{Book Review} The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Iron Traitor
Series: The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten
Author: Julie Kagawa
Publisher: HarlequinTeen
Publication Date: October 29, 2013

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Blurb:

In the real world, when you vanish into thin air for a week, people tend to notice.

After his unexpected journey into the lands of the fey, Ethan Chase just wants to get back to normal. Well, as normal as you can be when you see faeries every day of your life. Suddenly the former loner with the bad reputation has someone to try for; his girlfriend, Kenzie. Never mind that he's forbidden to see her again.

But when your name is Ethan Chase and your sister is one of the most powerful faeries in the Nevernever, normal simply isn't to be. For Ethan's nephew, Keirran, is missing, and may be on the verge of doing something unthinkable in the name of saving his own love. Something that will fracture the human and faery worlds forever, and give rise to the dangerous fey known as the Forgotten. As Ethan's and Keirran's fates entwine and Keirran slips further into darkness, Ethan's next choice may decide the fate of them all.

Hmmm, so all I needed was a deep immersion into one of my favorite series to brighten my week. There will be people, especially after The Iron Traitor, who will disagree with me on so many levels I may lose friends, but Keirran may be even hotter than his father, and how I do love me some Ash. But... Keirran is broken in ways Ash never was, so...

One of my favorite things about Fey is the way they can be adapted, sculpted, and completely reinvented by an author to do anything, be anything, AND then be interpreted by the reader to look or sound or, again, be anything. What I love about Julie Kagawa's IRON FEY SERIES is the way she can shift between writing terrifying, monstrous creatures who cause my insides to quiver, then write a breathtakingly heartwarming, and surprisingly human scene the very next paragraph, and everything coheres.

Let's take Keirran as an example. While The Iron Traitor is told from Ethan's POV, I think we can all agree, the CALL OF THE FALLEN is a story about both Ethan and his nephew, Keirran. One human, and one Fey. Throughout the novel, Keirran shifts back and forth between cold, and sometimes sinister, to warm and sorrowful. Granted, Keirran is only half-Fey, he's been raised in the Nevernever, Mag Tuiredh, to be exact. He's born of a Winter Prince (Ash) and half Summer Fey Princess/half human turned Iron Queen (Meghan). A boy who possesses the blood of Winter, Summer, Iron, and human... talk about confusing! And all he really wants, is to save his love Annwyl from Fading. You might think with his extensive bloodline he'd have plenty of family and friends to support him, but you would be mistaken. Aside from his parents, he has a few Iron gadgets, Razor, and Ethan. Fey politics aside, the prophecies revolving around both he and Ethan are enough to keep most Fey far away.

The journey to stop Annwyl from Fading is plagued with trouble from the beginning. Keirran is determined to pay whatever price he must to keep his love alive. Her disappearing from existence is not an option, and how often do teenagers, even those not of this world, make well-formed and sound choices when pushed into a corner? (PLEASE, leave me a comment if you know one. I now have 2 and I'm not sure either of them will ever complete this task when not backed against a wall.) Lucky for Keirran, he has a trusty uncle who will fight with him until the end. Too bad they're both seventeenish.

Ethan, my dear sweet, naive Ethan. When will you learn? So, yeah, Ethan hears his nephew is missing. Meghan and Ash are searching both sides of the Veil for him, and finding nothing. The winds whisper where he's been, but by the time someone can catch him, he disappears again. Ethan gets pulled into the chase when Annwyl shows up begging for his help. Meghan also took time away as the Iron Queen to make a quick house call, hoping Ethan would have heard from Keirran. No such luck. And, well, if Ethan's going, then Kenzie's going too. 

Anyone see how this could go wrong? 

Did I mention Puck? Yep, you'll see him too. Guess what... they're off to see Titania to ask her to reinstate Annwyl into the Summer Court so her Fade will stop. Titania despises Keirran almost as much as she hates humans and Puck.

Even to obtain Queen Titania's consideration, the two humans and Keirran will be given an almost impossible task. A task they should probably think through, consult a few bazillion people, and then just not do, but as lovesick teenagers, they run straight ahead.  It's entirely possible that Keirran doesn't have all the facts associated with Annwyl's exile either. However, I'm going to go on and say... Puck could have hindered them some. Seriously.

Now, the title of this book is ominous in itself. The Iron Traitor? I'm sure you picked up on that, so I'll leave you with that thought, and also a couple of my favorite passages from this book.

"That's quite an offer," he said, lowering his arm. "But I think you're forgetting something."

"Oh? And what is that, boy?"

Keirran dropped to one knee, driving his fist into the wooden floor. There was a blinding  flash of blue-white, and I fliched, turning away, as roars and screams erupted around us. But a second later, they cut out as if someone had flipped a switch. My skin burned with cold, and I opened my eyes with a gasp...

"I don't sell out my family." - page 164

"This was different," I told her. "I wasn't forced to do anything. This was a choice."

"Yes, it was," Kenzie agreed solemnly. "You chose to help a friend. You chose to go along with this request because it was the only way to save his life. To save both their lives." - page 316

And the reason I will insist on reading Faery Tales to my children, and their children:

"But now—" the Lady made a hopeless, weary gesture "—we are all but gone from their minds. Our stories have been sanitized and made into children's tales. The Nevernever still exists on the dreams and fears of mortals, but even it grows smaller with each passing year. For those cut off from the dreamworld, we cannot help but Fade into nothing." - page 339

*While I was fortunate enough to receive an e-ARC from HarlequinTeen via NetGalley, this review is of the finished copy which was purchased by me from Barnes & Noble. All quotes are from finished product.

{Book Review} Music of the Heart by Katie Ashley

Title: Music of the Heart
Series: Runaway Train
Author: Katie Ashley
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: March 24, 2013

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Blurb:

For Abby Renard, the plan was supposed to be simple—join her brothers’ band on the last leg of their summer tour and decide if she’s finally ready for the limelight by becoming its fourth member. Of course, she never imagined stumbling onto the wrong tour bus at Rock Nation would accidentally land her in the bed of Jake Slater, the notorious womanizing lead singer of Runaway Train. When he mistakes her for one of his groupie’s, Abby quickly lets him know she sure as hell isn't in his bed on purpose.

Jake Slater never imagined the angel who fell into his bed would resist his charms by promptly kneeing him in the balls. Of course, the fact she seems like a prissy choir girl makes her anything but his type. So he is more than surprised when after betting Abby she wouldn’t last a week on their tour bus, she is more than willing to prove him wrong. But as Jake’s personal life begins to implode around him, he finds an unlikely ally in Abby. He’s never met a woman he can talk to, joke with, or most importantly make music with.

As the week starts comes to a close, neither Abby nor Jake is ready to let go. Can a sweetheart Country songstress and a bad boy of Rock N Roll actually have a future together?

How about that cover? YUMMY, right? I definitely thought so; however, the saying "don't judge a book by its cover" can go both ways. I'm always looking for a new series centering around a bad boy Rock God and a woman worthy of his unfettered attention. When I found this one on Amazon along with an average rating of 4 stars, I thought I'd found my next obsession. I never like saying I'm wrong, but on occasion, it's a must. And Music of the Heart just wasn't for me. At all.

Sure Jake Slater started out the book being all sexy with all his flirtations and his alpha male ego. His manipulating of Abby to stay on their bus for a week instead of running to her brothers' band where she was supposed to be provided a ton of potential.

Abby was supposed to spend a week touring with her brothers' band, Jacob's Latter - a Christian rock band, so she could decide whether or not she wanted to live her life in the limelight. Instead, she accidentally finds herself on Runaway Train's bus, in Jake Slater's bed to be exact. Jake is the womanizing lead singer of this hard rock band, and Abby landing in his bed would be the beginning of his metamorphosis into an upstanding one-woman man. And now the problems begin.

My first and, by far, largest complaint was the feeling of being preached to. I get Abby grew up in a conservative Christian household, but she spent the first half of the novel preaching to this group of bad boys about how they should treat a woman. How they should act like gentleman, not make sexual innuendos, etc. Essentially her goal was to change these men, make them into something they weren't. And not just Jake, but Rhys and AJ also. Brayden was married and loved his wife and children very much so, in Abby's eyes, he didn't need to change.

Now, I understand the idea of these books is to take a womanizing rock star and win his loyalty, but it's been my experience that most of these women want the guy for who he is. They have no desire to change his personality, only his promiscuous ways. And any woman in her right mind KNOWS better than to try to change a man.

Secondly, nothing about Jake and Abby's relationship was believable. She forgave every mistake, small or large, the minute he said "I'm sorry." Sure, some slip-ups can be forgiven that easily, but bringing another girl on the bus to purposefully hurt someone you love, no. Running after having a heated make out session with the love of your life. No. Ranting at said girl, telling her the only reason she loves you is because you are Jake Fucking Slater and kicking her out of your house when she's there to comfort you. Hell no. But Abby just let everything slide.

My final point is the numerous plot holes. Jacob's Latter, the band Abby was supposed to tour with, played such a small part in the book, I almost wondered why they were even there. Then Garrett, a singer from another band in which Abby sang a duet with, played no part in the book. He was a trope to play at Jake's jealousy, but forgotten within a page or two. For womanizing rock stars, we never see AJ or Rhys in action. In fact, other than Abby, Brayden's wife is the only other female the guys from Runaway Train even converse with. AJ was humorous, and out of all the characters, he was definitely the best written.

Also, one of my biggest pet peeves is repetition, and wow!!! The repetition in this book knows no bounds.

I will not be continuing on with this series, but I've heard great things about Katie's other works and will most likely give one of them a try. I sincerely hate having so little positive things to say about a book, but on the bright side I finished it. Mostly to see if there would be some kind of lesson about trying to change a man and how absolutely wrong that plan could go.

{Sentinel Blog Tour} Apollyon by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Ah! How many of you are following the Sentinel Tour? Can you believe on Sentinel releases tomorrow? Seriously, like in 24 hours the Covenant Series will be coming to an end. I'm partially excited, but immensely nervous all at the same time. Some of my favorite characters' stories will come to an end, but it won't be goodbye because they'll remain on my bookshelf for me to reread whenever I desire.

I should probably kick my day off now. Better Read Than Dead is pleased to have been assigned Apollyon... which after Deity, actually relieved some of my stress and anxiety. 

How kick ass were Aiden and Alex? And Seth, well Jennifer wrote him perfectly. I slithered behind a pillow a time or two, scared for Alex, um... and a little for myself. Seriously. Eeps, and how 'bout those other deities? Wowza! Talk about some serious trouble brewing.

No reason to lie to any of you, but after Deity my heart slowed and a tiny piece of my soul lingered on the edge of perdition until I read Elixir, which only served as a mild sedative until Apollyon made its way into my tiny, but greedy, hands. You just cannot leave a person hanging like that. A friend borrowed my Deity ARC and she lives hundreds of miles from me - literally, it's a Texas/Mississippi friendship - and I swear I heard the book hit her wall when she finished. 

So, as Apollyon progressed, my heart kicked back into a normal rhythm and maybe Castiel visited and jump-started that tiny piece of my soul. Then when I saw Alex accept her role and the decision click in her eyes, I sang "Amazing Grace" as loud as possible. Heck, the dogs joined in and carried a better tune!!! Truth!

Let's talk a little about the disintegrated love triangle just so I can start some controversy. Not really, but it always does so why not embrace it? Most people don't believe me when I say that I had no team whatsoever until Deity. I didn't. I loved Aiden and Seth equally but for different reasons. 

Seth, until Deity, was your quintessential bad-boy. He smoldered with sex appeal. The longish hair, the tattoos (even though only visible to Alex), his snark, and his womanizing ways. Not to mention an ego the size of a tank. Then in Pure, he began to change his ways and to gain Alex's trust. Mine too, if I'm being honest. There's the really hot pool scene... *stares off into space* But then he ruined everything for me in Deity and not just a little bit, to the point he became completely irredeemable for me. Whether he was being manipulated by Lucien and his band of merry maids or not. HOWEVER, Apollyon might have proven my "completely irredeemable" theory wrong, or at least suggested I might be wrong. I seriously hope I am, but even if I am wrong, I don't believe he's right for Alex. I think too much has happened, he's wronged her in so many ways, and sometimes two people can love each other but be unhealthy for each other. Seth and Alex were conceived to be unhealthy for each other.

So you've probably guessed after that long paragraph about Seth, that I am completely Team Aiden, and you would be right. Instead of rewriting my reasons, I'm going to copy and paste a portion from a chat my co-blogger and I had after we had both read Deity and I made my decision.

I’m a sucker for the underdog. Okay, I know, someone is going to say “Aiden has never been the underdog,” but, in my eyes he is. He’s the Pure who’s not allowed to be with a Half because the powers-that-be say so, he loves Alex because of who she is and not what she can do for him, and he isn’t her fated “other half.” (I love a character who beats out Fate and Destiny.) Seth has sex appeal, his bad-boy edge, and he’s the freakin’ Apollyon. Come on! - For more of this entertaining and enlightening Deity squabble, go HERE!!!

And then you see them together, as lovers and as fighting partners, in Apollyon and how can you want them to be anything other than together. They. Are. Perfect. I'm seriously hoping Jennifer manages to wrap up the no Pure can be with a Half storyline in a way I would approve of. That's right, she must answer to me!!! Just kidding. But, no. Seriously.

Sentinel promises to hold truths both delicious and dreadful. Leave a comment, with your email, telling me what you hope to see happen OR are afraid might happen, and on SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9TH, I'll give away 2 ebooks of Sentinel.

PS... Unless one of my lovely co-bloggers post, this will be the last post you see from me for quite some time. I am undertaking NaNoWriMo again this year and between it and worrying about my family, something has to be put aside... this time it's the blog guys. Sorry. But I'll probably poke my head in and say hi a couple of times, maybe even share a bit of my WIP... Kelly C is good about getting the Sunday Series up, but Kelly M is busy with college, so she's on hiatus for now. I'll pick a couple of winners on the 9th, stay tuned.

{Book Review} Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard

Title: Wanderlove
Author: Kirsten Hubbard
Publisher: Delacorte Books
Publication Date: March 13, 2012
Genre: Young Adult; Contemporary
Suggested Age: 12+

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Blurb:

It all begins with a stupid question:

Are you a Global Vagabond?

No, but 18-year-old Bria Sandoval wants to be. In a quest for independence, her neglected art, and no-strings-attached hookups, she signs up for a guided tour of Central America—the wrong one. Middle-aged tourists with fanny packs are hardly the key to self-rediscovery. When Bria meets Rowan, devoted backpacker and dive instructor, and his outspokenly humanitarian sister Starling, she seizes the chance to ditch her group and join them off the beaten path.

Bria's a good girl trying to go bad. Rowan's a bad boy trying to stay good. As they travel across a panorama of Mayan villages, remote Belizean islands, and hostels plagued with jungle beasties, they discover what they've got in common: both seek to leave behind the old versions of themselves. And the secret to escaping the past, Rowan’s found, is to keep moving forward.

But Bria comes to realize she can't run forever, no matter what Rowan says. If she ever wants the courage to fall for someone worthwhile, she has to start looking back.

I've read Wanderlove twice now, and each time the feeling to get up, find a back pack, and travel to Central America overwhelmed me. 

Bria, a freshly graduated 18 year old, decides she wants to travel. See the world--with her boyfriend, except, well, he was now the ex-boyfriend, so scratch that, she'd go with Olivia and Reese, her two best friends. But they bailed on her too. Determined not to spend the summer crying over Toby and fussing over which of her friends she would hang out with, because they didn't exactly like each other, she became A Global Vagabond... only better.

She boards the plane, headed for Central America, ready to explore the sites when a whimsy girl plops down beside her. Starling is flouncy and curious, friendly. Overly so considering Bria has not a freakin' clue what she's spewing from her mouth. What Bria doesn't realize is Starling is an experienced backpacker and Bria is only causing herself to look like a fool every single time she spoke.

Only one foolish thing to bite her in the butt, right? Well, not quite, but when Bria meets up with the tour group she's traveling with, they're all middle-aged and not at all what she pictured. Every single minute of their day is planned, the Vagabonds are filled with rules of where you can go, what to eat, who to talk to, so basically it was like living at home, only worse.

I enjoyed Wanderlove with all my heart. Bria's experiences, even the ones I shook my head at, feeling a secondary embarrassment for her--when Rowan invited her to dinner--were ones I wished I'd been smart enough to take on right out of high school. Travel, even by backpack. My family camped, I was no stranger to the wilderness. The time learning to take care of myself away from my family would've been some dang good therapy. Though I cannot imagine my mother's face if I told her I was going to Central America to backpack my way from one place to another. I'm actually smiling thinking about it now.

Kirsten Hubbard's words carved a miraculous world and filled the pages with beautiful, but sometimes, broken characters. Starling, the optimistic friend and sister who never let anyone flail, lost and wondering for too long. Rowan, the charismatic prankster who had had his share of fun and, equally, his share of trouble, who wears his heart on his sleeve, wove his way into my heart. Making me angry one moment and causing my body to shake with laughter the next. And Bria, the brave heroine. She's never whiny, and takes to the world of backpacking with the grace of ballerina.  

I'm certain some parents would not appreciate what I took from this story, but the advice I've given my oldest--and will give my youngest when she's there--is to really experience all you want in life when you are young. Travel, have fun, but most importantly, no matter how you do it... keep learning. Education, in all its forms, is invaluable.

{A Kelly Coffee Review} The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

Title: The Name of the Wind
Author: Patrick Rothfuss
Series: The Kingkiller Chronicles #1
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: DAW

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Synopsis:

"My name is Kvothe. I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I have burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during the day. I have talked to Gods, loved women and written songs that make the minstrels weep. You may have heard of me."

So begins a tale unequaled in fantasy literature - the story of a hero told in his own voice. It is a tale of sorrow, a tale of survival, a tale of one man's search for meaning in his universe, and how that search, and the indomitable will that drove it, gave birth to a legend.

I stumbled across this book while looking for something for my husband and I to listen to in the car (that was essentially kid-friendly for my way too bright three year old), that neither of us were at different places in. We've got a couple of series we're both reading but were in different places in them. We had a ten-hour drive ahead of us, so we wanted something that was about twenty hours. And I stumbled across The Name of the Wind.

The reviews for the quality of the audiobook itself were excellent--the narration was fantastic. I also have to admit being swayed by a quote from Game of Thrones author, George R. R. Martin: "he's bloody good, this Rothfuss guy."

Okay, so the audiobook is twenty-seven hours, not twenty. Still, I agree with Martin's assessment. The worldbuilding in this book is phenomenal. I just adored it. The setting, the magical system, the width and breadth of the cultures--everything feels so real. There's history, things lost, things forgotten, the world feels complete. I want to know more. I'm currently beating down my own tendency towards spoilers. This is a rare occasion in which I just want to read.

It's a different take--the infamous hero's tale from his own mouth. And Kvothe as a narrator is charismatic, magnetic, incredibly compelling. There's humor, tragedy, a real sense of the fragility of life and the emotions associated with loss and poverty. It's also great fun to hear the true stories of what come to be infamous tales.

Not only is the world a masterclass example of worldbuilding, and the narration fantastic, the character building is done with equal skill. Characters long dead you feel like you could know, they're just that well built. I think the synopsis covers the greater part of Kvothe's life, whereas The Name of the Wind really covers from ages 8 to 16-ish, childhood to the cusp of adulthood, when he begins to gain infamy. This allows school-age antics with a group of close friends to provide some levity in what can otherwise be a dramatic and tragic story.

And on top of all of that is the prose--the language. This is literature. The prose can bounce from playful to heart-wrenching, from satire and sarcasm to statements that seem like profound truths.

"Remember this son, if you forget everything else: A poet is a musician who can't sing. Words have to find a man's mind before they can touch his heart. And, some men's minds are woeful small targets. Music touches their hearts directly, no matter how small or stubborn the mind of the man who listens.”

There is a care and a craft to the storytelling as a whole that is deeper than anything I've read in a good long time. And, it's something I strongly feel will last the test of time. As much as I enjoy contemporary fiction--even contemporary paranormal, I think a lot of fantasy has a longevity much greater because it doesn't involve modern element which can be so quickly outdated. The Name of the Wind, I feel, could definitely become a piece of classic fantasy literature.

So, go read it. It's awesome. I've got some other books on my plate before I can read the second and the third will hopefully be sometime in 2014. I can't wait.

Also, given the time period that most of this book covers, it almost counts as YA and it's pretty clean in terms of language and sex.

"Words are pale shadows of forgotten names. As names have power, words have power. Words can light fires in the minds of men. Words can wring tears from the hardest hearts. There are seven words that will make a woman love you. There are ten words that will break a strong man’s will. But a word is nothing but a painting of a fire. A name is the fire itself.”

{ARC Review} Deeper by Blue Ashcroft

Title: Deeper
Author: Blue Ashcroft
Published: August 3, 2013
Self-Published

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Blurbs:

Rain Wilson isn’t ever going to love again.

It’s a promise she made the day her boyfriend died in a water park accident, one she still blames herself for. Now she’s a senior lifeguard in a new town with a new pool and she’s just going to keep her head down and everyone safe.

Until a mysterious guy follows her into the waves at the pre-season bonfire and kisses her senseless. It’s just one mistake, and Rain is determined to put it behind her, until the dark haired, blue eyed hottie turns out to be her new co-supervisor Knight McAllister.

Knight is hot, tatted, and carrying baggage of his own. He’s not happy about having Rain for a co-supervisor, and he’s even less happy about his attraction to her.

But between lifeguard drama, hot underwater kisses, and a growing attraction between them that can’t be stopped, Knight and Rain are being pulled deeper into their pasts, and realizing that sometimes too much broken can make a relationship impossible.

Then again sometimes it’s the broken parts of us that fit together best.

When I read the synopsis of Deeper, I immediately pushed the request button from Netgalley and smiled like the Cheshire Cat when I was approved. Hot, tatted lifeguards, bonfires, oceans, waterparks... what's not to like? The names Knight and Rain definitely caught my attention. I think I'd melt at the feet of a lifeguard named Knight, seriously.

Short synopsis:

Rain left her home and moved to a place no one knew her after a tragic accident, involving one of her coworkers at the waterpark she worked at the previous summer. She felt responsible for the accident, and came to her new job determined to save everyone--the patrons and her staff. After all, a supervisor should be held accountable for everything happening during their shift. But what happens if when things go beyond her control? She's not one to ask for help, but she's going to have to learn to work with the most infuriating man she's ever known, her co-supervisor, Knight. Unfortunately, they met under less than perfect circumstances and he's less than happy to have her as his partner.

Knight has his own set of tragic circumstances, which lead to his need to protect everyone, especially females he cares about. And when you mix a person who is overprotective with another person who is willing to put herself in dangerous situations so others aren't hurt, well, the waters get a little rough. Knight also lost someone, his girlfriend who he loved. He's not afraid to move on, but he may have chosen the wrong person to fall for, because Rain has a set of rules she's bound herself to--no love, no sex, no life. Okay, maybe the "life" part isn't in there, but Knight believes she isn't really allowing herself to live. Maybe he's right.

My Thoughts:

Overall, I enjoyed Deeper. The plot kept me intrigued, I needed to know what happened next. Knight interested me and Rain interested me. I enjoyed the suspense of each of their stories, for a while, but then I became frustrated. Pieces of their backgrounds are fed to us in flashbacks, but they're trying to be in some sort of a relationship while keeping their entire pasts from each other. No way will this work without some major damage being done to both of them, hurting each of them more.

Obviously, with only 3 stars, there were a number of things that didn't hit me right. I've read a number of NA books that use rape as an emotional heart string, most do it tastefully and bring it around to a lesson or to educate young women on ways to handle certain situations and how to go about reporting the incident and how to find counseling and so forth. AND, they have a single incident, not multiple accounts of inappropriate sexual contact.

Off the top of my mind, I can think of at least three, if not more, instances of inappropriate groping and flat out rape. And other than for the sake of building tension and putting either Amy, Rain, or young girls at the water park in uncomfortable situations, there was little reason behind the plotting. Rain had already done her maturing and growing between the previous summer and the current summer, so it wasn't like the incidences led to an epiphany and she suddenly turned from a weak girl to a strong woman. Knight didn't learn from his past mistakes and suddenly learn to keep girls who'd been raped from committing suicide, something that was never in his control anyway.

Also, the blurb does a horrible job of describing the true details of the book. Rain never actually had a boyfriend. She was never in love. In fact, one part of the book implies Rain meant to reject William, so all the misery she's put herself through is actually for nothing. So this was also a bit off-putting.

But, Knight and Rain's chemistry was undeniably hot. Even with Rain's "no sex" policy, their make-out sessions raised the hairs on my arms and put butterflies in my stomach. Their interactions always appeared sincere and very realistic. The friendships between the coworkers at the water park formed bonds and looked out for each other, the kind of place I would have loved to have worked, friends I would have loved to have made.

Final Opinion:

While I enjoyed the book, I suggest readers be warned of the numerous inappropriate and unwanted sexual situations between young women and men ranging from college-aged to adults. Knight and Rain are both enjoyable characters who have needs. Knight is hoping Rain can fill the holes in his heart, and Rain is refusing to let anyone love her or love anyone. Maybe they can help each other, or maybe they'll fall apart. You'll have to read to find out. 

{Blog Tour & Giveaway} Crest of the Blood Moon

Welcome to the kick off of the Crest of the Blood Moon's Blog Tour! This is the third book in Robin P. Waldrop's BLOOD MOON series, and in my personal opinion, the most intriguing and spine-tingling of all. Gen meets new friends, finds old enemies, and rushes to save werewolves, vampires, Rafes, and humans from the evil Laszlo is certain to bring should he get his way and indulge in Genevieve's blood on the night the Blood Moon rises.

Gen's matured since her days in Ties to the Blood Moon and she no longer just sits around waiting on someone to save her. She found her leverage and it's huge, something I never saw coming, and let me just be honest here... I've spent nearly as much time looking at these books as Robin has, and she still manages to pull an OMG and WTF from me. Seriously! And I have to say, this, of all Robin's twists and turns, has to be my personal favorite. It brings the tension to a whole new level.

We find out that people aren't who we thought they were, and that while all the lore rings true, there are ways around it. Twins of evil people show up and turn out to be pretty good peeps, twins of heroes prove to be traitors. It's a hell of a brain twister.

Robin throws plenty of shock and awe in the last few chapters. Her fight scenes are well written and gave me the chills when I read them. The romance finally comes to a head and we see what finally happens between Gen and William. Do they make it, or has the stress and the miles between them just been too much? This one I'll give no hints on, you must read.

And one last note, to anyone who compared Ties of the Blood Moon to Twilight, just keep reading, because Ms. Waldrop takes a swift and mighty turn that will leave you certain you have not just read another book about vampires and werewolves.

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Blurb:

Inside a castle tower high in the mountains Genevieve is being held against her will. Can she escape her gilded cage and find the answers she seeks?

As Genevieve's birthday nears, time is running out. Who can she trust?

Peter?

Dahlia?

Or maybe a dark stranger Laszlo is holding in the dungeon?

Mistakes are made...

The race is on to reach Alaska. To gather the Adlet Wolves and find William.

Is Genevieve's and William's love enough to save them? Save their friends?

Laszlo is close and on the night of the Blood Moon plans are made for the All Hallow's Eve Ball... The Ceremony. The Sacrifice.

When the blood moon crests will Genevieve die?

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Author Bio:

Obsessive coffee drinker, unicorn enthusiast, batman devotee, video rock band guitarist, softball fan, rockin' grandma, voracious reader, and award winning author of YA/urban fantasy and suspense/thriller novels and short stories.

Tour Stops

October 1 - Better Read Than Dead - Tour Kickoff, Review, Giveaway
October 2 - Paperbook Princess - This or That
October 3 - Interpretations of a Part-Time Bibliophile - Author Interview
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October 21 - Stacy Claffin, Author - Author Interview
October 22 - Wicca Witch 4 Book Blog - Spotlight
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October 25 - The Book Rogue - Review
October 26 - Weekend
October 27 - Weekend
October 28 - Interpretations of a Part-Time Bibliophile - Review
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October 30 - Paperbook Princess - Review
October 31 - Indy Book Fairy - Review
                           Murder on My Mind - Review

{Book Review} Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton

Title: Darkness Becomes Her
Series: Gods & Monsters #1
Author: Kelly Keaton
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: February 22, 2011

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Blurb:

A curse beyond her darkest fears.

Ari can't help feeling lost and alone. With teal eyes and freakish silver hair that can't be changed or destroyed, Ari has always stood out. And after growing up in foster care, she longs for some understanding of where she came from and who she is.

Her search for answers uncovers just one message from her long-dead mother: Run. Ari can sense that someone, or something is getting too close. But it's impossible to protect herself when she doesn't know what she's running from or why she is being pursued.

She knows only one thing: She must return to her birthplace of New 2, the lush, rebuilt city of New Orleans. Upon arriving, she discovers that New 2 is very...different. Here, Ari is seemingly normal. But every creature she encounters, no matter how deadly or horrifying, is afraid of her.

Ari won't stop until she knows why. But some truths are too haunting, too terrifying, to ever be revealed.

Why I Picked Darkness Becomes Her:

When I saw the cover of The Wicked Within, I knew I had to read it, so I researched a bit and found it was Kelly Keaton's final book in the Gods & Monsters Trilogy. Just so happened a bookstore I frequent had Darkness Becomes Her marked down to almost nothing, so I snagged it and finished reading it a few hours later. It's a pretty short read, perfect for a rainy day.

While the original cover does give the book a gothic feel, I much prefer then new covers, but I also prefer hardcover books, so... 

A Brief Summary:

Ari, only 17, graduated high school early and set off on a mission to learn more about the mother who gave her up for adoption. Ari has always been an outcast with her silver hair and teal eyes, but the last set of foster parents teach her about love, security, and protection, so when she leaves, she's prepared. At least in the beginning. Who knows on which side fortune lies when Ari finds the place her mom lived and died, of suicide. An asylum. She's given her mother's things and finds a letter that tells Ari little else than RUN.

The next part of the story excited me so much. I love all the lore around New Orleans. I've never had a chance to visit, but it's definitely on my bucket list. Something leads Ari to New 2, or New Orleans thirteen years after two hurricanes tore it to shreds. Now it no longer belongs to the Unites States, but the Novem. Yeah, that's a whole other story you'll just have to read about.

Crank, a young girl who delivers mail, brings Ari to her home in New 2 where Ari begins to notice she's not the only one a bit different. A small child with fangs who rarely talks, another boy who moves quickly and perhaps can read minds, another with odd eyes. They refer to themselves as douo, because they are different.

And now the story really begins, but there are spoilers I refuse to tell.

My Opinion:

The only thing holding me back from giving the book a full-out five stars is I ran into a couple of editing errors within the first couple of pages. Nothing major, and probably had I been further into the book, I wouldn't have noticed. My second complaint, the romance moved like whoa fast. I don't usually mind insta-love, but I need to feel the two characters are at least drawn toward each other before they're making out in public. Otherwise, well  done, Ms. Keaton.

Kelly Keaton's writing drew me into the book, it's visual and compelling. He characters are complex, each with their own set of problems, but working together to make sure they're all taken care of. Her world-building is amazing. I could picture the dilapidated houses in the Garden District and the reconstructed businesses in the French Quarter. She mixed old voodoo lore with Greek Mythology, creating a gothic, creepy tale.

Would I Recommend This Book:

Absolutely. If you're in the mood for something a little darker with creative lore and mythology, jump on Darkness Becomes Her.

{Book Review} Hydraulic Level Five by Sarah Latchaw

Title: Hydraulic Level Five
Series: Hydraulic Level Five #1
Author: Sarah Latchaw
Publisher: Omnific Publishing
Publication Date: September 3, 2013
Genre: Adult Contemporary

Blurb:

How does a woman get over her one great love? With whitewater rafting, bluegrass, and a touch of revenge…

Kaye is an extreme sports addict with a kind heart and an axe to grind with her childhood sweetheart and ex-husband, renowned writer Samuel Caulfield Cabral. While Samuel enjoys a celebrity life in New York, Kaye remains in their hometown of Lyons, Colorado, running her PR agency and chatting daily with Samuel's family, the beloved Cabrals—first-generation Mexican-Americans who have embraced Kaye as their own.

But when Samuel returns home for his sister's wedding with a new love interest, stunning editor Caroline Ortega, the gloves are stripped off. Kaye is determined to unearth the reasons behind the death of their marriage and why two people who lived to love each other were driven apart, all leading to startling revelations about Samuel, about life...and about herself.

Never, and I do mean NEVER, in my life have I been more certain about giving a book a solid 5 stars. Sarah Latchaw's writing is brilliant, fluid, and brings a punch I rarely feel when reading. 

If a stranger had ventured into my house on Friday night, they would've found me sobbing. Uncontrollably. In the living room. In the bathtub. In my bedroom. Things weren't so great that night for a multitude of reasons. I'd started reading Hydraulic Level Five a couple of days before, so to get my mind off of everything around me, I pulled out my Kindle and started reading. EXCEPT, the words all blurred together, and every word seemed to call my name and remind me of things in my life. Things in the past and the present. I had to put the book aside until I could appreciate the meaning behind the words. 

I finished Sarah's novel early Sunday morning, feeling lighter, reminiscing about friends and family, and oddly...smiling. The novel touched me so much, I immediately wrote a blog post about some things Hydraulic Level Five addresses. You can find that HERE.

So, Kaye and Samuel, high school sweethearts who married young only to have their marriage crumble for reasons incomprehensible to either of them - until now.

Kaye is determined to find out why Samuel fled their hometown, leaving her behind shattered and grieving. He left her with no explanation, only that he had to leave. This alone was enough to keep me reading, if only to get this one answer. But as the story evolved, so did the complexity of Kaye and Samuel's situation. More questions popped up, and like the perfect suspense story, the author weaved the answers into the story at an agonizing pace. 

Every single night, I had to force myself to shut my Kindle off and go to sleep. It killed me because I needed to know what happened. 

And that darn Caroline, I wanted to beat her. I just did not trust her from the start, still don't. Though there's something about Samuel's uncle/adopted dad that I don't trust either. Sarah, I need the second book. Soon, please.

To the people who don't know him, and some who do, it seems as if Samuel has everything. He's handsome, wealthy, dating celebrities, and his first books are being optioned for a movie adaptation. But he's not happy. If truth be told, it didn't appear that he's ever been happy. He's carried a secret no child, no adult, should ever have to hide and it's eaten at him his whole life. Even Kaye, his childhood best friend, first love, and eventually wife, has no clue how deep Samuel is scarred. To say I was shocked is putting things mildly.

I envied the support system that surrounded both Samuel and Kaye. Samuel's sister, Dani, and Kaye remained best friends. Dani not understanding what happened because no one told her anything. Not her mom and dad, and not Kaye after her tragic trip to New York to confront Samuel after he left her. Eight years have passed, and Dani's slowly finding out everything. Some of her animosity toward the couple for not fighting for their marriage is relieved, but a new animosity is added when she finds that people have been hiding secrets from her. And Molly, Kaye's friend and business partner, cracks me up. Always ready to support her friend when Kaye needs her.

Hector, Santiago, and Angel play an important but less obvious role in the story. Hector appears to have always had a bit of a crush on Kaye, but it's never moved beyond flirtations and friendship. That doesn't stop Samuel from being jealous over their closeness.

While this book is an emotional rollercoaster, I can't leave you believing there's no fun to be had, because these guys can prank with the best of them. Fake girlfriends, crickets, guinea pigs, people in drag... Oh my!

I'm going to be overtly honest here. This book touched me in ways no one can ever imagine. I've been part of a tumultuous marriage, haunted by tragedy and secrets no one wanted to share. Seeing parts of my life reflected on the screen of my reader moved me beyond anyone's understanding. That anyone could capture the helplessness, the hurt, the intangible pain so perfectly is unimaginable, but Ms. Latchaw did so in a completely realistic and beautiful way.

Someone asked me if I thought I should've read Hydraulic Level Five, because it touched me so deeply, not understanding my feelings were all good. I actually felt relief that maybe someone out there understands how it feels to be Kaye or Samuel. Everyone needs to feel like they're understood, even if it's only a fictional character. 

Hydraulic Level Five is a must read. It's Adult Contemporary, but completely clean. In fact, part of the humor was the made up curse words Kaye and friends came up with.

{Book Review & Giveaway} Goddess by Josephine Angelini

Title: Goddess
Series: Starcrossed #3
Author: Josephine Angelini
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: May 28, 2013

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Blurb:

After accidentally unleashing the gods from their captivity on Olympus, Helen must find a way to re-imprison them without starting a devastating war. But the gods are angry, and their thirst for blood already has a body count.

To make matters worse, the Oracle reveals that a diabolical Tyrant is lurking among them, which drives a wedge between the once-solid group of friends. As the gods use the Scions against one another, Lucas’s life hangs in the balance. Still unsure whether she loves him or Orion, Helen is forced to make a terrifying decision, for war is coming to her shores.

In Josephine Angelini’s compelling conclusion to the masterfully woven Starcrossed trilogy, a goddess must rise above it all to change a destiny that’s been written in the stars. With worlds built just as fast as they crumble, love and war collide in an all-out battle that will leave no question unanswered and no heart untouched.

Inhales deeply and releases! Step one to overcoming LBS, AKA... Last Book Syndrome, has commenced, and boy did I pick the right book to begin the endings with. The Starcrossed Trilogy is everything Greek Mythology should be--passionate, twisted, tabooed, a perverse game board for the Olympus Twelve, and Goddess upped ratcheted up the action, the deceit, brought on some new players and pitted the Scions against the each other, forcing what could be an apocalyptic war.

In my humble opinion, Dreamless suffered from sophomore book syndrome, though all the information is useful and important to this trilogy. I think it just pulled my heart in so many directions it made me anxty, throughout the whole damn thing. 

Now Goddess, I continually made notes so I wouldn't forget all the things I wanted to talk about. And man there are just so many. The book starts right where Dreamless leaves off, Zach is dead and he's left his trusty ancient dagger with Matt? Immediately I needed to know what that meant. But apparently my immediately and Ms. Angelini's immediately are two different things. Then Matt's body begins to fill out and not just in a "eh, he's growing up" way. The Delos' start looking at him differently, wondering what's going on. They'll soon find out.

Helen, Ariadne, Jason, Lucas, and Orion are still recovering from the battle in which Helen, Orion and Lucas, not only sent Ares to Tartarus, but by becoming blood brothers, they combined the House of Thebes (founded by Apollo), the House of Rome (founded by Aphrodite), the House of Athens (founded by Poseidon), and the House of Atreus (founded by Zeus). This is the event in which the prophecy states that the Tyrant will be formed. A person who possesses powers from all four houses. This person is thought to be absolute power, and "absolute power corrupts absolutely." The Tyrant is to be killed.

Just a snippet of the prophecy:

The time has come. The children must overthrow the parents--or be devoured by them.
The Hero
The Lover
The Shield
The Tyrant--have taken the stage.
The Warrior waits in the wings, the last to join the battle.
The Tyrant shall rise up with power unlimited. On one choice will the fate of all be decided.

So, as you read through the prophecy, think about who you might place in those roles. Some, might be obvious, but others not so much.

One interesting twist that I absolutely loved is the Fates recast the characters from Helen of Troy until the actual outcome of the battle at Troy happens; therefore, there are a handful of Scions who look exactly like the gods who fought the battle. These Scions are meant to eventually replace the gods they resemble. It's such a cool angle and I feel sure my description is lacking, but I loved it anyway. 

Then we have the Oracle, Cassandra. She's found a way to keep the Fates from prophesying through her and she may also be falling in just a little bit of love. This made me happy, because I hated seeing Cassie suffer so much. Those Fates are a bitch sometimes.

Overall, I loved the trip Josephine took me on. I loved how she twisted the mythology but managed to keep the same overall theme throughout the story. Balance is a must and the Tyrant's power must be checked, and it will be. I fell in love with all the characters in book one, hated a few in book two, then fell right back in love with them in book three. Some lived, some died, some were tricked and trapped for eternity.

My emotions flew all over the map: I cried when Helen realized her true heart, I laughed for joy when Cassandra realized she actually had choices, I cried again when beloved heroes died, and rejoiced for those who lived. My heart truly ached at the connived deceit between friends and family. But in the end, Josephine left me with an ending I can handle, maybe even love just a little... or more than chocolate!!!

A Couple of My Favorite Quotes:

"The prophecy has been fulfilled. The Houses are one, Helen." Hades took her hands between both of his, cradling them in warmth. "You will raise Atlantis, or Avalon, or Helena--whatever you wish to call it--and once your world is made you can decide who may enter, who must stay or go, and how each inhabitant experiences your land. It really is all up to you." - Page 135

That's the thing about walls, Matt thought. The men on either side of them sometimes have nearly everything in common--except for the one detail that they are willing to kill each other over. - Page 220

~Kristin A

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****MINOR SPOILER ALERT, BUT GIVEAWAY TIME****

We find out through Hades that Helen is not only a Descender, but a Worldbuilder. When she descends, she may create her own world. It may look however she wants it to look and she controls this world. She makes the rules as to who enters it's borders and if they may exit. Will they return to the real world as an Immortal, or simply as they were. Is her world a place for warriors who've fought a good battle, or friends she plans to spend eternity with, or maybe something else completely?

What I want to know is this: If you could create your own world, meant for the afterlife - good or bad, what would you create? What would it look like? What would your rules for entrance be? Would it be to extract revenge or reward a well-lived life. Be creative, imagine you were a Greek god and think how they think... if that's even possible. Jot down you answer in a blog post, put it in a Facebook post, tweet it, or simply put it in the comment section. I'll pick a winner on September, Friday the 13th... to reverse all that bad luck and stuff.

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{A Kelly Coffee Review} Foreverland is Dead by Tony Bertauski

Title: Foreverland is Dead

Author: Tony Bertauski

Series: Foreverland #2

Genre: YA Sci-fi

Self-Published

Synopsis:


Six teenage girls wake with no memories. One of them is in a brick mansion, her blonde hair as shiny as her shoes. The others are in a cabin, their names tagged to the inside of their pants. Their heads, shaved. Slashes mark the cabin wall like someone has been counting.

Hundreds of them.

There’s wilderness all around and one dead adult. The girls discover her body rotting somewhere in the trees. As the weeks pass, they band together to survive the cold, wondering where they are and how they got there. And why.

When an old man arrives with a teenage boy, the girls learn of a faraway island called Foreverland where dreams come true and anything is possible. But Foreverland is dead. In order to escape the wilderness, they’ll have to understand where they are.

More importantly, who they are.

Foreverland is Dead is the sequel to Annihilation of Foreverland and you don't necessarily need to read it to understand this follow-up. This one actually has me a little torn as I read them with significant time between them, it took me a bit to remember and put pieces together. I think this book could be read either way--I feel the suspension and the mystery would be far more intense if you hadn't read Annihilation of Foreverland, but I also think that what happens at the end of the book is much clearer if you read the first. So with that pseudo disclaimer, onto the rest of the review.

First let me start by saying that everything I've read from this author has been excellent. At this point, if he wrote it, I pretty much recommend it. Annihilation blew me away (you can read my review here) and I was excited to learn about the other half of Foreverland. The pacing is perfect. Despite being 300 pages, I got through it in 5 or so good hours. Bertauski has a tendency to be very straightforward in his writing that makes it for fast reading. He's fantastic at building atmosphere and certainly demonstrated that in Foreverland. His characters are real, you can latch onto them, understand them, relate to them. You care about them and what happens to them. 

So, the writing is excellent, great pacing, great atmosphere, great characters. Why the four stars? It sure sounds like a five.

The four is a personal reaction. While I raced through Annihilation, which left me feeling exhilarated and grinning for hours with the rush of a great mystery and an ending of just deserts, I felt more compelled through Foreverland. The overall tones of the two books is very different, and there's a looming sense of desperation and hopelessness almost omnipresent in Foreverland. Even at the end, something told me not all was quite right in the world. And Bertauski reminded me he likes twists with one right at the end of Foreverland that left me feeling strangely brokenhearted. I almost got my happy ending, or at least one that I could live with, and then then twist that sort of twisted my heart. There is a third in the works that I'm sure will answer the twist, but the overall feeling of sadness I was left with just keeps me from 5 on this one. I'm old fashioned and like my happy endings. 

Still, the craftsmanship of this book leaves no doubt that it's a highly recommended read and I'm eagerly awaiting #3.