[Review] Touched by Corrine Jackson

Touched
Sense Thieves (book one)
Corrine Jackson
November 27, 2012
K-Teen


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Remy O'Malley heals people with touch - but every injury she cures becomes her own. Living in a household with an abusive stepfather, she has healed untold numbers of broken bones, burns, and bruises. And then one night her stepfather goes too far. Being sent to live with her estranged father offers a clean start and she is eager to take it. Enter Asher Blackwell. Once a Protector of Healers, Asher sacrificed his senses to become immortal. Only by killing a Healer can a Protector recover their human senses. Falling in love is against the rules between these two enemies. Because Remy has the power to make Protectors human again, and when they find out, they'll be coming for her - if Asher doesn't kill her first.

I have to be honest, I picked this book up after I realized I got the sequel for review. Not wanting to go into book two with no clue what was happening I bought this, Touched, book one in Sense Thieves series, and hurried up to read it. I have another confession, I looked at some of the other reviews online and at Goodreads as well before I dived in. I agree with most of the reviews out there that Touched does not add anything new to the YA scene and that it is basically Twilight fan fiction. Even the cover gives that impression with the open palm holding an object (flower instead of apple). Knowing there things about the book I went into it with an open mind and ended up finding the story quite enjoyable.

The story starts off with Remy an abused girl, but a survivor, living with mother and step father. One night after her step father sends her to hospital Remy's dad comes and takes her away. Once her dad realizes how bad the abuse is he insists she come live with him and his family. Remy soon finds a home with her sister, dad, and step mom. She has a secret, one that only her mother knew, and that is that she is a healer. Her powers are like no others because she can also hurt people too. Then she meets a boy. Because that is what always happens in these stories. This boy has secrets and powers of his own and together they must work together to save Remy from a threat... dun dun dun.

Again, I did end up liking the book and it was pretty good. Parts of the book I thought were cheesy. The story line itself is cheesy. The love story between Asher and Remy was romantic and I felt the sparks fly off the page. I did think that Asher saying that if anything happened to Remy it would all be over for him was a bit cheesy. I guess if you are an immortal boy who has been alive for hundreds of years. Living an eternity without the love of your life might be rough. I like that Remy was tough. I think that no matter what else life throws at her she would survive because she has already been through so much. I liked the strength and willingness Remy had to do whatever it took to save her loved ones. I liked that by the end Remy  and Asher had become a team, each proving they would do whatever it takes to be together and protect each other from danger. The ending left it open with more questions and secrets revealed that I am more than intrigued to read the next book. I am jsut glad I don't have to wait and I can jump right into book two.

In the end I give Touched, book one in the Sense Thieves series, three laser pistols. It ended up being a very romantic, action packed, full of emotion kind of read. It was actually a pretty good read. I recommend this book if you're looking for a quick entertaining read about love and survival.

[Launch + Giveaway] Entangled's New Adult Line: Entangled Embrace

Entangled Embrace is Entangled's New Adult line, launching today with three fantastic books! If you are looking for something new and mesmerizing, embrace the endless possibilities that this brand new Entangled Publishing new adult line offers!

Trouble Comes Knocking by Mary Duncanson

A girl who can’t forget…

Twenty-two-year-old Lucy Carver is like Sherlock Holmes in ballet flats, but her eidetic memory is more albatross than asset, and something she usually keeps hidden. When she notices that something’s amiss at her dead-end job, she jumps at the chance to finally use her ability for good. That is, until, a man is murdered, and she becomes the target of the killer.

A detective on his first case…

Detective Eli Reyes is overbearing, pompous, way too hot for Lucy’s own good, and seems as determined to ruin her relationship with her boyfriend, John, as finding the murderer. He brings Lucy in on the case, thinking she can help him get to the truth, only to cut her loose when he realizes he’s gotten far more than he ever bargained for.

A past that won’t go away…

When memories from her childhood invade her present, Lucy discovers a mystery bigger than she could have imagined. With the killer still after her, and Eli nowhere to be found, she takes things into her own hands, determined to expose the truth no matter what—before trouble comes knocking…again.

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Hushed by Kelley York

Eighteen-year-old Archer couldn't protect his best friend, Vivian, from what happened when they were kids, so he's never stopped trying to protect her from everything else. It doesn't matter that Vivian only uses him when hopping from one toxic relationship to another. Archer is always there, waiting to be noticed.

Then along comes Evan, the only person who's ever cared about Archer without a single string attached. The harder he falls for Evan, the more Archer sees Vivian for the manipulative hot-mess she really is.

But Viv has her hooks in deep, and when she finds out about the murders Archer's committed and his relationship with Evan, she threatens to turn him in if she doesn't get what she wants...

And what she wants is Evan's death, and for Archer to forfeit his last chance at redemption.

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Definitely, Maybe in Love by Ophelia London

Her theory of attraction is about to get a new angle...

Spring Honeycutt wants two things: to ace her sustainable living thesis and to save the environment. Both seem hopelessly unobtainable until her college professor suggests that with a new angle, her paper could be published. Spring swears she’ll do whatever it takes to ensure that happens.

Whatever it takes, however, means forming a partnership with the very hot, very privileged, very conceited Henry Knightly.

Henry is Spring's only hope at publication, but he's also the über-rich son of a land developer and cash-strapped Spring’s polar opposite—though she can't help being attracted to the way he pushes her buttons, both politically and physically. Spring finds there's more to Henry than his old money and argyle sweaters…but can she drop the loud-and-proud act long enough to let him in? Suddenly, choosing between what she wants and what she needs puts Spring at odds with everything she believes in.

Definitely, Maybe in Love is a modern take on Pride and Prejudice that proves true love is worth risking a little pride.

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Giveaway

To celebrate the launch of the new line, Entangled Embrace is giving away a Kindle Fire, an iPod Shuffle, and a $25 B&N Giftcard!

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[ARC Review] The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The Naturals
Jennifer Lynn Barnes
November 5, 2013
Miramax

ARC provided via Netgalley by publisher for an honest review

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Seventeen-year-old Cassie is a natural at reading people. Piecing together the tiniest details, she can tell you who you are and what you want. But, it's not a skill that she's ever taken seriously. That is, until the FBI come knocking: they've begun a classified program that uses exceptional teenagers to crack infamous cold cases, and they need Cassie.

What Cassie doesn't realize is that there's more at risk than a few unsolved homicides-especially when she's sent to live with a group of teens whose gifts are as unusual as her own. Soon, it becomes clear that no one in the Naturals program is what they seem. And when a new killer strikes, danger looms close. Caught in a lethal game of cat and mouse with a killer, the Naturals are going to have to use all of their gifts just to survive.

Do you like Criminal Minds the TV show? Do you like shows or books that get inside the head of a killer? If you are like me and answered yes to those questions then The Naturals is a book that will be right up your alley.

The Naturals is about a girl that has a rare, uncanny, almost psychic gift to observe and get into peoples' heads. That is why she is chosen to become part of an FBI program that is training teens to use their gifts as behavior analysis young, before life has gotten in the way and they waste away. Cassie has another reason she wants to join. When she was twelve her mother was supposedly murdered but no one knows for sure because the body was never found and the only thing left as the crime scene was a lot of blood. Cassie goes to live in the house with other teens like her. Together hey start profiling an active case their FBI mentors are working. This case isn't just a normal serial killer case because this killer is targeting Cassie.

I really did like this book, it reminded me of a teen version of Criminal Minds or any crime show on TV. The setup was a little unrealistic, but if I can believe the FBI might have an X-Files then I could believe they might have a program to train teens with natural gifts to hunt criminals so their powers can be used for good and they don't use them for nefarious purposes instead. The beginning of the book is kind of slow, but once Cassie gets to the house things pick up and the book moves at a much faster pace. I really liked the ending and I never saw the real killer coming. I love books like this one that are intriguing, keep you guessing, and throw you for a loop when all is revealed to the heroine. That is what had me towards the end because I was so fascinated by the cat and mouse game between Cassie and the killer. I could not put the book down.

This book also has two cute boys so there is potential for romance in future books. I liked this book was about getting inside a killer's head and catching criminals. I look forward to reading the next book in the series. I am one of those weird people that rind real world criminals terrifying and fascinating because people are way more scarier than a made up monster. I recommend The Naturals to anyone looking for a suspenseful read that has a twisted ending. I am giving this book four laser pistols because I ended up really enjoying this book and my grabby hands can't wait to read more.

[Review] Fractured by Sarah Fine

Fractured
Guards of the Shadowlands, Book Two
Sarah Fine
October 29, 2013
Amazon Children's Publishing

Copy provided by Amazon Children's
Publishing for honest review


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Book Two in the Guards of the Shadowlands series In the week since Lela returned to Rhode Island as Captain of the Guard with Malachi as her second in command, local news has been dominated by chilling sightings of human-like creatures running on all fours. Lela knows there’s only one explanation: the Mazikin have arrived in the land of the living. Needing to maintain the appearance of a normal life for her foster mother, her probation officer, and her classmates, Lela returns to Warwick High along with Malachi. At night they secretly hunt for the Mazikin nest. To assist, two new Guards from very different parts of the Shadowlands are assigned to Lela’s unit, including the bad boy Jim, who repeatedly challenges Lela's authority. Lela struggles to keep all her Guards on the right side of the law, but their mistakes come at a terrible cost. As one painful revelation follows another and the Mazikin start targeting those closest to her, Lela finds herself more vulnerable than she’s ever been, wanting a future more than she ever has. With an enemy determined to separate soul from body, one question remains: how much is she willing to sacrifice to protect those she loves?

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Wow holy moly, I just finished Fractured book two in the Guards of the Shadowland series and all I can say after reading that ending is give me more.  I am chomping at the bit for more because that ending was so emotional gut wrenching and I can’t wait find out how it all turns out.  Fractured picks right up where Sanctum left off with Lena as the captain and Malachi as her second in command.  Now they have added two more soldiers to the fight and we learn something new about the land of dead, that there more realms and version of hellish places depending on the punishment for the souls who have died.  I found this really interesting because Lena’s new guards come from two different hells.  Jim comes from the Bright City a place for the souls of greedy and selfish.  Henry comes from the Wasteland a place for the souls of murders and truly evil.  I hope in future in books if Lena has to go to back to realm of the dead these lands that might be explored.  I was very intrigued by the little descriptions and little hints Jim and Henry gave about where they come from.  In the first book Lena is only in the Dark City and that place was terrifying but I think it would make my skin crawl, in a good way, to see even more frightening places and souls. 

Fractured takes place in the realm of the living and Lena and Malachi have a whole new level of terror to explore and it is called high school and parents.  The challenges faced in this book is how to fight the evil Mazikin without getting into trouble with the law, find a way to love without it becoming a distraction, and still navigate high school and friendships in the process.  I loved the action in this book.  The fight scenes with the Maziken were very intense and bloody.  This book was full of fight scenes to make any Resident Evil fan, like myself, proud they were full of kick butt weapons and kicks that would make Alice proud.  I liked that Malachi and Lena have finally realized they love each and will finally be together but of course drama rears its ugly head and Malachi does something rash to save Lena.  He kills a kid he thought was Mazikin but was just an innocent.   So then he becomes broody and must break up Lena so he can focus on his mission.  I could not help but roll my eyes at this and think God save me from moody boys because then Lena is sad and thinks he is throwing her away.  I did like that they are able to keep it professional and still stay on the mission without any tantrums or too many tears.

In the end, I really liked this book and the cliffhanger ending has me salivating for more.  My only complaint is that I felt like the middle dragged a little and that Malachi was being a bit of moody baby.  I felt like they should have talked things out a lot earlier on.  I get why it happened the way it did because then the ending would not have been as dramatic.  I like this world and the idea of evil beings and creepy hellish dimensions to punish the souls.  I give Fractured book two of the Guards of the Shadowlands four laser pistols.   I look forward to reading along as Lena navigates her way through to save the land of the living and the ones she loves. 

[Audiobook Review] The Brokenhearted by Amelia Kahaney

The Brokenhearted
Amelia Kahaney

October 8, 2013

Harperteen


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Anthem Fleet, talented ballerina and heir to the Fleet fortune, is closely guarded by her parents in their penthouse apartment. But when she goes to a dangerous party in the wrong part of town, she meets the handsome Gavin and is immediately drawn into his forbidden world. Then, in a tragic accident, Anthem falls to her death. She awakes in an underground lab, with a bionic heart ticking in her chest. As she negotiates her dangerous new life, she uncovers the sinister truth behind those she trusted the most.

Set in the ruined fictional landscape of Bedlam, a Gotham-like city, this tale of heartbreak and revenge is both gripping and cinematic—and is sure to sweep readers away.

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When I finished reading The Brokenhearted my thoughts were meh and I thought this would be better.  Don’t get me wrong The Brokenhearted isn’t a bad book but I wasn’t as impressed as I thought I would be.  The book is about a girl named Anthem who is rich.  She lives on the North side of town.  In a town so corrupt and divided the rich rule and the poor live in fear.  Think New York City meets any comic book you have read.  One night her friend and her sneak out to a party of on the South side and she meets a boy named Gavin and they fall in love.  Then one day something horrible happens and Gavin is kidnapped and held for ransom.  As Anthem is running back to North across the bridge she thinks she being chased and slips and falls the bridge only to wake up in secret underground to discover her heart has been replaced by a chimera heart.  Anthem discovers that now she can run faster, jump higher and even fight faster.  Then she goes on mission to stop at nothing to save Gavin only to watch him die.  Then the rest book is about her training to take her revenge on those that killed the only boy she loved.

This book was like any other superhero story.  As I was reading I kept thinking it reminded of Arrow or Batman were the rich kid is done wrong. They angst for a while then decide to train to fight to take down those that wronged them.  I just hoped The Brokenhearted would be more about taking down bad guys and less about an agnsty girl with broken heart.  My favorite line in the book is “The world doesn’t need one more broken hearted girl.”  I did like how she was able to run so fast and move like humming bird that could she could dodge bullets because that part was cool.  As far as the major plot twist that came along and was supposed to be a major turning point for Anthem, I had it figured it from the beginning.  So when Anthem is calling herself stupid and naïve so was I.  It made it hard to connect with Anthem because I thought she was stupid.  

I listened to the audiobook version and there would be times I would have to shut it off or roll my eyes because I was like come on really.  Like I said this book wasn’t horrible but it is just like every other rich kid turned superhero story out there only Anthem has a super heart.  There is angst, she can’t trust no one and of course the training montage.  I thought the part where Anthem grieved was too long and there times I almost but didn’t finish it.  Not like I don’t get she is grieving but by this point I have figured out the plot twist and I am thinking she just needs to get over it already.  The only thing rounded this book up to three for me was that by the end Anthem was kicking butt and taking names.  I am intrigued because I hope the next book will be more a girl out to change the world instead of angsty broken hearted girl.  I like the narrator Rebecca Gibel I have listened to her in other books and she does a good as always.   I am kind of hoping this book is like a shaking first season in the second book it will find its footing so for that reason I give The Brokenhearted three laser pistols.

 

 

 

[Review] Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer by Katie Alender

Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer
Katie Alender 

September 24, 2013

Point

Review copy provided by publisher
via Netgalley for honest review

Amazon/Book Depository/B&N

Heads will roll!

Paris, France: a city of fashion, chocolate croissants, and cute boys. Colette Iselin is thrilled be there for the first time, on her spring break class trip.

But a series of gruesome murders are taking place around the city, putting everyone on edge. And as she tours the sights, Colette keeps seeing a strange vision: a pale woman in a ball gown and powdered wig, who looks like Marie Antoinette.

Colette knows her status-obsessed friends won't believe her, so she seeks out the help of a charming French boy. Together, they discover that the murder victims are all descendants of people who ultimately brought about Marie Antoinette's beheading. The queen's ghost has been awakened, and now she's wreaking her bloodthirsty revenge.

And Colette may just be one of those descendants . . . which means she might not make it out of this trip alive.

So I think I had really high expectations when I read the synopsis for Marie Antoinette Serial Killer.  This book in the, for me, ended up as nothing special.  It was an ok read that in end all it left me with was a really strong desire to visit Paris.  I liked the beautiful descriptions of the city but the story was bit boring. It took too long to get to the climactic ending that it felt rushed in the end.

The story is about a ghost out for revenge and she is killing the decedents of the people who betrayed her.  Colette is excited about her trip to Paris and is very excited to be going to Paris for the first time.  In Paris she finds out that her ancestor is one the people who betrayed Marie Antoinette and that now she has to fight for her life and the life of her friends.  Meanwhile, she is investigating, getting involved with cute boys and finding herself in Paris.  I liked the concept of the story it was very interesting but I don’t know it just wasn’t very spooky.  I hate to say this but if I am being honest it felt like one of those Mary Kate and Ashley travel movies but add in ghosts to make it a Halloween special.  Teenagers in a foreign country sightseeing, kissing, and finding themselves for me it was nothing new and I expected that it.  It was the concept of Marie Antoinette as a vengeful serial killing ghost that was supposed to be intriguing but it fell flat me.    The story kind of dragged in parts for me.   It felt more like a travel guide to Paris and the life and times of the Paris elite than a bone chilling ghost story.   I felt like it was easy to skim read to get to the more exciting parts.  I kind of had the mystery of motive figured out way before Collette ever got there.

It was not all bad and I didn’t feel like I wasted my time because I liked that Colette was able to change in the end.  I liked that the lesson in the book is not listening others opinion and going with your heart.  I liked that the lessons Colette learns is able to help her build better friendships and repair the friendships with her family.  She does learn that in the end it is not about popularity or the quantity of friends but the quality of friends.  It is for this reason that I have rounded my review of two point five to three laser pistols.  Maybe one day I hope to find myself in Paris as well.

[Review] Red Hill by Jamie McGuire

Red Hill
Jamie McGuire
October 1, 2013
 Atria Books

Copy provided for review by publisher

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When the world ends, can love survive?

For Scarlet, raising her two daughters alone makes fighting for tomorrow an everyday battle. Nathan has a wife, but can’t remember what it’s like to be in love; only his young daughter Zoe makes coming home worthwhile. Miranda’s biggest concern is whether her new VW Bug is big enough to carry her sister and their boyfriends on a weekend escape from college finals.

When reports of a widespread, deadly “outbreak” begin to surface, these ordinary people face extraordinary circumstances and suddenly their fates are intertwined. Recognizing they can’t outrun the danger, Scarlet, Nathan, and Miranda desperately seek shelter at the same secluded ranch, Red Hill. Emotions run high while old and new relationships are tested in the face of a terrifying enemy—an enemy who no longer remembers what it’s like to be human.

Set against the backdrop of a brilliantly realized apocalyptic world, love somehow finds a way to survive. But what happens when the one you’d die for becomes the one who could destroy you?

What does the end of world, cleaning up zombies, and emotional baggage have in common?   It is the basic premise of the latest book I read.  Red Hill by Jamie Maguire for me was a pretty good read and I liked it well enough.  This book like most zombie movies, comic books and novels is not really about zombies but people surviving and trying to make the most of a bad situation.

Red Hill is about three people caught up in the middle of a zombie outbreak and trying to find their way to a safe place to hide out.  This safe place just happens to be a ranch out in the middle of now where called Red Hill.  The book is told from three points of view: Scarlett a mother separated from her children, Nathan a father just trying to save his little girl, and Miranda a confused college girl.  What do all these people have in common?  They all find their way to Red Hill and all their stories of how they made it to Red Hill are interwoven and they find that the world is not such a big place after all.

I liked Red Hill well enough it had everything I expect in a zombie survival story.  There was heart break, terror, and there was also the silver lining that makes it all seem like it's not so bad.  My heart went out Scarlett as she waited day after day for her daughters.  I cheered when she was able to find some happiness with man she didn't even know she needed.  My heart broke for Miranda because how do you fall with in love with one boy when the one that has always been there for you is lying in the next room.  This book is littered with emotional baggage and people trying to let it go so they can survive not only zombies but day to day to living without all our modern conveniences and easy distractions. I did like the message I took from the story is that you have to let go and do something or it will eat you up until you are like a zombie just going through the motions.  That sometimes you have to learn to only survive but live again.  I liked a quote in the book when Nathan says "Who would have thought the end world would be the best thing to happen to me." 

In the end I enjoyed Red Hill it was an entertaining zombie survival story.  Did it add anything new to the genre?  No, but I still recommend it to readers looking for a good story.  The tales of love were heart breaking and full of courage.   I thought she did a good job of showing how relationships change and reform in a world with no rules.  I give Red Hill three point five laser pistols and round up to four laser pistols because in the end I like the layer hope that ran through the story.