Blog Tour and Review: Ciao by Bethany Lopez

Ciao (Stories About Melissa, #3) by Bethany Lopez

Release Date: August 2012

Publisher: CreateSpace

Author Information: Blog / Twitter / Facebook

Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Available Formats: eBook
Other Books: Ta Ta for Now!, XOXOXO

Purchase: Amazon

Melissa has had a fantastic summer hanging out with her friends and making new ones. Life as she knows it will change when they all come together to begin their sophomore year at Dearborn High. Connections will be made and friendships will be tested. Will Melissa’s family and friends be able to help her through the challenges she will face in the upcoming months?

Review:

Ciao is the third installment in the Stories About Melissa series, and this book is just as fun and fluffy as the others! Melissa still has a flair for the overdramatic, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about her daily life and boy problems.

My favorite aspect about this book was how Lopez managed to blend together some funny moments with some serious ones. As Melissa grows older, her voice also holds a greater level of maturity, and Ciao introduces more somber moments of life, from heartache to how it feels to lose someone close to you. Through these hard times, it is easier for the reader to really get to know Melissa, and I felt like I had a much better appreciation for who she is and how she thinks.

Melissa’s story does not end with Ciao, though! The fourth book in the series, TTYL, is due out sometime in early 2013, and I cannot wait to read more about Melissa’s adventures. Maybe some boy drama will finally be resolved?? :) 

A Great Escape

Blog Tour, Review & Excerpt: Empyreal Fate by Rachel Hunter

Click here for the full tour schedule!

Empyreal Fate by Rachel Hunter

Release Date: May 8, 2012
Publisher: Hydra Publications
Author Information: Website / Twitter
Genre: Fantasy (Epic), Romance
Available Formats: Paperback and eBook
Buy the Book: Amazon 

Filled to the brim with forbidden love, an ancient evil, and a nation in disrepair, Empyreal Fate is a tale of riveting bravery and mortal corruption.

The land of Llathala lingers on the brink of war between men and elves, a dark history surrounding each race. Stirred by tensions of the land, a shadow of the past reemerges, taking precedence in reality and consuming the very soul of mans’ mortal weakness. Darrion, the son of a poor laborer, is ensnared in a hostile world, forced to choose between loyalty to his king or the counsel of the elves. Yet Fate has other plans in store, tying his course to Amarya, an elven royalblood of mysterious quality and unsurpassable beauty. But this forbidden connection incites betrayal from members of their own kin, marking them as traitors to the crown. In a land torn asunder, only Fate’s decree can allow such love to coexist with an ancient enmity.

Behold: A Llathalan Annal: Empyreal Fate – Part One.

Review:

Empyreal Fate is a magical tale woven by Rachel Hunter, a teenager whose imagination knows no bounds. (Published teenager? Color me impressed!) She far surpasses others of her age by producing this beautiful and lyrical read, and this fantastical story grabbed my attention immediately and continued to hold it until the very last page.

Please pardon the following (and brief) fangirl moments! Moment #1: YAY for YA Epic Fantasy reads! There are not nearly enough out there, in my opinion. Moment #2: YAY for elves! I am ashamed hesitate to admit that whenever there is an elf in a book, they always look like Legolas in my head, regardless of character description. Seeing as to how Empyreal Fate is partially about elves, I kind of conjured up a world of Legolases! (I would totally live there!) Also, elves are also somewhat scarce in current YA literature, so that was just another thing I ended up appreciated about this book.

*ahem* Back to the topic at hand. There are so many things happening in this book, and I was very impressed by the tone and pacing of the story. The point of view changes multiple times, but each character’s voice is distinct. I felt like I got to understand all the characters, even the ones in the background. The world building was also fantastic, and I was thoroughly captivated by this elven/human land (Legolas land! :D) Packed full of political corruption and turmoil, epic battle scenes, a whirlwind romance, and elves, Empyreal Fate is a book you shouldn’t miss out on! I cannot wait to see what Ms. Hunter will have for us next!

A Great Escape

Excerpt:

Darrion stared, dazed, into Amarya's face as she loomed above him, concern defining her frame. Lifting himself, he sat, uncertain how he had come to lie upon the ground. He did not remember falling; he had no recollection.

"You did well,” the elf congratulated, extending a slender hand.

Darrion rubbed his head, feeling a tenderness that had not been there before. "What happened?" he asked, taking her hand and rising.

            "I saw not of your mind, but from what I could figure, you gained entrance to the thoughts of a rambling oak. I know this to be true, for I could see your eyes swimming beneath the lids. Such does not occur unless a connection is made.” Amarya beamed, eyes sparkling with pride despite her pupil’s faint. With eager strides, she began smoothing the creases of his tunic. "You drifted too far, however – missing the mark. Your focus broke upon more than a single entity; your mind roamed in places it was not meant. As a result, your consciousness receded, and your celestial bond forged hollow spaces to compensate. Once that barrier snapped, the voices of many within the Illex, not merely the trees, poured through you. It was an overload of understanding – most mortals cannot handle such. But no need to fret; you’ve far surpassed the most capable of beginners. I am simply surprised you made contact at all."

            Darrion stepped back, feeling the lightness of his chest. With clouded thoughts, he speculated the feat he had barely attained. Few words could describe his awe - the confusion - that enveloped him. Dizziness clothed him as a tumbled reed.

Resting one palm against the bark of an oak, he listened - intent - as though searching for a beating heart against the trunk. Despite his wavering state, he was glad for Amarya’s tutelage. This feeling… it was almost surreal.

            "To my knowledge, never has a human discerned as much as you.” Amarya’s pale hand sought Darrion's shoulder, and he melted at her touch. "I'm uncertain what it means - for indeed, your ability comes as no coincidence… But the mortal mind proves oft unable to comprehend the spiritual realm. Not that it's impossible, but man forgets his possession. He knows not of the awareness beyond material senses. You, Darrion, are not like other men. You – you’re different." She shifted her jaw, examining him as if for answers.

"It’s true… I never knew the depths to which magic strayed," Darrion murmured, almost trembling from his ethereal venture. "I used to think it all frivolous tricks of the tongue."

"Not quite,” Amarya offered. "Those who perform incantations, as you suggest, are sorcerers - mere magicians who rely on handholds and false words to create masked illusions. In some cases – nigh, but rare - such illusions become reality. Regardless, the art lacks in form. Words are the derivation of mortals - a human contrivance, unnecessary for understanding. They are not real, as nature is real. Nay, words are but crude concepts – trivial in the matter of divine understanding. What is meant in one tongue may be opposite in another. How can a concept so unsure create something so pure? The answer is simple: it cannot.”

Blog Tour & Review: Lonely Souls by Karice Bolton

Click here for the full tour schedule!

Lonely Souls (The Witch Avenue Series, #1) by Karice Bolton

Release Date: June 29, 2012
Publisher: Bulldog Press

Author Information: Website / Blog / Twitter / Facebook
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Witches/Wizards
Available Formats: Paperback and eBook

Buy the Book: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Books-A-Million

It’s two weeks before Triss turns 18, and her world is about to change into the most magical one imaginable as she readies herself to enter The Witch Avenue Order... that is until her mother’s disappearance. Instead of celebrating her transformation, she finds herself spreading rose petals into her mother’s empty grave.

When Logan, her best friend from junior high, moves back to town for college, he vows to help her find the answers she so desperately seeks surrounding her mother’s disappearance. As they begin uncovering clues, it becomes apparent that the life of white magic they both grew up loving is not what the majority practices, and their lives are in danger.

With a haunting feeling that her mother may still be alive, she begins to hear a call to the wilderness. Triss realizes that in order to find the answers she needs, she must learn the ways of her ancestors and become the hunter, not the hunted before it’s too late, and she becomes part of the lonely souls.

Review:

A coven of witches. Magical mayhem. A cute boy from the past. Sprinkle in some emotional turmoil and a little mystery, and you have yourself a rather amazing and intriguing paranormal read!

Triss was supposed to meet her mother at the beach, but when the only things she finds are personal items, she knows something is wrong. Her mother has disappeared without a trace, and she is presumed to be dead by the coven. However, Triss refuses to believe that her mother is gone. She reacquaints herself with Logan, a friendly face from childhood, and they slowly begin to piece together the circumstances surrounding her mother’s disappearance. When some of their discoveries leave them questioning the coven and their magical practices, what started out as a quest to find Triss’s mother becomes something a lot more dangerous and deadly.

While the premise of the story was what initially peaked my interest, I found there were many other things to appreciate about this book. The magical aspects of this novel were fascinating, and it’s nice to see what I consider to be a more ‘traditional’ form of magic (such as herbs and other earthly elements) being used. The concept of a lonely soul was also interesting to read about (but I will say no more- no spoilers!). However, this book did suffer a bit from poor pacing. There were a few moments where my attention was easily diverted and I lost interest in the story, but then things would quickly pick up again and I would be unable to stop reading. I think if the pace was a bit smoother and some of those unnecessary/drawn-out moments were removed, this would have been a much more engaging read.

Triss, the main character, took a while for me to warm up to. For the first half of the book, she struck me as being withdrawn and slightly abrasive, and I did not find myself really caring for her until the second half of the book. She has to deal with a lot emotionally throughout the story, and while I understand that and did not hold it against her when she was being prickly or rude, it just made it a little harder for me to really get a feel for her character. Logan, on the other hand, I instantly loved. I loved how steadfast his character was and the depth of his feelings for Triss. It is always nice to have a boy who is in your corner supporting you! :) (He has major swoonage potential!) The romance between Triss and Logan was solid, and some of their interactions left me in hysterics and were completely adorable.

Overall, this book did have a few problems, but it is a wonderful read all the same. It provides some originality to the YA paranormal genre, and it is definitely an interesting start to a new series. I cannot wait to see what Bolton has for us next!

A Decent Escape

Review: The Fine Art of Truth or Dare by Melissa Jensen

The Fine Art of Truth or Dare by Melissa Jensen

Release Date: February 16, 2012

Publisher: Speak

Author Information: Website / Blog / Twitter / Facebook

Genre: Contemporary, Romance

Available Formats: Paperback and eBook

My Shelf: Want to Buy

Buy the Book: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Books-A-Million / The Book Depository

Pretty in Pink meets Anna and the French Kiss in this charming romantic comedy.

Ella is nearly invisible at the Willing School, and that's just fine by her. She's got her friends - the fabulous Frankie and their sweet cohort Sadie. She's got her art - and her idol, the unappreciated 19th-century painter Edward Willing. Still, it's hard being a nobody and having a crush on the biggest somebody in the school: Alex Bainbridge. Especially when he is your French tutor, and lessons have started becoming, well, certainly more interesting than French ever has been before. But can the invisible girl actually end up with a happily ever after with the golden boy, when no one even knows they're dating? And is Ella going to dare to be that girl?

Review:

I was expecting a light, cute contemporary romance, but this book ended up being so much more. The story was moving, and there was a great deal of character depth which is not usually found in YA contemporary romances. I was pleasantly surprised by this book, and I ended up falling completely in love with it!

The most compelling thing about this book was the characters, hands down. They were so realistically rendered and portrayed, and I adored the main character, Ella. She is a true kindred spirit and very down to Earth. After an unfortunate accident as a child, she has been left with a scar that has resulted in her having some insecurities about herself, especially her body. She constantly wants to hide away, where no one will notice her or her scar, and where she is free to relish her art and study more about Edward Willing, her artistic (and dead) crush. To me, the insecurities she has with herself are what make her character both genuine and relatable. While not everyone has a large scar, most people do have insecurities concerning themselves and their bodies, and I loved watching Ella slowly and realistically come to accept herself, scars and all.

Alex’s character is all about breaking stereotypes. He’s rich, intelligent, extremely good-looking, seemingly unattainable…. You know where this story is going already, right? Wrong! There is a depth to his character that is not commonly found, and I enjoyed piecing together the anomaly known as Alex. When Alex and Ella were together, they had a real connection to each other, and watching their feelings gradually deepen was a real treat. The romantic aspect of this novel, while it cannot compare to the romance found in Anna and the French Kiss (but really, what book can?? St. Clair=LOVE!), was delightful and adorable, and Alex and Ella’s relationship contained all the fluffy fun I was hoping to find.

The Fine Art of Truth or Dare is definitely a book worth reading. There were a few facets to this novel that I did not particularly care for, such as Ella’s over-obsession with Edward Willing and some teenage moments of angst, but overall, this was a well-written and beautifully conceptualized novel telling the story of how two teens found one another and learned to accept themselves. It is a ridiculously cute and romantic read that you should not miss out on!

A Great Escape

Review: Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne

Monument 14 (Monument 14, #1) by Emmy Laybourne

Release Date: June 5, 2012
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Author Information: Website / Blog / Twitter
Genre: Survival, Dystopian
Available Formats: Hardcover and eBook

My Shelf: Want to Buy
Buy the Book: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Books-A-Million

Your mother hollers that you’re going to miss the bus. She can see it coming down the street. You don’t stop and hug her and tell her you love her. You don’t thank her for being a good, kind, patient mother. Of course not—you launch yourself down the stairs and make a run for the corner.

Only, if it’s the last time you’ll ever see your mother, you sort of start to wish you’d stopped and did those things. Maybe even missed the bus.

But the bus was barreling down our street, so I ran.

Fourteen kids. One superstore. A million things that go wrong.

In Emmy Laybourne’s action-packed debut novel, six high school kids (some popular, some not), two eighth graders (one a tech genius), and six little kids trapped together in a chain superstore build a refuge for themselves inside. While outside, a series of escalating disasters, beginning with a monster hailstorm and ending with a chemical weapons spill, seems to be tearing the world—as they know it—apart.

Review:

How can you not be interested in a story where what appears to be a normal, rather mundane day turns into a struggle to survive with the world literally falling apart around you? There are all kinds of crazy things going on in the beginning of this book: deadly, destructive hailstorms, exploding cars, and buses ramming into supermarkets, and I was immediately pulled into the story. Throw into the mix some nuclear disasters and megatsunamis, and I was hooked (yeah, survival of the fittest, baby!). It sounds like a great premise for a survival dystopian novel, right? However, while the book was quite enjoyable and entertaining, it lacked a few things that made it memorable for me.

With the beginning of the story starting out action-heavy and rather dramatic, I expected a similar kind of tone/pacing for the rest of the story. However, once the children get confined to the supermarket, things really decelerate and cool down. Survival for them comes in the form of structure and order, where everyone has chores they need to carry out, such as cooking, sorting supermarket items, and taking stock inventory. While it was impressive to read about how these teenagers and children were able to care for themselves, especially in such trying times, it lacked entertainment value. The only intense moments were intermittent fights over who would be leader of their group or relationship drama between a few of the high schoolers. These moments helped the story progress, but the slow pacing kept me from being fully invested. My favorite moments were when they were able to get information about the outside world, but unfortunately those moments were few and far between. I mean, the world is being destroyed, I want to know what is going on!  Even at the end of the book, I was uncertain of what the current situation was and the ramifications of all the disasters, but hopefully those things will be further explained in the next installment.

I found the characters to be a tad superficial. Dean was a decent male lead, and I like how the story is told from his perspective (yay for male POV!), but I found his overall emotions to be rather dull and listless. There were many times where he would be distressed or tensions would run high, but I never really felt any kind of heightened emotions myself. Also, some of the characters just annoyed and/or disturbed me. Two of the older teenagers, who should be role models for the younger children, spend most of their time either high or drunk, Dean peeps on his crush and her boyfriend getting physical with one another (the boyfriend naming her boobs = super distasteful), and one girl is so desperate for male attention she usually is flashing some kind of feminine body part. While personality flaws like this worked well with creating dramatic moments and establishing character dynamics, they did not make me particularly care for any of the characters. To me, the characters were ordinary and… just there. I had a pretty strong disconnect to almost all of them throughout the novel, and I think they should have been fleshed out a bit more.

One other aspect to the book I want to mention is the writing style. While it did not bother me, I can see how it would grate on others. Laybourne has a very simplistic prose, and she mainly uses basic sentence structures and does not delve too far into emotions and explicit details. This is in no means a bad thing, and I personally attributed her prose style to the fact that the story is told from a teenage male’s perspective, but some people could be very turned off to this kind of writing style.

Overall, while this book is not perfect, I did enjoy it. The ending definitely saved the book for me, and it left room for a lot of potential in the sequel. I liked the idea Laybourne has about children surviving the end of the world (that actually sounds terrible of me to say ><), and while she could have expanded on the story and made it more action-packed/dramatic, Monument 14 is nevertheless an entertaining read and I am excited to see where the second book takes us.   

A Decent Escape

New Releases for July are Up!!

New releases for July are now up! To see all the releases for this month, just click on the “New Releases” cloud in the nav bar! There are actually quite a few books I am looking forward to getting my hands on. Here are my picks for this month:

What are you excited to read this month?

Review: A Blood Seduction by Pamela Palmer

A Blood Seduction (Vamp City, #1) by Pamela Palmer

Release Date: May 29, 2012

Publisher: Avon
Author Information: Website / Blog / Twitter

Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance

Available Formats: Paperback and eBook
Buy the Book: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Books-A-Million

Take me down to Vampire City...

Vampires live only for lust and pleasure in the eternal twilight of Vamp City. But the city's magic is dying. The only person who can restore it? A beautiful woman from the mortal world...one who knows nothing of the power she wields.

Quinn Lennox is searching for a missing friend when she stumbles into a dark otherworld that only she can see—and finds herself at the mercy of Arturo Mazza, a dangerously handsome vampire whose wicked kiss will save her, enslave her, bewitch her, and betray her. What Arturo can't do is forget about her—any more than Quinn can control her own feelings for him. Neither one can let desire get in the way of their mission—his to save his people, hers to save herself. But there is no escape from desire in a city built for seduction, where passion flows hot and blood-red.

Welcome to Vamp City...

Review:

[sigh] I had such high hopes for this book. With world building comparable to Ilona Andrew’s On the Edge series, I was immediately taken in with the idea of a vampire city overlaying the ‘real world’ of Washington, D.C. The vampires that live in this parallel world, Washington, V.C. (Vamp City- I kid you not), are complete monsters, where in addition to thriving on human blood, they also enjoying feeding off the fear and pain of humans. Humans are beaten, whipped, tortured, and enslaved, all to satisfy the desires and bloodlust of their master vampires. There are no sparkly, loving vampires here! I loved the rough, gritty feel to the world and all its occupants, but the book still ended up falling flat for me. The fault lies in the characters.

The main character, Quinn, has some magic in her blood, enabling her to see into V.C. When a friend goes missing, she accidently stumbles into the vampires’ world and meets Arturo. This is when everything hits the fan. Quinn ran me through an emotional gamut. She would be terrified of Arturo one minute, then desire him, and then hate him, all within a couple of paragraphs. Her emotions and feelings toward Arturo would shift so quickly that it was impossible for me to keep up with them. She would be scared witless but still crave him. I thought emotions like fear, hate, and desire in a relationship were mutually exclusive (unless someone is an extreme masochist, which Quinn is not). Even at the end of the book, her feelings were still ambiguous, where I was unsure if she trusted him and how much she liked him.

Another thing about Quinn is she is weak, both physically and emotionally. Arturo told her not to trust him, that his allegiance was to his vampire master, Cristoff, first and foremost. However, she would believe him when he was lying to her, expect something from him, and then cry when he betrayed her. This happened over and over again. Rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat. She also couldn’t fight to save her life. I kept expecting her to pull out some big guns and show the vampires who was really boss, but she spent most of the time cowering in fear. It is hard for me to get behind a character like that. It also gives me a newfound respect for other characters like Kate Daniels or Mercy Thompson, who always stay strong and fierce, regardless of what is being thrown at them.

Arturo is a whole other type of monster (literally). He lies and betrays Quinn so much throughout this book that I had to keep asking myself, Is this guy really Quinn’s love interest? I still question whether he actually cares for her. There were a few snippets in the book where the reader knew what he was thinking and begins understand why he did what he did, and just when I think he is about to redeem himself in some grand gesture, he goes and demolishes any progress he made. I am all for the dangerous bad boys or the dark, broody types, but when a guy shows how much he ‘cares’ for you by turning you over to his master who he knows is going to torture you, I quickly fall off that guy’s bandwagon. No, thank you, sir. Even at the end, after he helped Quinn escape, he says that he will kidnap her again at a more convenient time and once again give her to his master (who has threatened to cut off appendages next time he finds her). Hmmm, I think this guy does not understand one crucial thing….

Dear Arturo, that is not the way you care for a lady. Allow me to help you out here. A real woman would prefer chocolates or flowers, maybe even candlelit dinners and long walks on the beach for the more romantically inclined, not torture and pain and death. Most women do not find physical and mental torment romantic. Just some advice you should take note of.  From a concerned bystander, Bri.

Overall, the world was intriguing and I loved Palmer’s take on vampires, but the characters were lacking. I found Arturo and Quinn’s relationship to be extraordinarily unhealthy and disturbing, making it hard to really appreciate what this book had to offer story-wise and romantically. I may try out the next book in the series, but I am going to be hoping it turns out better than A Blood Seduction. 

A Small Escape

Swag Giveaway and Cover Reveal: Flight by Alyssa Rose Ivy

The cover for Flight (The Crescent Chronicles, #1) by Alyssa Rose Ivy has been revealed! Here it is!

Flight (The Crescent Chronicles, #1) by Alyssa Rose Ivy

Release Date: September 2012

Author Information: Twitter / Blog

Add to Goodreads!

Sometimes you just have to take flight.

A summer in New Orleans is exactly what Allie needs before starting college. Accepting her dad’s invitation to work at his hotel offers an escape from her ex-boyfriend and the chance to spend the summer with her best friend. Meeting a guy is the last thing on her mind—until she sees Levi.

Unable to resist the infuriating yet alluring Levi, Allie finds herself at the center of a supernatural society and forced to decide between following the path she has always trusted or saving a city that might just save her.

So what do you think? The cover was designed by Phatpuppy Art, and I, personally, am a fan of the darker hues and the background setting. I also like the way the couple is posed. It looks so romantic!! *swoon* I cannot wait to check this book out!

WAIT! There is more! Want to win some signed swag from Ms. Ivy? She will be giving out signed bookmarks for Flight, so if you are interested in winning one, sign up below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Taken by Storm by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Taken by Storm (Raised by Wolves, #3) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Release Date: May 22, 2012

Publisher: EgmontUSA

Author Information: Website / Blog / Twitter

Genre: Paranormal

Available Formats: Hardcover and eBook
My Shelf: Want to Buy

Books in Series: Raised by Wolves (#1), Trial by Fire (#2)
Buy the Book: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Books-A-Million

Bryn knows first-hand that being the alpha of a werewolf pack means making hard decisions, and that being human makes things a thousand times worse. She's prepared to give up her humanity, but the wolf who promised to Change her is waiting - though for what, Bryn doesn't know. Still human, she must take her place in the werewolf Senate, the precarious democracy that rules the North American packs. Standing side by side with werewolves who were ancient long before she was ever born is enough of a challenge, but Bryn soon learns that the Senate has been called to deal with a problem: the kind of problem that involves human bodies, a Rabid werewolf, and memories that Bryn, Chase, and the rest of their pack would rather forget. With bodies stacking up and political pressure closing in from all sides, Bryn and her pack are going to have to turn to old enemies and even older friends for help - especially when it starts to look like this time, the monster might be one of their own.

Review:

First and foremost, a very important issue needs to be addressed. For those of you, like me, who are wondering if there is going to be a fourth book in the Raised by Wolves series, here is what Barnes has to say: “I knew that this book would, in many ways, be a conclusion to the plot lines, questions, and character arcs that started in the first two. I can’t say for sure that this is the last book I’ll ever write about Bryn, but I can say that I would be happy with it as a finale if it were.” *pauses and broods over statement* *broods some more* Nope, I’m sorry. Try as I might, I am not content with this ending. I want more! I want to know what happens next (MAJOR spoilers- only highlight to view if  you have read the book): How does Bryn feel after she has changed? Is her relationship with Devon still light and carefree even though they are now both Alphas? Will her relationship with Callum be repaired and can Bryn forgive him? And is there any way, any way at all, that Chase can be brought back, maybe even as a Shadow?? While the plot lines may have been tied up nicely, I am still not wholly satisfied with this ending (a series should not end on a cliffhanger, in my opinion), so I will praying, down on my hands and feet pleading, for there to be a fourth book. Please? Please, please, pretty please?? I am not above begging.

You cannot resist this face!

[Tries to gather what little of my dignity remains] Ahem. Okay, I am cool and composed. So how was the book, you ask? Absolutely, mind-blowingly amazing!! Just when I thought this series could not impress me more, Barnes dishes out Taken by Storm. This is definitely one of the few series available that actually gets better and better with every addition, and Taken by Storm is the best book in the series, no contest. It defied all my expectations, which were already pretty high. The story starts a little while after Bryn met with Callum (end of book two), and things immediately get intense when a Rabid shows up and Bryn is confronted with memories she would rather not remember. However, this Rabid is believed to be female, and all the big boys (aka the Alphas) come out to play in hopes of adding her to their ranks. When Bryn learns that Maddy might somehow be involved in the Rabid’s killings, it becomes a race against time and the other Alphas to figure out who the Rabid is and save Maddy. If things are not bad enough, Shay starts pulling out some of the tricks he has up his sleeve for some time, and he is anticipating the day when he takes over Bryn’s pack. But Bryn happens to have a few tricks up her sleeve as well….

I know I already mentioned that I loved this book, but it will not hurt to say it one more time. Taken by Storm was beyond brilliant. Barnes seamlessly creates a story with a gripping, ever-changing plot filled with intense action, charming characters, and heightened emotions/feelings, a prefect trifecta. This book made me feel so much; I laughed and I cried and some emotionally trying moments tugged at my heart. I love how Barnes captures the mentality of a pack being family, and I respected the strength of their emotional bonds to one another. Bryn is human, but she is their Alpha, and they will follow her through thick and thin. I cannot even begin to try and explain the appreciation I have for Bryn. Being human, she is physically weaker than other packs’ Omegas, but that never stops her from doing what she thinks is best and fighting for her pack. Shay throws her down rather heavily in this book, but she stands up and pushes right back, and I cannot help but have the utmost respect for her. Her iron will and keen mind are all the arsenal she needs to make the other Alphas regret challenging her or thinking of her as weak. You have got to love a girl who can own Alpha males. All the old favorites are also back, and even good ole Archer makes an appearance (I lovveee his name!).

I really cannot do this book justice. If you have not read it (or this series), then you need to remedy that quickly. Raised by Wolves is one of the greatest werewolf books I have ever come across (if not the very best), and you should not miss out on it. Treat yourself! I just hope Taken by Storm is not the last time we read about Bryn.

To conclude my fangirling review, I have a letter for Ms. Barnes.

Dear Ms. Barnes,

I [politely] demand a fourth book. You do not want to see me go all Rabid (it's not pretty). I will eagerly be awaiting the next book within a year! :)

Thank you,

A BIG fan

The Greatest Escape!!

Read my review for Raised by Wolves here.

Read my review for Trail by Fire here. 

Waiting on Wednesday (25)

Waiting on Wednesday was created by Jill at Breaking the Spine, and it's a weekly meme mentioning an anticipated upcoming release!

My choice:

Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill

Release Date: November 13, 2012

Publisher: Delacorte

Author Information: Website / Blog / Twitter / Facebook

Pre-Order: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Books-A-Million

Add to Goodreads!

Meant to be or not meant to be . . . that is the question.

It's one thing to fall head over heels into a puddle of hazelnut coffee, and quite another to fall for the—gasp—wrong guy. Straight-A junior Julia may be accident prone, but she's queen of following rules and being prepared. That's why she keeps a pencil sharpener in her purse and a pocket Shakespeare in her, well, pocket. And that's also why she's chosen Mark Bixford, her childhood crush, as her MTB ("meant to be").

But this spring break, Julia's rules are about to get defenestrated (SAT word: to be thrown from a window) when she's partnered with her personal nemesis, class-clown Jason, on a school trip to London. After one wild party, Julia starts receiving romantic texts . . . from an unknown number! Jason promises to help discover the identity of her mysterious new suitor if she agrees to break a few rules along the way. And thus begins a wild goose chase through London, leading Julia closer and closer to the biggest surprise of all: true love.

Because sometimes the things you least expect are the most meant to be.

Ahhh, after reading so many paranormal books lately, I have been looking for a cute, romantic read to get excited about, and look what I found! This book just seems like all kinds of adorable, and I love the whole falling-for-the-boy-you-hate scenario! Add the fact that the story is set in London (a place I have always wanted to venture to), this book was immediately added on my to-read list. Why is November still so far away? I want this book now!!

What are your picks for this week?

Blog Tour and Review: Angel Eyes by Shannon Dittemore

Angel Eyes by Shannon Dittemore

Release Date: May 29, 2012

Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Author Information: Website / Twitter / Facebook
Genre: Paranormal, Religious
Available Formats: eBook

My Shelf: Own (ARC eBook)

Other Information: Debut Author

Buy the Book: Barnes and Noble

Once you’ve seen, you can’t unsee. Everything changes when you’ve looked at the world through . . .

ANGEL EYES

Brielle’s a ballerina who went to the city to chase her dreams and found tragedy instead. She’s come home to shabby little Stratus, Oregon, to live with her grief and her guilt . . . and the incredible, numbing cold she can’t seem to shake.

Jake’s the new guy at school. The boy next door with burning hands and an unbelievable gift that targets him for corruption.

Something more than fate has brought them together. An evil bigger than both of them lurks in the shadows nearby, hiding in plain sight. Two angels stand guard, unsure what’s going to happen. And a beauty brighter than Jake or Brielle has ever seen is calling them to join the battle in a realm where all human choices start.

A realm that only angels and demons—and Brielle—can perceive.

Review:

Well, this book definitely added some variety to my paranormal reads. Recently, having read series such as Hush, Hush, Halo, and Fallen, I have essentially avoided most books dealing with angels like the plague. Angel Eyes has restored some of my faith in angel-demon paranormal books. The story is refreshing and Dittemore adds her own flare to the proverbial angel story to make her own unique.

Angel Eyes was a great read. It has an intriguing plot, solid characters (including one guy who is swoon-worthy), and romance. The story is a bit confusing in the beginning, with Brielle being plagued by past events, and the reader does not find out what happened until a decent way into the book. However, once the backstory is provided, it is all systems go. The story gets more intense and a major plot line starts to develop (something which I will not spoil), and it definitely makes for a gripping read. I liked Dittemore’s explanation for the use of halos and how they can lead to advanced powers in people who are worthy to wield them. I also liked the characters, which were well-crafted, and I adored the romance. Jake is such an awesome male lead, and he had my attention from the get-go. As far as God and the religious aspects of this novel are concerned, I am not going to delve into them too much (it is probably best for me to keep things nice and simple, no?). For the first half to two-thirds of the novel, there are very few religious undertones, but there are many towards the end. I am going to leave it at that.

One thing that did bother me a bit was the conflicting character viewpoints. Overall, there are four main players in this novel: Brielle, Jake, Canaan, and Damien. Brielle, Canaan, and Damien all have their own viewpoints being told, yet Jake is the lone man out. Unlike the others, the reader never gets to hear any bits of the story from Jake (save the afterword, which was all of 2-3 pages). Why? I did not understand that. In addition, Brielle uses a first person point of view, but when Canaan and Damien’s viewpoint is being expressed, their voice is the third person perspective. I did not like this mash up between first and third person point of views. It is easier and less confusing to just stick with one of them. I think it would have been better to stick with Brielle’s perspective throughout the book and fill in the other missing pieces told from Canaan and Damien’s viewpoints through dialogue or something. It would have made for a more fluid read while not detracting from the story or any type of character development.

Overall, Angel Eyes was an interesting story with a new take on angels that I think anyone would enjoy. It is one of the better angel-related reads out there, so for those of you looking for a more original angelic story, look no further than Angel Eyes!

A Decent Escape