So, I backed off on doing blog tours for awhile, and am still being very picky about them. But when I saw Ednah Walters, author of the Guardians Series published by Spencer Hill Press, had a new series, I had to jump on it. First, the cover is amazing, and I have this thing about magic. A pretty big infatuation, in fact.
Title: Runes
Series: Runes #1
Author: Ednah Walters
Publisher: Firetrail Publishing
Publishing Date: May 20, 2013
Genre: Young Adult; Paranormal Romance
Synopsis:
Seventeen-year-old Raine Cooper has enough on her plate dealing with her father’s disappearance, her mother’s erratic behavior and the possibility of her boyfriend relocating. The last thing she needs is Torin St. James—a mysterious new neighbor with a wicked smile and uncanny way of reading her.
Raine is drawn to Torin’s dark sexiness against her better judgment, until he saves her life with weird marks and she realizes he is different. But by healing her, Torin changes something inside Raine. Now she can’t stop thinking about him. Half the time, she’s not sure whether to fall into his arms or run.
Scared, she sets out to find out what Torin is. But the closer she gets to the truth the more she uncovers something sinister about Torin. What Torin is goes back to an ancient mythology and Raine is somehow part of it. Not only are she and her friends in danger, she must choose a side, but the wrong choice will cost Raine her life.
Before I get on with my review, I must pimp my boy out for the YA Crush Tourney! Torin St. James -- motorcycle riding, mystically magical, sinfully hot boy made the top six for Indie boys. And if you haven't read Runes yet, do so before June 17th so you can vote for Torin. I suppose you don't really have to read it, but you should!
June 17 at YA Sisterhood!!!
Now, let me tell you a little about the book, because it is so AMAZING!!! Ednah pulled me into Raine's story from page one with the dialogue between Raine and her best friend Cora. They sounded just like my oldest daughter and her best friend complaining when one of them is in trouble and it had me giggling. And not five pages in, we meet the mysterious Torin St. James. I love that Raine is so upfront and forward with him. She doesn't hold back. Example:
"Stop being rude and condescending for starters," I said.
He chuckled, the sound rich and throaty. Sexy. A delicious shiver ran up my spine. "I thought I was being extremely polite."
I snorted. "Right."
"Do I need to apologize?" [Torin]
"Not if you don't mean it." [Raine]
"Then I won't." [Torin]
Of course, judging by that example, Torin's not giving her a lot of room either. They have a chemistry that catches the pages on fire. Sometimes I worried for my Kindle's life.
So, Raine's dad disappeared three months ago and she starting to give up hope, even though her mom is still holding on to every lifeline she has. From the beginning, I had a tickle at the back of my mind telling me her mother had secrets stuffed away in her dresser drawers. She just seemed too, um, well, just too...
As school begins, Raine's life starts returning back to normal, sort of. She's going to classes, doing homework, going to swim practice and activities, but strange things are happening too. She backed into her neighbors mailbox, nearly demolishing it, but they weren't home, so she left a note and told Torin she'd be back to talk to them after practice. When she returned home, it was in pristine condition. At this point, Raine realized she needed to avoid Torin, but something about him wouldn't allow it. So she went and thanked him, and everything went just fine. Platonic. Like Raine wanted, right?
Raine's been best friends with Eirik since they were children and it was only normal for her to fall for him, but he never seemed to want anything more than friendship until she turned seventeen, which seems to be a magical age, for those with magic running beneath their skin. Eirik claimed Torin was his cousin, and Torin definitely knew who Eirik was, but Torin's arrival to town was the first time Raine or Cora had heard of him. And now Eirik's breaking the news that his parents want to take him home, possibly because Torin's in town. I hope to find out much more about that storyline in Ednah's next book, Immortals.
Along with Torin, other's like him join Raine's school and they were a perpetual threat to her and the entire swim team. Every time they came around, something lethal happened. One member of the swim team died, and on other multiple occasions, several members were trapped or severly injured. If not for Torin, many more would have died.
The end was somewhat bittersweet, but I think I can wait until Immortals releases to find out what happens, if not, Ednah will be getting a tear-stained email from me.
Ednah's writing is perfect. The intensity of the action scenes leaves you on the edge of your seat, chewing at your finger nails; and there's just enough of it to make the book feel like much more than a romance book. But, speaking of romance, Torin drives up the heat to the WOWZA level! Raine is a great herione, and a friend I would love to have. I'm seriously looking forward to Immortals.
And, if you haven't signed up to do the Immortals cover reveal, we're still looking for a few hosts. Hop over HERE!
What a beautiful review, thank you. I hope Immortals impresses you as much. Here's to Torin's win on the 17th.
ReplyDeleteLove the cover. Great review!
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