Book Review (98) Once In A Full Moon - Ellen Schreiber

Once in a Full Moon (Full Moon #1)

by Ellen Schreiber

Publication: January 2011

Publisher: Murdoch Books

Pages: 292

Genre: Paranormal

Age Appropriate: Young Adult 

Beware of a kiss under the full moon. 

It will change your life forever. 

Celeste Parker is used to hearing scary stories about werewolves—Legend’s Run is famous for them. She’s used to everything in the small town until the mysterious Brandon Maddox moves to Legend’s Run. Despite already having the perfect boyfriend, Celeste finds herself immediately drawn to the handsome new student. After a chance encounter late one night with a pack of wolves, Celeste is rescued by gorgeous, enigmatic Brandon. Is Brandon’s transformation a trick of the shadows in the moonlight? Or is there more to the werewolf stories of Legend’s Run?

My Thoughts.

I am a huge fan of Schreiber's series Vampire Kisses so I've always wanted to get around to reading this series and see what her take on the werewolf myth would be.

I have to say I wasn't disappointed and her take on werewolves is different from other books which is a nice change.

Celeste is a popular girl in school with her football star boyfriend Nash, but she's come to realise that she's doesn't really love him and she's only with him because it's what's expected of her and whom her best friends want her to be with.

Legend's Run is divided by Eastern and Western in other words Rich/Poor and at the local High School which was used by both cliques are determined by your residence and in which area you live.

One day a new student Brandon turns up and as soon as Celeste and his eyes meet there is a connection and Celeste can't stop thinking about him but since he's from the poor side of town she's not meant to associate with him.

One afternoon after having a reading done by a psychic with her best friends Ivy and Abby she decides to walk home while doing so it starts snowing quite heavily and she gets lost, while yelling for help a group of wolves surround her but she is saved by Brandon who scares them away with a stick but not before being bitten first.

After that Celeste can't stop thinking of him and after they start meeting in secret they start to fall in love with each other, but you see that bite that Brandon got while saving Celeste isn't just any ordinary bite and it will change both their lives forever.

I loved Celeste and Brandon as a couple they were so sweet together and I was definitely glad that she broke up with Nash who was so self absorbed that his idea of a date was to take Celeste to watch his sport practice (romantic? I think not) and it's not until they break up that to win her back he decides to act as a boyfriend should but it's definitely too little too late.

I just wish that Celeste hadn't spent so much time worrying about what everybody else thinks and just did whatever it was she wanted to do.

This kept me captivated and I read it all in one sitting, if you like the Vampire Kisses series you should love this too.

I give this 4/5.

A Big Thanks To Deanna @ Murdoch Books Australia.

Cover Reveal: Gone At Zero Hundred 00:00 - C.R Hiatt

Synopsis.

Sydney Marie McSwain and her pal, Cody Beck, team up to take on a secret club called The Devil’s Door where members are branded with the tattoo of a devil and call themselves The Privileged Ones.

Sydney Marie McSwain – a tomboy who yearned for a father.

Cody Beck – a wannabe filmmaker, wisenheimer and flirt.

Jaden White – the star who led the high school hockey team to two championships, and was now on the A-list for NHL scouts.

Sydney Marie McSwain loves her mom, Anna – a private investigator in the coastal city where they live – but they had a major issue between them. Anna refused to give Sydney the identity of her father. On the day of her high school graduation, they were battling it out, once again. An hour later, Sydney, Cody and Jaden were at the local café, and watched as Anna was gunned down, and it was broadcasted on live TV.

Faced with immediate responsibility, Sydney and Cody agreed to take over the agency, only they changed the name to McSwain & Beck. At the same time, Sydney convinced Sutter Beach Detective, Ace Carter, to help her track down her father.

Out of the blue, a model walked in and hired them to follow her step-brother. While Cody was busy editing a trailer to solicit new clients, Sydney settled into her lemon-yellow pickup to do surveillance, and wound up staking out a secret club called The Devil’s Door whose suspicious members wore the tattoo of a devil.

That same night, Sydney received a call from one of her mom’s former clients, only the client was gunned down at the location where they agreed to meet. The mysterious discovery of a DVD revealed the possibility that teenagers were being abducted, only nobody reported them missing.

On the hunt for the victims, McSwain & Beck were chased by men in ski masks, nearly gunned down by members of a cartel called the outlaws, Sydney’s precious pickup was broken into; then the step-brother they were hired to follow, was found dead and Sydney was the number one suspect.

If things weren’t bad enough already, they had to figure out how to crash a red-carpet Mardi Gras bash being held on a private cruise ship, before it sailed off into the sunset, where they just might meet the devil, himself.

Now, the clock was ticking…

And time was running out…

How was she ever going to find her father, now?

“Their lives were in the hands of two 18 year-olds…”

Title: Gone at Zero Hundred 00:00

Genre: YA action-mystery thriller

Published: March 30, 2012

Author: CR HIATT

Website: http://www.crhiatt.com/

Blog: mcswainandbeck.com

Twitter: @mcswainandbeck

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/CRHIATT?bookmark_t=page

(ARC) Book Review (97) - Betrayed (The Guardian Legacy #2) - Ednah Walters

Betrayed (The Guardian Legacy #2)

by Ednah Walters 

Publication: 5th June 2012

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Pages: 336

Genre: Paranormal

Age Appropriate: Young Adult

** Warning Contains Spoilers From The Previous Book In The Series**

Lil isn't just an average teenager. She's one of the Nephilim--the descendants of humans and angels--which gives her some serious psi skills and a mission for redemption. Just when Lil thinks she's found a balance between her normal life with human friends and her training to become a Guardian, she's warned that someone close to her will betray her. When the boy she loves starts acting strangely and one of her human friends acquires a supernatural ability, Lil begins to realize that someone is manipulating the people she loves... and won't stop until she's been lured to the dark side.

My Thoughts.

This series just gets better and better, Ednah Walters name should be up there with the likes of Stephenie Meyer and Richelle Mead, why it isn't is beyond me.

In most series the sophomore release is usually not as good as the first but this book definitely surpassed it's predecessor Awakened and that book was fantastic!

Words cannot explain how much I loved this, it is high up on my favourite series for sure  and I'm highly anticipating the next book in the series Hunted.

I would suggest that you read the first book Awakened before delving into this one, only because there's a lot of information you find out in that book which helps to set up the storyline in Betrayed.

This book takes place eight months after the end of the last book and Lil is pretty much on house arrest, she's not allowed to go out hunting with the other trainee guardians and her spare time away from school is spent training with a new trainer Master Haziel, or leather face as Lil refers to him.

Lil starts getting phone calls from her father Valafar even after her phone is completely destroyed it's then that she realises that he's using a medium someone she knows and not only that there is a traitor among the guardians who is feeding knowledge to Valafar.

Bran starts to act really strange, he's never around and when he is he's very distracted, Lil knows he's keeping something from her but he won't tell her what it is.

Of course the trainee guardians are all back Sykes, Remy, Izzy and Kim, I love these characters there is not one character in this series that I'm not interested in reading about and I love that, I especially love the interactions between Sykes and Lil they are hilarious and then add Bran into the mix and it's just laugh out loud funny, as much as I love Sykes I'm glad that Walters hasn't gone down the same path that most other authors do and add in a love triangle, Lil and Bran are perfect together.

We actually get to see Izzy's powers in action which I love as we never really got to see them in the last book, Grampa looks set to start a relationship with Cardinal (Aunt) Janelle, helped along by both Lil and Janelle herself which is really sweet it's about time that he had someone for himself and to let go of his past.

And Lil's human friends are back Kylie, Mackenzie, Nikki and Amelia, but Kylie ad Mackenzie start acting weird as well and Lil feels like she's losing everyone she loves, Celeste (Bran's sister) is in this book a whole lot I really like her character and I like that Lil has a friend that she can talk to about all the supernatural happenings.

As for the end and the traitor well I definitely got that one wrong I changed my mind a couple of times through the book but was wrong both times, which reflects on how good Walters writing is.

I'm so happy to have discovered this series and it's author and I look forward to another exciting instalment next year.

I give this a huge 5/5.

A Huge Thanks To Spencer Hill Press For Allowing Me To Review This Book.

In My Mailbox (32).

In My Mailbox Is A Weekly Meme Hosted By Kristi The Story Siren.

Review.

The Golden Lily (Bloodlines #2) - Richelle Mead (Penguin Australia)

Unrest - Michelle Harrison (Simon And Schuster Australia)

Deadly Hemlock (Hemlock #1) - Kathleen Peacock (Simon And Schuster Australia)

The Meryl Streep Movie Club - Mia March (Simon And Schuster Australia)

Brought.

All These Lives - Sarah Wylie

Storm's Heart - Elder Races #2) - Thea Harrison

Arise (Hereafter #2) - Tara Hudson

Rapture (Fallen #4) - Lauren Kate

Monument 14 (Monument 14 #1) - Emmy Laybourne

Elemental (Elemental Trilogy #1) - Emily White

Dead To You - Lisa McMann

Where It Began - Ann Redisch Stampler

Touch Of Frost (Mythos Academy #1) - Jennifer Estep

Someone Else's Life - Katie Dale

Dragonswood - Janet Lee Carey

Pure (Covenant #2) - Jennifer L. Armentrout

Magic Of The Moonlight (Full Moon #2) - Ellen Schreiber

Arcadia Awakens (Arkadien #1) - Kai Meyer

The Story Of Us - Deb Caletti

The Night Circus - Erin Morgernstern

Halflings - (Halflings #1) - Heather Burch

10 Books I'd Love Arcs Of Right Now!

Velveteen (Velveteen #1)

by Daniel Marks 

Velveteen Monroe is dead. At 16, she was kidnapped and murdered by a madman named Bonesaw. But that's not the problem.

The problem is she landed in purgatory. And while it's not a fiery inferno, it's certainly no heaven. It's gray, ashen, and crumbling more and more by the day, and everyone has a job to do. Which doesn't leave Velveteen much time to do anything about what's really on her mind.

Bonesaw.

Velveteen aches to deliver the bloody punishment her killer deserves. And she's figured out just how to do it. She'll haunt him for the rest of his days. 

It'll be brutal . . . and awesome.

But crossing the divide between the living and the dead has devastating consequences. Velveteen's obsessive haunting cracks the foundations of purgatory and jeopardizes her very soul. A risk she's willing to take—except fate has just given her reason to stick around: an unreasonably hot and completely off-limits coworker.

Velveteen can't help herself when it comes to breaking rules . . . or getting revenge. And she just might be angry enough to take everyone down with her. 

Crewel (Crewel World #1)

by Gennifer Albin 

Incapable. Awkward. Artless.

That’s what the other girls whisper behind her back. But sixteen year-old Adelice Lewys has a secret: she wants to fail.

Gifted with the ability to weave time with matter, she’s exactly what the Guild is looking for, and in the world of Arras, being chosen as a Spinster is everything a girl could want. It means privilege, eternal beauty, and being something other than a secretary. It also means the power to embroider the very fabric of life. But if controlling what people eat, where they live and how many children they have is the price of having it all, Adelice isn’t interested.

Not that her feelings matter, because she slipped and wove a moment at testing, and they’re coming for her—tonight.

Now she has one hour to eat her mom’s overcooked pot roast. One hour to listen to her sister’s academy gossip and laugh at her Dad’s stupid jokes. One hour to pretend everything’s okay. And one hour to escape.

Because once you become a Spinster, there’s no turning back.

Beta (Beta #1)

by Rachel Cohn

In a world constructed to absolute perfection, imperfection is difficult to understand—and impossible to hide.

Elysia is a clone, created in a laboratory, born as a sixteen year old girl, an empty vessel with no life experience to draw from. She is a Beta, an experimental model of teenaged clone. She was replicated from another teenage girl, who had to die in order for Elysia to be created.

Elysia's purpose is to serve the inhabitants of Demesne, an island paradise for the wealthiest people on earth. Everything about Demesne is bioengineered for perfection. Even the air there induces a strange, euphoric high that only the island's workers—soulless clones like Elysia—are immune to.

At first, Elysia's new life on this island paradise is idyllic and pampered. But she soon sees that Demesne's human residents, the most privileged people in the world who should want for nothing, yearn. And, she comes to realize that beneath its flawless exterior, there is an undercurrent of discontent amongst Demesne's worker clones. She knows she is soulless and cannot feel and should not care—so why are overpowering sensations clouding Elysia's mind?

If anyone discovers that Elysia isn't the unfeeling clone she must pretend to be, she will suffer a fate too terrible to imagine. When Elysia's one chance at happiness is ripped away from her with breathtaking cruelty, emotions she's always had but never understood are unleashed. As rage, terror, and desire threaten to overwhelm her, Elysia must find the will to survive.

Poison Princess (The Arcana Chronicles #1)

by Kresley Cole 

Sixteen-year-old Evie Greene thought her horrific apocalyptic hallucinations were a sign that she was slowly losing her mind. But when her visions come true, decimating the world around her and killing everyone she loves, Evie is forced to accept that she was seeing the future.

Fighting for her life and desperate for answers, she turns to wrong-side-of-the-bayou classmate, the gorgeous and dangerous Jackson Deveaux for help. As Jackson and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have got the same call and discover that Evie is not the only one with special powers. An ancient prophesy is being played out, and as the battle between good and evil intensifies, it is not always clear who is on which side…

Alice in Zombieland (White Rabbit Chronicles #1)

by Gena Showalter

She won’t rest until she’s sent every walking corpse back to its grave. Forever.

Had anyone told Alice Bell that her entire life would change course between one heartbeat and the next, she would have laughed. From blissful to tragic, innocent to ruined? Please. But that’s all it took. One heartbeat. A blink, a breath, a second, and everything she knew and loved was gone.

Her father was right. The monsters are real….

To avenge her family, Ali must learn to fight the undead. To survive, she must learn to trust the baddest of the bad boys, Cole Holland. But Cole has secrets of his own, and if Ali isn’t careful, those secrets might just prove to be more dangerous than the zombies….


I wish I could go back and do a thousand things differently.
I'd tell my sister no.
I'd never beg my mother to talk to my dad.
I'd zip my lips and swallow those hateful words.
Or, barring all of that, I'd hug my sister, my mom and my dad one last time.
I'd tell them I love them.
I wish... Yeah, I wish.

Splintered

by A.G. Howard 

For sixteen years, Alyssa Gardner has lived with the stigma of being descended from Alice Liddell -- the real life inspiration for Lewis Carroll's famed novel, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. But cruel jokes about dormice and tea parties can’t compare to the fact that Alyssa hears the whispers of bugs and flowers ... the same quirk which sent her mother to a mental institution years before.

When her mother takes a turn for the worse and the whispers grow too strong for Alyssa to bear, she seeks the origins of their family curse. A set of heirlooms and a moth tied to an unusual website lead Alyssa and her gorgeous best friend / secret crush, Jeb, down the rabbit hole into the real Wonderland, a place more twisted and eerie than Lewis Carroll ever let on.

There, creepy counterparts of the original fairytale crew reveal the purpose for Alyssa’s journey, and unless she fixes the things her great-great-great grandmother Alice put wrong, Wonderland will have her head.

Iced: A Dani O'Malley Novel (Fever World #1)

by Karen Marie Moning

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Karen Marie Moning comes the first book in her hotly anticipated new urban paranormal trilogy, set in the world of her blockbuster Fever series.

The year is 1 AWC—After the Wall Crash. The Fae are free and hunting us. It’s a war zone out there, and no two days are alike. I’m Dani O’Malley, the chaos-filled streets of Dublin are my home, and there’s no place I’d rather be. 

Dani “Mega” O’Malley plays by her own set of rules—and in a world overrun by Dark Fae, her biggest rule is: Do what it takes to survive. Possessing rare talents and the all-powerful Sword of Light, Dani is more than equipped for the task. In fact, she’s one of the rare humans who can defend themselves against the Unseelie. But now, amid the pandemonium, her greatest gifts have turned into serious liabilities.

Dani’s ex–best friend, MacKayla Lane, wants her dead, the terrifying Unseelie princes have put a price on her head, and Inspector Jayne, the head of the police force, is after her sword and will stop at nothing to get it. What’s more, people are being mysteriously frozen to death all over the city, encased on the spot in sub-zero, icy tableaux. 

When Dublin’s most seductive nightclub gets blanketed in hoarfrost, Dani finds herself at the mercy of Ryodan, the club’s ruthless, immortal owner. He needs her quick wit and exceptional skill to figure out what’s freezing Fae and humans dead in their tracks—and Ryodan will do anything to ensure her compliance.

Dodging bullets, fangs, and fists, Dani must strike treacherous bargains and make desperate alliances to save her beloved Dublin—before everything and everyone in it gets iced.

Lover At Last (Black Dagger Brotherhood #11)

by J.R. Ward

On JR Ward's Facebook for March 31st 2013: 

THEIR TIME HAS COME. 2013- NEXT BDB HARDCOVER.....BLAY & QHUINN!!!!

Glitch (Glitch #1)

by Heather Anastasiu

In the Community, there is no more pain or war. Implanted computer chips have wiped humanity clean of destructive emotions, and thoughts are replaced by a feed from the Link network.

When Zoe starts to malfunction (or “glitch”), she suddenly begins having her own thoughts, feelings, and identity. Any anomalies must be immediately reported and repaired, but Zoe has a secret so dark it will mean certain deactivation if she is caught: her glitches have given her uncontrollable telekinetic powers.

As Zoe struggles to control her abilities and stay hidden, she meets other glitchers including Max, who can disguise his appearance, and Adrien, who has visions of the future. Both boys introduce Zoe to feelings that are entirely new. Together, this growing band of glitchers must find a way to free themselves from the controlling hands of the Community before they’re caught and deactivated, or worse.

In this action-packed debut, Glitch begins an exciting new young adult trilogy.

A Fractured Light (A Beautiful Dark #2)

by Jocelyn Davies

When she wakes up in unfamiliar surroundings, Skye knows something terrible has happened to her. But it's not until she hears Asher, the dark, rebellious angel she fell in love with, that the memories come flooding back. She tries to put the past behind her, but she knows she'll be forever haunted by the ruthless betrayal that almost took her life.

Skye returns home, but with the knowledge of who she really is, nothing can ever be the same. As she tests the limits of her newfound powers, Skye discovers that she's capable of far more than anyone could have imagined. Both the Order and the Rebellion want her for their side as war between the factions looms. She can't forget the terrifying truth she now knows about the Order, but something holds her back from embracing the Rebellion. 

A Fractured Light picks up right after A Beautiful Dark's shocking cliffhanger ending and is perfect for fans of Lauren Kate's Fallen and Becca Fitzpatrick's Hush, Hush saga.

Cover Reveal 'Stung - Bethany Wiggins'.

I thought I'd share the cover for Bethany Wiggins upcoming book Stung.
It was part of one of my recent posts Upcoming Books That Don't Yet Have A Cover and the author Bethany has let me know that the cover is up on Amazon and so I thought I'd post it for people to see.
I'm excited for this one it's been on my wishlist for a while.

Stung

by Bethany Wiggins

Government attempts to save endangered bees by genetic modification causes their sting to induce deadly, flu-like symptoms in humans. A vaccine created in response changes children into ferocious, killer beasts. The uninfected have built a wall to keep the beasts out, & a girl has awakened on the wrong side.

Expected publication: April 2nd 2013 by Walker

Feature And Follow Friday (30).

Q: Happy Father’s Day! Who is your favorite dad character in a book and why?

I would definitely say Charlie from Twilight, he's funny and witty and you can also see how much he loves Bella.

Rapture Blog Tour.

Welcome, today I am hosting this stop on the Australian Blog Tour for Lauren Kate's book Rapture, the fourth and final book in the series.
I will be posting an interview with Lauren, and posting the Rapture book trailer.
A big thanks to Lauren and Dot from Random House Australia for setting this tour up.

1.         Were any of your characters modeled after anyone?

Nearly all of them were modeled after real people—except for Daniel. Luce is based on my oldest, closest friend. Cam is based on my husband (yes, I’m married to the devil). Arriane is an amalgamation of the crazy friends I’ve collected over the years. Daniel, on the other hand, is based around Luce. I wanted his character to fit her character precisely, to grow into her as she grows, to fill the empty spaces around her.

2.         If you had to pick, who would you choose - Daniel or Cam?

Well I have already married Cam…lucky for Luce, she can have Daniel.

3.         What can we expect next book-wise? Are you still staying with the Paranormal genre?

I’m working on something exciting and new. Like the Fallen novels, this next series takes an old, familiar story and injects an impossible love into its backbones. It’s been invigorating and challenging to move away from the world I was so comfortable with: new rules, new voices, new obstacles to overcome. My lips are forcibly sealed from giving away more details at the moment, but I’m excited to share the news as soon as I can. 

4.         Were you a big reader when you were younger? If so what were your favourites?

My mother is a teacher, so I spent half my childhood moseying around our local public library while she worked on her lesson plans. I love Roald Dahl, Ellen Raskin, Lois Lowry, S. E. Hinton. My first swoony book crush was on Rhett Butler from Gone with the Wind.

5.         And finally you're hosting a dinner party - which book characters would you invite along?

Most of my favorite fictional characters might make for a somewhat violent social dinner party. Mosca Mye from Fly by Night. Alaska fromLooking for Alaska. Rhett Butler—though, with the aforementioned two guests, I might have to keep an eye on him. Grégoire Bouillier’s persona from the mystery guest. Jack and Barbara from Don DeLillo’s White Noise. Martha and George from Whose Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Haymitch would be entertaining.

I’d anticipate a lot of broken dishware after this soiree.

A list of the other blogs taking part in the tour.

12th June: http://treasuredtalesforyoungadults.wordpress.com/

13th June: http://www.girl.com.au/

14th June: http://beautyandlace.net/

15th June: http://headstuckinabook.blogspot.com.au/  - This Is Me

18th June: http://eleusinianmysteriesofreading.blogspot.com.au/

19th June: http://bookprobereviews.com/

20th June: http://www.shiirleyysbookshelf.blogspot.com.au/

21st June: http://nicegirlsreadbooks.com/

22nd June: https://www.facebook.com/fallenbooks

Hope you all enjoyed the interview, thanks for stopping by and if you get the chance stop on by the other blogs as well.

Book Review (96).

Awakened (The Guardian Legacy #1)

by Ednah Walters 

Publication: 22nd August 2010
Publisher: Pill Hill Press
Pages: 272
Genre: Paranormal
Age Appropriate: Young Adult


Most teens turn sixteen and get the license to drive, but Lil Falcon gets the license to kill demons. Orphaned as a child and raised by an eccentric grandfather, Lil is concerned with surviving high school and is unaware that she's a Guardian-a being with super powers charged with killing demons and protecting humanity. When she meets Bran, a mysterious boy with amazing abilities, his psi energy unlocks her latent powers. But Bran has a secret that can ruin their growing relationship, and the truth she discovers may destroy everything she believes in unless she finds the right balance between love and sacrifice.

My Thoughts.

I absolutely loved this book, after having been sent the second book in the series to review I ordered this one so I wouldn't be confused when I got to it, the cover I wasn't a big fan of at first but it eventually grew on me and is very accurate to Bran a character in the book.

We jump straight into the story which I loved instead of having to wait a while to find out what was going on, Lilith 'Lil' hears a boy's voice in her head telling her to meet him outside a bit wary she goes and finds a boy her age Bran who asks for her help , with the things he tells her she thinks he's lost his mind, but she soon discovers her life has all been a lie her Grampa has kept a lot of things from her, not only about herself but about who he really is too.
She's a Guardian tasked with saving humans from the demons that want to take there souls.

I loved everything about this book the storyline was fantastic with all the different I guess you could say species of angels and demons which are: Xenith, Hermonites, Guardians, Neteru, Werenephil, Nosferatu, Souled Demons, Nephlings and Nature Benders.

To have a world where it's not your typical good angel and fallen angel makes this so much more exciting and intriguing and I enjoyed finding out about them all and their different powers and such.
Some of the powers that are used in this book include: telepathy, teleportation, mind persuasion, healing, the ability to change time, telekinisis and the list goes on.
Lil has a gypsy heritage that she's proud of and mostly dresses the part with the skirts and the jewellery and travels around with her Grampa in a trailer from place to place.


We also meet other trainee Guardians at Lil's school Remy, Sykes, Izzy and Kim and they all train together of course once they find out about Bran they're wary and don't trust him.
I loved the interaction between Lil and Bran they make such a cute couple, there isn't really any character here that I felt bored reading about.


I really can't say enough good things about this book, now off to get lost in the second book.


I give this 5/5.