Atlantis Quest by Gloria Craw ~ Review

Title: Atlantis Quest (Atlantis Rising #2)
Author: Gloria Craw
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
Length: 356 pages
Publisher: Entangled: Teen
Release Date: March 1, 2016
Source: Purchased
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

After all they'd cost me, I thought I was done with the Truss clan. I was wrong. Nikki Dawning, my mortal enemy, has been kidnapped, and I've been asked to spy on the Truss to find her. The pull between Ian and I has never been stronger, but he can't help me this time. I have to rely on Theron, a bad-tempered cousin I didn't know I had. To make matters worse, the people I trust have been keeping secrets.

I'm starting to feel like a weapon in a war I don't understand. How far am I willing to go to protect the descendants of Atlantis and the common good when I'm not sure what the common good is anymore?

Only one thing is certain. If I'm the next Laurel clan chief, I can't let myself be manipulated…by anyone.

**********

The second book in the Atlantis Rising trilogy shows us a more confident Alison that had come to terms with her abilities and wants nothing to do with being used for anyone's political gain. But life has different plans when she is asked to go spy on the rival dewing clan to see what happened to another dewing that has disappeared.

There are a lot of important little things that happen throughout the book. And there are several characters that don't seem to be such a big deal that turn into something vitally important by the end of the book and into book three.

She also discovers more about her family and her clan from a new "friend," Theron. I really enjoyed Theron. His relationship with Alison wasn't what I had expected at all, and the way they interacted was a bit of a humorous moment at times as they were just both so stubborn and opinionated.

The events of Atlantis Quest leave lots of options open for book three, and I can't wait to see where Alison's life is going to take her next. The dewing society is changing, and whether that change is good or bad is not yet obvious.

**I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of this book**

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Atlantis Rising by Gloria Craw ~ Review

Title: Atlantis Rising (Atlantis Rising #1)
Author: Gloria Craw
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
Length: 352 pages
Publisher: Entangled: Teen
Release Date: January 6, 2015
Source: NetGalley
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

I am different. I have always been different, but no one can know or my life will be in danger. So I hide in plain sight, wearing drab clothes and thick glasses and trying to be invisible. I’m so good at hiding, no one has ever noticed me. Until Ian…the mysterious and oh-so-cute boy I know I need to avoid.

Now I have been seen. And more terrifying still, I am wanted—by those who would protect me and those who would destroy everything and everyone I love. But if they’re all terrified about who I am, wait until they see what I can do…

**********

The Atlantis Rising series was and quick series that caught me up right from the beginning - I just wanted to see more and more. Alison is different from the rest of the world. She has always felt it, but in the first part of the book we find out why she really is. As Alison discovers more about who and what she is, the reader is introduced to the concept of dewings. Magical beings that are each blessed with their own special skill. Alison's skill is one that is highly sought after and easily abused.

Alison is introduced to the society and put under protection so the "bad guys" can't take her and force her to misuse her dewing ability. Along the way, she will have to choose between trying to lead a normal life and putting her "normal" family at risk or walk away to join her new dewing family and helping them bring the diverse and often combative dewing communities together.

There are hints of romance, a lot of political-style intrigues, family drama, and heartache. It was an interesting story with a few slow moments. A lot of build up that sometimes let me down once we got to the end of it all. But there are two more books, and I can't wait to see where the drama is heading. 

**I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of this book**

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The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman ~ Review

Title: The Rules of Magic (Practical Magic #1)
Author: Alice Hoffman
Genre: Adult, Paranormal
Length: 369 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Release Date: October 10, 2017
Source: Purchased
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Find your magic

For the Owens family, love is a curse that began in 1620, when Maria Owens was charged with witchery for loving the wrong man.

Hundreds of years later, in New York City at the cusp of the sixties, when the whole world is about to change, Susanna Owens knows that her three children are dangerously unique. Difficult Franny, with skin as pale as milk and blood red hair, shy and beautiful Jet, who can read other people’s thoughts, and charismatic Vincent, who began looking for trouble on the day he could walk.

From the start, Susanna sets down rules for her children: No walking in the moonlight, no red shoes, no wearing black, no cats, no crows, no candles, no books about magic. And most importantly, never, ever, fall in love. But when her children visit their Aunt Isabelle, in the small Massachusetts town where the Owens family has been blamed for everything that has ever gone wrong, they uncover family secrets and begin to understand the truth of who they are. Back in New York City, each begins a risky journey as they try to escape the family curse.

The Owens children cannot escape love even if they try, just as they cannot escape the pains of the human heart. The two beautiful sisters will grow up to be the revered, and sometimes feared, aunts in Practical Magic, while Vincent, their beloved brother, will leave an unexpected legacy.

**********

I loved the movie Practical Magic. If you haven't seen this gem starring Sandra Bullock, then you need to go do it right now. The Rules of Magic takes you to the generations before the movie where we can see how the curse began, almost ended, and set the stage for the current members of the Owens family. 

The focus of the story is on Franny, Jet, and Vincent. A generation raised to hide from their magical heritage - after all, if you ignore it, then it must not exist. But the children can't resist giving in to the magic inside them. Traveling to their Aunt's house, they begin to learn about their family history - it's quite fascinating, and I really enjoyed the looks back in time.

As the children grow older, then struggle to avoid falling in the love and triggering the family curse. Here is where we see the ultimate struggle. How can someone not love? The siblings struggle as they grow up and do that very thing - fall in love. But the curse is triggered, and things quickly go downhill.

But this isn't just a story about a curse and the death of love. Jet was my favorite of the three, and her reactions to the events of life really stood out to me. She was the flicker of hope and possible salvation that carries the story into the movie. Don't look at this as just a prequel. It a beautiful story on its own that is so very much worth reading.

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The Daemoniac by Kat Ross ~ Review

Title: The Daemoniac (Dominion Mysteries #1)
Author: Kat Ross
Genre: Adult, Mystery, Historical Fiction, Paranormal
Length: 334 pages
Publisher: Acorn
Release Date: October 12, 2016
Source: Review Request
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

It's August of 1888, just three weeks before Jack the Ripper will begin his grisly spree in the London slum of Whitechapel, and another serial murderer is stalking the gas-lit streets of New York. With taunting messages in backwards Latin left at the crime scenes and even more inexplicable clues like the fingerprints that appear to have been burned into one victim's throat, his handiwork bears all the hallmarks of a demonic possession.

But consulting detective Harrison Fearing Pell is convinced her quarry is a man of flesh and blood. Encouraged by her uncle, Arthur Conan Doyle, Harry hopes to make her reputation by solving the bizarre case before the man the press has dubbed Mr. Hyde strikes again.

From the squalor of the Five Points to the high-class gambling dens of the Tenderloin and the glittering mansions of Fifth Avenue, Harry and her best friend, John Weston, follow the trail of a remorseless killer, uncovering a few embarrassing secrets of New York's richest High Society families along the way. Are the murders a case of black magic—or simple blackmail? And will the trail lead them closer to home than they ever imagined?

**********

The Daemoniac moved a little slow for me, even though there was a lot going on. I felt like the mystery was overly convoluted. There was so much running around that it seemed fairly aimless at times, with nothing to show for their trouble. When the mystery is finally solved, it was somewhat anticlimactic. I expected something massive and huge, and it just seemed to fizzle in my opinion.

The characters were a lot of fun though. Harry, the younger sister of a famous detective, takes on a case, enlisting the help of her friend, John Weston. The banter between these two characters is great. I looked forward to their conversations, both about the case and not. 

I don't think I'll be continuing the series. However, the book is very well written with excellent characters. If you enjoy a more drawn out mystery, this may be one for you.

*I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of this book*

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Whisper by Krystal Jane Ruin ~ Excerpt & Playlist

Title: Whisper

Author: Krystal Jane Ruin

Genre: New Adult, Paranormal

Length: 344 pages

Publisher: The Narcissistic Rose

Release Date: April 3, 2018

Jade has been hearing voices since she was five. No, not voices. One voice.
After her twin brother is appointed vice president of their father’s company at the old age of twenty-two, the family starts falling apart. Her parents hate each other. Her brother is stressed. His girlfriend is a gold-digger if Jade’s ever seen one. And worse yet, it turns out she isn’t crazy-the voice in her head is real.
If she ignores it, it’ll drive her off a cliff, like it has done to every single woman on her father’s side for over 1000 years. If she listens, she’s told something terrible will happen.
The choice should be simple.

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Excerpt

I slip my hand away from Griffin’s and go stash myself in the kitchen.

Mistake.

My grandmother turns away from the fridge at my footsteps, and surprise lights across her face. “Jade…” She looks off to the side and draws her brows tight together. She says nothing else, and I say nothing either. The spacious, country-style room fills with awkward silence.

She clears her throat and tucks a stray piece of silver hair back into her low ponytail. Then she pulls out pitchers of lemonade and iced tea and mixes them together into five tall glasses. I stare at her while she pours, and her hands start to tremble. She pinches her lips together and concentrates hard on the glasses. I still say nothing.

Arthur walks into the kitchen, through the archway behind her. “Let me help you with that, Mom.” He stops short and follows her gaze to where I’m standing. His face brightens. “Jade!” He crosses the room and pulls me into a warm hug. “You finally showed up. When’s the last time you saw her, Mom? Isn’t it great that she’s here?”

She gives me a tight-lipped smile that looks more like a grimace. “Yes. She’s…so beautiful.”

Cursed. She wanted to say cursed.

Playlist

AUTHOR BIO:

Krystal is the author of supernatural and paranormal fiction, living in the Tennessee Valley with a collection of swords and daggers. When she's not hoarding stuffed pandas, hourglasses, and Hello Kitty replicas, she can be found in YouTube hole or blogging about books, writing, and random things at KrystalSquared.net.

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Beneath by Maureen A. Miller ~ Excerpt

Here’s your FIRST LOOK at USA Today’s bestselling author Maureen A. Miller’s upcoming young adult novel, BENEATH! Join us as we get our first peek at this dark YA adventure with a touch of romance. where an accident in the Atlantic Ocean brings a fate, no one could imagine. Check out the excerpt and enter to win a $25 Amazon gift card!

Title:  Beneath

Author: Maureen A. Miller

Release Date: March 26, 2018

Publisher: Self-published

Genres: YA

Page Count: 340

Format: Print and digital 

An overnight fishing trip on the Atlantic Ocean…

It was Stella Gullaksen’s final break before starting her freshman year at college. Joining her best friend, Jill, and Jill's family aboard the STARKISSED, Stella wakes to a violent storm that capsizes the boat over a hundred miles off the New Jersey shore.

As the waves haul her under Stella knows that she is going to die. Instead, an unusual current drags her deep into the underwater canyons of the Atlantic Ocean. Powerless against the raging waters, she is suddenly sucked into a ventilated cave. One by one, Jill and her family also emerge in the sunken cavern.

With only a faulty diving flashlight to keep oblivion at bay Stella and her best friend's brother, Colin, search the cave in hope of finding a way back to the surface. What they discover, however, is that they are not alone. There are other survivors in this subterranean grotto–survivors spanning decades of maritime disasters.

Will this discovery prove salvation, or have they all been condemned to the same fate? A grim finale at the bottom of the sea?

On an alliance forged by friendship and attraction, Stella and Colin battle to escape the danger that lies beneath.

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BENEATH Excerpt

Copyright © 2018 Maureen A. Miller

Colin moved, shaking Stella from her daydream.

“Come on. Stay close,” he instructed.

Close. There was no problem with that command. There was no way she was being left behind in this subterranean abyss.

As they started forward, her toe clipped Colin’s heel causing her to stumble and plant a palm on his back for support.

“A little too close,” Colin muttered over his shoulder.

Stella’s hand snapped back. It wasn’t the first time she had inadvertently touched her best friend’s older brother.

In high school, she had taken many fishing trips with the Wexlers. It was common for them to spend the night out at sea so that Jill’s dad could reach the best fishing spot. The cabin was tight on the STARKISSED, and normally Colin would sleep on the bench seat beside the kitchen table while the three females monopolized the v-shaped bed.

On one occasion she, Jill, and Anne Wexler retired into the cabin for the night, while Colin and his father remained up on deck. Stella and Jill took the bunk on one side of the V, and Anne slept on the other. At some point the boat pitched slightly on a wave and Stella rolled off her tight perch into the gap between the mattresses. Expecting to hit the floor she instead landed on something pliant. Something strong. Something that smelled like the sea and Irish Spring.  

Stella was a junior at the time. She had already been kissed and maybe pawed a little, but she still had very little knowledge of what a man felt like. Now she was pinned to a wide chest with her legs twined between his. Planting her palms on the carpet, she clambered for balance. Heat rushed to her cheeks and it seemed every move she made to dislodge herself only made matters worse.

Colin didn’t say a word. Powerful arms hefted her back onto the mattress and just like that, his silhouette climbed through the hatch and back onto the deck.

Ever since that incident she had a tough time looking him in the eye. It wasn’t just because of the awkwardness of the situation. The truth she concealed was that she had a big-time crush on her best friend’s brother.

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About Maureen A. Miller:

USA TODAY bestselling author, Maureen A. Miller worked in the software industry for fifteen years. She crawled around plant floors in a hard hat and safety glasses hooking up computers to behemoth manufacturing machines. The job required extensive travel. The best form of escapism during those lengthy airport layovers became writing. 

Maureen’s first novel, WIDOW'S TALE, earned her a Golden Heart nomination in Romantic Suspense. After that she became hooked to the genre. In fact, she was so hooked she is the founder of the JUST ROMANTIC SUSPENSE website. 

Recently, Maureen branched out into the Young Adult Science Fiction market with the popular BEYOND Series. To her it was still Romantic Suspense…just on another planet!

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Princesses of the Night by Teresa Fuentez & Tish Brewster ~ Cover Reveal

Princesses of the Night
Teresa Fuentez & Tich Brewster
(Royal Blood, #1)
Publication date: September 22nd 2017
Genres: New Adult, Paranormal

Tanya is a hardworking college student but her whole world is turned upside down when she meets a mysterious man on Halloween. All that she thought was fiction is now her reality. A night life filled with fangs and blood—and an evil vampire that wants her dead. 

She and her friends are the chosen ones, destined long ago, to save this world from destruction. That’s not easy when your enemy is your sire’s son.

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Author Bio:

Tich:
Tich is an Oklahoma resident and the mother of five. Her passion for reading started at an early age when her Aunt Vicky gave her the novel Heidi for Christmas. She didn’t start writing until middle school, after being inspired by her best friend’s short stories. “Genny’s stories weren’t just great but they inspired me to put my pen and paper to good use.”

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Teresa:
Born and raised in Oklahoma. I have a passion for writing, reading, basically anything book related.

I completed my first novel in 2010, Princesses of the Night, which happens to be the first in a series titled Royal Blood.

My novels fall under the genre Paranormal/Fantasy/NA

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Damned by Alexandrea Weis and Lucas Astor ~ Cover Reveal

Damned
Alexandrea Weis & Lucas Astor
Publication date: October 3rd 2017
Genres: Adult, Supernatural

Over a hundred years after the death of Magnus Blackwell, Altmover Manor sits abandoned. 

Lexie Arden and her fiancée, Will Bennet, are determined to rescue the neglected Mount Desert Island landmark. They want to make Altmover Manor their home. But Magnus has other plans. 

A spirit bound to his former residence, Magnus finds himself inexplicably drawn to the young woman. She has a supernatural gift; a gift Magnus wants to exploit. 

As Lexie and Will settle in, secrets from Magnus’s past begin to surface. Compelled to learn all she can about the former owner, Lexie becomes immersed in a world of voodoo, curses, and the whereabouts of a mysterious dragon cane. 

Magnus’s crimes won’t be so easily forgotten, and what Lexie unearths is going to change the future … for everyone.

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Author Bio:
Alexandrea Weis is an advanced practice registered nurse who was born and raised in New Orleans. Having been brought up in the motion picture industry, she learned to tell stories from a different perspective and began writing at the age of eight. Infusing the rich tapestry of her hometown into her award-winning novels, she believes that creating vivid characters makes a story memorable. A permitted/certified wildlife rehabber with the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries, Weis rescues orphaned and injured wildlife. She lives with her husband and pets in New Orleans.
--
Lucas Astor is from New York, has resided in Central America and the Middle East, and traveled through Europe. He lives a very private, virtually reclusive lifestyle, preferring to spend time with a close-knit group of friends than be in the spotlight.
He is an author and poet with a penchant for telling stories that delve into the dark side of the human psyche. He likes to explore the evil that exists, not just in the world, but right next door behind a smiling face.
Photography, making wine, and helping endangered species are just some of his interests. Lucas is an expert archer and enjoys jazz, blues, and classical music.
One of his favorite quotes is: “It’s better to be silent than be a fool.” ~Harper Lee (To Kill a Mockingbird)

Crowned by Christina Bauer ~ Cover Reveal and Giveaway

Crowned
Christina Bauer
(Beholder, Book 4)
Published by: Monster House Books
Publication date: November 28th 2017
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

Beauty. Romance. Power. It’s all in the eye of the BEHOLDER. 

At last, Elea has found the love of her life. Unfortunately, the evil Tsar Viktor is about to unleash an army of twisted mages bent on killing everyone Elea cares about… including the man who’s stolen her heart.
So what’s a powerful witch to do? Why, organize a league of magical warriors, of course. 

Elea recruits and trains a fighting force to take down the Tsar. That’s challenge enough, but on the eve of battle, Elea realizes that her true enemies may be far more powerful than even Viktor: The deities Oni and Yuri could be out to destroy her as well. With major battles brewing on two fronts, Elea’s not sure that she’ll win, but with true love to inspire her, she’s certainly ready to fight.

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Previous books in the series:

Author Bio:
Christina Bauer knows how to tell stories about kick-ass women. In her best selling Angelbound series, the heroine is a part-demon girl who loves to fight in Purgatory’s Arena and falls in love with a part-angel prince. This young adult best seller has driven more than 500,000 ebook downloads and 9,000 reviews on Goodreads and retailers. It is now available as an audiobook on Audible and iTunes.

Bauer has also told the story of the Women’s March on Washington by leading PR efforts for the Massachusetts Chapter. Her pre-event press release—the only one sent out on a major wire service—resulted in more than 19,000 global impressions and redistribution by over 350 different media entities including the Associated Press. 

Christina graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School with BA’s in English along with Television, Radio, and Film Production. She lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby. 

Be the first to know about new releases from Christina by signing up for her newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/CBupdates 

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Moribund by Genevieve Iseult Eldredge ~ Cover Reveal

Moribund
Genevieve Iseult Eldredge
(Circuit Fae, #1)
Published by: Monster House Books
Publication date: September 12th 2017
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

High school sophomore Syl Skye is an ordinary girl. At least, she’s trying to be. School photographer and all-around geek, she introverts hard and keeps her crush on sexy-hot glam-Goth star Euphoria on the down-low. But when a freak accident Awakens her slumbering power, Syl is forced to accept a destiny she never wanted—as the last sleeper-princess of the fair Fae. 

Suddenly hunted by the dark Fae, Syl’s pretty sure things can’t get any worse. Until she discovers her secret crush, Euphoria, is really a dark Circuit Fae able to harness the killing magic in technology. Even worse, she’s been sent to destroy Syl. With mean girls and magic and dark Fae trying to kill her, it’ll take more than just “clap if you believe in fairies” to save Syl’s bacon—not to mention, her heart.

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Author Bio:
Genevieve Iseult Eldredge writes LGBTQ YA because as a young adult, she never had any lesbian heroes like her.
Now she brings together her love of LGBTQ literature, urban fantasy, young adult fiction, and the secret world of the Fae in her lesbian YA series, Circuit Fae--so that young adults of the LGBTQ community can have heroes that understand, that think and act, live and love like them.
GIE is also an MFA grad, a martial artist, a self-rescuing princess, and all-around strong female character. She’s multi-published, and in her role as an editor has helped hundreds of authors make their dream of being published a reality.
GIE believes in fairies (in fact, she’s clapping right now), true love (not “to blave”), and championing the often-unheard female voice. She might be using D&D figures to plot out an epic fight scene right now.

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Day Zero by Kresley Cole ~ Review

Title: Day Zero (The Arcana Chronicles 3.5)
Author: Kresley Cole
Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian, Paranormal
Length: 174 Pages
Publisher: Valkyrie Press
Release Date: August 1, 2016
Source: Purchased
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Arcana means secrets, and these Arcana Chronicles short stories from #1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole are filled with them. Experience firsthand the beginning of the end and behold the apocalypse through the eyes of characters you only thought you knew. 

Ashes to ashes . . .
Evie Greene’s story of the Flash is just one of many. All over the world, those connected in some way to the lethal Arcana game—like Death, Jack, and Fortune—must first survive a horrifying night of blood and screams. 

We all fall down.
Some will have to grapple with new powers; all will be damned to a hellish new existence of plague, brutality, desolation, and cannibalism. Find out who they lost, why they endure, and what they sacrificed in order to live past Day Zero. . . .

**********

The first thing to note is that this isn't really a book. This is a look into the notes and stories of the characters we've met so far - with some redactions to keep from giving too much away. Although, The Fool's section had me grinding my teeth! I need to know more about this kid!

I enjoyed seeing how the other cards prepared and survived Day Zero, stories that were 2 or 3 pages and gave a bit of background that helped me understand where they came from a little bit more.

A good addition with some fun facts, but don't go in thinking this is a novella or short story.

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The Arcana Chronicles

Poison Princess #1
Endless Knight #2
Dead of Winter #3

Wolves and Roses by Christina Bauer ~ Cover Reveal

Wolves & Roses
Christina Bauer

(Fairy Tales of the Magicorum #1)
Published by: Monster House Books
Publication date: March 28th 2017
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

Seventeen-year-old Bryar Rose has a problem. She’s descended from one of the three magical races—shifters, fairies, or witches. That makes her one of the Magicorum, and Magicorum always follow a fairy tale life template. In Bryar’s case, that template should be Sleeping Beauty. 

“Should” being the key word.
Trouble is, Bryar is nowhere near the sleeping beauty life template. Not even close. She doesn’t like birds or woodland creatures. She can’t sing. And she certainly can’t stand Prince Philpot, the so-called “His Highness of Hedge Funds” that her aunties want her to marry. Even worse, Bryar’s having recurring dreams of a bad boy hottie and is obsessed with finding papyri from ancient Egypt. What’s up with that? 

All Bryar wants is to attend a regular high school with normal humans and forget all about shifters, fairies, witches, and the curse that Colonel Mallory the Magnificent placed on her. And she might be able to do just that–if only she can just keep her head down until her eighteenth birthday when the spell that’s ruined her life goes buh-bye. 

But that plan gets turned upside down when Bryar Rose meets Knox, the bad boy who’s literally from her dreams. Knox is a powerful werewolf, and his presence in her life changes everything, and not just because he makes her knees turn into Jell-O. If Bryar can’t figure out who—or what—she really is, it might cost both her and Knox their lives… as well as jeopardize the very nature of magic itself.

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Author Bio:
Christina graduated from Syracuse University's Newhouse School with BA's in English as well as Television, Radio, and Film Production. Her day job is in marketing for companies like Microsoft, Cisco, and Zerto. Back in the go-go 90′s, she founded her own software start-up, Mindful Technologies. Christina believes that, upon close examination of Tolkien's text, it's entirely possible that the Balrog was wearing fuzzy bunny slippers.

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Endless Knight by Kresley Cole ~ Review

Title: Endless Knight (The Arcana Chronicles #2)
Author: Kresley Cole
Genre: New Adult, Dystopian, Paranormal
Length: 320 Pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Release Date: September 2, 2014
Source: Goodreads First Reads
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Evie has fully come into her powers as the tarot Empress. And Jack was there to see it all. In the aftermath of killing Arthur, Evie realizes that there is a war brewing between the teens who’ve been given powers following the apocalypse, and it’s kill or be killed. When Evie meets Death, the gorgeous and dangerous Endless Knight, things get even more complicated. Somehow the Empress and Death share a romantic history. One that Evie can’t remember, but Death can’t forget. Evie is drawn to Death, but in love with Jack. She is determined to discover why she’s been granted these powers, and in the process, struggles to accept her place in the prophecy that will either save the world, or destroy it.

**********

Well, Kresley Cole certainly knows how to keep her characters on their feet. After an exciting introduction to the world of The Arcana in Poison Princess, she doesn't miss a beat when Endless Knight starts. Jack has been blindsided by Evie's secret and her abilities, and he's not entirely sure what to do.

Evie is learning more about this deadly game and her abilities as she draws allies to her side. But when Death catches up to them, he isn't anything like she expected. Evie and Death, they have a history, a long and deadly one that she is going to have to face head first if she's going to escape.

Death knows all her secrets and all her tricks, and he's prepared. What he isn't prepared for is Evie. Evie isn't like the past Empresses, and he finds himself falling for her in a whole new way. And Evie isn't immune to his charm. With several of the Arcana already fallen, she finds herself in the middle of a potential love triangle.

Now, I'm not always a fan of love triangles, but this one was a little different. Her feelings for Death belong to the Empress, while her feelings for Jack belong to Evie. She will have to find a way to separate the two, and she needs to do it quickly. The lives of her friends are on the line. 

I loved getting to know Death better. His character is one of more fascinating ones so far, and I'm really excited that we may be seeing more of him. There's a ton of growth and development for everyone in Evie's circle that really keeps things moving. And Kresley Cole doesn't skimp on the action. Holy cow does a lot happen. I devoured this book.

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book**

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The Arcana Chronicles

Poison Princess #1

Poison Princess by Kresley Cole ~ Review

Title: Poison Princess (The Arcana Chronicles #1)
Author: Kresley Cole
Genre: New Adult, Paranormal, Dystopian
Length: 369 Pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Release Date: August 19, 2014
Source: Purchased
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

She could save the world-or destroy it.
Sixteen year old Evangeline "Evie" Greene leads a charmed life, until she begins experiencing horrifying hallucinations. When an apocalyptic event decimates her Louisiana hometown, Evie realizes her hallucinations were actually visions of the future - and they're still happening. Fighting for her life and desperate for answers, she must turn to her wrong-side-of-the-bayou classmate: Jack Derveaux.

But she can't do either alone.
With his mile-long rap sheet, wicked grin, and bad attitude, Jack is like no boy Evie has ever known. Even though he once scorned her and everything she represented, he agrees to protect Evie on her quest. She knows she can't totally depend on Jack. If he ever cast that wicked grin her way, could she possibly resist him?

Who can Evie trust?
As Jack and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have gotten the same call. An ancient prophesy is being played out, and Evie is not the only one with special powers. A group of twenty-two teens has been chosen to reenact the ultimate battle between good and evil. But it's not always clear who is on which side... 

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Poison Princess is an amazing story. The entire premise behind the series is incredibly well thought out. The Tarot deck brought to life - so unique and exciting. But we start with Evie - a girl that appears to be your typical rich popular girl from a good family. Everyone likes her and she seems to have the perfect life. But Evie is not what everyone thinks. Visions and dark premonitions haunt her and she can hear voices that seem to be taunting her.

Enter Jack. Jack is the boy from the wrong side of the track. He's hard, violent, and has his eyes set on Evie. When the apocalypse happens, he may be the only thing that can save her. But she doesn't trust him and doesn't like him. Not sure if she should be staying and holding her home as a final refuge or striking out with him to find safety.

I really liked that the apocalypse doesn't happen right away. We get a chance to get to know everyone a little first. We feel the pain as some of them are lost, and we're excited to hear that a couple survived. But when it finally happens, it's devastating. The world really has come to an end and the game has begun.

There's a little bit of everything in Poison Princess. There's a hint at a romance to come, tragedy, zombies, and a ton of excitement. I'm not sure why I waited so long to get started, but I'm glad I'll be able to pick up the next one soon.

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The Witch House of Persimmon Point by Suzanne Palmieri ~ Review

Title: The Witch House of Persimmon Point
Author: Suzanne Palmieri
Genre: Adult, Paranormal
Length: 400 Pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: October 11, 2016
Source: Purchased
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

When Byrd Whalen returns to her family’s ancestral home to uncover secrets threating to destroy a legacy she holds dear, she gets more than she bargained for. Over the course of one harrowing weekend, the dark haunted histories of the Amore women reveal themselves, leading Byrd to question everything she's ever believed about herself.

In 1890, Nan, the Amore family matriarch, was sent away to America with little more than a baby and a rocking chair, quickly finding work on the sprawling estate of the wildly eccentric Green family. This new life is one she wanted: loving and free with a family that understands and shares in her magic. But when tragedy strikes, destroying the mansion and the precious lives inside, Nan is left alone and pregnant with Reginald Green’s child. With nothing more than the deed to the property, she builds a house from the rubble and a new, pragmatic life. It would become a haunted life that would lead to other haunted lives. It would become a house both terrible and wonderful. It would become known as “The Witch House.”

An unforgettable family saga in the Gothic tradition, Suzanne Palmieri’s The Witch House of Persimmon Point is her most powerful novel yet. 

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An interesting story. It jumps around in time a lot, so be prepared for just a tad bit of whiplash at times. There were a few jumps that really threw me and I had to go track back until I knew when I was again. The story follows a family of special women - witches, for lack of a better word - and the house that holds them.

The story is just as much about the house as it is about the people. A house that was witness to many tragedies and holds on to the women it likes. There are several generations of women, and we learn about their history through diaries and tales told by their ghosts. Most of these stories do not have what most would consider a happy ending, but somehow they are all satisfying.

An interesting and engaging look into the history of an incredibly interesting family. I want to know them better and learn more about what happens next.

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