Author Interview: Beth Fantaskey & Contest

As a fan of Beth Fantaskey and her books I couldn't resist asking for an interview and I was thrilled when she said yes! Check it out...

Katelyn:  With Jessica's Guide To Dating on the Dark Side being such a big success and without a doubt a fan favorite, did you feel any pressure while writing Jekel Loves Hyde? How did you deal with that?

Beth:  Looking back, I probably should have felt incredible pressure, but mainly I was just excited about the second story I wanted to tell. In retrospect, it seems insane that I wasn’t more nervous, though, because I actually had a publisher waiting for a manuscript. That is a lot of pressure!

Katelyn:  I love how you took a long time classic like The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and incorporated it with your new novel. Where did you get the idea, and how much fun did you have making the classic your own?

Beth:  The idea for Jekel Loves Hyde grew out of the title, which flashed through my brain one day. I loved the sound of it so much – and the possibilities it immediately brought to mind – that I rushed to my computer to see if anyone had ever done a modern, YA interpretation of the book. When I couldn’t find anything like what was already percolating in my brain, I developed this story about a young, troubled girl and an aloof, enigmatic guy who share a mysterious connection to the old Robert Louis Stevenson book.

It was incredibly fun adapting the original novel, because it gave me a chance to create characters who are trying extremely hard to be good – but who sometimes succumb to utter wickedness.

Katelyn:  Even from the beginning, Jekel Loves Hyde had more of a dark twist and feel to it compared to your previous work. Were you trying something new or should I expect to experience the anxiety brought on by the massive suspense that this new book had in all your future books?

Beth:  I didn’t set out to write a darker novel, but the story just seemed more intense to me than Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side. Like the original Stevenson work, Jekel Loves Hyde has a very moody, almost Gothic feel, which I loved exploring.

However, I’m working on the sequel to Jessica’s Guide now, and that has the same lighter tone of the first book. Jess is trying to deal with suddenly being a princess, and there’s a new Italian surfer vampire, and ditzy Mindy returns, and Lucius writes snarky letters... It’s definitely lighter. I just go with what the story dictates!

Katelyn:  If you were describing Jekel Loves Hyde in three words, what would they be?

Beth:  Moody, twisty, passionate

Katelyn:  What are some of you favorite books/authors?

Beth:  I love all the classics, and especially the works of Dickens, Austen, Melville and the Bronte sisters. You can definitely see where I get my interest in both humor and darkness by looking at those authors’ bibliographies! And I’d have to say that my all-time favorite novel is Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo, which I think is the ultimate combination of light and dark.

Katelyn:  I always ask because I'm always curious, any good stories or comments from your fans that you'd like to share with us?

Beth:  My favorite comments come from readers who tell me that they hurled Jessica’s Guide against the wall because they got so frustrated with arrogant vampire prince Lucius. I know that sounds weird, but I love hearing that. To me, it means they got really invested in the characters, and because they can’t really “talk” to Lucius, they have to express themselves somehow. Oddly enough, readers always say they ultimately like that frustration, too, because you want to be emotionally involved in a book, right?

Katelyn:  And of course, do you have any other novels in the works? Care to tell all your fans anything about them? We're already dying for your future books!

Beth:  Thanks so much! Like I noted, I’m working on the sequel to Jessica’s Guide, which picks up after the “mini sequel” that’s posted on my website, bethfantaskey.com. I introduce a few new characters in the on-line continuation – like surfer vampire Raniero Lovatu Vladescu – so if anybody plans on reading the full sequel, you might want to check it out!

I just want to thank Beth so much for visiting the blog and answering a few questions, I know I'm not alone when I say we're super excited and anxiously awaiting anything you produce in the future!  

And get excited guys....Beth has been kind enough to donate a book for a giveaway, that she will sign and personalize for the winner....and the contest is international!  So fill out the form below, the contest will end on June 15, 2010 so hurry up and enter for your chance to win!

Review: Jekel Loves Hyde by Beth Fantaskey

Jill Jekel has always obeyed her parents’ rules – especially the one about never opening the mysterious, old box in her father’s office. But when her dad is murdered, and her college savings disappear, she's tempted to peek inside, as the contents might be key to a lucrative chemistry scholarship.



To better her odds, Jill enlists the help of gorgeous, brooding Tristen Hyde, who has his own dark secrets locked away. As the team of Jekel and Hyde, they recreate experiments based on the classic novel, hoping not only to win a prize, but to save Tristen’s sanity. Maybe his life. But Jill’s accidental taste of a formula unleashes her darkest nature and compels her to risk everything – even Tristen’s love – just for the thrill of being… bad.


Talk about bringing the classics back into popularity, Beth Fantaskey has done this in spades! By taking the idea from the well known classic, Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, and combining that with her individual writing style, Fantaskey has created another winner.


Jill Jekel and Tristen Hyde share the spotlight in this novel as high school students with well known last names. What no one really knows is that they truly do have a connection to the characters from the classic, whom everyone though to be fictional. We get alternating narratives from both characters and personally I loved it! You get a full account of what's going on, who is thinking what and this gave me a and I'm sure will give all readers a much broader scope of the whole story.

What I wasn't expecting with this book was the dark and twisted tone that is apparent throughout, and don't even get me started on the twists and surprises that Fantaskey managed to throw in to the mix. They blindsided me and I had no warning whatsoever, nor did I know what to expect next at any given time. Fantaskey has a huge fan following from her last release, Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side and I don't think her fans will be disappointed. I loved this story and really had fun reading it the whole way through.

So many mysteries and questions; will they find a cure? Will the beast win? Who is behind the murder and will the good guys really be able to come out on top? You'll be asking these questions the whole way through and you'll be on the edge of your seat until the very end. I can't wait to see what Fantaskey brings us next, and hopefully this may not be be the last we see of Jekel and Hyde.

I gave Jekel Loves Hyde 4 shamrocks!!!!

Review: Goddess Boot Camp (Oh.My.Gods, #2) by Tera Lynn Childs

Phoebe, who recently discovered she’s a descendant of Nike (the goddess, not the shoe), is finding that supernatural powers come with a crazy learning curve. Her stepfather, headmaster of the Academy for descendants of the Greek gods, has enrolled her at Dynamotheos Development Camp—aka Goddess Boot Camp—with a bunch of ten-year-olds for the summer. 


Embarrassing as that is, hopefully it’ll help her gain control over her powers in time to pass the test of the gods, continue training hard enough to qualify for the Pythian Games, and enjoy her godly boyfriend, Griffin, all while avoiding the ultimate mistake of accidentally misusing powers.


Much like the 1st book (Oh.My.Gods.) in this series, Goddess Boot Camp was a very light and fun read. All the key components that make this series great were back and in full effect. The cool cast of characters (who ended up revealing much more of themselves) were still fantastic, we got more of the mythology, and some new twists and turns were thrown into the mix that I definitely did not see coming at all!


Tera Lynn Childs seems to have a knack for creating realistic scenarios in very unrealistic settings, such as a school full of mythological descendants (please don't smote me.) She's creative and entertaining and her writing flows effortlessly over the pages. I have a hard time keeping track of how quickly I'm flying through Childs' books and by the time I glance down at the page number I usually find myself further along than I thought.

We get more of the sweet romance that I was a huge fan of in Oh.My.Gods., although it's not always going smoothly, and Phoebe's friends are all back for more laughs. We're even introduced to some new characters that provided added depth to the current story. I was personally a fan of the addition of Urian...he managed to hit my funny bone more than once.

I don't want to reveal any spoilers for readers who haven't read the 1st book, but readers will enjoy the ride alongside Phoebe and her friends (and enemies?) as she's faced with new experiences, problems and of course obstacles she must overcome. Goddess Boot Camp was just as fun as it's predecessor and I've got my fingers crossed that this isn't goodbye for good, I'd like to see more of these characters in the future!

I gave Goddess Boot Camp (Oh.My.Gods, #2) 3 shamrocks!!!

Author Interview: Erica S. Perl & Giveaway

As a debut YA novel, Vintage Veronica took me by surprise in many ways.  I had so much fun reading it and couldn't resist begging Erica for an interview.  She was kind enough to answer some questions for us and after meeting her at the Gaithersburg Book Festival I was even more excited to post this interview for you guys.  Enjoy!

Katelyn:   I heard your inspiration for the book came partly from your experience in Boston's Garment District. Can you tell us about some of your experiences there that led to the creation of Veronica and the consignment shop?

Erica:  Sure! I originally went there to consign some clothes, and back then you were sent up the back staircase to the 3rd floor, just like Veronica is in the book. When I went upstairs and saw this world that existed “backstage,” I knew I wanted to set a story there. So I started spending more and more time at the store, researching the book, discovering slang I could use, and developing characters. The store management and employees were very supportive of the project (the book is now for sale there!), which helped a lot since I did more than my fair share of loitering. Although, to be fair, I also bought a lot of clothing during my research visits.

Katelyn:  I'm sure you're having a blast with your novel's debut, what's been the most fun or interesting part about the process so far?

Erica:  It has been great to see how the book speaks to different people. I’ve been thrilled to hear from teens that they love it, and I’ve been flattered to hear from adults that the book takes them back to their teen years. I also love hearing that the book has a good stance on bullying and on body image issues. I didn’t set out to write a “message” book, but it is always nice when people find positive things to take away from a book.

Katelyn:  If you were describing Vintage Veronica in three words, what would they be?

Erica:  Vintage Clothing Paradise! Sarcastic Fat Girl! Manipulative Older Girls! Following The Nail! Lizard Boy’s… Cute? Who To Trust? Follow Your Heart. Okay, that’s a series of three word sentences… pick your favorite. 

Katelyn:  Out of all the characters we're introduced to in Vintage Veronica it's hard for me to pick a favorite, but I think one of the most entertaining by far had to be Bill, how did you come up with him...and of course his rules?

Erica:  I love Bill, too! He has been with the story from the start, because I felt like there needed to be an elder statesman of sorts, to give Veronica guidance when she doesn’t know where to turn. But I also wanted him to be a little unreliable so Veronica had to actually rely on herself, too. I love his sense of humor, though, and his desire to see the good in people. His rules came sort of organically through his voice… as scattered as he can be, he has invented a road map and he feels close enough to Veronica to let her in. And even though at times she makes fun of him and discounts his advice, I think Veronica actually comes to appreciate Bill.

Katelyn:  Favorite book/author of yours?

Erica:  So many favorites… one of the classic YA books that influenced Vintage Veronica was definitely Paul Zindel’s The Pigman. The relationship between John and Lorraine, which is this sort of tender and honest relationship in the midst of a big pile of lies, is so well crafted.

Katelyn:  And finally....do you have any other novels in the works at the moment, want to give us any hints about them?

Erica:  I am putting the finishing touches on a middle grade novel titled When Life Gives You O.J. It is about a girl named Zelda, her extremely eccentric grandfather, and their ill-advised plan to convince her parents to get a dog. It is my most autobiographical book so far, and I’m really, really excited about it. It comes out next summer from Knopf.

Thanks so much for having me! I’d love to visit again!

Thank you so much Erica for stopping by and we can't wait for the next book to hit the shelves.  If you guys haven't had the chance to read Vintage Veronica, it's a must, you can read my review here. 

Veronica Walsh is 15, fashion-minded, fat, and friendless. Her summer job in the Consignment Corner section (Employees Only!) of a vintage clothing store is a dream come true. There Veronica can spend her days separating the one-of-a-kind gem garments from the Dollar-a-Pound duds, without having to deal with people. But when two outrageous yet charismatic salesgirls befriend her and urge her to spy on and follow the mysterious and awkward stock boy Veronica has nicknamed the Nail, Veronica’s summer takes a turn for the weird. Suddenly, what began as a prank turns into something else entirely. Which means Veronica may have to come out of hiding and follow something even riskier for the first time: her heart.

I'm super excited to tell you guys that Erica has offered up a signed book for one lucky winner, how cool is that?  The contest is open to U.S. residents only and will end on June 8, 2010.  All you have to do is fill out the form below, good luck and enjoy!

Contest and Updates

Just a few updates in case you haven't come across them yourselves on the blogosphere/internet...

Cassandra Clare put up a post showing some really neat pictures of the City of Bones graphic novel and gave a few insights into City of Fallen Angels....not many but we'll take what we can get right?  Check it out here!

If you were as big a fan as I was of Fallen by Lauren Kate then you're probably just as anxious as I am for the sequel, Torment to come out.  Well Lauren posted a sneek peak on her blog and you guys have to check it out....I think this will help with the anxiousness I've got over waiting for Torment to hit the shelves.

And as a last minute add on here I thought I would tell ya a little bit about my dissapointing experience at the Richelle Mead book signing yesterday.  I was coming back from a weekend at the beach and some traffic made me a little late in getting to the signing on time.  I was only an hour late and as it turned out so was Richelle....but that doesn't mean that the 300 other fans were following in our footsteps :(  By the time I got there she was in the middle of answering questions and they had stopped passing out line tickets so I was going to have to wait at the end.

I was going to stick it out but I had a friend with me and we were still a good hour and a half from getting home and while we waited almost two hours....the end of the line was no where in sight...so I had to call it a day....no books signed, bummer right?  

I checked out Richelle's blog today and here are some pictures of the signing and hopefully you'll get a feel for what we were dealing with.  Now if you look in the back left side of this picture of the girl posing with Richelle, you will see two girls sitting on the floor waiting and trying to pass the time....yep that's me and my friend Kate trying to stop counting the clock, lol!

Well I did pick up an extra copy of Spirit Bound and while it's not signed (sorry guys I tried) I'm still going to give it away to one lucky winner!

This contest is open to all followers, so fill out the form below and good luck!  The contest will end on June 21st, so spread the word!

Author Interview: Steve Feasey

After reading Wereling and enjoying it as much as I did I really wanted to interview Steve Feasey to find out more about him and his series.  He was kind enough to answer a few questions and I've been excited to share them with you guys, so here goes!

Katelyn: I read that during your time in secondary school you learned to "fight, drink and chat up girls."  Did you take your experiences and base Trey's situation at the care home somewhat from those experiences?  

Steve: To some extent, yes, but I didn't have as tough a time of things as Trey has had in his early life.  I did feel very out of place growing up where I did.  It was a harsh environment, and being a bit of a loner can make you an easy target if you're not able to stick up for yourself.  When I write from Trey's perspective, I try and remember how I felt as a teenager, and how difficult life and all the changes that are going on at that time were.  It's a difficult mix of emotions and moods to express sometimes:  too much angst, and your protagonist comes across as a bit of a whinger, too little and they become almost superficial.

Who'd be a teenager, eh?

Katelyn:  I've heard you didn't start writing until you were in your 30s, any reason?  Why start then...and after reading and enjoying Wereling so much, I have to ask why did you hold out on us for so long?

Steve:  Maybe it was just the right time for me.  I'd gone through some big life changes a few years before, and decided that I wanted to alter the direction that my life was heading.  I'd done the big 'corporate thing', and although I knew I wanted something else, I wasn't clever (or brave) enough to work out what it was.  One evening I was watching a TV programme about the rise, decline, and recent re-emergence of action/adventure books told from the male POV, and I remember reading most of the books they were talking about when I was younger.  I decided there and then that I should write a book that I would have enjoyed as a young adult, and started to write Wereling.  (That sounds a bit corny, but it's true.)

I guess that now I have started, I too am wondering why I didn't start earlier.  Now that I'm a writer, I know that it is something that I was meant to do.  It just took me a rather long time to make that discovery.

Katelyn:  You recommend that new writers read as much as they can and not restrict themselves to one particular genre.  Do you have a favorite genre that you prefer to read?  Or a specific author?

Steve:  Every book you read plants a seed inside your mind.  You don't realise it at the time, but those seeds are there, waiting.  Sometimes those seeds grow.

When I talk to schools about my experiences as an author, I'm keen to point out that I don't fit the stereotype of what a lot of students think you might have to achieve to become a writer:  I didn't have a great schooling; I've never been to a creative writing course, or read a book on the subject; I didn't go to university.  What I did do was read everything and anything I could get my hands on.  And during my reading life I've switched between different genres, and between commercial and literary fiction.  I do have some favourite authors:  Cormac McCarthy, Donna Tartt, Stephen King are some of my 'go to' contemporary authors.  I'm also a sucker for Charles Dickens and Graham Greene.

If I had to pick a favourite book, I'd probably go for To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee.  (But that probably changes each and every time somebody asks me that question.)

Katelyn:  If you could describe Wereling in three words, what would they be?

Steve:  Mysterious.  Suspenseful.  Gripping.

Katelyn:  I read that you wrote the series somewhat because you heard that books geared towards teen boys were being seen less and less and you enjoyed reading so much when you were younger that you wanted to see if you could provide the same thing for the current YA generation.  Will you stick with YA or do you plan to explore another genre?

Steve:  I see YA as an audience and not necessarily a genre, but yes, I have plans to continue to write for my current target audience.  After the fifth (and final) Changeling/Wereling book - we're a bit ahead of you here in the UK, with book four coming out this September - I'm going to start a new series which will be quite different to the current books.  A change of direction away from horror, and in a genre that is not currently as fashionable as it once was.  I hope to spin it up by giving it a supernatural twist.

I get a bit cross when people ask me the question:  "Are you going to write for adults one day?" (As if writing YA is not 'proper writing' and you can only be taken seriously if you are writing for an adult audience).  I point out to them that some of the best and most exciting fiction is being written for the YA audience, and perhaps it's time that they started to broaden their horizons and look at some of the books in that section of the bookshop.

Thanks Steve so much for participating in the interview and I know we can't wait to read more of your work in the future, I for one am loving the Changeling/Wereling series and I know I'm not alone.  

Wereling by Steve Feasey

Fourteen-year-old Trey Laporte is not a kid anymore. Not after the day he wakes up in agony—retina-splitting, vomit-inducing agony. His clothes are torn. His room is trashed.

Enter Lucien Charron, the mysterious, long-lost “uncle” with freakish fire-flecked eyes and skin that blisters in the sun. Suddenly, Trey finds himself living in a luxury penthouse at the heart of a strange and sinister empire built on the powers of the Netherworld—vampires, demons, sorcerers, and djinn.

And there is a girl—Alexa Charron—who is half vampire, half human, and insanely pretty, with powers all of her own. Trey is falling for her.

Trey is training night and day to control the newly discovered power lurking inside him. Now, demons are closing in on every side, and the most psychopathic bloodsucker to rock the Netherworld wants to destroy him. Above all, he must face one terrifying question: Is he a boy . . . or is he a beast?

If you haven't had the chance to read Wereling yet, get out there and pick up a copy, you can find my review here.  It's highly entertaining and impossible not to enjoy!

My 1st Giveaway Winners!!!

It took a while to tally up the entries, but we have our winners!!!

The winner of a SIGNED copy of Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder is Elizabeth!

The winner of Numbers by Rachel Ward is Little Miss Becky!

The winner of Vampire Kisses: The Beginning by Ellen Schreiber is Heather McClung!

And finally the winner of Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken is Yesenia!

Congrats to the winners, I've emailed you all so please get back to me a.s.a.p. so I can send your books out a.s.a.p.  And for those of you who entered and didn't win this time, don't worry there are two other contests currently going on here, check out the contest tab up on the menu bar for more information and I'll be having more really soon!

In My Mailbox (9)

This is a meme that I first heard about from Kristi over at The Story Siren and immediately wanted to jump on board.

Every week we’ll post about what books we have received (whether they’re bought/borrowed, etc… you get the idea). Everyone participating will try and visit other lists to comment and possibly pine for the new arrivals everyone’s talking about. I’ve learned that it’s a great idea to really try and stop by at least two or three lists because I’m constantly finding out about new books that I’ve later added to my TBR list.

So this week I went a little crazy, mainly due to the book festival, but either way I do not think my wallet appreciated it!

Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

The Pace by Shelena Shorts

The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg

Oh.My.Gods. by Tera Lynn Childs

Goddess Boot Camp by Tera Lynn Childs

The Overnight Socialite by Bridie Clark

And I also wanted to thank Erica over at The Book Cellar for The Tension of Opposites swag that she sent my way!

So on to the contest reminders.....today is the LAST day to enter My 1st Giveaway and you don't want to miss out, I'll be announcing the winners on Monday.  Don't forget there's also two more contests that you can enter, The Pace giveaway and the Angel Star book/swag giveaway, both of these books are signed by the fantastic authors so you really don't want to miss out on your chance to walk away with your very own copy!

And of course since it's Friday, you know it's time to do the Book Blogger Hop!  I'm hoping that I'll find even more great blogs than I have in the past few weeks, there are so many great ones out there, I can't wait to check them out!

I've got the Richelle Mead book signing this Sunday in Delaware and I'm super excited, I'll hopefully be able to take some pictures and maybe even walk away with not just one but two copies of Spirit Bound signed...now what would I do with two copies you ask?  There just might be a chance for another contest!  If I can get two copies signed, one of them will definitely go towards a contest so check back and cross your fingers!

Enjoy the weekend guys and happy reading as always!!!!!

Author Interview: Jennifer Murgia

I have been so excited to share this interview with you guys for a number of reasons.  For starters this was my first author interview and I couldn't be more thrilled that it was with Jennifer, not to mention that I'm in love with her new book so it gives me yet another opportunity to talk about it all over again!  I'll give you a little background on Jennifer which I took from her bio on her website.  

Jennifer Murgia has been writing since she was nine years old. After receiving recognition for her poetry, she went on to use her talents to bring characters to life in fiction novels that are authentic, intriguing, and personal. She currently resides in Pennsylvania with her husband and two children.

She is the author of the recently released Angel Star, and she's fantastic.  She was kind enough to participate in this interview, so here's goes nothing!

Katelyn:  Fantasy novels have always been popular in Young Adult literature, but YA novels featuring Angels seem to be up and coming in popularity.  Why were you drawn to focus your novel around them?  Have they always held a special place in your heart?

Jennifer:  I've always been a firm believer that anything is possible and yes, that it's quite possible we are protected and surrounded by angels.  The notion of angels really popped into my head one night.  I hadn't planned on writing about them at all, which makes me sort of wonder if things really do happen for a reason.

Katelyn:  With your debut novel coming out, this must be a very chaotic and exciting time for you.  What's your favorite part about the process so far?

Jennifer:  I'm having the time of my life meeting new people in the industry everyday!  Never before did I expect to be emailing other authors, joking with reviewers...I'm having an awesome time!

Katelyn:  What's your favorite book/author?

Jennifer:  Really?  I have to narrow it down to just one?  A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray is very high on my list as are many, many others.

Katelyn:  If you were describing Angel Star in three words, what would they be?

Jennifer:  Light vs. dark

Katelyn:  Did you have a favorite character while writing Angel Star?  If you did, can you tell us who that was and why?

Jennifer:  I know many are going to wonder why, but I am secretly in love with Hadrian!  I know!  He's dark and mysterious and a totally misunderstood bad boy, and as the one who created him, I'm attracted to the secrets he holds inside.  You will all just have to wait for Lemniscate to get a taste of that.

Katelyn:  You're very active on book sites like Goodreads and can always be counted on to leave comments in the Angel Star fan club.  Do you have any favorite comments/feedback you've received from fans?

Jennifer:  I believe in keeping up with those who are following me - it's only fair and truthfully, I just love chatting with everyone over at the Fan Club!  They are an awesome group of people!  Everyone at Goodreads has been super supportive from day one about Angel Star, cheering on an unknown author and her work - it's such an amazing feeling.  We've been chanting over and over "May is coming!" - it's been our own little countdown to the release and it's exciting to check a thread to see that someone new has posted it.

Katelyn:  Do you have any other novels in the works at the moment, want to share any juicy details about them?

Jennifer:  Lemniscate, which is the sequel to Angel Star is in the pre-editing phase and I'm really excited about it!  I have some other projects I'm working on too, but can't spill anything yet!

Thanks so much Jennifer for taking the time to chat and I know I'm not alone in saying, we can't wait for Lemniscate to be released and all your other future books.  Angel Star was fantastic and to all the readers, if you haven't had the chance to pick it up yet, run to the bookstore and get your very own copy, it's a must read.  

And don't forget about the Angel Star contest we have running here, click on the contest tab at the top menu and enter to win your own SIGNED copy of Angel Star and Angel Star swag that Jennifer was kind enough to contribute!

Review: Angel Star (Angel Star, #1) by Jennifer Murgia

Seventeen-year-old Teagan McNeel falls for captivating Garreth Adams and soon discovers that her crush has an eight-point star etched into the palm of his right hand; the mark of an angel.

But where there is light, dark follows, and she and Garreth suddenly find themselves vulnerable to a dark angel's malicious plan that could threaten not only her life, but the lives of everyone she knows.

Divinely woven together, Angel Star takes readers on a reflective journey when one angel's sacrifice collides with another angel's vicious ambition in a way that is sure to have readers searching for their own willpower.


Angel Star is in one word: perfection! Jennifer Murgia's book had me excited right from the beginning. She drew me in and her world refused to let me go, not that I wanted to leave. I was so far from disappointed, in fact she surpassed what I had even hoped for. And did I mention this is her debut YA novel? I know...amazing!

Who doesn't love the idea of a guardian angel? I know I do and I can only hope that mine is as dreamy as Garreth! We meet our main character, Teagan in Angel Star and I just loved her. She's kind, brave and has such a big heart, and did I mention brave? Guardian angel or not, this girl has got guts!

And as I mentioned before, Garreth *swoon* is wonderful. He's the definition of good, protective and all around perfection. But where there is good, bad is always close behind. Enter Hadrian. All I can say is that he's got the tall, dark and dangerous vibe down to a tee.

The truth is, no review can do this book justice. It's just that good! This is a book I will read again and again, it's already a favorite. Some books (and they are few and far between) just stick with you, and that is Angel Star for me. I can't express how excited I am for the sequel to come out and am only sad that it's not already on the shelves.

This book has it all, light vs. dark, good vs. evil, discovering what really matters and fighting for what's right. It's also about sacrifice and standing up for what you believe in. It's deep and emotional and will have you going through a gamut of emotions.

Murgia has a talent and is a natural story teller, so she's in the right business. Like I said...perfection!

I gave Angel Star (Angel Star, #1) 5 shamrocks!!!!!



Check back tomorrow for my interview with the fabulous Jennifer Murgia and don't forget you can win you very own signed copy of Angel Star and some swag from Jennifer to go with it if you enter in the Angel Star Giveaway. Click the contest link on the menu bar and good luck!