Challenge Review: Spell Bound by Kelley Armstrong

Title: Spell Bound

Series: Women of the Otherworld #12
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Genre: Urban Fantasy Fiction, Supernatural Fiction
Elements: Witches, Demons, Necromancers, Sorcerers, Ghosts, Shamans, Zombies, Vampires
Setting Location: Columbus, Washington // Los Angeles, California // Miami, Florida
Publisher: Dutton Books, Penguin Group
Format: Hardcover, 325 Pages
ISBN: 9780525952206
Release Date: July 26, 2011
Source: Borrowed from Wentworth Library
Rating: 5/5

Purchase Here: Kindle // Hardcover

Tagline(s): ~NONE~ 

Summary: Savannah Levine has grown up to become a paranormal-investigating knockout. As a witch endowed with an array of spells, she is a force to be reckoned with. But, in her last case, innocent lives were lost and a family was torn apart. To put right the mess she helped create, she swears she would give anything...even her powers. Little does she know that someone or something has taken her up on that.

Defenseless and on the run from the witch-hunting assassins who are following her every move, Savannah soon stumbles upon a gathering storm that may tear her entire world apart. The danger is real. The whole Otherworld will have to come together to fight the dark force that threatens its very existence.

Savannah has no idea how to restore her powers just when she needs them the most, facing a host of deadly enemies bent on destroying not only her, but the very fabric of the supernatural world. As dark forces gather, Savannah isn't just fighting for her life, but for everything and everyone she loves....

Review:

In Waking the Witch, Savannah lost her powers due to a poison that inhibits spell power, but she got them back after taking an antidote. In her grief and guilt over what happened to Paula and Kayla, she made a wish that she would gladly give up her powers if everything was put right again. Well, someone or something heard her, granted that wish, and Savannah is left without her powers once again. And it couldn't be a worse time to be powerless. Being hunted by a witch-hunter and trying to stop a supernatural rebellion are not easy when you can barely defend yourself. But Savannah needs to learn how...and fast.

Without her powers, Savannah feels useless and out of her element. This keeps her from doing what she actually can do, like when Clay came to help her and ended up having to fight a demon. She just stood there and watched! This upset Clay and Savannah knew she lost any respect he may have had for her. Clay gives her this advice: Grow up. She needs to grow up and be respectful and considerate to those she claims to care about. Because behavior that was okay at 16 is not okay at 21.

This is especially important where Adam is concerned. Everyone knows that Savannah has been in love with Adam since she was twelve years old, except Adam himself. Her lack of respect and consideration for Adam, according to Clay, is going to keep him from ever seeing her as anything more than a friend. I have to agree. The way she treated Adam in L.A. was horrible and it's understandable that he would want some space and take a step back. I'm glad that they were able to work out their differences, and I absolutely loved their little moment at the end of the book.

Savannah's power loss has drawn the attention of both the celestial and demonic. The Fates have Eve investigating who took Savannah's powers. Adam's father, Asmondai, and Savannah's grandfather, Balaam, are on opposing sides on the reveal issue of Savannah's missing powers. What she does learn is that powerful forces are behind what's happening and Savannah is a target. A powerful ally, a tool to be used. And immortality is only a part of a much bigger plan.

"If you want to find your spells, dig deeper. Too much power has made you lazy. Complacent. Dig deeper. Work harder. Fight smarter. A war is coming. Wars need champions."

There are many who believe that the events of the past 10 years are sign and portents of the Phalegian Prophecy coming true. Kate and Logan, Hope and her unborn baby, Jaz and Larsen (Adele's son), Savannah and another witch-sorcerer just coming into her powers (who I believe is Tori from the Darkest Powers) are the signs of something big coming. And the Supernatural Liberation Movement is trying to gather them all together.

Savannah has a lot of growing up to do in a very short amount of time. Will she be able to find her powers in time? With the build up over the past two books, Waking the Witch and Spell Bound, I sure hope she does, because what's coming isn't going to wait for her to be ready. The "end" is coming and it's bound to be explosive. I can't wait to read Thirteen, the conclusion of the Women of the Otherworld series, and see how it all ends.

About this Author:

Kelley Armstrong has been telling stories since before she could write. Her earliest written efforts were disastrous. If asked for a story about girls and dolls, hers would invariably feature undead girls and evil dolls, much to her teachers' dismay. All efforts to make her produce "normal" stories failed.

Today, she continues to spin tales of ghosts and demons and werewolves, while safely locked away in her basement writing dungeon. She's the author of the NYT-bestselling "Women of the Otherworld" paranormal suspense series and "Darkest Powers" young adult urban fantasy trilogy, as well as the Nadia Stafford crime series. Armstrong lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, kids and far too many pets.

PART OF.... 

Tour Review: Rise of the Demons by Willow Cross

Title: Rise of the Demons
Series: Oceans of Red #1
Author: Willow Cross
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Supernatrual Fiction, Dystopian Fiction
Elements:

Publisher: Willow Cross

Format: PDF, 40 Pages 
ASIN: B005E0W3LK

Release Date: July 21, 2011
Source: Tour Host {YA Novel Reader Book Tours} 
Rating:

Tagline(s): ~NONE~

Summary: By 2015 the streets of Los Angeles have been transformed from a thriving metropolis to a hostile world ravaged by demons bent on assimilating the human race. Standing between this total apocalypse of humanity and their chance for survival is 19 year old Remy Martin.

A warrior in her own right, trained to think on her feet and kill if the situation requires, she is flanked by her older brother and younger sister. Together, they devise a plan to take back the streets. Against the wishes of their father, who commands the resistance forces, they venture into unknown realms of the supernatural in a race against time with the fate of the entire world in their young hands.

Join them on their mission into darkness where death lies around every corner, it is virtually impossible to distinguish your enemies from your allies, and a single mistake could result in the annihilation of everyone you’ve ever known and loved.

Review:

Rise of the Demons is a different take on the apocalypse. It isn't a zombie takeover like we're used to, but a demonic takeover. Awesome fight scenes, witty language, and a kick butt heroine. I can't wait for Volume 2!

About this Author:

Willow Cross resides in Arkansas with her husband, two children still young enough to live at home, an enormous cat named Bitsy, and a scaredy-cat dog named Tank. Her home has been known to host the occasional ghost, and a few of her friends profess to be witches. Although she dearly loves Vampires and Werewolves, they are never invited for dinner.

Author Links:

https://www.facebook.com/willowcrossbooks?ref=ts&fref=ts
https://twitter.com/willowcross
http://willowcrossbooks.weebly.com/index.html

Buy Links:

http://www.amazon.com/Oceans-Red-Volume-One-ebook/dp/B005E0W3LK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349555116&sr=8-1&keywords=oceans+of+red+by+willow+cross

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/oceans-of-red-volume-one-willow-cross/1104561993?ean=2940011416491

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/74380

PART OF....

Tour Review: Ember by Carol Oates (Giveaway)

Title: Ember
Series: Ember #1
Author: Carol Oates
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Supernatrual Fiction
Publisher: Omnific Publishing
Elements:

Format: PDF, 246 Pages 
ISBN: 9781936305841

Release Date: July 19, 2011
Source: Publicist {Traci Olsen} 
Rating:

Tagline(s): ~NONE~

Summary: When Candra Ember wakes up in hospital after a dangerous encounter with a red-haired woman, she is shocked to discover that seeing a winged boy wasn’t her imagination. Candra is exposed to a world of rivalry and sacrifice she never knew existed, and the aftermath of a war to save humanity thousands of years ago. Soon she finds herself relentlessly stalked by Sebastian, a beautiful and arrogant Watcher Angel and romantically pursued by his darkly seductive rival, Draven. Ultimately, dubious about her own goodness, Candra’s very existence compromises a tentative peace in the city of Acheron.  

Short Review

This is another fallen angel story...but it's not like a lot of the others. Carol Oates writes a descriptive and passionate story that may be more suited for the New Adult genre. There's the classic love triangle with the girl caught in the middle of two streaming hot angels vying for her attention. But she also doesn't get many of her questions answered until well into the book (that parts not really different from other fallen angel stories. Secrets are never a good thing. But I can't wait to see what happens next. 

About this Author:

Carol Oates has never been one to remain still for long. After her mother’s mad dash to the hospital through the empty city streets of Dublin, Ireland, Carol made her debut into the world in the early hours of Christmas morning. Since then her pace has not slowed down in the least.

Carol was introduced to the world of supernatural books when, as a child, her family moved to a coastal suburb of north Dublin known as Clontarf; famous as the birthplace of Bram Stoker, the prolific author responsible for breathing life into the legendary story of “Dracula.” This stirred in Carol an early passion for reading about all things supernatural. When that passion was combined with a deep interest in the history and folklore of Ireland, as well as an active and vivid imagination, Carol Oates, the author, was born. Carol’s love of writing about anything not entirely “human" emerged.

GIVEAWAY:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

PART OF....

Tour Review: The Mosswoods by Astrid Yrigollen

Title: The Mosswoods

Series: The Mosswoods #1
Author: Astrid Yrigollen
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Supernatural Fiction
Elements: Magic and Wonder
Publisher: (?)
Format: PDF, 86 Pages
ASIN: B005CF7N44
Release Date: July 12, 2011
Source: Tour Host {YA Novel Reader Book Tours}
Rating: 3.5/5

Tagline(s): ~NONE~

Summary: Poppy Mosswood like most 17 year olds wants to lead a normal life. But the Mosswood family is anything but normal. Keepers protect the land from humans who would exploit it. For in the forest dwell wondrous creatures and dangerous beings. Beings that would love nothing more but to overthrow all of mankind.

Ruthless billionaire Preston Buckthorn moves to town planning to marry Poppy to his son Brad. Brad wastes no time trying to win her heart but his love is warped by the taint that runs in his blood.

As Poppy is taken in by Brad's charms the appearance of a handsome stranger from the forest awakens her heart even though it is forbidden by both their worlds. From his long dark green hair to his piercing eyes, Ashtel is beautiful and powerful. He feels the danger that has emerged to threaten both of their worlds.Torn between pledging herself as a Keeper, Brad and Ashtel, Poppy is unaware of the true identity of Preston Buckthorn and that his sinister plan includes much more than just owning Mosswood forest.

Review: 

The beginning of The Mosswoods was kind of slow--basically just introductions of the Mosswood family and forest--but the prologue kept me intrigued about what was going to happen. The second half of the book is when things really start to pick up. I was glued to my seat the whole time.

Poppy Mosswood is a character easy to relate to. She's at a crossroads. Should she follow in the footsteps of her family and become Keeper of the forest? Or should she go out on her own and experience the world? Every teenager that's about to graduate from high school and become an adult had to choose what they are going to do with their lives, and it's no different for Poppy. Well, except for the magical forest in her backyard that she's meant to protect.

Astrid Yrigollen does and amazing job describing the world--especially the forest--of The Mosswoods. I could picture the ancient and magical forest, with its assortment of peoples and creatures, so well. Mosswood Forest is definitely a place I would like to visit if it were real. On second thought, maybe I'll stick to just imagining the forest in my head. Id' rather not meet a Boarman and get eaten by him.

But there is one creature from the forest that I would love to meet--and that's WATTY! I liked Watty from the beginning, but once he started talking I couldn't help but love him. He's so funny and adorable--for a fierce werecat that looks more like a saber-toothed tiger, that is!

Poppy has to choose between Brad and Ashtel. She feels drawn to Ashtel, but feels a sadness when she's with Brad. You would think that it would be an easy choice, right? I could feel the sincerity of Ashtel's feelings for Poppy, but I always thought that Brad was a little sketchy. I would definitely choose sincere over sketchy any day. But Poppy has good instinct and I know she'll pick the right guy.

I was totally geared up for the happily ever after ending and was shocked by what actually happened. It's a great lead-in to the sequel and the sneak peek at the end does not disappoint. I wish I had the next book in my hands right now!

About this Author:

Astrid Yrigollen is a self published Author of Young Adult and Children's books. Astrid started her writing career when she begun work for the international video game giant, Sega of America. Working her way up the ranks, she began writing companion guides for games. With a love for writing fiction since childhood, she took her short stories out of storage and had her first story ever written published. It was only after that she found out that first stories are never published!

She has resumed writing full time and has succeeded in putting out the titles, The Doughnut Tree, Mysterious Pootkins , and The Mosswoods to name a few. Her short stories have appeared in the literary journal "Threshold Press" and Shock and Awe Magazine.

She finds writing for young adults both refreshing and challenging. She always wishes to provide examples of positive role models, conflict resolving methods and communication for young adults with their parents or guardians.

Contact Astrid Yrigollen

Email: mikomi6_2000@yahoo.com
Website: http://www.astridyrigollen.com

New Releases

July 10,2012

Her newest book release "The Zombie Playground: A Creature Compilation" is a collection of seven short stories geared towards young adults. In no way gory, but more realistic then her other works, Astrid attempts to magnify the human quality that we give some of our monsters and to let us remember that not all 'monsters' are bad.

Future Releases

Upcoming releases this year include two book length young adult titles, "His Black Wings" and the sequel to "The Mosswoods", "The Uprising" due out in December 2012.

PART OF....

Tour Review: Echo Falls by Jaime McDougall

Title: Echo Falls
Author: Jaime McDougall
Genre: Supernatural Fiction, Urban Fantasy
Elements: Werewolves
Publisher: CreateSpace
Format: PDF, 238 Pages
ISBN-13: 9781463664046
Release Date: July 15, 2011
Source: Tour Host {Bewitching Book Tours}
Rating: 4.5/5

Tagline(s): ~NONE~

Summary: Running from a nightmare stalking her every move, Phoebe Martin arrives in Echo Falls hoping she has finally found a safe place to stop. But trouble has a way of catching up and soon the signs are there.

After a vicious attack in an alley, policeman Aidan O'Bryan is left with Phoebe as his only path to understanding why the Echo Falls werewolf pack - his pack - is being attacked. When another pack member is killed, Phoebe is forced to confront her past before she loses Aidan and everything she has come to love.

Love and duty become one as Aidan strives to prevent Phoebe from becoming the next victim. But with Phoebe just as determined to protect Aidan and her new home, secrets from her past threaten to tear them apart. Will love give Phoebe the strength to trust Aidan and face her fears, or will her past destroy her future?

Review: 

Phoebe Martin has been running from her brother's murderer ever since the night it happened. She moves from town to town trying to find a safe place to settle down and live without fear. She thinks she's found that place when she arrives in Echo Falls. Phoebe has found an apartment, is looking for an office to rent for her photography business, she's making friends and generally beginning to call Echo Falls home. But then the murders begin and the gifts start arriving on her doorstep.

Policeman and werewolf Alpha, Aidan O'Bryan has a murderer in his town. Three werewolves outside of his pack have been murdered; and then there's the young woman who was attacked in an alley that he was able to save just in time. Being the only one who survived, Phoebe Martin has information that could help solve the case before more innocent werewolves are killed. But she refuses to talk about the attack.

As Phoebe and Aidan grow closer and the murderer closes in on Phoebe and her new pack, Phoebe will need to find the strength to face her past and open her heart to love, trust, friendship, the pack, and Aidan if she hopes to protect herself and her pack.

I loved how Echo Falls starts off right away with a high tension situation. Phoebe is being chased by an assailant who then shifts into a werewolf and manages to do quite a bit of injury to her before she's saved by a man (or was it a wolf?). This kind of situation grabs readers attention right from the beginning. Then there's the awkward morning after when she wakes up to find a strange man in her apartment cooking breakfast. I think anyone would freak out waking up to that, which is why she goes straight for the knife.

I thought it interesting that the werewolves in this book can only shift at night and are forced to return to humanity during the day. In all the books I've read with werewolves or shifters, they could all shift whenever they wanted, day or night. And I really like the story or legend behind the reasoning for the night shift only. It's romantic, but also bittersweet, which usually goes hand-in-hand with an origin story like this one.

The mystery of who the Hunter and traitor are was even more gripping with how tight-lipped Phoebe is about her past. By the time she decides to open up it's almost too late. I did have an inkling about who the traitor was though. The green-eyed monster is hard to hide and is usually a reason behind treason. I did find it kind of annoying that Phoebe wouldn't ask for help from Aidan and her new pack. Hadn't she ever heard of strength in numbers? I did admire her protectiveness though. But the question at the very heart of the tale is, will Phoebe find the strength to fight or will she continue to run?

About this Author:

Jaime McDougall is a citizen of the world, currently loving life in beautiful country Victoria in Australia. She loves eating sushi, kidnapping her husband and naming her pets in honour of science fiction authors.

A love of fiction has always coursed through her veins and she told stories as a child even before she knew how to write them. Settling into one genre was never her style and she has plans for novels in women’s fiction, urban fantasy and more – all with a touch of romance.

She has been published in Chicken Soup for the Soul: High School: The Real Deal and Chicken Soup for the Soul: Campus Chronicles. She has also enjoyed writing the So You Want ebook series for authors looking to establish their names online.

CONTACT LINKS: 

 

Website: 

http://www.inkyblots.com 

Twitter: 

http://www.twitter.com/#!/JMScribe

Facebook: 

http://www.facebook.com/authorjaimemcdougall

Excerpt (Chapter One):

Keep running, keep running, keep running. Phoebe’s lungs burned as her mind screamed the mantra. Keep running, keep running.

How many steps can there be?

She should know. She lived in this apartment building.

Tears ran down her cheeks and her lungs burned for air. Only the random irrational thought broke through the panic keeping her feet moving down the steps. Keep running. Keep running. The light of the emergency exit came into view. Almost there…

The door to the stairwell slammed open with a hollow boom. She tripped and clung to the railing to steady herself.

Keep running.

The shock of the cool night air sent a shiver of relief through her body. She’d come out a side exit into an alley. If she could just get to the front –

Suddenly she was thrown to the ground from behind. She hit the concrete, what little breath she had knocked from her lungs. Blood began flowing from where her head hit the ground, and small sparks of light floated into her vision.

How did he catch up so fast?

Desperately she tried to gulp down as much air as she could, willing her lungs to cooperate. Instinct kicked in as the attacker slashed at her, and she curled into fetal position.

A dog. He’d turned into a dog. A big dog with vicious claws and teeth he used to tear into her exposed back, thigh and shoulder. She slowly regained her breath but could only use it to scream her throat raw.

Her vision faded, taking the small sparks of light with it. Searing pain ripped through her shoulder as a claw dug down against her bone. One last, long scream tore from her lungs before she was left gasping and sobbing, her fear slowly smoldering into rage.

Things can’t end like this.

She opened her eyes as the dog stood over her, trying to get to her throat. A paw came into her line of vision and she saw her chance. She reached out, grabbed it and squeezed with all the strength she had.

The dog yelped and tried to twist away, but she held on with all the strength she had. She knew she’d only bought herself time. She couldn’t move the dog off her and she couldn’t squeeze his paw all night. He tried uselessly to bite her, his jaws having no strength so long as she squeezed his paw. But she could already feel her strength waning.

PART OF....

Review: Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris

Title: Bad Taste in Boys
Series: Kate Grable #1
Author: Carrie Harris
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Supernatural Fiction
Elements: Zombies
Publisher: Delacorte Press, Random House Inc.
Format: Hardcover, 201 Pages
ISBN: 978-0-385-73968-9
Release Date: July 12, 2011
Source: Borrowed from Wentworth Library
Rating: 4.5/5

Tagline(s): Take a bite... / Someone's been a very bad zombie. / It's scary. It's twisted. It's sick. It's high school.

Summary: Super-smartie Kate Grable gets to play doctor, helping out her high school football team. Not only will the experience look good on her college apps, she gets to be thisclose to her quarterback crush, Aaron. Then something disturbing happens. Kate finds out that the coach has given the team steroids. Except...the vials she finds don't exactly contain steroids. Whatever's in them is turning hot gridiron hunks into mindless, flesh-eating...zombies.

Unless she finds an antidote, no one is safe. Not Aaron, not Kate's brother, not her best friend...not even Kate.

Review:

In Bad Taste in Boys, Kate Grable is faced with curing a zombie virus outbreak. All it takes is one bite or exposure to any bodily fluids and you're infected. With those more suited to deal with the outbreak unbelieving that an entire school's student body is turning into zombies, the only one who can save the day is Kate, but what could possibly cure a zombie?

(there may be spoilers in this review after this point)

Bad Taste in Boys is such a fun read! Kate is such a funny and awesome heroine. She's really smart, but can also kick zombie butt. And she has so much courage--I don't know what I'd do if zombies were chomping on me.

And what a coincidence that the one person who has the ability to find a cure is epileptic. Who would have thought that the cure to zombie-ism would be epilepsy medication? Seriously, epilepsy medication! Some thing that Kate takes everyday and therefore makes her immune to the virus.

You know how most of the time the guy gets the girl in the end? Well, in Bad Taste in Boys, it's the girl who gets the guy. Kate has had a crush on the hot quarterback of the football team, Aaron. AND he likes her back! I tell you, things just seem to fall in place for Kate--even with flesh-eating zombies running around.

I had so much fun reading this book and I can't wait to see what Kate's next adventure will be.

Book Trailer:

 
About this Author: 

Carrie Harris is a geek-of-all-trades and proud of it. Brains are her specialty; she used to work at a lab where they were delivered daily via FedEx. After that, it seemed only natural to write a zombie book. Now she lives in Michigan with her ninja-doctor husband and three zombie-obsessed children.

Review: Revelation by Lauren Dane

Title: Revelation
Series: de La Vega Cats #2
Author: Lauren Dane
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Supernatural Fiction
Elements: Witches, Shapeshifters, Werewolves
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Format: Paperback, 267 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-60928-132-8
Release Date: July 5, 2011
Source: Borrowed from Wentworth Library
Rating: 4/5

Tagline(s): He has the one thing she never thought she deserved. A place to belong...

Summary: At long last, Kendra Kellogg has found her sister--but she's no closer to filling the gaps in her past. The magick that brought them together makes them targets for dark mages intent on finishing what started with their mother's murder.

As if her life wasn't chaotic enough, in barrels the one thing she doesn't expect, Max de La Vega. He's six-and-a-half-feet of cocoa-brown alpha male. He's strong, intelligent, sexy and intense. Everything she'd wanted in a man. And he scares the hell out of her. Still healing from a disastrous past relationship, she wonders if she'll ever have that kind of forever.

The next in line to run his jaguar jamboree, Max is unused to hearing "no". Once he knows what he wants, he assumes he'll get it. And he wants Kendra. She deserves happiness and it's his mission to give it to her.

When dark mages attempt to steal her magickal energy, Max's cat agrees with the man--Kendra is his to protect and he will stop at nothing to keep her safe. She can push him away as hard as she likes, he's not going anywhere.

Review:

As Kendra finds a place to belong and Max finds his other half, a plot against all paranormals is uncovered and no one is safe.

In Trinity, Lauren Dane introduced us to the Kellogg sisters and the de La Vega jaguar jamboree. It was also the beginning of a very dangerous and deadly situation that little was known about. In Revelation, as the title suggests, everything is revealed.

Trinity ended with Renee, Kendra's sister, dreaming about her past and her mother's death. Revelation picks up right from there with Kendra rushing to Renee's place after getting an urgent call asking her to come over. With Renee's memories returning, Kendra's suspicions of their father's involvement in their mother's murder are confirmed. As the search for their father and stepmother continues, Kendra gains the attention of Max de La Vega, the next-in-line alpha of his jamboree.

Amidst death threats and attacks from the mages intent on draining Kendra and her sister of their power, Kendra tries to make a place for herself in this new city and quickly finds where she belongs--with Max de La Vega as his wife and fellow alpha. Max knew Kendra was the one when he first laid eyes on her. Not only is she strong and powerful, but she's compassionate and values family. She's his equal in every way and has the ability to lead at his side.

What I love about Kendra and Max is that you can tell how much they love each other, but they don't let it overshadow what's important. They don't become completely consumed with each other to the point where they can only see themselves. They are leaders and have responsibilities, and they take that very seriously.

I like that more import is put on the story than on the romance. In a lot of paranormal romances, it's all about the romance and the rest of the story is pretty thin. With Revelation, and the de La Vega series in general, the romance and story balance each other out perfectly.

Lauren Dane knows how to write a well balanced and enjoyable story--a dangerous and suspenseful story with passionate romance. I can't wait for the next installment in the de La Vega Cats series!

About this Author:

Lauren Dane has been writing stories since she was able to use a pencil, and before that she used to tell them to people. Of course, she still talks nonstop, and through wonderful fate and good fortune, she’s now able to share what she writes with others. It’s a wonderful life!

The basics: Lauren is a mom, a partner, a best friend and a daughter. Living in the rainy but beautiful Pacific Northwest, she spends her late evenings writing like a fiend when she finally wrestles all of her kids to bed.

Review: Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-Moore

Title: Texas Gothic
Author: Rosemary Clement-Moore
Genre: Young Adult Supernatural
Elements: Witches, Magic, Psychic Abilites, Ghosts
Publisher: Delacorte Press, Random House Inc.
ISBN-13: 9780385736930
ISBN: 0385736932
Release: July 12, 2011
Rating: 4.5/5


Tagline(s): You can't escape your inner witch...

Summary:

Amy Goodnight knows that the world isn't as simple as it seems---she grew up surrounded by household spells and benevolent ghosts. But she also understands that "normal" doesn't mix with magic, and she's worked hard to build a wall between the two worlds. Not only to protect her family, but to protect any hope of ever having a normal life.

Ranch-sitting for her aunt in Texas should be exactly that: good old ordinary, uneventful, hard work. Only, Amy and her sister, Phin, aren't alone. There's someone in the house with them---and it's not the living, breathing, amazingly hot cowboy from the ranch next door.

It's a ghost, and it's more powerful than the Goodnights and all their protective spells combined. It wants something from Amy, and none of her carefully built defenses can hold it back.

This is the summer when the wall between Amy's worlds is going to come crashing down.

Review:

Characters

Amy Goodnight, legal name Amaryllis, refers to herself as the Gatekeeper. She tries to keep the paranormal world her family lives in, and the normal world everyone else lives separate. Although she denies being a witch, since she began house-sitting for her aunt, she's shown an affinity for ghosts. An affinity she wishes very much would go away.

Phin Goodnight, legal name Delphinium, is Amy's older sister. She's a genius when it comes to chemistry and physics, but she can be pretty aloof when it comes to things outside the sciences: such as guys, namely Mark Delgado. Every Goodnight gravitates toward a certain affinity, but Phin's closest fit is Kitchen witchery, although she's really all about the science and gadgets.

Ben McCulloch is the son of the McCulloch Ranch owners. He's Amy's hot cowboy neighbor, and their first meeting isn't exactly smooth. They are constantly bickering every time they see each other, mostly about the Mad Monk of McCulloch Ranch. Ben doesn't believe in the supernatural and wants nothing to do with it. And don't even think about getting his family involved.

Mark Delgado is a member of the dig team excavating the bones found on McCulloch Ranch. He's got a thing for Phin and when things get ghosty, he goes with the flow. He doesn't say whether he actually believes in the supernatural, but when things start going south he decides to stick around and help out.

The Mad Monk of McCulloch Ranch is a legend (or perhaps not) about the ghost of a monk, or possibly a priest-soldier, who smacks people about the head to protect a treasure. This story has been told by word-of-mouth for years, so the details are questionable. Is the Mad Monk Amy's ghostly apparition?

Theme

One theme in this book is denial of true self. Amy denies that she's a witch or that she has any supernatural talents. Even though it's evident that she has an affinity of ghosts, otherwise the ghost wouldn't have come to her. Eventually, when she can no longer deny who she really is, she accepts that she's a true Goodnight.

Another theme is denial of the supernatural world. Whether the supernatural is real is up to your individual interpretations. But in the world of the book it's very much a reality. And Ben can't accept that. Even when the evidence of it is freezing him to death. I can't say whether he ever really believes the supernatural is real after the events that transpired, but I do think he's a little more open to it.

Plot

A lot of ghost stories are in the genre of mystery and suspense, and this one is no different.

We have a ghost---who is either real or legend---that wants to be found. He wants the truth about himself to be known. But who is he really? Is he really the Mad Monk or was his identity lost to time? And if he's not the violent treasure hoarder, what's his real story? This is the mystery Amy needs to find the answers to. But that's not necessarily going to be easy.

Enter the greedy complication. Someone wants the gold very badly. So badly they'd desecrate human remains in their search. The very remains that could have shown up more clues to the identity of Amy's ghost had the site not been destroyed.

Add Amy's detective work and the greedy gold miner, and you've got some very suspenseful moments. Not to mention dangerous and life-threatening.

All of these elements in the plot---the mystery and suspense; the complication and resolutions (which I will not say a word about because there would definitely be spoilers)---mix very well together. It's a well-balanced plot.

Setting

There are three distinct settings in this book: Goodnight Farm, the excavation at the river, and the bat cave.

Goodnight Farm, with it's lavender fields and fresh, green smells, are a place of comfort for Amy and Phin. It's the one place they feel truly safe. Although the tree-climbing goats are a source of irritation for Amy.

When Amy first heard about the excavation she didn't want to go anywhere near it. For Phin it presents an opportunity for her to gain data for her experiments. And for the diggers it's a chance to learn about something that happened so long ago, and the excitement of a new discovery. But for the McCulloch's it's just a nuisance.

The bat cave is a small cave that Amy accidentally fell into thinking it was just a shadowy spot. This cave makes Amy feel scared. She fears that she'll die in a grave of bat poop if help doesn't come to get her out. Her ghost also pays her a visit  here and warns her to be careful. Of what? Well, you'll just have to read the book to find out.

My Final Thoughts:

I really liked the humor and banter between Amy and Ben. I thought that the moments when they were actually couple-like were few and far between, almost like a teaser. But even though the romance element is lacking the rest of the plot more than make up for it.

Quote:

Chapter Fifteen, Page 175 

"The paranormal touched people's lives, even if they didn't realize it. Sometimes it was good, sometimes it was bad, and mostly the Goodnight's tried to make sure it was good." 

About this Author:

I can't remember a time when I wasn't writing, even when I should have been doing algebra homework. Despite this, I managed to earn a master's degree in communication, and an ecclectic resume, mostly because I couldn't decide what I wanted to be when I grew up. I was interested in so many different things. The thing I like best about being a writer is that, for the space of a novel, you get to be whatever you want. Astronaut, detective, ballerina...

I went into theatre--it's all storytelling, in its own way--but now I put my drama queen skills to work writing books, which is awesome, because I don't have to stay on a diet, and I get to work in my pajamas and take breaks to play Rock Band. (Sadly, this is the only video game I can play, as most of them make me rather seasick. I suspect this seriously reduces my gamer nerd credibility.)

My interests and obsessions change frequently and without notice, but I pretty consistantly obsess about dogs, horses, sailing (despite the sea sickness thing), history, archeology, Gilbert and Sullivan, BBC America, Star Wars, movies with swords and explosions and Russell Crowe, and of course, books.