Fire by T.G. Ayer

Normal people sneak out to a party and have fun. Maya Rao ends the evening by incinerating the guy who attacks her. 

Nik Lucas, sexy, new in town and totally forbidden, happens to walk in on her. Normal guys would run for the hills. Nik knows a whole lot more than he's telling.

Maya doesn't believe the gods are real, doesn't waste her time with mere mythology. But when gods, demons and hellhounds become the new normal and wielding fire becomes her new skill, she must decide what it is she really believes. 

Can Maya accept that normal is something she will never be because it isn't normal to be ...

The Hand of Kali.

My Thoughts

Before I begin, I would like to thank Innovative Online Book Tours for this fabulous book. I received this book for free for a review. 

Well, I have to say that the character and the plot development is excellent. I love Maya's spunk and the mysterious Nik.

Although this book was good, it just wasn't for me. There was just nothing that was particularly wrong with it, but it just wasn't my taste.

All of the great elements were there, great characters and great plot development, but I just didn't dig it. Maybe if I break this down a little better, I'll be able to see what it was.

Characters: Like I said earlier, love the teen angst and the spunk of Maya. And she's not a typical white female kickbutt character. I love how her culture as an Indian-American comes into play into the paranormal plot.

Love Nik and his mysterious nature. I kinda figured out what was going on between Nik and Maya, but it was still interesting to learn more and more about this character as it continued on.

Dialogue: This is where I had an issue with the book. Especially with the parents. They talked as stiff as a cardboard. 

Think about all of the stereotypical responses parents give typical spit fire teens, and you will know what I'm talking about. I couldn't stand the fact that they were so stiff with the language they were using.

And the crucial part of this is: All parents are different. All children are different. To tell me that these parents are the same type of parents down the street is doing them an injustice. To give Maya and Nik such depth but skimp out on the parents makes me feel like the author was lazy or just plain ol' tired of all of the effort she gave to all of the other characters and just said, "Screw it" to the parents.

I feel slightly cheated that she did that. 

Plot: Like I said, plot development was excellent. No complaints here. The character led the plot forward and that's how it should be. Well paced, well structured and well executed. Nothing I could ask for more in this arena.

Setting: Love how the setting and the culture came into play with the plot. It's like the author took all of the literary elements and strung them together to the Indian culture which is just so what I've been waiting for from other others in the paranormal genre.

If you've been a follower since the beginning, you will know that I've been begging for an author to tie in minority roots to the paranormal genre for years. And I'm so thankful that somebody did. 

Anyway . . . :)

Historical Context: I know, I had to throw it in there for a loop! :) 

Anyway, I got a bit lost in the Indian culture and the religion. I think the author made it accessible, but I still got a little lost since there are so many different gods and different powers associated with each. I had no idea they had an underworld and a god to boot. 

But I really think that if I tried a bit harder and flipped back from time to time, I think I would get it. I wasn't lost enough not to get back my footing, but I thought I would mention it just in case. If you're going to buy it, then you need to make sure you know what you're going in to. Just my honest opinion.

Ending: Ended with a bow on top. Couldn't be happier.

Overall: I would definitely recommend this book to people, like me, who are just waiting for a minority character to explore the Indian paranormal mindset.

It's your choice.

Just because it didn't suit me just right, doesn't mean it won't for you! I love practically everything about this book, it just didn't fit my personal taste. 

Anyway, I highly recommend this book for paranormal romance lovers. Check it out. Read it and thank me later. :)

Autumn by Sierra Dean

Cooper Reynolds’s life is going to the dogs… literally.

As if being a high school senior in a small Texas town wasn’t hard enough, Cooper has bigger things to worry about than who he’ll take to prom and whether or not the Poisonfoot Padres will win homecoming. He has less than a year before his eighteenth birthday, when a curse placed on his family will doom him to live in coyote form forever.

The last thing he needs to complicate his already messed-up life is a girl, but fate has other plans in mind for him when it brings Eloise “Lou” Whittaker to Poisonfoot. She’s grouchy, sarcastic and has no love for her new Texas home, but she might be exactly the right person to help Cooper break the curse.

The clock is ticking, and Cooper will have to decide if he’s willing to let Lou in on his dirty little secret before it’s too late.

My Thoughts

Before I begin, I would like to thank NetGalley and Sierra Dean for the free book in exchange for a review.

I have to say from the moment I read this book, I was addicted. I literally couldn't stop reading it. I don't think it was the character this time (even though she was awesome and love her nickname of Lou which fits her perfectly), I think it was the plot.

It was so well written and developed that I literally tore through this book in two days. It was amazing and I'm so glad I read it.

However, I do have a few things to nitpick about this book.

Characters: Like I said, love Lou and Copper. It was interesting to see the whole character unravel in a very interesting way. I love the fact that this author brings a fresh twist to the paranormal realm and to the stereotypical characters.

She takes a jock and makes him unpopular and makes the "perfect" girl with a boy nickname have a flaw. It was nice to see that creativity in an author. 

I think I love her just for that simple fact. 

After reading Culture Shock, I needed something new. Something creative and I have to say Autumn did that in the most interesting way.

Overall, her character development is spot on. Love how she gives a twists to the stereotypical characters. It's just so refreshing.

Dialogue: Quick and witty. No cheesy love lines anywhere. I love the intensity she gave the characters. You knew that something was going on, but you didn't know what or even why. And she didn't tell, she showed!

She let the characters have their voice.

Plot: It kept me on the edge of my seat even when I knew I had to go to bed. I just couldn't. I had to keep reading.

She builds enough tension and mystery to keep you wondering and guessing. I kinda figured out a majority of the plot. Some of it was predicable but I still was curious enough to keep reading. I had some of the puzzle but I didn't have the complete picture. So it kept me reading even though I knew like half of the plot.

Anyway, I still say well developed plot and I loved how she played with the foreshadowing. Great job.

Setting: Love the name Poisonfoot and I absolutely love the fact that the author did her research on Texas. It was clear from the word go that the author knew her setting like the back of her hand. 

I know I keep saying this, but it just amazes me how much refreshingly different this whole story was and how the author incorporated into the plot line.  

Ending: This is where I fell out of love a bit. I'm not loving or feeling the ending. It ended suddenly. Without warning. And with a major twist. But not a twist I haven't seen before. However, it was a good twist that left me speechless.

It was good, but in a, "Dang, I didn't even see THAT coming!" 

So Idk about the ending. I'm on the fence.

Overall: Would I recommend this book?

Heck yes!

The only reason this book does get full five stars is because of a few typos and the ending. However, there IS good news: There's a second book coming in November. 

Cheerleader high five! 

So I would absolutely invite you guys to read the book and enjoy. You will thank me later. :)

Culture Shock by Jeanette Pekala

CULTURE SHOCK is a witty tale of mystery and romance with a large helping of southern hospitality.

Macy Holmes is a seventeen-year-old socially-isolated introvert since her best friend's death a year ago. When her family decides to move from Manhattan to the quaint country town of Bougainvillea, Florida, Macy finds she's in a completely different world. Macy is no longer the outsider hiding behind designer clothes when she is sought out by three strange students, one of whom she is particularly interested in. The more time she spends with Chad the more things don't add up. When his true identity is finally revealed, Macy is pulled into a supernatural society with its saturation of inhabitants residing in Bougainvillea. 

You would think she has enough on her plate, but no, then her dreams become infiltrated by an external magical force, Macy and her band of supernatural misfits must find the culprit behind the magic-induced nightmares. They must dodge zombie assassins, shifty shape-shifters and high school bullies in order to stop this perpetrator before Macy, her friends or her parents pay the ultimate price. Especially when Macy has the sneaking suspicion that these dreams are reality...

My Thoughts:

Well, this is without a doubt an interesting book. It has a very lovable main character (Macy), an incredible setting, and the southern drawl has me feeling like I'm home.

However, there are quite a few problems for this southern paranormal romance book.

For one, the book was far too long. 676 pages for any book other than a textbook is just too long for my taste. Especially for a paranormal romance. I would highly suggest to the author to cut it up into three complete novels. (Even Twilight was 450 pages for the first book!)

Especially since the villain was so obvious from the beginning.

Of course, what ultimately killed the novel was the exposition dumps and description dumps. There was literally a point where I skipped ten pages of description to get to the dialogue between the characters.

It was simply too much.

In fact, I think if the editor would have insisted on her cutting it, the book would have been 400 pages of solid work. And if the author was in a good slicing mood, 250 pages.

Anyway, let's dissect this book even further.

Characters: I have to say, I liked all of the characters. Macy can get annoying, but overall, I like her personality. She's a NYC gal dropped into the southern part of the US. 

Chad and Max were okay to me. I didn't really jive with either one of them. I liked Max better than Chad because of his charming personality and he's such a sweetie pie.

The problem I had with Chad was that he reminded me of the whole Edward Cullen struggle. He's trying to be the "vegetarian" type vampire and not be involved with humans. So he doesn't want to be with Macy. He tells her this point blank. But, of course, he can't help himself but to get jealous and to try to stop her from dating other boys.

Does this sound familiar? All I ask is for originality in the vampire-human romance stuff. I know it's a tall order, but please something different. Couldn't we start with Chad trying to kill her, straight up taking her as a victim, but something about her makes him stop to reconsider not killing her as a monster? Maybe something about her reminds him about his childhood sweetheart . . . Or something.

You know what I mean! Originality, please!

Additionally, I'm so tired of wishy-washy guys. 

Like pick what you want (either date Macy and screw the consequences, or firmly decide that you are not dating Macy ever) then stick with it! I know it's part of the struggle of his attraction to her, but it still irks. And it's not like it was a gradual, I don't know if I should let her go sort of thing, it was more one day he's jealous, the next day he's all over her like white on rice. Plot is something I'll get to in a minute, but I wish the author took more time to sort this whole thing out.

One more issue with Chad: His vamp teeth. Really? Needle thin teeth to dig into his victim? Not only is that a weird choice, it just seems like Chad is a wimpy vampire. I'm use to seeing vampires really go into their victims neck with all of this blood oozing from the side.

And they didn't do that with some needle-thin teeth. They did that with strong canine teeth. 

Anyway, I absolutely adored Emma. I even love that name. I'm actually going to name my daughter Emily, or some other variation (and no, I won't tell you, because I don't want YOU stealing it! :D). Which is why none of my characters will have that name.

Another concern was that Macy claimed that she never dated before. At 17. But she could get a friend? But she could be social? I get it, she's somehow (with a bubbly personality) an introvert but even introverts have close friends that they have crushes on. Or at least dream crushes that they pursue. And besides, she's gorgeous! How can someone NOT ask her out? OR hit on her?!

I'm sorry. I'm calling bullcrap on that one.

Dialogue: Overall, I have to commend the author on a job well done on depicting the southern drawl almost perfectly. However, I did notice one combination that didn't sit well with me. One character said, "Y'all 'ill."

As in you all will. I've never heard of that combination. Maybe it's just me, but I haven't heard of it.

Another thing that bugged me so much was the romance between Chad and Macy. Like the language was just so corny. The one liners reminded me so much of Twilight and Shiver it wasn't even funny. I couldn't even laugh at the corny lines (unlike Shiver, I had to laugh, they were just terribly corny). I just skipped right over them and sighed. 

I wish she would have been more creative with the love lines. That's all I ask for. 

Plot: Point blank: It needs a ton of work. For example, the big reveal of the supes and it's like the author decided randomly, "I'm going to put the big reveal (closes her eyes and selects a spot) here!"

Like no. I'm not buying it.

There needs to be a slow progression of what makes these characters so different than everybody else. Sure she managed to show on the outside that they look different. And I will fully admit, meeting them and her description of the characters did make me think that something was different. 

But then she stopped right there and got into a different plot avenue.

No reveal of any superpowers? No really weird strength or quickness?

Sure, she jammed it right at the end for Chad and Max, but nothing for Emma. I had no idea what she was other than British. That's the only clue I have to go on?

Not cool.

This is where the author could have seized the opportunity to build on the tension of not knowing who they are and questioning if they could really be friends of Macy. 

But nope. 

Additionally, the plot was rushed in some places (like the whole ending) then it was slowed down by description. It was just a hot mess.

Setting: I liked getting to know Florida through a northerners eyes. It was a refreshing take on Southern culture. I liked how she noticed all the landmarks and how far city life is from the country. 

All of the quirks of southern living were included and I have to applaud her for getting that distinctly right. As a matter of fact, you can tell this author is well versed with southern life so I'm glad somebody is doing their research.

Word Usage: I have to be nit picky on this. It was driving me bananas. 

The word coven does NOT refer to a vampire club or group!! 

I don't know why the author used a word that distinctly, even when it was first used, associated with a group of witches but it just irked the crap out of me. 

I can somewhat understand, as an author, expanding the definition of a word. But this still irks me. I think the English teacher side of me just hates that a word is being used incorrectly.

That's like using the word Wicca for vampire. It just hits a direct nerve.

Anyway, I had to point it out for that simple reason. It may not irk everyone, but it certainly irked me. It irked me so bad I had to look it up. But if I'm wrong, please feel free to correct me with the link and educate me. I would love to be informed of this new word usage.

Ending: Did I love it?

Hmm, still chewing on it.

To me, she wrote the ending well. It was well paced. I just skipped half of it because I was tired of reading it. I just wasn't invested and connected enough to the characters to care. I knew what was going to happen anyway.

Sorry but I have to be honest. 

I did read the last few paragraphs and caught the little twist at the end. Still chewing on it if I believe it or not. If that could seriously happen. It smells like Amy Plum sorta deal and I'll leave it at that.

Don't want to ruin the ending for you. :)

Overall: Would I recommend this book to persnickety people like me?

Absolutely not! Read something you can't dissect through editing eyes! 

This book is just not the type of people who are very particular about plot development and length of books. The characters I could stand. The plot, the description dumps, and the telling not showing killed the writer and English teacher in me.

However, it may be for you. I see there are a tons of good reviews for this book (surprised the snot out of me), but they state their reasons for loving it and I can't blame them. I do like the characters a lot. 

So overall, I would recommend this book to fans of Shiver. And maybe Twilight. To people who maybe want more description instead of action. Who want predicable villains. 

Anyone who is as picky as me, shouldn't read it. Read Dearly, Departed instead (if you're a zombie lover, like yours trully). You will thank me later. :)

Hidden by M. Lathan

Sixteen-year-old Leah Grant has given up on being normal. She'd settle for stopping the voices in her head, intrusive visions of the future, and better odds of making it to her seventeenth birthday.

That's the thing about pretending to be human in a world where magic used to exist - at any moment, her cover could be blown and she'll be burned to death like the rest of the witches.

Everything changes when she loses control of her powers and flees the orphanage she grew up in. She desperately wants to be invisible but finds her face plastered on every news channel as humans panic over the possible resurgence of her kind. And now the hunters won't give up until they find her.

Making friends for the first time in her life and falling in love with one of them drives her to discover why she is unlike any being she's ever met - human or otherwise. The dangerous powers inside of her that would repel Nathan, her new, handsome reason for living, are priceless to some. The locked up forever kind of priceless. And to others, they are too dangerous to allow her to live.

Let's hope she can stay hidden.

My Thoughts

My thoughts about this book aren't hidden: I like this book alot. I like the characters, the setting, and the twists and turns of the plot.

I can tell this author did a lot research on bullying and depression. I would so air high five her for that.

You would think this would make me flip out of my seat excited?

Not quite.

Characters: I like the main character Leah/Christine/Celia.

Yes, you read that right, the main character has three different names and switches through them. To give the author credit, she waits for you to get accustomed to name Leah, then tacks on the other two after a while.

So she doesn't slam you with names, but that doesn't include her nickname. 

So confusing much?

Other than that, I like all of the characters. I like the layers she added. I can't really complain (other then the multiple names) about characters. They're well written and developed.

Plot: Hmm, for the most part, the plot has plenty of twists and turns in it to keep me on the edge of my seat. For a while, nothing kinda happened which was okay by me. I was getting to know the character and there was enough going on to keep me from getting bored. 

I think pacing was a bit off near the end. A bit rushed. Or maybe it was just me and I didn't want it to end. 

Well, at least, the way the author ended it anyway. But more on that later.

Setting: I like the setting, but I'm totally blanking out on where it was. I know part of it was Paris, New Orleans, and another setting where it starts but Idk. 

But when she gets to New Orleans, I like she uses the house and kinda builds on plot through it. It's kinda interesting how she does it.

Ending: This is where I want to divorce the author and slap her silly.

I loathe the ending. The romantic end is fine, but the main plot ending sucks. I think she explains why she ended the way she did, but I was still in shock.

After all of that, she ends it like that? Um, no. Don't like it whatsoever.

Overall: Would I recommend this book to someone else?

Probably.

Even though I'm not exactly thrilled with the ending, there's some hope: There is another book in the series.

So maybe she'll change her ending somehow or amend it in the next book. 

Additionally, the author has a great writing style. She had me smiling and laughing at some awkward but cutely awkward moments that were just precious. And her plot and character development were great.

So yeah, I would recommend this book to somebody. I would warn them about the ending a bit, but still. 

Other then, give it a shot and let me know what you think. And quench your need to read. :)

Diamonds and Toads: A Modern Fairy Tale by K.E. Saxon

Together, sweet Delilah and wicked Isadora make the perfect woman. But the Perrault family fairy is a troublemaker and imbues diamonds upon one sister and toads upon the other. Now up is down and down is up in a world where no good deed goes unpunished. Leather, blindfolds, and handcuffs purge sweet of all reserve. A few misspoken words of lust gives wicked a whole new meaning. 

Once upon a time, there were two sisters, one cursed and one blessed by fairy magic… 

Bibbidee-bobbidi-boo, They’re naughty. How about you?

My Thoughts

First off, I would like to thank Net Gallery and the publisher, Passion Flower Publishing, for this interesting read. I was offered this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

Now, my honest opinion, well . . . I loved the Toads part but didn't like the Diamonds part much. I have to say, overall, not my favorite book. I think if the author had or took more time developing the characters and plot, it would have been ten times better. I really like the humor though she has in her book and I love Isadora, even though she's a snob. 

However, this book needed, at least, two more rounds of editing. The whole story felt rushed and predicable with stereotypical cardboard characters. The snotty stepmother, the beautiful but snotty sister, and the voluptuous but very self-conscious and seemingly shy Delilah.  

You know why I love Grimm so much? Or Once Upon a Time? Because they bring a whole new modern twist to the fairy tales. Especially Grimm. They take the classic Cinderella and make her seem like a privileged, spoiled brat.

I know, Cinderella, right?

Once Upon a Time brings the old timey characters and breathes new life into them with a modern twist. Don't get me wrong, they still pay their dues and give a nod off to the original story but they still give a twist that is unexpected. Especially in Grimm.

So what am I trying to say? I was expecting the same sort of twist on fairy tales in this book that Grimm and Once Upon a Time tv series accomplished almost flawlessly. Unfortunately, I did not get that modern feel to the story or any new twists.

Sure, the author gave the characters some interesting sexual twists, but there was so much more she could have done to make it fresh. 

There are a few positives in this retelling of a fairy tale, so I'll address it in this breakdown.

Characters: Like I said, there are 2 dimensional cardboard cut out characters with very to little twist at all. There was just no freshness to it. She literally took the characters out of the fairy tale, slapped them on her page, gave them a bit of a sexual make-over and called it finished.

And that's not how you do them justice. 

Additionally, I feel like Delilah should have been more confident. Not all BBW (Big Beautiful Women) are self-conscious about their weight. And it sounded like, to me, she wasn't fat at all anyway. Especially if you look at the cover. I mean, which one is suppose to be Delilah? 

Delilah just didn't have the depth that I think the character needed. I could see that the author put a lot of thought behind her sexual presence but not into everything else. 

So why didn't the character have that depth everywhere else in her life? Sex isn't everything, even in a romance book.

I liked Isadora a lot more than I liked Delilah. Why? Because, it seemed to me, she had just a tad more depth than Delilah. Besides, she's kinda funny. Not on purpose though (I'll explain later). 

Additionally, the pov (point of view) switching was driving me bananas! I literally ignored the guys point of view after a little while since she kept flip-flopping from one character (for like a page) to the other.

Now granted, I've read quite a few books that have managed the flip-flopping successfully, like Dearly, Departed. The author decided to switch between like five characters and it really didn't bother me much. Why? Because she gave them their own INDIVIDUAL chapter.

Unfortunately, this author only gave each character like a page at the most, and at the shortest, a paragraph, which is just jarring to the reader. So did she pull it off as Lia Habel did in Dearly, Departed?

Absolutely not.

Dialogue: I liked Isadora's slip ups, even thought I wish they weren't sexual ones. Like she would think one thing, but say another. Usually with a sexual twist, which I liked a lot.

Granted, the author didn't get me laughing out of my seat but she did get a smile or two.

What can I say? I'm a sucker for some humor. 

Other then that, the conversations were realistic but not like something I would pay close attention to.

Plot: Too rushed. I know she was writing practically two novellas but still. She should have spent more time developing the plot. 

Diamonds needed more attention toward character development than plot, but it was still too predicable probably because of the lack of character development. We all knew what Chas would pick eventually. We all knew what Delilah would have found out, eventually. We all knew what was going to happen at the very end. 

The only thing I didn't predict was the sexual parts. And I'll address that later.

Toads needed more time on dialogue and plot as well. I think she let Isadora off the hook WAY too early. Let her build more frustration, let her really get the message about her behavior and how inappropriate it is. Let her kinda feel the intensity of not being able to be understood clearly.

Another problem I saw with plot was the descriptions. There were WAY too many of them. I get it, you need to tell us the background story, but there was way too much of it for my taste. I think if she would have cut down on description and worked more on the characters, it would have helped move the story forward a lot better and help with pace.

Also, the chunky paragraphs were driving me bananas. You guys know how I feel about chunky paragraphs.

Which I know has nothing to do with plot, it needs to be addressed.

Now onto the sex scenes. It felt like the author was going in the erotic direction with the sex scenes but didn't achieve the feeling of erotica. Like for both stories, Diamond and Toad, they both started with the sex first, then love later. Which is pretty much erotica up and down. But the thing that killed it, was the descriptions. The guys could be rock stars in bed, but if I don't get the feelings of the characters, then there aren't any erotic feelings.

And of course, the pov swicthing in the middle of intercourse ruined it for me. Like if two characters (or more) are having sex, there should be only 1 pov duirng the entire time. Unless, at the very end, one of the characters has an epiphany then I would allow the switch AT THE END ONLY!

Now some authors can do this exceptionally well, the pov switches, and the only one that comes to mind is Kate Douglas in her epically long series, Wolf Tales. Love those books.

Anyway, I think the author should have stuck with EITHER romance or erotic romance. It just felt like the sex scenes fell somewhere in between or failed in the erotic romance part. Just pick one!

Ending: Predicable, but good. I did like Toads ending a lot better than Diamonds, even though they both did a good job of adding a bit of a twist. But still predicable. 

Overall: Would I recommend this book?

It depends.

If half of the stuff I mentioned doesn't bother you, then feel free to read it.

If the list of problems I had with it would bother you, then don't read it.

As for me, I don't think I'll be reading anything else by this author. There are just way too many problems in one book that makes me question. There is a lot of potential in this author to do great, but I don't know.

I would have to think about it, read the blurb, then read the first chapter of the book to see if I would read it or not. Then read the reviews. I just don't know if I could trust the author with my money to read her books.

It's really a gamble. I could say that this book was just her way of combining two stories that maybe she just wasn't ready for and in her other books, she's just focusing on one story that maybe the quality will improve.

Overall, I would say try it but tread carefully.  

Violets Are Blue by Carrie Green

Newly-wed Sarah was delighted to move in with her mother-in-law, Martha, a widower who had raised her son, by herself, on an isolated Midwest farm.

A kid from a broken home who had been raised in a group house in Chicago, Sarah had struggled to put herself through college on scholarships. She considered herself to be self-reliant and willing to work hard for her dreams. She wanted only one thing, a real family. Todd was the love of her life, so that she was sure that she'd love Martha, too.

It never occurred to Sarah that Martha would see her as competition, to be eliminated.

My Thoughts

First off, I would like to say this is my first horror book. So kudos to me for making that first jump towards reading a horror book. It wasn't like I expect though. I was expecting to be just scared crapless. 

Like I started reading this novella at midnight. I was going for the whole, "This is going to scare me so bad I'm going to have nightmares!" atmosphere.

Unfortunately, it didn't scare me at all. It was more of a romantic suspense book, which is what I'm really use to. I was surprised by the lack of scare power in this book. It had such great reviews, and it seemed like a good premise. 

But it just didn't wow me. I think the main problem for me is that I was never included in the action parts. Like clearly there was a lot going on, but I just felt like my girlfriend was telling me a scary story about her girlfriend and what she went through.

I wanted to be part of the scare factor. I wanted to be shocked and have nightmares. Instead I listened on to what my girlfriend had to say. It was an interesting story, but to me, it just didn't include me into the action. Therefore, it wasn't SO finger biting or anything. It was just bleh.

But I will say she's an awesome writer, I just wished I enjoyed it more.

Characters: Believable and true. I could feel that these characters were realistic. Especially Todd. There are some men, who shall not be named, who do not feel their mothers do anything wrong. Ever.

So that, to me, is so realistic. I've seen it happen where the daughter and the mother-in-law don't get along and the husband refuses to believe his mother is "that bad". So that to me felt believable.

The only thing I can complain about in this section is how she told us their background story. She just dumped it on us. This is a typical example of exposition dump. 

I wish that the author and the editor sat down and talked about this a little bit more. I wish they talked about a lot more as a matter of fact.

Plot: This was clearly well developed. I just didn't feel part of the action. I wanted to be part of it. It was just the way the story was told that just threw me off.

The author clearly worked this whole thing out perfectly. 

Dialogue: This was a huge issue to me and part of the heart of the problem. The characters only had, at the most, ten lines of dialogue in the WHOLE novella. 

That is just ridiculous. 

Characters talk ALL THE TIME and should be allowed to talk. There should be conversations in the text and allow us to see into their personalities. The only was I was able to tell the mother-in-law was bad was because of her actions.

I don't even know what she SOUNDS like. Which is just wrong. I want to feel her evil. I want to hear her snub towards the daughter-in-law. I want to be able to see the difference in the way she talks to Todd and Sarah. I want to hear the sugar sweetness that she caters to Todd, and the rock hard hate she feels towards Sarah. I want to hear her spit out Sarah's name like it's venom.

I wanted the mother-in-law to corner her and say every loathing thing she could think of to Sarah and have Sarah talk back to her in the same matter.

In short: I wanted confrontation in words and not only in actions! 

I wanted the build up the tension in the conversations!

I wanted to hear Sarah and Todd argue in their bedroom and the mother-in-law to overhear it and grin maliciously!

I just wanted more in this department. 

I understand that this is a novella, but come on! I need something more than just hear Sarah complaining about what her mother-in-law did. I want to hear the pathetic excuses the mother had for her actions!

I just wanted to hear the characters more, and Sarah describe the actions less.

Setting: I do love how Carrie Green incorporated the country theme to the whole plot. It worked wonderfully.

I could feel the isolation that Sarah felt. I wish I could hear her complain to her husband about it. That would have been nice.

Ending: A bit rushed, but I love the last line. It was beautiful and rounded out the whole ending with a bow on top.

Symbolism: Yes, there is a category for this! I love how she incorporated violets from beginning to end. And how she unraveled the meaning at the end. I thought I understood what they meant, but she broke it down like a shot gun. It was nice and understated. And it rounded out the ending as well.

Overall: Would I recommend this book?

Eh. I don't know.

I would give her bonus points for writing talent. She can obviously write. And I would give her another chance. 

But I don't know if I would recommend this to someone with my high expectations. If it was free, then yes I would. It's only like 0.99 cents, so give it a shot and tell me what you think.

I would be cautious that's all. And please read other reviews. It could have been just me, but I just didn't like it. I know it could be SO MUCH BETTER and THAT'S what drives me bananas. I wish I could have sat down with them (the author and the editor) and had a nice long chat about where I expect the book to grow. I would been on her like white on rice to make sure the book came out like it should have. 

I would have loved to been her beta reader and tell her what I really thought needed improvement.

However, this is life. Just read it and tell me what you think. And please, never stop feeding your need to read! :) 

Brood of Fenrir by Coral Moore

Shapeshifter Brand Geirson was raised to rule the Broods of Fenrir, but he refused his birthright. Instead, he killed their brutal leader–his own father–and walked away.

For hundreds of years he’s avoided brood society, until a werewolf kills an innocent human woman and Brand finds himself dragged back into the violent politics of the shapeshifters. When the two brood women who mean the most to him come under threat, he must take up the throne and risk becoming the kind of vicious bastard his father was, or let the broods descend further into chaos–taking the friend he swore to protect and his lover with them.

My Thoughts

I really, really, really wanted to love this book. The book cover looks awesome. The premise sounds cool. But then I started reading the book, and for some reason I couldn't get into it.

I wanted to get into it. It sounded good. But something for me didn't work out. I'll list the positives and negatives.

Positives:

1. Good character

The main character seemed interesting, at least partially.

    2. Great Cover

The cover is just lovely to look at. 

    3. The graphics and formatting are high quality

I can't argue the fact that whoever did the formatting did a great job. It looks professional and well done. No grammatical errors that I could see.

Negatives:

1. Chunky paragraphs

You guys know how I feel about chunky paragraphs. I can't stand it! It makes the book seem thick and would take forever to read. It's a real pet peeve of mine.

2. No draw in

Nothing about this book excited me. I wanted to be wowed. I wanted to be forced into the action. And trust me, there was some action. It just didn't force me to pay attention. It was more like, "Please pay attention, Larissa. We're about to get to the good part."

Um, no. I don't want to wait for the good part. I want to BE at the good part. And for me, the prologue just wasn't it.

Overall: Would I recommend this book to anyone?

Depends.

If you're more patient to me, then yes. Feel free. However, I just want to be forced into the action. I don't want to wait. I want to be pulled in so far into the book that I don't even realize where I am in real life. 

I want to be submerged into the plot. I want to fall for the characters. I want to cheer for the bad guy.

What? I like bad guys. :)

Anyway, overall, I would give it a shot (this book ISN'T free) because it could have been just me. It could have been my expectations were sky high because of the lovely cover and the great blurb. So try it and see. 

It has great reviews. So it could have been me. I will fully admit that. But as for me, I won't be reading anything else by this author. This book was just not for me. 

Tempest (#1 Destroyers Series) by Holly Hook

Sixteen-year-old Janelle knows something's not right with her father when they move to their new home in Florida. He refuses to evacuate them from the coast when a hurricane bears down on them, despite the fact that all their neighbors have gone. Even worse, it seems like there's something he wants to tell her, something terrifying, but he's not quite opening up.

Then Janelle's life flips upside down when a teenage boy, Gary, materializes out of the storm right in front of her. He bears a strange marking on his arm, a gray spiral that matches the one she was born with. Perhaps her strange birthmark means something after all. But when she points out Gary's mark to her father, he refuses to speak more about it. 

It's up to Janelle to find the truth about the connection she and Gary share. When she tracks Gary down again and discovers it, it's far more terrifying than she could ever imagine: she and Gary share a powerful, deadly curse. Worse, learning the truth is only the start of Janelle's horrifying adventure into a world she had never imagined.

My Thoughts

First off, I love the idea of people being storms. It's just an awesome idea that I wish I would have come up with. It's just an interesting way to make the normal paranormal.

I like the characters, the plot, and the idea. It just all spins (pun intended) wonderfully. The only problem I really had was the romance. At times, it was just plain ol' awkward. 

And trust me, I get it. Been there, done that. However, it seemed like a Dia Reeves problem. Like the author was struggling with developing the romantic tension between them. And I wish she could have done a better job of it.

But you really can't beat the price: It's free! :) 

Anyway, let's dissect this book further.

Characters: I love all of the characters. I love the fact that Janelle is discovering the "ugly" side of her family and it helps to understand herself. It's like discovering layer after layer of what makes her . . . Well, her.

I liked Gary. I liked how they both met but I just didn't like the development of the romance. Like I said, it was awkward. I do like the fact that they were willing to go all out for each other.

Other then that, I liked them all. Even the bad guy. They were all believable, thought-out characters.

Plot: Well developed plot as well. I loved how piece by piece was discovered and the more you discovered, the more confusing it was. 

I also would love to add: I HEART the beginning. Sucks you right into the story and gets right to the point. I love how we see the problem from the word go.

I loved how much the author created just enough pressure, just enough acceptance to make us see the real Janelle. It was just nice to see.

Setting: I like the setting in Florida. She didn't wow me with the description of the setting, but there was a good reason why the setting was in Florida. I'll leave it at that. 

Ending: Perfect ending with a bow on top. And it leaves you wanting more. So no complaints here.

Overall: Would I read the second book in this series?

Absolutely!

I still love the idea, care about the characters, and love the plot development.  Additionally, this whole series has major potential. I would just read it to see where she takes this whole storm people thing. How deep does the rabbit hole go.

I would definitely recommend this book to someone who loves paranormal romance but is tired with vampires and werewolves. It's a wonderfully refreshing type of paranormal romance.

Actually, I would recommend this book to people who haven't read YA paranormal romance. This would be a wonderful introduction to the genre. Of course, if my complaint about the romance really bothers some people, then fine. Don't try it.

But I would still give this book a shot. The romance didn't bother me so much that I wouldn't continue the series. It's still solid on characters, plot and setting. What more can you want? :)

The Accidental Demon Slayer by Angie Fox

It's never a good day when an ancient demon shows up on your toilet bowl. For Lizzie Brown that's just the beginning. Soon her hyperactive terrier starts talking and her long-lost biker witch Grandma is hurling Smuckers jars filled with magic. Just when she thinks she's seen it all Lizzie learns she's a demon slayer-and all hell is after her.

Of course that's not the only thing after her. Dimitri Kallinikos a devastatingly handsome shape-shifting griffin needs Lizzie to slay a demon of his own. But how do you talk a girl you've never met into going straight to the underworld? Lie. And if that doesn't work how dangerous could a little seduction be...?

My Thoughts

This free book definitely grabbed my attention from the first page. I love the main character, Lizzie, who actually reminds me of my very own Lindsey character in my book. Smart, funny, and just a normal woman who lands herself int he paranormal world. Love her to pieces! :) And to top it all off, blonde!

I also love, love, love the grandma witch character who completes the protagonist tough female character perfectly. I love how she toughens Lizzie up! 

Anyway, there are so many reasons why I love this book, I have to list them in my typical analytical format. :)

Have I mentioned that this book is one hundred percent FREE?!

Characters: I don't think there is a character I don't love. I even love the bad guy. He has a razor sharp humor that caught me off guard. 

I have to say, every character plays their part and I even remember all of their names (even though it has been a week since I read the book). 

I also love the romantic tension between Dimitri and Lizzie. It plays out perfectly. 

Dialogue: Full of wit and awkward moments. I heart it. It's also realistic and deep when needed. 

Plot: I have to say, I love the twists and turns that were unexpected in this novel. There were some predicable parts, but for the most part, she held my attention and kept me on the edge of my seat with some unexpected turns.

Setting: I love the setting. I love how we have the rough and tumble part of grandma's setting versus Lizzie's suburban type of home. It's a great contrast.

Ending: Everything I wanted it to be and more. The romantic tension is resolved. Her ultimate question is resolved. And the whole quest is resolved. I don't think she left much for the second one, except to make up another problem, but I look forward to finding it out.

Overall: I love the book and I couldn't think of anything to complain about. All the characters have plenty of layers to delve into. The plot wasn't too predicable. And there was a great dose of humor used.

I would recommend this to people who love to read paranormal romance novels. Especially to people who are total Buffy fans. Who are lovers of Spike versus Angel. 

And did I mention it was free? :D

The Faerie Guardian: Volume One by Rachel Morgan

Enter a hidden world...

Protecting humans from dangerous magical creatures is all in a day's work for a faerie training to be a guardian. Seventeen-year-old Violet Fairdale knows this better than anyone--she's about to become the best guardian the Guild has seen in years. That is, until a cute human boy who can somehow see through her faerie glamour follows her into the fae realm. Now she's broken Guild Law, a crime that could lead to her expulsion. The last thing Vi wants to do is spend any more time with the boy who got her into this mess, but the Guild requires that she return Nate to his home and make him forget everything he's discovered of the fae realm. Easy, right? Not when you factor in evil faeries, long-lost family members, and inconvenient feelings of the romantic kind. Vi is about to find herself tangled up in a dangerous plot--and it'll take all her training to get out alive.

My Thoughts

Okay, let me come clean: I read the first part of this book for free on Amazon (but I learned afterwards that it is free on Smashwords too). And from then on, I was hooked. 

If I could summarize this book into two words it would be: Refreshingly original. I love the world that Rachel Morgan created. I love the fact that I could identify with each character in their different stages of life. I love the romantic tension building between the two main characters Violet and Nate.

What didn't I like about the novel . . . That it was so short! Okay, another confession: The book wasn't that short, I just read it in a day. It got me so hooked that i was reading it at the table with my family surrounding me talking about stuff.

Yep, I'm addicted to the series! Completely and whole-heartedly.

Now onto the dissection!

Characters: I love all the different characters, especially Violet. She is the strong female protagonist with a history that it slowly unfolds itself. I just love all of the layers this protagonist have and how she carefully unveils it throughout the book. It's kinda like what Shrek said about the onions. 

I also like Nate and Ryn. They are both loveable in their own way. Even though Violet has her reasons to hate both of them, I like them equally.

The only thing that I didn't like was that there seemed to be too many side characters. I kept confusing like Scarlett and some of the other characters. I know what the author was trying to do (give everybody their own identity and purpose) but it got a bit confusing near the end to remember all of those names.

Additionally, I love the bonus material that gave us readers a chance to see what really happened from Nate and Ryn's point of view. It also verified what I thought what happened with Nate. So yeah. Liked that little treat she gave us. 

Dialogue: Realistic and funny to watch the culture references Violet didn't get but I did (I'll let the author explain it in her novel what I meant). I kept laughing at her awkwardness with Nate and her lack of American culture. It was great and witty at times too. 

Overall, I enjoyed it.

Plot: Okay, I have another confession: I kinda knew what was going to happen with Nate and Violet. The author gave me a helpful foreshadow with them, and I knew what was going to happen. I won't let y'all know and ruin it but to me, it was a bit obvious after the conversation they had, what Nate was going to do.

You'll have to read the book to see what I'm talking about. :)

Other then that, I was hanging on the edge of my seat to find out what was going on with the characters.

Setting: I love the fae setting, I think it's called Creepy Hollow. I like how she built her fae world and her human world. Actually, I'm a bit jealous of how well developed it is since I'm currently building my own world. She makes it look so easy and effortlessly, when I know the opposite is true.

Definitely believe I'm taking notes on how thoroughly she built her world, and what I need to think about in developing my own.

Ending: It was bittersweet. I loved how she resolved all the character conflicts except one which I think will be resolved in the next book. I just wish there was more of it. And I wish a certain romantic conflict would be resolved before the next book, but overall, no lose ends to be wary of. 

She tied the major plot conflicts with a nice bow, and left some undone for the next novel. 

Overall: I would recommend the first part of the book (which is 100 hundred percent FREE) to anyone who wants to read an adventurous paranormal romance/paranormal fantasy. I'll leave the link on the bottom along with the cover (which I think outshines the original cover by a long shot). 

I bought the full book after reading the first part, and probably tomorrow, I'll buy and read the second book. I look forward to it! 

Anyway, I would definitely recommend this book to family and friends who love the fae world and couldn't get enough of it from Aprilynne Pike!

[This is Part I of THE FAERIE GUARDIAN] 

Protecting humans from dangerous magical creatures is all in a day’s work for a faerie training to be a guardian. Seventeen-year-old Violet Fairdale knows this better than anyone—she’s about to become the best guardian the Guild has seen in years. That is, until a cute human boy who can see through her faerie glamour shows up and ruins it all... 

Isn't this cover gorgeous!? I literally couldn't help myself from clicking the HECK YES button, a.k.a. get it and read it button.

Take Five! Links for Language Arts by Kaye Hagler

Kaye Hagler s unique bell-ringers for language arts help you transform the first chaotic five minutes of class into authentic opportunities to practice critical-thinking skills.

Students in grades 6-12 exercise their mental muscles as they work collaboratively, warming them up to tackle your standards-based lessons.

Whether your students are inventing secret codes, concocting potions, rewriting history, making conjunction paper chains, or thinking like newspaper editors, these diverse and creative prompts will have them looking forward to the part of the day when they re asked to Take Five for critical thinking.

The 180-plus prompts set up your teaching day from the minute that students step into your class.

Each ready-to-use prompt includes: corresponding standards, supply lists, language arts links, teacher tips, assessment options, rubrics, and digital connections that add more than 100 extension lessons.

Begin every day of the school year with a burst of critical thinking and fun with this comprehensive resource. Ready? Set? Take Five!

My Thoughts:

Before I begin this review, I would like to inform y'all that this isn't a normal review. I can't compare, contrast and analyze literary elements since this book is an education book. This means that I'll be talking about general ideas the author has about what to incorporate into the classroom. In this case, I'll focus on the bell ringers since the author has provided in the book.

Additionally, I'm going to make this review short and sweet since I couldn't actually incorporate these ideas into my classroom. But I'll review this book as best as possible.

Now onto the review!

Now most bell ringers that I've known are simply drills in a not-so-clever disguise. And if they are not drills, and new teachers like me try to inject some fun activities, then it can be seen as not part of the curriculum and be forced back onto the drill cycle.

Fortunately, the author has found a balance between having the students learn something in the first five minutes of class (or even as a filler) but not make it boring.

The Take Five prompts and activities have a lot of hands on and SOL (Standards of Learning for us Virginian Teachers!) ties that would be great for my students. Unfortunately, like I mentioned before, I was unable to try them with my kids for a variety of reasons (inject plenty of excuses here). But I really think the kids would have reacted positively to them.

Especially some of the hands-on activities. I know that they would have loved to play with play-do (sorry if I misspelled it) and have a good excuse for it. Especially in the name of English class. It's almost like the author took the needs of the students into consideration when creating these bell ringers. The author thought about the teacher what a teacher could do to prepare for it easily and effectively. 

Some bell ringers require up to maybe a list of supplies but others only require items from the student, which is nice since that means it would be easy to implement.

The only problem I saw that was very glaringly obvious: The bell ringers were WAY too long. Even for high school students.

I think the author has to remember that students have a short attention span. They don't want to read a whole three paragraphs just to get to the fun part. My students complain about reading more than a paragraph. So obviously having most bell ringers have two paragraphs worth of instruction isn't very convenient for me, as the teacher, since I'll have to go back and shorten them to a link that my students will be able to read through (and we're not even talking about the vocabulary and rewording it for my students either).

Considering everything, would I still recommend this book? 

Absolutely! This book has very valuable bell ringers that every English teacher should take into consideration. The thing I most worry about is the length, but over the summer, that can be taken care before starting any bell ringers in class. Therefore, despite the extra work involved, I think it's completely worth it.