Cover Reveal! Sacrifice by Jennifer Quintenz

For fans of Braedyn Murphy, the wait is almost over. “Sacrifice,” the third book in the Daughters of Lilith series, will be released on January 31, 2014.

"Sacrifice" (Daughters of Lilith: Book 3)

Just when Braedyn Murphy thought she understood the danger descending on Puerto Escondido, a new threat arrives. A cult devoted to Lilith has taken up residence in the little town, and when Cassie gets tangled up its intrigue, Braedyn realizes she might have to chose between protecting her friends and stopping Lilith from reclaiming this earth. With her duties to the Guard wearing on her, Braedyn turns to Lucas for solace. Together they wonder if now is the time to claim their one night together—knowing that one night is all they may ever have. Darker forces have their own plans for Braedyn and the Guard. Braedyn knew this fight could be brutal—but how much can one girl be asked to sacrifice in order to save the world?

Check out the previous books in the series: Praise for "Thrall" (Daughters of Lilith: Book 1) "Before you even start this review, put down anything you are doing and go read Thrall. It's AMAZING! BREATHTAKING! Engaging and smart, Thrall leaves you speechless!" - Savannah, Books With Bite

"The writing style is so smooth, yet gripping. Add some good characters, well-paced story and you have something that I like. No, not like. Love... No surprise that “Thrall” gets full five stars and the highest recommendations I can give." - Linda, The Fantasy Librarian

"How do I even begin to put all the crazy, gushy, ramblings in my brain about this book onto paper?!? Where to even begin?....This book is a MUST read!" - Hooked In A Book review on Amazon Praise for “Incubus” (Daughters of Lilith: Book 2)

"If you like gutsy fantasy of the urban variety this should definitely be on your 'must read' list. Don't let the YA label put you off either, like all the best YA fiction, this can be enjoyed by adults as well. I give it an unreserved 5 stars." - Tahlia, Awesome Indies, http://awesomeindies.net/2013/10/01/hard-book-put-review-incubus-jennifer-quintenz/

"This is one of those books that I have been looking forward to since June of last year... I loved this book and I'm so happy I finally got to read it. I recommend the entire series for the fully developed characters, the impressive mythology, and the fight scenes. I am dreading waiting for the next book." - David, David-Reviews.com

"Great reading. LOVE IT. Jennifer Quintenz is a special writer who can be very riveting... Spent several sleepless nights in a crazy rush to see how it ends. Can't wait for the next books." - Terri, review on Amazon

About the author: Jennifer Quintenz is an award-winning film and television writer, author, and graphic novelist. She has written for Twentieth Television, Intrepid Pictures, and Archaia Studios Press. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and son.
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Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

Their love was meant to be.

When Megan Rosenberg moves to Ireland, everything in her life seems to fall into place. After growing up in America, she's surprised to find herself feeling at home in her new school. She connects with a group of friends, and she is instantly drawn to darkly handsome Adam DeRÍs.

But Megan is about to discover that her feelings for Adam are tied to a fate that was sealed long ago—and that the passion and power that brought them together could be their ultimate destruction.

Jillian’s Review:

This was an interesting story but not really well executed. The conversions between characters were unrealistic and the positions of characters were not well defined (i.e. at one point someone is on their hands and knees and then suddenly they're hugging someone).

The characters were okay, but I really felt like I was reading a thin shadow of Twilight: with an annoyingly clumsy main character; a dark, brooding hunk; and a cute, chipper little sister of Brooder Boy. The romantic couple was ridiculous and their relationship was completely based on physical attraction even though Fallon tried to make it more. It just didn't work. They don’t know each other at all yet they’re willing to give up everything for their one true love. Blagh.

I doubt I'll read the next one even though nothing was resolved in this one.

 

2 1/2 stars because the story really could have been good.

The Mayfair Moon by J.A. Redmersik

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

After a nightmarish encounter with a werewolf, seventeen-year-old Adria Dawson loses her sister, but gains the love of a mysterious young man and his legendary family.

Strange and tragic things begin to happen in the small town of Hallowell, Maine: residents come down with an unexplainable ‘illness’ and some disappear. In the midst of everything, Isaac Mayfair is adamant about keeping Adria safe, even from her sister whom he has warned her to stay away from.

As unspeakable secrets unfold all around Adria, impossible choices become hers to bear. Ultimately, no matter what path she takes, her life and the lives of those she loves will be in peril. As she learns about the werewolf world she also learns why her place in it will change the destinies of many.

Jillian’s Review:

I was looking forward to reading this novel after reading some raving reviews but it turned out to be just your run-of-the-mill teenager werewolf novel. It’s not especially well written and very predictable. The romantic couple is once again drawn to each other because of physical attraction, they don’t get to know each other because they’re madly in love, and once again, there is supposed to be more to their relationship that just doesn’t translate to the reader. I did like the guy, but I have to admit, but getting tired of the dark, brooding, over-protective, and almost psychotically stalkerish, hero. Why oh why do they all have to brood? On the plus side, it was pretty clean. No sex and I don’t remember much swearing if any. If you're in need of a were’ fix read the MUCH better written Shiver instead.

Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's.

Jillian’s Review:

Amazingly beautiful cover, probably the most beautiful cover I've ever seen… but the story—megh—not so much. I hate it when books go back and forth from the past to the present, especially when it feels like we're just waiting for the train-wreck to happen.

Also, there was way too much "telling" instead of "showing" and even one paragraph described how we were supposed to have perceived the main character, Nikki, at the end of the book that I didn't get at all.

Nikki's epiphany was pathetic... it took her more than half the book to realize that the emotions she felt for one guy were artificially produced and that the other guy was the right choice. Not a whole lot of growth for this girl.

The one redeeming quality in this novel was the guy, Jack. He was strong and unbelievably faithful. I loved everything about him. If only we could pluck him out of this horrible story and place him with someone who deserved him and with a storyline that we could tolerate. Don't get me wrong, I think Ashton is a great storyteller. Her scenes and characters are realistic, I would just didn't enjoy to story or Nikki and the gross Cole.

And just one more thing; Cole was nowhere near “smoldering” as described in the synopsis. He was just a chain-smoking jerk. Ugh.

Sad waste of a great cover.

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

Marrying a vampire definitely doesn’t fit into Jessica Packwood’s senior year “get-a-life” plan. But then a bizarre (and incredibly hot) new exchange student named Lucius Vladescu shows up, claiming that Jessica is a Romanian vampire princess by birth—and he’s her long-lost fiancé. Armed with newfound confidence and a copy of Growing Up Undead: A Teen Vampire’s Guide to Dating, Health, and Emotions, Jessica makes a dramatic transition from average American teenager to glam European vampire princess. But when a devious cheerleader sets her sights on Lucius, Jess finds herself fighting to win back her wayward prince, stop a global vampire war—and save Lucius’s soul from eternal destruction.

Jillian’s Review:

This was well written, but both the guy and girl were annoying. Jessica was unimaginative, weak, and only grew because a guy told that she was more than she thought she was. Ugh. And Lucius! He was as bad as his name: completely self-absorbed, arrogant, and disloyal. The only time I liked him was when the story was from his point of view (POV) in the letters he wrote to his uncle. Then we discover how sarcastic and intelligent he was.

I did like that Jessica is actually born a vampire and isn’t just corrupted as in most vamp stories. And the passion… it was pretty amazing. I was surprised how Fanstaskey was able to make the biting scene more steamy than any of the kissing scenes (no worries, it’s not too descriptive) combined. I never thought being bit by a vampire could be more tantalizing than being kissed by one! Lol

But, be warned: the audiobook SUCKED! I think most of me being annoyed was because of the narrator. She sounded like she was in her 40’s, which is really bad when you’re narrating from a 17 year old girl’s POV. And the fake, Count Dracula accent she used for Lucia was just heinous! The only time I could stand listening to Lucius was when it was in his POV (the letters) and a guy narrated… maybe that’s why I liked that part of the novel best.

I give it three generous stars all because of the romance.

The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

Sixteen-year-old Maya is just an ordinary teen in an ordinary town. Sure, she doesn't know much about her background - the only thing she really has to cling to is an odd paw-print birthmark on her hip - but she never really put much thought into who her parents were or how she ended up with her adopted parents in this tiny medical-research community on Vancouver Island.
 

Until now.
 

Strange things have been happening in this claustrophobic town - from the mountain lions that have been approaching Maya to her best friend's hidden talent for "feeling" out people and situations, to the sexy new bad boy who makes Maya feel . . . . different. Combine that with a few unexplained deaths and a mystery involving Maya's biological parents and it's easy to suspect that this town might have more than its share of skeletons in its closet.
 

In The Gathering, New York Times best-selling author Kelley Armstrong brings all the supernatural thrills from her wildly successful Darkest Powers series to Darkness Rising, her scorching hot new trilogy.

Jillian’s Review:

AWESOME! I loved this one! Armstrong creates strong, realistic characters with genuine voices and a great paranormal twist. Great chemistry between the guy(s) with just the right amount of detail (no sex, thank goodness).

This new series takes place in a tiny town in Canada where a pharmaceutical lab is based. There are a lot of secrets the company and even the parents are telling their kids. This is a sister-series to Armstrong's Darkest Power series, which you know I LOVED and I think the Darkness Rising series is going to be even better!

The only drawback is the language. Armstrong has her characters cussing even more than in her Darkest Powers series, though, it may have just seemed like it was more because I listened to the audiobook. BTW, that's a GREAT way to experience this story! The narrator, Jennifer Ikeda (who has narrated about 100 books!) has the perfect voice for Maya and doesn't try to do the strange accent of Rafe, like in an annoying audiobook I'll be reviewing soon. I was swept up from "page" one and got tons of laundry done at the same time! I can't wait to listen to book two.

4 1/2 stars. Half a star deducted because of the excessive cussing.

Fall by Jennifer Hurst

From Goodreads:

Women and construction shouldn't mix. At least, that is what the client; Mr. Blackwell thinks when Twenty-one year old Julia D. Halstead is promoted to project manager to remodel a turn-of-the-century schoolhouse into a bed and breakfast. However, the schoolhouse contains a dark secret that has been hidden for nearly a hundred years. A secret that will unleash the Furies of Hell and cause the Angels in Heaven to weep as ethereal brothers, Matthew and Nathan battle over Julia's very soul.

From Misty:
Using elements of local history and folklore, Hurst crafts a unique story about the age old battle between good and evil set in the pictureque town of Torrey, Utah and centered around the reconstruction of the old Torrey schoolhouse.

Paranormal fiction is really prevalent right now, but in a corresponding post on my personal website today (see link below), Hurst explains what makes this paranormal romance different from the others that are out there.  While other paras focus on the attention grabbing tactics of teen angst and low morals, Fall focuses more on good fighting evil, the redemption of souls, second chances to make things right, and accepting the consequences of choices--all things I really appreciated.

Things that normally bug me in a book, (such as the handful of typos, tired phrases, or occurrences that have no bearing on the plot), just didn't in this book.  The story was so engaging and the characters so memorable that I became engrossed in the story quickly and only cared about what would happen next.

I would like to have seen the main character, JD, developed more fully.  Was she anal and organized?  Or was she flighty and impulsive?  I did understand that JD, like many of us, could be both ways, but I felt that this was told in the narration more than it was shown in the story, and I failed to connect with who JD really was.  Also, JD started out strong with both organized and impulsive behaviors, but as the story played out she began to be someone who was acted upon, someone who bad things just happend to, rather than develop into a strong character who learns to control herself and her life.  BUT, those are things I am expecting to see in a sequel.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised with my enjoyment of Fall.  Not that I expected to not enjoy it--I guess I just didn't know what to expect.  Hurst's writing flowed smoothly from event to event.  Her voice was easy without being informal or colloquial.  Her exciting scenes were exciting, and her creepy scenes were creepy.  A successful piece, achieving everything it attempted.  Really, a thumbs up on this unique blend of paranormal and real life.

Jennifer is running a contest for a free stay in the real Torrey Schoolhouse Bed and Breakfast.  You can check that out on her website. 

And you can read more about Jennifer in an author interview on mine.

Torment by Lauren Kate

From Goodreads:

Hell on earth.
That’s what it’s like for Luce to be apart from her fallen angel boyfriend, Daniel.

It took them an eternity to find one another, but now he has told her he must go away. Just long enough to hunt down the Outcasts—immortals who want to kill Luce. Daniel hides Luce at Shoreline, a school on the rocky California coast with unusually gifted students: Nephilim, the offspring of fallen angels and humans.
At Shoreline, Luce learns what the Shadows are, and how she can use them as windows to her previous lives. Yet the more Luce learns, the more she suspects that Daniel hasn’t told her everything. He’s hiding something—something dangerous.

What if Daniel’s version of the past isn’t actually true? What if Luce is really meant to be with someone else?

The second novel in the addictive FALLEN series . . . where love never dies.

From Misty:

Don't be confused by the beautiful cover.  This book reads a lot like an episode of Scooby Doo.  I just listened to this last night, and I am still thinking about it.  I am ambivalent.  I cannot decide whether I like it or not, and I'm not using the term like to indicate whether or not I enjoyed listening to it.  I did.  At least, I didn't turn it off.  What I mean is: is it good?  Is it worthy of me liking it?

This is not a genre I typically just love, and like all people, I tend to discount things that don't interest me.  I have to wonder if that is what is happening here.  And yet...  I just don't know.  IF I was a teenage girl, IF I was totally into the paranormal, IF I was a member of this book's intended audience, would my experience with this book have been different?

Yes.  Absolutely.  I would have loved it.

As it was, I was mildly interested.  I was able to develop enough of an emotional connection with the characters that I mildly cared what happened to them--EXCEPT for the main character, Luce (oh, and the almost completely absent other MC, Daniel).  Realizing this is the second book in the series and that perhaps Luce was fully developed in the first book (which I haven't read), and if that is the case then this book can't stand alone--regardless, I have NO idea why a man/angel would give up eternity (or whatever) for Luce.  She had NO charcteristics, well, unless you count the annoying ones (confused, naive, disobedient, reckless, directionless) and the ones that are reminiscent of Belly from It Wouldn't Be Summer Without You (confused, naive, disobedient, reckless, directionless, liked to swim). 

But isn't that what teenage girls are like?  Doesn't it leave room for the character to grow?

Yes.  So....success?

I think so.  I think it works.  I'd like to read the other books in the series.  They might not be my favorite ever, but the basic premise for the story (fallen angel falls in love with mere mortal) is intriguing (if old...but classic--think Zeus).

BUT, the romance this whole series is based on is absolutely, 100% absent in this book (Luce and Daniel fight as much or more than they make out while Daniel flies them through the air with his sexy angel wings--think Superman and Lois Lane). 
Gah! *tears her hair out*

3 or 5 stars (because I just couldn't decide).