Indie Books

2 Comments Posted on 5-Hearts, Book Review, Indie Books, YA - Coming of Age, YA Bullying, YA-Romance

Book Review: Dead Girl – Tessa Marie

Title: Dead Girl
Author: Tessa Marie
Genre: YA – Coming of Age, Bullying, Romance

Buy Link:

Blurb:  If her mother wasn’t watching, Kylie Presby would punch Queen Bee, Natalie Silvers, in the face -again. But as Kylie wipes her tears away with the layers of toilet paper encasing her car, she knows she can’t retaliate like she did last time. Her dead mother wouldn’t approve. Kylie no longer cares about popularity. Invisible would work just fine.

Then the new kid, Braydon, mysterious, good looking and too clever for his own good, shows up and sacrifices his social status, becoming Kylie’s shield from the front line assault. After enough chocolate ice cream and movies it’s as if they’re best friends. Crazy, since Kylie knows so little about him.

As Natalie continues her relentless attacks on Kylie another person deals with his own line of bullies. Jack Stine was popular until his deepest secret was revealed and his friends abandoned him. Kylie and Jack bond over their tormentors and form an unbreakable friendship.

Three lost souls each with a story that binds them together, but will it be enough when the bullying goes too far and secrets are revealed?

My Review:
I’m on a roll here.  It is completely unintentional that I keep picking up these books that have to do with school bullying, self-esteem issues and the like.  Maybe I should start paying more attention to blurbs, but when we’re talking about already loved and trusted authors – I rarely find the need to do so.

What I Loved:  I will never get tired of authors writing about things that matter.  I’ve already said it, but books speak volumes, and change lives.  If only we could get the books that matter into the hands of as many people as possible.  I love sparkly vampires as much as the next person, but I also love books that compel me to be a better person, to love others more and to not give in to mainstream.  And that is what Tessa Marie does in Dead Girl.

I really liked the fact that Kylie is not a flawless person.  She makes mistakes, and there were times I wasn’t very found of her as a person.  Every character in this book had lessons to learn and character development, and at some point, they all said or did things that made me think, ‘what the heck, man?’  But I felt like this contributed to the story and made it more realistic.

If I am completely honest, I feel like this is the best book (that I’ve read) by Tessa Marie to date.  I was engrossed from the start and I had to know what happened to Kylie, Braydon, and Jack.  I was intrigued by their secrets.

Not So Much:  I really would have liked to have seen some additional consequences for the biggest culprits of bullying.  I know that there are some ‘natural consequences’ at play, but gosh – expulsion from school or something.  Or I might have been happier if the school started a campaign or something proactively against bullying.

The Verdict:          

Even if I did want more at the end, I do feel like this story was perfectly executed.  I loved it!  I look forward to whatever is next from Tessa!  This is another book perfect for younger and older teenagers.

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3 Comments Posted on 5-Hearts, Book Review, Indie Books, YA-Romance

Book Review: Get Lucky – A YA Anthology

Title: Get Lucky
Authors: Ali Dean, Kristen Kehoe, Cassie Mae, Tessa Marie, Kelly Oram, Ginger Scott
Genre: Young Adult – Romance

Buy Link: http://amzn.com/B01D0XY1OO

Blurb (From Goodreads):
A YA anthology featuring some of today’s hottest Young Adult authors!

Doubles Love by Ali Dean – Mackenzie Bell loves two things: tennis and the Kendrick family. She doesn’t want to be anything like her mother, who hops from one husband to the next. It’s one of many reasons why she’s never dated. The other reason? She’s in love with her best friend’s older brother, Jesse Kendrick.

She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not by Kristen Kehoe – Kennedy Russo has had it rough. She’s become a pro at being invisible. But when she’s paired up for a 5 week assignment with golden boy, Gage, she starts to realize that anonymity may not always be the best option. Gage is on a mission to make her his friend, but will their tentative friendship bloom into something more?

Stroke of Luck by Cassie Mae – Jensen is well on his way to the PGA, if only he could focus. Getting stuck with his best friend as co-counselor at the golf camp will help—Penny’s always been one to push him. But when their alone time turns romantic, Jensen wonders if she’ll just be another distraction.

Someone I Used to Know by Tessa Marie – Charlotte was not looking forward to Spring Break. No technology and a boy she can’t stand. But when she realizes the boy is actually a hot guy now, and wants to hang out with her (!) she cant help but think this break may turn into something pretty awesome. But, is he harboring a secret that will challenge their budding relationship?

16 Kisses by Kelly Oram- All Cassie Caldwell wants for her sixteenth birthday is to finally be kissed. When Cassie’s older brother and his best friend—the lovable, sexy cowboy, Jared—discover her secret, Jared takes it upon himself to make sure her birthday wish comes true.

Four Letter Words by Ginger Scott – Dakota Wright has been making Jace Padgett look good for years…and she’s tired of it. What started as a favor has turned into a habit—one that she’s justified in her mind because Jace also happens to be six feet of gorgeous hunky quarterback, green eyes and a smile that can swing a girl to the moon. But the last favor she did for him may have finally tipped the scales, and Dakota’s ready to call it quits. One small hiccup—her heart can’t seem to let her. And when Jace starts to share pieces of the real him, Dakota begins to think her heart might just be smarter than her head after all.

My Review:
So, here’s a secret: I have never read an anthology. Can you believe it? My best friend is even in one (and I’ve read her story). My reasoning is simple; I like the whole story, not a snippit. I’m not a huge fan of novellas either, though I have actually read a few of them. Anyhow – some of my favorites were a part of this particular anthology, so I had to at least give it a fighting chance…

What I Loved: What I loved the most was the silly smile on my face at the end of each story. I’m a big sucker for HEA’s and sweet romance stories, therefore this book was right up my alley in all the right ways. “Lucky” was the common theme of the book – thus the title and the St. Patrick’s release day, so it was interesting to see how each of the 6 authors utilized the theme. Another semi-theme I noticed in the first 3 stories: each of the male characters in had a “goal” to make or at least was enamored with their leading ladies laughing. I just thought it was a funny happenstance.

So I was surprised by how satisfied I was with the short stories. Like I said, I want a whole book worth, not really a small taste. However, these shorts were perfect for the kind of week I was having when I started the book. It was nice to not feel like I had stopped in the middle of something – and I could actually put the book down for a day while my-crazy-life proceeded on. Twice, though, I was up until early AM hours finishing up a story. I LOVE when authors do that to me. I also hate it, because I pay for it the next day!

Not So Much: Alright you authors, please no jealousy for not getting specifically mentioned..had I divided this review up by story it would be a very long blog post that most people wouldn’t read due to length. BUT I have to say that Four Letter Words by Ginger Scott: I LOVED this more than you could know, I want the book. The WHOLE book. I think the main reason is because of Jace’s learning disability, and his home life – I wanted so much more than was given in back-story in moving forward, in overcoming. This needed an entire book, and I’m actually really sad it was just a short! Seriously.

The Verdict:        

First, I am wrong not to give anthologies more of a shot. Not only did I get 3 wonderful shorts from 3 of my favorite authors…but I also found 3 more that I MUST check out. Yes, I’m going to be stalking them and figuring out what they’ve already published and getting my hands on some new material…soonish. I’m not supposed to be buying anything new this year! Second, this anthology is perfect for YA lovers, Romance lovers, people who like sweet stories, happy endings, and goofy grins. Honestly, it would be a perfect vacation, or beach read. Get it! The whole book is clean, perfect for younger and older teens.
5 Comments Posted on 5-Hearts, Book Review, Indie Books, YA - Coming of Age, YA Bullying, YA Self Image, YA-Romance

Book Review: You Can’t Catch Me – Becca Ann

Title: You Can’t Catch Me
Author: Cassie Mae writing as Becca Ann
Genre: YA – Romance, Coming of Age, Self Image, Bullying

Buy Link:  http://amzn.com/B01C0SEWDA

Blurb (From Goodreads):
My body suuuucks. After lounging around on my butt all summer (okay, so maybe that was my bad), this body decided to become something completely foreign. So now I’m trying to make the track team and I feel like I’m a baby learning to walk again.

A couple pounds wouldn’t have been so bad. Work those off, run like a mad woman, no problem, yeah? But no. I’ve also developed a couple of things that I definitely didn’t have before. And now my guy friends are all sitting in a pool of drool as they not-so-subtly stare at my chest.

Combine all that drama with the fact that the new track coach is getting major flack for being a little chunky, and all I’m trying to do is convince the team that I’m not running slower because of her coaching style.

Oh, and did I mention that I’m totally falling face-first in “like” with some guy I met in a cemetery? And no one understands it just because he’s also a little chunky. But he’s also adorable and wonderfully weird and I don’t care what they say, his look sure does it for me.

But… I don’t know… how can I be in “like” with someone, when I have no clue how to like myself anymore?


My Review:
Cassie Mae (Becca Ann) is on my exceptions list for 2016, so naturally I couldn’t wait for You Can’t Catch me to be released.  I even pre-bought the book, but then was also given a ARC copy for review!  Part of the excitement I felt for this book was Cassie’s own excitement for it’s release.  Obviously, she’s excited about all of her releases, but the purpose behind this book, I think, made it just a bit more exciting, or at least that was my perception.

What I Loved:  A theme that seems to be reoccurring in the books that I’m reading this year is that they seem to have a bit to do with self image and bullying.  It’s not purposeful, but it just seems to be happening, and honestly I love it, because it means authors are starting to write about these things a bit more. I am one of those people who can be ‘spoken to’ via books, they become so real to me and there are times when the message shatters me as much as my own life experiences do.  That is why I love this growing trend, and hope that it continues and we see more and more books dealing with the hard things in life and that empower our youth and even adults to take action, or make a change.

I always love Cassie’s writing.  She is a pro at writing characters that I want to know in real life.  I especially loved both Ginger and Oliver because of their awkwardness.  The rambling while nervous, and goofiness of these characters is so perfect.  Ginger is so positive, even though this book deals with her own self-image issues, even in all of that she is positive.  She sees good in people that others can’t see.  She is an inspiration to be a better person.  She’s also real; there is nothing more real than someone who has trouble accepting things about themselves – even if they can easily accept those same traits in someone else without a second thought.  Ginger did what I did as a teenager, and probably most teenagers still do; she looked at others and wondered if they are going through the same things, if they are having the same self conscious thoughts.  (To any teenager who happens by this review – yes.  They are.  Yes.  They do.  If there’s anything I’ve learned as an adult, it’s that no matter how alone you feel in your skin – it’s so very likely that someone close to you is struggling with the same things.  Maybe not in the same exact way since we are all different, but they are.  I promise!)
Oliver, I could picture Oliver immediately from his dark hair to his freckles and tall robust build.  He was a bit self-deprecating and a Momma’s boy – and I loved him.  He was sweet and, yes, awkward.  But I loved his role in this book, and that was to provide Ginger with a place where she felt like herself, and not judged by her body or her abilities, or the expectations she felt she had to live up to.  
Not So Much:  Ginger had some friends, specifically boy friends, who took notice of the physical changes in her and reacted like…boys.  In the end, I kind of would have liked to have seen them realize how their behavior might have hurt Ginger.  I think it was eluded to, but maybe it just wasn’t as fleshed out as much as I would have liked.
The Verdict:         
Yet another book I implore you to get into the hands of all the teenagers around you.  I feel like this message on self image, and learning to love yourself for who you are is beautifully done.  The story is not bogged down with too much sadness, but there are parts that make you really hurt for the characters in this book, not just Ginger.  Mostly though you’ll be smiling and giggling at the antics and rooting for Ginger to win this race.  You Can’t Catch Me is a clean book – and appropriate for younger teens as well as older.
2 Comments Posted on 5-Hearts, Book Review, Indie Books, YA - Coming of Age, YA-Romance

Book Review: Sell Out – Tammy L. Gray

Title: Sell Out
Author: Tammy L. Gray
Genre: Young Adult – Romance, Coming of Age

Buy Link:  http://amzn.com/B015UZVJPE

Blurb (From Goodreads):
Like many elite private schools, Madison High has a legacy steeped in traditions, none of which revolve around learning. Survival is simple: keep your head down, don’t say a word, and never question school royalty.

Cody James, a former victim of Madison’s vicious brand of hazing, wants nothing more than to graduate without breaking the unspoken rules that could land him back in social exile. Cody has breached the elusive inner circle, and he has no intention of losing his hard-earned security. But a beautiful new student shakes up his plan to coast by and causes him question his role as sidekick to the king of the school.

As the only daughter of rock legend Donnie Wyld, Skylar has been homeschooled her entire life. Now she wants normal, and she hopes that Madison High will offer her an escape from her father’s deteriorating health. She never intended on catching the eye of the school’s self-elected king or falling for his confusing best friend. But one look at Cody James, and she is drawn in by his guarded vulnerability.

When an average Friday night party turns into a nightmare, Cody is forced to make a decision—fight or follow. But standing up for the bullied and broken means facing a past he’s long buried and risking the future he’s worked so hard to achieve.

My Review:
So I’ve had Sell Out for a while, but unfortunately Tammy L Gray books are ones I sort of avoid…not because they are bad, not even a tiny, little bit. Because they are so heart wrenching, and compelling. They inspire me, and make me want to take action, or they convict and call me to repentance. These aren’t bad things. These are very, very good things. I feel they are also kind of her purpose. But it doesn’t mean that they are always easy books to read.

What I Loved: I want to take this book and put it into the hands of every single teenager and force them to read it. If not this one, then one like it. Sell Out tackles the growing issue present in schools – bullying. As a parent of three pre-teens who attend public school, it’s a topic I discuss semi-frequently and it’s one very, very close to my heart.

I feel like Mrs. Gray really took this story and wove it to make it so real and believable, and still spoke a message to the readers. The message being – take action. Do not let it continue. I cannot get behind this stance enough. If we allow people to be bullies, if we allow people to be bullied, it will do nothing but grow out of control. But the issue aside, the story itself was beautiful. I so enjoyed watching Cody grow as an individual, I felt his struggles and understood his reactions. I loved Skylar, and, gosh, she was written to be such a wonderful, down to earth individual, especially for being a rock-star’s daughter.

Not So Much: I cried in my soup at lunch. I’m not kidding.

So yes, the book was heart wrenching. And sad in all the appropriate places. But it was necessary for the story.

The Verdict:        

I highly, highly, HIGHLY recommend this book. Give it to your teenagers. I would only hope it would instill some hope, and empower people to talk. It might not work – but who knows…it just might.
3 Comments Posted on 4-Hearts, Adult Horror, Adult Paranormal, Adult Satire, Book Review, Indie Books

Book Review: Squirrel Bait – Chip Davis

Title: Squirrel Bait
Author: Chip Davis
Genre: Adult: Horror, Paranormal, Satire

Buy Link:  http://amzn.com/B01C2TQ0BE

Blurb (from Goodreads):
Tonya the librarian has an unusual passion for books, even for a librarian. When her books are harmed she takes it personally. When people turn up dead over damaged books, there are questions to answer. When the killer is a weresquirrel, the questions become more confusing.

There is a certain pretentiousness in classical literature. Elegant writing filled with meaning both astounding and sublime. This is not that. Not horrific enough to be horror, nor humorous enough to be comedy, welcome to Chip’s Dollar Dreadfuls. There may not be any fundamental truths, but there will be blood…so much blood.

My Review:
What happens when you let Chip Davis loose on a paranormal/horror/satire piece of work? Weresquirrels. Yes, you read that right, weresquirrels. And it’s just as silly as it sounds.

I read Chip’s previous book, Trail of the Raven: Haiti, and it was written not only for a younger audience, but with a much more serious and educational purpose.  This little novella proves that Chip is perfectly capable of creating a good read, no matter the subject matter.

What I Loved: The mere silliness of this book is enough to list here. I swear this book was so bad it was good. And I’m not talking about the writing, story line or characters. But really people, this book is tongue in cheek satire at it’s greatest. It is the first of what I hope are many to come Dollar Dreadfuls from Chip Davis. They are strictly for entertainment, not really meant to be taken seriously as stories, but yet they seem to be somewhat modeled after some paranormal romance novels that are popular today. It’s a book parody, though there is a good story line to follow along with as well!

I so enjoyed ‘seeing’ all my internet buddies make their appearance in the novel, some of the dying horrific bloody deaths. And I laughed. Oh I’m such a bad, bad person!

Not so Much: There was a lot of blood, and detailed descriptive murder. While it’s not meant to be a scary book by any stretch, I still had to just read words without using my imagination. I’m weak like that. Don’t judge!

The Verdict:      

This is a novella, and it’s meant for adults..not that it’s unclean, but there are a couple adult moments, add that with the blood and killing and…yup, it’s for adults. Great if you’re looking for a quick read that will remind you of an 80’s B horror flick.
2 Comments Posted on 4-Hearts, Book Review, Indie Books, YA - Coming of Age, YA-Romance

Book Review: Friday Night Alibi – Cassie Mae

Title: Friday Night Alibi
Author: Cassie Mae
Genre: YA – Romance

Buy Link: http://amzn.com/B00C4BA6A2

Blurb (From Goodreads):
In the wealthy town of Sundale, Kelli Pinkins has hatched the perfect plan to capitalize on her sweet reputation. For a generous fee, she will be every trust-fund baby’s dream: a Friday-night alibi, the “girlfriend” or “BFF” that parents dream about. With college approaching in the fall, Kelli’s services are in demand more than ever, which means that her social life is nonexistent. But Kelli is A-okay with that. She’s raking in cash for school. Besides, relationships are tricky, and sometimes very messy. She’d rather be at home on Xbox LIVE, anyway. Then the unexpected happens: She meets college stud Chase Maroney.

Chase isn’t like the preppy, privileged guys Kelli usually meets in Sundale. For starters, he’s twentysomething, always wears black., and he shoots back one-liners as fast as she can dish them out. But Kelli’s attempts to drive Chase away falter when she realizes that he treats her like he really knows her, like hecares about knowing her. When Kelli finally gives in to the delicious kiss she’s been fighting for so long, she faces a tough decision: make Chase a real-life boyfriend and risk her heart . . . or keep her clients and lose her first true love.

My Review:
I won Friday Night Alibi in a Days of Christmas giveaway, it is one of the two Cassie Mae books I didn’t already own at the time. As always, Cassie does not disappoint in giving me a great story to smile and laugh at. Her characters always feel like real people who you know or want to know in real life.

What I Loved: The ‘foreplay’ of this book was the greatest, the bickering, jabs and pranks made for amusing relationship development. Then once things got heated up between Kelli and Chase, well it never cooled off. I also enjoyed the friendship between Kelli and Sadie, and how Sadie wasn’t afraid to tell Kelli the truth. She just told her what she thought and waited for Kelli to accept it.

As far as the story-line goes, I liked the bit of resolution between Kelli and her father. The entire book made me feel like punching a lot of people in the throat, but this relationship evolution made me want to cry happy for Kel.

Not So Much: This book is becoming difficult to review, mostly because of this section right here. What I’m going to list in ‘not so much’ are the exact things we weren’t suppose to like about Kelli’s life. I hated how people treated her, and that she had to find something like becoming an alibi for the rich and spineless in order to feel needed. I hated that. I found myself scowling at this book a lot, mostly because of something Kel’s mom said, or how people treated her like a thing rather than a person. The part that’s hard is – typically this section is more about what didn’t work in a book for me…and this did work for the book, although I do wish that there was more relationship resolution between Kel and some of the other characters – i.e. her mother, who I ended up just feeling like she was a classless person who never really wanted Kelli to begin with, in the end. It’s hard for me to feel that way about a mother.

I do wish we could have heard more of Chase’s side of the story. He had a lot of grief he was working through in this book, and while we find out what and why that is, I feel like it was just kind of a story to add to the story. I know that would be difficult to do since this was first person from Kelli’s perspective, I just kind of wanted a bit more!

The Verdict:       

This is a great quick read! Perfect for a long weekend in, or a light fun read while on vacation! This was a mostly clean book, like in all of Cassie’s books, she doesn’t hold back on talk of body parts or sex – but there is nothing graphic or really inappropriate for YA readers.

****************************************************************************
Since I’m on the Cassie Mae kick, I also want to take a moment to make you aware of her new book that is dangerously close to being published…

***Cover Reveal from Cassie Mae, Author!***

Cover by: Makeready Designs
Editing and Formatting services by: CookieLynn Publishing Services
Blurb: My body suuuucks. After lounging around on my butt all summer (okay, so maybe that was my bad), this body decided to become something completely foreign. So now I’m trying to make the track team and I feel like I’m a baby learning to walk again.
A couple pounds wouldn’t have been so bad. Work those off, run like a mad woman, no problem, yeah? But no. I’ve also developed a couple of things that I definitely didn’t have before. And now my guy friends are all sitting in a pool of drool as they not-so-subtly stare at my chest.
Combine all that drama with the fact that the new track coach is getting major flack for being a little chunky, and all I’m trying to do is convince the team that I’m not running slower because of her coaching style.
Oh, and did I mention that I’m totally falling face-first in “like” with some guy I met in a cemetery? And no one understands it just because he’s also a little chunky. But he’s also adorable and wonderfully weird and I don’t care what they say, his look sure does it for me.
But… I don’t know… how can I be in “like” with someone, when I have no clue how to like myself anymore?
Preorder at a discounted price!
3 Comments Posted on 5-Hearts, Book Review, Indie Books

Book Review: The Five Stages of Falling in Love – Rachel Higginson

Title: The Five Stages of Falling in Love
Author: Rachel Higginson
Genre:  Adult Romance
Publisher:  Indie Book

Blurb (from Goodreads): 
Elizabeth Carlson is living in the pits of hell- also known as grief.

Her husband of eight years, the father of her four children and the love of her life, died from cancer. Grady’s prognosis was grim, even from the start, but Liz never gave up hope he would survive. How could she, when he was everything to her?

Six months later, she is trying to pick up the pieces of her shattered life and get the kids to school on time. Both seem impossible. Everything seems impossible these days.

When Ben Tyler moves in next door, she is drowning in sorrow and pain, her children are acting out, and the house is falling apart. She has no time for curious new friends or unwanted help, but Ben gives her both. And he doesn’t just want to help her with yard work or cleaning the gutters. Ben wants more from Liz. More than she’s capable of ever giving again.

As Liz mourns her dead husband and works her way through the five stages of grief, she finds there’s more of her heart to give than she thought possible. And as new love takes hold, she peels away the guilt and heartache, and discovers there’s more to life than death.

My Review:
The fact that I own this book is a true testament of the power of social media to convince us to purchase a book.  This is one of those books that popped up in my news feed over and over again with people raving about it’s greatness.  I saw the cover enough that I became intrigued more and more, despite it’s topic matter.
Here’s the thing, people.  I don’t do a lot of “real life” in my books.  Oh, I love books about love and life and I absolutely love a good “coming of age” teenage book where the protagonist must learn to live with the cards they are dealt.  But I have very adamantly steered clear of The Fault in their Stars because John Green has ripped my heart out before.  I won’t read anything by Nicholas Sparks until I can get confirmation that the book isn’t going to make me cry my eyes out.  I have to deal with the tears of real life, so I don’t really seek them out in book life.
I acknowledge that these are sometimes the most excellent of books usually.  I mean, I innocently grabbed up a Jodi Picoult book a while back, and she is an extremely talented author.  All the way up until she tore the skin from my body in grief.  I just don’t seek these books out on purpose.

What I Loved:
This is hard.  Too hard.  This book was very good of walking us through all of the stages of Liz’s emotions, while at the same time I hated it.  Rachel Higginson is an excellent writer.  I swear to you, she has taken my relationship with my husband and almost our origins and put them on paper…then wrote the scenario I hope never, ever happens.  Or at least waits until we are both 90 years old.  Do you know how hard it was to read about Liz’s adoration for Grady, how she has eyes only for him..the feel of his arms around her and the fact that she falls in love with him more every day, year – then her reality.  This book made me cry.
But I love the healing, the hope of this book.  I loved Liz’s children, and seeing them all work through this grief process together.  I LOVED Ben, and his patience.  Gosh, Liz’s interactions with her mother-in-law. It was all on point, true to what would it would probably it would look like for me, and made such a great story.
Not So Much:
This.Book.Made.Me.Cry!
I think I was too engrossed in the story to really come up with any constructive criticism.  This is, again, another fairly linear book – no a lot of action, or no sharp climax.  Just a pretty gradual line to reach the end of the book…however, in this kind of book I’m not sure I would like a lot of drama/action.  I’m not sure I could make it.
The Verdict:        
I’ll tell you the truth, if this book were to be a movie, I probably won’t watch it.  And I’m sorry to say this, Ms. Rachel Higginson, but I probably won’t willingly re-read this book either.  But don’t let that be a hindrance to anyone.  This book is excellently written, and worth the tears to get to the end.  This book is an adult book and deals with adult situations.  There is an emotionally based sex scene – no graphic details.
Leave a comment Posted on 4-Hearts, Book Blitz, Book Review, Indie Books, YA Fantasy, YA-Romance

Book Review: The Reapers/Flirting With Death by Ali Winters – Release Party

Author: Ali Winters
Title: The Reapers
Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal
Release date: May 31 2015 (re-release: Nov 02 2015)

Blurb:
The balance of life and death must be kept at all costs.
Having been a reaper as long as she can remember, Nivian knows that what she does is essential in maintaining balance. After being assigned to a rushed mark she finds that there is more to this human than any other she has encountered.
Kain had been living an ordinary life without a second thought until he meets Nivian who turns his world upside down. He is thrust into a world of hunters and reapers. The keepers of life and death have been feuding for centuries over a reason no one can even remember.
With Kain having been marked for reaping, and Nivian being hunted, they forge a friendship and together must find the truth in order to keep balance in check. Wrong choices could destroy everything. As they journey they discover hidden histories, powers, and lies and truths that have been spun since the beginning of time. The consequence of failure, unimaginable.

Excerpt:
Nivian leaped over the edge of the bridge and landed with a soft tap on the surface of the water. She reached down, pulled the soul of the driver up by the collar of his shirt, and stood him up next to her on top of the water. She took the driver’s hand, palm up, in hers and waved her other hand over his. Pinching the air, she pulled and lifted up to expose his life thread. His wide eyes stared unblinking, hypnotized by the glowing string of light. Nivian reached behind her and grabbed the scythe strapped to her back, and swung. With a slow, deliberate movement, Nivian sliced the human’s life thread. The light formed into a ball and hovered between them. She pulled out a small pocket watch and guided the life energy down to the watch. It sunk into it and disappeared. She snapped the watch closed and returned it to her pocket. 
“You should know better than to drink and drive. You could’ve seriously hurt someone.”
He gaped at her, his mouth opened and closed like a fish.
“Yes, you really are dead,” she confirmed and gave him an apathetic look as she turned away.
“Are you … the devil?” he managed to sputter. 
“No, of course not. I am just the natural order of things,” she said, looking back over her shoulder. “Wait here. Your spirit counselor will be here soon to guide you to your afterlife. I have other jobs tonight.” She spun on her heel and walked away, as she pulled her hood back up over her head and vanished.

Buy links:
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ITunes: http://apple.co/1TtVip6
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My Review:
What I Loved: This is the first book I’ve read about Reapers (excluding On a Pale Horse, which I read in High School as part of a class, and is sort of in the same vein…great book btw!), though I know it’s not the only one out there, but first and foremost I loved being thrown into a world I never even thought to explore. Ali Winters has created a backdrop that is both interesting and easy to follow.

Her main character, Nivian, is very easy to like and while a little passive at times, she was also witty and smart. She was curious about the world that she didn’t actually belong to, and compassionate. She was exceptionally good at her job, but it wasn’t this ego chip resting on her shoulder. As her backstory begins to unfold in the book, her character becomes even more interesting.

The Reapers took a few left turns that kept me engaged with the story and wanting to know more. I’m a pretty big fan of the side characters making the story, and there were plenty of side-characters helping to create the shape of this book nicely. Camira and Silas were a couple of my favorites.

Not So Much: I kind of would have liked have seen a little bit more push pull play with the romantic interests in this book. I get that both Kane and Caspian are very much into Niv, however I feel that while she has feeling for both of the guys, it kind of just feels like physical attraction and surface deep so far. She is also played as innocent, but I kind of would think that given the way both of the guys act when they are around her – she would have some clue as to what is happening, and how she feels about it. I hope to see something with a little more foundation grow in the future.

I was also pretty surprised at Kane’s acceptance of the world he was thrown into. Perhaps it just didn’t seem like there was much “time” for him to accept the new reality, he kind of (metaphorically, not literally) shrugged and went with it. By the end he was even claiming loyalty ties. I think I probably would have been kicking and screaming and perhaps outright rejecting everything being thrown my way, despite evidence to the contrary. He didn’t even have a mild panic attack.


The Verdict: 
I believe fans of Paranormal/Fantasy will enjoy this book a lot. It’s YA, and appropriately labeled, as it is clean, with light romance that is on a constant simmer, however it is not the main purpose of this story. There are twist and turns that keep the reader engaged with the story.

Author: Ali Winters
Title: Flirting With Death
Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal
Release date: Nov 02 2015Blurb:
Being a reaper has its perks, but also its downsides.

While on an assignment, Evander is caught of guard by an unmarked human. Captivated, he is unable to tear himself away.

This is why reapers don’t associate with mortals.

Piper was ordinary, just a girl looking for love. And all she knows is that her current boyfriend isn’t it. An unfortunate incident and a series of remarkable events turn her world upside down. But what she finds is the last thing she ever expected—She finds herself falling for the least likely candidate.

Excerpt:  
“Stop. He is gone.” Evander said calmly. Why would she waste so much energy on someone who had no chance.
“Don’t tell her to stop,” Tony snapped.
Oh, right. That guy was still here. Where was a spirit counselor when you needed one? And at that moment, she showed up.
“Yeah, yeah, I know. Don’t tell me. I’m late, am I right?” She waved a hand in the air dismissively.
“I should have known it would be you, Cassandra. Please take him.”
“Don’t boss me around, you fancy assassin. I know how to do my job.” She bit out, then turned to her assignment. “Come on, life loser, this way.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you.” Tony backed up and stepped on his body, trying to slide back in. Evander’s gaze flicked upward, the difficult ones always tried to return to their bodies.

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About the author: 
Ali grew up in the Pacific North West. She attended Oregon State University for photography. After many adventures, she moved to Colorado, earned a second degree, and met and married her husband.
She currently lives in windy Wyoming with her husband and two dogs. When not writing, Ali is either, photographing, knitting, reading, dancing, or staying inside where it’s warm with a hot cup of coffee. She dreams of traveling the world someday soon.

Author links:
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2 Comments Posted on 5-Hearts, Book Blitz, Book Review, Indie Books, NA Fantasy, NA Romance

Book Blitz: The Touch (The Cotiere Chronicals Book 2) – Michelle Bolanger

Alexander Koch lives a life most men would kill for. As the sole heir to his family’s enormous wealth, he enjoys the finer things in life despite the crippling pain that increases with every passing day. Until he meets the one he’s intended for. The one whose slightest touch makes the pain vanish. But after a chance meeting at the first Gathering of their kind, the girl runs from him in terror. Now he’s willing to spend every last cent to find her.

Jessalyn Vogt escaped her father’s controlling ways and has settled into a simple life, caring for her horses and brewing coffee for her customers. Until Alexander Koch tracks her down. She wants nothing to do with his arrogance, his money, or the undeniable attraction drawing her to him. But she knows she is the only one who can relieve him of the horrible pain racking his body.

The Cotiere has been reunited, but that was the easy part. Greed and old traditions threaten to tear it apart again. Trust has been compromised and hidden agendas are destroying the fragile truce between parents and children. It’s in the hands of the new counsel to keep it together, even if it means some must be willing to lose everything.

Exerpt:

       Fighting to keep the echo of confusion out of her voice, she replied as coldly as she could. “I’ll have your pour over right up, Alex, but I have work to do.”
   

     Alexander stiffened, and she flinched harder this time, sure he would raise his voice. His expression grew puzzled. “If you don’t mind please, it’s Alexander, and I can wait until you have the time.” His tone never changed, but there was doubt in his face. He slid a fifty-dollar bill across the counter, his stance softening when she didn’t immediately take the offered money. “Keep the change, Jessi.”

     Frustrated by her body’s response to him, and angry at his ridiculous tip, she gritted her teeth. She swiped the bill off the counter, slapped it into the register, and slid his full change back. Hurt flickered on his face before she turned away and let her echo punctuate her frustration. “I can’t be bought.” Instead of the anger she expected, she was hit with his confusion. Her own doubt was followed by regret, but she reminded herself who he was. He’s just not used to anyone telling him no. He’ll get over it.

     Her eyes involuntarily rose to the mirror as she reached for a mug and pour over vessel. Peter was leaning against the far wall with his left foot planted beside the opposite knee. His arms were crossed while he watched them. Peter lifted his chin toward her as a satisfied quirk curled his lip. Unfolding his arms and kicking away from the wall, he took a seat across from Alexander at a table near the counter. Sitting together, they looked like two lions prepared to wait for their next meal. A cold shiver raked Jessi’s back at the thought.

My Review:
The Touch is Michelle’s 2nd book, and her writing has just gotten better! I knew from the moment I started hearing about Alexander and Jessi that I was going to love them, and I was 110% correct! This book brought so many goofy grins to my face, and then there were moments where I just had to put the book down and walk away because of the emotional roller coaster.

What I Loved: I’ve already mentioned that I knew I would love Alexandar and Jessi, but really I loved their individual personalities and how different they were. I really enjoyed their banter and emotional dance. The tension between the two was spot on, and leaves you either wanting to throw a bucket of ice on them or screaming “get on with it already.” Both of Alexander and Jessi have uneasy backgrounds, but at this point in their lives they are primed to be ready to move forward and move past their past…but how? Especially when the past wants to come back and bite them.

The back stories in The Touch really made this book interesting. We met Alexander in The Kiss, but to know more about where he comes from, and some of what he’s gone through within The Cotiere really helps to build the backbone of this book. Then you’ve got Jessi’s story, and together it’s all a bit of a mess.

Not So Much: There never seems to be enough book. There’s not really anything I can say here, honestly. I knew I was going to love Alexander and Jess!

The Verdict:
 I wish I could get more people to take a chance on Michelle’s books – they are awesome stories! I would consider these to be clean New Adult books, with a slight paranormal/fantasy aspect – and I highly recommend them.

Author Bio:

Michelle Bolanger has been an avid reader all her life. In 2014 and with the encouragement of her family and friends, she decided to take the leap and publish her own books. The Kiss is her first full length novel and the beginning of what is to be a four book series titled The Cotiere Chronicles. Michelle is also a talented vocalist and amateur photographer. She enjoys going on cruises, cheering for her favorite professional hockey team, and falling asleep to the sound of auto racing on TV. Michelle lives in Ohio with her husband and two dogs.
Website: http://www.michellebolanger.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michellebolangerauthor/
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/MBolangerAuthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbolangerauthor/

2 Comments Posted on 4-Hearts, Book Review, Indie Books, YA Animal Rights, YA Fantasy, YA Fiction

Book Review: Whisper of the Woods – D.G. Driver

Title: Whisper of the Woods (A Juniper Sawfeather Novel – Book 2)
Author: D.G. Driver

Synopsis (from Goodreads):
Juniper Sawfeather seems to have a talent for finding mythological creatures. Or maybe the creatures are finding her.

The mermaids she saved from the oil spill are long gone. There’s no evidence of them, and she’s been branded as a liar and a fake in the media and at school. Her environmental activist parents have moved on to a protest to save Old Growth trees from being chopped down. June isn’t particularly concerned with this cause until after falling asleep at the base of a giant tree she wakes to find herself 40 feet in the air on one of its branches!

From this point on she becomes obsessed with the tree, and it appears the tree is becoming obsessed with her too. Soon, she is trapped 170 feet above the ground, and the magical spirit that resides in the tree isn’t interested in letting her go free or allowing anyone else to save her. Is the tree spirit good or evil? Will Juniper’s feet ever touch the ground again?

My Review:
After reading Cry of the Sea, author D.G. Driver asked me if I might be interested in reading Whisper of the Woods as well. Juniper and her adventure was still in my head when she asked, so I decided to go for it, even though I’m slowing down on accepting review requests and pushing towards my #2016TBRChallenge. I’m glad that I accepted the request, and it’s going to be difficult to get through 2016 (if the book comes out) to wait read the last installment.

What I Loved: Whisper of the Woods really drawled me into its story, keeping me wondering what was going to happen next – especially the tree itself. ‘Why does it seem to talk only to Juniper, and what is it going to do next?’ were some of the questions I was asking myself while reading. I really enjoyed going on this journey with Juniper and learning more about the legend of the great tree, and it’s tie into the mermaids in Cry of the Sea, especially when I found out at the end that it was based around (I’m sure with creative licenses used at will) a true Indian legend. I was intrigued by the tree’s pull on Juniper from the beginning, how she became obsessed with it and knowing as much information about old trees as she possibly could.

I am also happy to know that while things don’t seem to be exactly great, Juniper’s relationship with her mother seems to be improving from where it left off in Cry of the Sea, and I feel like the third installment of this series will probably be a big one for the both of them.

Not So Much: I was confused by Juniper and Carter’s relationship in this book. Clearly they are in the midst of dating, however it felt like things weren’t going well over all. There was never any real good interactions between them to make it to the end of this book and everything be happy again.

I also felt like there were many times in the story where the tree was manipulating the feelings of Juniper and others who were near or touching it, however that didn’t seem to come up in conversation either. I just feel like things were taken at face value and accepted by the supporting characters: Juniper climbed up a tree, or is she stuck in the tree? There is something weird going on with the tree. Juniper never seems to make a real effort to explain it to anyone believing she wouldn’t be trusted anyway. Even at the end it was glossed over, yet everything is just…okay.

The Verdict:    
I enjoy stories that suck me in, even if after everything is done I still have questions. This book is clean and very YA appropriate, and I love that there are great messages of caring for the earth, and animals and others woven into to the foundation of this series.