#bookreview The Banished Craft By E.D.E. Bell

August 27, 2015

The Banished Craft

By E.D.E. Bell


                                                        About the book:
The Banished Craft is a genre-bending fantasy saga that follows the adventures of Cor, a woman caught in a dying world that does not accept her, and Atesh, a dragon scientist who’s been asked to violate his own ethics or put the lives of his family at risk. Follow their trials as they deal with a shattered world, mired in political upheaval, while they try to rediscover a lost magic. The Banished Craft begins the Shkode trilogy: a quirky and modern take on dragons and wizards, exploring themes of identity, prejudice, violence, compassion, and the ways we are all connected.


Excerpt:
Next came the era of rebirth and the building of the University. Following was the advent of social reform, institutionalizing the social guidelines that built stronger families and a firm moral center for the people of Teirrah. These laws ensured all children had men in the home for strength and stability. They instituted guards against socially damaging behavior and contained the societal roles of men and women within their natural boundaries.

Cor had read about social reform her whole life, but she had never felt the sting of its enforcement until she moved to Farmstate. Growing up, she had been protected and sheltered by Calci. By law, authorities should have taken her away when her parents died. But the U.G. officers from Gardenia didn’t like Cavestate—didn’t like its searing heat, having to buy water, or the unnaturalness of sleeping in caves.

As a result, locals were often hired to act in their stead. The locals preferred not to ask questions, holding firm to their traditions. It had been easy to skirt the watchful eye of the U.G. there, but it was not that way in Farmstate. Laws were strictly enforced and societal roles passionately defended.

Cor felt an overwhelming yearning for home and wondered what she was doing here in this aboveground room, surrounded by cold winds—both literal and figurative. She sat the book back on the table. No matter how hard she tried, it never felt like enough.

~My Review~
4.0 Stars
This is a unique complex book about 2 worlds that were split, yet still very much connected in ways that slowly come to light throughout the story. This story is very unique in the many points of view that it is told by, each chapter changes who's part of the story you are getting; from Cor who is determined to discover secrets that died with her parents, and Atesh of the dragon's world who is also a scientist and is order to work on a secret poison for the Emperor, and more from there. 

The dragon world is an amazing world, with a civilized society, they speak, and have highly educated jobs and Zee is their current ruler and is very old and wise-and often described as being very intimidating and a little frightening to have to have one on one's with. And of course she knows more then anyone ever expects out of here, which I would assume any successful leader of a dragon society to do. 

This book was written with a lot of depth to it, a lot of theory added in as well as philosophy. All that and the unique dual worlds made it for a very interesting and different read. I very much enjoyed this book! 


About the Author:
Author E.D.E. Bell is a graduate of the University of Michigan with an MSE in Electrical Engineering, and works as an advisor in technical intelligence. A vegan and enthusiastic ignorer of gender rules, she feels strongly about issues related to human equality and animal compassion. Married with three children, she decided to pursue her dream of writing and is excited to share that vision with fans of epic fantasy.

AUTHOR ONLINE: Website | Facebook | Twitter @edebellauthor | Pinterest

TRAILER LINK


GIVEAWAY

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#bookreview Ella the Slayer By A.W. Exley

August 18, 2015

Ella The Slayer
By A.W. Exley


About the Book:

The flu pandemic of 1918 took millions of souls within a few short weeks.
Except it wasn’t flu and death gave them back.




Seventeen-year-old Ella copes the best she can; caring for her war-injured father, scrubbing the floors, and slaying the undead that attack the locals. ‘Vermin’ they’re called, like rats they spread pestilence with their bite. Ella’s world collides with another when she nearly decapitates a handsome stranger, who is very much alive.

Seth deMage, the new Duke of Leithfield, has returned to his ancestral home with a mission from the War Office — to control the plague of vermin in rural Somerset. He needs help; he just didn’t expect to find it in a katana-wielding scullery maid.

Working alongside Seth blurs the line between their positions, and Ella glimpses a future she never dreamed was possible. But in overstepping society’s boundaries, Ella could lose everything – home, head and her heart…


Goodreads | Amazon | iTunes | Kobo | B&N | Scribd 



~My Review~
4 stars
This story is a bit of Cinderella and Zombie's. Ella is forced to serve as a servant to her stepmother and stepsisters, while caring for her father who came home suffering from war wounds that leaving him unresponsive and on top of that, the town as deemed her as the unofficial Zombie slayer. All while trying to keep her father's estate from going down the drain from the extravagant expenses of her stepmother and sisters. Leaving Ella with no doubt that she is destined to live a life of serving those that look down on her because her mother was a maid.

But then along comes Seth Demage the Duke-returned home to take his father's place after the plague and succumbing to the undead disease. Seth makes her question her stance on being stuck in a life of servitude. Seth gives her the chance to see what a different future could be like.

The similarity to the well known Cinderella story through me off during the first of the book, however the added twist (Zombie's attacking the ball will do that) helped make this a story of his own and I really got into the story after my I was able to see to the unique twist the author went with. This was a fun story-I am a sucker for a good zombie story and this one definitely appeased me on that front!



About the Author:

Books and writing have always been an enormous part of A.W. Exley’s life.

She survived school by hiding out in the library, with several thousand fictional characters for company. At university, she overcame the boredom of studying accountancy by squeezing in Egyptology papers and learning to read hieroglyphics.

Today, Anita writes steampunk novels with a sexy edge and an Egyptian twist. She lives in rural New Zealand surrounded by an assortment of weird and wonderful equines, felines, canine and homicidal chickens.



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#bookreview!! Fire in Frost by Alicia Rades

August 10, 2015

Fire in Frost 
by Alicia Rades

~My Review~
4 stars
Crystal is your normal every day teenager, except for the secret her mother is holding back from her-she has supernatural abilities. Her mother was never sure if Crystal would ever really develop abilities, since family history shows some generations get skipped over. But along with her "womanly change" come all sorts of abilities, showing Crystal to have more power then even her mother. 

Along with her physic abilities, comes one that overwhelms her-she can see the ghost of a dead classmate. One that seems to be seeking her out and begging her for help. 

This story is a paranormal YA mystery. The mystery needs strengthening, but isn't bad. I spent most of the novel convinced that The dead classmate had in fact been murdered by her best friend's boyfriend-and was disappointed to see the mystery part was far more simple then that. The character's in this story are fairly well rounded out. Her mother seems like a bit of a flake, her best friend quite annoying-but then that's typical for teenage girls, and the romance part that was hinted at was not explored in this book-perhaps in the next book? Overall it's a fun, quick read, the story moved at a good pace and I absolutely love the cover. 



About the book:
Crystal Frost has spent her whole life believing she's ordinary, and her mother has long held the secret of her heritage. When Crystal begins seeing the ghost of a dead classmate, her life spirals out of control. She’s faced with the threat that everyone will find out she’s a freak, as if the struggle to figure out her new-found abilities wasn’t enough pressure. Crystal has to find some way to save the people who have come to her for help all while trying to keep her abilities a secret. Will she be able to fulfill these overwhelming demands while solving the mystery that is the ghost of Olivia Owen?

#bookreview!! Family Magic by Patti Larsen

August 10, 2015

Family Magic 
By Patti Larsen
                                 
                                                             ~My Review~ 
                                                                     4 stars

I received a hard copy of this book-and can say right off the bat, I truly love getting hard copy books to read...It's still my favorite way to experience a book! Not to mention the cover of this book is very cool! It really draws you in and encourages to want to read the book! 

This book is about a coven, in particular Syd's coven. Her mother currently being the head witch. But what's unique for them is Syd's father is a demon-meaning her and her sister are half witch, half demon. Syd is burdened with the fact that she is the heir and it will be her job to run the coven some day-in fact she spends her teenage life fighting that fact terribly, constantly wishing she was just a normal kid. Not to mention picking fights with her mother every chance she gets. 

But then the coven becomes under attack, from what no one can determine, but it forces Syd to realize she needs to help protect her family-in fact she is often the only thing that keeps then all from death many times. 

On top of all the family drama, Syd finds herself constantly dealing with high school bullies, some how attracting their ridicule and often being the center of their unwelcome attention. How she handles it all, speaks of maturity-that is when her demon doesn't take over for her. 

This is a pretty fun story about coven life and how one teenager handles it all. The story has a bit of depth to it with the mother/daughter trouble as well as the bully trouble through her school, which was nice. Far too often stories like this are written without that depth, and I believe it actually made the story better with it! 

Overall it was a great read and I look forward to seeing more in this series! 




About the book:
Her mom’s a witch, her dad’s a demon and she just wants to be ordinary. But, when an insidious evil comes after her family, Sydlynn Hayle has to choose to be the normal girl she craves or step up, embrace her magic and save her coven from disaster.













   About the Author:
 Patti is an award-winning author with a passion for the paranormal.  Now with multiple series in happy publication, she lives in Canada  with her patient husband and six demanding cats.

  AUTHOR ONLINE:

  TRAILER LINK:
  http://worldsbeststory.com/en/lounge/sneak-peek-video-trailer-for-      2014-worlds-best-story-winner


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Review!! Blue Midnight, By Tess Thompson

August 9, 2015

Blue Midnight 
By Tess Thompson

~My Review~
4.5 Stars
Blythe never thought she would find herself divorced, let alone dealing with her children gone on vacation with her ex-husband and his new wife. With more time on her hands and not sure what to do with it, she chases a memory. The memory of a man she met just before she married, and one that she never truly forgot. He brought how something in her she found has been missing for all of her 13 years of marriage. So Blythe road trips to the only place she knows may lead her back to the man and the memories of it all-a small town in Idaho. 

This was such a wonderful story. I love reading about the changes a person seeks when they find themselves completely lost in life, especially  when hit with a a hard truth, that the life you are leading may very well not be what's right for you, and Blythe having the courage to seek more in her life, tells of the character of her being. After spending 13 years of putting herself second to her husband and children, finding yourself is a courage and fearful act all at the same time. 

The story most certainly has some fun unexpected things that I truly feel made it the amazing story, I enjoyed this one so much I can't begin to pick out all the good parts, but I can simply saw Blue Midnight was an excellent read! 


About the Book:
“If you change your mind, here’s this.” Finn Lanigan kissed a young Blythe Heywood one last time under a star-scattered Idaho sky. It was the last kiss that ever weakened her knees, the last sky she noticed for over a dozen years. Then she left, returning to her fiancé, the wedding she’d committed to, and the secure life she’d yearned for since she was a little girl. Thirteen years later, her husband leaves Blythe for his young associate. Devastated, she’s unable to imagine the next chapter of her life as she packs her family’s belongings to move across town. Unexpectedly, she finds the forgotten slip of paper bearing Finn’s phone number in the back of a drawer. Hadn’t she tossed it years before as a newlywed, when she vowed to be the perfect wife and mother? Apparently not. Here it remained. Her road not taken. Facing three weeks without her young daughters, Blythe sets out to find the man she left behind so long ago. With only the name of the small town where he once lived, Peregrine, Idaho, and the memory of their last kiss under a starry sky, she heads across the Pacific Northwest in search of him. What she finds in the foothills of Blue Mountain challenges everything she thought she knew and is the very last thing she expected. Within days, her life changes forever. But it is her destiny and destinies cannot be denied. The first book of the Blue Mountain Collection, laced with Thompson’s lovable but complex characters, “Blue Midnight” is a mature love story about second chances, family, and the complexities of trust and vulnerability after betrayal.





Author Bio:
Tess Thompson is a novelist and playwright with a BFA in Drama from the University of Southern California. In 2011, she released her first novel, Riversong, which subsequently became a bestseller. Like the characters in many of her novels, Tess is from a small town in Oregon. She currently lives in a suburb of Seattle, Washington with her two young daughters, Emerson and Ella, where she is inspired daily by the view of the Cascade Mountains from her home office window.









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#bookreview!! Twisted, By Holly Hook

August 7, 2015

Twisted (Deathwind Trilogy #1) 
By Holly Hook



~My Review~
4 Stars
Allie thinks she is just taking an exciting vacation chasing tornado's with her uncle, that is until the tornado chasing takes a turn and goes after her. Mysteriously she find's herself captured by two strange hill folk, who more or less offer her up to the tornado. She leaves this crazy experience and a vacation that she will never forget confused and not realizing she has just been cursed. A curse which causes her to turn into a tornado every time it storms, ultimately, putting everyone she loves in grave danger....from her. 

This leaves her with no choice, to leave everyone she loves and her hometown to search out the strangers that started it all. This is where her true adventure begins. 

Twisted is a unique and fascinating story! I have yet to read anything similar, which was awesome in itself. The story is a fast moving read, and the author keeps you interested and wanting more!


About the Book:

Publication date: December 15th 2013
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

Synopsis:
Sixteen-year-old Allie’s going on the vacation of her life: tornado chasing. What can possibly go wrong with that?
But a terrifying, magical experience leaves Allie shocked and confused, and she learns that she now bears an awful curse.
Every time there’s a storm, she turns into a tornado. Literally.
Allie has no choice but to flee her hometown–if she stays, her new powers could harm or even kill everyone she loves.
She must return to the plains and find those who made her this way. But this journey is only the beginning of her adventure.
Twisted is the first book of the Deathwind Trilogy, a new young adult and teen paranormal romance series. The second book, Torn, is also available. Book Three of the Deathwind Trilogy, Unleashed, will be released in Summer of 2015.


Purchase:

About the Author:

Holly Hook is the author of the Destroyers Series, which consists of five young adult books about teens who are walking disasters...literally. She is also the author of the Rita Morse series, a young adult fantasy series still in progress, and After These Messages, a short ya comedy. Currently she is writing Twisted, a spin-off of the Destroyers Series due out in December. When not writing, she enjoys reading books for teens, especially ya fantasy and paranormal series with a unique twist.

Author links:



Giveaway: 

Signed copy of Twisted by Holly Hook
ends August 13th: a Rafflecopter giveaway




#bookreview The Lakeview Series, By Stacey R. Campell

August 6, 2015

The Lakeview Series
By Stacey R. Campbell



~My Review~
4 stars
This is an old story with a new twist, Blakely is a princess, heir to the throne for a country that during her senior year looses all other heirs. Of course she was adopted as a baby, with her records sealed so she has no idea of heritage nor that she is in fact a real life princess. Max a budding writer stumbles upon the story of a lifetime-that there is an unknown heir to the throne of a country currently without leadership, a secret his aunt-nanny for the royal children carried with her to her grave. So Max travel's to Blakely's school as a foreign exchange to find concrete prove of Blakely's relation to the royal family. 

Hush is a cute story, with a fun mystery around it. I wanted to love this story, but I did feel a distinct disconnect while reading it. The story was choppy and did not flow as well as I would have liked, but has an awesome story line, with the addition of the mystery and the chemistry between Max and Blakely, it was still a good story and fun to read. 



ABOUT HUSH (LAKEVIEW #1)


For small-town girl Blakely Henry, any hope of finding her biological parents died when she stopped believing in fairy tales and Disney princesses. That is, until she spots her boarding school’s new British exchange student, Max Ryder, staring at her. Why would a boy who looks like he stepped out of the pages of a magazine be looking at her? Because Max knows something Blakely doesn’t.

Following the tragic demise of one of Europe’s most beloved royal families, Max has stumbled upon information he thinks may lead to a lost royal heir, and now he is on a quest halfway around the world to see if he’s right.

Sworn to secrecy by his university professor and the headmaster of Lakeview Academy, Max is admitted into an exchange program with the sole purpose of finding out the truth. But will his personal feelings for Blakely get in the way?

When a stolen email surfaces, Blakely and her friends’ lives are threatened, and Max starts to question what he is really after.

From the exclusive rolling lawns of Canada’s most prestigious boarding school to the University of Saint Andrews’ hallowed grounds, Blakely’s quiet, unassuming life is turned upside down. Is she really who she thinks she is? Can she survive long enough to help Max unearth the truth?



~My Review~
4 stars

Whisper is book two in the Lakeview story and picks up with Blakely's little sister Halle during her first year at the Lakeview Academy. Halle and Leigh stumble upon a mystery of the death of  the first headmaster's daughter, a mystery which just might lead them into a whole lot of trouble. Leigh's biggest complaint is having to accept the help of Calum Stewart-her worst nightmare. 

Halle plays a secondary role in this book and Leigh the main character, Whisper is a fun twist to the creation of this series and can be read either way as part of the series or as a stand alone. 

ABOUT WHISPER (LAKEVIEW #2)


It’s Halle Henry’s first year at Lakeview Academy . . .
On a snowy January night, just days after a fire that nearly destroyed the school’s library, Elsie Stewart, daughter of the headmaster and founder of Lakeview Academy, dies slipping beneath the ice of frozen Clearwater Lake. Unable to right the wrongs she committed before her tragic death, Elsie’s spirit walks the halls of her father’s school, waiting for someone who can.

One hundred years later, while joining her sister’s friend Leigh to help clean out the school’s administration building before the big remodel, Halle stumbles upon Elsie’s hidden journal.

Obsessed with what she finds, Halle searches the school for clues that may lead to solving a century-old mystery. The only problem is that Halle also talks Calum Stewart, Leigh’s worst nightmare, into helping them.

Once Leigh and Calum are forced work together, sparks fly and no one around them, alive or dead, is left unaffected.


~My Review~
4 stars
Silence is a Novella, (listed as 2.5-which is a between the series story and always has awesome backstory to go along with a series...I love these additions to series!) and is the story of Blakely's search for her birth father. The book picks up after the end of book 1-so I will write the review sparing you any spoilers. But you will recall in book 1, Hush, Blakely's birth father was sent away before he was even told her birth mother Oliva was pregnant. 

This is a fantastic extra to give you more insight into Blakely's hidden past and the family she was denied at birth. 


 ABOUT SILENCE (LAKEVIEW #2.5)

Searching for the answers about the father she never knew, Blakely Henry, now Queen of Tamura, takes her family on a cross-country adventure through the hill towns of Southern France.



~My Review~ 
4 Stars
Scream is the 3rd book in the Lakeview series and takes place during Halle's final year of school. But trouble is on the rise and it begin's with her boyfriend being expelled from school. The title of the book gives you a feel that this one will be scary, and it should be noted this is not. It is however a great mystery! 

This book also reads well as a stand alone, or in line with the series. Again a fantastic way to write a series for readers! I seen the books compared to a modern day Nancy Drew and loved that comparison. I do feel that the books tend to the choppy side and if they flowed better I would have definitely rated the whole series a bit higher. The character's are great and are well developed and the series would be a great read for young adults, high school and even higher level Middle school students. 

ABOUT SCREAM (LAKEVIEW #3)


It’s Halle Henry’s final year at Lakeview Academy, and she is determined to make it her best year yet. But when drugs are discovered in her boyfriend Alex’s backpack and he is expelled, Halle’s life spins out of control.

Refusing to believe the accusations against him, Halle vows to get to the bottom of what really happened and bring Alex back to campus so they can graduate together.

Now, all Halle has to do is save her boyfriend, solve a murder, graduate from high school, and keep from getting killed in the process.




Stacey R. Campbell lives in the San Juan Islands with her husband and three daughters. She is a graduate of the University of Washington and a dyslexic writer that believes there is no such thing as a bad reader.  She is the author of the young adult novels Hush, Whisper, Silence & Scream and the highly acclaimed middle grade swashbuckling Pirate book ARRGH!

When not at her desk writing she can be found hiking, sailing, or skiing. She enjoys chocolate in any shape or size, too many cups of coffee and laughing (often too loudly as her daughters say) with her friends and family.

Stacey is available for classroom visits via Skype and loves working with writers and readers of any age; especially those with learning disabilities like her own.

Learn more about Stacey R. Campbell and her up coming releases by visiting her website at www.staceyrcampbell.com.


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Review!! Letter's to Mommy By Jim Owen

August 6, 2015

Letter's to Mommy
By Jim Owen


DEAR MOMMY, 
It’s going to be cold tonight so wear your coat if you have got one. I hope you find a place to sleep inside tonight because the man on teevee said it might snow too. Skye got in trouble at school today. A girl pulled his hair and he pulled hers so she slapped him and he hit her on the nose.
The principal suspended him for a week and said next time he cannot come back to school ever. Granddad will have to go to school and talk to the principal.
I worry about Granddad. Something is wrong but I don’t know what. He told me tonight that he talked to Grandma today and I told him Grandma died. He just said Oh yeah, I forgot.
I love you, Harlow
*** 

~My Review~
4.0 stars
Letter's to mommy is a story about the children of addicts that get left behind and the very hard life they often live with the loss of their parent/parents. Harlow is one of those girls, having already lost her mother to drugs, her father and grandmother to death, all that she and her 2 siblings have left is their Grandpa-who has begun to struggle with the beginning stages of Alzheimer's. Every other chapter is a letter she writes to her mother, in hopes that one day she will get clean and come back to them. Every other chapter is written from Hank, the Grandpa's point of view and the struggle he goes through trying to take care of 3 kids, while fighting to maintain his health, with his memory on a serious decline things are bound to take a turn for the worst for all of them.

This was quite a touching story about those that drugs leave behind, and a good reminder that when there is an addict in the family, no one is truly untouched from the terrible disease. 



About the Book:
12 YEAR OLD HARLOW WAS NAMED AFTER A MOVIE STAR… BUT HER LIFE IS FAR FROM A FAIRYTALE-When his daughter abandons her family, retired cop Hank Howard must fight to keep his three grandchildren out of a system he’s seen all too often from the other side. He suddenly finds himself battling the ghosts of his own past, and the looming health challenges of his future. Stepping up to help her increasingly forgetful grandpa, twelve-year-old Harlow must find a way to make things work…all the while holding out hope that letters to her missing mother will one day be answered. As unexpected danger arises from both surprising and familiar places, Harlow and Hank race against time to keep their family together. Through humor, sensitivity, and unexpected adventure, author Jim Owen provides a touching look at the dynamics of family that will resonate with all generations.


About the Author:
Country music legend Jim Owen has been honored in five Halls of Fame, and was twice named Las Vegas Entertainer of the Year for his show based on Hank Williams, Sr. Dottie West called him a "legend", and Charlie Daniels simply called him a "superstar”. He's achieved his lifelong dream to appear on the Grand Ole Opry, and is a prolific singer and songwriter credited with many hits, including “Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man”, recorded by Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty. He lives and entertains in Branson, Missouri, where his long running show is a must-see for fans of all ages. A lifelong entertainer, Jim Owen brought his talent for story-telling to his first western novel, “Boston O’Neill”. Now he draws upon his own real life experience as adoptive father to his own great-granddaughter in this cross-generational family story. His well-received first book, “Country Music's Jim Owen: An Amazing Life: An Unauthorized Autobiography” covers his roller-coaster ride from small-town Kentucky to the Grand Ol’ Opry, to a world concert tour and Hollywood movie roles. Jim Owen’s books are available in paperback and as e-books on the Amazon and Barnes & Noble websites. For more information about Jim, his music, his live shows or his books, visit his website at JimOwenMusic.net.

Review!! The Network Series, By Katie Cross

August 4, 2015

Network Series

By Katie Cross


ABOUT MISS MABEL’S SCHOOL FOR GIRLS:

Never Underestimate the Power of a Determined Witch.

Letum Wood is a forest of fog and deadfall, home to the quietly famous Miss Mabel’s School for Girls, a place where young witches learn the art of magic.

Sixteen-year-old Bianca Monroe has inherited a deadly curse. Determined to break free before it kills her, she enrolls in the respected school to confront the cunning witch who cast the curse: Miss Mabel.  Bianca finds herself faced with dark magic she didn’t expect, with lessons more dangerous than she could have ever imagined. Will Bianca have the courage to save herself from the curse, or will Miss Mabel’s sinister plan be too powerful? 

Miss Mabel’s School for Girls is the first novel in The Network Series, an exciting new fantasy collection. A gripping tale about the struggle to survive, it will take you to a new place and time, one you’ll never want to leave.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes | Audible |Smashwords

~My Review~
5 Stars

Wow! I was not expecting such a story when I began this one. With the title of the series, I really didn't prepare myself for what the story would be, and was more then pleasantly surprised to get such a gift with this book. Miss Mabel's School for Girls doesn't begin to tell you what a fantastic tale is weaved amongst the pages, a story that will keep you up at night burning through the pages to literally just consume the story. 

The story begin's with Bianca traveling to get admittance to a special school for witches, being prepared all her life for the challenge she will face with her time at the school. A challenge she takes on to try to remove a family curse-not just any old curse, one that ends in death for her as well as her mother and grandmother. What Bianca doesn't know yet, or prepares what she truly didn't expect is that the challenge of her time at the school is a far more complex undertaking then any 16 year old girl could truly understand. 

As I began to delve in this story I understood I was reading a book kin to the Harry Potter stories-but with it's own special kind of magic that simply can only be found in the Network Series books. I did not instantly fall in love with this story, my love for it grew as I dove deeper into the story, leaving me excited to know the next two books await me. 


ABOUT ANTE BELLUM AWAKENING:


Never underestimate the power of a volatile witch.
Still reeling in the wake of her mother’s death, sixteen-year-old Bianca Monroe is forced to move to Chatham Castle. Not even the sudden appearance of ancient dragons in haunted Letum Wood nor her two best friends can distract her from the strength of her deep, dark rage.  Her grief puts her magical powers into chaos, endangering any witch around her. She has six months left to destroy the curse that will kill her and fulfill her contract with the most cunning enemy of all: her former teacher Miss Mabel.  Bianca must make a choice: learn to control her restless powers, or let the powers control her.
Antebellum Awakening is the second book in the thrilling new fantasy collection The Network Series. It’s a haunting tale about tragedy, loss, and the power of moving on.




~My Review~
5 stars
"Grief is a mess that you can't clean up all at once. It takes time and patience, not logic and fact." Bianca, still deep in grief over her lose in book one of this series soon finds herself at odds with her magic. She discovers quickly that the grief that is all encompassing, has more control over her and her magic then she does. Sadly that is only one small portion of the burden she carries with her. 

Ante Bellum Awakening is focused mainly around the castle where Bianca gets to spend far more time with her Father, but is still burdened by her family curse. Add to that Binding that Miss Mabel bestowed on her in book 1 and this book literally does not slow down. 

On top of Bianca's battles with everything in her life, there is an impending war, with many scrambling to determine which side they are on, secrets are abundant and not everyone can truly be trusted. 

This is a great addition to the series and did not slow the story down one bit. I am still smitten by the book and looking forward to reading Isadora Interviews and more of this amazing series! 

ABOUT THE ISADORA INTERVIEWS:

Isadora is a quiet, old witch living alone in the fog-strewn forest of Letum Wood. Her magical power is great, but her foresight is even greater.As a Watcher, Isadora has the ability to see into the heart of every witch she meets, a talent that makes her the perfect guardian of the prestigious Miss Mabel’s School for Girls.Any witch that wants to enter the school must first pass an interview with Isadora. No secret insecurity or sinister motivation can be hidden from a Watcher, as four teenage girls will soon find out.Join Leda, Camille, Michelle, and Priscilla, as they each encounter Isadora in their quest to join Miss Mabel’s School for Girls. It’s a collection of short stories that fans of Miss Mabel’s School for Girls can’t afford to miss.


~My Review~ 
5 stars

This book is an "extra" and a great way to get more insist to the enigma which is Isadora. Isadora is the watcher of Miss Mabel's School for Girls, she interviews and decides which girls go on to the school and which ones are turned away. Isadora has the amazing ability to see into the heart of each witch and uses that power to determine if they are worth to be a part of the school. No secret, no insecurity, nothing gets by Isadora. But don't expect to understand her warnings, as she often speaks in riddles and most certainly in circles around the young girls who cross her path. Truly a great addition to The Network Series!


About the Author:
Katie Cross grew up in the mountains of Idaho, where she still loves to play when she gets the chance.If she’s not writing, you can find her traveling, working as a pediatric nurse, trail running with her husband and two dogs, or curled up with a book and a cup of chai.

AUTHOR ONLINE: Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter @kcrosswriting

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Review!! The Hybrid, By Venus Morales

August 3, 2015


                                  The Hybrid 
                             by Venus Morales 




(The Hybrid Series #1)
Publication date: February 9th 2015
Genres: Urban Fantasy, Young Adult

~My Review~
3.5 stars

Ari is a unique individual, even in a world with demons, angels, vampires, and god's. She is a combination of a phoenix/vampire as well as being the daughter of the god of War Ares, to say there is no other like her is  an understatement, she is a hybrid. As a hybrid she was hidden away from the world not long after her birth. Her parents knew she would be sought after from both sides and wanted to protect her from it all. Of course her mother died while giving birth, leaving her with her father-the god of war and no way to learn the ways of her mother's people. Regardless she goes up to be a pretty good bad ass, and seems to be determined to rid the world of the seedy side of the underworld. This is where the story begins, this is where she meets not only Julius, but also Alaris-but leaving a huge impact on her life and causing her great confusion. The story proceeds from there.

This book seemed to be missing something for me, it has a great plot and good characters, I love the paranormal twist with not only the vampire/phoenix, but the added mix of the God's as well. However I still felt a disconnect when reading it. It was a descent read, but did not leave me begging for more at the end. I believe the plot to have great potential but sadly did not feel that the story within met it. 












 
About the Book: 

Ari is the daughter of Ares, the God of War. Half goddess and half Phoenician, she is raised by her father in secrecy until her 18th birthday, when he is forced to return to Olympus. 

She chooses not follow her father, and decides to venture out into the mortal realm. There, Ari crosses paths with the archangel Julius, who bears a message from a seer. Ari must return to the Bayou to her late mother's coven to regain her family crown, she is soon fighting for more than just the crown; she is fighting for her life, and the inner darkness that's consuming her. 

With 7 days to prepare for her trials and 7 days to fight for her life, Ari does the one thing she must do to survive; she forges herself into the weapon she was born to be.











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                                    About the Author:

Who am I, you ask? I am a woman who wears many hats. A mother of 3 wonderful boys is my first and for most priority, and from there it trickles down. I’m a wife, a cook, a house cleaner and a mommy to two dogs and a lazy love-able cat. Then there’s my alternate life.. The writer she is the kid who refuses to grow up. Stuck in a mind state of a teenager, who still has imaginary friends. The two half's of me get along great!! As long as I let the writer out and listen to my imaginary friends tell me their story, then there’s no conflict. If I keep her caged up too long… Well… You know what they say, when you keep the beast caged up to long, it gets angry. 


The life of a writer is who your born to be, not a job you just take on. It’s who I am.





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