Review: Resistance (The Variant Series #2)

Resistance (The Variant Series #2) by Jena Leigh
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: February 11, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Alexandra Parker might be the most powerful Variant the world has ever seen—but even that won’t get her out of finishing her junior year of high school.

The challenge of keeping her abilities under wraps during class is daunting enough, but throw one surly, sandy-haired Jumper into the mix, and things can get downright complicated.

Declan’s new job? Watch over Alex while she’s at school and do everything in his power to keep her from losing control. But as sparks of every kind begin flying between Alex and her new bodyguard, she's left feeling more unstable than ever.

When avoiding her abilities results in a surprise visit from her parents’ killer, Alex’s worlds collide with a bang that nearly levels Bay View High.

With her freedom now squarely in the Agency’s crosshairs, Alex will be faced with the fight of her life... and a decision that could forever alter the course of her destiny.

♥ ♥ ♥

Oh my god, where is Declan?!?

Deep breaths.

Okay, I’m not going to explain that little outburst because it would be a super mean spoiler. But oh my god. I can’t even. Jena Leigh is trying to kill me. Okay, okay…I’m calm.

Resistance, the second book in the Variants series picks up just a few days after the first book ends and we see Alex hiding out in her room and trying to come to terms with everything that has happened. I don’t want to give too much away about the book, because this is one of the series that I really think needs to be read first hand to get the full effect of its awesomeness. But I love that all the characters are back and as amazing as ever.

Blog Tour: Resistance (The Variant Series #2)

Resistance (The Variant Series #2) by Jena Leigh
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: February 11, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Alexandra Parker might be the most powerful Variant the world has ever seen—but even that won’t get her out of finishing her junior year of high school.

The challenge of keeping her abilities under wraps during class is daunting enough, but throw one surly, sandy-haired Jumper into the mix, and things can get downright complicated.

Declan’s new job? Watch over Alex while she’s at school and do everything in his power to keep her from losing control. But as sparks of every kind begin flying between Alex and her new bodyguard, she's left feeling more unstable than ever.

When avoiding her abilities results in a surprise visit from her parents’ killer, Alex’s worlds collide with a bang that nearly levels Bay View High.

With her freedom now squarely in the Agency’s crosshairs, Alex will be faced with the fight of her life... and a decision that could forever alter the course of her destiny.

♥ ♥ ♥
Excerpt:

Alex froze just inside the doorway.

The hallway that stretched out before her was packed with bodies, filled to capacity with students milling beside lockers and meandering toward their classes.

She took a breath and held it.

Kenzie and Cassie quickly disappeared into the crowd, leaving her behind.

Why hadn’t she walked the long way around the building? Her homeroom was three hallways and a commons area away, and the entire path would be packed until the second bell.

The sounds of conversation and laughter grew louder, surpassed in volume only by the sudden thudding of her heart as it pounded frantically against her ribcage.

Review: Revival (The Variant Series #1)

Revival (The Variant Series #1) by Jena Leigh
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: November 14, 2012
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Possessing the uncanny ability to fry a television set from twenty paces can really wreck a girl’s social life.

If you’re looking for proof, just ask sixteen-year-old Alexandra Parker. After catching her boyfriend in the arms of the prettiest girl in school, she made the journey from social elite to social pariah in a haze of electricity and exploding electronics. But finding herself at the bottom of Bay View High’s social hierarchy was nothing compared to the shock of discovering who—and what—she really is.

After being zapped out of a burning bookstore by the mysterious Declan—a hero nearly as handsome as he is infuriating—Alex finds herself under the protection of the powerful Grayson family. It’s through them that she learns the truth: that the world she’s always known is nothing like it appears to be... and that she has far more in common with them than she might want to believe.

Now, on the run from a fire-wielding hit man and a secretive government organization, Alex must navigate a strange and treacherous new world filled with superhuman mutants known as Variants. As she begins to unravel the many secrets of her family’s past, she uncovers the real reason for her parents’ death twelve years earlier—and finds out that the threat to her family, and to everyone she cares about, is still dangerously real

♥ ♥ ♥

Team Declan FTW!

I loved this story. Revival by Jena Leigh follows 17-year-old Alexandra Parker as she uncovers secrets from her past that she never knew existed. As if being a high school junior wasn’t enough, Alex has to deal with an ex-boyfriend from hell, a crazy stalker, and powers that confuse the life out of her. Spending a day with her best friend Cassie should have been relaxing and fun, but when someone threatens Alex’s life and a mysterious (and incredibly attractive) stranger shows up to save her life everything changes.

I genuinely enjoyed the plot of this book. I thought it was well thought out and extremely well written. I love how Alex slowly starts discovering things about herself and the people around her and how her grudging friendship with Declan starts out. Alex is the perfect kind of main character. She’s got hint of insecurity and lack of a back bone when it comes to dealing with people that hurt her, but at the same time she’s not afraid to stand up and fight for the people she loves.

Promotional Event: Revival (The Variant Series #1)

Revival (The Variant Series #1) by Jena Leigh
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: November 14, 2012
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Possessing the uncanny ability to fry a television set from twenty paces can really wreck a girl’s social life.

If you’re looking for proof, just ask sixteen-year-old Alexandra Parker. After catching her boyfriend in the arms of the prettiest girl in school, she made the journey from social elite to social pariah in a haze of electricity and exploding electronics. But finding herself at the bottom of Bay View High’s social hierarchy was nothing compared to the shock of discovering who—and what—she really is.

After being zapped out of a burning bookstore by the mysterious Declan—a hero nearly as handsome as he is infuriating—Alex finds herself under the protection of the powerful Grayson family. It’s through them that she learns the truth: that the world she’s always known is nothing like it appears to be... and that she has far more in common with them than she might want to believe.

Now, on the run from a fire-wielding hit man and a secretive government organization, Alex must navigate a strange and treacherous new world filled with superhuman mutants known as Variants. As she begins to unravel the many secrets of her family’s past, she uncovers the real reason for her parents’ death twelve years earlier—and finds out that the threat to her family, and to everyone she cares about, is still dangerously real

♥ ♥ ♥

Revival Soundtrack

I have two obsessions in my life: the written word and music. When I'm writing, I have music playing in the background almost constantly. Putting on a pair of headphones and cuing up a character-specific playlist always helps draw me into the world of my novel and capture the emotions of a particular scene.

While I was writing Revival I played dozens of different songs on repeat, searching for inspiration. Here are just a few of the tunes I listened to during those long nights spent hunting for words!

1. Florence + the Machine — Rabbit Heart (Raise it Up)

At the beginning of the novel, Alexandra Parker is a sweet—if somewhat quiet—high school junior that is more than happy to let others take center stage while she observes life safely from the sidelines. That all changes when she discovers who she is and what she's capable of. With the help of her new friends—Declan, in particular—Alex discovers that she's not as weak as she once assumed... And that when it comes to protecting the people she cares about, she's stronger than she ever would have imagined.

Key Lyrics

This is a gift, it comes with a price Who is the lamb and who is the knife Midas is king and he holds me so tight And turns me to gold in the sunlight

I look around, but I can't find you (raise it up) If only I could see your face (raise it up) Instead of rushing towards the skyline (raise it up) I wish that I could just be brave

I must become a lion hearted girl Ready for a fight Before I make the final sacrifice

2. Burn Halo — Threw it All Away