Giveaway & Review: Wicked Soul by Nora Ash

Wicked Soul (#1) by Nora Ash (Feb. 10, 2018)

Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Source: I received a free copy of the book as part of Xpresso Book Tours. This did NOT affect my honest review. Thank you!

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

My Rating:

Synopsis: He saved me… And then he blood-bonded me. Now I’m his. My first meeting with a Chicago vampire went better than expected. Up until that night, all I knew about vampires was limited to a few common facts: they drink blood, they get a mean sunburn and if you find yourself alone with one, you’re dead. Except he didn’t kill me. Sexy, broody Warin clearly had his own reasons for sparing my life and tying me with his blood, but if he’d known how much trouble I’d attract, I bet he wouldn’t have bothered. When he blood-bonded me, secrets even I didn’t know about myself came to light. Secrets that will pull us both deep into the eternal war between vampires and the witches determined to rid the world of their evil. We have only one choice now: fight the forces hell-bent on breaking our bond… Or die.

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My Review

Wicked Soul in Three Words: Steamy. Funny. Enjoyable.

What I Liked

• How the vampire mythology was handled. It reminded me of a mix of all my favorite vampire novels in one!
• The humor was fantastic. I actually laughed out loud quite a few times. The main character Liv is awkward and hilarious. She reminded me a lot of myself.
• The attraction between Liv and Warin was hot! They were also pretty cute when they were just hanging out.
• Thanks to some great action scenes along with perfect pacing of the story, I was never bored.
• The cast of secondary characters including a giant body guard, Warin's brother, and various witches were very interesting.

What I Didn't Like

• At times, Warin was just a tad bit too alpha male for my taste.
• A couple of the sexy scenes were a little out of my comfort zone.
• Although easy to relate to and hilarious, Liv also sometimes made really cringe worthy decisions that made it hard to like her.

The Bottom Line: A good fit for vampire romance fans! It was a very entertaining read.

The Author

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS

Nora Ash writes the sort of books that have your toes curling and your blood pulsing. Her stories are often dark and always thrilling, with lots of sexy bad boys and the women who spur their desires. When not typing away at a story, Nora paints, eats chocolate or go for hikes around the English countryside with her very own bad boy.

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Tour Review & Giveaway: Deadly Sweet by Lola Dodge

Deadly Sweet (#1) by Lola Dodge (Jan. 16, 2018)
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal
Publisher: Ink Monster LLC
Source: I received a copy of this book as part of a tour for Xpresso Book Tours. Thank you!
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo
My Rating:

Synopsis: For fans of Hex Hall, The Magicians, Practical Magic, and Food Wars! Anise Wise loves three things: baking, potion making, and reading her spellbooks in blissful silence. She might not be the most powerful witch, but enchantment is a rare skill, and her ability to bake with magic is even rarer. Too bad one wants witchcraft on their campus. Anise’s dream of attending pastry school crumbles with rejection letter after rejection letter. Desperate to escape her dead-end future, Anise contacts the long-lost relative she’s not supposed to know about. Great Aunt Agatha owns the only magic bakery in the US, and she suddenly needs a new apprentice. Anise is so excited she books it to New Mexico without thinking to ask what happened to the last girl. The Spellwork Syndicate rules the local witches in Taos, but as “accidents” turn into full-out attacks on Anise’s life, their promises to keep her safe are less and less reassuring. Her cranky bodyguard is doing his best, but it’s hard to fight back when she has no idea who’s the enemy. Or why she became their target. If Anise can’t find and stop whoever wants her dead, she’ll be more toasted than a crème brûlée. Who knew baking cakes could be so life or death?

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My Review

Deadly Sweet in Three Words: Magical. Fun. Food.

Deadly Sweet is full of food and magic. My two favorite things.

Anise is a baker and a witch. She can bake feelings into her cakes and cookies. How cool is that? Witches are looked down upon in every day life so she must hide who she is, thus making it harder and harder to live the life she wants. Then one day she discovers that she has an aunt who owns her own magical bakery in a magic town. When she gets accepted as her apprentice things only get crazier.

The author does a nice job with the world building, although a couple of questions go left unanswered I think they will be revealed in later books. My favorite parts of this story were the baking and the magic. I was always hungry for a cupcake or cookie while reading this book. So be prepared. The descriptions were that good. I also really like that the main character isn't some chosen one off to save the world or anything. When Anise meets her aunt she has to go back to learning the basics of cooking to become better. She not only must attend magic baking classes and try to make new friends, but due to a threat on her life, she has to try to stay alive in the process. I loved her interesting friends with different magical abilities.

There were a couple nit picky things that bothered me while reading, but nothing big. I wasn't a big fan of the romance and was hoping for something else entirely. I was also very confused about why her shield bodyguard slept all the time and that was all he did. Boring and weird. Perhaps there is a reason behind it that will be brought up in book two. Although I adored Anise and she felt very realistic, I could use with a little less discussion of her clothing choices every time she did something. These were just tiny personal things that bothered me. Overall, this book was a lot of fun to read!

The Bottom Line: Magic, a crazy cat, and delicious sounding baked goods makes this book worth reading. Give it a try!

The Author

Lola Dodge is a compulsive traveler, baker, and procrastinator. She earned her BA in English from Stonehill College and MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University–and hasn’t stopped moving since. When she’s not on the road, Lola spends her time indoors where the sunlight can’t melt her, writing or bingeing on anime and cherry soda. She can be summoned in a ritual involving curry, Hello Kitty idols, and a solid chocolate pentagram.

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Review: How to Date Dead Guys by Ann M. Noser

How to Date Dead Guys (#1) by Ann M. Noser
302 pages
Genre: New Adult/Paranormal
Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press
Source: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thanks to the Caffeinated Book Reviewer for connecting me with this author!
Purchase: Barnes & Noble | Amazon
My Rating:

Goodreads Summary: College sophomore Emma Roberts remembers her mother’s sage advice: “don’t sleep around, don’t burp in public, and don’t tell anyone you see ghosts”. But when cute Mike Carlson drowns in the campus river under her watch, Emma’s sheltered life shatters.

Blamed for Mike’s death and haunted by nightmares, Emma turns to witchcraft and a mysterious Book of Shadows to bring him back. Under a Blood Moon, she lights candles, draws a pentacle on the campus bridge, and casts a spell. The invoked river rages up against her, but she escapes its fury. As she stumbles back to the dorm, a stranger drags himself from the water and follows her home. And he isn’t the only one…

Instead of raising Mike, Emma assists the others she stole back from the dead—a pre-med student who jumped off the bridge, a young man determined to solve his own murder, and a frat boy Emma can’t stand…at first. More comfortable with the dead than the living, Emma delves deeper into the seductive Book of Shadows. Her powers grow, but witchcraft may not be enough to protect her against the vengeful river and the killers that feed it their victims.

Inspired by the controversial Smiley Face Murders, HOW TO DATE DEAD GUYS will appeal to the secret powers hidden deep within each of us.

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My Review

The Cover: I know it isn't great, but this is one of those times when you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. Look past it.

The Setting: I love a book that takes place on a college campus. Plus, it is a fun and interesting setting that just works for this story. 

The Characters: What a unique and fun bunch of people! I like the witchy MC, Emma, a lot. She really starts to come into her own by the end of the novel. All the dead guys that come back that Emma helps out are pretty awesome as well. I like how each of them is different. I enjoyed watching Emma try to give them some peace with their deaths. It was also kind of funny watching her try to handle all of the unique personalities each ghost had. These guys could be a handful!

The Plot: Although the overall plot was perfectly fine, I had one major issue with this book. It tries to be a romance, a mystery/thriller, and a paranormal book. I think because of this high reaching goal it falls slightly flat on all three categories. Although all three elements are present in the story, none of them are really fleshed out as well as I had hoped. I never felt the quick romance, I couldn't get into the murder mystery thing that popped up at the end, and the magic was only here and there without any good explanations about it. I may have liked all these elements of the story, but they were lacking a good deal of any kind of depth. I wanted more. 

Do I recommend this book? Sure. It was a fun and entertaining read. Sometimes that is just what you need.

My Final Thoughts: Even with its flaws, I did really enjoy reading How to Date Dead Guys with all of its amusing characters. I will probably read the next book.

Review: The Dark Dreamer by Heather Topham Wood

The Dark Dreamer (#1) by Heather Topham Wood
Genre: New Adult/Paranormal Romance
Source: I received a free copy from the author in exchange for my honest review. Thanks Heather!
Purchase: Amazon
My Rating:

Goodreads Summary: For as long as she can remember, Rebekah Clayton’s life has been dictated by her dreams. As a dream interpreter, she has become privy to her clients’ deepest and darkest secrets. Affairs, financial ruin, even murder—nothing shocks her anymore. But Grant Raskin’s dreams are unlike any she has heard before.

If Rebekah’s interpretation is right, Grant has foreseen the end of the world. A plague is coming and everyone Rebekah cares about will succumb to the illness. And Grant can trace the origin of the disease back to two men: Dr. Mark Holman and his son Drew.

Grant enlists Rebekah to track down the Holmans and determine their connection to the viral outbreak. But uncovering Drew Holman’s secrets will lead her down a dangerous path—unearthing a deadly conspiracy she never could have predicted.

***The first book in a two-part series from bestselling romance author Heather Topham Wood.***

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My Review

I am a huge fan of Heather's Second Sight paranormal romance series. If you haven't checked that out yet then you really should. Here is my review of the first book, First Visions. My love for her other series is what had me beyond excited for this new duology! The Dark Dreamer didn't disappoint.

The Dark Dreamer starts off with action and thrills and continues at this pace for most of the book. When the action does slow down we get romance instead. I wasn't complaining since both aspects of the novel were done extremely well. The idea of dream reading was beyond interesting. I loved the concept and the idea. Basically I liked everything about it. Haven't you ever wondered what your dreams were telling you?

Becca is a dream interpreter and she is awesome. I like her spunk. I had no trouble connecting with her as a character because she seemed real. Grant was an interesting character as was Drew. Both sexy men have a mystery around them that we don't fully grasp until the end of the novel. I love a good mysterious boy. 

Heather once again convinced me as to why I need to keep reading her stuff. Her paranormal romances are wonderful. She mixes the perfect blend of paranormal and sexy steaminess. They are quick fulfilling reads that give me an escape from the real world. 

I read this book in just about one sitting. It was that good! I will warn you... the ending is crazy! I am now waiting for the next book. Impatiently may I add. It may kill me just a little. I look forward to reading many more of Heather's books in the future.

Review: Spark by: Brigid Kemmerer

Spark (Elemental #2) by: Brigid Kemmerer (Aug. 28, 2012)

345 pages

Genre: Young Adult/Paranormal

Publisher: Kensington

Source: The library.

Purchase: Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository | Amazon

Goodreads Summary: Gabriel Merrick plays with fire. Literally. Sometimes he can even control it. And sometimes he can't. Gabriel has always had his brothers to rely on, especially his twin, Nick. But when an arsonist starts wreaking havoc on their town, all the signs point to Gabriel. Only he's not doing it. And no one seems to believe him. Except a shy sophomore named Layne, a brainiac who dresses in turtlenecks and jeans and keeps him totally off balance. Because Layne has a few secrets of her own...

My Review

In the second book of the Elemental series, Spark, we get to continue reading about the Merrick boys’ crazy life from Gabriel’s point of view, and it jump starts right where it left off.

I was hesitant when I first started reading Spark because Gabriel wasn’t my favorite character in the first book, he was actually maybe my least favorite. It turns out that I really didn’t have anything to worry about. Gabriel really grows in this novel and we discover why he is kind of a jerk, which he isn’t so much by the end of the novel. He actually is pretty likable. I’m really glad I gave Gabriel a chance.

I was very curious about the new character, Layne, and I really liked the friendship she formed with Gabriel. I would have liked even more time with Layne and Gabriel, which I never thought I would say, but there it is. I also enjoyed getting more time with the other Merrick boys. I just really like the family dynamic in this novel along with the friendships and romantic relationships.

Spark seemed pretty run of the mill for the most part, but it still had some surprises. The ending was nicely done and really set it up well for the next installment in the series. I hope I get around to reading the next book sooner rather than later.I think this series is a good choice for paranormal fans. Who doesn't love some cute and sexy guys with magical elemental powers in their books?

Blog Tour Review and Giveaway: Made For You by: Melissa Marr

Made For You by: Melissa Marr (Sept. 16, 2014)

368 pages

Genre: Young Adult/Mystery/Thriller/Paranormal

Publisher: HaperCollins

Source: I received a free copy of this book through Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for my honest review. Thanks to the author and Xpresso!

Purchase: Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository | Amazon| Kobo | iTunes

Synopsis: Bestselling author of the Wicked Lovely books Melissa Marr’s first contemporary YA novel is a twisted southern gothic tale of obsession, romance, and murder. A killer is obsessed with Eva Tilling. Can she stop him, or will he claim her?

When Eva Tilling wakes up in the hospital, she’s confused—who in her sleepy little North Carolina town could have hit her with their car? And why? But before she can consider the question, she finds that she’s awoken with a strange new skill: the ability to foresee people’s deaths when they touch her. While she is recovering from the hit-and-run, Nate, an old flame, reappears, and the two must traverse their rocky past as they figure out how to use Eva’s power to keep her friends—and themselves—alive. But while Eva and Nate grow closer, the killer grows increasingly frantic in his attempt to get to Eva.

For the first time, New York Times bestselling author Melissa Marr has applied her extraordinary talent to contemporary realism. Chilling twists, unrequited obsession, and high-stakes romance drive this Gothic, racy thriller—a story of small-town oppression and salvation. Melissa’s fans, and every YA reader, will find its wild ride enthralling.

My Review

Made for You is a thrilling novel that I won't soon forget. I have enjoyed Marr’s other books, Carnival of Souls and her Wicked Lovely trilogy a great deal, so much in fact that her name alone is what got me to read this book. I’m glad I took the chance because I am always looking for new young adult mystery/thrillers that are unique, and Made for You definitely fits the bill.

The beginning of Made for You may have started off a tad slow (the pacing just seemed a little bit off) but it gets better and better as you get further into the book. Other than the sometimes weird pacing, the plot is exceptional, along with its setting. It takes place in a nice little town that never sees any dangers... until now that is. Made For You is chilling and creepy, but luckily Marr did a wonderful job at adding some much needed comedic relief whenever the novel got super dark/creepy.

Now let's talk characters. As any good mystery writer does Marr made me extremely curious about the killer from the very beginning. There are chapters from the killer’s POV which were beyond creepy, but really added to the story. Eva is a likable main character who is just going through the motions, until she is attacked. Now she has visions and must worry about her safety and her friends' safety.Eva’s visions were interesting and added a small flare of paranormal awesomeness.Her friends, especially her best friend, are also essential characters in Eva’s life. They are all pretty interesting and I always enjoy when friendships trump relationships in my books. And a quick work on the relationship in this book. It is present and cute, but also a little frustrating. Either way, I liked it but I didn’t love it.One last great thing about the characters in Made For You, there is also the little fact that this book has parent sightings, multiple ones. The best part, the parents may not be the best (which is a young adult trope I’ve seen a million times), BUT this time the parents try to be better. Yea, you heard me right.

Although Made for You had a few small flaws, it was all in all a very good read. A very good read indeed. Made for You may not be a mystery novel with a huge shocking reveal, but it has a strong group of characters, a unique plot, and admirable writing.

The Author

Hmm, I’m never good at the bio bit. I used to teach college & bartend, now I write novels. I love to meet new people, to hear their stories, to walk through new streets and see new vistas. I enjoy art in all its guises–graffiti, surrealist paintings, classic sculptures, tattoos, interesting buildings, Renoir, photography . . . Art & nature, they feed my soul & thus my muse.

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Review: The Shadow Society by: Marie Rutkoski

The Shadow Society by: Marie Rutkoski (Aug. 26, 2014)

416 pages

Genre: Young Adult/Paranormal

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Source: The library.

Purchase: Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository | Amazon

Goodreads Summary: Darcy Jones doesn’t remember anything before the day she was abandoned as a child outside a Chicago firehouse. She has never really belonged anywhere—but she couldn’t have guessed that she comes from an alternate world where the Great Chicago Fire didn’t happen and deadly creatures called Shades terrorize the human population.

Memories begin to haunt Darcy when a new boy arrives at her high school, and he makes her feel both desire and desired in a way she hadn’t thought possible. But Conn’s interest in her is confusing. It doesn’t line up with the way he first looked at her.
As if she were his enemy.

When Conn betrays Darcy, she realizes that she can’t rely on anything—not herself, not the laws of nature, and certainly not him. Darcy decides to infiltrate the Shadow Society and uncover the Shades’ latest terrorist plot. What she finds out will change her world forever . . .

Surely Gabe and Lea will figure out that they are meant to be together....

My Review

First Line: “Knowing what I know now, I’d say my foster mother had her reasons for throwing a kitchen knife at me.”

Warning: I do a lot of rambling in this review. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't really find a good way to organize my thoughts. I'm sorry if it is hard to follow.

Besides that first line of The Shadow Society, although it had a unique world, it was using a lot of young adult book stereotypes and slightly eh, but luckily it slowly pushed past those as I was reading. I began reading the book at first with no real investment in anything and then just BAM, things changed. I got interested.

I love the alternate worlds in The Shadow Society and the differences in each because of one event that occurred in one but not the other. I liked exploring the other Chicago, the one where the Great Chicago Fire didn’t happen. I may have enjoyed this world more than your average reader because I live in Illinois near Chicago, but it was pretty darn cool. The whole concept of being a shade (read the book to learn more about this) was unique and refreshing as well.

The characters were interesting but only good, not great. I liked Darcy just fine and Conn was pretty complex. I really did enjoy reading about them. On the other hand, I wasn’t a big fan of the romance/relationship in this one. If only honesty was more important to these kids I would have had a little more respect for them and I would have cheered them on.

I don’t read a lot of young adult stand-alone novels (mostly because they don't interest me or I can't find really good ones) so I was excited to find this one, especially since I loved the author’s book The Winner’s Curse. Although The Shadow Society isn’t as good as her other book, it was an above average young adult stand-alone novel. One of the selling points to get you to read The Shadow Society may be that it had a satisfying ending, which was very nice since I feel like I’m always reading endings with huge cliff hangers. I like mixing it up. There was a good amount of action in The Shadow Society, but sadly not quite enough to appease my hunger for action in my books. It did have the good ending action scene, but that was about it.

Do I think you should read The Shadow Society? I don’t think it would hurt. It was a good paranormal young adult novel and I think would be a really good choice if you are looking for a stand-alone book. One more small thing, I do love the cover.

Review: City of Dark Magic by: Magnus Flyte

City of Dark Magic by: Magnus Flyte (2012)

448 pages

Genre: Fiction/Paranormal

Publisher: Penguin Books

Source: The Library

Purchase: Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository 

Goodreads Summary: Once a city of enormous wealth and culture, Prague was home to emperors, alchemists, astronomers, and, as it’s whispered, hell portals. When music student Sarah Weston lands a summer job at Prague Castle cataloging Beethoven’s manuscripts, she has no idea how dangerous her life is about to become. Prague is a threshold, Sarah is warned, and it is steeped in blood.

Soon after Sarah arrives, strange things begin to happen. She learns that her mentor, who was working at the castle, may not have committed suicide after all. Could his cryptic notes be warnings? As Sarah parses his clues about Beethoven’s “Immortal Beloved,” she manages to get arrested, to have tantric sex in a public fountain, and to discover a time-warping drug. She also catches the attention of a four-hundred-year-old dwarf, the handsome Prince Max, and a powerful U.S. senator with secrets she will do anything to hide.

City of Dark Magic could be called a rom-com paranormal suspense novel—or it could simply be called one of the most entertaining novels of the year.

My Review

When I first started reading City of Dark Magic I thought it would be a challenge to actually enjoy  it since I felt like the content about famous classical music was over my head, but luckily after plowing through the first chapter I became more confident and started feeling less dumb. This was a good thing since no one wants to read a book that makes them feel dumb. I had such a hard time writing this review so I apologize for its briskness.

City of Dark Magic was a very unique novel and nothing what I was expecting, but an enjoyable read all the same. The main character, Sarah, was a funny special kind of interesting person that I can say I immediately enjoyed reading about. I also found Prince Max to be intriguing and charming along with the many other very different minor characters. The only negative thing I have to say about the characters is that it was beyond frustrating that the readers don’t get a lot of time reading about Sarah and Max interacting. My favorite scenes were when they were working together. I also had a few moments where I just wanted to yell at them to TALK to each other instead of assuming things, etc. I guess I just wanted some more romance and even more action since there wasn’t a lot of action during the whole book, although the ending was fantastic.

The paranormal part of this book was a very pleasant addition. It was perfectly different. Without giving anything away… I’m just going to say that the author manages to mix the past and the present and a mystery seamlessly.

Even though City of Dark Magic wasn’t perfect, it was a delightful read and I plan to read the sequel soon. This book would be a great choice for fans of classical music, history, Prague, and a good adventure mystery novel.

Release Day Review: The Final Omen (Second Sight #4) by: Heather Topham Wood

The Final Omen (Second Sight #4) by: Heather Topham Wood
Genre: Paranormal/Romance/Mystery/New Adult
Source: I received an arc of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Thanks Heather!
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Smashwords

Goodreads Summary: Psychic Kate Edwards had seen her death in a premonition. She was given the
opportunity to stop her murder from happening and finally reconnect with her love Detective Jared Corbett. However, fate had different ideas…

Kate finds herself trapped between life and death. Her only companion is Rose Corbett, Jared’s long dead mother. Rose offers answers to many of Kate’s long-awaited questions and alludes to what the future could hold. However, before Kate can finally be happy, she must complete a seemingly impossible task: save Jared from his own tragic fate.

The Final Omen concludes the thrilling Second Sight series.
New Adult Paranormal Romance-Ages 17+ due to language and sexual situations.

My Review

Although I'm incredibly sad (and I'm sure you are too) that this is the last book for Kate and Jared and all of the other lovable characters in Wood's Second Sight series, I can guarantee that the conclusion will leave you satisfied. Heather Topham Wood knows how to write a good story and memorable characters.

The Final Omen begins right where the last book left off. We get even more answers to Kate's visions and how they came about. 

Kate is just as awesome and just as snarky in this novel, not to mention very clever. Jared acts a little out of character making me uneasy here and there, but given the circumstances it's understandable. In the end I still love him. Declan is just as much of an awesome jerk as ever and Kate's mom is still sweet.

There are a lot of little surprises in this installment. Wood does a great job with the mystery story line of trying to figure out who Kate's attacker is. We also get some romance and friendship scenes which really round out the feel of the whole book. It satisfied all my bookish cravings.

Although The Final Omen was a little too short for my tastes, I felt like it could have been even better if it were longer, I liked that it was a quick read. Once you start you won't want to put it down. 

If you have yet to read this series you really should. If you are already a fan then don't put it off any longer and grab yourself a copy of The Final Omen. Did I mention that the first book in the series, First Visions, is currently on sale on amazon for only 99 cents?! Well it is. So what are you waiting for? This is a unique New Adult novel. I can't say that it's the best well written novel ever, but I can say that it's a darn good story worth discovering.

** I received an arc of The Final Omen from the author in exchange for an honest review. Thanks Heather!

Review: Eat, Brains, Love by: Jeff Hart

Eat, Brains, Love by: Jeff Hart (Oct. 1, 2013)

352 pages

Genre: YA/Horror/Comedy
Publisher: Harper Teen

Source: I won a free ARC of this book from Sara over at Medusa’s Library. This in no way affected my honest review. Thanks Sara!

Purchase: Barnes and Noble | Amazon | The Book Depository

Goodreads Summary: Two teenage zombies search for brains, love, and answers in this surprisingly romantic and laugh-out-loud funny debut novel with guts.

Jake Stephens was always an average, fly-under-the-radar guy. The kind of guy who would never catch the attention of an insanely popular girl like Amanda Blake-or a psychic teenage government agent like Cass. But one day during lunch, Jake's whole life changed. He and Amanda suddenly locked eyes across the cafeteria, and at the exact same instant, they turned into zombies and devoured half their senior class.

Now Jake definitely has Amanda's attention-as well as Cass's, since she's been sent on a top-secret mission to hunt them down. As Jake and Amanda deal with the existential guilt of eating their best friends, Cass struggles with a growing psychic dilemma of her own-one that will lead the three of them on an epic journey across the country and make them question what it means to truly be alive. Or undead.

Eat, Brains, Love is a heartwarming and bloody blend of romance, deadpan humor, and suspense that fans of Isaac Marion's Warm Bodies will devour. With its irresistibly dry and authentic teen voice, as well as a zombie apocalypse worthy of AMC's The Walking Dead, this irreverent paperback original will leave readers dying for the sequel that's coming in Summer 2014.

My Review

Now is the perfect time to read Eat, Brains, Love, a funny, no ex that, hilarious teen novel about the life of two newly turned teenage zombies and the agency out to get them. It is definitely original and definitely worth reading. 

I refuse to put spoilers in this review because I want people to read it and give it a chance all on their own. With that being said, there are several things I can’t discuss because of this so hang in there if the review seems a little vague.

Why this non-zombie blogger devoured Eat, Brains, Love:

• Considering Eat, Brains, Love is a book about zombies it is scarily realistic at times. 

• I love that the author wasn't afraid to have the main characters actually use real curse words when they were in horrible situations. 

• The characters were pretty relateable and very interesting. Getting inside the head of a teenage boy with hormones who just so happens to also be a zombie and feels bad for eating his classmates is definitely unique. Jake was a hoot and I loved his POV. As readers we also get the story from Cass’s POV, a very interesting and likable female lead who happens to be hunting Jake down as part of a secret government agency. There is also a handful of minor characters that are all just as interesting and all just as intense as the main ones.

• It’s extremely funny. If my copy wasn't an ARC I would share so many amazing quotes with you, but I'm really not supposed to since it is an ARC copy.

• It’s got the right amount of gore for all you zombie fans out there. There is also one scene that was so creepy it turned my blood cold.

• There isn't a huge info dump. Who doesn't love that?

A few things that didn't impress me:

• There is going to be a sequel and I wasn’t warned about this in advance. (I know it states this in the synopsis I gave you earlier from groodreads but I don't always read those thoroughly or pay attention with they start mentioning "this book is like this movie/book/show etc.") This frustrates me beyond belief. Don't get me wrong, I’m going to read the next book, but I little warning would have been nice so I knew what to expect when the book came to a close. So I guess this isn't really anything with the actual book that bothered me but oh well.

• There are a couple of small stereotypes that I can’t go into without spoiling the book, but lets just say they were annoying.

• The romance wasn’t all that great. This was disappointing because the word love is even in the title. Luckily I think the next book will be even better with the romance aspect of the novel. In the end, this in no way kept me from really liking this book.

Bottom Line: Read it. You won’t find a better time to read a Zombie novel than right now. Eat, Brains, Love was an enjoyable read that was hard for me to put down. 

**I won a free ARC of this book from Sara over at Medusa’s Library. This in no way affected my honest review. Thanks Sara!

Review: Wavecrossed by: Andrea Colt

Wavecrossed by: Andrea Colt (2013)

200ish e-book pages

Genre: YA/Paranormal

Source: I received a free copy of this book from the author for my honest review. Thanks Andrea!

Purchase: Barnes and Noble | Amazon

Goodreads Summary: A young-adult paranormal novel about selkies, tasers, kissing and secrets.

To Cassandra Kelleher, trust is a dirty word.

A teenage selkie who grew up on land, all she wants is to free her family from the man who stole their sealskins long ago. With her twin brother Brennan losing hope and her window of opportunity disappearing like the beach at high tide, she’ll try anything.

Before long, however, Cassandra can’t tell whether her biggest threat is the man holding her family captive, a classmate who’s discovered her secret, or her own paranoia. Battling broken friendships and alarming romantic entanglements, Cassandra finds that trust could be the key to winning her family’s freedom … or losing her own.

My Review

     

The synopsis of Wavecrossed may put you off from reading it simply because it is a book about selkies (I've never run across one before), but don’t be afraid of something you don’t know, selkies are pretty cool and Wavecrossed will delight you. I enjoyed every second of my time while reading Wavecrossed. I’ve never read a book about selkies, but I’m really glad I got over my fear of the unknown and embraced this wonderful new mythology. Sure some of it was a little weird at first, but it grew on me, and this story is one worth discovering. It’s full of laughs, cuteness, uniqueness, and mysteriousness.

The plot (just in general) and its pacing is magnificent. There are no huge info dumps, everything you need to know about selkies and the main character Cassandra’s family history are handled nicely. Another great quirk, there is a good amount of interesting surprises and it’s a short and fast paced read.  I also really enjoyed the fact that teenage romance isn't the main focus and was handled pretty well making Wavecrossed a nice change from the norm. I was only bothered a tiny bit by two little things. There is some corniness throughout the novel with the abundance of nautical terms, but for the most part it works. The only thing that bothered me a little about that was the fake curse words. There was a tiny plot hole that irked me, but it was quickly pushed out of my mind and easily written off as me over analyzing. Therefore the impressiveness of Wavecrossed outweighs the two tiny hiccups I came across.

All of the characters are interesting and I cared about them, which is a big selling point for me. Cassandra is overly paranoid but it makes sense, plus she is charming and actually reminds me of a real teenager, besides the fact that she is a selkie of course. Her brother has more common sense and is just as likable. I love the brother-sister interactions in
Wavecrossed and the interesting family dynamics. There are also a lot of minor characters that are just as good as the main characters. Oh and the evil man that is holding her family captive is a great villain, he is actually complex and I love that.

I recommend that you read this one. It will be worth your time and it’s very unique. If you have yet to discover the interesting lives of selkies then you should give Wavecrossed a chance. This would be even more fun to read on the beach and since the summer is almost over you should read it sooner rather than later. Plus, there is going to be a sequel that I can’t wait to get my hands on!

**I received a free copy of this book from the author for my honest review. Thanks Andrea!

Waiting on Wednesday #8: The Returned by: Jason Mott

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

I'm Waiting On...

The Returned by: Jason Mott

Release Day: Aug. 27, 2013

Goodreads Summary: Jacob was time out of sync, time more perfect than it had been. He was life the way it was supposed to be all those years ago. That's what all the Returned were.

Harold and Lucille Hargrave's lives have been both joyful and sorrowful in the decades since their only son, Jacob, died tragically at his eighth birthday party in 1966. In their old age they've settled comfortably into life without him, their wounds tempered through the grace of time ... Until one day Jacob mysteriously appears on their doorstep—flesh and blood, their sweet, precocious child, still eight years old.

All over the world people's loved ones are returning from beyond. No one knows how or why this is happening, whether it's a miracle or a sign of the end. Not even Harold and Lucille can agree on whether the boy is real or a wondrous imitation, but one thing they know for sure: he's their son. As chaos erupts around the globe, the newly reunited Hargrave family finds itself at the center of a community on the brink of collapse, forced to navigate a mysterious new reality and a conflict that threatens to unravel the very meaning of what it is to be human.

With spare, elegant prose and searing emotional depth, award-winning poet Jason Mott explores timeless questions of faith and morality, love and responsibility. A spellbinding and stunning debut, The Returned is an unforgettable story that marks the arrival of an important new voice in contemporary fiction.

What are you waiting on?

Review: Pivot Point by: Kasie West

Pivot Point (#1) by: Kasie West (2013)

343 pages

Genre: Young Adult/Paranormal

Publisher: HarperTeen

Source: The Library

Purchase: Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository

Goodreads Summary: Knowing the outcome doesn’t always make a choice easier . . .

Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.

In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through . . . and who she can’t live without.

My Review

“There were already enough alternate realities floating around in my head that sometimes it was hard to keep track of which one I had actually lived and which was the opposing choice never made.” ~ pg. 3

I love abilities in my books, I am an X-men fan, and there are plenty in Pivot Point. Addie is a Searcher, when having to make an important choice she uses her ability to see into the future hoping it will help her choose the right path. She is a little neurotic but I can totally relate to her little quirks so it made me love her character even more. One of those quirks that I love the most is how she is always comparing her real-life situations to ones from books. It’s hilarious and I’m sure we have all done it. The other characters are interesting and complex as well, especially Trevor. However, I was not a fan of Duke in any way shape or form. Just wanted to put that out there.

Pivot Point is a unique novel set up in an interesting and perfect way. The chapters switch off from one of Addie’s futures to the other possible future/path. I didn't find it confusing it was just at times frustrating when I wanted to keep following one future over the other. I found one more intriguing than the other. On the other hand, I absolutely loved reading and finding the little connections/overlapping instances between the two futures. It kept me really interested and on my toes. I was so immersed inside the story I couldn’t read it fast enough. It gets crazy good. 
On a side note, there are a couple of amazing lines in Pivot Point that I won’t soon forget. Sadly I can’t share them with you unless you have read the book because I don’t want to give anything away, let’s just say page 299 and page 317 are emotionally awesome.

I’m not sure I have enough or the right words to describe how much I enjoyed Pivot Point. All I can say is that I advise you to read it. A page-turner at its finest full of interesting teenagers with abilities and a more complex plot than it lets on. So read it already.

**Thanks to Nicole at The Quiet Concert for getting me to read this! I owe you one. :)

RATING 5/5 

Review: Dark Premonitions (Second Sight #3) by: Heather Topham Wood

Dark Premonitions (Second Sight #3) (2013)

273 pages

Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance

Source: I received a copy of this book from the author for my honest review.

Purchase: Barnes and Noble | Amazon | Smashwords

Goodreads Summary: Psychic Kate Edwards had her first premonition—a vision of her own murder by a faceless attacker. With very few clues to go on, she has to use her psychic gifts to uncover who wants her dead. Paranoia sets in and Kate wonders if there’s anybody she can trust.

As Kate fears her impending death, she’s desperate to seek comfort with her ex-boyfriend Jared Corbett. As she tries to win him over once again, she worries that he’ll never forgive her for the mistakes she has made in the past. Kate questions whether fate will give her a chance to be with Jared again before her existence is ended.

Meanwhile, a sixteen-year-old girl has gone missing. The police and her family insist the girl is a troubled runaway, but Kate suspects there’s more to the story. Kate is frantic to locate the girl before her own time runs out.

Dark Premonitions is the third book in the Second Sight series.

My Review

**This review contains spoilers of the first two books in the series. In case you missed it before, here are my 4.5 star reviews for Second Sight #1, First Visions.& Second Sight #2 New Revelations!

Once again I sing my praises to Heather Topham Wood for writing a charming and intense New Adult paranormal romance. I find the Second Sight series to be easy (not in a bad sense) and fun reads.

The characters are back in Dark Premonitions and just as entertaining as they were in the first two novels of the Second Sight series. Kate Edwards tries to win back Jared’s heart while continuing to figure out her psychic gifts that are becoming more complex. She never thought she would be able to see the future, let alone a horrible one. Jared is as charming as ever, although frustrating at times, but mostly I just I wish I could fix his broken heart. And don't worry Declan fans, he is as cocky and interesting as before. There are also some great mother-daughter moments. 

Wood keeps this series going with more twists and turns and drama from start to finish. Although it has its darker side, there is still plenty of comic relief so you won't get too depressed while reading. This book in the series in particular had a good sense of mystery and some very interesting scenes with Jared and Kate interacting.

Fans of the first two books will love this one as well, maybe even more so. I couldn't stop reading Dark Premonitions once I started, which is always a sign of a great read. The ending will leave you in awe.

If you haven’t read this series yet you really should. If you have read the previous two books and have yet to read this one then I’m not sure what you are waiting for. I am highly anticipating the release of the last book in the Second Sight series which should be out later this year.

** I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review. Thanks Heather!

My Rating: 4.5/5