ARC Review: Touch of Death (Touch of Death, #1) by Kelly Hashway

Jodi Marshall isn’t sure how she went from normal teenager to walking disaster. One minute she’s in her junior year of high school, spending time with her amazing boyfriend and her best friend. The next she’s being stalked by some guy no one seems to know.

After the stranger, Alex, reveals himself, Jodi learns he’s not a normal teenager and neither is she. With a kiss that kills and a touch that brings the dead back to life, Jodi discovers she’s part of a branch of necromancers born under the 13th sign of the zodiac, Ophiuchus. A branch of necromancers that are descendants of Medusa. A branch of necromancers with poisoned blood writhing in their veins.

Jodi’s deadly to the living and even more deadly to the deceased. She has to leave her old, normal life behind before she hurts the people she loves. As if that isn’t difficult enough, Jodi discovers she’s the chosen one who has to save the rest of her kind from perishing at the hands of Hades. If she can’t figure out how to control her power, history will repeat itself, and her race will become extinct.

What a surprise!  I'm not sure I gave this book much thought prior to reading it but I'm almost glad that was the case because once I dove into this one I didn't stop until I reached the last page.  Hashway gave readers fresh ideas, new and exciting characters and a deeper look into Greek mythology that I couldn't get enough of to be honest.  I've always been a fan but I enjoyed the new twists that Hashway put on Medusa and even Hades, it was very intriguing and kept me interested until the very end.

Readers can look at this series opener as just that.  I think Hashway did a great job of laying the foundation and starting readers off with enough background details and information that we were able to keep up but not so much as to overwhelm anyone.  Because let's face it...there has to be enough of a history lesson for readers otherwise half the time you're reading you end up constantly feeling as though you're playing catch up instead of following along with the story line.  There was an even balance throughout and I enjoyed her writing style overall.  A wonderful combination full of small elements.  A little bit of romance, action, suspense and mystery all rolled up into an installment that will surely draw readers back for more throughout the continuation of the series.

Hashway is most certainly on my radar now and I'm looking forward to seeing what comes next for these new and exciting characters.  Make sure to check this title out and add a copy to your bookshelves at home.

I gave Touch of Death (Touch of Death, #1) 4 shamrocks!!!!

ARC Review: Luminaire (Florence Waverley, #2) by Ciye Cho

Being the only human in a world of merfolk... isn't easy. Florence Waverley chose to stay in Niemela, but things have gone awry. Secrets have risen and the prince she cares about has pulled away. All the while, dark dreams warn her of a tragedy that only she can stop. But in order to save the merman she loves, Florence will have to enter the Life Path tournament: a brutal test of fear and madness.

The tournament is a rite of passage--a maze where young mermaids and mermen battle to find their purpose. It is also a place where Florence will face grave danger: mermaids with evil magic, tunnels filled with sea fire, and guardians who wish to use her as a pawn in their secret plans. But will Florence be strong enough to survive the tournament... or will she perish inside it?

Everything hangs in the balance: her life, her world, and her love.

I've just got to say that this is one of those series that  I just plain old enjoy reading.  The characters are fun to get to know, witness in action and learn more about.  Cho's writing is straight forward and the imagination that went into creating this world within the series continues to surprise and impress me.  When authors are able to spin a tale that draws their readers in and keeps them wanting more after the last page is turned deserves a large amount of credit.

I continue to be grateful to get the opportunity to read and review Cho's work and look forward to what will happen next in this series.  If you're unfamiliar with the series, take a look and give it a try.  With only two installments on the shelves to date there's plenty of time to catch up and get to know Florence, Rolan, Yolee and everyone else that Cho has brought to the table.  The new additions in the cast of characters within this sequel had me smiling from ear to ear.  I can't say enough about Wynn!  I adored his character's personality and loyalty, not to mention his gumption!

While I'm sad that yet again I'm left waiting and counting down until another installment in the series is available, for now I'm just happy that the series has continued on past the opener.  I'm always worried that with first installments, I'll be left waiting to see what happens next, and be left disappointed.  But that wasn't the case with Cho's Florence Waverley series.  The sequel more than lived up to the opener and I'm positive the future installments within the series will stand on the same ground.

I gave Luminaire (Florence Waverley, #2) 3 shamrocks!!!

In My Mailbox (71)

This is a meme that I first heard about from Kristi over at The Story Siren and immediately wanted to jump on board. I'm always picking up new books, because I never tire of reading, but the other thing I like about this meme is that it gives everyone an opportunity to check out what other book fanatics, bloggers, etc... got for themselves. I've gotten great recommendations from this meme and hope that keeps up in the future.

Here's what I got, what did you guys get this week? 

 

For Review:

Sound (Solid, #3) by Shelley Workinger (Thanks to Shelley)

Clio Kaid's had one crazy summer.

After learning she was one of a hundred teens who were genetically modified before birth, she and the others departed for "camp" at a classified military site.

Besides discovering her own special ability, uncovering a conspiracy, and capturing a killer, she's also forged new friendships, found love, and managed to lose them both.

With no answers and the end of summer closing in, Clio's terrified of going home more lost than when she arrived.

Will she finally find everything she's been looking for?

Find out in this exciting conclusion to the Solid trilogy.

Hallowed (Unearthly, #2) by Cynthia Hand 

For months Clara Gardner trained to face the fire from her visions, but she wasn't prepared for the choice she had to make that day. And in the aftermath, she discovered that nothing about being part angel is as straightforward as she thought.

Now, torn between her love for Tucker and her complicated feelings about the roles she and Christian seem destined to play in a world that is both dangerous and beautiful, Clara struggles with a shocking revelation: Someone she loves will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

In this compelling sequel to "Unearthly," Cynthia Hand captures the joy of first love, the anguish of loss, and the confusion of becoming who you are.

Everneath (Everneath, #1) by Brodi Ashton

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath. Now she's returned--to her old life, her family, her boyfriend--before she's banished back to the underworld . . . this time forever. She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these precious months forgetting the Everneath and trying to reconnect with her boyfriend, Jack, the person most devastated by her disappearance--and the one person she loves more than anything. But there's just one problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who enticed her to the Everneath in the first place, has followed Nikki home. Cole wants to take over the throne in the underworld and is convinced Nikki is the key to making it happen. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back, this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time on the Surface draws to a close and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she is forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's queen.

"Everneath" is a captivating story of love, loss, and immortality from debut author Brodi Ashton.

Suggestions Needed

I'm asking for your help...all of you readers, bloggers, bibliophiles, you know who you are.  I'm being asked left and right what I want for the holidays.  All of my friends and family know that I'm a crazy reader and can't get enough of a good book so I figured I'd be easy to shop for most of the time.  Apparently that is not the case.  So here's where your help is needed.  My TBR list is way too long (it could never be too long but it's too long to wade through at the moment) for me to even hope that I'd be able to go through it and sort things out in time for the holiday shopping to be done.  So while I'm sure you guys all have similar problems (and it's really not a terrible one to have) I need your help with some reading suggestions.

All the books on my TBR list look great and I'm sure I can't go wrong by giving the list or at least a condensed version to anyone asking for ideas for me in the present department, I still think it would be easier if I could narrow it down to 10 or 15 books, don't you think?  Now the question is which 10 or 15 books?!  Have you guys read any books lately that you just couldn't put down?  Any that made you laugh out loud at the humor or swoon without control due to the romance and chemistry between the lead characters?  Send those titles my way!  I'm begging you here....I think I can pretty much say that it's going to be impossible for me to narrow this list down without your help so leave me a comment, send me an email, anything!

Hope you guys are having an easier time putting your holiday wishlist together than I am, and I hope you're curling up with a great book as we speak!  Happy Reading as always and enjoy your weekend!!!

Guest Post: Author Melissa West

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By far my favorite books, both in YA and adult fiction, involve strong heroines. Take Elizabeth Bennett as an example. She is the epitome of strength, turning down Darcy and a lifetime of wealth out of loyalty to her family and respect for herself. Of course, we learn she was misguided, but still, the fact that she was willing to put what matters to her above status and wealth—both very important during those times—is amazing. Then there is Katniss Everdeen. Again, a strong female character that puts everything on the line for what she believes.

These characters are both admirable. They are the kind of women we strive to be, the sort of women we want our daughters to be. And I think we need more of them in YA.
We need characters that push back and ask questions and strive to be better than their situations. Because these are the sort of traits that make strong women in real life.

When I set out to write GRAVITY, I knew I wanted to make Ari, my main character, one of these strong heroines. I wanted her to be the kind of character the reader respects, not one that the reader continually questions during the story. Ari is loyal, yet questions anything that feels wrong to her. She is tough, yet able to show her emotions. And she is driven to stay true to herself above everything else.

So what about you? Do you prefer to read stories with strong female heroines, and if so, who are a few of your favorites?

Review: Sound (Solid, #3) by Shelley Workinger

Clio Kaid's had one crazy summer.

After learning she was one of a hundred teens who were genetically modified before birth, she and the others departed for "camp" at a classified military site.

Besides discovering her own special ability, uncovering a conspiracy, and capturing a killer, she's also forged new friendships, found love, and managed to lose them both.

With no answers and the end of summer closing in, Clio's terrified of going home more lost than when she arrived.

Will she finally find everything she's been looking for?

Find out in this exciting conclusion to the Solid trilogy.

Attention readers looking for new titles to add to your Holiday wishlists...I can do one better....I say mark down this whole series and I promise unwrapping it will only be the beginning of the all holiday fun you'll have!

I was lucky enough to get the chance to read and review all three books in Workinger's Solid series and I have to say that each installment was better than the last, and all were super fun and exciting reads.  Workinger first drew me in with her unique and out of the ordinary plot.  I was in the mood for something different, not just another mainstream paranormal romance, or dystopian series.  Don't get me wrong, I love those as well, but every once in a while a reader needs to cleanse their reading "pallet" so to speak, and this series was exactly what I was looking for to help me do just that.

Workinger's writing style makes it easy for readers to follow her pace and fly through the pages without skipping a beat.  I found myself finishing each of the three installments in the series within a day or two tops!  Her characters are hard to resist and her storylines are suspenseful and exciting...not an easy combination to put down.  Give this book and the first two installments in the Solid series a shot and I don't see you regretting it in the slightest.  I highly recommend picking up not just the series opener, but going ahead and purchasing all three books in the trilogy because once you start reading you won't want to stop, and who wants to waste time having to go to the store, right?

All in all, Sound was a great wrap up for the series, and with everything that Workinger delivered with this series, I'm more than a little curious to see what she comes up with in the future.  I'll definitely be on the lookout for more of her work, and I know without a doubt that I'm not the only one!

I gave Sound (Solid, #3) 4 shamrocks!!!!

In My Mailbox (70)

This is a meme that I first heard about from Kristi over at The Story Siren and immediately wanted to jump on board. I'm always picking up new books, because I
never tire of reading, but the other thing I like about this meme is that it gives everyone an opportunity to check out what other book fanatics, bloggers, etc... got for themselves. I've gotten great recommendations from this meme and hope that keeps up in the future.

Here's what I got, what did you guys get this week? 

 

For Review:

Flawed by Kate Avelynn (Thanks to Entangled Publishing)

Sarah O’Brien is alive because of the pact she and her brother made twelve years ago — James will protect her from their violent father if she promises to never leave him. For years, she’s watched James destroy his life to save hers. If all he asks for in return is her affection, she’ll give it freely.

Until, with a tiny kiss and a broken mind, he asks for more than she can give.

Sam Donavon has been James’ best friend — and the boy Sarah’s had a crush on — for as long as she can remember. As their forbidden relationship deepens, Sarah knows she’s in trouble. Quiet, serious Sam has decided he’s going to save her. Neither of them realize James is far more unstable than her father ever was, or that he’s not about to let Sarah forget her half of the pact . . .

The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick (Thanks to Ashley)

A heartwarming debut novel, soon to be a major movie by David O. Russell.

“Aawww shucks!” NPR's Nancy Pearl said. “I know that’s hardly a usual way to begin a book review, but it was my immediate response to finishing Matthew Quick’s heartwarming, humorous and soul-satisfying first novel . . . This book makes me smile.”

Meet Pat Peoples. Pat has a theory: his life is a movie produced by God. And his God-given mission is to become physically fit and emotionally literate, whereupon God will ensure him a happy ending—the return of his estranged wife, Nikki. (It might not come as a surprise to learn that Pat has spent several years in a mental health facility.) The problem is, Pat’s now home, and everything feels off. No one will talk to him about Nikki; his beloved Philadelphia Eagles keep losing; he’s being pursued by the deeply odd Tiffany; his new therapist seems to recommend adultery as a form of therapy. Plus, he’s being haunted by Kenny G!