Ichabod, Ichabod Crane (Bing Crosby Singing Voice Not Included)

Published:  May 26th, 2014

Crane (The Legends Saga #1)

By: Stacey Rourke

Anchor Group Publishing

ISBN-13:  9781310506642

The Horseman is unending,

his presence shan't lessen.

If you break the curse, 

you become the legend.

Washington Irving and Rip Van Winkle had no choice but to cover up the deadly truth behind Ichabod Crane's disappearance.  Centuries later, a Crane returns to Sleepy Hollow awakening macabre secrets once believed to be buried deep.

What if the monster had spawned the legend living within you?

Now, Ireland Crane, reeling from a break-up and seeking a fresh start, must rely on the newly awakened Rip Van Winkle to discover the key to channeling the darkness swirling within her.  Bodies are piling high and Ireland is the only one that can save Sleepy Hollow by embracing her own damning curse.

But is anyone truly safe when the Horseman rides?

Review

       This book has a few really obvious grammar and spelling mistakes in it, that pulled me out of the story at very annoying junctures.  It was by no means an absolutely perfect narrative (Ireland's reactions to the revelations surrounding certain murderous events could have been deeper/more horrified/saddened).  And yet, this is probably one of the most compelling stories that I've read all year, and probably one of the best written and plotted re-tellings I've ever read!  It's a dual narrative, set in different time periods, with narrators of different genders and dispositions.  Their circumstances are different and yet their reasoning and base character are infinitely connected.  They are however two distinctively separate characters.  They are: Ichabod Crane, a reserved schoolteacher with deep loyalty to his friends, burning & passionate love for a woman he can't have and a damaged past; and Ireland Crane: a thoroughly modern young woman, who has been hurt by love in the past, has a snarky & biting sense of humor, and a deep-seated need to start over and be someone else - someone completely normal and accepted.  Both of them are drawn into the same curse, centuries apart.  It's extremely compelling, the parallels between the two of them.  Also, the rhyming from the creepy, prescient old lady (Eleanora) to Ichabod about the Horseman is awesome.  Her riddles tell you everything you need to know.  Figuring them out is the problem for the bewildered young man and his friends.  All of them are Revolutionary War vets and comrades too, which adds another depth to the three men and their bond of brotherhood, and limitless loyalty.  They are family.  I love it!

       As a re-imagining of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, I was unsure what exactly to expect.  The synopsis intrigued me with it's mention of Rip Van Winkle and Washington Irving.  What connections would there be between the three men?  How would Rourke explain the curse of the Horseman to my curious reader's heart, never truly quenched by the original story, which is more of a light sketch.  I honestly can't say much without spoiling anything, except that I was enthralled!  It is a mirror image.  Ichabod and Katrina's romance, along with his quest to stop the Horseman and find out what's controlling him (and why), with Irv and Rip.  Than there's Ireland's quest to do the same thing, with only the help of Rip, who's been under a sleeping curse and is unfamiliar with everything in this new century.  Oh, and he has stress narcolepsy as a side effect!!!  This leads to some truly hilarious situations (including a policeman bringing him back to Ireland's house, after he passed out right in the middle of the main street - yikes)!  Ireland is also resisting her attraction to her hot neighbor, Noah Van Tassel, who always seems to be there when she needs him.  She's on the rebound from a breakup with the world's biggest douche bag (with a name like Brantley is it any wonder?).

       I thought there really wasn't any way to make this into a series, but I was proved wrong (thankfully, it means more books).  While Ireland and Rip DO find out a lot about her connection to the Horseman, they still don't know everything, such as who arranged for her to get a tattoo of the Hessian's symbol.  Who wants to control Ireland and by proxy, the Hessian?  And for what nefarious purposes?  With the big revelations at the end, Rip and Ireland skip town to try and find some answers to their questions.  At the end there is a scene set in Ichabod's time and we find out why Irv and Rip covered everything up - and just who forced them to and arranged Rip's sleeping curse!  We're teased with more literary figures (legends and authors alike) and we get a glimpse at the idea that there are some puppeteers behind the scenes, moving things to their advantage.  I cannot WAIT to find out what happens next!  I'm dying to read Raven and I highly recommend this to fans of supernatural things, Sleepy Hollow, and new twists on old legends.  I am definitely planning on checking out Stacey Rourke's other series and I'm in love with her sense of humor.  It has jump started me from my reading slump and is probably one of my favorite reads of the year.

VERDICT:  4.75/5 Stars

*I  received this book from Anchor Group Publishing, on NetGalley.  No favors or money were exchanged for this review.  The expected publication date is May 26th, 2014.*

Some Favorite Quotes

-  "Dinner, as friends. Where I don't expect you to pay or hold doors and you don't expect make-up or sex."

    "I'll be rude, and you'll be purposely homely. It'll be magical," Noah laughed.” (Ireland and Noah)

-  "Brom ground his teeth together, glaring down at Rip as if he were a bug that needed to be squashed under foot. "I would not ask a woman for her opinion any more than I would ask which of my steer would like to be this weekend's roast."

   "Clearly, his new age thinking is what drew Katrina to him," Rip muttered out of the corner of his mouth.”  (Brom Van Brunt & Rip Van Winkle)

-  "She is a sick woman," Mama Rosa argued, standing firm to deny him passage. "In addition to her Horseman ramblings, she also strokes her shoe like a cat, and calls it Madame Persephone. Do you think that will be of help as well?” (Mama Rosa, to Ichabod & Katrina)

-  “Just when I think you can’t get any creeper, you astounded me by reaching a whole new plateau. What did you do to yourself? You’re twitching like a meth head.” 

   “Went into the kitchen. Consumed any products that claimed to boost energy. Ate a bowl of those disgusting brown rinds.” 

   “Rinds? That’s coffee, dumb ass. You’re supposed to brew it.” Rip rambled on as if she hadn’t spoken, which—judging by his herky-jerky gestures—he might not have been aware she had. 

   “Then I drank your last three of those products involving some sort of red bovine, followed by half a dozen vials that claim to bestow energy for an allotted period of time. Every part of me tingles. Quite honestly, I think I could fly if the moment required it.” (Ireland & Rip)

-  "“You, sir,” Irv interrupted, his satchel thumping to the ground at his feet, “are just bothered you were not the first to find acceptable employ. Mostly because, as the women that keep company with you can attest, the only services you provide pay in salves and a burning sensation over the chamber pot.” 

    Rip’s brow rose in mock shock.  “How lewd a claim! Lewd … with the faintest hint of accuracy.” (Rip & Washington Irving)

Silent Intrusion Blog Tour - Book Blast and Excerpt!!!

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Revival Blog Tour - Spotlight, Sneak Peek, & GIVEAWAY!!!

Revival (The Variant Series, #1)

Author: Jena Leigh

Check out on Goodreads!

Purchase on Barnes & Noble and Amazon!

Synopsis: 

Possessing the uncanny ability to fry a television set from twenty paces can really wreck a girl’s social life.

If you’re looking for proof, just ask sixteen-year-old Alexandra Parker. After catching her boyfriend in the arms of the prettiest girl in school, she made the journey from social elite to social pariah in a haze of electricity and exploding electronics. But finding herself at the bottom of Bay View High’s social hierarchy was nothing compared to the shock of discovering who—and what—she really is.

After being zapped out of a burning bookstore by the mysterious Declan—a hero nearly as handsome as he is infuriating—Alex finds herself under the protection of the powerful Grayson family. It’s through them that she learns the truth: that the world she’s always known is nothing like it appears to be... and that she has far more in common with them than she might want to believe.

Now, on the run from a fire-wielding hit man and a secretive government organization, Alex must navigate a strange and treacherous new world filled with superhuman mutants known as Variants. As she begins to unravel the many secrets of her family’s past, she uncovers the real reason for her parents’ death twelve years earlier—and finds out that the threat to her family, and to everyone she cares about, is still dangerously real.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Born and raised in Tampa, Florida, Jena Leigh spent ten years in the mountains of North Carolina before returning home to the lightning capital of North America. A shameless geek, she loves bad sci-fi movies, Skittles, writing cracktastic e-mails to friends and taking shenanigan-filled road trips to faraway concerts. She has a degree in English from Appalachian State University. REVIVAL is her first novel.

Where to Stalk Jena!

Website/Goodreads/Twitter/Facebook

**SNEAK PEEK**

Babysitting.

Declan O’Connell had been reduced to babysitting.

This was so humiliating. He was going to have to have a talk with Grayson when he got home. Surely his punishment for last month’s misunderstanding should be nearing an end.

It wasn’t his fault they needed a new roof in the atrium. That had been entirely Nathaniel’s doing. Declan had merely supplied a little motivation. It was the Golden Boy that did the glass breaking.

So how was it that the Golden Boy kept picking up all the choice jobs, while Declan was stuck trailing around after high schoolers?

He leaned heavily against the brick wall of the alley and watched as his target disappeared into a restaurant across the street, only to reappear a few moments later on the wraparound patio, trailing after a hostess. They settled in at a table overlooking the water.

At least with this vantage point he wouldn’t have to follow them into the restaurant.

She’d spotted him twice already. Not that he was particularly trying to hide from her at this point. It made things easier when the target didn’t know he was there, sure, but there wasn’t any hard and fast rule about it.

Declan had been shadowing the pair for nearly an hour before he’d realized that something was off.

Usually, his job involved protecting innocent humans from the monsters that walked amongst them unnoticed. From the things that went bump in the night. Things a whole lot like him, just without the charm … or a functioning moral compass.   Judging from the haze of static electricity that followed the girl around like a rain cloud, however, there was something very different about this mark.

Playing a hunch, he’d broken his cover and followed the two girls into a clothing shop. Ten minutes later the store’s registers were toast and his suspicions had been confirmed.

He wondered if the girl knew what she was.

Better yet, he wondered if Grayson had known when he’d given Declan the assignment and just hadn’t said anything.

“I want you to keep an eye on the girl, Declan.”

“No other specifics?”

“Just keep her away from bookstores, if you can.”

Bookstores.

Thanks, Grayson. That helps.

Apparently whoever said, “no harm ever came from reading a book” hadn’t met this girl.

Grayson’s orders were usually pretty detailed. The fact that these weren’t could mean a couple of things. Either Grayson didn’t know the specifics of the danger the girl was facing, or he did, but for whatever reason, he felt Declan didn’t need to know.

It was the second possibility that worried him.

He didn’t think that Grayson would ever intentionally send him out on an assignment at a disadvantage, but if Grayson felt like he couldn’t trust Declan with the details, then Declan wanted to know why.

The cell phone tucked in his jacket pocket began to vibrate. He fished it out and checked the screen.

The caller ID read “GRAYSON.”

Declan narrowed his eyes at the shuddering phone. Weird. Grayson never called anyone while they were in the field. He knew better.

Returning his gaze to the restaurant patio, Declan answered the call. “Miss me already?”

“I want an update on the girl.”

Declan considered telling him what he’d learned about her, and then thought the better of it. That could wait. “She’s spending the day shopping with a friend.”

“Shopping?”

“Clothes shopping. No bookstores in sight. Not so far, anyway.”

“Hmm.”

“You going to tell me why this girl is so special you’re calling me for updates? My next check-in’s not for another two hours.”

“Just do your job, Declan. Keep her safe.”

The line went dead.

If Declan had been suspicious before, now he was outright convinced that something was up. 

What was so important about this girl?

GIVEAWAY

**MUST be 13 or older to enter**

**Winners have 48 hours to respond before new winners are chosen**

*ONE winner will receive a SIGNED hardcopy of REVIVAL and RESISTANCE (Be aware you will have to wait for the second book until it is published in FEB)**

**FIVE winners will be chosen to win e-copies of REVIVAL and RESISTANCE (Be aware you will have to wait for the second book until it is published in FEB)**

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REVIVAL BLOG TOUR BROUGHT TO YOU BY TEAMNERD REVIEWS

Sweet Hitchhiker

 

Published:  October 1st, 2013

The Beautiful and the Damned

By: Jessica Verday

Simon Pulse

ISBN-13:  9781442488359

 

Cyn’s blackouts have deadly consequences in this sexy, suspenseful spinoff to the New York Times bestselling Hollow series.Cyn and Avian are far from a perfect match. She’s a witch who casts spells on men so she can steal their cars. He spends his time being judge, jury, and executioner to the truly evil in the supernatural realm.

When the blackouts Cyn’s been having ever since her time in Sleepy Hollow start escalating, she finds herself unable to remember where she’s been or what she’s been doing. Frightened, she seeks guidance at a local church, and it’s there she meets Avian.

The unlikely pair soon discovers that her blackouts are a side effect of what she truly is—an Echo—a conduit for souls of the dead. The only way to prevent Cyn from losing complete control is to return to Sleepy Hollow and vanquish the source of her power—but she may not survive the process. And if she does? She won’t ever be the same...

 

Review

 

     Cyn is on the run from her life right now, starting over with a new identity.  If only she wasn't blacking out and losing chunks of time where someone else has control of her body, using it to do horrifying things.  What is sharing Cyn's body?  And did it cause her to kill her boyfriend Hunter, the love of her life?  Maybe with the help of Avian, also known as Thirteen, who is a Revenant and belongs in neither Heaven or Hell.  Half angel and half demon, Avian no longer wants to get mixed up with Echoes (people possessed with souls of the deceased, sharing their bodies) and at first avoids Cyn at all costs.  But when Father Montgomery, the priest helping them both, is murdered and Cyn gets in over her head he decides to try and bail her out.  Is it too late, or can Cyn be saved from the monsters within?

     I originally was a pretty large fan of the initial Hollow trilogy.  At least until the third book, when I feel like the series completely fell apart.  I don't even know why I decided to read this one, seeing as I honestly didn't enjoy numbers 2 or 3 in the last series and its a companion novel.  I was intrigued though, so I decided to read it anyways.  I was not very impressed to say the least.  I felt like while the action kept the plot moving along fairly well, that the world-building didn't allow for newcomers to really understand everything that was happening.  I enjoyed the cameo with Abbey and Caspian near the end of the book, when Cyn and Avian head back to Sleepy Hollow but I felt like it was kind of cheesy all the same. 

     I am not a very big fan of undying, clichéd romantic relationships so I wasn't all that invested in Cyn and Avian's slow burn for each other.  I did like that they weren't involved with one another right away though, as insta-love would have been ten times worse.  The coolest part of this book was the mystery behind whether or not Cyn was being possessed and what it meant to be an Echo sharing a body with the soul of a Revenant, especially since the Revenant was trying to kill her.  I did like Cyn for the most part, but I felt like I didn't get to know her all that well either.  This book was kind of short for any in depth character development, or real backstory on what makes her tick.  And the conclusion about Avian's dead girlfriend's soul made me roll my eyes.  I found myself skimming pages and just trying to get finished.  So in the end, all I can really say is that this definitely was NOT the book for me personally.  Maybe the whole angel/demon thing would appeal more to someone else and make up for the pretty weak writing in this one.

 

VERDICT:  2/5  Stars

 

*I received this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie.  No favors or money were exchanged for this review.  This book was published October 1st, 2013.*

Lucifer (Sons of Old Trilogy #1) - Review & Blog Tour, Plus Giveaway!!!

 

Published:  January 31st, 2013

Lucifer (Sons of Old Trilogy #1)

By: Annabell Cadiz

Self Published

 

Have you ever wondered what could be hiding in the shadows?

Well, for eighteen-year-old Zahara Faraday, she doesn’t have to wonder. You see she comes from a lineage of Light Witches, those who have chosen to help protect and serve between the supernatural world and the human world. The only problem is Zahara, like her father Solomon, is as human as a human being can be whereas her mother, Mia, and her Aunt Catalina, were born as Light Witches. As a family they hunt down rogue supernaturals—creatures who harm humans or who have committed an act against their kingdom.

Zahara’s hunting skills are usually kept dormant since her parents would prefer she live life as a normal human girl without knowledge of the supernatural world. She plans on doing just that—except when she finds a couple being attacked by fairies, she has no choice but to step in. Before she can return to pretending to be blissfully ignorant, Zahara encounters a problem she isn’t the least equip to handle: Bryan Hamilton, the good looking new co-worker she has to help train. In a heartbeat, her best friend, Becca King, has set her up on a double date with herself and her new crush, Rekesh Saint-Louis, who happens to be the most powerful leader of the biggest Imago Coven in South Florida –supernatural creatures with the ability to control water . . . and suck out human souls.

Zahara has no time to focus on how she’s going to explain her double date with her best friend and the enemy they have a tentative truce with to her parents because soon one of the members of Mia and Catalina’s coven is found murdered with a strange tattoo of a snake with wings carved into his arm.

Zahara is then thrown into a whirlwind battle with an angel determined to have revenge against God, an Imago coven she doesn’t think they should trust, and slew of dream-eating fairies and powerful Nephilims, hybrid children of angels and humans, more than happy to rip her to shreds.

Normal just got a deadlier definition.

 

Review

 

     The book opened up with almost immediate action, so I started out intrigued and wanted to know more.  As I kept reading, I really did enjoy myself for the most part.  Zahara is an interesting girl, with a smart mouth and some kick-ass loyalty to her friends and family.  Even if that does lead to her jumping into dangerous situations without always thinking it through.  Her friend Becca is loud, sassy and unafraid to say it straight (even if what she's saying might be somewhat embarrassing).  But she also has a huge heart and jumps right in beside Zahara to fight against the supernatural creatures she has to stop from hurting ordinary people.  It was truly nice to see a new adult novel that wasn't all sex and angst as well.  Zahara and Becca are 18, which places them in between NA and YA technically but I would classify this as a New Adult book myself.  I was impressed by the in-depth creation of new supernatural mythologies and the Imago (which I had never heard of before) was definitely an interesting creature to encounter for the first time.  Especially with the contrast of the Imagoes attacking people and Becca's love interest/leader Imago, Rekesh. 

     Speaking of the romance, both the relationships between Bryan and Zahara & Rekesh and Becca were interesting to read about.  I personally preferred the 'opposites attract' phenomenon of Rekesh and Becca over the 'bad boy syndrome' phenomenon of Bryan and Zahara.  It kind of left me rolling my eyes, even if he ultimately was a really nice guy.  Solomon (Zahara's Dad) was actually one of the better parents I've read in YA or NA in quite some time.  He was actually there, trying to protect his daughter from everything and be her parent.  He didn't let her walk all over him and actually punished her when she broke the rules.  Plus, Solomon was just plain funny as well.  His first interaction with Bryan absolutely cracked me up. 

     I have to say though (and I'm not the only one from other reviews that I've seen) that the gratuitous and constant descriptions of what everyone was wearing almost completely ruined this for me as a reader.  They got extremely annoying, interrupted scenes where they didn't belong and overall made me irritated.  Yes, they were good descriptions.  But did they move along the plot or make the book better?  No, they did not.  If anything they made it worse.  Also, the book needs to be re-edited.  There were some sentences missing words and it could have compromised the reading had it been worse.  I understand that this is self-published.  So if you can't afford an editor, have a really English-minded friend do it please!  I can get over the predictable nature of the villain and the ending that I saw coming.  But no more clothing descriptions please!  Overall it was a pretty good first novel and I did enjoy the supernatural aspects of it.  I don't know if I'll be reading the next one though.  It reminded me of The Mortal Instruments a little bit, and I'm not really a fan of that series either.

 

VERDICT:  3/5  Stars

 

*I received an E-book Copy from the author.  No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book was published January 31st, 2013.*

 

 Excerpt

 

     Is that blood?” Zahara asked eyeing the ground a few steps in front of them.

Becca looked down toward the ground and moved closer to the gloopy stain of red. She bent down and tilted her head to the side. “Looks like blood.”

Zahara kneeled down beside the blood and looked down the hall on the left, which led outside to where all the dumpsters where found. “There’s more down that way,” she directed with a thrust of her chin.

“Oh no, you don’t!” Becca said grabbing onto Zahara’s arm.

“Becks, we have to check out what it is; someone could be hurt.”

Becca was already shaking her head no. “Are you stupid? Follow the path of blood down the dark hallway into the back alley where there can possibly be a body and some killer. It’s too cliché horror movie for my taste. We are not those stupid girls. Let’s go get your parents.” She yanked Zahara back toward the food court, but Zahara pulled her back.

“By the time we get to my parents, explain what we found and they come to investigate, the person in the back alley could be dead and it’ll be our fault for not helping when we could.” Zahara turned around and started walking down the hallway, taking out the dagger from her back pocket. She unclipped the can of pepper spray from the keychain clipped to her pants and tossed it to Becca. “You coming or am I going in alone?”

“Stupid best friend is gonna follow the stupid trail of blood down the stupid hallway with a stupid can of pepper spray and a stupid dagger and she expects us not to get killed,” Becca mumbled through tight teeth as she followed Zahara.

They walked slowly, sticking to the wall so as not to step on the blood. The door leading out to the dumpsters was shut. Zahara leaned back against it and looked at Becca. Becca swallowed hard and gave her a quick nod, shaking the can of pepper spray. Zahara threw the door open and twisted around on her heel as fast as she could. Becca ran outside with the can of pepper spray held high, but they found nothing more than blood on the ground.

Zahara tiptoed around the drops of blood on the ground, walking farther back into the alleyway and stopped as she heard voices.

“Tell us where you’ve hidden it!” a man snapped. Skin slapped against skin and another man cried out.

“I told you, we do not have it!”

Zahara felt her heart bang against her ribcage. She recognized that voice. She moved closer, staying beside one of the dumpsters, and knelt. Becca knelt beside her and took a deep breath.

“That sounds like Eric,” Becca whispered.

“You have one last chance to tell us where you’ve hidden the arrow, Jacobson,” the same male voice threatened.

Zahara had no doubt he meant what he said. She knew she would probably regret this later, but she jumped up and ran around the dumpster, hearing Becca’s faint curse as she did. Three sets of eyes turned to look at her. Eric, one of the members of Mia and Catalina’s coven, was on his knees, arms bound by the grip of another man standing behind him.

He was tall and slender, enough muscle to show he wasn’t lazy, but he didn’t look strong enough to be able to hold down Eric’s six-foot, four-inch frame, which was nothing but toned, hard muscle. Eric, on the other hand, looked to be in pain. He had slices across his face and his bottom lip was split open. Blood slithered from the open wounds onto the ground.

“Let him go, now!” Zahara demanded. She gripped the dagger handle more tightly, holding it pressed against her thigh.

 

 

REVIEWER GIVEAWAY! 

Listen up fans and readers a-like! Make sure to show love to your favorite blogger/reviewer by leaving a comment on the Lucifer Blog Tour Post! The reviewer with the most comments will win a $20 Barnes and Noble Giftcard!!

**NOTE: Reviewers MAKE SURE to send the DIRECT LINK to your LIVE post from the LUCIFER BLOG TOUR to Dianne at tomakunisnumberone(at)gmail(dot)com! If you don’t, you do not qualify to win the giftcard.**

 

 

FAN GIVEAWAY: Lucifer Inspired Swag Pack

**Must be 13 or older to enter**

**Opened to U.S. ONLY**

**Winner has 24 HOURS to respond before new winner is chosen**

 

Swag Pack Includes:

 

–An e-copy of Lucifer (Sons of Old Trilogy, #1) by Annabell Cadiz

–Lucifer Inspired Keychain

–Lucifer Inspired Button

–Beautiful Day Lotion and Body Spray

–Notebook

–Bookmark

 



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Got No Strings To Hold Him Down

 

Expected Publication:  October 23rd, 2013

Hellboy: The Midnight Circus

By: Mike Mignola (Story) & Duncan Fegredo (Illustrator) & Dave Stewart (Colorist)

Dark Horse Comics

ISBN-13:  9781616552381

 

Young Hellboy runs away from the B.R.P.D. only to stumble upon a weird and fantastical circus and the few demons from Hell who inhabit it.

 

Review

 

     The synopsis is really brief on this particular graphic novel, which makes sense as it's only 58 pages long on the whole.  I myself have a favorite superhero and Hellboy is that superhero.  I like that he came from the pits of Hell, but was raised to be a force for good.  The backstory of Hellboy's life and world is some of the best stuff Dark Horse has published in my opinion.  I have a serious soft spot for young Hellboy, so I was bouncing off the walls when I saw this available for request on NetGalley!  Young Hellboy is feeling like he doesn't really fit in at the B.R.P.D. and everyone treats him like a child.  They won't let him do anything, Professor Broom is never around AND one of his babysitters has just made Hellboy read Pinocchio instead of his favorite comic.  This makes Hellboy think about whether or not he's a real boy and what his place in the world is.  So Hellboy decides that he'll leave and find somewhere else he can be useful; somewhere he can do something.  Running away, he finds a circus that sets up between midnight and one a.m.  Of course it happens to be staffed by demons, who must decide whether or not to take Hellboy as one of their own or leave him to fate.  Also, Hellboy has a run in with the ghosts of some 1930s child murderers.  Will he make it back to Professor Broom?

     I absolutely LOVED that this story was written by Mignola (even if the artwork wasn't his, it was in his style as well) and the note before the start of the book tells us where the idea came from, and why he contrasts Hellboy with Pinocchio.  I never really made a comparison between the two myself, but after reading this I could definitely see the parallels in their lives/experiences.  The circus and its demons were absolutely creepy and the sinister silence of that hour was wonderfully illustrated.  The animals in cages were particularly memorable for me.  I liked that even when Hellboy decides to go back to the B.R.P.D. he runs into trouble with the child murderer ghosts near the train tracks.  But my favorite part (other than Hellboy protesting the thought of reading something other than his comic! :) is the moment between Hellboy and Professor Broom at the end, who are so deeply entwined as Father and Son that their relationship is entirely beautiful.  The comforting embrace at the end coveys that depth of feeling.  Overall, my only real complaint with this one is the length.  I would love to own a copy for myself when it's released but wish that it had been at least twice as long.  The allusions to Hellboy's future destiny might confuse new readers, but I recommend this to older fans who miss the days when Mignola had the reigns.  It was good to be thrown back, even for just fifty pages, into the golden era.

 

VERDICT:  4/5  Stars

 

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley.  No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book's expected publication is October 23rd, 2013.*



We Will Probably Break Up Someday...But This Was Fun!

 

Expected Publication:  October 1st, 2013

Unbreakable (The Legion # 1)

By: Kami Garcia

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

ISBN-13:  9780316210171

 

Supernatural meets The Da Vinci Code in this action-packed paranormal thriller, the first book in a new series from New York Times bestselling author Kami Garcia.

I never believed in ghosts. Until one tried to kill me.When Kennedy Waters finds her mother dead, her world begins to unravel. She doesn’t know that paranormal forces in a much darker world are the ones pulling the strings. Not until identical twins Jared and Lukas Lockhart break into Kennedy’s room and destroy a dangerous spirit sent to kill her. The brothers reveal that her mother was part of an ancient secret society responsible for protecting the world from a vengeful demon — a society whose five members were all murdered on the same night.

Now Kennedy has to take her mother’s place in the Legion if she wants to uncover the truth and stay alive. Along with new Legion members Priest and Alara, the teens race to find the only weapon that might be able to destroy the demon — battling the deadly spirits he controls every step of the way.

 

Review

 

     It's just been Kennedy and her Mom, ever since she was a little girl.  Then when she's out one night, Kennedy comes home only to find her Mother dead under suspicious circumstances.  This is just a couple days after she thought she saw a ghost in the cemetery.  It turns out what she saw was a spirit.  It had been sent to kill her Mom and now it's after Kennedy.  Twin brothers Jared and Lucas mysteriously appear and take Kennedy on a mission with them.  It turns out her Mom was part of something called the 'Legion,' a secret organization that fights an evil demon who wants to take over and destroy the Earth.  It's up to Kennedy, Jared, Lucas and two other teens, Alara and Priest, to take on the evil and banish it once and for all - before it completely devours them for good.  With all five of the adult legion members dead on the same night, the task will definitely not be an easy one.  And with each evil sprit they face and each puzzle they solve, the kids get closer & closer to either losing it all, or saving the world.  But which decision leads to the right outcome?

      I will say one important thing before starting this review in earnest: this book is complete and utter brain candy.  Reading this is more like getting a peek at a Supernatural episode script, rather than a YA book.  Sometimes this worked in it's favor and other times it didn't.  The action-packed pacing, tantalizing hints of romance between Kennedy and Jared, and the snarky banter/intense dramatic moments between all the characters definitely made it an enjoyable read.  I loved the scenes when the kids are searching for pieces of the puzzle (that's all I'm going to say about it!) and they are ghost hunting.  The scenes are believably terrifying and sent chills up my spine.  Especially with the dead Mother and Son in the well.  *Shivers*  But probably the worst part about this book being non-stop action was that we were given the bare minimum of character description/back story/development in this book.  Just enough to keep me, someone who prefers character-centric reading, to stay involved.  But I always felt like I was lacking a certain something I can't do without for very long. 

     Sometimes the interactions (especially the romantic ones of Kennedy and Jared) come across as melodramatic and bordering on ridiculous.  Kennedy's 'problems with trust' due to her cheating boyfriend seemed out of proportion to me.  She seems a lot more focused on that than her murdered Mother as well, in my opinion.  And Jared letting go to 'protect' her (while not fighting her right to ghost hunt with them all) comes across as stupid and doesn't make much sense in the context.  Kami Garcia definitely knows how to write a cliffhanger though, and I will be picking up the second book.  While it wasn't the best piece of literature ever, it was still fun and gave me enough action to satisfy me on some level.  That's all I need in a book sometimes, a little bit of fun.  Go in expecting that and you won't be disappointed! :)

 

VERDICT:  3.5/5  Stars

 

*I received this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie.  No favors or money were exchanged for this review.  This book's expected publication is October 1st, 2013.*



Dark Side of the Moon

 

Expected Publication:  June 5th, 2013

Spike: A Dark Place (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9: Spike)

By: Victor Gischler, Paul Lee (Artist), Joss Whedon (Executive Producer)

Dark Horse

ISBN-13:  9781616551094

 

Fresh from his latest attempt to get Buffy to act on her feelings for him, Spike has fled to the dark side of the moon. His trip leads him to a group of dangerous demons and a rude awakening from his reverie, which in turn leads him on an unexpected adventure to . . . Sunnydale! Collecting Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Spike—A Dark Place #1–#5.

 

Review

 

     So, I did not realize that this comic was set during Season 9 of Buffy or that there even was a Season 9!  I haven't quite caught up on 8 yet and this threw me into the deep end of things without any real clue what was happening.  All I know is that Spike is somehow Captaining a spaceship to the dark side of the moon (literally) and in charge of his own army of buggy, alien minions.  The artificial sun-room on the ship was awesome and Spike trying to drown himself in alcohol was definitely in character.  He has some wonderful sarcastic and smarmy remarks, but the bugs are pretty funny too especially head bug, Sebastian.  I especially love when he's willing to commandeer the ship and get Spike away from a very suspicious (but hot) succubus who is trying to play him like a fiddle.  The later part of this story arc is about Spike trying to prevent her and from opening up the Hellmouth with a shard of some alien seed.  And some other characters from his past are also after the shard, for the power and magic that it will bring them the use of.  My least favorite thing about this other than the slow burn of the plot is the weird, and overblown infiltration of straight sci-fi into the Buffyverse, which is strictly fantasy in my mind.  There is a fine line between the two, and I definitely prefer demons/magic to aliens/spaceships.  As much as  I love Spike, this whole plot just felt like unnecessary filler and I reveled in his wonderful Spike-ness which I've missed.  But overall it was a disappointment and if that's the direction Season 9 is going I'm not even going to bother catching up.  It does get major points for kick-ass art and great action sequences, plus some truly funny remarks.  Not highly recommended to fans of non-comic Buffy though unless you're diehard and have to read/see everything Buffy ever created.  Otherwise I say you should just skip it.

 

VERDICT:  2/5  Stars

 

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book's expected publication is June 5th, 2013.*

It Was All An Illusion

Expected Publication:  June 11th, 2013
Born of Illusion (Born of Illusion # 1)
By: Teri Brown
Balzer & Bray
ISBN-13:  9780062187543

Anna Van Housen is thirteen the first time she breaks her mother out of jail. By sixteen she’s street smart and savvy, assisting her mother, the renowned medium Marguerite Van Housen, in her stage show and séances, and easily navigating the underground world of magicians, mediums and mentalists in 1920’s New York City. Handcuffs and sleight of hand illusions have never been much of a challenge for Anna. The real trick is keeping her true gifts secret from her opportunistic mother, who will stop at nothing to gain her ambition of becoming the most famous medium who ever lived.

But when a strange, serious young man moves into the flat downstairs, introducing her to a secret society that studies people with gifts like hers, he threatens to reveal the secrets Anna has fought so hard to keep, forcing her to face the truth about her past. Could the stories her mother has told her really be true? Could she really be the illegitimate daughter of the greatest magician of all?

Review

 

     Anna is in one of the most exciting times of her life so far.  The stage show she performs magic in, while her Mother does work as a medium, is really gaining momentum and their private séances are attracting richer patron.  Making ends meet is becoming easier and Anna's Mother wants her to act like a respectable young lady.  But Anna has been keeping a dangerous secret - while her Mother only pretends the ability to contact the dead, Anna actually can.  She is also able to see visions of the future and has witnessed some great disasters, such as the Titanic and the Spanish Influenza, firsthand.  Now with a mysterious young man named Cole moving in down the hall and some suspicious things happening, can Anna keep herself and her Mother out of danger?  And can they keep their show going when Houdini's quest to expose false mediums starts to encroach upon their best methods?  Also, will Anna ever find out once and for all if she really is Houdini's illegitimate daughter? 

     Anna is a wonderful character and so easy to identify with as a reader.  She's growing up and after an unsteady childhood, with no real home and her volatile Mother as the only person constantly in her life she wants a sense of permanence.  But at the same time, Anna longs to be a true magician and be recognized for her town great talents instead of as her Mother's opening act and possibly being the daughter of Houdini.  Most of the book revolves around the mystery of who is trying to hurt Anna and her Mother after Anna has a vision where they are both in mortal jeopardy.  Her relationship with her Mother is rocky at best, but Anna loves her and is loathe to actually do anything to hurt her in any way.  The way she treats Anna became a source of serious frustration throughout the book, as she uses her for whatever is convenient and then tries to get her removed from the show when she upstages her, tries to fix her up with an obviously slimy/untrustworthy young man, etc.  It got on my nerves and only served to make me feel even sorrier for the heroine - which I suppose was the author's intention! 

     The romance was cute but I felt like Anna and her cute new neighbor Cole should have just stayed friends.  Also, the manager's nephew was an obviously not-so-good guy.  And it made things all the more obvious when the author kept getting Anna into situations where he keeps proving this fact over and over again.  It got very anvil on the head, un-subtle and it began to annoy me slightly near the end.  To make a comparison, verging on those old movies where the girl goes with the handlebar mustache guy who ties her to the train tracks and the hero has to save her.  Yeah, that sums up that aspect for me personally.  I did like the historical details that snuck into the story, like the silent Houdini movies with the piano/organ in theater, the cute 1920s clothing (everyone say 'cloche hats') and the ever present shadow of Prohibition.  But I also felt like by isolating Anna from the rest of the regular world so completely in her upbringing and current living situation, that the author missed out on some fun opportunities.  There were no speakeasies in this book and as someone who loves that sort of thing, I found that disappointing.  Extra points for the mafia presence near the end of the book.  Definitely added to the historical resonance for me and made things fun during the blackmail portion of the mystery. 

     Favorite character award definitely goes to Mr. Darby, who Cole lives with, and is a grumpy, old-man inventor.  He has a funny banter thing going with Anna and they occasionally have breakfast together.  Mr. Darby is absolutely hilarious and the fact that he can never invent anything that hasn't already been thought of definitely endears him to me even more.  With a somewhat predictable mystery and a plot that drifts for some of the book, overall this was still an enjoyable and decent read.  I just wanted more from it than I got.  But maybe there will be some more answers in the sequel than there were in this initial installment (a.k.a. is she Houdini's DAUGHTER???!!!)  But I'm not sure if it will be something that I'll read.  I know a good many people who would love this book to pieces and I highly recommend it for fans of Libba Bray's latest book, The Diviners. 

 

VERDICT:  3.75/5  Stars

 

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via Edelweiss. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book's expected publication date is June 11th, 2013.*

Lions and Tigers and Vampires, Oh My!

Expected Publication:  January 8th, 2013

Blud and Magick

By: Preston Norton

Cedar Fort, Inc.

ISBN-13: 9781462110889

Born from the ashes of the most fierce and powerful entity in all of Trivaesia, Darla was sent to grow up in the outside world with no knowledge of where she came from. When she finds herself wielding new power, she must decide which part of her will rule her heart—the evil from which she was born or the good by which she was raised.

Review

     Darla Summers is just the name of the most evil warlord ever in Trivaesian history spelled backwards - but she doesn't know that yet.  She just thinks that something mysterious happened in her past and that's why she lives with her Uncle Edmund.  But really Darla was born from the ashes of the most evil warlord in the history of a magical land that she is about to be thrown into headfirst, when his followers come searching for her as a way to resurrect him!  Now with the help of her reluctant misfit friends, Ash and Cirrus (one's a wizard, the other's a half-vampire) and her Uncle Ed, Darla must prove to herself and the world at large that she is her own person.  She may have sprung from the ashes, but Darla is NOT the reincarnation of evil!  She's just a teenage girl who wants to be happy.  But when she is captured can she be saved from a fate worse than death?  This was an interesting novel, one of the more intelligent creations of an original mythology that I've read recently.  First of all, it has names that I can remember and pronounce out loud!  A lot of high fantasy authors make it their mission for you to keep a notebook for their characters and plots, just so you can keep it all straight.  Not Preston Norton, who has an intricate mythology, but still considers the reader's peace of mind.  I really enjoyed Darla, although she was verging on a little too self-pitying and weak for a tolerable heroine.  But she made the cut off point.  I loved the dynamic between Ash and Cirrus, the unrelated brothers, who are both misfits in their own ways but are always there for each other.  The whole situation with the Sages and the god Alpha was very intriguing and made for a good mystery.  All in all, with the way it ended I will definitely be reading the sequel when it comes out (at least I'm pretty sure there will be one!).  I'd recommend it to those who'd like a different take on the supernatural world than the usual tripe.

VERDICT:  4/5  Stars

**I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book's expected publication date is January 8th, 2013.*

Somewhere In Time...

Published:  October 30th, 2012

Midnight In Your Arms

By: Morgan Kelly

Avon Impulse

ISBN-13:  9780062242600

When psychic Laura Dearborn inherits Stonecross Hall in 1926, she has no idea she's inheriting a love story too - one that she's lived again and again. But as Alaric Storm III, the handsome owner of the mansion from sixty years earlier, starts to haunt her waking dreams, Laura discovers her heart's true home has always been within Stonecross's walls.

Tormented by memories of war, Alaric Storm III is used to spirits-just not ones from the future. Set on fire by Laura's ghostly affections, Alaric is forced to choose: follow his heart and grasp Laura's hand through time, or surrender to the call of duty and live without love.

As All Hallows' Eve draws near, Alaric and Laura must find a way to hold on to each other forever-or risk repeating their tragic romance until the end of time.

Review

     Laura Dearborn has been without a true home for most of her life, since her parents died when she was a child.  Then her brother died fighting in the Great War and she had no one left to call family.  Then out of the blue in 1926, on her 28th birthday, a lawyer comes knocking on her door and informs her that she has inherited a house called Stonecross Manor.  It was left to her in the will of the last owner, Alaric Storm III - ten years before she was even born.  Knowing it's the house that has haunted her dreams for years, Laura shuts up her flat and goes on a trip to Stonecross to try and solve the mystery.  What she doesn't expect is that she will be able to make contact with a still living Alaric, who is in 1866, through a rip in time.  With All Hallow's Eve approaching the time is coming for Laura and Alaric, now deeply in love, to decide if they will defy time to be with one another or let each other go.  And if so, will she stay in his time or will he stay in hers?  I was creeped out by the beginning of this book.  I didn't even realize it was an Avon romance at first and for the most part the quality stayed consistent throughout the novel.  It was my Halloween read this year, with spirits, psychic visions and time travel.  At first I thought the house was possessed, with the way it was described.  But really it was just a rip in time that gave the effect.  It still made me freaked out and had me imagining that Stephen King story Rose Red!  It was lighter than I expected, but I did like that he was a war veteran.  It gave Alaric an extra depth that I don't believe he otherwise would have had.  I felt like Laura was extremely blase about the whole time/inter-dimensional travel thing, but then again she was also a psychic and had been her entire life just about.  I can imagine that would be somewhat desensitizing.  Alaric on the other hand, also accepted it far too easily for a man of 'reason.'  I felt like he pretended resistance at first, but really didn't put up a fight to the idea at all.  The romance was sweet, Tess the kitchen maid's involvement was amusing and touching alternately.  It had all the right ingredients for a good, fluffy read.  I liked the ending, as it did surprise me what time period they ended up staying in; it was entirely unexpected.  Overall, a fun read that fit in with the season and it filled my longing for semi-decent time travel fiction.

VERDICT:  3.5/5  Stars

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via Edelweiss. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book was published October 30th, 2012.*