Book Review - Chaos

Title: Chaos
Author: Megan Duncan
Series: Agents of Evil (book 2) 
Publisher: CreateSpace
Release Date: 29 Jun 2012
ASIN: B008FZSPT0 
ISBN-13: 978-1478266907

Synopsis
Is any shot at living, worth dying for?
They thought they’d be safe, but a world ruled by chaos doesn’t die easily.
When Max turned on the radio transmissions assuring safety, they came. But, it wasn’t just survivors of the demon apocalypse that crawled their way into the abandoned military base. A myriad of beastly demons unlike any they’ve ever seen, came as well. Abby, and her companions, struggle to survive as the evil around them grows. Desperate to endure, and to defend their fellow survivors, Abby and a squad of fierce fighters, take on a dangerous mission that has deadly consequences.

My Review
Have you heard of Megan Duncan? Do you know who she is? If you answered no just then, I have to say you are mad and you need to look her up Right Now! If you answered yes, then you already know how awesome she is and you don't need me to tell you, but I'm going to tell you again anyway:
Megan Duncan is AWESOME, FABULOUS and in my opinion a MARVEL! I fell in love with Megan's writing last May when she sent me book 1 (Released) to read in exchange for a review. I think that was the best choice I ever made accepting that book, coz boy did it open up a whole new world for me. 
I was instantly hooked with the story and couldn't wait for more. I then read the first 2 parts in her Vampire (Warm Delicacy) series and really enjoyed them but all along i really wanted this book. The next installment in Abby, Max & Carter's lives. So when I saw a blog tour for it I literally screamed with excitement. Then I found out Megan Duncan was doing a Giveaway on her blog and I had to enter it, I was lucky enough to win a copy of the e-book (I will be buying a paperback version, but this way I got to read it quicker :D)

The story picks up where book 1 ends, the group are in the Military Base, trying to survive and retain a semblance of normalcy in this chaotic world. They fight off regular demon attacks and try to find a way to stay alive, whilst finding more and more survivors.


If you haven't read book 1 I don't want to spoil too much for you, so you might not want to read the rest of this review, it might have some spoilers in it.


After surviving countless attacks, betrayals and deaths of companions in the first book, roles have reversed a little, Carter is a lot more withdrawn and although he says he wants to fight, he has been injured and is not sure he can handle it, so he becomes more of a background figure, but although you don't see him much, you know he is beavering away behind the scenes coming up with some great information and ideas.
Max and Abby are together, the idea of falling in love when the world is ending may sound crazy, but it's the only thing holding them together and able to fight. After all, I suppose it's now or never.


This book is a real page turner, there is always something that will either make you laugh, cry, scream, gasp or hold your breath in anticipation, not a single word is put to waste, it captivates you, pulls you in and sweeps you along. It was so good to get back in the world with Abby, she is just as Kick-ass, if not more so. Yes she still has her doubts and weaknesses, but don't we all.  I love her as a character, not one to back down in the face of danger she will do anything for the rest of her group, for her chance of having life, not just for her, but for all the survivors.


The plot is fantastic, some real surprises and breath-taking moments and it gets really exciting, especially nearer the end. I can't believe I have to wait for the next part (Vengeance - coming soon) I have to know what happens next.


Am I too excited about this book? Is that possible? I don't know, but I hope I've convinced you how much I love it, and that you should definitely try it to.
I will warn you that there are some rather nasty Spider Demons in this book, so if you have a fear of them be warned. But also delight in the fact that a lot of them get killed. 
Truly fabulous, danger, love, adventure, missions, demon-apocolypse! This book has it all.


My Rating

  

Summer Giveaway Hop

Summer is my favourite time of year, so I thought, why not join another Giveaway Hop and share some Summer Love!

This Giveaway hop is being hosted by 'I Am A Reader, Not A Writer' and Co-Hosted by 'Book Hounds'
This Giveaway hop runs from August 1st-7th

What is a giveaway hop?
Simple - Each participating blog hosts a giveaway and then we link up together allowing our followers to hop easily from one giveaway to another.
For followers this means lots of chances to win free books.
For blogs hosting a giveaway it means lots of new visitors.
It's a win-win!
There i currently 180 blogs signed up so that's a lot of prizes to win. :D

So here's my Giveaway -

One (1) winner will be picked at random and will win the choice of  one (1) book from 'The Book Depository' up to the value of £10. It can be any book you want as long as it is within the price bracket.

So have you been waiting for one of the hot new releases? Or desperate to complete an old collection, here is your chance to get a book you really want. Just complete the linky list below (at the bottom of this post) for your chance to enter.

Winning book will be ordered from the Book Depository so please make sure they ship to your location before entering. 

Here are the rules: 

1) Competition opens 1st August
2) Competition closes on 7th August Midnight GMT
3) Enter your Name, E-mail and Blog Link in the Linky List Below (email will be hidden, if you don't have a blog just enter your Facebook or Twitter page)
4) You Must be a Follower to enter!
5) One Name will be selected at random from the list.
6) Contest open Internationally
7) Winners will be contacted by e-mail
8) Winners will have 3 days to reply or another winner will be selected. 

You MUST fill in the Linky form to be in with a chance to enter. Do NOT put your details in the comments section. 
I don't have time to go through all the comments or add you on the list myself. 
All you need to do is put your name/blog name in the box that says 'Contest Entry', a link to your blog/facebook in the box that says 'Link' and then your email address in the box that says 'Email'

Here are the other blogs taking part:

And here is where you enter:

Book Review - Whisper

Title: Whisper
Author: Chrissie Keighery
Publisher: Templar Publishing
Release Date: 1 July 2012
ISBN-13: 978-1848775466

Synopsis
Fifteen-year-old Demi's world is shattered when she is left profoundly deaf by a sudden illness. Everything is different now, and Demi must learn to adapt to a new school, new friends and even learn a whole new language.

Whisper is a coming-of-age tale, about discovering who you are and where you fit in life. About friendships and first love and, most of all, learning to love the person you are.



My Review
I saw a trailer on youtube for this book and I was immediately intrigued, it was one of the best trailers I had ever seen! Don't ask me why, it just rang out to me.  So I had to order a copy at the library. I also told my book group about it and they seemed excited too, so I'll have to pass it on.
This story follows Demi, she got ill with Meningitis and ended up deaf, she has now been deaf for 18 months and is learning to live differently. She moves to a special school for deaf people and learns to sign and read lips. Life on mute is very different and sometimes very scary.


I loved the raw honesty of this book, Demi is very open about how she feels and what is happening to her and I felt my heart lurch multiple times for her. I wanted to hug her, cheer her on, yell at her, she became very real to me.
The idea of becoming deaf is a terrifying thought. We rely so much on all our senses it would turn the world into a whole otehr place, I think like Demi, one of the things I would miss most would be the ability to listen to my ipod etc.
Demi has to struggle between 2 worlds, her old friends who can talk and hear and laugh as always, they try to include Demi, but sometimes seem to forget she can't follow in the same way. Then she has her new friends from the school for Deaf people, learning to follow their quick signs, their different quirks and habits. She doesn't seem to fit in either world at first, she doubts where she belongs and who she is, throughout this book you really see Demi evolve as a character, she grows and becomes stronger as the book goes on and I loved reading it. 
This book serves as a strong reminder to treat people fairly and respectfully, it delves into certain issues such as job discrimination, common courtesy and a mix of stereotypes. It makes you think about the way you look at life and treat other people. I don't know many deaf people, but I know if I meet someone now i will make sure to treat them with the utmost respect and courtesy. 


This book is such a simple idea but it's executed so well and it really resonates with you. I finished this hours ago but it's still coursing through my mind, I'm sure it will stay with me a long time. I think I'm going to buy a copy to keep so I can read it again sometime. Definitely a book I would want to revisit. 


My Review

Guest Post Barbara Jolie - Books in Translation

3 Great YA Books in Translation

There’s more to the world of books than just the Anglo-American literary scene. Yet only a precious few titles from abroad make it into print in English. It’s commonly estimated that only around 3% of all books published in the UK or US are translated from another language. (For comparison, the proportion in Latin America and Western Europe is closer to 35%.)

While it is true that English has served in the modern world as a lingua franca for business and other international purposes, let’s not flatter ourselves: only about 7% of humans are native English speakers, and though up to a quarter of the planet may speak a little English, that doesn’t mean they can read and write it fluently. (How many supposed native speakers even can?) Just think of what we’re missing out on!

Reading books from other cultures can be a gateway into worlds as strange and compelling as the most enchanted paranormal realm, and is an important act of global citizenship, even for the young. Here are just a few brilliant YA titles from abroad:

1. The Pull of the Ocean by Jean-Claude Mourlevat

Hailing from France, Mourlevat may be best known in the Anglophone world for Winter’s End, his futuristic tale of four children escaping boarding school to join a revolution against the evil Phalangist government. Though that book is highly recommended as well, especially for Hunger Games fans looking for a foreign-skewed take on the dystopian genre, I prefer this more recent title. It’s an ingeniously structured book with multiple narrators, and draws on Mourlevat’s French heritage by cleverly reworking the tale of Tom Thumb as told by fairytale master Charles Perrault. The English translation is by Y. Maudet.

2. Brave Story by Miyuki Miyabe

A young boy named Wataru, abandoned by his father and with his mother hospitalized for a suicide attempt, must enter a fantasy world called Vision to put it all right again. With the help of feline and reptilian companions Meena and Kee-Keema, he battles demons, searches for magical gems, and attempts to reach the Tower of Destiny. This long, often dark book is something like a cross between Harry Potter and the Legend of Zelda video games, with a strong theme about the anguish of divorce. Translated by Alexander O. Smith.

3. The Neverending Story by Michael Ende

For our final entry, a throwback. You’ve probably seen the movie adaptation or its spin-offs (and may even have the theme song stuck in your head just from seeing the title), but have you ever read the original novel? You ought to. Ralph Manheim’s English translation of this German export was originally published in 1983. The book is laden with the esoteric ideas of Rudolf Steiner’s “anthroposophy” system, but you needn’t know that to enjoy the adventures of Bastian Balthazar Bux in Fantastica (Fantasia in the films). Nearly 30 years later, The Neverending Story remains in print and remains every bit as enchanting.

That’s it for our mini-tour of YA literature around the globe. I encourage you to seek out works in translation, as exploring faraway imaginations is an adventure worthy of any young hero!

This is a guest post by education writer Barbara Jolie. Barbara is passionate about education and studying online. When not writing and thinking about all things education, Barbara is busy planning her next vacation and caring for her pet cat and bird. You can reach her at barbara.jolie876@gmail.com.

Book Review - Artemis Fowl & The Last Guardian

Title: Artemis Fowl & The Last Guardian
Author: Eoin Colfer
Series: Artemis Fowl (book 8)
Publisher: Puffin
Release Date: 10 July 2012
ISBN-13: 978-0141340814

Synopsis
Seemingly nothing in this world daunts the young criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl. In the fairy world, however, there is a small thing that has gotten under his skin on more than one occasion: Opal Koboi. In The Last Guardian, the evil pixie is wreaking havoc yet again. This time his arch rival has somehow reanimated dead fairy warriors who were buried in the grounds of Fowl Manor. Their spirits have possessed Artemis’s little brothers, making his siblings even more annoying than usual. The warriors don’t seem to realize that the battle they were fighting when they died—a battle against Artemis—is long over. Artemis has until sunrise to get the spirits to vacate his brothers and go back into the earth where they belong. Can he count on a certain LEPrecon fairy to join him in what could well be his last stand?

My Review
I became a fan of this series one or two years ago and worked my way through. I still think the first 3 are probably the best, I wasn't as keen on the last 2 but was intrigued to see where it would go.
This book starts of right into the action, Opal is back and she wants revenge. When Artemis, Holly & Foaly discover just what she is planning, they know they have a big battle ahead of them. 
There is a bit of confusion with past, present and future selves after the Time Paradox issue, I was actually puzzled in a few places, had to try not to think about it too hard or it made my brain hurt!
To be honest I was hoping for something spectacular in this book, to let it go out with a bang! After all this is apparently the last one. But I was actually left a bit deflated. There seemed to be a lot of things set up that could have led to something Epic, but they always seemed to just move to something else. I wasn't wowed at all in this book, which is a shame because I really wanted to love it.
I did enjoy getting back into the world and catching up with the characters, like seeing friends you haven't seen for a while. Holly and Butler are in this one a lot and I love them both, Butler's dry humour is great. Mulch is also back, he always grosses me out a bit, but makes me laugh at the same time.
Overall the plot was a little confusing and slow in places but did have good premise. The character development is good, it's amazing to see how far they have all come since book 1. 
If you are a fan of the series then you should definitely read it, you'd regret not picking it up. 

My Rating

    

Book Review - My Story

Title: My Story
Author: Tom Daley
Publisher: Michael Joseph
Release Date: 24 May 2012
ISBN-13: 978-0718158071

Synopsis
Born in 1994, Tom Daley started diving at the age of seven. Specializing in the 10 metre platform event, he became the youngest British World Champion in any sport to come first in the FINA World Championships. He represented Great Britain at the 2008 Summer Olympics, where he was Britain's youngest competitor. Tom won two gold medals for England at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in the 10 metre synchro diving and the 10 metre individual platform competition. In 2007, 2009 and 2010, he was named BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year. Tom lives with his family in Plymouth and is currently training for the 2012 London Olympics. 


My Review
With the build up to the Olympics Tom Daley has featured more and more in the news and on TV and in the media in genereal, as a Diver myself (obviously nowhere near his level) I've always been intrigued with him and wanted to know more, how he got into Diving, what it took to be as good as he is. This book is the way to look into his world and see all he has been through.
This book is very honest and gives you a great insight into his life. It talks a lot about his diving (as expected) and explains a lot about different dives and scoring and difficulty levels. I found this interesting and I followed it easily as I already have a basic understanding of these things, but to be honest i think it is explained in a basic enough way that anyone could understand it.
Tom takes you back to his early childhood and how he first got into Diving, right up to a few months ago, waiting for the London Olympics to start.
Follow his ups and downs in life from success in competitions to injuries, bullying, fear and losing his dad. He hasn't had an easy life but he has never given up, he seems to have good values and a good work ethic.
I was in tears when I read the chapters about his dad's illness and death, as I lost my Gran to cancer I understand what he went through and how hard it is for a person to just not be there anymore. You can really feel the love and respect he had for his dad, it radiates of the page. This book throughout is really heart-felt and honest.
I know this is different from my normal read, but I do like autobiographies if they are about people i have an interest in and this one gave me just what I was looking for. Including some awesome photos of his Diving.
A great read for all Olympic fans!!!


My Rating

 



 

Book Promo: Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft

Synopsis

Falling in Love, baking a magical cake, fighting an evil necromancer—it’s all in a day’s work for Audrey Oliver, seventeen-year-old witch-in-training. When her mother goes missing and her twenty-one-year-old witchy cousin shows up out of the blue, Audrey knows something’s gone horribly, dangerously wrong. Now it’s up to her to get her own magical powers up to speed before everyone she loves is destroyed by the sorcerer intricately connected to her mother’s secret past.

 Author Bio:

 Jody Gehrman is the author of seven novels and numerous plays. Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft is her most recent Young Adult novel. Her other Young Adult novels include Babe in Boyland, Confessions of a Triple Shot Betty, and Triple Shot Bettys in Love, (Penguin's Dial Books). Babe in Boyland has recently been optioned by the Disney Channel. Her adult novels areNotes from the Backseat, Tart, and Summer in the Land of Skin (Red Dress Ink). Her plays have been produced in Ashland, New York, San Francisco, Chicago and L.A. She and her partner David Wolf won the New Generation Playwrights Award for their one-act, Jake Savage, Jungle P.I. She is a professor of English at Mendocino College.

Links where you can buy it: 

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/177500

Amazon kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Audreys-Guide-Witchcraft-Guides-ebook/dp/B008G7L6TS

In print: https://www.createspace.com/3910954  

The author is also doing a monthly promotion where you can download the book for FREE!!!

Dark of the Moon Giveaway Dates: 

August 16-18

September 14-16

October 14-16 (plus Halloween!)

November 12-14

December 12-14

January 10-12

February 8-10

Here's the link where you can download it for free on any computer or e-reader during those dates: 

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/177500

FF (80) & TGIF (63)

Follow Friday is an opportunity to discover and follow other book related blogs! Want to join? Check it out at Parajunkee.

This week's question feature is from Alisa from mzalisakay.blogspot.com

Q: Summer Reading. What was your favorite book that you were REQUIRED to read when you were in school?

My Answer: I actually disliked nearly every book my schools made me study. Just wasn't my sort of read. But I can think of one that stood and but it was more of a play than a novel, but it's all I've got so I'm going for it.

I really enjoyed 'An Inspector Calls' by J B Priestley. It was a sort of murder mystery but with a twist. The Inspector reports the death of a young girl and tries to find out who was responisble, and each of the suspects is linked in someway. The only thing is, he's investigating a crime that hasn't yet happened, or has it? It was very weird, complex in places, creepy in others but really well thought out and I loved the mystery of it. I saw the play too and it was really good!

TGIF!

This meme is hosted by GReads!

This Friday's Question:

Christmas in July: If Santa were to come down your chimney in the middle of summer, which books would you want him to leave for you under the tree?

My Answer: This was the FF question last week and my answer is still pretty much the same, 'Crossed' by Ally Condie and 'Fire Ascending' by Chris D'Lacey.

Happy Hopping, have a great weekend everyone!!!

 

Book Review - Cinder

Title: Cinder
Author: Marissa Meyer
Series: The Lunar Chronicles
Publisher: Puffin
Release Date: 5 Jan 2012 
ISBN-13: 978-0141340135

Synopsis
Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, the ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

My Review

I heard a lot of buzz about this book on the blogosphere and saw many positive reviews. As i love anything to do with Fairy tales, and have really gotten into the whole world of re-tellings I thought I might as well try this one. I ordered it at the library and thought it took a while to come in I was still excited when it did. Although at the same time, slightly apprehensive - is a robot Cinderella going too far?

I sat down to read this when I got home from work on Tuesday afternoon, it didn't grab me immediately but it did pique my interest. I liked how the world was set up and a mixture of characters are introduced straight away, it means you get to know them and how they all interact together and the world becomes more 3D. 

I found myself believing in Cinder, who she was and what she stood for, I got to know her personality and quirks quite quickly and I found myself being drawn in further.

The plot is fast paced and at times it felt like the book just flew by. I would look and suddenly be 100 pages further along in what only felt like minutes. 

 I will say this book was slightly predictable in places too though. At most of what I thought were supposed to be the 'shock' moments I had guessed what was coming for a long time. The mystery Princess for example - I had it figured out by page 120, and it's 'revealed' in the last chapter of the book. No great shocker to me!

This book is a very enjoyable, fairly easy read that does capture your attention and in some places your heart. It's not the best book I've ever read, but it certainly has it's moments and I would recommend giving it a go.

I look forward to reading the next part in the series and have high hopes for Marissa Meyer.

My Rating

  

   

Book Promo - Empyreal Fate

Book Blurb:

Filled to the brim with forbidden love, an ancient evil, and a nation in disrepair, Empyreal Fate is a tale of riveting bravery and mortal corruption.

The land of Llathala lingers on the brink of war between men and elves, a dark history surrounding each race. Stirred by tensions of the land, a shadow of the past reemerges, taking precedence in reality and consuming the very soul of mans’ mortal weakness. Darrion, the son of a poor laborer, is ensnared in a hostile world, forced to choose between loyalty to his king or the counsel of the elves. Yet Fate has other plans in store, tying his course to Amarya, an elven royalblood of mysterious quality and unsurpassable beauty. But this forbidden connection incites betrayal from members of their own kin, marking them as traitors to the crown. In a land torn asunder, only Fate’s decree can allow such love to coexist with an ancient enmity.

Behold: A Llathalan Annal: Empyreal Fate – Part One.

Book Tour - Moonlight Mayhem

Watch the thrilling full-length book trailer!

Book Blurb:

Otherworldly Creatures. Dazzling Magic. Fiery Romance.

Shiloh Ravenwolf thought she was getting used to the strange events in Whispering Pines, until the full moon brings another surge of supernatural threats to her coastal town. Ferocious wolves, deadly necromancers, and shambling zombies have descended upon the neighborhood, so Shiloh needs to gain control of her magical abilities—fast!

It sucks that she has a crippling fear of the dark, which for a demon hunter can be an epic problem.

When her classmates are attacked by a mysterious creature and her father is murdered, Shiloh vows vengeance. Forcing her phobias aside, she forms an unlikely coven of supernaturally gifted teens to help her eradicate this menace. Except that's not all Shiloh has to worry about. She’s battling a different monster within herself and struggling not to become the very thing she fights: evil.

But with demon blood inside her—anything can happen…

Moonlight Mayhem is the second novel in the epic Spellbound series

 Twitter hashtag #MMBlogTour

Where you can find author, Sherry Soule online:

Official Blog: http://www.sherrysoule.blogspot.com/

Spellbound Series Universe: http://thespellboundseries.blogspot.com/

Twitter-@WriterSherry: http://twitter.com/writersherry

goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11634793-beautifully-broken

Book Review - A Confusion of Princes

Title: A Confusion of Princes
Author: Garth Nix
Publisher: Harper Collins Children's Books
Release Date: 17 May 2012
ISBN-13: 978-0007298358

Synopsis
You’d think being a privileged Prince in a vast intergalactic Empire would be about as good as it gets. But it isn’t as great as it sounds. For one thing, Princes are always in danger. Their greatest threat? Other Princes. Khemri discovers that the moment he is proclaimed a Prince.

He also discovers mysteries within the hidden workings of the Empire. Dispatched on a secret mission, Khemri comes across the ruins of a space battle. In the midst of it all he meets a young woman named Raine, who will challenge his view of the Empire, of Princes, and of himself.


My Review
I have always quite liked Garth Nix, I devoured his Keys to Kingdom series as a child and moved onto to the Abhorsen series. I was excited to see a new title by him but a little skeptical as it looked more sci-fi than fantasy and I'm not a mass sci-fi fan. It has to be really good to hook me in.
My best friend read it first and said it was worth reading but 'a bit complicated to start with', and that I should 'stick with it'. So to be honest I didn't have massive high hopes for this book.
I had a day off work yesterday so I decided to get this book read.
The book follows Prince Khemri as he graduates into the proper Prince training and is sent on various missions to reach his goal to become the next Emperor. Sounds simple right? well it's not, I wasn't as confused as I thought I would be but there was definitely places where I thought 'huh?' 
Prince Khemri starts off as an arrogant, self-obsessed jerk. He sort of annoyed me at first, I wanted to slap him and tell him to get over himself.  He does grow as a character and become more likeable as the book goes on.
For me this book was a bit odd, I would be reading and thinking I might put it down for a while, I can't be bothered, but as soon as I would close it, something would make me pick it up again and read more. There is just something about Nix's writing that hooks you in and refuses to let go, I had to finish the book, despite what I may say - I was into the story and I was on some level enjoying it.
There are a few twists and turns that make the story more exciting and move the plot on in a satisfactory way. The world is well described and details included, I think Nix could do more with it now he has made it.
I liked the ending and was hoping it would go that way. So overall, I'm glad I stayed with it and finished it, but it wasn't Epic or amazing. Fans of his work and Sci-Fi fans would probably love it. Worth giving it a try, but not amazing. 

My Rating

  



 

Book Promotion - The Burning Star

Synopsis

She'll have to believe the unbelievable to survive.

 The doctors have told Kay that she will die before she reaches her eighteenth birthday. Her mother’s determination to save her life leads them to a move outside of Asheville, NC to a new set of cancer specialists in the hopes to help her. But it’s not what Kay and her Mom find in the doctor’s offices in Asheville that lead them on the journey to save her before time runs out. It’s what Kay finds in the woods outside of Asheville, and an inhumanly gorgeous guy named Ryan, instead.

 Myths and fairy tales come to life before Kay’s eyes, bringing her closer to the ultimate cure if she can stay alive long enough to get there. And if the cancer doesn’t kill her before she finds the cure the secrets her mother has hidden from her may be the beginning of the end.

Can she reach her destiny before tragedy strikes?

Available to buy ebooks at:

Barnes& Noble

Amazon

Smashwords

AllRomance ebooks/OMNI Lit

Kobobooks

DieselBook store

Apple iBooks

Available to buy book in print at:

Createspace

Author Bio:

Jessie Lane is the writing team of Crystal Leo and Melissa Pahl. The two sister-in-laws share a great love of breath-taking romance, cliff hanging suspense, and out-of-this-world characters that demand your attention or threaten to slap you around until you do pay attention to them. Because really, it is ALL about the characters. (They’re kind of megalomaniacs)

When not loosing themselves in a story they remember they have real lives. Crystal lives in Kentucky with her husband and two little girls who plot daily the many ways they can drive their poor mother crazy. At the end of the day Crystal then calls Melissa and threatens to ship her two nieces to their favorite Aunt with lots of air holes punched through their box. Melissa answers Crystal’s crazed calls in Washington state where she lives with her husband and big furry baby of a Rottweiler named Yuffie and reminds her that children are not shippable.

This is their first novel but they are all geared up and excited to be releasing other projects soon!

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

Excerpt:

I stood there frozen knowing that I would probably die because of this wretched creature. All of a sudden I saw the quick movement of an arm bringing down the point of the knife slicing towards the large creature’s skull. The animal’s enraged screams ripped through the woods around us. My brain tried to analyze what was happening before me I stood as still as a statue and watched as the monster started crumbling away. That’s right, I said crumbling. Like something that had been burnt from the inside out and then fell apart, it was just disintegrating into nothing. This can’t be real. I looked up from the ashes into the face of an angel. No, he’s not an angel, he’s just a guy right? He was staring at me like he had just seen me sprout a second head and I was staring at him like I was about to scream again and that’s when I fainted. At least I didn’t scream again, right?

When I opened my eyes to see his two ethereal blue eyes staring back into mine my head felt like it might split in two from a raging headache. “Are you okay?” his strong but sweet voice whispered.

But before I could stop myself from saying anything ridiculous I replied, “Are you an angel? Did I finally die and go to heaven?”

He bellowed a laugh and I blushed a shade that was more than likely lobster red. I really just didn’t say that did I? Stupid, stupid, stupid Kay. I smacked myself in the forehead and tried to hide my face. That’s a great way to make a first impression to an extremely hot guy. Let’s just faint like an air headed girl, which I am not, and then wake up asking stupid questions. And then that’s when it hit me. The past few moments of events flooded my brain again and I started to panic. “Wait, wait a minute! What was that thing and how in the world did it just, just…”

“The dog? I’m sorry to tell you I had to cut it with my knife to scare it away. It wasn’t a mortal wound though. He took off through the woods in an escape. Sorry if you’re one of those animal lovers, but I was afraid it might kill one of us.”

I shook my head to try and clear it. “No, no, no, no. That was no dog. Well I mean, it was at first, but then it became something else. It was black, and huge, and had those red eyes…” And before I finished my sentence I looked up at him to see complete shock and amazement on his face. I had never seen anyone look so bewildered. “Don’t look at me like that! I know what I saw! Now what was that thing and what happened to it at the end. It didn’t run off, I saw you kill it. And I would point to the body to prove it, but it; well it fell apart or something.”

And in just a split second the shock had disappeared from his handsome face and was replaced by something more masked and calculating. “I’m sorry. You’re quite mistaken. I didn’t kill it. I only wounded it. And it was a dog. Are you sure you didn’t hit your head or something? I’m afraid you might be having some kind of hallucinations of some kind.” Somehow, when he said it, it didn’t seem as scary or grotesque as it did when I played what I thought I saw back in my head.