Becca Fitzpatrick made a name for herself with her successful paranormal romance series, Hush Hush. She’s left the paranormal behind but romance is still on the agenda as she plunges headlong into a realistic, romantic thriller.

Eighteen year old Britt Pfeiffer is confused. She’s not sure if she should reconcile with her first and only love, Calvin, or maybe she should just put him out of her mind for good. That second option becomes a lot harder when Calvin ends up chaperoning Britt and his sister during a backpacking trip in the wilds of Wyoming, the Teton Range.

Things get out of hand fast, but not in the way one may expect. A vicious storm puts Britt in the path of two fugitives and possible murderers before she and Calvin can even meet up at his family’s cabin. Now Britt has to use her wits to stay alive and hope Calvin can reach her in time. One of the kidnappers is burdened with a terrible secret and Britt can’t be sure if he’ll turn out to be a help or her biggest hindrance. This is a story in which nothing is as it seems!

I think Fitzpatrick's writing has improved a lot since her Hush Hush days. I read the first book in the series and thought it was okay. I have the entire series, but haven't gotten around to reading any of the other ones yet. Black Ice is well done and guaranteed to keep readers on the edge of their seats. The descriptions are so vivid, one can feel every sliver of ice and every frozen, frosty flake, alighting on their person, as the reader becomes part of the journey to survive.

 The author did an excellent job with character development. There are no cookie cutter archetypes here. The characters may be young adults, but Fitzpatrick imbued them with a rich depth and complexity. They face deep and serous choices---ones the reader may or may not agree with, but will be forced to ponder and draw their own conclusions as to what they would do in similar circumstances.

Black Ice may be targeted to the young adult market, but more mature audiences will not be disappointed in the least, by this exciting and super suspenseful novel.

Book Review and Giveaway: A SINGLE BREATH by Lucy Clarke

I read a lot of YA, so when I was offered the opportunity to read a more "grown up" book, I leaped at the chance, especially one that sounded as intriguing as this. Check out the description of A SINGLE BREATH by Lucy Clarke...

Eva has only been married for eight months when her husband, Jackson, is swept to his death while fishing. Weighed down by confusion and sorrow, Eva decides to take leave of her midwifery practice in London and visit Jackson's estranged family in Tasmania with the hope of grieving together.

Instead, she discovers that the man she loved so deeply is not the man she thought she knew. Jackson's father and brother reveal a dark past, exposing the lies her marriage was built upon. As Eva struggles to come to terms with the depth of Jackson's deception, she must also confront her growing attraction to Jackson's brother, Saul, who offers her intimacy, passion, and answers to her most troubling questions.

Will Eva be able to move forward in life, or will she be caught up in a romance with Saul, haunted by her husband's past? Threading together beautiful, wild settings and suspenseful twists, A Single Breath is a gripping tale of secrets, betrayal, and new beginnings.

I am a romance junkie. Love stories that incorporate a thread of forbidden love, capture my attention. A SINGLE BREATH did not disappoint, but oh, it was so much more! I've never considered myself a fan of suspense stories, but this tale pulls you along and won't let you go! There are so many questions to be answered and I had to know! A SINGLE BREATH is not the kind of story you can put down for long. When I had to stop reading to do other things, I couldn't wait to get back to it.

As someone who has indulged in writing stories myself, I really appreciate when I'm in the hands of a skilled author, and that is certainly what Lucy Clarke is. I couldn't help putting my "writer" cap on and critiquing as I read. I was fascinated by her ability to conceive and plot a rather complex tale, yet thread it together so intricately. Bravo, my girl!

When I get the opportunity to get a book in the hands of readers, I like to seize it. My sincere thanks to Courtney of Simon & Schuster for graciously agreeing to send a copy of A SINGLE BREATH to one of my blog visitors.

If you'd like the chance to be that winner, just leave a comment that includes your email, so you can be contacted. That's it. A winner will be selected randomly. Good luck!

The giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada.

A SINGLE BREATH released April 8, 2014 by Touchstone/Simon & Schuster.

Toodle's y'all!

Book Review: The TWISTROSE KEY by Tone Almhiell

“Nearly every creature who lives here was once loved by a child of Earth, and loved the child in return. That bond was so strong that when the animals died, they woke up here in Sylver to live a second life.”

This quote so aptly captures the magical wonder of The Twistrose Key, the debut novel by Tone Almhiell. If you’ve ever loved a pet that has passed on, and are willing to partake of more than a little adventure, this jewel of a story will capture your heart and your imagination.

Eleven-year-old Lin Rosenquist discovers a mysterious key when an unexpected parcel arrives to her home. She immediately connects with it and wouldn’t you know it, it opens the door of the cellar that’s been locked ever since her family moved into their rented home.

Hidden behind that cellar door lies Sylver, a world that is more amazing than even the creative mind of Lin Rosenquist can dream up. And what makes it the most amazing of all, is the discovery that her beloved Rufus is there. He’s the pet she lost in death and lies buried under the rosebush in the yard…or so Lin thought! 

Now Rufus and Lin must join forces to save the inhabitants of Sylver, but saying it won’t be easy is an understatement. Malicious forces are doing everything in their power to see that they don’t succeed. Can Lin fulfill her destiny and conquer the evil that threatens to overwhelm her, dearest Rufus and her new compatriots? You’ll have to enter the majestic, magical world of Sylver to find out.

And a magical world it truly is. The author exhibits a rich and fertile imagination, an ability to enchant both young and old. Age is no impediment to enjoying this story. The tale is as crisp and zesty as the cold and crystalline environ in which it is set. Readers should take their time and read with care to fully grasp and decipher the fresh mythology of the land of Sylver. It’ll leave you gasping, laughing and maybe shedding a tear or two.

Having lost two of my beloved girls, Boozie and Sweetie, I especially loved the premise behind this story. I don't know if the author has ever suffered through the death of a pet, but it was like she was in my head and knew how much one longs to see them again...and then she did something about it! It struck just the right note...*sigh*

Enjoy!

Toodles...

Happy Release Day! Pretty Amy by Lisa Burstein

Pretty Amy is the debut novel of Lisa Burstein. It follows the saga of Amy Fleishman, age seventeen, and opens on what is one of the most significant days of her life: the senior prom. It becomes significant for more ways than one. Amy is a insecure girl who depends on her more popular friends, Lila and Cassie to validate her, make her feel she’s worth something, that she’s even alive. When the girls get stood up for the prom, they make a woeful decision that leads to them getting arrested and facing real jail time. It’s a life-defining moment that ultimately forces Amy to explore and confront who she is and who she wants to be.

Lisa Burstein dares to write a young adult story with a female protagonist that minimizes the romance and gives major focus to the character’s focus on finding herself and understanding who that self is. It’s a true coming-of-age story. Amy is a real character, real in all her flaws and often maddening decisions. Adults will want to scream at her for the choices she makes and young people may see themselves doing the same things and realizing how foolish it is—now that it’s someone else.

The author successfully creates a character that displays the desires and the even greater fears and confusion of a teenager, those crazy moments when they’re a mass of confusion and hormones and whatever else happens to meander by.

Amy often has a keen sense of the adults around her. There’s a lot of wonderful snark that will make you laugh out loud. This is the first time I'm including quotes, but these  gave me a good chuckle. Check it out:

"You could at least be grateful this whole prayer circle is for you," Conner said between bites of his sandwich.

"I'm Jewish, Conner," I reminded him again, in case he'd forgotten.

"Well, he said, wiping his mouth, "look where that has gotten you." 

My mother, who was an image Jew, which is a Jew who only cares as much about her Judaism as the person she is trying to prove it to, was sending me to the feet of Jesus for help. She must truly have run out of options.

Ya gotta love it :-)

Pretty Amy makes a great selection for the school market. It’s a story that allows young people to debate the actions and motivations of the characters. It opens up questions on a number of levels that they can delve into and learn about themselves in the process.

Happy Release Day! Until I Die (Book Two in Revenants trilogy) by Amy Plum

Book Two

Until I Die is the second book in the Revenants trilogy by Amy Plum.  Revenants are zombie-like creatures, but not the flesh-falling-off-bone type. They’re hot, sexy and just what Kate, our seventeen-year-old protagonist needs to come alive again after the untimely death of her parents. When Kate meets Vincent and discovers what he is, they forge an unlikely romance. In book two, they are committed to being a couple and Vincent makes a pledge to do whatever it takes to spare Kate pain, the pain of having to experience him dying, over and over again.

What Kate didn’t count on, is a new enemy making an appearance. It’s hard enough coming to terms with her beau having to die again and again to save the life of the innocent, but Vincent’s loss of immortality and his total destruction, is beyond what Kate could imagine.

The sequel starts off rather slowly. I did wonder if book two could live up to excitement of the debut. Not to worry. Amy Plum soon draws you into an exciting story. There are questions that begged to be answered—like who is infiltrating the revenant camp and sabotaging them. The reader’s mind will race with the possibilities.

Though, this is a paranormal romance, Until I Die, often reads as a mystery. The romance is the foundation of the story, but it doesn’t overwhelm the book. Plum carefully weaves an action plot interspersed with the mystery element that drives the narrative forward; the romance is ever present and simmering in the background.

Amy Plum does a good job of characterization. Each of the characters has a distinctive voice and personality, some of which will leave you heaving with laughter, particularly Kate’s sister, Georgia.

This sequel does not disappoint. Until I Die is exciting and even more action-packed than the first book. It ends on a cliffhanger that compels you to pick up book three to learn how it’s all resolved.

Until I Die released today, May 8, 2012 by Harper Teen

Toodles!

Review: Grave Mercy-Book One in the His Fair Assassin series by Robin LeFevers

It's been a while since I read an historical romance and I've never read a historical YA romance that I can remember. When I had the chance to check out Grave Mercy: His Fair Assassin, I decided to take it. Check out the description...

Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?
Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts--and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae's most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany--where she finds herself woefully under prepared--not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death's vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?
 

Let me say, as I read this story, I had to check and make sure it was YA. The characters are very mature, but when I thought about it, it made sense for the time period which I think is medieval. People married, ascended to the throne, ruled countries...all that and more at a very young age. Honestly, I thought the story might be a bit dry, but au contaire! It was awesome! I could not put this book down and when I had to, I couldn't wait to pick it up again! I'm astounded and give major kudos to the author for the level of research she had to do to capture and build the world of this story.

There were so many intricate nooks, crannies, and turns in the plot that kept me fully engaged. Grave Mercy delivered just the right balance of intriguing romance, action and adventure. I'm a romance junkie and I loved the way the author keep the romance fully intertwined in the plot. It was perfect tension. You'll hold your breath waiting for how, when and if this couple is going to make it--if the guy is even going to live!

I'm excited that this is a series. It was over 500 pages, but it was so good, I was glad because I hated for it to end. I can't wait to see what's going to happen in the second book. I believe it's going to follow another one of the characters. She's an assassin too and love complicates her mission. I hope I don't have to wait too long! You won't have to for Book One.

Grave Mercy releases April 3, 2012 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Toodles!

Happy Release Day! A Review of A Walk Across the Sun by Corban Addison

A Walk Across the Sun is the debut novel of Corban Addison. When I first learned of this book, the topic caught my attention as I've seen a number of documentaries on the the issue of human trafficking. I also recently read about this topic in the Fall edition of Columbia Magazine published by Columbia University. Check out the books description...

Corban Addison leads readers on a chilling, eye-opening journey into Mumbai's seedy underworld--and the nightmare of two orphaned girls swept into the international sex trade.

When a tsunami rages through their coastal town in India, 17-year-old Ahalya Ghai and her 15-year-old sister Sita are left orphaned and homeless. With almost everyone they know suddenly erased from the face of the earth, the girls set out for the convent where they attend school. They are abducted almost immediately and sold to a Mumbai brothel owner, beginning a hellish descent into the bowels of the sex trade.

Halfway across the world, Washington, D.C., attorney Thomas Clarke faces his own personal and professional crisis-and makes the fateful decision to pursue a pro bono sabbatical working in India for an NGO that prosecutes the subcontinent's human traffickers. There, his conscience awakens as he sees firsthand the horrors of the trade in human flesh, and the corrupt judicial system that fosters it. Learning of the fate of Ahalya and Sita, Clarke makes it his personal mission to rescue them, setting the stage for a riveting showdown with an international network of ruthless criminals. 

Once I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down.  And when I had to put it down, I couldn't wait to get back to it! The reader is sucked right into the incredibly sad misfortune of these two sisters. It's an adult book, but many parts read as YA because alternating chapters are written from the perspective of the sisters. The story progresses back and forth between the sisters, Ahalya, Sita and the lawyer, Thomas Clark.

 The author, Corban Addison has amazing writing skills. It's hard to believe this is his first book!  He actually is an attorney and has an interest in human rights issues. His expertise and passion certainly come across in the story. He expertly weaves the plight of the two sisters with the personal and marital crisis of Clark, the attorney, so not only are you on the edge of your seat as you flip through the pages to learn the fate of the girls, you also wonder what will become of Clark, professionally as well as in his marriage. This story will open your eyes to how prevalent the international sex trade is. It's often going on right in front of your eyes and you don't have a clue.

 A Walk Across the Sun is an amazing story filled with intrigue, tragedy, action and joy. You'll be thinking about it long after the last page is turned. It releases today, 12/3/12 by Silver Oak/ Sterling Publishing.

Toodles!

Happy Release Day! Review of Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi.

Shatter Me is Tahereh Mafi’s debut novel, the first book in a dystopian trilogy. While a crumbling world factors into the story in a big way, Shatter Me builds on that premise with paranormal elements. It is just such an addition—the combination of those elements—that adds depth and dimension to the story.

Shatter Me is the tale of 17-year-old Juliette. She’s been locked away in a prison of sorts, separated from society, shunned by family—she’s never had any friends—and all because she killed someone by accident. She was just trying to be helpful, but to do that she had to touch someone—and her touch is deadly. When you’ve been locked away in solitary confinement for months, not speaking a word, it’s a shock to get company, especially when it’s a stunning boy—but this boy, Adam, has secrets of his own.

Juliette finds herself an object of desire. It becomes a battle of wits between Adam, her savior, and Warner, her jailor. And they’re not the only ones that want Juliette. The Reestablishment, the new society, wants her as a weapon, as does the opposition. Juliette has been an outcast all her life. Life is about to change in ways she could never have imagined.

This novel sucks you in right away. It doesn’t waste a moment giving you dry backstory, but takes you right to the start of the action: Juliette locked away. The scenario begs for an explanation, but you don’t get that right away and that’s okay because the journey to find that answer is filled with such intricate worldbuilding, the reader remains fully engaged.

The device used to convey Juliette’s inner thoughts is unusual. It consists of strikeouts of the words. This was initially annoying and can pull the reader out of the story, but over time one gets used to it. It becomes a convenient way to grasp the true nature of her feelings and show the volatility of the same.

The author has a fresh grasp of language that was evidenced through her original turns of phrase. It is a pleasure to reread and ruminate over them.

Shatter Me is intriguing. Imbued with mystery, romance, high-stakes action, and paranormal adventure, Shatter Me captures the reader from page one. The conclusion was particularly well done, setting the stage for the next installment in this compelling trilogy.

Toodles!

Book Review: A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies

A Beautiful Dark is the debut novel of Jocelyn Davies. She’s an editor of young adult fiction and decided to take the plunge into the genre herself. We all know the old saying: don’t judge a book by its cover, but the cover of this novel is truly eye-catching. It’s an enigma. Who is this girl? The background is dark and stormy; the title is evocative of an intriguing mystery. It begs for one to crack the spine and explore.

Skye, the protagonist, age seventeen is living a normal life—sort of. She’s the unrequited crush of a young man that works at the coffee shack, she’s trying to negotiate school and friends and come to terms with the loss of her parents, killed in an accident. Having Mom’s best friend as her guardian is great, but it can’t remove the pain that is always brewing beneath the surface.

Missing parents are a common device in YA fiction to allow for situations that would be a lot more difficult if not impossible if adults were present—at least if you want a credible story or the writer is utilizing irresponsible parents as a plot device. That’s not the case here. The missing parents are an integral part of the mystery. They’re part of a delicious little twist that is essentially only hinted at. I’m hoping to see it explored more thoroughly as the story continues in the next installment.

Jocelyn Davies does a nice job of worldbuilding.  It was easy to fall into that world and visualize that cold, ski-town in Colorado, the crunchy ice and the hot, steaming coffee that await the teens who meet up at the intimate shack. When two hot boys who are diametrically opposed to each other, appear in Skye’s life, things begin heat up—and it has nothing to do with that coffee!

Skye finds herself jockeying between these two strange boys.  Who are they and what do they want? They’re on a mission. Each is familiar with the other and it is clear they despise each other. Skye struggles to understand how she factors into their apparent feud. The author is to be commended for giving Devin and Asher very unique and distinctive personalities. They both had their strengths and flaws and it isn’t clear who the bad guy is or who to root for. Their emotions had depth. The attraction and repulsion they had in their connection to Skye was nicely nuanced.

The ending is a total shock and a huge cliffhanger. This is no stand-alone novel. One must read the next book in the series to get to the bottom of things and I look forward to digging in and finding out!

A Beautiful Dark releases September 27, 2011 by Harper Teen

OKAY...I WAS WRONG!!!! Sorry, Aprilynne...

I'm a little late to the Wings party, the debut novel by Aprilynne Pike. It released in May 2009. That is shortly after I took an interest in writing as a serious endeavor. When I began my fledgling attempts to write a YA novel, I started to do research on the genre. I went to the bookstore (remember when we used to do that! *sigh*) and began checking out young adult books to get a better understanding of how they're composed. Fairies as a trend were really taking off around this time too. I've never been drawn to the fairy saga as a subject I was interested in reading, but the cover of Wings caught my eye. I picked it up, looked it over and debated buying it. I put it back in favor of a contemporary YA, Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles to be exact. Wings stayed on my mind though and I figured I'd get it one day. I started seeing reviews on Wings across the blogoshere. They were mixed. Stephanie Meyers'  endorsement was certainly instrumental in piquing my interest in the book.

Book One

As I began my collection of YA books, I decided I had no interest in fairies. As I considered the reviews I was seeing, I figured the book was getting a substantial amount of attention because Stephanie Meyers' endorsed it; after all, she's Aprilynne's friend. I dismissed the book, but not totally. It crossed my mind from time to time; I'd pick it up and leaf through it when I went to the book store. I'd stop by Aprilynnes' blog to see what she was up to and what was the latest news on the Wings trilogy. During one such visit, Aprilynne stated that for a short time, Wings would be available for free to download to a Nook. I had recently received that e-reader and figured what the heck. I may as well check it out. I downloaded it and there it remained, unread for weeks. When I went on vacation a couple of weeks ago, I decided to finally read it.


OMG! I freakin' love this book! Those of you who visit here regularly, may be aware that I'm a total romance junkie. This may be a fairy book, but Aprilynne gave me just want I wanted in the romance department. I was completely absorbed. She didn't make me wait for it either. She started it within the first eight pages (Nook "pages", anyway!). I learned that the author has the same writing sensibility as myself. I like to focus on the relationship in my writing and I can tell that Aprilynne does too. She's a passionate woman! Lol...This is a great example of how an author shouldn't be afraid to giveaway content for free. I'm a total Aprilynne Pike fan now. I will be buying the rest of the trilogy and can't wait to learn what her new series is about. I'm sure smokin' hot boys and heart-pounding love will factor in somewhere. I also enjoyed her take on the fairy mythology. I've seen some complaints about it, but it pulled me in and I'm not even a fairy aficionado.

I allowed myself to be unduly influenced by negative reviews and I didn't see the story in that way at all. It's one of my favorite books! When I had to put the story down, I couldn't wait to get back to it. I sat out under a coconut tree, enjoyed the Caribbean breeze and lost myself in the world of Wings.The biggest lesson I learned from this experience is that one should process info from varying sources, but always keep an open mind and decide things for yourself.

Sorry for doubting you, Aprilynne and thanks for a great story! Ha!

Toodles, ya'll!

Release Day! Book Review and Giveaway! Wildefire by Karsten Knight

 GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED
AS OF 8/1/11

Wildefire by Karsten Knight
                                                                        
Simon and Shuster

Release Date: July 26, 2011

Young Adult

ISBN-10: 1442421177

ISBN-13: 978-1442421172

Fantasy/ Paranormal

400 pages
Wildfire is the YA debut of Karsten Knight and several factors set it apart: Being a young man distinguishes Knight in a crowded young adult genre that is bursting at the seams with female writers. His decision to write from a female point of view adds to the interest level. He also pays homage to diversity by making his protagonist Polynesian—now that’s an ethnic group we don’t hear much about.

Wildefire follows Ashline Wilde as she goes through one of the toughest years of her life. She thinks things are bad enough as she tries to find her place in the pecking order at her high school as the lone Polynesian, and comes to terms with a cheating boyfriend.

But then things, as they often do with teens, soon quickly spiral out of control. Her runaway sister returns, exhibiting a violent streak that Ash could never have imagined before she left. Then her sister’s involvement in the death of a student traumatizes Ashline and sends her packing to a private school across the country to start life afresh.

As she makes new friends and a new romance comes into bloom, Ash is sure she’s made the right decision to leave her old life behind—until she discovers that she’s a volcano goddess and her new school is full of gods and goddesses. This has to be more than coincidence, but what does it mean? Ashline and her classmates are determined to find out. Ash’s sister, Eve makes a surprise visit and things go from bad to worse in short order. Another death isn’t far behind—and Ashline has to decide where her loyalties lie.

Karsten Knight easily captures a teen girl’s voice, doing so with snap and wit. He writes a crisp, tight tale, propelling the reader through the narrative in a linear and forthright manner while exploring a fresh mythology. There is a far amount of violence in this story, but it isn’t anything that the teen audience can’t handle. As a romance junkie, I would have liked more of the romantic element to have been explored in the story, but I'm hopeful for the sequel. A guy did write this; afterall, and maybe he put in as much of it as he could stand...lol...

The author ends the first installment of this trilogy with a surprise ending that begs to be continued.

I'm giving my ARC away. If you're interested in receiving it, just leave a comment that answers this question: How much romance do you like in your YA novels? Don't forget to include your email so you can be contacted if you're the winner. That is all. I'm busy over the next week, give or take some days, so I haven't decided when this giveaway will end. I'll just announce a winner from the people who have entered up to that point.

Giveaway open to residents of the US and Canada only.

Toodles!

Book Review: FURY by Elizabeth Miles. Umm...an unexpected delight.

I received an ARC of FURY and I couldn't have been more surprised. It's the debut novel of Elizabeth Miles. I so, enjoyed this story. I'm a total romance junkie, so if that's not a big part of the plot, I tend to be somewhat disappointed. I had no idea what FURY was about initially, but the cover drew me in immediately and I had to check it out. Let's look at the description:

Sometimes sorry isn't enough....
It’s winter break in Ascension, Maine. The snow is falling and everything looks pristine and peaceful. But not all is as it seems...
Between cozy traditions and parties with her friends, Emily loves the holidays. And this year’s even better--the guy she’s been into for months is finally noticing her. But Em knows if she starts things with him, there’s no turning back. Because his girlfriend is Em’s best friend.
On the other side of town, Chase is having problems of his own. The stress of his home life is starting to take its toll, and his social life is unraveling. But that’s nothing compared to what’s really haunting him. Chase has done something cruel...something the perfect guy he pretends to be would never do. And it’s only a matter of time before he’s exposed.
In Ascension, mistakes can be deadly. And three girls—three beautiful, mysterious girls—are here to choose who will pay.

Since this story is not particularly romantically focused, I wasn't sure I would be that into it. I couldn't be more wrong! I was into this story, totally. Miles pulls the reader through a fantastic mystery and I'm happy to say, there's an undercurrent of a romance brewing under the surface, waiting to be discovered! It's clear that Em has been a very naughty girl, so I could understand why she may be due a little revenge coming her way. Chase; on the other hand, I wasn't so sure. I thought I had missed it or maybe the author had, as I didn't find him to be that bad of a guy and didn't understand why he was a target. Well, without giving away any spoilers, everything isn't as it first appears and Miles hasn't missed a beat. She knows just what she's doing and the reader will find out all in good time.

I'm not really a mystery kind of girl, but I raced through the pages to find out what was going to happen next! Who are these three girls and what the heck are they about?! This was a great story and it ended in a way I wasn't expecting. I definitely have to read the sequel to learn what's going to happen next. You can't go wrong with this novel. Fury is one to add to your list. Kudos to Elizabeth Miles. She does scary good.

FURY releases August 30, 2011 by Simon and Shuster.

Toodles!

Book Review: Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma

Forbidden is the latest young adult novel by British author Tabitha Suzuma. It’s a contemporary love story with an edge. Reminiscent of V. C. Andrews’ Flowers in the Attic, the protagonists in this young adult novel are star-crossed lovers in an untenable situation.

Seventeen-year-old Lochan and sixteen-year-old Maya are in love. There’s just one problem—they’re brother and sister, hence the title of the book: Forbidden.

After their father abandoned the family to start afresh, Lochan and Maya’s irresponsible, alcoholic mother continues her downward spiral. She takes up with a younger man and all but abandons her children. The teenagers are two of five children. As their mother spends increasingly more time away from home, Lochan and Maya have no choice but to care for and protect their younger siblings. They’ll do anything to keep the family together and under the radar of the local child protective services.

Trying to parent a rebellious 13-year-old in addition to an 8- and 5-year-old, would try the patience and ability level of the most astute and patient adult. Imagine struggling to accomplish this feat as a child yourself with little money, few resources, and homework to juggle.

Lochan and Maya develop a second sense about each other. The fear and constant stress they share draw them closer than the average teen siblings. Alone and left to their own devices, they’re functioning in the role of parents. A slip into the husband and wife role is not far behind. Only heartache and tragedy can follow.

Forbidden has a built in “yuk” factor: sexual contact between siblings. It’s to the author’s credit and storytelling ability that such feelings on the part of the reader are minimized.

Ms. Suzuma does not accomplish this by glossing over the sexual activity. She thoroughly explores it and the accompanying feelings of confusion and disgust the protagonists experience. Author Suzuma plumbs the depths of emotion the star-crossed siblings experience. She gets into the heads of these teens and exposes their love, lust, doubts, insecurities, and needs. Ms. Suzuma’s ability to dig so deeply into the various layers of human need and desire across several strata—physical, emotional, situational—renders a cringe worthy premise another human experience to evaluate.

The poignant and shocking ending will leave the reader pondering this story long after the final page is turned.

Forbidden released June 28, 2011 by Simon Pulse.

Toodles! 

Book Review and Giveaway: The Murderer's Daughters by Randy Susan Meyers

Last year, before I read this book, I met the author, Randy Susan Meyers at a writers conference. I won second place in a contest there and she was so enthused about my writing and quite complementary.  I was so honored. I attended one of her workshops and was intrigued to read her book, The Murderer's Daughters.  The title is certainly attention worthy and I was keen to learn what it was all about.

A shocking act of violence leaves two young sisters with nothing but each other.

Mama was 'no macaroni-necklace-wearing kind of mother.' She was a lipstick and perfume-wearing mother, a flirt whose estranged husband still hungered for her. After Mama threw him out, she warned the girls to never let Daddy in the house, an admonition that tears at ten-year-old Lulu whenever she thinks about the day she opened the door for her drunken father, and watched as he killed her mother, stabbed her five-year-old sister Merry and tried to take his own life.

Effectively orphaned by their mother's death and father's imprisonment, Lulu and Merry, unwanted by family members and abandoned to a terrifying group home, spend their young lives carrying more than just the visible scars from the tragedy. Even as their plan to be taken in by a well-to-do foster family succeeds, they come to learn they'll never really belong anywhere or to anyone - that all they have to hold onto is each other.

As they grow into women, Lulu holds fast to her anger, denies her father's existence and forces Merry into a web of lies about his death that eventually ensnares her own husband and daughters. Merry, certain their safety rests on placating her needy father, dutifully visits him, seeking his approval and love at the expense of her own relationships. As they strive to carve lives of their own, the specter of their father, unrepentant and manipulative even from behind bars, haunts them. And when they learn he's about to be paroled, the house of cards they've built their lives on teeters on the brink of collapse. 

Book Review: Vixen-The Flappers by Lila Fine aka Jillian Larkin

Vixen is a young adult book with a new edge. It’s set in the Roaring Twenties when prohibition was in full swing and hidden speakeasies dotted the landscape; gangsters grew in prominence and teenagers had an exciting and pulse-pumping outlet to get into trouble.

The flapper lifestyle, the freedom and excitement of it, it is sure to draw in its share of young girls with the promise of something extraordinary. The three protagonists of this story get caught up in it with decidedly mixed results.

Gloria Carmody, seventeen, is engaged to be married to the handsome, but boring stuffed shirt Sebastian Grey. They are both from prominent Chicago families and Gloria is hardly the sort of girl that would do anything to embarrass them—unless you count sneaking into illegal drinking establishments, teetering on the edge of an interracial affair and possibly making waves with the Jazz set.

When Gloria’s cousin, Clara Knowles comes to town, her mission is to make herself useful.  She’s supposed ensure that Gloria stays on the straight and narrow path toward wedded bliss. There’s just one problem. Clara may be a teenager herself, but she’s been living a lifestyle that would turn Chicago high-society on it’s ear and she has to keep it a secret at all costs.

Book Review: DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth

Divergent is the debut young adult novel of Veronica Roth, a young adult herself at the ripe age of twenty-two. She’s riding the wave of the current trend in young adult fiction and written the first book of a dystopian trilogy.

The story takes place in Roth’s native Chicago, but it’s not the Chicago we know of today. The sixteen year-old protagonist, Beatrice Prior, lives in a Chicago world in which society is divided into five factions. These factions represent a particular virtue and its adherents subscribe to that virtue as the guiding force of their lives: Dauntless (the brave), Candor (the honest), Amity (the peaceful), Abnegation (the selfless) and Erudite (the intelligent).

Each year, all sixteen-year-olds decide which faction they will commit themselves to for the rest of their lives. They have the choice to remain where they originate from or chose another.  Beatrice contemplates who she really is and what she wants out of life and makes a surprising decision. It is at this time, that she changes her name to Tris.

Selecting a faction is only the beginning. Now, an extreme competition ensues. Failure could mean being faction-less, which is almost a fate worse than death: belonging nowhere at all.

Release Day! Book Review: Die For Me by Amy Plum

Die for Me is the debut novel of Amy Plum, an Alabama native living the literary life in the French Countryside. It would not be unusual to find Ms. Plum cranking out the pages of her Work-In-Progress in an ancient French castle. She puts the City of Lights to excellent use in the first book of this young adult, paranormal romantic trilogy.

Kate Mercier, age 16, a New Yorker living in Brooklyn, finds her life turned upside down in more ways than one when her parents die in a car accident. Kate and her sister leave their old life behind and try to start life afresh when they move to Paris to live with their grandparents. Kate hopes to lose herself and forget her pain in a world of books and art.

During one of her forages, she encounters a mysterious and extremely handsome young man named Vincent. Though cautious, Kate finds herself charmed and intrigued by him. As she spends time with him, she questions how much she really knows about him. Vincent seems to be hiding something.
Before long, Kate discovers what it is. Vincent is not what he appears to be. And his secret is deadly. He is already at risk—every day. Now Kate’s association with him puts her very life in danger as well. She finds herself right in the middle of an ancient struggle between good and evil. Kate has already lost so much. Just as she was starting to heal, she must confront an important decision: How important is Vincent to her? His love and all he has to offer, is it worth losing him and suffering a broken heart once more. Can she subject herself to never feeling safe again?

Book Talk and Signed Book Giveaway: Exit The Actress by Priya Parmar.

Title: Exit The Actress
Author:Priya Parmer                                      
Publisher: Touchstone/Simon and Schuster
Format: Paperback Original
ISBN: 978-1439171172
Price: 16.99 Pages: 440 
Release Date: February 1, 2011

I met Priya through the world of blogging. She's a fellow blogger at The Plum Bean Project and Exit the Actress is her first novel. We began to communicate via our blogs and by email and when she learned I was going to England, she proved to be a great resource. She spends a great deal of her time between London and Hawaii. Naturally I was interested in what her book was about and anxious to get my hands on it. I simply loved the cover and couldn't wait to dig into it when she requested her publicist send me a copy. It's a historical novel that's based on real people and Priya did extensive research in England before writing the book. Let's check out the blurb on the back of the book...

While selling oranges in the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden, sweet and sprightly Ellen "Nell" Gwyn impresses the theater’s proprietors with a wit and sparkle that belie her youth and poverty. She quickly earns a place in the company, narrowly avoiding the life of prostitution to which her sister has already succumbed. As her roles evolve from supporting to starring, the scope of her life broadens as well. Soon Ellen is dressed in the finest fashions, charming the theatrical, literary, and royal luminaries of Restoration England. 

Priya reading and signing at Borders, Park Ave, New York

Ellen grows up on the stage, experiencing first love and heartbreak and eventually becoming the mistress of Charles II. Despite his reputation as a libertine, Ellen wholly captures his heart—and he hers—but even the most powerful love isn’t enough to stave off the gossip and bitter court politics that accompany a royal romance. 
Telling the story through a collection of vibrant seventeenth-century voices ranging from Ellen’s diary to playbills, letters, gossip columns, and home remedies, Priya Parmar brings to life the story of an endearing and delightful heroine. 

Release Day! Book Review and Giveaway: Invincible: Chronicles of Nick by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Book Two

GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED: 3/26/11

Invincible is the second installment in Kenyon’s first foray into the young adult market. It follows the first book in the series, Infinity. This series follows Nick Gautier, a fourteen year-old boy. Kenyon has written this saga with a focus on one of her adult characters as he was as a youngster. It shows how he became the entity that he is in her adult books.

In the first book, Nick found himself the target of a number of supernatural creatures, zombies being foremost among them. This time, the story isn’t zombie intensive, but unnatural creatures like shapeshifters and demons still have Nick in their sights. He harbors a dark all-encompassing power, a power that will define him as an adult, but while he is still young and immature, powerful forces are anxious to capture him and suck up that dark energy for themselves.

Invincible takes up directly where Infinity left off, on the same day as a matter of fact. As Nick tries to understand and grasp the intentions of the supernatural guardians now placed in his life, he still has to negotiate school and a single, often overprotective mom. Let’s not leave out the new principal who thinks he’s a low-down hoodlum and the coach who threatens to have him put behind bars if he doesn’t go along with his unsavory plans.

Once again, Kenyon has done a great job of capturing the voice of a teen boy. Nick’s inner monologue and dialogue exemplify a well fleshed out character with a distinctive point of view. There were a number of laugh-out-loud moments as this teenager confronts all manner of supernatural episodes as only a teen boy could— a truckload of attitude and a take-no-prisoners bravado.

She weaved in enough pertinent information and backstory from book one to give the reader a good sense of the trajectory of the story, but without impeding the tale’s forward momentum with needless detail.

Kenyon utilizes a forthright style that is brash and to the point. You won’t find any flowery writing here. Her characters don’t hold back or indulge in self-analysis. They’re not angst-ridden, but are often blunt, handling their problems by taking immediate action—very likely of the physical kind, as in a good and vigorous fight.

As in the first installment, Invincible ends on an eye-opening note that leaves the reader with a big clue and scrambling to understand what it means. That can only be solved by continuing on with book number three, which if the first two books are an indication, will be sure to please.

I'm giving away my ARC of the story. If you'd like the chance to receive it, tell me if you've read any other Kenyon book and what it's called. Of course, if you haven't read any, that's fine too, just say so. Can't get easier than that. Please don't forget your email so I can contact you if you win. If you don't leave it, you'll disqualify yourself. I don't always have the time to hunt you down! Winner will be selected randomly. That is all.

Giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada only and ends Friday, March 25th.

Toodles!

Book Review and Giveaway: Suspect by Kristin Wolden Nitz

The title of this book says it all. Suspect is a young adult novel that is full of mystery, suspense and a very unique romance. Ellen, the mother of a young child has gone missing and that young child is now seventeen-year-old Jen.  Thank goodness for the letters and gifts her mother sent her through the years after abandoning the family. It’s the only maternal link she has. But when those letters stop coming, Jen grows used to their absence and settles down into life with her father. That is until her grandmother gets the bright idea that those letters never came from Ellen in the first place. They were a ruse by the person who knows exactly what happened to her—her murderer.

Grandma Kay owns the Shoenhaus, a Victorian Bed and Breakfast. She always holds an annual Mystery Weekend and this year, she’s going to take full advantage of it by inviting all those who are likely suspects in Ellen’s disappearance or have a high probability of remembering a significant piece of information. If she can concoct just the right scenario, someone may remember a clue that leads right to the killer.

Jen’s life has reached a stage of normal—somewhat. She doesn’t want to believe she has romantic feelings for a cousin—who’s not a blood relative, but still!  She’s trying to talk herself out of that. Now, Grandma Kay wants her to believe her mother didn’t just run off, but was murdered? It’s going to be harder still if such a killer—if he or she even exists—has been in their midst all along and beloved by one and all.