Cleopatra, American Style

Expected Publication:  January 8th, 2013

Cleopatra Ascending (Shadow's Edge # 2)

By: Maureen Lipinski

Flux

ISBN-13: 9780738731933

Sweet Sixteen = You're a Queen

Despite living with a shaman, a witch, and a muse for sisters, Rhea Spencer feels like a normal teenager-even if she is the reincarnation of Cleopatra. But all that changes on Rhea's sixteenth birthday, when her visions of the Egyptian queen start unraveling a very different version of history, and Declan, a hot representative of the secret Order of Antony, shows up on the doorstep to keep her from being kidnapped. Together, Rhea and Declan travel to Egypt to stop the Octavians, a dark cabal trying to tap into Rhea's growing powers. The cabal seeks to access the magic deep below the desert sands, a potentially devastating force that only Rhea can protect.

Review

     Rhea Spencer had lived around the supernatural her whole life without any major problems.  Her Mom is a psychic, and her sisters are a shaman, a witch and a muse.  Oh yeah, and Rhea also just happens to be the reincarnation of Cleopatra!  But on her sixteenth birthday, Rhea starts having visions of her life as the Egyptian queen and than the Order of Antony shows up to 'protect' her from another, darker order - the Octavians.  The Octavians want to kidnap Rhea and use her to unleash an army of the undead and take over the world.  Forced to leave behind her family and her boyfriend Slade (who was just made King of the Dark Creatuirs), Rhea and Declan (a member of Antony) travel to Egypt to take back the Book of the Dead and stop the Octavians for good.  Will they be able to save the world or will everything be lost for good to an ancient evil?  This book intrigued me from the start, seeing as I have always loved ancient Egyptian mythology and history.  The idea of an American teenager being the reincarnation of Cleopatra was amusing.  I liked Rhea's sarcastic, yet fairly happy existence.  The dynamic of her family was a good change from all of the splintered ones I see in YA fic on a constant basis.  I got the feeling while reading this book that I had missed something, from all the references to her sister Leah's role with the Dark Creatuirs, and I was right.  I had read this without knowing it was number two in a series.  I hate it when that happens, but for the most part it didn't affect my experience too much in this case.  It was more of an annoyance than anything else.  Rhea's romance with Slade, who is a different species, kind of squicked me out.  And the whole Romeo & Juliet thing they have going on gets old really quick.  Especially when Rhea is constantly and immaturely pining over him, whining about how much she misses him.  Yuck, I hate gushy teen romance in YA books.  Resolution came a little too quickly for my taste and I felt like the way the conflict ended was sloppy and lazy.  Overall an interesting attempt, but not my favorite mythology rendering and I wouldn't recommend it to any of my friends.

VERDICT:  3/5  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.*

I Haven't Got The Time...

Expected Publication: June 12th, 2012

Timepiece (Hourglass #2)

By: Myra McEntire

EgmontUSA

ISBN-13: 9781606841457

A threat from the past could destroy the future. And the clock is ticking...

Kaleb Ballard's relentless flirting is interrupted when Jack Landers, the man who tried to murder his father, timeslips in and attacks before disappearing just as quickly. But Kaleb has never before been able to see time travelers, unlike many of his friends associated with the mysterious Hourglass organization. Are Kaleb's powers expanding, or is something very wrong?

Then the Hourglass is issued an ultimatum. Either they find Jack and the research he's stolen on the time gene, or time will be altered with devastating results.

Now Kaleb, Emerson, Michael, and the other Hourglass recruits have no choice but to use their unusual powers to find Jack. But where do they even start? And when? And even if they succeed, it may not be enough...

The follow-up to Hourglass, Timepiece blends the paranormal, science fiction, mystery, and suspense genres into a nonstop thrill ride where every second counts.

Review

   Emerson Cole has been thrown into a world of intrigue and excitement, with a secret organization called Hourglass at the center of it all - oh yeah, time travel is involved as well.  Her and her friends are just now recovering from their altercations with Cat Powers and Jack Landers, evils former members of a group of time travel researchers who wish to steal Hourglass' powers and manipulate events in time to their advantage.  But than at a party at Em's brother's restaurant, they are threatened with an ultimatum to find Jack or have time be altered in a horrible way.  Also, saving Michael and Liam in the by changing the timeline has damaged the very fabric of time and the ripples of time are beginning to have more substance than they should.  It's up to Em, Michael, Kaleb and Lily to find Jack and put an end to possible problems before they happen.  This means that Lily will have to use a power that she's sworn not to since she was forced to leave Cuba with her Grandma years before.  But even then it may not be enough to save them from disaster.  And where does the InfinityGlass come into play?  Will Em and her fellow Hourglass team members all make it out alive?  I liked the first book decently enough, so I figured that I would give this one a shot.  I was glad that Em and Michael were not the focus in this one.  Their relationship nauseates and annoys me beyond belief.  Kaleb and Lily were my two favorite characters from the first book, so the possibilities excited me.  It ended up being another disappointing case of unrealistic, insta-love.  The book was from Kaleb's POV and while that could've made a difference, there was practically no distinction from Em's narration in the first book.  At first I didn't even realize that Kaleb was the one narrating!  And the time travel stuff was interesting, but too confusing.  If I wanted a physics class I would take one - there's a reason I'm reading fiction!  Lily was more in-depth in this book, which was the best part for me.  But towards the end of the novel even she devolved into a clone of Emerson.  The only thing that I really enjoyed was the action, Kaleb's discoveries of the complexity of his powers and how to help his Mother recover from Jack's devastating attack on her mind.  Not a book I would recommend unless you're okay with mediocrity or are in love with the first one already.  I will probably be sucked into the next one though, because of the cliffhanger.  It made me it's bitch and I totally admit it! 

VERDICT:  3/5  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 June 12th, 2012.*

Vampire, Please Be Mine

Published: March 29th, 2011
Vampire Mine
By: Kerrelynn Sparks
Avon Books
ISBN: 9780061958045

Nothing on earth can make this vampire fall in love . . .

After 499 years of existence, Connor Buchanan has arrived at an inescapable conclusion: he is a cold-hearted SOB. He's been watching his friends—those poor romantic fools—plummet off the cliff into love like a dazed herd of sheep. But not Connor. He knows that love leads to nothing but heartache.

Until Marielle . . .

She is an angel cast down from heaven for disobedience. Trapped in mortal form, she finds a protector in Connor, a Scottish vampire haunted by a dark past. Marielle hopes to heal his broken heart and earn her way back home, but suddenly she has these . . . feelings. This strange yet pleasant physical yearning—for a vampire! Is this the work of a demon luring her into hell, or has this angel found heavenly bliss?

Review

   Connor Buchanan can't believe how crazy his fellow vampires are, falling in love.  He vows he won't become the next one to give in to a woman.  Then, on a mission against the Malcontents Connor witnesses the banishment of Marielle.  She has disobeyed orders one too many times and as a result, been cast out of the heavenly host.  Now Marielle is being pursued by a demon and must adjust to being human and all that it entails.  Plus, she is unable to touch anyone but a vampire because even though she's no longer an angel her touch still has the power to kill.  Can Marielle earn her place back to Heaven and can Connor protect her until she's able?  Is Connor truly damned or is redemption still possible?  But when it comes down to it, will Marielle be able to leave Connor behind?  This was wonderful.  I loved the introduction of angels and demons into the series, especially all of the trials an angel has to go through to adjust to mortal life.  I adored Marielle because she was so sweet and innocent, but she still had a feisty spirit all the same.  Connor was my favorite hero of the series so far, because for him it's all about how he believes he's undeserving and damned to Hell due to past wrongs.  The redemption that he undergoes is pretty awesome.  The romance in this book is hot and sweet both, which is just how I like it.  However, the formula is still present and obvious in this book (which is #10 in the series) so I can't quite say I loved it, so much as enjoyed it a lot.

VERDICT:  4/5  Stars

*No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book is now available in stores and online.*

The Vampire and The Virgin (Not a Sacrifice, We Promise)

Published: March 9th, 2010
The Vampire and the Virgin
By: Kerrelynn Sparks
Avon Books
ISBN-13: 9780061667862

Olivia's packing list:

1. Sunscreen
2. Bathing suit
3. Flip-flops

FBI psychologist Olivia Sotiris was looking for a cool ocean breeze, sand between her toes, and a break from her crazy, chaotic, and sometimes all-too-dangerous life. But when she escaped to the small Greek island of Patmos, all she got were meddling grandmothers trying to marry her off. Can't they see that none of the men around interests her—except Robby MacKay?

Robby's packing list:

1. Synthetic blood
2. More synthetic blood
3. Jogging clothes
(even vamps have to stay in shape!)

Robby needs to cool off, too, since all he can think about is revenge on the Malcontent bloodsuckers who once held him captive—but then he meets Olivia, the beauty with wild curls and a tempting smile. When a deadly criminal from a case back home tracks her down, Robby will have to save her life—along with giving her a first time she'll never forget . . .

Review

   Olivia Sotiris just needs to get away from life for awhile - including the demented serial killer who's been stalking her since she helped put him behind bars.  Going to Patmos, Greece to visit her Grandmother for a few weeks seems like a good idea.  Robby Mackay has been forced to go on a vacation in Greece, because he is single-mindedly focused on revenge against those who held and tortured him; even if it means harm to himself and others.  Robby is just biding time at first but then he meets Olivia, who he is drawn to against his better judgement.  Olivia didn't go to Greece looking to meet someone, but when you have the ability to tell lies from the truth, getting a date isn't easy.  It helps that she can't read Robby.  But when the serial killer manages to get to Olivia on Greece and she has a misunderstanding with Robby, it's going to take a lot of work for them to realize they belong together.  This was a decent story and the characters were well developed for such a by-the-numbers plotline.  I enjoyed reading about Olivia's struggles, but Robby kind of annoyed me with his fixed desire for revenge.  Plus, in this book the other characters didn't have as much of a presence as in the other ones because of the fact that Robby was mostly alone (except for Carlos) when he went to Greece.  I like it when there are more than a few supporting characters.  The romance in this one was a little too 'Twilight' for me to truly get behind it's success.  All in all it was a fun and quick read, but I won't be re-reading it again.

VERDICT:  3.5/5  Stars

*No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book is now available in stores and online.*

We Don't Play With Our Food...

Published: September 28th, 2010
Eat, Prey, Love (Love At Stake #9)
By: Kerrelynn Sparks
HarperCollins Publishers
ISBN-13: 9780061958038



Wanted: Bride. Must love children. Mortals need not apply.
 
Carlos Panterra is looking for a mate, a woman who will love and care for the young orphans he's recently taken under his wing (or paw, as the case may be). When the shape shifter spies the beautiful Caitlyn, it's like sunshine amidst the darkness. At last, he's found the perfect woman, except . . .
 
Caitlyn Whelan is mortal. Worse, her father is the head of a CIA agency bent on hunting the undead. Still, Caitlyn knows that Carlos is the man for her, shape shifter or not. So she jumps at the chance when her sister offers her a job to work with him, determined to show Carlos their attraction is more than just animal magnetism. But danger lurks in the night, and their unleashed, untamed passion might just get them both killed . . .

Review

   Caitlyn Whelan never believed in vampires and things that go bump in the night.  She's about to get a crash course when after reuniting with her sister Shanna against their parents' wishes, she finds out that vampires at least are real.  And her sisters husband happens to be one of the undead.  She decided to join their organization and help them hunt bad vampires, also known as Malcontents, instead of joining her Dad's secret CIA team that hunts good AND bad vampires.  Carlos Panterra is drawn to Caitlyn from the moment he first sees her, but knows nothing can happen because it's his duty to repopulate his race (were-panthers).  To do that he needs to find a mate that is a were-panther like himself.  But while he is helping Caitlyn learn to fight, he can't help but feel the sexual tension - and neither can she.  When the two are forced to go on a mission together, will they finally give in to fate or will they fight it until it's too late?  Caitlyn's feisty and snarky attitude had me loving her place as heroine of the book.  I was glad that her paranormal ability was something interesting, like the ability to understand and learn all languages almost instantaneously.  Carlos could be domineering and annoying, but his hotness practically radiated off the page.  Sparks creates a world of romance, mystery and adventure that you can't help but feel immersed in.  You wish the book didn't have to end (at leats I did)!  The only thing I didn't like was how long it took Caitlyn and Carlos to get together - it began to border on completley ridiculous.  I am bummed that I started so far into what I had no idea was a series, but it didn't affect my enjoyment the least bit.

VERDICT:  4/5  Stars

*No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book is now available in stores and online.*