{Series Sunday} Xenofreak Nation by Melissa Conway

Series: Xenofreak Nation
Author: Melissa Conway
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: YA dystopian

Synopsis:

Twenty years into the future, bioengineered animals provide organs for human transplantation. Grafts of animal skin have replaced tattoos in popularity, which gives rise to a unique new demographic: xenofreaks. 

Meet our heroes: Bryn Vega and Scott Harding. Bryn is the sheltered daughter of the head of the Pure Human Society, a small but fanatical purist group that wants to outlaw xenoalteration. Scott Harding is a xenofreak also known as Cougar, a member of the xenofreak gang, XBestia. When Bryn is kidnapped by the Bestia Butcher and given an extreme xenoalteration against her will, her world changes dramatically. The series follows Bryn as she adjusts to her xenoalteration and gets a front row seat for the social and political changes the world is going through with the advent of xenofreaks and all of its potential repercussions.

  
So, I did a review for a stand alone novel by Melissa Conway earlier this week that made me wonder if the second book of Xenofreak Nation, which introduced me to the author, was out yet. Upon realizing it was, I immediately got my copy and charged through it. But when I sat down to write this review, I wasn't quite sure how to do it. For one, it's the second book of a series, which is kind of weird as a first review for the series (at least while writing for the blog). Secondly, because I don't like to include summaries in my reviews, I didn't really know what to say that I hadn't already said in my review for the first book. Yet at two books, it doesn't really qualify for a Series Sunday, does it?

So, I'm taking a middle road and reviewing the series, because if everyone should read this. Period. And because I can't think of a better way to say it, here's what I said in my review of XBestia, the first Xenofreak Nation book:

"When I read the premise of Xenofreak Nation, I thought, 'huh, that's interesting.' What I didn't expect was to be drawn, almost instantaneously, into a well-developed world that is believably what we could be in the near future. The characters are dense, multifaceted, all individuals who make you feel as though they could each have their own books written about them. And the centerpiece of this cast is a keystone. Sheltered, but neither stupid nor spineless, Bryn is the backbone of the story. Her growth, her understanding of the world around her, that the people in it are all people, and her acceptance of her own mutilation are masterfully done.

But although the plot is fantastic, the characters engaging, the premise original, the most subtle and crucial bit that makes this book a true 5-star is Conway's writing. She gives hints, she shows, she alludes to, then delivers later with explanations. But she doesn't bog you down, just offers moments of clarification and certainty amid an environment where so much is guarded and uncertain. Her writing made me think about her book, her characters and her world when I couldn't read, and helped me re-immerse immediately each time I picked it back up. Conway delivers little bits that are subtle, but stayed with me."

And everything I said in my first review holds true for the second installment. I'm a little less satisfied with the end because, unlike XBestia, which is entirely self-contained, Mad Eye has an unresolved plot line which will obviously be continued in the next book due out in Summer 2013. But what this really means is that I just wanted more. Her characters are still awesome, I want more. I care about Bryn, like her and admire her inner strength. I'm curious about what may or may not come of the attraction between her and Scott... there's just so much in this world that only has a paltry two books to its claim thus far. The sense of scope, the breadth and depth of the world this series is set in is a little mind-boggling for me (in a good way).

And if the facts that the characters are phenomenally developed, the world massive and well-conceived, the idea original, and the plots intricate weren't enough for you, there's the added bonus that Conway is just a really good writer. While reading her books, I have instances where I read something, pause, am struck by it, then read it again. Then I sit back and go "wow, she can write." She has a knack for giving you just the right amount of detail, phrasing things exactly right that really blew me away, taking a story that has everything going for it to another level.

Go, read this series. You will not regret it.

A Toast to a Story Better than the One Before...

{A Kelly M Review} Opal by Jennifer L Armentrout

Title: Opal
Series: Lux #3
Author: Jennifer L Armentrout
Genre: YA Paranormal
Publisher: Entangled

Synopsis:

No one is like Daemon Black. When he set out to prove his feelings for me, he wasn’t fooling around. Doubting him isn’t something I’ll do again, and now that we’ve made it through the rough patches, well... There’s a lot of spontaneous combustion going on. But even he can’t protect his family from the danger of trying to free those they love. After everything, I’m no longer the same Katy. I’m different... And I’m not sure what that will mean in the end. When each step we take in discovering the truth puts us in the path of the secret organization responsible for torturing and testing hybrids, the more I realize there is no end to what I’m capable of. The death of someone close still lingers, help comes from the most unlikely source, and friends will become the deadliest of enemies.

Together we’re stronger... and they know it.

Holy freaking HELLL!!!!!!! Can I just say HOW COULD YOU MS ARMENTROUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think this woman lives to torment and destroy our souls because honestly the ending of Opal was brutal to put it mildly. My jaw hit the floor when it ended like I honestly couldn’t believe that this is the cliffhanger she went with. It’s terrible and now I have to wait until JULY FOR ORIGIN?????? Yeah I’m not gonna make it. Be prepared to plan my funeral people because I’m gonna shrivel up and die while waiting for this book.

This is by far my absolute favourite JLA book ever! Three reasons why that is.

Reason 1: DAEMON DAEMON DAEMON DAEMOOOOOOOOOOOON!!!!!!!!!! The dude steps up his game in a huge way. Here we see his romantic side and boy what a romancer he is. The guy made my insides all gooey and I melted so many times I have no idea how I am still fully functional. He and Katy are the perfect couple and he does everything to show her he loves her, even though he doesn’t say it till later. He is a tad over protective of Katy during times where she calls him a he-man (giggles) but I loved his over protectiveness. Rather have a guy who cares too much, than a guy who cares too little is what I always say.

Reason 2: This reason might be a bit spoilery if you haven’t read Onyx so If you don’t want the spoiler skip over this reason!!!!!!!!!!

I must say that I completely love Dawson just as much as I love Daemon. It was a bit sad that he was so distant from his sibs but I loved the fact that he felt so comfortable with Katy and that he would mostly talk to her and stay close to her side. Like at least he approves ya know? Dawson isn’t as screwed in the head as I feared he would be. I think that he will actually really recover.

Reason 3: Katy! I love this girl so much. She is so funny and I really love that she is as much of a book freak as I am. She goes through so much crap but she still keeps her wits about her. She is so stong and admirable. She always puts everybody else’s needs before her own. She really is just an amazing person.

What I disliked about this book is Dee. I had a huge problem with her attitude and how she acted. I know she lost Adam but seriously? She didn’t have to make Katy feel worse than she already does. It may have been her fault but it’s not like she did it on purpose.  I really wanted to slap her most of the time. 

Other than that this book was CRAZY GOOD IN EPIC PROPORTIONS!!!! It’s a bone-chilling, toe-curling, inside-melting, arms-flailing and bouts of rageful screaming read. If you haven’t read this series yet I am ordering you to drop everything you are doing, run to the bookstore, or drive you know whatever, screaming with your arms flailing above your head until you have it. People might think you are weird OR they could join you and you would have started a mass trend in buying the book!

{A Kelly Coffee Review} SelfSame by Melissa Conway

Title: SelfSame
Author: Melissa Conway
Genre: YA History/ Paranormal
Publisher: Self-Published

Synopsis:

A stillborn child revived. The past and the future intertwined. One girl lives two very different lives.

By all appearances, Sorcha Sloane is a typical small-town teen taking twenty-first century life for granted. While two centuries in the past, Enid Thompson is a poor farmer’s daughter in colonial New England. But Enid and Sorcha are the selfsame girl – one soul split between two bodies in a link that stretches across time. Every night while Enid’s body is sleeping, she wakes in the future as Sorcha, just as the old medicine man prophesied at her birth. And every night when Sorcha sleeps, she wakes in the past as Enid, in a frontier world on the brink of war. She only trusts a chosen few with the truth, until Ben Webster comes into Sorcha’s life and tells her his family has been desperately searching for her for over two hundred years…

 As you've probably noticed, I've had a bit more time to read lately, and today was the sort of day made for curling up with a book, blanket and cup of something warm. So I finally sat down and decided to get through a book I've been meaning to get to for months. 

I received this book after reading another one by the author (Xenofreak Nation) and being wowed by it. Still, despite being enthralled by the author, I just wasn't quite sure that the premise was for me. I should have known better. 

SelfSame is a wonderful, original book. The way she integrates Enid and Sorcha's lives, integrates the people in them, just the way she develops the characters, they're all just fantastically done. The realities of a Colonial life, the disparity between social norms, the way that Sorcha and Enid are the same girl, but different, they're all masterfully crafted. And in Conway's books, I'm finding that everything is connected.

There is a supreme subtlety to Conway's writing that just draws you effortlessly into her books, her world. She hints and alludes before delivering with the promised secrets (the great "ah" moments when everything makes perfect sense), but she walks a fine line that is delivering the payout without dwelling on it or beating the reader over the head with it.

Although the point-of-view changes between Enid and Sorcha, they are basically the same mind in different bodies. This means that although the setting changes, there isn't that jarring cut-off that is usually found in a changing POV. The transitions are virtually seamless. It makes for a quick and absorbing read. 

I don't know why I waited so long to find time to read this one, but you shouldn't. It's an entirely immersing and satisfying read. And I anxiously look forward to more from this author. 

{A Kelly Coffee Review} Puppet Parade by Zeinab Alayan

Title: Puppet Parade
Author: Zeinab Alayan
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Lulu/Self-Published

Synopsis:

The life of a puppet master is never ordinary. Oliver Deere knew this when he ran away from home to take up the trade of puppetry, but he had no idea just how much his life would change. After his puppets come to life and flee town, Oliver meets up with a masked girl who hides a mysterious past.

As they travel together in search for Oliver's lost puppets, they find that the line between puppet and master is becoming much less clear - and much more deadly.

When Oliver and his companion enter the strange world of The Parade, they begin to realise that their journey will lead them to discover the truth behind a dangerous villain's path, and in the end, discover more about each other.

While not my typical cup of tea (I do find puppets sort of creepy), I have to admit, this book surprised me. It was far less about the puppets and far more about the characters and their relationship as it evolves. The idea of the Parade was fantastical, original and I totally loved it. 

Both Oliver and Sophie were interesting, multidimensional characters who evolved as individuals as well as in their relationship as they travel the Parade, searching for Oliver's lost puppets. Throughout the first 90% or so of the book, there is a great layering of world, hints, allusions and explanation that I found myself really enjoying. I even grew very attached to the puppets as I found each one of them very well developed. 

I had two hang ups about the book that keeps it from being a 5-star, one was occasionally odd dialogue and a lack of developed setting (outside the Parade) that, for me, was really irritating. I'm not sure if it was meant to feel like it could take place anywhere, but I couldn't tell if it was Anywhere, England or Anytown, USA, or even Whoknows, Germany. There was just enough detail for me to start feeling like I had an idea of where it took place, then it pulled back or alluded to something that really messed me up. This was particularly irritating at the end of the book. I also had difficulty placing the time--whether it was 1950s or 1800s, I just couldn't quite figure it out.

The second one was that the last 10% or so, for me, lost all of the mystery and the layering. It may even be the last 7% or so, but I went from watching the story unravel and being lead to connections and conclusions to info-dump after info-dump. The subtleties and details were handled so beautifully through the course of the novel that the end, to me, felt like it almost belonged in another book or was written by another person. Disappointing when the bulk was so beautifully handled. 

It may be of interest that the book is apparently meant to be an allegory (as evidenced by an analysis included in the back). Since I have zero interest in allegory and political commentary, I didn't pay it any attention, but if that's your thing, it could definitely add a whole new dimension to the novel.

On the whole, though, Puppet Parade is an admirable premier and one that any fantasy-lover should pick up. The characters and the writing as whole have me looking forward to the next thing the author produces. 

{A Kelly Coffee Review} Shadow Sight by E.J. Stevens

Title: Shadow Sight
Series: Ivy Granger #1
Author: E.J. Stevens
Genre: Supernatural/Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Sacred Oak Press

Synopsis: Some things are best left unseen...

Ivy Granger's second sight is finally giving her life purpose. Ivy and her best friend Jinx may not be raking in the dough, but their psychic detective agency pays the bills--most of the time. Their only worry is the boredom of a slow day and the occasional crazy client--until a demon walks through their door.

Demons are never a good sign...

A demon attorney representing the water fae? Stranger things have happened. And things are about to get very, very strange as a bloodthirsty nightmare hunts the city of Harborsmouth.

There's blood in the water...

Kelpies have a reputation for eating humans. Unfortunately, Kelpies are the clients. When an Unseelie faerie this evil stalks the waterways of your city, you have to make hard choices.

The lesser of two evils...

For a book that I thought would be right in my wheelhouse, this was not what I expected. There is incredible potential in this book/series, because there are actually a number of interesting ideas and takes on familiar concepts that I appreciated.

To start, she has a world that includes demons, witches, vampires and faeries, and I think she does a reasonably good job balancing all of those magical and supernatural mega-powers.  Just the variety in the base gives the world a lot of places to go and a lot of angles to consider. Second, her main character, Ivy, is psychometric--she gets visions from touching emotionally charged objects/people. That is a tetchy ability to land your main character with because it could be so socially detrimental, and I think that the realities and practicalities of living with a powerful (and uncontrolled) ability like Ivy's are very well addressed and represented. The consequences and hazards of living with psychometry are treated realistically, and Ivy has issues because of it.

I have to say, for such a short book, I really struggled with this one. I liked her take on vampires, couldn't decide how I felt about the demon, and was touch-and-go on her treatment of the fae. I almost feel like the shortness of the novel does it a disservice, because there just isn't that much time allotted to really sink into the world before it's falling apart around the reader. Ivy was an interesting character, but no one really jumped to life for me.

For some reason, it just didn't hold my attention. I was never sucked in, never felt like I couldn't walk away from it, was never emotionally invested. I don't know why, but for me, there was no connect. My overall impression of the book is that it's strangely forgettable. I was left with no strong impression or feeling about it, vaguely annoyed at the love element thrown in at the very end. My suspension of disbelief was stretched to its very limits and I wasn't even annoyed by it. I just didn't get any emotional investment. It's as if the bubble that Ivy tries so hard to live in, to keep herself separate (with good reason, mind) has saturated the story, so that there's a layer of fuzz between the reader and the action. Something about it made me feel like I was reading a premise or an outline--all the big stuff is there, now fill it out and don't forget the emotion.

That being said, I am intrigued enough by the world and the concept that I would read the next one, just to see if it fills out better, if I can sink into her world more and connect. The base its solid. I just need to feel the story, not read the outline.

{Blog Tour & Review} The Secret of Ella & Micha by Jessica Sorensen

It's The Secret of Ella & Micha today at Better Read Than Dead and I have to say I am thrilled to be a part of this tour. Jessica Sorensen is quickly becoming one of my favorite Self-Published authors and she does it all: Paranormal Romance, a bit of Urban Fantasy, and Edgy Contemporary! Thank you to Heather at SupaGurl Tours for all the amazing tours she throws my way!

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Title: The Secret of Ella & Micha

Author: Jessica Sorensen

Genre: New Adult Contemporary

Publication Date: October 4, 2012

Blurb:

Ella and Micha have been best friends since they were kids. But one tragic night shatters their friendship and their lives forever.

Ella used to be a rule-breaker with fiery attitude who wore her heart on her sleeve. But she left everything behind when she went to college and transformed into someone that follows the rules, keeps everything together, and hides all her problems. But now it's summer break and she has nowhere else to go but home.

Ella fears everything she worked so hard to bury might resurface, especially with Micha living right next door. If Micha tries to tempt the old her back, she knows that it will be hard to resist.

Micha is sexy, smart, confident, and can get under Ella’s skin like no one else can. He knows everything about her, including her darkest secrets. And he’s determined to bring his best friend, and the girl he loves back, no matter what it takes.

Author Note: *Mature Content** Recommended for ages 17+ due to sexual situations and language

It's only been a couple of weeks ago that I reviewed my first Jessica Sorensen book, Ember. I loved it so much when the tour invite for The Secret of Ella & Micha showed up in my inbox, I checked yes immediately. The synopsis pulled me in, but that cover...HOT!

This book is raw, edgy, and emotional. I flew through it in one sitting because I had to know Ella and Micha's secret. Jessica did a phenomenal job of building the intensity throughout the book and throwing just enough information out there to force those pages to keep turning. Micha is swoon-worthy in his almost reformed bad boy ways, and Ella really sucks at keeping her perfect girl facade in place anytime Micha glances her way. Honestly, I like the say-it-like-it-is, cause a little trouble, outspoken, and broken Ella much better than the pretentious, control freak Ella. Let this be said...you should never be someone you're not! It won't only eat at you, but nobody ever buys that crap anyway. :-)

Ella and Micha grew up as neighbors and bonded over juice boxes then beer and car races. Ella never minded diving under a hood and getting a little grease under her nails, as long as there was fun to be had. Now, I'm going to tell you, this story reminded me a little of my own teenagerhood. (Yes, I make up words because I can.) Small town, nothing to do, neighbor who liked to work on cars and always had a beer or two, and a stretch of road perfect for racing cars...just ask my sister. Hehe. But, that's where the similarities end.

Ella's home life leaped several borders straight into the land of just plain jacked up. Finally, a single event pushed her over the edge and she ran from home, from all her friends, her family, but mostly as far away from Micha as she could manage. She got hurt and she hurt a lot of people, but Micha never gave up hope. He hunted for her everyday for eight months until she unexpectedly pulled up at her parents house. Now, he had only one mission, to win her heart.

I love edgy, dark stories revolving around broken girls and semi-bad boys. The Secret of Ella & Micha pulled at my heart. Jessica's storytelling skills are amazing. She pulled me right into all the wrong in Ella's life, then gave me a glimpse into the hope of Micha's life. I'm a sucker for dual POVs and Jessica mastered this one. I will warn you, this isn't a fun and light-hearted read. Both Ella and Micha have some very real family issues. Life wasn't easy for either, but they're headed in the right direction and both show a great amount of growth and maturity during the story. 

As noted above, this is for mature readers. Contains underage drinking, language, and sexual situations.

*I obtained a free copy of The Secret of Ella & Micha from the author in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. I have never met, formally or informally, with Jessica Sorensen.

About the Author:

I live in Wyoming with my husband and three kids, where I spend most of my time writing, reading, and hanging out with my family. I’m the author of the Fallen Star Series, the Darkness Falls Series, and the Death Collectors. I also just branched out to the New Adult Contemporary genre with my book, The Secret of Ella and Micha.

{A Kelly M Review} Just For now by Abbi Glines

Title: Just For Now
Series: Sea Breeze #4
Author: Abbi Glines
Genre: New Adult Contemporary
Publisher: Simon & Shuster

Synopsis

The day Preston Drake figured out that wealthy women paid well for a set of tight abs and a pretty face his life turned around.The run down rat-infested trailer he had shared with his alcoholic mother and three younger siblings was now only a place he visited to pay the bills and stock the pantry with food.

He no longer worried about his family starving or living without electricity. The money he made entertaining rich older women more than covered his family’s needs and his own. He had it all figured out. Except…

There was this girl.She was as innocent as he was tainted.

Amanda Hardy wished her knees didn’t get weak when Preston walked into a room. She hated the fact her heart raced when he flashed his smile in her direction. He had a different girl in his bed every night. He was the kind of boy a smart girl ran from. So, why was she coming up with ways to get close to him? Even when it was obvious he wanted to keep her at a distance.

Maybe her heart knew something the world didn’t. Maybe Preston Drake was more than just a pretty face.

Warning: For Mature Readers Only: Contains Sexual Situations, Language and Underage Drinking

Abbi Glines has done it again. By that I mean writing another book that keeps you so compelled that you basically forget to breathe while reading it. Ms Glines is absolutely one of my all time favourite authors of all time. She is one of the best story creators that I know of. The other day I told Kayleigh of K_Books that it doesn’t matter which genre it is that this woman writes, you read it without a doubt. You drop everything immediately and get comfy and read until the last page. I get sucked into every single one of her stories and even when I have finished it, I am still in the world in which the story takes place. I am still right there with every character experiencing everything they are going through. If you love stories that make your emotions go all topsy-turby and smooshes your insides then any Abbi Glines book is for you.

Just For Now is the fourth book in the Sea Breeze series and it did not disappoint. Even though my favourite story so far was Cage and Eva’s in While It Lasts, Just For Now helped me to create a special bond with Preston. So far in every book he has been described as a player because of his extreme hotness and the fact that he has a different girl basically every night and doesn’t care how he breaks their hearts because honestly he is Preston Drake so why should he? That is SO not the case. We find out a very dark secret that he has been hiding so that he is able to care for his three very young siblings since his mother is a good for nothing drunk and can’t even look after herself let alone her children. So he basically became a male prostitute in order to care for them and it is a secret that not even his best friend Marcus Hardy knows.

He has been in love with Marcus’s little sister, Amanda, for a very long time but knows he will never be good enough for her so he does everything possible to make her hate him, little does he know that she has the same feelings for him and has been trying to get him to notice her forever. In the beginning they sleep together but Preston is drunk and thinks it was all a dream so naturally Amanda thinks that it meant nothing to him and tries her best to move on. The entire story is about two people afraid to trust each other for fear of being hurt again and also about finding love in the unlikeliest of people.

This story made me smile, go awwwwwwww and cry my heart out in separate occasions. I felt like such an emotional mess and just had to sit back a few times and process everything that I have just read. I honestly love this book so much and I am very satisfied about the ending for Preston and Amanda as well as for Preston’s siblings.

It is a definite must read for everyone and also for those who have lost hope that they do not deserve love because of things in their past. 

{A Kelly Coffee Review} The Nothingness of Ben by Brad Boney

Title: The Nothingness of Ben
Author: Brad Boney
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Genre: Adult Romance, Contemporary, Male/Male Romance

Synopsis: Ben Walsh is well on his way to becoming one of Manhattan’s top litigators, with a gorgeous boyfriend and friends on the A-list. His life is perfect until he gets a phone call that brings it all crashing down: a car accident takes his parents, and now he must return to Austin to raise three teenage brothers he barely knows.

During the funeral, Ben meets Travis Atwood, the redneck neighbor with a huge heart. Their relationship initially runs hot and cold, from contentious to flirtatious, but when the weight of responsibility starts wearing on Ben, he turns to Travis, and the pressure shapes their friendship into something that feels a lot like love. Ben thinks he’s found a way to have his old life, his new life, and Travis too, but love isn’t always easy. Will he learn to recognize that sometimes the worst thing imaginable can lead him to the place he was meant to be?

 Disclaimer: This is a gay romance novel. That does mean guy on guy action, but certainly no worse than anything I've read in any straight romance novel, and honestly, there's a lot less of it than in most romance novels I've read. Onto the actual review.

Let me start with just wow. This was just an overall good read. The characters came alive for me. From the out of his element Ben, just trying to do the right thing, to Travis's easy going affability and certainty of self and each of Ben's brothers being individuals. In his biography, the author calls his style "dialogue and stage direction." It may be accurate, but it also does his writing an injustice. The detail in the settings, the way you feel like the author knows exactly where things are happening, add layers of reality to the book. 

This was a book that I just wanted to keep reading. The pacing flowed effortlessly and the dialogue was spot on. I smiled helplessly, outright laughed and even cried a bit. And yes, the sex scenes are smoking. If you want a contemporary story that just builds a relationship, step-by-step, watching the characters grow and fall in love, this is a book you have to read. Just when I was itching for a good, solid love story, I found this book. And if slash is not your thing, skip the sex and read the love story. I promise it's worth it.

{A Kelly M Review} Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter

Title: Alice in Zombieland
Series: White Rabbit Chronicles #1
Author: Gena Showalter
Genre: YA Paranormal
Publisher:

Synopsis:

She won’t rest until she’s sent every walking corpse back to its grave. Forever.

Had anyone told Alice Bell that her entire life would change course between one heartbeat and the next, she would have laughed. From blissful to tragic, innocent to ruined? Please. But that’s all it took. One heartbeat. A blink, a breath, a second, and everything she knew and loved was gone.

Her father was right. The monsters are real….

To avenge her family, Ali must learn to fight the undead. To survive, she must learn to trust the baddest of the bad boys, Cole Holland. But Cole has secrets of his own, and if Ali isn’t careful, those secrets might just prove to be more dangerous than the zombies….


I wish I could go back and do a thousand things differently.
I'd tell my sister no.
I'd never beg my mother to talk to my dad.
I'd zip my lips and swallow those hateful words.
Or, barring all of that, I'd hug my sister, my mom and my dad one last time.
I'd tell them I love them.
I wish... Yeah, I wish.

Alice in Zombieland!!!! My first ever zombie book and it didn’t disappoint. I am hesitant to read any zombie books, firstly because they scare me motherless and secondly I just do not see the point. But alas I really did love this particular zombie book. I know what you’re thinking,  this is just another Alice in Wonderland rip off with Zombies shoved in just for the mickey of it. Well, at least, that’s what I thought, if you don’t then good on you! Anyway back to my point, that is NOT what this book is about! Even the zombies are like completely different! I was like huh?!?! Dafuq is this weird ass invisible zombie stuff??? It actually worked out for the better and it gave a whole different twist on the zombie myth that we all know and love.

It starts off where Alice loses her entire family to a zombie attack even though she refuses to believe it. She moves in with her grandparents and has to move to a new school as well. There she finds her new friend whom she met at the hospital, Kat and the very hot, very tattooed awesome sexiness that is Cole. This guy is a man after my own heart. When you read about Cole, think about me and you will know that he is my ideal guy, I kind of literally drooled most of the time I read this. The dude is perfection. I thank thee Mariam for freaking out so badly with this book and talking about it nonstop.

I love Alice because she is just so tough and doesn’t hesitate to do what she has to even if that means that she will be in danger, lose the people she loves and get bad grades. She only cares about keeping everyone else safe and I find that so admirable. She is also quite badass and made me laugh a few times.

Kat is my absolute favourite character in this book! The girl made me laugh since the first time she appeared. She is hilarious through most of the book. Very few characters accomplish the art of making me literally laugh out loud. She is so loyal and just plain awesome; I wish she was my best friend.

Cole and Frosty, my two favourite male characters. Both are very hot like I mentioned before and so fierce and can be scary when they want to be, I loved that about them so much. I’m a freak what can I say. Guys who look like can beat the shit out of people but are also very caring when it comes to girls are my weak spot. Some people think I need help, others help me embrace it, like my Starbooks girls!

This is a very actiony book with a lot of fighting and stuff in it which is just so awesome! It never drags, it keeps you interested straight through. I read this book until I finished it at 4:30am and I never regretted the loss of sleep. I couldn’t put it down. It consumed my very being until I was sucked into the story completely like Alice was into Wonderland (that was my corny line of the day)

Please Please PLEEEEEEEEEASE read this book!!!!!!! It is the epitome of awesome sauce topped with sprinkles of amaze balls!

{Book Review} Blood Debt by Nancy Straight

Title: Blood Debt
Series: Touched #1
Author: Nancy Straight
Self-Published

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Blurb:
Her whole life, it had just been the two of them. Before her mother’s last breath, she gave Camille the information she had craved her entire life: the identity of her father. Daring to contact him, Camille was welcomed by an entire family she never knew existed. But nothing comes without a price, as she discovers when her family claims a legendary heritage tracing back to a Centaur touched by Zeus.

As she learns the secrets of her Centaur bloodline, she is drawn into a forbidden love with Drake. Her family acknowledges her life may be the blood debt required to pay for her mother’s transgressions. The same person who once held her mother captive, and forced her into decades of hiding, now controls Camille. Her only chance is to seek a piece of her mother’s past that will win her freedom and the life she desperately desires.

Sorry guys! I meant to get this up earlier this evening, except...the 11 year old turned 12 and, believe it or not, she thought she deserved a birthday party! Can you imagine? Anyway, all is quiet now (FINALLY) so I thought I'd jot down my review of Nancy Straight's Blood Debt!

Okay, so I'm perusing this tour request I received and saw the word "Centaur" and I'm thinking, hmmmmm? A book about half-men/half-horses...no freaking way. Right? But then I thought, if anyone can pull this off, it's Nancy because I've read many of her other books and they are all amazing. Needless to say, she managed to pull this one off perfectly and there weren't even any hooved men stomping about.

The first thing that pulled me into the book was Camille's friend Daniel. A little weird since he was far from the main character, I know, but something tells me Daniel's a little more than just Camille's best friend. As of this moment, I know nothing more, but I'll keep you updated. HeHe.

So, Camille's mom, Angela, is a powerful Centauride who escaped a horrific fate and managed to keep Camille hidden from the most influential Centaur Herds. Angela only told Camille her father's name on her death bed, leaving Camille alone to search for a man she had never met. Once Camille and her father meet the secrets start flying. Can you imagine not only finding out you are of a magical race, but because of something your mom did, you owe a blood debt to another family? No thank you.

I loved the matriarchal society that the Centaurs revolved around, though there are many things about their lives I disagreed with and hopefully Camille will resolve some of these issues. But I must say, the most impressive thing is how the author managed to keep up with all Camille's half-brothers. Each of their names started with a B and each seemed swoon-worthy in their own way. I'm wishing them all the best of luck in the coming years, because I think they all deserve a good mate.

And Drake...OH YUMMY!!! He's amazing and kind and courteous and good. I love the way his and Camille's story is woven together and how many obstacles they each have to overcome in order to try to be together, and that's still up in the air. Still! Bianca and Gage are interesting characters and I cannot wait to know more about Gage and his family. Some things pulled together, but as with every well written series, some questions were answered while others were presented.

The only thing that kept me from giving the book a complete 5 stars is the frequent changing of POVs. Usually this is not a problem for me, but when you get more than two or three going at the same time, I tend to get confused and have to go back and reread things to make sure I understand who is saying what.

Nancy takes different mythologies and mixes them all together to create a fascinating, spell-binding, and nail-biting novel. I'm still rocking on the edge of my chair after that ending. She attacks political and social issues in an interesting manner and keeps your brain thinking far after the last page has been turned. If you are a fan of romance, mythology, and unique literature...Blood Debt is a must read. Be sure you run over to the giveaway and enter to win an ebook copy of Blood Debt.

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{Blog Tour, Review, and #Giveaway} Ember by Jessica Sorensen

Welcome to the Ember Blog Tour brought to you by SupaGurl Tours! Be sure you read down to the bottom, because there's a giveaway hiding in plain sight!

Title: Ember

Series: Death Collectors

Author: Jessica Sorensen

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Blurb:

What if you knew when someone was going to die?

For seventeen-year-old Ember, life is death. With a simple touch, she knows when someone will die. It’s her curse and the reason she secludes herself from the world. The only person who knows her secret is her best friend Raven. 

Then she meets Asher Morgan. He’s gorgeous, mysterious, and is the only person Ember can't sense death from. So when he pushes into her life, she doesn’t mind.

But when unexplained deaths start to haunt her town, Ember starts questioning why she can’t sense Asher's death and what he may be hiding.

Yeah! Seriously, 5 Stars! I knew from the very first page when we meet Emmy and she's attuned to death and ravens, that this was going to be a book I seriously could not put down. All I know, this is a book for Miss Kelly McGeer. It's eery, and creepy, and a bit dark, but I loved every minute of it.

Finally, technical difficulties solved. I loved Ember so much, but I have to admit that I am a sucker for angels, death, and good versus evil scenarios. Jessica put a neat little spin on what could have turned out to be another ordinary book about angels. She created mythology revolving around Angels of Death and the Grim Reaper. I love that she created a Grim Angel who was supposed to be the balance between the Angels of Death who collected the good souls and the Reapers who collected the bad souls. Somewhere in the past, rules had been broken and one group was steeling souls that weren't theirs to collect.

Ember was cursed. With one single touch, she could tell how someone would die and when. She had other powers that she was just discovering. She'd grown up being able to feel the "death omen" as she called it and had never interfered in another's destiny, until her best friend's end drew near. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to help, but someone else managed to fix the situation for her and would be punished for his involvement. In fact, so many rules were broken by the end of the story, I'm surprised anyone survived.

I'll admit to staying a little confused between Asher and Cameron during most of the book, well, actually until the very end. Jessica kept you up in the air as to which yummy, yummy guy played on which team. Who was the Grim Reaper and who was the Angel of Death. Just as I began to trust one, something weird would happen and I would decide he was the bad guy, then Jessica would switch the tables and make you trust the other one before she ripped the rug out from underneath you.

Admittedly, Jessica's writing pulled me in from the very first page and kept me enraptured to the very last page. This book is not a light read, you need to have quiet time and be able to concentrate on what is happening inside the story, because everyone has something to hide, and I do mean everyone. When I admitted to being confused, this was not a problem with the writing, this is how Jessica kept your attention, making you question everything someone said or someone did. 

And that darn raven had me guessing constantly. Anyone who knows me, knows how much I love Ravens and the many different stories that accompany their existence. In Ember, they are portrayed as announcers of death...which I absolutely loved.

When you are looking for a dark and creepy read, huddle down in a corner with Ember. I promise you will not be disappointed. 

*I have never met, nor corresponded with Jessica Sorensen at any given time. I use her name only to refer to her writing. I received a copy of this book, free of charge, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Giveaway Time

1 eBook of Ember (Death Collectors) by Jessica Sorensen

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{Blog Tour, #Giveaway & Review} Deity by Jennifer L Armentrout

Oh. My. Gods. The End.

Title: Deity

Series: Covenant Series #3

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Blurb:

"History is on repeat, and things didn't go so well the last time. "

Alexandria isn't sure she's going to make it to her eighteenth birthday--to her Awakening. A long-forgotten, fanatical order is out to kill her, and if the Council ever discovers what she did in the Catskills, she's a goner... and so is Aiden.

If that's not freaky enough, whenever Alex and Seth spend time "training"--which really is just Seth's code word for some up-close and personal one-on-one time--she ends up with another mark of the Apollyon, which brings her one step closer to Awakening ahead of schedule. Awesome.

But as her birthday draws near, her entire world shatters with a startling revelation and she's caught between love and Fate. One will do anything to protect her. One has been lying to her since the beginning. Once the gods have revealed themselves, unleashing their wrath, lives will be irrevocably changed... and destroyed.

Those left standing will discover if love is truly greater than Fate...

Honestly, I'd give it 5 freakin' gazillian stars if someone would let me, but I haven't found any rating scale that allows the whole universe to be given to a singular book.

One word that describes Deity?

GAMECHANGER! The. End.

Oh, the review I want to write, the one that tells you all the ooey-gooey goodness that bled from the pages of this book. The secrets I want to spill. The boys I love. The boys I love to hate. They're all safely enclosed inside this wonderfully amazing novel that I can only tell you so much about, because I want your jaw dropping open, your eyes widening in shock and amazement and shock and horror, just like mine did. I want you to experience Jennifer's ability to pull out all the stops and leave you trembling in the wake of destruction. I want you to experience her ability to pull three people through the pits of hell and make things happen that you couldn't guess in a million years. And what scares me, we are barely half-way through this series. *Shivers as if four thousand spiders scampered across my skin.*

But...I'll tell you what I can, and here they are:

Alex, Seth, and Aiden rock.

People lie.

People do the horizontal mambo.

People die.

What? You want more than that? So difficult...I swear.

If you haven't read this book, you're going to want to catch up on some of the prophecies mentioned in earlier books. You're going to want to reserve a long period of time to sit and read, because you will be unable to put this book down. If you want some hints, see if you can find a Ustream of Jen's floating around, listen carefully. There were things said in a few of those interviews that hinted at certain gods and their appearances. YES! The gods finally begin to appear: the beautiful, the deadly, the ravenous. One by one, they're setting their feet on Earth

Alex continues to be the snarky, butt-kicking girl we've seen from the beginning. She's dreading her 18th birthday and hoping it will be a horrible fluke. The group of people surrounding her are doing everything they can to make sure she's safe, and, amazingly enough, she's playing by the rules. Sort of. She would not be Alex if she behaved completely, would she?

Seth and Aiden are still tearing her to pieces, but the tides are starting to shift and decisions are being made. Marcus and Lucien are beginning to show their true sides, and more than one person is not who you've thought they were. Deacon's sin-sationally amazing, as always. 

The one thing I will remind you all of is this prophecy from Half-Blood, chapter 8 (Thanks Jenny!)

“Sometimes you will mistake need for love. Be careful. The road with need is never a fair one,never a good one. Much like the road you must walk down. Beware of the one who needs.”

Now, while many of you are thinking this specifically applies to our wonderfully arranged love triangle, to which it might, but I also see it in so many other areas of Alex's life. She's constantly forced into people's lives. Some need her, some love her, some love to hate her. Other's just love to irritate her...a certain god, for instance. Deacon, for another.

Now...while I read the ARC, thank you to Spencer Hill Press for allowing me access to the copy, I bought and downloaded Deity today, and I will most likely buy a hard copy also, but I want to leave you with this parting line...

And they all were going to die.
I smiled.

Bwhahahahaha! Now, seriously, the end.

Well, except after you've read Deity, you must hunt down Elixir, Aiden's Novella, and read it immediately!
And, because this review lacked substance, because there's just so little I can say without blowing even one of the dozen OMG moments, when my partner in crime, Miss Kelly McGeer, who's looking for a Seth of her own, finishes Deity, her and I are going to do something major spoilery, with lots of great fan-girling and estrogen riddled fun. I can guarantee, with absolute certainty, that you will absolutely want to hear her opinion!

Here is the Tour giveaway!

From Spencer Hill - 3 winners (INT)

$25 Amazon gift card

Deity

A shirt

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{Blog Tour and Review} Demon Royale by Jill Cooper

Welcome to another tour from SupaGurl tours! This time we have The Demon Royale, A Meadow's Creek Novel, by Jill Cooper!

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Blurb:

The only thing worse than dying, is running away…

Since becoming employed by a supernatural protection agency, Natalie Johnson’s life has been more interesting than ever. While most teens are working on their summer tans, Natalie works on slaughtering the undead lurking just outside her town’s borders.

The workload takes more than just a toll on her love life, it dampens her spirit and her health, as the town is plagued by a mysterious murderer intent on stealing the residents’ souls. Natalie’s investigation is hampered by her declining health and the sicker she gets, the more inadequate she feels.

Guilt over her inability to act, weighs heavily on Natalie’s shoulders during a time when her strength is needed more than ever. As some of those closest to her begin to lose faith, she must make the hardest stand yet to save the soul of the one person she can always count on:

The Slayer.

I'm going to  review of the Dream Slayer before I jump into the awesomeness that is The Demon Royale next week! 

Going into this tour, I had not read The Dream Slayer, and I worried for about a half minute before I fell in love with Natalie Johnson, the local demon slayer by night, portly high school girl by day. The first couple of chapters left me confused, until finally I gave up understanding and fell head over heels in love with the story. 

It took me a bit to understand that some demons were taking over Meadow Creek, causing people to think they were truly living their horrifying nightmares. The thing about The Dream Slayer is figuring out whether the kids and adults are dreaming or are they awake and functioning. Was Sarah really that mean, or was that her nightmare taking over? Was Natalie really a Demon Slayer, or was that her nightmare? 

As I continued through the book, more things made sense but Natalie was either exceptionally brave and powerful or a portly school girl who allowed not only teenagers, but her alcoholic father to pick on her, while she did nothing, leaving me wondering why Natalie refused to stand up to her dad or her mother about coddling him, hopefully, she'll grow a giant pair and take care of everyone and everything she needs to. I have faith in Natalie Johnson. Hopefully you will too.

Now, lets talk a little about Tristan and Damien! I am Team Tristan. He obviously loved Natalie whether she's his best friend at high school or a bad ass demon slayer. Damien may be out of the picture for good, or like all awesome books, he may drop back in in The Demon Royal, because in all great novels, characters never die.

Ms. Cooper wrote the story in third person, allowing you a glimpse into primarily Natalie's head. The characters are multifaceted and even some of the demons seemed to be well thought out and developed. There was plenty of action and mystery and even a smidgen of romance. For this type of book, I would say everything was written in perfect proportions. The confusion at the start is the only reason I'm holding back on that 5th MoonWomen. I loved the story, but when I start up feeling miles behind, it's just hard to give that 5th little star.

Go, Read, Enjoy! I'm off to read/review The Demon Royale!

About Jill Cooper:

Jill Cooper loves tea more than coffee and is obsessed over finding that perfect recipe. She lives in Danvers, MA with two cats, a toddler, a husband, and a 1964 yellow taxi. Her life is chaotic, but fun. She is currently working on a new Sci-fi thriller and the sequel to the Dream Slayer. She can be contacted at http://www.jillacooper.com

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{A Kelly Coffee Review} Other Side of Forever by Shannon Eckrich

Title: Other Side of Forever
Author: Shannon Eckrich
Publisher: Crescent Moon Press
Genre: YA/Paranormal fantasy

Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Allie Anderson's telekinetic powers are anything but useful--she can't bring her father back, can't stop her mother's downward spiral into alcohol, and can't keep her from falling in love with Ethan Bradley. Loving Ethan is easy, but it comes with a hefty price: Ethan is prohibited by his people from interacting with mortals--because he isn't mortal himself. When Allie and Ethan's love is discovered, there's someone who will do anything to keep them apart. If Allie can't learn to control her powers and fight to save Ethan, this dark entity will make every attempt to stop her beating heart. And if that happens, not even the energy of an immortal can bring her back.

First thing about this review is that real life sort of interrupted me between accepting the read/review for this book and actually getting around to reading it. I say that because by the time I got around to it, I had forgotten what the blurb said and started reading it with a completely clean slate. It means I didn't know about her take on mortals and immortals, which is a prime part of the suspense of the novel and probably made it a much better read. I kept thinking "I swear I didn't have a vampire book on my list, and things aren't quite right for vamps anyway..." At the same time, the mystery had me intrigued and it was a genuinely different twist on the idea. 

The building and the pacing in the beginning of the novel are very good. I seemed to blink and be 20% in. The author does a good job of keeping you in the dark (provided you've forgotten the blurb), and not telling you until the last minute. The concept as a whole has great potential. It's different, I love me some immortals, and it's a bit unexpected, especially in a time where the market is flooded with vampire/werewolf paranormal books. 

That being said, there were a couple of things that really irked me about this book, and the more I read, the worse they got. The prime one is an issue of dialogue. Of all the problems I have with books, that usually isn't one of them, but in this book it definitely was.  It was awkward in places, dialogue tags that didn't seem to match with what I was "hearing" the characters say (you know, someone says something sarcastically except the answer isn't actually a sarcastic one?), and progressing to some dialogue that was just painfully out of place. Things that made me stop and re-read and assure myself that, yes, that was actually in quotes, she did actually just say that. There are mini-info dumps in dialogue with language that no modern day teenager would use (at least, none that I've ever known). I realize that I'm a bit more of a critical reader than most, but I shared the first example that really tripped me up with a friend and was asked if it was a historical novel; the language is that out of context. It isn't everywhere, but once it begins, it rather continues, making what had been an effortless read a lot more stilted and unnatural for me. 

The second is the action sequence at the end of the book. Having been through a few lately whose action sequences were their strengths, this one was definitely a weakness, up to and including the trite villain monologue (again in that weird not quite right language). There wasn't a rush for it, no drive to see from one moment to the next, a lot of fuzzy, in-and-out pacing (it's deliberate, but very awkward), it just didn't read very smoothly and didn't drag me to the finish line. 

The characters are more-or-less just kind of there. I never got very strong mental images of most of them. I think the potential for this idea and these characters is there, I'm just not entirely sure that it's been fully realized yet. However, if you're looking for a contemporary paranormal read and are over vamps and werewolves, based on strength of concept alone, you should definitely give Other Side of Forever a try. I'd pick up another book from this world, just to see where she goes with it.