TV Review: The Originals

The Originals

Channel: The CW

Day and Time: Tuesdays at 8/7 EST

Release Date: October 3, 2013

Buy Links:

Amazon 

TV Show Description:

Family is power. The Original Vampire family swore it to each other a thousand years ago. They pledged to remain together, always and forever. Now, centuries have passed, and the bonds of family are broken. Time, tragedy and hunger for power have torn the Original Family apart.

Klaus Mikaelson, the original vampire-werewolf hybrid, has returned to New Orleans, the city his family helped build, the city from which he and his siblings – Elijah and Rebekah – were exiled a century ago by their relentless hunter father. Drawn back by a mysterious tip that a plot is brewing against him in the supernatural melting pot that is the French Quarter, Klaus is surprised that the city still feels like home to him despite the decades he’s been away.

Curious as to why Klaus would return to the one place he swore he would never set foot again, Elijah follows his brother and learns that the beautiful and rebellious werewolf Hayley – Klaus’ onetime flame – has also come to the French Quarter searching for clues to her family history. Hayley has fallen into the hands of a powerful witch named Sophie Deveraux. When Sophie reveals to the brothers the almost unbelievable news that Hayley is carrying Klaus’ unborn child, Elijah realizes that the Original family has been given a second chance at humanity and the redemption they desperately crave.


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"An Unblinking Death" 4/22/14 Review by Helena E Eseloma 

Cami decides shock therapy is the only course of action for father Kieran at this point. Klaus learns Elijah hid Esther's grimoire from him. Elijah meets with Hayley, Jackson and Oliver trying to convince them their alliance with Klaus will not bring them a better life while he's there he witnesses a stranger come into the camp on a suicide mission and blows himself up.

Klaus arrives at the church and tries to convince Cami to stop what she's doing with her uncle. Back at the camp Oliver blames the vampires for what happened and Hayley takes it upon herself to find Marcel and question him. While gone more bomb go off and Eve is injured and more wolves are dead. Hayley finds Marcel who already knows she was on her way to see him. 

He tells her she reminds him of her father and that he knew her whole family. That the Crescent moon wolves were tough and were all about taking power at any cost. Eve is not healing because she never triggered her wolf. Elijah wants to give her his blood, but Oliver argues that she would rather die. 

Cami begs Klaus to give Kieran his blood so now he'll die and wake a vampire. Hayley asks Marcel if he killed her parents and he explains that someone betrayed them, but it wasn't him. He was the to find them dead and her alone in her crib. He saved her by giving her over to Father Kieran. Klaus and Cami tell father Kieran the reason he was cured of the hex and he isn't going to make the change. 

Review: The Landfill

The Landfill by Kevin Hopson
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Horror
Release Date: April 2, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ Barnes and Noble

Book Description:

Billy, a high school senior, has lost a lot in the past year, including his younger sister, Sara. Billy lacks excitement and purpose in life until his curiosity takes him and his best friend, Connor, to an old, abandoned landfill along the river.

Connor would rather forget the experience, but Billy can’t help but feel invigorated by their findings.

Taking it upon himself to uncover the mystery, Billy finds his life coming full circle – but is that a good or bad thing?




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"The Landfill" is a short story by Kevin Hopson. Now, normally I don't make a habit of reading a lot of short stories (at least not since they were assigned in college) since I'm mostly a novel and series kind of girl, but the description for this story seemed creepy enough to rouse my interest. And I'm pleased to say that it did maintain that interest while I was reading it.

Obviously, since it is a short story it's a very quick read. "The Landfill" totals at a little over 30 pages, and I was able to read it all in one sitting. The language Hopson uses is clear and direct, which also made it an easy read.

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?!

Book Blitz: An Aria in Venice (A Musical Interlude #1.5)

An Aria in Venice (A Musical Interlude #1.5) by KaSonndra Leigh
Age Group: New Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: April 22, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

His goal…One night with the ballerina.
Her goal…To beat the player at his game.
The outcome…Something completely unexpected.

Adriana Dostov pegged Luca Martuccio from day one: gorgeous, talented, arrogant, a man who has had difficulty committing to one woman in the past. He is known in fashion circles as the player with a scandalous history. So when the girls in her ballet troupe suggest she gives up her virginity to him, she doesn’t say no. But she’s not sure that a ‘yes’ is the right answer either. Yet, she can’t stop herself from making the offer…a one night stand in Venice.

Luca wanted fiesty little Adriana the moment they first met – and he fully intends to have her, hence why he’s agreed to accept her proposal. In the end, he’ll get what he wants. No commitment. All sex.

But, as Luca discovers, there’s more to the ballerina with the overbearing mother – and he can’t help but care about the frightened girl behind those sad eyes.

Adriana discovers Luca isn’t just walking sex on a stick – he has a wildly passionate side, a lost soul who has suffered just as much grief as her. And it could be, they’re exactly what the other one needs.

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Excerpt:

You must not eyeball another man.
Repeat after me.
You must not eyeball another man.

Nikolai is the goal, keep that in mind as you eyeball—no, that’s too nice of a description—as you eyestrip another man’s body. Too late. The drooling has begun. Maybe he’ll let me borrow that towel he’s wearing around his muscular torso to wipe it away. Oh my God, get your mind out of the V-line ... no, I meant to say gutter.

That’s what Mother always tells Alek, but somehow I think my brother’s mind has a permanent space inside the world of the wet and wild, along with Nikolai, although he tries to act like he’s the innocent one of the two. What neither of them knows is that I’ve heard all about the underground parties they throw at Nikolai’s place, and I don’t need to be experienced in sex to know all about the things they do, especially when my brother makes it a point to take Nadya along each time.

Blog Hop: Fairy Tale Fortnight Giveaway Hop

4th annual Fairy Tale Fortnight Giveaway Hop

Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer, The Book Rat and A Backwards Story

April 22nd to May 3rd

I've always loved fairy tales, and obviously still do. They're one of my favorite things to read, especially re-tellings or from a new character in an old fairy tale. I love seeing things from a different perspective or even with a twist. 

Review: Summoned (Summoned #1)

Summoned (Summoned #1) by Rainy Kaye
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: March 28, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Twenty-three year old Dimitri has to do what he is told—literally. Controlled by a paranormal bond, he is forced to use his wits to fulfill unlimited deadly wishes made by multimillionaire Karl Walker Dimitri has no idea how his family line became trapped in the genie bond. 

He just knows resisting has never ended well. When he meets Syd assertive, sexy, intelligent Syd—he becomes determined to make her his own. Except Karl has ensured Dimitri can’t tell anyone about the bond, and Syd isn’t the type to tolerate secrets. 

Then Karl starts sending him away on back-to-back wishes. Unable to balance love and lies, Dimitri sets out to uncover Karl’s ultimate plan and put it to an end. But doing so forces him to confront the one wish he never saw coming—the wish that will destroy him. A dark twist on the genie folklore, SUMMONED follows a reluctant criminal as he unravels the mystery of the paranormal bond controlling him.

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"Summoned" by Rainy Kaye is a new twist on the old genie tale. When I say “genie”, I don't want you to start conjuring images of the big blue guy from Disney's "Aladdin.” No, our genie tale is quite different. Instead of living in a lamp and giving a master three wishes, our genie and master bond is actually a blood bond that is passed down from father to son.

Our main character and genie for this story is Dimitri, and he's forced to do the bidding of Karl Walker. The Walker family has had the master bond for as long as anyone could remember, and as a result of getting unlimited wishes, they're very well off. However, to maintain the affluent lifestyle and gain further riches, the wishes Karl sends Dimitri on aren't always the most moral or easy.

The beginning of "Summoned" instantly hooks the reader as it starts off with Dim on one of his missions. He's driving to the Walker estate, and has a kidnapped girl in his backseat. Our first glance of our genie shows that he's a reluctant one. Although he has to cater to all of Karl's whims as it's ingrained in his blood, that doesn't mean he is ok with the kidnapping and murder he's forced to do.