Saturday 31 May 2014

Audio/Book Review of Tiger's Quest: Book Two (Tiger's Curse) by Colleen Houck



Synopsis:

Back in Oregon, Kelsey tries to pick up the pieces of her life and push aside her feelings for Ren. But danger lurks around the corner, forcing her to return to India where she embarks on a second quest-this time with Ren's dark, bad-boy brother Kishan, who has also fallen prey to the Tiger's Curse. Fraught with danger, spellbinding dreams, and choices of the heart, TIGER'S QUEST brings the trio one step closer to breaking the spell that binds them.

Review:


Tiger's Quest (The Tiger Saga, #2)Tiger's Quest by Colleen Houck
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the second book in the Tiger's Curse series. I loved it!

I downloaded this as an audio book, as I wanted to read it, but just didn't have time. Annika Boras again narrated the tale. I loved the way she gave each character their own voice and personality. I don't know if it's because I have gotten used to her cadence, or if she felt more comfortable with the characters, but I preferred her reading this story to Tiger's Curse. In any case, she did a fantastic job.

Kelsey Hayes is a fantastic character. I liked her a lot. The teen angst has abated somewhat, as she has grown up quite quickly. She has been through a huge challenge to try to free Ren from his curse. She has faced danger, adventure and near death with bravery and courage. However, one of her toughest challenges lays ahead.

The story continues with Kelsey going back to Oregon and heading to university. This story again swept me up and carried me away. I was enthralled by the descriptions of the characters and places. The author must have done a lot research into myths and legends, because they are peppered through the tale and woven into a believable story. This time Kishan, Ren's younger brother, is brought into the story. I liked Kishan. He is another great character. He is just as honourable as his brother, but he made a mistake 300 years ago, and believes that he deserves to be cursed as a tiger. However, I am now torn between the two brothers; they are both great guys. I am not usually a fan of love triangles, but the author has made it hard for me not to fall for both of these men. I also fell for Lee, Kelsey's Woo shoo teacher. He's also another great character.
As a personal aside: Why are all fictional men so hard to resist? Do we hold a template of the ideal man in our DNA, and find real men somewhat lacking? Or are there really great guys like Ren, Kishan and Lee out there somewhere? If they are out there, why haven't I found one yet? End of aside.
I found myself on an emotional rollercoaster ride throughout the story, and had to dab away more than one tear several times during it. The quest is just as deadly as the first one, even a bit more perhaps, and I listened with rapt attention as Kelsey and Kishan travel to Shangri-La to find "The Airy Piece". However, there is a nasty twist in this viperous tale in the form of Lokesh, Yasubai's father and the man who caused the two princes to become tigers in the first place. He is still looking for the princes' pieces of the Damon amulet. There are huge, shocking twists and turns throughout the tale, as well as near the end, and now I can't wait to get the next part of the story, Tiger's Voyage as soon as possible.

Colleen Houck has written a fantastic YA story which is a completely action packed adventure. I love her writing style, which is fast paced and exciting without being rushed, and the flow is wonderful. I have added this author to my Favourite Author's list.

I highly recommend this book if you love YA, Mythology, Romance or Action/Adventure genres. - Lynn Worton

View all my reviews


                             

Friday 30 May 2014

Book Blitz: Cover Reveal & Giveaway - Compelled by Shawntelle Madison



Welcome to the blitz for Compelled! 
I am so thrilled to share this wonderful book with you. 
Compelled is the third book in the Coveted series by Shawntelle Madison.


 book 3






Summary



For the past five years, Natalya Stravinsky has dreamed of two things: to rejoin the South Toms River werewolf pack and to be reunited with Thorn Grantham. Fate may have brought the pack back into her life, but unless she journeys to Russia to save Thorn, the love she’s found may be lost again. For a stubborn werewolf like Natalya, no distance is too far, no magic spell too complex to master, because one way or another she will find a way to have everything she has ever wanted.










 books 1 & 2




Steal the Facebook Banner for the giveaway













Shawntelle Madison



Shawntelle Madison is a web developer who loves to weave words as well as code. She’d never admit it, but if asked she’d say she covets and collects source code. After losing her first summer job detassling corn, Shawntelle performed various jobs—from fast-food clerk to grunt programmer to university webmaster. Writing eccentric characters is her most favorite job of them all. On any particular day when she’s not surgically attached to her computer, she can be found watching cheesy horror movies or the latest action-packed anime. She lives in Missouri with her husband and children.







Giveaway

Cover Reveal & Giveaway: Bittersweet Catastrophe (A Second Chances Novel 2.5) by Maureen Mayer



in

3


2


1











Title: Bittersweet Catastrophe (Second Chances #2.5)
Author: Maureen Mayer
Genre: New Adult/Coming of Age
Release date: Summer 2014





For•ev•er (fɔːˈrɛvə; fə-): without end; everlasting; eternally


It might have taken twenty-two years to find Liberty, but now that Shayne has her, he’s not willing to let her go without a fight.



Shayne and Liberty finally found their forever, leaving Shayne’s past indiscretions behind and moving forward to start a life together. But what if forever wasn’t truly in the stars for them?



What should be one of the happiest times in their lives as newlyweds quickly turns into a race against time. Liberty must choose between accepting her fate and protecting her family, and taking a risk that could ultimately end in more heartache.



Liberty’s decision will test the strength of their trust, but is it enough to keep Shayne from breaking down altogether and losing the woman he loves?






Maureen Mayer was born, raised and currently resides in Buffalo, NY with her loving and supportive family and boyfriend of 9+ years. She’s always had a love for the outdoors, and when the city isn’t buried under snow, she can be found hiking, fishing, camping or lying on the beach. She’s a sucker for off-color humor, but holds a sweet spot for sick and twisted horror films. When she’s not writing, you can find her curled up in bed with her kindle, diving into a steamy romance novel and falling in love with the latest book boyfriend.











Embedded Link: 





Rafflecopter embedded code: a Rafflecopter giveaway







Relinquishing Liberty:
Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/1l3tBBl




Unforeseen Heartbeat:
Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/1iJM5sd





Thursday 29 May 2014

Book Review of Marvin Piersoll by Bernard Mendillo



Synopsis:

MARVIN PIERSOLL is a comic, episodic novel about a man who realizes he has nothing to lose when his second wife leaves him for another man. He sets out on a journey of discovery--ostensibly to learn how to sail--driving from New York City to Wellfleet on Cape Cod. All along the way, Marvin meets all manner of people and learns what's over the horizon.

Review:


Marvin PiersollMarvin Piersoll by Bernard Mendillo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.

I was offered this book to read, but at first I was in two minds about accepting it, as I don't normally read this type of genre. However, I decided to give it a try and I am so glad that I did, because I LOVED it!

Marvin Piersoll is a character that I really liked. Marvin is a teacher of physics at Brown University. He is a normal man, living a normal life, but after his second wife leaves him, he sort of has a midlife crisis and sets off on a journey to learn how to sail, but ends up on an adventure that changes him profoundly.

I started reading this book and found myself totally engrossed from the first page. This is a warm and humourous tale that not only had me laughing at some of Marvin's antics, but also shaking my head over the choices he made. His journey from New York to Wellfleet is peppered with some unusual characters; from an ex-nun to a young teenage girl struggling to get out from under her family's thieving ways. I loved the way the author made these and other characters come alive. The descriptions of the locations were also well described and I felt like I was travelling, and experiencing, the journey with Marvin. I was extremely touched by his generosity towards strangers, and would definitely like to meet him one day. Marvin has a gentle soul that has taken a beating, but also has the strength of will to keep going, no matter what. I loved being part of his journey. The end of the story was a little bittersweet on my behalf; I was happy that he reached his journey's end, but sad that the book had ended.

Barnard Mendillo has written a touching story that had me riding a roller coaster of emotion. I love his writing style, which was fast paced enough to keep me turning the pages, and the flow of the story was wonderful from beginning to end. I do have one tiny complaint; the book cover does not do justice to the story. If I was to see this in a book store, I would probably overlook it. I know one shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, but this little gem needs one that reflects something about the story which will, in turn, catch a reader's eye. This story needs to be read!

I highly recommend this book if you love heartwarming fiction full of humour and odd characters. - Lynn Worton

View all my reviews


                        

Tuesday 27 May 2014

Book Review of Jack Canon's American Destiny: He's All In! by Greg Sandora



Synopsis:

Take a Journey for the Greater Good in this intensely gripping, loving thriller. Join Jack Canon and his insanely loyal team of friends and family as they make their all-or-nothing run for the presidency. You'll laugh out loud and have your heart ripped in two; all while holding your breath, sitting on the edge of your chair. You'll become emotionally committed as you find yourself standing behind your new courageous - unstoppable heroes - forced to take unimaginable steps to reach their goal. You'll be shocked at the heart-wrenching cost.
JACK CANON'S AMERICAN DESTINY - TO SOMEDAY HAVE THE POWER, TO DEDICATE THE HIGHEST OFFICE IN THE LAND--TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT. THIS TIME HE'S ALL IN.


Review:


Jack Canon's American DestinyJack Canon's American Destiny by Greg Sandora
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was recommended this book by a friend. I thought I would give it a try, as I have read a previous book by this author. I really enjoyed it.

Jack Canon is a complex character. I was not sure whether I liked him or not. He is a smooth talking, charismatic and focused individual, who will do whatever it takes to get what he wants. And what he wants is to be the next President of the United States.

I must admit that I am not very familiar with the way the American Senate and the Senators work, as I am not American. Also, I am not really very political. I do vote, but I am not active in the whole political scene. However, that being said, this book has opened my eyes to some of what goes on behind the scenes. The story was a little hard to get into in the beginning (see reason above), and I found it a little boring.The first part of the book felt a bit too long, in my opinion. I love the way the story unfolded, but wish there had been a bit more intrigue from the beginning.There was very little in the way of action, and the way the author detailed some of the rather believable behind-the-scenes scenes made me wonder at the naive way we, the voters, are blinded by the pomp of it all; there seems to be some dirty dealings that go on without public knowledge! However, I kept going and realised that politicians the world over seem to be cut from the same cloth; they are all two faced in some way or another. They say things and do things in public, but behind the scenes, things are completely different. This story follows Senator Jack Canon as he campaigns to be the next President. I actually laughed cynically at some of his antics, as they are so cliche. He is a loving husband and father, but I think he secretly loves the attention the other women in his life give him - it strokes his ego. It wasn't until I was well into the second half of the book before the action started to heat up, and Jack's persona suddenly took an abrupt Mr. Hyde shift. Granted, the people he was going up against were not the most likable, and his motives not entirely pure, but if I were in his shoes, I'm not sure if I would have had been able to pull it off. I reached the end of the book and sat for a while, as I contemplated the story. It definitely took me on a roller coaster ride of emotions. I have come to the conclusion that you have to either be highly idealistic, or love politics a lot to want to run for office. It is not for the feint of heart, and I am neither one of those! I will leave the politics to the politicians. The story wasn't as fast paced as I would have liked in places, but I am now looking forward to reading the next book to find out what happens next.

Greg Sandora has written a political thriller that could have been a little more thrilling in places, but all in all a great read. Having read a previous book from this author, I knew what his writing style was like. However, the switch in genre was a surprise (a nice one, but a surprise nonetheless). I wonder what else this author has up his sleeve? I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

I recommend this book if you love Suspense or Political Thriller genres. - Lynn Worton

View all my reviews


                        

Sunday 25 May 2014

Book Review of Young Knights of the Round Table: The King's Ransom by Cheryl Carpinello



Synopsis:

At Pembroke Castle in medieval Wales,11-year-old Prince Gavin, 13-year-old orphan Philip, and 15-year-old blacksmith's apprentice Bryan, brought together in friendship by the one they call The Wild Man, embark upon a quest to save The Wild Man’s life when he is accused of murder and robbery. If they have any hope of succeeding, the three will have to confront their fears and insecurities, and one of them will have to disclose the biggest secret of all. But it is the arrival of King Arthur and what he reveals that surprises characters and readers.

A Tween Adventure Novella


Review:


Young Knights of the Round Table: The King's RansomYoung Knights of the Round Table: The King's Ransom by Cheryl Carpinello
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.

This is a fantastic young adult adventure! I loved it!

Prince Gavin is the youngest son of King Wallace. He is a Page in his father's household, and in training to be a Squire. I liked this enterprising young man. He may only be eleven, but I found him to be brave and courageous.

Philip is a hard working young teen. Being an orphan, he feels very lonely at times, but his friendship with Prince Gavin and Bryan, the Blacksmith's apprentice, helps. I liked him too, but he has a secret that could change things between the three.

Bryan is a strapping young man, who is not sure if he wants to continue to be a Blacksmith's apprentice. I liked this young man too. He is quite the swordsman, and braver than he realises.

This is a fantastic young adult adventure for children aged 7 to 14. Set in Wales, the tale takes the reader on exciting adventure. The story is told through the eyes of Prince Gavin, Philip and Bryan. Each character is very lifelike and likable. They are very well developed and I felt like, even though they were from a different time, they would fit in well with today's youngsters. They are faced with a difficult challenge; to find the real murderer, and thief of the King's Ransom, a special medallion that belonged to Gavin's father. There is danger and adventure aplenty and there are a few twists and turns that kept me hooked. The author actually put in a huge twist near the end that made me gasp - I sure didn't see that scene coming! I actually sat in shock for a few moments. In fact, there are two secret identities revealed in this story that I would never have guessed in a month of Sunday's! I do wish the story had been a little longer, but as this book is aimed at a younger reader with a shorter attention span, I can understand why it was not. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed the story from start to finish, and read it in one sitting.

Cheryl Carpinello has written a fantastic Young Adult Action/Adventure. I loved her writing style, which was fast paced enough to keep even the most fidgety youngster's rapt attention, and the flow was wonderful. I would definitely read more of this authors books in the future.

I highly recommend this book to youngsters aged 6 to 8 as a bedtime story, 7 to 10 years as a read along (depending on reading ability) and 10 to 14 years as a read alone. I also recommend this book to adults who love younger YA Fantasy, or books containing Arthurian legends. - Lynn Worton

View all my reviews


                     

Friday 23 May 2014

Cover Reveal: Just Friends? by K.E. Osborn

Today, I am pleased to bring you the cover reveal of K.E.Osborn's new romance, Just Friends. I love the cover!




Date to be Released: 7th June 2014

Synopsis:

A talented young singer and actress Australian born Katerina Barrett decides to follow her dreams and move to the United States of America to attend AMDA College in Los Angeles, to further her music and acting career. On her orientation day a cocky, self absorbed and arrogant Will Sanders catches her attention. Immediately she’s drawn and she knows she should stay away from him and concentrate on her career – but life is never that easy. The chemistry is undeniable and Kat doesn’t want to let her guard down. When she gives herself to Will she’s left hurt when he confesses that he doesn’t do the 'relationship thing'. Through a turn of fortunate events they are both chosen to play the lead roles in an up and coming new indie movie, the Nightwalker Series. Their relationship blossoms as does their fame, turning their world upside down and leaving them asking, are we just friends?





About The Author:





K E Osborn was born in September 1984 and raised in Adelaide South Australia. She had a love of writing throughout High School but went down a different path to Design instead. It wasn't until she had a vivid dream about a three car pile up that the characters of her first book came to life. 

Aiden and Jeni are the amazing couple from the Trust me? Trilogy and they were born into the world through the imagination of K E Osborn in 2012.


Social Media



E-Mail: keosborn.author@hotmail.com

Blog Tour & Excerpt: Totaled by Stacey Grice


Today, I have pleasure in being part of the Blog Tour for Stacey Grice and her debut book, Totaled. Please make her welcome by checking out her book and excerpt below:



Synopsis:

Bree Murphy is stuck. Forced to grow up too fast after the tragic death of her mother, she has little time for any sort of life for herself. Now in her early twenties, she is coming to the realization that she deserves to put herself first.



Drew Dougherty is also stuck, in a state of merely existing. Memories and secrets of the day he lost both of his parents haunt him, forcing him to cope the only way he knows how...by fighting.



When these two worlds collide, hidden truths are revealed and relationships are put to the ultimate test. At a crossroad in their lives, they must decide if taking a risk is worth everything.



Or will their love be…



Totaled.




Totaled is a full length, new adult contemporary romance novel. 

Due to mature content, profane language, and sexual situations, this book is recommended for ages 18 and up.




Purchase Links:


                     




*************

Excerpt:


My heart raced, my palms grew sweaty, my skin felt flushed, and my breathing sped up. I let my tongue graze over my lips to wet them, and apparently that was invitation enough. His eyes immediately dropped to my mouth. Drew started to slowly lean in towards me, closing the distance between us, never releasing my face from his hold. Everything moved in slow motion and I knew this was the moment of our first kiss.
            Suddenly, out of nowhere, the sky opened up and it started raining. Not raining, pouring! Everyone around us (who I’d been unaware of for the last hour) scattered like ants and we stood to run for cover with the rest of the crowd. People were frantic and crazy, squealing and sprinting for cover, bumping into us left and right. Drew grabbed my hand and pulled me with him, jogging away from the chaos in the rain. We were running in the street along the inter-coastal, in the direction of the gym a few blocks away. Already drenched, we laughed at each other, stepping in puddles and pulling each other back and forth to dodge others in our path. It felt like we were children, being playful and having fun with it, because what else could you do
at that point?
When the rain picked up, we were still a good four blocks from the gym. Drew suddenly stopped jogging in front of me and turned around to face me, a look of intensity and determination in his expression. I almost couldn't stop in time and nearly crashed into his chest. He grabbed my face with both of his strong, masculine hands and looked at me like I was a giant piece of chocolate cake and he was starving. For two seconds he stared at me. Four seconds. Six seconds. All the while standing in the middle of the street in the pouring rain. And then his lips crashed into mine. His lips were firm at first but immediately softened. He licked my lower lip, tasting me, enticing me to open for him and I couldn't dream of doing anything in that moment but exactly whatever he wanted me to do. I opened my lips slowly to invite him in and our tongues touched each other, playfully at first and then with purpose. They danced together in perfect synchronized harmony like a beautiful Viennese waltz. The waltz turned into an angry paso doble, full of passion and angst. His kissed me with urgency, like he couldn't get enough, but not with haste. He was savoring me, cherishing me. My hair stuck to my face, slick with wetness from the rain, my dress clinging to my body, soaked all the way to my underwear, but I didn't want to move. Our hands were everywhere, grabbing each other anywhere, everywhere. He held my face with one hand and reached around to the small of my back to pull me in closer to him. The substantial, hard bulge between us confirmed how much I was affecting him. I felt my core twitch and throb with a need that I’d never felt before. My romance novels were finally right about something—this aching and throbbing stuff was legit. I didn't want to stop feeling it. I didn't ever want to stop.
 Our mouths separated and I tried to take a deep breath, but he moved his mouth down to my throat and neck, kissing and licking, lapping up the raindrops from my skin, and I couldn't possibly catch my breath with him doing that. I suddenly realized where we were still outside, still in the wide open, still in the rain. He must’ve felt me stiffen, because he brought his eyes up to mine and smiled.
"Let's get you out of the rain," he said, and we started jogging towards the gym again.


Author Bio:



I am a mother to a beautiful five year old daughter and a wife to my best friend. Being a labor and delivery nurse three nights a week pays the bills but I have recently decided to take my hobby of writing to the next level.  Living in Florida where I was born and raised allows me to hear the waves and stick my toes in the sand whenever I want, which is vital to my emotional well-being. Completely and absolutely obsessed with good music, the lifeline to my creativity, I cannot and will not write without it. Some things that I appreciate are honesty but not cruelty, an unapologetic sense of humor, being able to make any situation fun, often dancing like no one is watching, and a good cup of coffee with enough creamer to make it blonde.
Being an astute people watcher with a judgmental mind gives me constant inspiration for my stories. My characters, like many authors, are conceived from a hodgepodge of actual people in my life, unique personality traits, real world encounters, and conversations that I have directly taken part in. Totaled is my debut novel with many more to come.






Thursday 22 May 2014

Book Review of Fruit of Misfortune (The Creatura Series #2) by Nely Cab



Synopsis:

Isis’ goals for the future included things like attending and graduating college. However, becoming a monster wasn’t part of the plan. Isis and her boyfriend, David, are on the brink of a horrible transformation and they are eager to stop it. Together, they set out on a quest to Greece to find Isis’ biological father—the only person that may be able to help them. Their journey comes to an abrupt stop before it even begins when Isis falls ill, and Eros, David’s best friend, arrives in Athens, unannounced and curious…with a plan of his own.

The hunt for her father leads Isis on the turbulent path of deceit, death, and demons as she anticipates the dawning of the beast that stirs inside her.


Review:


Fruit of Misfortune (Creatura, #2)Fruit of Misfortune by Nely Cab
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the second book in the Creatura series. I LOVED IT!

Isis Martin is not a normal teen. After finding out that she is a Creatura - a being created when an immortal and a human have children - Isis is determined to track down her father to find out what she is transforming into.

I have been dying to read this book ever since I read Creatura, and went into shock after the cliffhanger at the end of the book (my jaw literally dropped and I had to re-read the ending three times!). It has been a long wait, but it was SO worth it! The story actually starts right where the last book ended and continues with Isis and David travelling to Greece to track down her father, S. Leumas. I loved Isis when I met her in the first book. However, I did want to smack her a few times for the way she treated David on occasion in this book. I don't think she appreciates or realises the depth of the sacrifice that David has made. That being said, she is madly in love with him. It was also wonderful to meet David's family again. The Chios clan are a formidable, but loving, bunch. There were also a few new characters added into the mix, but none more compelling than Eros. Eros is also an immortal and David's best friend. He is very charming, and just like his name suggests, is the god of affection and desire. He too succumbs to Isis's charms, and I think he genuinely falls for her himself. The story is another emotional roller coaster ride; I shed more than one tear in places. However, there is a little less romance and more adventure, as the time ticks down to Isis's and David's transformation. I found myself hooked from the first page, and read the book in one sitting. There are several twists and turns that kept me riveted, and one large one near the end that I did not see coming. I am a little disappointed that there were none of David's poems in this story, but I suppose that there was too much going on for any. The end of the story does not finish in another shocking cliffhanger, but I am looking forward to reading the next book as soon as possible.

Nely Cab has written a fast paced YA series with a uniqueness I love; her imagination seems to know no bounds. I love her writing style and the story flowed wonderfully. She already is on my Favourite Authors list.

I highly recommend this book if you love YA or Paranormal Romances. - Lynn Worton

View all my reviews


                      

Wednesday 21 May 2014

Book Review of Family Magic (The Hayle Coven Novels Book One) by Patti Larsen



Synopsis:

Her mom's a witch. 
Her dad's a demon.
And she just wants to be ordinary.


I batted at the curl of smoke drifting off the tip of my candle and tried not to sneeze. My heavy velvet cloak fell in oppressive, suffocating folds in the closed space of the ceremony chamber, the cowl trapping the annoying bits of puff I missed. I hated the way my eyes burned and teared, an almost constant distraction. Not that I didn't welcome the distraction, to be honest. Anything to take my mind from what went on around me.

Being part of a demon raising is way less exciting than it sounds.

Sydlynn Hayle's life couldn't be more complicated. Trying to please her coven, starting over in a new town, and fending off a bully cheerleader who hates her are just the beginning of her troubles. What to do when delicious football hero Brad Peters--boyfriend of her cheer nemesis--shows interest? If only the darkly yummy witch, Quaid Moromond, didn't make it so difficult for her to focus on fitting in with the normal kids. Add to that her crazy grandmother's constant escapes driving her family to the brink and Syd's between a rock and a coven site. Forced to take on power she doesn't want to protect a coven who blames her for everything, only she can save her family's magic.

If her family's distrust doesn't destroy her first.


Review:


Family Magic (Hayle Coven, #1)Family Magic by Patti Larsen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the first book in a fantastically magic series. I loved it!

Sydlynn Hayle is a not so typical teen. She is a powerful witch, who also happens to be part demon. I liked her a lot, even though the angst and self pity sometimes got on my nerves. Her life is not simple by any means, but when danger threatens her family, she is one of the bravest heroines to grace the pages of a book. She is stubborn and determined, and even more powerful than she fully realises.

I downloaded this book after a friend recommended it a while ago. Unfortunately, I have only just now managed to get to read it. I am really kicking myself, because it was a fantastic story!
I started to read and couldn't put it down! Sydlynn may not be a typical teen, but her desire to be normal and fit in is something that everyone can relate to. It was interesting to see how this character grew through the story; her confidence in her magic and the relationships with new friends. I loved Syd's grandmother, who although damaged by a powerfully misfired spell, is still a formidable woman in her lucid moments. There are several twists in this story, which kept me hooked! The coven is facing a dangerous foe and, although I kind of guessed who that was before it was revealed, the mystery and suspense that is built up was electrifying. Syd's also facing a potential love triangle, and a fight between her witch half and what her demon half wants. I must admit that I am not really a fan of love triangles, but Brad Peters and Quaid Moromond are like chalk and cheese. Brad may be the star football player of the school, but I liked his warmth and charm. Quaid is the typical bad boy, but it's more image than reality. He is dark and brooding, but also has a vibe that Syd's demon is drawn to. He is still a bit of an enigma though, so I am hoping that I'll get to know him better. There was one surprise I didn't see coming, and that involves a cheerleading bully. I will leave it to you to find out what happened. I will say that it did bring a tear to my eye, in a good way. I was a bit sad when I reached the end of the story, as I wanted to keep reading. I am now looking forward to continuing this series - of which there are 20 books so far - I have a lot of catching up to do!

Patti Larsen has written a fast paced, magical YA novel. I loved the way the author has created characters that are lifelike and likable, but with a paranormal twist. I loved the pace and flow. I am adding this author to my Favourite Authors list.

I highly recommend this book (and series) if you love YA or Paranormal Romances. - Lynn Worton

View all my reviews