Giveaway: Renegade by J.A. Souders

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Review: Renegade by J.A. Souders

Renegade
Author:J.A. Souders
Release Date: November 13, 2012
Publisher: Tor Teen
The Elysium Chronicles Book #1
ISBN:  0765332450
ISBN13: 9780765332455
Genre: Young Adult Dystopian
Review Copy Source: Publisher/Netgalley
 

Since the age of three, sixteen-year-old Evelyn Winters has been trained to be Daughter of the People in the underwater utopia known as Elysium. Selected from hundreds of children for her ideal genes, all her life she’s thought that everything was perfect; her world. Her people. The Law.

But when Gavin Hunter, a Surface Dweller, accidentally stumbles into their secluded little world, she’s forced to come to a startling realization: everything she knows is a lie.

Her memories have been altered.

Her mind and body aren’t under her own control.

And the person she knows as Mother is a monster.

Together with Gavin she plans her escape, only to learn that her own mind is a ticking time bomb... and Mother has one last secret that will destroy them all

Before the publicist contacted me I hadn't heard a peep about J.A. Souders or her debut book RENEGADE. When I read the blurb I knew right away that I would like it and after reading it I'm excited to read more. 

 I LOVED the setting. I have not read any book with a world like what J.A. Souders has imagined.  Can you imagine living in an underwater world where most walls look out into the ocean? I would love being able to visit somewhere like that but I definitely don't want to live under Mother's rule. Can you say crazy? yeah "Mother" is right up their with the best of the insane. Wow she is a trip times 10. Evie was a great main character, her voice was fresh and intriguing. She is a fighter and fights just about everything when she has the chance (or when she is in her own control that is). Gavin was a great love interest. There isn't a ton of romance but there is definitely a connection between the two from the beginning and they make their mutual interest known. For most of the book Gavin and Evie were on the run trying to get to the surface. Every step the pair took was filled with them dodging Enforcers and their bullets. Facts were revealed at a nice pace from start to finish, I was constantly surprised and shocked by what took place and what was revealed. 

The ending is crazy, I hate that they essentially have to "start over" with each other. I kind of thought that, that might happen to her at some point so it did make sense. I'm not sure what is in store for Evelyn or Gavin next but I look forward finding out. 

I gave it 4/5 stars

Review: Running in the Dark by Regan Summers

Running in the Dark
Author:Regan Summers
Release Date: October 29, 2012
Publisher: Carina Press
Night Runner Book #1
ISBN13:  9781426894541
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Review Copy Source: Author

Santiago, Chile

After surviving a vampire turf war in Alaska, vampire courier Sydney Kildare is back behind the wheel and working under an assumed name in Chile. She doesn't speak the language, doesn't know the city and—worst of all—has to drive a crappy car.

What she does have is Malcolm Kelly, her sort-of boyfriend and manager of the city's vampire population. But with Malcolm preoccupied by bloodsucker business—and a gorgeous vampiress from his past—Sydney feels more alone than ever.

But Sydney has more than her love life to worry about. She's got vamps on her tail, mysterious deliveries that leave death in their wake, and old enemies targeting her to get to Malcolm. Turns out he's got a history more deadly than she ever imagined, and she'll have to use every skill in her arsenal to stay alive...

I loved Syndey's personality, style and independence in DON'T BITE THE MESSENGER so I was excited when Regan contacted me with RUNNING IN THE DARK for review. I think its pretty important to read book 0.5 before you jump into book 1 as it will give you the background on the characters and their situations. You might be a bit lost if you try to jump into book 1 without the back story.

It was a bit hard to read the first half of the book watching Sydney struggle with not having complete control of her life nor being able to do what she loves to do at the pace she wants to do it. The change of scenery in RUNNING IN THE DARK was interesting. I have never been to Anchorage or Chile so both were fun to witness through the two separate adventures.  Malcolm ticked me off at multiple points throughout the book but his attitude makes complete sense by the last chapter and he is perfect for Sydney and vice versa. I really liked meeting Soraya she turned out being a great ally and I see more of her in Sydney and Malcom's future (at least I'm hoping she will be in their future). Because Sydney isn't in the same situation as in DON'T BITE THE MESSENGER we didn't get her high tech cars and fast driving but there was a ton of fantastic action scenes and deathly situations. Both of Regan's books were fast paced with simple to connect to worlds.

It shouldn't be long before the whole vampire community knows who Sydney and Malcolm are and the ending sets up book 2 a bit.

I gave it 4/5 stars

ARC Giveaway: Darkness Hunts by Keri Arthur

Darkness Hunts
Author:Keri Arthur
Release Date: November 6, 2012
Publisher: Signet Select
Dark Angel's Book #4

Risa Jones, half-Aedh/half-werewolf, can enter the realm between life and death. She can speak to the dying and the dead, and she can see the reapers, collectors of souls. What she can not yet see is the identity of a stranger murdering women and draining their blood. Now Risa must summon her gifts to find him, even if it means putting her own life in danger. But Risa needn’t look far. The killer knows who she is.

He tells her his victims are infected by darkness and he’s fated to destroy them. Fascinated by Risa, he engages her in a sinister game: the chance to save the life of his next victim by deciphering his series of clues. In a race against time, she enlists the help of the reaper Azriel.

But as an attraction between them grows, so does the fear that the stranger’s motives are only part of a larger, more dangerous stratagem—one that that has lured Risa and Azriel into the dark.

US ONLY 

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Review: Conjure by Lea Nolan

Conjure
Author:Lea Nolan
Release Date: October 23, 2012
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
The Hoodoo Apprentice Book #1
ISBN13: 9781620610985
Genre: Young Adult
Review Copy Source: Publisher

Be careful what you search for...

Emma Guthrie expects this summer to be like any other in the South Carolina Lowcountry--hot and steamy with plenty of beach time alongside her best friend and secret crush, Cooper Beaumont, and Emma’s ever-present twin brother, Jack. But then a mysterious eighteenth-century message in a bottle surfaces, revealing a hidden pirate bounty. Lured by the adventure, the trio discovers the treasure and unwittingly unleashes an ancient Gullah curse that attacks Jack with the wicked flesh-eating Creep and promises to steal Cooper’s soul on his approaching sixteenth birthday.

When a strange girl appears, bent on revenge; demon dogs become a threat; and Jack turns into a walking skeleton; Emma has no choice but to learn hoodoo magic to undo the hex, all before summer—and her friends--are lost forever.

CONJURE was a unique story about a girl whose brother is struck by an ancient curse and their journey to cure him. The story started a tad bit slow but picked up and stayed on a nice course a few chapters in. The characters were easy to like (or dislike in some cases). You tend to forget the Main character and her brother are only 14 at some times when they are thrust into situations that a normal 14 year old wouldn't be able to handle, then you turn around and feel that they are extremely immature at other times. 

There is some very light romance in CONJURE. Emma has had a huge crush on Cooper for as long as she can remember and Jack crushes on a mysterious girl they meet on the beach before all their troubles start. The Hoodoo parts of the book was interesting. Ms. Delia's character was my favorite character of the book and I looked forward to the parts she was involved in.The premise of the curse was fascinating and the location of the story fit in perfectly. For the most part the situations were pretty easy to guess and not much was a surprise when it was revealed. 

CONJURE is geared pretty low on the YA spectrum in my opinion and would be a great fit for the younger, Young adults. A neat little adventurous start to The Hoodoo Apprentice Series. 

I gave it 3/5 stars

New Releases: 11/11-11/17

Tues Nov 13

Ashes of Twilight (Ashes Trilogy, #1) by Kassy Tayler
Bad Hair Day (Kate Grable, #2) by Carrie Harris
Black City (Black City, #1) by Elizabeth Richards
Echo (Soul Seekers, #2) by Alyson Noel
Greta and the Goblin King (Mylena Chronicles, #1) by Chloe Jacobs
Luminosity (The Raven Chronicles, #1) by Stephanie Thomas
Night's Darkest Embrace by Jeaniene Frost
Reached (Matched, #3) by Ally Condie
Renegade (The Elysium Chronicles #1) by J.A. Souders
River Road (Sentinels of New Orleans, #2)by Suzanne Johnson
Speed of Light (Fenestra, #3) by Amber Kizer
Witch World by Christopher Pike

 

Happy Reading!!!

Review: Magick by Trish Milburn

Magick
Author:Trish Milburn
Release Date: September 27, 2012
Publisher: Bell Bridge Books
The Coven Book #3
ISBN:   1611941784
ISBN13: 9781611941784
Genre: Young Adult
Review Copy Source: Netgalley

The covens are coming for her.

But is she a White Witch or a Dark Witch? In a war for control of the witch world, the answer will save-or doom-everyone she loves.

In White Witch, Jax gained friends she'd die for and a staggering power that threatens them all.

In Bane, Jax did the unthinkable and killed a supernatural hunter to protect her friends. She found herself lost in darkness and prisoner to the Bane, a secret society of witches sworn to prevent the use of the dark magic.

Now, in Magick, the powers of Jax and her friend Egan have been magically bound by the Bane. She must convince the Bane she can learn to control her power and become a White Witch in truth. She's their only hope now that the dark covens have called a Conclave with one purpose-to kill this generation's White Witch and anyone who has ever stood with her. If Jax can't amass an army of her own, rebuild the trust of her friends and boyfriend, and find the White Witch's elusive weapon against the dark, it may be too late.

Jax and her friends with the help of the Bane finally figure out the full extent of being a White Witch and Jax finally comes fully into her powers. It seemed a bit silly the way her powers worked, you witness one of the witches after her turn from a murdering hit man to a sniveling depressed guy who is sorry for all he has done wrong in the blink of an eye.  After such a huge buildup and training I found the fight against the coven a bit of a let down.They start the fight Jax touches everyone one by one and tada the fight is over. :/ Yeah It would have been nice to have it a bit more drawn out and I would have liked a bit more action and danger to happen like some past fights. I'm a bit surprised that this is the last book. It feels like a lot more could be explored and a lot more story could be told in the aftermath of the events in MAGICK.

The Coven series has been a quick to the point series. The pace has always been fast with a lot happening at once and with the characters developing quickly. The storyline was interesting and easy to follow. As I said above I felt the ending was a bit of a let down but it was still a good quick series to read.

I gave it 3/5 stars