'Scintillate' by Karen Tjebben: Review Tour

(Scintillate Series, Book #1)

Young Adult - Supernatural Romance/Thriller

Date Published: September 4, 2013

Kate Archer is instantly drawn to Nick. He's handsome, smart, and interested in her - perhaps a little too interested according to Kate's brother. And it's a good thing Nick is interested, or Kate would have died the night of the football game. Sure, Nick rescued Kate, but he can't stop the inevitable. Kate is changing; she just doesn't know it. She can't explain the visions and sensations affecting her body, but she can enjoy the pleasure of Nick's kiss - that is, until she learns the real reason he is with her. Betrayed by her genetics, Kate begins a metamorphosis that forces her to confront an unseen reality and claim her true destiny.

_____________________________________________________________

Kate was okay. She wasn't that interesting or anything. She was a good student. A good person. A bit obsessed with her boyfriend, but who wouldn't be if they were dating Nick? (I'm kidding.) Yet...I didn't like her. She had no outstanding qualities. She wasn't brave. She was average. She could have been better. Someone with depth. Why does Reese hate you? Why are you who you are? When you did meet your friends? How? It seemed like Kate was missing some crucial characters points. She was a bit dull and a bit boring. She did have an heritage, though. Asteri, huh? Rare and beautiful.
Nick was too perfect. Perfect body. Perfect manners. Perfect everything. It seemed like he was the perfect guy. For whom? Who knows? I didn't like it, though. He was smart. Athletic. Kind. Charming. Name a positive adjective and Nick is that and more. Wow. Unbelievable, right? On top of that, he's an amazing boyfriend. Kind and warm. The sort of guy who gives the lady his jacket when she's cold. I wouldn't mind that sort of person, but Nick was too much of that person. No human being, no creature alive, will be Nick. He was too perfect.
Alex was cute. Ish. He was more realistic than Nick. He had problems. He was infatuated with Kate. (Or so I think.) That was a bit of a problem. If he was a friend, that would have been better. He had to like her, though. Then, you wondered why. Why did he like her? What did he see in her? He was kind and smart, though. That was almost all of everything he was. Which was great. He didn't have an overload of amazing qualities. Just enough to be cool but not too much.

The plot was a bit dull. I felt like it was mostly drama. Not much of anything else. I wanted more action. Swords and spears. Clashes.
The end had more fighting. I liked that. But it was at the end. That defeats the purpose.
The story had an air of mystery. You were left wondering about the clues you were given. What is she? Who are these characters? You start to guess. I guessed guardian angels. (She talked about a mural on her wall being a guardian angel.) And perfect Nick had the angelic feel. Utter perfection, you know? It was interesting to know what she really was. It felt like the big reveal was late in the story, though. Very late. We could have had training chapters. Or practice chapters. And on and on. That would have gotten me more interested in the story.

Nick and Kate had an interesting romance. They had chemistry, but their entire relationship was rushed. Reese wasn't crazy for thinking that. And Kate was too gaga for Nick to notice.
The romance came quickly. Less than 50 pages in came the first 'I like you.' I expected that from a couple that dated from The Time Before the Story Starts.
Not two people who had met recently, within the past 50 pages.
There was the weird way the author described Kate's attraction. A rope around the waist pulling her in. It was an interesting way to describe it. But...effective. You got the feeling she liked Nick. Loved him, maybe. And she was attracted. And Nick had an effect on her.

The ending... It was okay. It was a bit vague. You have to read the next book to figure out if she learns her powers and abilities. It could have been better. There were questions left. I wanted to know more. Is she okay? Are there more Nephilim? Many questions. None of them answered. Yet.
There was more action, though. Which was great. More fighting scenes. More on the big reveal. Maybe a full-on battle with Kate participating. Imagine her attacking from the trees! Boom! Clash! Wham! Cool, right? Too bad we didn't get that.

Weather:

Sunny with a 50% chance of rain

3/5

Interview With the Author

What caused you to start writing? I’ve always thought it would be cool to write a book. In college, (while studying elementary education) in my literacy courses I’d peruse the picture books and nonfiction books and dream about writing my own book. Of course, it seemed impossible, but as the internet expanded and companies like Amazon grew, the dream started to take shape and become a reality. When my twin daughters went to kindergarten, I set aside time each day to dedicate to my writing. Surprisingly, the story that unfolded in my head was not for elementary students, but it was better suited for young adults and older.

Who is your favorite author? I can’t just say one. I love Stephen King, Anne Rice and Dean Koontz. Clearly I love thrillers with a hint of the supernatural.

What caused you to create the Asteri? I’ve always associated the Nephilim with fallen angels, which would imply a demonic bloodline. So to have Kate and her angelic friends be descendants of fallen angels seemed off. I created the Asteri angle in order to have a “purer” bloodline. 

Did you expect a love triangle? I wanted a hint of a love triangle. I purposely wrote SCINTILLATE hoping that the readers would get attached to Nick and then I’d throw Alex into the mix when Kate and the readers were not expecting him. I wanted there to be an “Oh, who’s this?" moment.

Who do you personally root for in the love triangle? Team Alex? Team Nick? That’s a tough one. I love them both. Nick has a hint of danger that makes him exciting, but he’s still a good guy. Alex is steady and faithful. He’s the kind of man you can trust completely. That’s the kind of man you marry.

Have you ever had an unrequited love like Kate in the beginning? I think everyone’s had crushes that went unanswered. My advice to my daughters will be: Don’t waste your time pining over  someone who isn’t interested in you. Move on and have fun.

If you had to, who would you date? Matt? Ravi? Alex? Nick? Evan, even? I’m back to Alex and
Nick again, and it’s just too hard to say. I love them both. 

Who is your favorite female hero of all time? My mind instantly went down the “superhero” road. I’ve always loved Wonder Woman. I’m excited to see how her character will be developed in the upcoming Marvel movie.

About the Author

Story time always captivated Karen. As a child, she fell in love with books that transported her to different worlds and introduced her to new creatures. As a teacher, she encouraged her students to explore different times and new worlds through literature. Now, when Karen isn’t living in reality with her husband and daughters, she can be found creating an alternate reality filled with creatures and worlds that she hopes will delight and raise goose bumps on her readers. 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/scintillateseries
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/karentjebben/
Instagram - https://instagram.com/karentjebben/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/KTjebbenAuthor
Tumbler - http://karentjebben.tumblr.com/
Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Karen-Tjebben/e/B00F1VIJKQ

Purchase Links
Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Karen-Tjebben/e/B00F1VIJKQ
Barnes & Noble – http://tinyurl.com/oh359kw
Createspace – http://tinyurl.com/o89e4or

'Darkness Brutal' by Rachel A. Marks: Release Day Celebration

DARKNESS BRUTAL

The Dark Cycle, Book 1

Author: Rachel A. Marks

Release Date: July 1st, 2015

Publisher:  Skyscape

SYNOPSIS:

Aidan O’Linn’s childhood ended the night he saw a demon kill his mother and mark his sister,

Ava, with Darkness. Since then, every three years the demons have returned to try to claim her.

Living in the gritty, forgotten corners of Los Angeles, Aidan has managed to protect his sister,

but he knows that even his powers to fight demons and speak dead languages won’t keep her

safe for much longer.

In desperation, Aidan seeks out the help of Sid, the enigmatic leader of a group of teens who

run LA Paranormal, an Internet reality show that fights demons and ghosts. In their company,

Aidan believes he’s finally found a haven for Ava. But when he meets Kara, a broken girl who

can spin a hypnotic web of passionate energy, he awakens powers he didn’t know he had―and

unleashes a new era of war between the forces of Light and the forces of Darkness.

With the fate of humanity in his hands, can Aidan keep the Darkness at bay and accept his

brilliant, terrifying destiny?


BOOK LINKS

Amazon

Goodreads

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rachel A. Marks is a writer and artist, a surfer and dirt-bike rider, chocolate lover and keeper of

faerie secrets. Her four kids and amazing hubby put up with her nerdiness with tremendous

grace, even when she makes them watch Buffy or Smallville re-runs for days on end. She was

voted: Most Likely To Survive A Zombie Apocalypse, but hopes she'll never have to test the theory.


Check out www.RachelAnneMarks.com for a sample chapter!

Check out @RachelAnneMarks to chat with the author!

GIVEAWAY

Raffelcopter:

Winner will get $25 Amazon gift card, $10 Starbucks card, and 2 8x10 pieces of author Rachel A. Marks

artwork, winner's choice.

(Open to US only | Must be 13+ To Enter)

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

'Just South of Biloxi' by Lauren Hammond: Cover Reveal

Just South of Biloxi 

by Lauren Hammond

Release Date: 07/21/15

Summary from Goodreads:

Just south of Biloxi there was a girl with spunk, a girl with spirit.

A girl with fire.

A girl with a heart full of rebellion.

Just south of Biloxi there was a boy, with a dazzling smile and a kind demeanor.

A boy with morals.

A boy in love.

Just south of Biloxi there was a boy and a girl who realized too quickly, too swiftly, that there is such a thing as shattered hearts and cracked dreams.

Just south of Biloxi there was a boy and a girl who would never truly understand the meaning of some hearts and some worlds are better left broken.

*This is the 4^th book in the Asylum series but can be read as a companion standalone*

About the Author
Lauren Hammond knew from a young age that she was born to be a writer. After publishing her first novel in 2007, she then went on to write several screenplays and a few award winning poems.She aspires to be a positive role model for young people who have a pencil, a piece of paper, and a dream. Never give up on your dreams, you might wake up one day and regret not pursuing them.She has two more novels in the works, as well as some film projects

Author Links:

   

'The Beast of Callaire' by Saruuh Kelsey: Cover Reveal

The Beast of Callaire (The Legend Mirror #1)

by Saruuh Kelsey 

Release Date: 05/20/14

200 pages

Summary from Goodreads:

Yasmin is a descendant of the Manticore. A creature of Persian mythology. A Legendary.

But she doesn’t want to be. Unlike the Legendaries in The Red, Yasmin wants nothing more than an ordinary life. She tries to fool herself into believing that she doesn’t change into a beast every full moon and savagely kill innocent people.

But when Yasmin starts hearing a voice in her head and is drawn into dreams that aren’t her own, she is led to Fray—a girl who once saved Yasmin from hunters, who has shadowy memories that hint at her having Legendary magic—and Yasmin is catapulted into a life of Majick and malevolence.

Despite the danger around her and Fray, Yasmin might finally have a chance at being a normal girl with a normal girlfriend. But with Legendaries being killed, a war between the Gods brewing, and the beast inside Yasmin becoming stronger each moon, her mundane life is little more than a dream.

The Dryad of Callaire (The Legend Mirror, #2)

by Saruuh Kelsey 

Release Date: 08/18/15

300 pages

Summary from Goodreads:

The Legend Mirror series returns with more mythology, more danger, and more Majick as Yasmin Wikke sets out on a quest to find her missing girlfriend.

Reeling from the fight with Discordia, Yasmin and the Red search for answers. Who is Discordia? Why were they stealing Majick? And where have they taken Fray and Priscilla Hannam, a Legendary swept away in the midst of battle? To get them back, Yasmin will have to ally with both Gods and strangers, and go to extreme lengths.

Fray and Priscilla have been stolen, taken to an impossible place that is slowly changing them. Their captors are monsters with venom in their teeth and bloody hands, and they want to use the girls to win a war. But armed with a terrifying and empowering new ability, Fray will die before she becomes their pawn.

About the Author
Saruuh Kelsey is the author of several novels for young adults, including the free Lux Guardians series and The Legend Mirror series. Her latest releases include THE BEAST OF CALLAIRE, the first novel of a new YA fantasy series, and a collection of diverse fairy tales in LOVE IN THE GILDED AGE. Find her online at saruuhkelsey.co.uk.

Author Links:

   

'Lucifer' by Annabell Cadiz: Blog Tour

Amazon / Goodreads

Have you ever wondered what could be hiding in the shadows?

Well, for eighteen-year-old Zahara Faraday, she doesn’t have to wonder. You see she comes from a lineage of Light Witches, those who have chosen to help protect and serve between the supernatural world and the human world. The only problem is Zahara, like her father Solomon, is as human as a human being can be whereas her mother, Mia, and her Aunt Catalina, were born as Light Witches. As a family they hunt down rogue supernaturals—creatures who harm humans or who have committed an act against their kingdom. 

Zahara’s hunting skills are usually kept dormant since her parents would prefer she live life as a normal human girl without knowledge of the supernatural world. She plans on doing just that—except when she finds a couple being attacked by fairies, she has no choice but to step in. Before she can return to pretending to be blissfully ignorant, Zahara encounters a problem she isn’t the least equip to handle: Bryan Hamilton, the good looking new co-worker she has to help train. In a heartbeat, her best friend, Becca King, has set her up on a double date with herself and her new crush, Rekesh Saint-Louis, who happens to be the most powerful leader of the biggest Imago Coven in South Florida –supernatural creatures with the ability to control water . . . and suck out human souls. 

Zahara has no time to focus on how she’s going to explain her double date with her best friend and the enemy they have a tentative truce with to her parents because soon one of the members of Mia and Catalina’s coven is found murdered with a strange tattoo of a snake with wings carved into his arm.

Zahara is then thrown into a whirlwind battle with an angel determined to have revenge against God, an Imago coven she doesn’t think they should trust, and slew of dream-eating fairies and powerful Nephilims, hybrid children of angels and humans, more than happy to rip her to shreds.

Normal just got a deadlier definition

Zahara is quite interesting. She isn't a bad character. She's impulsive and will jump right into things. I like that. She doesn't think. She acts. And the best part? She's a naturally nice person. She does nice things. She's good. I like that. She did impulsive things to help people. And I liked that she was trained. She knew what to do. Training scenes are sometimes too long. Zahara had this knowledge. 

Becca is a bit bland. And too flirty for my taste. She is a typical American teenager. She would have been better an annoying side character. Se is flirty. And typical. Her knowledge is what changes her. Why does Becca know anyways? I don't know why Zahara's parents risked it. It's really risky. Even if you train her. Zahara's world is the supernatural world. Becca was just introduced. I don't get it. It doesn't seem to fit. 

Did anyone else notice they worked in a bookstore? I want to do that! (Work in a bookstore, I mean.) 

The author has captured the true voice of today's youth. The characters sound like actual teenagers. They sound...dare I say it...normal. They sound like teenagers. Which is pretty cool. Authors don't always capture the 

And that scene in the Cave? Witty and quick and full of awesome insults. It was quite amazing. Not all teens are that witty, but teens do reply that quickly. I like that. 

I admire Zahara's sassy comments. She really is a sassy person. (Sass monster. Heh heh.) Her replies make her personality. And they seem to belong to a clever teenage girl. 

Sadly, the author overuses descriptions. It seems like she uses a description for every person and for every scene. I don't like it. There was too much. As I have learned from multiple authors in the past, only use descriptions if it's relevant to the book. I don't think knowing Rekesh is wearing a body-hugging shirt is important to the story. (Unless that involves someone spotting him by the shirt's body-hugging properties.) 

I feel that she could lower the word limit and make the book more to the point without the descriptions. Hair is okay. You could use that later. Eye color as well. But clothes? Erm... Not really. I get she's not bad at making outfits. I wouldn't wear the outfits she describes. But they seem like interesting outfits. Zahara and Becca have large closets I imagine.

And the romance is too much. I don't particularly like it. Everyone is paired off. Everyone. Aunt Catalina. Becca. Zahara. And it seems like there is a new pairing every time a new guy is introduced. (Which is quite annoying.) When I read about a new guy, I think, 'Who is left? Who is still single?'

Now. Why I don't like the romance even more is because the characters barely talk, barely meet. And boom! In love. That drives me crazy. It's instant love. (Something I quite despise.) And I doubt that these supernaturals, Bryan especially, would risk their status to be with human girls. I don't get that. Perhaps it's because I'm not in love. (But who says you have to be in love to understand love?) 

Do I think any of them have chemistry? Not really. As I have said time and time again, I'm not a fan of romance. It takes a lot to win me over in the romance department. 

Weather:

Sunny with a 50% chance of rain

3/5

Nephilim (Sons of Old Trilogy #3)

Add on Goodreads!

Coming August 2015!

Synopsis: After the loss of Dustin, Zahara throws herself into taking care of the Howling 

Café—the café he left to her in his will and fights to keep a rhythm of normalcy with the others. 

It’s the best they can do since Lucifer has gone underground and any attempts to find him have 

Endymion, Prince of the Angel Kingdom, isn’t exactly helping though. Thanks to his brash and 

arrogant attitude, Zahara finds she would rather stab him with her dagger than hang out with 

him for any period of time. But she has no choice. Endymion is the only who can help her learn 

to control the magic threatening to take over her body thanks to his connection to the soul lying 

dormant inside of her. Nevaeh was once the most powerful Nephilim in the Supernatural 

Kingdoms and engaged to the Prince himself. She also happened to be Lucifer’s daughter who 

was killed in the first Supernatural War. Her soul is key to Lucifer creating war again—not just 

with the Supernatural Kingdoms but with Heaven itself. Endymion is determined to keep that 

from happening, even if that means destroying the soul of the only woman he’s ever loved so 

Complicating things even more—as if they could get any more complicated—is the revelation of 

an ancient Grimoire once held by Margaret. The Grimorie contains powerful spells passed down 

through the generations of coven members within the Light Witch community. But Margaret hid 

it away before she helped take Lucifer down the first time. The Grimoire not only holds the two 

dark spells Lucifer needs to complete the final phase of his plan and but a secret Lucifer never 

Zahara and company are in a race to find the Grimoire before Lucifer can but Margaret didn’t 

exactly make it easy. Seven keys have to be found in order to discover the location where the 

Grimoire had been hidden. Making matters worse is a new coven that has suddenly appeared in 

town. A coven made of a variety of supernaturals, all under Lucifer’s command. 

Life changing secrets will be revealed.

The stage for the epic battle is set and not everyone will make it out alive.


Check out the Sons of Old Trilogy Board on Pinterest!



About the Author



Born and raised in the sweltering suburbs of South Florida, Annabell Cadiz grew up fine-tuned 

to the cuisine of various Spanish cultures, learned to master the art of Puerto Rican cooking 

thanks to her parents, and learned to converse crazy thanks to her band of siblings. She is now 

working toward attaining a B.A. in Psychology at Trinity International University to better 

understand how to converse with the weirdoes and crazies of the world. (After all, she is one of 

them.) A self-proclaimed nerd and a book-a-holic (her room holds dozens of shelves with much 

evidence to prove that her claims are indeed true), she created TeamNerd Reviews along with 

her best friend, Bridget Strahin, to showcase their EXTREME love for all things book related.

She published her debut novel, Lucifer (Sons of Old Trilogy #1), in January 2013. The second 

novel, Michael (Sons of Old Trilogy #2) will be released on May 28, 2014. And the final 

installment in the Sons of Old Trilogy, Nephilim, will be out in Summer 2015.


Find Annabell: Website/Goodreads/Pinterest/Twitter/Facebook

GIVEAWAY!!

**E-copy of LUCIFER & MICHAEL**

**Signed Michael Bookmark**

**Handmade Bookmark**

**Sons of Old Trilogy Inspired Eyeshadow Kit**

**Rose shaped earrings, funky headbands & zigzag ring**

**Lipgloss**

**Notebook**

Tour Setup by TeamNerd Reviews

Moving Blogs (Sorry, Guys)

Hey, everybody!

Guess what's happening?

I'm moving to another blog! 

You're like what?!?!

I am.

It's a book book/travel blog. And it's all Wren.

And filled with GIFs. (I like GIFs. They're pretty cool.)

My new blog is Books in My Suitcase. 

(booksinmysuitcase.blogspot.com)

And I'm currently hosting a giveaway!

GIVEAWAY. CLICK HERE.

(http://booksinmysuitcase.blogspot.hk/2015/06/bookcon-giveaway.html)

Please check it out! 

'Modern Monsters' by Kelley York: Book Tour

Modern Monsters

by Kelley York

Release Date: 06/02/15

Entangled Teen

Summary from Goodreads:

Vic Howard never wanted to go to the party. He’s the Invisible Guy at school, a special kind of hell for quiet, nice guys. But because his best friend is as popular as Vic is ignored, he went…

And wished he hadn’t.

Because something happened to a girl that night. Something terrible, unimaginable, and Callie Wheeler’s life will never be the same. Plus, now Callie has told the police that Vic did it. Suddenly, Invisible Vic is painfully visible, on trial both literally, with the police, and figuratively, with the angry and judgmental kids at school. As the whispers and violence escalate, he becomes determined to clear his name, even if it means an uneasy alliance with Callie’s best friend, the beautiful but aloof Autumn Dixon.

But as Autumn and Vic slowly peel back the layers of what happened that night, they realize that while the truth can set him free, it can also shatter everything he thought he knew about his life…

Add to Goodreads

Buy Links:

Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Kobo Books│iBooks

Thanks for having me for the blog tour! And what better way to kick things off than with an excerpt of the moment where Vic’s world starts to fall apart.

***

Knocking?

Oh. The front door.

I pause, listening. Mom’s footsteps. Answering the door and saying worriedly, “Hello? Is everything okay?”

There’s an undercurrent to her voice that draws me from bed to poke my head into the hall. Beyond Mom stand two police officers, a man and a woman, and their eyes immediately move from her to me.

“We’re looking for Victor Howard. Is he home?” the lady asks.

“Victor is…” Mom turns, eyes wide and worried as she looks at me. “He’s right there. What’s going on? What is this about?”

The male responds, “Just have a few questions for him, is all.”

It takes effort to force myself slowly out of my room and down the hall. My chest is tight. “U-um, I’m V-Vic.” Stupidly, I offer my hand out to them, unsure what else to do. They glance at each other. Neither of them takes my hand.

“I’m Detective Sherrigan and this is Detective Carter, Waverly Police Department,” the man says. “We came to ask you about a party you were seen at Friday night.”

My insides are mush and my legs are jelly. I slowly lower my hand, watching Mom from my peripheral. As she steps aside to let the officers in and shut the door, her eyes are so wide that I’m expecting them to fall out of her head. Oh. The explaining I’m going to have to do after this will be amazing.

“Okay,” I say, wringing my hands together. “I-I was th-there.”

Sherrigan writes this down in his notepad. Carter remains poised, hands folded in front of her and expression grim. “Do you know a Callie Wheeler?”

My spine stiffens. “Is she okay?”

“Is that a yes?”

“Y-yes. I know her. S-sort of.”

While Sherrigan is portly and looks like he’d be a nice guy any other day of the week, Carter is the sort of cop you don’t want to mess with. Short. Hair pulled back into a serious bun, ruby-red lipstick that makes her look like she just tore out the throat of her enemies with her teeth. She doesn’t look impressed by me in the least. “Care to tell us what happened with Callie at the party that night?”

“I was at the p-party and she was, was, um, th-throwing up outside.” The words are coming harder, catching in my throat, tripping over my tongue. My hands are cold, clammy, made worse by my inability to get the words out as quickly as I want to. I can picture them in my head, but they’re getting lost somewhere in translation. “S-s-so, I…I…”

“Spit it out, son,” Carter says.

I breathe deeply. Try to start over. One sentence at a time. “I…took her upstairs. B-because, um, she was…drunk. Put h-her to bed and…and…that w-was it.” I look between the two of them, increasingly unsure if honesty is the best response right now. “Is she okay?”

“No, Victor, she’s not okay.” Carter dips her chin and peers over the top of her sunglasses. “She was raped.”

“Raped,” I repeat, because the word doesn’t have any meaning right away. It takes a second to process it, to digest it, comprehend its meaning. Rape. Any act of sexual intercourse that is forced upon a person.

The word flow stops all together. I stare dumbly at the detectives.

I should have stayed with her. I should have—I don’t know. I should have done something more than what I did. I had just thought…she would be safe there in that room.

“I’m afraid I don’t follow.” Mom’s voice is a few octaves higher than usual. It happens when she’s anxious. “Is that all you came to ask him? Obviously he doesn’t know anything about this.”

Sherrigan turns to her, but I don’t think his eyes ever really leave me. “Ma’am, your son is being accused of raping Callie Wheeler.”

About the Author

"I like unicorns and cats and games...and stuff..." - quality author quote by Kelley

Kelley York was born in central California, where she still resides with her lovely wife, step-daughter, and way too many cats, while fantasizing about moving to England or Ireland. (Or, really, anyplace secluded.) She has a fascination with bells and animals and Disney. Her life goal is to find a real unicorn. Or to at least write about them. She occupies her spare time with video games,designing covers, playing on Tumblr, and watching anime.

Kelley is a sucker for dark fiction. She loves writing twisted characters, tragic happenings, and bittersweet endings that leave you wondering and crying. She strives to make character development take center stage in her books because the bounds of a person's character and the workings of their mind are limitless.

Author Links:

Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook

GIVEAWAY:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/MjM0OGI5ZGJmNWUwNzllYTYzNjAyYzhhZGU0MDc0OjQ5Nw==/?

Book Tour Organized by:

YA Bound Book Tours

'The Third Throne: Angel of Darkness' by Tabitha Barret

Amazon / Goodreads

Michelle Black lives an average life as she looks to her future beyond high school, but she is not an average girl. Plagued by nightmares of Hell and the unusual ability to see the sins of men, she stands apart from those around her. Deceived by a voice controlling her mind, she finds herself trapped in the place of her nightmares, Hell.

The ruler of Hell, the Angel of Darkness, tells her that she must now serve him, and she is forced to face the Realms of Torture. Strange things begin to happen as she senses that she is being deceived and is meant to be more than just a servant. The Angel of Darkness tries to gain her trust by professing his love for her, but she knows that he is keeping the truth from her. She will need to survive enemies hidden in the shadows who conspire to destroy her. Will she learn the truth about who she is and what she is destined to become before it’s too late? 

The Third Throne: Angel of Darkness is the first book in the series that introduces us to Michelle Black and her dark destiny. She must fight to survive in Hell as she searches for the terrifying truth about the darkness that resides deep inside of her.

Anjali was fascintating. She was brave. And powerful. And determined. Her sudden change did surprise me. It seemed like once she knew who she was, she accepted an entirely different personality. She was an entirely different person.
It was hard to keep up with her name changes. Annoyed me a bit. Mistress. Michelle. Anjali. Lady Black. It was so quick when she changed. It was as if she was changing personalities. And she didn't even know about her powers when she became Anjali's personality. Okay... She didn't even know how powerful she could be. But she became cocky and outspoken. I think I preferred Michelle. Michelle was good. A bit innocent. A bit naive. A tad shy. These all made her interesting. A different side of the coin compared to Lucifer's roughhousing attitude. (The kill and think later attitude.)
Lucifer wasn't too bad. He did have his qualities. He had a soft side. Which was only exposed when Anjali was present. (And even that isn't a soft side per se.) But he was tough and rough. I liked that he did punish people for doing things they weren't supposed to, but he wasn't a good leader or anything. He didn't really interest me as much as he should have. He did seem a bit tough. (Poor Mark.) But he can change. No. He will change. Anjali made him softer. More open. Less tough. Less rough. But too much will destroy him. Destroy Hell. So I'm not sure how great Anjali's influence on him is. (Just picture a bunny-hugging Lucifer. Can't? Me too.)

The plot was odd. It went through several different phases all at once. It started off as some crazy love story with a bit of a love-hate relationship. It then transitioned into this becoming brave story for Anjali. Then Anjali is being hunted. (Gasp.) And she has to fight back. We end on a different note, though.
The love story was a bit...creepy. Like...steamy and creepy at the same time. If that is even possible. I wanted to say it was a good romance...but no. It wasn't really that good. I thought it was a bit annoying. The two seemed to clash at every opportunity.
Then the turning-powerful-learning-yourself part. Anjali changed too quickly. She became someone she wasn't at the start very quickly. Like...ten pages quickly. (That quickly.) She became eternally cocky and sassy. (I don't mind the sass, of course.) She just didn't seem...right. She seemed to be a bit of an oddball there. And all the times she was pushed to her limit? Insert blast of powerful mojo. Whoop whoop! It seemed like she had so many things that happened to her. Bad things. And people who hated her. (Why? Because she could survive in the realms of Hell? Like that's a bad thing. The angels should be taking notes, so they can make the realms worse.)
And the hunted. Okay. This came at the ending. If it came in the middle or so, I might have different thoughts. But it was the ending. 'Oh. Now, you're powerful. The bringer of the Apocalypse. And now you have to worry about being stabbed in the back. Gasp!' Erm...okay? I don't see why these people are attacking now. Why not attack when Lucifer brought her in? She was more exposed then! I don't get their reasoning.

The romance was...steamy. Steamy steamy. It was comprised mostly of Lucifer and Anjali banging. (Or however you care to call it.) And then fighting. Making up. And banging again. Lucifer destroyed himself, whining and wailing. Anjali was hungry for Lucifer. It seemed like a vicious cycle that would never end. Sigh.
I didn't expect how detailed the sex scenes got. I knew it would have sex but not as explicit as it got. (It shocked me.) But...I got...accustomed to them. (If accustomed is the right word.) They still shocked me. (I hadn't read many explicit sex scenes. Most books just fade to black and let things be hinted at.) I don't think I liked them. Nope. Definitely didn't like them. If I was older and more mature, it would be a different story. But now? Nope. Didn't like them.

But. I had a problem with the grammar. The missing commas. The words that were wrong or misplaced. It annoyed me a bit. I know my grammar isn't perfect. I miss words or add words instead. (The English language can be confusing for me sometimes. It's like my brain doesn't compute what I'm hearing, writing, or reading. I'm often left nodding in confusion to random statements like 'I like pizza'.) It did annoy me, though. A few misplaced commas is one thing. If it's repeated, that's a trend. And it isn't a good trend.

The ending started to lure me in. So much started to happen. It lured me in. It seemed like all her changes and the attacks made Anjali different. Stronger perhaps? Who knows? I started to want to know more. Like the Predznak. Will they submit? Will they let her be their Master? And when is the Apocalypse? Will Anjali be killed? Will Lucifer be killed? How about Gabriel? Will Lucifer turn into a sniveling wimp? Questions questions questions. They kept coming. I'm officially lured in
Sure, the sex turned me off. It did. Did I feel like it could have been more censored? Yup. Did I like the romance? No. Did I like the characters? Not really. Was this book good? Not really.
But the ending drew me in. That's why I might continue the series. If it is a series. (And it sorta has to be.)

Weather:

Cloud with a 75% chance of rain

2.5/5

'Secret of Sevens' by Lynn Lindquist: Blitz

Secret of the Sevens

by Lynn Lindquist 

Release Date: 06/2015

Flux Publishing

Summary from Goodreads:

Everyone at Singer, a boarding school for underprivileged kids, knows the urban legend of the Society of Seven. Decades ago, the original members of the secret guild for elite students murdered the school's founder and then perished in the fire they lit to hide the evidence. Or so the story goes.

Talan Michaels doesn't care about Singer's past. He's too focused on his future and the fact that he'll be homeless after he graduates in May. To take his mind off it, he accepts a mysterious invitation to join a group calling itself the Sevens. 

He expects pranks, parties, and perks. Instead, he finds himself neck-deep in a conspiracy involving secret passages and cryptic riddles about the school's history. Even worse, he's now tangled in web of lies someone will kill to keep hidden.

“At the end of the day, it’s Talan and his endearing combination of bravado and vulnerability, coupled with the crackling chemistry he shares with Laney, that will keep readers turning the pages. A satisfying read for secret-society fanatics and romantics alike.” – Kirkus Reviews

I wrap an arm around her shoulder. “I didn’t say anything about dropping out. It’ll be fine. I’ll be 

careful. I promise.” Without thinking, I bundle her close and kiss her forehead. 

The second I do it, I’m paralyzed. Laney and I don’t have the kind of friendship where we hug or 

kiss. Hell, we don’t even touch when we pass the salt at dinner. My arms tense like wood around 

her back, and I hold my breath waiting for her reaction. I’m a mannequin trapped in a pose while 

my brain scrambles to come up with a joke I can crack when she pushes me away. 

Only she never does.  

She nestles inside my arms instead. It’s obvious she’s lost in thought about something, but she 

still seems pretty damn comfortable. 

And so am I.  

I’m not used to girls touching me. Well, not like this anyway. I’m blown away by how different 

this feels. Lying here all peaceful, with uptight Delaney Shanahan all soft and cuddly, snuggling 

me like a body pillow. 

I allow myself to exhale. My hand rests on the center of her back, rising and falling with her 

even, steady breaths. Her body forms to mine, and I catch a whiff of that lavender stuff again. 

She lies in a daze with her hand resting over a scar on my chest. 

“Stay right there,” I say, sitting up. “I’m cold. I’m just gonna grab a shirt real quick.”

“No.” She nudges me back against the pillow, trapping my eyes with hers. “I’ve seen them 

before,” she whispers. “They don’t bother me.”

She lowers her head to my chest again and rides her finger over the raised scar that sits over my 

heart. I reach for her fingers, but she gently nudges my hand aside. “It looks like an S,” she says.

“It is. For Superman.”

She laughs softly and traces over the scar again. “How did you get this, Talan?”

I stumble over my words. “I... I’ve told you. On a playground when I was little.”

“No,” she says quietly, without looking at me. “How did you really get it?”

I’d push her away, but it feels too good, like I’ve been starving for her touch. Her fingers glide 

warm and tender over my bare skin. That ticklish “S” is totally screwing with me. My nerve 

endings are whipped into a frenzy. I try to think of something besides her, but it’s too late. My 

body is painfully aware that I’m lying half-dressed and alone in my bed with Laney, her hands 

running over my bare chest and her warm curves molded to mine behind a locked door.

Maybe I should try that kiss again, only this time…

“Talan?”

Laney jerks her head up. 

“Please tell me it was you that just said my name,” I whisper.

Terror colors her cheeks as she slowly shakes her head from side to side.

“Talan? Are you in there with Laney?”  It’s Mom Shanahan.

Laney jumps up and yanks me off the bed so hard that I land on the floor with a thud.  

“Yes, we’re in here!” Laney yells a little too enthusiastically. “You can come in Mom. We’re not 

doing anything.”  

Mom jiggles the knob, but the door won’t open. “Why is this door locked?” she shouts.

“Oh fug!” Laney trips over my backpack in her rush to open it. 

She reaches it about the same time I notice that the map and Sevens’ note are still spread out on 

my bed. I dive across the mattress, scrambling to bury the papers under my bedspread before 

Mom sees them. 

When her mother walks in, I’m sprawled bare-chested across my bed, sweating profusely and 

trying to smooth out my tangled sheets and crumpled comforter. Laney stands next to the 

doorway, gnawing nervously on her thumbnail. Her hair is mussed and her face is redder than a 

sunburn. 

I’m not sure what it looks like we were doing, but from the expression on Mom’s face, she isn’t 

giving us the benefit of the doubt anymore.  

Ah shit.

Buy Links:

Amazon│Barnes & Noble

About the Author

Lynn Lindquist lives in a suburb of Chicago with two overly-social sons and a mutt named Slugger who wisely hides under the bed most days. The hordes of teenagers that regularly frequent her house (think Panama City Beach during spring break) provide fodder for her young adult novels and growing anxiety disorder. Ever since her sons broke the Guinness Record for Largest-Rager-Thrown-While-a-Parent-Was-Out-for-the-Night, she enjoys spending her free time at home entertaining friends, cooking, reading, and writing. Thankfully, her favorite things in life are her sons, words, and kids, so she wouldn’t have it any other way.  She is represented by Katherine Boyle at Veritas Literary Agency.   

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