Summary: Aria Darwin has always considered herself cursed. She is obsessed with finding a cure for the bad boyfriend plague. Worse yet, she’s in denial about her weird abilities and terrified of her mysterious stalker who causes the earth to quake violently with the snap of his finger.
With her two best friends, Aria enters her first semester of college armed with a “no more men” pact in an effort to demagnetize the sleaze balls. Unfortunately, the agreement proves difficult when she meets Liam, a charming foreign exchange student, on the first day of school.
Aria quickly discovers that Liam is not only Mr. Perfect, but he also somehow ignites her supernatural side. Upon the invitation of her dream guy, Aria travels to Ireland through the study abroad program, dragging her friends along with her. But her world of euphoric bliss quickly comes crashing down as she uncovers the truth about her past, revealing who she really is and what she was born to do.
Review:
REVIEW WILL BE POSTED AFTER 12PM.
About this Author:
Jenna Bernel lives tucked along the bluffs, spending her days lost in the world of fantasy. When she’s not writing, she’s reading and drinks way to much caffeine to satisfy her love of both. Growing up she traveled extensively through the competitive dance circuit, unaware that at the time it would provide her future career an endless stream of inspiration for the captivating drama of Young Adult Fiction.
Summary: Maya Delaney's paw-print birthmark is the mark of what she truly is -a skin-walker. She can run faster, climb higher, and see better than nearly everyone else. Experiencing intense connections with the animals that roam the woods outside her home, Maya knows it's only a matter of time before she's able to Shift and become one of them. And she believes there may be others in her small town with surprising talents.
Now Maya and her friends have been forced to flee from their homes during a forest fire they suspect was deliberately set. Then they're kidnapped, and after a chilling helicopter crash, they find themselves in the Vancouver Island wilderness with nothing but their extraordinary abilities to help them get back home.
In THE CALLING, the sizzling second book in the Darkness Rising trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong pumps up the romance, danger, and suspense that left readers of THE GATHERING clamoring for more.
Review:
Maya and her friends are being evacuated from a burning Salmon Creek when they notice something isn't quite right. Mayor Tillson is unresponsive and Maya finds signs that he's been drugged. The pilot is acting suspicious, and as the helicopter loses control, a friend is lost. Injured, but having escaped their kidnappers, they find themselves lost in the wilderness of Vancouver Island. As they make their way back to Salmon Creek, secrets and revelations are brought to light, some of which are better left in the dark.
Project Phoenix is an experiment where the St. Clouds are trying to resurrect extinct supernatural types. Mina Lee had given Daniel a list of terms that included: benandanti, yee naaldlooshii, xana, and sileni. We know that the yee naaldlooshii were an extinct Native American skinwalker, and that that's what Maya, Rafe and Annie are. Sam reveals herself to be a benandanti and that she believes Daniel is one too. The benandanti were an extinct race of demon hunters who evolved into general evil hunters. Like the skinwalkers, the demon hunters hid their powers through intermarriage and the St. Clouds resurrected the genes to bring them back. SPOILERS AFTER THIS POINT!!
Now, it isn't said in The Calling what the xana and sileni are, but I looked them up and found out what they are. The xana (ha-na) are female water nymphs or fairies. They are extraordinarily beautiful, usually small, slender, with long blonde or light brown hair. Their hypnotic voices can make one feel a sense of peace and love or feel suffocated and driven insane, depending on the purity of the soul. They can be kind, but are territorial. Serena, Hayley, and Nicole all fit this description. It would also fit with Sam's suspicion that Nicole was responsible for Serena's death. Nicole thought of Daniel as her territory and destroyed Serena for invading it.
Sileni were drunken followers of the Greek dog, Dionysus, who ruled over the grape harvest, wine, ritual madness and ecstasy (or possibly followers of his tutor, Silenus, the oldest, wisest, and most drunken of Dionysus's followers). Silenus was believed to possess special knowledge and the power of prophecy when drunk. I feel pretty bad for Corey in this case, because this fits him and the emergence of his powers. Corey is known for his drinking and it seems to help keep his headaches away. It is while he is drunk that his visions come.
There have been some developments in each of their powers, but it'll be interesting to see how much more they could change in The Rising, especially when those who don't know what they are find out.
The man that held a gun on Maya and looked like her in The Gathering when they were escaping turns out to really be her father, like she suspected. But he's aligned himself with the Nast Cabal to search for her and her friends. He claims to have been searching for her and her brother ever since her mother ran off with them. Do I believe that? I'm not sure. Calvin Antone seems suspicious to me and like he's still hiding something.
Then they made it back to Salmon Creek, the town was completely deserted, their parents believing them to be dead. But the St. Clouds haven't given up on capturing them. Maya, Daniel, Corey, and Rafe split up. Rafe and Corey act as decoys so Maya and Daniel can get away and get help--they end up captured. As they are running, Daniel gets shot with a tranq and tells Maya to keep going. But Maya's not going to leave her friends behind and waits for her chance to rescue them. She Shifts into a cougar and...well...it's really awesome, she was amazing. But while Maya was able to free Daniel and Corey, they didn't make it in time to the helipad to get Rafe, Annie, Sam, and Kenjii.
Before all this happened, Rafe gave Maya a note, and it turned out to be memos on the Buffalo escape and the failed Genesis Project. Rafe left a contact his mother gave him and told Maya to find him and then come back for them. I believe this contact to be Simon and Derek's dad, Kit. The moment I've been looking forward to the most in this series is when the groups from the Darkness Rising and Darkest Powers series come together. I have a feeling it's going to be amazing.
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.
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Science Fiction
Publisher: Pamela DuMond
Format: PDF, 313 Pages
Release Date: April 10, 2012 Source: Author {Pamela DuMond} Rating:
Tagline(s): Infinity. Life. Death. Rebirth.
Summary: Some souls are meant to be together, but pursuing true love can be dangerous and often deadly. When sixteen-year-old Madeline falls in love with Samuel, a boy who lives hundreds of years before she is even born, she will risk her very existence to be with him.
Madeline’s from present day Chicago when she is pushed onto the train tracks, and accidentally time travels to a bloody war between the Natives and the colonists. She falls in love with a Native boy, Samuel. But, she’s living in the body of a colonial girl and their romance is a crime that carries harsh punishments.
Madeline discovers that she is meant to be a Messenger, a traveler who if properly trained, can slip through time's fabric at will. The Medicine Woman mentors her. But Madeline doesn't fit in this world. She’s different from the other colonists. Rumors of witchcraft and spying arise. Deadly Hunters, dark-souled predators as well as skilled time travelers, crave Madeline's powers. Can Madelinefind the way back to her future? And will that future include her one true love, Samuel?
Review:
There are two things I like about science fiction. One is time travel, the other is aliens (the hot kind of aliens, not the little green men kind). But The Messenger involves time travel. Madeline is taken all the way back to 1675 Rhode Island during the King Philip War. She learns that she is a Messenger, she's trained by a Medicine Woman, and finds love with a Native boy named Samuel. But there are those that are after her and her power.
I find time travel stories to be really awesome because of the time travel, but they can also be really sad and heartbreaking, especially if there are two people from different times falling in love and then being separated when one returns to their time. These dynamics are what make science fiction time travel stories, like The Messenger so great. I also really liked the Native legends in The Messenger.
The Messenger is a gripping tale that I really want more of!
About this Author:
Pamela DuMond is the writer who discovered, pitched and sold the real-life Erin Brockovich story to Hollywood. Erin Brockovich the movie was nominated for four Academy Awards.
In grade school Pamela was an A student but stuttered and was bullied. Reading became her refuge. She devoured every thriller and mystery she could get her hands on and eventually wrote her own. When she was twenty-two years old she finally started talking. Her brother swears she hasn't shut up since.
Pamela writes comedic sexy Cupcakes mysteries: Cupcakes, Lies, and Dead Guys (An Annie Graceland Mystery) was published by Krill Press in 2010. She published Cupcakes, Sales, and Cocktails – A Novella in 2011 and Cupcakes, Pies, and Hot Guys in 2012.
Pamela also writes YA. The Messenger (Mortal Beloved, Book One) is the first in the series of YA romantic time-travel historical thrillers. She was inspired by The Hunger Games books by Suzanne Collins and Last of the Mohicans the movie.
Pamela is also a chiropractor and cranio-sacral therapist. Besides reading, writing, she loves the beach, yoga, movies, animals, her family and friends. She lives in Los Angeles, California, with her furballs and welcomes appropriate questions and feedback from her readers. Feel free to contact her at Pamela.DuMond@gmail.com.
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary Fiction
Publisher: M. Leighton
Format: PDF, 199 Pages ISBN: 1475158378
Release Date: April, 2012 Source: Author {M. Leighton} Rating: 5/5
Tagline(s): ~NONE~
Summary: Her heart, as delicate as glass. His love, as strong as steel. Can either survive life and death?
Hardy Bradford is an eighteen year old football phenomenon who has the girl, the school, the town and the future in the palm of his hand. His life is all mapped out for him, right down to who he’ll marry and how he’ll become a professional football player. It doesn't seem to matter that Hardy would’ve chosen a much different life if it was up to him. But it's not. At least not until his Miracle comes along.
The first time Hardy laid eyes on Miracle St. James, he didn’t know who she was, but he knew she was something different and that he’d never get her out of his head. And he didn’t. Now, months later, Hardy’s world is turned upside down when Miracle shows up in his class, stealing his heart and forever changing the course of his life.
Miracle’s sick. Very sick. And Hardy might be losing the only thing in his life that has ever mattered. How much is too much to sacrifice for the one you love? For just a little more time? For just one more chance? Can Hardy be the hero Miracle needs? Or is it Hardy that needs saving?
Short Review:
I am a HUGE fan of books like Fragile. They are always so beautiful and emotionally charged. I'm always left crying by the end. I loved Fragile!
About this Author:
I was born and raised in the United States, and I’ve lived in several of the fabulous fifty. Though I currently live in the deep South, I spent much of my childhood up North and hope to return there one day. A few other things about me: I believe that sometimes you have to look really, REALLY hard to find the good in people, but it's there. I believe that I'm shrinking (I swear five years ago I was two inches taller). I believe my husband is quite possibly one of the most amazing men in the entire world (I can't be sure because I haven't met all of them). I believe coffee and chocolate, when combined, could be the basis for world peace. I believe that Jesus rocks and communism doesn’t. I believe that white makes me look fat and black collects lint. I believe summer's too hot, winter's too cold and fall was made for football. I like dogs better than cats and the first movie in a trilogy is invariably the best. But most of all, I believe that love conquers all.
Title: Chasing McCree Author: J.C. Isabella Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary Fiction Publisher: J.C. Isabella Format: PDF, 256 Pages ASIN: B007UASYB0 Release Date: April 14, 2012 Source: Tour Host {YA Bound Book Tours} Rating: 5/5
Tagline(s): ~NONE~
Summary: Briar Thompson had it all. The right clothes, the right friends, the right car. Being popular was all that mattered. Her parents were rich and treated like royalty throughout the community. She thought her senior year of high school was going perfectly, until the night her drink was spiked at a party by one of her so called friends.
That was the night she met Chase McCree.
Chase wanted to go back to Montana. To the ranch and the wild, wide blue sky that went on forever. He wanted nothing to do with flashy cars or spoiled rich kids. But he found himself head over boots for the quirky cheerleader who turned her back on her social status. She befriended him when no one else would.
Shunned and hurt by the people who were once her friends, Briar flees with Chase to his family ranch in Montana. There she discovers another world, and apart of herself she never knew.
The cowboy wasn’t like anyone she’d ever met. The cheerleader wasn’t like anyone he’d ever met. Apart their lives didn’t seem to make sense, but together, they were chasing forever.
Chasing McCree switches between the perspectives of Chase McCree and Briar Thompson, although while I was reading I felt the main POV was Chase's. The story begins and finished with Chase.
Chase and Briar couldn't be from two more different worlds than they are. Chase is a cowboy from Montana, ready to inherit his family's ranch, trying to live with his mother in Florida. It's not that he doesn't love his mother, but he misses ranch life and doesn't like city life in Florida. Briar is a cheerleader and one of the popular crowd at her high school. But when she stumbles upon Chase in a park one night, drunk and injured, everything changes. She sees how superficial and shallow her life has been and decides to just be who she really is, instead of who others want her to be. A summer in Montana with Chase sounds like just what she needs.
You know, it really annoys me when rich kids judge those who aren't like them. They call Chase a hick and basically trailer trash, but what they don't know is that Chase is probably richer than all of them put together, he just doesn't flaunt it around. What I like about Briar is that, just like Chase, she has a lot of money but doesn't really care about it. And it's just awesome how she defends Chase when he's verbally attacked by his classmates. Then there's Briar's parents who think that Chase is just using her to get their money. It was priceless when they found out just how much Chase is worth. That really shut them up!
Another thing was how no one believed that Briar could possibly love living on the McCree Ranch. Is it so inconceivable that a city girl could love ranch life? I mean, seriously. Just because they don't like it doesn't mean that someone else from the city wouldn't. For someone who loves animals and wants to be a veterinarian, the ranch is the perfect place for Briar.
But living on a ranch can be dangerous too, with all the buyers out there wanting a piece of Chase's 50,000 acres. They even go so far as to hire Chase's ranch hands to scare Chase into selling by setting fires, breaking and entering into his house, shooting his cattle, and desecrating his family's memorial site. But nothing they do will ever make Chase sell the ranch--no amount of money can entice him when he has more than he knows what to do with, and any kind of vandalism or violence just makes him angry. Chase's love for his family's ranch, his family's legacy, is matched only by how much he loves Briar.
One of my favorite characters, besides our main couple, is Briar's grandmother. She's quirky and funny. She doesn't sugarcoat anything, she says it like it is. And she 100% there for Briar when her parents aren't.
I absolutely LOVED Chasing McCree. It has become one of my favorite contemporary young adult reads!
About this Author:
I'm J.C. Isabella, and I love to write. I've been writing for about ten years now. Mostly it was just for fun, for me. But my friends liked my work, so I decided to self publish. I hope you enjoy the rest of my site, and the books I have written.
The reason I chose to write romance, is because I love a happy ending. In YA there are so many lessons to be learned, so many firsts to be had. Why not write about first kisses, first crushes, or trying to explain to your father you were bitten by your boyfriend, who happens to be a werewolf?
One thing I will always promise in my books is a happy ending. I've always hated getting to the end of a really great novel, and feeling let down because it didn't end the way I thought it should. So about ten years ago, I decided to write a book. I remember it was about these kids who hijack a boat to find buried treasure in Mexico....
Needless to say, my writing has come a long way since my teen years, and I know I have room to improve, but I feel guilty having these books sitting in my computer, with no one to read them. So I'm putting them out for the world to see!
I try not to take myself too seriously. I'm not an editor, nor am I a total wiz when it comes to grammar or language. I try my darndest though, and I hope to give people an enjoyable read that is nice a break from reality.
I put a lot of work into what I do, and I appreciate people reading my work. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
Title: Nightmare Series: Noctalis Chronicles #2 Author: Chelsea M. Cameron Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Supernatural Fiction Elements: Vampires Publisher: CreateSpace Format: ISBN: Release Date: April 14, 2012 Source: Tour Host {SupaGurl Book Tours} Rating:
Tagline(s):~NONE~
Summary: Ava-Claire Sullivan's first mistake was becoming vampire Peter Mackintire's personal blood bank. Her second mistake was falling in love with him.
Now it's Ava's job to make sure he never loves her in return. A pact Peter made nearly a hundred years ago means loving someone will kill him. If she can figure out how to free him from his promise, it might kill her, make her immortal, or lead to the love she wants so badly.
But if she doesn't, at best, her heart will break…and at worst, Peter will die.
Review:
REVIEW WILL BE POSTED SOONER THAN LATER... SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE.
About this Author:
Chelsea M. Cameron is a YA writer from Maine. Lover of things random and ridiculous, Jane Austen/Charlotte and Emily Bronte Fangirl, red velvet cake enthusiast, obsessive tea drinker, vegetarian, former cheerleader and world's worst video gamer. When not writing, she enjoys watching infomercials, singing in the car and tweeting. She has a degree in journalism from the University of Maine, Orono that she promptly abandoned to write about the people in her own head. More often than not, these people turn out to be just as weird as she is.
She has two books out now, Nocturnal and Nightmare, the first and second books in the Noctalis Chronicles about a girl with a dying mother who meets an immortal boy. The third book, Numb will be out this August, and the fourth in the winter. Her other book, Whisper, about a girl who is alive, a boy who isn't and the complications that go along with their relationship, released June 16 and is the first in a trilogy. Follow her on Twitter: @chel_c_cam, her blog, or on Facebook.
Join us for Nocturnal Night on August 30th 8pm EST / 7pm CST for a LIVE Video chat with Author of Nocturnal and Nightmare Chelsea Cameron.
We will be chatting about everything from her books, the writing process, to Edward v/s Jacob *grins* There will be some giveaways going on too. Don't have a webcam? No worries you can still totally join in with text chatting. You will be able to see everyone else. Shy? Don't be we are all eager to meet you!! Join us for a night of Awesome.
Title: The More I See Series: Texas Hearts #3 Author: Lisa Mondello Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Romance Fiction Publisher: Lisa Mondello Format: ISBN: 9781476431666 Release Date: April 19, 2012 Source: Tour Host {Bewitching Book Tours} Rating:
Tagline(s): ~NONE~
Summary: As a top-notch cutting horse trainer, Cody Gentry was
riding high until he lost his eyesight after a freak chemical accident.
Unable to see the hand in front of his face, never mind the horse or
cattle he trained, he knows his life is over and slips deep into
depression. His whole future hinges on the success of an eye surgery
that could give him his old life back.
When guide dog trainer, Lyssa McElhannon, arrives on his ranch like
Florence Nightingale coming to save him, he wants no part of her or her
guide dog. But something about Lyssa’s musical laugh coupled with her
tenacity digs under his skin and won't let go. Having been blind most of
her life, Lyssa understands the paralyzing fear Cody feels after losing
his vision. But she refuses to let the stubborn cowboy waste his life
away sitting in a chair when she knows first-hand that a good guide dog
can change his world. She just needs one month to prove it to him.
Falling in love with Cody was not part of Lyssa’s plan, nor was having
him open her eyes to see that there was a whole lot of living she’d been
missing out on.
Review: REVIEW WILL BE POSTED LATE. SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE.
EXCERPT The More I See
"I was told I could find Cody Gentry out here by the pool," she finally said.
The muscles on his face twitched slightly. "Who's looking?"
The
timbre of his voice was deep, with a faintly ominous edge that reminded
Lyssa of the voices she'd heard as a child when she and Kim would sneak
downstairs in the middle of the night and watch old horror flicks on
cable. She couldn't see the movies, she'd only heard the voices, and
that added to the mystery, raised the level of anticipation, sending
shivers racing up her spine.
Cody wasn't anything out of a horror flick. She ignored the swell of apprehension that had her confidence faltering.
She
knew better than to extend her hand in a normal greeting for her
introduction. It'd be rude since Cody couldn't see her. Instead, she
hoped her voice sounded pleasant. "I'm Alyssandra McElhannon."
He didn't move. "What do you want?"
"I brought Otis," she said cheerfully.
"What's Otis?"
"Otis is a who, not a what."
Cody's
whole body stiffened. His voice was controlled, but edgy enough to send
shivers chasing over her skin. "I'm sorry you came all the way out here
like this. Apparently someone failed to give you adequate information.
I'm not training cuttin' horses anymore."
"Oh,
Otis isn't a horse. He's a dog. Your guide dog. And I'm here to train
the two of you to work as a team." Otis, like many dogs trained as
seeing aids for the vision impaired, were a lifeline to independence.
He sat still, unaffected. It wasn't at all the reaction she'd been expecting.
"Not interested."
"And you would be Cody Gentry, I take it?" she asked already knowing he was.
"I just said I'm not interested."
"And I heard you. My job is to make you interested."
"Says who?"
Confused, she said, "Mike Gentry for one."
He groaned audibly and straightened up in his chair. "My father sent you, huh?"
"That's right. He didn't tell you I was coming?"
"Did he already pay you for your troubles?"
"Well, yes, a portion is—"
"Then you're fired. I'll make sure you get the rest of the money you're owed by mail. I'm sorry he wasted your time."
Cody was as difficult as Mike Gentry had warned but in a totally different way than Lyssa had been prepared for.
"In
the first place, the school pays my salary. Second, training my dogs
and students is never a waste of my time. Furthermore, you aren't the
one who hired me, your father did. In fact, he asked me to stay on at
the ranch until you and Otis were working well together. So, you can't
fire me, no matter how much you squawk."
He made a face that almost made her laugh. "Squawk?"
Crossing her arms across her chest, she said, "I call it like I see it."
"Listen, Ms. McElfen er McEllaf… What's your name again?"
"McElhannon," she said slowly. "Alyssandra Orchid McElhannon."
Texas Hearts series includes:
HER HEART FOR THE ASKING
HIS HEART FOR THE TRUSTING
THE MORE I SEE
About this Author:
Lisa Mondello (a.k.a. LA Mondello) has held many jobs in her life but
being a published authors is the last job she'll ever have. She's not
retiring! She blames the creation of the personal computer for her leap
into writing novels. Otherwise, she'd still be penning stories with
paper and pen. Her first book, All I Want for Christmas is You, was the
winner of the Golden Quill contest for Best First Book and to date has
had over 350,000 downloads worldwide.
She is currently the author of 14 novels under the name Lisa Mondello and LA Mondello.
Title: Warrior Series: The Fallen #3 Author: Kristina Douglas Genre: Supernatural Fiction, Paranormal Romance Elements: Angels, Deities, Wraiths Publisher: Pocket Books, Simon and Schuster Inc. Format: Mass Market Paperback, 373 Pages ISBN: 978-1-4516-5591-9 Release Date: April 24, 2012 Source: Borrowed from Wentworth Library Rating: 4.5/5
Tagline(s):He denied her love until a stunning revelation made their destiny impossible to ignore. / There comes a time in every angel's life to show his brethren what he's made of. Summary:A born warrior,
archangel Michael is dedicated to the Fallen’s survival. But only one
woman understands the seductive hunger that he cannot forsake. Every
little girl imagines, now and then, that she’s a princess held captive
in a tower. But Victoria Bellona is almost twenty-five. And that whole
fairy-tale scenario? That’s her real life. The drop-dead gorgeous man
who rescues her is no Prince Charming. He’s the gruff archangel Michael,
and he insists that Tory is the Fallen’s only hope for ending Uriel’s
vicious rule. She insists he’s crazy. According
to the prophecy, Michael must marry this frustrating, fascinating
creature, bed her, and drink her blood. But their fate is a double-edged
sword. If they give in to their urgently growing desires, Tory will die
in battle. If they refuse, she will die anyway, and with her, all of
mankind. Michael is determined to find another solution when a
traitorous kidnapper forces him into a deadly confrontation. Even if he
can save Tory from Uriel’s ruthless clutches, will they ever really be
together? Or is her fatal destiny—and the world’s—written in stone?
Review:
Warrior begins with a prophecy stating that Michael must mate with the reincarnation of the Roman goddess of War, Victoria Bellona, if they are to prevail in the upcoming battle with Uriel and his armies of angels. Having been secluded and basically held prisoner her whole life, Victoria jumps at the chance to leave and finally experience life when Michael comes for her. Neither Michael or Victoria wants this marriage--Michael is a warrior to the core and needs to train and lead the others in battle, and Victoria just wants to experience the life that was denied her growing up. But when another prophecy arises predicting Victoria's death in battle, Michael will do anything to prevent it. Like in the previous books in The Fallen series, the featured member of the Fallen always fights against the attraction to his chosen mate. That is no different in Warrior. In fact, I would say that the fight is even stronger in this book with both sides being natural fighters. But, just like in the previous books, the attraction wins. Even the great Archangel Michael and the Roman goddess of War can't fight the inevitable. But Victoria's impending death brings a fragile and heartbreaking note to their relationship. The night they have together before the big battle was truly magical and Kristina Douglas does an amazing job bringing it alive in my mind with her words. In Raziel, we were introduced to the setting to Sheol. In Demon, we were taken to the Dark City. Now in Warrior, Kristina Douglas expands the world and setting of The Fallen by showing us the many worlds within the Darkness. One such world, called the Candy Land, was reminiscent of Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, but with a much more sinister twist. Within the Candy Land, a person feels a constant sense of euphoria, but it's a false sense. The Fallen world is becoming more expansive and complex, I can't wait to see where we're taken next. Martha's vision predicting the arrival of the black angel coming to Sheol and the mystery surrounding Cain, transition the story perfectly to the next book, Rebel. It's too bad that we have to wait until 2013, but I can't wait for the next story in this series. About this Author:
Kristina Douglas is the pseudonym for a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author with over sixty published novels. She lives with her husband in the dark woods of northern Vermont.
Title: Blue Exorcist Volume 7 Japanese Title: Ao no Exorcist Series: Blue Exorcist #7 Manga-ka: Kazue Kato Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Graphic Novels, Older Teen Ages 16+ Publisher: Viz Media, Shonen Jump Advanced, Shueisha Inc. Format: Paperback, 177 Pages ISBN-13: 978-1-4215-4262-1 Release Date: April 3, 2012 Source: Borrowed from Wentworth Library Rating: 4.5/5
Tagline(s): Fight hellfire with hellfire!
Summary: Mamushi and Todo now have both eyes of the Impure King and are headed for the temple that was once the center of the Myodha sect. Mamushi wants to seal the eyes away, but may be too late to realize Todo’s true purpose—the awakening of the Impure King! Meanwhile, Rin learns more about Father Fujimoto’s connection to Tatsuma and the origin of the Koma Sword. Rin will need the weapon and all of his strength to face the terrible power of the Impure King!
Review:
As the past continues to be revealed, Todo and Mamushi take the Eyes of the Impure King to the husk that was its body. Once the eyes are returned, the Impure King will live once again. But Tatsuma won't let that happen without a fight. But as it turns out, Tatsuma (or rather his familiar, Karura) was Todo's target all along. Reviving the Impure King was just an added bonus.
When Rin come to the end of Tatsuma's letter, he wishes to help in any way he can. There's just one problem: He can't draw his sword! Rin is scared of what he is capable of and has lost all his confidence. And it really doesn't help that he's been given a death sentence for using his flame. But Rin's power is needed to defeat the Impure King, so it's up to his friends to break him out!
I don't really have much to say about this volume, but one thing stood out. While all the chaos with the Impure King is raging and Rin is facing death for using his flame, his friends realize that they couldn't bear for him to die, so they set out to free him. Shiemi realizes her mistake in only thinking of her own hurt feelings and not what Rin must be going through. I think the most powerful moment between Rin and his friends was when Rin asked Konekomaru if he would trust Rin with protecting Suguro. Konekomaru's nod yes was really important to Rin because he knows how much Suguro means to Konekomaru, and his trust is priceless to Rin.
I can't wait to see what happens next with the fight against the Impure King and what Rin's fate will be when it's all said and done.
About this Manga-ka:
Kazue Katō (加藤和恵, Katō Kazue), born on July 20th, 1980 in
the district of Shinjuku, in Tokyo, is a Japanese mangaka, author of
shōnen manga. She is mainly known to be author of Blue Exorcist. She also created Robot to Usakichi ( ロボとうさ吉 ), for which she received the price Osamu Tezuka Award.
Title: She Speaks to Angels Series: AngelFire Chronicles #1 Author: Ami Blackwelder Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Supernatural Fiction Elements: Angels, Demons Publisher: Eloquent Enraptures Publishing Format: PDF, 236 Pages ASIN: B007PSPT5Q Release Date: April 1, 2012 Source: Tour Host {Bewitching Book Tours} Rating: 4/5
Tagline(s): ~NONE~
Summary: "I tried not to sound hysterical, but it's not every day you find out the paranormal is hunting you."
What if everything you believed was a lie?
A Suicide
Seventeen-year-old Allison Maney attends Millennium High School in Manhattan. Nothing out-of-the-ordinary, unless you consider the occasional suicides at the school. At least that is what everyone is told, what everyone believes. But Tommy Bachelor was a popular football player, why would he jump off the roof of the school? Dangerous Liaisons
When Dameon pays attention to Ali, she couldn't be more excited, because for the past three months he was all she could think about. But now that Dameon is finally pining for her affections, she is becoming more and more wrapped up in a clique-of-three, who as new transfers to the school are proving to be trouble. But at least Dameon loves her, doesn't he?
Kian--a dangerous love interest she did not ask for.
Powers--belonging to an underworld she never knew existed.
A Clique--that could be friends or foes?
A Soul Purpose
The underworld of angels and demons have one thing on their minds--Earth.
Demons want to do what they want.
Angels want to protect humans from these rogue angels, AKA: Demons.
For Allison Maney, everything is not exactly what it seems...
A Suspenseful Romance
Caught between Dameon and Kian, the suicide and the clique-of-three, Ali won't know who to trust...or who to love.
Review:
There are many books out there with battles between angels and demons, good and evil; but She Speaks to Angels has elements I've never read in another book of its kind. Ami Blackwelder takes real life issues ans combines them with the supernatural to create a tale of gripping survival, intense romance, and puzzling mystery.
Ali's world changed abruptly when Tommy Bachelor jumped from the roof of her high school. But why would a popular football player kill himself? Ali believes that there's more to the incident than meets the eye and starts her own investigation into the suicide. What she finds is unbelievable. Angels in Manhattan? Yep, but they aren't the only ones taking up residence in the city. The demons, or Dark Angels, are also in town, and they want Ali dead. Why do they want her dead? Because she found out their secret and they are losing their power and the only way to get it back is by killing her. But the angels, or AngelFire, will do anything to protect her.
Ali doesn't know who she can trust. Dameon, the guy she's been crushing on since he transferred the Millennium High and is finally showing interest in her? Or the three new transfer students--Kian, Krysta, and Nathaniel--who warn Ali away from Dameon? What she does know is that none of them are what they seem and all of them are hiding something.
One of the unique things I really liked about She Speaks to Angels is the rules that the angels and demons are to live by. The AngelFire are pretty serious about keeping them, but the Dark Angels gain new, not necessarily stronger, powers by breaking them; such as fur or fangs. Breaking the rules results in loss of essence, loss of wings, and loss of gifts. One of the rules that Kian and Ali have grievance with is the one that states that there can be no intimacy with humans, otherwise there's a loss of wing power. This makes for some pretty intense moments between Ali and Kian when they do allow some small amount of physical contact.
I like that Ali didn't fall in love with Kian right away. She was so blinded by Dameon in the beginning that she never really saw Kian until it was almost too late. When she did finally see Kian, she realized her mistake in choosing Dameon over Kian. The fact that there can be little to no physical intimacy between them proves that their feelings are from the heart and not hormones. Because of the no intimacy rule, their relationship has an intensity that's purely emotional. I thought that the moments when Kian touches Ali with his ethereal form was very powerful, because it's the only way for them to really be able to touch without Kian losing his wing power.
The beginnings of Dameon and Sammael's plan for making an army of Fanged and Were demons to fight the AngelFire are revealed in She Speaks to Angels. With losses and gains at the end of this book, it will be interesting to see how these changes impact future events.
Book Trailer:
About this Author:
Ami Blackwelder is a romance suspense writer in the paranormal, scifi and historical genres. Growing up in Florida, she graduated UCF and in 1997 received her BA in English and additional teaching credentials. Then she packed her bags and travelled overseas to teach in Thailand, Nepal, Tibet, China and Korea. Thailand is considered her second home now. She has always loved writing and wrote poems and short stores since childhood; however, her novels began when she was in Thailand.
“Ignorance is bliss,” Molly replied at the park picnic park table. “Better if we don’t push our noses into someone else’s business.”
I fidgeted with my galoshes until I finally curled one leg under the other. “Tommy died for a reason. Doesn’t that reason bother you?” A gust of wind blew past and tousled my hair.
“How would we ever know the reasons? We can’t read his mind,” Molly retorted as she fixed her favorite avocado-colored scarf, which draped on her neck, a scarf that accented the green in her irises.
Sniffling, Jennifer desperately wanted to join the conversation, but couldn’t speak without shaking and bawling. She tended to her wool mittens instead. Red-eyed and disheveled, she reminded me of an old rag doll. Dressed in heavy beige coats, knit hats and boots, the three of us stayed relatively warm in the 30 degree weather. We were well acclimated, since we were all born and raised in New City.
“There has to be something we can find. He was popular for heaven’s sake, ” I insisted as Molly stared at me incredulously. “Girls loved him. Teachers adored him. Doesn’t make any sense.” I shook my head.
“Why? His best friends don’t even know why. Why does anyone do it?” Molly plopped her hand down on the picnic table, the hand holding the fanning paint brush. Dabbing her ocean blue canvas with specs of white, she created a snowy effect. “Maybe he just couldn’t take the pressure of being popular anymore.” When she rolled her eyes, I knew what Molly was thinking. She didn’t like the so-called jocks. Suicide or not, she didn’t want to give them any more of her time. But I didn’t want to let it go, couldn’t let it go. Something about it nagged me.
“Because...people just don’t go killing themselves for no good reason.”
“If you care so much, maybe you should write something up for the school paper.” Molly tilted her head to me and I lit up like a neon light. “You know...like one of those in-memory pieces.”
Brilliant! I hadn’t even thought of it, but I did have journalism fifth period. I could satiate my persistent curiosity and complete an assignment all in one. Every writer needed a muse and Tommy would be mine. A muse from the grave.
“We could work on it together...like Bonnie and Clyde.” I grinned as a snowflake dropped from the pines above and lit my long lashes.
Tightening the hug-grip around her chest, Jennifer sniffed one last time before raising her gaze.
“Wait, wait, wait...first of all Clyde was a guy,” Molly interjected, “and I’m not going to be the guy in this scenario. More like Rizzoli and Isles. And second, I am n-o-t going to be a part of this.”
“Why not? Could be intriguing. Today is Wednesday and we don’t have to be back at school until Monday. What else are we going to do?” I rationalized.
“I’ll do it.” Jennifer interrupted, the sound of her voice almost foreign at this point in the conversation. We both jerked our heads in her direction. Wiping her nose with the back of her coat sleeve she held a sneeze and repeated more firmly. “I’ll do it.” Her big brown eyes widened as her lips tensed.
“You will? why?” Molly cocked a brow and spun her body around on the bench to face Jennifer better. Her fingers inched across the table and found Jennifer’s mittened hands. “You don’t have to do this just because...” she didn’t want to say it aloud, but Molly had a way about her. Truth, whether crass or not, always popped out of her uncontrolled mouth. “...you liked him.”
Blushing, Jennifer tilted back and the freckles on her cheeks almost faded away. “I am going to do this because Ali is right. Tommy was not the sort to commit suicide. He had everything going for him. With his death this makes...” she paused in thought counting on her fingers, recollecting the names listed in the morning paper, “five deaths from Millennium High in seven years!”
“Don’t forget Emily.” I reminded them, and they each gave me wrinkled foreheads of confusion. “The girl who was found dead in Central Park. She went to the school too...and just because she didn’t die on school grounds doesn’t make her death any less odd.”
“Something is going on at this school and I’ll be damned if I’m just going to sit and do nothing.” Jennifer got her mojo back, a newfound task of investigation motivating her out of her misery.
“Well damn, if you two are going to go at this then...” Molly raked her fingers through her shoulder length cut and sighed, “then I might as well do it too.”
Jennifer and I both turned at the same time and grinned.
“What else am I going to do until Monday without the two of you?” Molly reasoned.
“It’s settled then. We are officially the unofficial team investigating this suicide,” I added as another gust of wind brushed through the park, rushing over Molly and Jennifer.
Jenna Bernel lives tucked along the bluffs, spending her days lost in the world of fantasy. When she’s not writing, she’s reading and drinks way to much caffeine to satisfy her love of both. Growing up she traveled extensively through the competitive dance circuit, unaware that at the time it would provide her future career an endless stream of inspiration for the captivating drama of Young Adult Fiction.
