Saved – Review

Saved by Allegra Skye

• Format:Kindle Edition
• File Size:183 KB
• Simultaneous Device Usage:Unlimited
• Sold by:Amazon Digital Services
• Language:English
• ASIN: B0057QNNP6
• Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal

Book Description:

“In SAVED (Book #1 of the Shadow Vampires), Keira and Amanda, twins, move with their family to a new town, and start their senior year at a new high school. But though they are twins, the girls have different fates. Amanda, beautiful, popular, is sought out by everyone. Keira, who has always lived in Amanda’s shadow, is smaller, awkward, different. Even her mother, who is so close to Amanda, doesn’t know what to make of her other daughter. Keira turns to books, and to her journal, for solace, and to find out about other worlds.

Amanda makes friends easily at the new school, and quickly finds a boyfriend, while Keira is left alone, an outsider. But very quickly, it is clear that something strange is going on in Everstock. The town and the school are very divided. The popular, rich kids act as if they own the school and have nothing to do with the other kids, who are poorer and live in a different part of town. Not only are the kids meaner here, but an unknown infection has gripped the town, with more and more people going to the hospital. Something here is terribly wrong. But things change suddenly, as there is a terrible accident involving the twins. Not only are Keira and Amanda’s lives changed forever, but a new dimension of life begins to open to Keira.

As Keira recovers, she begins to change in ways she can’t expect, receiving new and mysterious powers that no one can possibly understand. At the same time, a gorgeous, mysterious new boy, Cooper, appears at the school, who grips her imagination, and who refuses to tell her what secret he is hiding.

As Keira and Cooper grow closer to each other, it soon becomes apparent that destiny has brought them together—and that they may each have to sacrifice it all if they want to stay together…
Book #2 in the Shadow Vampire series (TOUCHED) is now also available.”

My Thoughts:

I didn’t know what to expect when I started reading this book.  To my delight, this book was a really awesome read.  I could not put the book down.  I loved the story line and  loved the characters in the book.   I have never read anything by Allegra before but she is an awesome writer.  She writes with a lot of emotion and you can feel the emotion flow through her books and characters.

I really loved Keira.  I could tell from the beginning that she was very special  and  I felt the heartache she went through every day in having to try to live up to her twin sister, Amanda’s image.  Never being popular or fitting in like her sister does at school.  Never being truly loved and accepted by her parents for who she really was.  Despite everything, she truly loved her sister and parents.  Her character was amazing.  Keira never complained about her situation or tried to change who she was.  She just wanted her sister and parent’s love and acceptance.

After the accident, Keira starts changing and becomes stronger.  She develops special abilities and stands up to her parents.   Her image even changes.  Keira then meets Cooper and it’s love at first sight.  She starts dreaming about him and can’t stop thinking about him.  Cooper always acts so strange when he is around Keira and she doesn’t know what to think. Maybe Cooper doesn’t feel the same way she does?

I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.  This book was awesome. I would recommend this series to anyone.  This book was outstanding.  I also love this author.  She has a way of writing with emotion.

Tori

       

Find out more about Allegra Skye and what she’s working on at her website!

Buy a copy of Saved at:

Amazon.com

Barnes & Noble

KOBO Books

iTunes – Apple Bookstore

 

Obsidian – Spotlight & Review

 Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armintrout

• Paperback
• Publisher:Entangled Publishing, LLC (December 6, 2011)
• Language:English
• ISBN-10:1937044238
• ISBN-13: 978-1937044237
• Genre: Paranormal, Sci-Fi, Young Adult

Book Description:

“Starting over sucks.

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring…. until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.

And then he opened his mouth.

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something unexpected happens.

The hot alien living next door marks me.

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades.

If I don’t kill him first, that is. “

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this book! Katy and her mom move to West Virginia to make a new start right before Katy’s senior year of high school and she’s resigned herself to having a pretty boring year. Then she get’s an eyeful when she sees her hot new neighbor! Things are looking up all of a sudden, that is, until he opens his mouth. I absolutely loved the chemistry between these two and the originality of the world-building involved in the crafting of this tale.

My only minor complaint is that I found some of the dialogue a bit choppy, but if you think about it, that is how a lot of teens talk now, so it’s realistic in that sense. The other characters in the book were a diverse group and well-rounded. I was totally absorbed in the story and in the characters’ situations. I found myself laughing out loud a couple of times at the great witty dialogue between Katy and Daemon and touched by the heart warming relationships being developed between Katy & Dee and Katy & Daemon.

Jennifer L. Armintrout has created a really interesting world with amazing characters and I can’t wait for the next book in the Lux Series. Fast pacing and the sparks flying between Katy and Daemon kept me flipping the pages until I was done. I would definitely recommend this series to all fans of young adult paranormal or sci-fi with romance!

     

To find out more about Jennifer Armintrout and what she’s working on, go to her Blog

Check out Obsidian on GoodReads

Pre-Order a copy of Obsidian at:

Amazon.com

Barnes & Noble

 

 

Mortal Obligation – Spotlight & Review

Mortal Obligation by Nichole Chase

• Format:Kindle Edition
• File Size:792 KB
• Sold by:Amazon Digital Services
• Language:English
• ASIN: B005F9YGN8
• Genre: YA, Paranormal

Book Description:

“Ree will face the darkest form of betrayal before the year is out.

Seventeen year old Ree McKenna has three goals: get through high school, convince her crush she is more than his best friend’s little sister, and save money for college. Fate, though, has other plans for her. After the
untimely death of her older brother, Ree is haunted by dreadful nightmares and terrifying visions. To make matters worse, Ree has started to suspect that something dangerous is stalking her from the shadows.

A night full of frightening surprises leaves Ree with unsettling news. Gifted by the gods with unusual powers, she must devote herself to a battle that could very well lead to not only her death, but the demise of everyone she knows and loves. After all, Ree is the only mortal standing between the Earth and utter darkness.

Set in Savannah, Ga, Mortal Obligation is the first book of The Dark Betrayal Trilogy.”

My Thoughts:

I quite enjoyed this book and I am definitely looking forward to the next book in the trilogy! An interesting take on Gods, Immortals, supernatural powers and vampires. Ree, Payden and their circle of friends embark on a roller-coaster ride of a journey in discovering who they are, what they can do and what they could very likely have to do to save the world as they know it. I really liked the characters, the plot, the pacing, the dialogue came naturally and the paranormal twists were great! The little bit of a romantic triangle between Ree, Payden and Roland is really intriguing and I can’t wait to see what comes of it. Nichole Chase is a terrific new author with lots of potential.

The only things I can think of that could have made the story even better for me was that there could have been just the tiniest bit more in the “fleshing out” of the characters, and a tiny bit more written about the characters’ reactions and ramifications of the huge changes in their lives. It could be that the author has spread this information throughout the three book arc and I’ll be eating crow if that’s the case, lol. The second book is titled Mortal Defiance and I’m not clear on the release date right now, but I’ll be keeping an eye on Nichole’s blog for updates. 🙂

     

Find out more about Nichole Chase and what she’s working on at her website & her blog!

Buy a copy of Mortal Obligation at:

Barnes & Noble paperback or nook

Amazon.ca

Amazon.com

The Book Depository

Smashwords

 

Nichole Chase – Guest Blog & Giveaway

 

Today I’m happy to have debut YA Urban Fantasy author, Nichole Chase here with us at SVR to celebrate the release of her book Mortal Obligation! This is the first book in the Dark Betrayal Trilogy and I’ve just started reading it so look for a review soon. Nichole’s written up a great post about where she finds her inspiration. I don’t know about you guys, but I always find it fascinating to know an authors’ thought process when it comes to writing. So grab a coffee or tea and get comfy so you can read Nichole’s guest blog and make sure you stick around for the giveaway at the end of the post! 🙂

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Hi! First and foremost, I would like to thank Judi for inviting me to her blog today! I love meeting new readers and bloggers. My name is Nichole Chase, and I am the author of Mortal Obligation, Book One of The Dark Betrayal Trilogy. Mortal Obligation is a YA urban fantasy set in Savannah,Ga.

Since publishing, I have been asked hundreds of questions,but the one that I hear the most often is, “What inspired you?” or “Where do you get your ideas from?” The honest truth, is that Mortal Obligation began with a stray thought and my over active imagination.

I believe Nora Roberts once said that there is a story in everything; that is exactly how my mind works. One random image or normal scenario can snowball into a story idea. The mailman carrying a package wrapped in hot pink duct tape? Maybe it’s a gift from a little girl to her divorced father. He now lives a few states away and is at work, so the mailman left the package with her father’s new neighbor, the attractive woman that keeps odd hours. What will she think of the package wrapped in hot pick duct tape? Will she think it’s adorable? Will they have a “cute meet” that leads to something else? Or will it be a little darker? When she brings the package over, is she attacked by a creature but saved by the father who hears the commotion on his porch? Now I have to know why she has been attacked, what attacked her, and how she is going to deal with her unsuspecting knight in shining armor.

This is exactly how Mortal Obligation was born. I had the mental image of a girl walking through one of the lush squares that litter the downtown area. She was looking over her shoulder and right away I knew that something was following her. It was obvious from her expression that she knew she was going to have to do something about it. I was hooked at that point. I had to know what was following her and how she was going to save herself. And boy, have I not been disappointed! I spent a lot of time meshing the images in my head with the research I did on the different mythologies of the world. I took a lot of pains to try and include little details that would ring true for people, but keeping them fresh and new. The Dark Betrayal Trilogy was born from a single, random thought, but encompasses all of the things that I would want in a book. Since I love all things paranormal and urban fantasy, it was only natural that my book would fall into those categories.

I love the characters that developed with this story. They are fun, spunky, and so very brave. I also have to admit to having a teensy tiny crush on a couple of the guys, but I ‘ll let you guys figure out which ones I am referring to. Right now I’m working on book 2, Mortal Defiance, and thoroughly loving the chance to spend more time with my characters. I will be wrapping up this book in the next few weeks and then it’s off to my editor, Anne. It will be available in early December, and I can’t wait for everyone to read what happens to Ree and the gang.

Thanks again, Judi, for allowing me to take over your blog for a little while. I hope everyone enjoyed learning a little about my creative process.

Nichole Chase

Nichole’s Blog & Nichole’s Website

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Thanks so much Nichole! It was great to hear about your inspiration and thought process, as well as a pleasure to have you here. 🙂

Giveaway Details:

Nichole Chase has been gracious enough to supply two digital copies of her book, Mortal Obligation for a couple of my lucky readers! Contest is open to Everyone. I believe that Nichole will be popping by to respond to comments or questions as she’s able, so feel free to ask her questions as well.

Question: Do you ever people watch at the mall or some public place and wonder what kind of life those people lead? Or do you make up fantastical stories in your mind about people you see?

For one entry: Please leave a comment with the answer to the question.  (+1 entry)

For extra entries:

I’m going to streamline this, so for each follow on twitter, facebook, goodreads or subscription to my blog, you can add an extra entry but be sure to let me know in your comment along with your username at each of them.

If you tweet about this contest, post it on facebook or post about it in your blog, for each link you provide, you get an extra entry.

• Contest is open to Everyone and will run through October 18th until 11:59pm. The winners will be posted here on October 19th.
• Please leave your email addy in your comment for me to contact you if you’ve won, but please post it like wilmaflinstone(at)boomshakalaka(dot)com so you don’t get any spam. If I haven’t heard back from the winner in 7 days, a new winner will be drawn from the eligible comments. Winners will be chosen on www.random.org  by a random number generator. Good Luck everyone!

Please leave your links in one comment if possible. Thanks!

Queen Of The Dead – Spotlight & Review

 Queen Of The Dead by Stacey Kade

• Reading level:Young Adult
• Hardcover:272 pages
• Publisher:Hyperion Book CH (May 31, 2011)
• Language:English
• ISBN-10:1423134672
• ISBN-13: 978-1423134671
• Genre: Paranormal

Book Description:

“After being sent back from the light, Alona Dare – former homecoming queen, current Queen of the Dead – finds herself doing something she never expected: working. Instead of spending days perfecting her tan by the pool (her typical summer routine when she was, you know, alive), Alona must now cater to the needs of other lost spirits. By her side for all of this – ugh “helping of others” is Will Killian: social outcast, seer of the dead, and someone Alona cares about more than she’d like.

Before Alona can make a final ruling on Will’s “friend” or “more” status, though, she discovers trouble at home. Her mom is tossing out Alona’s most valuable possessions, and her dad is expecting a new daughter with his wicked wife. Is it possible her family is already moving on? Hello! She’s only been dead for two months! Thankfully, Alona knows just the guy who can put a stop to this mess.

Unfortunately for Alona, Will has other stuff on his mind, and Mina, a young (and beautiful) seer, is at the top of the list. She’s the first ghost-talker Will’s ever met—aside from his father—and she may hold answers to Will’s troubled past. But can she be trusted? Alona immediately puts a check mark in the “clearly not” column. But Will is – ahem – willing to find out, even if it means leaving a hurt and angry Alona to her own devices, which is never a good idea.

Packed with romance, lovable characters, and a killer cliffhanger, Queen of the Dead is the out-of-this-world sequel to The Ghost and the Goth.”

My Thoughts:

This is the second book in Stacey Kade’s Ghost & The Goth series and Will and Alona’s story continues on from the first book.  I really enjoyed it. Alona is a “mean girl” who really has a good heart. I love the developing relationship between her and Will. A fun and fast paced ride through the world that the author has created with wonderfully contrasting characters who play well off each other. Great plot line, pacing, mystery, danger, paranormal elements and a totally unexpected but intriguing cliffhanger at the end!

I highly recommend this series/book to anyone who loves a fun paranormal YA read with ghosts, a goth, some ghost hunters, a developing romance and a fascinating twist to keep things exciting.

– Sidhe –

     

Find out more about Stacey Kade and what she’s working on at her website!

Buy The Queen Of The Dead at:

Chapters/Indigo

Amazon.ca

Amazon.com

Barnes & Noble

Emma Raveling – Guest Post & Giveaway

We’re excited to have YA Paranormal author Emma Raveling here with us at SVR today to celebrate the release of the first book in the Ondine Quartet – Whirl.  She’s written up a fun guest blog of her interviewing the main character in Whirl, Kendra! So read on to learn a bit more about this book that definitely caught my attention and there’s a giveaway at the end of the post too! Let’s all give Emma a warm welcome. 🙂

Book Blurb: 

“Seventeen-year-old Kendra Irisavie is an ondine, a water elemental caught in the middle of an ancient war with the Aquidae, immortal dark demons who will stop at nothing to destroy the fragile balance of the Elemental world.

Fierce and independent, Kendra has always played by her own rules. Gifted with the powerful magic of Virtue and trained to be a deadly fighter, she has spent her life breaking hearts and getting into trouble.

When her life explodes one violent night in a northern California city, a dark stranger appears, promising answers to her mysterious past. Alone and with no one to trust, she must now navigate through a dangerous new world, face the temptations of a forbidden romance, and remain true to her duty and destiny.

All while the Aquidae continue to hunt her down, in the hopes of eliminating her forever…

An edgy urban fantasy/paranormal romance, Whirl is recommended for older teens and mature readers due to strong language and mild sexual situations.”

Welcome to SVR Emma!

—————————————————————————————————————————————-

 Hi everyone. First, I want to thank Judi for having me on her blog. Today I’ll be interviewing Kendra, the main character of Whirl and the entire
Ondine Quartet series.

Emma: Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions, Kendra.

Kendra: Sure.

Emma: Tell us a little about yourself.

Kendra: Not much to tell. I’m a seventeen-year-old Ondine living in
California.

Emma: And what exactly is an ondine?

Kendra: An Ondine is a water elemental. Unlike our dessondine ancestors
(creepy immortal creatures that live underwater *shudders*), we’re
mortal because of our part-human blood and we live on land.

Emma: What’s the best part of being an ondine?

Kendra: Probably my Virtue, which is the magic of Empath. I have to admit,
it’s very useful.

Emma: Really? What do you use it for?

Kendra: Things like playing poker at a club or figuring out how guys think.
And, of course, knowing what a teacher is feeling makes it easy to come up with
creative ways of getting out of class.

Emma: You use other people’s emotions to gain information?

Kendra: *shrugs* Sure. I mean it’s the cornerstone of my tactical
training with my mom. Gather as much intel as you can so you have every single
option available to you. How can you plan effectively if you don’t have enough
info?

Emma: Don’t you mean scheme rather than plan? After all, you do get a
certain look on your face when…

Kendra: *rolls eyes* I do not have a look.

Emma: Um, actually in the book there were several moments where…

Kendra: Yeah, well. Just because you’re the writer doesn’t mean you know
everything about me.

Emma: I see. You’re very confident.

Kendra: *gives dangerous smile*

Emma: You also seem rather private. Do you allow others to get close to you?

Kendra: *long pause* Emotions are only useful for gathering
information. Having friends or forming relationships and attachments
creates…unnecessary complications. My mother taught me that.

Emma: Your mother, Naida Irisavie, trained you your entire life. Anything you
can share with us about that?

Kendra: She raised me to be a fighter. Being Rogue, we live among humans
outside of ondine communities. Those nasty Aquidae demons are crawling
everywhere – gotta be ready for an attack at any moment.

Emma: Besides pursuing your martial arts training, what kind of things do
you enjoy doing?

Kendra: I love prowling the city at night. It’s a whole other feeling, you
know? It feels like…I’m free. Alone and going to clubs – I really enjoy dancing
and working off restless energy with the guys I meet there.

Emma: Doesn’t your mother object to you running around alone at night? I
mean, with all the Aquidae out there…

Kendra: What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her.

Emma: So you sneak around at night…

Kendra: *glares*

Emma: Oh, excuse me. I meant, wow. You are a shadowy warrior, a ninja
who stealthily makes the night her own.

Ninja Kendra

 Kendra: *sniffs* That’s better.

Emma: And now for the random portion – please answer as quickly as you can:

⁃
Favorite clothing accessory: My dagger, given to me by my mother on my thirteenth birthday.

⁃
Chocolate or vanilla: Neither. Not big on the sweet stuff.

⁃
Red, pink, black, blue, or purple: Sky blue

⁃
Most important value to you: Strength

⁃
Your worst nightmare: Being caged or locked up

⁃
Your greatest desire: To take out as many Aquidae as I can.

Emma: Thanks for taking the time to stop by.

Kendra: Anytime.

——————————————————————————————————————————

 

Thanks so much Emma & Kendra! 🙂

Giveaway Details:

Emma Raveling has been gracious enough to supply a digital copy of her ebook Whirl to one of my readers! Contest is open to Everyone. I believe that Emma will be popping in to respond to comments or questions as she’s able, so feel free to ask her questions as well.

Question: We all know that Vampires, Weres, Demons & Angels have been some of the most popular paranormal characters out there and an Ondine is a relatively unknown supernatural being. What other supernatural or paranormal beings would you like to see more of in either books, TV or movies that aren’t one of the more popular ones? 

For one entry: Please leave a comment with the answer to the question.  (+1 entry)

For extra entries:

I’m going to streamline this, so for each follow on twitter, facebook, goodreads or subscription to my blog, you can add an extra entry but be sure to let me know in your comment along with your username at each of them.

If you tweet about this contest, put up on facebook or post about it in your blog, for each link you provide, you get an extra entry.

• Contest is open to Everyone and will run through October 5thth until 11:59pm. The winners will be posted here on October 6th.
• Please leave your email addy in your comment for me to contact you if you’ve won, but please post it like wilmaflinstone(at)boomshakalaka(dot)com so you don’t get any spam. If I haven’t heard back from the winner in 7 days, a new winner will be drawn from the eligible comments. Winners will be chosen by a random number generator. Good Luck everyone!

Please leave your links in one comment if possible. And yes I know I should get that Rafflecopter everyone’s using, lol.  Thanks!

 

Red – Spotlight & Review

Red by Kait Nolan

Publish Date: August 2011

Publisher: Kait Nolan

File Size: 685 KB/

Word Count: 86, 000

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal

Book Description:

“Elodie Rose has a secret.  Any day, she’ll become a wolf and succumb to the violence that’s cursed her family for centuries.  For seventeen years she’s hidden who and what she is.  But now someone knows the truth and is determined to exterminate her family line.  Living on borrowed time in the midst of this dangerous game of hide and seek, the last thing Elodie needs to do is fall in love.  But Sawyer is determined to protect her, and the brooding, angry boy is more than what he seems. Can they outsmart a madman?  And if they survive, will they find a way to beat the curse for good?”

My Thoughts:

I fell into Elodie and Sawyer’s story right off the bat and didn’t emerge until I’d finished reading it. The book begins with Elodie worrying about the family curse beginning to come true and as we learn about her fears, the curse and previous outcomes, we also discover her strengths, weaknesses, and beliefs. I found the characters to be totally believable and they were written as if they could really be alive out there somewhere in the world with this crazy situation unfolding. I loved Kait Nolan’s fresh new take of the Red Riding Hood history that was told within this modern-day tale.

A perfect blend of the supernatural mixed in with a modern teen love story. Everything about this book just “worked” for me, including the great cover! Wonderfully “alive” characters, great plot and pacing, the right mix of mystery, suspense, danger, romance and thrills. Descriptions of the location created a good atmosphere to match the story and situation. I am truly impressed with this newer author and will be definitely looking forward to reading many more engrossing tales written by her in the future! I highly recommend this book to all fans of Young Adult Paranormal Romance.

     

Find out more about Kait Nolan and her books at her Website.

Buy a copy of Red at:

Barnes & Noble

Amazon.com

Smashwords

All Romance Ebooks

P.S.

Kait Nolan will be with us tomorrow Guest Blogging along with an awesome Giveaway! 8)

The Fallen Star – Spotlight & Review

 The Fallen Star by Jessica Sorensen

• Reading level:Young Adult
• Paperback:452 pages
• Publisher:CreateSpace (April 11, 2011)
• Language:English
• ISBN-10:1461052149
• ISBN-13: 978-1461052142

Book Description:

“For eighteen year-old Gemma, life has never been normal. Up until recently, she has been incapable of feeling emotion. And when she’s around Alex, the gorgeous new guy at school, she can feel electricity that makes her skin buzz. Not to mention the monsters that haunt her nightmares have crossed over into real-life.
But with Alex seeming to hate her and secrets popping up everywhere, Gemma’s life is turning into a chaotic mess. Things that shouldn’t be real suddenly seem to exist. And as her world falls apart, figuring out the secrets of her past becomes a matter of life and death.”

My Thoughts:

I ended up really liking this book! It was a bit hard for me to get into initially because I found that there was a little too much internal dialogue, too much repetition in the “she’s a loner” theme and not enough action or descriptions of why things were the way they were. Too much telling and not enough showing in other words. But as I kept reading, I really got into the characters and the story. (Don’t worry, the explanations come later in the book). I am also really wanting to read the next book, The Underworld, to see what happens next. 🙂

So to put it in simpler terms, great characters – check, good world building – check, good plot – check, originality – check, good development of the characters & plot – check. All the things that you want in a good read. I think with a bit more polishing from the author and a trip or two to a really good editor, The Fallen Star would have been an exceptional book instead of just a good one. But for a first time author, I was impressed with the total package all in all. There were some pretty obvious editing mistakes that threw me out of the story for a minute, but I would recommend it to fans of young adult paranormal fiction if you can see past the editing mistakes.

This book is available in Kindle & Nook e-book format and paperback on Amazon, though the paperback price is currently not right from what I can tell, but I’ll put the link in if you want to keep an eye on it for the price adjustment.

     

Find out more about Jessica Sorensen & what she’s working on at her BLOG  

Buy The Fallen Star at:

Amazon.com Kindle

Amazon.com Paperback

Barnes & Noble Nook

Tori Reviews The Near Witch

The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

• Reading level:Young Adult
• Hardcover:288 pages
• Publisher:Hyperion Book CH (August 2, 2011)
• Language:English
• ISBN-10:1423137876
• ISBN-13: 978-1423137870

Book Description:

“The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children.

If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company.

There are no strangers in the town of Near.

These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life. But when an actual stranger—a boy who seems to fade like smoke—appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.

The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.

As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know—about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.

Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab’s debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won’t soon forget.”

My Thoughts:

The Near Witch is a young adult novel that cast a spell on me from the very first line until the last line.  Lexi lives in the Town of Near where ever
since she was a child she heard tales of the Near Witch.  She always believed the tales were told to frighten children.  The Town of Near has never had a stranger living in their Town.  Then one day a stranger appeared and the very next day children started disappearing.

When the children start disappearing, the stranger is accused.  Lexi was taught to track by her Father, and since her uncle won’t let her help in the search, she sneaks out at night to search on her own.  She then meets the stranger whose name is Cole.  Cole is staying with two witches.  Lexi knows it’s not Cole taking the children and he helps her in the search for the missing kids.  As they continue to search and get to know each other, Lexi and Cole develop a connection and feelings for one another.

The more Lexi learns she soon realizes that the tales of the Near Witch are really true and not just a story to frighten children.  She learns how to stop the Near Witch from the other witches.  Lexi needs to find and bury her bones at the house she lived in.  Then her sister disappears before she can find and bury the bones.  Will Lexi be able to find the bones in time to save her sister?

I thought Victoria did a really good job with the story.  She was very good with drawing you into the story and keeping you there.  I loved all the characters in the book. The characters felt so alive to me and Lexi was a very strong character.  I think she was a lot like her father in every way.  She’s very strong, caring, tough and stubborn.  She refused to listen to her uncle and did what she felt was best.
I loved Cole too. I really enjoyed the romance between him and Lexi.  You could feel their connection and their attraction to one another.  I could feel Cole’s pain.  His past was eating him up inside.  I think Lexi’s love and faith helped him through that and showed him that he was a better man.

I really enjoyed this book.  I can’t wait to read future books by Victoria Schwab.

       

Check out Victoria Schwab and her books at her Blog.

Buy The Near Witch at:

The Book Depository

Chapters/Indigo

Amazon.ca

Amazon.com

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Die For Me – Spotlight & Review

  Die For Me by Amy Plum

• Hardcover:352 pages
• Publisher:Tween (Tw) (May 2 2011)
• Language:English
• ISBN-10:0062004018
• ISBN-13: 978-0062004017
• Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal Romance

Back Cover Blurb:

“My life had always been blissfully, wonderfully normal. But it only took one
moment to change everything.

Suddenly, my sister, Georgia, and I were orphans. We put our lives into
storage and moved to Paris to live with my grandparents. And I knew my shattered
heart, my shattered life, would never feel normal again. Then I met Vincent.

Mysterious, sexy, and unnervingly charming, Vincent Delacroix appeared out of
nowhere and swept me off my feet. Just like that, I was in danger of losing my
heart all over again. But I was ready to let it happen.

Of course, nothing is ever that easy. Because Vincent is no normal human. He
has a terrifying destiny, one that puts his life at risk every day. He also has
enemies . . . immortal, murderous enemies who are determined to destroy him and
all of his kind.

While I’m fighting to piece together the remnants of my life, can I risk
putting my heart—as well as my life and my family’s—in jeopardy for a chance at
love?”

My Thoughts:

First of all, can I just take a moment to drool about the cover? Seriously, I am having a severe case of “cover love” here, like I haven’t had since Andrea Cremer’s Nightshade cover. WoW! It’s just stunning and I can’t look at it enough. I need a poster of this cover on my wall. And if the amazing cover wasn’t enough to draw my attention, the story itself was just as unique and wonderfully written! 😀

I know that at first, the plot sounds a bit familiar what with the parents dying tragically, the girls going to live with relatives in an exotic location and the main character falling for a supernatural male protagonist. Well let me tell you, those small details are where the similarities end! This story drew me in, carried me along for the ride and spit me out, leaving me in love with Paris and with Vincent right along with Kate! I felt like I was there in Paris right alongside the characters and I was caught up in the telling of their tale.

Amy Plum’s very unique take on Revenants is awesome! I loved the picture she painted and the places she took me with her words. Kate and Vincent’s journey, both physically and emotionally was fraught with excitement, danger, falling in love, heartbreak and heart stopping moments. I am really struggling here to write a review without spoilers because I’m just so excited about this book, but I think that you’re all getting that from me right?

I’m just going to finish with my opinion that Amy Plum hit a grand slam with Die For Me and that I’m crossing my fingers that there will be more books to come that are based in this world she’s created with these great characters! Go Buy it Now, you won’t regret it.

       

Check out Amy Plum’s Website

Buy Die For Me at:

The Book Depository

Chapters

Amazon.ca

Amazon.com

Barnes & Noble