Weekend Wrap Up: Review of Divide by Jessa Russo

There aren't enough stars to give this book. Just be warned of that, because this is totally going to be a gush fest. In fact, I'm going to preface this review by urging you to go buy the book. Now. So we can talk about it and gush together. 

ABOUT THE BOOK:

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From senior class president to dejected social outcast, with just the flick of a match.

After accusations of torching her ex-boyfriend’s home are followed by the mysterious poisoning of her ex-best friend, seventeen-year-old Holland Briggs assumes her life is over. And it is. But not in the way she thinks.

As Holland learns the truth about her cursed fate—that she is descended from the Beast most have only ever heard of in fairytales—she unites with an unlikely ally, good-looking newcomer Mick Stevenson.

Mick knows more about Holland’s twisted history than she does, and enlightening as it is to learn about, his suggestion for a cure is unsettling at best. Holland must fall in love with Mick in order to break the spell, and save their future generations from repeating her cursed fate. Having sworn off love after the betrayals of her ex-boyfriend and ex-best friend, this may be difficult to accomplish.

Complicating things further for Holland and Mick, time runs out, and Holland’s change begins way before schedule. With Holland quickly morphing into a dangerous mythical creature, Mick struggles to save her.

Should they fail, Holland will be lost to the beast inside her forever.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jessa Russo believes in fairytales, ghosts, and Jake Ryan. She insists mimosas were created for Sundays, and that’s not up for discussion. She’s obsessed with the great city of New Orleans—where she’s collected too many beads to count, eventually married her sweetheart, and visited graveyards they don’t include on maps.

She’s loud, painfully honest, and passionate about living life to the fullest, because she’s seen how abruptly it can be taken away.

What began as a desire for reading and writing young adult paranormal has bled into stories of all kinds. From fantasy to pre-dystopian to erotic contemporary, Jessa’s stories always include romance, though she’s given up on pigeonholing her work into a category or genre box.

Jessa was born and raised in Southern California, and remains there to this day with her husband (a classic car fanatic), their daughter (a Tim Burton superfan), and a Great Dane who thinks he’s the same size as his Chihuahua sister.

ENTWINED, the final installment of Russo’s Ever Trilogy, will be released late 2014, as well as an erotic romance written under a pseudonym. Stay tuned!

MY REVIEW: 

Five out of Five Stargates--Out of This World!

I LOVE Beauty and the Beast. It is one of my favorite fairy tales. I love it so much that I refuse to watch it again for fear it might be ruined if watched through adult eyes. But this book is yet another reason not to watch it again. Because Beauty and the Beast probably won't hold up when compared to Divide.

First, I love the characters. I love that Holland is smart enough to know that there is something wrong with her. She can sense something brewing under the surface, and while outsiders might think she has gone all emo, we know the truth. Holland Briggs never stops being Holland Briggs. She only gets better. She's going through a rough time with the curse and the beasty hanging over her head, but she is still smart, strong, stubborn, and witty. I had a few laugh out loud moments with her. Mick is also awesome. He's smitten from the start, which makes their fairy tale all the more believable. He isn't just some guy destined to help a gal out of a curse--he is THE guy for Holland, and you really see that as their relationship builds. He doesn't just worship her like some stereotypical Prince Charming swooping in to save the day, but matches her completely and goes toe to toe with her stubborn ass time and time again. I'd love to go on and on about everyone--Cam, Rosemarie (LOVE her!), and even Donovan, but I'm going to quell the obsessive fangirl side of me.

Jessa Russo is an amazing writer, which I already knew after reading EVER, so I am not all that surprised to say she has hit another home run with DIVIDE. It is fast paced with compelling characters and an ingenious twist on a fairy tale close to my heart. My only complaint is that there isn't room left for a sequel. You might normally think that is a good thing, but I would love to spend more time with these characters. I'm comforted in knowing that Jessa has a long and successful career ahead of her with many more books to ease this book addict's needs. =D

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Weekend Wrap Up & Giveaway: Review of Branded by Katie Hamstead

If you follow my reviews, you probably know by now that I both love and hate Katie Hamstead as an author. I adore everything she writes, but so much so that I'm left deflated at the end of each book and blowing raspberries at my To Be Read list (no offense to everyone who is on there). Branded is really no different. Before we get to the review, let me tell you a bit about the book and the author first. Oh, and then you can enter to win your very own copy (along with her two books from the AMAZING Kiya series and an Amazon gift card) using the Rafflecopter below. Or if you are impatient, you can order your very own copy on Amazon for just $2.99. You won't regret it.

Stay tuned in the coming weeks as I review First of Her Kind by K.L. Schwengel and Knights of Rilch by Rachel O'Laughlin. For now, Branded! Allons-y!

Synopsis:

Terrorists have invaded Sydney, and Allison King barely escapes her brother’s wedding reception alive. She and her siblings flee, but their parents are killed by firing squad.

Now Ali’s on the run and terrified. While searching for other survivors, she is captured by the General who leads the invasion. He’s smitten by Ali, and when she refuses to submit to his whims, he brands her for death. In a wild act of defiance, she snatches the branding rod and sears the mark onto his face. Marking not only him but also sealing her fate. Ali manages to escape and flees into the bush once more where she finds a group in hiding. Even with the scars left by the General, Ali learns to love and falls in love with the young man who found her—Damien Rogers.

But the General is hunting her. When he discovers their location, and finds her with another man—Damien—his wrath is kindled and his obsession is inflamed. Ali must put herself on the line or the General could kill her family, those who help her, and most significantly, the man she loves.

Add it on Goodreads or purchase through Amazon

About the Author:

Born and raised in Australia, Katie's early years of day dreaming in the "bush", and having her father tell her wild bedtime stories, inspired her passion for writing.

After graduating High School, she became a foreign exchange student where she met a young man who several years later she married. Now she lives in Arizona with her husband, daughter and their dog.

She has a diploma in travel and tourism which helps inspire her writing. She is currently at school studying English and Creative Writing.

Katie loves to out sing her friends and family, play sports and be a good wife and mother. She now works as a Clerk with a lien company in Arizona to help support her family and her schooling. She loves to write, and takes the few spare moments in her day to work on her novels.

Follow Katie on Twitter, her blog, Facebook, and Goodreads.


My Review:
Branded by Katie Hamstead
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

In a word: Intense. Usually with stories that have a MC that is constantly hunted on a personal level by the enemy, it's all about the chase. You don't expect them to come face to face with the enemy several times over, and I love that Ali does. She turns into the white whale to the General's Ahab, as the characters refer to it. Only she has much more snark and spirit than a white whale, I'm sure.

Ali isn't the typical MC lusted after by an enemy. She's not weak at all, but not impenetrable either. She's genuinely scared for her life, especially when face to face with the General, and the author lets you feel that fear alongside Ali. What is brilliant about feeling that fear so strongly is that you feel her defiance as well. You rise up with her and feel just as indignant as she does.

Her romance with Damien happened fast, but I felt like that was really realistic given the circumstances. Everything about their way of life has been threatened, but there's still a hope that things can get normal and people cling to that hope. The normalcy of things like romance and marriage. And I do love that this is addressed later on, but that they continue to fight for each other. On the other hand, I really root for Nick. He's my favorite character. Without him, I feel like the war would have only gotten worse even after it all came to a head. In a way, I think he means more to the war than Ali does.

This was an exhilarating read, full of suspense, action, romance, and heartbreak on so many different levels. A very powerful and emotional read for people of any religion.

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Weekend Wrap Up: My Review of KIYA: Mother of a King by Katie Hamstead

KIYA: Mother of a King by Katie Hamstead
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the problem with starting a really good book: You can't put it down and finish it within the span of two days.

KIYA: Mother of a King was everything Hope of the Pharaoh was and more. Katie Hamstead really took everything up a notch, especially the tension as Tut took his place as pharaoh and the love triangle from book one came to a head. There were times I wanted to slap both Malachi and Horemheb.

I love that we get to see that Naomi's strength--her heart--is also her biggest weakness in this book. She's compassionate and loving, and it is hard for her not to show love to those she holds dear, even when it means putting her morals on the line.

Queen Kiya and Naomi are supposed to be two separate people, but it seems like we are getting to see more and more of how much the two have in common, even if it easier for others (and sometimes Naomi herself) to view them as different people. Kiya is clever and charismatic, to the point of being able to seduce anyone in the room just with her presence, but we get to see how those traits were there with Naomi as well when the annual festival comes around.

New foes are introduced, and surprising new friends. Kiya had a big impact on Nefertiti's daughters in a very contrasting way. One wishes to be more like her while the other hates her almost as much as Nefertiti does. The differences are very refreshing and it is nice to see how someone can be raised to hate someone and up idolizing them instead.

This book is full of intrigue and action, while balancing it out with romance and the every day heartbreaks and joys of family life. I'm sad that the next book will be the end, but I'm excited about what comes next.

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Review & Giveaway: The Accidental Witch by Jessica Penot

I was lucky enough to receive a copy of The Accidental Witch by Jessica Penot to read and review. The blurb was really intriguing, so I was looking forward to this read, and I can't wait to tell you all about it! First, we'll get to know the author and her book before I give you my thoughts. Oh, and there's a giveaway too, with five $10 Amazon gift cards up for grabs! Just follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter below. And don't forget to get your own copy at one of these sites:

All Romance eBook   Bookstrand   Kindle UK   

Kindle US  Lachesis Publishing Inc   OmniLit
 

About the Author:  

Jessica Penot is a therapist who lives in Alabama with her 2 corgis, cat, sons, husband and other strange creatures. She is the author of Haunted North Alabama, Haunted Chattanooga, and Circe.

Follow Jessica's writerly exploits on her website, blog, and Facebook.  

The Accidental Witch

The Darkest Arts Series

Book 1

Jessica Penot

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Lachesis Publishing

Book Description:

Phaedra Michaels is a small town psychologist who is beginning to lose hope. Two of her patients at the local hospital in Dismal, Alabama have just killed themselves, she’s still reeling from her divorce and what turned out to be a disastrous marriage, and her father has died, leaving her without any notion of who her real mother is.  

Just as Phaedra decides to commit herself to a serious drinking problem and an eating disorder, or two, a mysterious spell book arrives in the mail. Feeling desperate, Phaedra uses it to cast spells to save her fading patients. Suddenly, good things start happening.  Phaedra’s patients begin to get better and she even starts dating the sexy doctor from the hospital.

Phaedra is so happy she doesn't notice the small things that start to go wrong in Dismal, or the dark creatures slithering out of the shadows near her house. When Phaedra finally realizes her spells have attracted every card-carrying demon from hell, she has no choice but to accept help from a slightly nerdy, 500 year-old warlock with a penchant for wearing super hero T-shirts and a knack for getting under Phaedra’s skin. Now, if only she could get the hang of this witch thing, she might be able to save her town.    

My Review:

The Accidental Witch by Jessica Penot
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love everything about this book. Phaedra is a really fun and awesome MC and narrator. Her voice makes everything better. She's clever, she's sarcastic, she's witty. There were so many laugh out loud moments for me reading this book, and mainly because of the little quips Phaedra would throw in when talking about something.

The magic of this book is also really well done, and really simple. Sometimes magic can get over complicated and bog down a story, but not this one. I also loved Phaedra's approach to it. It felt very natural. She gets a book, tries a spell, it works, and then tests it. Then she gets carried away. Very natural progression to me, and I love that her sage adviser doesn't come in until after the s*** hits the fan.

All of the characters were really fleshed out, and even the villain was a complicated entity rather than a one-dimensional evil. I liked the little surprises along the way, even the ones you can sort of guess like how she got the book. Those little surprises always turned into something so much bigger, and you can see how it all snowballs to the final showdown. Phaedra's choice in that last fight at her house had my heart racing.

The world Jessica Penot built feels so natural, too. As a southerner, I could definitely relate. But the magic felt right too. She didn't go into heavy detail about all the spells or chants, and Phaedra recognized how silly the rituals could sometimes feel. But the magic was just sort of there. It existed and it was possible, and it was something that might require a lot of work, but mainly the power within. I'm not sure why that called to me, but it did.

Phaedra is such an amazing character, and so beautifully flawed. From her body dysmorphia to her issues from her ex-husband to her need to save everyone she comes across. She's turned herself into this tragic hero with so little life of her own, and it is so thrilling to watch her reclaim it. To build herself up from the rubble that was her life even when things are at their worst. She doesn't whine when talking about the bad stuff that's happened. There's an edge of anger, but never self pity. You can tell that she's given up when the story begins. Watching her regain hope and strength and confidence in herself while kicking ass with magic? Awesome.

My only complaint? The chapters are too long and that made for me being on the treadmill a lot longer than I intended since I would read until a chapter's end. =)

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Review for Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh by Katie Hamstead

Blurb:

When Naomi’s sisters are snatched up to be taken to be wives of the erratic Pharaoh, Akhenaten, she knows they won’t survive the palace, so she offers herself in their place. The fearsome Commander Horemheb sees her courage, and knows she is exactly what he is looking for…

The Great Queen Nefertiti despises Naomi instantly, and strips her of her Hebrew lineage, including her name, which is changed to Kiya. Kiya allies herself with Horemheb, who pushes her to greatness and encourages her to make the Pharaoh fall in love with her. When Akhenaten declares Kiya will be the mother of his heir, Nefertiti, furious with jealousy, schemes to destroy Kiya.

Kiya must play the deadly game carefully. She is in a silent battle of wills, and a struggle for who will one day inherit the crown. If she does bear an heir, she knows she will need to fight to protect him, as well as herself, from Nefertiti who is out for blood.




KIYA: Hope of the Pharaoh by Katie Hamstead
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I've never been one to jump at historical fiction, but this book was beyond amazing. I suddenly find myself enthralled by Egyptian culture. Katie Hamstead did an amazing job of teaching the reader about ancient Egypt through Naomi's eyes and not making it feel like a lesson. There was never a dull moment of world-building or history lessons. It was all contextual.

Naomi is a believable heroine. She is brave, strong, true to her beliefs, but also stubborn, and she can be a bit naive. She wears her heart on her sleeve, which I suspect is going to bite her in the ass later on in the series. I love that in Kiya, Nefertiti has met her match. Nefertiti is believably cunning and vile, but her motivations are always clear. And just when you think she is done, she strikes like a snake.

The love triangle in this book came out of nowhere for me. I don't want to say too much because of spoilers, but I love how, because we see everything through Naomi's eyes, we were just as surprised as she was.

On a more technical note, I think Katie's style is wonderful. Naomi's voice is solid throughout the entire book, never wavering. We feel everything she feels, and see everyone else just as she sees them. Not once did I feel like the language was dumbed down (which I've seen in other first person novels--it drives me crazy.) or like Katie was trying to force information through Naomi.

The ending felt abrupt to me, but I have a feeling that is more to do with how I was not ready for the book to end. Luckily, the sequel comes out soon. =) I can't wait!

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About the Author: 

Born and raised in Australia, Katie’s early years of day dreaming in the “bush”, and having her father tell her wild bedtime stories, inspired her passion for writing.

After graduating High School, she became a foreign exchange student where she met a young man who several years later she married. Now she lives in Arizona with her husband, daughter and their dog.
 
She has a diploma in travel and tourism which helps inspire her writing. She is currently at school studying English and Creative Writing.
 
Katie loves to out sing her friends and family, play sports and be a good wife and mother. She now works as a Clerk with a lien company in Arizona to help support her family and her schooling. She loves to write, and takes the few spare moments in her day to work on her novels.

You can follow Katie on:

Twitter - https://twitter.com/KatieTeller1

FB page - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Katie-Hamsteads-Stories/247238178656484

Blog - http://kjhstories.blogspot.com/

Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18169048-kiya

Review: Communion by B. Patterson

Today I am reviewing Communion, a Young Adult Urban Fantasy book by B. Patterson. (Spoiler alert for the review: I loved the book! It was amazing!) You can find more on B. Patterson on his blog, or you can follow him on Facebook or Twitter. 

About the Author:
B. Patterson is a 25 year old writer and a graduate of North Carolina State University,  where he majored in Psychology and minored in Japanese.  He currently live in Maryland.

B. Patterson wrote a lot as a kid.  He began a new story (or 3 or 4) every school year, but rarely finished them. He finally finished one when he was 16.  It was about ninjas.  It was really bad.

Communion, his first completed novel worth publishing in his eyes, will be released October 1st. He has that and many other works coming down the pipeline.  He plans to be writing for many years to come.  

B. Patterson's values as a writer include:
Writing high-quality books
Diversity
Integrity
Entertainment

About the Book:
Lester Fuller knows isolation well.  It has been his only friend since Jadarius Singleton humiliated him last year. But one night after Jadarius's taunts go too far, Lester stumbles upon Gwynn's body.  He's sure she's dead.  Until she bites him.

Vampires are extinct.  There are only the dhampir.

Now something more than human, Lester struggles to determine where he fits in this new society.  Just what secrets about the dhampir are his friends keeping from him?  And what will he do when a notorious figure from dhampir history sets her eyes on him?




My Review:
I love everything about this book, from the main character Lester's voice as he narrates to the twists and turns along the way and the surprise ending.

Usually, in vampire books, you have a main character who is eventually going to be faced with a choice of whether or not to become a vampire. But in Communion, B. Patterson starts Lester's journey with a bang. When he gets attacked and turned, he discovers a whole new world. Vampires are extinct, but dhampir still exist--which are sort of in between humans and vampires--and now he has the choice to become one of them.

Lester isn't the typical main character, for many reasons. First, it is refreshing to have a first person narrative from a teenage guy's POV. I have to say that most of the books I read have female POVs, so it is nice to have a change. And a good one at that. But also, Lester is a believable outcast. He has issues, but never ventures into melodramatic or emo territory. And even though he is bullied, I never viewed him as weak or a victim. He was strong in his own ways, and showed that by how he stood up to the bully, even when he knew it would mean getting his ass kicked.

What also sets Lester apart from typical main characters is that his journey is anything but simple and stereotypical. Lester is faced with some tough decisions, and makes some hard choices along the way. My heart breaks for some of the things he is forced to do to keep the people he loves safe. Usually, we see the hero of the story built up through the trials and tribulations they face. With Lester, we see him constantly broken down by the choices he is faced with. But then an amazing thing happens that makes me root for him even more: He gets back up. Over and over.

B. Patterson did an amazing job of taking something so common (vampires) with the usual plot points played over and over and over again, and turning it into something unique that he can call his own. Not only is the concept different from what I've seen, but the actions the main character takes along the way are also so different from the norm. I never knew what to expect with this book. Just when you think you know who the bad guy is and what the stakes are that the dhampir are up against, the plot takes a completely different turn and you are thrown for a loop.

Great writing, compelling and unpredictable story full of twists and surprises, and a main character that I can sympathize with and really truly like. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to what is ahead not only for Lester and the dhampir, but I can't wait to see what else the incredibly talented B. Patterson does.

Review: Coldness of Marek by Rachel O'Laughlin

Coldness of Marek by Rachel O'Laughlin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I haven't felt this immersed in the world of a book in a long time. Rachel O'Laughlin's attention to detail is amazing. She doesn't spend pages upon pages describing the world to you, but does an excellent job of letting you see it all through each character's eyes. The changes in POV were fluid, the overall voice never faltering, but still giving you a feel for the differences in the characters and their views. There were times I would come back from a reading break and forget that the story wasn't written in first person because of how strong of a feel I had for the characters, particularly Trzl.

The story has a great build, right from the action at the beginning. The intensity never seems to let up as you piece together what happened in the 10 years since Trzl and Mikel first met. I love the changes you can see in Trzl from that stubborn and somewhat naive rebel using her feminine wiles to aid the cause she so believed in, to the protective mother she is today, willing to anything and everything to keep her child safe.

Reading the fight scenes felt like watching a dance. They were easy to follow, but not mechanical in any way. Some writers can get a little too caught up in the action, making the fights too busy. But Rachel did an excellent job writing descriptions that might cause you to wince, but not scratch your head in confusion.

The romantic undertones were very well written and distinguished from the usual cliches you might find in fantasy novels. Trzl is not a damsel in distress by any stretch of the imagination, and Mikel is very much so the reluctant hero. The conflict between these two somehow manages to play a minor and major role in the overall story. It is a card that is never over-played by Rachel, which made the story all the more enjoyable. There might not be any actual hope for these two to get together with everything that has happened, but watching them fight against their own hearts is very compelling.

I was also very pleased with how Malcolm was written. He's a brave young boy instead of one hiding behind his mother's skirts. I loved how tough and intelligent he is. He picked up on a lot more than the adults gave him credit for, with the exception of perhaps Marek. The minor characters were all very well distinguished from one another, with their own sets of goals and problems. The twist with Tev really caught me offguard, which was great.

There isn't a dull moment in this book. Every chapter, every scene--something is always happening. I really can't sing enough praises for this book. I can't wait to see what happens with the sequel!

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Review: Gateway to Reality by Becca J Campbell

Gateway to Reality by Becca J. Campbell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was such a fascinating concept, and so brilliantly told. Becca J Campbell is more than an author, she is an artist. She painted the worlds so clearly, the images so vivid and real. I didn't quite connect with Wes or Emily, but I think that just boils down to personalities. The characters were still very well written and their story was still very engaging.

Spoilers ahead!

I love how Wes is spending the entire story discovering so much about himself and truly growing. You can see the evolution of his character clearly and consistently. Being faced with the choice to live in the LV and pursue things with the Emily he has a history with (in a world full of personal connections, where his family actually exists), and the choice of accepting this illogical world to pursue a life--and Emily--there was very well played out. He didn't spend too much time being angsty over the decision or too much time in denial, which I definitely appreciate in an alternate universe story. I kept waiting for him to wake up and discover the Existence was the dream and to have all his problems figured out through this crazy dream, and it was really refreshing that this didn't happen.

Sometimes the most illogical part about us can be our hearts, and I was glad to see Wes follow his.

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