Review: Fairy, Texas by Margo Bond Collins

Image & description from goodreads.com

Laney Harris didn't want to live there. When her mother remarried and moved them to a town where a date meant hanging out at the Sonic, Laney figured that "boring" would have a whole new meaning. A new stepsister who despised her and a high school where she was the only topic of gossip were bad enough. But when she met the school counselor (and his terminal bad breath), she grew suspicious. Especially since he had wings that only she could see. And then there were Josh and Mason, two gorgeous glimmering-eyed classmates whose interest in her might not be for the reasons she hoped. Not to mention that dead guy she nearly tripped over in gym class. 

She was right. Boring took on an entirely new dimension in Fairy, Texas.

My Thoughts:
I really enjoyed this book.  I liked Laney, Josh & Mason; Kimberly, Natalie & Ally... not so much.  I still have some questions that I'd like answered in the next book.  I'd like to know more about Laney's parentage & if her mom knows more than she's letting on.  It would seem that she would if she grew up in Fairy Texas her whole life.  The story was well paced & I never found myself rushing through sections to get to the next part.  I hope eventually Laney & Kimberly can find some common ground.  I'm from TX so that parts about football were right on point.  I laughed at how accurate they were.  I can't wait to read the next book in the series and find out if Josh can return to what he once was & to know more about Laney's new situation.  

Recommended for readers 15 & up.  Mild to moderate language & sexual content.  

I bought this book on Amazon.

Review: Nirvana by J.R. Stewart

When the real world is emptied of all that you love, how can you keep yourself from dependence on the virtual? 

Larissa Kenders lives in a world where the real and the virtual intermingle daily. After the supposed death of her soulmate, Andrew, Larissa is able to find solace by escaping to Nirvana, a virtual world where anything is possible – even visits with Andrew. Although Larissa is told that these meetings are not real, she cannot shake her suspicion that Andrew is indeed alive. When she begins an investigation of Hexagon, the very institution that she has been taught to trust, Larissa uncovers much more than she ever expected and places herself in serious danger. Her biggest challenge, however, remains determining what is real – and what is virtual. 

Nirvana is the first instalment in the three-part “Nirvana” series, a fast-paced, page-turning young adult trilogy that combines elements of the romance, mystery, and science fiction genres. This first novel introduces readers to a heroine who refuses to give up on the man she loves, even if it means taking on an entire government to do so.

My Thoughts:
This book was both compelling & frustrating.  I'll admit, after reading some of the reviews from my fellow "bookies" I was a little worried.  I agree with some of their points.  I did find the switch between POVs confusing since it happened in the middle of chapters and sometimes in the middle of a paragraph.  I didn't really like Kenders but I understood her.  I rooted for her because she had suffered so much in her childhood & then again at the hands of Hexagon.  I don't really know how much searching she actually did inside Hexagon.  There were hints that she took some papers out of Andrew's file but it never talked about her getting them to her room to study them.  Little inconsistencies such as that were common throughout the book.  Getting the history of why the Earth is in such harsh conditions was like looking through scratched glass.  I could see it, but it wasn't really clear.  The pace of the story was good & the mystery of it was what kept me intrigued.  I'm still a little unclear as to whether the "enemy" that people need protecting from is alien or on Earth.  I thought the cliff hanger at the end was brilliant and I can't wait to see what happens.  Over all I'd give this book a 3.5 star rating.  I hope the next book in the series is a bit more polished and the POVs are more defined.  Character development could also use improvement.  I didn't understand who really started the extinction of the bees or their continued motivation behind it.  After so long, even money becomes meaningless when so few are around to need it.  

Recommended for 15 & up.  Moderate sexual content.

I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Review: I Wish by Elizabeth Langston

What Lacey needs is a miracle. What she gets is a genie with rules.

Lacey Linden is hiding the truth of her life—a depressed mom, a crumbling house, and bills too big to pay. While her high school classmates see a girl with a ready smile and good grades, Lacey spends her evenings seeking ways to save her family. On a get-cash-quick trip to the flea market, Lacey stumbles over a music box that seemingly begs her to take it home. She does, only to find it is inhabited by a gorgeous "genie." He offers her a month of wishes, one per day, but there's a catch. Each wish must behumanly possible.

Grant belongs to a league of supernatural beings, dedicated to serving humans in need. After two years of fulfilling the boring wishes of conventional teens, he is one assignment away from promotion to a challenging new role with more daring cases. Yet his month with Lacey is everything that he expects and nothing like he imagines. Lacey and Grant soon discover that the most difficult task of all might be saying goodbye.

My Thoughts:
I read this book in less than 24 hours!  That is how awesome it is.  Lacey has experienced more grief in her short life than most adults do the entirety of theirs. She is over whelmed with responsibilities no teenager should have to face.  The two things that hurt Lacey most are her stubbornness and her fear.  She's to prideful to admit when she needs help and too stubborn to take it when it's offered.  Enter Grant.  At first you think he's the answer to all of Lacey's problems. But soon it turns out that while he can do as many handyman jobs as she wishes, it's what they both learn from each other that's the true gift.  You can't put a value on learning to open you heart to love.  The ending was a bit unexpected and I can't wait to read the next one.  I think there's more to Lacey's story & I hope we get to see what happens.  I'd like to know where she ends up going to college and if her mom ever makes the progress she needs to.  I'm also dying to know what will become of Grant and his aspiring career goals.  

Recommended for readers 13 & up.

I received this book from the author via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.  

Review: The Glass Gauntlet by Carter Roy

Image & description from goodreads.com

Ronan Truelove barely survived his first encounter with his father and the Bend Sinister. Now, he’s determined to become one of the Blood Guard, a sword-wielding secret society sworn to protect thirty-six pure souls crucial to the world’s survival.

Eager to prove he’s got what it takes, Ronan is sent on his first mission with his friends Greta and Sammy to visit a weird-sounding school and take a series of tests called the Glass Gauntlet. Paper and pencils and nerdy scholarship—where’s the life-or-death challenge in that?

But the Glass Gauntlet is actually something much more dangerous: head-to-head competitions against ruthless opponents. Nothing and no one are what they seem. Who can he trust, and who will kill him? Ronan has to figure it out fast because his enemies are multiplying, and soon he will have to pass the ultimate test: facing his father again and standing up to those who threaten not only him and his friends but also the world. 

My Thoughts:
The adventure continues!  The Glass Gauntlet begins shortly after The Blood Guard ends.  Ronan (love that name), Greta & Sammy are all in training at the make shift home base of the Blood Guard.  While Jack trains in them in his unique way, Ronan's mom continues to search for the Head of the Bend Sinister & the soul they stole from an innocent woman.  Soon Jack & the new trainees are off to the mysterious Glass Estate to enter Ronan, Greta & Sammy in the Glass Gauntlet.  Once they realize the competition is not what it seems things get pretty crazy.  I loved the twist in the plot and the pace the story moved at.  I wonder if the new character will stick around and be of help to the Guard.  Ronan continues to be one of my new favorite characters as he lets his instincts take over and uses his new training to protect his friends.  I can't wait to see where the next book will lead.  I hope it's not too long.

I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Recommended for readers 12 & up.  

Review: The Blood Guard by Carter Roy

When thirteen-year-old Ronan Truelove's seemingly ordinary mom snatches him from school, then sets off on a high speed car chase, Ronan is shocked. His quiet, nerdy dad has been kidnapped? And the kidnappers are after him, too? His mom, he quickly learns, is anything but ordinary. In fact, she's a member of an ancient order of knights, the Blood Guard, a sword-wielding secret society sworn to protect the Pure—thirty-six noble souls whose safety is crucial if the world as we know it is to survive. Now all those after-school activities—gymnastics, judo, survival training—she made him take, make sense. For suddenly Ronan is swept up in a sometimes funny, sometimes scary, but always thrilling adventure—dashing from one danger to the next, using his wits to escape the Bend Sinister, a posse of evil doers with strange powers. Falling in with two unlikely companions, Greta, a scrappy, strong-willed girl he's never much liked and Jack, a devil-may-care teenage pickpocket, Ronan is left with only his wits and his mom's last words of advice: Trust no one. That's a lot for an ordinary kid to deal with. But then again, maybe Ronan's not ordinary at all. 

My Thoughts:
I absolutely love these kinds of adventure books!  From Percy Jackson to Jack Templar these snarky, awkward teenage boys have stolen a piece of my heart.  Now Ronan Truelove is joining the club!  Ronan is sent on a wild journey starting when his mom drops him off at the bus station with cryptic instructions to not trust anyone unless they tell him it's "twelve till midnight".  What?!  I can't imagine thinking you have this sweet, mild mannered mom then all of a sudden you witness her sword wielding, ninja skills.   Once he finally meets up with Jack & Greta things get really out of hand.  Being chased by crazy, gun toting hit men bent on capturing him is a lot for a kid to deal with.  Thank goodness Ronan's mom & Greta's dad prepared them with some training even if the kids didn't really know the reason for it.  But the ending is what will really surprise you!  I can't wait to read the next book & find out how The Blood Guard plans on stopping the Bend Sinister. These books have just a touch of magic that really keeps the excitement going.    

Recommended for everyone 12 & up.  Great humor.  Mild violence.  Tons of adventure.

I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Jack Templar and The Lord of The Demons

 

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  Jack Templar and the Lord of the Demons (The Templar Chronicles #5) by Jeff Gunhus With two of the Jerusalem Stones in hand, Jack and his friends must race the clock to find the remaining Stones as Ren Lucre's Creach forces gather strength. With two of their group now with Creach blood flowing in their veins, the team will be tested as never before. They must unite together if they have any hope of surviving their journey to the Underworld and their battle with the vicious Lord of the Demons. The fate of the entire world hangs in the balance.

My Thoughts:

Why did this book have to end?!  I need more!!  These books are so fantastic!  Ok, enough with the exclamation points.  But seriously, these books are addicting.  When the series is done, I will gladly re-read it all over again.  I hope if they do make movies from these books they do them more justice than they did the Percy Jackson movies.  To be safe, Jeff, have them call & consult with me so I can make sure Jack & the gang are done right.

If you haven't read any of these books, get on it NOW!  This review can not express the awesomeness of these books if you haven't read any of them.  But I digress...

Jack is once again trying to find another one of the Jerusalem stones.  He's already faced down two powerful Creach Lords, but the Lord of the Demons will be next to impossible to defeat.  Not only does Jack have to get the stone away from the ruler of the entire underworld, he has to actually survive the UNDERWORLD!  Surprisingly, Jack, Eva, Daniel & the rest were all able to find some closure & healing along this journey.  

Of course what great story could be called "Great" without more mystery added to it?  By the end of this book I had a some new questions to be answered before this series wraps up.  

I think these books would be enjoyed by both girls & boys 12 & up.  They're great for anyone who loves to read adventure.

Here's an excerpt for your reading pleasure:

Just then, Eva stepped out from the brush directly into the forest path, straddling it with her feet set wide apart like a gunslinger in an old Western. For the life of me, I don’t know how she got that close without me seeing her, but she did.

“Hey,” she called out. “Wolfboy. Where do you think you’re going?”

Even as a vampire, Eva retained her English accent. Usually that took the edge off what she said, but she managed to deliver the challenge to Daniel with so much condescension and mockery that I thought he might charge at her.

Daniel spun around, lips curled back, every tooth showing. What I thought was a snarl before was no more than a tiny growl compared to the vicious sound that now came from his mouth. The skin on my arms and across the back of my neck turned to gooseflesh. I was, after all, a monster hunter. That snarl activated every instinct I had to pull my sword and fight. But I held steady, knowing that if they attacked each other, it was going to be up to me to pull them apart.

“I’m right here,” Eva hissed, barring her teeth to show her vampire fangs. “Come and get me, you dog.”

The words were barely out of her mouth before Daniel launched himself toward her. She crouched low where she was, her face twisting into a terrible mask of hate, her fangs extending out of her mouth past her lower lip, her hands held in front of her like claws.

Daniel took three enormous steps, landing the third immediately beneath the rabbit still desperately kicking to free itself. The second Daniel’s paws touched the ground, the forest floor gave way and he fell out of sight.

The cloth covering the hole we’d dug fell into the trap with him, dragging a layer of dirt and leaves in with it.

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 Author Jeff Gunhus Jeff Gunhus is the author of the Amazon bestselling supernatural thriller, Night Chill, and the Middle Grade/YA series, The Templar Chronicles. The first book of the series, Jack Templar Monster Hunter, was written in an effort to get his reluctant reader eleven-year old son excited about reading. It worked and a new series was born. His book Reaching Your Reluctant Reader has helped hundreds of parents create avid readers. Killer Within is his second novel for adults. As a father of five, he and his wife Nicole spend most of their time chasing kids and taking advantage of living in the great state of Maryland. In rare moments of quiet, he can be found in the back of the City Dock Cafe in Annapolis working on his next novel. If you see him there, sit down and have a cup of coffee with him. You just might end up in his next novel.

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 $25 Blog Tour Giveaway + 3 Templar Coins $25 Amazon eGift Card or Paypal Cash (Open Internationally) 3 Templar Coins (US only) Ends 8/31/15 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com eGift Card or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Review: The Last Faerie Queen by Chelsea Pitcher

Image & Decription from goodreads.com

A FAERIE REVOLUTION . . .

After risking her life in the mortal world, the faerie princess Elora returns home to incite a revolution. Allied with the Bright Queen, Elora rallies her people for a battle aimed at overthrowing her mother, the Dark Queen. While some question their ability to win, Elora senses victory, knowing she has a secret weapon: Taylor, the human boy she loves, and a motley crew of his school friends, each armed with a skill that can turn the tide of the coming battle. 

A MORTAL SACRIFICE . . .

But then Elora's supporters in the Dark Court turn on her, believing she has forsaken them in favor of humans. When the Dark Queen kidnaps two of her human friends, Elora must mount a daring rescue mission to free them before her mother offers them up as a sacrifice.


My Thoughts:

At first I was left with some mixed emotions from this book.  I guess I needed some time to let it settle.  This book begins right where The Last Changeling left off.   Taylor, Elora, Keegan, Kylie & Alexia are all refugees/captures of the Seelie Court.  Each with their own idea about their part in the upcoming war between the Bright & the Dark.  Trust is a constant issue in this story.  Who can they trust...each other, them selves, allies or enemies?  There is a nice complexity weaved into each character that is almost tangible as they battle their inner demons & desires.  One thing I really appreciated was how Taylor never lost his humanity.  His reactions to his circumstances were realistic & I liked that.  It made me a little sad he never quite got the closure he should have with his parents, but sometimes that's how life truly is.  We don't always get the loose ends tied up.  There were some pretty violent moments in the book that showed just how cruel the fey can be.  I love the way things turned out in the end.  Some things were quite unexpected and that, to me, is what makes a story great!  Humans & Fey alike must save each other.  AWESOME!!

This book is recommended for readers 15 & up.  Moderate and sometimes extreme violence with moderate sexual content.

I received this book from the publisher through Netgalley in return for my unbiased review.