Review: Double Cross

Justine Jones has lived her life as a fearful hypochondriac until she's lured into the web of a mysterious mastermind named Packard. He gifts her with extraordinary mental powers-dooming her to fight Midcity's shadowy war on paranormal crime in order to find the peace she so desperately craves.

But now, serial killers with unheard-of skills are terrorizing the most powerful beings in Midcity, including mastermind Packard - and his oldest friend and worst enemy, Midcity's new mayor, who has the ability to bend matter itself to his will.

As the body count grows, Justine faces a crisis of conscience as she tests the limits of her new powers and faces an impossible choice between two flawed but brilliant men . . . one on a journey of redemption, and the other descending into a pit of moral depravity. (summary from goodreads)

My thoughts....Double Cross took me on a wild ride and left me breathless.  The beginning set me on the edge of my seat, the middle left me questioning my values, and the end...it left me screaming for more. 

Let me begin by telling you to start at the beginning.  This is book two in the Disillusionment series, book one is titled Mind Games.  Written with creative elegance, Carolyn Crane's characters will draw you into her world and keep you entertained through the entire book.  Justine is a fierce heroine.  In Double Cross she really questions her life as a disillusionist and looks for someone to blame for her situation.  The equation is simple...bad guys get rebooted and a start a new life, or is it that simple?  All of my favorite characters were back in action, as well as a few new ones.  Justine really has some issues with her love life, but things do get steamy from time to time. 

Double Cross was ones of those books I had trouble putting down.  The action was continuous and the writing was phenomenal. The premise for the series shines with originality and creativity.  The ending of Double Cross still has me speechless.  It left me shocked and dazed.  I cannot wait for book three.  Carolyn Crane is one of my favorite authors and I highly recommend her books. 

For more information, visit Carolyn Crane at her website.  To order your copy of Mind Games or Double Cross, follow this link!

Peek-A-Boo

I am back, kind of. 

Well the boxes are unpacked (mostly) and I am caught up on my homework (sort of) and I miss the blogging community (lots).  I have been trying to visit some blogs and read some posts, but well,  time is still an issue.  So I will be posting, but it will be sporadic.  I have a few books to give away so stay tuned.

Happy Halloween! 

The Familiars Halloween Blog Tour

A Message from Andrew Jacobson:

We are also having a special Familiars-themed Halloween Scavenger Hunt! At each stop along the blog tour, we will be asking a trivia question from our book. After you fill in your answer, the letter that falls in the place of the * can be placed in the corresponding number of the larger puzzle. So for example, since this is question number 6, the letter that lands in the space where the * is can be filled in where the 6 is in the larger puzzle. The larger puzzle will form yet another clue, and anyone who answers it correctly will be entered into a drawing for an autographed book as well as a few other Halloween treats!

Be sure to visit The Familiars blog at thefamiliars.blogspot.com to find links to all other blog stops and find out where to send in your answers! All entries must be entered by November 15.

6. What does Jack exclaim when he first realizes he can understand his familiar, Aldwyn?

"___ ___ ___ ___ _*_ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ !"

Hint: Chapter Four, Page 62

11 5 18 8 15 1 9 7 19 14 23 2 25 16 10 12 20

__ __ __ __ __ __ ' __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

17 3 22 6 21 4 24 13

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

http://www.thefamiliars.com/ (official website)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0djEE4OzdQ (book trailer)

Happy Halloween everyone!

Andrew & Adam

Book Birthdays

It begins with a subtle vibration, a tingling.
There is time to take only one breath.
The trance begins.
When it is through, Ashlyn is certain of two things:
Someone she knows is about to die.
And she is powerless to stop it.

Today is the release day for Linda Gerber's book Trance.  I have been following along with her release party in which she has done number readings for some of my favorite authors.  I am very excited to read this book, now if only Amazon would hurry up and deliver it!!

Don't have a copy, follow this link to purchase one.
Congrats Linda!

Another exciting release this week is rather unexpected.  Author Angie Fox is as Jason DeRulo puts it "Ridin' Solo".  After a recent break from her publisher, she took back the rights to her December release and (are you sitting down??) is going to release the book on OCTOBER 15th.  Yes, that is tomorrow!  It will start as an e-book, then be available in print in a few weeks.  YAY!  I am excited to read The Last of the Demon Slayers!  Visit Angie at Something Wicked for more details.

YA Review: The Duff

My thoughts...OK, I did not want to read this. I found the title cruel and derogative. The plot summary...well it just didn't interest me. Low and behold a copy managed to land in my hands and I decided that it was time to step out of my comfort zone and read this book. I am glad I did. The Duff is a fantastic book that cuts to the heart of people. This book is about how we treat others and how it feels to be on the receiving end of negative assumptions. It is about fitting in and being noticed. It is about blending in and standing up for yourself. It is about fear and strength. It is about love and loss. It's about life.

Bianca was a great heroine in this story. She is strong, yet vulnerable. She has really thick skin, but a core that most people can relate to at one point or another. The boy in this story, Wesley left me with mixed feelings. He was arrogant, no doubt about it, but as the story progressed, he grew on me. The connection between the characters was intense, but often left me with a feeling of dread. I am sure everyone has met a guy like Wesley before. Overall the characters were interesting and helped keep the plot interesting.

In conclusion, I would recommend this book to just about anyone. It sends a message that will make you think and will stay with you long after you finish the story.

For more information, visit Kody Kepplinger at her blog. Follow this link to goodreads for purchase links. (book summary from Goodreads)

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn't think she's the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She's also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her "Duffy," she throws her Coke in his face.

But things aren't so great at home right now. Desperate for a distraction, Bianca ends up kissing Wesley. And likes it. Eager for escape, she throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with Wesley.

Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out that Wesley isn't such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she's falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

I HEART CSN

As you may know, I am moving to a new house.  One of the best parts is redecorating and creating a fresh, new living space.  CSN stores has over 200 stores with an incredible selection of products to choose from.  My bedroom makeover needs a few new nightstands.  I found one that would accent the dark wood in my bedroom AND give me extra book storage (priorities!). 

What would you buy with a GC to CSN stores?

*If you don't already, like CSN stores on facebook, they are always doing great promotions. 

Coming Soon...

The moving truck will be here Friday.  I have been packing for weeks now and I still have tons to go.    So thanks for being so patient these past few weeks.  I hope to be back soon. 

In the meantime...I am very excited to be part of The Familiars Halloween Blog Tour.  On Friday, I will be posting a video with some clues to lead you on an eerie journey.  You still have time to pick up a copy of The Familiars to help solve the clues!  Visit the website for more information.

After three young wizard apprentices are kidnapped by the evil queen of a distant land, it is up to their familiars, their magical animal companions -- a street smart alley cat, a precocious blue jay, and a bumbling tree frog -- to save them.

Check Back on Friday!

YA review: Dark Water

Fifteen-year-old Pearl DeWitt and her mother live in Fallbrook, California, where it’s sunny 340 days of the year, and where her uncle owns a grove of 900 avocado trees. Uncle Hoyt hires migrant workers regularly, but Pearl doesn’t pay much attention to them . . . until Amiel. From the moment she sees him, Pearl is drawn to this boy who keeps to himself, fears being caught by la migra, and is mysteriously unable to talk. And after coming across Amiel’s makeshift hut near Agua Prieta Creek, Pearl falls into a precarious friendship—and a forbidden romance.


Then the wildfires strike. Fallbrook—the town of marigolds and palms, blood oranges and sweet limes—is threatened by the Agua Prieta fire, and a mandatory evacuation order is issued. But Pearl knows that Amiel is in the direct path of the fire, with no one to warn him, no way to get out. Slipping away from safety and her family, Pearl moves toward the dark creek, where the smoke has become air, the air smoke.


Laura McNeal has crafted a beautiful and haunting novel full of peril, desperation, and love. (summary from the author's website)

My thoughts...Dark Water is a book based on actual events.  The fires in California are a reality many people deal with regularly.  The characters, while fictional, felt very real as did their fear.  This story left me with goosebumps. 

The beginning of Dark Water started off slow.  There was quite a bit of character development and few side stories that distracted me.  The love story between Pearl and Amiel took a while to develop and fell a bit short.  I would begin to feel a strong pull between the two of them, then it cooled.  The characters are not in an ideal situation to develop a relationship.  This is a story with forbidden love. 

While Dark Water does have some of the elements of a love story, the real action is found in the fire.  You know it's coming, you know it's going to be devastating, and you fear it.  This book started off slow, then suddenly becomes extremely intense.  It was sad, frightening, and exciting all at the same time.  The adrenaline of the main characters becomes contagious as you pray for their safety.  Then the ending...well, not all stories have a happy ending, especially when you are dealing with real life. 

Dark Water is a great book for those who are looking for a realistic YA story.  I am glad I stuck with it and finished the book.  It gave me a better understanding of fear that victims of these fires experience and it will stick with me for a long time. 

For more information, including purchase links, visit the website of Tom & Laura McNeal.

WoW: Wake Unto Me

Wake Unto Me

by, Lisa Cach

March 2011

A haunted castle, a handsome young man dead for four hundred years, one heck of a scary portrait of a witch, and a treasure hunt -- not to mention a princess for a roommate! -- all await 15 year old American girl Caitlyn Monahan when she earns a scholarship to a French boarding school.

There are secrets behind the stone walls of Chateau de la Fortune, buried for centuries along with the mystery of who killed Raphael, the charming ghost who visits Caitlyn at night. But as Caitlyn unearths the history of the castle, nothing scares her as badly as the secret she learns about herself, and the reason she was chosen to come to the Fortune School.

And nothing breaks her heart as badly as falling in love with a dead guy.

(summary from goodreads)

I love the idea of the haunted castle, a witch, and a treasure hunt.  Sounds exciting.  For more information, visit Lisa Cach on her facebook page.

YA review: Awakened

Book 1: AWAKENED by, Ednah Walters

Orphaned as a child and raised by her grandfather, Lil Falcon is concerned with navigating her new high school and is unaware she's a descendant of the Nephilim, a race of beings with super powers tasked with protecting humanity from the demons who threaten it. But when she meets Bran, his psi energy unlocks her latent abilities and opens her eyes to what she is, a Guardian.

But Bran has a secret and befriending him sends Lil down a dangerous path that will either destroy her or make her stronger. (summary from author's site)

My thoughts...I LOVED this book.  Ednah Walters has created an exciting world of Angels and Demons complete with magic and romance. 

Awakened is book one in The Guardian Legacy series.  It grabbed my interest from the very first chapter and kept me intrigued until the end.  It offers a great blend of action, romance, great fight scenes, and fantasy.  While some of the settings were complex, Walters did a brilliant job of transporting the reader to her world.  The book played out like a movie, one that I would watch again. 

The characters in the story are part of a team of Guardians who protect the world from evil.  They all have unique abilities and strengths which make them interesting in their own ways.  There are also some secondary characters that will satisfy fans of the paranormal including blood suckers and shifters.  The heroine, Lili is a unique character that I immediately liked.  She is very selfless and devoted to those she loves.  Bran, the lovely character on the cover, was another character I really enjoyed reading.  I look forward to learning more about all of the characters. 

I would definitely recommmend Awakened to readers of all ages and genders.  This is a love story, but it is balanced with lots of intense action.   Book two, Betrayed, is already on my wish list. 

For more information, visit Ednah Walters at her website.  Awakened is avaiable for puchase at popular booksellers such as Amazon.   In the meantime, enjoy the trailer.