Book Summary (Goodreads):

Welcome to the Apocalypse. Your forecast includes acid rain, roving gangs and misplaced priorities, in this comedic take on the end of the world as we know it, from debut author Daphne Lamb.

As a self-entitled, self-involved, and ill equipped millennial, Verdell probably wouldn’t have ranked very high on the list of those most likely to survive the end of the world, but here she is anyway. Add in travelling with her work addicted boss, her boyfriend who she has “meh” feelings for, and a handful of others who had no businesses surviving as long as they have, and things aren’t exactly going as planned. But despite threats of cannibalism, infected water supplies, and possibly even mutants, Verdell is willing to put in as little effort as she can get away with to survive.

My Review:

What a charming, witty read! It reminded me a lot like the movie Shaun of the Dead, if you enjoy Shaun of the Dead, then I’m more than positive you will enjoy this book. It’s basically about the end of the world happening, people dying, and people that are either clueless to the situation, or just don’t really care and are too worried about every day stuff… and while they worry about those minuscule things, people are trying to kill other people.  For instance, over Cheetos! Which is pretty comical!

The story follows Verdell Sonobe, a data coordinator that works for Mitchellwide Industries. Shes stuck in her office building for weeks once the virus hits. Those that are infected are placed in the stairwell. Meanwhile people are killing people over Cheetos. She also has a boyfriend, Bruce, whom she has been meaning to break up with for a long time, but she’s separated from Bruce at first. They are reunited once the people alive from the building are rescued and taken to safety. She finds out then that Bruce was just on a different floor the entire time she’s been stuck in her office building. While at safety people are sorted by different colors, and one of the groups happen to be where the celebrities are. Verdell and Bruce manage to bribe a guard into putting them in the celebrity group. Again, as the story progresses everyone just seems a little detached from what’s actually happening. Eventually Verdell and her comrades are having to fight off all kinds of crazy people. Cannibals, gangs, cults… and the list goes on.  It’s an adventure for sure!

The commentary in the book is witty and clever and sometimes you just can’t help but smile or laugh at these people as the world falls apart around them, and some of them just seem so clueless. Verdell is a very delightful character, and I loved her interactions with the others in the book. This book is purely for entertainment and to make you chuckle.  It’s funny, charming, and full of adventure at every turn. If you enjoy stories like Shaun of the Dead, that sort of dry humor (I call it the British humor, which I love!) then this book is definitely for you!

Purchase Links:
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June 9th by Emha Goliesh
Publication date: June 9th 2016
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Book Summary

June 9th: a night to love or a night to hate? A night to embrace or a night to erase? College freshman, Lacey Shyver, has no clue. Growing up with a neuromuscular disease, Lacey knows people only pretend to be nice—pity her, really, for looking different.

That is, until graduating senior, Blake Nivey, enters her life. Breaking down her walls and lifting her spirits with just one touch, he’s not like the others. He cares about her well-being and makes her laugh. He unlocks something within Lacey that captures her soul, yet Lacey’s internal struggles surface. Is she just a charity case for him?

Blake can’t possibly like someone with limited mobility when there are prettier girls wrapping their arms around him. Or can he? But when Lacey finally sees where Blake’s heart truly lies with her, everything changes.

Because once June 9th begins, it never ends.

Purchase (upon Book release)
Amazon | B&N

My Review

Goliesh’s characters all seem very real and unique. She takes extreme detail in her characters and gives them all a very differentiated sense of self and motivations in life. I did really enjoy each new character in this book and the ‘between the lines’ life they led.

Lacey is just a girl that wants to fit in and experience normal things in her life but with her disability, this has always been difficult for her. Especially with her controlling aunt and the family she said goodbye to long ago.

Being completely honest, I did have a bit of trouble connecting with Lacey due to her emotions changing so often. Lacey is a very impassioned individual which could be overwhelming at times and what did irk me a bit was her tendency to cry in situations that weren’t really that upsetting. However, it did seem warranted that at this troubling point of her life with discovering her feelings for Blake, not to mention school…well I would spontaneously cry too. In fact, I have now that I think about it. Her emotions drive her physical reactions often in the book. Very driven in her school work she finds it frustrating when the people around her do not take school seriously, something to which is the basis of her life and future.

I was a bit confused at first with Lacey’s predicament since she describes anyone touching her as painful and burning. Therefore, after a time when she enjoys Blake’s touch, it threw me for a loop. It did become clear that her pain was not only from her disability but her actual uncomfortableness with her own skin and therefore didn’t like anyone touching her directly. Especially without her permission. 

This book takes a different route to the classic love story you might often read. First, there is no love at first site but Lacey does fall very quickly. I was a little taken aback by her sudden feelings actually and had to get used to her sudden declarations but at the same time I could understand Lacey’s sudden change in feelings. She is struggling with changes in her life including a man actually showing her affection. With the female influences in her life, she’s able to see very opposite opinions on women looking for love and tries to come to terms with her own sudden affections for Blake.

Surprisingly my favorite character was Blake. Lacey and Blake’s interactions are very interesting to say the least and I was honestly surprised at times by their witty banter with one another. Blake is first described as a popular ladies man and perpetual flirt and when he starts to interact more with Lacey, you really discover more about him. I liked how you were able to discover more about his character; the odd quirks and history into his family and what drives him. He had some very funny one liners as well.

Despite the difficulties I first had, I did come to understand Lacey in a way. After all, her situation is so different than my own or what I’ve read from any other main character and it did open my eyes to many things disabled people experience. For this, I did enjoy the book quite a bit. It’s not often that a book will make you contemplate your morals and experiences one usually takes for granted. Overall, this book shares some very interesting and original experience. It’s main premise is to open the eyes of the reader and show the struggles of a smart but struggling woman looking for acceptance, understanding, and love.

About the Author

Shy and introverted, I never felt like I fit in, even though everyone saw me as a “social butterfly.” I moved around a lot in California, left people and met new ones, but nothing felt like home. Ever. Expect for writing. I grew up loving to write in small journals, under a desk, in a secret place. A place known to me and only me. I built a relationship with words in order to escape the reality that wrote about me—documents filled with all of my flaws and weaknesses. The reality that I didn’t understand at a young age and wanted to hide away from because my writing was something I could control. I could live in a secret place where every dream, fear, joy, and risk could be mine and only mine. My home. My safety. My love.

Author links

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Ascenders: High School for the Recently Departed

by C.L. Gaber

Release Date: April 20th 2015

Summary (from Goodreads)

Walker Callaghan doesn’t know what happened to her. One minute she was living her teenage life in suburban Chicago…and the next minute, she was in a strange place and in a brand new school with absolutely no homework, no rules, and no consequences.

Walker Callaghan, 17, is dead.

She doesn’t go to heaven or hell. She lands at The Academy, a middle realm where teenagers have one thing in common: They were the morning announcement at their high schools because they died young.

These high school kids are now caught in a strange “in-between” zone where life hasn’t changed very much. In fact, this special teen limbo looks a lot like life in a quaint Michigan town complete with jocks, popular girls and cliques.

“There are even cheerleaders in death,” Walker observes. It’s not a coincidence that the music teacher is a guy named Kurt who “used to have this band.” The drama teacher, Heath, is crush worthy because back in his life, he starred in some superhero movie.

Principal King explains the rules — there are none. Why? You can’t die twice.

There is no homework.

No tests.

No SATS.

You’re just there to learn because the human brain isn’t fully formed until you’re 24.

By the way, you can’t get hurt physically, so race your Harley off that hillside. But falling in love is the most dangerous thing you can do …because no one knows how long you’ll stay in this realm or what’s next.

“Losing someone you love would be like dying twice,” Walker says.

* * * * * *

Walker Callaghan has just arrived at the Academy after a tragic car accident. “Is this heaven or is this high school?” she asks.

She finds out her new life is a bit of both as she falls in love with tat-covered, bad boy Daniel Reid who is about to break the only sacred rule of this place. He’s looking for a portal to return back to the living realm.

He needs just one hour to retrieve his younger brother who strangely never arrived at The Academy. Bobby is an Earth Bound Spirit, stuck at a plane crash site that took both of their lives as their rich father piloted his private jet nose-first into a cornfield on Christmas Eve.

Walker loves Daniel and risks it all to go with him.

Have they learned enough to outsmart dangerous forces while transporting a young child with them? Can their love survive the fragmented evil parts of themselves that are now hunting them down as they try to find a way back to the middle?

At the Academy, you learn the lessons of an after-lifetime.

Buy Links

Amazon│Kindle│iTunes

Book Trailer

My Review

There’s a lot I can say about this book. How unique it is in its plot. How I actually felt like I was reliving high school memories of my own, despite the fact that The Academy is a high school like none other. Also, I really loved the quirky jokes and puns the author slipped in. Even the ones about death, which I never thought would amuse me. This book actually made me nostalgic, especially in the beginning. Perhaps it was the occasional music referenced and urged me to listen right away, or it could have been the mellow, highly accomplished but deceased teachers that spent their afterlife bettering the not so future of mankind. I feel I’m writing in circles but let’s just say this book is a tragic comedy, which is maybe not the best way to put it.

Walker is a 17 year old girl no longer going on 18 and she just started a new ‘life’ in ‘Michigan’. Only she doesn’t remember moving and her mother is acting strange. Also, they have a giant house with lots of pricy tech but no means of communication. Walker is bright, sassy, and intuitive to the people around her which made her a great editor ‘going on reporter’ for her old school paper. Suffice to say, I instantly liked her. On her second day in ‘Michigan’, she meets the allusive, rude, and chiseled Daniel and later his rambunctious siblings. After the initial scope of Daniel’s-perfection from head to toe-features, her unending questions quickly motivate him to show her just what has happened to her.

For some reason the thing that stood out for me the most with Daniel was his habit to actually reach out and physically move people (mostly Walker) out of his way, which was hilarious. I also think it’s a good indicator towards his personality. I really enjoyed all of the different types of characters in this book. Daniel’s siblings are a handful and wonderful to read, especially his interactions with them.

Overall, this book was a very good read with an easy flow of the plot that captured you from very early on. Discovering the each persons’ ‘story’ and the secrets of the school were quite interesting, as well as the plot twists along the way. Walker is a brave girl that takes her death in stride and doesn’t lose her sense of curiosity and generosity to the people around her. This looks like a great beginning to a series and I look forward to reading the sequel.

About the Author

C.L. Gaber is the author of the ASCENDERS SAGA and co author of Jex Malone. A well known entertainment journalist, she lives in Nevada with her husband Ron, bonus daughter Sabrina and two unruly dogs. ASCENDERS 2 is due out in early 2016.

Author Links

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Silver in the Blood (Silver in the Blood #1)

Book Synopsis(Goodreads):

A New York Times bestselling author brings dark secrets to life in a lush new YA perfect for fans of Libba Bray or Cassandra Clare.

Society girls from New York City circa 1890, Dacia and Lou never desired to know more about their lineage, instead preferring to gossip about the mysterious Romanian family that they barely knew. But upon turning seventeen, the girls must return to their homeland to meet their relatives, find proper husbands, and—most terrifyingly—learn the deep family secrets of The Claw, The Wing, and The Smoke. The Florescus, after all, are shape-shifters, and it is time for Dacia and Lou to fulfill the prophecy that demands their acceptance of this fate… or fight against this cruel inheritance with all their might.

With a gorgeous Romanian setting, stunning Parisian gowns, and dark brooding young men, readers will be swept up by this epic adventure of two girls in a battle for their lives.

My Review:

This book is a good example of why you shouldn’t let other people’s reviews influence what books you read.  I was very excited for this book when it first came out, but I was unable to read it right away. By the time I was ready to read it, the reviews were not as good as I would have liked.  So I put off reading it until earlier this week.  I have a whole stack of books that I need to read, but this book was calling to me.  I am very glad that I took the chance.

Dacia and Lou are cousins, their mothers being sisters from an old and powerful Romanian family.  Their fathers are from two of the most prominent families in New York.  Dancia and Lou are best friends, but in many ways they are opposites.

Dacia is tall, thin, and beautiful.  She loves her cousin, Lou, and tries to protect her from things that might hurt or upset her.  She can get very restless when things become too routine and she can maybe even be a little wild.

Lou is short, curvy, and beautiful.  She is shy and always follows the rules.  She loves her cousin, Dacia and will do anything to make her happy.  She wishes that she were tall and thin like her cousin.

Their Aunt Kate takes them on a European Tour to give them some polish.  Lou’s family comes along too, but Dacia’s family stays home, because her mother is expecting another baby.  While in London, Dacia gets involved with a very dashing Lord.  As punishment, Aunt Kate whisks her off to Bucharest without stopping in Paris.  While Lou and her family head for Paris.  The girls have a hard time being apart.  They keep in touch by writing letters to each other.  Some very strange things start happening for both girls.  They are eventually reunited, but their whole lives are starting to change.  It seems there is a family secret.  One that some members of the family would kill to protect. Once the secret is revealed, their lives will never be the same.

I really loved this book.  This is not your normal shape-shifter story. To me it was a very refreshing change.  The author is a little slow to reveal the secret, but the suspense keeps you on the edge of your seat.  I read this book in one day and I never got bored.  I had a hard time putting it down to take care of daily things.  It does not end on a cliff hanger, but there are enough unanswered questions to warrant a continuation of the story in other books.  When I got to the end of the book, I was sad for the story to be over.  I wanted more. I loved the characters, especially Dacia and Lou.  The story is told from both of their points of view.  I loved the letters they wrote to each other and the journal entries.  There are also a couple of villains  in this story and they are truly evil.  I love a good villain.

Jessica Day George is a great author and one of my favorites.  This book is definitely worth reading.  I give this book 5 stars.

Poison by Lan Chan
(Wind Dancer #1)
Publication date: September 1st 2015
Genres: Dystopia, Young Adult

Book Summary

Since the night her mother was murdered, sixteen-year-old Rory Gray has known one truth: There are no good Seeders.

In post-apocalyptic Australia, the scientists known as Seeders have built a Citadel surrounded by food-producing regions and populated with refugees from the wars and famine. To maintain their control, the Seeders poisoned the land and outlawed the saving of seeds.

It’s been six years since Rory graced the Seeders’ circus stage as the Wind Dancer and still the scars on her body haven’t healed. Even worse are the scars on her heart, left by a Seeder boy who promised to protect her.

Now the Seeders are withholding supplies from Rory’s region for perceived disobedience. Utilising the Wanderer knowledge she received from her mother, Rory must journey to the Citadel through uninhabitable terrain to plead for mercy.

However, the Citadel isn’t as Rory remembered. The chief plant geneticist is dying and rumours fly that the store of viable seed is dwindling. The Seeders are desperate to find a seed bank they believe Rory can locate, and they will stop at nothing to get it.

To defy the Seeders means death. But Rory has been close to death before–this time she’s learned the value of poison.

Recommended for fans of The Hunger Games, Divergent, strong protagonists, minority characters, circuses and nature!

Purchase Links

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords

My Review

The world Aurora grows up in is a violent dystopia of greed and savagery. Embracing her own encompassing feelings of revenge, she pushes herself into a warrior bent of the destruction of the Seeders but also the continuation of her mothers legacy. Still a feeling that lays heavy in her gut and heart continues to drive her to other actions that determine her future.

Poison is made of groups called Seeders, Wanderers, Reapers, and Blood Furies (which by the way is an amazingly scary name) all at war with one another. Famine causes ‘survival to the fittest’ in a dying land, where Aurora struggles not only to survive but save the future of their world.

Every bit of this book is like reading poetry. The way Chan describes even something like walking through a forest ends up being a dance in words, must like her plot. Usually when reading about a world so different it can be hard to follow at times. However, I had no trouble at all following the intricacies of this future dystopian world that captured me so quickly. I truly feel that this book is very fresh and unique. I usually feel a bit of tension with a character when I first start to read, yet I immediately enjoyed reading Aurora, or for short Rory’s, point of view and the struggles she faces. Rory is such a brave, aspiring character, and it was very easy to like her. She faces her fears, pushing past the moments when she only wants to freeze, and is very loyal to the people she cares about.

It was very refreshing to read a story based in Australia. Having already a bit of knowledge about the creatures and atmosphere that are already deadly, it was very interesting to read Chan’s particular flare about the conditions there. Just by writing this I realize how many different elements are involved in this story, yet I never felt boggled by an overload of information. If you crave fast paced action stories then you will certainly enjoy this.

Also, I must confess, I’m a sucker for bad boys in books. Rory’s counterpart (or adversary) Aiden can certainly fit the description. Aiden is ruthless and complicated, which makes him all the more fun to read.

I would definitely recommend the book, though I’d suggest reading it further in the future because I’m already frustrated that I can’t read the sequel. Kidding! Sort of…

About the Author

Lan Chan is a writer, gardener and professional procrastinator based in Melbourne, Australia. She is still waiting for her super powers to manifest but until then she writes young adult novels featuring strong female protagonists, minority characters and has a particular interest in dystopias and urban fantasy. Lan’s debut novel POISON, the first in her WIND DANCER series is due for release in September 2015.

Author links:

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Gia Kearns would rather fight with boys than kiss them. That is, until Arik, a leather clad hottie in the Boston Athenaeum, suddenly disappears.

While examining the book of world libraries he abandoned, Gia unwittingly speaks the key that sucks her and her friends into a photograph and transports them into a Paris library, where Arik and his Sentinels—magical knights charged with protecting humans from the creatures traveling across the gateway books—rescue them from a demonic hound.

Jumping into some of the world’s most beautiful libraries would be a dream come true for Gia, if she weren’t busy resisting her heart or dodging an exiled wizard seeking revenge on both the Mystik and human worlds. Add a French flirt obsessed with Arik and a fling with a young wizard, and Gia must choose between her heart and her head, between Arik’s world and her own, before both are destroyed.

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The author of this book really has a unique sense of humor that had me literally laughing out loud a few times. Although Gia begins training and changing with each new discovery, her cleverness and and sassiness continues throughout the book. There is so much to enjoy while reading this book. I really feel that it uniquely gives each reader something different to enjoy. If you like descriptive books, Drake’s portrayal of her scenes leap off the page with such amazing descriptive architecture and a wonderfully diverse list of characters. If you like books that constantly keep your attention, the large list of plot twists and whirling action scenes truly do grab your attention and make it impossible to put down. If you like good characterization, Drake’s characters are all very unique and their interactions with each other truly do make you believe they’ve known each other for years with their funny quirks and description expressions.

The only quirk I had about this book is the romance felt as fast paced as the plot. Gia’s love interest Arik is the knight in shining armor type of interest originally. He coincidentally starts off Gia’s destiny when her interest in him makes her discover the key words to jumping into the Mystic world. Arik’s character at times could fall a bit flat and often observed by other characters as just being yummy. Although he seems fiercely protective and has his moments of a darker past, I wanted to see more development of him and his interactions with his friends.

About the Author 

 

Brenda Drake, the youngest of three children, grew up an Air Force brat and the continual new kid at school. Her fondest memories growing up is of her eccentric, Irish grandmother’s animated tales, which gave her a strong love for storytelling. So it was only fitting that she would choose to write stories with a bend toward the fantastical.

When Brenda’s not writing or doing the social media thing, she’s haunting libraries, bookstores, and coffee shops or reading someplace quiet and not at all exotic (much to her disappointment).

Author Links

 

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Frozen Tides
by Morgan Rhodes
Status: 4th Installment of the Falling Kingdoms Seris
Publisher: Razorbill (December 15, 2015)
Rating: 5/5

Book Summary (Goodreads):

Rebels, royals, and monsters wage war over the Mytican throne in the shocking fourth book of the Falling Kingdoms series, from New York Times bestselling author Morgan Rhodes.

CLEO: Reeling after a bloody showdown in Limeros ending with Amara’s abduction of the water crystal, and a vacancy in the Mytican throne, Princess Cleo must cast aside her feelings and look toward her kingdom with the eyes of a Queen.

MAGNUS: With the kingdom in chaos, Princess Lucia still missing and quite possibly in danger, and a shocking realization about Cleo, the steely prince is once again torn between love and duty, leaving him wondering whether he’s strong enough to rule his people.

LUCIA: The young sorcercess has had her vengeance after the cruel death of her first and only love. Heartbroken and unable to trust anyone, she allies with the awoken Fire god, who also seeks revenge.

JONAS: After escaping death by the skin of his teeth, the defeated rebel—along with a mysterious stranger–leader reunites with Princess Cleo, only to find himself a mere pawn in a dangerous hunt for the elusive Kindred.

KING GAIUS: Abandoned by Melenia and betrayed by his own children, Gaius flees Mytica and sails to Kraeshia, where he attempts to ally with the famously brutal emperor across the Silver Sea.

My Review:

I’ve been an avid Falling Kingdoms fan since the first book. It’s been completely wonderful to see the dark prince transform into something so much more. Magnus is one of my all time favorite characters, and his role in Frozen Tides, along with his character development, is purely amazing. The way Morgan Rhodes has created her characters, and their story arcs are wonderful. She is a brilliant author! Trust me when I say you don’t particularly like Magnus in Falling Kingdoms. He’s a cold, heartless prince that has eyes for his sister Lucia. He is damaged and a tortured soul. His story arc has taken place over all four books. I have loved seeing his character development. His is one of the best story arcs I have ever seen.

Frozen Tides takes off where Gathering Darkness left off. So many people are on the hunt for the Kindred, but only one person knows the truth behind the power of the Kindred. Lucia helps the fire kindred in his search to reach the Sanctuary. Meanwhile Magnus and Cleo bicker with each other none stop as the seek refuge in his father’s castle in Limeros.  King Gaius travels to Kraeshia and makes a deadly bargain. It’s non stop action, filled with twists and turns, and a love so wonderful it leaves you with wanting more.

I’ve been waiting for this Magnus moment for years now, and it doesn’t disappoint! There’s so much to love about this book. It’s my favorite of the four books, but they are all amazing. If you haven’t started reading this series yet then I encourage you to do so. This is one of my all time favorite series. It’s pure fantasy and has a little bit of everything in it. Love. Betrayal. Mystery. And the chemistry between Magnus and Cleo is wonderful. I love their bickering. I love the subtle hints that show how they feel about each other. And I love that we finally get to see how they both feel about each other. Plus the ending in this is one of the best endings ever written in a book. It’s a real page turner! Don’t miss out on reading such a great, epic series!

About the Author:

Morgan Rhodes lives in Ontario, Canada. As a child, she always wanted to be a princess — the kind that knows how to wield a sharp sword to help save both kingdoms and princes from fire-breathing dragons and dark wizards. Instead, she became a writer, which is just as good and much less dangerous. Along with writing, Morgan enjoys photography, travel, reality TV, and is an extremely picky, yet voracious reader of all kinds of books. Under another pen name, she’s a national bestselling author of many paranormal novels. Falling Kingdoms is her first high fantasy.

Author Links:
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Shadow in the Sea by Sheila A. Nielson
Publication date: July 15th 2015
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Rating: 3.5/5

Book Summary:

When sixteen-year-old Sadelyn Hanson washes up on the shores of Windwaithe Island, her beauty and the strange marks on her wrist make superstitious locals suspect she is a mermaid. Feigning amnesia, Sade hides a far worse secret: she was sailing to her own murder trial when she was thrown overboard by the real killer, the cunning and cruel Captain Westwood.

Sade’s quiet effort to rebuild her life on the island is threatened when she meets an actual young merman. Unable to speak his language, Sade still longs for the warm companionship he offers, despite the locals’ dire legends about merfolk and their dark magic. But her confused feelings for the impossible boy become the least of her problems when Captain Westwood’s ship docks at Windwaithe. With nowhere to escape, Sade must trust in the one person who doesn’t fear the merfolk. A woman who had dealings with them herself—years ago.

Purchase Links:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | eBook Mall

Review:

Shadow in the Sea follows the story of Sade, a girl accused of killing her guardian, survives a storm at sea and washes on the shore of Windwaithe Island. The island itself is familiarized with mermaid folklore and are quite suspicious of Sade when she washes on the shores. Mrs. Rousay and her daughter Estelle help Sade on her path of healing and self discovery. Over time Sade meets the startling Araedyn, whom doesn’t speak their language, but is able to convey their thoughts through emotions and feelings.  Soon it doesn’t take long for the Captain Westwood, the captain from the ship that Sade was originally sailing on, to arrive in the island.

Shadow in the Sea is romantic and heart warming. And has an awesome spin on it. Sade is the Prince Eric in this story and instead of their being a mermaid, there’s a merman. This book is a very emotional tale, but Sade’s story, her discovery in finding herself and finding her courage is very touching. The only thing I didn’t really enjoy in this story is the love at first sight part. I think that for the amount of time Araedyn and Sade spent together, the love happened really fast. But the book is filled with so much other awesomeness, that it definitely makes up for the insta-love story. I really enjoyed Sade’s relationships with the other characters in the story. I think the characters were very well developed, the plot-line, though slow to start, really picks up about half way through the book and is definitely worth it to read it all the way to the end. For a villain, Captain Westwood is cleverly written! The world building was definitely a strength in this book. The way the author describes the people and the world is remarkable.

If you like a little mystery, a tale about rebuilding and healing, and a love at first sight, then I highly recommend this heart warming mermaid tale.

About the Author:

Sheila never did figure out what she wanted to be when she grew up. She graduated from college with a BFA in illustration, has worked as a children’s librarian for over eighteen years, and would eventually like to be a full-time author. Why pick one career when you can have many? Sheila lives with her two pets, a goffin cockatoo and a tiny toy poodle. She was born and raised in California but has come to also love her adopted home in Utah where she currently resides.

Author Links:
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Return Once More by Trisha Leigh 
(The Historians #1)
Published by: Bloomsbury Spark
Publication date: September 29th 2015
Genres: Science Fiction, Time-Travel, Young Adult

Purchase Links:

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My Review:

Kaia is an apprentice learning to become a Historian.  In her society, that means traveling back in time and observing historic events that occurred on their original planet, Earth.  Earth is no longer habitable by humans.  Kaia’s ancestors found it necessary to leave Earth and find new planets to inhabit.  Science has made great strides and now they are able to travel through time and space.  They are also able to determine who would be your true love, but most of the time your “true” lived and died in another time.  Kaia only knows of one couple her age that were identified as “trues”.  On your 17 birthday you can find out who your “true” is if you want to.  Kaia decides to find out.  She finds out that her “true” is from Ancient Egypt and died as a teenager.  She should just let this information go, but she can’t and when the opportunity arises she breaks every rule in the book to meet her true love.  Along the way she finds out that one of her apprentice friends is also breaking the rules.  She starts following him and discovers secrets in the historian society itself that could forever change the world they live in.

I wasn’t sure at first whether I was going to like this book or not, but I liked it very much.  I am not one of those people who believes in soul mates or love at first sight.  I think you can be attracted to someone at first sight, but you have to really know someone in order to love them.  I’m talking about romantic love here and not seeing your niece or nephew for the first time, or your son or daughter, and loving them instantly.  Because that kind of love at first sight I definitely believe in.  Soon after the beginning of the book, Kaia goes back in time to meet her true love.  It was definitely a case of instalove, but I kept reading and I’m very glad that I did.  It takes a little while, but soon things start heating up and nothing is what it seems.  Strange things are going on in the Historian society and Kaia doesn’t’ know who she can trust.

The book started out a little slow but once it picked up I had a hard time putting it down.  I loved the characters and I think the author did a good job with her world development.  I liked the little trips to the past and how descriptive the author was.  I also liked the interaction between the main character, Kaia, and her friends.  Kaia is a wonderful character.  She starts out very immature and selfish and grows throughout the book into a more mature and selfless person.  I liked her very much by the end of the book.  Another character that I really liked was Oz.  He and Kaia butt heads a little, but he is always there for her when she gets into trouble, which happens frequently.  The relationship between Kaia and Oz makes me wonder about the whole “True Love” thing.  There is definitely something going on between those two.

There are only a few things that I didn’t like about the book.  Sometimes the author got a little too descriptive.  In the beginning of the book when the author was setting the stage for the story, I got a little bored.  I almost put it down, but I’m glad that I didn’t.  I had a hard time buying into the part of the story line where they could predict who your soul mate was.  I don’t think it is possible to predict who your soul mate is and I found the love story with Caesarion in Ancient Egypt  a little sappy and cliche.  But that story line was only a portion of what was going on in the book.  I do think the trips into the past were necessary for Kaia’s development.

Over all, I really liked this book and I would recommend it to anyone who likes a good mystery with a little sci-fi thrown in for good measure. I will definitely read the sequel, because there are so many unanswered questions and it will be interesting to see where the author takes the story line in the next book.  I give this book four out of five stars.

Author Bio:

Trisha Leigh is a product of the Midwest, which means it’s pop, not soda, garage sales, not tag sales, and you guys as opposed to y’all. Most of the time. She’s been writing seriously for five years now, and has published 4 young adult novels and 4 new adult novels (under her pen name Lyla Payne). Her favorite things, in no particular order, include: reading, Game of Thrones, Hershey’s kisses, reading, her dogs (Yoda and Jilly), summer, movies, reading, Jude Law, coffee, and rewatching WB series from the 90’s-00’s.

Her family is made up of farmers and/or almost rock stars from Iowa, people who are numerous, loud, full of love–the kind of people that make the world a better place. Trisha tries her best to honor them, and the lessons they’ve taught, through characters and stories–made up, of course, but true enough in their way.

Trisha is the author of THE LAST YEAR series and the WHITMAN UNIVERSITY books. She’s represented by Kathleen Rushall at Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.

To learn more about Trisha Leigh, please visit her at trishaleigh.com.

If you enjoy New Adult books or a good contemporary romance, please check out my pen name, Lyla Payne!

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Emerge
by Melissa A. Craven
Paperback: 438 pages
Publisher: Midnight Hour Studio (April 1, 2015)
Rating: 3/5

Book Summary (Goodreads):

Allie Carmichael has always believed life is simple.

You’re born.

You live.

You die.

She has no cause to believe that equation works differently for her, but there has to be a reason the world treats her like a pariah.

When an unexpected move to Kelleys Island brings Aidan McBrien crashing into her life, Allie is thrown by his reaction. He doesn’t shrink from her touch. He doesn’t stutter or make a quick exit. He smiles and welcomes her into his circle of friends, who aren’t exactly comfortable with Allie, but they seem to get her in a way most people don’t.

Finally, Allie has a real shot at normal and rides that high right up to her sixteenth birthday when she wakes in agony—an experience Aidan insists they have all faced. She struggles in ignorance, uncertain of what is real and what isn’t. When she emerges, Allie is different. She has always been different, but even among her extraordinary friends, she and Aidan are special.

As Allie struggles to maintain her tenuous grasp on the power that threatens to overwhelm her, she worries she will lose herself in this strange new world. A dangerous world where she will have to fight tooth and nail to defend the power and freedom that is her birthright.

…only Allie hates to fight.

My Review:

Emerge is an imaginative story filled with fantasy and self discovery. It’s a great coming of age story about a girl named Allie that begins her journey as a timid individual, but over time learns who she is and defines herself. All her life, Allie has been an outcast, with people having somewhat uncomfortable interactions with her for unknown reasons. That is, until she meets Aidan, whom doesn’t cringe at her touch or wishes to be anywhere but with her. Instead, Aidan helps Allie come out of her shell and the two become a formidable team, always there for each other, always looking out for each other. But it isn’t until her Awakening that she truly realizes who, or what she is, and with it a huge amount of responsibility.

I thoroughly enjoyed Craven’s fast paced writing and her development of memorable characters. The story itself is very gripping, leaving you wanting more. Her action scenes are incredible, and definitely one of her strengths when it comes to writing. I did feel like the love story took precedence over the rest of the story, and I found myself asking why to one of the characters quite a bit. To me, the love story was a little too much, but I am anxious to see where their journey goes in the sequel.

The world Craven created was truly mesmerizing. I thoroughly enjoyed the ancient stories of where Allie and her kind came from. As I read Emerge I couldn’t help but be eager to find out how the story would end.

I think Emerge is a fantastic debut novel from a first time author and I look forward to reading more from Melissa A. Craven, especially concerning how Allie and Aidan’s stories will turn out.

Purchase Links: Amazon

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About the Author:

Melissa A. Craven (the “A” stands for Ann–in case you were wondering) was born near Atlanta, Georgia, but moved to Cleveland, Ohio at the age of seventeen. She still thinks of Cleveland as home, so it was only natural for Emerge to take place there.

Today, she is back in Atlanta–for some reason she can’t seem to stay away from the ungodly heat that makes her long for things like “lake effect snow” and wind that will knock you flat.
Melissa decided a long time ago that the “life checklist” everyone else was clutching so tightly in their fists, just wasn’t for her. She does everything backwards because she is weird like that, but then, she is an artist and artists are notoriously “unique” and “quirky.”

She is an avid student of art and design, and received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of West Georgia in 2009. She worked as an interior designer for several years, but she’s always thought she might like to be a writer when she grows up.

In her spare time, if she has any, she enjoys shopping for derelict furniture she refinishes to exercise the interior design part of her brain.

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