Waiting on Wednesday: Infinite by Jodi Meadows

Posted by on

infinite

Infinite by Jodi Meadows
Release Date: January 28, 2014

DESTRUCTION
The Year of Souls begins with an earthquake—an alarming rumble from deep within the earth—and it’s only the first of greater dangers to come. The Range caldera is preparing to erupt. Ana knows that as Soul Night approaches, everything near Heart will be at risk.

FLIGHT
Ana’s exile is frightening, but it may also be fortuitous, especially if she can convince her friends to flee Heart and Range with her. They’ll go north, seeking answers and allies to stop Janan’s ascension. And with any luck, the newsouls will be safe from harm’s reach.

CHOICE
The oldsouls might have forgotten the choice they made to give themselves limitless lifetimes, but Ana knows the true cost of reincarnation. What she doesn’t know is whether she’ll have the chance to finish this one sweet life with Sam, especially if she returns to Heart to stop Janan once and for all. (summary from goodreads)

This is what I get for getting behind in reading blogs (and boy am I behind). I missed the cover/title/summary reveal for INFINITE! Considering the love I have for the New Soul trilogy, I had to put this up as a book I’m looking forward to. Thank Merlin 2014 is only six months away, because I need to get my hands on this NOW.

I have to admit, I was a bit uncertain of the cover at first, just because it’s different colors than INCARNATE and ASUNDER — green and blue instead of purple and pink, but it’s really grown on me. Now it’s to the “I could look at this all day” stage. Looooove!

Socialize with the author:
Jodi Meadows:
Website
Facebook
Twitter @jodimeadows

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine.

– leeanna

Book Review: Don’t Turn Around by Michelle Gagnon

Posted by on

don't turn aroundInfo:
Title: Don’t Turn Around
Author: Michelle Gagnon
Release Date: August 28, 2012
Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: Amazon Vine
Series? PERSEF0NE #1
Genre: Young Adult, Thriller, Mystery
Page Count: 320
Rating: [3/5 stars]

Summary:

Sixteen-year-old Noa has been a victim of the system ever since her parents died. Now living off the grid and trusting no one, she uses her hacking skills to stay anonymous and alone. But when she wakes up on a table in a warehouse with an IV in her arm and no memory of how she got there, Noa starts to wish she had someone on her side.

Enter Peter Gregory. A rich kid and the leader of a hacker alliance, Peter needs people with Noa’s talents on his team. Especially after a shady corporation threatens his life in no uncertain terms. But what Noa and Peter don’t realize is that Noa holds the key to a terrible secret, and there are those who’d stop at nothing to silence her for good. (summary from goodreads)

My Review:
DON’T TURN AROUND is a difficult book to describe, let alone review without giving away too many spoilers. It’s an action-packed thriller, with barely a minute to breathe as you’re reading. The title is apt, because everytime Noa turns around, there is someone there trying to recapture or kill her.

The book starts off with one heck of a hook: Noa waking up in a mysterious glass cube inside a warehouse. There’s a scar on her chest, as if she’s just had surgery. Her survival instincts kick in, and Noa flees, escaping what seems like an army of bad guys. An orphan used to fending for herself, Noa is also a gifted hacker, and she puts those skills to use in trying to figure out just what the hell happened to her.

Enter Peter. When Noa needs quick cash to survive for a few days until she can get access to her bank accounts, he hires her to do research into a mysterious company that broke into his house to steal his laptop. Peter is the creator of /ALLIANCE/, a do-good hacking group named after the Alliance from World of Warcraft.

Noa and Peter eventually end up working together, for the organization that kidnapped Noa is the same one that broke into Peter’s house. The action in DON’T TURN AROUND is non-stop, but even though Noa and Peter got into some bad situations, I never truly felt like they were in danger. The author also tried to interject some romance between the two, but I wished she had just left them as wary acquaintances, because the romance fell flat for me. Fortunately there isn’t a lot of it.

Noa is a difficult character to get a grasp on at first. She’s independent, secretive, and doesn’t talk about herself. All for a good reason, and she does grow throughout the book, learning that she can’t rely on just herself. I did like that she wasn’t a character who went to emotional bits every time something bad happened, but stayed calm and thought through a situation or conflict. Peter was the softer one, more in touch with his emotions and indulging in a freak out or two. A guy used to every girl liking him, Noa keeps him on his toes.

I appreciate the touches of geekiness throughout DON’T TURN AROUND, only fitting as both Noa and Peter are hackers. However, as a geek, a few things stood out to me as false or not quite right. But I don’t think the average, non-gamer, non-geek will pick up on them.

Ultimately, though there’s a lot of action, not a lot happens in DON’T TURN AROUND. It’s mostly set-up. There are a lot of loose ends, but that’s because it’s the first in a trilogy. While I didn’t love the book, I did like it quite a bit, and I will be picking up the next book, DON’T LOOK NOW, set to come out August 2013. I want to get answers to all my questions, and find out what happens next to Noa, Peter, and the evil organization they’re fighting against.

Socialize with the author:
Michelle Gagnon:
Website
Facebook
Twitter

– leeanna

Book Review: Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers

Posted by on

dark triumphInfo:
Title: Dark Triumph
Author: Robin LaFevers
Release Date: April 2, 2013
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Source: Amazon Vine
Series? His Fair Assassin #2
Series Reviews:
His Fair Assassin #1: Grave Mercy
Genre: Young Adult, Historical, Romance
Page Count: 385
Rating: [5/5 stars]

Summary:

Sybella’s duty as Death’s assassin in 15th-century France forces her return home to the personal hell that she had finally escaped. Love and romance, history and magic, vengeance and salvation converge in this thrilling sequel to Grave Mercy.

Sybella arrives at the convent’s doorstep half mad with grief and despair. Those that serve Death are only too happy to offer her refuge—but at a price. The convent views Sybella, naturally skilled in the arts of both death and seduction, as one of their most dangerous weapons. But those assassin’s skills are little comfort when the convent returns her to a life that nearly drove her mad. And while Sybella is a weapon of justice wrought by the god of Death himself, He must give her a reason to live. When she discovers an unexpected ally imprisoned in the dungeons, will a daughter of Death find something other than vengeance to live for? (summary from goodreads)

My Review:
GRAVE MERCY, the first book in the His Fair Assassin series, was at the top of my list for 2012. I mean, who can pass up assassin nuns fathered by Death himself? Not me! So DARK TRIUMPH was a book I couldn’t wait to read.

Let me tell you just how much I liked it: I read it two times in one month. My original rating was actually 4 stars, but because I read it twice, and enjoyed it both times, I bumped my rating up to 5 stars.

DARK TRIUMPH is told from Sybella’s viewpoint, although Ismae and Duval from GRAVE MERCY make appearances. Sybella’s story is one I’ve been curious about ever since she showed up at the convent, wild and reluctant to live. It’s a story worth waiting for — Sybella’s past is dark and dangerous, as suits a daughter of Death.

Sent by the convent to spy on d’Albret, the duchess of Brittany’s greatest enemy, Sybella spends every day in danger of losing her life or her sanity. I don’t think I’m spoiling anything by saying that d’Albret believes Sybella is his daughter. d’Albret is a cruel, manipulative bastard, and his goal is to rule Brittany. Sybella, knowing the depths of depravity he is capable of, will do anything to keep that from happening.

But being back in her childhood home of torment is almost too much to bear. Sybella has spent the months looking in vain for the marque of Mortain, the signal that she can kill d’Albret. The convent has been silent on the matter, and when they finally send a message, it’s not one Sybella wants to hear. She is to rescue the Beast, one of the duchess’s greatest warriors.

What follows is a long journey with a severely wounded warrior. Inspite of herself, Sybella is inspired by Beast and his determination to fight for the duchess and his country even though he’s half dead from injuries at the hand of d’Albret. I also don’t think I’m spoiling anything by saying a romance crops up between these two. Normally, I’m not the biggest fan of romances. But in DARK TRIUMPH, the love story was so sweet, so touching, and so needed for Sybella (and Beast) that I was rooting for them all the way.

I also rooted for Sybella as an individual. As DARK TRIUMPH unfolds, you learn she has gone through some incredibly dark stuff in her past, things that have molded her to be one of Death’s Handmaidens. There’s a great scene near the end of the book that answers a lot of Sybella’s questions about herself — is she just a killer, is she better than d’Albret, and so on. While I was reading, I also had those questions and many more. I wasn’t able to guess all the twists and events of Sybella’s past, which is always a plus for me.

As for Beast, I liked what I think the author was trying to convey with his character. All too often in young adult books, the love interests are incredibly handsome, to the point where your jaw would fall off at first sight of them. Beast is the total opposite. To put it bluntly, he’s ugly. But he has, to use a cliché phrase, a heart of gold. He’s just what Sybella needs to heal and learn to value herself.

DARK TRIUMPH is not as political as GRAVE MERCY; it focuses mainly on Sybella and Beast. There’s also not a lot of backstory to catch you up on the events of the first book. I was a little confused at first, trying to remember what had happened before. But as long as you remember the convent and its mission, as well as the duchess’s desire to keep Brittany independent, you should be good to go.

DARK TRIUMPH is a rich, well-written, young adult historical fiction book. The author’s writing kept me engaged; I really felt like I was there, watching every scene play out. Already I’m dying to get my hands on the last in the series, which will be Annith’s story. Although, I will be sorry to leave Sybella and Beast behind.

Socialize with the author:
Robin LaFevers
Website
Facebook
Twitter

– leeanna

Book Review: Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

Posted by on

grave mercyInfo:
Title: Grave Mercy
Author: Robin LaFevers
Release Date: April 3, 2012
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Source: Amazon Vine
Series? His Fair Assassin #1
Series Reviews:
His Fair Assassin #2: Dark Triumph
Genre: Young Adult, Historical, Romance
Page Count: 549
Rating: [5/5 stars]

Summary:

Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae’s most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart? (summary from goodreads)

My Review:
Right before I started GRAVE MERCY, I had just finished two books that I really enjoyed. So I was hesitant to start another book, fearing that I would be disappointed, as I’ve read a lot of sub par books this year.

However, my fears were quieted with the first paragraph of GRAVE MERCY, and then blown away entirely by the end of the first chapter. I was reading in a coffee shop, and two hours flew by before I realized how sucked in I was!

The unwanted, fourteen-year-old daughter of a turnip farmer, Ismae is sold in marriage to a pig farmer for three silver coins. She thinks it is the opportunity for something more than her abusive father, but her new husband doesn’t want her either. After seeing her back, which bears scars from the poison used in a failed attempt to expel her from her mother’s womb, he beats her and locks her in a root cellar.

Ismae is spirited away from her new husband by hedge priests and herbwitches. They take her to the abbey of St. Mortain, where Ismae learns that she is the daughter of Death Himself. At the convent, she joins other god-sired girls in learning hundreds of ways to kill men. As St. Mortain’s daughters, the sisters carry out his wishes in the mortal realm, dealing death to those who deserve it.

Three years later, Ismae is sent back into the world to be the convent’s agent at the high court of Brittany. Brittany’s future ruler is Anne, a twelve-year-old duchess who has been promised to half a dozen nobles and more in an attempt to protect the duchy from France. The French king wants to claim Brittany as a possession.

At first, Ismae looks for every opportunity she can to carry out her god’s bidding, but to her dismay, she can’t just go around killing people. Even worse, she has to work with Gavriel Duval, who she may or may not be able to trust. Duval claims to be working towards securing Brittany’s future, but Ismae finds it difficult to trust any man.

GRAVE MERCY is so refreshing! It’s set in the fifteenth century, and many of the characters are based on real historical figures. Anne of Brittany really existed, and was stuck in the same situation. It’s not a period I’ve studied, so I don’t know how accurate the book is. According to the author’s website, she uses the time period as a canvas rather than sticking strictly to fact. It works, creating a rich backdrop for Ismae’s story.

Ismae is a kick ass character in her own right; she doesn’t need any magic or paranormal abilities to make her awesome. Yes, she’s a trained assassin, and the daughter of a god, but other than that, her abilities come from hard work and training. She grows so much over the course of the book. I really, really liked her character.

Duval is an interesting character as well. He has his own reasons for wanting to see Anne ordained as duchess, and you learn those reasons as Ismae does. There’s not a lot of information dumping in this novel despite the historical setting; the author gives you just enough to set the scene, adding other details as necessary.

I don’t want to spoil things too much, but I also enjoyed the romance in this story. That’s really unusual for me, since usually I don’t care for it at all, but here it advanced Ismae’s character, and was well done. There is no falling in love at first sight, which is a huge pet peeve of mine.

I was vaguely reminded of the Kushiel’s Dart series by Jacqueline Carey. If you’ve read it, you may see some similarities too. There’s a lot of political intrigue and moral questioning, as well as some adult topics (nothing too graphic, unlike Kushiel’s Dart). I think adults as well as older teens would enjoy GRAVE MERCY.

LaFevers’ writing style is immersing and engaging. The world she creates on top of fifteenth century Brittany and the mythology of the old gods — I could have gobbled up a book twice this length.

I’m definitely, definitely looking forward to the next two books in the trilogy. Spring 2013 is so far away. There’s so much more I want to know!

Socialize with the author:
Robin LaFevers
Website
Facebook
Twitter

– leeanna

Book Review: Crystal Bones by C. Aubrey Hall

Posted by on

crystal bonesInfo:
Title: Crystal Bones
Author: C. Aubrey Hall
Release Date: April 5, 2011
Publisher: Marshall Cavendish Children’s Books
Source: Amazon Vine
Series? Faelin Chronicles #1
Genre: Middle-grade, Young Adult, Fantasy
Page Count: 352
Rating: [3/5 stars]

Summary:

The first book in a trilogy that features a twin sister and brother who are half-Fae and half-human. When they discover their younger sister is missing, their home burned, and their parents murdered, they seek revenge on their goblin enermies.. Their father’s last words lead them to Eirian, a powerful sword that will take them to their missing sister, if they can keep it out of the hands of their enemies. (summary from amazon)

My Review:
CRYSTAL BONES is a solid middle-grade fantasy, with plenty of fae, goblins, and other fantasy creatures. The first in the Faelin Chronicles, it sets up Diello and Cynthe’s journey to find out information about their parents’ pasts, to save their sister, and to discover who they are.

I’m calling it middle-grade because Diello and Cynthe turn thirteen at the start of the book, but I thought they often sounded and acted a lot older than their age. However, that could have been due to their half-blood state — they are Faelin, offspring of a Fae and a human. Normal humans are quite racist towards Fae and especially towards Faelin, and that is a part of the plot.

The book is told from Diello’s point of view, and in a twist, he’s more mature than his sister. Cynthe is impulsive and the better athlete. Twins, they are fiercely loyal to each other, and it’s clear they’re going to need each other throughout the series, because a LOT of bad stuff happens in this book. I’m not going to list it all off because then I’d spoil it all, but believe me, there’s a ton of it. I was almost to the point where I was thinking, “What’s going to happen NOW?”

CRYSTAL BONES is one of those books I just liked, which makes it hard to say a lot about it. I didn’t love it, I didn’t hate it, I just liked it. There wasn’t anything particularly new about it for me, but then, fantasy is one of my favorite genres so I’ve read a ton of fantasy books. CRYSTAL BONES could be a good introduction to fantasy for younger readers.

My main impression of the book after reading was that it was all set up for the rest of the series. While Diello and Cynthe endure a lot, at the same time, I also felt like there wasn’t much going on. That all the events and hardships would come into play in the next books. That said, I would read the next book, THE CALL OF EIRIAN, because the author intrigued me enough for me to want to continue Diello and Cynthe’s adventures.

Socialize with the author:
*C. Aubrey Hall is a pseudonym for Deborah Chester.
Website

– leeanna

Blog Tour Book Review: Otherborn by Anna Silver (and giveaway!)

Posted by on

Today I am one of the stops on the OTHERBORN blog tour. The tour is hosted by Itching for Books and you can check out the rest of the stops here.

otherbornInfo:
Title: Otherborn
Author: Anna Silver
Release Date: April 4, 2013
Publisher: Sapphire Star Publishing
Source: Blog tour
Series? Otherborn #1
Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian, Science Fiction
Page Count: 290
Rating: [3/5 stars]

Summary:

London and her teenage friends live in a reprocessed world.

Confined within Capital City’s concrete walls, London has done the impossible and the illegal. She’s created something New- a song. But her mentor, club owner Pauly, is not impressed. Since the historic Energy Crisis forced everyone behind walls generations ago, the Tycoons have ensured there is truly nothing new allowed under the sun. Pauly warns London to keep her song to herself, if she knows what’s good for her.

What he doesn’t know is that London is keeping an even bigger secret: she dreams. And she’s not alone. London’s band-mates and friends have begun dreaming as well, seeing themselves in “night pictures” as beings from another world. As Otherborn, they must piece together the story of their astral avatars, the Others, in order to save their world from a dreamless, hopeless future.

When Pauly is murdered and an Otherborn goes missing, London realizes someone is hunting them down. Escaping along the Outroads, they brave the deserted Houselands with only their dreams to guide them. Can they find their friend before the assassin finds them? Will being Otherborn save their lives, or destroy them? (summary from goodreads)

My Review:
OTHERBORN is an interesting mix of genres, mainly dystopian and science fiction. Can we say yay for science fiction in a young adult book? I am!

OTHERBORN starts off with world-building, establishing the dystopian part of the book. In London’s world, there is nothing new. No new buildings, homes, fuel, or anything else. Even the air is recycled. Worst of all? There’s nothing new in the creative realm, either. No new songs, books, or poetry. Wait — the worst part for fellow booklovers might be that books have been recycled to be toilet paper. There’s also a caste system, and basically, you stay in the caste you’re born in, unless you know someone high up.

Most people are content with the world. It’s all they know, and though it might not be the best, it’s what they have after the Energy Crisis. But London isn’t content. She’s miserable. She wants to create something New, but when she does, she’s told it’s dangerous. But little does Pauly, the closest thing London has to a father, know that she’s already in danger.

London and her friends call themselves the Otherborn because they have dreams. In their world, people don’t dream, so it’s something that unites the mismatched group. But their dreams are much more than dreams — they are memories of past lives, of better lives before it became such a depressing place of nothingness.

The uniqueness of OTHERBORN sucked me in. I was so happy that such an attention-grabbing synopsis delivered a good book. I did have a lot of questions about the world — how did it end up such a depressing pit, etc. — and not all of them were answered. But OTHERBORN is the first in a series, so maybe those answers will come later. I’m more than intrigued by what’s in the first book to want to continue the series and find out what happens next, which isn’t something that happens much with me these days!

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*giveaway is tour-wide

About the author:
Anna Silver is an author and artist living in the greater Houston area with her family, pets, and overactive imagination. Her art has been featured in the Houston gallery Las Manos Magicas. She studied English Writing & Rhetoric at St. Edward’s University. She’s freelanced for private clients and small publications like the Hill Country Current. OTHERBORN is her first published novel. She is represented by Rebecca Podos and Nicole LaBombard of Rees Literary Agency.
Website
Facebook
Twitter

– leeanna

Goodbye May, Hello June

Posted by on

IN MAY…

May wasn’t the best month for me blogging wise. I read a lot, but I didn’t spend as much time in the blogosphere as I would have liked. I think April was the same way, double ugh. Someday I will find the perfect balance!

I read 20 books, or 6,262 pages. I read one book, DARK TRIUMPH twice, and another, ROSES HAVE THORNS, one and a half times. I have a habit of doing this when I get behind on writing reviews.

I thought it would be fun this month to show the covers for all the books I’ve read.

Reviews Written:
The Last Academy by Anne Applegate.
Portrait of a Crossroads by Kelly Rand.
Pretty Girl-13 by Liz Coley.
School Spirits by Rachel Hawkins.
Deer in Headlights by Staci Hart.
Twisted Summer by Lucy V. Morgan
The Waiting Tree by Lindsay Moynihan.
Comes the Night by orah Wilson and Heather Doherty.
The Borgias: The Hidden History by G. J. Meyer.
If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch.
Embers by Laura Bickle.
Sparks by Laura Bickle.

Other Stuff:
Top Ten Favorite Book Covers. I don’t do many memes anymore, but this one was calling my name!

Bout of Books 7.0. I tried to participate in Bout of Books 7.0, but honestly just ran out of steam. I got a fair amount of books read, but I didn’t update or check out many other blogs.

Armchair Bea:
· Day 1: Introduction
· Day 2: Blogger Development & Genre Fiction
· Day 3: Ethics & Non-Fiction
· Day 4: Keeping It Real and YA
· Day 5: Wrap-Up

Goal Progress:
How did I do on my Blogging Resolutions?
01: Post 2-3 reviews a week Check!
02: Keep Amazon/Goodreads updated I’ve done pretty well on this. My next step will be entering all the books I read in 2012.
03: Make 1 vlog a month At this rate I’m going to have one vlog a year.
04: Post 1 personal update a week
05: Use Facebook I’m doing slightly better on this. I’ve uploaded some pictures and done some personal updates. Having an app on my phone helps.
06: Learn about SEO
07: Be more active on Twitter

 

JUNE PLANS…

I keep saying this but – get ahead! I like looking at my calendar and seeing a month’s worth of blog posts scheduled. It makes me feel warm and fuzzy and a little less lazy.

I also want to do some discussion and/or rambly posts, of my opinions on various things. Because I know everyone cares about my opinion ;)

Although Reading Angel isn’t doing the page count contest in June — I wish her a good break! — I’m going to continue keeping track of pages read. I do it naturally anyway in my books read spreadsheet. This month I’m going to switch it up and keep track of fanfiction as well. I’m curious to see how much reading I do of that a month. Can you tell I like keeping track of things?

– leeanna

Author Interview: Laura Bickle

Posted by on

Once again I bring you a stop on the blog tour for Laura Bickle’s books. Today I have an interview with the author, and I have already posted a review of her young adult book, THE HALLOWED ONES. The tour is hosted by Bewitching Book Tours and you can view the rest of the stops here.

While you’re here, you also might want to check out the other reviews I’ve done of Laura’s books:
· Anya Kalinczyk #1: Embers
· Anya Kalinczyk #2: Sparks
· Delphic Oracle #1: Dark Oracle (as Alayna Williams)
· Delphic Oracle #2: Rogue Oracle (as Alayna Williams)

I have to thank Laura for being gracious enough to answer my last minute questions. I wanted to reread THE HALLOWED ONES before coming up with my questions, and time got away from me. I also want to add in here that I’m a fellow Ohioan who lives by Amish and when I was in grade school, there was actually a required unit on the Amish and their way of life. Of course it didn’t include vampires … but it would have been so much cooler if it had!

Okay, so I have to ask. Amish and vampires is such a crazy combination, one I never thought would work. It does, and fantastically so, but how did you come up with it? What was the inspiration spark?

Thank you! I wanted to really experiment with this story, to see if I could integrate those elements in a way that readers could relate to. It was something I hadn’t seen done before, so I wanted to give it a shot!

I live not too far from a large Amish settlement. When I was a child, my parents would take me to visit, and I was fascinated by a world very different than the one I lived in. I’d see Amish girls my age over the fence and wonder what their lives were like.

Some of that curiosity lingered, and I always wanted to revisit it in a story. It popped back into my head when I was writing about a catastrophic contagion. Considering all the incredible self-sufficiency they apply in their everyday lives, it seemed to me that the Amish would be uniquely well-equipped to survive a large-scale disaster.

You’ve written two urban fantasy series for adults. THE HALLOWED ONES is your first book for young adults. And us adults who like to read YA. :) Why did you decide to give YA a go?

I began wanting to write a rural fantasy – something a bit different from the urban fantasy I had been writing. I love urban fantasy very much, but I wanted to turn it around a bit and see what darkness is like from a rural perspective. Once the story was complete, I sent it to my agent. I thought about whether it would work best in the contemporary fantasy or the horror market.

And to my surprise…she said I’d written a YA novel.

So I re-read the book, and it began to come together for me. I never explicitly gave Katie an age. Katie was dealing with many of the issues that young adults deal with: questioning authority, creating her own identity, and developing her own moral compass.

It was a happy serendipity. I’d wandered into new territory for me, territory that’s challenging and also really exhilarating.

Your vampires are pretty scary monsters. Were you inspired by any legends or traditional vampires?

I was very much inspired by old legends of ravenous creatures. The vampires in my story have many of the weaknesses that traditional vampires did – aversion to holy symbols and holy ground, for instance.

This isn’t related to THE HALLOWED ONES — sorry! — but having read both your urban fantasy series, will you be continuing either one? Or both? Or maybe starting a new one? I miss Sparky! (I’m talking about Laura’s Anya Kalinczyk series and the Delphic Oracle Series written as Alayna Williams)

Sparky is wagging his tail in appreciation! Thank you very much for taking the time to read about him. I would love to do more UF books in the future…especially with Sparky and Anya and Tara.

When the words just won’t come, what are some of your favorite tricks for getting past writer’s block?

The only thing that really works for me is a hot bath followed by parking my butt in the chair. I’ve tried every other inspiration, bribe, and magic incantation I can think of, but nothing really works for me like just pushing through it. Often, that means giving myself permission to write a few pages of crud before getting to the good stuff.

You’re stuck somewhere without the Internet, a cellphone, electricity, or anything else. Almost like being in an Amish community, but without having to work! All you can do is read. What books do you take with you?

That’s very funny, because I often sneak off to places without internet and cell signals. I usually bring a stack of books with me. Right now, I’m reading Cat Winters’ IN THE SHADOW OF BLACKBIRDS and Sangu Mandanna’s THE LOST GIRL. They’re both fantastic reads that make me forget that the internet exists!

About the author:
laura bickleLaura Bickle’s professional background is in criminal justice and library science. When she’s not patrolling the stacks at the public library, she can be found reaming up stories about the monsters under the stairs.

She has written several contemporary fantasy novels for adults, and THE HALLOWED ONES is her first young adult novel. Laura lives in Ohio with her husband and five mostly-reformed feral cats.
Website
Facebook
Twitter

 

– leeanna

Book Review: The Hallowed Ones by Laura Bickle

Posted by on

This review of THE HALLOWED ONES is part of today’s two post feature on Laura Bickle. Check out my interview with Laura.

the hallowed onesInfo:
Title: The Hallowed Ones
Author: Laura Bickle
Release Date: September 25, 2012
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Source: Library
Series? The Hallowed Ones #1
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Horror, Dystopian
Page Count: 311
Rating: [5/5 stars]

Summary:

If your home was the last safe place on earth, would you let a stranger in?

In this captivating thriller, an Amish settlement is the last safe haven in a world plagued by an unspeakable horror…

Katie is on the verge of her Rumspringa, the time in Amish life when teenag-ers are free to experience non-Amish culture before officially joining the church. But before Rumspringa arrives, Katie’s safe world starts to crumble. It begins with a fiery helicopter crash in the cornfields, followed by rumors of massive unrest and the disappearance of huge numbers of people all over the world. Something is out there…and it is making a killing.

Unsure why they haven’t yet been attacked, the Amish Elders make a de-cree: No one goes outside their community, and no one is allowed in. But when Katie finds a gravely injured young man lying just outside the boundary of their land, she can’t leave him to die. She refuses to submit to the Elder’s rule and secretly brings the stranger into her community—but what else is she bringing in with him?

My Review:
Amish + vampires = freaking amazing book!

THE HALLOWED ONES has one of the craziest combinations ever. At first, I didn’t think such a combination would work, but to my pleasant surprise, I loved this book. I couldn’t read fast enough to find out what would happen next, and next, and next … and now I can’t wait the sequel, THE OUTSIDE.

THE HALLOWED ONES could have been a really boring book. A book about an Amish girl? Usually that’s firmly the realm of Christian Fiction, not a genre I read. But the author made Katie relatable to regular teens. On the verge of Rumspringa, Katie can’t wait to experience the “outside world.” She already knows she likes Coke and comic books, and one of the first things she wants to do is see a movie. Also, unlike the other members of her community, Katie has trouble accepting the word of the Elders at face value.

I really appreciated that the author put in plenty of details about Amish life and culture. Without that information, the story would have felt inauthentic. The setting of an Amish community for a book about the end of the world is such a great idea. Without television or the Internet, Katie has few sources of information. It’s creepy, in a good, scary, and thrilling way.

There’s even an unlikely romance in this book. Romance isn’t always my favorite thing, but I liked Alex, and the opportunity his character gave for Katie to think about her religion and beliefs.

I could go on and on about THE HALLOWED ONES, but really, the best thing I can say is give it a read. I’ve recommended it quite a few people, who give me the “Really? Amish and vampires? Are you kidding?” look, and I just repeat that there’s so much good stuff in the book. It’s one of those books where I just want to flail about instead of saying anything useful, so I’ll end with this: In THE HALLOWED ONES, Laura Bickle created an amazing story, a great cast of characters, and some terrifying vampires. I cannot wait to read the sequel!

About the author:
Laura Bickle’s professional background is in criminal justice and library science. When she’s not patrolling the stacks at the public library, she can be found reaming up stories about the monsters under the stairs.

She has written several contemporary fantasy novels for adults, and THE HALLOWED ONES is her first young adult novel. Laura lives in Ohio with her husband and five mostly-reformed feral cats.
Website
Facebook
Twitter

– leeanna

Blog Tour: Bound by Prophecy by Melissa Wright (and giveaway!)

Posted by on

Today I am one of the stops on the blog tour for BOUND BY PROPHECY by Melissa Wright. The tour is hosted by Itching for Books and you can visit the rest of the stops here.

bound by prophecyInfo:
Title: Bound by Prophecy
Author: Melissa Wright
Release Date: April 19, 2013
Publisher: Self-Published
Series? Descendants #1
Genre: New Adult, Urban Fantasy
Page Count: 253

Summary:

Twenty-two-year-old Aern is done watching his brother destroy the only thing that matters. He never wanted to take Morgan’s place among council, never wanted to rule their hidden world. But when the key to the prophecy is found, a young girl named Brianna whom Morgan will destroy, Aern knows he has to take action. What he really wants is for things to go back to normal. But now he’s kidnapped a girl, and his brother’s men are after him. His only hope is to join with the Division, but they have plans of their own, and it’s the last thing Aern is willing to do. Emily just wants her sister back. She doesn’t care about the prophecy, or know what’s at stake. But when she goes after Aern, the truth of the matter uncoils, and Brianna isn’t the only one who’s in danger. Suddenly, they’re at the center of a secret war, and unless they can work together, they’ll both have a sacrifice too big to make. (summary from goodreads)

Excerpt:
I tried to turn to see where he’d gone, out some back entrance apparently, but I had limited mobility, suspended as I was. When I swung back to straight, there was a face inches from mine. I admit I may have jumped, if only a little.

“Where is my sister?” she hissed.

Under normal circumstances, my mouth might have fallen open.

She smacked me. “My sister. What did you do to her?”

I shook my head. Glanced at the chain hoist that attached my harness to the warehouse wall. “No,” I started, but the girl wasn’t looking at me now. She was watching the door.

The sirens were getting closer. And something else, a muffled buzzing.

“They’re coming here?” I asked.

The girl turned back to me, nodded. I was struggling to find my focus, to sway her to co-operate. She seemed a bit panicked, but for the wrong reasons.

“Here.” I tilted my head up to indicate my bindings. “Untie me. I will help you find her.”

Her eyes narrowed and her mouth screwed up as she considered my proposition.

The sirens were at the gate.

“Two minutes,” I warned. “It’s the only way you’ll find her.”

Car doors slammed. She knew I was right.

I had her.

And then she was gone. “Wait,” I shouted, “where are you going?”

She didn’t look back as she ran across the open floor. She moved with such unrestrained fervor, I half expected her to slam into the wall. As she reached up, she pulled a screwdriver from her back jeans pocket, and pried the lever that held my chain. An instant later, I slammed into the concrete floor.

Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Giveaway is tour-wide.

About the author:
Melissa Wright is the author of the Frey Saga and the upcoming Descendants series. Melissa spends her time working on novels, but when not writing she can be found on goodreads and pinterest.
Website

– leeanna