Teaser Tuesdays: Steadfast

 

“Holy Christmas, what was that?”  Verlaine came up, already looking at the playback of the video on her phone.  “This town is getting even weirder.  Now we have possessed PTA mom wielding axes.”

~page 61

Steadfast (Spellcaster #2) by Claudia Gray

 

Nadia, Mateo, and Verlaine have saved Captive’s Sound from the dark Sorceress Elizabeth…or so they thought. Despite their best efforts, a crack opened and a new, greater evil seeped through. With Mateo as her Steadfast, Nadia’s magic is magnified and she is more powerful than ever. But there is still so much she doesn’t know about the craft, leaving her open and vulnerable to a darker magic…which has begun to call Nadia’s name.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read • Open to a random page • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Blog Tour: Blood Twist -Review

Fate Fixes (Erris Coven 1) by Bonnie Erina Wheeler

When Lexie Anderson’s mother suddenly announces she is marrying a Romanian immigrant, Lexie willingly leaves behind her busy life in Connecticut for her penance in “The Moose Capital of the World.” Small town living is strange enough, now Lexie must cope with her overbearing stepfamily monitoring her every move. They disappear into the woods at night and keep a strange secret locked in their shed. Her once calm mother is now having violent outbursts and Lexie’s little sister is hearing sinister sounds coming from the forest behind their new home. Lexie’s biggest surprise comes when she discovers the boy she has been dreaming about since her accident is living in Maine. Despite Torin’s questionable reputation, Lexie cannot resist the physical and emotional attraction pulsating between them. Animals and people in town are turning up dead and Lexie learns the strange new world she lives in has real life monsters. Just when she decides she wants to be with Torin forever, she must fight to protect her mother and sister from being harmed by a formidable evil.

Facebook  |  Amazon

Review

I really loved Lexie!  She’s definitely one of the best characters I’ve ever come across.  Despite the guilt she’s carrying, or maybe because of it, she’s willing to do everything she can for her mother’s happiness and also her sister’s.  However, she’s not letting the guilt override her life as she’s still out there making friends and trying to be happy.

What I really loved about this novel also is the premise of having dreamt your life partner before you meet him / her.  I get really excited anticipating the meeting of the two.  I really hated love triangle so I think this idea of having one definite life partner appeals to me. I find the whole mysticism of dreaming and linking and the supernatural history are very charming.

The other bit I really liked about this book is the little snippets into the mind of the villain.  The book is told primarily from the perspectives of Lexie and Torin interspersed with the villain’s perspective.  We are not told who the villain is (in fact, I just couldn’t guess who it was!) but it was just labelled as such so we know it’s the bad guy talking.

Blood Twist (Erris Coven 2) by Bonnie Erina Wheeler

From Bonnie Erina Wheeler, the author who brought you Fate Fixed, comes the second installment in the Erris Coven Series, Blood Twist.

Find out what happens to the Erris Coven when Lexie’s BFF Liz comes to town.

Braden Murphy knew he was going to die. There was a twist to his family secret – one that was forced upon him from the time he was a child. For years he envisioned his final days and tried to be strong enough to leave his family. Now that it was time, he was ready to make good on a deadly promise. Except for one unexpected glitch, a raven haired beauty insisted on joining him.

Liz Sanders thought her best friend’s stepfamily was weird, but she never would have guessed they were werewolves. Now Liz must travel with a secretive half-vampire in search of a lycanthropy cure. Landing in a nest full of blood thirsty vampires wasn’t on the agenda, but neither was falling in love.

Braden is tempting, but Liz’s feelings for him are complicated. She wishes he would open up about his past and give her a reason to trust him.

Just when Liz thinks she can let her guard down, she’s forced to confront the evil that has been stalking Braden’s past for years. Death is here and ready to destroy everything they’ve fought to save.

Facebook |  Amazon

Review

I’m always a bit concerned when reading a sequel written in someone else’s perspectives especially if I loved the MC from the first book.  Because… sometimes, I’d end up hating the MC from the first book.  I’m happy to say this didn’t happen here!  Liz didn’t feature much in Fate Fixed but she is Lexie’s BFF and you can really tell from both books that they have a very close relationship and it’s really the forever kind.   Liz is of very different nature to Lexie but I just love her spunkiness.  She always look like she’s got it altogether but inside, she’s vulnerable.

I liked what I read of Braden in Fate Fixed so was keen, of course, for his turn in the spot light.  The secret that he carried all these years is calling to him and he must leave before anyone gets hurt. Liz’s presence, though, is holding him back.  I loved that Braden is like a responsible bad boy (hhhmmm… what?! You say –I won’t say anymore cuz you’d just have to read it yourself)

The format of this book is like that of Fate Fixed, being told primarily from the perspectives of Liz and Braden interspersed with the villain’s perspective.  Reckon this type of format is a gem – I really loved it!  I loved being given the privilege of a peek into the villain’s mind and yet, still unable to guess who it really is!

About Author

Bonnie Erina Wheeler is a lifelong resident of New England and a University of Connecticut student.

Having grown up in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, Bonnie discovered her love of writing early on, but did not begin writing novels until May 2011. As the daughter of author, Glen William Ruane, storytelling and world building is a family affair. Bonnie’s daughter, Miranda E. L. Wheeler and son, Robert D. Wheeler, share in the family’s passion and have both published in the last twelve months.

When not in class or working on her next novel, Bonnie enjoys spending time with her husband, Jerry. Together the two have been writing their own special love story since marrying in April of 1995. Their children Miranda, Justin, and Bobby give them great joy. Their family is made complete with the addition of Petey, a Spanish water dog, they adopted from their local pound.

Bonnie’s plans for the future include writing more novels in the Erris Coven Series, as well as, writing several contemporary young adult novels that have been in development for some time.

My Blog  |  Goodreads  |  Facebook  |  Smashwords

Blog Tour: Mystery Falls -Author Interview & Review

Mystery Falls by Marilyn Phillips

Secrets. Lies. Deception. For the past six years, Samantha Hunt has lived with the belief that the untimely death of her parents was the result of an unfortunate accident—that by the cruel hand of fate, she had been left an orphan. But it was a lie, a terrible lie told to her by those who wanted to keep her in the dark.  And the truth… when revealed, will change her life and haunt her forever.

Suddenly plagued by a series of events which find her in danger and in need of a savior, Samantha is repeatedly rescued by the mysterious and elusive Shadow—a stranger who seems to know more about her past and the tragedy which befell her family, than she does. Drawn to him despite the antagonism she feels whenever in his presence, Samantha soon discovers that Shadow is not what he appears to be.  Determined to learn his true identity and why he has come to Mystery Falls, the small town in which she has spent all of her seventeen years, Samantha not only uncovers the secrets he refuses to share, but also the truth about her own past.  A truth which forces her to acknowledge that things are not always as they seem, and sometimes, not even those close to you can be trusted.

Resolved to seeking justice for the unwarranted death of her parents, Samantha embarks on
a journey which brings her perilously close to her own demise. Can Shadow use his angel powers to save her yet again, or this time, will he be too late.

Review (3 stars)

The mystery is what I really enjoyed in this novel.  Admittedly, it was a little slow at the beginning and it took a while before things came to a head however I don’t think the mystery is the ‘main’ attraction to this novel so the slowness was acceptable because of…

Shadow = Yum!  I love Shadow and I love the type of angel he is.  I have to confess of having been avoiding any ‘angelic’ paranormal type of books because I have a certain preconception of angels and am afraid that I would hate the book.  Whilst I don’t hate this book, I quite enjoyed reading the mystery & romance, I am such a stick in the mud that I was slightly disappointed with some of the angel business.  I’m not sure if any other readers will feel the same way as I really do think it’s just me and my preconception getting in the way of total enjoyment of this book.

The romance was quite sweet as Samantha’s faith in Shadow was really quite astounding. Shadow’s protective nature was really endearing but…

The love triangle – or what looks like a love triangle from the outside / the beginning.  I just didn’t particularly like this approach (well, you know me and my view of love triangles: **blearrgh**).  In addition, it all worked out way too easily.

Don’t expect too much sparks but it is a tingly sweet romance – recommended for a relaxing beachy read.

Author Interview

Quick Qs to warm up with –

White or Dark Chocolate? Dark Chocolate

White or Red Wine?  White Wine

Vegemite or Nutella? Nutella, I can’t go past anything with Chocolate.

Cats or Dogs?  Dogs.

Beach or Bush? This is difficult. I like both. It really depends on the mood I’m in.

I have to admit to curiosity, what did you teach?  And do you miss teaching?

I taught Maths, Science and Biology to High School students for thirteen years before becoming a mum and devoting my time to raising a family. Busy with being a wife, a mother and now, a published author, I can’t say I miss teaching. I probably should mention here, that on occasion, I do some relief teaching. This keeps me in touch enough so that I don’t really have the opportunity to miss it in a big way.

Did you make up stories for your children too (as bedtime stories)?  If so, would you share one of the most fantastical with us, please?

Yes. I do make up stories for my children, but probably not so much now as I did when they were younger. Rather than telling one story which would take too long, I will just give you a brief scenario of the kinds of tales I would make up. To start, they (my son and daughter) would always be the central characters. The setting would always be some magical place with magnificent castles, a dark forest and flowing water. And of course, no fantasy story is complete without a dragon, unicorn, fairy or other mystical creature to either befriend them or wreak havoc. My children love that they are part of these stories and I hope they will always treasure them in their memories.

How did you decide to write a series instead of a stand-alone novel?

When I started to write, I didn’t think about whether the book would be a series or a stand-alone novel. I just wrote. It was while I was creating Mystery Falls, that ideas for a sequel began to form. A similar process is happening now as I write Mystery Rises, so there will be a third. As to a fourth, who can say?

Why YA?

Good question. I’m not sure. I guess it comes from my preference to read YA novels. I like revisiting the idea of first love and all the angst which comes with that. The purity, the innocence, the intensity, It’s kind of fascinating to me.

How did the idea of Mystery Falls first come to you?

Lying in bed one lazy Sunday morning, I was allowing my thoughts to wander freely as I often do, when Samantha just appeared. She was standing by a stream, angry and alone. Curious to know why, I became lost in her world, and slowly, her story began to unfold. By the time I returned to reality and rose from the bed, the first chapter was written.

What is your writing process like?  I understand it’s quite different for each book but in general, do you write the opening lines first / last?  Do you usually know the ending earlier on & therefore, planned, or do you just go with the flow?  Have you drawn diagrams / flow charts to make sure that you’ve got the ‘facts’ straight?

Hmm… the writing process – I don’t really have a process per say. I just start to write. As to whether the first line remains the first, or if it is changed, depends on what happens as the story unfolds. The ending – I have no idea what that is until I am almost there. It might be easier if I explain it this way. As I go through the normal duties of my life, scenes and dialogues appear at random in my imagination. Then when I sit down to write, I piece them together like a jigsaw puzzle. I love being creative, but I can’t say that it’s a planned process. I simply allow my own daydreaming to naturally unfold and I take what I like from there.

Please do share your best reads of 2012 to date.

The Lux series by Jennifer L. Armentrout. The Premonition series by Amy A. Bartol. And of course, Finale, the conclusion to Becca Fitzpatrick’s Hush Hush series.

Marilyn lives on the outskirts of Melbourne (Australia) with her wonderfully supportive husband and two beautiful children. When not writing, she likes spending time with her family, taking long walks in dark forests and reading (anything involving paranormal romance / urban fantasy). Her favorite authors include Becca Fitzpatrick, Stephenie Meyer,Claudia Gray and Amanda Hocking. Mystery Falls is her debut novel and the first in a series.

Blog | Goodreads

Blog Tour: Flight -a Review

Flight (The Crescent Chronicles #1) by Alyssa Rose Ivy

Book Blurb

Sometimes you just have to take flight.

A summer in New Orleans is exactly what Allie needs before starting college. Accepting her dad’s invitation to work at his hotel offers an escape from her ex-boyfriend and the chance to spend the summer with her best friend. Meeting a guy is the last thing on her mind—until she sees Levi.

Unable to resist the infuriating yet alluring Levi, Allie finds herself at the center of a supernatural society and forced to decide between following the path she has always trusted or saving a city that might just save her.

My Blurb (3.5 stars)

Allie is so over men!  She’s taking time off away from home for the summer to be away from her ex whilst, hopefully, having loads of fun in New Orleans without men.  As soon as she’s walked into the hotel where she’ll be working for the summer though, there’s trouble brewing in the form of a very hot (& knows it too) very male Levi AND… he’s interested with what he sees…  Nevertheless, Allie is determined that she is taking time off men and not even Levi can change her mind.

I really like Allie for her stubbornness but most of all, for keeping a cool head (to begin with anyway).  She’s lost it a bit near the end but I guess there’s only so much a girl can handle.  I’m not quite sure about Levi at this stage.  Yes, he’s hot and at times, really sweet… but oh geez, can you be a bigger idiot!?  Overall, the romance in this book is all about the sweet tension, the simmering heat that was just delightful and easy to swallow.

There is a mystery surrounding Levi which sometimes feels slightly sinister but I won’t dwell into that so much because even the synopsis didn’t give you much of a hint and THAT’s the whole fun of reading it – the finding out!  I’d advise from trying to find out what it is before reading it.  It is different from most paranormal novels I’ve read or heard of to date and it’s definitely an interesting type of underworld.  The book being quite short, we really aren’t told too much yet of this underworld BUT… I can’t wait for the next book!

About Author

Alyssa Rose Ivy lives in North Carolina with her husband and two young children. Although raised in the New York area, she fell in love with the South after moving to New Orleans for college. After years as a perpetual student, she turned back to her creative side and decided to write.

Webiste | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads