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What if you knew when someone was going to die? For seventeen-year-old Ember, life is death. With a simple touch, she knows when someone will die. It’s her curse and the reason she secludes herself from the world. The only person who knows her secret is her best friend Raven. Then she meets Asher Morgan. He’s gorgeous, mysterious, and is the only person Ember can't sense death from. So when he pushes into her life, she doesn’t mind. But when unexplained deaths start to haunt her town, Ember starts questioning why she can’t sense Asher's death and what he may be hiding. Amazon / Goodreads


Author Bio

Jessica Sorensen lives with her husband and three kids in the snowy mountains of Wyoming, where she spends most of her time reading, writing, and hanging out with her family. Goodreads / Blog / Facebook / Twitter





Review

Actual rating 2.5 stars.

Blegh. Meh.

This was really, really average. Like, precisely average.

I remember liking Sorensen's earlier work, The Fallen Star. I thought it was entertaining albeit the writing sounded like a paranormal chick lit.

So, of course, a year later, I expected more from Sorensen. Much more. She wrote a bunch of other books in between The Fallen Star and Ember.

*sigh*

Very well, it came to this anyway. I don't think I'll ever finish The Fallen Star series.

Ember. At first glance, it has a complete package. Gorgeous cover, interesting blurb, original mythology, reapers, Edgar Allan Poe,

death,

more EDGAR ALLAN POE,

more DEATH.

In short, this book has the potential to be the perfect gothic book for me but sadly, the execution was so average, it left me disappointed. So, so disappointed.

First, there's the duality of Ember and Raven. Contrary to the names, it's Ember who always wear black and it's Raven who has bubblegum pink hair. Anyway, I don't understand to why there's a need to create this unpopular, awkward or probably nerdy main female protagonist who is best friends with this popular, stylish girl. I believe there are more facades of high school teenagers than these stereotypes.

The male characters were really uninspiring. Sure, they do have interesting backgrounds but blegh, I don't get the romance at all. I find it really hormone-driven.

The plot is choppy. It was really hard to keep track of everything. Things just move from one scene to another in the next line.

To wrap it up, this was definitely a fast read but sadly, it failed to trigger even the tiniest bit of emotions out of me.

Oh well.


3 poker faces

The Midnight Spell
Publication date: February, 2013
Best friends since kindergarten, Adam and Christy have always been the perpetual outsiders in their small town in Texas. The other kids call Adam gay and Christy a witch.
On both counts the bullies are right.
Their junior year in high school seems destined to be the same old same old until Christy decides to cast a love spell for Adam at the midnight hour. The next day an alluring and mysterious boy enrolls at school and sets hearts a flutter, including Adam’s. Meanwhile, Christy’s mad crush on the handsome football player Ian seems to be going nowhere fast and her witch puberty is making her life miserable.
When a great evil arrives in town that threatens everything they hold dear, the best friends realize that finding a boyfriend is the least of their worries. Soon Adam and Christy will have to battle a force of darkness that has killed in their town before, and will again.


AUTHOR BIOS

Rhiannon Frater is the award-winning author of the As the World Dies trilogy (The First Days, Fighting to Survive, Siege,) and the author of three other books: the vampire novels Pretty When She Dies and The Tale of the Vampire Bride and the young-adult zombie novel The Living Dead Boy and the Zombie Hunters. Inspired to independently produce her work from the urging of her fans, she published The First Days in late 2008 and quickly gathered a cult following. She won the Dead Letter Award back-to-back for both The First Days and Fighting to Survive, the former of which the Harrisburg Book Examiner called ‘one of the best zombie books of the decade.’ Rhiannon is currently represented by Hannah Gordon of the Foundry + Literary Media agency. You may contact her by sending an email to rhiannonfrater@gmail.com. Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter


Kody Boye was born and raised in Southeastern Idaho. Since his initial publication in the Yellow Mama Webzine in 2007, he has gone on to sell nearly three-dozen stories to various markets. He is the author of the short story collection Amorous Things, the novella The Diary of Dakota Hammell, the zombie novel Sunrise and the dark fantasy novel Blood. His fiction has been described as ‘Surreal, beautiful and harrowing’ (Fantastic Horror,) while he himself has been heralded as a writer beyond his years(Bitten by Books.) He currently lives and writes in the Austin, Texas area. Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter




This is a new meme hosted by Sugar & Snark. Each week we will post a characteristic and choose 5 of our favorite cover’s with that characteristic.

Again, I'm late with my post. I'm so behind of my blogging frequency *sigh*. Anyway, here're my top five.

This week’s cover characteristic: Roses
5. You Are Not Here by Samantha Schutz
4. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

3. Kissed by an Angel (Kissed by an Angel #1-3) by Elizabeth Chandler
2. Meridian (Fenestra #1) by Amber Kizer 

1. The Tea Rose (The Tea Rose #1) by Jennifer Donnelly

Apparently, I'm very fascinated with roses with dark background LOL! Do you have your top five cover with roses on them?

Showcase Sunday is a weekly meme hosted by Vicky at Books, Biscuits and Tea. Its aim is to showcase our newest books or book related swag and to see what everyone else received for review, borrowed from libraries, bought in bookshops and downloaded onto eReaders this week.

Sorry for being missing for a week! I went for a holiday and look, my blog is now out of control already! :( But fret not, I didn't just go to the Gold Coast just to scream my lungs out (the rides were super scary), I came back with few books-related merchandises too!

Library
Finnikin of the Rock (Lumatere Chronicles #1)  by Melina Marchetta
I know what you're thinking. 'You've been in Australia for almost three years and you haven't read any of Marchetta's books?' Yup, I deserved to be deported back :/

Won
Annotated copy of The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke
Come on! You know how much I adore this gem. You don't? Well, you may check out my gushing review for The Assassin's Curse here. So when I found out that I won the one and only, annotated copy of TAC from the blog tour, I went ballistic. Like, I couldn't stop smiling for the whole day :D

Bought
Fall for Anything by Courtney Summers
I loved, loved, loved another Summers' work, This Is Not a Test. That explains why I knew I need to buy this one too. Plus, it was sold for only $3 at Surfers Paradise!

Blood Red Road (Dust Lands, #1) by Moira Young
I never found the urge to read this particular dystopia, probably because the cover didn't pull me in enough and I deeply ashamed of this fact because once I saw this one was sold for $5 in Dymocks Brisbane, only then I checked out all the gushing reviews for it!

Review Copies
Scarlet Woods by Brooke Passmore
Ehem, pretty cover anyone? I'm looking for a great time travel book so I hope this fits the bill! By the way, there'll be an ARC giveaway of Scarlet Woods coming soon, sometimes next month, so watch out for it! :)

 A Shimmer of Angels (Angel Sight #1) by Lisa M. Basso
The reviews kind of convinced me enough to request it from Netgalley. I hope this will not disappoint me. 

Merchandises
A visit to Warner Bros Movieworld and look what I found! The Hobbit: Gandalf the Grey action figure, The Hunger Games: Katniss Lucite Keychain and Harry Potter: Wand of Destiny!!! I couldn't get any happier XD

 Swag
His Black Wings by Astrid Yrigollen swag pack
A poster, a sticker and three bookmarks! Can't wait to start with the book soon!
Well, that's end of this week's haul. I'm currently in the process of writing a review for Ember (Death Collectors #1) by Jessica Sorensen. The review will be up together with an e-book giveaway of Ember so stay tune! :)
Do link me up to your book haul post!

Breathe (Atlantis #1)
by Suzanne Cox

Published: October 22nd 2012 by Suzanne Cox Books
17 year old science prodigy, Laney Brookes, is looking for two things: a cure for the flu virus that’s ravaging the world and the truth about what happened to her father. Using clues from her father’s secret journals, she and her two friends Kate and Carter follow what she thinks is the path to the answers.
It’s a path that lands them in the lost world of Atlantis, a world struggling to survive. Laney finds more than just answers in Atlantis. She finds love. To get her friends and herself home, Laney will have to travel into enemy territory, led by Andrew a young Atlantean determined to return his people to power. In the process she’ll even unravel the mystery of her missing father. But first, she’ll have to figure out who the real enemy is.



Author Bio:

I remember writing my first stories when I was about nine or ten years old. I've been writing ever since. In 2002 I decided to seriously try and get some of my work published. On February 14th of 2005 I sold my first book, A Different Kind of Man, to Harlequin Superromance. While trying to decide what I wanted to be when I grew up, besides a writer, I went to college (alot) and worked a variety of jobs. I have a bachelor of arts in English with a minor in secondary education, a bachelor of science in nursing, a master of science in career and technical education with an emphasis in adult education and most recently, a master of science in nursing as a family nurse practitioner. I was also a National Board Certified Teacher in career and technical education. Along the way I've worked as a high school English teacher and an elementary teacher. I've worked as a registered nurse on a cardiac unit, brain injury rehab unit, and several different medical-surgical units. I've also done stints as a home health nurse and a commnunity health educator at a hospital, and many years as an allied health instructor at a high school career and technology center. Presently, I'm working full time as a family nurse practitioner at an inpatient psychiatric facility.

If I'm not writing I like to spend time reading. My husband and I share our home with our four legged children. Our boy and girl in puppy dog clothes, Toby and Sassy, who masquerade as Miniature Pinschers. We are also owned by three cats Chase, Jackson, and Spots.  We are all terrorized by Gray Kitty, a stray who decided to stay and take over.


Author Links:

http://suzannecoxbooks.blogspot.com/


Buy link:

Giveaway:
US Only
  • (1) copy of Breathe & (1) Marked.
  • Sparkly nail polish that coordinates with the book cover.
  • A stoneware necklace with concentric circle design from Breathe by Kaatee art.
  • Metal bookmark


Welcome to the Virtual Blog Tour for LIBERA ME, Book #2 in the Requiem Series by Christine Fonseca.
Beginning after Lacrimosa and the short story Mea Culpa, Libera Me follows Zane and Aydan as they try to figure out who Nessa really is. Here's the blurb:


What happens when everything you’ve sacrificed for is lost? Aydan thought Nesy’s death would be the end of him, until he meets Nessa and his hope is restored. Could she be Nesy reborn? He is certain she must be. That is, until her lack of memories and incessant nightmares begin to erode his faith.
Zane is used to trusting his mind, his wisdom and his angelic senses. But these attributes are no help with Nessa. He has no way to be certain of her identity, no way to know the truth. That is, unless he listens to the one thing he has refused to acknowledge throughout his existence - he feelings for Nesy. 
Blind to both angel and demon, Aydan and Zane must figure out the truth behind Nesy's identity before all is lost, Azza discovers the truth and the Beast is again unleashed. 
The lines between good and evil have never been so blurred.

Libera Me officially releases October 30. And be sure to check out the other books in the series:

LACRIMOSA

DIES IRAE (Free from Amazon and Smashwords)

MEA CULPA (Free from Amazon and Smashwords)


Introducing Nessa
 ~~
Thanks so much for hosting a leg of my tour today! I’d like to introduce you to the chracter that is the center of the mess in Libera Me – Nessa:

Decidedly human, Nessa is the human embodiment of the Sentinal Nesy. At least, Aydan thinks she is. In truth, he doesn’t know. No one knows. Nessa believes herself to be a girl that was abducted as a young child, subjected to horrific cruelties and abuses and now returned to her previous life. She has no memories of a time before living with a woman she believes is her aunt. No recollection of a life Aydan has told her about. And, she’s not sure she wants any part of that life.

Zane, too, believes Nessa to be Nesy. But, even he has to admit that she isn’t what she appears to be. She has no memory of being angelic, nothing to indicate she is more than human. Except, she can see Zane and the other angels. And she knows the ancient prayers. Still, something isn’t right. Not even close.

To get to know Nessa a little more, I thought I’d invite her to stop by and answer just a couple of questions:

1.      What do you think about Aydan and the life he tells you about? I love Aydan and his devotion to me. But, I don’t remember the life he speaks of, or the love we shared. I know that he makes me feels special, safe. And I know that he sincerely loves me. For now, that is enough. But I worry about our future. What if my memories don’t return? What if I am not the girl he thinks I am? These are the questions that plague my heart now.
         
2.      I hear you can see things others can’t. What do you think about that? It scares me, actually. Most of the time I think it’s just my mind playing tricks on me; you know, from all of the abuse I endured. But other times...well, other times I am fairly certain I’m just crazy. I mean, who actually sees things that aren’t there other than being with a mental illness, right? So yea, these visions or whatever they are scare me. A lot.

3.      What does your aunt and therapist think about your lack of memories? Both my aunt and my therapist think that I must have endured years of systematic abuse and the lack of memory is my brains way of protecting me. They are probably right. I just know that I remember nothing before standing on the porch of my aunt’s house, knocking on the door!

4.      What’s your biggest fear? Biggest hope? I have a lot of hopes and fears. But as it relates to Aydan, my biggest fear is that I will never remember the “Nesy” he speaks of and that I am nothing to him if those memories don’t surface. Worse, what if they do and I am just not that girl. My biggest hope is that he will love me regardless.

5.      What do you dream about? I don’t have dreams, I have nightmares. The scenes are always the same, alternating between an ancient world with caves set deep within a mountain that flanks a majestic blue sea, and a misty forest filled with stone ruins and the scent of rotting flesh. In both, I see horrific things I can’t bring myself to talk about aloud. In both, I feel a sense of terror that has no words. I really don’t like to sleep anymore...don’t like what the sleep brings.

So, there you have it – an introduction to Nessa. You will have to decide for yourself if she is Nesy or not.

About Christine:

School psychologist by day, critically acclaimed YA and nonfictionauthor by night, Christine Fonseca believes that writing is a great way to
explore humanity. Her many titles include TRANSCEND, DIES IRAE, LACRIMOSA, MEA
CULPA, and in nonfiction: 101 SUCCESS SECRETS FOR GIFTED KIDS and EMOTIONAL
INTENSITY IN GIFTED STUDENTS.

When she’s not writing or spending time with her family, she canbe sipping too many skinny vanilla lattes at her favorite coffee house or
playing around on Facebook and Twitter. Catch her daily thoughts about writing
and life on her blog.
For more information about Christine Fonseca or theseries, visit her website –
http://christinefonseca.com or her blog
http://christinefonseca.blogspot.com
To celebrate to release and thank her readers, Christine is hosting a little contest honoring each of the main characters. Prizes include a new release YA book, Book swag, and even some of her own titles. She is also giving a Kindle as part of her Fall Release Party. Check out both giveaways below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


a Rafflecopter giveaway

**OMG! I am late for my blog tour post because of the mistake in the banner I made myself. I supposed to post this on Nov 15th. So sorry for the delay.


The Last Witch
by Debbie Dee

For generations the Incenaga Witches have been forced to use their power to fulfill the wishes of others until they are drained of their magic and left to die. Desperate to protect his infant daughter - the last surviving witch - Emmeline’s father escapes with her to the forests where he vows to keep her hidden from the world and from the truth.
Sixteen years later, Emmeline is discovered and finds herself in the grip of a traitor who will stop at nothing to get what he wants, even if it means abusing her power until she dies. She is taken to a distant country and told she must marry the Crown Prince or her own country will be overtaken, its people slaughtered. But what sort of prince would marry a witch? And why would she be the difference between war and peace?
As she fights to regain her freedom, she is faced with a choice between a prince who offers a lifetime of security and a common gamekeeper who has no idea of her power, but offers his heart.
But who do you trust when your power can be used against you?
Guest Post

What are you afraid of?

Acrophobia is the fear of heights. Nebulaphobia is the fear of fog. And unfortunately for a few rare individuals, Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia is the fear of long words. Most people have a fear of one kind or another, and if they don’t, it’s probably because they have Phobophobia, which is the fear of being afraid.

When I was sixteen, I chased my boyfriend around his house while dangling a spider in my hands. And then, thinking I was hilarious, I chucked it at him. He didn’t find it so funny. In fact, he didn’t speak to me for two days! Never mind that the spider was dead and not even the tiniest bit of a threat. Fortunately,Ben forgave me enough to marry me several years later. We now have three children, one of whom also has Arachnephobia, or the fear of spiders.

When Ben and I were seventeen, he got his sweet revenge for the spider incident. We were out boating when he and his buddies thought it would be a good idea to toss all the girls into the lake. Not cool, boys. Not cool at all. Of course, everyone thought it was hilarious when I started screaming about the fish coming to get me. Yup, I have the oh-so-cool fear of fish  Ichthyophobia. To this day, I swear a three-foot fish swam right next to me. I can still hear the slurping sounds it made when it was deciding whether or not to eat me.

While writing THE LAST WITCH, I noticed another one of my fears creeping up insome of the more intense scenes. Emmeline often finds herself in dark situations, and I don’t just mean evil or bleak situations, which she mustnavigate as well, but I’m talking about can’t-see-your-hand-in-front-of-your-face situations. She handles them with so much more grace than I ever would. Unlike Emmeline, you won’t find me exploringpitch black corridors with nothing but my hand along the wall as a guide. Nope, not me. Nor would I have the courage to escape into a dark, unknown ally. Rather than fighting my way through, I probably would have hunkered down into a corner with my hands over my head. I wouldn’t say that I have a full fledged-fear of the dark, or Nychtophobia, but I have a healthy appreciation for flashlights while camping, nightlights in hallways, and candles when the power goes out. Although, the rim of light around a closed closet door will always freak me out.  

Author Info

Debbie Dee recently moved to southern Idaho with her husband and three children where she is learning how to be a country girl in her favorite pair of blue heels. She adores fairy tales and happy endings, but secretly crushes on the bad guy now and then. As a dedicated musician who practices way too much, she never expected writing would sweep her off her feet until she jotted down a scene from a daydream, which turned into two scenes, which turned into a messy house and her first novel. Since then she hasn’t been able to let a day go by without writing. Her website is www.debbiedee.com.

It's Cover Reveal week! Thanks to the talent of so many wonderful authors, our anthology is nearly complete and will be released on December 11th. But today, we are excited to share the cover with you and won't make you wait any longer!


A first date, a lottery, treachery and deceit. Sometimes fate has other plans. Sometimes there’s more to tell.


In Furthermore: An Anthology, eighteen original stories take you on a journey through worlds here and beyond. From the depths of the earth to the embrace of the sea, your favorite series continue. Prequels, alternative views, and new scenes give readers a chance to experience more than originally told.
Including stories from Rebekah Campbell, Amber Garr, David Estes, Leigh Michael, Karen Amanda Hooper, Stephanie Judice, and Mayandree Michael. And most importantly, in honor of those who lost the battle and those who continue to fight, all proceeds from this anthology will be donated to cancer research and support.
SURPRISE VISITOR -Emily has never been a fan of surprises but Eric has something up his sleeve to change her mind. (The Darkness Through The Light Series)

GETTING TO KNOW THE HEAVIES - The two Sullivan bodyguards are still human beings underneath it all. And everyone has a weakness. (The Darkness Through The Light Series)

PEOPLE CHANGE - When Eric asks his dad a question about his mother, it’s time to go back to where it all began and then went so badly wrong. (The Darkness Through The Light Series)

COLD FEET - Kain witnesses Eviana’s deceit on their wedding day and is forced to deal with the consequences of her behavior. (The Syrenka Series)

RIFT - Daniel encourages the group to make a detour to the Grand Canyon, as the distance between the friends begins to rival the great ravine. (The Syrenka Series)

DISCOVERY - Leila’s first encounter with her psychic mentor is nothing short of memorable. (The Leila Marx Novels)

HUMAN RESOURCES – Blake finds a new job while Mac finds a friend who reminds him of home. (The Leila Marx Novels)

THE RUNAWAY- TAWNI’S STORY - After learning of her parents’ treachery, Tawni leaves home seeking to make amends for their transgressions. (The Dwellers Saga)

THE LIFE LOTTERY- A STORY FROM YEAR ZERO - With the survival of the human race on the brink, there’s only one way to decide who will be saved in the underground caves: The Lottery. (The Dwellers Saga)

FATE: Experience Annabelle’s struggle to fulfill the ABA Prophecy in a new light through the parting words of Adrian, Aurelia, Blake, and Lady Katherine. (Annabelle’s Story)

The Sound of Love - Glimpse into one of Nathaniel’s previous lives and see how his soul mate reacts when tragedy strikes. (The Kindrily Series)

MUIRNE’S MELODY--To escape her master’s vile desires, Muirne flees into the snow-swept night, finding a green-eyed stranger and a mystical destiny. (Saga of the Setti Series)

JEREMY’S HEART: Calm, cool, and complete scoundrel, Jeremy realizes the loss he’s suffered means nothing compared to true love. (Saga of the Setti Series)

FALL FROM GRACE: Warped by centuries of darkness, the creature Sveigja plots to capture Clara as his queen. (Saga of the Setti Series)

Plus two original stories by Mayandree Michel.

We would like to extend a HUGE thanks to Claudia at PhatPuppyArt for donating the artwork and to Alexandra Shostak for donating her time for the cover design. You ladies are amazing and we are all so grateful for your contribution!

If you are interested in promoting the release or reviewing an ARC, please visit HERE to sign up.

To find out more about the authors and their stories, please check out THIS POST.


Renegade by J.A. Souders
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Since the age of three, sixteen-year-old Evelyn Winters has been trained to be Daughter of the People in the underwater utopia known as Elysium. Selected from hundreds of children for her ideal genes, all her life she’s thought that everything was perfect; her world. Her people. The Law.
But when Gavin Hunter, a Surface Dweller, accidentally stumbles into their secluded little world, she’s forced to come to a startling realization: everything she knows is a lie.
Her memories have been altered.
Her mind and body aren’t under her own control.
And the person she knows as Mother is a monster.
Together with Gavin she plans her escape, only to learn that her own mind is a ticking time bomb... and Mother has one last secret that will destroy them all.
Hey, you! Yes, you there. I am talking to you. You may deny it but I can tell that you need something.

These: links to buy Renegade either from Book Depository / Kindle / Amazon.

YOU ARE WELCOME.

Yes, guys! Renegade is THAT good. Did I anticipate it? A bit. It has a very gorgeous cover but I thought this is just another irrelevant 'girl with a pretty dress' cover. Heh. I was wrong. That cover is completely relevant to the story.

I didn't add Renegade to my TBR list until I saw Giselle and Keertana reviews. My expectation wasn't that high either because it's a dystopian book. And you do realize how hard it is to write a great, unique dystopian book these days, right? Tettttt!!! I was wrong again. J.A Sounders did the impossible; she wrote a great, unique dystopian book.

I was wrong.

I was wrong. I was wrong. I was wrong.

Fuhhh!!! Renegade is truly a spectacular little gem. I seriously can't hide my fangirlism. I was convinced to read it purely based on words of mouth and I hope this trend continues.

By all means, this book isn't perfect. I wouldn't go as far as saying Renegade is as good and as ground-breaking as The Hunger Games but it came pretty damn close. In fact, the best part of reading Renegade was to be swept away by Evelyn's journey for freedom and self-discovery. And by reading it, I can tell that not only the characters grow, the author showed a remarkable growth herself. J.A Souders made an exponential leap on her writing skill, world building, character development all within 369 pages of Renegade. And truthfully, I am scared plus excited to see what she can do next for its subsequent sequels. I believe they will be HUGE!

Renegade started a little shaky. Just at a few small parts of the story, the writing gets a bit stiff. I was a bit annoyed when Gavin kept gawking and drifting off at the initial stage of their escape. It's a bit unrealistic considering it was his life that was on the line. And for the first quarter of the book, I tried hard to stay content with a goody-two-shoes heroine. I had to keep telling myself, 'it's okay not to have a tough, kickass heroine for a dystopian book'.

Tettttt! I was wrong again.

You will not believe how drastic and how quick the story unfolds right under your nose (literally). Renegade was again, literally unputdownable! There was never a dull moment. And whenever I started to jot down something that was impractical or unrealistic, I had to cross that out because the author always came out with the answer or the explanation afterwards. Renegade gets darker towards the end and I like it! By the end of it, all I can say was 'as if this book was written for me'. It offers everything I ever wanted in a YA book. A heady mix of memory loss, mistaken identity, genetic manipulations and a genocidal dictator!

Again, by all means, I do not think that Renegade is perfect. But here's the thing; whenever the history, politics, or technology details of Elysium was mentioned, I knew I had to take a moment to connect everything up to that point to see if it's logical but it was impossible because I couldn't turn the pages fast enough! So, probably if I re-read it, I might find a flaw or two. As for now, I can convincingly say that Renegade may own the top spot of my best 2012 reads, just slightly above The Assassin's Curse and Slammed.

I think J.A Souders is very brave to tackle the subject of memory loss. It's easy to succumb to paradoxes when it comes to memory loss. When you read Renegade, don't worry if you end up as confused as I was and wonder why Evelyn can remember certain things and not the other things. J.A Souders has answers for that, so don't worry.

***Spoilers ahead***

Even with the answers (Conditioning, programming etc), some of the things still bother me to be honest. For instance;
- The perfume in Evelyn's room. Once she smelled it, she remembered that she'd been conditioned before. Did she never smell that fragrance before? If yes, then how Evelyn ended up being conditioned again once she regained her memory? Wouldn't she try to escape Elysium straight away?

- Wouldn't the citizen question why would the Daughter of the People have a memory loss problem? Or are they too scared to question Mother's order? As for Evelyn herself, wouldn't it never cross her mind that why she had been chosen if she has that kind of problem. I thought she believed that she was chosen because she has the perfect genetics. Technically, a person with a perfect genetics shouldn't have a memory loss problem unless it's due to injury or something.

***Spoilers finished***

The romance developed just a bit too quick for my liking. Only a bit. After all, at the end, Evelyn and Gavin went through a lot together anyway. So, yes, at the end, it is totally justifiable.


That bi*ch! I'm really uncomfortable with cussing but I really hate Mother with a fiery rage. She is sadistic, cunning and 100% psychotic. I appreciate that little back-story of Mother. It really convinced me that she is indeed 100% psychotic.

***Spoilers ahead***[Before I end this review, my one little criticism is that I hope there were more descriptions given as to how the citizen actually live their life. Are they really happy going to the festival every year? Are they okay with the occasional missing people? Or does the conditioning take away so much of themselves that they can't feel much anymore? (hide spoiler)]

Before I end this review, my one little criticism is that I hope there were more descriptions given as to how the citizen actually live their life. Are they really happy going to the festival every year? Are they okay with the occasional missing people? Or does the conditioning take away so much of themselves that they can't feel much anymore?

***Spoilers finished***

To sum it up, Renegade came along as an early birthday present for me. I finished it yesterday and today is my birthday (yay!) Wouldn't it be perfect if someone would actually give Renegade hardback as my birthday present.

Yes J.A Souders, you heard him. I need MOAR!!!


Five brilliant stars!

An ARC was provided to me by Macmillan-Tor/Forge in exchange for an honest review.

View all my reviews

Few Are Angels (Few Are Angels, book 1)
by Inger Iversen

Genre:New Adult
ISBN: 978-0615650432
ASIN: B0086Z2KT0
Number of pages: 298
Word Count:  97800
Cover Artist: AF Studios- Ana Fagarazzi http://af-studios.deviantart.com/

Follow Ella through self-discovery, first love, tragedy and sacrifice in this paranormal romance.
After a fatal hit and run accident, Ella Monroe fears that she’s lost more than her beloved parents. Horrifying visions of a past life and a disturbing voice in her head have psychiatric professionals convinced that she’s lost her sanity as well. But when Kale--a dark and handsome stranger with a mysterious past--reveals the true meaning of her visions and the tremendous power she wields through them, Ella must come to terms with the devastating truths of her own past, while eluding an ancient Dark Prince who seeks to control not only her future, but all of mankind’s, by means of abilities that Ella is only beginning to understand.
Enter the shrouded world of an age old battle between an ancient race known as the Immortals and their bitter enemy Laurent, the so-called Dark Prince, who commands an army of half-breed vampires known as Chorý. Both sides have been desperately searching for the prophesied emergence of the Arc, a clairvoyant with unparalleled power to recall the past and a soothsayer with clear vision into the future.
The Council of Immortals has sworn to protect the Arc, whom they have identified as young Ella Monroe, a college freshman from Virginia living quietly and unaware of her powers or her past. But a renegade Chorý has other plans for the protection of a girl he has loved through the ages. Can Kale convince Ella of who she is, what she is destined to become, and what he once meant to her? Is he truly the best protector to shield the world from the devastating misuse of her powers that Laurent is bent on controlling? Or will the forbidden love they share and Kale’s cursed condition as a retched and hated Chorý be used against them both?
This paranormal romance told from the heroine’s perspective builds in intensity and intrigue to a finale you won’t see coming. Heart pounding action mixed with heartwarming friendships and heartbreaking romance will leave you breathless and begging for more. 
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Excerpt:

“I want to untie you, but I don’t want to regret doing so. Can we agree that everyone will behave?” I looked at Kale, but all I received was a shrug and another grumble.
Jace’s blue eyes were glued to Kale.
“Ella, when I am untied, I will do whatever I can to take you back to the Council. I won’t have this creature infect you.”  Kale straightened up and moved closer to us.
“Over my dead body.”  Jace’s slow, chilling smile revealed his white teeth. Though it was beautiful, it freaked me out.
“Then it should be easy, Nosferat, seeing as how your heart no longer beats.” Jace looked at Kale as if he would attack the first chance he got.  At this rate, I would never be able to get Kale and Jace to work together. Maybe Kale was right. We might be better off fending for ourselves against Laurent.
“You mistake the fact you are still alive for weakness on my part, but I warn you that as soon she sees you are not a necessary factor for her survival, I will finish what we started years ago, Vesco,” Kale spat, with such malice that halfway through his words I turned around to face him, not at all liking what I saw. His face was now plagued by hard lines, and his eyes, though they were always dark, were darkened with loathing. I hardly recognized him. I didn't want to believe Kale would truly kill Jace or anyone for that matter.
“Stop, Kale, you wouldn’t,” I whispered. I searched his face for the Kale I knew. I understood the Council and vampires were enemies, but I couldn't see Kale killing Jace. It was probably my naivety that pushed the idea that Kale was harmless.
            “Yes, he would, Ella,” Jace said, pulling my attention back to his blue eyes. “It’s what he is—a murderer fashioned only to steal what humans cannot live without and to spread his disease. He was created by the Dark Prince. No matter how long he tries to deny his nature by drinking from rats and squirrels, he will always be a threat to you and all others. Even more so because he can walk in the light.
My plan to unite them to help me went right out the window.  My body went cold, and I sat there wondering why I’d even tried in the first place.  Anger started to boil inside me, and I gave in to it.
            “Bullshit!”  I yelled.  “This is pure and utter bullshit.”  I stood so fast that I almost lost my footing. 
Kale reached out to me, catching my arm and righting me quickly.  I snatched my arm from him and ignored his questioning eyes. I turned back to Jace. I looked him directly in his eyes to get his full attention.
“You both say you want to protect me, and that’s fine.  Even though I have no clue of what’s going on in the full scheme of things, I am willing to let you both protect me, but understand this. If you two cannot figure out how to get along long enough for us to make a plan—other than taking me to the Council—I will do this without either of you!”  I shouted, as my anger reached a crescendo.  “Also, I want to know everything, not just what you two think I should know.”  I gave Kale a pointed look.
He looked back at me with emotionless eyes.  I hated when he blocked his feelings from me. I gave mine so freely to him.  That fueled my anger further, but Jace’s calm voice slowly brought me down.
“What is it you propose we do?” Jace asked.  “I can only assume from your tirade that he has told you a few things about your past.  The fact that you are only upset about that also tells me he hasn’t told you why the Dark Prince has yet to find you.”
We both looked at Kale waiting for him to speak.
“Your silence, Nosferat, confirms that you have not told her the fire at the Ocean Trace facility was your doing.”
I looked at Kale, confused. I had told him about my time in a facility, but I hadn’t told him where it was.
“I told you I was here to protect you, Ella. I just never told you when that protection started,” Kale explained and reached for me.
I was tempted to take his hand because it wasn’t often that he offered his touch, but I ignored it. “Wait, are you saying you knew me before that first night we met?”
“Yes, I knew you in your last past life.”
Jace scoffed. “That is not what she meant, vampire.”
I couldn't understand why Kale was dancing around my question.
“Let’s go outside,” Kale said, turning toward the door before I could answer.
“She will freeze out there.  I am sure she is already cold, especially seeing how the cold sadness of lies and betrayals has found her here tonight.”
Though Jace’s clever remark didn't seem to affect Kale, it stung me.  The words lies and betrayals slapped me in the face, waking me from the stupid dream state I had allowed myself to slip into.
“Ella, I have watched you for as long as the Council has believed you are the next Arc—before your parents’ death until now,” Kale said sadly, as the trust that we had developed between us started to fade. 
I had been nothing but honest with him. I’d snuck around to see him, which put a strain on Alex’s faith in me. But I couldn't truly blame Kale. Trusting a stranger with my secrets when I had promised myself I would never do that again was my fault.  With that in mind, I walked over to Jace and untied his knots.
“Do not make me regret this.  I have enough of those; I don’t need any more,” I said, looking at them both.  We needed to make a plan of action, but we couldn't do that until I was told everything.

Author Bio:

Inger Iversen was born in 1982 to Anne and KaiiIversen. She lives in Virginia Beach with her overweight lap cat, Max and her tree hugging boyfriend Joshua. She spends 90 percent of her time in Barnes and Noble and the other ten pretending not to want to be in Barnes and Noble. Website / Twitter / Facebook


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