Book Spotlight: Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper (Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper #1) by J.L. Bryan

Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper (Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper #1) by J.L. Bryan

Publication Date: September 16th, 2014

Source: Received for Review- Author

Goodreads

~Summary~

Ellie Jordan’s job is to catch and remove unwanted ghosts. Part detective, part paranormal exterminator, Ellie operates out of Savannah, Georgia, one of the oldest and most haunted cities in North America. 

When a family contacts her to deal with a disturbing presence in the old mansion they’ve recently purchased, Ellie first believes it to be a typical, by-the-book specter, a residual haunting by a restless spirit. Instead, she finds herself confronting an evil older and more powerful than she’d ever expected, rooted in the house’s long and sordid history of luxury, sin, and murder. The dangerous entity seems particularly interested in her clients’ ten-year-old daughter. 

Soon her own life is in danger, and Ellie must find a way to exorcise the darkness of the house before it can kill her, her clients, or their frightened young child. 

“A brilliantly addictive, insomnia-inducing story following Ellie Jordan, a ghost tracker, who works a hazardous job investigating hauntings. Read before bedtime at your own risk!” -Alexia Purdy, bestselling author of the Dark Faerie Tale and Reign of Blood series 

"Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper is both really fun and really creepy. It's Ghostbusters meets The Dresden Files." -Daniel Arenson, bestselling author of the Song of Dragons and Moth series

Amazon / Barnes / Kobo

~About The Author~

 

 

The Unseen by J.L. Bryan has a special release price of 99 cents through Halloween.  See his website for details and links: http://jlbryanbooks.com/books/theunseen.html


J.L. Bryan studied English literature at the University of Georgia and at Oxford, with a focus on the English Renaissance and the Romantic period. He also studied screenwriting at UCLA. He enjoys remixing elements of paranormal, supernatural, fantasy, horror and science fiction into new kinds of stories.

He is the author of The Paranormals series (starting with Jenny Pox), The Songs of Magic series, Nomad, and other books. He lives in Atlanta with his wife Christina, his son John, and some dogs and cats.

Website: www.jlbryanbooks.com
Twitter: @jlbryanbooks

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{Cover Reveal} Lion's Share (Wildcats #1) by Rachel Vincent

Lion's Share (Wildcats #1) by Rachel Vincent

Publication Date: February 23rd, 2015 

Genre: New Adult Paranormal

Goodreads

~Summary~

Abby Wade has a dangerous secret.

Two months ago, she disobeyed an order, but instead of kicking her out of the Pride, Jace offered her a job. Since then, she’s been battling a completely inappropriate crush on the young, hot Alpha. But when accepting his job offer seems like the only way to keep her skeletons safely in their closet, Abby doesn’t hesitate.

Jace Hammond has a big problem.

A rogue is slaughtering humans in his territory, and he must eliminate the threat before the entire shifter species is exposed. There could not be a worse time for Abby to accept a job he only offered as a boost to her confidence. Abby is smart, beautiful, and resilient—more than enough to distract any man from the mission. Unfortunately, she may just be the worst enforcer ever to hold the title.

As they hunt the killer, Abby’s secret becomes a threat to Jace’s authority and to her own life. But the real danger is the grip she has on his twice-shy heart.

~About The Author~

Rachel Vincent is the author of the Shifters series and the Unbound series for adults, as well as the Soul Screamers series for teens. 

Rachel's next young adult book is THE STARS NEVER RISE, coming from Delacorte in June of 2015, and her new series for adults will debut with MENAGERIE, coming from Mira books in the fall of 2015

Rachel Vincent is a former English teacher and an eager champion of the Oxford comma. She shares her home in Oklahoma with two cats, two teenagers, and her husband, who's been her # 1 fan from the start. Rachel is older than she looks and younger than she feels, and she remains convinced that writing about the things that scare her is the cheapest form of therapy--but social media is a close second.

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

~Giveaway~

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Ashley's Review: Ever Darkening by Janeal Falor

Ever Darkening by Janeal Falor 

Publication Date: January 28th, 2015

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Pages: 171

Format: Kindle

Source: Author

Read: January 24th to 29th, 2015

Goodreads

~Summary~

Perfection. Goodness. Elimination of evil. It's what seventeen-year-old Kaylyn has trained her entire life to achieve. But no one is prepared for the consequences of her actually defeating all evil people on the planet. Finally successful in her mission, Kaylyn faces an unfamiliar world, full of good people doing good things, in which she no longer has purpose.

When the skies grow dark, and a stranger from another village pleads for her help, her instincts roar to life. It turns out their perfect world isn't exactly what it seems. Kaylyn's new quest, harder than any she's been on before, will rip apart her friendships, her life, and her soul more than any evil man ever managed to.

~My Thoughts~

Ever Darkening is....well....um, I liked it. I did enjoy it but sometimes I felt like I was rushing through it, so maybe that didn't help my cause, but honestly I didn't have a real connection with it. From the very first page we dive head first into the plot, which isn't always a bad thing, except I just felt there wasn't enough world building or character description to really get a good grasp of the story. Sometimes you don't always need that, sometimes they should just give you enough for you to paint your own picture but with Ever Darkening I just felt a little confused. Like, I understood as I got deeper into the story but because of this feeling in the beginning I just couldn't get sucked into the story. Or more like I felt a disconnection throughout the read.

I don't know what I was expecting going into this but I was hoping for a more powerful read. And maybe it is, but I just didn't see it that way. I just felt like it was mediocre compared to Mrs. Falor's Mine Series. By the end of it I understood the Good vs. Evil concept but I also felt unsatisfied. I wanted something more. I wanted to be invested into these characters, I wanted to be sad when I got to the end because I was saying goodbye to them, I wanted to feel something either than this just being a so-so read. I just don't know, I liked it but there's a "but" after that. I think the main problem is that I didn't feel connected and I was expecting that  like from Mrs. Falor's previous works. Honestly I felt like I was just hovering above, just going along for a ride instead of really being apart of their world.

Ever Darkening was an eventful read with characters that played their roles where they learned that maybe everything good isn't such a good thing. Though I may not have a lot of good things to say about it, or much to say at all, doesn't mean this might not be the read for you. It just means it was a so-so read for me.

Sweet Readings Everybody!

*Got a free copy from the author in exchange for my honest review, this in no way affected my opinion on it*

{Cover Reveal} The Reflective Cause (Reflection #2) by Tamara Rose Blodgett

The Reflective Cause (Reflection #2) by Tamara Rose Blodgett

Publication Date: July 3rd, 2015

Genre: Adult Dark Fantasy

Goodreads

~Summary~

Could you find your soul mate in thirteen worlds... would you survive long enough to claim them?

From NEW YORK TIMES & USA TODAY bestselling author Tamara Rose Blodgett


Beth Jasper, a rare female warrior Reflective, has been momentarily freed from the brutality of Sector One, only to discover her home world of Papilio has been reshaped into chaos by Reflective Ryan. A flesh trade has ruined the female Reflectives who were unprotected while their male counterparts were held on One under Slaver Dimitri.

Her soulmate has been revealed, yet another fills her mind. Beth cannot forget Slade, the prince of the bloodlings. Their tie is undeniable. Can Beth forsake The Cause and her home planet's ruination to forge answers to the questions raised during her brief stay on One?

Will the dissenting Reflectives find a way to exterminate the one threat to their plans of absolute control over the thirteen sectors? Can Beth, along with Jeb Merrick, save their world and uphold The Cause. Or will ancient blood ties rule Beth's destiny.... 

~Sequel To~

The Reflective (Reflection #1)

~About The Author~

Tamara Rose Blodgett is the author of over forty titles, including her NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling novel, A TERRIBLE LOVE, written under the pen name Marata Eros. Tamara writes a variety of dark fiction in the genres of fantasy, science fiction, romance and erotica. She lives in South Dakota with her family and enjoys interacting with her readers.

Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

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Waiting on Wednesday (42)

Welcome to Waiting on Wednesday! Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine and spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. This week I am anxiously awaiting:

The Everlasting Circle (Everlast #3) by Juliana Haygert

Publication Date: July 2015

Genre: New Adult Paranormal

Goodreads

~Summary~

The war is approaching and the time to find enough allies for an army is running out. As is Nadine’s life.

Though Micah would love to spend more time trying to find a solution for Nadine’s impeding death, she would rather focus on strategies to win the war. With a new hero, a new god, and new abilities, Nadine starts to believe they might actually have a chance to chase the darkness away from the world.

Until betrayal drags them back to step zero.

Lost and angry, Nadine almost gives up. Almost. Her time on this Earth might be ending, but she has too much to do before she’s ready to die. Against all odds, Nadine will keep fighting to win the war until her very last breath.

Genre: New Adult Fantasy. Warning: strong language, sex scene. This is the 3rd book in the Everlast trilogy. May contain spoilers of the previous books.

Why I'm Waiting:

Because Juliana is just the sweetest! Every story of her's that I've read has been a favorite of mine! And the Everlast series was my very first New Adult Paranormal, her amazing story has opened a whole new world to me! Honestly when New Adult first came out there weren't many Paranormal ones, so to me, this series stood out in the crowd! I absolutely love otherworldly things and with Juliana's amazing story telling, the Everlast series is by far brilliant! I'm sad to see it end but I'm excited nonetheless! God, *squeal*! This was me when I saw it had a cover and a release date!

Here's a few words from my reviews of the previous books:

Destiny Gift (Everlast #1)

"First off, before I get to my coherent review all I have to say is this….I must, must get my hands on the second book!! Oh my god’s, why did it end there! How could you! So not fair!! haha, okay now let me compose myself…."

"This was so original, unique, and absolutely gripping of a read! I’m so glad that Mrs. Haygert came to me because this book is amazing! This is one series any paranormal lover shall read! And if you’re a fan of Legion the movie like I am, then you’re going to love the second half of the book! Though sadly there aren’t any old ladies with sharp teeth that like to eat raw meat after our trio but there are crazy size bats, gods, and demons after them! So intense!"

Soul Oath (Everlast #2)

"Omg, I didn’t think this world could get any scarier than the first one but I guess I was wrong! Though Soul Oath is written three months after Destiny Gift, it doesn’t take long before the heart racing action begins. And thank god for that! After the cliffhanger of the first one I did not want to wait 50 or so pages till the story actually got somewhere. Mrs. Haygert did an amazing job at always keeping me on my toes!"

"However she doesn’t get this rush of determination till she loses something very precious to her. And oh my god, that was such a shocking turn of events. I couldn’t believe what I was reading! Mrs. Haygert writes breathtaking twist and turns, I honestly did not know where this story was heading! (Sometimes I felt like things dragged or was unsure with where things were going, however at the end everything made sense and I don’t think you could write it any other way) Trust me, you may think you know where it’s going but Mrs. Haygert is good at pulling the rug right out from under you."

"In just 321 pages Mrs. Haygert has you sitting on the edge of your seat one moment, then smitten with a very hot and heavy romance in the next, then in another your heart strings are being pulled every which way. Soul Oath is a read that’ll take a hold of you and you’ll be okay with it cause once you reach the end you’ll be wishing for more!"

Cup of Life (Everlast #2.5)

"In Destiny Gift Micah was a bit of a bad boy, luring, and charming. In Soul Oath he was still charming and luring, but he cared and changed from the first book. Yes, I became smitten by him and when I found out this novella was told in his point of view I couldn't wait!!"

"Cup of Life was a short enjoyable read that helps furthers this series and give us a chance to see behind Micah’s eyes. And being able to feel how much he truly cares for Nadine and how much she’s changed him for the better is absolutely amazing, I love reading males side of things! Overall this made my heart soar and I’m hoping dearly that we’ll get Micah’s point of view in the third book!"

God, I'm just so excited!!! >_< I just can't wait to see how she wraps it all up! Honestly most of the time I'm scared of the last book in trilogies, even sometimes sequels to the first, but with this series I'm not! Instead I'm super excited to dive right back into them!! :D

Thanks for stopping by!

Book Spotlight: Ever Darkening by Janeal Falor

Ever Darkening by Janeal Falor

Publication Date: January 28th, 2015

Source: Received for Review- Author 

Goodreads

~Summary~

Perfection. Goodness. Elimination of evil. It's what seventeen-year-old Kaylyn has trained her entire life to achieve. But no one is prepared for the consequences of her actually defeating all evil people on the planet. Finally successful in her mission, Kaylyn faces an unfamiliar world, full of good people doing good things, in which she no longer has purpose.

When the skies grow dark, and a stranger from another village pleads for her help, her instincts roar to life. It turns out their perfect world isn't exactly what it seems. Kaylyn's new quest, harder than any she's been on before, will rip apart her friendships, her life, and her soul more than any evil man ever managed to.

~About The Author~


Amazon best-selling author Janeal Falor lives in Utah with her husband and three children. In her non-writing time she teaches her kids to make silly faces, cooks whatever strikes her fancy, and attempts to cultivate a garden even when half the things she plants die. When it's time for a break she can be found taking a scenic drive with her family, fencing, or drinking hot chocolate.

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook / Pinterest / Amazon Author Page

Thanks for stopping by!

{Cover Reveal} Strange Magic: Part One (Strange Magic) by Michelle Mankin

Strange Magic: Part One (Strange Magic) by Michelle Mankin

Publication Date: January 22nd, 2015

Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance

Goodreads

~Summary~

Billy Blade is a hardworking, hard living, razor sharp musical force. Mysterious behind his dark shades, the rough around the edges Texan mesmerizes with his haunting harmonica and tantalizes with his dangerous looks and smooth country charm. His latest album is topping the charts. He’s the newly crowned King of the Bacchus Krewe. He’s definitely living the rock star dream.

Exotic Creole beauty Thyme Bellerose couldn’t be more content. She has it all. An adoring grandmother. A handsome Tulane medical student beau. A satisfying job in the heart of New Orleans’ French Quarter. Her life is as rich as the ice cream she creates. She’s got everything under control.

But control is an illusion. Dreams can turn into nightmares. And now during Mardi Gras, otherworldly powers stand ready to shape their destinies in ways they could never imagine.

Shadow and light. Magic and mystery. Reality and myth. All come together in a place where rules bend and lines blur. Even those between life and death.

STRANGE MAGIC is a novel in two parts. Part One will be released on January 22nd. Part Two, the finale of STRANGE MAGIC will be released on February 5th 

Amazon

~About The Author~

Michelle Mankin is the Amazon bestselling author of the Black Cat Records series of novels. 

Romance with subtext.

Reimagining classic stories with sexy rock stars and thought provoking issues.

For many years she worked in the insurance industry as an underwriter. Somehow, the boredom didn't kill her but the hours and hours of looking at facts and figures provided ample time for her mind to wander. 

Love Evolution, Love Revolution, and Love Resolution are a Brutal Strength centered trilogy, combining the plot underpinnings of Shakespeare with the drama, excitement, and indisputable sexiness of the rock 'n roll industry.

Things take a bit of an edgier, once upon a time turn with the Tempest series.  These pierced, tatted, and troubled Seattle rockers are young and on the cusp of making it big, but with serious obstacles to overcome that may prevent them from ever getting there.

Rock stars, myths, and legends collide with paranormal romance in a totally mesmerizing way in the Magic series.

When Michelle is not prowling the streets of her Texas town listening to her rock music much too loud, she is putting her daydreams down on paper or traveling the world with her family and friends, sometimes for real, and sometimes just for pretend as she takes the children to school and back.

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

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{Cover Reveal} Lighter by Gia Riley

Lighter by Gia Riley

Publication Date: February 26th, 2015

Genre: New Adult Romance

Goodreads

~Summary~

What do you do when you can't save the one you love? 

Sophie can’t survive without control. Growing up with an alcoholic father, she craves the discipline of gymnastics. Feeling lost on a brand new college campus, she lets loose for the first time in her life. But with freedom comes consequences. Is one night everything she hopes? Or will she become her own worst nightmare?

Kipton's one year away from graduation. He's never thought beyond a one night stand until meeting his sister’s new roommate. Finally setting his sights on the girl he can't resist, he's more determined than ever when she won't give in to his persuasions. He's always gotten the girl, and he's not about to give up without a fight. 

Will Sophie be able to salvage her dreams and wage a war against her own vices? Can she finally let love in? Or will history repeat itself causing her to self-destruct?

Lighter isn't your typical college romance. Darkness suffocates, dreams are dashed, and battles are lost. Love takes on a whole new meaning.

~About The Author~

I'm a lover of all things romance and a firm believer that everyone deserves a happily ever after. Currently residing in the small but mighty state of Delaware, I take pride in creating characters who are real, personable, and entertaining. While you won't find any rich billionaires in my books, you will find down to earth guys who know how to treat a lady. 

When I'm not busy working on my next book, I can be found roaming the isles of Kirkland's or up to my elbows in Play-doh. 

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." ~Maya Angelou

Sit back and relax. It's time to immerse yourself in the world of romance.

Twitter / Website / Facebook / Goodreads

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Tasha's Review: The Rising

The Rising (Darkness Rising #3) by Kelly Armstrong
Publication Date: April 2, 2013
Genre: YA Fantasy
Pages: 406

Summary

Things are getting desperate for Maya and her friends. Hunted by the powerful St. Clouds and now a rival Cabal as well, they're quickly running out of places to hide. And with the whole world thinking they died in a helicopter crash, it's not like they can just go to the authorities for help.

All they have is the name and number of someone who might be able to give them a few answers. Answers to why they're so valuable, and why their supernatural powers are getting more and more out of control.

But Maya is unprepared for the truths that await her. And now, like it or not, she'll have to face down some demons from her past if she ever hopes to move on with her life. Because Maya can't keep running forever.

Old secrets are revealed and unexpected characters make a surprising return in this stunning conclusion to Kelley Armstrong's New York Times bestselling Darkness Rising trilogy.

The problem with this book is the same problem I have with the series as a whole: it tries to be the first series, Darkest Powers. It never really found it's own voice. If you told me this book was #6 of the Darkest Powers, I would believe you.

The characters never really stood out and never really developed. Maya from book  3 was Maya from book 1 just with more control over her powers. The same can be said for Daniel and the others. Ash was a nice addition at first. But than he just kind of blended in with the others. The adults were adults. And the villains didn't feel very villainous. Though it was nice seeing Chloe and the gang, they really were just how we left them.

I wasn't a huge fan of the plot. Most of it felt like the author didn't have enough plot for a whole book that she filled the book with a lot of useless details. Truthfully, it didn't feel like the author really knew where she wanted the book to go. Where she wanted the series to end. Yes, she did leave hints throughout the book, the ending just felt out of place. I also believe the last chapter wasn't really need. It just like things that didn't need to be said. You don't have to wrap everything up to end a series.

And, honestly, I would have preferred if we didn't meet up with Chloe and the gang. I liked them, but they felt out of place. And they just reminded me of how much I enjoyed the first series. How much more I enjoyed that series. Like I said before, this series tries to be Darkest Powers, but it isn't. The first series felt refreshing and something different. It was just more charming. Maybe it is unfair to compare the two, but when you are a sequel you are going to get compared to the first.

Overall, I like the book and the series. I am glad I read it, but do wish it had a little more of it's own voice.