Release Day Blitz - The Angel Killer by Lisa Voisin

We are super excited to celebrate the release of Lisa Voisin's THE ANGEL KILLER, the second book in The Watcher Saga, with an awesome excerpt from the book and a giveaway!

And if you haven't yet heard about this exciting series, there's also some information on the first book, THE WATCHER, along with its book trailer, a bit further down in this post.

First up, here's some information about THE ANGEL KILLER.

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THE ANGEL KILLER

Title & Series: THE ANGEL KILLER (The Watcher Saga #2)
Author: Lisa Voisin
Release date: January 5, 2015
Publisher: InkSpell Publishing
Pages: 286
Formats: Paperback

Description

Now that she’s found him again, all Mia Crawford wants is some downtime with her fallen angel boyfriend, Michael. But the call of duty keeps him away—from school and from her—with more demons to smite than ever.

When Michael is mortally wounded by a cursed sword, Mia must perform an ancient blood ritual to save him. But the spell exacts a price. Haunted by visions of war, torture, and despair, Mia discovers the world is in more danger than she ever imagined. Behind the scenes, an evil adversary pulls all the strings.

After redemption, there’s Hell to pay.

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | KOBO | AMAZON CA | GOODREADS

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About Lisa Voisin

A Canadian-born author, Lisa Voisin spent her childhood daydreaming and making up stories, but it was her love of reading and writing in her teens that drew her to Young Adult fiction.

Lisa is also a technical writer, a meditation teacher, and the leader of the Young Writer’s Club, a local writing group for teens in her home town. A self-proclaimed coffee lover, she can usually be found writing in a local café. When she's not writing, you'll find her meditating or hiking in the mountains to counteract the side effects of drinking too much caffeine!

Though she’s lived in several cities across Canada, she currently lives in Vancouver, B.C. with her fiancé and their two cats.

WEBSITE | BLOG | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS | MAILING LIST

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The Excerpt

I found Michael waiting on the stone path outside his basement suite. He greeted me with a brush of his lips, lacing his fingers through mine, and led me into a large back yard, bordered by evergreens. The center of the soft, moist grass featured a rocky pond, complete with a trickling stone fountain and two Adirondack chairs. Though the yard was well kept, leaves from a giant maple lay strewn about like reddish-brown confetti, glistening with raindrops in the late afternoon sun.

Michael tugged off his old, gray hoodie and slung it over one of the chairs. Underneath was the white tank top he normally wore flying. Goose bumps raced along the length of his bare arms. Turning to face me, he shook out his shoulders, the muscles rolling as he gave them a shrug.

“Ready?” he asked.

“For?”

“Combat training.” He stretched an arm across his chest and cracked his neck as though he were warming up. Was he expecting a workout?

“Combat training? Don’t you think that sounds a bit intense?” I swallowed. My voice sounded tight and high. “Violent, even?”

“What did you expect? Origami?” Stretching his other arm now, he cocked an eyebrow at me. “You wanted me to teach you, right?”

“No—yes.” I cleared my throat. “I mean no, I didn’t expect origami and yes, I want to learn.”

“Good.” He smiled. Was he enjoying my awkwardness? I tuned into his energy, attempting to get a feeling off him, but hit a wall. Was he blocking me? His expression became neutral too.

Above our heads, flyers hovered at the edges of the sigils that surrounded the yard, circling a constant threat, like giant vultures. I motioned to the sky. “Can’t they see us?”

“Not really. They can’t see or hear anything inside the protected space.” Changing the subject, he turned to me and winked. “Ready for your origami lesson? I thought we’d start with escapes.”

I folded my arms across my chest. The idea of fighting Michael felt like a joke—a David and Goliath joke. “Escapes?”

“Yeah. We’re gonna start with the basics. Teach you how to get out of that stranglehold the soldier demon had you in yesterday.” His feet shoulder-width apart, he motioned for me to come closer. “But we can’t do it if you’re all the way over there.”

I took a hesitant step toward him. Though I’d asked for this, the reality of it sounded painful. “Combat training,” I muttered disdainfully.

“I won’t hurt you.”

“I know,” I said, but I wasn’t so sure.

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The Giveaway

The release day blast includes an awesome giveaway to ONE WINNER for a print copy of THE WATCHER (US/CA/UK) OR THE ANGEL KILLER (US/CA/UK) AND a $10 Amazon Gift Card.

Enter in the Rafflecopter below...

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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About The Watcher

Series: The Watcher Saga #1
Release date: March 4, 2013
Publisher: Inkspell Publishing
Pages: 556
Formats: Paperback, eBook

DESCRIPTION

Millennia ago, he fell from heaven for her.

Can he face her without falling again?
Fascinated with ancient civilizations, seventeen-year-old Mia Crawford dreams of becoming an archaeologist. She also dreams of wings—soft and silent like snow—and somebody trying to steal them.
When a horrible creature appears out of thin air and attacks her, she knows Michael Fontaine is involved, though he claims to know nothing about it. Secretive and aloof, Michael evokes feelings in Mia that she doesn’t understand. Images of another time and place haunt her. She recognizes them—but not from any textbook.
In search of the truth, Mia discovers a past life of forbidden love, jealousy and revenge that tore an angel from Heaven and sent her to an early grave. Now that her soul has returned, does she have a chance at loving that angel again? Or will an age-old nemesis destroy them both? Ancient history is only the beginning.

AMAZON | AMAZON CA | INDIEBOUND | KOBO | CHAPTERS/INDIGO | GOODREADS

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The Trailer

Cover Reveal - The Angel Killer (Book 2 in The Watcher Saga) by Lisa Voisin #theangelkiller

I am super excited to reveal the awesome cover for THE ANGEL KILLER, the second book in Lisa Voisin's The Watcher Saga, and to share an excerpt from the book.

There is also an amazing giveaway included with the reveal for a copy of THE WATCHER, the first book in the series, or a pre-order copy of THE ANGEL KILLER and a $10 Amazon Gift Card.

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The Cover Revealed

Coming January 5, 2015

Description

Now that she’s found him again, all Mia Crawford wants is some downtime with her fallen angel boyfriend, Michael. But the call of duty keeps him away—from school and from her—with more demons to smite than ever.

When Michael is mortally wounded by a cursed sword, Mia must perform an ancient blood ritual to save him. But the spell exacts a price. Haunted by visions of war, torture, and despair, Mia discovers the world is in more danger than she ever imagined. Behind the scenes, an evil adversary pulls all the strings.

After redemption, there’s Hell to pay.

Add to Goodreads

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About Lisa Voisin

A Canadian-born author, Lisa Voisin spent her childhood daydreaming and making up stories, but it was her love of reading and writing in her teens that drew her to Young Adult fiction.

Lisa is also a technical writer, a meditation teacher, and the leader of the Young Writer’s Club, a local writing group for teens in her home town. A self-proclaimed coffee lover, she can usually be found writing in a local café. When she's not writing, you'll find her meditating or hiking in the mountains to counteract the side effects of drinking too much caffeine!

Though she’s lived in several cities across Canada, she currently lives in Vancouver, B.C. with her fiancé and their two cats.

WEBSITE | BLOG | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS | MAILING LIST

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The Excerpt

Michael leaned against the building’s stucco wall and rested his hands on my hips. Light from the store cast a warm gleam in his crystal blue eyes. He leaned in, and the draw to be close to him was a gravitational force. “Hello,” he said.

“Hello.” I had to get a grip. It’d been so long since we’d talked, I tried to focus on all the things I wanted to tell him. “We went to see Fatima.” His fingers caressed the sides of my waist, sending happy tingles through me. “You know, in her store…” To my own ears, my voice sounded raspy. I trembled.

“Cold?” He drew me closer, his mouth crooking into a grin.

Lost in him, I forgot all about Fatima. “You know damn well that’s not it.” I twined my arms around his back and touched the spot between his shoulder blades where his wings connected. Its warmth thawed my fingers.
He leaned in and brushed his lips along my jaw line. “Thought that was just me,” he whispered, and his breath tickled my neck. “I’ve wanted to do this for three days.”

Our lips met, and I melted into him, not caring that we were on the sidewalk, outside a deli with families shopping inside. Nor did I care that, being an angel, he had to follow very strict rules about contact with humans—especially contact of the relationship variety. Angels had the ability to enthrall humans with their touch, something Michael had to constantly keep in check. But I didn’t have to be enthralled to want to kiss him. That was my own doing. All that mattered right now was that he was here. With me.

He pulled me closer and the buzz of his energy filled me heart and soul, blocking out the rest of the world. My hands sought warmth under his leather jacket and found bare skin. I could feel the shiver from my touch surge through him. His mouth pressing more firmly against mine, he brushed a hand along my cheek and tangled it in my hair.

A dreamlike blur of light and color filled my thoughts. But then the image shifted to blood. His.

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The Giveaway

The reveal includes an awesome giveaway to ONE WINNER for a print copy of THE WATCHER (US/CA/UK) OR a pre-order copy of THE ANGEL KILLER (when available) AND a $10 Amazon Gift Card.

Enter in the Rafflecopter below...

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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About The Watcher

Series: The Watcher Saga #1
Release date: March 4, 2013
Publisher: Inkspell Publishing
Pages: 556
Formats: Paperback, eBook

DESCRIPTION

Millennia ago, he fell from heaven for her.

Can he face her without falling again?

Fascinated with ancient civilizations, seventeen-year-old Mia Crawford dreams of becoming an archaeologist. She also dreams of wings—soft and silent like snow—and somebody trying to steal them.

When a horrible creature appears out of thin air and attacks her, she knows Michael Fontaine is involved, though he claims to know nothing about it. Secretive and aloof, Michael evokes feelings in Mia that she doesn’t understand. Images of another time and place haunt her. She recognizes them—but not from any textbook.

In search of the truth, Mia discovers a past life of forbidden love, jealousy and revenge that tore an angel from Heaven and sent her to an early grave. Now that her soul has returned, does she have a chance at loving that angel again? Or will an age-old nemesis destroy them both? Ancient history is only the beginning.

AMAZON | AMAZON CA | INDIEBOUND | KOBO | CHAPTERS/INDIGO | GOODREADS

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The Trailer

Review: The Watcher by Lisa Voisin

Synopsis: 

Millennia ago, he fell from heaven for her.

Can he face her without falling again?

Fascinated with ancient civilizations, seventeen-year-old Mia Crawford dreams of becoming an archaeologist. She also dreams of wings—soft and silent like snow—and somebody trying to steal them.

When a horrible creature appears out of thin air and attacks her, she knows Michael Fontaine is involved, though he claims to know nothing about it. Secretive and aloof, Michael evokes feelings in Mia that she doesn’t understand. Images of another time and place haunt her. She recognizes them—but not from any textbook.

In search of the truth, Mia discovers a past life of forbidden love, jealousy and revenge that tore an angel from Heaven and sent her to an early grave. Now that her soul has returned, does she have a chance at loving that angel again? Or will an age-old nemesis destroy them both?

Ancient history is only the beginning.

Jessica's Review:

If I had to describe The Watcher in one word it would be luscious! Thankfully, I can use so many more words to describe it.  One might think that luscious is a strange word to be describing a paranormal romance that is filled with tension and excitement but it isn’t.  Every sentence on every page is luscious and full.   Here’s a small passage from the book that exemplifies what I mean:

 “Instead of saying more, he brushed his fingertips along my cheek, and his halo glimmered.  I could hear the waves slapping the rocks behind us, the wind whipped against my skin, but the touch of his hand on my face was all I could think about.  It sent a current through both of us and filled me with longing for something I wasn’t sure I understood.”

I melted when I read that paragraph; it conjured up so much for me – love, longing, acceptance and of course lusciousness. The Watcher is filled with such imagery and draws you into a vivid and engaging world.  With every turn of the page I am further drawn into the poeticness that Lisa Voisin brings forth.  I am emotionally invested in the characters of Mia, Michael and even Damiel and I want to know and see and feel everything that they are doing and Lisa provides all of those answers.

The Watcher is a magically crafted novel with such incredible writing. Sentences jump off from the page; the book has become a movie in my mind that I can revisit anytime I like. It is alive and full and I fully recommend it.

Now one might say that I am a little bias with my review because I know Lisa and have known her for over a decade, and we are friends.  Well I am bias!  But let me be clear, my friendship with Lisa did not change how I felt about the book. Had I not known Lisa and had read this book I still would have been totally engrossed and entranced with the world that she had built.  It is excellently written and so well presented.  I just hope that I can aspire to write as beautifully as Lisa has.

Rating: 5 Stars

Blair's Review

I wholeheartedly agree with Jessica: this book is luscious! It's beautifully written, vivid, and sensual. The words seem to rise up out of the page and mold themselves into a new world around you, one that you can smell and taste and wholly inhabit. But the book doesn't rest on beautiful writing - there's enough tension to keep the pages turning well after bedtime! I loved it from the first sentence to the spectacular, jaw-dropping ending.

There are books out there with beautiful writing but no tension. There are books with high tension but mediocre writing. I like both those sorts of books. They have their place in my (cluttered) bookshelf. But The Watcher manages to hit that magic balance between beautiful writing and high tension, sacrificing neither for the sake of the other. It is an absolute pleasure to read. And the romance is intense. Romance isn't what typically attracts me to books, but I had to see how this one played out. Especially after a certain hiking scene early on...

I loved this book, and I fully recommend it. I do have to make the same disclaimer as Jessica - that Lisa and I are friends. We met about a year and a half ago, right around the time that Lisa was submitting. I read a draft early on in our friendship, before I knew Lisa well, certainly before I knew her well enough for our friendship to color my opinion of her book. So I also want to be clear that our friendship did not change how I felt about this book. Even if I'd never met Lisa before in my life, I still would have blazed through this book and been left wanting more.

Rating: 5 Stars

Find it: Goodreads | Amazon |Amazon.CA |B&N | Indie Bound | Inkspell | Kobo

About the Author: 

A Canadian-born author, Lisa Voisin spent her childhood daydreaming and making up stories, but it was her love of reading and writing in her teens that drew her to Young Adult fiction.

When she's not writing, you'll find her meditating or hiking in the mountains to counter the side effects of drinking too much coffee.

She lives in Vancouver, B.C. with her fiance and their two cats.

Find her: Twitter | Facebook | Website | Blog

The Trailer:

http://youtu.be/ukoCDlW05-Y

The Giveaway:

Lisa Voisin and Inkspell Publishing are giving away print (US/Canada/UK) and eBook (INT) copies of The Watcher as well as this lovely angel wing necklace.

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Release Day Party - The Watcher

Millennia ago, he fell from heaven for her.

Can he face her without falling again?

Fascinated with ancient civilizations, seventeen-year-old Mia Crawford dreams of becoming an archaeologist. She also dreams of wings—soft and silent like snow—and somebody trying to steal them.

When a horrible creature appears out of thin air and attacks her, she knows Michael Fontaine is involved, though he claims to know nothing about it. Secretive and aloof, Michael evokes feelings in Mia that she doesn’t understand. Images of another time and place haunt her. She recognizes them—but not from any textbook.

In search of the truth, Mia discovers a past life of forbidden love, jealousy and revenge that tore an angel from Heaven and sent her to an early grave. Now that her soul has returned, does she have a chance at loving that angel again? Or will an age-old nemesis destroy them both?

Ancient history is only the beginning.

Find it: Goodreads | Amazon |Amazon.CA |B&N | Indie Bound | Inkspell | Kobo

Book Details:

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance

Format: eBook and Paperback

Length: Super Novel

ISBN: eBook: 978-0-9856562-1-8

Paperback: 978-0-9856562-2-5

Price: US $14.99  (Paperback)

US $4.99 (eBook)

About the Author:

A Canadian-born author, Lisa Voisin spent her childhood daydreaming and making up stories, but it was her love of reading and writing in her teens that drew her to Young Adult fiction.

When she's not writing, you'll find her meditating or hiking in the mountains to counter the side effects of drinking too much coffee.

She lives in Vancouver, B.C. with her fiance and their two cats.

Find her: Twitter | Facebook | Website | Blog

The Giveaway:

Inkspell Publishing is offering a chance to win the following:

• One of 2 Paperback copies of THE WATCHER (US, UK, and Canada-only)
• One customizable eBook sleeve (US, UK, and Canada-only)
• One of 5 eBook copies of THE WATCHER (Worldwide)

Note: The eBook sleeve giveaway is customizable. The winner will get to choose from a lot of designs and the name will be sewed in too if they wish. The designs are absolutely beautiful and the image below is only a sample. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Trailer Reveal - The Watcher

Author Lisa Voisin’s THE WATCHER will be releasing exactly one month from today, on March 4th, 2013 and we’re super excited to be able to share with our blog’s readers a short excerpt from the book and to be a part of the book’s awesome trailer reveal!

There is also a giveaway for a pre-order copy of THE WATCHER for US/Canada residents. So be sure to enter below.

THE WATCHER is author Lisa Voisin’s debut novel and is a book Eileen Cook says, “…is sure to keep readers turning the pages late into the night.”

And after having read both the excerpt and the book’s description, we couldn’t agree more! But we’ll let you decide for yourself. They’re both included below.

As is the book’s wicked cool trailer!

The Video

With some gothic techno beats, super cool images and a description that is meant to tease, this trailer totally sets the mood for this story. What do you think? 


This video was created by none other than Parallel Words YA's own Elinor Svoboda. Some little-known trivia about this trailer is that Elinor Svoboda, who created it, directed Tegan and Sara's documentary "India" as part of the Get-Along video that has been nominated for a Grammy.

Find The Watcher on: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Inkspell | Kobo

About THE WATCHER

Millennia ago, he fell from heaven for her. 

Can he face her without falling again? 

Fascinated with ancient civilizations, seventeen-year-old Mia Crawford dreams of becoming an archaeologist. She also dreams of wings—soft and silent like snow—and somebody trying to steal them.

When a horrible creature appears out of thin air and attacks her, she knows Michael Fontaine is involved, though he claims to know nothing about it. Secretive and aloof, Michael evokes feelings in Mia that she doesn’t understand. Images of another time and place haunt her. She recognizes them—but not from any textbook.

In search of the truth, Mia discovers a past life of forbidden love, jealousy and revenge that tore an angel from Heaven and sent her to an early grave. Now that her soul has returned, does she have a chance at loving that angel again? Or will an age-old nemesis destroy them both?

Ancient history is only the beginning.

The Excerpt: 

Instead of saying more, he brushed his fingertips along my cheek, and his halo glimmered. I could hear the waves slapping the rocks behind us, the wind driving them in. That same wind whipped against my skin, but the touch of his hand on my face was all I could think about. It sent a current through both of us and filled me with longing for something I wasn’t sure I understood.

“I’m sorry.” He stepped back and shoved his hands into his pockets as the light around him faded. “You don’t know what it’s like. Being near you now, remembering those moments we had…” His hair blew into his eyes, but this time he didn’t move. I wanted to brush it back, but I didn’t know how he’d react. Would touching him be bad?

“You want to know who you were?” he asked. “You may look different, but you’re the same. I look into your eyes and see you.” He took in a deep breath, fixing his attention on the horizon. I’d seen and heard so much now that the logical part of my brain had long since given up arguing with me. I could feel what he was saying was true.
All of it.

Find it on: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Inkspell | Kobo

About the Author:

A Canadian-born author, Lisa Voisin spent her childhood daydreaming and making up stories, but it was her love of reading and writing in her teens that drew her to Young Adult fiction. 

When she's not writing, you'll find her meditating or hiking in the mountains to counter the side effects of drinking too much coffee.

She lives in Vancouver, B.C. with her fiance and their two cats.

Find her: Twitter | Facebook | Website | Blog

Giveaway details: 

ONE pre-order copy of THE WATCHER by Lisa Voisin open to US/Canada.
Must be 13 or older to enter.
ONE entry per household.

Winner will be announced in the Rafflecopter and contacted by email.

Winner will have 48 hours after notification to respond or another winner will be chosen.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: A Vision of Green: L.H. Cosway

Synopsis

Since moving to Chesterport Flo has discovered new friends and a hidden world.

After spending seventeen years as an Empath, thinking she was either delusional or very, very different, she has found others who are different too. She helped battle a coven of dark witches and watched as their leader got sent to her judgement. All now seems peaceful in her new town, but it's not going to last.

For one, Flo's dad is back on the scene and has taken over her dead grandmother's house with his new girlfriend. Dealing with him makes Flo think that maybe everyday people can be monsters too, as he blackmails her into giving up the one person she needs the most. Secondly, Flo hears a story about strange goings on in the nearby forest, and becomes obsessed with the magical things that might lie in its green depths.

A Vision of Green is the second instalment in the Florence Vaine trilogy, where Flo finds herself yet again immersed in mystery, romance and things that are just a little bit scary. She will come across new adversaries, supernatural and otherwise, discover more about her own identity and grow in ways she had never anticipated.

Review

I have an admission. I actually read this book several months ago. I had emailed L.H. Cosway to let her know that I had read the first of the Florence Vaine trilogy and had posted a review of it on this blog. She was so gracious as to send me book two to read. I gobbled up the book in just a few short hours. It was thoroughly amazing. Now for the reason why I waited this long to review it. Well, it was because I didn't want the book to end, and so, by not reviewing it earlier, it felt like I was still enmeshed in Florence's world. I was also a little embarrassed about my review of the first book, A Strange Fire, where I mentioned that I didn't think it necessary that Florence was portrayed as an abused teen. I was so wrong. So my apologies.

In book two, we are further brought into Florence's life where she is dealing not only with the horror that comes from being abused, but also furthering her relationship with Frank. And really that is the least of it. I was so upset that the book ended and couldn't believe that I would have to wait until summer 2013 for book three to come out. But wait I must. I totally recommend reading the Florence Vaine Trilogy. It is fast paced, exciting and riveting.

I can't say enough about L.H. Cosway. She is an incredible writer that takes you on a journey and brings you so vividly into the world that she has created. You cry when the characters cry, wince when they do, laugh with them and feel like you are really there. Her books are rich with detail and imagery that flows brilliantly with the story. L.H. Cosway is fast becoming one of my favourite YA authors.

Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Rated by: Jessica

Review: A Strange Fire (A Florence Vaine Novel) L.H. Cosway

Synopsis:

Flo has always had problems. Her stammer prevents her speech and her dad’s abuse makes her life a living hell. Not to mention she sees colours other people don’t. When her dad decides to ship her off to live with her grandma in the sleepy town of Chesterport, thinks that this is her chance for a better life. But on her very first day at her new school she is ridiculed and laughed at for having a stammer. One student sticks up for her and his name is Frank. Frank’s body is surrounded by an aura of fire, but Flo is the only one who can see it. He lives in a foster home for troubled teenagers. Flo is drawn to him because he’s different and so is she. Things are about to get scary, because Chesterport is not your ordinary suburban town. It’s infested by a coven of dark witches who prey on the young and the elderly. Soon Flo discovers that she’s next on their list of victims, and finds herself fighting a battle she never would have imagined possible.

My Review:

I think one of the things that I like most about reading, (especially a good book) is that they can suspend time; transport you to an entirely different place or event; evoke emotions in you and allow you to become apart of something different than your own existence. The only thing that I don't like is that when it is done I am back once again in my own reality and the pleasure that kept me so engrossed in the novel is now just a memory.

This book was like that. I got so lost in it that I was almost late for work and couldn't wait until work was done so that I could pick it up again. I thoroughly enjoyed the way L.H. Cosway brought the characters to life in a rich texture of suspense and intrigue. I'm a huge fan of the paranormal but haven't read a lot of romance novels feeling that the romance took away from the essence of the book. Here however, it enhanced it. It was a pleasant surprise that brought me back to my own youth and the emotions and entanglements that went with being a teen and as I put down the book I was almost saddened that I wasn't one still.

I would say that the only thing that wasn't so great for me was the portrayal of the main character Flo as an abused teen. I didn't think she got deep enough into the pain and trauma of how that would feel and the repercussions of that kind of abuse. Aside from getting Flo to Chesterport, it really didn't lend to the story. She could easily have made her background more of a mystery eluding to the fact that she had been abused, keeping the readers in a little more suspense about who and where she came from. Fortunately, it really only is talked about in the first couple of chapters and then only slight references made to it later on. So in the end, it didn't detract too much from the story.

I loved the book, I totally gobbled it up and read it in less than a day and would highly recommend it to anyone who likes paranormal romances.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Rated by: Jessica

Review: The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong (Darkest Powers #2)

Story Synopsis:

If you had met me a few weeks ago, you probably would have described me as an average teenage girl — someone normal. Now my life has changed forever and I’m as far away from normal as it gets. I’m a living science experiment — not only can I see ghosts, but I was genetically altered by a sinister organization call the Edison Group. What does that mean? For starters. I'm a teenage necromancer whose powers are out of control: I raise the dead without even trying. Trust me, that is not a power you want to have. Ever.

Now I’m running for my life with three of my supernatural friends - a chaming sorcerer, a cynical werewolf, and a disgruntled witch - and we have to find someone who can help us before the Edison Group finds us first. Or die trying. (from Goodreads)

My Review:

A couple of weeks ago, I reviewed The Summoning, the first book in the Darkest Powers trilogy. I liked that book. A lot. On to the sequel, The Awakening. Guess what? I liked this one, too!

Armstrong once again delivers a story that's fun, quirky and filled with pulse-pounding suspense. The characters are just as interesting as before. A mega-bonus (from my point of view) is that Armstrong again devotes a couple of pages to pointing out how NOT to treat people with mental illness, and for that she gets my applause and virtual hugs.

The plot is not quite as gripping as the first book, and a lot of it involves getting the characters from Point A to Point B. That said, I can't really fault a book for focusing on moving the characters from one place to another, since my all-time favorite trilogy is Lord of the Rings, and that's about 70% walking, as one does not simply walk into Mordor. Some of the best stories out there are journey stories. But with The Awakening, I got the distinct feeling that the book's real job was to set me up for the third book. Part of this was because a lot of scenes followed a patten: Chloe is, intentionally of unintentionally, testing out her powers. Let's see what happens! Readers, take note.

Even with this business-time aspect, Armstrong still manages to create a fun, page-turning addition to her Darkest Powers trilogy. Next stop: The Reckoning.

Rating: 4 stars

Rated by: Blair

Review: The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong (Darkest Powers #1)

Story Synopsis

 My name is Chloe Saunders and my life will never be the same again.

All I wanted was to make friends, meet boys, and keep on being ordinary. I don't even know what that means anymore. It all started on the day that I saw my first ghost - and the ghost saw me.

Now there are ghosts everywhere and they won't leave me alone. To top it all off, I somehow got myself locked up in Lyle House, a "special home" for troubled teens. Yet the home isn't what it seems. Don't tell anyone, but I think there might be more to my housemates than meets the eye. The question is, whose side are they on? It's up to me to figure out the dangerous secrets behind Lyle House...before its skeletons come back to haunt me. (from Goodreads)

My Review:

I have a confession to make. When I first heard about this book, I thought it was going to be a paranormal romance along the lines of a certain other series which I hate and which will remain unnamed. So I wrote it off my book list and forgot about it...until my fellow blogger Lisa recommended it to me. Lisa's recommendations tend to be spot-on, so I swallowed my skepticism and picked up this book. And guess what? Lisa was right. This book is great. Lesson learned.

The main character, Chloe, is full of endearing quirks, including a stutter and a tendency to see the world from behind the lens of an imaginary film camera. All the secondary characters are well flushed out, especially the awkward, intelligent Derek. The plot is gripping, the pacing excellent, and the writing is clean and fun.

All of these are reasons why you should read this book. But none of them are the main reason why I loved this book.

That came in the form of a five-page scene between Chloe and the psychiatrist Dr. Gill. I've mentioned before that in my real life, I'm a neuroscientist. WARNING: I'm about to nerd-out. Okay? Here we go.

The set-up for the scene is that Chloe has just had a run-in with a dead janitor that no one else could see. Dr. Gill is telling Chloe that she might be schizophrenic. What follows is one of the most honest discussions of schizophrenia I've ever seen in a fiction book, let alone a YA paranormal. While Chloe freaks out over the possibility of being "schizo", Dr. Gill calmly and concisely lays out what schizophrenia is, what it is not, what is myth, and what is real. In our society, schizophrenics are subjected to a stigma that is undeserved. That Armstrong devoted a chunk of her book to pointing out and responding to that undeserved stigma is amazing. As soon as I read that scene, I knew that it didn't matter what happened after in the book, I was going to like it. This book gets a big, fat, Neuro Seal of Approval.

But if you don't base your opinions of books on five-page scenes that actually have little to do with plot or character development, that's okay, because there's lots of other reasons why this is a fun and gripping read. It's several years old now, and paranormal is drifting out of the YA market, but if you missed this one when it was first released, I highly recommend you pick it up now.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Rated by: Blair

Review: City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

Story Synopsis

The New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments continues—and so do the thrills and danger for Jace, Clary, and Simon.What price is too high to pay, even for love? When Jace and Clary meet again, Clary is horrified to discover that the demon Lilith’s magic has bound her beloved Jace together with her evil brother Sebastian, and that Jace has become a servant of evil. The Clave is out to destroy Sebastian, but there is no way to harm one boy without destroying the other. As Alec, Magnus, Simon, and Isabelle wheedle and bargain with Seelies, demons, and the merciless Iron Sisters to try to save Jace, Clary plays a dangerous game of her own. The price of losing is not just her own life, but Jace’s soul. She’s willing to do anything for Jace, but can she still trust him? Or is he truly lost?

My Review:

I have to admit that going into this 5th book of the Mortal Instrument series, I didn't have high hopes. A devout fan of the first 3 books, I was enchanted by the Shadowhunters and their bittersweet world fighting demons and Cassandra Claire fast pace with equal amounts of action and romantic tension. Once the 4th book came along, I was already distanced; I actually think I put it down for a few months before finishing it. I was hoping to be refreshed by City of Lost Souls, and while it had some great conflict and story development, overall, I found it lacking intrigue.

Not to say it wasn’t fun, Claire gives new pieces to the parameters of the world, the evils of Sebastian and the various romantic plotlines of the story. Her writing continues to be engaging and wise, but the pacing at times seemed off, with some slow periods that would then speed into action that lacked a proper build up.  I wonder if it’s the absence of “the real Jace” in this novel, which made me appreciate how a smart-ass bad-boy can take a story from good something special (fellow writers, take note).

Perhaps it’s because I’ve been loving the prequel series, Clockwork Angel and Clockwork Prince so much, that City of Lost Souls felt a little watered down. And while the book feels loyal to its progressive, modern take all the way through, I admit the cheese factor of the ending made me want to rip open the book and throw in some hot sauce. But maybe that’s a good thing, maybe that means I care so much about the characters and their realization that I wanted more.

And I will get it - we all will. I know I will not hesitate myself to read the final book when it comes out despite my less-than-romance with the last two. If you are a fan of the series, I don’t doubt you will enjoy City of Lost Souls, if anything to keep you in the loop for how the epic series will close.

Review by: Elinor

3 out of 5 stars

Review: Red Glove by Holly Black (Curse Workers #2)

Story Synopsis:

Curses and cons. Magic and the mob. In Cassel Sharpe's world, they go together. Cassel always thought he was an ordinary guy, until he realized his memories were being manipulated by his brothers. Now he knows the truth—he’s the most powerful curse worker around. A touch of his hand can transform anything—or anyone—into something else.

That was how Lila, the girl he loved, became a white cat. Cassel was tricked into thinking he killed her, when actually he tried to save her. Now that she's human again, he should be overjoyed. Trouble is, Lila's been cursed to love him, a little gift from his emotion worker mom. And if Lila's love is as phony as Cassel's made-up memories, then he can't believe anything she says or does.

When Cassel's oldest brother is murdered, the Feds recruit Cassel to help make sense of the only clue—crime-scene images of a woman in red gloves. But the mob is after Cassel too—they know how valuable he could be to them. Cassel is going to have to stay one step ahead of both sides just to survive. But where can he turn when he can't trust anyone—least of all, himself?

Love is a curse and the con is the only answer in a game too dangerous to lose. (from Amazon.com)

My Review:

I know the traditional thing to do when reviewing a sequel is to compare it to the original. I think, in this case, that won't work. I read White Cat two years ago while curled up fetal on my bed, trying to distract myself from food poisoning. I'll say this much about it: My brain now associates that book with extreme abdominal discomfort, yet I still think it was a good read, which should tell you something about how fantastic a read it truly is.

On to Red Glove, which I read during a lightning weekend trip across the continent. I was tired, a little hungover (wild weddings will do that), and being accosted by arm-rest hoggers, crying babies, tight connections, other people's loud headphones, and an evil woman who crumpled my garment bag. Bitch. Red Glove took all that madness and made it bearable.

One of these days, I'm going to read Holly Black's books for pleasure alone and not as a distraction from pain and irritation, because they're worth much more attention than what I'm giving them.

What I'm getting at, with all this venting about flights, is that Red Glove is a fantastic book. I blazed through it. Granted, I didn't have much else to do, now that it costs $6.71 to watch a movie on a plane. But I would have kept reading even if the movie had been free. Cassel is a great main character - unique and compelling. The secondary characters are also engaging and well-developed. The writing is both descriptive and casual; the story dark and disturbing with frequent bursts of humor. It sucks you in and doesn't let go. Black's ability to take our world, add one magical twist, and still keep things completely relatable, is impressive; the fact that her magical twist has very real implications for the real world is even more so.

As with White Cat, the central mystery is a little predictable, but in Red Glove it took me a bit longer to crack it. Also, I don't know Lila's character very well, even though she's the romantic interest and a driving force in the plot. In White Cat she's a cat, in Red Glove she's cursed. We almost never see her as her true self, so who is she? I hope that the third book gives readers the chance to know her better.

Overall, highly recommended, especially if you're sick or facing a flight.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Rated by: Blair

Review: UnLunDun by China Melville

Synopsis

‘UnLondon is at war. We’re under attack. And it’s been written, for centuries, that you – you – will come and save us.’

Stumbling through a secret entrance, Zanna and Deeba emerge in the strange wonderland of UnLondon. Here all the lost and broken things of London end up, and some of its people, too – including Brokkenbroll, boss of the broken umbrellas and Hemi the half-ghost boy. UnLondon is a place where Routemaster buses have legs, where Librarians are ‘bookaneers’, intrepid adventurers dedicated to hunting down lost books, and postmen spend years tracking the mobile addresses of the ever changing Puzzleborough. But the girls have arrived at a dangerous time – UnLondon is under siege by the sinister Smog; it’s a city awaiting its hero.

China makes extraordinary use of the ordinary is this wildly inventive fantasy adventure. (  From Goodreads)

Review

UnLunDun or 'UnLondon,' is a young adult fantasy named after the alternate realm where the book is set. I read this book because my niece told me that “I had to read it!” All the while I was reading she would come up to me every few hours and hover over my shoulder saying, “what part are you on?” “couldn’t you just die?” “and then he... and isn’t it so amazing?” That alone would make me give this book five stars seeing the excitement and joy from her but the book also stands on its own.

Un Lun Dun is a fabulous, fast-paced story of an unexpected hero who comes into her own. It’s filled with loveable yet strange characters who take you on a journey of discovery and adventure where you meet even stranger characters and situations. The main characters compassion and genuine concern for those around her gives her the ability to problem-solve in unique and practical ways, showing that sometime the best solution is usually the simplest.

The writing is impeccable and the languaging flows so well that you are fully engulfed in the book. I was quite surprised several times when I looked up and was not in UnLondon.

My rating on this book is five stars, definitely one that is not to be missed.

My Rating: 5 Stars

Rated by: Jessica

Review: Skyship Academy: The Pearl Wars by Nick James

Story Synopsis:

A devastated Earth's last hope is found in Pearls: small, mysterious orbs that fall from space and are capable of supplying enough energy to power entire cities. Battling to control the Pearls are the Skyship dwellers—political dissidents who live in massive ships in the Earth's stratosphere—and the corrupt Surface government.

Jesse Fisher, a Skyship slacker, and Cassius Stevenson, a young Surface operative, cross paths when they both venture into forbidden territory in pursuit of Pearls. Their chance encounter triggers an unexpected reaction, endowing each boy with remarkable—and dangerous—abilities that their respective governments would stop at nothing to possess.

Enemies thrust together with a common goal, Jesse and Cassius make their way to the ruins of Seattle to uncover the truth about their new powers, the past they didn't know they shared, and a shocking secret about the Pearls. (from Amazon.com)

My Review:

I love a good sci-fi. Give me a book brimming with crazy technology, imaginative ideas about outer space, wild physics, and spaceships. Tie it together with a compelling message about the real world, and you won't see me again until the book is done. But sci-fi has always been underrepresented in the YA market. With Curiosity landing and Kepler on overdrive, the time is ripe for some crazy sci-fi. So along comes Skyship Academy, blasting into the YA world like one of its own ubiquitous Pearls. It's a breath of fresh air. Which is ironic, since I don't think the characters get a single breath of fresh air over course of the entire book. Recirculated and processed air, if they're lucky.

Set 83 years in the future, James' comic-book inspired story envisions a world made bleak by terrorism and counter-terrorism. Earth is scorched beyond recognition. The only sanctuaries are the Chosen Cities on land or the Skyships above the clouds. It's a compelling yet terrifying vision of our future; one that makes you think twice about the paths we have chosen, or may very likely choose.

The story is told from two points of view - one in first-person present-tense, the other in third-person past-tense. Whether or not you like this will probably depend on your own personal taste. I admit I was a little disoriented by the first switch. But James' ability to write engagingly from both POVs is impressive. The style grew on me, likely in part because it's so unique. A side-effect was that I felt less connected to Cassius (3rd person) than to Jesse (1st person). Despite, or perhaps because of this, I ultimately found Cassius to be the more compelling character, and the one whose arc I'm most looking forward to reading in the sequel. Regardless of the POV, James' casual, engaging style pulls the reader in, and provides more than a few laughs - especially when we're seeing through the eyes of the quirky, relatable Jesse.

This book is thought-provoking and fun, packed with action and excellent world-building and complete with an ending I didn't see coming. The second book comes out on September 8th, so I only have to wait a month before finding out what happens next. It's going to be a long month.

My Rating: 4.5 stars

Rated by: Blair

Review: Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts

Story Synopsis:

Since the beginning of mankind, civilizations have fallen: the Romans, the Greeks, the Aztecs...and now us. Huge earthquakes rock the world. Cities are destroyed. But something even more awful is happening: An ancient evil has been unleashed, and it's turning everyday people into hunters, killers, and crazies. This is the world Mason, Aries, Clementine, and Michael are living in--or rather, trying to survive. Each is fleeing unspeakable horror, from murderous chaos to brutal natural disasters, and each is traveling the same road in a world gone mad. Amid the throes of the apocalypse and clinging to love and meaning wherever it can be found, these four teens are on a journey into the heart of darkness--and to find each other and a place of safety. (Goodreads.com)

My Review:

In the last few years, zombies have taken over pop culture like a bunch of, well, zombies. I love a good zombie romp, but they have gotten somewhat played out. Now along comes Jeyn Roberts’ apocalyptic novel, Dark Inside, breathing new life (or afterlife?) into the zombie genre. It turns out this book isn’t about zombies at all, at least, not in the classic you-bite-me-now-I-eat-braaaaaiiiinnnnnsssssss sort of way. Instead, Roberts alters the zombie mythos, using it to explore the not-quite-hidden malevolent side of human instinct and personality. The result is something far scarier than your standard zombie gore-fest. For that reason alone, you should read Dark Inside. As an added bonus, her writing is superb.

My only real problem with this book was that there were too many point-of-view characters – five. This works fine if you’re writing a 900+-page long book with densely packed prose (I’m thinking Game of Thrones here), but less well with a 300-page book with a YA typeset (bigger font and margins). The result is that none of the POV characters feels fully developed – there just isn’t enough space to develop in. I occasionally found myself confusing the two guys, they felt so similar. That said, with fewer POV characters, Roberts might have been unable to fully tell her story. So rather than cut characters, I would have liked a longer book, so each person could be more deeply explored. As long as I’m talking about characters, I have to point out a little personal bonus: Aries’ entire arc happens in a city where I lived for seven years. Fantastic. I’ve never read a book that had such a familiar setting. It added a whole extra level of awesome.

This book left me wanting more, and I love it when books do that. I wanted to know the characters better. I wanted to know what happened to the world. I wanted to understand what made people behave with such brutality. I wanted to sleep, because I read this book in a single, snack-filled night. Like most apocalyptic books, this one leaves more questions than it answers, and that’s okay. These questions, coupled with the fantastic writing, make it well worth the read.

Rating: 4 stars

Rated by: Blair

Review: I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett

Story Synopsis:

It starts with whispers.

Then someone picks up a stone.

Finally, the fires begin.

When people turn on witches, the innocents suffer. . . .

Tiffany Aching has spent years studying with senior witches, and now she is on her own. As the witch of the Chalk, she performs the bits of witchcraft that aren’t sparkly, aren’t fun, don’t involve any kind of wand, and that people seldom ever hear about: She does the unglamorous work of caring for the needy.

But someone—or something—is igniting fear, inculcating dark thoughts and angry murmurs against witches. Aided by her tiny blue allies, the Wee Free Men, Tiffany must find the source of this unrest and defeat the evil at its root—before it takes her life. Because if Tiffany falls, the whole Chalk falls with her.

Chilling drama combines with laugh-out-loud humor and searing insight as beloved and bestselling author Terry Pratchett tells the high-stakes story of a young witch who stands in the gap between good and evil. (Amazon.com)

My Review:

I’ve long been a fan of Discworld, Terry Pratchett’s ginormous 39-volume series about a disc-shaped world hurtling through space on the back of four elephants which ride on the back of a turtle. Prachett has used this world to satire everything from rock music to fantasy canon to the postal service. But for as long as I’ve been a fan, I’ve thought the Tiffany Aching books, the series’ YA off-shoots, were a weakness. They lacked the hilariousness of the main series, and I found Tiffany to be an uninteresting character.

That changed with I Shall Wear Midnight, Tiffany Aching’s most recent installment. Tiffany’s (nearly) grown up, and she’s the head witch of her village. On top of being an authority figure in a town which still sees her as a child, she must confront growing suspicion and prejudice of witches. As always, she’s aided by a horde of Nac Mac Feegles – tiny blue humor-bombs who drink, steal, eat, fight, drink, steal and drink. With Tiffany now a full-fledged teenager, Pratchett tackles darker issues which were absent in her earlier books. He also ups the romance. The Cunning Man, the villain of the piece, is skin-crawlingly creepy. This darker, more adult tone results in what is, without question, the best Tiffany Aching story thus far.

Note to fans: The dial on the Discworld weird-o-meter is cranked way down in this one. You won’t see any man-eating luggage or Grim Squeekers. And the space turtle? What space turtle? Although each individual Discworld book can be read as a stand-alone, new readers may find the depth of detail to be a bit confusing – in 39 books Discworld has become a rich and complex place, and old characters show up by the ton. These are minor issues. Although I Shall Wear Midnight lacks the satirical awesomeness of the rest of Discworld, it more than compensates with creepy villains, infuriating villagers, great story, and a main character that has finally come into her own. I Shall Wear Midnight is an excellent book.

 

Rating: 4 stars

Rated by: Blair

Review: Devil's Kiss by Sarwat Chadda

Story Synopsis: 

As the youngest and only female member of the Knights Templar, Bilquis SanGreal grew up knowing she wasn’t normal. Instead of hanging out at the mall or going on dates, she spends her time training as a soldier in her order’s ancient battle against the Unholy. Billi’s cloistered life is blasted apart when her childhood friend, Kay, returns from Jerusalem, gorgeous and with a dangerous chip on his shoulder. He’s ready to reclaim his place in Billi’s life, but she’s met someone new: amber-eyed Michael, who seems to understand her like no one else, effortlessly claiming a stake in her heart. But the Templars are called to duty before Billi can enjoy the pleasant new twist to her life. One of the order’s ancient enemies has resurfaced, searching for a treasure that the Templars have protected for hundreds of years -- a cursed mirror powerful enough to kill all of London’s firstborn. To save her city from catastrophe, Billi will have to put her heart aside and make sacrifices greater than any of the Templars could have imagined.

My Review:

I'm a fan of a great beginning and this book has one of the best beginnings I've read. The first chapter opens with action done well, and I found myself caring about Billi and curious about her life right away. It's well-written, action-packed, and the Templar angle adds a freshness to the story. As a warrior, Billi San Greal is kick ass, and I thought her fighting and action scenes were great. It was easy to become completely immersed in them.

However, I had difficulty bonding with Billi's character at times, especially around her relationships with Kay, her father, and Michael. This lack of bonding could be partly due to voice (it's written in third person), but I think it has more to do with this unconscious sense I get when I'm reading a young female protagonist written by a male author. Not to be gender-biased, because I believe some authors are able to cross genders well. I simply didn't feel her the way I normally feel a female character I'm reading about.

It could be because I found the love story lacked a certain chemistry, and I found myself wishing for more romance. This was my personal preference. However, overall, I found the novel to be very well-written and its pacing as a young adult novel was excellent. It's a great story, well executed.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Rated by: Lisa