Review: Quanta by Lola Dodge

Quanta

Author: Lola Dodge

Release Date: October 13, 2015

Publisher: Ink Monster LLC.

The Shadow Ravens Book #2

ISBN13: 9780996086479

Genre: YA Sci Fi/Dystopian

Review Copy Source: Publisher

Just because Quanta can see the future doesn’t mean she can change it. She’s spent most of her life imprisoned, feeding her captors information to keep herself alive, but she’s finally reached the endgame and her death creeps closer by the moment.

The son of two senators, Altair Orpheus leads a life of privilege that provides the perfect cover for his side job: working with the rebel Shadow Ravens to undermine the ruling Seligo government. Everything is running like clockwork until he crosses paths with Quanta. As he watches her deftly maneuver through life in a perverse prison, his plastic heart melts. A jailbreak would be suicide, but Tair is willing to sacrifice everything to give her a chance at happiness.

Now Quanta senses a terrifying new future brewing. She and Tair are bound together, but every image of them kissing, snuggling, and acting knee-weakeningly happy is balanced by a much darker possibility. They’ll be picture perfect together, but only until time rips them apart. How can she follow her heart when she’s seen how their love plays out?

I was a little apprehensive to dive into QUANTA when I saw that it would be written by a new author. I had never heard of Lola Dodge, but I had trust in Ink Monster and figured they wouldn't steer me wrong - and they didn't.


Quanta has some wicked powers, but she's being forced to use them for the enemy. She has lived a lot of her life as a prisoner, but she refuses to break and she still considers herself part of the Shadow Ravens and makes sure not to give too much away to her captors. I found her to be a pretty strong woman and was rooting for her from the start. Altair comes from money, but decided to join the Shadow Ravens at an early age and use his status to go undercover. When he gets the chance to join the team working under Dr. Nagi he jumps at the chance. When he meets Quanta he knows right away that he needs to save her.

We know all about when two people are bound after reading book one, CIPHER, so it comes as no surprise that Quanta and Altair had a huge pull towards each other. It takes them a bit to trust each other, but when they work together they make a really good team. Because of where the book takes place, they don't really have any romantic time. They are highly monitored and constantly working on escaping so there isn't really the chance for that. For that reason, I do wish we had some more time at the end of the book for them as an official couple.

I did have a few questions when Quanta ended (that I won't go into as I don't want to give away spoilers), but I am really glad I gave QUANTA a try. It was a great continuation of The Shadow Ravens series and I really enjoyed the new characters and couple. The world building continued and the storyline advanced. No matter who writes book three, I will be reading it.

I gave it 4/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Cover Reveal: Genesis Boxed Set

Genesis
Pre-order Date: December 15, 2015 
Release Date: January 1, 2016
Goodreads

Genesis [jen-uh-sis]

Definition: an origin, creation, or beginning.

From demons, weres, and vampires, to dragons, shifters, and angels, GENESIS is the ultimate must-have boxed set for any urban fantasy & paranormal romance fan. GENESIS brings you eight new worlds to sink your teeth into. From some of the genre’s brightest talent, each title in this boxed set is the first installment of the authors’ respective series.

Featured in Genesis:
- The Devil You Know by J.M. Gregoire
- Ghost of a Threat by Beth Dolgner
- Entwined By Fate by S.A. Price
- Fallen by Julie Morgan
- Spark by K.C. Stewart
- The Mortal One by Shannon Bell
- Valkyrie’s Vengeance by Melissa Snark
- Juan by Crystal Dawn

Dig in your claws and hang on as these eight authors take you on a wild ride in GENESIS!

COMING JANUARY 1, 2016

Review: Boundary Lines by Melissa F. Olson

Boundary Lines

Author: Melissa F. Olson

Release Date: October 13, 2015

Publisher: 47 North

Boundary Magic Book #2

ISBN:  1503947068

ISBN13: 9781503947061

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Review Copy Source: NetGalley

Fitting into the Old World isn’t going very well for Boulder boundary witch Allison “Lex” Luther: she may have earned a place in a vampire’s service, but now it seems as if every supernatural creature in town has found a reason to hate her. And when Lex and her partner are assigned to investigate the suspicious disappearance of two vampires during the night of the full moon, they find themselves with more questions than answers.

Was it murder…or mutiny?

The crusade for answers will lead Lex all over the Colorado Old World, from a prison cell for a broken werewolf to a haunted Denver brothel. And when Lex determines the responsible party, the hunt is just beginning: something has been awakened in Boulder, something as old and powerful as it is terrifying. Only the woman with death in her blood can stop what’s coming.

I enjoyed getting to know Lex and the other characters of the Boundary Magic series in book one, BOUNDARY CROSSED, and BOUNDARY LINES made me like the world and the characters even more.

Lex has to figure out what is causing the magic to surge in Boulder with the help of her partner. Along the way we get to know some werewolves, we learn more about the characters and we also get a little bit of romance. On the subject of romance, I do like Lex's growing relationship with the vampire. I hope they can keep up the chemistry in future books.

As far as secondary characters go. I think Maven is an interesting character. She can put the smack down, but I find her to be very likable and Lex and her have a very good working relationship so far. Simon and Lily continue to be a huge help to Lex. They both grew on me right away in book one and I always look forward to seeing what they will bring to a situation. 

One thing that is really bothering me is that Lex still hasn't told Charlie's dad what is going on and what role Charlie plays in the supernatural world. Keeping him in the dark is not only dangerous for Charlie, but can lead to situations that just happened to happen in BOUNDARY LINES. I hope we don't have to read a whole other book with him in the dark and I hope that he takes the news well.

There was a good amount of action in BOUNDARY LINES. There is a pretty big battle towards the end and it was very well put together. I like that Olson ties her Scarlett Bernard series into this one. If you happen to like that series or are looking for something new, give the Boundary Magic series a try.

I gave it 4/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Ice Like Fire by Sara Raasch

Ice Like Fire

Author:Sara Raasch

Release Date: October 13, 2015

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Snow Like Ashes Book #2

ISBN:  0062286951

ISBN13: 9780062286956

Genre: Fantasy

Review Copy Source: Edelweiss

It’s been three months since the Winterians were freed and Spring’s king, Angra, disappeared—thanks largely to the help of Cordell.

Meira just wants her people to be safe. When Cordellan debt forces the Winterians to dig their mines for payment, they unearth something powerful and possibly dangerous: Primoria’s lost chasm of magic. Theron sees this find as an opportunity—with this much magic, the world can finally stand against threats like Angra. But Meira fears the danger the chasm poses—the last time the world had access to so much magic, it spawned the Decay. So when the king of Cordell orders the two on a mission across the kingdoms of Primoria to discover the chasm’s secrets, Meira plans to use the trip to garner support to keep the chasm shut and Winter safe—even if it means clashing with Theron. But can she do so without endangering the people she loves?

Mather just wants to be free. The horrors inflicted on the Winterians hang fresh and raw in Januari—leaving Winter vulnerable to Cordell’s growing oppression. When Meira leaves to search for allies, he decides to take Winter’s security into his own hands. Can he rebuild his broken kingdom and protect them from new threats?

As the web of power and deception weaves tighter, Theron fights for magic, Mather fights for freedom—and Meira starts to wonder if she should be fighting not just for Winter, but for the world.

I think most readers will either love ICE LIKE FIRE or hate ICE LIKE FIRE after reading SNOW LIKE ASHES. I happen to fall in the middle.

What I liked about ICE LIKE FIRE: I liked how Meira stepped into her leadership role. She has a lot of people to think about as she makes decisions and I felt like she took that seriously. I liked seeing more of the Snow Like Ashes series world. There are a lot of kingdoms and with Meira searching for the keys we get to see what they and the people of those kingdoms are like. We get to meet a few great secondary characters. One of which I am hoping to see more of in book 3.

Some things that didn't totally pull me in to ICE LIKE FIRE: Theron, he annoyed the heck out of me. I definitely wasn't rooting for him and although I was really happy with how things ended up with him and Meira, it was painful to have him along on the trip. Mather. He is of course part of ICE LIKE FIRE and even had his own POV, but he isn't with Meira and I wanted to see them together and working as a team. The pace, it was a bit slow and I wanted more action.

So, although ICE LIKE FIRE wasn't a home run for me, I still enjoyed it and look forward to seeing what Meira and her allies will do in book three.

I gave it 3/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

New Releases: 10/11-10/17

Tue. Oct. 13th

 A Sky Unbroken (Earth & Sky #3) by Megan Crew

 Boundary Lines (Boundary Magic #2) by Melissa F. Olson

 Dark Tide (Waterfire Saga #3) by Jennifer Donnelly 

 The Devil and Winnie Flynn by Micol Ostow 

 Goddess (Calypso #2) by Julie Anne Lindsey

 Ice Like Fire (Snow Like Ashes #2) by Sara Raasch 

 The Immortal Heights (The Elemental Trilogy #3) by Sherry Thomas

 The Rose Society (The Young Elites #2) by Marie Lu

 Wolf from the Past (Salvation Pack #4) by N.J. Walters 

Happy Reading!

Review + Giveaway: A Fistful of Fire by Rebecca Chastain

A Fistful of Fire

Author:Rebecca Chastain

Release Date: October 10, 2015

Publisher: Mind Your Muse Books

Madison Fox, Illuminant Enforcer Book #2

ISBN13: 9780990603122

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Review Copy Source: Author

Madison Fox survived her first week as California’s newest illuminant enforcer, defending her region against imps, vervet, hounds, and one lascivious demon. If her grumpy boss, Mr. Pitt, was impressed, he hasn’t told Madison. In fact, there’s a lot her boss has been closemouthed about, including the dark secret haunting his past.

But Madison’s problems are just igniting. Neighboring regions report an uncharacteristic flare-up of evil, fire-breathing salamanders blaze unchecked across the city, and Black Friday looms. Trapped doing cleanup amid mobs of holiday shoppers, Madison watches from the sidelines as dubious allies insinuate themselves in her region.

As suspicions kindle and the mysterious evil gains strength, Madison must determine who she can trust—and whose rules to follow—before her region and career go up in flames.

Sizzling with adventure and sparking with magic, A FISTFUL OF FIRE is fused with Madison Fox’s trademark blend of humor and ass-kicking action.

I enjoyed book one, A FISTFUL OF EVIL, but I think A FISTFUL OF FIRE is my favorite of the two and I love when a series gets better as it grows.

Madison is still new at being an illuminate enforcer and has a lot to learn, but she is growing into the position and kicking supernatural butt. I will admit that her penchant for doing stupid things gets a little bit frustrating. There were many points throughout the book that I was yelling at her to turn around, call for backup or just listen to him and don't do it. She DOES however end up coming out at the top so I can't complain about it too much. Madison is forced to work in a different region in A FISTFUL OF FIRE and things definitely get interesting for her.

I enjoyed meeting some new characters in A FISTFUL OF EVIL. Some I really liked, some I didn't like and some I think have potential. There really isn't any romance in A FISTFUL OF FIRE and that is perfectly ok with it being an Urban Fantasy and all, BUT it was crazy frustrating that Madison had to keep postponing her date with Dr. Love. Her job is important, but I just wanted it to happen already. And what is up with Nikos? I get romantic vibes off of him, but I just can't tell what he is thinking most of the time or if Madison would be into a relationship with him. I guess only time will tell.

A FISTFUL OF FIRE was full of action and a lot of interesting circumstances. With Madison involved many things don't go how they're supposed to, but it was fun watching her in action. There is still a lot left to be done in this series and I look forward to the ride. 

I gave it 4/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Tour Wide

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Week in Review: 10/4-10/10

Books Received for Review

Veiled Magic by Deborah Blake

Books I've Read

Quanta by Lola Dodge
Spiral of Need by Suzanne Wright
The Southern Belle's Guide to Witchcraft by Loribelle Hunt
Dark Heart of Magic by Jennifer Estep

Reviews Posted

The White Rose by Amy Ewing
Blood Magic by Jennifer Lyon

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* New Releases for the week. Was there anything you were looking forward to reading?

* Monday- Guest Blog + Giveaway for Harvest Moon by Lisa Kessler

* Tuesday- Guest Blog + Giveaway for Sins of Long Ago by Naomi Bellina

* Wednesday- Promo + Giveaway for Divine Vices by Melissa Parkin

* Thursday- Guest Blog + Giveaway for Quanta by Lola Dodge

* Friday- Guest Blog + Giveaway for Pale Moon Walking by Paula Altenburg

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