Witches of East End (The Beauchamp Family #1)

Published:  June 21st, 2011

Witches of East End (The Beauchamp Family #1)

By: Melissa De La Cruz

Disney-Hyperion

ISBN-13:  9781401323905

The three Beauchamp women -- Joanna and her daughters Freya and Ingrid -- live in North Hampton, out on the tip of Long Island.  Their beautiful, mist-shrouded town seems almost stuck in time, and all three women lead seemingly quiet, uneventful existences.  But they are harboring a mighty secret -- they are powerful witches banned from using their magic.  Joanna can resurrect people from the dead and heal the most serious of injuries.  Ingrid, her bookish daughter, had the ability to predict the future and weave knots that can solve anything from infertility to infidelity.  And finally, there's Freya, the wild child, who has a charm or a potion that can cure most any heartache.

For centuries, all three women have been forced to suppress their abilities.  But then Freya, who is about to get married to the wealthy and mysterious Bran Gardiner, finds that her increasingly complicated romantic life makes it more difficult than ever to hide her secret.  Soon Ingrid and Joanna confront similar dilemmas, and the Beauchamp women realize they can no longer hide their true selves.  They unearth their wands from the attic, dust off their broomsticks, and begin casting spells on the townspeople.  It all seems like a bit of good-natured, innocent magic, but then mysterious, violent attacks begin to plague the town.  When a young girl disappears over the Fourth of July weekend, they realize it's time to uncover who and what dark forces are working against them.

Review

       I was never intitally interested in reading this series when it first came out, especially since I quit Melissa's Blue Bloods series by book #4.  Her writing in the past had never impressed me and I didn't even care to try.  Then I checked out Season One of the Lifetime TV show, based on these books, from my library.  I got addicted to the show within just one episode (and took my younger brother right along with me :p) and decided that I should stop being ass-backwards and just give the book a shot already!  This being the first in the series, I wasn't expecting much beyond the normal fluff, world-building and character introductions.  Maybe I enjoyed it as much as I did because I was picturing the wonderfult characters from the TV show.  But I was suprised by just how much I did happen to enjoy this particular bit of fluff!

       We get to see each chapter from a different Beauchamp woman's perspective.  Therefore we get insights into the minds of Freya, Ingrid, and their mother, Joanna.  All of them are immortal witches who have been banned by a council from using their powers, after an incident in Puritan-era Salem.  We aren't told exactly what happened, but are able to gather that it was verging on catastrophic.  The ladies are happy in North Hampton, with Ingrid working at the library and having a possible romance on the horizon with the handsome police detective, Matt Noble, and Freya on the cusp of marriage to wealthy Bran Gardiner.  But something is always missing from their lives.  The pull of magic becomes too strong to resist and they start using again,  Freya starts mixing magical drinks at the bar where she works.  Ingrid starts weaving knots to help people with their problems, doing an open hour at the library when people can come to her.  And Joanna is just using magic to amuse their housekeeper's little boy, who reminds her of her own lost son, Frederick.  

     A lot of people complain that nothing really happens in this book and it is a slow burn, I will admit.  Especially since there is seemingly nothing for them to discover.  Unlike on the TV show, Ingrid and Freya are not continuously reborn/reincarnated and they know about their powers.  It's very much about the daily monotony of life and the choices the women make for their lives.  But a chain of events is set off when Freya sleeps with Bran's brother, Killian, at their engagement party.  Another chain starts when the girls start using their powers.  It all culminates in a girl's disappearance and the start of a witch hunt by people who had previously revered the Beauchamp's recently revealed powers.  The book ends in an answer to the mystery, but opens more questions with a startling mythological revelation.  Let's just say that the witches aren't necessarily witches, but something far more ancient and powerful.  I will not say anything else so as not to spoil, but while I do think the TV show is surprisingly better done, this was a quick and fun, fluffy read.  I'd recommend to those who like a bit of candy-floss now and then.

VERDICT:  3.5/5  Stars

**No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.**

Fact or Fiction, Legend or Reality?

Published:  May 19th, 2005

Horseman (The Hollow #1)

By: Christopher Golden & Ford Lytle Gilmore

Razorbill

ISBN-13:  9781595140241

New to Sleepy Hollow, teens Aimee and Shane Lancaster find that upon their arrival an ancient curse has been unleashed upon the town, tracing back to the town's famous legend, which just might be more truth than myth.  Now an array of evil demons is after them, with the infamous Headless Horseman leading the pack.

Review

     So, let me just start by saying that I've read all four books in this series at least four or five times each!  It might have something to do with my slight obsession with the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, in just about any form.  Surprisingly there aren't that many retellings of the legend.  So, I make do with what is available.  This series just so happens to be extremely well-written, so thankfully it lends itself to re-reading!  Horseman is the first of four books, and while it does do a lot of plot set-up, it manages to be pretty action filled anyways.  From the moment Shane Lancaster and his sister Aimee cross the town line of Sleepy Hollow with their Dad, weird stuff starts happening.  All the street lights blow out, people report seeing what sounds like a hellhound and then the murders start.  The only problem is that the murderer can't be stopped by normal, human means - seeing as he's already dead.  The murderer is the Headless Horseman himself, back from the grave and terrorizing the town once more.  It's up to Shane and Aimee, along with their friend Stacia, to figure out why the Horseman has reappeared now and what he wants - before their heads are the ones left rolling!

     The series mixes real-life teen drama (and family drama) with the supernatural and the series itself reminds me of some of those dime-a-dozen Alloy series from the late 90s.  You know, the mass-produced, short and sweet teen books.  Most of them were crap.  This isn't.  It deals with the fact that the Lancasters are all grieving the loss of their Mom/Wife and dealing with it in their own way.  The kids' Dad decided to move them to a small town and he buries himself in running the local newspaper.  Shane has buried himself in schoolwork and books, shutting out people.  Aimee has become the life of the party, taking risks and breaking rules.  But in the face of danger and the unknown, Shane and Aimee manage to band together to investigate and stay safe.  Albeit, not without some sibling rivalry and heated, sometimes truly nasty, bickering.  There was a LOT of thought put in to the twists and turns of the plot and it was obvious the writers knew what they were talking about.  There are a lot of references to Washington Irving, Ichabod Crane, Baltus Van Tassel and other people thought to be fictional.  

     There are some great investigations, like when Stacia and Aimee check out a supposed Gossip Tree, which is far more sinister than it sounds.  Or when they go to put a protection ward up at the crossroads and run into the hellhound-like black dog called Hizzoner.  I won't say too much more so as not to spoil it, but one of my favorite scenes is the flashback sequence with a ghostly Theodore Hasselbeck at Aimee's friend (and Shane's crush) Stacia's house.  It explains quite a bit, and turns the legend on its head!  Be prepared to rethink everything you thought you knew about Sleepy Hollow.  If you're looking for a fun, slightly creepy read greatly steeped in myth and legend for the Halloween season, I highly recommend this series!

VERDICT:  4/5 Stars

**No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.**

Dissonance and TSTL Syndrome

Published:  July 22nd, 2014
Dissonance (Dissonance #1)
By: Erica O'Rourke
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
ISBN-13:  9781442460249

Delancey Sullivan has always known there's more to reality than what people see.  Every time someone makes a choice, a new, parallel world branches off from the existing one.  Eating breakfast or skipping it, turning left or right, sneaking out instead of staying in bed - all of these choices create an alternate universe in which an echo self takes the road not travelled and makes the opposite decision.  As a Walker, someone who can navigate between these worlds, Del's job is to keep all of the dimensions in harmony.

Normally, Del can hear the dissonant frequency each world emits as clear as a bell.  But when a training session in an off-key world goes horribly wrong, she is forbidden from Walking by the Council.  But Del's not big on following the rules and she secretly starts to investigate these other worlds.  Something strange is connecting them and it's not just her random encounters with with echo versions of the guy she likes, Simon Lane.

But Del's decisions have unimaginable consequences, and as she begins to fall for the
Echo Simons in each world, she draws closer to a truth that the Council of Walkers is trying to hide - a secret that threatens the fate of the entire mutliverse.

Review

     Anyone who knows me, knows that I'm a nut for anything involving alternate universes or time travel.  Basically, anything that lets us explore the greatest mysteries in the universe, all beginning with the words: "What if?"  But I felt like that potential was wasted in this particular book.  I seem to be in the minority, with so many glowing reviews on this one floating around.  But I honestly found the world-building, mythology and technical terms to be really convoluted.  I may not be the most scientific person ever, but generally I can follow along in these types of books.  The way things were explained about the Walkers, the dissonance, the alternate worlds, etc. was kind of a mess.  I felt like at the end of the book I still didn't get exactly why Del was able to "cleave" worlds, or why the Council was after her and what all Simon had to do with it.  The connections were not clear between any of the key points of the conflict.  

     As for the characters, Del was an arrogant brat.  Yeah, her parents were pretty absent and her sister was a bitch.  But Del acts without thinking, has no thought for consequences and basically trys to elbow around them when they happen.  She's always pouting and sneaking out, walking through other worlds even when she's not supposed to.  Her crush on Simon seemed more like an obsession, as she uses more and more of her walks to find and hook up with alternate versions of Simon, under false pretenses.  There were a lot of filler scenes that seemed to lead nowhere, and really weren't necessary in the grand scheme of things.  I found myself flipping through pages and skipping a lot, mostly out of sheer boredom.  This book was about two-hundred pages too long, and those pages did nothing for the plot.  They gave no clarity, development or resolution.  It needed a lot more editing, that unfortunately it didn't receive.  

     The love triangle between Del, Simon and Del's friend Eliot was disgusting to me.  She's totally leading on Eliot and using him the entire book, until he calls her on it, all under the excuse that she "didn't know" he had feelings for her.  If that's true, Del's even stupider than I thought she was (better than cruel, I guess).  The outright lack of reasoning capability on the part of the protagonist and the lack of direction in the plot (which led up to a big reveal that made even LESS sense to me personally), leaves this one as a do-not-recommend for me.  Not a fan, and I feel like I wasted my time.  It only gets the rating it does because I got through it and it had potential, even if it was unrealized.

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's was published on July 22nd, 2014.**

The Giver, or Another Foray Into Newbery Land

 

Published:  January 24th, 2006 (First published 1993)

The Giver (The Giver Quartet #1)

By: Lois Lowry

Ember

ISBN-13:  9780385732550

 

Jonas' world is perfect.  Everything is under control.  There is no war or fear or pain.  There are no choices.  Every person is assigned a role in the Community.  When Jonas turns twelve, he is singled out to receive special training from The Giver.  The Giver alone holds the memories of the true pain and pleasure of life.  Now, it is time for Jonas to receive the truth.  There is no turning back.

 

Review

 

     In the Community where Jonas lives, everyone has a routine.  Jobs, spouses and children are selected by qualified officials.  Emotions are discusses and analyzed, colors are non-existent and pills are taken to halt the "Stirrings" from taking hold.  Everything is controlled, peaceful, uniform and all people are treated the same.  When you become of a certain age you join the House of Old and are released as a "reward."  Jonas thinks that his society is the perfect place to live.  Then he goes through the ceremony of the twelves to get his life assignment.  Jonas is given an unusual task that he has never heard of before.  He's apprenticed to a man called The Giver and becomes The Receiver.  He is to take on all of the memories, emotions and experiences of what life used to be like, without total control.  Jonas begins to question the way the Community is run and his place in it's mindless conformity.  When Gabriel, an underdeveloped infant that has been staying with Jonas' family, is at risk due to the Community's rules, it's up to Jonas to make a decision.  Will he follow the community or give in to the lessons he's learned from the things he's taken from The Giver?

     I have read this book at least six or seven times, the first being around 2001 or 2002, when my sixth or seventh grade English teacher assigned it to my class.  I remember being shocked by the ideas and terrifying realities presented in this book.  A place that is controlled by the government, doesn't allow for any individuality, and has no romance or family bonding - a place with no color or emotion AT ALL!!!  It blew my pre-teen mind to imagine such a horrifying thing.  I definitely identified with Jonas, questioning the world around himself and trying to make life-changing decisions (mostly between action and in-action).  In light of the movie being released next month, I decided to re-read it again and see how well it held up after a decade of being in my thoughts.

     This novel is definitely more one of introspection than action.  The climax near the end of the story when Jonas *SPOILER* takes baby Gabriel and leaves *END SPOILER* is definitely the most actiony part of this book.  The majority of this book is Jonas' journey from conformity and belonging, to being on the outside of the Community and becoming isolated when his reality shifts.  By gaining the things that everyone else he knows have lost (color, emotion, individualistic though, etc.), Jonas becomes an unlikely rebel.  "Sameness" is a concept he no longer embraces and finds to be pretty horrifying.  Probably the most conflict in this book is caused by the concept of "release" for people who don't (or can't) conform for some reason, or are just too old to be of use to society.  This is what really causes Jonas to take action.  It really makes you wonder just what it would take to push our own world over the edge, into a false utopia.  A chilling, but ultimately hopeful portrayal of a world ruled by the loss of everything real.  I highly recommend this book (it won a Newbery Award for a reason!) as an introduction to the loosely defined "dystopian" genre.  It definitely makes you think.

 

VERDICT:  5/5 Stars

 

**No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.**

The Glad Game

Published:  February 1st, 2002 (First published 1913)
Pollyanna (Pollyanna #1)
By: Eleanor H. Porter
Aladdin
ISBN-13:  9780689849107

When orphaned 11-year-old Pollyanna comes to live with austere and wealthy Aunt Polly, her philosophy of gladness brings happiness to her aunt and other members of the community, somewhat to their surprise.

Review

     I love reading classic children's books, for the simple fact of them drawing me into their stories in a way that adult, or even teen books can't seem to manage quite as well.  I can lose myself in my childhood again when I pick up an old friend, or a new one that is centered on the story of a child.  Children's books from a hundred or more years ago, like Pollyanna, are no exception to this particular feeling of enjoyment.  I never read this one as a child, but did see the Disney movie of the same name starring a young Hayley Mills (I found it a little saccharine to be honest).  The book isn't exactly the same as the film, thankfully.  It actually reminds me quite a bit of Anne of Green Gables, as it's the same style of writing.  The book is made up of what is could almost be classified as vignettes, but not quite since they are a coherent story thread with and obvious timeline.

     The plot is centered around young Pollyanna, whose minister father has just died and now that she's an orphan, she's being sent to live with her rich Aunt Polly across the country.  Polly of course is absolutely miserable, and lives by herself in a big house on the hill.  Polly likes things neat, orderly and quiet.  So of course young Pollyanna's presence, with her "glad game" and constant cheerfulness is a thorn in her side.  Pollyanna plays a game every day that she calls the "glad game," which she started with her father.  In everything that happens in her life, good or bad, she looks for something to be glad about.  Before she knows it, Pollyanna's encounters with the townsfolk while playing her game, have managed to transform the lives of a great many people.  But then tragedy strikes Pollyanna - can she find something to be glad about, even in her darkest hour?  I highly recommend this to adults and children alike.  It has a great moral to it, the individual stories are all rather funny (especially the one about young Jimmy Bean trying to be the "India boy" for Pollyanna's Ladies Aide back west), and the conclusion had me on the verge of tears.  I think fans of Anne will especially enjoy it, because as I said before it's definitely in the same literary vein.

VERDICT:  5/5  Stars

**No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.**

We Can Do Anything, Together

Published:  December 10th, 2013

These Broken Stars (Starbound #1)

By: Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

Disney Hyperion

ISBN-13:  9781423171027

It's a night like any other on board the Icarus.  Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet.  Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive.  And they seem to be alone.

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe.  Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they're worth.  But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a torturous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain seek to help.

Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other's arms.  Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder -- would they be better off staying here forever?

Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step.  Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet.  But they won't be the same people who landed on it.

Review

     What exactly can you say about a book that's full of so much good stuff?  And how much can I reveal without spoiling the actual details of the plot and the ending?  I guess we're about to find out!  This is a book about a boy, Tarver, and a girl, Lilac, who are from different social stratospheres - but they collide together and change one another's lives irrevocably when they do.  Lilac is a society darling, daughter of the richest man in the world and Tarver is a decorated war hero, never taken seriously due to his young age.  They meet on one of her father's luxury spaceships the Icarus, conversing and connecting with each other, before she blows him off to protect him from her father.  Then the unthinkable happens, and the ship crashes down on a planet neither of them is familiar with.  The unlikely pair is forced to overcome all their differences to survive in a strange/dangerous environment, while discovering the mystery behind the planet's seeming consciousness and why colonization of that planet was deserted.  Can Lilac and Tarver come to a solution and a rescue before it's too late?

     It's such a gradual change for both of these characters, moving from the stereotypical and boxed in personalities they have when the book starts, to unlocking their full potential.  I've seen comparisons to the Titanic's history (and I assume the infamous movie) in terms of plot, and I can see some similarites.  But once the Icarus crashes (that name has some mythological irony for sure), the majority of the book is spent on the unknown planet, with Tarver and Lilac struggling to work together.  She's dealing with the restrictions of her class in society, and the stranglehold of her father's love and power, while Tarver is dealing with the guilt of surivivng his older brother, and the honors of being a hero (which he doesn't feel he deserves).  Also, Tarver's parents are both teachers so he is WAY out of Lilac's "league."  Lilac begins to experience voices and visions, while she and Tarver are fighting to find a way off, back to civilization.  This and the interactions she and Tarver have with the terrestrial environment leads up to a startling climax that is the perfect meld of science fiction and romance.  The interludes with Tarver being interrogated by men employed by Lilac's father definitely contributed to the shock of how things fit into the puzzle!  And geez, that cliffhanger!  Can't wait to read the next one and I highly recommend it for anyone wanting something innovative, surprising and overall gripping to read.

 

VERDICT:  4/5 Star

 

**I received this book from Disney Hyperion, on NetGalley.  No favors or money were exchanged for this review.  This book was published December 10th, 2013.**

Letters Say It So Much Better

Published: April 15th, 2014
To All The Boys I've Loved Before (To All The Boys I've Loved Before #1)
By: Jenny Han
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
ISBN-13:  9781442426702

What if all the crushes you ever had found out how you felt about them...all at once?

Lara Jean Song keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her.  They aren't love letters that anyone else wrote for her; these are ones she's written.  One for every boy she's ever loved - five in all.  When she writes, she pours out her heart and soul and says all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only.  

Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly, Lara Jean's love life goes from imaginary to out of control.

Review

     Lara Jean Song is living with her older sister Margot, younger sister Kitty and their widower father, working with her sisters to minimize their Dad's worries and keep the household running smoothly since their Mother's death.  But now things are changing, with Margot going away to college in a foreign country, and breaking up with her perfect, boy-next-door boyfriend, Josh.  Of course this only causes Lara Jean's long suppressed feelings to come to the surface, threatening to ruin her friendship with Josh.  Adding to the nightmare, Lara Jean's personal and for her eyes only love letters end up being mailed to the respective boys she happened to write them for.  One of the gets to Josh and she tries to shrug it off - when that doesn't work, Lara Jean enlists her semi-ex boyfriend Peter to help her make Josh forget the whole situation.  And by pretending to be her boyfriend, Peter can make the girl that dumped him jealous.  Can Lara Jean forget Josh herself though?  And what can she do when feelings she thought long since lost, for Peter, begin to get in the way as well?  Also, what about Margot?

     I feel like I was expecting Lara Jean to have a crazy showdown of all her ex-loves/boyfriends.  They would all get the letters, and come to find Lara Jean looking for answers.  That, or Lara Jean would have to go on some sort of adventure to collect the letters from the unintended recipients.  I have to say that I was REALLY disappointed.  Lara Jean basically spends a couple hours worrying about the missing hatbox full of letters (you'd think she's be more upset, with even just the hatbox itself having been from her dead Mom), then seeming blase about it when she gives up.  Then when Peter approaches her at school about the letter she "sent" him, Lara Jean is WAY too calm and collected about it!  Any normal teenager would be so humiliated to see someone reading their personal thoughts, when they were never intended to have access to them.  Even as an adult a situation like that would mortify me!  Instead of focusing on this, the letters basically disappear from the plot, and Jenny Han decides to focus on a love triangle between Lara, her sister Margo's ex-boyfriend Josh, and slightly creepy, opportunistic Peter.  

     This whole book is about Lara trying to convince Josh she is with Peter, so she doesn't give in to temptation and betray her sister by hooking up with him.  But then Lara starts to feel things for Peter too!  Overall, the characters were extremely weak, the plot was nothing like what I expected and just about the only thing I liked was the relationship between the sisters.  And even that was tainted by Lara Jean's obsession with her "true lurve" for her sister's boyfriend.  That is such a blight against the girl code it isn't even funny.  Also, the cliffhanger was such a cop-out.  This didn't need to be a series, and I feel like it only is to make more money.  Nothing was resolved and I feel like I wasted my time.  Also, I constantly wanted to slap Lara Jean across the face.  It was like reading about the antics of an annoying ten year old, instead of a teenaged girl.  So naieve and priveleged I just couldn't connect or relate at all.  So disappointed in this Jenny Han books, especially after loving "The Summer I Turned Pretty."  I definitely don't recommend this one.  It only gets as many stars as it does because of the sisters and the fact that I finished it.  I'm being generous.

VERDICT:  1.5/5  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 date is April 15th, 2014.*

Broken Skies Blog Tour - Review & Giveaway!!!

TOUR SCHEDULE: http://www.itchingforbooks.com/2014/01/blog-tour-sign-upbroken-skies-by.html

Series: Broken Skies #1
Release date: March 2014
Self-Published

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20764638-broken-skies

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Thirty years ago, there was the Collapse. A massive war fought with biological weapons and followed by plague. Almost everyone died. 

Ten years ago, the aliens showed up. They made one of our cities their own and that's where they stay, for the most part anyway.

One year ago, I killed two men and went a little crazy.

Today, the aliens took my brother and I will do whatever it takes to get him back even if it means partnering up with the enemy, an alien boy who makes me think things I shouldn't and makes me feel things I don’t understand.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The only person she knows who had a subscription to Writer's Digest at eleven and was always excited to write research papers, Theresa has been putting words to paper since a young age. She writes predominantly in the sci-fi and urban fantasy genres. Residing in central Virginia, she juggles two kids, a husband and a full-time job in addition to her writing and in her free time she reads almost anything she can get her hands on.

http://www.theresakay.com/ | facebook.com/TheresaKayAuthor

Review

     So, I was completely unsure what to expect when I initially started reading this book.  I knew that is was some sort of post-apocalyptic novel that involved aliens.  I definitely got a whole lot more than I was expecting!  I always feel like I have to re-iterate this every time that I read a self-published novel, but I have been burned so many times in the past when giving my time and energy to self-pubbed books.  This book is so much more than just one thing - it has sci-fi, post-apocalyptic, adventure, romance, family secrets, drama and a hint of cultism going on as well, with the society that Jax and Jace join to stay alive.  The book starts out with the two of them living in that society (Bridgelake), abiding by the sexist and domineering rules of Dane (the leader).  Jax is chafing under his reign, in a place where a girl like her, who was raised to be independent, has no basic human rights and is a bargaining tool of the men around her.  One day when Jace goes out to hunt and Jax follows him, they witness the landing of an alien ship.  Jace is taken away by the intruders, and Jax is only left with an alien boy they abandoned to help her find him again.  Lir is stubborn, somewhat mysterious and has his own motivations.  But as they journey together and overcome many obstacles, some of them deadly, Jax builds a bond of trust with him - and maybe some other feelings too.  Once they reach the city where Jace is being held, will Jax have their new bond shattered by the secrets tainting their fragile connection?  Or will they be able to save each other?

     Jax is a heroine who has been through a lot.  It becomes obvious after reading this for a little while, that she is struggling to live normally in the aftermath of an assault.  Jax was catatonic for some time afterwards, which forced Jace to make some harsh decisions.  The domino effect from his decisions is still happening, even months later.  I loved that the twins, while they happen to love each other, do not have a perfect relationship.  Jace is trying a little too hard to protect Jax, dominating her every waking move and keeping important secrets from her.  Factoring into this as well is their best friend, Flint, who also happens to be the son of Bridgelake's villainous leader.  At first, I thought this was going to be another love triangle with Jax, Lir and Flint.  I was like, "Oh great.  Another one."  But then Theresa Kay pulls a surprise out of left field, that fits completely in with the story mind you, that shears off the Flint corner of the triangle!  Leaving a still very complex, and beautiful romance between Jax and Lir.  Hats off to Ms. Kay for that!  Their journey is wonderful and exciting, with never a dull moment.  All the way from her breaking him out of jail in Bridgelake, to an incident at a trading post that threatens to break Jax, to a rattlesnake bite that changes both of their perspectives.  Not to mention all of the stuff that happens once they reach the city where Jace is being held captive!  

     The world-building in this book was wonderful, and I always felt like I was trekking alongside Jax and Lir in the woods.  Also the idea that humanity nuked itself into oblivion, while not exactly new, is definitely effective and believable.  The thing I was curious about was just how many people survived in other ares of the world.  Especially after an encounter with Lir's cousin Rym, who gets his slang from "British vids" according to himself and his sister (and who is kind of hilarious - I'd love to see more of him)!  The brutality of humanity is emphasized, but also the secrets and betrayals of the E'Rikon alien society as well.  There are political, inter-familial power struggles going on and the aliens have some major issues that could lead to the end of their race as a whole.  They are unable to sustain themselves on Earth, without finding some way to fuse their DNA with the humans'.  Let's just say that there is more to that particular endeavor than anyone originally thought...  And the secondary characters were interesting as well.  Peter, the ex-Priest, who is living on his own and gives shelter to Jax and Lir on their journey.  Emily, the seemingly good Bridgelake girl, who has a hidden rebellious side and is desperate to change her restrictive society.  Also, Lir's parents and uncle, who have motives that are unclear until the end of the novel.  Lir himself is a mystery until it seems that he's chosen his side in the struggle - opposite of where you thought he was!  Probably my one problem with this book, was the presence of some seriously distracting spelling errors near the very end.  But this is an advance copy, so hopefully they are fixed in the final release.  Other than that, I absolutely loved it beyond all measure!  SO DYING FOR THE SEQUEL!  I NEEDS IT NOW!  The pulse-pounding action from start to finish was breath-taking!  In other words, pick this one up and be destroyed by the cliffhanger in the best way possible.  You'll fall in love!

VERDICT:  4.5/5  Stars

*I received an ARC from the author and tour host for the purpose of this blog tour. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book was published March 14th, 2014.*

GIVEAWAY

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Summoning Forces Beyond Your Control

Expected Publication:  June 24th, 2014

Summoned (Redemption's Heir #1)

By: Anne M. Pillsworth

Tor Teen

ISBN-13:  9780765335890

When the Elder Gods extend an invitation, be wary of the strings attached.

While browsing in a rare book store in Arkham, Sean finds an occult book with an ad seeking an apprentice sorcerer, from a newspaper dated March 21, 1895.  Even more intriguing, the ad specifically requests that applicants reply by email.

Sean's always been interested in magic, particularly the Lovecraftian dark mythology.  Against his best friend Edna's ("call-me-Eddy-or-else") advice, he decides to answer the ad, figuring it's a clever hoax, but hoping that it won't be.  The advertiser, Reverend Redemption Orne, claims to be a master of the occult born more than 300 years ago.  To prove his legitimacy, Orne gives Sean instructions to summon a harmless by useful familiar -- but Sean's ceremony takes a dark turn, and instead he accidentally beckons a bloodthirsty servant to the Cthulhu Mythos god Nyarlathotep.  The ritual is preemptively broken, and now Sean must find and bind the servitor, before it grows too strong to contain.  But strange things are already happening in the town of Arkham.....

Review

     I thought that the premise of this one sounded pretty cool.  A boy answers an ad for a wizard's apprentice, to find out the secret behind the authentically aged piece of newspaper containing it.  The mystery is there, because the ad mentions email which was not invented until over 100 years after the ad was taken out!  I thought to myself, okay, here we go.  A book with some humor and mostly about a modern teenage boy training to become a wizard's apprentice.  I even speculated that it involved time travel (that interesting me slightly more than just a wizard character who is centuries old), which would have been spectacular.  I was unfamiliar with the term "Cthulhu Mythos god" and was sincerely hoping that I would have it explained to my satisfaction, or be so minor to the plot that it didn't matter what it was.  None of my expectations were met in a way that I wanted them to be.

     Being that I am not really a horror aficionado, I can't really compare the mythology in this book to that in the stories of H.P. Lovecraft.  But I can tell that the author draws heavily from him, on the basis that in her book's world, Lovecraft was part of a secret society in the know and just writing the truth.  That is a cool concept and I would have loved it - had I already been a Lovecraft fan, and been in on the history.  The whole plot of this book relies on prior knowledge of terminology and ideas from a mythology that I was not the least bit familiar with (at least in my opinion and reading experience)  and it wasn't really fleshed out in the novel.  I felt like it assumed prior knowledge, and because of that the terminology was vague to me - something that I was never really able to picture all that well in my mind.  Something that might have made this book a better experience for me would have been highly developed and sound characters.  I love characters that are so real they could walk off the page and share a drink with me at the local coffee shop.  That, or a plot that surpasses my need for intimate connections with the main characters (it takes an extremely special kind of book to accomplish this feat).  Keeping that in mind, me being on the outskirts of this very plot driven novel, with characters whose whole lives seem to revolve around the plot, it never really connected.  

     Eddie was only there to scold Sean for contacting some "creep" on the Internet and to annoy the heck out of him.  To be the one-dimensional best friend (although their strong bond is showcased when later on she knows exactly where to find him when he's missing).  I believe the friendship, but it does nothing for me.  Sean's Dad is the "concerned single parent" who also restores stained glass windows.  That's about all there is to him, other than him being a widower who doesn't date and a skeptic of all things magic/supernatural.  His role is parent and skeptic: check mark.  Most of the other characters are fleeting, just there to move along the plot.  Redemption Orne, arguably the most important character other than Sean, is nothing more than an Internet presence, of someone who might be a mentally deluded weirdo just playacting.  Sean is the typical hero, just goofing off and doing things out of curiosity - until it gets him into real trouble and the shit hits the fan.  I never really got to know him as a character though, outside of his mission to bind the servitor, find out the truth about Redemption and become "serious" in regards to messing with the supernatural.  The message of this book seems to be, don't play with fire unless you're ready to be burned.  And it's not a subtle message, with the very serious consequences of Sean's actions on a pet-killing spree across the neighborhood and sucking his own blood.  The action was spotty, the plot dragged in it's odd pacing and the novel was mostly set up for a series.  The disappearing pharmacy and its quirky pharmacist felt like they belonged in a different novel altogether, the one I had initially thought I was going to read (and its not a coincidence they were my favorite part/little fantasy quirk).

     That said, a lot of people would probably adore this book beyond belief.  I am not by any means stating that this book was bad, or does not have its audience somewhere out there.  Hell, Pillsworth probably has a built in curiosity audience in all the Lovecraft fans lurking out there, waiting for a book like this.  It's modern, approachable for a younger audience and has a very dark, science fiction edge to it.  But as someone who self-proclaimedly prefers fantasy to science fiction it just wasn't the book for me.  I thought it was a fantasy book and was highly disappointed.  But I did finish the book and was interested in the resolution of the whole issue Sean caused, so Pillsworth did manage to draw me in regardless of my slight boredom.  Overall, a decent book but not my thing.  Lovecraftians take notice and add to your to-reads.

VERDICT:  3/5  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 date is June 24th, 2014.*

Unite Blog Tour - Excerpt!

Title: Unite (Project Integrate #1)
Author: Jamie Campbell
Date of Publication: December 3, 2013

Blurb:

United They Stand.

Seventeen years ago an entire generation of aliens were sent to Earth
in order to save their home planet and integrate into the human
population. Now, those aliens are being hunted.

Amery Jones is your typical teenager, except for the fact she is an
alien and a member of the government's secret Project Integrate.

When Amery's best friend Lola is kidnapped in order to get to her,
there is only one person that can help - the exceedingly annoying and
charming Lochie Mercury.

Together, Amery and Lochie must put aside their differences and
attraction in order to rescue Lola before it's too late.

Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18591009-unite

Purchase links

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Unite-Project-Integrate-Jamie-Campbell-ebook/dp/B00GXU5JHU

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/unite-jamie-campbell/1117351954?ean=2940045373357
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/372465

About Jamie Campbell

Amazon #1 Bestselling Author Jamie Campbell was born into a big, crazy
family of 6 children. Being the youngest, she always got away with
anything and would never shut up. Constantly letting her imagination
run wild, her teachers were often frustrated when her 'What I did on
the weekend' stories contained bunyips and princesses.

Spending quality time with her laptop named Lily, Jamie has written
several novels and screenplays. Spanning a number of genres and
mediums, Jamie writes whatever inspires her from ghost stories to
teenage love stories to tantalizing murder mysteries. Nothing is off
limits.

A self-confessed television addict, dog lover, Taylor Swift fan, and
ghost hunter, Jamie loves nothing more than the thrill of sharing her
stories.

Website: http://www.jamiecampbell.com.au
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/jamiecampbell#!/pages/Jamie-Campbell/501949313166685
Mailing List: http://eepurl.com/a007z
Twitter: http://twitter.com/Miss_Little_Jay
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/jamiecampbell

Excerpt

"I know a real alien. From, like outer space. There aren't cameras here, right? You're not punking me?"

Lola looked around the room, trying to find the hidden cameras that didn't exist.

I laughed, I couldn't help it. Perhaps my life wasn't about to fall apart after all.

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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