Review: The Amaranth Enchantment by Julie Berry

The Amaranth Enchantment by Julie Berry

When a mysterious piece of jewelry and a strange visitor arrive in the jewelry shop where she works for her evil aunt, Lucinda's course takes a surprising turn. With the help of the Amaranth Witch, a young (and harmless) con-artist, and a prince, Lucinda uncovers secrets about her own royal past. A strong seller in hardcover, this original fairytale marks an exciting debut from a lyrical new voice


My Review: A sweet re-telling of the Cinderella story with a few twists.  Lucinda is an orphan being raised in her Aunt and Uncle's jewelry store.  Her Aunt (the wicked step mother) treats her horribly and Lucinda dreams of the days she remembers of living with her parents, who died when she was very young.  When a strange women arrives with a magnificent pearl, everything begins to change.
 
Lucinda is a sweet girl that is perfect as a Cinderella role.  She is just innocent enough without getting overly sappy and washing out her personality.  She doesn't always make the right choices, but tries her best to make up for the mistakes she makes along the way.  With the Amaranth Witch to help guide her to a better future, Lucinda may just find a new and better place for herself in the world.
 
Buy it now:
 
Barnes & Noble: The Amaranth Enchantment

Nook: The Amaranth Enchantment

Review: Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu

Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu

A stunning modern-day fairy tale from acclaimed author Anne Ursu

Once upon a time, Hazel and Jack were best friends. But that was before he stopped talking to her and disappeared into a forest with a mysterious woman made of ice. Now it's up to Hazel to go in after him. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen," Breadcrumbs is a story of the struggle to hold on, and the things we leave behind.

My Review: "The Snow Queen" was always a favorite of mine growing up.  I had several different versions that I just couldn't get enough of.  Anne Ursu's version live up to all that I remember "The Snow Queen" ever being.  Hazel is a fantastic character, and the world she trales while trying to rescue Jack is full of surprises and fantastic characters waiting to either help her or hinder her.  Hazel needs to use her wits to try and bring Jack back from the clutches of the Snow Queen.


This is a must read for lovers of fairy tales everywhere.

Buy It Now:

Paper: Breadcrumbs

Nook: Breadcrumbs

Book Review: Thornspell by Helen Lowe

Thornspell by Helen Lowe

Helen Lowe reimagines the Sleeping Beauty story from the point of view of the prince who is destined to wake the enchanted princess in this lush, romantic fantasy-adventure.

Prince Sigismund has grown up hearing fantastical stories about enchantments and faie spells, basilisks and dragons, knights-errant and heroic quests. He'd love for them to be true—he's been sheltered in a country castle for most of his life and longs for adventure—but they are just stories. Or are they?

From the day that a mysterious lady in a fine carriage speaks to him through the castle gates, Sigismund's world starts to shift. He begins to dream of a girl wrapped, trapped, in thorns. He dreams of a palace, utterly still, waiting. He dreams of a man in red armor, riding a red horse—and then suddenly that man arrives at the castle!

Sigismund is about to learn that sometimes dreams are true, that the world is both more magical and more dangerous than he imagined, and that the heroic quest he imagined for himself as a boy . . . begins now.

My Review:  Prince Sigismund has grown up sheltered and protected while his father's kingdom is at war.  He has fallen in love with all the stories of enchanted creatures and heroes rescuing princesses.  Then one day it all becomes real.  A not-so-chance encounter with a sorceress sets events in motion that will change his life forever.

Hearing the tale of Sleeping Beauty from the prince's point of view was fantastic.  He wasn't a hero, but had to learn how to be one.  With several teachers to help him along the way, he must face powers that he could never imagine, even after reading all the old tales.  He finds himself drawn to the enchanted forest, a place that is forbidden to all.  When he discovers that his dreams of a princess trapped in the forest are all real, he knows what his destiny is.

Sigismund is not perfect, and this is one of the many things that makes the story so good.  He is trustworthy to a fault and has to learn that not everyone is what they seem to be.  Caught up in events that seem to be spinning out of control, and taken away to fantastic realms that are not his, he learns the lessons and skills that it will take to save the princess.

The resolution had everything you ask for in a fairy tale, along with a few extra surprises thrown in to keep things a little interesting.

Buy it now:
Paperback: Thornspell
Nook: Thornspell

Book Review: Tuesday's Child by Dale Mayer

Tuesday's Child by Dale Mayer

Discription from Amazon: What she doesn’t want...is exactly what he needs.

Shunned and ridiculed all her life for something she can’t control, Samantha Blair hides her psychic abilities and lives on the fringes of society. Against her will, however, she’s tapped into a killer—or rather, his victims. Each woman’s murder, blow-by-blow, ravages her mind until their death releases her back to her body. Sam knows she must go to the authorities, but will the rugged, no-nonsense detective in charge of tracking down the killer believe her?

Detective Brandt Sutherland only trusts hard evidence, yet Sam’s visions offer clues he needs to catch a killer. The more he learns about her incredible abilities, however, the clearer it becomes that Sam’s visions have put her in the killer’s line of fire. Now Brandt must save her from something he cannot see or understand…and risk losing his heart in the process.

As danger and desire collide, passion raises the stakes in a game Sam and Brandt don’t dare lose.
My Thoughts:
Samantha's character grabbed me from the beginning.  Struggling with her psychic abilities, not just mentally, but physically as each victim's wounds manifest on her own body.  She fears that the next attack will lead to her death as well.  She would do anything to help, and when Detective Sutherland finds out about her abilities a deep secret from her past rears its ugly head. 

Detective Sutherland finds Samantha's ability both a god-send and a problem.  While he truly believes in psychic abilities, he knows how the public will react if they ever found out that she was helping to solve a serial murder.  As the case escalates, and more deaths are uncovered, Sutherland finds himself drawn in an entirely new way to Samantha.  He only hopes that he can help her gain some control over her ability before its too late.

The story unfolds quickly and I was caught up in wanting to find out what Samantha was going to do right away.  I wasn't nearly as fond of Sutherland.  he seemed to be a bit of a stereotype police officer, with the exception of believing in psychics.  He was quite the "macho man" and it grated on me a bit at times. 

As one of Dale Mayer's first forays into the genre, it was very good story.  I have read a few of Mayer's other books (reviews coming shortly), and I see only good and better things to come.

Book Review: In the Forests of the Night by Kersten Hamilton

In the Forests of the Night: The Goblin Wars, Book Two by Kersten Hamilton - The Goblin Wars Book Two

About the book:

The battle against goblinkind continues . . . but which side will Teagan be on?

Teagan, Finn, and Aiden have made it out of Mag Mell alive, but the Dark Man’s forces are hot on their heels. Back in Chicago, Tea’s goblin cousins show up at her school, sure she will come back to Mag Mell, as goblin blood is never passive once awoken. Soon she will belong to Fear Doirich and join them. In the meantime, they are happy to entertain themselves by trying to seduce, kidnap, or kill Tea’s family and friends. Tea knows she doesn’t have much time left, and she refuses to leave Finn or her family to be tortured and killed. A wild Stormrider, born to rule and reign, is growing stronger inside her. But as long as she can hold on, she’s still Teagan Wylltson, who plans to be a veterinarian and who heals the sick and hurting. The disease that’s destroying her—that’s destroying them all—has a name: Fear Doirich. And Teagan Wylltson is not going to let him win.

My thoughts (may be spoilers if you have not read book one - I try to keep them to a minimum)
Teagan, Finn, and Aiden have made it back to our world and out of Mag Mell - along with some friends and with some knowledge of Teagan's past that they all could have done without.  The Dark Man is still on her trail, but is trying to be more persuasive, by trying to go after Teagan's friends and family.  When the group finds themselves back in Mag Mell on a search to stop the growing goblin inside of her.

While I enjoyed returning to Teagan's world again, I had a much harder time following this story than the first.  There were more "main" characters, and they each had their own agenda.  On the other hand, they each brought out a little more of the old mythology which I absolutely loved.  This book seemed to fall into the trap that many second books in a series seem to do - it was more of a wrapping up of loose ends and setting the stage for more than a story that I could really get into.  I'm hoping there's a third book still.  I love Teagan, and all her family and friends, there just need to be a little less going on in the background.

3/5

The Last Awakening by Rachel Firasek - Curse of the Phoenix Book 2

About the book:
For three hundred years, Arabella’s life has been one meaningless death after another. In a cruel twist of fate, Osiris gifts the phoenix her mortality and long-gone voodoo magic with a warning that she must save her next soul within a week without using magic, or she’ll lose her power forever.

Ex-soldier Greyson Meadows desperately wants to be freed from the nightmares and guilt that haunt him. Confronted by a waif of a woman who forces him to face the truth about his past, he runs fast and hard, fighting the need to prove himself worthy despite his perceived failures.

When Ari becomes the target of her own magical blunder, the weak will find strength and the strong will fall. One will have to give up everything so the other can have peace, but will love’s magic withstand the loss?           

My Thoughts:
The thing I like most about this series is that even though the stories are short, they jump right into the action and carry you along right until the very end.  Arabella is a fiesty voodoo priestess, or at least she was.  Something went wrong with a spell one day and she ended up serving as one of Osiris's phoenixes until she learns her lesson.  While serving as a phoenix may sound glamorous, it's actually quite the opposite.  Having to die over and over again in the place of others wears thin quickly.  Then one day Ari saves Greyson and everything changes.  Ari is willing to risk her soul to try and help him fight his inner demons (which are pretty nasty), but she is only given a week to do it.

Now, Greyson is ex-military, and has carried around guilt from his time in the service for years.  When Ari shows up and tries to show him that he has nothing to be guilty about, he runs the opposite way at first, not realizing just how much he needs her.  As Ari tries to help Greyson, she realizes that she needs his help as well, and fast.  Osiris has given her a time frame to save Greyson and it's quickly approaching when she finds out that everything she knew about her past was wrong.  Facing this will push both of them to their emotional limits.

I really liked Ari in the first book of the series, The Last Rising, and was excited to see her starring in her own.  I've become attached to the characters and I really hope to see a third book come out.

3/5

Book Review: The Last Rising by Rachel Firasek

The Last Rising (Curse of the Phoenix, Book One) by Rachel Firasek

About the book:  After paying two millennia’s penance to Osiris, world-weary Phoenix Ice has had enough. Saving souls without any hope for her own redemption isn’t how she imagined spending eternity. Fed up, she decides her next death will be her last. But when she sacrifices her own life for a sexy Texan in a catastrophic plane crash, she has no idea the consequences will be so great…or that she’ll end up back in his life for her next assignment.

Now that Turner Alcott has survived the worst, finding a wife and mother for his son matters more than ever before. When the mysterious Ice comes into his life, Turner knows she’s the one—but love is the last thing Ice wants. If he wants to win her heart, Turner must teach Ice how to forgive herself, and prove that love is the ultimate sacrifice.


My Thoughts:  This book was a great quick read.  Ice has been doing penance for Osiris for two millennia for a crime that she doesn't understand, and she's getting really sick and tired of it.  Her last trip ended in a fiery plane crash after saving a man named Turner, and to her amazement her next assignment puts her right back into Turner's life.  Ice is determined not to let Turner into her heart, but finds it becomes harder and harder to deny their attraction is just physical.  Turner is determined to prove to Ice that he is the right guy for her.

The characters had a surprising amount of growth and development for such a short book, and it was great to watch has Ice and Turner each taught the other important lessons on life and love.  The book ends with quite a twist that I had no idea was coming and set me up to read the next book, The Last Awakening.

3/5

Invisible by Jeanne Bannon - Pump Up Your Books Tour - Review

About Invisible

Lola’s not pretty. Lola’s not popular. Lola wishes she could disappear … and then one day she does just that…
For seventeen-year-old Lola Savullo, life is a struggle. Born to funky parents who are more in than she could ever be, Lola’s dream of becoming a writer makes her an outsider even in her own home. Bullied and despised, Lola still has the support of her best pal Charlie and Grandma Rose.
Not only is she freakishly tall, Lola’s a big girl and when forced to wear a bathing suit at her summer job as a camp counselor, Lola’s only escape from deep embarrassment seems to be to literally vanish. Soon after, she discovers the roots of her new “ability”.
Slowly, with Charlie’s help, Lola learns to control the new super power. The possibilities are endless. Yet power can be abused, too…
Then, when tragedy strikes, Lola must summon her inner strength, both at home and at school. She has to stand up for herself, despite the temptations and possibilities of her newfound super power.
A coming-of-age story that will warm the heart.

About Jeanne Bannon

Jeanne Bannon has worked in the publishing industry for over twenty years. She began her career as a freelance journalist, then worked as an in-house editor for LexisNexis Canada. Jeanne currently works as a freelance editor and writer.
Jeanne’s had several short stories published and won first place in the Writes of Caledon Short Story Contest. Her novels, The Barely Boy and Dark Angel were finalists in the 2010 and 2011 Strongest Start Contests. Another of her short stories “Thom’s Journey” is part of an Anthology entitled A Visitor to Sandahl and is available at Amazon.com.
Invisible, Jeanne’s debut novel, is about a teenage girl who isn’t happy with herself and wishes she could disappear. And one day she does. Invisible is available on Amazon, Smashwords, and the Solstice Publishing website.
When not reading or writing, Jeanne enjoy being with her daughters, Nina and Sara and her husband, David. She’s also the proud mother of two fur babies, a sweet Miniature Schnauzer named Emily and Spencer, a rambunctious tabby, who can be a very bad boy.
To learn more about Jeanne, visit her at her website www.jeannebannon.com
You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter

My Thoughts:
Pros: I fell in love with the characters from page one.  Lola and her friend Charlie have bonded throughout the years and have become best friends.  They have helped each other survive school through bullying and poor family situations.  Lola is large - very tall and slightly overweight, making her a prime target for bullies at her high school.  Her family doesn't understand her and the only people she feels comfortable around are Charlie and her Grandma Rose.  The relationships between all the characters may sound simple, but they are very complicated and beautifully written.  As Lola and Charlie find a way to deal with bullies at school using her ability to disappear, I was a bit disappointed but the after a couple twists and turns it was much better.

Cons:  Too short.  There were some places that seemed to get glossed over that I wanted to know more about.  I wanted to seemore involving Grandma Rose and and definitely more about Charlie.  While Charlie seemed to play such a large part in Lola's life, I felt like I never really got to know her.

Overall:  It needed a little filling in, but a great story about growing up and learning to love yourself for who you are.

Giveaways, Contests & Prizes!

In celebration of Jeanne Bannon’s new release, she will be appearing at Pump Up Your Book’s 1st Annual Holiday Extravaganza Facebook Party on December 16. More than 50 books, gifts and cash awards will be given away including an one paperback and one e- copy of Invisible! Visit the official party page here!

 

Invisible Tour Schedule

 

Monday, December 5th
Spotlight at The Plot

Tuesday, December 6th
Character Interview at The Plot

Wednesday, December 7th
Review at Reviews From the Heart

Thursday, December 8th
Guest Post at InkyBlots

Friday, December 9th
Review at In-Interest
Review at Live to Read

Monday, December 12th
Review at WV Stitcher

Tuesday, December 13th
Interview at Pump Up Your Book

Wednesday, December 14th
Review at Review From Here

Thursday, December 15th
Review at Jasmyn’s Reviews

Friday, December 16th
Review at Mad Moose Mama

The 58th Keeper by R. G. Bullet - Pump Up Your Book Tour - Review



The 58th Keeper is the story of a boy called Archy Bass, who stumbles upon a mysterious and powerful relic. The moment he touches it, two warring forces race to find his whereabouts. One side thinks he’s simply too young and too inexperienced to keep it, and the other just want him dead. The 58th Keeper is a roaring trip that takes the reader on the most wonderful and hair-raising scenes imaginable. R. G. Bullet pulls out all stops in hisdebut novel to deliver an incredible journey with unforgettable characters. This book will resonate with you for ages past the last line.

About R.G. Bullet

R. G. Bullet was born in Berkshire, UK. After living in nine different countries he has finally settled in Miami Beach, USA. He is addicted to tea, reading, writing, motorbikes and shamefully, Call of Duty. His middle grade debut novel: The 58th Keeper has just been released.
To learn more go to: http://www.rgbullet.com/
Follow him on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/RGBullet58
and join the fan page for the latest updates and fun competitions
https://www.facebook.com/rgbullet#!/profile.php?id=100002401835900




My Review:
Archy Bass has found himself in an unusual situation.  On a trip with a friend from school, he thinks he's just buying a souvenir, but ends up becoming the 58th Keeper of the Shroud.  Now the shroud has quite a few very special abilities, including making the user invisible and flying.  At first Archy doesn't realize what he has, and when the Kurul, the bad guys, send their best after him he wonders if it's all worth it.  He finds out that in order to keep the shroud and the title of Keeper, he must pass a series of tests, none of which will be very easy.  But he just might be able to do it with the help of a couple friends.

Pros: The action in The 58th Keeper was fantastic.  I had a very hard time putting it down without finishing it.  There always seemed to be something just about to happen.  Archy is a fantastic main character with just the right mix of good intentions with adolescent mischief.  Throughout the story he grows and develops into a young man that is willing to take on a great responsibility.  My favorite part of the story was the Time Quest.  I don't want to say to much and give away too many details, but it was the meat and potatoes of Archy's development.

Cons:  There wasn't much about this story that I didn't like.  I wish I had seen a little more development in Archy's friends and learned more about the history and purpose of SOTS, the keeper's helpers.  I would have liked to see a little more descriptive of the places Archy visited.  Now, since this is young adult story, I don't exactly expect to see an abundance of scenery, but it still seemed a little light in that area.

Overall:  A great story that I hope ends up being turned in to a series.  I loved Archy and reading about his adventures with the shroud.  The perfect story to get wrapped up in.

The 58th Keeper Virtual Book Publicity Tour Schedule

Monday, December 5^th
Book spotlighted Broowaha
Book reviewed at D’Ambrosia Arts
Tuesday, December 6^th
Book spotlighted at Books, Products and More!
Wednesday, December 7^th
Book spotlighted American Chronicle
Thursday, December 8^th
Book reviewed at Joel Andre’s Blog
Friday, December 9^th
Interviewed at Blogcritics
Tuesday, December 13^th
Interviewed at The Children’s and Teens’ Book Connection
Wednesday, December 14^th
Book reviewed at Jasmyn’s Reviews
Thursday, December 15^th
Book reviewed at Mad Moose Mama
Book reviewed at The Road to Here
Friday, December 16^th
Book reviewed at Community Bookstop
Guest blogging at Lori’s Reading Corner
Saturday, December 17^th
Book reviewed at Everyday is an Adventure

Black and Orange by Banjamin Kane Ethridge - Pump Up Your Book Tour Review

About the book:


Forget everything you know about Halloween. The stories are distortions. They were created to keep the Church of Midnight hidden from the world. Every October 31st a gateway opens to a hostile land of sacrificial magic and chaos. Since the beginning of civilization the Church of Midnight has attempted to open the gateway and unite with its other half, the Church of Morning. Each year they’ve come closer, waiting for the ideal sacrifice to open the gateway permanently. This year that sacrifice has come. And only two can protect it.

Martin and Teresa are the nomads, battle-hardened people who lack identity and are forever road-bound on an endless mission to guard the sacrifice. Their only direction is from notes left from a mysterious person called the Messenger. Endowed with a strange telekinetic power, the nomads will use everything at their disposal to make it through the night alive.

But matters have become even more complicated this year. Teresa has quickly lost ground battling cancer, while Martin has spiraled into a panic over being left alone. His mind may no longer be on the fight when it matters most… because ever on their heels is the insidious physical representation of a united church: Chaplain Cloth.

My Thoughts:
Martin and Teresa have had a bad year.  They lost the previous Heart and it was sacrificed, opening the gaeway for the Church of Midnight and Morning to enter the world, allowing one of their Priestesses to slip through.  The Churches are determined that this year will be the year the gateway will finally open, letting chaos rule over Earth.  To top it all off Teresa's cancer is quickly becoming worse and Martin doubts if he will make it though another Halloween.

Pros:  I loved Martin and Teresa.  Their relationship was so perfectly written.  They were almost too close to each other, having travelled together for so long they know everything about each other.  Martin can't stand to watch as Teresa slowly deteriorates and gets weaker.  While Teresa wonders how Martin will manage without her.  On the other hand, the Church of Midnight has a new bishop that is determined to find the Heart this year and use it to blast the gateway wide open.  The Heart is extremely powerful this year, so the hunt is on. 

The plot was very fast paced and instantly had me caught up in it.  It jumps back and forth between the nomads, Martin and Teresa and their preparations for defending the heart, and the Church of Midnight and thir search to get a head start on finding the Heart before the nomads can prepare to defend it.

Cons:  There's not too much to mention as a con on this one.  The big thing that may turn some people off is that there are parts that are a bit graphic.  There are a couple sexual scenes and a few very graphic scenes of violence.  Also, I did not always understand the motivation behind the Church of Midnight.  It was never really explained why they wanted the gateway open to the other side, they just did.

The tour for Black and Orange will be going on through Dec 16th.  Check out the other stops on the list below.

Black & Orange Tour Schedule

Monday, December 5th
Review at Must Read Faster
Guest Post at Sweeping Me

Tuesday, December 6th
Review at Sweeping Me

Wednesday, December 7th
Interview at The Plot Thickens

Thursday, December 8th
Guest Post and Review at Family Reads

Friday, December 9th
Review at Jasmyn’s Reviews

Monday, December 12th
Interview at Laurie’s Thoughts and Reviews
Review at Emeraldfire’s Bookmark

Tuesday, December 13th
Guest Post at Emeraldfire’s Bookmark

Wednesday, December 14th
Review at Working for the Mandroid

Thursday, December 15th
Interview at Beyond the Books

Friday, December 16th
Review at Booksie’s Blog

Revengeful Heart by Chrys Phillips - Pump Up Your Book Tours - Review

About Chrys Phillips

Chrys Phillips debut book series, Magic Wars Books is available worldwide. She is a successful playwright with many of her plays being performed in full scale theater and musical productions. When not creating her books, screenplays and theatre scripts, she can be found shopping for her favorite accessories, spending time at Australian beaches and/or traveling the globe to attend her public speaking & writing events. She’s a self-proclaimed chocolate and movie addict.
Her latest book is the YA urban fantasy, Revengeful Heart.
You can visit her website at www.magicwarsbooks.com. Visit her at Twitter at www.twitter.com/magicwarsbooks and Facebook at www.facebook.com/magicwarsbooks.
You can visit Chrys Phillips author/public speaking web www.neversaycant.yolasite.com

About Revengeful Heart

ITS A WICKED RUN OF LOVE ~ SECRETS ~ REVENGE ~ HEARTBREAK AND FEAR…ONE TASTE AND YOU’LL BE BEGGING FOR MORE!
Can a broken heart be mended? Are soul mates destined to be together no matter what forces try to keep them apart?
Lakeview exists…it’s a humble pleasant place to live…but amongst its scenic surrounds immortals are dwelling some are evil enough to haunt and horrify you for eternity and others are loving and full of heroic actions. Would you befriend them? How would you know who’s who?
Teens Rick, Miki & CJ attend Lakeview High and live their teen lives with their secret loves and school hassles…evil is arriving and their lives are never going to be the same! Who wins? Who cries? Be warned its a wicked ride…of hope, tears, strength, power, love and dangerous choices filled with deception, betrayal and tenderness!
AMAZON http://www.amazon.com/Revengeful-Heart-Chrys-Phillips/dp/1935670522/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1318743583&sr=8-1
BARNES AND NOBLE
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/revengeful-heart-chrys-phillips/1102407147?ean=9781935670520&itm=1&usri=revengeful%2bheart
SMASHWORDS
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/48889
ITUNES
http://itunes.apple.com/au/book/revengeful-heart/id443151936?mt=11


My Thoughts:
Pros:  Revengeful hearts has a great storyline.  Three teenagers, gifted with special powers, are given the task of saving their small town - and possibly the world - from evil from beyond the Universe.  The three have a very realistic relationship with other that reminded me of my time in high school (minus the evil beings out to ruin everything).

The story was split into parts with each one telling the tale of potential disaster that the three must fight.  Each story features a new enemy and familiar friends that help in their own ways.  The concept of revenge and love scorned runs throughout the entire book and helps to hold the stories together.

Cons:  I thought long and hard before writing this part.  There were things that I just had a hard time with in the book that really had nothing to do with the actual story.  There were quite a few places that I hard a time reading because the punctuation and grammer wasn't correct.  This made it a difficult to read through parts without having to go over them to make sense of the section.  I think that if this story was given another editting job that it could really take off.  Each part of the book gets better and easier to read.

Overall:  Revengeful Heart is definately worth the read if you can adapt or ignore the errors.  Once I got into the right frame of mind to skip over them I really enjoyed it.

Giveaways, Contests & Prizes!

In celebration of her new release, Chrys will be attending Pump Up Your Book’s 1st Annual Holiday Extravaganza Facebook Party on December 16. More than 50 books, gifts and cash awards will be given away including an e-copy of Revengeful Heart! Visit the official party page here!



Book Review: Escape Velocity by Robin Stevenson

Escape Velocity by Robin Stevenson

Genre: Contemporary Young Adult
Pages: 240
Acquired: 10/18/11
Book of Your Shelf? No
Why I read it: First Reads
Series: No

Lou is a teenager living in Alberta with her father, and she's miserable. She has no life, no friends, and her father's deteriorating health and prescription drug addictions are driving her mad. Her mother, a famous poet and author, left minutes after she was born. They reconnected when she was a older, but things have happened since that makes it difficult for them to speak to each other. When the unthinkable happens and Lou's dad ends up in the hospital after a stroke, she is shipped off to live with the mother she hardly knows. Lou decides to make the best of the situation and tries to figure out why her mother left. She is convinced the answer will be found somewhere in her mother's writing, but the conclusion Lou draws is not a happy one.

Lou rubbed me the wrong way. The author seemed to be trying to make her optimistic and hopeful, but it just didn't seem to come across the pages right. She had few original ideas and it often seemed like she just didn't get it - any of it. The situation between her and her father seemed extremely unrealistic and I had a hard time relating to them. The strain between Lou and her mother really held the story together for me. With both of them trying to figure their lives and themselves out, they keep missing what really matters most in their relationship.

I saw most of the final twist coming, but it was a bit more dramatic than I anticipated. The book ended nicely for me - it left things open to continue in the imagination, but closed enough to give me resolution.

3/5

Book Review: Descended by Blood by Angeline Kace

Descended By Blood by Angeline Kace

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 252
Acquired: 10/14/11
Book of Your Shelf? No
Why I read it:
Series: The Grym Brothers (1)

Brooke Keller isn't your typical high school student. After a lifetime of moving from place to place, she has finally found a spot where she feels at home and belongs. But when strange things start happening, she's afraid to tell her mother and find out they have to move again. Now by strange things, I mean really strange. She "talks" to a mountain lion that attacks her on a hike and realizes that a man is stalking her - trying to kill her. After the attempt at her life, her mother finds out of course, and then a whole new set of strange things begin. She finds out that she is a vampire, and it turns out that she is a very special one. She teams up with a group that is determined to keep her alive and help her adjust to her new life.

Brooke was a good character. She was sufficiently "freaked out" by the strange turn of events her life had taken. She is at once disgusted at her new way of life, and wanting to embrace her new powerful self. She adjusts quickly, but in a way that makes the story real and involving. She finds herself torn between her old life and her new one - torn between her high school love and the vampire hunk that is trying to help her. The attempts on her life continue and she has the choice to embrace her new life and powers or be killed. A wonderful, quick read that I recommend to fans of urban fantasy.

3.5/5