Supernatural Six: Box Set Review

 

Image from Goodreads

Image from Goodreads

Title:  Supernatural Six: Box Set

Authors:  Elle Casey, Juli Alexander, Allie Burton, L.G. Castillo, Brenda Pandos, Tawny Stokes

Published:  November 2013 by Tawny Stokes

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal

 

 

 

Another box set review!  I didn’t finish the whole set; I have so many books to review.  But I did read three stories which is half the set.  Here’s what I thought about them.

Duality by Elle Casey

Malcolm seems to attract severely depressed people.  He’s not sure why that is, but he knows that’s the case so he does his best to keep others away.  Rae has the opposite problem.  People are attracted to her for her happiness.  They can get obsessed with her, and do so often that her family frequently has to move to get away from Rae’s ‘followers’.  There are a few people, called neutrals that aren’t affected by people like Rae and Malcolm.  When Rae moves and ends up at Malcolm’s school, she is attracted to Malcolm and she thinks he’s a neutral but she’s not sure.  Rae and Malcolm will learn that they’re not alone in the world and at least they have each other and a few loyal friends too.

This story got the box set off to a good start.  It also made me laugh out loud at one scene, which is hard to do.  There was something that bothered me with this story; the fact that the same scene was sometimes told through multiple points of view.  That just gets boring.  Other than that though, it was a cute, fun read.

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Three Wishes by Juli Alexander

Jen’s a genie.  And a really good drummer.  She so wants to be a part of her brother’s band, but if she gets called to serve someone’s wishes, she has to go immediately so it’s kind of a no go for her brother; but it’s not her fault she could get called at any minute.  Anyways, Jen’s brother gets another drummer, Leo.  But Leo is more than just a good looking guy.  He’s also a genie.  It’s forbidden for a male and female genie to get together and date, but these two just can’t seem to help themselves.

Another good book.  Jen is a strong character, and even though it’s really risky, she does things that could cause serious trouble (for her) for Leo because his dad needs help.  The only bummer about this book was that I wanted to read more.  It wasn’t really a cliffhanger ending, but there wasn’t full closure so I’m wondering if the author is going to write a sequel.

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Atlantis by Allie Burton

What a beginning this story had!  Pearl is working as a janitor at a mini golf course when a toddler falls into a murky lagoon.  Pearl dives in and finds him at the bottom, being held to the bottom by the filter.  Minutes go by.  Pearl pulls him from the filter and breathes into his mouth giving him the ability to be like her temporarily at least; by having the ability to breathe under water.  Pearl tries to hurry away after she gives the boy back to his mother but a young man named Chase who also works there catches up with her, and she just can’t seem to get him off her tail.  And after a while, she doesn’t want to.

This was a really neat story.  As you just read, Pearl isn’t a mermaid, but she has the ability to breathe underwater.  She doesn’t know who her real parents are, and she is running away from her adoptive ones.  They made her perform in a circus, and were also emotionally abusive.

Something about Chase and their relationship bugged me in this book.  Maybe part of it was that he actually considered exposing her secret.  I’m not sure, but he just got under my skin.  And I felt like it kind of dragged after a while, which is too bad cause it started off so good!  All in all though, it was a decent story.

 

 

My Rating:  3 1/2 out of 5 stars

~Pam

*****I received this book free from one of the authors in exchange for an honest review.*****       

Justice (Deck of Lies #1) Review

 

Image from Goodreads

Image from Goodreads

Title:  Justice (Deck of Lies #1)

Author:  Jade Varden

Published:  2011

Genre:  Young Adult

Purchase Justice (Deck of Lies, #1) from Amazon.com

 

Rain is transferring to a new high school in the middle of the school year.  She was one of a select few to get a scholarship to a very prestigious and expensive school.  Her first day is awful, especially when she accidently spills something on the most popular girl in the school, Carsyn, during lunch.   However, Carsyn still asks Rain to accompany her and a friend to go shopping after school.  Rain should have thought about it more beforehand, because Carsyn is about to not only get revenge on Rain, but ultimately change her life forever.

Wow, I wasn’t expecting so many things that happened in this book, and that is going to make it pretty hard to talk about without giving anything away!  But it was great.  I love when I’m surprised, and I was, multiple times.

Rain is a likable protagonist, but man, does she have bad luck.  I feel for her, because so many things keep going wrong.  Like big life changing things.  But somehow Rain manages to push past these things and get by.  I guess she has no other choice, but to me she is a strong character.

Also, I knew it was book one of a series, but I still thought that the book would end with closure.  But it didn’t, so now I’m going to need to read the next one to see what happens.  That’s okay though, because Ms. Varden sure does know how to tell a story and keep you intrigued.  So if you like a book that will surprise you and keep you in suspense, pick up Justice by Jade Varden.

 

 

My Rating:  4 out of 5 stars

 

~Pam

 

*****I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review.***** 

 

Chasing Atlantis Review & Author Interview

 

Image from Goodreads

Image from Goodreads

Title:  Chasing Atlantis

Author: Kelly Coughlin

Published: July 2013, by Outskirts Press, Inc.

Genre: Paranormal Romance, Young Adult

Click here to purchase Chasing Atlantis from Amazon.com

 

Its summertime and Amy is once again spending it at her mother’s house in Florida.  Sounds like the ideal summer for a teenage girl, but it turns out to be anything but.  Her mother and stepfather are acting strangely, and they won’t stop pushing her on their friends’ son, Adam.  Amy thinks he is cute and all, but he just isn’t for her.  Amy heads out to the beach one day and meets a really attractive lifeguard, Ty.  He’s kind of mean to her, and she leaves upset, but she still can’t stop thinking about him.  Turns out, no one is who they say they are, and everyone has something to hide.

This book started out okay, with a lot of spelling and editorial errors.  I just hate when there are a lot of those because it pulls me right from the story.  I felt like the story was being told in the beginning, instead of being shown, if you get my gist.  However, as the book went on, I feel like it got better and the author grew and improved, and I finally did end up enjoying it.

I think I would have like this book a little better if I could connect to the main character, Amy.  I know she was a teenager in the book, (and I’m in my 30’s), but she seemed a bit immature and annoying.  I didn’t like how she didn’t stand up to her mom and stepdad for a while about dating someone she didn’t want to date.  That got to me, but hey, maybe I’m just getting old!

Chasing Atlantis has a bunch of different kind of supernatural beings.  Some expected.  Some not.  It was definitely a different story and didn’t feel familiar at all; that’s a good thing.  All and all, I would say it’s a good book.  I think author Kelly Coughlin did a great job on her first book, much better than I could have done.  Scroll down for an interview with her.

 

My Rating:  3 out of 5 stars

 

~Pam

 

*****I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review.*****

 

 

Interview with Kelly Coughlin

 

Why did you decide to write it?

I started thinking of a story just to entertain myself, as well as my friends one day, and before I knew it I couldn’t stop.  It was as if a part of my brain would not shut off until this story was complete.  While standing in the post office I began furiously scribbling dialogue down on whatever facsimiles I could wrap my hands on (yes, I was that deranged person who is laughing to herself as she takes notes on their hand while in line.)  I was a woman possessed because I believe that the purity of the characters and the loyalty that they show to each other is something that is missing from our world today.  To surmise, I just wanted to tell a love story.

 

How did you get your book published?

Well, originally I tried it the old fashioned way of sending it off to publishers and got rejected (a lot) *sniffles*.  I decided to put it on the back burner for a few years, while I started looking into self-publishing.  I researched many different self-publishers and decided that Outskirtspress had the best bang for the buck.  I sent it off to them, crossing my fingers and chanting “oh please let this be a good idea” for a few days until I saw the finished results.  I loved it!  It was everything I ever dreamed of and then some. 

 

What types of readers will be interested in your book?

Young Adult readers who like fantasy romance with a twist of mystery will enjoy this book.  This story has plenty of deception and lies to keep you guessing until all hours of the night.  It is a good read if you plan on basking by the beach.  Only just don’t look too deeply in the water after reading…

 

Have you published any other books?  Do you plan to publish more?

This is my first novel.  Yes!  I’m writing another right now.  I definitely plan on writing many more books.     

 

The Wind Whisperer – Cover Reveal

Author Krista Holle is releasing her second novel this October!  The plot sounds right up my alley; here’s the synopsis:

“At fifteen, Anaii is the most important member of her tribe—and the most mysterious. Ever since Anaii can remember, the spirits of the wind have whispered of fertile hunting grounds and imminent enemy attacks. But when her people are ambushed by a brother clan without any apparent cause, the spirits remain eerily silent.

As the village prepares to retaliate, Anaii is pressured by her best friend, Elan, to marry him. It’s an old plea—Elan has spent a lifetime loving her, but Anaii only sees a childhood playmate out of an imposing warrior. Stifled by Elan’s insistence, Anaii escapes into the forest where she meets Jayttin, the beautiful son of the enemy chief.

Enamored by Jayttin’s carefree spirit and hope for peace, she repeatedly sneaks away to be with him, but when her deception is discovered, Elan is devastated. Pledging his lifelong affection, Elan gives her a passionate kiss, and Anaii begins to see her friend in a new light.

While Anaii is tormented over which man she must choose, the wind whispers of a new threat that could destroy both tribes. Only a union will afford a chance at survival, but the reality of that union is based on one thing—which man Anaii chooses to die.” (Krista Holle)

Cover by artist Janice Duke

Cover by artist Janice Duke

You can connect with Krista Holle on her website, twitter, facebook, and goodreads.