years. Taking her away from everyone she loves and enrolling her in a new school, Beth's Uncle becomes the strict parent she's always needed in her life but he also provides her with the family love she's been missing out on too. It's here she meets good boy Ryan - one whose addicted to dares and Beth just became his latest dare. But will Beth pull the wool over his eyes and beat him at his own game? And can she really re-start her life over - one where she leaves everyone she loves behind or will she die trying to protect her mother?

I haven't had this feeling for ages, you know the one, where you feel compelled to stay up late into the night to finish a book and when you do finish, you can't form a coherent sentence. Well that's how I felt with Dare You To. I so needed a book like this to enter my life right now. I've read a few great books lately but nothing that has completely blown me away and left me wanting more but Dare You To provided me just that, and it proves why I love about reading so much. 

Beth was a favourite of mine from Pushing the Limits, she comes across as bad girl who will happily says what she thinks, whenever she likes. She's honest, protective and feisty and even though she comes across as the bad girl, she's really a girl who puts on a front. She feels like she has no other choice. Now Ryan, he's the opposite to Beth. I'm not sure what I was really expecting from his character - a jock who was mean to people but boy, was he surprising. He was sweet, caring and not the typical jock I was expecting. I ended up really falling him as a character. I also loved Ryan's friends - again they were characters that surprised me because they were so nice. And of course, I can't forget Noah, Echo and Isaiah. Isaiah literally - my heart broke for him. His relationship with Beth is one based on friendship and I know a lot of people were thinking WHAT, when they found out Dare You To was Beth and Ryan's story but I'm kind of glad now, because we get his story in Crash Into You. I'm guessing it's due for release in 2014 - maybe? But hey, I can not wait!

All in all, Katie McGarry's Dare You To oozes with sexual tension, swoon worthy quotes and a love story that leaves a mark on your heart. It's a story about loss, love, sacrifice, betrayal and hope and it's one that will stay with me for a very long time. I highly suggest you pick up some of Katie's work if you haven't before. 

Thank you to Harlequinn & NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to review this book.

Blog Tour for Normalish by Margaret Lesh; Extract + Int Giveaway

Normalish
by Margaret Lesh
Release Date: October 5th, 2012

Pages: 175
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US 

Fifteen-year-old Stacy questions the strange world of high school, love, her role in a harsh universe, and life, in Normalish.

People tell you high school's so great and wonderful, but they're lying. It's mostly horrible and full of disappointment. It sucks. Your best friend abandons you. The jerk you're in love with pretends to be into you, and then the big dump. The boy you've really clicked with as a friend decides to go all crushy over you, so you break his heart just like yours was -- smashed into little pieces. Your sister goes mental, and you get involved with a guy who’s even crazier than she is (who you know is a very bad idea, but you do it anyway). Math only adds another stink of failure to the whole thing.

High school blows. Just ask freshman Stacy. She’d want you to know.

August 22 - So Who Am I Really? (In 250 Words Or Less)

    Horrible high school has begun. It is horrible for many reasons—the reasons you’d usually suspect—and it is horrible on so many levels—the ones you’d also usually suspect—not to mention the fact that it starts in August. (But I won’t even go there.)

    One horrible thing that was particularly awful and egregious happened the first week of school. In English, our teacher Mr. Selden (a nice-looking, older man—broad shoulders, deep brown eyes, nicely-shaped eyebrows—someone I could really sit back and daydream about) asked us to do a quick-write about our family, which, by itself, was not so bad. What was horrible was the fact that he read it out loud. For everyone to hear. If I’d known this in advance, I would have either:

    1. lied, saying I was raised by wolves, or

    2. made it much less entertaining so that my teacher wouldn’t have felt the compelling need to humiliate me in front of the class.

    If I had known my life was going to be made public, I wouldn’t have written about my sister Jill being bossy and overbearing, or how she literally has a cow when I squeeze the toothpaste tube from the wrong end, or how she’s been known to smack me upside the head for using the wrong subject-verb agreement.

    I also wouldn’t have written about how I went to Ms. Liz’s Modeling School or how she taught me to make the perfect gin & tonic—one part gin to three parts tonic over three ice cubes with a twist of lime. (Since we weren’t actual model material, I think knocking back a few during Runway Class was her own personal coping mechanism. Also, I’m beginning to wonder if she ever really was a model.)

    I wouldn’t have written about being in the gifted program because—well, you know how that sounds. I mean, I don’t want to brag or anything. And I wouldn’t have written about math—how it doesn’t like me and I don’t like it—because that just made me sound like a loser.

    Lastly, I wouldn’t have mentioned Becca being strange. I mean, people know her. If she ever found out about it, I could get seriously hurt.

Author Bio: 
California girl Margaret Lesh lives with her husband Steve and son Andrew in a quiet suburb near Los Angeles. Co-creator of StoryRhyme.com, she writes middle grade, young adult, and women’s fiction. When she’s not writing, she’s thinking about baked goods, especially donuts, far too often. She believes tacos are magic.

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A Review for Scent of Magic (Healer #2) by Maria V.Synder

Posted by Donna
Release Date: December 18th, 2012

Finished Date: December 19th, 2012

Publishers: Mira Ink
Source: For Review 

Format: Paperback 

Pages: 400
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

Hunted, Killed—Survived?

As the last Healer in the Fifteen Realms, Avery of Kazan is in a unique position: in the minds of her friends and foes alike, she no longer exists. Despite her need to prevent the megalomanical King Tohon from winning control of the Realms, Avery is also determined to find her sister and repair their estrangement. And she must do it alone, as Kerrick, her partner and sole confident, returns to Alga to summon his country into battle.

Though she should be in hiding, Avery will do whatever she can to support Tohon’s opponents. Including infiltrating a holy army, evading magic sniffers, teaching forest skills to soldiers and figuring out how to stop Tohon’s most horrible creations yet; an army of the walking dead—human and animal alike and nearly impossible to defeat.

War is coming and Avery is alone. Unless she figures out how to do the impossible ... again.

The Review: Maria V. Synder is back with the highly awaited sequel to her phenomenal Touch of Power series with Scent of Magic. In book two, we see Avry go into hiding and try to help take down Tohon and his army. Then we have Kerrick who returns to his home - Alga, to summon his kingdom to help win the war. As Avry and Kerrick both take two separate journeys, we get alternative points of view from them and well, we all wanted more Kerrick and we sure do get it with this instalment. Yay!! 

It was fantastic to be back with these characters and in this wonderful and believable world that Maria V. Synder has created and, if anything, I've fallen in love with this world even more. The more I find out about it, the more I want to know and as a reader, we do find out a lot about Avry's world this time around. How many of you had questions about the peace lillies and Avry's connection to them? And how many of you had questions over King Tohon's army? In all honestly, it's impossible to not have any questions about this series but Maria V. Synder definitely does a fantastic job by giving you just the right information at the right time and answering many of them unanswered questions. I love how this story is so unpredictable and it leaves you guessing all the way through. 

“We don't take orders from you, Sergeant." Quain said. "Your man tried to assassinate-"
"He isn't mine. My man has eyes that change color with the seasons.” - Avry

The characters; Avry is an epic character - one of the best female leads out there right now. Kerrick is an unforgettable love interest but he's so much more than that. He's a warrior, a natural one that will do anything to protect the ones he loves. Then of course we have the monkey's and Poppa bear. Talk about fantastic secondary characters. They're full of fun, humour and love, they're also very protective of Avry, they love her just like a sister and you can really see how much. I adore they're scenes together because they're such a joy to read about. And then there's Tohon - evil, horrid Tohon - who I can't stand but he does make an excellent villain. This series simply has some of the best characters around! Hands down! 

"You had me tied in knots. You saved Belen's life, and I wanted to kill and thank you all at the same time. And during those nights when we didn't know if you'd live or die, I went from being angry, to worried to frustrated to scared all within a single heartbeat. If you had die, I would have killed you." - Kerrick

Despite how much I enjoyed this sequel, Touch of Power in my eyes was always going to be a hard act to follow and while I don't think Scent of Magic was as good, it was still very enjoyable. I felt as though parts of the story dragged. Especially Kerrick's part. Even now, a few weeks after reading the book, I kind of feel like Kerrick's story was a little bit of a filler story. We don't find out the purpose of his journey - well not really. The only thing I can think of was it's intentional by the author and his story might play a bigger part in the third book, otherwise I don't see why it needed to be there. But I guess I'll find out soon with Taste of Death. 

Blog Tour for Avoiding Responsibility (Avoiding, #2) by K.A Linde; Review + Giveaway

Posted by Donna
Release Date: December 1st, 2012

Finished Date: December 28th, 2012

Publishers: Self-Published
Source: Bought 

Format: Kindle 

Pages: 350
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US 

Lexi has finally given up her once destructive relationships and moved onto bigger and better things with a sexy new man in town. Just when she is starting to figure it out with him, her world is tilted once again with a phone call from none other than Ramsey Bridges. A year after his entrance into her life, Ramsey is trying to make amends and does the one thing she never expects—invites her to Jack's wedding.

The wedding she had evaded at all costs. But no matter what she does, Lexi can't seem to escape her past with Jack. But does she really want to?

Despite the explosive chemistry between Lexi and Ramsey, she is skeptical about trusting him after everything that has happened. When things are amiss with him, she starts questioning his motives. Can Ramsey be the one to remove Jack from Lexi's life permanently or should she move on with her blossoming new life?

The Review: I couldn't wait to dive into Avoiding Responsibility as soon as I got my new Kindle for Christmas and honestly, I love this series, I really do. It's emotional, highly charged and sexy but it's so very, very frustrating too. 

Avoiding Responsibility brings more drama from the awesome gang, Lexi, Ramsey and Jack. This time Lexi is trying to move on with her life by trying to forget about the two men that plague her thoughts, but that's harder said than done. When Lexi reconnects with Ramsey, he invites her to his sister's and Jack's wedding - O oh! As you can guess, more drama is on it's way for the gang - but can Lexi really move on once and for all?

As soon as I finished this book the first thing I thought was "HOW FRUSTRATING!" And yes, I'm frustrated with you JACK!!! I love you, I really do, but PLEASE GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER! How is it possible to love and hate a character all at the same time? I was hoping Jack would grow into himself, become more responsible with his feelings and how he acts towards Lexi, but if anything, he's so much worse and I'm honestly not sure how or if  he can redeem himself from this. I can see why Lexi loves him so much - even though he treats her badly, but this series is about Lexi and Jack....it has been from the start and just don't see what the point of it all was, if they don't end up together. This journey for them has to mean something. It has got to count for something! I hope so, because I like Ramsey but I don't believe he's the one for Lexi, honestly, I don't. 

“We have such a long history that when I look into his eyes that's all I can see. I forget the stupidity of what we've done and who could get hurt. I just remember the man who loved me once” 

Despite my frustration with Jack, Avoiding Responsibility is a fantastic sequel. It wasn't as good as the first book - I found there was more of Lexi's wandering thoughts during conversations that I would have liked to have been cut down but otherwise, it was great. I find myself wondering about the third book now - what will the ending be like? Will Jack and Lexi get they're happily ever after? And if Bekah gets a real slap in the face? And I honestly can say, I just don't know. K.A Linde makes this series so unpredictable with her nail biting story line that it's just one you can't predict. Honestly, this book was awesome! Read it and love it people, read it and love it! 

Author Bio: 

K.A. Linde graduated with her Masters in political science from the University of Georgia in 2012. She also has a bachelors in political science and philosophy. She wrote her first two books, Avoiding Commitment and Avoiding Responsibility, while struggling through advanced statistical modeling and writing her thesis. She enjoys dancing and founded the Georgia Dance Team in 2010.

You can follow her page on facebook and fictionpress (craziebabe45) to get the scoop about her upcoming releases.

Blog Tour for Dark Return (Seeker #2) by Taryn Browning; Review + Giveaway

Posted by Guest Reviewer Melanie
Release Date: November 1st, 2012

Finished Date: January 3rd, 2013

Publishers: Self-Published
Source: For Review 

Format: Kindle

Pages: Unknown
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US

Janie Grey is dedicated to hunting the undead, an inherited duty passed down from her Cherokee ancestors and generations of powerful Seekers before her. Then, there's Kai. He's like no one she's ever met - cocky, fast, skillful, infuriating and gorgeous. Not only has he become a valuable asset in her fight against the growing population of the vampire/demon hybrid known as Daychildren...

She's unwittingly fallen for him. 

Just when Janie thinks she's learned everything there is to know about Kai's mysterious past, there's a newcomer to Baltimore. Someone who will do anything to make sure Janie loses Kai forever. 

Darkness returns in Fall, 2012...

Dark Return is the 2nd novel in the Seeker series. Find out what happens before the return in Dark Seeker (Seeker, #1) and Dark Beauty (Seeker, #0.5).

The Review: Dark Return is a great sequel to Dark Seeker, at first I had 2nd book anxiety because most of them are ‘break up’ books and in the first chapter we find Kai secretly meeting his ex Leah, so I was really nervous going into this. I loved Kai & Janie together and I would be mega p’d if some daychild swooped in and broke them up! I’m not going to tell you whether my anxiety was warranted but know this….. his ex is back and she wants Kai back! At any cost!

So yeah, I really enjoyed this. I love Janie & Kai’s characters, their relationship and even the banter between them. I love a snarky kick ass female lead and Janie has that in spades but I felt this book focussed a lot more on Kai, as we get to know him and his past a whole lot better and in more ways than one. I really liked this insight into Kai, I think he was quite romanticised in book one but in this we start to get a picture of just how dark he actually was through flashbacks to key events in his ‘daychild’ life. That brought out a different side to him and maybe took a bit of his shine as a ‘good guy’ plus what happens in the first chapter did make me question his motives all of the way through.
The story line is good, since the last book and the demise of the previous daychild leader, Taveres is worried because a good few of his creations were wiped out, so he sends his best and his best just happens to be connected to Kai in a big way. Taveres knows what he’s doing by using Leah for this job and it will become very apparent throughout the book just why he chose her and by introducing her, you automatically bring strife to Kai & Janie because yes, Kai is still keeping his past from her which is always going to lead to doubt & uncertainty plus considering the HUGE secret he kept from her in book one, trust will definitely be an issue. Therefore Leah’s arrival/interference gives the danger a more personal feel this time because Leah will do anything to get her way and when you give a person with ‘issues’ power, expect them to be unpredictable. I can’t say a great deal about the plot, I liked where it went, Leah brought a certain type of danger to the plot that I didn’t realise would be so good, I loved what she was willing to do to get her own way and I liked that Kai’s flashbacks tied her into the story so well, as well as shining some new light on him. The pacing was good and it was everything I hoped it would be and that includes the budding relationship between Janie’s Mother & mentor, it’s nice to see the adults get in on the action too, once in a while. I must say though, I totally did not see that ending coming….. maybe I should have because of course there is no low to which she will stoop but one things for sure… Janie is going to kick her ass!!

Author Bio: 

Taryn Browning writes novels for young adults. She's also an avid reader and dreamer with a crazy imagination. 

Her debut urban fantasy is Dark Seeker. The sequel, Dark Return, will be available Nov, 2012. You can also check out the prequel novella, Dark Beauty. 

Her newest paranormal romance, Whispering Hills, and urban fantasy, Emanare, were also released this year. 

Taryn graduated with a BS in Education from Towson University and went on to earn a MS in Reading from Hood College. When she's not writing, she enjoys reading, spending time with friends and family, music, movies, and the beach. Some of her favorite TV shows growing up included Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Charmed and Angel. 

For as long as she can remember she's loved all things fantastical, paranormal and magical.

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