#Tuesday Review - Gabriel by Nikki Kelly #YALit #Paranormal @Styclar @FeiwelFriends

Series: The Styclar Saga # 2
Format: Hardcover, 384 pages
Release Date: October 27, 2015
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Source: Library 
Genre: YA, Paranormal

The handsome Angel from Lailah gets center stage in this continuation of Wattpad sensation Nikki Kelly’s romantic and action-packed series about mortals, vampires, and angels.

Gabriel is an Angel Descendant. He's also an ally to a generation of vampires who want to break away from the demon who controls them. His faith in the power of good over evil wavers, however, when he discovers that Lailah, the woman he considers his only true love, may be both angel and demon. Is their love enough to overcome the dark forces who are ready to go to war with Gabriel, the vampire Jonah, and the angel and vampire forces? And can Gabriel compete with Jonah, who is also in love with Lailah?

Once again, Nikki Kelly looks deeply into the heart and soul of good and evil to create a romantic, action-packed reading adventure.

Gabriel is the second installment in author Nikki Kelly's The Styclar Saga. As one would imagine, it took me awhile to get back into this series since it has been a year and a half since I read Lailah. Lots of books have come and gone during that wait. I had to remind myself how the first installment, Lailah, ended, and what one of my major hurdles was in loving the first book. Had to remind myself that Lailah is a character who isn't who she seems. She is much, much more. She doesn't age like others. She doesn't permanently die like others. And, she has a tendency of losing her memories. 

As with the previous installment, the author starts off the story with a prologue that introduces a new group of characters, plus one who has her own story to tell. This new group is given a new mission thanks to this mysterious woman. They must find Lailah and save her from herself before it is too late. Meanwhile, Lailah has been "resurrected" and has inherited her immortal lineage. She is both light and dark now, which means that the author once again tests the boundaries of what makes a person good or evil, or whether a person can actually be good and evil at the same time. 

Since Lailah is both Angel & Vampire, it is something she struggles with and puts a strain on her relationship with Gabriel who doesn't even want to broach the subject of her vampire aka dark side. They are soul mates. That particular side doesn't need to be part of her if she just ignores what her body needs. Lailah is both good and evil just by being half-vampire, and half-angel. The other issue she has is remembering who Jonah is. She remembers clearly Gabriel and her past with him, but the dark, handsome, stoic vampire is just out of reach of her memories. 

Even though the books title is Gabriel, the narrative is still Lailah's to tell. I would have liked to see chapters dedicated to Gabriel's narrative, especially since he has a bunch of issues of his own, and makes a drastic call that I have now predicted how the series will end. Jonah, on the other hand, is in a world of hurt. How can the girl he loves not remember him? How can she focus solely on the light side of her being, and ignore the part that makes her dangerous and a weapon in the war between Vampires and Angels? But, Jonah isn't innocent either. He does some things that I would not agree with, but that is who he really is after all. 

Unfortunately, this story ends on a highfalutin cliff hanger which will lead directly into the final installment in the series obviously named Jonah. Since the publisher was nice enough to approve me via NetGalley, I shall be reading the sequel shortly! 

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*Book Review* The Darkness Within by Kelly Hashway (YA Paranormal)

Series: The Monster Within # 2
Published by: Spencer Hill Press
Release Date: June 2, 2015
Format: E-Book, 352 pages 
Source: NetGalley
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance

After dying of cancer at seventeen and being brought back to life by an evil witch who turned her into a monster, Samantha Thompson thinks she's finally gotten past all the tragedy in her life. Now she's part of a coven of good witches who are helping her and her boyfriend, Ethan Anderson, learn to use the powers they received from other witches.

Aside from the fact that Sam and Ethan are still in hiding from their old lives--the ones they had before Sam was brought back to life--things couldn't be better. Sam and Ethan are inseparable. What could go wrong? Magic. 

Ethan's magic came from a witch who'd turned as evil as possible, and though his coven thought he'd be fine, the more he uses his magic, the stranger he starts acting. The magic inside him is changing who he is. One minute he's Sam's sweet, perfect Ethan and the next, he's a complete stranger. Even with all her witchy power, Sam is helpless against the magic corrupting Ethan. Can Sam find out what's wrong with him before she loses him to dark magic forever?

The Darkness Within, the sequel and finale to The Monster Within duology, picks up about a month after the first installment. 17-year old Sam Thompson died from the effects of cancer and was brought back to life by her boyfriend Ethan Anderson's deal with a witch. In doing so, Sam became a witch killer at the behest of an evil witch, and now has the magic of two witches inside of her. The combined magic gives Sam powerful abilities that she hasn't even scratched the surface with yet.

Both Sam and Ethan have since left their families behind and made new lives in a small town in Pennsylvania under assumed names where they go to school, and work in a diner. They are nearly inseparable, and act as though they are an old married couple most of the time. They both belong to a coven of witches along with Dylan, and Shannon who try to help them understand the magic they now carry. But, hurt feelings still exist over the loss of two of their coven mates due to Sam's actions, including Dylan's brother.

On top of all that, Ethan's troubles are far from over. Just when you thought things couldn't get any stranger, Ethan finds himself struggling with a darkness that came from the witch he made a deal with to save Sam. One minute he is the Ethan that Sam knows and loves, the next minute he is a cold and distant as a Canadian winter. The magic inside him is changing who he is and making him pull back from Sam. Even with all her powers, Sam has no clue how to help Ethan before she completely loses him.

So, let's break down this story down a bit. Sam has a whole lot of issues to deal with this time around, and not just with Ethan's. There is a student who is asking way too many personal questions, and teachers who apparently know that Sam, Ethan, Dylan, and Shannon are witches. Then there is yet another powerful witch who may or may not have the ability to save Ethan from going completely evil, but could she also be the witch that is targeting the coven? What cost will Ethan and the others have to pay in order to make things right again? Who can Sam really trust with the only boy she's ever loved and who refused to walk away from her when she was suffering with cancer?

I can't say that I had a whole lot of fun with Sam and Ethan's shenanigans. At times, it was a bit of a romance overload. At other times, I found myself liking Shannon a whole lot better when she uses magic, sarcasm, and humor to get by. I truly held my breath when Hashway appeared to create a love triangle. I do hope she finds a way to never cross that bridge again. I do really hope that the two covens end up combining. I think that with their assistance, Sam and Ethan can learn about their magic, and keep on the good side of things.

**I received this book for free from (Spencer Hill Press) via (NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!! This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**

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*Book Review* Sorceress by Claudia Gray (YA Paranormal)

Series: Spellcaster # 3
Publisher: Harper Teen
Published: March 3, 2015
Source: Library
Format: Hardcover, 352 pages
Genre: YA, Paranormal

To save the lives of countless people in Captive’s Sound, Nadia has sworn herself to the One Beneath, to black magic. Her plan, and the town’s only hope, is for Nadia to learn enough sorcery to strike back against the forces of darkness. But now that she’s separated from her friends, her family, and her Steadfast, Mateo, Nadia is more vulnerable than ever to darkness. And as the sorceress Elizabeth summons torrential rains and brings the One Beneath closer to the mortal world, Nadia is running out of time to stop her. The final battle lines are drawn, surprising alliances are made, and true love is tested in the action-packed conclusion to the breathtaking Spellcaster series. 

Sorceress is the final installment in the Spellcaster trilogy. Picking up right where Steadfast left off, teenage witch Nadia Caldani has done the unthinkable. She's sworn to serve the One Beneath in order to save Captive Sound, her friends, and her family who have no clue what's going on.  She's also agreed to be trained by Elizabeth Pike who has caused chaos using fear, hate, sorrow & grief to get what she's wanted for generations.

Nadia can only hope that she can learn quickly what Elizabeth has to teach her, before the One Beneath makes his appearance. That means using every available resource, including her steadfast boyfriend Mateo Perez, best friend Verlaine Laughton, demon Asa, and several other characters who join Team Not Evil.

I dare say that I was a bit emotional at times while reading Sorceress. I hated to see the pain and suffering these characters faced. Yet, it is that pain and suffering that drives them to find the answers they need to fight back. I went into Sorceress holding my expectations back a bit. Too many times, I have been burned by final installments in series leaving me with a bad taste in my mouth.

I will say that Gray didn't hold back in resolving the Elizabeth issue, but the final chapter could have been a bit longer with perhaps more action and fight scenes against One Beneath, his demons, and Team Not Evil. The positive is that she didn't try to sweeten her villain, or make light of a really bad situation. She puts Nadia into a corner, makes her find ways to deal with the Elizabeth/One Beneath issue before it destroys her new hometown.

I found myself cheering loudly for Verlaine in this installment. Folks, this poor girl has gone through hell, and it doesn't get any better once Elizabeth's ultimate plans kick into action. I do like that Verlaine found someone she could be with, and that Asa would in turn, understand her struggles she's been forced to deal with since being cursed by Elizabeth. I'm also happier than a clam at high tide that she gets a wonderful HEA.

Overall, one could complain about the romance between Nadia and Mateo. Or, one could say that it was written exactly as it should have been. Although Nadia and Mateo are great in this story, it was Verlaine and Asa that took the ultimate prize for the best relationship. I do wish that Nadia could have resolved the issue with her mother for her brothers sake, but life isn't fair, so why should a fantasy story be any different?

Other Books in series:

      

*YA Paranormal Book Review* Red by Alyxandra Harvey

Publisher: Entangled Teen
Released: March 10, 2015
Source: NetGalley/Publisher
Format: E-Book, 198 pages
Genre: YA, Paranormal

Red is the color of Kia Alcott's hair.

It's her temper, which blazes hot and always gets Kia into way too much trouble.

And it's the color of fire. Fires that Kia can start…just by thinking about them.

When her latest “episode” gets her kicked out of school, Kia is shipped off to her grandmother, who works for the wealthy Blackwoods. It's an estate shrouded in secrets, surrounded by rules, and presided over by a family that is far from normal…including the gorgeous and insolent Ethan Blackwood.

Ethan knows far more about the dangers of the forest surrounding the estate than Kia can ever imagine. For this forest has teeth, and Ethan is charged with protecting the outside world from its vicious mysteries.

But inside, even the most vibrant shade of red doesn't stand a chance against the dark secrets of the Blackwood family

Red, by Alyxandra Harvey, is one of the rarities in today's young adult genre. It is a standalone that doesn't really need to go any further for readers to enjoy it. Harvey tells her story by alternating first person narratives between Kia Alcott, and Ethan Blackwood. I enjoyed the premise behind Red, and Kia and Ethan for different reasons. I love that the Blackwood estate is surrounded by magic, secrets, and unusual creatures right out of mythology. It's also a plus when storylines come together and the pacing of the book is quick and not discombobulated.

Kia is a troubled teen who has a bit of a problem. She is a firestarter with an attitude and her sarcasm knows no boundaries. When Kia sets part of her school on fire, and hurts her best friend in the process, her father banishes her off to stay with a grandmother, Abby, who had forbidden her from visiting the Blackwoods estate. Kia soon discovers why. She's not even close to being the most dangerous person living on the property. Abby is living in a place where wild beasts like phookas, trolls, mermaids, basilisks, wyverns, goblins, werewolves, and wendigo's roam freely. With Abby's abilities, it's only a matter of time before someone catches on, and forces her into doing things she doesn't enjoy.

There is also something called the Cabal, and that is where Ethan, his father Holden, Sloane, Tobias, Justine, Colt, Ariel, and Justin come in. Each is expected to pass their own individual trials, and become members of the Cabal aka Hunters and protectors who try to make sure their monsters don't kill indiscriminately. When you look into each of the characters trials, you will be amazed that more people haven't been killed by pure lunacy. In the end, I liked Sloane the best, and really didn't understand Justine's hatred for Kia which reminds me why I am glad I am no longer a teen and in high school.

As for Ethan, I will say that he is the most intense character in the book, but I do believe that's because of who is father is, what is expected from him, and what he has lost over the years. To me, he's allowed to be a bit out of reach, closed off, and therefore I am giving him plenty of leeway. Ethan, of course, is the love interest in the book. I do believe that Kia and Ethan come together in a situation where they both need someone to understand what they are living with. It is not love at first sight. There isn't any love triangles either. Their relationship grows over the short span of this story, and doesn't immediately involve sex and heavy petting.

In the end, I will recommend Red to those who like a different kind of story about paranormal, mythology, and romance. There are those who are stating that Red is a re-imagining of Little Red Riding Hood. I will leave it up to YOU, the future reader of this book to decide whether that is true, or not.

**I received this book for free from (Entangled Teen ) via (NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!! This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**

Early Review - Cursed by Jennifer L Armentrout

“What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you.” Page 172

Cursed is a standalone novel by Jennifer L Armentrout, the same author who gave us the Lux and Covenant series. Her main character is Ember McWilliams who, after a fatal car accident claimed the life of her father and left her for dead, was brought back to life by her younger sister Olivia.

Now, Ember has a no touch policy since anything she touches, people, plants, animals, dies. Ember is also something of a social pariah now with everyone thinking she’s a freak because of her eye color that resembles the sky on an overcast day. It’s too bad that this really does in fact happen in real life. People just can’t understand change and treat those who do change like Ember as outcasts.

Things change suddenly for Ember and Olivia when Hayden Cromwell shows up and tells her that she’s got a gift, not a curse and has been watching her for the past 2 years to ensure she didn’t cross the line and kill anyone. Of course, Olivia, rather than Ember, is the main concern of all parties involved here since hers is the gift of life itself. Ember has been the sole supporter of Olivia for the past 2 years since her mother checked out of reality after her husband’s death. *There's actually more to this than I'm saying, but, I rather keep the spoilers out of this review*

After being knocked unconscious, Ember wakes up to find that she’s no longer in Kansas, and has been forcibly moved to a new home where those who live there hate her because of her ability. In reality, she has no rights, and no way to leave. Had it not been for her sister, I fully believe that Ember would have done anything she could to escape from her situation.

I would definitely compare Ember’s new home in West Virginia to the X-Men, and Jonathan Cromwell to Charles Xavier. Xavier collected those who were gifted and brought them into his home, and his school to train them to use their gifts correctly and responsibly. Ember could be compared to Rogue in that she wears gloves all the time, and her touch is deadly. She longs to be normal, and is willing to do whatever Hayden asks of her in order to touch her sister again.

Ember is the only other person in the house who was not born with a gift. She was given the gift after Olivia brought her back to life. Hayden ends up being the only person in the entire house who doesn’t believe that Ember’s new powers are a curse. Once again, Ember is treated like the wicked step child nobody wants by everyone in the house.

~Final Thoughts~

Ember goes through an awful lot over the course of this novel. She goes from being the lone supporter of her sister, to trying to remain alive and away from the Facility which gathers problem characters like moss to a stone. She’s treated like a pariah time and time again, and somehow is able to hold onto her emotions and not let it run out of control because she knows that Olivia needs her. When the villain comes after her, it’s only because of her abilities, and not anything she’s done wrong. Ember never wanted this so called gift and now that she’s stuck with it, she feels like it’s caused her nothing but problems.
 
She does allow herself to be controlled by her emotions toward Hayden. Hayden the character who comes along and helps take her away from her home and her best friend Adam. Hayden who is able to drain her abilities like it was water from the tap. Hayden who falls madly and deeply in love with Ember because he truly believes she’s good at heart and soul. Hayden who has more than a few secrets of his own that he's tried hiding from everyone.

The romance between Hayden and Ember is a roller coaster ride of emotions. It’s like watching two gladiators fighting in a coliseum until they both realize they are better off together than apart. I really wish there had been more information offered up on the Facility and the revelation about her mother and father’s role in gathering children. I realize that I am barking up the wrong tree in this regards, but I’m a believer that having them come for Ember would have made this book even more interesting in the end.

Overall, Cursed is a decent enough story, with some really interesting secondary characters like Parker, Phoebe, Liz and Mr. Theo. I would have liked to see more action, although it's not for lacking in the story. Fans of Armentrout will likely flock like doves to this book to find out if it's anything like her Lux or Convenant series.

Title - Cursed
Author - Jennifer L Armentrout
Publisher - Spencer Hill Press
Releases - September 18, 2012

YA Review - Inbetween by Tara Fuller

“Inbetween” is a refreshing new story that lacks the ever present vampires, werewolves and fairies. It is instead, a look into the world of reapers, both heavenly and otherwise, whose job it is to take the soul to its final resting place. “Inbetween” isn’t a story about faith or religion. It’s a look into the lives of reapers who have to make the tough call day after day under trying conditions.

17 year old Emma’s life hasn’t exactly been peaches and crème over the past two years. She’s lost her father and ended up confined to a mental hospital after being diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic for thinking that someone was out to get her. While nice and interesting enough, Emma was a little on the blasé side until Finn comes along and explains that she’s not crazy, and that yes, there is someone after her for something he did 17 years ago.

Emma is this books broken heart that needs mending. I'm not saying that Emma hasn't gone through a lot therefore doesn't need a little TLC and lots of hugs. Nobody in their right mind can truly understand loss and how it can devastate your well-being, and leave you a shell of your former self. Emma's coup de grace is that Finn cares more about her than his own life and would do nearly everything to ensure that Emma’s stalker doesn’t succeed.

When it comes to Finn, I can't help but grin like a buffoon. Finn is a reluctant reaper who was given the job he never really wanted. He does everything in his powers to keep Emma unharmed and away from her stalker’s rampage at the danger of ending up in a dark place where souls are tortured on a daily basis.

Finn is one of the best new characters that you will read about. I absolutely loved Fullers storytelling and character building when it came to understanding why Finn cares so much about Emma and would risk ending up in Hell to be with her. I won’t spoil the ending for anyone, but, I will say that readers will be pleasantly surprised at what happens.

Inbetween gets inside both Finn and Emma's heads. This time around, I didn't mind the duality of the competing POV's. Sometimes you need to have two POV's in order to allow you more access to the characters themselves and what they are thinking at the time and what they are dealing with as well.

I actually found myself enjoying this book more than I thought I would. The secondary characters like Cash, Amaya, Scout, and Easton kept things interesting and the story flowing. Obviously, there is more to be said about Cash's future, and would not be surprised if the next book was about Cash and his new struggles. Cash slowly grew on me over the course of this book in both his actions, and his genuine caring for Emma. I think Cash is Emma’s only real friend.

*Recvd via Netgalley 07/18/2012* Expected publication: August 28th 2012 by Entangled Teen

Title - InBetween
Author - Tara Fuller
Publisher - Entangled Teen
Releases - August 28, 2012

Review: Crave by Melissa Darnell

"Going against the flow might seem adventurous at first, but eventually you get worn out. The River always wins." P 183

For 15 years, Savannah's grandmother and mother hid away the fact that Savannah is far from human. They kept Savannah away from magic because the Clann prohibited it in order to keep the peace between the species. After the fourth grade, she was prevented from being with the only boy she's ever kissed and was once Savannah's best friend. She's also prevented from dancing by her father since it will reveal that she's different from the other kids. Savannah, as it turns out, is part vampire and part witch which is revealed after Savannah spends nearly a week with "flu" like symptoms. When Savannah returns to school, she has a near hypnotic effect on boys who look her in the eyes. She has also changed in appearance which makes the Dastardly Duo jealous and catty.  

Tristan is from the Clann, which are a group of powerful witches, and the presumed to be next leader of the Clann. Tristan was once Savannah's best friend until the Clann forbid them from being together after the fourth grade. This came after the Clann learned that Savannah's mother had a prohibited relationship with a vampire. Tristan seems to have an electric attraction to Savannah for which he is truly confused yet in the end, it's obvious that Savannah and Tristan should be together. I absolutely loved Tristan's determination to thwart his families restriction on being with Savannah. I loved the fact that he could create a dreamscape and connect with Savannah in his dreams while sleeping outdoors.

I compared this to Romeo and Juliet in that this is a forbidden romance that festers and blooms behind the backs of both families to the point where one side has to step in and stop it from continuing. Savannah has to be one of the strongest characters I've read in YA since she's all but been abandoned and treated like a second class citizen by nearly everyone in her school. She's forced to give up the one thing she loves, dancing, because her father is under strict orders to stop her from outing herself to the world. She gets constantly bullied, yet, she doesn't run off to the bathroom constantly in order to break down and cry. Yet, Savannah isn't alone. She has good friends in Annie, Michelle, and Carrie who stand by her side; mostly.

It's interesting how my tastes in literature have grown and expanded. I normally dislike alternating POV's. In this case, it worked to perfection. It was necessary to read both Tristan and Savannah's POV's so that we, as the reader, could see how the relationship has progressed against great odds.

I will be reading Coven shortly to see where this story goes from here.

Title - Crave
Author - Melissa Darnell
Publisher - Harlequin Teen
Released - October 25, 2011

Review: Isle of Night by Veronica Wolff

"Your gift isn't simply a high IQ. You are more than that," Ronan.

17 year old Annelise Drew is supposedly on her way to the University of Florida @ Gainesville where she hopes to attend classes and escape from her hometown of Christmas, Florida. She graduated from high school a year early with a genius IQ and perfect SAT scores, which she continually has to remind the reader over, and over, and over again.

While it appears Annelise has all that going for her, she had to deal with her abusive and alcoholic father and step mother who she calls Yatch. The only thing she has left of her biological mother is a picture of her in a yellow jumpsuit which she keeps close to her at all times.

Annelise's whole world turns on its head in a blink of an eye. While at UF, she is told that she doesn't qualify for early admissions because she missed a swimming class that seemingly appeared out of nowhere. Her 1992 Civic dies on her and she barely has enough money to eat let alone find a place to stay.

Then, a mysterious stranger named Ronan, who is a tracer with a tattoo, shows up and asks Annelise "Are you brave enough to find out? Are you ready to embrace a while new life?" Annelise makes a snap judgment and agrees to be taken to the Isle of Night where it turns out she will be trained as a so called Watcher and work closely with Vampires. The only catch? She has to compete against 100 other girls in a battle of survival and where not everyone leaves the Isle of Night alive. Of course, she later learns that Ronan used his hinky luring capabilities to convince her to get on the airplane and leave everyone and everything behind.

Annelise learns that Watchers are women only who represent, defend, and sometimes kill in order to survive. They are the agents of the vampires will and extension of their powers. The women also have unique abilities, like fire, and the ability to feel no pain. There are boys on the Isle, of course. But, these boys are youngling vampires who will become full-fledged vampires over time.

"Teen hormones plus a few hot guys equals Barbie Bloodbath." Pg 102

I'm going to start my thoughts/rants on the book by saying that Annelise is a smart person, yet she makes some stupid ass mistakes. The first mistake is in trusting anyone, let alone Ronan who she just met. She trusts him and allows him to bring her to the Isle of Night where she is nothing special but another girl who was supposedly flagged in some system which we don't get a look at or an understanding on where all these girls actually come from.

She gets lured into situations where she doesn't know the outcome and then makes an enemy out of Lilac von Straubing and other girls at the school because she refused to listen about no personal items.

This is yet another story where vampires are able to walk into the sunlight without spontaneously combusting on contact. No, they don’t wear special rings, or where SPF 500 in order to enjoy the sunlight. I have seen where this story has been linked to the Vampire Academy which I find unusually benign. The one main difference I see is that the girls are forced to drink vampire blood and fight to the death in order to survive their training.

There is, of course, the sexy vampire named Hugo De Rosas Alcantara who takes a sudden interest in Acari Drew’s every move because she is so smart and intelligent and he hasn’t seen anyone like her since he became a vampire. So much so that he actually ends up helping her survive the battle royal against several girls who wanted to kill Drew on sight.

Let’s just say that this book has its moments and let it go. Drew does end up with several friends including Emma Sargent who help her along the way. However, the ability to piss off this reader with her nonsensical cattiness with other girls, especially Lilac, was annoying. I wanted to like this book, yet find myself conflicted on how to actually rate this book. This reviewer can only hope that book two is better than this one.

Author - Veronica Wolff
Title - Isle of Night
Publisher - NAL Trade
Released - September 6, 2011

Timepiece by Myra McEntire (Hourglass # 2)

*Review based on the ARC*

"Anything taken can be returned. Anything given can be destroyed."

Timepiece, by Myra McEntire, is the second installment in the Hourglass series. This time around the story is told by 17 year old Kaleb Ballard, son of Liam and Grace Walker who lies in a coma after events of Hourglass. Kaleb is an empath. He can sense people's emotions as well as their timelines.

Timepiece also focuses on the growing relationship between Kaleb and Lily Pillar Diaz Garcia who is Emerson's best friend. Lily has a few secrets of her own that come to light over the course of the story. I actually found Lily's story to be a bit more interesting than Kaleb's because of what her own past reveals about her over the course of this book.

Timepiece continues with Jack Landers being one evil piece of work. He's already killed Kaleb's father Liam, and messed with the timeline and truth of Emerson's own life. He wants Emerson's help in such a way, that he goes after everything she holds dear to her including Michael.

Emerson, naturally, is prominently featured as well as Kaleb. How can she not be? She has the traveler gene which allows her to travel through time. Those with the time gene can now see that the rips have increased to the point where people from the past are appearing into the present. If someone accidentally enters a rip, they are stuck there until they are able to be rescued.

The big news is that Chronos has given the Hourglass people until Halloween to find Jack before they are forced into action. This leaves Emerson, Michael, Nate, Dune, Kaleb and Lily scrambling to find the InfinityGlass.

As for my overall opinions about Kaleb...meh. He starts out as a drunkard and a flirt who actually grabs Lily's ass. He then bemoans his situation especially his relationship with his father who, it seems, actually thinks Michael is his kid not Kaleb. By the end, you are wondering why Kaleb didn't think about his abilities more when it comes to seeing others timelines including his own mothers!!! Hello?

Naturally, we not only had a happy ending, but a cliffhanger as well that will tie directly into InfinityGlass when it releases next year. I'm one of those genuinely interested in finding out who will be the narrator of InfinityGlass.

Overall, maybe not such a great idea to have the story be told by Kaleb instead of another character like say Dune, or Ava, or Nate.

Expected publication: June 12th 2012 by EgmontUSA

Dark Kiss (Nightwatchers #1) by Michelle Rowen

Michelle Rowan’s Dark Kiss is the first book in a new series called Nightwatchers. This is a Young Adult Paranormal Romance series featuring 17-year old Samantha Day as our protagonist.

Samantha (Sam) is a character who has shunned all forms of romance -movies, books, real life. She would rather watch an awful zombie movie than watch a good romance story. So imagine her surprise when Stephen Keyes, the boy she has a serious crush on, kisses her. Not only kisses her, but steals her soul away and turns Sam into what is being called the gray, or a human soul stealer. Grays are controlled by their insatiable hunger and appetites for human souls. Some have compared it to being a succubus in that regards which isn’t that far off since they both live off souls.

We learn that Stephen “kissed” Sam on orders from “Her” who we learn has escaped from the Hollow and come to Trinity to recruit more soldiers for her war on Heaven and Hell. Rowen does introduce readers to HER and also her connection with Sam. There are plenty of questions remaining in regards to that relationship which I’ll presume will be answered over the next book or two.

Enter Bishop, the brooding angel who has a mission of his own; rid the city of Trinity of the Gray and stop “Her” from turning more humans into abominations. Bishop, however, has a serious problem. He has been betrayed by a gatekeeper and is now a Fallen Angel with little hope of returning to Heaven or helping Sam with her problem. His memory is jumbled up like an egg in a blender. He needs serious help from Sam in order to just exist. Of course, they seem to have an immediate connection as if they were soul mates. Gee, didn’t see that coming!

For those who love and enjoy the dark nefarious characters, you will enjoy Kraven. I actually loved Kraven’s character more than Bishop. While Bishop is a serious mission driven character who just happens to fall for Sam, Kraven is dangerous, playful, and more interesting. Sam and Kraven’s relationship, or lack thereof, was more entertaining than watching Sam with Bishop. There is also an interesting storyline between Bishop and Kraven that was profound in its revelation.

Naturally, this is the first novel in the series so the world building and character introduction kind of dragged on for a time. Rowen needed to build her so called Demon/Angel dream team that is made up of Bishop, Kraven, Roth, Zach, and Connor.

There’s the best friend, Carly Kessler, who goes to the dark side and doesn’t really care what Sam thinks about her choices. However, Carly does redeem herself in a huge way, which I shalt not spoil!

As for my thoughts on Sam’s character, I was pleasantly surprised that she didn’t mope around or cry about her loss of soul. She took it personally and went after the cause of her pain and suffering. She stands up to Kraven and the other demons who want to kill her because she’s a gray, and yet, they need her because she has special abilities no one else does. As a female teenager, you expect some sort of angst while trying to maintain good grades and a friendship with Carly. The angst was, surprising, not prevalent throughout the story.

My one complaint, yet again, is the lack of a parental unit in regards to guiding and developing Sam. Once again, we find that Sam’s parents have divorced, and the one remaining parent spends more time at work and with so called clients, that with her own daughter. No wonder she lashed out by shoplifting.

Overall, while the story itself is interesting enough, I can’t help thinking back to other demon angel series like Fallen as a starting point when comparing YA series. Wicked Kiss will be releasing at a later date and I’ll most likely find time to read that story as well.

ARC Received via Netgalley for Harlequin Teen. Releases May 29th 2012.

Author: Michelle Rowen
Title: Dark Kiss (Nightwatchers # 1)
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Releases: May 29, 2012

Bleeding Hearts by Alyxandra Harvey (Drake Chronicles # 4)

Alyxandra Harvey’s Bleeding Hearts is the fourth novel in the Drake Chronicles series. This time around the main characters are Lucy (Lucky) Hamilton, Christabel Llewellyn (Lucy’s cousin) and Conner Drake. The story is pretty much as expected and nothing was a surprise expect maybe the ending which truthfully, anyone could see coming if you’ve read this series from the start.

Christabel was going to be turned into a vampire whether we liked it or not. The only questions were how it was going to happen, who was going to be responsible for tuning her, and whether or not she was going to go all Hel-Blar (evil vampire) on us. Christabel is a character that’s a geek of all things historical fiction. She absolutely loves it and can pretty much quote any line from any book. Naturally, she ends up falling for one of the Drake brothers. I mean, who hasn’t?

I’m not totally on the bandwagon that this series needed yet another character to become a mainstay or a sub character like Isabeau, but what do I know? We already had Hunter that could have been made a main character instead of a secondary one who probably won’t get any more air time.

There are those of us who actually missed Lucy. She is one of the more interesting characters in this series. She’s smart, she snarky, feisty, and she doesn’t care what people say about her being a vampire lover to Nicholas. I love the fact that she’s enrolled into the Helios-Ra Academy for vampire hunters where she is training with Hunter and Chloe. She’s done enough to help save the Drake family over this series only to be treated as something fragile thanks to the whole thing with Solange and her turning into something unreal.

Speaking of Solange, is anyone else sick and tired of her nonsense? Also, who the hell is Constantine and why is he suddenly interfering by telling her to act like a princess and start drinking from humans? The one person I feel for more than Lucy is Kieran who fell in love with her.

I think the story behind Aiden and Saga should have been expounded upon more instead of hashed over. Just the brief glimpses we get of their backgrounds made me want to know more. Is Aiden now going to be a mainstay character since he sired Christabel? What exactly is Christabel turning into? Will she end up telling her mother who is in rehab?

Obviously with the cliffhanger ending of this story, I will be reading Blood Moon once it releases June 19th 2012. Supposedly, the POV’s will once again include Lucy, Nicholas, and Solange.

Author: Alyxandra Harvey
Title: Bleeding Hearts
Publisher: Walker & Company
Released: December 20, 2011

Review: Soul Thief (The Demon Trappers # 2)

17-year old apprentice demon trapper Riley Blackthorne's world is about to abruptly change and dive rapidly into the abyss thanks to several factors that are all working against her. Most of these factors have absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with Riley or her actions which are intended to be brave in nature, but silly once they are made.

Her father's body has been raised from the dead by an unknown force and nobody is talking about it. The necromancers that Riley knew from protecting her fathers grave, aren't saying much at all. All they know is that it was a Dragon, and it comes to Riley saying "Don't Fail Us." Of course, there's the always annoying collection agents who won't leave Riley alone even though being a minor absolves her from any of her parents debts.

This is the big reveal in the end. When Oliver finally uncovers the reason why Paul was reincarnated, you know that Riley is the reason for it. Naturally, the whole good vs evil is once again in play. Who are the one's actually protecting the demon trappers Angels or Demons and why? Is Lucifer actually the bad guy, or the one who is there to stop the forthcoming Apocalypse from happening. Interesting in that Oliver really portrays Lucifer to be a decent enough character in that he is actually doing God's work in testing humans and angels alike and judging the worthy from the not.

Ori, the so called Freelance demon hunter, is out for something other than protecting Riley from the Level 5 Demon who killed her father. Ori's revelation of who he is, and what he wants from Riley comes with a huge twist once again, in the end. I appreciate the fact that Oliver waited until the last chapters to reveal the underlying plots for Ori and Lucifer. Naturally, this is Riley's biggest mistake since she loses apart of herself that she can never get back.

Demon Hunters sanctioned by the Vatican and requested by those in charge of Atlanta, arrive and aim directly for Riley. They believe that Paul and Riley are the main reasons why 1/3 of the cities demon trappers were killed by a massive demon attack on their meeting place. They pretty much just push the cities demon hunters to the side, and abruptly start killing every demon in sight. Of course, thanks to Simon ::coughasshatcough:: The demon hunters have Riley in their sights and are relentless in their pursuit.

Then there's Simon who Riley agreed to work for Heaven if the angels would just save his life. Simon who Riley fell deeply in love with only to have her heart tore out of her body and stomped on. So much for gratitude! Simon turns out to be the worse sort of asshat I've had the displeasure to read about in a very long time. He is the worse sort of bible thumper as well and really puts Riley in a bind when he believes she has sold her soul to Lucifer.

Riley and her best friend Peter have discovered that someone is definitely messing with the Holy Water in the city and diluting it with water. Unfortunately, with everything else that happens to Riley in this story, this becomes a tertiary storyline. Thankfully, Peter seems to be Riley's only real friend who doesn't go out of his way to betray her. Instead, he honestly does his best to help her get to the bottom of the holy water controversy.

Beck. Ah, who can forget Beck? Beck is a journeyman demon trapper who worked for Riley's father and now considers himself to be her protector as well as her guardian. He is also an army veteran and loves to drink hard and listen to ::gasp:: country music! Beck is 5 years older than Riley and has always thought of her as his little sister. In this book, you get a sense that Beck actually cares for Riley, but the two of them are so hard headed that you wonder who they have co-existed so long without coming to blows. I really am disappointed in Beck however, when he falls into Justine Armando's clutches. Beck, Beck, Beck, Dude!!!

Knowing this was the second novel in a 4 part series, I was a little tepid to read it. Normally the second book in a series is the best one of the bunch. This book, unfortunately, leaves readers with a HUGE cliffhanger and a reunion that I really ought to have seen coming.

I love the world building for this series. The story takes place in a not too future Atlanta (2018) where the city is totally broke and the prices of everything is out of this world. It's a city that has turned into a battle ground between good and evil and those that fight the good fight.

I do appreciate how Oliver hasn't turned Riley into a teetotaler or a coffee drinker. As a hot chocolate lover myself, I can totally respect a fellow chocolate lover. I just wish that Riley wouldn't come across as such a idiot most of the time. Overall, her choices from agreeing to work with Heaven to her new agreement with Lucifer, have all come with steep prices.

You know when an author has grabbed your attention when you start screaming at the characters in the book like they were sitting right next to you. Oliver really puts her characters through the ringers, and I can only hope that the next book is as good as this one.

Next in series:
Forgiven March 27, 2012
Foretold August 2, 2012

Author: Jana Oliver
Title: Soul Thief (The Demon Trapper # 2)
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Released: August 30, 2011

Will Hill's Department 19 Reviewed

As a 14 year old, Jamie Carpenter’s life was altered forever after he watched his father get shot to death by a group of masked men. It was later revealed that Julian Carpenter was a terrorist and traitor responsible for the deaths of men under his command. (Or so the family was told.)

Two years later, we find a very angry 16 year old Jamie still stewing over his father’s actions and getting his ass kicked at school by everyone and his brother. Once again, Jamie finds that his life is about to be altered even further after his mother, Marie, is taken and disappears without a trace.

As Jamie is being attacked by a female vampire, later identified as Larissa Kinley who is out to kill him, she suddenly changes her mind, and leaves Jamie to the capable hands of Frankenstein who was supposeed to be the kids guardian. Yes, that Frankenstein. Larissa ends up being a key player in the overall scheme of things, and how the ending plays out.

Department 19 is an interesting yet strange story that features several points of views, and back flashes to the time of Dracula, Van Helsing, and Jonathan Harker, as well as Jamie’s own descendants like Henry and John Carpenter. The story is a combination science fiction and YA paranormal, and in my opinion, would have been a bit better had it not been for the storyline moving back and forth and all over the place over different time periods. Once again, my opinion is subjective and may not be in line with others who have enjoyed this book more than me.

Department 19 takes place over several different time lines including 1892, 1928, and 2007. Jamie finds himself immersed in a world of secret government agencies whose responsibility it is to protect humans from the paranormals like vampire, werewolves, zombies and others.

For Jamie, his only mission is to find his mother and bring her back in one piece. Unfortunately, others like the infamous vampire Alexandru Rusmanov, who was turned by Dracula himself along with his two brothers Valeri and Valentin, have other ideas. So, Jamie is forced to train with the legendary Blacklights so that doesn't get himself killed.

Jamie is an interesting character who is submersed along with the original six families all of whom made it their mission in life to work for the new department soon to be called Department 19. His primary mission is to find and rescue his mother before the villain can kill her. Note: if you’ve read the description of the second book, you know what happens to her in this one.

What you don't read is that Jamie grows up fast, and even though he is nearly an emotional train wreck at times because of his worries over his mothers fate, he does find attachment towards Larissa as well as other key members of Blacklight who help him along the way.

This book is not a tea and crumpets kind of story. There is bloodshed, and massive killings and it all falls on a 16 year olds shoulders because of something his own father did years before that has earned his family the wrath of Alexandru and other vampires.

I’m glad that Will Hill decided to make the vampires nastier than a drunk on Saturday night after being told that he can’t drink anymore. Of course, this is only the first book in the series and thus we really have to wait and see how the story plays itself out, and what happens to Will’s mother from here on out.

Author: Will Hill
Title: Department 19
Publisher: Razorbill
Released: March 31, 2011

Pure by Jennifer L Armentrout (Covenant # 2)

Alexandria (Alex) Andros is the supposed second coming of the Apollyon. What that truly means for her in the end has yet to be determined. In the meantime, Alex is forced to alternate training between Aiden St. Delphi, her pure blood lust, and Seth, her fated partner who is supposedly going to be the beneficiary when Alex’s new powers kick in on her 18th birthday. 

Alex is also dealing with constant nightmares after her experiences at Gatlinburg that have forced her to question her own actions. Others have started treating her like a pariah and she also has to face reality that the Daemon’s are increasing their attacks on the Covenant just as her own mother, whom she killed in Half-Blood, predicted would happen. This means forced testing of all half-bloods and restrictions on their movements, more so for Alex since the higher ups truly don’t trust her.

This book is chalked full of emotion for each character. There are some good scenes, and scenes in which the author leaves you balling your eyes out after certain character dies. There is, of course, the dreaded and hated love triangle which I don’t see any sort of resolution to anytime soon. No matter who I choose, I will end up on the losing team when all is said and done. It’s become apparent that I am in the minority when it comes to my dislike for them.

Alex also has to face the wrath of the Council of Elders in New York for her own actions in Gatlinburg where she killed her mother but her actions have come into question. The last part of this book really showed that not everyone is thrilled by the announcement that she is the next coming of the Apollyon. It was also the best part, by far, of the entire book. I enjoyed the tension that Alex was going to be a target for as long as she continues to breathe and that the real villains have yet to be revealed.

This book was kind of frustrating for me at times as well, especially the first third of the book. Alex knows that there are those who want to see her fail, and yet, she continually breaches etiquette and gets herself and others into trouble. When she gets into trouble this time around, someone very close to her ends up dead at the hands of the Daemons. Alex forgets that there are those who want to see her as nothing more than a servant, and not allow her to come into her powers.

In the end, however, the book truly is about choices and who Alex will eventually end up with and whether or not Alex and Seth can really stop the Daemons from their attacks on the Covenant.

Although I enjoy Aiden, he frustrates me to no end. Yes Yes, we all know by know that if you and Alex get together, Alex will end up dead. Yes, there were several awesome scenes that showed that Aiden really does have true feelings for her. Even after a major battle in New York, Aiden goes out of his way to protect Alex from being killed. But, what does this mean to the overall scheme of things?

As for Seth, well, let’s just say that I’m not completely sold on him. Seth is an arrogant cuss who has all this new knowledge that soon he will be more powerful than any being should be allowed to be. Yes, he stands by Alex when she nearly has a breakdown because of a loss of a dear friend. Naturally, the ending leaves readers wanting to know more, or give up the series entirely.

I can’t say I want to change Alex all that much even though she clearly needs to get her act together. While she is impertinent, selfish, and reckless and does things without thinking about the consequences, she is also strong willed, and has good intentions overall. She’s come a long way in her training, and kicked some serious Fury ass in the end. 

Pure leaves some questions that I would love to see answers to; 

Who are the powers that were mentioned in the book? What do they want with two apollyons? Do they intend an all out war on the missing Gods?

Title: Pure
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Release Date: April 3, 2012

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ReVamped by Ada Adams (Angel Creek # 1)

*Review*


Revamped is the story about 19-year old Dawn Fairchild the only daughter of the US Vampire President Alastair Fairchild. She is a born vampire which makes her unique and extremely strong and able to hold her own against a slew of vampires.


Dawn has been trained since she was a toddler in the martial arts, the use of katana and crossbows, foreign languages and the ability, if necessary, to be Alastair’s second-in-command or lead a vampire army against the resurgent rogue vampires.


Only a few born vampires are made each generation. Born vampires can choose to live a more human life which includes experiencing both birth and death. Because of the rarity of her birth and other secrets, Alastair has kept her a short lease within the Scarlet House complex.


In the world created by Ada Adams, it is the year 2015 and vampires and humans have lived alongside each other since the spring of 2012 when the brave started announcing their existence to the world. A large majority of vampires are considered to be celebrities and appear on such shows as Next Vamp Idol and Transylvania Shore. Others end up with organizations like Vampires without Borders.


When Alastair tasks Dawn to ReVamp the remaining vampires of Angel Creek into a cohesive guardian unit, she jumps at the chance to prove herself. As excited as Dawn is about retraining and re-forming a new guardian unit, it’s not as easy as she believes. Dangers in the form of werewolves, rogue vampires, and humans working together with vampires to make a power drug called Vampiricol that would one day make vampires expendable, stand in Dawns way.


The inexperienced vampires include: cheerleader Brooke Mason, librarian Sophie Reed, addict Hunter Woods, and gamer Seth Lee who is a reluctant vampire accidentally turned by Brooke. Then there’s the dangerous and mysterious Sebastian York a vampire who refuses to join Dawn’s new rag tag team of guardians under any circumstances.


If that wasn't enough to peek your interest, Dawn discovers bartender Ethan Summers a human who is charming, good looking and is carrying around a big secret that is later revealed in the climax of the story.


Yet, it is Dawn’s relationship with Sebastian that peeked my interest since they have so much in common. 


Adams story is fraught with mystery, suspense, action, yes, romance, and shouldn’t be considered anything near being Twilight-esque. Yes, vampires are able to be out in the sunshine, but, only if they eat a lot of garlic! There are drinks called Blood Cola and Blood Juice that are able to sustain a vampire until real blood is necessary. 


ReVamped is a fast paced story which I finished in one sitting. Dawn is an interesting character and one that readers should enjoy learning more about. She is determined, sassy, strong, innocent at times, and a kick ass heroine rivaling Cat from the Cat & Bones series.


The mystery surrounding her birth was a doozy of a reveal and one that I didn’t see coming. Even though this is the first book of a new series, I didn’t feel weighed down by any unnecessary background or world building that Adams has created. Definitely looking forward to seeing where Adams takes this series after a doozy of an ending to this book.


The second book in the series has been announced to be ReAwakened.

Paperback, 300 pages

Published February 20th 2012