{REVIEW} THE INDIGO SPELL (BLOODLINES #3) by RICHELLE MEAD

Series: Bloodlines #3

Genre: Paranormal Young Adult

Publisher: Razorbill

Publication Date: 2/12/13

Format: ARC

Pages: 432

Source: Received from publisher for review.

In the aftermath of a forbidden moment that rocked Sydney to her core, she finds herself struggling to draw the line between her Alchemist teachings and what her heart is urging her to do. Then she meets alluring, rebellious Marcus Finch--a former Alchemist who escaped against all odds, and is now on the run. Marcus wants to teach Sydney the secrets he claims the Alchemists are hiding from her. But as he pushes her to rebel against the people who raised her, Sydney finds that breaking free is harder than she thought. There is an old and mysterious magic rooted deeply within her. And as she searches for an evil magic user targeting powerful young witches, she realizes that her only hope is to embrace her magical blood--or else she might be next. Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, the Bloodlines series explores all the friendship, romance, battles, and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive—this time in a part-vampire, part-human setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone’s out for blood.

 

**No spoilers for Bloodlines, The Golden Lily, or The Indigo Spell**

I honestly have felt as if I am one of the few unenthusiastic readers of the Bloodlines series. Yes, it is well-written. Yes, I have given the books good (4-star) ratings. But, I never truly felt strongly about Bloodlines or The Golden Lily. The fact that I am a huge fan of Vampire Academy is what kept me reading.

So maybe my review doesn't mean much, to solid fans of the series. But it might for those who, like me, need a reason to keep going. The Indigo Spell was going to be my last chance for this series. I may be in the minority, but I am not a big fan of Sydney Sage. I get that she is who she is, but she also happens to be a character I found frustrating and boring. In fact, I found all of the characters, save Adrian, to be pretty forgettable. I'm not going to elaborate on how Sydney changes, but I will say that she didn't leave me needing to headbutt the nearest wall. I may never be totally in love with Sydney, but I like her a lot and now have mucho respect for her and her brave decisions.

Adrian is why I kept going. We all know that he is unbelievably witty and charming. I  never wanted him with Rose, but I wanted him to be happy. But what Adrian also is, now, is solid. Solid  doesn't mean boring, or that he is now a follower. Solid means that Adrian can be counted on, that when you need him, he will be there. (Sometimes with a drink in hand.) So yay (!) for Adrian's character growth.

Overall I found The Indigo Spell to be a much more enjoyable story than Bloodlines and The Golden Lily. I felt like the issues in the vampire and alchemist world were finally moving along and really rocking. I felt as though Sydney and Adrian were finally progressing. There is a whole witchy side story that I felt was unnecessary, but otherwise, I'm much happier with The Indigo Spell.

I totally loved the ending (!)  and will happily continue the Bloodlines series.


Favorite Quote:


  "Sometimes it's worth lingering on the journey for a while before getting to the destination."  ~pg. 337

My Review of Bloodlines

Purchase The Indigo Spell at:
Amazon   |  Barnes & Noble   

{MINI-REVIEW} ETHAN (BRIGHTEST KIND OF DARKNESS #0.5) by P.T. MICHELLE

Series: Brightest Kind of Darkness #0.5
Genre: Paranormal Young Adult
Publisher: Patrice Michelle
Publication Date: 1/11/13
Format: ebook
Source: Received from author for review.

Ethan Harris never thought monsters and darkness would consume his daily thoughts, but every night the same visions repeat in his dreams. He’s careful to project a semblance of normalcy, keeping the suffocating darkness locked inside. As much as he wishes he could focus on girls, sports, and cars like other seventeen-year-olds; nothing distracts him from his own demons or shines through.

Until Nara Collins crosses his path. The blonde fascinates and intrigues him, giving him a measure of peace he’s never felt before.

When Ethan discovers there’s more to Nara than she allows others to see, that she might have a unique secret of her own, suddenly his world comes into focus.

Note: Ethan is a novella PREQUEL to Brightest Kind of Darkness. This story will give some of Ethan’s background and lead up until the day he tells Nara there’s a bomb in the school.

Ethan is an excellent addition to the gorgeous, brilliant Brightest Kind of Darkness series by P.T. Michelle. Though it is set in the weeks leading up to book one in the series, I would definitely recommend reading it after Brightest Kind of Darkness. Then again, this revealing look at the tortured Ethan may be just enough to lure new readers in.

Since the moment I truly got to know him, I have adored Ethan. He is smart, strong, brave, honorable, and incredible wonderful to Nara. This book made me so sad for him. Reading the other books, we know Ethan's had a rough time, but this novella really brings how hard things have been into sharp focus.

My favorite part of reading Ethan was that I know where the story is going. I was looking for little clues ~ the ravens, the nightmares, the radiance of Nara. I loved seeing Ethan become quickly and assuredly become enchanted by Nara, and though I knew what was going to happen, I found myself holding my breath when the finally made a connection. Michelle did a brilliant job of weaving small details between Ethan and Brightest Kind of Darkness together, and as soon as I finished Ethan, I immediately went back and read Chapter One of BKoD.

Beware, this will make you want to read the series all over again, and anxiously awaiting book four, Destiny.


Favorite Quote:

  Even behind her shades, the moment Nara's eyes lock with mine is indescribable. I feel the rushing heat of her stare and think about dreams being nothing but air--and realize that to have her look at me like this and really see me is true sustenance.
  She's sweetness sitting on the tip of my tongue, waiting for me to swallow.
  My mouth starts to water.
  Hell yeah, she's worth the risk of rejection. A thousand times worth it. 

 

Brightest Kind of Darkness Series 

 

 

(Click on cover for GoodReads page)

 

My Review of :

Brightest Kind of Darkness  |  Lucid

 

 

Purchase at:

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Smashwords

About the author:
P.T. Michelle is the young adult pseudonym of Patrice Michelle, author of fifteen romance novels and novellas. When PT isn’t writing, she can usually be found reading or taking pictures of landscapes, sunsets and anything beautiful or odd in nature.


Twitter | Facebook | Website | Blog | Pinterest | GoodReads | Newsletter

THE INDIGO SPELL ~ WHO IS MARCUS FINCH: CLUE 7 + GIVEAWAY

Today is Clue Seven The Indigo Spell's "Who Is Marcus Finch?" campaign.

 

Here is your seventh clue...

 

 

Check back in tomorrow for Clue #8

Series: Bloodlines #3
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication Date: 2/12/13

 

In the aftermath of a forbidden moment that rocked Sydney to her core, she finds herself struggling to draw the line between her Alchemist teachings and what her heart is urging her to do. Then she meets alluring, rebellious Marcus Finch--a former Alchemist who escaped against all odds, and is now on the run. Marcus wants to teach Sydney the secrets he claims the Alchemists are hiding from her. But as he pushes her to rebel against the people who raised her, Sydney finds that breaking free is harder than she thought. There is an old and mysterious magic rooted deeply within her. And as she searches for an evil magic user targeting powerful young witches, she realizes that her only hope is to embrace her magical blood--or else she might be next.


Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, the Bloodlines series explores all the friendship, romance, battles, and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive—this time in a part-vampire, part-human setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone’s out for blood.
 

Bloodlines Website  |  Facebook  |  Bloodlines Trailer  |  Bloodlines Excerpt

 

GIVEAWAY

 

I also have one finished copy of The Indigo Spell to give away! The giveaway will run the length of the clue reveals. This giveaway is open to US residents only. Just enter the Rafflecopter form.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

{DOUBLE COVER REVEAL} JAMB (CORNERSTONE #3) and FULL OF GRACE by MISTY PROVENCHER

I have a real treat for you today! I am happy to be participating in the cover reveal for book three in the Cornerstone Series, Jamb. Also, this is a reveal for Full of Grace, the companion to Hale Maree. It's clear Misty Provencher is one crazy busy lady!

 
Series: Cornerstone #3
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal
Publisher: Misty Provencher
Publication Date: March 2013

The Cornerstone Series

(click on the covers for my review) 

Series: Companion to Hale Maree
Genre: Contemporary New Adult
Publisher: Misty Provencher
Publication Date: March 2013

 

 The Hale Maree Books

(click on the cover for my review)

 

I'm really excited about both books. Be sure to add them to your to-read list.

Books by Misty Provencher

The CORNERSTONE Series (Young Adult)

HALE MAREE (Adult)

MERCY, A GARGOYLE STORY (New Adult)

Available in paperback and ebook at:

Barnes & Noble Amazon Smashwords

Connect with Misty Provencher at:
Her Blog | Twitter | GoodReads

{REVIEW} ALTERED SOULS (THE WITCH AVENUE SERIES #2) by KARICE BOLTON

Series: The Witch Avenue #2
Genre: Paranormal Young Adult
Publisher: Bulldog Press
Publication Date: 10/28/12
Format: ebook
Source: Received from author for review.

The realm of Altered Souls brings nothing but unrest, deceit, and pain forcing Triss to come face to face with heartbreak from her past.

Facing a betrayal like never before, Triss questions everything she thought she knew about her family, coven, and abilities.

With the help of Logan, she embarks on a journey enabling her to confront the dark side of magic and the person who controls it. Realizing Triss’s ancestors have been seduced for centuries by the dark side, Triss and Logan must ensure no more in their world fall victim to the realm of Altered Souls, even if that means ending the ones they love.

Full of revelations and shocking surprises, Altered Souls is an exciting sequel to Lonely Souls.

Middle books in a series are tricky. Authors must be able to keep the series storyline moving forward without giving away too much, enough to keep readers hanging for the finale. Sometimes, the book winds up being more of a "filler" than relevant to the overall arc of the series. In Altered Souls, author Karice Bolton did that job very well.

In Lonely Souls, Triss had to balance a reconnection with her childhood friend Logan with the mystery of what happened to her mother. It was a difficult balance to maneuver, but she did it well. In Altered Souls, she is still managing to handle her new, but intense connection to Logan, but also the struggle to get her mother back. And what I really love about this is yes, Logan and Triss do want to be together, and their relationship is very beautiful, but the story still revolves around the fight against evil. The romance is a lovely aspect to the story, but it never fully takes it over. Triss and Logan are following their hearts, and using their minds.

As I mentioned before, Altered Souls is full of shocking revelations. There are new enemies crawling out of the dark, one in particular is shocking. There is a new power player on the scene. And almost as surprising as the enemies are the potential allies. One group of allies was cool and pretty imaginative, the other truly shocked me. In the meantime, Triss and Logan are working to use power strong enough to defeat their enemies, without moving over to the dark side. The ending left them at a point that is a nice set-up for book three, Released Souls.

These days, it seems that I'm not one for a lot of paranormal young adult. But with Bolton's great take on witchcraft and love, The Witch Avenue Series is an exception.

Favorite Quotes:

  "You are so beautiful," he murmured, as he gently cupped my face, allowing his finger to trace its way back down my neck to my collarbone. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to be so close to you every night?"
  "I think I can imagine." I tried to stifle a nervous giggle.


  Oh, how I wanted to be a normal eighteen year old with nothing to worry about except a college exam and what to wear on a date. Instead, I was plagued with bringing home a mother who didn't want to be found and the prospect of a father willing to unleash dark sorcery on his own daughter. Welcome to adulthood, Triss.

The Witch Avenue Series

(click on cover for my review)

Purchase Lonely Souls at:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Purchase Altered Souls at:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About the Author:
Karice Bolton is a paranormal romance/urban fantasy author living in the Pacific Northwest. All three books in The Watchers Trilogy are available now, Awakening, Legions, and Cataclysm. Lonely Souls, which is the first book in her new series Witch Avenue, was released in June 2012!

Karice married the love of her life who she met in high school, and she still can't get over how cute and funny he is. They have two English Bulldogs that are the cutest bullies in the world, and they use their cuteness to get what they want. Karice loves the snow and gravitates towards the stuff as often as possible! She enjoys skiing and tries really hard to snowboard, but often makes a nice little area to sit while everyone zips by on their board. She enjoys writing, and she also loves to read just about anything with print.

Connect with Karice at:

GoodReads | her website | Twitter | Facebook

GILDED WINGS BLOG TOUR ~ EXCERPT, GUEST POST AND GIVEAWAY

Welcome to The Bookish Babe's stop on the Gilded Wings Blog Tour. Gilded Wings in book two in The Angel Chronicles. The tour is being hosted by Tribute Books, you can find the entire schedule here. My stop includes a guest post from author Amy Lignor, an excerpt and the tour wide giveaway.

But first, take a look at the series....

Series: The Angel Chronicles #1
Genre: Paranormal YA
Publisher: Tribute Books
Publication Date: 2/1/12

How does a girl choose between the one who steals her heart and the one who owns her soul?

Matt and Emily were created for a specific job. Raised and trained as the ultimate angel/warrior team, they are sent down to save, defend, judge and forgive, depending on the 'life' they've been assigned. What they don't realize is that the power of human emotions, such as love, anger, passion and fear can take over even the best of souls, causing them to make mistakes and follow paths that lead to confusion and heartache.

When the reason for their training is finally revealed, the angel/warrior team find themselves thrust into a world they know nothing about. Matt takes over the life of Daniel, a young man with a great deal of baggage. Emily becomes Liz, a girl living in a remote village who relies on nothing more than her own strength to survive. A violent storm erupts one night, and framed in the window of Liz's establishment is a frightening face. Let in by the soul of a Good Samaritan, the two visitors bring with them a past full of secrets that could literally change an angel's path and a warrior's plans.

From murder to redemption, this angel/warrior team must find a way to keep the faith they have in each other in a world that's ripping them apart.

Series: The Angel Chronicles #2
Genre: Paranormal YA
Publisher: Tribute Books
Publication Date: 11/1/12

The Beloved Angel-Warrior Team from Until Next Time Returns!When Matt and Emily are sent on their second mission they have no idea how truly dark human nature can become...

Emily never wanted to face humans again. With the heartache that went on down below, she’s still trying to figure out how to save souls that don’t deserve saving. The only one she wants to see again is Jason - the young man she fell in love with who became the soulmate she simply can’t forget...

Matt was trained to protect and defend the souls down below. Longing to feel the heartfelt emotions that come from being human, Matt wants nothing more than to have just one life - one chance - to live and love the girl of his dreams...

The powerful team find themselves in a brand new century, living in the Gilded Age of New York City. Emily takes over the body of Anya, a young Russian girl who arrives on Ellis Island after a hideous tragedy. There she meets up with a strangely familiar young man by the name of Drew Parrish, who helps Anya survive in an unknown world of luxury, snobbery and…obsession.

What Anya’s inner angel doesn’t know is that the soul she loves is also back. This time around Jason goes by the name of Max Carrow. Once a quiet and kind boy, he’s now part of the ‘Four Hundred Club,’ and wants nothing more than to be among the most admired as he climbs the shaky ladder of society’s elite.

As two worlds merge, Emily and Matt struggle under the weight of their “Gilded Wings.” Not only will they have to figure out who they should fight to save, but they must also face a romantic choice that could destroy them both.

Read-along Excerpt

 

Hope smiled and reached out to pat her hand. “No reason you would. I suppose I’ll just shorten this tale a bit. After the Civil War, the freeing of the slaves and President Lincoln’s death, the Yankees—which is simply another name for the Northerners who invaded the South—took over. They brought their money and built on our land, cut down our trees, opened lumber factories, and basically took away every ounce of our charm. Carpetbaggers are just thieves. They gave the colored men and women hope by offering them land but, if you ask me, all they really wanted to do was work them to death just like the Southern plantation owners had. They just did it in a quieter way, thinking that the people wouldn’t notice. Anyway, the whole thing’s hard to explain and happened over thirty years ago.” She smiled. “Just know that I am as much an outsider as you are, darlin’.”

Anya’s brain was racing to keep up. “But you traveled...to this city? Aren’t you now surrounded by these Yankee people?”

Hope laughed so hard she placed a hand on her stomach. “Honey, you catch on fast. I figured if you can’t beat em’—join em’. Anyway, there were only two places to go. Here, and our capital, Washington D.C. But,” she continued, shrugging her shoulders, “I can’t stand the constant chatter of politics. Very boring stuff. All the men who live there want to talk and, boy, do they think they’re smarter than everyone else. So it was New York for me.”

Anya felt a twinge inside her belly as if Hope should be involved in politics.

 

Guest Post

 

Inside the Writer’s Studio…with Emily!

 

One of my favorite shows on television is “Inside the Actor’s Studio.” This is a show presented to students of the Actor’s Studio Drama School at Pace University. I know there are a ton of interviews with celebrities, but the host, James Lipton, makes these people who everyone is so bedazzled by seem like the regular, normal humans they are. At the end of the show, Lipton asks his guest ten questions that they have to answer for the audience.

I wrote a blog about Matthew in this situation, but this time around it’s all about Emily - who’s more than a little uncomfortable when the spotlight is shone on her. But let’s see what our favorite angel has to say…

_____

 

Host: Emily, thank you for being here today.

E: (swallows hard as she looks around the room, trying to find the exits). You bet.

Host: We had your partner, Matthew, on the show. Charming guy.

E: (rolls her eyes) Yeah…that seems to be the consensus.

Host: He said that your job is harder.

E: (cracks a smile) Being an angel, or putting up with him?

Host: I think he meant the angelic work you do.

E: (sighs) Matthew is a great partner - he does a great deal of work and protects me all at the same time. So…even though there is a sarcastic remark begging to be let out of my mouth right now, let’s just say Matthew’s a cool guy.

Host: He told us that he cares very much for you.

E: Is this thing almost over? Matthew didn’t tell me this would be Sally Jesse Raphael. I can’t talk about that relationship stuff. Pick an easier topic, like death or something.

Host: (Looks into the suddenly black eyes and clears his throat) Not at all. That’s your business! Let’s just move on to the questions, shall we? (Without waiting for a response, he continues,) What is your favorite word?

E: Love

Host: But I thought you just said…?

E: It’s my favorite word - doesn’t mean I want you to go all Sigmund Freud on me about it. He already yaps at me enough when I’m up there. Next question!

Host: What is your least favorite word?

E: Hate. I don’t think anyone should.

Host: What turns you on? (clears his throat) When Matthew was here he said, you.

E: Yeah, I know. And if you recall, I slapped him in the back of the head for that one.

Host: Oh, that’s right. He changed his answer to Dutch Apple Pie. I was unaware that angels could lie.

E: He didn’t lie - he eats that stuff constantly!

Host:  So…what about you? What turns you on?

E: (the angel shrugs) Second chances, I suppose.

Host: What sound or noise do you love?

E: Laughing. It’s addictive.

Host: What sound or noise do you hate?

E: I just said I hate the word hate, so…I dislike the sound of war. Again, not necessary.

Host: What is your favorite curse word?

E: Are you serious? If I answer that I may be punished in a bad way, so let’s just skip that one.

Host: Okay, but do you have one?

E: (she smiles) I’ve got a great one going through my head right now!

Host: Other than yours, what profession would you like to do?

E: A vet. As you can probably tell I’m not good with people, but animals and I are great.

Host: Don’t you have to be good with people when it comes to your job?

E: Did you give Matty this much trouble?

Host: Okey-doke. What profession would you not like to do?

E: A doctor. Can’t stand the sight of blood.

Host: But don’t you…?

E: That’s why I can’t stand the sight of it.

Host: Gotcha. Last question…

E: Thank you, God!

Host: If heaven exists, what would you like God to say when you arrive at the pearly gates?

E: If? Seriously?

Host: Okay…Thank you for joining us today, Emily. It was really great to meet you.

(As the wings unfurl, the angel offers a wink and a smile.) E: I heard that Matthew wished you good luck with this interview. Just letting you know - you did a good job. If you haven’t noticed yet, I’m the ‘bad cop’ when it comes to our angel/warrior team. Bye!

Until Next Time, Everybody,

Amy

 

 

About the author:

 

Amy Lignor began her career at Grey House Publishing in northwest Connecticut where she was the Editor-in-Chief of numerous educational and business directories.

Now she is a published author of several works of fiction. The Billy the Kid historical The Heart of a Legend; the thriller, Mind Made; and the adventure novel, Tallent & Lowery 13.

She is also the owner of The Write Companion, a company that offers help and support to writers through a full range of editorial services from proofreading and copyediting to ghostwriting and research. As the daughter of a research librarian, she is also an active book reviewer.

Currently, she lives with her daughter, mother and a rambunctious German Shepherd named Reuben, in the beautiful state of New Mexico.

Connect with Amy at:
Facebook   |   Twitter  |   Website

Buy the Books at:
Kindle  |   Nook  |   iBookstore  |  Smashwords

 

GIVEAWAY 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

WAITING ON WEDNESDAY

Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's WoW selection is...

Series: Dante Walker #1

Genre: Paranormal YA

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Publication Date: 4/2/13

 

He makes good girls...bad. Dante Walker is flippin’ awesome, and he knows it. His good looks, killer charm, and stellar confidence has made him one of hell’s best—a soul collector. His job is simple, weed through humanity and label those round rears with a big red good or bad stamp. Old Saint Nick gets the good guys, and he gets the fun ones. Bag-and-tag.

Sealing souls is nothing personal. Dante’s an equal opportunity collector and doesn’t want it any other way. But he’ll have to adjust, because Boss Man has given him a new assignment:

Collect Charlie Cooper’s soul within 10 days.

Dante doesn’t know why Boss Man wants Charlie, nor does he care. This assignment means only one thing to him, and that’s a permanent ticket out of hell. But after Dante meets the quirky, Nerd Alert chick he’s come to collect—he realizes this assignment will test his abilities as a collector, and uncover emotions deeply buried.

Why I'm Waiting ~ So... this Dante guy makes "good girls go bad", huh? I like him already. Plus, that cover makes me a little dizzy every time I see it.


You can pre-order The Collector at:
Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble

 

{BLOG TOUR} OWLET (SOCIETY OF FEATHERS #1) by EMMA MICHAELS

Welcome to my stop on the Owlet Blog Tour. This huge event is being hosted by Tribute Books. My stop on the tour includes my review of Owlet, an excerpt for the read-a-long, and the tour-wide giveaway.

Series: Society of Feathers #1
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Publisher: Tribute Books
Publication Date: 10/13/12
Format: eARC
Pages: 170
Source: Received from publisher for review.

Somewhere between falling and flying… there is a girl.

Iris has a secret. She lost her memory eight years ago and never told a living soul. After an asthma attack one night she finds out that her dreams of a strange house on a snowy island may be a memory resurfacing but the more she learns about the past the more she realizes the life she has been living is a lie. As the façade her father has built starts to crumble around her she will have to decide which means more to her; the truth or her life.

Owlet was a unique story that I found to be very nicely written, though initially confusing. It's not that I didn't understand the lore, but that I had to learn what was happening, right along with the sheltered heroine, Iris. Sometimes that works for me, but often I don't enjoy being clueless.

Iris was a very sympathetic heroine. A severe asthmatic, she has led a confined life with only her father and nurse. She is a girl who misses her long dead mother, and dreams of flying every night. When her dreams clash with her reality, Iris is set on an adventure that will redefine her life.

Once Iris begins to discover the truth, she meets Falcon, a boy she doesnt' remember, but shares a past with. Falcon was perfect for Iris. He was thoughtful, brave and loyal. His life without Iris has been difficult. Once they reconnect, Falcon is a force to be reckoned with.

As for the meaning of "owlet" and the Society of Feathers, I found that to be the most interesting aspect to the book. I assumed, with the name "feathers", that Owlet was about angels. I wasn't even close. Author Emma Michaels did a beautiful job of thoroughly forming her unique paranormal world.

Despite my initial confusion, I enjoyed Owlet. The story ended at quite a crossroad and I'm curious to learn what happens next.


Favorite Quote:


  "Don't ever make me leave her side again, okay?" he asked and looked into Roger's eyes.   (60%)

 

Excerpt

 

Falcon stayed by Iris’ side. Not close enough to disturb her but close enough so he would notice if she stopped breathing. Luckily Diana had been able to administer steroids that targeted her lungs, a prescription she had been given for only the most extreme of emergencies. Falcon watched Iris slowly breathing in and out as he thought about the girl he’d once known. And, overpowered by the past, he slowly started to hum the song he had always sung to her.

He sat up when he heard her lightly hum the next few notes back to him. “Are you awake?”

There was no response so he started to hum again and she joined in every few verses for a few notes, slightly broken by her lungs’ delicate state. Even though the intubation kit was not out of her throat, Diana was worried about keeping it in too long while Iris healed internally. Finally Falcon started to sing the words to her, hoping it might wake her or help jog her memory.

“On a breeze from afar she flew;
Forgetting her past and her stolen future;
Afraid and alone until she found home.
The Sparrow found the Fairy Wren;
Her soul mate kept apart;
They learned to live separate lives;
While dreaming in the dark;
Hearts apart but always together;
Flying in the sky while never;
Lifting their feet from the ground;
Until finally love was found,
When the Fairy Wren found the Sparrow;
Finally together and never to part;
Always dreaming as they were lifted into the sky,
To fly into their future together.
The Sparrow and the Fairy Wren.”

Kindle | Nook | iBookstore | Smashwords | PDF

Tribute Books | Tribute Facebook | Tribute Twitter


Emma Michaels is the author of the ‘A Sense of Truth’ and ‘Society of Feathers’ series. Her goal with her latest YA novel 'Owlet' is to give others what she did not have growing up; a strong female protagonist with asthma. While her previous aspiration was to be a lady knight she realized that not being able to run more than a few feet might become a hindrance so turned to writing instead. Her day jobs include being a cover artist, marketing consultant and silk screen designer.

As the founder of The Writers Voice blog (http://OurBooksOurVoice.Blogspot.com) she loves to connect authors and readers. As a book blogger turned author, she was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, until she moved at eighteen to Washington State. Suddenly, the world was a new place filled with tall green trees that reached further for the sky with every moment, making her want to do the same. Ever since, she has tried to make her life something new and different from what it was before, pursuing her future career, setting high goals and reaching for them. With the support of her fiancé, Chihuahua, and her amazing blog followers and fellow bloggers, she wants to prove to the world that anything is possible and help inspire fellow literary lovers to reach for their dreams.

Connect with Emma at:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Giveaway

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{GUEST REVIEW} THE DIVINERS (THE DIVINERS #1) by LIBBA BRAY

I'm so happy to share today's review with you all. I have a guest reviewer, Megan, from The Book Babe. (nice blog name, btw!) Megan is a fellow Arkansan, which obviously makes her awesome. I'm  very excited to share Megan's great review of The Diviners. Enjoy!

Series: The Diviners #1
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: 9/18/12
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 592
Source: Received from publisher for review

Evie O'Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City--and she is pos-i-toot-ly thrilled. New York is the city of speakeasies, shopping, and movie palaces! Soon enough, Evie is running with glamorous Ziegfield girls and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is Evie has to live with her Uncle Will, curator of The Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult--also known as "The Museum of the Creepy Crawlies."
When a rash of occult-based murders comes to light, Evie and her uncle are right in the thick of the investigation. And through it all, Evie has a secret: a mysterious power that could help catch the killer--if he doesn't catch her first.

 

I just now finished this book. What I'm thinking? Wow. That was amazing and weird.

Black cats cross my path frequently. I've walked under ladders and broke mirrors. I'm just not a superstitious person, and I'd like to think that I'll never change--but this book. Ooh, this book makes me feel plenty superstitious.

"Naughty John, Naughty John, does his work with his apron on..."

Gah. That little verse right there will definitely be haunting my dreams for a long time. The atmosphere is really the best part of this book--it's a smooth blend of 1920's history complete with speak-easies and a real live flapper girl, all jumbled together with ghost stories and paranormal elements. I don't know how the author pulled it off, but she did it.

She also managed to write one of the best villains ever. Oh, I don't even know if I can do him justice! He was so scary, and...ooh you'll just have to read it! He definitely made me rethink going outside in the dark--ever again. Yes, this villain was perfect. He had me alternately dreading and hoping for his next appearance. However gruesome and gory, I just...three dimensional does not even begin to describe him.

It does begin to describe many of the other characters, though. I loved how the villain was done, and I also loved how the other characters were done. Weirdly, the villain is my favorite, which is why he's four-dimensional. Evie, Jericho, Memphis and Mabel--they were my other favorites.

Personally, because Evie is the main character, I think I like her the most. She seems very flapper like, very free-spirited, and I just really loved her spunk. Jericho is my second favorite, because of his seriousness and his bookishness. And the one scene we got to see from his point of view--you sir, are HAWT.

The word building was very good, and the descriptions made me see the scenes perfectly. But I did have a problem or two with this book. Because as much as I loved the word building and descriptions, this book is really long. I still loved it, but if you like short books, this probably won't be for you. I didn't particularly care for the ten different points of view either, but I forgive that. It's just not a style that's for everybody.

All in all, The Diviners is a book that deals heavily with the occult, ghosts, and history--and I loved every bit of it. Recently, I've been a really happy camper with books! Yay!

Favorite Quote:

  "They'd sold their children a pack of lies: God and country. Love your parents. All is fair. And then they'd sent those boys, her brother, off to fight a great monster of a war that maimed and killed and destroyed whatever was inside of them."


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Thanks Megan, for your great review of The Diviners!

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