Review: Brightest Kind of Darkness

Author: P.T. Michelle
Format: eBook
Print Length: 357 pages
Publisher: Self-published
Published: June 27, 2011

Nara Collins is an average sixteen-year-old, with one exception: every night she dreams the events of the following day. Due to an incident in her past, Nara avoids using her special gift to change fate...until she dreams a future she can't ignore.

After Nara prevents a bombing at Blue Ridge High, her ability to see the future starts to fade, while people at school are suddenly being injured at an unusually high rate.

Grappling with her diminishing powers and the need to prevent another disaster, Nara meets Ethan Harris, a mysterious loner who seems to understand her better than anyone. Ethan and Nara forge an irresistible connection, but as their relationship heats up, so do her questions about his dark past.

My Thoughts

Talk about a book starting off with a bang! Nara is a high school student who is not use to surprises- how can she be when every night she dreams about the next day.  Very rarely has she attempted to change the future- until the day she dreamed about her school blowing up.  She covertly calls in the bomb threat and saves plenty of lives.  Then her dreams just stop.

Without her dreams she is walking blind.  Her best friend Lainey and her start fighting.  There is a new guy at school that she may or may not like and her grades are dropping.  What is a gal to do?  How can she get her dreams back?  What caused them to go away in the first place?

First of all can I just say yikes!!!  Could you imagine be strong enough to call in that threat?  Nara is an extremely strong female character.  She doesn’t whine about the punches that life throws at her.  Instead she punches back.  Dad left them- so what, who needs him anyway?  Best friend gets angry?  She will get glad in the same britches she just got mad in.  If there is anyone who has read this story that does not like it will- I would seriously question their taste.

Speaking of taste can I please get an OMG for Ethan?  I mean mystery new guy that keeps protecting Nara- why?  A guy with a record who is good with animals.  Can I get a say what to that?  Ethan’s the strong silent type that keeps to himself but man does he got a thing for Nara.

Brightest Kind of Darkness is a fast-paced, is it over already kinda read.  That leaves you wondering what happens and when will there be more.  Luckily for you dear readers Lucid, the second book in the series is already out.

My Rating 4 out of 5

Other Characters

Lainey- Nara’s best friend, kinda well she goes through some stuff

Miranda- soccer captain, resident mean gal
Sophia- minion to resident mean gal

Swoon Thursday (20) Undeadly

The fabulous girls over at YA Bound created this super HOT meme. Here's how it works.

From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering.

Shout it out on Twitter with the hashtag #YABound, post it here in the comments, or grab the adorable button above and share it on your blog! I want to know & so do the gals at YABound!

“Hello, brown eyes.”

Startled, I turned and spied Rath standing next to me.  He was dressed in a tuxedo, and oh-my-gods he looked hot, hot, hot.

“Where have you been?” I hissed.

He grinned.  “Aw.  Somebody miss me?”

“No,” I said.

His grin widened.  Then he cupped my hand in his and led me onto the dance floor.

I almost had a heart attack.  “I can’t dance to this stuff,” I protested.

“Yes, you can.  Hang on to me and follow my feet.”  He wrapped an arm around my waist, and I placed a hand on his chest.

Undeadly by Michele Vail Kindle Location 2132

He looked down at me, his gaze glittering with that odd, dark emotion.  It set my heart to tripping.

“Do you want me to?  He asked in a soft voice.

Undeadly by Michele Vail Kindle Location 2140

Sometimes being sweet is more swoony than being or attempting sexy.

Review: Undeadly

 

Author: Michele Vail
Format: eBook
Print Length: 272 pages
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Published: Nov. 20th, 2012

The day I turned 16, my boyfriend-to-be died. I brought him back to life. Then things got a little weird...

Molly Bartolucci wants to blend in, date hottie Rick and keep her zombie-raising abilities on the down-low. Then the god Anubis chooses her to become a reaper-and she accidentally undoes the work of another reaper, Rath. Within days, she’s shipped off to the Nekyia Academy, an elite school that trains the best necromancers in the world. And her personal reaping tutor? Rath. Who seems to hate her guts.

Rath will be watching closely to be sure she completes her first assignment-reaping Rick, the boy who should have died. The boy she still wants to be with. To make matters worse, students at the academy start turning up catatonic, and accusations fly-against Molly. The only way out of this mess? To go through hell. Literally.

My Thoughts

I received this book via the publishers through NetGalley. That in no way influenced my review.

If you like the Mythos Academy Series by Jennifer Estep than you will love this series.

Molly is a ka heka (zombie maker).  Molly grew up in a society that is use to zombies- so much so there are even government regulations on keeping them as pets.  Some people even make sure to avoid this through an AZD (Advance Zombification Directive). 

On the morning of her 16^th birthday she dreams of the god Anubis, and agrees to be his champion.  Forgetting all about her dream, she sets about getting ready for her Sweet 16 Party.  What a fabulous party it is, Rick her crush finally kisses her!  Then he umm… well he dies.  Moly brings him back to life but normal like not a zombie.  Suddenly, her grandparents- on her MIA momma’s side show up and tell her she has to go to an Academy for necromancers in training.  Hello!  Can’t a gal get a boyfriend and you know live a little?  Guess not….After pitching a fit, Molly goes.  That is when the fun really begins.

Molly befriends Autumn and a few of the other misfits at the Academy.  They aren’t really misfits as so much as not in the “in-crowd”.  Her new group of friends is not pushy or overbearing.  Being necromancers themselves I am sure that they have learned to go with the flow.  Autumn does have a group of ghost following her around, very few necros can actually see them.  Molly can because well she rocks!

Molly is a gal with a lot of spunk.  She would have to be to be a zombie maker in training.  Even though she is afraid, literally to death of what is happening to her.  I mean come on she is supposed to defeat evil for crying out loud.  All of this on top of homework and making new friends.  She may whine a little but only to Henry and her journal.  There is not a lot of romance in Undeadly.  There is hinted attraction between Molly and Rath- her reaper trainer.  Of course, Rick is in the picture- although since he was brought back he has been a little too eager to please.

Undeadly leaves off on an amazing cliffhanger.  I am literally at the edge of my seat.  How the heck is Molly going to get out of this?  Will Rath need to call in Anubis to help her out?  Will the other god call in her three favors?  Will Rath and Molly finally kiss?  So many questions- so many months to wait for the answers.

My rating 5 out of 5 stars

Other Characters

Rick- Quarterback, Mr. Popular, from her old school

Henry- ghoul who is bond to Molly’s family, he is well awesome
Rath- A reaper, mentor to Molly- maybe a love interest later
Clarissa- resident mean gal- I secretly think she is jealous

Teaser Tuesday (20) Undeadly

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Even though I was a ka heka (zombie maker) in training and I knew zombies weren’t really people (sorry, but they’re not), I still felt a lurch of pity for the thing that used to be Mortimer Woodbine.

Undeadly by Michele Vail Kindle Location 113

“Beautiful girls need confident boys,” she said.  “Not so many of those around, bella.”

Undeadly by Michele Vail Kindle Location 533

I stared at her. Wow. She was level ten cray-cray.  And that was a whole lot of crazy.  Plus she was outing my reaper abilities, which was so not cool.

Undeadly by Michele Vail Kindle Location 2191

Normally, I am iffy on these types of books.  But this one rocked of awesomeness! On November 20, run do not walk to the nearest bookstore to get it!

Review: Dark Ride

 

Author: Laura Bradley Rede
Format: eBook
Print Length: 288 pages
Publisher: Self-published
Published: December 20, 2011

Ander McNair used to be the favorite son of a great monster-hunting family – until he was bitten by a werewolf and the hunter became the hunted. Now anything that makes his pulse race, even a kiss from his girlfriend Cicely, is enough to turn him into a monster. When he finally gets a chance to earn his cure by killing a vampire prince, he finds he has to choose between his own past and the future of the girl he loves. Can a guy who’s not even human learn what it means to be a man?

Luke Marianez used to be an immortal vampire prince – until the witch he loved betrayed him and cursed him with the ability to die. Now he lives in the world of vampire blood bars, where the waitresses are the drinks, and dreams about killing the last of the witch’s line so he can live forever. But revenge doesn’t just mean breaking the curse. He wants to break the girl’s heart, too. Can Luke seduce Cicely without falling in love himself?

Cicely Watson doesn’t believe in werewolves or vampires. She’s not even sure she believes in true love. But she’s about to discover what every werewolf knows:

People change.

My Thoughts

When I bought Dark Ride, I thought great another werewolves/gal/vamp story.  Maybe the vamp will lose this time.  Why does the werewolf never win?

Cicely (Cissa) is in trouble, she is in love with her best friend, Ander.  The trouble part comes with the knowledge that he does not feel the same way.

Ander is in trouble, he is in love with Cissa.  (OMG!  Could the werewolf actually get the gal this time?) The trouble part comes in that he knows that they can never be together.  He is too dangerous for her, too dangerous for anyone.

Cissa is in more trouble.  She has a homicidal vampire family trying to kill her.  The Queen having sent her cousin, Luke after her.

Luke's in trouble- Cissa is a dead ringer for his well dead love (who happens to be related to her).  This women betrayed him and he wants revenge even though he is still in love with her.  So he decides to take his revenge out on Cissa.  Only once meeting her, he realizes how sweet and tenderhearted she is.

I liked this book.  It was the perfect escape to a busy and harsh kinda week.  There were times when I felt like there were too many subplots going on.  Hopefully some of them will be resolved in the next book.  But t is a great start to new series.

My Rating 3 out of 5

Other Characters

Marcus- Lukes manservant- yeah Luke is from a different time period alright.
Emma- one of the in-crowds gal at school.  But she knows more than she is letting on.
Zoe- Cissa’s other best friend, at least she’s human.
Michael- the vampire that took Ander in and raised him.
Danny- Michael’s thrall (you will understand more about that later).

Swoon Thursday (19) Death and the Girl Next Door

The fabulous girls over at YA Bound created this super HOT meme. Here's how it works.

From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering.

Shout it out on Twitter with the hashtag #YABound, post it here in the comments, or grab the adorable button above and share it on your blog! I want to know & so do the gals at YABound!

 

“What the blood heck was that?”

“Jared’s light,” I said proudly as I gave him my rapt attention.  His lids were closed, his jaw clenched.  I placed my fingertips on his mouth, cut to perfection, and he turned into them, kissed each one then brought up my palm and kissed it too, then my wrist, watching me from underneath his thick lashes.  Each contact sent goose bumps spiraling over my arm.

Death and the Girl Next Door by Darynda Jones Kindle Location 3161

It's the mention of goose bumps- it gets me every time. 

Review: Fangtabulous

Author: Lucienne Diver
Format: eBook
Print Length: 288 pages
Publisher: Flux
Published: Jan. 8, 2013

Being on the lam from the Feds and the vampire council with no money is not as glamorous as it sounds, especially when I, Gina Covello, fashion queen of the undead, am forced to abandon my wardrobe. Salem, Massachusetts, seems like a great place to hide our supernatural gang. But who knew the city would be crawling with ghosts? The nasty spirit of George Corwin, infamous sheriff from the witch trial days, is on a killing spree. It's up to us to take down the breath-stealing phantom-without blowing our cover.

My Opinion

I received this book via the publishers through NetGalley. That in no way influenced my review.

Gina is a vamp on the run- but hey at least she still has her best friend Marcy and her vamp boyfriend Bobby with her.  They had actually been a part of the Vamp Fed club until they discovered that the Fed was experimenting on vamps.

Why not hid out in the one place they probably wouldn’t look- Salem, Mass.  Ironically, the home of the infamous witch hunts.  Unfortunately, there are evil ghosts abounded and one takes up shop in Gina’s boyfriend.

Gina is as valley vamp gal as ever.  Although, I got a little annoyed with her going back and forth between loving Bobby and lusting after Ulric.  He is a guy she met on her first Vamp Fed mission.  Bobby was as sweet and loving as ever except when he was possessed.  Then he was a homicidal manic.  Which for an extra special vamp- that’s not a good thing.

Fantgablous was not as exciting as I thought it would be.  The end of Fangtastic was so well fantastic that I was hoping that Fangtabulous would jump right in where we were left hanging.  There was little to no real excitement over the FBI chasing them.  This was strange although it did get mentioned a few times.  This book felt more like a filler book.  There are still way too many loose ends for the series to be over and it did end in a tiny cliff-hanger.  I just hope that with the next book there will be more resolution and fewer questions.

My Rating 3 out of 5

Other Characters

Bobby- sire, hot vamp boyfriend with powers
Marcy- Best friend, who is also a vamp
Brent- Former FBI, telemetric, and Marcy’s human Boyfriend

Colonization Release Day!

“Forbidden love on a paradise planet that’s anything but paradise...Dionne’s Colonization will keep you guessing.” – Cherie Reich, author of Defying Gravity

Blurb:

Finding a new home has never been so dangerous.

Andromeda has spent all seventeen years of her life aboard a deep space transport vessel destined for a paradise planet. Her safe cocoon is about to break open as Paradise 21 looms only one month away, and she must take the aptitude tests to determine her role on the new world and her computer assigned lifemate. As a great-granddaughter of the Commander of the ship, she wants to live up to her family name. But, her forbidden love for her childhood friend, Sirius, distracts her and she fails the tests. The results place her in a menial role in the new colony and pair her with Corvus, “the oaf”.

But when Andromeda steps foot on Paradise 21, her predestined future is the least of her worries. Alien ghosts from a failed colonization warn her of a deadly threat to her colony. And when Sirius's ship crashes on the far ridge in an attempt to investigate, she journeys to rescue him with Corvus.

Andromeda now must convince the authorities of the imminent danger to protect her new home. What she didn't expect was a battle of her own feelings for Sirius and Corvus.

Can she save the colony and discover her true love?

About the Author:

Aubrie Dionne writes science fiction fantasy with romantic elements. Her writings have appeared in Mindflights, Niteblade, Silver Blade, Emerald Tales, Hazard Cat, Moon Drenched Fables, A Fly in Amber, and Aurora Wolf. Her books are published by Inkspell Publishing, Entangled Publishing, Lyrical Press, and Gypsy Shadow Publishing. She’s also a professional flutist in New England.

Please visit her website: http://www.authoraubrie.com

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2964057.Aubrie_Dionne

Blog: httphttp://authoraubrie.blogspot.com
Twitter: @authoraubrie

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can buy the book at:

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Inkspell Publishing

Teaser Tuesday (19) Death and the Girl Next Door

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

A supernova, in Lorelei and Brooke lingo, was a guy so gorgeous, so sumptuous, he defied the delicate laws of nature, created an imbalance in the universe, existed as an explosive force that could shatter the very foundations of our world.

Death and the Girl Next Door by Darynda Jones Kindle Location 467

Since that was only one sentence, here is a little bit more…

As I thought about the inevitable confrontation with stalker boy, a sickly kind of dread consumed me.  What did one say to a stalker?  Um, pardon me, Mr. Stalker, but could you, like not?  Frustrated, I let a sigh slide through my lips.

Death and the Girl Next Door by Darynda Jones Kindle Location 571

So what do ya think?  Should she confront Mr. Stalker Boy?  Could you handle a supernova walking down the halls of your school or workplace?

Deity's Book Birthday!

Deity (The third book in the Covenant Series)
Available in both print and digital version on Nov. 6, 2012

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...

 

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Review: 2:32 AM

Author: Emily Ford
Format: eBook
Print Length: 329 pages
Publisher: Self-published
Published: Feb 8, 2012

AND THE STORY BEGINS...

In the early morning hours nearing her 17th birthday, Cat Townsend woke to the sudden blur of a mysterious unknown man sitting on the edge of her bed. She did not feel fear -- rather a strange calmness overtook her. In an instant their eyes locked, he lightly touched her hand, and then he disappeared into the nothingness of night.

Caught in that undefined place between asleep and awake, the moment felt hazy and surreal. A chill ran down Cat’s spine as she glances at the time – it’s 2:32 a.m.

What unfolds in the first book of The Djinn Master’s Legacy trilogy, is young Cat’s personal struggle with the overwhelming choice to accept a destiny of magic. As she contemplates the merits of unparalleled power, her new and ordinary world in Savannah, Georgia is understandably shaken. The closer her decision gets, the more twisted her life with family, friends and boyfriend becomes. Will she choose to give up everything she cherishes?

Find out, in 2:32 A.M. The time everything happens.

My Thoughts

I received this book via the publishers through NetGalley. That in no way influenced my review.

Cat’s family tends to move around a lot.  So it is no surprise that we meet her on her second day in Savannah Georgia.  What is a surprise is that when they lived in Colorado there was a neighbor who just so happens now lives in Georgia as well.  Todd turns out to be Cat’s love interest.   Then there is a guy who stalks her dreams and a genie that has to stay away from her because he loves her.

Cat was a hard character for me to like.  I felt like she was too accepting of the whole genie job take over.  I also felt like she did it for the wrong reasons.  I was bothered by her instant love for Rolf when she is in love with Todd.  It made me feel sad for Todd, almost like he got the raw end of this deal.

Rolf, mysterious genie who loves Cat.  I like that he is protective of her.  I do not like that he gets jealous of others in her life.  I also was not happy with him being a stalker genie first when she goes to camp and then when Todd goes to college.

The story was a hard-sell for me.  I liked that it was original but felt like it was underdeveloped.  At times the story was a bit baffling as well.  There were times when I had to re-read a portion to understand what was going on.  I got annoyed with everyone’s easy acceptance of everything.  No freaking out what so ever.  There were times when I wanted to give up on finishing the book.  Only there was something that kept me reading.  Maybe it was the need to know, or maybe it was something about the story that drove me to the end. 

Candace gave this book 4 stars http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/401096880

Pauline gave this book 4 stars  http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/412145132

My Rating 2 out of 5

Other Characters

Todd- Cat’s first love interest, best friends with her brother
Hayden- Cat’s brother, best friends with Todd
Finnegan- genie that mentors Cat to take over his job
Rolf- genie in love with Cat

Swoon Thursday (18) Broken

The fabulous girls over at YA Bound created this super HOT meme. Here's how it works.

From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering.

Shout it out on Twitter with the hashtag #YABound, post it here in the comments, or grab the adorable button above and share it on your blog! I want to know & so do the gals at YABound!

Alex is admitting to what I’ve wondered from the moment we met. The marvel, the disbelief in this expression every morning… he really thinks I’m fantasy become real.

Broken Kindle Location 1495

text: why can’t I get you out of my head?  You’re my dream, Emma, and I don’t ever want to wake up.

Broken Kindle Location 1964

Could you imagine being someone’s fantasy?  Are you someone’s fantasy?  To have a guy tell you how much he thinks about you?  And it not be stalkerish…  Oh Alex…