Review: Dio In The Dark

                                                                   

Dio In The Dark by Rizwan Asad
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Mythology, Urban Fantasy
Release Date: September 29, 2021
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

"Be young tonight, if you must. For tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow you will grow old, and the night will no longer be your lover."

The powers of the pantheon have faded. The gods live amongst the mortals, grasping for what little of their divinity remains.

When Zeus - King of the Gods - goes missing in modern-day Toronto, it is up to his estranged son, Dio, to find him.

And with rumors of The Darkness coming, Dio will have to race to find his father, and uncover the truth before it's too late!

♥ ♥ ♥

First and foremost how gorgeous is the cover of this book? Yes, I have a thing for book art, sue me.

Dio In The Dark is a modern day story about the Greek Gods and how they would be existing in a modern world. I've always had a crazy love for mythology of all kinds and in all inclinations. Rizwan does an incredible job of weaving together histories from the past with modern times and plays on what each God represents when depicting who they are in these modern times.

There's a great sense of humor in throughout the book and I'm not going to lie I don't think I'll get the image of Zeus dressed in tights as an actual superhero out of my head anytime soon. Just the fact that he was willing to go that far to kind of create himself to be seen as a hero in modern times is hilarious.

Review by Melissa: "Scar Tissue"

Scar Tissue by M.C. Domovitch
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Release Date: February 10, 2016
Buy Links: Amazon

Book Description:

When successful model Ciara Kelly wakes up in hospital, remembering nothing of the weeks she has been missing, her only clues are the ugly words carved into her skin. 

According to the police she was a victim of the Cutter, a serial killer who has already murdered three women. For her protection the police and her doctors give a press conference, announcing that because her amnesia is organically caused, her memory loss is permanent. 

But, whether her memory returns or not is anybody’s guess. Overnight, Ciara’s glamorous life is gone. Her scars have killed both her modelling career and her relationship with her rich boyfriend. 

With nothing to keep her in New York, she returns to her home town of Seattle, moves in with her sister and goes about building a new life. But when her sister lets it slip that Ciara’s memory is returning, the killer comes after her again. If Ciara is to stay alive, she must keep one step ahead of the Cutter.

♥ ♥ ♥

“Scar Tissue” by M.C. Domovitch was a suspenseful read. For me, it was a murder mystery that was actually a mystery.

This was a book that kept me guessing as I was reading it. It seemed like everyone could literally be a suspect for the crime that was committed against Ciera Kelly. Ciara is our main character and a former model. The book opens with Ciara running for her life after being kidnapped and tortured. 

Now, scared and traumatized, her whole world has changed. Ciara’s memory of what happened to her is gone, and she can’t remember who did it to her or what all exactly happened. She can no longer be a model, and instead moves in with her sister and starts to work at a morgue as a makeup artist for the dead.

Review by Melissa: "Floor 21"

 Floor 21 by Jason Luthor
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Dystopia
Release Date: June 2nd, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ Barnes and Noble

Book Description:

As humanity lives out the remainder of its existence at the top of an isolated apartment tower, young Jackie dares to question Tower Authority and their ban on traveling into the tower's depths. Intelligent and unyielding, Jackie ventures into the shadows of the floors below. But will her strong will and refusal to be quiet—in a society whose greatest pride is hiding the past—bring understanding of how humanity became trapped in the tower she has always called home, or will it simply be her undoing?

♥ ♥ ♥

I wasn't exactly sure what to expect when I agreed to read and review Jason Luthor's "Floor 21". I was drawn in, as I usually am, by a dystopian young adult book, and I was hoping that I wouldn't be let down. Thankfully, I was pleasantly surprised and enjoyed the book and its premise more than I thought I would.

The Story takes place in a tower where only the top floors are inhabited, because the lower levels have been infested by this substance that they call "Creep". No one is sure how it got there or when, they just know to not ask a lot of questions and to follow the rules that were set by the Tower Authority. Of course, following the rules would make a bad and boring book, so "Floor 21" is what happens when one girl starts questioning their existence in the Tower and starts to look for answers.

What was cool about "Floor 21" was that it was different. The story was told in a first person narrative, as the characters recorded their story on voice recorders. I liked this idea, because it was a great way to show off the characters' unique voices in a way that is not commonly done.

The recordings, in my opinion, also added more suspense to what was happening. Since the characters are going through their own stories, they aren't able to speak knowingly on what else is going on, or why it's going on. Instead, the reader finds out more information along with the characters on the voice recorder, and everything has a stronger sense of immediacy.

 

I would recommend "Floor 21" to anyone who enjoys dystopian stories as much as I do. I read the whole book in about a day and a half (and that was even with me going out with friends and having a life for a change!), because I wanted to find answers. It seems like Luthor is setting up for another book to follow, and if that is true, I would love to continue reading and learning more about the Tower and the Creep.

♥ ♥ ♥

Author Bio:

Jason Luthor has spent a long life writing for sports outlets, media companies and universities. His earliest writing years came during his coverage of the San Antonio Spurs as an affiliate with the Spurs Report and its media partner, WOAI Radio. He would later enjoy a moderate relationship with Blizzard Entertainment, writing lore and stories for potential use in future games. At the academic level he has spent several years pursuing a PhD in American History at the University of Houston, with a special emphasis on Native American history.

His inspirations include some of the obvious; The Lord of the Rings and Chronciles of Narnia are some of the most cited fantasy series in history. However, his favorite reads include the Earthsea Cycle, the Chronicles of Prydain, as well as science fiction hits such as Starship Troopers and Do Androids dream of Electric Sheep?

Website ♥ Goodreads

Review by Melissa: Kaitlin's Tale

Kaitlin's Tale by Christine Amsden
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: May 16th, 2016 (ebook), July 15th, 2016



Book Description:

Kaitlin Mayer is on the run from the father of her baby – a
vampire who wants her to join him in deadly eternity. Terrified for her young son, she seeks sanctuary with the Hunters Guild.

Yet they have their own plans for her son, and her hopes of
safety are soon shattered.

When she runs into Matthew Blair, an old nemesis with an
agenda of his own, she dares to hope for a new escape. But
Matthew is a telepath, and Kaitlin's past is full of dark secrets

she never intended to reveal.

*Companion to the Cassie Scot Series

♥ ♥ ♥

I'm really excited that Christine Amsden is traveling outside of her original Cassie Scot stories in favor of shedding some more light on characters who were previously only in the background. It's interesting to see the same conflicts and events going on through different perspectives, and Amsden is great at making sure everything weaves together nicely.

"Kaitlin's Tale" is actually Amsden's second time branching off from her original series. I had read the previous book, "Madison's Song", and enjoyed it, so i knew that "Kaitlin's Tale" was also going to be enjoyable for me. And thankfully I was correct. Like Amsden's other books, I found this one hard to put down and read the whole thing in one weekend.

Review by Debby: Guilty as Cinnamon (A Spice Shop Mystery #2)

Guilty as Cinnamon (A Spice Shop Mystery #2) by Leslie Budewitz
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Release Date: December 1, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Murder heats up Seattle’s Pike Place Market in the next Spice Shop mystery from the national bestselling author of Assault and Pepper.

Springtime in Seattle’s Pike Place Market means tasty foods and wide-eyed tourists, and Pepper’s Spice Shop is ready for the crowds. With flavorful combinations and a fresh approach, she’s sure to win over the public. 

Even better, she’s working with several local restaurants as their chief herb and spice supplier. Business is cooking, until one of Pepper’s potential clients, a young chef named Tamara Langston, is found dead, her life extinguished by the dangerously hot ghost chili—a spice Pepper carries in her shop.

Now stuck in the middle of a heated police investigation, Pepper must use all her senses to find out who wanted to keep Tamara’s new café from opening—before someone else gets burned…

♥ ♥ ♥

Guilty as Cinnamon, the second book in the Spice Shop Mysteries by Leslie Budewitz, is a spicy combination of setting, interesting characters, mouth-watering dishes, and mystery that leaves you hungry for more.

Review: Here They Lie (The Bloodstone Legacy #1)

Here They Lie (The Bloodstone Legacy #1) by D'Ann Burrow
Age Group: New Adult
Genre: Southern Gothlic, Romance
Release Date: October 5, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Reese Everett’s aunt picked a bad time to die. Just weeks after a car accident left Reese’s mother unable to travel, her aunt’s house needs to be emptied and sold, leaving Reese as the only member of the family who can do the job. She typically wouldn’t balk at the opportunity to sift through her aunt’s collection of antiques, but when she arrives in Devil’s Vale, Georgia, she discovers the family house in a state of disrepair she won’t be able to handle alone.

Colton Waters is back in Devil’s Vale – whether he likes it or not. After he loses his acceptance to medical school with no explanation, he’s left with a single job offer…one that will return him to the hometown he’d hoped to escape. When an errand to help his sister ends in a meeting with Reese neither will easily forget, Colton takes a job as her temporary handyman.

The longer Reese stays in town, the more she realizes the condition of her aunt’s house isn’t the only thing she hadn’t expected when she made the trip to Devil’s Vale. Reese isn’t the only gifted member of the family – her aunt Kate has been practicing the family business…the business Reese has been sworn never to discuss.

After a ghostly visitor arrives one night, Reese and Colton learn Kate wasn’t the only one practicing the darker arts. They begin to uncover secrets that refuse to stay buried.

♥ ♥ ♥

“How do you stop something that started almost two hundred years ago?” – Reese ‘Here They Lie’

Something wicked this way comes…or was it already there to begin with? Here They Lie by D'Ann Burrow follows Reese Everett who’s made her way to Devil's Vale, Georgia to help settle her Aunt Kate’s estate. Originally her mother was supposed to handle things after her aunt’s death, but after a car accident Reese gets roped in to heading to Devil’s Vale all by herself leading to the discovery of a mystery and ties to a town and it’s people that she never knew existed.

Review: School of Deaths (The Scythe Wielder's Secret #1)

 

School of Deaths  by Christopher Mannino
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: May 2nd, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Thrust into a world of men, can a timid girl find bravery as the first female Death?

Thirteen-year-old Suzie Sarnio always believed the Grim Reaper was a fairy tale image of a skeleton with a scythe. Now, forced to enter the College of Deaths, she finds herself training to bring souls from the Living World to the Hereafter. The task is demanding enough, but as the only female in the all-male College, she quickly becomes a target. Attacked by both classmates and strangers, Suzie is alone in a world where even her teachers want her to fail.

Scythes hungry for souls, Deaths who subjugate a race of mysterious magicians, and echoes of an ancient war with Dragons.

As her year progresses, Suzie suspects her presence isn't an accident. She uncovers a plot to overthrow the World of Deaths. Now she must also discover the reason she's been brought there: the first female Death in a million years

♥ ♥ ♥

I was pretty excited to read "School of Deaths". It's a new take on the story of the Grim Reaper, which I thought was a pretty cool concept. The book is about a 13 year old girl named Suzie Sanrio who gets thrown into the all male world of being a Death. Deaths are what we think of when we think of the Grim Reaper, but there are actually a lot of them and before Suzie, they were always boys who were chosen.

Since Suzie is the first girl to go to the School of Deaths in living memory, she faces a lot of scrutiny and criticism. However, she doesn't let that stop her from unraveling some of the mysteries that she's stumbled upon in this new world. With the help of the few friends she's made, she uncovers more and more clues as to what is really happening around her.

Review: The Mystery of Moutai (Back Bay Investigation #1)

The Mystery of Moutai (Back Bay Investigation #1) by G.X. Chen
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Mystey
Release Date: April 14, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

A teenager returns home from school to find a gruesome scene: the apartment he shares with his mother, Shao Mei, in Boston’s Chinatown has been ransacked and she is dead. There is a bottle of Moutai—the most exotic and expensive Chinese liquor—left at the scene and traces of rat poison in one of the two shot glasses on the kitchen counter. This was evidently a homicide, but who could possibly be the killer?

Ann Lee and Fang Chen, close friends of the victim, team up with the Boston police to solve this mystifying crime: why would anyone want to murder a harmless middle-aged woman, one who worked as an unassuming mailroom clerk, with no money, no connections, and presumably, no enemies?

Realizing that important clues behind the motive may be buried deep in the victim’s past, they travel to Beijing, where Shao Mei spent more than fifty years of her life. While there, surrounded by the antiquities of China’s rich and complex history, they stumble unwittingly into a cobweb of mystery and danger. Fearing for their lives but determined to press on, they end up unearthing a scandal more deceptive and far-reaching than either could have imagined.

♥ ♥ ♥

When I first started this book, I had reservations on whether I would like the writing style of this author. However, it didn’t take me long to get into this story and discover that I enjoyed G.X Chen’s way of writing this mystery. Feng Chen and Ann Lee are characters that I look forward to spending time with and getting to know better.

Review: Playing with Fire

Playing with Fire by Tess Gerritsen
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Release Date: October 27, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

In a shadowy antiques shop in Rome, violinist Julia Ansdell happens upon a curious piece of music—the Incendio waltz—and is immediately entranced by its unusual composition. 

Full of passion, torment, and chilling beauty, and seemingly unknown to the world, the waltz, its mournful minor key, its feverish arpeggios, appear to dance with a strange life of their own. Julia is determined to master the complex work and make its melody heard.

Back home in Boston, from the moment Julia’s bow moves across the strings, drawing the waltz’s fiery notes into the air, something strange is stirred—and Julia’s world comes under threat. The music has a terrifying and inexplicable effect on her young daughter, who seems violently transformed. Convinced that the hypnotic strains of Incendio are weaving a malevolent spell, Julia sets out to discover the man and the meaning behind the score.

Her quest beckons Julia to the ancient city of Venice, where she uncovers a dark, decades-old secret involving a dangerously powerful family that will stop at nothing to keep Julia from bringing the truth to light.

♥ ♥ ♥

If you are a fan of Tess Gerritsen’s Rizzoli and Isles series, then this may not be the book for you. However, if you enjoy the writing style of this author and want something out of the box, then I suggest you check out this book.

Though technically a mystery with all the clues carefully filtered throughout the book, it certainly keeps you turning the pages to find out why things happened and what will happen next, but as a mystery reader I felt cheated at the resolution of the things that happened to Julia and her family.

Review: The Phoenix Born (A Dance o Dragons, Book 3)

The Phoenix Born by Kaitlyn Davis
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: November 17th, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ Barnes and Noble

Book Description:

For the first time in a thousand years, the fire dragon has been awakened and Rhen is its
rider. But after destroying the armies that threatened the city of Rayfort, Rhen is shown a
vision in flames that changes everything. The shadow's phantom armies are coming and
the dragons are the only things that might stop them.

High in the castle at the top of the Gates, Jinji has learned something of her own. Janu,
her long lost twin, is alive. And just as the spirit shares her body, the shadow shares his.
In the blink of an eye, her quest for vengeance against the evil that killed her family has
changed to one of protection. Because she knows that if Rhen learns the truth he will do
what she cannot—end the shadow and end her brother in the process.

As the shadow grows more aggressive, Jinji and Rhen fight to find the rest of the dragon
riders. But with time running out, they are forced to face the impossible decision between
honor and love. Alliances are formed, promises are broken, and the fate of the world
hangs in the balance…

♥ ♥ ♥
"The Phoenix Born" is the last of Kaitlyn Davis' "A Dance of Dragons" series. This is a series that I've been reading and reviewing from the beginning, so finishing this book was a bit of a bittersweet experience for me. It was interesting to see the direction the story was going, but I'm also sad to see it draw to a close.

This third and final installment in the series was one that really had me hooked. With the previous two books, we were led to believe certain things, and "The Phoenix Born" takes those thoughts and flips them around. Davis makes the reader question the things we thought we knew were "right", and showed how some times things aren't always as they seem.

Something else that I liked about this book was that we were introduced to more dragon riders. The coolness of dragons themselves aside (but seriously, dragons are awesome), I enjoyed the idea of the riders. They're connected in this special and unique way that gives them a purpose, a destiny. There were also some moments where they got to lighten the mood by playing around together with their elemental dragons.

I really did enjoy reading this book. While The first in the series too me a bit to get into, now the story is able to start right away and keep moving. However, these are not stand alone novels, so if you're interested in reading one (which I do recommend), start from the beginning.

If you're looking for a new fantasy series to read that's a way easier and faster read than the "Song of Ice and Fire" series, this might be the series for you. There's still magic, and dragons, and battles, but the story isn't weighed down like Martin's is. Davis' "A Dance of Dragons" is definitely a series that I would recommend.

♥ ♥ ♥

Author Bio:

Bestselling author Kaitlyn Davis writes young adult fantasy novels under the name
Kaitlyn Davis and contemporary romance novels under the name Kay Marie.

Always blessed with an overactive imagination, Kaitlyn has been writing ever since she
picked up her first crayon and is overjoyed to share her work with the world. When she's
not daydreaming, typing stories, or getting lost in fictional worlds, Kaitlyn can be found
indulging in some puppy videos, watching a little too much television, or spending time
with her family. If you have any questions for her--about her books, about scheduling an
event, or just in general--you may contact her at: KaitlynDavisBooks@gmail.com

Twitter ♥ Facebook ♥ Website ♥ Goodreads

 

 

 

Review: The Devious Dr. Jekyll

The Devious Dr. Jekyll by Viola Carr
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Steam Punk/Fantasy
Release Date: October 27th, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ Barnes and Noble

Book Description:

Dr. Eliza Jekyll, heroine of the electrifying The Diabolical Miss Hyde—an edgy
steampunk retelling of the classic Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde—investigates a bizarre
murder case in an alternate Victorian London while battling her treacherous secret
half: Lizzie Hyde.

Solving the infamous Chopper case has helped crime scene physician Dr. Eliza
Jekyll establish her fledgling career in the chauvinistic world of Victorian law
enforcement. But the scrutiny that comes with her newfound fame is unwelcome
for a woman with a diabolical secret. And there is the mercurial Royal Society
agent and wolf man Remy Lafayette. Does he want to marry her, eat her, or burn
her at the stake? Though Eliza is uncertain about Remy, her dark and jealous
shadow self, Lizzie, wants to steal the magnetic and persistent agent, and usurp
Eliza’s life.

It’s impossible to push Remy away when he tempts her with the one thing she
can’t resist: a bizarre crime. The search for a bloodthirsty ritual torturer dubbed the
Pentacle Killer draws them into a terrifying world of spies, art thieves, and evil
alchemy, where the price of immortality is madness—or damnation—and only
Lizzie’s dark ingenuity can help Eliza survive.

As Eliza and Remy race to thwart a foul conspiracy involving the sorcerous
French, they must also overcome a sinister enemy who is all too close: the
vengeful Lizzie, determined to dispose of Eliza for good.

♥ ♥ ♥

"The Devious Dr. Jekyll" by Viola Carr was a bit of a different read for me. Although I'm familiar with the aspects of the Steam Punk genre, I've never actually read any before. It took me a bit to get familiar with the culture and language being used, but once I was properly acclimated I was able to enjoy Carr's story.

This is actually the second book in Carr's "Electric Empire" series. This is another series that I'm not starting at the beginning, but it was enough of a standalone book that I was able to read the second in the series and not feel completely lost. However, there were a lot of characters in this electric Victorian world that sometimes seemed to all run together for me. This is possibly something that would have been easier to keep track if I had read the previous book.

Review: The Witches of BlackBrook (Witches of BlackBrook #1)

The Witches of BlackBrook (Witches of BlackBrook #1) by Tish Thawer
Age Group: New Adult
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: June 23, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Through space and time, sisters entwined. Lost then found, souls remain bound.

Three sisters escape the Salem witch trials when the eldest casts a spell that hurtles their souls forward through time. After centuries separated, fate has finally reunited them in the present day.

One the healer, one the teacher, and one the deceiver.

Will their reunion return their full powers, or end their souls journey forever?




♥ ♥ ♥

It has been quite a while since I read a book about witches that I really loved, but I am so incredibly glad that I picked up The Witches of BlackBrook! It was everything I could have possibly asked for. The Witches of BlackBrook by Tish Thawer follows three sisters through their journey to find each while navigating the past, preset, and future.

I thought Thawer did a great job with the backstory and I love the spells and the different angles that the story was told from. I really enjoyed Trin and I think that because she was probably one of the more developed characters in the book. 

Madison's Song by Christine Amsden
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: September 15, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ Barnes and Noble

Book Description:

Her voice is enchanting; his soul is black...

Madison Carter has been terrified of Scott Lee since the night he saved her from an evil sorcerer – then melted into a man-eating monster before her eyes. The werewolf is a slave to the moon, but Madison's nightmares are not.

Despite her fears, when Madison's brother, Clinton, is bitten by a werewolf, she knows there is only one man who can help. A man who frightens her all the more because even in her nightmares, he
also thrills her.

Together for the first time since that terrible night, Scott and Madison drive to Clinton's home only to discover that he's vanished. Frantic now, Madison must overcome her fears and uncover hidden strengths if she hopes to save him. And she's not the only one fighting inner demons. Scott's are literal, and they have him convinced that he will never deserve the woman he loves.

♥ ♥ ♥

When I was asked to read Christine Amsden's new book, Madison's Song, I was excited. I had previously read and reviewed all of her books in her Cassie Scot series and was sad to see it go. So this spin off book was just what I needed to get back into that world.

Madison's Song is meant to be a stand alone book, so it's not necessary to read the series that it's spinning off from. However, if you do ever plan on reading Cassie Scot's story (which I do recommend), that should be read only because Madison's Song has some spoilers that are mentioned.

That being said, if you have read the Cassie Scot books, you'll see some of the characters returned. Obviously the main character is Madison who was featured as more of a background character before, as well as another sideline character - Scott, Evan's werewolf friend. Both of those characters get a lot more flushed out and developed in this book, and the chapters even alternate between the two of their point of views.

There are also small glimpses into the world of Cassie Scot- mostly through Evan who is in the book a bit. Cassie, however does not make an appearance, but I was OK with that. This is Madison and Scott's story, so they shouldn't be overshadowed by another main character.

Review: The Girl Who Ignored Ghosts (The Unbelievables #1)

The Girl Who Ignored Ghosts (The Unbelievables #1) by K.C. Tansley
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal
Release Date: August 1, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

She tried to ignore them. But some things won’t be ignored.

Kat Preston doesn’t believe in ghosts. Not because she’s never seen one, but because she saw one too many. Refusing to believe is the only way to protect herself from the ghost that tried to steal her life. Kat’s disbelief keeps her safe until her junior year at McTernan Academy, when a research project for an eccentric teacher takes her to a tiny, private island off the coast of Connecticut.

The site of a grisly mystery, the Isle of Acacia is no place for a girl who ignores ghosts, but the ghosts leave Kat little choice. Accompanied by her research partner, Evan Kingsley, she investigates the disappearance of Cassie Mallory and Sebastian Radcliffe on their wedding night in 1886. Evan’s scientific approach to everything leaves Kat on her own to confront a host of unbelievables: ancestral curses, powerful spells, and her strange connection to the ghosts that haunt Castle Creighton.

But that’s all before Kat’s yanked through a magic portal and Evan follows her. When the two of them awaken 129 years in the past with their souls trapped inside the bodies of two wedding guests, everything changes. Together, Kat and Evan race to stop the wedding-night murders and find a way back to their own time—and their own bodies—before their souls slip away forever.

♥ ♥ ♥

It’s been a while since I had some uninterrupted time to read and after taking a bit of a break I’m more than happy with the fact that The Girl Who Ignore Ghosts by K.C. Tansley was my first book back. This book follows Kat Preston as she does her best to unravel mystery from the past that she never saw coming. I’ve read a lot of books that involve magic and things, but I have to say I really like the approach that Tansley took with this book.

Kat doesn’t just one day start seeing ghosts, this is something that’s sort of been with her since she was young and the fact that she has to “not believe” in ghosts to keep herself safe is an interesting way to look at things. But all of that changes when the past and present collide.

Review: Grey (The Romany Outcasts Series, Book 1)

Grey (The Romany Outcasts Series, Book 1) by Christi J. Whitney
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: April 30, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ Barnes and Noble

Book Description:

Sebastian Grey always thought he was a fairly normal teenager – good friends, decent grades, and a pretty sweet job in his foster brother’s tattoo shop.

But when strangers arrive in town, Sebastian soon realizes that his world is nothing at all what it seemed. Secretive gypsies surround him, shadowy figures stalk him, and the girl he’s been dreaming about turns up at school.

  Now Sebastian must protect this girl at all costs, even if it means he will never be normal again.



♥ ♥ ♥

Grey by Christi J. Whitney was a different read than what's been out in the YA market so far. While most YA authors focus on high school girls and the vampires they fall in love with, Whitney makes her narrative character a high school boy who starts going through a lot more than puberty. There's also no vampires to be seen, but instead Whitney takes us into the colorful world of Gypsy culture (as well as some other elements, that you'll just have to read to find out about!). It's a breath of fresh air when everything seems so mass marketed right now in the YA aisles at book stores.

I enjoyed reading Grey. Sebastian was a likable character who didn't spend pages and pages whining about his star crossed love, or about the changes he was going through. Yes, he had questions (and lots of them), but he doesn't waste the reader's time by making his own problems the story's full focus. Instead Whitney makes sure there's a lot going on to keep the reader's interest peaked so that the pages keep turning with the need for more story, more answers.

In fact, Whitney doesn't even reveal the big secrets of what is happening in Sebastian's life until about halfway through the book (and I'm not going to reveal them either, so you'll just have to deal with a spoiler free review), while the first half is all about Sebastian and how is everyday life is becoming not so normal without him knowing what is exactly causing the changes.

Review: Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold (Kitty Hawk Flying Detective Agency #1)

Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold (Kitty Hawk Flying Detective Agency #1) by Iain Reading
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Action, Adventure
Release Date: December 2012
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold is the thrilling first installment in a new series of adventure mystery stories that are one part travel, one part history and five parts adventure. This first book of the Kitty Hawk Flying Detective Agency Series introduces Kitty Hawk, an intrepid teenage pilot with her own De Havilland Beaver seaplane and a nose for mystery and intrigue. A cross between Amelia Earhart, Nancy Drew and Pippi Longstocking, Kitty is a quirky young heroine with boundless curiosity and a knack for getting herself into all kinds of precarious situations.

After leaving her home in the western Canadian fishing village of Tofino to spend the summer in Alaska studying humpback whales Kitty finds herself caught up in an unforgettable adventure involving stolen gold, devious criminals, ghostly shipwrecks, and bone-chilling curses. Kitty's adventure begins with the lingering mystery of a sunken ship called the Clara Nevada and as the plot continues to unfold this spirited story will have armchair explorers and amateur detectives alike anxiously following every twist and turn as they are swept along through the history of the Klondike Gold Rush to a suspenseful final climatic chase across the rugged terrain of Canada's Yukon, the harsh land made famous in the stories and poems of such writers as Jack London, Robert Service and Pierre Berton. It is a riveting tale that brings to glorious life the landscape and history of Alaska's inside passage and Canada's Yukon, as Kitty is caught up in an epic mystery set against the backdrop of the scenery of the Klondike Gold Rush.

Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold is a perfect book to fire the imagination of readers of all ages. Filled with fascinating and highly Google-able locations and history this book will inspire anyone to learn and experience more for themselves as Kitty prepares for her next adventure - flying around the world!

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Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold, book one of the Kitty Hawk Flying Detective Series for young adult readers, is exactly the kind of story I would have enjoyed as a teenager and one that I will purchase for the young adult readers in family.

As with many books that I review, there are things that I love about this book and things that I didn’t care for as much.

The story seemed a bit confusing for me in the beginning and I felt that a few things could have been left out of the first quarter of the book, but it didn’t take long before I was engrossed in Kitty’s adventures as she travels to Juneau, Alaska for research on humpback whales. The story took off once Kitty is kidnapped by four brothers transporting stolen gold across the Chilkoot Pass.

Blog Tour: Fake Boobs

Fake Boobs by Ryan Ringbloom
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: February 1, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Tori Albert is eighteen. Her confidence level is zero. A girl lost in the shuffle, hiding in the shadows craving attention, but no one ever seems to notice her. If only someone, anyone, would notice her, she’d be happy.

Grant Donavan is Tori’s older brother’s best friend. Suddenly he can’t stop noticing Tori, but that is not a good thing. She’s young, inexperienced and naïve. The best thing he could do is walk away. So why the hell is he not walking away?

Tori’s small boost of confidence gets torn down and she makes changes to build it back up. But maybe her new confidence isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Unfortunately some things you just have to learn the hard way.


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This story was beautiful. I honestly don’t know how Ryan Ringbloom does it. Each book by her I read is better than the last and Fake Boobs is no exception. It deals with a subject that I think everyone can say they’ve had issues with at least once. Despite how beautiful and smart Tori is she has issues with confidence and dozens of insecurities that plague her through the story and we can to see her deal with these issues while learning how to overcome them.

I really liked Tori’s character. She was a bit down on herself and yes sometimes I wanted to throttle her and Grant both to be honest, but that’s only because I was so invested in what was happening. Ringbloom has a way of creating her characters in such a realistic way that you can’t help but identify with them.

Review: Daughter of the Fallen

Daughter of the Fallen by Madeline Wynn
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal
Release Date: November 1, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ Barnes and Noble

Book Description:

Most sixteen-year olds aren't worried about the fate of their immortal souls.

May Krieg should be. Typically, honor student May's biggest problems have revolved around her  super-hot arch-rival, Jack. But when a school project takes them ghost-hunting  in a local cemetery, she discovers that an ominous force roams in the darkness  around her.

And it follows her home.

It claws its way into her life, burning messages into her wall and imprinting them onto her body. Even worse, she can't tell if it's trying to possess her... or  protect her.

May's thoughts soon become actions, causing the target of her anger severe physical pain and giving her a rush the likes of which she has never  experienced. She quickly realizes that she needs to find a way to reign in this power before she kills someone. May hates the pleasure it gives her, hates herself for hurting others, but she can't stop.

As her entire world shatters around her, she is forced to ask what her soul is worth-- and who would she risk losing her soul to save?

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I went into reading "Daughter of the Fallen" by Madeline Wynn thinking one thing and came out of it thinking something completely different. What initially interested me in this book was the description and paranormal aspect that it held. However, while I was reading the book, the paranormal parts weren't as enjoyable to me as the other "normal" parts of the main character's life.

"Daughter of the Fallen" centers around the character May, and when we first meet her she's hunting ghosts with her friends for a school project. What could go wrong, right? Wynn starts the action and gives us the paranormal right away with this scene, because May (literally) stumbles upon something that's more than she bargained for when she went out on the hunt, and it starts to take a toll on her daily life. It's not long before she's having nightmares and seeing shadows out of the corner of her eye.

Review: The Spirit Heir (A Dance of Dragons #2)

The Spirit Heir (A Dance of Dragons #2) by Kaitlyn Davis
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: October 30, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ Barnes and Noble

Book Description:

From bestselling author Kaitlyn Davis comes the second book in the thrilling A Dance of Dragons series--perfect for fans of Throne of Glass, Graceling, and Game of Thrones!

Drenched in darkness and surrounded by the echo of screams, Jinji waits deep in the dungeons of Rayfort, haunted by the memory of the knife stabbing Rhen, plagued by a  foreign voice whispering through her mind. A few floors above, Rhen rests trapped in a coma, about to wake to a changed world—a world where his best friend is a woman, his nephew is the king, and an enemy army surrounds him on all sides. But human wars are insignificant compared to the darkness gathering unseen. Memories  of lives she never lived flash through Jinji's thoughts, hinting at a past that cannot be  repeated. A mysterious phantom visits Rhen, carrying cryptic messages of the future.  And somewhere out there, the shadow continues to lurk in silence. Uncertain of their relationship and tempted by new feelings, Rhen and Jinji must find a  way to work together. The fate of humanity rests on their shoulders and the real battle has only just begun…

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"The Spirit Heir" by Kaitlyn Davis pretty much picks up where the last book left off. Rhen and Jinji are back in Rhen's kingdom and they are dealing with the reproductions of what happened when the shadow came to court and a war was started in Rayfort.

One thing that I had trouble with with "The Shadow Soul", the first book in Davis's "A Dance of Dragons" series, was that it was a bit hard for me to get into the story at first. There was a lot of world building (which is always a necessary evil) and getting to know the characters, but that didn't happen with "The Spirit Heir". Maybe it's because I was already familiar with the characters after reading the first book and I was just genuinely interested in what they would do next, but I was engrossed in the story from the beginning.

Review: Through the Woods

Through the Woods by Emily Carroll
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Horror, Sequential Art, Short Stories
Release Date: Published July 15th 2014 by Margaret K. McElderry Books
Buy Links: Amazon ♥ Book Depository

Book Description

'It came from the woods. Most strange things do.'

Five mysterious, spine-tingling stories follow journeys into (and out of?) the eerie abyss.

These chilling tales spring from the macabre imagination of acclaimed and award-winning comic creator Emily Carroll.

Come take a walk in the woods and see what awaits you there…

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Lately I’ve been on a big graphic novel and comics kick devouring big name books and smaller ones as fast as my library holds come in and Through the Woods by Emily Carroll did not disappoint.

In these five graphic tales, Carroll’s prose and art blend seamlessly to bring you on a journey through haunting tales of strange things that come from or go into the woods. With the strong folkloric feel, the stories themselves seem to end in such a way that leaves you wanting to go deeper into each little universe.