#Review - Cursed Beauty by Stacey O'Neale #YA #Paranormal

Series: Standalone?
Format: E-Galley, 155 pages
Release Date: August 30th 2021
Publisher: Phoenix Reign Publishing
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult / Paranormal

From USA Today bestselling author Stacey O'Neale comes a standalone YA fantasy retelling of Sleeping Beauty.

The day has come for sixteen-year-old Aurora to receive her witch mark. She should be thrilled. But unlike the rest of her coven, a centuries-old family curse has already decided her fate; the cost of her new power is her life.

After the ceremony, her grandmother offers her hope: Aurora can save herself and prevent her coven from dying by awakening a sleeping prince with the power to break her curse. Unfortunately, she must travel through the forbidden Shadowlands to reach him.

The enchanted forest is filled with magical creatures—friends and foes—including the mysterious son of a powerful wolf pack leader. Can she find the prince in time, and if she succeeds, will he choose to help despite having been placed under the sleeping spell?

Stacey O'Neale's Cursed Beauty is the authors retelling of Sleeping Beauty but with a gender twist. The day has come for sixteen-year-old Aurora Briar to receive her witch mark like everyone else in her family and coven. Every witch who turns sixteen goes through a witching ceremony to determine what kind of witch they will be and what mark will be permanently placed on them. Her mother is an earth witch, her eldest sister is an lunar witch.  

 

She should be thrilled. But unlike the rest of her coven, she knows that a centuries-old family curse has already decided her fate since it skipped her mother and sister.  So, what happens? Aurora ends up being a blood witch which means that in order to save her coven and her family, she will be sacrificed and her blood used to heal the land. After the ceremony, her grandmother Daphne offers her hope: Aurora can save herself and prevent her coven from dying by awakening a sleeping prince with the power to break her curse.

 

Unfortunately, she must travel through the forbidden Shadowlands to reach him. Aurora, however, doesn't go alone. Her best friend Hazel, an earth witch, has had enough of her mother's interference in her life, and wants something more for her own future that doesn't ride on whether or not her mother thinks it's a good idea or not. The enchanted forest is filled with magical creatures—friends and foes—including the mysterious son of a powerful wolf pack leader, Sage Fernandez and his friend Rune Garcia who crushes hard on Hazel. 

 

The shifters have reason to not allow Aurora to complete her mission. They have an absolute hatred for vampires, and if the prince is awakened, things are likely to go back to hard times for the shifters. This, of course, makes things really difficult for Aurora and Hazel since the shifters would rather see them fail in their mission. With a little help from Sage and Rune, the girls travel to the castle and witness a stunning scene. Can she find the prince in time, and if she succeeds, will he choose to help despite having been placed under the sleeping spell?

 

With regrets, I only rated this as 3.5 as the ending leaves a glaring cliffhanger ending. I don't mind cliffhanger endings if I know there will be another book in the series. I do not like the fact that we are supposed to make up our own endings for what is going to happen next to Aurora, Hazel, Safe, Rune, and the Vampire Prince, Derrick. I liked the relationship between Hazel and Aurora as well as Hazel and Rune. They make the perfect couple and she has a great chance at becoming something amazing with her magical abilities. I would have liked this book to be a bit longer with more worldbuilding since all we see in parts and parcel of the world including Aurora's home and parts of the Shadowland.

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*Review - Steel Rose: Van Helsing Academy by Stacey O'Neale #YA #Paranormal

Series: Supernatural Rehab # 3
Format: Kindle, 185 pages
Release Date:  June 28th 2021
Publisher: Phoenix Reign Publishing
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Genre: Young Adult / Paranormal

From USA Today bestselling author Stacey O'Neale comes the explosive conclusion to her Supernatural Rehab series!

The battle is won but the war is far from over. The uprising has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Order. Tensions between the factions are at an all-time high. Declan has a bounty on Mina’s head, forcing her to make impossible choices. Meanwhile, disturbing reports are coming out of the Van Helsing Academy. Although her life is in imminent danger, she must become the Order’s Steel Rose—no matter the cost.

Steel Rose is the third and final book in her YA Academy series. No harem. Perfect for fans of Darkblood Academy by G.K. DeRosa, Wolf Moon Academy by Jen L. Grey, and Shadowspell Academy by K.F. Breene and Shannon Mayer.

Steel Rose, by author Stacey O'Neale, is the third and final book the Supernatural Rehab trilogy. This story continues right where Legacies off. Mina Van Helsing, the great, great-granddaughter of the most famous vampire hunter in history, Professor Abraham Van Helsing, trained her entire life to be what the supes call a reaper. Reapers are the police department of the supernatural underworld and protectors of the Covenant that her grandfather worked hard to pull together but now is being pulled apart thanks to Vampire Master Declan. 

After being sent to Van Helsing Academy as punishment for something she didn't remember, Mina has had her eyes opened to the plight of the supernatural community. Thanks to her new friends Sacha, Alexei, Kiera, Bethany, Brianna, and yes, even Cassius, the vampire prince who has betrayed her, and saved her life, Mina stood and announced she would be the Steel Rose to unite the clans together. Even though the battle against Declan and his allies was successful, the war hasn't been decided yet. There are plenty of supernaturals who are unhappy with the Order. 

The Uprising against the Order began with the vampires but has spread to the werewolves thanks to Declan. Declan ups the ante by putting a $5 million bounty on Mina dead or alive. This means that anyone who an itch to scratch would inevitably be Mina's executioner. With that kind of money, Mina and her friends will be hard pressed to remain allies especially with the arrival of Sacha's nemesis from Russia. When Mina realizes the only way to figure out Declan's plans is to return to VHA, the others join her without hesitation.

While Mina is struggling not to rush ahead into danger like she always seems to do without regards to those around her, Cassius is playing another type of game. Cassius not a fan of his father's plans. While Cassius is somewhat of a outcast by his own clan for helping Mina escape, and isn't at all liked by Sacha's clan, or the witches, he knows that if he is patient, and stands his ground, he might be the savior that Mina needs to remain alive. Cassius has a chance to finally stand up and shine, but will his father's machinations end in tragedy? Or, can Mina find a way to survive the Declan's plot to take over the world and make humans slaves to the supernatural clans?

There are some curious connections that happen in this story. Especially between Sacha and Mina. I didn't see that coming, and I am still scratching my head. The author does something so unique that I am trying to figure out if this happened before or it's original without adding spoilers to my review. I liked the connection between Kiera and Alexei. It's grown out of respect and the fact that Kiera was pretty much shoved into joining Sacha's pack to save her life. I liked that we get a deeper look into the Order as well as not forgetting that Mina is still considered to be a Reaper. This is one of those rare series where the parents haven't been killed off, or are not in the scene at all. Mina's parents get a shock in this book but not once waiver in their support. 

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#Review - Legacies: Van Helsing Academy by Stacey O'Neale #YA #Paranormal #Romance

Series: Supernatural Rehab # 1
Format: Kindle, 220 pages
Release Date: October 24, 2020
Publisher: Phoenix Reign Publishing
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Genre: Young Adult / Paranormal

Welcome to the Van Helsing Academy: a rehab facility for vampires, shifters, and witches, who don't like to follow the rules.

Against all odds, Mina Van Helsing survived the courthouse attack and revealed the rebel leader's secret identity. But the battle is far from won. The uprising continues to grow in numbers, while the tensions between the factions are at an all-time high. As Mina works to find a resolution, she learns that she is the new face of the Order, putting her life in imminent danger. A war is coming. And Mina knows that the only way to end the uprising is by capturing Cassius, no matter the cost.

Legacies: Van Helsing Academy, by author Stacey O'Neale, is the second book in the authors Supernatural Rehab trilogy. Perfect for fans of Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead, Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins, and Mythos Academy by Jennifer Estep. This story picks up immediately after the events of Van Helsing Academy. Mina Van Helsing, the great, great granddaughter of Abraham Van Helsing who created the Order & Reapers, is back to square one after surviving an attack on the courthouse and having the High Council reject her appeal for a new trial.

The whole mess for Mina began when she disobeyed a direct order and a teammate ended up in a coma. Upon arrival back at Van Helsing Academy, Mina learns that she not only has to return to her classes but can resume going on missions when called upon by Damien. Thankfully for Mina, Damien’s team has chosen to forgive her rather than hold a major grudge that could get someone killed. On her first mission back, Mina finds that the Uprising vampires are spreading lies about the Covenant being destroyed by Reapers. Any Supernatural that has been punished for breaking the law, are ideal candidates for the Uprising.

Mina is driven to find Cassius and make him pay for his betrayal. Mina also learns from her allies the Queen B's, Sacha, Kiera, and Alexei, that the Uprising is approaching pack, and clan leaders, and witches to join them in destroying the Order and creating a new world order under someone who was supposed to be an ally of the Order. No spoilers. It seems they have also found a way into the Academy itself which makes you wonder who else at the school is involved with the Uprising.

But that's just the beginning of the trouble. Mina's roommate Kiera, a solo werewolf, is targeted by members of rival packs because she's friends with Mina. Mina's romance with Sacha is tested because Mina isn't one to run to anyone for help when she's capable of handling her own problems. Mina becomes an unwillingly becomes a voice of a revolution when she stands up in the middle of class urging witches, werewolves, and vampires to stand against the Uprising and not listen to the flood of disinformation. Thanks to a video of the speech going viral, Mina becomes Steel Rose, and a huge target is place on her head. Mina's only hope in defeating the Uprising is to counter them by building trust and dialogue among all races. 

Part of the story is also told from Cassius's point of view which gives readers an inside look into the Uprising and those responsible including its leader. Cassius wants Mina dead, but his father has other uses for her. His father’s goals for the world are so dangerous that anyone who stands against him, including humans, are cannon fodder. Cassius is a confusing character in that his hate of Mina drives him, but it’s directed in the wrong direction. His father’s anger over losing his heir, makes him reckless and dangerous. Will Cassius do the right thing when war reaches the grounds of Van Helsing? Read the book and find out! 

It is fair to say that I liked this book a whole lot better than the first installment. There is more action. There's a bit more romance. Mina's growth as a leader shines through, especially after she and her allies go to battle against the Uprising. The author is obviously a fan of the Hunger Games since she basically turns Mina into this series version of Katniss Everdeen the Mockingjay. This book obviously leads into the finale which is not shockingly called Steel Rose. 

 

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#Blog Tour / #Giveaway / #Review - Van Helsing Academy by Stacey O'Neale #YA #Paranormal

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the VAN HELSING ACADEMY by Stacey O'Neale Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

Title: VAN HELSING ACADEMY (Supernatural Rehab #1)

Author: Stacey O'Neale

Pub. Date: April 28, 2020

Publisher: Phoenix Reign Publishing

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 264

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle

Welcome to the Van Helsing Academy: a rehabilitation center for vampires, shifters, and witches who don't like to follow the rules.

Mina can't remember anything about the night she was attacked. All she knows is what she's been told: she got separated from her team during a mission and turned up two months later covered in cuts and bruises alongside two dead vampires.

After being blamed for their deaths, she is sentenced to three years at the supernatural rehabilitation center, the Van Helsing Academy.

As Mina searches for answers, lies are slowly unraveled and alliances forged. Soon she will uncover a secret plot that threatens to destroy her family legacy and ignite a war between the supernatural factions.

Van Helsing Academy is the first book in a new YA paranormal romance series. No harem. Perfect for fans of Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead, Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins, and Mythos Academy by Jennifer Estep.

Van Helsing Academy is the first installment in author Stacey O'Neale's Supernatural Rehab series. Van Helsing Academy is a YA paranormal romance series set in a contemporary world. Protagonist Mina Van Helsing (16) is the great, great-granddaughter of the most famous vampire hunter in history, Professor Abraham Van Helsing. Protecting humans is the family business. Mina has trained her entire life to be what the supes call a reaper. Reapers are the police department of the supernatural underworld and protectors of the Covenant that her grandfather worked hard to pull together.

But being part of a famous family comes with drawbacks. Like, if you make a mistake, it will most definitely go viral. That's what happens to Mina while out searching for an Alpha Shifter who apparently escaped and her friend is badly injured. After waking up in the hospital weeks after going missing, and without memories of what actually happened to her, Mina finds herself sentenced to (3) years at Van Helsing Academy for the murder of (2) vampires. Mina fully believes the only answer is that she was compelled by a vampire who now wants her help. 

It's apparent that by using the infamous Mina Van Helsing, someone is sending a message to the Council of the Four Rings. With her parent's (Jonathan & Lucy) reluctant blessing, Mina decides that being at VHA is a great opportunity to find out what happened to her. Entering VHA without any friends, Mina slowly finds that she's not alone. After a ritual where everyone has to get their kicks in on Mina because of her family named, she ends up making friends with her shifter roommate Kiera, and attracted to another shifter, Sacha, who just happens to be an Alpha.

The more Mina uncovers, the more she realizes she's been played like a fiddle and set up to take the fall. It means that Mina and her friends, which now include Alexei, will need to find a way to get a message to her parents and the Council before it's too late. But, what if Mina was the perfect patsy to use to hide an even deadlier plan? And, who will listen now that she's been sentenced to (3) years for murder? 

So, first I want to thank the author for sharing a copy of this book with me pre-launch and having patience as I joined this Book Tour. I look forward to reading the sequel coming out in August. This is very much a paranormal romance book focusing on Mina, as well as a group of friends who she thaws out by being honest about who she is, and proving that her family is not all monsters as rumors are fond of spreading. Mina, Sacha, & Kiera work together to uncover why Mina was targeted and how they can prevent something even more diabolical from happening. Mina's connection to Sacha goes from colder than ice, to hotter than Hades. Will be interesting to see how this plays out. 

Excerpt #3

Once we returned to our dorm, she plopped down on her bed and watched me as I moved around the room. I opened the closet doors and pulled out a pair of thick leggings, a long sleeve sweater, and knee-high boots.

As I laid the clothes across my bed, she said, “That’s an unusual outfit to wear to bed.”

“I’m going to meet Sacha in the stables at nine,” I answered as I pulled my top over my head. “He has something I need.”

“I’ll bet he does,” she winked.

“Very funny.” I slipped on the sweater, and then shrugged off my jeans. I sat down on my bed and tugged the leggings on. 

She lazily flipped through a graphic novel. “I’ll be honest; I didn’t picture you as one of those girls.”

I raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean by those girls.”

“You know,” she shrugged. “The kind of girl that gets freaky in the stables.”

I was sure my mouth hit the floor. “I’m not going there to get freaky in the stables.” 

She closed her book. “Oh, come on. I haven’t dated anyone since I got here, and even I know that’s where couples go to hook-up.”

About Stacey:

Award-winning author, Stacey O'Neale, lives in Annapolis, Maryland. When she's not writing, she spends her time fangirling over books, blogging, watching fantasy television shows, cheering for the Baltimore Ravens, and hanging out with her husband and daughter.

Her career in publishing started as a blogger-turned-publicist for Entangled Publishing. Stacey writes young adult fantasy and adult paranormal romance. Her books always include swoon-worthy heroes, snarky heroines, and lots of kissing.

Stacey loves hearing from readers. Follow her on Twitter @StaceyONeale, look for her on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Tumblr. You can also visit her blog at staceyoneale.com/.

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Tour Schedule:

Week One:

4/27/2020	BookHounds YA	Excerpt
4/28/2020	Mythical Books	Excerpt
4/29/2020	She Just Loves Books	Review
4/30/2020	momfluenster	Excerpt
5/1/2020	popthebutterfly reads	Review

Week Two:

5/4/2020	Smada's Book Smack	Review
5/5/2020	Abellafairytale blog	Review
5/6/2020	Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers	Review
5/7/2020	Hurn Publications	Review
5/8/2020	Moonlight Rendezvous	Review

Week Three:

5/11/2020	Journey in Bookland	Review
5/12/2020	The Phantom Paragrapher	Review
5/13/2020	Twirling Book Princess	Excerpt
5/14/2020	Reese's Reviews	Review
5/15/2020	Down The Rabbit Hole	Review

Week Four:

5/18/2020	Lisa Loves Literature	Excerpt
5/19/2020	Two Chicks on Books	Excerpt
5/20/2020	Gizmos's Reviews	Review
5/21/2020	Fyrekatz Blog	Review
5/22/2020	A Dream Within A Dream	Review

Week Five:

5/25/2020	DJREADSBOOKS	Excerpt
5/26/2020	A Gingerly Review	Excerpt
5/27/2020	The Book Junkie Reads . . .	Excerpt
5/28/2020	Jazzy Book Reviews	Excerpt
5/29/2020	TMBA Corbett Tries to Write	Review