Happy Release Day! If I Should Die by Amy Plum

Book Three

If I Should Die is the final book in the unique Revenants trilogy by Amy Plum. Revenants are zombie-like creatures committed to dying, sacrificing themselves over and over again for the sake of the humans they are sworn to protect.

Seventeen-year-old Kate has forged a relationship with one: Vincent. They’ve endured a lot to be together, and then the unthinkable happened. Violette, one of his own, betrayed Vincent. He was killed and his body burned to ensure that he would be unable to reanimate.

Kate is not willing to let go. She is not going to accept that her beloved is doomed to roam the earth as a disembodied spirit—not if she has anything to do with it.

Kate goes in search of an ancient ritual that may or may not be true. It holds the only chance of bringing Vincent back to her. She finds herself positioned to give her all and if she should die . . . that’s the chance she has to take.

This last book does not disappoint. Each novel in the series ratchets up the action and the tension. Amy Plum is to be congratulated for her creation of the Revenants. It is a fresh and original mythology.

Ms. Plum manages to keep the romantic element alive even though, through most of the story, Vincent is in spirit form. It’s a credit to her skill at characterization. The author also strikes a good balance between the romance and the action of the story. If I Should Die is well plotted with a final twist that will keep readers on their toes.

I can't wait to see what Amy Plum will come up with next.

Book Two

Toodles, y'all!

Book One

                                      

My Selection for Waiting on Wednesday: Mirage by Kristi Cook

Waiting on Wednesday was started by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. It's where you learn what other prolific readers are eagerly anticipating. This week I've chosen Mirage by Kristi Cook. It's the sequel to Haven and the second book in the Winterhaven series. Check out what it's about...

Book Two

Danger looms large in the sequel to Haven, which Booklist called 'a blend of the Gemma Doyle trilogy, the Twilight saga, and Lois Duncan's thrillers.'

Violet McKenna is back for her senior year at Winterhaven and thrilled to be with Aidan after a long summer apart. But while their love for each other is as strong as ever, their troubles are far from over.

News of a rogue vampire on a killing spree sets everyone on edge. While Aidan is determined to stop the killer, Violet is chilled by a horrifying vision she simply must prevent...for if she can't, two people she loves will meet a violent end.

In the midst of Violet's fear, a mysterious newcomer enters her life - and he has some vital information not just about her past, but about her future as well. Now everything Violet held as truth is upended, and she is left not knowing whom to trust, if she is in danger, and - worst of all - whether she and Aidan are really meant to be together.

While it may not be clear here, Aiden is a vampire, Violet is a vampire slayer and her destiny is to destroy him. Now, you may be thinking that vampires are past their prime in the world of storytelling, but I'm telling you, this novel is so good! There are some very original elements in this story. I was quite surprised. The author took the whole vampire thing and made it fresh and original. The cover of either of these books don't do the series justice, in my opinion. You have no clue what the story is about by looking at them.

The only problem with these trilogies is that they usually come out a year apart. I read the first book, Haven, in February 2011 and I've forgotten a lot of the really cool particulars...*sigh*....I just know I loved it and need to get up to speed with the story.

Has anyone else read this series?

Mirage releases June 05, 2012 by Simon Pulse.

Toodles!

Book One

My Selection for Waiting on Wednesday: Heaven by Alexandra Adornetto

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that offers you the great opportunity to learn about new books coming out and what's whetting people's appetite in world of fiction--particularly that of the young adult world. It was started by Jill over at Breaking the Spine.

This week, I've chosen Heaven by Alexandra Adornetto. It's the third and final book in the Halo series. A lot of people have a love-hate relationship with this series--feeling strongly one way or the other. I totally loved Halo, liked the second book, Hades and can't wait to see how it all ends in Heaven. Check out the blurb...

Bethany, an angel sent to Earth, and her mortal boyfriend, Xavier, have been to Hell and back. But now their love will be put to its highest test yet, as they defy Heavenly law and marry. They don't tell Beth's archangel siblings, Gabriel and Ivy, but the angels know soon enough, and punishment comes in a terrifying form: the Sevens, who are rogue angels bent on keeping Beth and Xavier apart, destroying Gabriel and Ivy, and darkening angelic power in the heavens.

The only way Bethany and Xavier can elude the Sevens is to hide in the open, and blend in with other mortals their own age. Gabriel and Ivy set them up at college, where they can't reveal their relationship, and where there is still danger around each corner. Will Bethany be called back to Heaven - forever - and face leaving the love of her life?



Has anyone else read this series? What did you think of it?

Heaven releases August 21, 2012 by Feiwell & Friends (McMillan).

Toodles!

My Selection for Waiting on Wednesday: The Savage Grace by Bree Despain

Long time no see, guys. It's been a while since I participated in this. Life rears its head and sucks up the time, but I'm glad to be back this week! Waiting on Wednesday was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine and I depend on it to learn about the new books coming out.

This week I'm waiting on the third and final book of a trilogy: The Savage Grace, a Dark Divine novel by Bree Despain. I'm really looking forward to reading this. The second book ended on a very exciting note! I won't mention it in case you haven't read it, but I kind of screamed [in a good way :-)] and it left me anxious for the conclusion. I was blessed this week when I received the ARC in the mail! This was a total surprise. I thank the publisher, EgmontUSA for their generosity. I had been thinking about this book and to receive it was a true blessing. At some point, I think I'm going to have a giveaway of the entire trilogy, so stay tuned for a future announcement about this. Check out the summary of this final book...

Grace's life is a mess. Daniel is still a werewolf, Talbot can't be trusted, and Caleb is still out there. With Sirhan's impending death, war seems imminent. Will Grace give in to the wolf to save her family? What will happen to Daniel . . . and can their love survive one last test?

Who else has read this series?

The Savage Grace will release March 13, 2012 by EgmontUSA .

Toodles!

Book One

Book Two

                                                   

Book Review: The Demon Lover (Fairwick Chronicles #1) by Juliet Dark aka Carol Goodman

The Demon Lover is different than what I usually read. There was something about the cover that fascinated me, totally pulled me in. I had to read it. It looked Gothic and mysterious. Here's an excerpt and description...

I gasped . . . or tried to. My mouth opened, but I couldn't draw breath. . . . His lips, pearly wet, parted and he blew into my mouth. My lungs expanded beneath his weight. When I exhaled he sucked in my breath and his weight turned from cold marble into warm living flesh.

Since accepting a teaching position at remote Fairwick College in upstate New York, Callie McFay has experienced the same disturbingly erotic dream every night: A mist enters her bedroom, then takes the shape of a virile, seductive stranger who proceeds to ravish her in the most toe-curling, wholly satisfying ways possible. Perhaps these dreams are the result of writing her bestselling book, The Sex Lives of Demon Lovers. After all, Callie's lifelong passion is the intersection of lurid fairy tales and Gothic literature - which is why she finds herself at Fairwick's renowned folklore department, living in a once-stately Victorian house that, at first sight, seemed to call her name.

But Callie soon realizes that her dreams are alarmingly real. She has a demon lover - an incubus - and he will seduce her, pleasure her, and eventually suck the very life from her. Then Callie makes another startling discovery: He's not the only mythical creature in Fairwick. As the tenured witches of the college and the resident fairies in the surrounding woods prepare to cast out the incubus, Callie must accomplish something infinitely more difficult - banishing this demon lover from her heart.
 
Now, while there are erotic elements, they're sparse and tastefully done. The language is rather poetic and literary in it's sensibility. I thoroughly enjoyed this story. It really takes the reader to another place, another world. The author excels at world building. The reader is encompassed in this magical, mysterious and sometimes, scary place. The demon lover/incubus was scary, sexy, pitiful, sad...all the above. There were a number of supernatural creatures embedded in the story. I don't want to reveal any spoilers, but I'm looking forward to the sequel to find out what happens to this rather creepy, but spicy love affair. I don't think the demon lover is going to go away without a fight. There's a character I suspect is going to give him competition, but I may be wrong. I can't wait to find out!

The Demon Lover releases December 27, 2012 by Ballentine Books

Toodles!