In My Mailbox (41)

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:

Vampire's Kiss (The Watchers, #2) by Veronica Wolff (Thanks to NAL Trade & Penguin Publishing)

IF YOU’RE GOING TO BE PARTNERED WITH A VAMPIRE, YOU HAVE TO WORK THE NIGHT SHIFT.

By her wits, blood, and sacrifice, so far Drew has survived the intensive training on the Isle of Night. As a second-year Acari, her ultimate goal is to become a Watcher, and now she has a shot at her first mission. Except nothing is as it seems. The vampire Alcántara is as sinister as he is sexy, Ronan is more distant than ever, and it turns out there are other vampires out there. Bad ones.

Ancient, bloodthirsty, and powerful, these undead are really old school. They’ve captured one of the Watcher vamps and are torturing him for information. The only chance to save him is to infiltrate a major summit the baddies are holding on their own island. There will be mortals there, serving as butlers, maids, and various hired help. Drew had better brush up on her skills as a serving girl, because she’s about to go undercover…

But, when their vampire prisoner turns out to be a gorgeous bad boy, Drew’s first mission quickly turns into more than she bargained for…

The Calling (Darkness Rising, #2) by Kelley Armstrong (Thanks to HarperCollins)

Maya Delaney's paw-print birthmark is the mark of what she truly is—a skin-walker. She can run faster, climb higher, and see better than nearly everyone else. Experiencing intense connections with the animals that roam the woods outside her home, Maya knows it's only a matter of time before she's able to Shift and become one of them. And she believes there may be others in her small town with surprising talents.

Now Maya and her friends have been forced to flee from their homes during a forest fire they suspect was deliberately set. Then they're kidnapped, and after a chilling helicopter crash, they find themselves in the Vancouver Island wilderness with nothing but their extraordinary abilities to help them get back home.

In The Calling, the sizzling second book in the Darkness Rising trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong pumps up the romance, danger, and suspense that left readers of The Gathering clamoring for more.

The Academie by Susanne Dunlap (Thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing)

Eliza Monroe—daughter of the future president of the United States—is devastated when her mother decides to send her to boarding school outside of Paris. But the young American teen is quickly reconciled to the idea when—ooh, la-la!—she discovers who her fellow pupils will be: Hortense de Beauharnais, daughter of Josephine Bonaparte; and Caroline Bonaparte, youngest sister of the famous French general. It doesn't take long for Eliza to figure out that the two French girls are mortal enemies—and that she's about to get caught in the middle of their schemes.

Loosely drawn from history, Eliza Monroe's imagined coming of age provides a scintillating glimpse into the lives, loves, and hopes of three young women during one of the most volatile periods in French history.

Transcendence by by C.J. Omololu (Thanks to Walker Childrens Publishing)

Love isn’t the only emotion to survive death . . .

When a visit to the Tower of London triggers an overwhelmingly real vision of a beheading that occurred centuries before, Cole Ryan fears she is losing her mind. A mysterious boy, Griffon Hall, comes to her aid, but the intensity of their immediate connection seems to open the floodgate of memories even wider.

As their feelings grow, Griffon reveals their common bond as members of the Akhet—an elite group of people who can remember past lives and use their collected wisdom for the good of the world. But not all Akhet are altruistic, and a rogue is after Cole to avenge their shared past. Now in extreme danger, Cole must piece together clues from many lifetimes. What she finds could ruin her chance at a future with Griffon, but risking his love may be the only way to save them both.

Full of danger, romance, and intrigue, Transcendence breathes new life into a perpetually fascinating question: What would you do with another life to live?

Review Tour: Devotion (Soul Savers, #3) by Kristie Cook

I can't even begin to tell you guys how excited I am to be a part of Kristie Cook's blog tour for Devotion. I've been craving the third installment in her Soul Savers series since I finished the last page in her series' sequel, Purpose. Her writing is beyond addicting, her characters are heartfelt and her plot twists and turns will leave you reeling. So when I first learned I'd get the chance to be a part of this tour, I couldn't contain my excitement. All I can say is that she once again did not disappoint!

So without further ado....check out my review and a very exciting announcement below...

With powerful abilities gained from the Ang'dora and Tristan back by her side, Alexis thinks she's ready for the next challenge - protecting her son from what appears to be the inevitable. But she has so much to learn about her powers, her new world and the people in it. Nothing is what it seems to be on the surface, including the Amadis.

Power-hungry politicians comprise the council and make impossible demands. A traitor lurks among them all, inciting trouble that could destroy the Amadis and, ultimately, humanity. The Daemoni wreak havoc in the human world, with the ultimatum that they'll continue attacking innocents until Alexis and Tristan are expelled from the Amadis' protection. The couple's own society begins to shut them out. But that's not all.

Someone's keeping a secret. A big one. Faith and hope in Alexis and Tristan will be restored if she can uncover the truth in time.

But the search for answers leads only to the discovery of more betrayals by those closest to Alexis. Her devotion is put to the test - devotion to her husband, to her family, to her people and to her beliefs - leaving her to question whom she's fighting for and why she should even bother. But if she won't fight...who will?

Kristie Cook quickly became one of my favorite authors with her Soul Savers' first installment, Promise, and after her sequel, Purpose came out quickly on it's heels I couldn't have turned back if I wanted to. I knew without a doubt that this third installment in the series would be wonderful, exciting and just as magical as the previous two, but I still feel like I didn't give it enough credit ahead of time. Every time I think an author couldn't possibly surpass their previous great works, I should be ashamed. Cook obviously has plenty more in the tank and hopefully that won't change in the near future. Her writing is too hard to resist, and who would even want to really?

Alexis and Tristan have already been through so much, but it seems that Cook is not the type of author to be content to leave her characters in romantic bliss. While the idea of Alexis, Tristan, and now their son Dorian living happily ever may have a nice ring to it, Cook seems to still want them to work a little harder for their much deserved happy ending. A shocking turn of events leaves Alexis and Tristan on their own so to speak. They still have some friends they can count on, but their numbers have certainly dwindled when it comes to who they can trust and who they have suspicions towards. Every time I went to write this review I ended up backtracking and editing, because I didn't want even a chance of one spoiler to leak through onto these pages. It's tough, but I know how intense and exciting each and every turn of the page was for me, and no reader deserves any less.

Bottom line, if you thought these two love birds had been through their obstacles before and proved that nothing could possibly threaten their peace of mind and the world they envisioned for their family, you can think again. Not even the Amadis could be counted on this time around to have all the answers and backup necessary to defeat their current foe(s). Cook's once again penned a very exciting roller coaster ride for her readers, and when I saw she'll put you through the ringer of all emotions, I'm not being dramatic. I laughed, cried and cringed on more than one occasion and can only hope that Cook puts us all out of our misery soon and gives me a series wrap up that I imagine for these wonderful characters. But at the same time, while I do want that, I also can't imagine this series coming to an end...I so don't want to think about that right now!

So check out this third installment and if you haven't come across Cook's work before, go pick up all three books in her Soul Savers series, you'll be doing yourself a very big favor!

I gave Devotion (Soul Savers, #3) 5 shamrocks!!!!!




And if anyone needs even more incentive to get a jump start on this series or to continue on in the journey, Kristie Cook has been kind enough to offer up a giveaway of an eBook of Devotion to one lucky winner!

The first person to comment on this post that leaves their name and email address will receive their very own eBook of Devotion, to devour immediately...how exciting, right? So get to it and happy reading!

Be sure to connect with Kristie and check out all the fun and exciting stuff she's got coming up!

Connect with Kristie Cook:

Email: kristie@kristiecook.com

Author's Website & Blog: http://www.KristieCook.com

Series Website: http://www.SoulSaversSeries.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorKristieCook

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/kristiecookauth

Tumbler: http://www.tumblr.com/tumblelog/kristiecook

Google+: https://plus.google.com/102746226001674797330/posts

New Finds (6)

Yep I'm back with another round of new finds. I couldn't possibly have kept it at one post this week. There were just too many that I've come across lately that I'm still shocked to have missed right when they first hit the shelves. There are always going to be fabulous books that are slated to come out in the future, but as I'm sure I'm not alone, readers are also always going to miss books as they come out because they're either too overloaded with other books on their TBR lists, or just overloaded with life in general.

So regardless of the reason, you're not alone and I'm going ot do my part to make sure these great reads aren't missed just because life keeps readers too busy to catch every detail. So whenever I come across titles that I've somehow missed the release date of, I make a note and get excited about them all over again. Sometimes it's even better than counting down to a title that will be released in the next year or so because when I get worked up over these titles I can go right to the store to pick up my own copy or download one to my kindle. No waiting or pining for the book to hit the shelves.

New Find #1: Settling (Solid, #2) by Shelley Workinger (07/04/2011)

At the beginning of the summer, Clio Kaid was one of a hundred teens brought to a secret Army installation. But it was no ordinary camp and they weren't ordinary kids...

Picking up where "Solid" left off, Clio and her friends realize that they aren't ready to go home; they're determined to stay on campus and continue their journey of self-discovery. But someone doesn't feel the same way and will do anything to drive them away - even kill.

Friendships will be tested, abilities will evolve, and more secrets will come out as the teens race to stop the killer before he sets his sights on one of them...

Solid was a great start to what I think has the potential to be a really interesting series. Workinger was an unknown when I was approached to read and review her series opener and I'm so glad I had the opportunity. It was a neat idea, and one that kept me turning the pages to find out what exactly was going on and what was to be the end result for this cast of characters. This one had already been released before I started in on the series, but I haven't yet been able to go out and pick myself up a copy so that I can find out what happens next. If you're looking for a series to get into, and one that might stear a little off course from the mainstream paranormal titles that are being picked up left and right, I'd recomend giving this one a chance. Workinger managed to turn me into a cheerleader; her characters are instantly ones that you'll want to make it out of any situation on top of, and will be crossing your fingers without even realizing you're doing it.

New Find #2: Between (Between, #1) by Cyndi Tefft (04/21/2011)

It just figures that the love of Lindsey Water's life isn't alive at all, but the grim reaper, complete with a dimpled smile and Scottish accent. After transporting souls to heaven for the last 300 years, Aiden MacRae has all but given up on finding the one whose love will redeem him and allow him entry through the pearly gates. Torn between her growing attraction to Aiden and heaven's siren song, Lindsey must learn the hard way whether love really can transcend all boundaries.

I can't say I've heard of any other book quite like this one, have you? I mean sure, you get the unrequited love stories, or even the love stories involving characters so out of each other's leagues but a grim reaper with dimples would be a first for me. I'm not sure I've even ever come across a love story of any kind involving the grim reaper, so already I'm liking the unique and new sound that Tefft has going on here. I will say that after reading this synopsis, as nice as this all sounds, I can already see myself rooting for these two to be together and I've yet to read even one page of this book. I hate that I get this way, but I'm a sucker for almost any kind of romance, and sadly the harder it is for two characters to be together, the more elated I am when they finally do get together...but they have to actually end that way or I'm devestated. So by the sounds of this one, who's to say that Aidan finds the one in Lindsey, only to have the two of them be pulled apart for some other reason, right? I'm on the edge of my seat and want to see what this book's all about!

New Find #3: First Date by Krista McGee (01/10/2012)

The last thing Addy Davidson wants is to be on a reality TV show where the prize is a prom date with the President's son.

She's focused on her schoolwork so she can get a scholarship to an Ivy League college, uncomfortable in the spotlight, never been on a date, and didn't even audition for it.

But she got selected anyway.

So she does her best to get eliminated on the very first show. Right before she realizes that the President's son is possibly the most attractive guy she has ever seen in person, surprisingly nice, and seemingly unimpressed by the 99 other girls who are throwing themselves at him.

Addy's totally out of her comfort zone but that may be right where God can show her al that she was meant to be.

This one just struck me as a such a sweet story line. Who doesn't love a little bit of good old reality TV, right? I'm a big fan, even of the bad stuff, I just seem to get stuck watching it and have to be peeled away from the couch, or have the TV shut off for me in order for me to be able to walk away. I have no idea why, and I realize that makes me a crazy person, but it is what it is I suppose. But I guess that after I read the short snippets the book provides, I tried to picture this happening in real life...didn't quite get there. I think it's a neat idea and sounds to me like the makings of a very cute and possibly romantic and heartfelt story....we shall see. And if you're interested, there are currently ten copies being given away in a contest over at Goodreads, check it out for yourselves and enter soon, because it's ends on February 6th.

New Find #4: Blood Will Tell (Warriors of Ankh, #1) by Samantha Young (07/11/2011)

Eden is a Soul Eater. While that doesn't mean much to her right now, she's pretty sure that any minute now, she's going to go all Carrie on her eleventh grade class.

Noah is an Ankh. As an immortal Warrior, his purpose in life is to hunt down and kill Soul Eaters.

Eden is Noah's next assignment. Problem is...this is an assignment with a difference. Eden's not your average run of the mill, Soul Eater. Noah's job? To test Eden for possible redemption.

It's a risky business.

Especially if Noah awakens Eden's inner monster.

It would be kind of hard for Eden to list to the angel on her shoulder when the devil's telling her, her new best friend is a lying, scheming, immortal enemy...

...betrayal is such a bitch.

So is Eden when you get on her bad side.

I think this one would be a good addition to my list in order to mix things up. While it's still got the paranormal edge that I normally tend to sway towards, I've never come across a book about Soul Eaters and Ankh warriors before. Have I missed that section at the book store? I didn't think so. This one sounds trick, but yet also maybe a nice change of pace. I normally have to force myself to go completely out of my reading comfort zone, but with something like this title, a kind of middle ground title so to speak, maybe I can ease into trying some more new genres and titles in the future. And Goodreads is also having a contest for this title, and is offering the chance to win two signed copies for two very lucky readers...I signed up, how about you?

New Finds #5: Dark Seeker (Seeker, #1) by Taryn Browning (10/04/2011)

She's the Seeker. He's the hunted. What's at stake could kill them both...

For 17-year-old Seeker, Janie Grey, ridding the Baltimore streets of the undead is an inherited duty passed down from her Cherokee ancestors. Seeker Training Lesson #1: Never trust the undead. After her father’s tragic death, Janie creates her own life lesson: Love isn’t worth the risk. Both lessons are easy to follow until she encounters the flawed Kai Sterdam. At first, she believes he is the hybrid she is trained to hunt. But, when he has human traits, she determines she doesn’t know what he is. As Janie’s intrigue over who Kai is pushes her deeper into his mysterious past, she discovers a shocking truth that is even more harrowing than the evil they are up against. It’s a secret Kai wants to keep hidden, especially from Janie.

Yet another great sounding read that's got a contest/giveaway to go with it. Goodreads has a giveaway for a reader's chance to win a copy of this recently released title for their very own. It's like extra incentive to check this book out, don't you think? I'm always up for another paranormal title and this one comes with it's very own spin on what sounds like a warrior fighting for the good side. Not sure what types of secrets will be revealed, but they don't sound like small white lies, these have the makings to be catastrophic and total game changers. I can't even believe when I've missed a title like this one that sounds like it's right up my alley, but that's why I love these posts. It really gives me the excuse to go back and look through some sites to see what I've missed out on, and quickly rectify thost mistakes.

In My Mailbox (40)

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:

Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins (Thanks to Harper Teen)

What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences? This is life for sons and daughters of fallen angels in Sweet Evil.

Anna, a tender-hearted southern girl, was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She's aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but it isn't until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage, and her will-power is put to the test. He's the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.

A cross-country trip forces Anna and Kai to face the reality that hope and love are not options for their kind. When it's time for Anna to confront her demons, will she choose to embrace her halo or her horns?

Forbidden by Syries James & Ryan M. James (Thanks to Harper Teen)

She should not exist.

He should not love her.

Claire Brennan has been attending Emerson Academy for two years now (the longest she and her mom have remained anywhere) and she's desperate to stay put for the rest of high school. So there's no way she's going to tell her mom about the psychic visions she's been having or the creepy warnings that she's in danger.

Alec MacKenzie is fed up with his duties to watch, and when necessary, eliminate the descendants of his angelic forefathers. He chose Emerson as the ideal hiding place where he could be normal for once. He hadn't factored Claire into his plans... Their love is forbidden, going against everything Alex has been taught to believe. But when the reason behind Claire's unusual powers is revealed and the threat to her life becomes clear, how far will Alec go to protect her?

Lies Beneath (Lies Beneath, #1) by Anne Greenwood Brown (Thanks Delacourte Books for Young Readers)

Calder White lives in the cold, clear waters of Lake Superior, the only brother in a family of murderous mermaids. To survive, Clader and his sisters prey on humans, killing them to absorb their energy. But this summer the underwater clan targets Jason Hancock out of pure revenge. They blame Hancock for their mother's death and have been waiting a long time for him to return to his family's homestead on the lake. Hancock has a fear of water, so to lure him in, Calder sets out to seduce Hancock's daughter, Lily. Easy enough - especially as Calder has lots of practice using his irresistible good looks and charm on unsuspecting girls. Only this time Calder screws everything up: he falls for Lily - just as Lily starts to suspect that there's more to the monsters-in-the-lake legends than she ever imagined. And just as his sisters are losing patience with him.

Don't You Wish by Roxanne St. Claire (Thanks to Delacourte Books for Young Readers)

When plain and unpopular Annie Nutters gets zapped by one of her dad's whacked-out inventions, she lands in a parallel universe where her life becomes picture-perfect. Now she's Ayla Monroe, daughter of the same mother but a different father - and she's the gorgeous, rich queen bee of her high school.

In this universe, Ayla lives in glitzy Miami instead of dreary Pittsburgh and has beaucoup bucks, courtesy of her billioniare - if usually absent - father. Her friends hit the clubs, party backstage at concerts, and take risks that are exhilirating...and illegal. Here she's got a date to lose her V-card with the hottest guy she's ever seen.

But on the inside, Ayla is still Annie.

So when she's offered the chance to leave the dream life and head home to Pittsburgh, will she take it?

The choice isn't as simple as you think.

Rivals (The Ivy, #3) by Lauren Kunze and Rina Onur (Thanks to Greenwillow Books)

Decisions, decisions...

You've survived your first semester and captured the interest of not one but two of the hottest guys on campus.

Now who are you going to choose?

Callie Andrews returns for her second semester at Harvard determined to do better than the previous fall, where those Bs on her report card seemed pretty good compared to the sate of her extracurriculars (F, as in if at first you don't succeed, you should probably stop trying,) friendships (C-minus, since she and formed BFF Vanessa are still on thin ice), and love life (D, as in don't even go there). But various campus rivalries soon threathen to thwart Callie's resolve. Will Callie ever be a match for -

Grace Lee
the take-no-prisoners managing editor

Alessandra
the gorgeous transfer student

Clint
the guy who might just be too perfect

and Gregory
the guy who may never be perfect enough.

Callie will face some of the toughest choices imaginable: in friendships, in loyalties, and in love. The pressure to pick a side - and a suitor - has never been higher. But will she and her friends choose well?

New Finds (5)

Rather than a countdown post today I decided to go with another addition of new finds. There are always going to be fabulous books that are slated to come out in the future, but as I'm sure I'm not alone, readers are also always going to miss books as they come out because they're either too overloaded with other books on their TBR lists, or just overloaded with life in general.

So regardless of the reason, you're not alone and I'm going ot do my part to make sure these great reads aren't missed just because life keeps readers too busy to catch every detail. So whenever I come across titles that I've somehow missed the release date of, I make a note and get excited about them all over again. Sometimes it's even better than counting down to a title that will be released in the next year or so because when I get worked up over these titles I can go right to the store to pick up my own copy or download one to my kindle. No waiting or pining for the book to hit the shelves.

New Find #1: Wings of the Wicked (Angelfire, #2) by Courtney Allison Moulton (1/31/2012)

Life as the Preliateor is harder than Ellie ever imagined. Balancing real life with the responsibility of being Heaven's warrior is a challenge for Ellie. Her relationship with Will has become all business, though they both long for each other. And no that the secret of who she really is has come out, so have Hell's strongest reapers. Grown bold and more vicious, the demonic threaten her in the light of day and stalk her in the night.

She's been warned. Cadan, a demonic reaper, comes to her with information about Bastian's new plan to destroy Ellie's soul and use an ancient relic to wake all the souls of the damned and unleash them upon humanity. As she fights to stay ahead of Bastian's schemes, the revelations about those closest to her awaken a dark power within Ellie that threatens to destroy everything - including herself.

She'll be betrayed. Treachery comes even from those whom she loves, and Ellie is broken by the deaths of those who stood beside her in this Heavenly war. Still, she must find a way to save the world, herself, and her love for Will. If she fails, there will be hell to pay.

Oh lord. I am not liking the sound of this synopsis. After the ending and cliffhanger that Moulton left her readers with in her series opener, Angelfire I was hoping that Ellie and Will would at least get a little reprieve in the beginning of book two. But to be honest, that sounds like there's no way that scenario is going to work out. Ellie's obstacles sound like they've doubled if not more, and with her and Will pining for each other and struggle to stay professional, I'm thinking she doesn't need any added stress....like say a possible apocalypse right? If this sequel caught your interest, don't forget to enter the Goodreads giveaway hosted by Harper Teen that ends February 7th.

New Find #2: The Smart One and the Pretty One by Claire LeZebnik (09/10/2008)

When Ava Nickerson was a child, her mother jokingly betrothed her to a friend's son, and the contract the parents made has stayed safely buried for years. Now that still-single Ava is closing in on thirty, no one even remembers she was once "engaged" to the Markowitz boy. But when their mother is diagnosed with cancer, Ava's prodigal little sister Lauren comes home to Los Angeles where she stumbles across the decades-old document.

Frustrated and embarrassed by Ava's constant lectures about financial responsibility (all because she's in a little debt. Okay, a lot of debt), Lauren decides to do some sisterly interfering of her own and tracks down her sister's childhood fiance. When she finds him, the highly inappropriate, twice-divorced, but incredibly charming Russell Markowitz is all too happy to re-enter the Nickerson sisters' lives, and always-accountable Ava is forced to consider just how binding a contract really is...

While this might not be considered a young adult novel, I couldn't resist adding it to my new finds list. LaZebnik caught my attention and won my heart with her retelling of Austen's Pride and Prejudice, Epic Fail, and ever since I've been anxious for her to release a new young adult novel. Since that hasn't happened yet, I thought I would check out her previous works and see what I'd find. Well, this one might be a little off the YA mark, but it sure sounds like a winner to me. So I've marked this one on my list and I plan on hitting the store with this title in mind as soon as possible.

New Find #3: The Shattering by Karen Healey (09/05/2011)

Seventeen-year-old Keri likes to plan for every possibility. She knows what to do if you break an arm, or get caught in an earthquake or fire. But she wasn't prepared for her brother's suicide, and his death has left her shattered with grief. When her childhood friend Janna tells her it was murder, not suicide, Keri wants to believe her. After all, Janna's brother died under similar circumstances years ago, and Janna insists a visiting tourist, Sione, who also lost a brother to apparent suicide that year, has helped her find some answers. As the three dig deeper, disturbing facts begin to pile up: one boy killed every year; all older brothers; all spent New Year's Even in the idyllic town of Summerton. But when their search for the serial killer takes an unexpected turn, suspicion is cast on those they trust the most. As secrets shatter around them, can they save the next victim? Or will they become victims themselves?

After reading Healey's debut YA novel, Guardian of the Dead, I was looking forward to future works from her and somehow seems to miss this one when it came out a few months back. While this title doesn't seem to have much in common with her debut title, there's still that element of a mystery and the suspense that inevitably follows close behind. Healey managed to spin her folklore in a way no history teacher ever did for me in college, she had me excited, anxious to learn more, and crossing my fingers that I'd be able to solve the mystery before it was actually revealed to readers. So if her style stays on the same path, I'm thinking this mystery could be one I'd enjoy.

New Find #4: Supernaturally (Paranormalcy, #2) by Kiersten White (07/26/2011)

Evie finally has the normal life she's always longed for. But she's shocked to discover that being ordinary can be...kind of boring. Just when Evie starts to long for her days at the International Paranormal Containment Agency, she's given a chance to work for them again. Desperate for a break from all the normalcy, she agrees.

But as one disastrous mission leads to another, Evie starts to wonder if she made the right choice. And when Evie's faerie ex-boyfriend Reth appears with devastating revelations about her past, she discovers that there's a battle brewing between the faerie courts that could throw the whole supernatural world into chaos. The prize in question? Evie herself.

So much for normal.

I really enjoyed all the fun adventures White had offered up in her first Paranormalcy series installment, and I've been looking forward to seeing what else this series has to offer. Once again I'm not sure who I missed out on this summer release date but either way I plan to make up for that by getting my hands on this sequel very quickly. Evie was a fun character to follow and all the different creatures and obstacles White threw her way made for an interesting and addicting read. Hopefully this installment turns out to be no different.

New Find #5: Dark Descendant (Nikki Glass, #1) by Jenna Black (04/26/2011)

From the acclaimed author of the Morgan Kinglsey, Exorcist books comes the gripping first novel in a new series about a private eye who discovers, to her surprise, that she's an immortal huntress.

Nikki Glass can track down any man. But when her latest client turns out to be a true descendant of Hades, Nikki now discovers she can't die...

Crazy as it sounds, Nikki's manhunting skills are literally god-given. She's a living, breathing descendant of Artemis who has stepped right into a trap set by the children of the gods. Nikki's new "friends" include a descendant of Eros, who uses sex as a weapon; a descendant of Loki, whose tricks are no laughing matter; and a half-mad descendant of Kali who thinks she's a spy.

But most powerful of all are the Olympians, a rival clan of immortals seeking to destroy all Descendants who refuse to bow down to them. In the eternal batter of good god/bad god, Nikki would make a divine weapon. But if they think she'll surrender without a fight, the gods must be crazy...

Yet another author that I can't get enough of. Jenna Black made me a fan with her Faeriewalker series and I was very sad to see it end. Don't get me wrong, her series ending was fantastic but I just wasn't quite ready to say goodbye for good to all those characters she had created and I had come to love. But while I still miss that series, I'm shocked that I hadn't heard about this one until after it's release date. I'm very far behind on keeping track with some of my favorite authors, but now that I'm trying to correct my errors, I've marked this one down and definitely don't want to miss out. While her world of fae was wonderful, I'm sure her world containing Olympians and their descendants will be just as good, if not better.