Review: "Bad Taste in Men"

Bad Taste in Men by Lana Cooper
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Humor
Release Date: December 18, 2013
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Book Description:

Have you ever felt like even Mother Theresa has got more game than you?
If you have, you'd be in the same boat as geeky, awkward metalhead Nova Porter.

Bad Taste In Men follows Nova from her prepubescent years through young adulthood and her attempts at getting dudes to dig her.

Juggling self-esteem issues, small town outsider status, and questionable taste in guys, Nova is looking for love in all the wrong places - like the food court at the mall. Nova's circle of friends and her strange(ly) endearing family more than make up for what her love life lacks.

Along the way, Nova alternately plays the roles of hero and villain, mastermind and stooge; picking up far more valuable life lessons than numbers for her little black book.

One part chick lit for tomboys and one part Freaks and Geeks for kids who came of age in the mid-'90s, Bad Taste In Men is loaded (like a freight train) with pop cultural references and crude humor.

From getting laughed at by your crush to being stood up (twice!) by a guy with one eye, Bad Taste In Men showcases the humor and humiliation that accompanies the search for love (or at least "like") as a small-town teenage outcast, managing to wring heart-warming sweetness from angsty adolescent memories - and jokes about barf and poop.

♥ ♥ ♥

"Bad Taste in Men" by Lana Cooper can best be described as a "fictional memoir". It's a work of fiction that follows Cooper's main character, Nova, from her preteen years through adulthood and her journey to find love. Unfortunately for Nova, the journey is far from a smooth one and the reader goes along with the character and all of her mishaps and heartbreaks.

Nova is an interesting character. She lives in small town America, but is a complete metal head that's not afraid to be loud and make dirty jokes at every opportunity. These qualities make her a bit of an outcast in town as well as school, and that's one more challenge that she has to overcome on her way to finally finding a boyfriend.

Another difficulty of Nova's is that she's looking for love in all of the wrong places. More than once she tries to turn a friend relationship into something more, and ends up ruining the friendship from trying to force something that's not there. Also "Bad Taste in Men" really isn't just a title. Nova's taste is HORRIBLE. The poor girl can't help but to fall for deadbeats and guys who treat her poorly. At times as a reader I felt bad for her, and there were other times when her taste was just so wrong that it was humorous.

Book Review: Sendoff for a Snitch (A Jesse Damon Crime Novel)

Sendoff for a Snitch (A Jesse Damon Crime Novel) by KM Rockwood
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Release Date: August 22, 2013
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Everybody knows snitches get stitches. Or worse.

After years in prison on a murder conviction, Jesse's trying to make it on the street, but nothing comes easy. He's always broke and the police figure he's a natural suspect for almost anything, even without Aaron trying to set him up.

Jesse can't catch a break. His forklift at work is wrecked. His sometimes-girlfriend is furious with him. His basement apartment has a few feet of water in it. And it's still raining.

Wait until his parole officer finds out he's been caught driving Aaron's pickup truck. Without a license. That alone might violate his parole and send him back to prison. Then when Aaron's body is found floating in the flooded stairwell of his apartment, prison looks like a forgone conclusion, unless Jesse can manage to steer the police in another direction.

♥ ♥ ♥

There are many things that I like about this book.

The author’s use of the weather as a major element in this story is well done. Throughout the book, the author engaged all my senses with the vivid descriptions. Even though I read Send off for a Snitch during the hot days of summer, I still felt the need to wrap up in a soft quilt and sip on a cup of hot tea as I got caught up in the cold storm of this story and the aftermath it left.

I liked the fact that Jesse Damon isn’t someone with special skills or a bigger than life hero, but an ordinary person who made a bad decision when he was a teenager that sent him to prison for 20 years and left him on parole dealing with the issues that come with it.

Review: On the Way to Everywhere

On the Way to Everywhere by Kirsten B. Feldman
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Release Date: September 8, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Though she’s nicknamed for the magical Harry Potter, six-foot, dreadlocked Harry Kavanaugh doesn’t find any wonder in her daily life at an exclusive girls’ school outside of Washington, DC.

In fact she wants nothing more than to chuck her lot and enter the wilds of public school—too bad she didn’t reckon on a trip to the hospital, a runaway, and a renegade or three, which just might show her a different path to everywhere.







♥ ♥ ♥

On the Way to Everywhere by Kristen B. Feldman is fresh and entertaining, definitely one of the best books I’ve read this summer. I absolutely adored Harry. I love that she wasn’t this perfect, popular character who everyone automatically loved. I enjoyed the fact that she was awkward and that there were parts of the story that really showed her coming into her own.

Feldman has a way of writing characters that make you want to root for them. I loved all the insight we got into Harry and how she ticks throughout the story. She’s the kind of character you can relate to and that's another thing I enjoyed about Feldman’s writing. She does a great job of creating a world where you can't help but love and hate characters.

Review: Mermaid

Mermaid by Kate O'Connor
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction
Release Date: March 22nd 2013
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

How far would you go for freedom?

Harvesting seaweed for World Food Co. is the only life genetically engineered sea drone Coral has ever known. 

Nothing in her short, monotonous life prepared her for a chance meeting with a boatful of strangers who force her to question everything she is.

When the opportunity arises to change her place in the world, Coral finds herself caught between a powerful company and the family she was so desperate to leave. 

Struggling to unravel the tangle of politics and love, time is running out as she fights to learn the hardest lesson of all – what it means to be truly human.

♥ ♥ ♥

I’ve got to say Mermaid by Kate O’Connor isn’t exactly what I expected it to be, but I genuinely enjoyed the Science Fiction twist. This new take on mermaids was clever and original. Instead of being a creature from the sea, these mermaids or rather drones were genetically created with a mixture of human cells and technology.

The eight legged drones, technically they were arms not legs, were created by a company to grow and manage their seaweed and things that are used in their food products. Most drones follow orders and take commands without questioning things or having any thoughts of their own really, except for Coral, later known as Cora.

Review: Divine Sanctuary (Divine Trilogy #3)

 

Divine Sanctuary (Divine Trilogy #3) by Cheryl Kaye Tardiff
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Paranormal Mystery
Release Date: June 15, 2014
Buy Links:

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Book Description:

In the Divine trilogy finale, the heat is tripled when CFBI Agent Jasi McLellan must rescue Emily, the ghost girl that haunts her dreams; expose her own mother's killer; and uncover a murderer that preys on the weak at Sanctuary, a controversial cult nestled in the woods near Mission, BC.

Something insidious lurks behind the safe haven of Sanctuary's wrought iron gates. Led by the charismatic Father Jeremiah, the cult's idyllic lifestyle seems perfect on the outside. But a lethal hunter is on the prowl, and in a carefully executed game of cat and mouse, the body count rises.

Along with Victim Empath Natassia Prushenko, Psychometric Empath Ben Roberts and Special Consultant Brandon Walsh, Jasi follows three trails of clues that lead to one terrifying conclusion: home is not always the safest place on earth.


♥ ♥ ♥

"Divine Sanctuary" is the third book in the "Divine Trilogy" by Cheryl Kaye Tardif. Normally I don't read books in a series unless I've read them from the start, but I was told that "Divine Sanctuary" would read as a standalone book, and I was pleasantly surprised that was true. While reading, I wasn't confused about anything and Tardif did a good job creating a story that works on its own as well as part of a series.

The story revolves around a CFBI Agent named Jasi McLellan, who is part of the PSI branch of the CFBI. The PSI branch is a secret one whose agents have paranormal abilities that help them solve their cases. Jasi, for example, is a Pyro-Psychic. That means that if someone is killed by fire, Jasi can gain more information from the scene by smelling the smoke from that fire.

The main mystery in this book comes when one of Jasi's friends gives her a call because a woman she knows has been missing for awhile after investigating the inner workings of a cult called Sanctuary. This woman is a reporter who went undercover in order to prove Sanctary and the man who runs it aren't all that they appear. However, once she stops checking in, her friend gets worried and wants Jasi to investigate. This all happens right before the remains of a body are found in the incinerator at Sanctuary, prompting the need for an investigation. Jasi and her team go in to Sanctuary to find answers, but what they find wasn't necessarily what they were expecting.

Review: Crystal Magic (Clearwater Witches #1)

Crystal Magic (Clearwater Witches #1) by Madeline Freeman
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal
Release Date: March 30, 2014
Buy Links:

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Book Description:

Nothing is safe around Kristyl Barnette. Windows break. Books rocket across the room. Lights flicker. Strange occurrences follow the sixteen-year-old everywhere.

When tragedy forces her to move to the small town of Clearwater, Michigan, with her estranged aunt Jodi, Kristyl tries to leave her past behind. 

But Clearwater has secrets of its own—a mystical history that intersects with Kristyl’s life and might shed light on the inexplicable events that plague her.

When a mysterious illness threatens her aunt’s life, Kristyl will do anything to cure her. Enlisting the help of witches could save Jodi, but is dealing in magic worth the consequences?


♥ ♥ ♥

"Crystal Magic" by Madeline Freeman is about a high school student named Krissa, who moves to a new school in a new town and has even more changes than that to deal with. All of her life, Krissa knew she was different. She was always getting in trouble at school because things around her would unaccountably break or other weird things would happen when she got upset. When her mom dies in an accident, she's sent to live with her aunt, Jodi, who lives in the small Michigan town where Jodi and Krissa's father grew up.

The small town history and how it's a part of Krissa's family's past help Krissa realize that the reason why strange things have been happening around her for as long as she could remember is because that she has the ability to do magic. Without the proper training, it kept exploding out of her when she got upset, and with the knowledge of what it is, Krissa wants to learn to use it.

However, Jodi doesn't think that learning and using magic is a good idea (she had some bad experiences in the past, since she's also a witch), and thinks Krissa should just be able to control it and not actively practice it. Things don't necessarily go to plan though, and Krissa needs to take drastic measures in order to protect the ones she loves.

Review: Freakshow (Episode One: The Nighshade Cases)

Freakshow (Episode One: The Nightshade Cases) by Patti Larsen
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Paranormal Mystery
Release Date: June 13, 2014
Buy Links:

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Book Description:

When transsexual starlet Aisling is murdered, Detective Geraldine Meyers is assigned the case. With help from medical examiner Dr. Rachel Hunter, Gerri realizes this is no ordinary killing. 

While she might not want to call in over-eager anthropologist Dr. Kinsey DanAllart, the detective is forced to trust her friend’s expertise in symbology, even though doing so means admitting “weird” things might be happening in Silver City. 

As the three friends unravel the mystery of the dancer’s death, one thing is made absolutely apparent—something isn’t right in their new hometown. And someone is doing everything they can to make sure the truth doesn’t come out

In Silver City, sometimes friendship can be murder. Welcome to the first Nightshade Case, a series of twenty-one episodes in twenty-one weeks. Please note: this episodic series is based on the television show model, with screenwriting notations and shorter formats. There will be a complete mystery each week, with cliffhangers only occurring in the full season story line.

♥ ♥ ♥

"Freak Show" by Patti Larsen is the first ‘episode’ in the series, "The Nightshade Cases". I say ‘episode’, because Larsen has done something a little different with this series. Instead of modeling it like a normal book series, "The Nightshade Cases" is more like a TV show on the page.

"Freak Show" is the first of 21 episodes that are going to be released over 21 weeks, and each one will deal with a new mystery for the characters to solve, but there's also room for an overall arc that will span for the ‘season’. There are even notations like you would see in a screenplay, like the settings and if they're interior or exterior.

I was interested to read this story, because the whole TV show angle isn't something that I've seen in a book series before and I wanted to see how it would pan out. Thankfully, Larsen was able to make it all work. For the most part, "Freak Show" read just like any other book, except instead of being split up by chapter numbers or titles, it was split by the notations for where the scene was set.

Review: Stolen Dreams (Cassie Scot #4)

Stolen Dreams (Cassie Scot #4) by Christine Amsden
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Paranormal
Release Date: June 24, 2014
Buy Links:

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Book Description:

Edward Scot and Victor Blackwood have despised one another for nearly a quarter of a century, but now their simmering hatred is about to erupt.

When Cassie Scot returns home from her sojourn in Pennsylvania, she finds that her family has taken a hostage. 

Desperate to end the fighting before someone dies, Cassie seeks help from local seer Abigail Hastings, Evan Blackwood's grandmother. But Abigail has seen her own death, and when it comes at the hand of Cassie's father, Victor Blackwood kills Edward Scot.

But things may not be precisely as they appear. Evan persuades Cassie to help him learn the truth, teaming them up once again in their darkest hour. New revelations about Evan and his family make it difficult for Cassie to cling to a shield of anger, but can Evan and Cassie stop a feud that has taken on a life of its own? Conclusion to the Cassie Scot series.

♥ ♥ ♥

"Stolen Dreams" is the fourth and final book in Christine Amsden's "Cassie Scot" series. I've read the entire series before this point, so I was excited to see how Amsden was going to tie up all of the loose ends and finish Cassie's story. I'm happy to say that I wasn't disappointed in this last book.

The two main characters in this series are Cassie Scot and Evan Blackwood, who have been friends since they were children and harbor more intense feelings for each other. However, their love isn't something that their families approve of since the Scots and Blackwoods have been feuding for as long as anyone can remember. Whereas the tension in the last book focused mainly on the town and its feelings towards magic, in "Stolen Dreams," it's the tension between the two families that is at an all time high. Cassie must figure out a way to solve the matter before someone gets hurt.

Amsden's "Cassie Scot" series is definitely one that you have to read all the way through from the beginning. While each book may deal with a different mystery to solve, they aren't really standalone books. The main tension and drama is between the two families, and it takes all of the knowledge that's been set up from the beginning to fully understand what is going on. What's good about that though is that the books are an easy and quick read, and are the type where you want to keep turning the pages to keep up with all of the action.

Review: The Maze Runner (The Maze Runner #1)

The Maze Runner (The Maze Runner #1) by James Dashner
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopia
Release Date: October 6, 2009
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

"If you ain't scared, you ain't human." 

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He's surrounded by strangers--boys whose memories are also gone. 

 Outside the towering stone walls that surround the Glade is a limitless, ever-changing maze. 

It's the only way out--and no one's ever made it through alive. Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying.



♥ ♥ ♥

With the movie coming out in just under two months, I thought it was time to dive head first into this series which has been on my TBR list for quite some time. The Maze Runner by James Dashner follows Thomas as he wakes in a strange place, with strange people and no memory of who or where he is. I’ve got to say, this book wasn’t anything like I expected, honestly it was better. I don’t think I’ve ever read anything like this before.

The way Dashner describes the Glade and the detail that goes into building this world in the book is absolutely amazing. Like its ridiculous how I can close my eyes and picture it all in my head. I also really enjoyed the characters and the way they talked and lived. It was different seeing all these kids sort of band together and pull their own weight.

Review: Vampire Lies

 
Vampire Lies by RaShelle Workman
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal
Release Date: March 11, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Once upon a time there lived a vampire with wings and the genie who loved her. Born of the seven magics, Jasmine is different in every way, including the obnoxious wings on her back courtesy of the original Vampires. 

She wants to be normal, to be a regular teenaged girl. When a gorgeous dark-haired boy named Laeddin shows up and promises to sneak her away from all her problems and hide her in the human world, she agrees. 

But an evil lurks in her nightmares, a man with red eyes. It doesn’t take long for Jasmine to realize that no matter how far she tries to run from who she is, he’s only a dream away. He wants her. He needs her. He acts as though he loves her. 

It’s becoming harder and harder to tell the difference between the path that’ll lead to her happily ever after, and the path that’ll lead to her destruction as well as all magic.

♥ ♥ ♥

"Vampire Lies" is the sequel to RaShelle Workman's "Blood and Snow". This second story revolves around the character of Jasmine, who is a winged vampire that was born of the seven magics. She's the first vampire to have wings in what seems like forever, so her life is anything but normal. However, she is a teenager and as teenagers are prone to do, Jasmine craves what she doesn't have. While most girls would love to live in a palace like her and be able to fly, Jasmine wants a normal high school experience that any regular human girl would have.

Her dreams seem like an unattainable fantasy until she meets Laeddin, who just happens to be a genie and is willing to grant her wish. Laeddin and Jasmine are transported to the human world where she is without her wings and is ready to go to high school in order to get some normalcy in her life. Of course, things don't go as smoothly as Jasmine might have hoped, and she finds herself in the middle of a mystery as her high school life is anything but normal.

I enjoyed reading "Vampire Lies". I had already read "Blood and Snow" beforehand and had trouble getting into the story, but that problem wasn't present with "Vampire Lies". I was engrossed in the story right away, and kept turning the pages wanting more. Whereas in "Blood and Snow" had our main character start off as "normal" and then venture into the fantasy realm, the opposite is true here. I think having "Vampire Lies" be set in a regular high school is something that the readers can relate to as it's something so familiar.

Review: Surrender the Sky

Surrender the Sky by Meradeth Houston
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal
Release Date: May 2014
Buy Links:

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Book Description:

Gabby lives by two unbreakable rules: don’t expose her kind, the Sary, and don’t fall in love—too bad some rules are made to be broken.

When Gabby’s most difficult charge accidentally shoots her in front of a class full of students, the event exposes her carefully hidden identity. She shifts from looking like a normal teen to her secret Sary form, revealing her wings and the existence of her kind—immortals who try to keep people from committing suicide.

Her incident attracts the attention of the next leader of the Sary, Jassen, who offers her an impossible bargain: she can keep her wings if she makes amends with those who know the truth. Things get more complicated when a rebel Sary, intent on exposing them to the world, starts interfering with Gabby’s work. And there’s no denying her attraction to Jassen, who is torn between his duties and his heart.

With threats at every turn and her immortality on the line, Gabby has to find a way to save the Sary or surrender the sky forever.

♥ ♥ ♥


"Surrender the Sky" by Meradeth Houston is actually one book of a series that has to do with Sary, guardian angels who look over humans and help those who are thinking of committing suicide find their way.
Our story revolves around the Sary Gabby, who was assigned to a high school in hopes of helping a boy who's been bullied for years. However, things don't go as planned and she's faced with an even bigger challenge of making wrongs right so that she doesn't end up losing her wings and being kicked out by the other Sary.

Houston starts the action right off in the first chapter as Gabby is sitting in class and the boy she's supposed to be looking out for pulls a gun out in order to kill himself, and he's not afraid of taking others with him. Gabby tries to talk him out of it while also protecting her fellow classmates, but ends up getting shot, and exposes her wings in front of the entire class. Instantly, the stakes are raised and the reader is left turning the pages to see what Gabby's fate will end up being.

I think that there was also good world building involved in "Surrender the Sky". Throughout the story, Houston was able to explain what the Sary were, how they came to be (they weren't always winged guardian angels), and what their mission is. We even learn that there's a void-like blackness that awaits anyone who commits suicide, and they're fighting to prevent people from being sentenced to that fate.
There are a few twists and turns throughout the story as well.

Review: The End of the Line

The End of the Line by Jim Power
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Romance
Release Date: October 27, 2013
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Latesha Thomas is a beautiful, young African-American woman who lives with her handicapped father. She is in her final year of university and they are having a hard time making ends meet. She decides to start a matchmaking service to make a little extra money, though she has no experience and it turns out to be a disaster.

She does, however, meet a client, a handsome white man named Peter Elsworth. The sparks fly immediately, but there’s a huge problem. Her father, and his mother, are vehemently opposed to an interracial relationship. This leads to tremendous conflict, but their love will not be denied. They grow closer, yet the closer they become, the more the tension rises.

In time a secret connection between their two worlds become clear and this adds another dimension of conflict and complexity. But love is color blind and they are irresistibly drawn to one another.


♥ ♥ ♥
When I first read the description of End of the Line, I knew that I wanted to review this book. I wanted to see how the author handled the subject matter. Mr. Power did not disappoint in this wonderfully sweet story about two young people who have to overcome the objections of their parents.

Peter and Latesha are great characters that I enjoyed spending several hours with as I watched their relationship develop. It just felt right for them to be together and I wanted them to have their happily-ever-after ending.

Review: Dangerous Creature (Dangerous Creatures #1)

Dangerous Creatures (Dangerous Creatures #1) by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal
Release Date: May 20, 2014
Buy Links:

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Book Description:

Ridley Duchannes is nobody's heroine. She's a Dark Caster, a Siren. She can make you do things. Anything. You can't trust her, or yourself when she's around. And she'll be the first to tell you to stay away-especially if you're going to do something as stupid as fall in love with her

Lucky for Ridley, her wannabe rocker boyfriend, Wesley "Link" Lincoln, never listens to anyone. Link doesn't care if Rid's no good for him, and he takes her along when he leaves small-town Gatlin to follow his rock-star dream. He teams up with a ragtag group of Dark Casters, and when the band scores a gig at a hot Underground club, it looks like all of Link's dreams are about to come true

But New York City is a dangerous place for both Casters and Mortals, and soon Ridley realizes that Link's bandmates are keeping secrets. With bad-boy club owner Lennox Gates on her heels, Rid is determined to find out the truth. What she discovers is worse than she could have imagined: Link has a price on his head that no Caster or Mortal can ever pay. With their lives on the line, what's a Siren to do.


♥ ♥ ♥

Let's just start this out by saying how excited I was when I heard there was going to be a spinoff for the "Beautiful Creatures" series, and how that excitement only amplified when I found out that the new series was going to revolve around Ridley and Link. These two were possibly my favorite part of "Beautiful Creatures", and I'm glad that I get to indulge in them even more.

"Dangerous Creatures" picks up after our last series left off, and all of the characters we know have now graduated high school and are about to go their separate ways. Link plans on going to New York (even though his mother thinks he's going to a southern religious college) to try to make it big in music, and our favorite siren, Ridley, is going along for the ride. What Link doesn't know is that Ridley has a secret agenda for her going along, and has some debts that she has to pay off and she plans on using him to do it.

The thing that I've always loved about these two is their give and take. Link was used as comic relief in the "Beautiful Creatures" books, and Ridley is a bad girl gone good (or good girl gone bad depending on the day) with some serious selfish tendencies. It doesn't make sense for these two to work as a couple, but some how they just do. The shipper fangirl inside me loves every fight they have, even as I'm also yelling at them to just get over themselves and love each other already. But that's what's fun with these two. They fight like cats and dogs, but still find ways to look out for each other.

Review: Centaur Redemption (Touched #4)

Centaur Redemption (Touched #4) by Nancy Straight
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: January 1, 2014
Buy Links:

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Book Description:

Cami and Drake’s honeymoon is cut short as they escape attacks by the Council Enforcers and head to South Africa for the meeting of the Centaur Council, which has ordered a death sentence on Cami and all members of the Lost Herd. 

The Council Chairman is her grandmother, her most dangerous foe. 

Surrounded by family and friends, Drake and Cami face the Council, Cami’s power-hungry uncles, an ambitious twin, taking the battle all the way to Zeus to attempt to win the freedom of the Tak herd.



♥ ♥ ♥
I had already read the first three books in the "Touched" series so I was excited when I heard that the fourth book was out and ready to review. "Centaur Redemption" is meant to be the final book of the series (although there is still room to continue on with new books about these characters), and I was excited to see how Cami and Drake's journey in the world of Centaurs was going to come to a resolution.

"Centaur Redemption" begins right where the third book left off. Cami and her family are about to leave and go and address the Centaur council in order to ask for her family's safety. Cami is part of the Tak herd, which is referred to as "The Lost Herd" because centuries ago Zeus had decreed that every member of the Tak family be killed so that the line would be wiped out. However, another god of Olympus had interfered and worked to hide a Tak member, so the line lived on. Cami wants to go and hopes that she can make the other centaurs see sense, instead of just blindly pursuing her family.

Review: My Soul Immortal

My Soul Immortal (Fated Eternals #1) by Jen Printy
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: February 15, 2014
Buy Links:

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Book Description:

An endless love, for an endless price Jack’s immortality is exposed when he prevents a liquor store heist, forcing him to flee to protect his secret—a secret not even he understands. 

But when he meets Leah Winters—a mirror image of his decades-lost love, Lydia—his very soul is laid bare. He begins to question his sanity. Is she real, and if so, what does that mean for Jack and his secret

Jack’s not the only mystery man in town. A stranger named Artagan hints at knowledge Jack is desperate to possess. But can he trust Artagan, or does the dark newcomer harbor deadly secrets of his own

As Jack’s bond with Leah grows, so does the danger to her life. Jack must discover just how much he is willing to risk in order to save the woman he already lost once.



♥ ♥ ♥
"My Soul Immortal" was a book that could have went either way for me. Reading the description, I was intrigued, but didn't know how I would ultimately feel about it when everything was said and done. I'm glad to say that it did end up being something that I enjoyed and was a pleasurable read.

This book is about a guy named Jack, who just happens to be immortal. When a lot of people look at the word "Immortal", the word "Vampire" comes to mind a lot. However, that's not Jack's case. Jack just can't die (and believe me, he's tried). He has been "gifted" with a long life without any of the vampire tendencies of having to drink blood or only go out at night or any of that nonsense.

While some people might think that that sounds like a great bargain, Jack doesn't see his immortality as a gift, but instead sees it as a curse (and not just because he's perpetually stuck looking like a 19-year-old and is stuck getting carded all of the time when he wants a drink). He's lost the love of his life decades ago, and has just been wandering around heartbroken ever since.

Review: Of Dreams and Shadow (Forget Me Not #1)

Of Dreams and Shadow (Forget Me Not #1) by D.S. McKnight
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal
Release Date: September 23, 2013
Buy Links:

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Book Description:

We live. We die. Is there anything more? Jenna Barton is about to find out. 

After moving to the coastal North Carolina town of Parson's Cove, Jenna has unwittingly stepped into the middle of a mystery involving a missing child. 

Unfortunately, the predator is still on the loose and Jenna has become his new obsession. 

With a little luck and a bit of paranormal help, Jenna might survive.



♥ ♥ ♥
"Of Dreams and Shadow" by D.S. McKnight almost seemed to be two books in one. On one hand, it's a high school drama story about a girl moving in to a new town and going to a new school, but on the other hand, it's a story about an old paranormal evil lurking and plotting out of sight.

I was actually surprised by how much of this book was devoted to our main character Jenna's new life at her new school. A good chunk of this book read like a regular YA instead of one of the paranormal variety. Our story begins with Jenna and her mother moving to the small town of Parson's Cove, and the reader gets a lot of her interacting with a new group of friends and trying to figure out what is behind the boy next door's attitude towards her.

Since I like young adult books, I didn't have a problem with how much high school drama there was, and actually thought that it was a nice balance with the supernatural element. Instead of being bogged down with all of the paranormal things happening, we are able to still see our characters socializing and living somewhat normal lives.

Review: Pan's Conquest

Pan's Conquest by Aubrie Dionne
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: Februrary 24, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Syrinx pulled a fast one on Pan to escape his raging lust. The God of Chastity wasn't about to break her vows and succumb to his temptations. 

Transported to the twenty-first century, she runs a florist shop—fulfilling her fake, mortal life. Until the breathtaking Parker Thomas hires her to decorate his grand estate for a gala. 

Five hundred roses? Easy enough. Except Parker makes her feel things she can't ignore

As the God of Fertility, Pan is used to maidens flocking in droves to his pastures. So when Syrinx denies him, he's determined to win the one that got away. He poses as a mortal to get close to her, but he doesn't count on falling hard for his conquest—hard enough to make a life and stay

But Syrinx is falling in love with a man that doesn't exist. Can Pan hide his identity forever, or will the truth tear them apart


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"Pan's Conquest" by Aubrie Dionne is a story that deals with some of the Greek gods and myths that people might not be that familiar with. Instead of going the easy route and writing about the famous gods like Zeus, Athena, or Aphrodite, Dionne writes about Syrinx, the goddess of chastity and Pan, the god of fertility.

Obviously chastity and fertility aren't normally two traits that go well together. However, ever since Pan spotted Syrinx bathing, he's wanted to add her to his long list of conquests. She proves to be the first one he's ever pursued that doesn't giggle and welcome his advances, and the challenge just makes him want her all the more. Instead of continually being on the run, Syrinx decides to take matter in her own hands and leaves for the modern mortal world so she could hide from him and live life among humans.

Syrinx changes her name and starts to run a flower shop.Also, since every story needs a good conflict, Pan soon finds out where she's hidden and disguises himself as he continues his pursuit. The story is told from the point of views from both Syrinx and Pan, so the reader gets to see all of the feelings that are driving the actions. The dual POV lets us watch as Syrinx starts to fall for Pan's alter ego, Parker, as she deals with what that means for her vow of chastity, and we also get to see Pan's inner thoughts as he starts to see Syrinx as something more than someone to bed.

Review: Medusa (Heroines of Classical Greece #1)

Medusa (Heroines of Classical Greece #1) by S.D. Hines
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: August 6, 2013
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

In one of the most compelling tales from classical Greece since Mary Renault's Bull from the Sea and Fire from Heaven, author Scot Hines retells the legend of Medusa in a way that makes her feel like a contemporary millennial girl with very special problems. 

Despite a semi-miraculous birth in the temple of Athena, Medusa is nothing more than a devoted priestess of the goddess, distinguished only by her beauty and piety. But after she is raped by the god Poseidon, her entire world is ripped asunder and she flees Poseidon's wrath through ancient Greece and beyond for the inconceivable crime of resistance. In her wanderings, she encounters dangers and horrors, but also friends in unexpected places. 

Pursued by Poseidon's fury and his assassins, she is finally cornered in Egypt with only two choices: fight back or be destroyed with all she loves. But her only hope lies with the father of her children, the great love of her life and the man who is prophesied to kill her: Perseus.

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"Medusa" by S.D. Hines is a tale of epic proportions. It's also a story of Medusa like we've never seen before. We're used to seeing Medusa as the bad guy – the one with creepy snakes for hair that turns innocent victims into stone with just one look into her eyes. That's the Medusa that we're used to, but it is not the one Hines portrays.

The Medusa from this story is a kind hearted and gentle woman, who is on the run after being raped and having her life threatened by the god Poseidon. Instead of being on the offensive like the monster she's been portrayed over the years, she goes out of her way to help people and makes friends with the people she encounters on her journey.

Medusa's travels take her far and wide. She goes all through Greece, and even as far as Egypt, in her trek to save herself from Poseidon's wrath. This is an epic journey that reminded me of the one Odysseus faced. Both had to go on an adventure that lasted for years that also threw challenges and smaller battles in their way. Medusa was forced to protect herself and others during her wanderings, and as a result, was able to grow as a person and become stronger.

Review: Mindgames (Cassie Scot #3)

Mindgames (Cassie Scot #3) by Christine Amsden
Age Group: New Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: May 15, 2014

Book Description:

Evan broke Cassie’s heart two months ago, and she still doesn’t know why. She throws herself into family, friends and her new job at the sheriff’s department, but nothing helps.

The only thing that finally allows her heal and move on is the love of a new man, mind mage Matthew Blair. Cassie finds him... irresistible

Matthew may also be the only one who can help keep the nonmagical residents of Eagle Rock from going crazy over the murder of a beloved pastor’s wife.

It looks like a sorcerer is to blame, but while Cassie tries to figure out who, others take matters into their own hands. With tensions running so hot, a single spark might set Eagle Rock ablaze.



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I was really excited when I was asked if I wanted to review Mind Games by Christine Amsden. I had already read the first two books in her "Cassie Scot" series, and couldn't wait to get my hands on this third installation. And I'm happy to say that Amsden did not disappoint.

For those of you who have also followed along on the Cassie Scot journey with me, I'll let you know this right away – there isn't a lot of Cassie and Evan interaction to cling on to. As someone who definitely shipped these two (regardless of the many problems they have to work out), I was a little disappointed that I didn't get many scenes between them. I missed their back and forth banter and the bond that they obviously have, but I was still able to enjoy the book.

Review: RecruitZ (Afterworld #1)

RecruitZ (Afterworld #1) by Karice Bolton
Age Group: New Adult
Genre: Post Apocalyptic
Release Date: December 27, 2013
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

Scientists are the new rock stars. The infection has been contained for nearly three months, and the world is celebrating. 

But humans are still dying. Rebekah Taylor has seen it firsthand. Her husband was killed right in front of her by the very creatures that humans were told they no longer had to fear.

Rebekah is determined to find out who is responsible for the death of her husband and the obvious cover-up. 

Fueled with revenge, she begins to find answers that lead to one frightening conclusion. The apocalypse might be over, but the battles are just beginning.

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Oh my god Karice Bolton is an evil genius!

RecruitZ follows Rebekah on a mission to find out what really caused zombies to attack and kill her husband in a world where the zombie population is supposed to be under control. I really enjoyed Bolton’s style of writing. It was fast paced from the start and the thing I loved most was that it wasn’t your typical zombie book.

There was a lot more substance than I was initially expecting, which is awesome. This book really surprised me. It wasn’t exactly what I was expecting, but I say that in the best way possible. Bolton throws a lot of twists and turns at the reader and just when you think something is going one way, it veers to left field and you’re just like oh my god what just happened?!