Lisa Beth Darling

Dark Faerie Tales reviewed a book.

“Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: Being wild and carefree is who Alix has always been so it’s no surprise when she uses a magical computer program to bring her own sexual fantasy to life.

Opening Sentence: When Alix Gordon returned from a tromp in the woods...”

“Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: Being wild and carefree is who Alix has always been so it’s no surprise when she uses a magical computer program to bring her own sexual fantasy to life.

Opening Sentence: When Alix Gordon returned from a tromp in the woods with her dog, Lindy, she spied a sparkling little something on her porch- a piece of jewelry.

The Review:

Well, I can honestly say I have never read a book like Mr. Real. This is my very first adult smut and it was quite an exciting read. The main character, Alix, is a super fun but slightly out of sorts young woman who struggles with taking responsibility for her own actions. She is also very impulsive, so when she discovers that her laptop has become a magical device that will deliver any object she saves a picture of to her desktop, she immediately orders basic things like clothes and accessories without thinking twice. It doesn’t take long for things to take a different turn when’s he decides to order TVs sexiest man, Sir Kendall, the Denali commercial guy.

In the commercials Sir Kendall is a super hot spy man who always gets the girl and drinks Denali. So when Alix saves a still frame of him to her laptop, she thinks all she’s about to receive is a sexy man who has nearly constant sex with women. When he arrives, however, his super spy mentality is still in place and he believes Alix is actually also a spy who is working for his greatest enemy. Alix has no clue about this at first so the two have sex a lot. Like a lot, a lot.

Now getting away from the smut for a moment, we get to a rather dominating part of the plot where we learn the Sir Kendall is in fact played by Alix’s former martial arts teacher who she calls Hardass Paul because of his very strict, very focused mentality. The Sir Kendall commercials are only meant to be played in Australia so Paul would never in a million years would think that a random but extremely attractive girl he kicked out of his class in America for being a distraction to him would see this commercial. It turns out that when Alix ordered Sir Kendall, the bizarre magic that calls him to her house, also calls Paul since they are in fact one in the same man. Another kicker is the fact that Sir Kendall was in fact a persona that Paul created when he was being tortured by his older brothers when they were growing up. Needless to say, Sir Kendall is not someone Paul wants to see on top of a girl he once liked but hasn’t seen in four years.

As if all of this is not quite crazy enough, it turns out that Mr. Hyko, Kendall’s supposed nemesis from the commercials, is also pulled from their dimension to Alix’s house. Hyko is a crazed lunatic. Who regularly kills people and destroys whole cities.

So here we have a horny, irresponsible woman, two men who hate each other with undeniable passion but also feel quite protective of one another, and a psychotic man with a serious vendetta and anger issues. Toss in all those sex scenes and Mr. Real is a real fun read.

Notable Scene:

Sir Kendall jerked sideways, wrapped his fingers around the butt of the gun, and extracted it, pressing it to the man’s neck. The man stiffened, stilled. “Loosen,” Sir Kendall grated out. “Slowly.” “Don’t shoot him,” Alix said. “Just- everyone be calm.” Lindy barked, racing back and forth between the couch and the fireplace. The man loosened. Contemplating moves. He was good. But Sir Kendall had the gun. “I’ll do it,” Sir Kendall said. “You’re the intruder.” He pushed the gun harder into his cheek.” Slowly the man relaxed his choke. Sir Kendall unhooked his legs, and, still on his back, planted a foot in the man’s gut, handily shoving him away. The man rolled and righted, lithe as a cat, and stared, horror shining in his eyes. Sir Kendall got to his feet, struggling to keep his expression neutral; the similarities between the two of them were shocking. Face, build, fighting moves, stance-good lord, even the hands. A chill spread over him. This was no random look-a-like, it was not plastic surgery, and he certainly didn’t have a twin. Hyko had cloned him. Stranger still, the clone seemed just as stunned, gaping at him. “No way,” The man said, as though he imagined uttering those words would banish Sir Kendall. “No way.” “Crap,” Alix said breathing hard. Clearly shew as surprised, too. The clone turned his fiery gaze on her. “You-” He took a step toward her. “Are you okay?” “Oh no you don’t.” Sir Kendall jerked the gun at him. The clone turned to him, eyes wild. “no way,” he said again. There was something about the man. He had to be a clone-there was no other explanation, yet there was something about him. Again that sense of a dream he couldn’t quite recall. Of vulnerabilities. “It’s okay. I’m okay,” Alix said to the clone.

FTC Advisory: Carolyn Crane provided me with a copy of Mr. Real. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.”

Dark Faerie Tales reviewed a book.

“Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: A romantic and beautifully written sequel about family and neglect with a sprinkle of mythology.

Opening Sentence: Death finds us all.

The Review:

Told from Lily Hancock’s point of view, Deep Betrayal picks...”

“Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: A romantic and beautifully written sequel about family and neglect with a sprinkle of mythology.

Opening Sentence: Death finds us all.

The Review:

Told from Lily Hancock’s point of view, Deep Betrayal picks up a month after Lies Beneath leaves us. Now that Calder’s sister’s revenge plot has been resolved, Lily thought things would be normal (well, as normal as possible with a mermaid boyfriend and mermaid blood in her veins.) But when dead citizens start popping up within weeks of Lily’s father learning he too is a merman, Lily and Calder must find out who is behind the attacks before they get out of hand. Only problem is Calder seems to disappear for days on end, training Lily’s father on how to be a merman. And throughout this entire fiasco, Lily dreams of one day joining Calder and her father in the water as a mermaid. This mysterious mythology–based story will break your heart and mend it, leaving you satisfied with the ending yet wanting more.

I enjoyed this book as much, if not more than the first book, Lies Beneath. Although Lily has always annoyed me, I thought seeing her point of view was an interesting change. Although the plot lagged in the middle because of the constant accuse-wrong cycle, the book was pretty well developed. I found the different myths from Lake Superior very creative and cleverly inter-weaved into the story. The mythology wasn’t a major factor in the book, but it did help add to the suspense and “neglect” theme of the book.

Speaking of theme, this book is more than the basic “love triumphs all things” cliche-type themes. It ranges from the importance of family to the issue of neglect of nature/people. Honestly, this made me appreciate the book even more because the characters learn and grow from these not-so-basic issues. I really can’t say more because of spoilers, so you will just have to read it yourself for full understanding!

Lily Hancock is still the poetry-obsessed, family-first girl we knew in Lies Beneath, but in this book her priorities have changed. She no longer wishes for college and her friends at home. She has grown up from the naive girl dreading the cold waters of Lake Superior. Now there’s only one thing on her mind: Calder White. This insta-love type thing pulled me out of the story and made me dislike Lily just a tad. Although I have to give her props for holding out this long because CALDER. He is infuriatingly secretive and distant in this book, yet there are times when he’s so sweet and caring…and then he leaves again. But the main guy in this book really shouldn’t be Calder. Props to Brown for creating Jack as the most complex and broken boy in this series. Jack has been neglected. And with this neglect by Parvati comes a tidal wave of insecurity, anger and rashness all rooted in his desperation to see Parvati. He by far is the most complex character in the book.

Overall, this book is a great sequel. The ending is satisfying – the series really could have ended right there, so who knows what the next book will bring!

Notable Scene:

I watched the hall for a few more moments, in the hope that he’d come back. When he didn’t, I set my jaw and flopped back on my pillow. I turned away from Dad to hide my face. He put his hand on my shoulder and rolled me back toward him. My cheeks were already wet.

“So it’s that way? You’ll miss him that much?”

“Every minute.”

“Remember you’ll be leaving for college soon, Lily. It’s not a good time for you to get so involved.” He brushed my long bangs off my forehead.

“You know what? I wish I’d never told you about any of this. This was my secret. I shared it with you, but now you’re taking it from me.”

“Lily, I’m not taking anything from you. Frankly, I don’t want any of it.”

I wiped my face on my pillow. Dad headed for the door, then he stopped and turned at the threshold. “You’re too young to feel so strongly about someone.”

I almost smiled. “Maybe you’re too old to remember.”

He smiled, and for a second, he was just my dad again. Normal dad. The dad I wanted to remember. “Touché, sweet girl. I’ll be as quick a study. I’ll have him back soon.”

“Promise?” I asked, wondering if he was enough of a merman that I could bind him to his word. But he wouldn’t take the bait, and my door closed softly behind him, without an answer.

FTC Advisory: Delacorte Books for Young Readers/Random House provided me with a copy of Deep Betrayal. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.”

Dark Faerie Tales reviewed a book.

“Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: A dark, sexy vampire romance filled with hot tension and gooey romance. A recommended read for fans of vampires.

Opening Sentence: “Whoever you are, you’d best have a damn good reason to continue breathing,” Kenric...”

“Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: A dark, sexy vampire romance filled with hot tension and gooey romance. A recommended read for fans of vampires.

Opening Sentence: “Whoever you are, you’d best have a damn good reason to continue breathing,” Kenric rumbled.

The Review:

Fans who love the feel of an old-school vampire romance story may want to check out Undying Destiny. This novel had a lot of the elements of an older style vampire story while still feeling like a modern day tale. For me, it brought back memories of when I used to read nothing but vampire stories. It definitely makes me want to throw in a few of these stories every now and again as I review. (I do want to note that this novel was previously published as A Desire to Die For by a different publishing company a few years ago.)

Kenric is a three hundred year old vampire. He has spent most of his years building an “Enclave” of good vampires to help the human race. Lately, his team has been fighting a lot of “DEADs” (death euphoria addicted vampires). These vampire addicts are a menace that could only be created by Kenric’s sire - Marguerite, a woman Kenric has been able to avoid most of his undead life. She has created an army that Kenric and his men must fight off while gathering enough power of her own. Marguerite is hoping to become the most powerful vampire and she needs Kenric as her mate to do that. Marguerite has recently harnessed a new power that allows her to invade Kenric’s dreams where she hopes to entice him to come back to her. Dreams that allow Kenric some power to overcome her mental war but not enough to destroy her.

Emily Ross comes across Kenric after a fight with DEAD’s that leave him weak, bleeding and passed out. As a nurse, she takes him to a hospital in order to save his life. What she doesn’t expect is to be kidnapped and used to help erase evidence of him ever being in the hospital. The last thing Emily wants to do is fall for a demanding, hot vampire.

Emily and Kenric’s passion for each other is fierce, hot and quick. It doesn’t take long for it to develop. They both have tortured pasts (literally) that they have to work through and present events aren’t helping at all when Marguerite sees Emily’s face in Kenric’s mind. Marguerite has already killed one of Kenric’s past lovers and he doesn’t want Emily to meet that same fate.

Kenric starts off the novel as one really tough bada$$ but once he meets Emily he turns into a big pile of romantic goo. He is still tough at times during other parts of the novel but when it has to do with Emily he is just pudding. He was just a little over the top romantic for me but I know others won’t have a problem with that. Emily has a lot of insecurities following her. She hides all her problems with a serious mask or comedy. I enjoyed her comic relief and her fight for independence, which is what made me like Emily. She didn’t want Kenric to solve all her problems for her but that is what he did.

I know there is only so much you can do with vampires that hasn’t been done before so there are some similarities to other vampires in the genre but Jessica Lee does make these vampires her own. The DEAD’s are a different twist and I definitely have some questions about the origins of these vampires. The only thing I had a problem with was that female vampires are inherently weaker than their male counterpoints. I only say this because it is made a point at a couple different times in the storyline. The only thing that gives them more power is by mating with a male and absorbing their powers so that they are powerful together.

Undying Destiny has multiple third person point of views, jumping to many of the different characters as the novel goes along. There is a lot going on in this novel to set up this world, which includes quite a bit of action but there is some intriguing parts as you learn about the vampire history. Also, there is a bit of a cliffhanger ending – hint don’t read the synopsis for the next novel before you’ve read this one.

In the end, if you are a fan of vampires and vampire romance, I would recommend reading Undying Destiny. The tension is hot, the romance is heavy and I would definitely like to see this world expanded. I will stay tuned for the next novel in this series (once published as Dark Desires at Midnight although I’m sure this one will also see a name change). No word on when it will be rereleased.

Notable Scene:

“Wait a minute. Before you go, I have to talk to you about something.” He loosened his grip on her forearm. “I have reason to believe your life may be in danger.”

Emily turned, her hazel eyes wide.

“What did you just say?” She stepped forward. “I thought this was it. Wasn’t it you who said, ‘help me with this and there won’t be anything to worry about?’”

“It has nothing to do with tonight. But I can’t get into it here. That’s why, before I arrived, I arranged for my driver to be here in the morning when you get off work. You’ll be returning to the compound until I can be assured you’re safe.”

A flash of red raced to her cheeks, and her eyes widened even more. “I will be returning to the compound.” Both hands went to her hips. “You decided?”

She narrowed her eyes and closed in on him with that dangerous forefinger raised, and dug it into his chest. “Listen up, Dracula, I don’t need you coming into my life and telling me what you’ve decided without a second thought about what I want. You can just take your driver and your decisions and shove them where the sun don’t shine.” She stabbed her finger into his chest with each word for emphasis. “Oh, excuse me. I guess that euphemism is lost on you, Mr. Vampire.”

FTC Advisory: Entangled Edge provided me with a copy of Undying Destiny. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.”

Dark Faerie Tales reviewed a book.

“Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: This is a YA Science Fiction book with a hint of Steampunk. It is filled with heartache, love, adventure, and death.

Opening Sentence: MY FATHER IS A MURDERER.

The Review:

Araby’s life has just been turned...”

“Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: This is a YA Science Fiction book with a hint of Steampunk. It is filled with heartache, love, adventure, and death.

Opening Sentence: MY FATHER IS A MURDERER.

The Review:

Araby’s life has just been turned upside down, and she is on the run for her life. She was betrayed by the boy she loved and her father isn’t the person she thought he was. Araby’s best friend, April, has been infected by the Weeping plague, and there is no known cure. Araby will do anything to save her, even give herself up to the enemy. Araby’s one hope is to find her father. He is a scientist and there are rumors that he has a cure, but Araby has recently learned some terrible truths about him and she doesn’t trust him. He is hiding somewhere in the city and Araby will need to find him before it is too late.

Meanwhile, there is now a new plague rampaging and killing hundreds in the city. It is known as the Red Death and it kills very quickly. It is spread through the air and through the water, so the special masks people wear to ward off the Weeping plague don’t fully protect them from the Red Death. This new plague has everyone running scared, even the powerful and rich. The city is in ruins and everyone fears that there is nothing that can save it. Prince Prospero has abandoned the city and has evacuated to his place outside the city. He is planning a masquerade ball for only a select few citizens, and like his other parties it is sure to be “deadly” entertaining.

Araby is very different in this book than she was in Masque of the Red Death. She was very depressed in the first book and would use drugs to escape her pain. In this installment she had a purpose worth fighting for, and her attitude about life has really changed. She is determined to help her friends and the people in the city if she can. She stops running from her problems and I really came to respect her. While she is obviously not a perfect girl, she is still a very good heroine and I really liked her. She is also torn between two amazing guys, Elliot and Will.

Elliot is the brother to April, Araby’s best friend. He is also the leader behind the rebellion trying to overthrow the tyrant Prince Prospero. He is very attractive and charismatic, but not very trust worthy. Elliot really cares about the city and the people in it, but he is ruthless and almost crazy at times. There are times when I felt that he really came to care deeply for Araby, but his sense of responsibility overshadows his feelings for her. Even though he is dangerous and unpredictable I couldn’t help falling in love with him. He and Araby have amazing, steamy chemistry that just made me swoon. Their relationship is far from perfect but it is definitely interesting.

Will is totally gorgeous and really he is perfect for Araby in a lot of ways. He is consistent, reliable, kind, and caring. Araby has her doubts about Will, but she knows that he cares about her even after everything he has done. He has a bad boy persona, but really he is a total sweetheart. He is the steady choice and honestly Araby could use a good steady guy after everything she has been through. I really liked Will and I feel that he is good for Araby, but I felt that their relationship was a little boring compared to Elliot’s and Araby’s relationship.

I really enjoyed this book, but to be honest, it didn’t quite meet my expectations. I loved Masque of the Red Death, it was easily one of my favorite books from last year so I had very high hopes for this book, and it fell a little short. In Masque there was mysterious ambiance that was so captivating, and this book was missing that special element of intrigue. After that being said, this was still a good read for me. There was good action, steamy romance, interesting characters, and a good plot. There were many heartbreaking moments, but also there was always an underlining hope present. Even though this book was a little disappointing for me, I would still highly recommend this series. It is still definitely worth reading.

Notable Scene:

I’VE SEEN DEAD BODIES NEARLY EVERY DAY SINCE the first plague started, but never so many at once. They are heaped together, lying all intertwined. I gag like Will did in the science building and force myself not to be sick. The carefully tended lawn, once so vibrant and green, is totally obscured. Most of the bodies are in shrouds, but some untended corpses lie around the periphery. Red tears stain their cheeks. One is holding a bouquet of wilting flowers. Did she bring her loved ones here, and then die herself?

This disease leaves you little time to mourn. Little time to live with guilt and loneliness. People are dying so quickly.

I want to shield myself from the awfulness, but I can’t stop looking. Puddles surround the corpses. Soon this rainwater will mix with the groundwater, spreading further contamination. The innkeeper was right—whoever can rid the city of these bodies will be a hero. It is the first step in saving the city.

“Step away,” Elliott says, even as he goes closer. He doesn’t check to see if I’ve obeyed, and I don’t. Taking a vial of liquid from his pocket, he pours something over the nearest victim and then lights a match. As he drops it, he takes a quick step backward. Despite the recent rain, the corpse catches fire immediately. The blaze is very hot, hotter than any fire I’ve ever encountered, and the smell is terrible. Elliott’s face is illuminated by the blaze. He looks radiant.

FTC Advisory: Greenwillow/ Harper Collins provided me with a copy of Dance of the Red Death. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.”

Dark Faerie Tales reviewed a book.

“Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: A fun, witty YA contemporary read with a paranormal twist and a good message.

Opening Sentence: I HATE THIS SCHOOL.

The Review:

Jeff has just recently moved to Santa Monica and has to start a new school. His...”

“Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: A fun, witty YA contemporary read with a paranormal twist and a good message.

Opening Sentence: I HATE THIS SCHOOL.

The Review:

Jeff has just recently moved to Santa Monica and has to start a new school. His family moved to Hollywood so his mom could pursue her dreams of being an actress. He is going to a private school full of rich kids, and horrible uniforms. On his first day things start to look up when he sees a very hot girl laying on the floor blowing a bubble. Then he finds out that the girl is dead and only he can see her, so much for things looking up.

Kimberlee drowned in an accident about a year and a half ago and she has been stuck as a ghost ever since. No one has ever been able to see or hear her until Jeff. Kimberlee had a pretty big stealing problem while she was alive, and if she ever wants to move on she needs Jeff to help her return everything she took. Jeff, being the nice guy he is, agrees to help her, but when he sees how much stuff she took the task becomes pretty daunting. Then Jeff starts to fall for a girl at his new school, but it turns out her and Kimberlee didn’t get along very well while she was alive. Death hasn’t changed their disdain for each other and Jeff is wondering if he made the right decision to help Kimberlee.

The book is all told from Jeff’s point of view, and I have to say that it was refreshing to read from a male POV. Jeff is funny and a little nerdy, but he is a really good person. He is pretty laid back and likes who he is. He really wants to help Kimberlee, but he also likes that he is helping all the people she stole from as well. Jeff tries to always see the best in people even when there aren’t a whole lot of good things to see. I really loved Jeff, he has a great personality and it was fun to get inside his head.

Kimberlee was your typical beautiful rich girl. She was mean and unhappy for most of her human life, and she hasn’t really changed much since becoming a ghost. She had a serious problem when it came to stealing, she tried to stop but it would make her physically ill when she did. That resulted in a cave full of things that belonged to other people, and she had no way to give it back until she meets Jeff. Kimberlee hates being a ghost, so she swallows her pride and asks Jeff for his help. Kimberlee is snarky and annoying at times, but she has a few redeeming moments throughout the book. She was a good contradiction to Jeff’s good boy persona, and I enjoyed learning her story.

This was a really fun read for me. There is witty banter, laugh out loud moments, memorable characters, and a good story. The plot was a little predictable, but there were a few fun surprises. This was a fast read and I enjoyed it the whole way through. The highlight of the book was the message Pike was trying to communicate to the readers. Everyone has made mistakes, but we always have a choice to become what type of person we want to be. I have been a fan of Pike’s work for a while now; her writing style is very entertaining and fun. I would highly recommend this to anyone that likes a good laugh, but also appreciates an underlining good message.

Notable Scene:

She tilted her head to the back of the cave. I turned and blinked, letting my eyes adjust to the darkness. When they finally did, my jaw dropped.

There must have been a hundred boxes stacked in the back of the cave, which was way deeper than I’d expected. “A few things? A few things! Are you insane?” My voice echoed through the cave, repeating my words back to me.

“Jeff. . .” Her voice was uncharacteristically quiet.

“This is ridiculous. You lied to me.”

“I did not.”

“No one in their right mind would ever classify this as ‘a few things. You lied to get me up here and hoped you could just flutter your eyes and it would be all better. Well, it’s not.” I backed away from the massive pile of boxes. “I’m not doing this.”

“Jeff. . .”

“I should call the cops,” I said as I backed away. No way could I return all this stuff on my own, not in any reasonable amount of time. “I’ll bet they could—”

“No!” Kimberlee shouted, running after me. “They’d just confiscate it all. Then I’d be stuck here forever! Jeff, please.”

“No. I’m leaving,” I said, as much to myself as to Kimberlee, “and I am not coming back.”

FTC Advisory: Harper Collins provided me with a copy of Life After Theft. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.”

Dark Faerie Tales reviewed a book.

“Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: Modern fairy tale with a real prince. If you liked the movie The Prince and Me, you’ll love this.

Opening Sentence: What did he say?

The Review:

When I had the opportunity to review Once Upon a Time by Rachel...”

“Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: Modern fairy tale with a real prince. If you liked the movie The Prince and Me, you’ll love this.

Opening Sentence: What did he say?

The Review:

When I had the opportunity to review Once Upon a Time by Rachel Hauck, I was excited. I’ve been looking for a sweet romance with a prince. I found it in this. It was simple and sweet, and perfect for the weekend. I felt the love and enjoyed the friendship.

Susanna Truitt was in love. She was in love with a man that has served her country for many years. They began as friends and became more. After twelve years, Susanna was ready to settle down and have her own family. Unfortunately, her boyfriend didn’t feel the same way. He met someone else and ended Susanna’s happy ever after. Her career wasn’t progressing, like the rest of her life, and returns to work for the family restaurant. Prince Nathaniel is on holiday in St. Simon’s Island. He is escaping the pressures of his life, and his future, before the inevitable happens. As the king’s health decreases, his ascension to the throne is counted in days. What he doesn’t expect is a friendship that turns into something more. Susanna and Nathaniel’s lives are worlds apart, and could never work out, especially because of who they are. Will they say goodbye forever or have their own happy ever after?

Susanna is someone that was easy to get to know. She is every woman, looking for love but just not in the right places. Hauck wrote her well and realistically. She had her own faults and flaws that she accepted, as well as unrealistic dreams. I related to her because I was in that place one time or another. It was easy to put myself in her shoes, and for me, that’s always a quality that I like to see in books. I took Susanna as a woman with much vulnerability, but as the story progressed, Hauck showed me her tenacity and drive. She transformed into someone stronger, someone independent, and someone that I would want to be.

Nathaniel is a prince; a real prince (at least as far as the story goes). Who doesn’t love stories about princes? Nathaniel had an accent, he was dashing, and he was someone that most girls would love to swoon about. He had manners and charm that most of us readers don’t experience first-hand. And with Nathaniel, Hauck gave us our prince. I admired how much he valued family and duty, honoring and respecting his culture and his country’s ways. He was a good character to get to know, one that I’d like to know more of.

Hauck’s world was one out of a fairytale. For those of you movie aficionados, Once Upon a Prince has similar hints to My Prince and Me. They both have comparable details towards the story and the setting, but I feel Once Upon a Prince has something more. As a book, I always get more out of a story versus a media representation. The place that she chose, St. Simon’s Island, was quaint and had that home-town feel. It played this role that added to the intimacy between Susanna and Nathaniel. It was a small island, allowing for the friendship to blossom into a romance.

It was easy for me to get lost within the pages of Once Upon a Prince. Hauck paced the events well, and it allowed me to concentrate on the story itself. There wasn’t a love triangle, and not much angst. There are some elements that were predictable. But if I’m going to be honest, I read Once Upon a Prince to experience a feeling. I read Once Upon a Prince to feel the love that Hauck wrote about.

Notable Scene:

With the car raised, Nathaniel removed the lug nuts and then worked the flat tire from the axle. “My mates and I used to let off steam in our university years racing cars down country roads.” He let a memory rise in his soul and do the talking. “One of us always flattened a tire. But it was good to have a go at it with my mates.”

“Sounds like you miss it.” She peered at him through the golden wisps of her hair that had been freed from her ponytail.

“It was a different time. We were young and impetuous, thought we were invincible.”

“And now?”

“I’m respectable and not so impetuous nor invincible.”

“Is that bad?” She tugged the spare out of the trunk and dropped it next to Nathaniel.”

“At the moment, not at all.” He paused. “Not at all.” For a sweet Southern moment, he let the light and life of Miss Susanna Truitt sink into the most secret place of his heart.

FTC Advisory: Zondervan provided me with a copy of Once Upon a Prince. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.”

Dark Faerie Tales reviewed a book.

“Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: Roberts’ world seemed to have too many elements and too many factors for me to thoroughly enjoy Whiskey Beach.

Opening Sentence: Through the chilly curtain of sleet, in the intermittent wash of the great light on the jutting...”

“Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: Roberts’ world seemed to have too many elements and too many factors for me to thoroughly enjoy Whiskey Beach.

Opening Sentence: Through the chilly curtain of sleet, in the intermittent wash of the great light on the jutting cliff to the south, the massive silhouette of Bluff House loomed over Whiskey Beach.

The Review:

I never thought the day would come when I wouldn’t fall in immediate love with a Nora Roberts story. That was the case for Whiskey Beach. I wasn’t sure in the beginning why I couldn’t connect to the story. Was it the voice? Could it have been the main character? Or maybe it was because the narration was a little off.

Eli Landon has had a rough year. A son of a whiskey empire, he found out his wife was cheating on him for a year. Eli was angry and upset, and went back to their house to retrieve his grandmother’s ring. It belonged to Eli’s family, and since his wife and him were no longer one, he had a right to take it back. But when he went to the house, he found his wife dead in the library. There were no other suspects to Eli’s wife’s death. All the fingers pointed at him. Eli was never arrested or imprisoned, because there wasn’t enough hard evidence to convict him. But in the year of media and public speculation, he was practically ousted from his career and supposed friends.

After a year, Eli retreated to Bluff House on Whiskey Beach. It was the Landon house that whiskey built. While his mother is recovering from an accident, he is keeping the house for her. And also because there is always a Landon in Bluff House. There he meets Abra, a housekeeper that is also a jack of all trades. But that isn’t all Eli finds. He finds that his troubles have followed him to Whiskey Beach, but who is responsible is something he may find out too late.

Eli is a good main character on paper. But I didn’t completely connect to him. The way Roberts narrated his voice was different to me. At least that’s how it seemed. The transition from one character thought to another threw me off, and it prevented me from fully getting to know who he was in the beginning. Eli was hurt by a cheating wife, only to be accused of murder. The scrutiny he must have endured was heart breaking. Who he was in the beginning of Whiskey Beach was a lot different than who he became in the end and it was a nice progression.

Abra is a quirky character. She was all over the place. There were so many facets to her life and to her personality that it was difficult to understand her. I couldn’t get to the heart and soul of who she was. Abra has a past of her own, but with all the different details of her life, it was hard to grasp. If I follow her life in a timeline, I understand, but when I read the chapters, it’s a little baffling.

It saddens me that I couldn’t connect to Whiskey Beach. The mystery and lore of a hidden pirate’s bounty was fascinating. The element of murder was intriguing. The thriller aspect was a little predictable, and while I normally don’t mind it, this just added to the different things that I didn’t connect with. There is a romance, as in all Roberts’ books, but it was not my cup of tea. Both Eli and Abra have this quick-wit banter between them, and then it was instant romance. I just couldn’t wrap my brain around it.

Roberts’ world seemed to have too many elements and too many factors for me to thoroughly enjoy Whiskey Beach. I wanted a little simple love story with a heroine and a hero. For me, this just wasn’t the case.

Notable Scene:

He’d walk– somewhere – call, breathe, and when this nagging stiffness, this endless aching played out, he’d just text her – better to text—and tell her not to come.

But first he’d take her advice, go down to the beach, take a picture of Bluff House. And maybe he’d wheedle some information out of his grandmother about Abra Walsh.

He was still a lawyer. He ought to be able to finesse some answers out of a witness already biased in his favor.

As he followed the path he’d cut down through the patio, he glanced back and saw Abra in his bedroom window. She waved.

He lifted his hand, turned away again.

She had the kind of fascinating face that made a man want to look twice.

So he very deliberately kept his gaze straight ahead.

FTC Advisory: I purchased this copy of Whiskey Beach. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.”

Dark Faerie Tales reviewed a book.

“Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: A romantic and odd conclusion to the Steampunk Chronicles. Really, this book just ties up loose ends, but it still leaves some hanging.

Opening Sentence: A giant tentacle slapped the front of the submersible, driving the...”

“Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: A romantic and odd conclusion to the Steampunk Chronicles. Really, this book just ties up loose ends, but it still leaves some hanging.

Opening Sentence: A giant tentacle slapped the front of the submersible, driving the small craft backward in the water.

The Review:

In the possibly last installment of the Steampunk Chronicles, Finley and the gang have just gotten back from America and are recovering from the disaster there. Only not everyone seems to be recovering. Griffin holes himself away for hours and sometimes days at a time inside his room, and every time he comes out he looks more frail and exhausted. He won’t talk to anyone, not even Finley. Meanwhile Emily and Sam have finally let each other know how they feel about each other, and it seems to be all fine and dandy when out of the blue Emily gets kidnapped. Now forced to either watch her loved ones die or build a host body for the evil – barely alive – Machinist (see first book). While everyone tries to hunt down who could have possibly taken Emily and for what reason, Emily has discovered a phenomenon that would shock the scientific community – and cause the Machinist to come back healthy and new. This epic conclusion (or is it?) of the Steampunk Chronicles is one of a kind – intriguing you while at the same time creeping you out.

I wouldn’t say that this book is predictable – far from it. This book however goes into some randomly strewn about plot points that are sometimes hard to follow and unnecessary to the main character arc. These random and far-fetched plot points drew out the book and lulled this potentially fast-paced book. For example: the Machinist?? Really? He was dead. Period. Robots could not have kept him alive this long. Another example: Jasper? As much as I love the character, he really wasn’t necessary. His story arc doesn’t even conclude and all of his actions are vague and unimportant. (This is where I see a novella coming out about him, describing all of his shenanigans while the rest of the crew were hunting for Emily.)

Now on to the good stuff. The romance. The machines. And the heroines. At long last everyone has admitted their feelings for each other and now the only problem is commitment. Since the very beginning of the series these romances brewed (and every now and then boiled), never in the lime light until now. Well done Cross for creating such developed character/romances. The machines have always been a favorite part for me. There are always multiple clever contraptions that make their way into the books, and I have always enjoyed how this steampunk world grows and develops. Also, the heroines (Emily and Finley) can kick butt as much as (if not better) than the guys in this book. Strong-willed and stubborn, both girls have what it takes to tear down a mastermind’s plans by themselves.

For a so-called ending to the Steampunk Chronicles, I would have been satisfied with the ending. There are still pieces unfinished and could possibly be great for novellas, the way the book ended all of the major plot lines were wrapped up and tied neatly in a bow. For those of you who like the odd and strange, this series is perfect for you.

Notable Scene:

She walked up to him and placed her hands on either side of his face so he would be forced to look at her. “I might take Jack soup if he was ill, maybe even sit with him. I would not bathe him. I would not wash his hair, and when I look at him I do not think about kissing him.” Impulsively, she traced the bow of his

lower lip with her thumb. “There’s only one mouth I think about kissing.”

Griffin’s gaze warmed beneath his heavy lids. He had a way of looking at a girl that made her want to toss propriety and virtue to the wind. “Whose mouth

is that?” His voice was low and rough as his fingers hooked into the front lacing of her corset and pulled her closer.

“Yours, you great daft article. Not Jack’s, only yours. Will you stop being jealous of him now?”

“He’s rich, handsome and dangerous. You like that.”

She smiled at the uncharacteristic lack of self-confidence in his tone. “My dear duke. You are rich, handsome and dangerous.”

His lips lifted on one side. “I would never describe myself as dangerous.”

“Could you maybe stop talking? I’d like to kiss you but your lips won’t stay still.”

FTC Advisory: HarlequinTeen provided me with a copy of The Girl with the Iron Touch. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.”

Dark Faerie Tales reviewed a book.

“Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: A group of kids try to rescue their parents from robots. Perfect for the big screen. Not so much for a novel.

Opening Sentence: Somewhere nearby, a dog barked and whined.

The Review:

After the vicious Robot...”

“Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: A group of kids try to rescue their parents from robots. Perfect for the big screen. Not so much for a novel.

Opening Sentence: Somewhere nearby, a dog barked and whined.

The Review:

After the vicious Robot Revolution, families around the country tried to escape the clutches of the ruthless robots. Two families reached the guarded gates, expecting to be killed on the spot for trying to escape, but one family and the second family’s kids are allowed to leave. Fast-forward about 15 years and both families are living in a village far from any robot society: hunting for food, gathering broken tech and farming the scorched land. That is until one mistaken piece of tech betrays their position. Now the kids from those families are on the run and end up trying to save their captured parents. This fast-paced action book would be great as a movie (hence authors are movie directors and writers) but as a novel it was poorly written and executed.

Is a robot revolution a great idea for a book? Heck yes. Is this book a good example of how it should be written? Heck no. There are aspects of movies that you can’t convey in books. The same goes vice versa. Unfortunately, the authors tried to incorporate aspects of movies into a book. For example: time in movies is different than time in a book. Where in movies it shows the action in real time, in books you must describe the event/action which takes longer to read than it does for the actual event to happen. In this book the authors skimmed over the details in order to make the actions fast paced, but after a while that gets old. Also, another key detail that made it apparent this book was made for the movies: they did not follow the rules of show don’t tell. Like at all. I know I’ve explained it in a previous review, but for those who don’t know: show don’t tell is a piece of advise that all writers should use. Instead of telling a reader “this character is mad” show the reader the character is mad by having him turn beat red, turn over a table, slam his fist onto a table, etc. Anyway, this book’s writing did not use this advice and thus the book was boring – not for lack of action – but for lack of good writing.

So now that the picking apart of the writing is done, let’s move on to the characters. Cliche. Cliche. Cliche. Kevin: the younger brother that always gets picked on but really is brilliant. Nick: the headstrong oldest brother with a hero complex. Cass: the girl who can’t really fight and is only there to persuade a guy to help them. Again these cliche characters might work in a movie, but this doesn’t work for a book. They need to be developed and grow throughout the book. It seemed to be the characters were stagnant the entire time.

Moving on to the plot – it wasn’t too shabby. The romance was cheesy and unnecessary, but still cute. There was action every other page. The actual development of the world was pretty good. Overall, a pretty interesting plot once it got going.

Really, I would not suggest this book to anyone unless they want to be bored out of their minds. The only reason I gave it two stars is because of the well-developed world. Otherwise, it’s not worth your time.

Notable Scene:

“Turn it off, Kevin! Now!”

“I tried to, but I can’t,” Kevin said. “It turned itself on, and I don’t know how to turn it off.”

Nick grabbed the chaff, threw it onto the ground, and began stomping on it. “Hey!” Kevin yelled, trying to push Nick away, but Nick held his brother off with a stiff arm and kept pounding on the chaff with his heel. The glass screen cracked, the casing broke into fragments, and the pulsing stopped.

Kevin, still held back b Nick’s grip on his shirt, began kicking at Nick’s shins. “That was mine! I found it!”

Nick, shaking with adrenaline and ager, threw Kevin down onto his bed, hard, bouncing him off the mattress and onto the floor. “You idiot, you may have just gotten us killed!”

FTC Advisory: HarperTeen provided me with a copy of Revolution 19. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.”

Dark Faerie Tales reviewed a book.

“Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: A dark, gothic tale set in a richly detailed world – a world that at times is hard to follow.

Opening Sentence: When Velveteen Monroe pictured Bonesaw’s house—and she did, more often than could be considered healthy—blood...”

“Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: A dark, gothic tale set in a richly detailed world – a world that at times is hard to follow.

Opening Sentence: When Velveteen Monroe pictured Bonesaw’s house—and she did, more often than could be considered healthy—blood striped the paint a muddy reddish- brown, internal organs floated in jars of formaldehyde, and great big taxidermy crows leered from branches that twisted from the wall like palsied arms.

The Review:

Velveteen is a dark, gothic tale about a girl’s journey within purgatory. Velvet is the leader of a group of “ghosts” in purgatory that help fight “hauntings”, “occult type worship”, “possessions” and more. Every time a strange occurrence happens, purgatory begins to fall apart and they must stop it. But Velvet is guilty of one of those things. She has been haunting, Bonesaw, the serial killer that is responsible for her death. If she is found out, she will never be able to move on. She will always be stuck in purgatory. She does justify her actions with the fact that she is saving other girls lives and making Bonesaw’s life hell in the process.

Even though the synopsis makes it sound like Bonesaw is the main storyline, it is just a small part of the picture being played out in this novel. Most of the story revolves around Velvet and her team trying to stop purgatory from falling apart and from a revolt that wants to see purgatory destroyed once and for all, releasing all ghosts being held there. These revolutionaries believe they should be set “free”.

Velveteen is a long and convoluted story. Purgatory isn’t the easiest place to understand so getting through it is like one mega info dump. I’m still not entirely sure I understood this version of Purgatory where it is always dark and the people have to cover up their glowing skin with ash in order to dim the brightness they give off and to keep their memories from escaping. The light is their memories if I remember correctly.

Although she hides this from her “friends”, Velveteen is a girl who was tragically murdered and she can’t get over having her revenge against the man who killed her. She “haunts” him even though she knows it is against the rules. Other than that, she seems like she has no problem with being dead or the rules of Purgatory. She has no desire to return and haunt a living body. Velvet (don’t call her that) sometimes discusses how she has no emotions and when she feels something she tries to remember so she can hold on to that emotion – but she wasn’t totally emotionless. She is often harsh towards her comrades and when Nick comes into her life she is rude to him, makes out with him, and is then rude to him again. Although she attributes fighting her emotions because two people on a team cannot be a couple. I never really connected with Velveteen even though I wanted to, I really did.

As much as it may feel like I am complaining about this book, there were parts about it that I did like. The originality to the story really helped. Purgatory, even though it was hard for me to understand, definitely was a world of its own. The way this world operated was a refreshing change. The descriptive writing was excellent even though sometimes I felt like I may have got lost in the details.

Overall, Velveteen is a descriptive novel set in an original world. I would only recommend this novel to those who like dark, heavy reads set in a “ghostly” realm.

Notable Scene:

“Go on, Quentin. It’s your time. You’re the man.” Kipper’s voice was choked with tears. “You’re the man.”

Quentin’s skin ?ickered. He glanced at Velvet and Nick and smiled the briefest of smiles before the glow beneath the thin layer of ash ?ashed brightly and then dimmed. The light behind his eyes died out. Kipper lifted the boy’s head and slid from underneath him, setting him gently back onto the cold stone ground.

He backed away, as did everyone else nearby. Velvet felt a hand slipping into hers and looked down to see Luisa, her expression a confused mix of pride and grief. Velvet reached out for Nick and pulled him backward.

As though a dark ?re had been set within Quentin’s prone form, his skin began to crackle and expand, puf?ng out where it wasn’t constricted by clothing. It dimpled and shed like dandruff, falling off in chunks and exploding into ash against the cobblestone, spilling into the indentations

between. And then, as if a jetty of wind swirled about the corpse, ash curled from Quentin’s exposed ?esh in big ?akes and ?oated around him. The depressions caved, creating sinkholes on his cheeks, in the hollow of his throat. His clothes caught ? re and were consumed in an instant. When all was said and done, all that was left of the boy was a pile of ash, as gray as a storm front.

Velvet shivered, her body suddenly a hollow shell.

Remainders were silent mysterious things. No one knew what exactly anchored them to purgatory’s ashen shore. She had suspicions— everyone did— and often ?gured hers had to do with feelings, or the lack of them. The confusion of emotion. And really, if she thought about it at all, that quiet

moment in the Shattered Hall, huddled over Nick, wrapping him in the warm solidity of the woolen peacoat, could very well have been her cue to ? ash burn and turn to ash.

You just never knew. Quentin had learned everything he’d needed to, and there was no reason to be sad about that, she supposed. At least, that’s what the Council of Station Agents told them to believe.

FTC Advisory: Delacorte Books for Young Readers/Random House provided me with a copy of Velveteen. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.”

Dark Faerie Tales reviewed a book.

“Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: This was a beautifully weaved story of life in the 1920’s. It is filled with magic, mystery, romance, and leaves you completely spellbound!

Opening Sentence: The hair on the back of my neck prickles even before I spot him...”

“Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: This was a beautifully weaved story of life in the 1920’s. It is filled with magic, mystery, romance, and leaves you completely spellbound!

Opening Sentence: The hair on the back of my neck prickles even before I spot him rounding the corner ahead.

The Review:

Anna Van Housen is a 16 year old girl living in the New York City in the roaring twenties. She is an assistant to her mother, the renowned medium Marguerite Van Housen. Magic runs in Anna’s blood and she has always felt a joy whenever she gets to perform magic in front of an audience. Her life has been a great mixture of living and performing in the circus, traveling, breaking her mother out of jail, swindling people, but now they have finally settled in one place and Anna hopes that it will be permanent. Anna has other talents besides creating amazing illusions, she also can read other people’s emotions and she has visions of the future. She is supposedly the illegitimate daughter of the infamous Harry Houdini, and she can’t help but wonder if her special abilities come from her father.

While trying to adjust to their new surroundings, a new mysterious young man moves into the flat downstairs. Cole is a strange, serious person and Anna finds that she can’t read him like she can most people. There is something about Cole that perks Anna’s interest and he seems to know more about her secrets than she wants. Cole introduces her to a life she never knew existed, are there really others like her out there? Can she really learn to control her powers and finally be able to live the life she has always wanted?

I completely adored Anna. She is a young magician with real magical powers. She has had a tough life moving all over and never really having a stable home. Her relationship with her mother has always been a competition. Anna truly loves her mother and wants to protect her, but she can’t help but feel that her mother would do anything to always be the center of attention. She knows that her mother cares about her, but she wonders if there is always an underlying reason for everything her mother does. The world of dating is also knew to Anna and we get to see her make mistakes and try to figure out what her heart truly wants. Anna was a very strong protagonist and I honestly can’t wait to see what is in store for her next.

Coal is the studious, broody, good looking guy that you just can’t help but swoon over. From the first moment I met Coal I was totally captivated by him. He is such a mystery and in the end he is actually really shy and unsure of himself. I loved the slowly developed relationship between Coal and Anna. They have some awkward moments as they get to know each other and it is so cute. Coal is a character that I couldn’t help but fall in love with and I am eager to read more of him in book 2.

I loved this book. The story was so unique and different from anything else I have ever read. I loved the magical aspect of story as well as the wonderful mystery. The plot was full of surprises and kept me very intrigued the whole way through. I loved that it takes place in New York City during the prohibition; it added an air of mystery to the story. I loved the characters, and the romance. They were written perfectly. I definitely can’t wait to read the next installment in this series. Also, I just have to say that I think the cover of this book is just gorgeous and it fits the book perfectly. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that loves magical illusions, or historical romance novels.

Notable Scene:

Usually, the first emotion I sense while doing this particular trick is excitement at being chosen, quickly followed by doubt that I can really do it. This man—for it is a man’s arm I feel under my fingers—is different. He’s intensely curious about me. I sense a barely concealed anticipation. There’s also a low buzz of suppressed energy coming from him, as if he’s thrown up a dam that is barely holding. I’ve never felt anything like it. Puzzled, I let him lead me through the theater, trying to pick up on his other emotions. Normally, the guide becomes a bit agitated as we near the needle, but that doesn’t happen tonight. He seems calm, patient. But there’s also something else. An emotion I can’t quite identify. Panic assaults me and my heart accelerates. Surely it’s been too long! Will I just wander around the plush aisles of the theater until the audience realizes I’ve failed?

I probe again, my hand tightening on his arm, and beads of sweat break out on my upper lip. Then it flashes over me as clearly as if he’s whispered it. I stop short, a sly smile coming to my lips. “Tricky!” I say, projecting so everyone can hear me. “The gentleman hid two pins! One over there,” I point vaguely toward the center of the theater, “and one in his pocket. The one in his pocket is the one I was looking for. The other is a decoy!”

Laughing, I whip off my blindfold.

And stare straight into Colin Archer’s handsome face.

FTC Advisory: Balzer & Bray/Harper Collins provided me with a copy of Born of Illusion. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.”

Dark Faerie Tales reviewed a book.

“Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: This was an awesome YA Dystopian book. There was great action, amazing characters, and a sweet romance. I would highly recommend this book, but fair warning — it is very hard to put down once you start reading.

Opening...”

“Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: This was an awesome YA Dystopian book. There was great action, amazing characters, and a sweet romance. I would highly recommend this book, but fair warning — it is very hard to put down once you start reading.

Opening Sentence: THEY ALWAYS SCREAMED.

The Review:

Wren Connolly died 5 years ago and 178 minutes later she woke up. She came back as a Reboot. There was a horrible virus that struck the U.S. and killed most of its inhabitants called KDH. KDH killed most people, but for a select few the virus caused them to Reboot. At first everyone thought that the virus was a miracle, but soon they realized that after coming back to life the people changed. They became a cold hard version of themselves with fewer emotions. The longer the time spent dead, the stronger, faster, and less emotional a Reboot is. Wren was dead the longest at 178 minutes which makes her the ultimate weapon.

Reboots are weapons for the HARC (Human Advancement and Repopulation Corporation). Shortly after people started rebooting there was a war and the Reboots lost. Now if a child reboots they are taken to a facility to be trained and to do what they are told. If an adult reboots they are eliminated right away because they are too dangerous. As a reboot you follow orders or you are eliminated — end of story. Wren has been training newbie’s for years now and her trainees always have the best survival rate. This time — Wren is training Callum. His number is 22 and he is practically still human. He is slow, is always questioning things, and is far too cheerful. Wren hasn’t felt emotions in years, but the more she is around Callum to more she starts to feel. When she is given the order to eliminate Callum, Wren does something she has never done before — she disobeys orders. Wren will do whatever it takes to save him, even the impossible task of escaping the HARC.

I totally loved Wren. She is a kick butt heroine with spunk and attitude. Wren was dead longer than anyone else so she doesn’t really feel many emotions, but some have recently started to appear. She has done what she needs to do to survive. She knows that she is a slave to the HARC, but she has a bed to sleep in and a full stomach every night and that is a big improvement from her human life. People have always respected her, but everyone fears her as well until she meets Callum. With his easy smile, and boyish charm, Wren starts to feel things she has never felt before. Callum helps her recognize that she is more human than she originally thought. Wren is an amazing heroine with a strong voice and a great story.

Callum is such a sweetheart. With his good looks and charming easy going personality he is totally someone you can fall in love with. He has this really great confidence and knows that he is a catch, but it isn’t overdone to where he is cocky or annoying. Since his number is so low he is basically the same as a human, just a little more durable. His can’t shut out his emotions like most of the other reboots so when it comes to hurting others he won’t do it without a explainable reason. The HARC doesn’t like questions, you are supposed to follow orders and that’s the end of it. Because Callum is so hesitant, he is putting himself at a great risk, but doing the right thing is more important than his life. He is a really good person all around and some of his goodness rubs off on Wren. I loved his relationship with Wren. They have amazing chemistry. He treats Wren like an equal. Honestly, Callum is quickly climbing the ladders to become one of my all time favorite book boys.

Reboot is one of those books that you pick up and start reading and hours later you realize you are almost done. Right from the get go you are catapulted into this amazing intense story. It is filled with great action, awesome characters, and an unforgettable romance. The plot was unique and very captivating. The flow of the book was perfect and the writing was exceptional. This is Tintera’s debut novel and I have become a fan for life. I will be eagerly awaiting the next book in the series. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys YA Dystopian books. I promise you will enjoy it.

Notable Scene:

It was Callum, with a little Reboot. Thirteen years old or so. The boy was crazed, thrashing about and trying desperately to bite Callum. He’d already succeeded several times, from the looks of Twenty-two’s bloodied arms.

I didn’t know the kid’s number, but I could guess. Under sixty. And recently given shots. Callum desperately tried to run but the crowd had penned him in. The kid lunged and sunk his teeth into Callum’s arm, tearing off a piece of flesh.

Callum snatched it away with a look of utter horror and confusion. His eyes darted around the circle and rested on me, his relief obvious.I wasn’t sure anyone had ever been happy to see me.

“Hey!” I yelled. The Reboots started scattering right away and I grasped the kid’s shirt as he went for Callum again. I punched him across the face, hard, and tossed him along the floor, in the direction of the door. Weren’t the guards going to come get him? They were just going to leave him in here like this?

A few of the Under-sixties headed for the kid so I turned back to Callum, kneeling down next to him. I opened my mouth to yell, to demand why he hadn’t punched the smaller, weaker kid trying to devour him, when he wrapped his arms around my waist and hugged me.

“Thank you,” he said, his breathing still heavy and panicked.

FTC Advisory: Harper Collins provided me with a copy of Reboot. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.”

Dark Faerie Tales reviewed a book.

“Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: This was a beautifully woven tale, filled with fun characters, a good plot, sweet romance and a wonderful middle age/modern day setting.

Opening Sentence: On a hillside stood three figures.

The Review:

Tessa...”

“Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: This was a beautifully woven tale, filled with fun characters, a good plot, sweet romance and a wonderful middle age/modern day setting.

Opening Sentence: On a hillside stood three figures.

The Review:

Tessa is a 17 year old girl that has never really believed in fate. She lives with her father and her mother passed away 4 years ago in a terrible car accident. Tessa’s father owns a book shop and he has just recently attended an auction where he got a few old books a beautiful tapestry of a unicorn. Her dad gives her the tapestry and soon after she starts to have very vivid dreams about a brutal hunt for a unicorn and things from the past. Hundreds of years ago 7 life threads were stolen from the Fates and weaved into the tapestry that Tessa now owns. One day she finds a loose thread and decides to pull it out, and she releases a terrible secret. She also happens to release William de Chaucy, a gorgeous nobleman from the 16th century, who has been stuck in the tapestry all these years. Now Will and Tessa have to correct the wrongs of the past, but time is running out. The Fates have discovered that Tessa has the missing threads in her possession and they think that she is the one that stole them. If she can’t give them back in time everything she loves will be destroyed.

Tessa is our heroine in this book and she was a likable character. She has a stubborn streak in her but she is very sensible most of the time. She loves to read (which I loved of course). She is also an artist, but she really hasn’t done much since her mother passed away. She is faced with a lot of tough decisions throughout the book but she faces them head on and doesn’t shy away from a challenge. I felt that she was a strong protagonist and I really enjoyed reading her story.

Will is handsome, arrogant and chivalrous all rolled into one. He totally captivated me right from the first moment I met him. He grew up in a time where he was a lord and he is use to people doing what he says. When he meets Tessa she is stubborn and so different from any of the girls from his time, but she is also slightly familiar. Will and Tessa have great chemistry and they are really cute together. Will is a total gentleman and he just made me swoon. I definitely fell in love with him right along with Tessa.

First off, I just have to say that I love books that have a historical setting mixed with modern day. Warped was a really fun read for me. The characters were very charming and fun to get to know. There is good action with a fun and an interesting plot. The romance was sweet and really well developed. Warped was a nicely woven tale, intermixing fantasy, myth, and the middle ages. The story really kept me intrigued the whole way through and I had a hard time putting it down. This is the first book that I have read by Guibord, but it will definitely not be my last. I would highly recommend this to anyone that likes YA fantasy books with a medieval twist to it.

Notable Scene:

A young man crouched on the floor beside her, gasping for breath and shaking. Tessa stared as he raised his head to look at her. Dark blonde hair fell in coarse tangles across his forehead and reached to his shoulders. His eyes, an intense, startling golden brown, were ringed with dark lashes.

Tessa was so surprised, her scream came out only as a strangled gasp. She scuttled backward, away from him, and scrambled to her feet. Her heart was pounding. “Okay, wake up,” Tessa told herself. “Wake up.”

The guy stared at her. He was panting in deep, heaving breaths, as if he’d been running. He stood. He was tall, and dressed in a gray cloak and suede pants and boots; all were torn and muddy. His lean, tanned face was dirty too, and he had an ugly gash down one cheek.

FTC Advisory: Delacorte Books for Young Readers/Random House provided me with a copy of Warped. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.”

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bittenbyparanormalromance reviewed a book.

“Eternal Nights is a great read for those who love books like the BDB. The author creates a wonderful world with multiple POVs and multiple love stories in one book. All the characters grow with each passing book. Meaning you’ll still be reading about couples from previous books and seeing their...”

“Eternal Nights is a great read for those who love books like the BDB. The author creates a wonderful world with multiple POVs and multiple love stories in one book. All the characters grow with each passing book. Meaning you’ll still be reading about couples from previous books and seeing their love story continuing to grow in each passing book.

The author creates a different world for her characters and it’s easy to understand, just be prepared to take things slow so you won’t get confused between the different characters changes. I do suggest to the author to create a list of characters on her website so it would be easy for readers to look up the various characters and keep up as they read.

As for Jessica and Raphael, what I read about them was okay, I just wanted to get to know them more instead of the others, but that’s just me. I did get to read a lot about Ronan (which is Jennifer’s father) and his new mate Jasmine; they really stole the whole book for me.

I recommend this book to a reader who love multiple POVs. If you’re one that loves reading about one couple and seeing them grow in that one book then I suggest you pass on this one, unless you’re up for a challenge. If you decide you are up to the challenge, you shouldn’t be disappointed because the world this author creates is really different and interesting and the characters are very lovable.

I received this copy from the author for an honest review.”

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Keli Gwyn rated a book.

• Rated 5 stars