Firelight By: Sophie Jordan

Jacinda is special.  She is the only fire breather in her pride.  Everyone has always expected great things from her and she is expected to be mated with Cassian, next in line to be the pride's alpha.  Her twin sister is not so lucky, she has never transformed and is shunned from the rest of the pride.   One day while Jacinda is flying with her best friend Az, they get targeted by hunters.  She is able to pull their attention away from her friend but she fears that she wont be so lucky. That is until one of the hunters lets her get away.  Her mother sneaks her and her sister out of the pride and wants them to live as humans so life can be simpler. 

At her new school she runs into the same handsome stranger that saved her and is completely drawn to him.  She is trying hard to stay away from Will and to adjust to her new life.  They are in the middle of the desert and there is nowhere for her to fly.  Her mother is encouraging her to not shift anymore to a dragon form and that her body will adjust but it feels like she is slowly dying. 

Of course being a YA novel, Jacinda is no longer able to stay way from Will and they start dating.  She gets an insider look at the Hunters and meets a few that are completely obsessed with killing her kind. 

I liked this book but there are things that really bugged me.  I really didn't like the relationship between Jacinda and her mother.... rather I didn't like her mother.  She kept telling Jacinda to Kill the dragon part of her and even though Jacinda was having a really Really hard time the mother didn't try to help or some up with a different solution, she seemed very one sided on the side of the daughter that couldn't shift forms.  I also had a hard time with the love interest, Will.  I am very much an "alpha" lover and I like Cassian.  So, I had to get over that issue to really enjoy the book.  Overall it is a good story and you don't see a lot of dragon books.

Read October 23, 2010

The Amaranth Enchantment By: Julie Berry

Lucinda led a privileged with her mother and father up until the age of five.  One night her parents left for a ball and never came home.  They died in a carriage accident and she was sent to live with the husband and new wife of her late aunt.  She was raised as a servant and was beaten by the new aunt.  One day two extraordinary events happen... a wealthy woman comes into her uncles goldsmith shop to have a very rare precious gem fitted to a setting... the other is the prince comes in looking for a gift to his new fiance.  Lucinda feels pangs of longing for the prince but knows that her life would never be in sync with his and moves on.  That night a boy, Peter, comes to her window looking for a place to sleep and she lets him in. When she sends him out after breakfast she finds that he stole the large gem and she doesn't know where to find him.

Unfortunately her uncle dies in his sleep that next night and she is forced out of her home by the aunt.  The only thing she can think of is to go to the woman that brought in the gem and try to fix things.  She finds that this woman, the rumored Amaranth Witch, lives in her childhood home and they soon become close friends.  She has to find the gem that belongs to Beryl and return it to her.  She finds the boy who stole it only to find out that he is no longer in possession of it and agrees, for a price, to help her get it back.  With Peter helping her she will meet with Prince Gregor again and try to fix the mess that has been made only to find out that someone else wants the gem and is willing to kill to get it.  She will also learn about herself, friendship and what really happened the night her parents died.

There is a lot going on in this book and I loved it!  Lucinda is trying to get her mistakes fixed and is thrown into situations that would cripple most people and she comes out stronger.  I love the friendship that happens between her and Beryl and with her and Peter.  She even gets a friend in the form of a goat that acts like a dog. There are magical elements to this book but they didn't take center stage which was refreshing.  I loved the twists at the end of the book and of course the Happily Ever Afters.  I can't wait to take a look at some of the other books written by this author.

Read on September 18, 2011

Thank you!

I just wanted to say a quick hello to all the new followers and thank you for entering my giveaway. I will be doing another giveaway next month and I can't wait! Until then....
Thanks!
Lynnea

New Books this Week...

A Beautiful Dark By: Jocelyn Davies
On the night of Skye’s 17th birthday, she meets two strangers. Complete opposites : Asher is dark and wild, while Devin is fair and aloof. Their sudden appearance sends Skye’s life into a tailspin. She has no idea what they want, or why they seem to follow her every move. Soon she begins to doubt not just the identity of the two boys, but also the truth about her own past.
Skye finds herself coming to terms with the impossible secret that threatens to shatter her world. Torn between Asher, who she can’t help falling for, and Devin, who she can’t stay away from, the consequences of Skye’s choice will reach further than the three of them could ever imagine.
Release Date: September 27, 2011

The Mephisto Covenant By: Trinity Faegen
Sasha is desperate to find out who murdered her father. When getting the answer means pledging her soul to Eryx, she unlocks a secret that puts her in grave danger—Sasha is Anabo, a daughter of Eve, and Eryx’s biggest threat.
A son of Hell, immortal, and bound to Earth forever, Jax looks for redemption in the Mephisto Covenant—God’s promise he will find peace in the love of an Anabo. After a thousand years, he’s finally found the girl he’s been searching for: Sasha.
With the threat of Eryx looming, Jax has to keep Sasha safe and win her over. But can he? Will Sasha love him and give up her mortal life?
Release Date: September 27, 2011

The Vision By Jen Nadol (Mark #2)
Cassie Renfield knows the mark tells her when someone is going to die and that she can intervene and attempt to change fate. But she still doesn't understand the consequences, especially whether saving one life dooms another. With no family left to offer guidance, Cassie goes in search of others like her. But when she meets Demetria, a troubled girl who seems to have the power of the Fates, Cassie finds the truth isn't at all what she expected. And then there's her heady new romance with bad boy Zander. Dating him has much graver repercussions than she could ever have imagined.
Release Date: September 27, 2011

Shifting By: Bethany Wiggins
After bouncing from foster home to foster home, Magdalene Mae is transferred to what should be her last foster home in the tiny town of Silver City, New Mexico. Now that she's eighteen and a senior, she's determined to stay out of trouble and just be normal. Agreeing to go to the prom with Bridger O'Connell is a good first step. Fitting in has never been her strong suit, but it's not for the reasons most people would expect-it all has to do with the deep secret that she is a shape shifter. But even in her new home danger lurks. They are the Skinwalkers of Navajo legend, who have traded their souls to become the animal whose skin they wear-and Maggie is their next target.
Release Date: September 27, 2011

The Darkest Surrender By: Gena Showalter (Lords of the Underworld #8)
Possessed by the demon of Defeat, Strider cannot lose a challenge without suffering unimaginable pain. For him, nothing stands in the way of victory. Until Kaia, an enchanting Harpy, tempts him to the razor's edge of surrender.Known among her people as The Disappointment, Kaia must bring home the gold in the Harpy Games or die. Strider is a distraction she can't afford because he has an agenda of his own-steal first prize, an ancient godly artifact, before the winner can be named. But as the competition heats up, only one prize will matter-the love neither had thought possible...
Release Date: September 27, 2011

The Faerie Ring By: Kiki Hamilton
The year is 1871, and Tiki has been making a home for herself and her family of orphans in a deserted hideaway in central London. Their only means of survival is by picking pockets. Tiki steals a ring, and sets off a chain of events that could lead to all-out war with the Fey. The ring belongs to Queen Victoria, and it binds the rulers of England and the realm of Faerie to peace. With the ring missing, a rebel group of faeries hopes to break the treaty with dark magic.Unbeknownst to Tiki, she is being watched,and protected, by Rieker, a fellow thief who suspects she is involved in the disappearance of the ring.
Release Date: September 27, 2011

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer By: Michelle Hodkin
Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.
It can.
She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.
There is.
She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.
She's wrong.
Release Date: September 27, 2011

Lola and the Boy Next Door By: Stephanie Perkins
Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.
When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.
Release Date: September 29, 2011

September Blog Hop

Welcome to the September Blog Hop! Celebrate the beginning of fall with me and my blogger friends by hopping around, visiting our sites, and entering our contests! There are no limits - you can enter the contest on every blog. With over 40 blogs participating, that's over 40 prizes you could win. Just click on the links below to move on to the next blog.



On my blog, you can win … Your choice of book between

I will ship internationally.

Would you like to win this prize? You just need to do two things.

1. Become a follower of this blog.

2. Leave me a comment in the trail and tell me why you'd like to win this prize.

That's it! You are now entered. The contest ends on Saturday night, September 24th, at midnight MST, and the winner will be contacted shortly thereafter. Please either leave your e-mail address in the comment trail or make sure it's visible through your profile so I can contact you to tell you that you're the lucky winner.

Now go visit my other friends ...


September Blog Hop Participants

1. Tristi Pinkston, LDS Author 2. Joyce DiPastena 3. I Am A Reader, Not A Writer 4. Mandi Slack 5. Michael D. Young 6. Six Mixed Reviews 7. Pam Williams 8. Laurie Lewis 9. Kristy Tate 10. Marilyn Yarbrough 11. Stacy Coles 12. Kristie Ballard 13. Lynn Parsons 14. Pushing Past the Pounds 15. Sheila Staley 16. cindy Hogan

17. Jamie Thompson 18. Jaclyn Weist 19. Cathy Witbeck 20. Secret Sisters Mysteries 21. Tamera Westhoff 22. Tina Scott 23. Lynnea Mortensen 24. Danyelle Ferguson aka Queen of the Clan 25. Jeanette A. Fratto 26. Bonnie Harris 27. Melissa Lemon 28. Mary Ann Dennis 29. Stephanie Black 30. Jane Still 31. Janice 32. Laura Bastian

33. Tamara Bordon 34. Betsy Love 35. Maria Hoagland 36. Amber Robertson 37. Debbie Davis 38. 39. Christy Monson 40. Carolyn Frank 41. Rebecca Birkin 42. Melissa Cunningham 43. Emily L. Moir 44. Ronda Hinrichsen 45. Lisa Asanuma 46. Joan Sowards 47. Jordan McCollum 48. Diane Stringam Tolley

Learn more about September Blog Hop here.
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Passion Unleashed By: Larissa Ione

Serena is a treasure hunter and archaeologist with a divine secret. She has been charmed by angles so that no physical charm can fall on her and no demons can know about that charm. Unfortunately that charm has been found out by a very powerful demon with his mind set on a VERY evil plan. Now demons can sense her and who she is.

Wraith is poisoned with a toxin that has no cure and the only way to save him, the hospital and his two brothers is to take Serena's charm so he wont die. The problem is Wraith meets Serena and actually likes her.


Ok, so I really like Wraith, he is the youngest of the three Seminus demons. He has lived such a hard and tortured life that I just want everything to go well for him. In his story he has to push past his rules of never being with a human and I love the struggle he has with liking Serena or saving his brothers. We get to hear a lot more about what life was like for him and we see the effects from his point of view, not just the brothers.

This book also continues the story of Jem and Kynan. Jem is Tayla's sister (book 1) and is also a half demon (soul shredder). Kynan is ex-military/ex-demon slayer/ex-ish-demon hospital doctor. His wife cheated on him with a demon and was selling parts in the black market, after that betrayal he didn't want to love again. Jem always loved Kynan and when he wanted nothing to do with her and her demon side she finally was ok with that. But of course the two of them are strongly attracted to each other. Right when you think they are going to get together the army comes in and takes Kynan to study him.... apparently he has some fallen angel blood. Seeing their story continue was so needed in this book because book 2 left us on a complete cliff hanger.


Read on September 10, 2011

New books this week!

First Kill By: Heather Brewer
You've heard Vlad's side of the story . . . now, it’s Joss’s turn.
With over a million copies already in print, The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod is still sinking its fangs into new readers every day. Now, bestselling author Heather Brewer brings us the other side of the story, from the perspective of Vlad’s former friend turned mortal enemy: vampire slayer Joss Macmillan. In five books that can be read alongside Vlad Tod or entirely on their own, Joss discovers his powers as the youngest, strongest slayer in history. And just in time, too: with all the vampires running rampant, he’s going to need all the help he can get. This action-packed series will quench the thirst of even the hungriest veteran minions.
Release Date: September 20, 2011
 
 

If I Die By: Rachel Vincent (Soul Screamers Book 5)
No one wants to be this teacher’s pet . . . Everyone is talking about Eastlake High’s gorgeous new math teacher, Mr. Beck, but Kaylee Cavanaugh has bigger things on her mind. Kaylee’s a banshee—her scream is a portent of death. But the next scream might hit too close to home. Kaylee’s borrowed lifeline has almost run out.   Kaylee is determined to defend her school against the latest supernatural threat. That hot new teacher is really an incubus, who feeds from the desire of unsuspecting students. The only girls immune to his lure are Kaylee and Sabine, her boyfriend’s delinquent ex-girlfriend. Now the unlikely allies have to get rid of Mr. Beck…before he discovers they aren’t quite human either.
Release Date: September 20, 2011

Choker By: Elizabeth Woods

Cara's family moved away from her best friend Zoe in fifth grade. Her live has been awful since then. She is on the track team but she doesn't have any friends. She has a crush, Ethan, but he is dating the queen of the mean girl club, Alexis, and those girls love to make fun of Cara. One day at lunch she is choking on a piece of her sandwich and Ethan saves her. Happiness envelopes her right before Alexis and Sydney start calling her Choker. When she goes home she finds her best friend from childhood sitting on her bed. Zoe is hiding from something and Cara wants to protect her.

With Zoe at her side she is happy and all of the bad things don't seem as bad. Cara tells her all about Sydney and Alexis and how awful they are. Zoe encourages her to cut her hair and wear nice clothes and life could be a little better. She starts to make friends with the girls on track and is even invited to hang out with them outside of track.

Sydney is found dead at home and Alexis goes missing shortly after and Ethan is suspected in the disappearance and Zoe has been acting weird. Cara has a suspicion that Zoe has something to do with all of this but she is torn between protecting Zoe and proving Ethan's innocence.

This story was pretty good for the most part and I liked the relationships that were forming with the characters. The ending did surprise me because it went in a direction I didn't see coming. There are some things that weren't fully explained at the end and it felt a little rushed in the last 5 or so pages. I personally didn't like the ending because it didn't have the Happy ever after ending that I wanted but it was an ending I don't see a lot in YA.

The Queen's Lady By: Eve Edwards

Lady Jane Revaulx's husband dies and she begins service as a Queen's Lady with Queen Elizabeth.  She is thrilled to hear that James Lacey is attending court.  She was in love with him despite being courted by his older brother before eventually marrying her previous husband. James is attending court in preparation for a surveying journey to the America's.  He meets Jane at a buffet with the Queen and at first is fortified to see her.  She dropped his brother when courting and married a man with a higher title.  Luckily for Jane she is able to convince him of the true story and they are able to become closer.

As James is leaving for America, Jane's world falls apart.  Her father and brother are forcing her into a marriage with a wealthy french man and her step-son's are trying to take back everything her late husband left for her to start her life over with.  Jane's friends come together to help her figure everything out... while James be able to get back in time?

I'm not going to tell..... :-)   

I didn't read the first book but Eve did a really good job at telling the back story so I wasn't lost.  I love the historical stories and this one actually ties in with names and events.  Jane's best friend has a spot doing the finishing work on dresses and I love the detail that the author did on the dresses.  The ending of this story was a little rushed in my opinion but it is ok since I have the happier ever after that I want.  I will look at the next book when it comes out in July 2012.

Read on August 30, 2011

New books released this week....

Boyfriend from Hell By: E. Van Lowe
Fifteen year-old Megan Barnett and her single mom, Suze, have a special relationship, who do almost everything together. The special bond takes a turn for the worse when Suze decides to start dating again. Enter two mysterious young men, Megan’s new classmate, Guy Matson, and the dangerously handsome art dealer, Armando. Before long Megan and Suze both wind up in steamy relationships. But neither of the handsome pair is quite what he seems. In fact, one of them is Satan, with his sights set on a new bride. Megan has precious little time to figure out how to stop him.
Release Date: September 10, 2011

Undead By: Isabella Kruger
“I walked into a dark alley somewhere near our compound. I was use to doing the rounds every night. Lord knows I was tougher than most of the males around. I had taught myself how to use a gun and how to survive. No one, not even the hard core survivalists thought that the world would end the way that it did.” Eighteen-year-old Ethnee Daffy is a freedom fighter, fighting the evils of the apocalypse. For the last 3 years she has battled down Zombies and weird looking government officials. However, her life changes when she meets Aiden a Zombie who claims that he is still half human and that he knows how to cure humanity.
Release Date: September 13, 2011

So Silver Bright By: Lisa Mantchev
All Beatrice Shakespeare Smith has ever wanted is a true family of her own. And she’s close to reuniting her parents when her father disappears. Now Bertie must deal with a  vengeful sea goddess and a mysterious queen as she tries to keep her family – and the Theatre Illuminata – from crumbling. To complicate it all, Bertie is torn between her two loves, Ariel and Nate.
Release Date: September 13, 2011
 
 
 
 
 
 

Glow By: Amy Kathleen Ryan (see my review here)
Fifteen-year-old Waverly is part of the first generation to be successfully conceived in deep space; she was born on the Empyrean, and the large farming vessel is all she knows. Her concerns are those of any teenager—until Kieran Alden proposes to her. The handsome captain-to-be has everything Waverly could ever want in a husband, everyone is sure he's the best choice. Except for Waverly, who wants more from life than marriage—and is secretly intrigued by the shy, darkly brilliant Seth. But when the Empyrean faces sudden attack by their assumed allies, they quickly find out that the enemies aren't all from the outside.
Release Date: September 13, 2011

The Iron Knight By Julie Kagawa

Ok, I am going to start out by saying that I love this series!!    This book is completely from Ash's point of view and at first it was a little hard for me to change from Meghan to Ash but once I did the story was wonderful.

The story starts out with Ash and Puck in Nevernever trying to find the cat.  Ash in on a quest to find a way to stay with Meghan in the Iron Court. The one way that he can do that is by gaining a human soul. With Grimalkin as their guide they head through the Faery wilderness the catch a ride with the river of dreams, through the Brier that surrounds Faery and to the Testing Grounds at the end of the world. 

I really liked the relationship between Ash and Puck.  In this story they are the main focus and their back story is told in a lot more detail.  I always saw them as best friends and the whole "I'll kill you first" thing never felt real to me so I loved this book where they really had to rely on each other and boost each other's strengths. 

There are other faery creatures that are introduced and we get a more detailed story on how the creatures of Faery are strengthened, how they influence the mortal world and what happens when people stop believing in them.  I like that even though this is a final book there was a lot of detail put into the world to make it even better.  One of the characters that we meet is The Big Bad Wolf.  I loved him!  He was so sarcastic and egotistical and he just made for a great/funny story. 
I would definitely encourage those who like Faery tales to read this series.  There is romance and a lot of action.  I feel like all of my loose ends have been fixed and I will be owning this series for re-reads for years to come.


Read on September 5, 2011
Release Date: October 25, 2011

New Books this week....

After Obsession By: Carrie Jones and Steven E. Wedel
Aimee and Alan have secrets. Both teens have unusual pasts and abilities they prefer to keep hidden. But when they meet each other, in a cold Maine town, they can't stop their secrets from spilling out. Strange things have been happening lately, and they both feel that something-or someone- is haunting them. Despite their unusual history and powers, it's neither Aimee nor Alan who is truly haunted. It's Alan's cousin Courtney who, in a desperate plea to find her missing father, has invited a demon into her life-and into her body. Only together can Aimee and Alan exorcise the ghost. 
Release Date: September 5, 2005

Shut Out By: Kody KeplingerMost high school have rivalries with other schools. At Hamilton High, it's a civil war: the football team vs the soccer team. Lissa is sick of it. Her boyfriend, Randy, is always ditching her to go pick a fight with the soccer team or to prank their locker room. And on three separate occasions Randy's car has been egged while he and Lissa were inside, making out. She is done competing with a bunch of sweaty boys for her own boyfriend's attention.Lissa decides to end the rivalry once and for all: She and the other players' girlfriends go on a hookup strike. The boys won't get any action from them until the football and soccer teams make peace.
Release Date: September 5, 2011
 

 

Blood By: K.J. Wignall
 Back in the Thirteenth Century, Will was destined to be Earl of Mercia, although he never lived to inherit his title. Will has led a lonely life, learning to deal with whatever the present day throws at him, always searching for answers but never finding any. Until this time, when he awakens after a 20-year-slumber, hungry for the blood that sustains his undeath, when it appears that he is finally getting a glimpse at why he exists. He does indeed have a destiny, and an enemy, but revealing that fate will be a matter of trust...
Release Date: September 5, 2011
 
 
 
 
 

End of Days By: Thomas E.Sniegoski (The Fallen Book 3)
Half angel and half human, Aaron has been charged with redeeming the Fallen, and the fate of heaven and hell rests in his hands. Now reunited with his father, Lucifer, Aaron must come to terms with his legacy. Aaron’s beloved is also struggling with her own angel/human heritage and what that means for her—and their—future. The two seek solace in each other and in founding a new safe haven for the Fallen now that Aerie has been destroyed. But with the evil Verchiel growing more vengeful at every turn, theirs is a destiny cast in the sinister shadow of the Dark Powers.
Release Date: September 6, 2011
 
 
 
 

Isle of Night By: Veronica Wolff
Is life offering fewer and fewer options? Then join the dead.
When Annelise meets dark and seductive Ronan, he promises her a new life-if she has the courage to chance the unknown. Now, she's whisked away to a mysterious island and pitted against other female recruits to become a Watcher-girls who are partnered with vampires and assist them in their missions. To survive and become a Watcher, Annelise has to beat out every other girl, but she's determined to do so, because to fail doesn't mean dishonor-it means death.
Release Date: September 6, 2011

The Hidden By: Jessica Verday (The Hollow Book 3)
In the long-awaited conclusion to the bestselling saga of Abbey and Caspian, readers finally learn the truth about Kristen's untimely death, the dark destiny that links Abbey to Caspian and ties them both to the town of Sleepy Hollow, and the hard choices that Abbey must make if she is to accept Caspian's love and their unexpected fate. Beautifully spun, emotionally gripping, and irresistibly romantic, The Hidden will leave readers breathless.
Release Date: September 6, 2011
 
 
 
 
 

Sweet Venom By: Tera Lynn Childs
Grace just moved to San Francisco and is excited to start over at a new school. Life gets scarier when a minotaur walks in the door. And even more shocking when a girl who looks just like her shows up to fight the monster.Gretchen is tired of monsters pulling her out into the wee hours, but what can she do? Sending the minotaur back to his bleak home is just another notch on her combat belt. She never expected to run into this girl who could be her double.Greer has her life pretty well put together. But that all tilts sideways when two girls who look eerily like her appear on her doorstep and claim they’re triplets.
Release Date: September 6, 2011

Vanish By: Sophie JordanTo save the life of the boy she loves, Jacinda did the unthinkable: She betrayed the most closely guarded secret of her kind. Now she must return to the protection of her pride knowing she might never see Will again.
Jacinda is greeted with hostility and must work to prove her loyalty for both her sake and her family’s. Among the few who will even talk to her are Cassian, the pride’s heir who has always wanted her, and her sister. Jacinda knows that she should forget Will and move on—that if he managed to remember and keep his promise to find her, it would only endanger them both.
Release Date: September 6, 2011

Desire Unchained By Larissa Ione

Shade wakes up chained to the walls of a cell.  Across the room, chained to the other cell is a girl he dated last year, Runa.  Only now she isn't the human he once new, she is now a werewolf.  Shade and Runa are being held by the Ghouls (black market demon-parts brokers) and find out that Shade's brother Rogue is the one behind it all.  Rogue has the ability to get into peoples minds and he convinces them to bond to each other.  This is a lifetime bond which could be difficult enough if the two did love each other but to make matters worse, Shade is cursed to fade away into Shadow if he ever falls in love. 
Runa and Shade are able to break out of their prison and hide away in Costa Rica trying to figure everything out.  Shade has accidentally been turned into a werewolf and it is the full moon so both of them have to chain up for a few days. 

At first Runa and Shade dislike each other emotionally but physically is a different story.  But you know ... were the body goes the mind soon follows. 

We also get to see a lot more of Wraith, Jem and Kynan.  This story is not for young audience.  There is a lot of sex and detail.  The actual story line is pretty good.  I was sitting at the edge of my seat for some of the action/fight scenes and the more I learn of the ongoing characters the more I like them and want everyone to be safe and happy.

Read on August 21, 2011

The Darkest Night By Gena Showalter

Way back in the past, Maddox was created by the Gods of Greece to be one of their warriors.  He was mad that they chose Pandora to guard a box filled with demon spirits, he should have been given that right.  He and the other warriors decided to open the box to prove that Pandora wasn't strong enough and they are cursed to live with the spirits that they released on the earth.  Maddox was given violence to be his companion. 

One day the security camera's pick up a woman wondering around outside the fortress and that is when Maddox meets Ashlyn.  Ashlyn has always had the ability to hear every conversation that has ever taken place in a single spot.  Her entire life she has wanted to be normal, she has wanted to have peace and quiet.  While in Budapest on an assignment with her work, she finds paranormal beings to be studied by a research center, she hears of these men that might be able to help her control this power.  She is lost in the forest near there fortress in the snow and she is just about and give up to the cold when Maddox saves her.

Maddox is instantly drawn to her but he is weary, she may be a lure used by his enemies.  He finds that he wants to be with her more then he cares about death.  He questions her and doesn't think that she is guilty of anything be he suspects that there is more going on with the people she works with.  Ashlyn is also drawn to Maddox in a very sexual way, but also when she is with him all of the voices and conversations silence.  She has never had quiet before and now she never wants to leave him.... at least not until she can learn how to silence the voices herself.  Can they each find peace in each other? 

I had a hard time with this story at first.  I understand that this is the first book in a series so there are a lot of people to meet and a world to build, but it felt like it went on and on.  There was a lot of thought in this book, more then dialogue at some parts.  Maddox would say something to Ashlyn and then she would think about a ton of stuff before finally answering the question or responding to what he said and vice versa.  Once the story got going, almost at the end of the book, it was pretty good.  It did end a little too easy for my liking though. Again, like I said earlier, this is a first book and I am hoping that now since I know the characters and the setting the other books will move a little quicker.  PS, this is an ADULT ROMANCE. 

Read on August 28, 2011

The Dark Elite By: Chloe Neill

This volume includes the first two books of the series.  I read them together and I can't remember exactly were the break off is so this is going to be fairly vague cause I don't want to give away too many plot points.

Book 1

 The book starts off with Lily's parents telling her that they are approved for a two year research sabbatical in Germany.  Before she can get too excited they tell her that she will be staying in the U.S. and moving from  upstate New York to an all girls private boarding school in Chicago.  Here life is upturned and she travels alone to Chicago while her parents head abroad. 
At the school she meets Scout, (don't worry it is a nickname) one of three roommates and instantly that become BFF's (their words, not mine).  Lily notices that Scout leaves late at night and doesn't come back until the early morning and her only excuse is that she has been exercising.  Lily follows her one night to be stopped at a huge metal door, after waiting for a while she hears running on the other side and an out of breath Scout comes running through.  Something big was chasing her, Lily just doesn't know what it is. 
When the "mean girls/brat pack" play a joke on Lily by locking her in a room in the basement her world as she knows it falls apart.  She finds herself being chased by students she doesn't recognize, bright lights flash, pain, and was that a growl???  She becomes immersed in a world of magic and conflicts and unfortunately she is deep in the middle of it.  Scout's life will depend on their friendship and on Lily's courage.
I liked all of the kids in this story.  They were in groups that are typical at school.  I really liked the interaction with Scout and Lily and the Brat Pack.  There was definite mean-girl action with the brat pack and our main girls.  This is a world with magic and some of the powers were pretty cool.  I liked that if you had magic in you that didn't mean that you could do everything as some books let the characters do.  There was power over electricity, words, fire, ice, etc.

Read on August 28, 2011

Book 2

Scout and Lily find a weird slime in a tunnel while on patrol and are sent out with Michael (Scout's crush) and Jason (Lily's crush), two boys in the same Coven as them.  While trying to figure out the slime they are attacked by large naked rat/human like beings.  Scout is the only one that can save them and she ends up the hero in a big way.  Their coven works together with a sister coven to try and solve two mysteries now, the slime and the gross mutant creatures in the tunnels. 
Along the way we meet vampires.  The vampires are in the mist of a turf war and our characters walk right into it.  Luckily know one is harmed and Lily learns to stay away from the pedway in Chicago unless you want to be lunch. 
Lily's romance with Jason appears to be progressing nicely in this book, and I like that because I need some romance in my reading.  Scout and Lily are also getting better and better in their magic.  Scout creates some pretty cool spells and Lily finds that she is able to boost another person's magic if she touches them and feeds her magic into them.  She is also getting some helpful advice from her enemy, Sabastion.  He is a gorgeous boy her age with the same power she has, only they are on opposite sides of saying how and when magic should be used. 
This book has a lot of open questions at the end of it preparing for book 3 that should be out in 2012.  I for one want to finish this series and see how everyone ends up...

Read on August 28, 2011

New Books this Week in September!!!

I love new books!!!  Here is a look of the new releases this week.



Blood Bound By: Rachel Vincent
Liv Warren is special – a paranormal tracker who follows the scent of blood.  Liv makes her own rules, and the most important one is trust no one.  But when her friend's daughter goes missing, Liv has no choice but to find the girl. Thanks to a childhood oath, Liv can't rest until the child is home safe. But that means trusting Cam Caballero, the former lover forbidden to her.  Bound by oath and lost in desire for a man she cannot have, Liv is racing to save the child from a dark criminal underworld where secrets, lies, trauma and danger lurk around every corner...And more blood will be spilled before it's over...
Release Date: September 1, 2011

Goddess of Troy By: P.C. Cast (Goddess Summoning  #8)
Goddesses Hera, Athena and Venus have had it with the Trojan War. So much devastation - all because of male egos. The worst is Achilles To stop him would be to end the war. The three goddesses seize their chance when a twenty-first-century beauty named Kat and her best friend perish in a car crash in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In no time, they shift the friends' souls into the bodies of a Trojan princess and her handmaiden, having no doubt that Kat will catch Achilles's attention. But can her independent, fiery spirit match the unquenchable fire of his epic rage?
Release Date: September 1, 2011

Blood Song By: Rhiannon Hart
When her sister becomes betrothed to a prince in a northern nation, Zeraphina’s only consolations are that her loyal animal companions are by her side – and that her burning hunger to travel north is finally being sated.  Her black hair and pale eyes mark her out as different, but now she must be even more careful to keep her secret safe. Craving blood is not considered normal behaviour for anyone, let alone a princess. When the king’s advisor, Rodden, seems to know more about her condition than she does, Zeraphina is determined to find out more.
Release Date: September 1, 2011