What promises to be the most sensational season yet of the hit reality competition Creature of the Night is set to premiere. The competition will be fierce, and the challenges will be bloody because the twelve contestants are competing for more than a check and a bit of fame. They are competing for immortality.
To earn it, they will vie for survival before an audience that lurks like a pack of fiends, ready to repay any sign of weakness with jeering applause. At the same time, they must impress a panel of vampire judges, the most approachable of whom is a nightmare out of history. But the real predators are the producers.
The contestants are bursting with bravado and anxiety. They have come to live, and to die. Their ranks include an intellectual desperate for more time, a vampire rights advocate on the verge of disillusionment, and a ballerina who thinks she has nothing to lose. Under scrutiny from the bickering vampires and bloodthirsty audience, the competitors must navigate potentially lethal challenges and, if they ever hope to become undead, stay alive.
Anne Stinnett was born in Los Angeles where she spent most of her first decade reading books and playing in traffic. Eventually, she learned the foolishness of frolicking amongst moving vehicles, but she is still a voracious reader of multiple genres. After growing up in California, she moved around a bit, eventually landing in Albuquerque. She graduated from the University of New Mexico, with a major in English and a minor in Theater Arts. She now lives in Palm Springs, California with her freeloader canine friends Sirius (yes, Black) Midge, and Bueller, who occasionally allow her to get some writing done.
From Goodreads: Olga Gay Worontzoff left the Underworld for her final year of high school anxious for things to return to normal, but fate has other plans.
The new hottie at school reads her thoughts but nobody else’s. Her best friend wakes up from his coma acting like a completely different person. Caught in a world that’s a mix of familiar and supernatural, she must confront what she will—or won’t—do to bring him back and stare down her own perceived inadequacies to face a couple of tenacious demons, figurative and literal.
Everything she thought she knew about reality will change as she walks the line between past and present, fear and faith, love and loyalty.
And by the end of a heartbreaking year, she might be forced to realize “normal” in the conventional sense of the word is the one thing she may never achieve.
My Thoughts:
After I finished the first two books, I jumped straight into this one to see how things would end with Olga and the boys. This book started out strong. I loved that we saw Nate and Connor's perspectives as well, although it did make me like Connor even less. He always came across as selfish, even with his intentions for Olga.
But about halfway through, things just got... weird. Things made me uncomfortable and I found myself glancing around to make sure no one else was around.
But what bothered me the most was in book 1 I felt like Olga made massive progress, even book 2 had her continue to grow in ways I understood, even when they were reckless. But I felt like the memory wipe made all of it get reversed, and the parallel "18 Things" were just not as good.
And the ending. Blurg. It was like an anime ending; unsatisfactory. No spoilers, though. I just want to say I did not like it. It could have been so much stronger and way more interesting, plus again, satisfying.
Anyway, I'm glad I read the books. Like Hunger games, most of it was great, except that ending.
Title: DEREK HYDE KNOWS SPOOKY WHEN HE SEES IT Category and Genre: MG, Paranormal Word Count: 41,000
Query: Derek Hyde isn’t tingling with undiluted joy that the spookiest old mansion in town is about to become the Hyde Funeral Home & Used Coffin Outlet. Especially since he has to live there with his adoptive mortician parents, Jack and Formalda.
Of course, being driven in the family hearse to his first day at middle school doesn’t exactly add whipped cream to his broccoli.
As if things couldn't get more horrific, an evil classmate named Nussbaum attacks him in the cafeteria with a plate of beef stroganoff. Seems this kid loved living in the old mansion himself, but got yanked out after accidentally blowing up his own mom and dad. With his chemistry set. Now his dead parents are stuck as ghosts and Nussbaum is a foster kid stuck on revenge, vowing to get even with Derek’s family for taking over his haunted home.
All twelve-year-old Derek needs is a nice place to live—preferably without any blood-curdling apparitions that scare the pants off him and a classmate bent on ensuring he doesn't make it to thirteen. Piece of cake. Sure.
First 250 Words: There are far worse things in life than being raised in a funeral home. For example, you could… um… Okay, here’s one. You could have your brains eaten alive and slurped down by cranky, overworked zombies who haven’t had their morning coffee. Or how about this? You could be stuffed into a spin dryer at Leo’s Laundromat & Hideous Stain Removal Service and set to Extra Dry/Huge Load. But Derek wasn’t eaten and he definitely wasn’t spin dried, either. Just driven to the narcoleptic town of Littleburp in the family car (actually, an old yellow school bus), and then to a really unfortunate and grossly undesirable address: 1313 Slimeytoes Lane. As the bus splashed its way through a beautifully timed thunderstorm on the worst day of Derek’s life (so far), his mom and dad worked at keeping his spirits up by singing their favorite, most embarrassing song: Poopy Head, Poopy Head, Don’t You Be a Poopy Head. It didn’t help. It was bad enough his adoptive parents dragged Derek out of his seventh grade class and away from all his friends to limp across the country in a broken-down school bus on this Journey to Nowhere. Much worse was the notion that they were about to move him into a spooky old mansion they planned to convert into a funeral home. You see, his parents were funeral directors. Morticians. Undertakers. On this appropriately stormy autumn day, noisy brakes slowed them to a squealing stop in front of their new home.
Title: DEREK HYDE KNOWS SPOOKY WHEN HE SEES IT Category and Genre: MG, Paranormal Word Count: 41,000
Query:
Derek Hyde isn’t tingling with undiluted joy that the
spookiest old mansion in town is about to become the Hyde Funeral Home &
Used Coffin Outlet. Especially since he has to live there with his adoptive
mortician parents, Jack and Formalda.
Of course, being driven in the family hearse to his first
day at middle school doesn’t exactly add whipped cream to his broccoli.
As if things couldn't get more horrific, an evil classmate
named Nussbaum attacks him in the cafeteria with a plate of beef stroganoff.
Seems this kid loved living in the old mansion himself, but got yanked out
after accidentally blowing up his own mom and dad. With his chemistry set. Now
his dead parents are stuck as ghosts and Nussbaum is a foster kid stuck on
revenge, vowing to get even with Derek’s family for taking over his haunted
home.
If twelve-year-old Derek can't live in a nice
place—preferably without any blood-curdling apparitions that scare the pants
off him and a classmate bent on ensuring he doesn't make it to thirteen—he'll
have to run away. Far, far away.
First 250 Words:
There are far worse things in life than being raised in a
funeral home. For example, you could… um…
Okay, here’s one. You could have your brains eaten alive and
slurped down by cranky, overworked zombies who haven’t had their morning
coffee.
Or how about this? You could be stuffed into a spin dryer at
Leo’s Laundromat & Hideous Stain Removal Service and set to Extra Dry/Huge
Load.
But Derek wasn’t eaten and he definitely wasn’t spin dried,
either. Just driven to the narcoleptic town of Littleburp in the family car
(actually, an old yellow school bus), and then to a really unfortunate and
grossly undesirable address: 1313 Slimeytoes Lane.
As the bus splashed its way through a beautifully timed
thunderstorm on the worst day of Derek’s life (so far), his mom and dad worked
at keeping his spirits up by singing their favorite, most embarrassing
song: Poopy Head, Poopy Head, Don’t You Be a Poopy Head.
It didn’t help.
It was bad enough his adoptive parents dragged Derek out of
his seventh grade class and away from all his friends to limp across the
country in a broken-down school bus on this Journey to Nowhere. Much worse was
the notion that they were about to move him into a spooky old mansion they
planned to convert into a funeral home.
You see, his parents were funeral directors. Morticians.
Undertakers.
On this appropriately stormy autumn day, noisy
brakes slowed them to a squealing stop in front of their new home.
From Goodreads: Lying is unbearable, betrayal is inevitable, and choosing which path to take is impossible.
Olga Gay Worontzoff ended her senior year as an eighteen-year-old girl totally in love with Nate, enjoying their new romance and about to attend the university of her dreams. Now she’s spending her summer in the weird subculture of the Underworld, with charmingly witty and powerful angels, and problematic demons, trying to rescue Connor, the best friend and secret crush she was unable to save during a freak accident.
But Nate has other things on his mind, mainly Grace. She’s their first assignment as joint spirit guides, and Olga’s feeling hurt and jealous. His mysterious behavior has Olga questioning everything she believed about him and now she must decide whether to stick to their plan, or follow her heart. Unfortunately, a series of mistakes threatens everyone around her and plants Olga in the center of cosmic events much larger than she ever imagined.
Only one thing is certain: the chilling truths uncovered during her journey will leave no one untouched.
My Thoughts:
Now I'm back at work, I've got the Audible going again, and since book 1 was read at the end of the last school year this way, I got started on this book now I'm back.
Honestly, I struggled in the beginning to like this book. The whole thing didn't sit well with my own personal understanding of life after death and made me uncomfortable. But, since I really enjoyed the first book, I pushed on.
Once Olga and Nate started their assignment with Grace, I was hooked. I played the book at any moment I could to find out what they'd do next. I could really feel Olga's conflict and her need to know what had happened to Connor. I'd want to know what happened to the guy if I was in her shoes too!
I was still rooting for Nate, even when he seemed to be distracted. After getting to know him in book 1, I knew there would be more to it than his eyes wandering. The waiting for find out killed me though, and broke my heart.
By the end, I flicked straight onto book 3 on my Audible because THAT ENDING! No spoilers, but the need to continue was imperative.
So, basically I'm still enjoying this series, even if this book had a rocky start for me. Now, to conclude Olga's sordid tale.
When Celina Leviet escapes the brutal home invasion that kills her husband, she’s left with a bullet in her gut and vengeance in her heart. An alluring demon, Mekaisto, offers an irresistible deal—in exchange for her soul, he’ll let her live long enough to get her revenge, but she must hunt and kill the murderers herself.
After sealing the contract, Celina digs into her husband’s past for clues about his murder, and what she uncovers makes her question everything she thought she knew about him.
His company never existed.
His family history was a lie.
And he was involved with The Lumen, a shadowy religious order whose members know too much about demons. As the life she thought she knew crumbles around her, Mekaisto's charms become harder to resist. Forced to face a horrible truth, Celina struggles against her late husband’s betrayal and the dark seduction of the devil she knows.
Short Excerpt
Her breath came faster, and he could smell what she wanted before she even knew what it was. “Please, Kai—I’m yours. I want more. I want everything you can give me.”
The wave of lust heating his body could have burned a city to the ground. “Well, now,” he whispered in her ear as he stood, lifting her up with him, “I need to oblige such begging with a reward.”
I’m passionate about writing, reading, photo manipulation artwork, animals, anime/manga, video games, the fandom world of TV shows and movies, and stuff like that. I’m a proud Ravenclaw: I’ve always been sorted into this house, but the recent Pottermore sorting placed me in Gryffindor―I don’t care since the Sorting Hat couldn’t consider my choice, so I identify with Ravenclaw, and that’s where I’ll remain!
I have two main hobbies: writing and creating book covers. I’m also a gamer (Diablo, Zelda, Final Fantasy), enjoy listening to music (and always singing along to Disney), have a passion for Japanese culture, and adore reading. I love anime/manga, Japanese Dramas and consider myself a proud fan of many different TV shows including Buffy, Supernatural, Doctor Who, Sherlock, Merlin, Game of Thrones, Outlander, etc.
I wrote my first story when I was 12 years old (and we’ll never talk about that story), but started writing three years later. Since then, I always write, and this particular novel is my 19th story. It’s always been a dream to be a published author, and I can happily say I’ve reached that goal―I plan on continuing writing and publishing for the rest of my days.
“I am a demon, Celina, and above all else, demons love the hunt.” He smirked when her eyes widened.
“So, you see having sex with someone as a hunt?”
He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “By your expression, I would say you still do not quite understand.”
“It’s your twisted logic.”
Interesting…
“I take my time, stalk my prey first, count the number of breaths she takes, imagine her screams…”
She arched an eyebrow. “That’s not at all creepy.”
Kai ignored her. “I am a creature of infinite time; the world creeps by, yet an intimate moment is so fleeting, it feels as though it is gone in less than a second.” He stopped, expecting an interruption again, but she stayed silent. “The pleasure is heightened by the danger, and in the throes of passion, I could lose my control and revert to the form least likely to be found pleasurable by my … partner?” He lost himself in the images in his mind, pinning down Celina’s body, taking her in a way she would never be able to recreate with a mere mortal man. “Hunting is simple. There is always one in the crowd that stands out—rarely is it the one searching for the one-night stand—no…” Kai locked his eyes with hers and goose bumps rose on her arms and legs. “No, the one unsure of what society wants her to be, the one who is desperate to be loved and appreciated. She is the one I seek.”
“So, social outcasts are your type?”
His eyes pierced her until he could see through her mind again, to all those curious little fantasies.
He smiled. “It’s about finesse, Celina. I listen to her, and as she speaks more confidently, I brush a hand over her skin”—his hand skimmed Celina’s neck as he brushed her back—“just enough so she shivers with anticipation of what my lips would feel like in the same spot.” He delved into Celina’s mind as his words worked against her disdain for him. “Then I caress her in a way she won’t notice, but her subconscious will let her lean into, let her mind take over and her body will beg for more.”
“She’d notice if…” She followed his gaze to his hand on her knee.
“Are you certain?” He’d worked his own body into a sensual frenzy as he’d drawn her into his web.
She stared at him, her cheeks flushing. “I—”
“Eventually, I suggest a night filled with pleasure.” He couldn’t contain his smile as he moved closer. “I keep touching her in small ways—maintaining physical contact at all times.” His hand inched up her side, until he tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. She sucked in a breath and he cupped her cheek.
He sat close to her and her scent calmed and excited him at the same time.
“Kai?” Her voice wavered.
“Sex is fleeting.” He took her chin and drew her close. “But intimacy is endless, a continuous moment of gentle touches”—his hand dropped back to her knee, and then made its way up her thigh until she let out a small gasp—“personal boundaries broken, and pleasures that go beyond sex.”
She sat as if frozen. “It’s still a one-night stand.”
“Mine last longer—and you reveal not only your body.” His hand moved to the middle of her chest. “When you are intimate with a demon, you reveal your soul. You make yourself vulnerable and open.”
“Considering you’ll have my soul sometime soon, I’m not giving you a free sample.” She drew away from him and stood. “I won’t be your prey tonight.”
Another surge of heat rushed through him, but he pushed it down with a long, deep breath. “You would set me loose on another human?”
She glared at him. “I wasn’t aware I had a choice about what you do outside of our deal. This would be on you, not me.”
“You think you control what I do within our deal?”
She rubbed her arms when he stood. “Not when you say it like that.”
“Celina…” He stopped in front of her and leaned into her personal space, drawing a lungful of a scent he would only ever associate with her.
He wrapped his arms around her, swallowing the shiver that shook her body. “What are you—?”
“Let’s play, Celina. I can assure you, you will not regret a night in my arms.”
I want you… Against all my instincts, I need you close.
Celina pushed him as hard as she could, and he withdrew as disappointment withered his gaze.
“Let me go, Mekaisto.”
You are trembling again, my dove… Is it because you are scared you will give in? How far can I push you until you bend?
“What if I say no?”
She glared at him, but Kai’s smile widened. He could feel, even smell, the pulsing between her legs begging him to take her.
“Isn’t it enough you’re getting my life and my soul? Now you need my body, too?” She pushed against him again, but he only held tighter, unable to let her go. “Why are you doing this? I just lost my husband, found out things that break my heart. I can’t sit and flirt with you.”
“I am offering you the chance to forget.”
“No!” Her hands clenched to fists as she shoved even harder against his chest. “No! You want to take everything I have left.”
He grabbed her wrists, pushed her back on the sofa, and pinned her down, his body hovering over her. “What is your life without your body?” He tilted his head and flicked his tongue across his lips. “You never asked what selling your life and soul meant specifically. Allow me to enlighten you now.” He moved until his face loomed only an inch or so from her face and her breath caught. He let go of her wrists, but his gaze pinned her to the spot.
“What?” Her voice ached just above a whisper.
“I own every inch of you … body and soul.”
Her face flushed and her lips trembled. “I never agreed to that!”
“You agreed to living. The details did not matter to you.”
“I was dying! You told me I didn’t have much time left, so it—”
His smile widened. “Even if you had all the time in the world, it would not have made a difference. Humans never read the fine print.”
From Goodreads: Olga Gay Worontzoff thinks her biggest problems are an awful name and not attending prom with Conner, her best friend and secret crush since kindergarten.
Then, Conner is killed in a freak boating accident and Olga feels responsible for his death.
When she downs an entire bottle of pills to deal with the emotional pain, her parents force her into counseling. There, her therapist writes a prescription in the form of a life list titled “18 Things”: eighteen quests to complete the year of her eighteenth birthday.
But there’s more to Olga’s quests than meets the eye and when her therapist reveals a terrifying secret, her world is shaken.
There’s only one thing she knows for certain: her choices won’t just affect her future, but all eternity.
My Thoughts:
This book... I'm not sure how to put into words my thoughts without giving away too much. I'll start from the beginning.
18 Things starts out strong; heartbreaking, and powerful. I really felt Olga's grief. That shows real skill. I was hooked, and, since it was on audible, I listened while I worked around my house and in my car pretty much non-stop.
Nate is the perfect match for Olga. He's sweet and kinda goofy and nerdy, just like her. Although, the narrator gave him a ridiculous TMNT kind of voice, I did enjoy him, even if Olga was totally oblivious to his obvious liking of her.
There were some super cheesy moments that made me cringe as it moved into the second half of the book. Things that teens haven't said or done since the 90s. The guys all having TMNT voices only highlighted the awkward. And what was with the dis of Bill and Ted?? No. Next it will be Ferris Bueler and BTTF. Not acceptable.
That end... ohh, I was pretty mad about it actually. At work all day I brewed over that twist. But the fact that I cared so much said how involved I got with the book. I hated it because it felt so unjust for the characters I'd come to care about.
So yes, I'll be "reading" aka audible, the rest of this series. Excited to see what happens next, because there were some big loose ends with this one!
****Only editors/agents and the writer of the entry can comment on this post.
Title: Deadly Dreams Category and Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance Word Count: 70,000
Query:
Penda’s International Society has
been protecting humans and supporting psychics since the 600s. Veronica
“Ronnie” Danson didn’t know that psychics and non-human races were even real
until Penda’s tried to recruit her for her prophetic dreams. Forced to join
them, or face this terrifying new knowledge on her own, Ronnie finds herself
thrown into a world of magic, monsters, and smoking hot combat
operatives.
Spencer Lynch is one of Penda’s most
dangerous combat operatives. He grew up in Penda’s, first in one of their
children’s homes and then with adoptive parents. Penda’s is the only life he’s
ever known. Patrolling the streets of Brighton, he fights hostile non-humans,
protecting the civilians who have no idea what dangers lurk in the
shadows.
When Penda’s place Ronnie in his
home, Spencer knows that he’s met his match. She’s smart, funny and beautiful
and he’s determined to make her his. Just as Spencer thinks he’s making
progress, one of their housemates is killed. Spencer’s determined to find the
murderer and avenge her death so he throws himself into the investigation,
uncovering far more than he expected about the organisation he’s grown up in
and the people he trusts.
Ronnie and Spencer must find the
murderer before their investigation destroys everything they care about.
Ronnie’s dreams offer clues that could lead them to the murderer but revealing
them could expose a secret that even Penda’s won’t accept. Her secret might
cost her everything. Her freedom. Her love. Her life.
First 250 Words:
Birmingham, UK
It was happening again but this time
it wasn’t a dream. Ronnie’s chest tightened as the now-familiar barista locked
up the coffee shop for the night and turned to walk towards her. Ronnie had
witnessed his fate so many times but still didn’t know how to stop it. She
struggled to move her feet, to keep him from crossing the road. She tried to
shout out to him, to warn him, to do anything to get his attention. No sound
came out.
She stood rooted to the spot,
silently reliving her nightmare.
The gigantic beast staggered out of
the alleyway, pale skin sallow, black eyes darting around.
Was he looking for her?
The beast stumbled towards the barista.
She should be waking up now. Except
it wasn’t a dream. It was real.
She couldn’t stop it. Panic clawed at
her chest. Her breath came in short gasps. She couldn’t even close her eyes.
The beast struck out at the barista,
knocking him to the ground with one hard swipe of its hand. Blood pooled on the
ground around the barista’s head as the beast let out an inhuman wail,
revealing six rows of sharp teeth. It reached down, lifted the limp body and
threw him against the wall. The beast lumbered forward, swaying slightly.
The world seemed to fade away until all Ronnie
could see was the nightmare in front of her.
Aiden Milligan knew his life wasn’t normal, but it took breaking into the school gym to hunt for spell sigils to realize how far from normal his life really is.
His grades were the only thing Aiden Milligan didn’t screw up while drifting through the foster system. When his exceptional scores open the door to the distinguished Covington Academy, seventeen-year-old Aiden sees a way out of his hellhole and doesn’t look back – until his past catches up. Members of the basketball team end up comatose a day after an altercation with Aiden, and he finds himself a detective’s prime suspect.
Aiden is determined to clear his name, even if it means teaming up with fellow student Jessie Rivas, a wannabe journalist whose theories are as outlandish as her wardrobe. When people start collapsing into comas all over the city, and bizarre symbols are found at the scene of the incidents, Jessie’s occult conspiracies start sounding more plausible than the police reports.
As Aiden begins to receive visions that tie him and the incidents to something larger, he realizes he may be more involved with the case than he thought. With police ready to lock him up, a coven out for blood, and the incidents showing no signs of stopping, Aiden may not be able to save his reputation or the victims – or even his life.
First 250 Words:
Aiden Milligan spent so much time in Covington Academy’s hot seat, he kept expecting them to engrave his name on it. Even his shadow dragged its feet as he trudged to the principal’s office, repeating that all-too-familiar question.
What had he done now?
Aiden made a point to stay detached from most people at Covington Academy. He’d become well-acquainted with Principal Hadley, however, during the two years he’d attended – in all the worst ways. Most of the students and faculty avoided him at all costs, but Hadley either didn’t get the memo or took it as a challenge. In his seventeen years, Aiden had never met anyone who could match him in bull-headed determination. The man was going to churn out the future world changers for which Covington Academy was renowned, like it or not.
Aiden begrudgingly admired that on some level. He’d appreciate it more if it wasn’t directed at him.
“Well, Aiden, thank you for coming,” Hadley said as he entered the office.
Aiden looked up at the dirty-blonde, balding man behind the impenetrable oak desk and raised an eyebrow. They both knew he wouldn’t be there if given the choice. But Hadley was the poster boy for pointless formalities.
Aiden looked at the uncomfortable wooden chair in front of him. No plaque yet. Shame. He plopped down and took interest in a spot over Hadley’s shoulder.
“Yes, well,” Hadley continued, moistening his thin lips. “To business.”
Seventeen-year-old Tori lost the love of her life in the Everglades. In the six months since Terrance’s disappearance, Tori has conversed with increasingly realistic imaginary people and earned a priority ticket to Briarwood Psychiatric Hospital. Where else would she go after accidentally stabbing her brother? The doctors say, ‘hallucinations,’ Tori says, ‘crazy,’ but her best friend says ‘ghosts.’ If only Tori believed ghosts existed, maybe she could find Terrance. As it is, finding her sanity seems impossible enough. But then a questionable traveler at a pop-up carnival claims Terrance is alive, for now. He’s trapped in the clutches of a necromancer bent on raising a particular soul – even if it requires a few human sacrifices. The carnie insists there’s a way Tori can save Terrance and also regain control of her own crumbling psyche. That is, if she’s willing to buy into a dangerous world of magic. With time running out, Tori must quickly decide whether to trust her own eyes, despite what the rest of the world calls reality. If she can’t defeat the demons inside her and the darkness that surrounds her, she will forfeit not only her life, but the lives of everyone she loves.
First 250 Words:
Clara isn’t the first person to try coaxing me out of the house, but she may be the first to succeed. Not because boozing it up with her and her new bestie, Kelli, is my idea of a good time, but because she’s so dang whiny about it.
“Come on, Tori,” she pouts over the phone. “My mom won’t be home. The house will be all ours, and I know where she keeps the stash.”
It’s not like Sherri’s stash is hard to find. Most of it is under her bed, in the back bedroom she thinks we never enter. In the back bedroom, where she thinks she can go to drink and mourn and not affect anyone else. But grief doesn’t work that way.
“Tonight’s not a great night.”
Which isn’t saying much. I’d have to go back a year to reach my last decent night. Back before I spent some of those nights in a mental hospital my fellow crazies and I lovingly termed Hotel Briarwood.
“It’s never a great night,” Clara huffs. “It’s always, ‘I don’t feel good,’ or ‘tonight isn’t the best,’ or ‘why don’t we try another time?’ But we never do! The only time I see you is when I come over, and you know my mom doesn’t like it when I take the car. She carpooled tonight, so this is one of the only shots we have. Are you seriously going to stay home?”
From Goodreads: “You are my breath. I exist because you are the only one worth existing for.”
Grace Tate has made a lot of mistakes, but despite them, her mission has always been clear: keep Hopetown Valley safe. Every step of the way she’s fought for what she believes in, even when it meant breaking the rules. Fighting is what Grace does, but when she gets injured in battle, she faces her toughest challenge yet—Heaven wants her back, and they’ll stop at nothing to get her there.
Seth knows what’s happening to Grace, and he will do anything to protect her, even if it means lying. Grace suspects he’s keeping something from her, but she hasn’t been completely honest with him either.
Everything comes to a head in the final installment of the Tate Chronicles. Will Grace and Seth find the happily-ever-after they so desperately crave, or will their secrets tear them apart forever?
My Thoughts:
I had the privilege of doing the proofread for this book. I was very eager, since I enjoyed the first two books, especially Fight For Me, and wanted to get my hands on the final installment.
I sped through this book in 2 days. Grace and Seth are together, but struggling to cope with the fall out from book 2. Worst of all, Grace is no longer healing.
So much happens in this book and I don't want to give out spoilers. I did guess who Grace was supposed to die for, but it still broke my heart when it all went down.
We see the return of many characters including Charlotte and Josh. My favorite character will always be Archer, and I love that he had a chance to heal his heart after losing Charlotte.
The end though... I didn't see it coming! Great twist.
I loved this series. It gave me a great escape and was well written. Not your typical vampire and angels story.
At nineteen years old and over six feet tall, Abigail Aristoklis is a legitimate contender for heptathlon at the next Olympics. She can thank her guardian angel, Malakim, for her tremendous athleticism and natural charm. However, Abby’s training has nothing to do with competition -- she’s being developed into Kim's instrument of vengeance.
When Abby finally slays the demon Kim has sought for twenty years, she draws the attention of the supernatural community. They see someone with Abby’s skill set as a vital asset, and strong-arm her into working as their newest field agent.
Abby's first mission fails disastrously when Kim seizes control and nearly gets them both killed, allowing their target to escape and leaving Abby wanted for murder. Now concerned that Kim might not be the benevolent guardian angel she claims to be, Abby banishes Kim from her mind. But when an archdemon threatens to rampage across Los Angeles, Abby needs Kim’s assistance to stop it — if Abby still trusts Kim with her soul.
First 250 words:
Dammit. 7:02 already? Van Priestley would be here any second and I was still getting dressed.
You didn’t have to invite him over for dinner, you know. We could have gone to a restaurant like normal people, rather than pretending like I can cook.
Naturally, my guardian angel didn't let that one go.
“You seem awfully worried about impressing someone we plan on killing.”
I paused in the middle of putting in my earrings.
But are you sure he’s the one, Kim? I mean, he could just be some dude. And a really hot date.
“Abby, I already told you he’s the one. His soul’s not human. We should be preparing our attack, not preparing to sleep with him.”
I eyed my only pair of stilettos. At my height, heels required a particularly special occasion. Then again, this night was twenty years in the making.
Kim interrupted my thoughts.
“He must have addled your brain somehow. You’re putting our mission at risk, and we’ve waited far too long to blunder our way through this.” Under Kim’s control, my body trotted out to the living room of my cramped one-bedroom to prepare for killing the demon masquerading as my date.
Title: MY SOUL TO GIVE Age and Genre: Adult Paranormal Mystery Word Count: 89,000
Query:When Celina escapes the brutal home invasion that kills her husband, she’s left with a bullet in her gut and vengeance in her heart. A charming demon, Mekaisto, offers an irresistible deal: In exchange for her soul, he’ll let her live long enough to get her revenge, but she must hunt and kill the murderers herself.
But the break-in wasn’t random. When Celina digs deeper into her husband’s past for clues about his murder, she uncovers dangerous secrets. His company never existed. His family history was a lie. And he was intricately involved with The Lumen, a shadowy religious order whose members know more about demons than they’re telling. As faith in her marriage wanes and Mekaisto proves a trustworthy ally, Celina struggles against her late husband’s betrayal and the dark charms of the devil she knows.
Once Celina targets her husband’s killers, she learns it’s not just her life and soul on the line.
She’s pregnant.
And Mekaisto has plans for her unborn son. If Celina can’t trick the dark realm’s greatest master of deceit, both she and her child will be lost for eternity.
First 250 words: Celina stared ahead, the headlights cutting through early spring fog as they wound down the long country road. Her husband’s silence hung heavy between them, Celina’s thoughts flying by faster than the trees whipping past the car.
They didn’t get into town for dinner often; it should have been romantic, but Thomas had been distant and distracted all night.
Five years of marriage and I still can’t figure out all his weird moods.
He slammed on the brakes, flinging her into the seatbelt with a gasp. A noise like hail hit the car's roof as hundreds of crows dived at the car, their black-feathered wings smashing against the windshield.
Then, silence.
Thomas grabbed her shoulder. “Are you ok?”
She nodded as her pulse slowed, and they both stepped out of the car.
Celina leaned against the front bumper and looked around, the headlights illuminating a small circle in the darkness. “We definitely hit some of them… How is there no blood?”
His blue eyes glazed as he glanced back. “What?”
“Are you okay? You’ve been acting strange all evening.”
He winked. “That’s because I am strange.”
What is he hiding?
“Really? A group of crows flew out of nowhere and crashed into us like something out of Hitchcock, and you’re smiling and winking like it’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood.”
He wrapped his arms around her waist. “A murder.” She arched an eyebrow. His smile widened. “It’s what a group of crows is called—a murder of crows.”
Lightning Kissed by Lila Felix
Published by: Clean Teen Publishing
Publication date: January 4th 2016
Genres: Paranormal Romance, Young Adult
Synopsis:
Colby Evans can leap from one country to the next in a heartbeat. She can see every sunset in every time zone in the same day. She can travel across the world in a flash. She defies gravity and physics with every breath she takes. She’s tested her abilities and found them limitless.
She is the lightning. She is Lucent. And nothing can stop her.
Except him.
Theodore Ramsey isn’t supposed to be able to flash like Colby. The power of travel is passed on from mother to daughter in their people. Except once in every hundred generations.
Theo is the one.
He can flash like Colby. And it makes him a target to their enemies and to himself. His abilities change everything he knows about life and throws his future into an uncertain tangent. In fact, the only thing certain in his life is the love he feels for Colby.
Their love defies time and space and has been the only constant thing in their lives since childhood. But even their infallible love will be stretched to its limits.
She will risk her life to protect him. But he will risk everything to protect them all.
Hours later we were deep in research. My
mind was filled to the brim with new information and histories I’d never
dreamed of. We were getting all the answers we came for and more.
No, wait. That wasn’t happening at all.
We were still having tea and listening to
chanting.
For three hours.
Even Collin was hanging himself with an
invisible noose. He’d also stabbed himself with an invisible knife and slit his
throat several times with his finger.
He was trying to get me in trouble.
I’d crossed and re-crossed my legs four
hundred times. I’d snorted the first time Collin made a face of boredom,
directed at me. Here I’d thought the Viking was all formal and prim, like Theo.
Turns out he was a little bit fun—a little bit. The last time my tailbone hurt
this bad, it was from a sealing ceremony. Sealings, or Lucent weddings, took three
hours—which was exactly two hours and forty minutes longer than I wanted
anything to last.
The monks were still chanting. It was a
beautiful sound, even I had to admit. Their voices rose and fell with such
spirit and conviction.
The curious monk—curious to me—was
missing from the festivities and I wondered why. He was last in line and now
was missing from the fun part—and I used the term fun loosely.
And Why:
This scene with Colby in
the monk’s temple is my favorite for a lot of reasons. The first reason is
because Theo’s manners are remarkable. I mean, seriously, the guy is James Dean
mixed with David Gandy, wrapped up in the manners and respect of Tom
Middleston. And there they are, sitting in complete silence, which he is
perfectly comfortable with—next to Colby, who is absolutely beside herself.
She’s not cool and calm and
collected like Theo—in fact, she’s the polar opposite. She’s ants in her pants
like she’s got a bad case of chigger bites nervous. She doesn’t sit still—ever.
Hell, the girl doesn’t even stay in the same country for more than a few days
at a time. And here she is, having to sit through this chanting and tea
drinking—like a nun with a duct-taped mouth.
It’s hilarious to me.
And the not talking—the
girl can talk her way out of her own grave.
It was so funny to me in
my head. I felt like I was in her body, squirming and wiggling along with her.
And she can’t stand it.
Plus Collin is
purposefully trying to get her to crack, which makes the whole scene that much
more delightful.
AUTHOR BIO:
Lila Felix is full of antics and stories. She refused to go to Kindergarten after the teacher made her take a nap on the first day of school. She staged her first protest in middle school. She almost flunked out of her first semester at Pepperdine University because she was enthralled with their library and frequently was locked in. Now her husband and three children have to put up with her rebel nature in Louisiana where her days are filled with cypress trees, crawfish, and of course her books and writing. She writes about the ordinary people who fall extraordinarily in wild, true love.
From Goodreads: Dan meets a mysterious woman named Rose who says he’s not alone. Like him, she’s dead and possesses the bodies of awful people. Unlike him, she doesn’t care what they’ve done, and she hides a secret shame.
Through Rose, Dan learns there are others like them, living in the shadows, hopping blissfully from ride to ride chasing excitement and chemical highs. For them, morality doesn’t matter, virtue is negotiable, and consequence has a three week expiration date.
They call themselves “hoppers.”
My Thoughts:
If you've been following my for a while, you'll know that I loved books 1 and 2 of this series. Like seriously LOVED from page one. This book is no different.
Dan Jenkins is one of those characters who you can't help but love. He's quirky, hopelessly flawed, has a wicked sense of humor, and a strong moral code. I think that's what made me love him the most in the first two books; that he always wanted to do the right thing, even when he was dealing with seriously evil bad guys that he pretty much had to kill or they'd go on being evil. Hopper House takes a new turn for Dan's afterlife experience when he discovers he's not the only person like him jumping from body to body. And Rose wants him to stay that way. Despite her efforts, he finds himself cornered by a new nemesis, one who knows all about his "condition" and how to blackmail him. But in typical Dan style, he's not going to give in without doing his best to make the bad guy pay.
I could rant and rave about this book until the cows come home. It's one of those books I couldn't put down, even when I really needed to. The character of Dan really does make this story. He makes these ugly situation amusing and light, and these horrible so confused and thrown of guard by his quirky unpredictability. But he has a big heart, and I'm so glad that's what comes through in the end, even when the minister is a nut job, and the other hoppers are also kind of crazy.
I'm pretty sad the series is over... at least it definitely feels like it wrapped up nicely. If there are more books, this little bit of sadness I get when finishing a really good book series will go away. Seriously, it's like I turned that last page and felt like I'd lost a friend.
While I would never call The Jenkins Cycle books clean reads, they definitely are riveting page turners I'd recommend to anyone who's not overly sensitive and loves a great, exciting, and unique adventure with an unforgettable hero.
Claire Daly: Reluctant Soul Saver by Michele Brouder
Publication Date:
September 2015
Genre: YA,
Paranormal Romance
When seventeen year-old librarian wannabe Claire Daly is
dragged kicking, screaming and cursing from everything she loves—her mam, her
cozy Irish village and the dreamy boy next door—to take up arms in the battle
of good versus evil, she learns the hard way that sometimes you don’t get to
choose your own destiny, destiny chooses you.
Claire’s life plan is simple: head off to university to get
her degree in library studies, summon up the courage to tell her best friend
Chas that she loves him and live happily ever after. She never once entertained
the idea that she might possess divine powers, that she might be predestined to
battle Hell’s demons, or, to complicate matters further, that another love of
many lives past might turn up on her doorstep. But life doesn’t always go as
planned, and when a co-worker is viciously attacked by a demon and her own
family threatened, Claire must face the truth: she is called to a higher
purpose and has no choice but to answer. Claire sets aside her dreams and
begins learning how to deal with the Unholy once and for all. Armed with only a
crash course in soul saving and her wits, she gears up for the ultimate show
down in Hell. But will it be enough?
“When did this start?” I asked,
trying to keep the quiver out of my voice. What I really wanted to do was jump
up and down in front of him, wave my hand and yell, “Pick me, pick me!”
“Just recently. She’s been coming
into the store for the past few weeks. We started talking about the benefits of
spirulina and wheatgrass and I guess it just took off from there.”
Ava was just the type, too. She
taught fitness down at the leisure club.
I had to admit, I had long been
jealous of Ava because she had something that I didn’t have: boobs. Ava was
top-heavy: she was in Limerick but her boobs were in Kerry. Self-consciously, I
looked down at my own chest. Now it seemed she had something else I wanted:
Chas.
***
This is one of many
scenes that I love for a lot of reasons. Claire has had a crush on Chas for a
long time. She uses humor as a weapon to protect herself from disappointment
and from being crushed. We all remember the crushes we had on fellas when we
were in high school. Perhaps we were too shy to let them know yet wishing upon
wishing that they would notice us and if they happened to talk to us, well—
that was practically seen as proposal! Also that sinking feeling when you heard
that they were going out with someone else or they liked someone else. And the worst—
being told that they just wanted to be friends.
I was born in western New York, the oldest of 5. I've loved
reading since I was very little. From the age of 9, I've wanted to be a writer.
In high school, I wrote a lot of angst-ridden civil war dramas ala Gone With
The Wind, knowing more about the Battle of the Bull Run than a normal teenager
should know. I dabbled in writing after that but didn't get serious about it
until 2006, when I decided that this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my
life.
I've had many interesting jobs but my passion has always
been writing.
I lived in Ireland from 2006-2013 with my husband and 2
boys. We moved back to the US and settled in Florida briefly (2 years) before
returning back to Ireland in August 2015.
About Anne Stinnett:
