WoW Pick of the Week

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It is a chance to share those new releases were are super anxious to get our hands on and read.


I adore this series and with the way the last book left off, can't wait for more and really, just look at that cover, so different from her usual and yet it still goes with the rest, I really like it but most importantly, we get more Charlie and the gang.

Book Description:


Grim Reaper Charley Davidson is back in the eleventh installment of Darynda Jones’ New York Times bestselling paranormal series.


A typical day in the life of Charley Davidson involves cheating husbands, missing people, errant wives, philandering business owners, and oh yeah...demons, hell hounds, evil gods, and dead people. Lots and lots of dead people. As a part time Private Investigator and full-time Grim Reaper, Charley has to balance the good, the bad, the undead, and those who want her dead. In this eleventh installment, Charley is learning to make peace with the fact that she is a goddess with all kinds of power and that her own daughter has been born to save the world from total destruction. But the forces of hell are determined to see Charley banished forever to the darkest corners of another dimension. With the son of Satan himself as her husband and world-rocking lover, maybe Charley can find a way to have her happily ever after after all.

Review: Nemesis by Anna Banks

Title: Nemesis
Author: Anna Banks
Series: Book One in the Nemesis Series
Published By: Feiwel & Friends (October 4, 2016)
Source: ARC Copy Provided by the Publisher (in exchange for an honest review)
Genre: YA Fantasy
My Rating: 4 Stars!


Book Description:
The princess didn't expect to fall in love--with her nemesis.

Princess Sepora of Serubel is the last Forger in all the five kingdoms. The spectorium she creates provides energy for all, but now her father has found a way to weaponize it, and his intentions to incite war force her to flee from his grasp. She escapes across enemy lines into the kingdom of Theoria, but her plans to hide are thwarted when she is captured and placed in the young king's servitude.

Tarik has just taken over rulership of Theoria, and must now face a new plague sweeping through his kingdom and killing his citizens. The last thing he needs is a troublesome servant vying for his attention. But mistress Sepora will not be ignored. When the two finally meet face-to-face, they form an unlikely bond that complicates life in ways neither of them could have imagined.


Sepora's gift could save Tarik's kingdom from the Quiet Plague. But should she trust her growing feelings for her nemesis, or should she hide her gifts at all costs? 

*Amazon*B&N*

I fell in love with Anna's debut fantasy series a few years ago and was so excited to see her coming out with a new series and after reading the enticing synopsis and seeing the gorgeous cover, it didn't take much convincing to immediately grab it and read it. 

This was a good story. Engaging, entertaining, just the right amount of romance, action, mystery, and an interesting plot line. It wasn't anything unheard of or even unique but that was okay because what it lacked in complete originality it made up for with lovable characters and a fast paced plot that left me turning the pages. 

I can already tell this will be a series to watch out for and I can't wait for book two. 

*All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by the author or publisher. I was not compensated for this review.*

Review: Blood of My Blood by Barry Lyga

Title: Blood of My Blood
Author: Barry Lyga
Series: Book Three in the I Hunt Killers Trilogy (Jasper Dent)
Published By: Little Brown (September 9, 2014)
Source: Purchased
Genre: YA Thriller
My Rating: 5 Stars!


Book Description:
Jazz Dent has never been closer to catching his father.

Jazz has been shot and left to die in New York. His girlfriend, Connie, is in the clutches of Jazz's monstrous father, Billy--the world's most notorious serial killer. And his best friend, Howie, is bleeding to death on the floor of Jazz's new home. 

Somehow, these three must rise above the horrors and find a way to come together in pursuit of Billy. 

But then Jazz crosses a line he's never crossed before, and soon the entire country is wondering: "Like father, like son? Who is the true monster?"

From New York City to the small town of Lobo's Nod, the chase is on, and this time, Jazz is the hunted, not the hunter--while Billy Dent lurks in the shadows. 

And beyond Billy? Something much, much worse. Prepare to meet...the Crow King.


From acclaimed author Barry Lyga comes the shocking conclusion to the bestselling I Hunt Killer trilogy.

*Amazon*B&N*

If I was only allowed one adjective to describe this series as a whole, it would have to be intense.

in·tense

inˈtens/

adjective

1. 

of extreme force, degree, or strength.

"the job demands intense concentration"

synonyms:

extreme, great, acute, fierce, severe, high; More

2. 

having or showing strong feelings or opinions; extremely earnest or serious.

"an intense young woman, passionate about her art"

Thankfully, I'm not limited to just one adjective because this book, this series, is so much more than that one word.

Riveting, thrilling, captivating, addicting, emotional, terrifying, well written. Truly there are a lot of adjectives that would fit what Lyga created in the I Hunt Killers series and in the final book, Blood of my Blood and all of them would be accurate. I know I've said this in past reviews for book one and two but this series is utterly unique in it's execution and delivery. You feel as if you are in the mind of not only a killer, but a killer's protege as well. Into the mind of a young man who wants to be anything but his father but nonetheless can't help thinking the thoughts, the images, the lessons that were planted and ingrained in his memories, in his very subconscious since he was small child. 

And as horrifying as it is, it is also fascinating and yes, addicting to be inside both Jasper and Billy's head.

So many twists. So many secrets and all more horrifying than the next, this was a heart stopping, pulse pounding conclusion to the series and I lapped up very single word of it. 

*All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by the author or publisher. I was not compensated for this review.*

Review: Yesternight by Cat Winters

Title: Yesternight
Author: Cat Winters
Series: Stand Alone
Published By: William Morrow (October 4, 2016)
Source: ARC Copy Provided by the Publisher (in exchange for an honest review)
Genre: Historical (with paranormal elements)
My Rating: 4 Stars!


Book Description:
From the author of The Uninvited comes a haunting historical novel with a compelling mystery at its core. A young child psychologist steps off a train, her destination a foggy seaside town. There, she begins a journey causing her to question everything she believes about life, death, memories, and reincarnation.

In 1925, Alice Lind steps off a train in the rain-soaked coastal hamlet of Gordon Bay, Oregon. There, she expects to do nothing more difficult than administer IQ tests to a group of rural schoolchildren. A trained psychologist, Alice believes mysteries of the mind can be unlocked scientifically, but now her views are about to be challenged by one curious child.

Seven-year-old Janie O’Daire is a mathematical genius, which is surprising. But what is disturbing are the stories she tells: that her name was once Violet, she grew up in Kansas decades earlier, and she drowned at age nineteen. Alice delves into these stories, at first believing they’re no more than the product of the girl’s vast imagination. But, slowly, Alice comes to the realization that Janie might indeed be telling a strange truth.


Alice knows the investigation may endanger her already shaky professional reputation, and as a woman in a field dominated by men she has no room for mistakes. But she is unprepared for the ways it will illuminate terrifying mysteries within her own past, and in the process, irrevocably change her life. 

*Amazon*B&N*

Cat Winter's has quickly become one of my favorite authors when I want a good well written historical read with the touch of something other. 

Yesternight does not disappoint.

Alice is the type of girl Winters has become known for, tough, brave, and not at all conventional for the time period she lives in, but Alice also has a dark side, one she tries to keep hidden from all those around her, even her family. 

I don't want to go into too much detail but I will say this, Winter's take on reincarnation was fabulously done. This was eery at times and filled with unexpected twists and turns I just didn't see coming. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it and the ending left me both chilled and delighted. 

Another fabulous, suspense filled read from Winters.

*All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by the author or publisher. I was not compensated for this review.*

Review: Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson

Title: Edenbrooke
Author: Julianne Donaldson
Series: Stand Alone
Published By: Shadow Mountain (March 27, 2012)
Source: Purchased
Genre: Historical Romance
My Rating: 5 Stars!


Book Description:
Marianne Daventry will do anything to escape the boredom of Bath and the amorous attentions of an unwanted suitor. So when an invitation arrives from her twin sister, Cecily, to join her at a sprawling country estate, she jumps at the chance. Thinking she'll be able to relax and enjoy her beloved English countryside while her sister snags the handsome heir of Edenbrooke, Marianne finds that even the best laid plans can go awry. From a terrifying run-in with a highwayman to a seemingly harmless flirtation, Marianne finds herself embroiled in an unexpected adventure filled with enough romance and intrigue to keep her mind racing. Will Marianne be able to rein in her traitorous heart, or will a mysterious stranger sweep her off her feet? Fate had something other than a relaxing summer in mind when it sent Marianne to Edenbrooke.

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I have seen mention of this story being a retelling and while I don't quite agree with that because it very much is its own story, it is very reminiscent of something right out of an Austen novel and is something all fans of Austen should immediately pick up and devour. 

I found myself surfing my movies shelf looking for something like Jane Eyre, or Pride and Prejudice the other night and not quite finding something new but still along those lines, I decided instead after having it on my book shelf for more than a year, to pick this up instead.

I'm so glad that I did because not only was I immediately swept into the wonderful world of England during the 19th century but with wonderful characters that were easy to like and relate to. 

With a sweet burning romance that was not only clean but completely heart pounding in it's sweetness and with it's tender moments. I truly did not want this to end but at the same time couldn't turn the pages fast enough to see how it would end.

I absolutely adored this and plan on reading pretty much everything and anything else this author comes out with. It gave me exactly what I was looking for and so much more. 

*All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by the author or publisher. I was not compensated for this review.*

WoW Pick of the Week

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It is a chance to share those new releases were are super anxious to get our hands on and read.

I adored Roth's YA series so it's no wonder with that gorgeous cover and tempting description that this drew me in as well. It does sound a little more sci fi fantasy than I normally read but I'm willing to give it a try. 

]
Book Description:

On a planet where violence and vengeance rule, in a galaxy where some are favored by fate, everyone develops a currentgift, a unique power meant to shape the future. While most benefit from their currentgifts, Akos and Cyra do not — their gifts make them vulnerable to others’ control. Can they reclaim their gifts, their fates, and their lives, and reset the balance of power in this world?

Cyra is the sister of the brutal tyrant who rules the Shotet people. Cyra’s currentgift gives her pain and power — something her brother exploits, using her to torture his enemies. But Cyra is much more than just a blade in her brother’s hand: she is resilient, quick on her feet, and smarter than he knows.


Akos is from the peace-loving nation of Thuve, and his loyalty to his family is limitless. Though protected by his unusual currentgift, once Akos and his brother are captured by enemy Shotet soldiers, Akos is desperate to get his brother out alive — no matter what the cost. When Akos is thrust into Cyra’s world, the enmity between their countries and families seems insurmountable. They must decide to help each other to survive — or to destroy one another. 

Review: Disruption by Jessica Shirvington

Title: Disruption
Author: Jessica Shirvington
Series: Book One in the Disruption Duology
Published By: HarperCollins (October 4, 2016)
Source: ARC Copy Provided by the Publisher (in exchange for an honest review)
Genre: YA Dystopian
My Rating: 4.5 Stars!


Book Description:
The heart-stopping first chapter in bestselling author Jessica Shirvington's Disruption series.

What if a microchip could identify your perfect match? 

What if it could be used against you and the ones you love? 

Eight years ago, Mercer Corporation's M-Bands became mandatory. An evolution of the smartphone, the bracelets promised an easier life. Instead, they have come to control it.

Two years ago, Maggie Stevens watched helplessly as one of the people she loved most was taken from her, shattering her world as she knew it. Now, Maggie is ready. And Quentin Mercer - heir to the M-Corp empire - has become key to Maggie's plan.

But as the pieces of her dangerous design fall into place, could Quentin's involvement destroy everything she's fought for? 


In a world full of broken promises, the ones Maggie must keep could be the most heartbreaking. 

*Amazon*B&N*

I love when a book can not only pleasantly surprise me with how much I enjoyed it, but leave me hooked and begging for the second one.

This is my first Shirvington book and I can say with absolute certainty it will not be my last. Not only do I want book two now, but I can't wait to see what else she has written and to get my hands on them because I truly had that much fun with with Disruption.

I have a thing for authors who can think outside the box and come up with something totally new and completely entertaining. It doesn't always happen as much as one would like or even expect so when it goes, I take notice. 

Disruption is something different from the norm. Not only imaginative and realistic feeling but believable in its complicated simplicity. 

With great characters you will fall in love with, a slow burning romance, and secrets, truths, and twists around every corner, this book will hook you after the first couple chapters and leave you eagerly turning the pages until the very last one. 

*All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by the author or publisher. I was not compensated for this review.*

Review: Sanyare: The Heir Apparent by Megan Haskell

Title: Sanyare: The Heir Apparent
Author: Megan Haskell
Series: Book Two in the Sanyare Series
Published: September 21, 2016
Source: Copy Provided by the Author (in exchange for an honest review)
Genre: Urban Fantasy
My Rating: 3.5 Stars



Book Description:
Her secret is unraveling. One dangerous quest could end it all...

Rie thought she was an ordinary human. After she’s named heir to Sanyaro, the truthseeker and mediator of all nine realms, life becomes a lot more complicated. As she struggles to control her magics, Rie nearly falls prey to a brutal assassination attempt during a public ceremony.  


Blamed for the chaos, Rie’s escort, Prince Daenor, is taken prisoner. While Sanyaro tempers the political flames, Rie must once again chase after the truth. As if the threat of another great war and the impending death of her lover weren’t enough, Rie uncovers a dark secret that threatens to crack the very foundations of the faerie realms. When allies fall, can Rie overcome the odds… and the opposition?

*Amazon*

Having given the first book (and its prequel) a try last year and thoroughly liking it, it didn't take much convincing on the author's part for me to jump right in to reading the sequel. And even though it had been awhile since reading the first book, I was able to quickly immerse myself back into Rie's world and easily fall into the story.

It was nice to see Rie learning more about who she is and her abilities. And while things weren't always easy for her, she slowly but shirley started to come into her own and become stronger in both confidence and in her abilities and relationships with those around her. 

The pixies were still very much present which I was glad for because they still remain my very favorite part of this series and it just wouldn't of been the same without them.

With lies, deceptions, and mayhem always on the horizon, I can see many fans of the genre quickly liking and devouring this. 

*All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by the author. I was not compensated for this review.*

Review: Game by Barry Lyga

Title: Game
Author: Barry Lyga
Series: Book Two in the I Hunt Killers Trilogy (Jasper Dent)
Published By: Little Brown (April 16,2013)
Source: Purchased
Genre: YA Thriller
My Rating: 5 Stars!


Book Description:
Billy grinned. “Oh, New York,” he whispered. “We’re gonna have so much fun.”

I Hunt Killers introduced the world to Jazz, the son of history’s most infamous serial killer, Billy Dent.


In an effort to prove murder didn’t run in the family, Jazz teamed with the police in the small town of Lobo’s Nod to solve a deadly case. And now, when a determined New York City detective comes knocking on Jazz’s door asking for help, he can’t say no. The Hat-Dog Killer has the Big Apple–and its police force–running scared. So Jazz and his girlfriend, Connie, hop on a plane to the big city and get swept up in a killer’s murderous game.

*Amazon*B&N*

If I thought the first book in this series was something special, something dark, and twisted, and yet oh so addicting, it didn't prepare me for what this installment held. The first book had nothing on this one. This second installment  proved to be every bit as delicious, dangerous, horrifying, and yet still humorous enough to make us turn the pages and demand more. 

It truly is a series unlike any other that I have read. 

Terrifying, creepy, strange, mysterious, captivating, compelling, and about a million other adjectives I could name, all packed into a story that was not only riveting but so good that I had a hard time putting  down and had to stay up until the wee hours of the morning reading until I got to the very last page. A series that you will want to have all three books on hand for because you will want to pick one up right after the other. 

Yeah, it really is that good, that dark, and that thrilling. It will make your heart pound, your pulse jump and have you looking over your shoulder a time or two just because. 

*All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by the author or publisher. I was not compensated for this review.*

WoW Pick of the Week

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It is a chance to share those new releases were are super anxious to get our hands on and read.

I just recently read this author's debut novel and I completely feel in love with her writing style and heart melting romances so I'm very excited that in November she will have a new novel out. Seriously, if you like this genre at all, give her a try, so darn good!

Book Description:

Nothing ever goes right for Skye Cameron, thanks to her family’s Scottish curse. She protects herself from the worst of it by following certain rules, like no traveling, avoiding all things Scottish, and never doing anything she loves. Everything changes on her nineteenth birthday when she receives a postcard from her mother, begging Skye to come to Scotland to help her break the curse. But the travel curse is strong with Skye, and without the help of a handsome stranger with a wicked sense of humor, she wouldn’t make it past airport security, let alone to the Scottish islands where the future of her family hangs in the balance. But if getting there is more than half the battle, getting there without falling in love is the war of her life. Lost in Scotland is a contemporary romance full of adventure, humor, and heart.

Review: The Spice Box Letters by Eve Makis

Title: The Spice Box Letters
Author: Eve Makis
Series: Stand Alone
Published By: St. Martin's Press (September 13, 2016)
Source: Copy Provided by the Publisher (in exchange for an honest review)
Genre: Fiction
My Rating: 5 Stars!



Book Description:
Katerina inherits a scented, wooden spice box after her grandmother Mariam dies. It contains letters and a diary, written in Armenian. As she pieces together her family story, Katerina learns that Mariam's childhood was shattered by the Armenian tragedy of 1915.

Mariam was exiled from her home in Turkey and separated from her beloved brother, Gabriel, her life marred by grief and the loss of her first love. Dissatisfied and restless, Katerina tries to find resolution in her own life as she completes Mariam's story – on a journey that takes her across Cyprus and then half a world away to New York.


Miracles, it seems, can happen – for those trapped by the past, and for Katerina herself.

*Amazon*B&N*

Every once in awhile you come across those stories, those novels that leave a huge impact on your life when you are done reading them. Those that open your eyes, make you think, and those that make you feel. The Spice Box Letters is one such story.

Shamefully I know very little about what occurred in Turkey to the Armenian community during the first world war and the events that took place are shocking and heartbreaking and are ones that should never be forgotten. Over shadowed by the horrors of the war itself and then forgotten as, 20 years later, something similar again occurred, this book touched me in a way few novels are able to. 

It was emotional and raw and beautiful in it's telling. I truly couldn't have asked for a more inspiring and thought provoking read that both broke my heart and at times, uplifted me as well. 

Told through multiple point of views through different generations of the same family, it was seamlessly blended together to form a story that was hard to put down and completely captivating.

*All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by the author or publisher. I was not compensated for this review.*

Review: The Sinner by Amanda Stevens

Title: The Sinner
Author: Amanda Stevens
Series: Book Five in the Graveyard Queen Series
Published By: Mira (September 27, 2016)
Source: ARC Copy Provided by the Publisher (in exchange for an honest review)
Genre: Paranormal Mystery/Romance
My Rating: 4.5 Stars!


Book Description:
I am a living ghost, a wanderer in search of my purpose and place… 

I'm a cemetery restorer by trade, but my calling has evolved from that of ghost seer to death walker to detective of lost souls. I solve the riddles of the dead so the dead will leave me alone. 


I've come to Seven Gates Cemetery nursing a broken heart, but peace is hard to come by…for the ghosts here and for me. When the body of a young woman is discovered in a caged grave, I know that I've been summoned for a reason. Only I can unmask her killer. I want to trust the detective assigned to the case for he is a ghost seer like me. But how can I put my faith in anyone when supernatural forces are manipulating my every thought? When reality is ever-changing? And when the one person I thought I could trust above all others has turned into a diabolical stranger? 

*Amazon*B&N*

Stevens never ceases to amaze me with the intricate and down right creepy tales that she can weave. The Sinner is no exception to the rule, in fact, I think with her latest installment in the Graveyard Queen series, she has out done herself. 

Reading this in the middle of the night was my first mistake. I should have known better than to start this when the house was quite and everyone else was asleep and snug in their beds. Reading by the low light of making me read by the light of my Paperwhite with darkness and shadows surrounding me might have been my second mistake. I can't remember a time I freaked myself out as much as I did  while reading this. Because truly, why wouldn't it be a bad idea to read about a story full of horrors, a story filled with all things that go bump in the night like ghosts, and deadly creepy cults, and killers, and sacrifices, in the dark when every little sound of the house settling seems like a monster is lurking around the corner, really, where could I go wrong with a setting like that one right? 

Needless to say, I had to stay up all night until it was finished. There was no way I was going to get any rest until I knew how it ended, how the darkness, the shadows, the evil, were defeated.

And while this did have an ending of sorts, we learn it is also a beginning. One that is sure to be challenging and painful and not without it's sacrifices. 

We get so much more about Amelia, about her powers and abilities and of course those dark forces that are out there that she has to stop, that she has to put an end to. It is creepy as all get out but yet we can't help but turn the pages to learn more, to see all the badness as well as what goodness there is.

It's enthralling and hypnotizing and so very addicting. I couldn't get enough of it and was so sad when I got to the last page because I wasn't ready for it to be over yet. I needed more. 

The ending was one heck of a doozy and it left me breathless and longing for the next book, it also reminded me all over again why this series is so fabulous, why it is a favorite and will continue to be one. 

*All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by the author or publisher. I was not compensated for this review.*