Review & Giveaway: Bad Mouth by Angela McCallister

Bad Mouth by Angela McCallister

Author: Angela McCallister
Publication Date: May 20, 2013
Publisher: Entangled: Covet
Pages: 240
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Vampires
Source: Provided by the publisher for an honest review
Book Description:

After her ex-husband’s obsession with vampires, Valerie Craig is on a mission to stop transformations. Of all vampires, Kade Rollins is the worst of the worst, but when multiple murders plague Seattle, Val is forced to enlist his aid. Kade’s crude wit and seductive nature attract her like no other, but she can’t ignore his violence toward his human servants, no matter her yearning to forget.

She’s torn when she learns Kade may be behind the murders. Val's worked hard to protect humans from vampires, but the truth surrounding the murders could ignite a bloody battle between their races, one humans are sure to lose. Someone is pulling strings to build a vampire army and spark the war—setting Kade up to kick it off. But if she trusts the vampire prince, she risks her job, her integrity, and her heart if he betrays her as all the men in her life have.

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TWO Giveaways at the bottom!!!

Review:

     In a new take on a popular legend, McCallister takes us on a thrilling fan-yourself ride into the not so secret world of human to vampire transformations. Set in urban Seattle, we meet the ferociously bull headed Valerie Craig - who has made it her life mission to stop transformations with extreme prejudice. From a dark underground of uneasy politics, sex and blood - a body count starts rising making it seem like Valerie has all the proof she needs to shut down vampires for good....that is until she meets one that turns her whole world upside down. 

     The character of Valerie (Val) is (to be blunt) a glorified pencil pusher for the VLO (Vampire Liaison Organization - I'm guessing here because I don't think it ever fully states what it is). Her character is a bit insular and scarred - especially in regards to men. Her ex husband Will plays a pivotal role in this - his obsession with Vampires is what ultimately drives a wedge between them and puts her a very narrow minded political rampage against vampires. Her character wasn't particularly deep or worldly, but I think that's part of the beauty of sticking this young innocent but spunky girl into the mix with a very foul mouthed ancient vampire prince...

     Kade Rollins is your typical want for nothing Vampire royalty. He's got that gruff sandpaper attitude with a swear word coming out of his mouth a mile a minute. He's used to getting what he wants, when he wants it and you'll do it with a smile, on your knees and a 'yes sir'! But when he meets Val who butts heads with him and challenges him at every turn - his own hate for humans gets a little blurred. While Kade may follow the classic bad boy who you'll love to hate and hate to love recipe, he had a really surprising and intense backstory with a hidden agenda that made him much more than just another pretty face.

     The secondary characters for me took the cake. Especially Ezra, who was charming, funny and intriguing all at once. I'd seriously like to get to know him a bit more intimately...

     I had just finished watching the last season of Spartacus (the Starz tv series), so when terms like Dominus and Domina started popping up I got REALLY excited. McCallister uses a very Roman-esque caste system to structure her vampire world and I LOVED it. You get that old world feeling of aristocracy and pomp, which fits in perfectly with the vampires we meet. 

     I will admit that there's a bit of a case of insta-love here (everything happens in about a week). But it starts with an intense physical attraction that's often hard to deny (even in reality), and Val and Kade's interactions do show a lot of potential for the future. 

Overall: 4/5 Hot Cups of Tea!

Bad Mouth has elements of a CSI murder mystery crossed with True Blood vampire/human politics. Fans of these will definitely love Bad Mouth. Plus at 240 pages, filled to the brim with violence, blood and panty ripping action it's hard not to be entertained.

ABOUT ANGELA MCCALLISTER

Angela McCallister is a US Navy Sailor and author of Paranormal Romance repped by the fabulous Nalini Akolekar. Spoiled by the gorgeous weather of Southern California, she spends her days reading and writing whenever she's lucky enough to be away from work. In fact, she's never to be found without a book hidden somewhere on her person. Over the past two years, her writing has finaled in multiple RWA writing competitions, and her debut Paranormal Romance, BAD MOUTH, won MERWA's 2012 Everything But The Kitchen Sink Competition.

Find her on:

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Review: Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

Author: Wendy Higgins

Publication Date: May 1, 2012

Publisher: Harper Teen

Pages: 454 Pages

Genre: YA, Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, Angels/Demons

Source: Bought it

Book Description from Goodreads:

What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences?

This is the reality for sons and daughters of fallen angels.

Tenderhearted Southern girl Anna Whitt was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She’s aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but Anna, the ultimate good girl, has always had the advantage of her angel side to balance the darkness within. It isn’t until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage and her willpower is put to the test. He’s the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.

Forced to face her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?

Review:

So…admittedly I originally was attracted to this first and foremost for the gorgeous cover. It has the perfect dramatic flare in the flirtatious red dress, and the visually stunning contrast of pure goodness and the dark devil on your shoulder whispering seductions into your ear - this portrayed the characters of Anna and Kaiden perfectly in their roles. Then after reading the synopsis I was intrigued by the concept of Nephilim and what Higgins take on them would be.

I feel like to truly enjoy this book, you need to take one step back from reality because some seriously mind blowing stuff happens that could only apply to teenagers that are the children of fallen angels. A lot of these situations involve some really questionable parental permissions… Without giving too much away, basically these Nephilim all have a pull toward certain sins, and their lives depend on “working” on corrupting others with these sins - which is a particular source of strain for Anna while she navigates the road of her heritage with her new sinful friends.

When we first meet Anna, she takes the label of “good girl” to the extreme. She doesn’t participate in any of the debauchery that comes with teenage unsupervised parties, she doesn’t lie (not even little white ones, although her first big lie is a pretty hilarious one), and she even manages to keep her best friend on the straight and narrow. Anna also has a set of powers that comes with angelic parentage, she can see and feel people’s emotions. She of course deftly avoids exploiting this advantage, but it also causes her to be extremely emotional, she feels for everyone and everything - which causes a lot of unnecessary water works that even her polar opposite and partner in crime Kaiden Rowe cringes at invoking.

In a nutshell, Anna isn’t exactly your strong fierce heroine - she’s just so young and naive that it’s darn near a train wreck to see her in more mature situations, where she blushes from head to toe - and that’s why I think I read through this book non-stop like I was addicted to hard crack. I wanted to see where her story went, how she’d respond to difficult obstacles and every time I set the book down I’d find myself wondering what would happen next.

It also doesn’t help that Kaiden Rowe - following the beloved hot and cold, smooth talking jerk but with a heart of gold, steamy character formula and to top it all off….has a BRITISH ACCENT!! I think I had James Marsters (halfway down the page is his panel, the third video at time 1:25) (aka Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) on the brain, because as soon as he dropped his first “luv” I kind of squealed - Kaiden by trade is coincidentally a drummer for a rock band too, so double score! But aesthetics aside, Kaiden is such an interesting character to follow. He’s intrigued by Anna’s morality, and seeks to be closer to her but it’s a constant struggle with his own particular sin that he *ahem* performs with extreme pleasure and due diligence, much to Anna’s dismay.

Kaiden and Anna’s sexual tension is just freaking unbelievable! Higgins has got the teasing formula down to a science as she lures you in with a free fluffy sample, and then she starts to give you the harder drugs until you’re begging for more, and then wham! She cuts you off cold turkey! *Sigh* All I can hope for is some kind of resolution in Anna's love life eventually...

Higgin’s writing is delightful in that it’s easy to follow, but so richly descriptive, especially when it comes to crafting her characters with some uniquely identifiable quirk. Higgins definitely knows how to snare her audience with an amazing mix of laughter, action, love and even morality. She also weaves a very unique mythology for these Nephilim, set in a very mobster like fashion that incorporates incredibly well into modern society.

I loved seeing the changes and growth that Anna goes through! By the end she definitely seems more mature and better equipped for her situation. There’s a really mysterious back story weaved into all of this self discovery that Anna goes through, and I’m so excited to see what this might entail.

            

Overall: 4/5 Hot Cups of Tea!

At 454 pages, it may seem daunting, but honestly I got through it so quickly because I just couldn’t put it down! Definitely give this one a read!

Review: Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Anna Dressed in Blood (Anna #1) by Kendare Blake

Author: Kendare Blake

Publication Date: August 30, 2011

Publisher: Tor Teen

Pages: 316

Genre: YA, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Ghosts

Source: Borrowed from Library

Book Description from Goodreads:

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until his gruesome murder by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father’s mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead-keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn’t expect anything outside of the ordinary: move, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage. A ghost like he’s never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, but now stained red and dripping blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home

And she, for whatever reason, spares his life.

Review:

I thoroughly traumatized myself with ghost films as a kid and for the longest time I couldn’t watch them without huddling under a blanket and keeping a night light on. It wasn’t until I saw my first episode of Supernatural back in 2005 that I really got over my fear of ghosts because I realized that “Hey there’s really good looking guys that hunt ghosts and there’s totally rational ways to fight them”. It was their sense of finality at the end of the episodes that made me realize, well the ghost is gone and there’s nothing to fear (most of the time). This sense of safety is what I immediately felt upon beginning to read Anna Dressed in Blood. Cas Lowood embodies the Supernatural hunter vibe with cool confidence and deadly skills as he takes on “the family business”.

The cover features a gorgeous and haunting Anna in her signature white dress dripping with blood amid her Victorian home swirled in fog. I love the black and whiteness of the cover with accents of blood red! The version I read also featured a rusted blood red color for the font that compliments the mood of the story.

The story begins with Cas taking the reader through the logistics of ghost hunting, from the research to the props and finally the execution. I was immediately hooked by the rich details and the histories of the ghosts he hunts.

Cas has taken over ghost hunting ever since the death of his father at the hands of a very powerful and mysterious supernatural entity. As Cas and his witch mother move from one town to another in search of ghosts to put down, while Cas plans his revenge on the creature that killed his father. We end up in the Canadian city of Thunder Bay, Ontario as Cas follow’s Anna’s bloody trail to her doorstep.

Cas’ character is strong, confident (maybe a bit overconfident at times) and he has a hilarious sarcastic sense of humour. He’s got a very lone ranger method to ghost hunting and has a few acquaintances that he gets information from around the world. So when he moves to a new place he makes it his business to stay remote, and avoids making friends, but he definitely knows how to turn the charm on to get what he wants.

Anna’s ghost has a history that’s been shrouded in local legend and with all places that are haunted there are always drunk teenagers that stumble in to test their courage. Only this time, it’s not just a story and Anna is one of the most powerful ghosts that Cas has ever seen. The dichotomy of Anna’s character is what’s so interesting about her. One on hand she’s a blood fuelled, terrifying violent spirit that has an ever increasing body count to her name, but on the other hand with Cas the hurt she’s been through is visible as well as a lonely human side. When we finally find out her story, it was heartbreaking, and something completely out of left field. Anna also manages to get Cas out of being a tunnel vision hunter, she makes him question what he’s doing if it’s as righteous as he feels it is, she pretty much shakes up Cas’ whole life and it really makes him grow up a bit.

The secondary characters were an amazing cast who Cas originally only befriended because he needed them for their respective knowledge and skills, but they end up turning into something more. In turn each character such as Thomas who’s quite shy and a loner gets more courageous and Carmel, who I originally disliked because I figured she was the super peppy popular girl whose only skill is to scream, actually turned out to be pretty bad ass, and a great friend.

What Cas thought was just another job turned into something far more dangerous than just figuring out Anna’s story. There were so many twists and turns in this story that definitely kept me hooked all the way to the dramatic ending! Blake’s writing is so descriptive and it works well for when we’re taken back in time to recount the ghost’s moments before death. She also writes some really graphic- eye popping violence scenes and introduces some new aspects to ghosts that I’ve never really thought of before. I also love Blake’s little nods to Canadians by setting the story in a Canadian city, and things like Saskatoon Berry Jam (which is delicious by the way!).

Rating: 5/5 Steaming HOT Cups of tea! 

Overall this is definitely an amazing ghost story! If you’re a fan of Supernatural, then pick this one up!

Review: The Succubus Gift by B.R. Kingsolver

The Succubus Gift (Telepathic Clans #1) by B.R. Kingsolver

Author: B.R. Kingsolver

Publication Date: April 22, 2012

Publisher: Smashwords

Genre: Adult, Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy

Source: Review copy provided by the author (Thank You!)

Book Description from Goodreads:

Brenna’s life isn’t the same after she discovers her unusual and mysterious heritage. In addition to being a telepath and having many paranormal abilities, Brenna learns she has the Succubus Gift. She has always been a good girl and isn’t comfortable seducing men, except one she really loves.

That’s just the beginning of her problems. Someone is stalking her. Will she be able to protect her newly acquired family and friends? Then there’s the tall, dangerous woman who shadows her and hints a Goddess has linked them. And what is she going to do with a handsome, charismatic, womanizing man she knows she should avoid?

Some days a girl just wants to pull the covers over her head and stay in bed — with a willing young man of course.

Review:

Let me just start by saying WOW, because this book completely blew my expectations out of the water and then some. The initial synopsis plot struck me as interesting, but it didn’t prepare me for the utterly heart stopping onslaught of sex, violence and paranormal abilities out the wazoo.

In an age where book covers are raved about because they feature a pretty girl in a dress that’s been air brushed to oblivion, I love that The Succubus Gift’s cover has a more traditional art look and feel to it, with slight enhancements. It features a gorgeously rendered Brenna and features some of the abilities that the reader will be exposed to.

When we first meet Brenna she’s worked hard to make a career for herself after being orphaned as a young girl. She’s lived with being a telepath for most of her life, but never knowing the true nature of her abilities. That is until one fateful day after inadvertently saving another telepath he takes her to meet others like them, and so begins Brenna’s journey of self discovery.

I loved how dynamic Brenna’s character is. She’s smart, witty and takes things in stride, but there’s also the less perfect side where she’s a bit self depreciating, reserved and sometimes has serious anger management issues. It all combines together though to make a character that’s so interesting to watch as she grows from an innocent Catholic girl to a more confident and insanely powerful woman.

A main point of the story was that Brenna needed to learn how to control a lot of powers, and Kingsolver found a good balance between natural excellence and learning from tutors that made the story more believable and allowed the readers to experience the powers with Brenna instead of the character instantly being able to use all these powers and going out into the world to fight super villains.

One power in particular, her Succubus Gift (which is in reference to as you guessed it, a Succubus which are known for seducing and having intercourse with men) a rare power that eventually takes the main stage in the story. It provides some of the most hilarious moments as she learns what it means to truly be a Succubus and it also brings the reader to fan-yourself kind of steamy bedroom scenes.

Now with all the different powers on top of telepathy such as pyrokinesis, electrokinesis etc., there’s so much going on in The Succubus Gift. Kingsolver has to explain A LOT of things like the powers, the people, back history, and she manages to do it perfectly without getting the reader hopelessly lost. A few of the powers also have very unique names for them and it can get confusing at times, but Kingsolver added an index at the end that was extremely helpful.

I absolutely loved the cast of secondary characters, maybe a bit more than I do Brenna. There’s such a perfect combination of mafia like grandfather, regal motherly aunt, kick ass best friend and completely adorable, hot, but deadly in a fight - love interest and even other Succubi. Kingsolver crafted these characters with such vivid personalities, they ended up taking on distinct voices and life stories that I craved to know more about.

The villains of the story are kept shrouded in the shadows for the most part, and to me that was perfectly fine. They provided the stressor for Brenna to learn and grow, but frankly they were more terrifying when you couldn’t put a face to them while people were being hunted down. A word of warning, these villains are SO twisted. Kingsolver has them do really graphically violent things that some people may not have the disposition to handle. However, the way that Kingsolver states these events is in a very blunt fashion, she doesn’t dance around them with fancy words, they’re difficult things to write about and I'm glad she didn’t take them lightly and that there’s retribution to be had in the end.

Kingsolver’s way of writing is energetic and keeps up a great tempo. When I was reading this it was easy to see when it picked up for action scenes and slowed down for sensual moments. Especially since Kingsolver is a debut author, this was an incredible piece of work.

Eventually, in the end we find out what’s going on and it blows the doors wide open for an exciting sequel, but it doesn’t end on a complete cliffhanger. We’re left in a very comfortable place, where as a reader you want to know more but it isn’t going to make you angry that it just ENDED RIGHT THERE.

This is a great unique addition to the paranormal/urban fantasy genre and I’d definitely recommend this to fans of the genre! It had everything I could ask for, love, sex, violence, witty banter, supernatural abilities. I am so excited to see what Kingsolver does next! 

Overall: 5/5 Steaming HOT Cups of Tea!

To me it was like the Sopranos meets X-Men with a dash of Inception and a sprinkle of Sex in the City (but less obnoxious). Seriously, it's was an awesome book! Go read it! 

Review: Bone Dressing by Michelle I. Brooks

Bone Dressing by Michelle Brooks

Author: Michelle Brooks

Publication Date: April 20, 2011

Publisher: Kindle

Pages: 360

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy

Source: Bought It

Book Description from Goodreads:

Time is running out… the Dark that’s been chasing Syd for many lifetimes has finally caught up with her…

Sydney Roberdeau lost her parents as a young girl. Waiting for her life to start and the freedom that will come with her eighteenth birthday, Syd spends much of her time haunting the local cemetery. It is there, stretched out among the dead, that she feels most alive, most at home. Until one rainy night when Beau, Sarah and T.J. crash her ghostly sanctuary, appearing out of nowhere, turning her already inside-out world one degree past upside down.

Syd must now revisit past lives, dressing in the bodies of her previous selves… bone dressing. Her only chance to outrun the evil breathing down her neck is to face her own worst nightmares and her strongest desires. But if she can’t stay out of trouble in this life, how can she possibly fix mistakes from past lives? And just how many lives has she lived, loved and lost? What is Syd exactly, and what will she risk for the life of a man she doesn’t remember, the man she spent a lifetime with, the man she loves? Everything… including her very own life?

Review:

Brooks takes the subject of travelling through past lives and puts a very unique spin to it. Soon it becomes evident that there’s a lot more than just past lives at play here, there’s old magic and old enemies that are after Syd, who needs to figure out how to harness it all before it’s too late, good thing she has some friends that are willing to help out.

The cover of Bone Dressing very appropriately features a girl among an eerily misty graveyard with a bone chilling wind passing through that blows her hair about. I love how simple and calm the cover is in contrast to Syd’s more eccentric nature.

The beginning of the story definitely caught my attention immediately by throwing the reader right into the action as we meet Syd in a backdrop of flames while she recounts the events that lead up to her unleashing her inner pyromaniac. We also get the run down of Syd’s less than ideal life. She’s the poster child of what you think of when you hear “foster child”, she’s the school prankster, sneaks out and has a “I couldn’t give a two shakes what you think” kind of rebellious attitude with a sharp tongue built for snappy comebacks.

What I really loved about Syd was her defiant disposition that she draws her strength from. Using this she stuck up for herself and for her friends no matter the cost and it makes her a powerful ally to have on your side. But it’s also this headstrong attitude that makes her so difficult to get through to, along with her tendency for angry outbursts. I found it a bit irritating that no matter what life she was in, it took so many tries for everyone to get their point in when they were trying to tell her something REALLY important. The novel is also filled with soliloquy type dialogue in Syd’s point of view while she tries to make sense of her adolescent life. While these musings gave us depth into her character I felt at times that Syd might have attention issues as she continually jumped from one philosophical musing to another. But once she finally realizes what’s happening to her she becomes more focused and this more concrete direction in her lives makes her character easier to follow.

The character of Beau (aka Remy) pretty much had me at chère. I’m a total sucker for cajun accents, and combined with his dark looks and equally mysterious companions, I was definitely fascinated. But in the end he’s there to help Syd realize who she is and although we don’t get to know much about his background (although I’d really like to!), he was always there when needed and provided some scintillating scenes with Syd.

But where Brooks really shines is in writing her villains. Mr. Askew, Syd’s teacher and arch nemesis is absolutely THE CREEPIEST character you will ever meet. I still feel worms crawling under my skin every time I think about any scenes with him because he’s so incredibly manipulative, and he had me teetering on a fence wondering if he was actually that creepy or if it was all in Syd’s head. The lecherous stares, the insinuating dialogue just creates an image in your mind of an awkward older man with a greasy comb over and his tongue wagging at teenage girls in short skirts and it pretty much confirmed how bad he was.

Brook’s writing is amazing with staccato bursts of action and tension interspersed with more languid and detailed scenes that kept up a very interesting pace. While there is so much paranormal magic and shifting, it was a bit hazy on how it was all done, so I’m really hoping that it’s better explained in any possible sequels. But I did thoroughly enjoy the trip back in time, and there were some supernatural reveals that I could not see coming at all! The other characters like T.J., and Sarah all showed up rather mysteriously with Beau, and I’d definitely like to see more thoroughly explanation about them as well. All in all I found this a very interesting read with a great introduction to some very engrossing characters and the ending completely left me with my jaw on the floor wondering where does the story go now after something like THAT is revealed…

Overall: 4/5 Hot Cups of Tea! 

It was an enjoyable read with really sharp dialogue, super creepy villains and a different spin on magic.

Triple Threat: Author Interview, Giveaway and Review: A Stiff Kiss by Avery Olive

A Stiff Kiss by Avery Olive

Author: Avery Olive

Publication Date: February 12, 2012

Publisher: Crescent Moon Press

Pages: 247

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Source: Thanks to the author for providing a review copy!

Book Description:

Who knew kissing a corpse would change everything?

Death always hits Xylia Morana too close to home, but she likes it that way. She hangs out with the terminally ill, attends random funerals, and every so often, when the weather is right, she sleeps in open graves.

But after Landon Phoenix, the high school hottie, dies in Xylia’s arms, she sneaks into the morgue to say goodbye. How could she know stealing a kiss from his corpse would wake him up?

With Landon returned to the living and suddenly interested in Xylia, life has a new meaning. But what Xylia doesn’t realize is that by kissing Landon back to life, she’s thrown Life and Death off balance. The underworld demands a body, and it might just have to be Xylia’s this time.

Review:

Upon reading the book description for A Stiff Kiss, I was intrigued by such a unique and definitely eerie premise. I can’t really say that I’ve even read anything remotely close to A Stiff Kiss. It was difficult for me to predict how this would play out which made for a really addictive read because I had to find out what happened next!

The cover is amazing in giving us a visual taste of what Xylia looks like, and some of the night time death related activities that she loves to partake in. I love how the character on the cover is positioned, she looks so relaxed and at peace in the cemetery next to the fresh grave.

The opening paragraph was pretty much the hook, line and sinker for me. We find out that Xylia found her mother dead on Christmas Day of all days and at a young age. Olive leaves it there, and this becomes the basis of the story as we follow Xylia we’re slowly exposed to what happened.


       Immediately, I was throwing out ideas about how she might have died, I mean any kind of death witnessed at a young age can be traumatic. I was really banking on something along the lines of heart attack, but boy when Olive finally reveals what happened it was both tragic and shocking. This major event sets the stage for her morbid fascination with the dead which is the source of a lot of teenage angst between her and her father.

The dynamic between her and her father easily showed a relationship that was both full of love and difficulties. She and her father have some really great banter and he puts a lot of effort into his parenting. I definitely commend him for his valiant effort, but Xylia is a classic dark emo teenager, she’s rebellious, dresses in nothing but black and feels that “no one understands her”. I think most teenagers refuse to listen to their parent’s words of wisdom at this point in their lives anyways. Xylia’s character kept me constantly interested, I wanted to find out more about her fascination with death and the reasoning behind it, but I was a bit turned off with her almost stalker like physical attraction to soccer player extraordinaire Landon.

The story is told from alternating points of view between Landon and Xylia, which is especially enjoyable at the death scene because it was a great way to portray how they were straddling the lines of life and death and the different perspectives associated with each side. For example when Xylia watched the life seep out of Landon and Landon’s glimpse into the afterlife.

Landon’s character is the usual career jock that bases his whole life on sports and the popularity and hot perky girlfriend that comes with it, and we all know how well this always turns out. So when he has his death experience and his life is turned upside down, he becomes fascinated with the person who brought him back to life. It’s understandable, I think I’d want some kind of closure after coming back from the dead!

They end up going on a cross country trip together that they both really needed in order to reevaluate and recenter their lives. These two really came from two different social backgrounds and Landon I don’t think would even normally consider someone like Xylia in normal circumstances as a potential love interest. Because of this I wasn’t really sure about how successful their relationship would be. But it really surprised me how easily these two seemed to fit together and help each other figure things out, they really just felt “right”.

The paranormal element focused primarily on what seemed like “reaper” entities, it was kept very vague and mostly served as an ominous force that pushes and pulls at Landon and Xylia. It was really effective as the stressor, but I felt like I was left a bit wanting for a more detailed explanation.

Olive's writing is fluid and easy to follow, which is another reason I loved reading this book. The way she wrote out the kiss scene still gives me the creeps no matter how much she reassures the reader later that it was indeed THAT weird. The ending just totally blew my mind though, I felt like I entered the twilight zone and I found myself flipping back and forth a few pages just to make sure my eBook copy wasn't glitched or something. I loved that I had no idea how it was going to end, there was so much tension mounting and I found myself rooting for some kind of happiness for these two characters — which you’ll have to read and find out for yourself. 

Rating: 4/5 Hot Cups of Tea!

I really enjoyed this book! The premise was eerie and intriguing with great characters that teenage readers can relate to.

      Interview: 

I got to ask the wonderful Avery a few questions about her inspirations, writing process and even what she's got planned next! 

Avery Olive

1. What inspired you to first start writing?

My love of reading. It’s funny, but I hardly cracked a book when I was younger but since becoming an adult I read at least, if not more, one book a week. I had read a book that I loved, but it also gave me the courage to think, “Hey, I can do this.” It’s not that I thought that I was better than the Author, but rather that I thought I could achieve the same thing, and I didn’t think I had anything to lose by starting to write. If I came out an Author, that would be excellent, if I didn’t, I was no worse for off.

2. Where did the idea for "A Stiff Kiss" come from?

A dream. I know, I know, shake your head, sigh and roll your eyes because, I too, know a dozen and one Authors that have said the same thing. But it’s true. I think my mind is most active and most creative when I’m sleeping. I have such vivid dreams. Sometimes they scare me half to death. I also wanted something that would appeal to a wide age range, girls, women, anyone. And I think, in a way, A Stiff Kiss does that. It’s also got a strong message that I didn’t even realize until I had put the words The End on the manuscript. Sometimes life experiences wiggle their way into your work.

3. Xylia's name is totally unique and I LOVE it, what made you choose that name??

Well, I found it in a baby name book. It’s pronounced ZYE-lee-ah. It’s also Greek and I thought it sort of worked with the character, she’s mysterious, and so is the name. It makes you stop and think. It also means woodland or wood-dweller and for me that sort of worked with her personality, it was the closest I could come to giving her a name that related to her situation, her likes and dislikes. I hope maybe the name will come back in style :)

4. Do you have any pre-writing rituals? Like certain foods, or writing supplies that you need?

This is a great question. I have to have gum. I prefer minty, but anything will do. I have a bad habit—smoking (shh, don’t tell) For me writing is like talking on the phone, or sitting outside having a coffee, there is just something about it, to be honest, that makes me want to smoke. So I chew gum to curve the cravings or I’d never get anything done. My computer of course is a big one, since that’s where I get a lot of my writing done. But if I can’t have my computer, than I HAVE to have Hot Chocolate Brand Notebooks (from Walmart) and Zebra Brand Pens, I know it makes me sound like a snob, but that’s the best notebook I’ve found and the best pen, the ink just flows so nicely.

5. Who designed the cover?

An amazing girl named Taria Reed. She was great to work with, and I think with the little direction I gave her, she did an excellent job of bringing the book to life. She’s done quite a few of Crescent Moon Press’ covers and she’s got real talent. She also designed my bookmarks, my blog button, and a few other things. I love her.

6. Can you give us a few details on what you're working on next?

Why of course I can. *Grin* I’ve got a few things on the go. I’ve been cleaning up a romantic ghost story. Every time I think it’s almost ready, I find something wrong with it. I’m also hard at work on a few things that may, or may not be related to A Stiff Kiss. It’s too soon to talk about everything. I like to keep tight-lipped. I’m always afraid I’ll jinx myself and not be able to finish something, or write something and realize it’s crap.

Avery has been an absolute pleasure to work with! 

More information about her and her debut book "A Stiff Kiss" can be found at the following:

• Avery Olive's Blog
• Amazon
• Goodreads

Avery has also graciously provided a copy of "A Stiff Kiss" for a giveaway if you're interested in finding out how kissing a corpse can change everything! 

So be sure to enter in the Rafflecopter form below:

Review: Shift by M.R. Merrick

Shift (The Protector Book 2) by M.R. Merrick

Author: M.R. Merrick

Publication Date: January 29, 2012

Publisher: M.R. Merrick

Edition: Kindle eBook

Genre: YA, Contemporary Fantasy

Source: Bought it 

Book Description from Amazon:

Devastated by a terrible loss, Chase is trying to balance the life he’s been left with, a family he’s still getting to know, and power he never thought he’d have. He doesn’t understand why the Goddess has named him the Protector and granted him two gifts: the Mark, a tattoo that now covers his back, and the ring. But between getting interrogated by the Circle and psychic attacks from Riley, the Mark is the least of his concern. There’s a demon inside Rayna that’s fighting to be released, and it’s not her inner witch. It’s something else- a monster threatening to tear her apart.

As chase struggles to control his magic, his enemies are closing in. Everyone has staked a claim on his ring, and destroying it may be his only chance to stop Riley. But Chase must decide if stopping him is worth risking the lives of everyone he cares about or if protecting the ring will be enough to save his world.

Review:

Almost immediately after finishing the first book Exiled (my review HERE ) I picked up the second book Shift. There were so many questions for the reader at the end of Exiled that I wanted to find out the answers as soon as possible!

The covers for these books are always so gorgeous and have such an amazing layout. Each item on the cover is purposefully placed and give a subtle hint as to what’s to come.

After the events of Exiled, Chase is now fuelled by rare powers with a serious vendetta targeted at Riley— his on the lam father who’s focused on promoting himself to a god-like state through a “not-Circle-approved” plan. Since Riley’s betrayal, the various factions of the Underworld (vampires, shifter groups) and the Circle that’s supposed to keep them in check is crumbling, paranoia abounds and each one of them has to decide whose side they’re on.

Merrick has a knack for snaring a reader’s attention in the first chapter by plunging them into the middle of a tense and bloody fight for survival, only this time around it’s Rayna that’s fighting her own internal shifter demon that’s literally ripping her apart from the inside out.

In Shift Rayna and Chase are both coming into some new and surprising abilities. It was really awe-inspiring to see these two trust each other so much and help each other through such difficult transitions. With all the life or death experiences they’ve had together it’s no wonder that some romantic aspect developed- FINALLY! Merrick does it in a very classy way though, the stolen moments together enhances the story and don’t detract from the visceral action; although with the introduction of a particular werecat shifter I think we might be seeing some relationship drama on the horizon (possible cat fight?).

Chase has some serious anger management issues and with all that magic brewing in him, he’s a walking natural disaster. Despite his shakiness at all these powers and everyone trying to get at him, Chase unexpectedly takes on a more serious role that results in him thinking through plans a little bit better, he knows what he’s willing to sacrifice and what he’s going to fight for. He’s grown so much over the course of the book and it just brings proud tears to my eyes.

We have some characters that carry over from Exiled such as Tiki, Willy, Marcus and Vincent. Tiki is hilarious in his attempts to assimilate into the human world, I especially love the scene where he explains his hate of human clothing due to it’s…restrictive properties. Marcus is still the intimidating muscle man, Vincent is definitely up to no good, but it’s the storyline that Merrick puts Willy through that takes the cake. I was on the edge of my seat with Willy - over the course of Exile Willy - to me - was this lovable stuttering demon that needed protection, but Merrick puts him through his paces and he changes into a completely unexpected bad ass that I love even more!

The villains of this story are so diabolical. Riley and the Dark Brothers are playing dirty and doing some very ‘Inception’-esque mind assaults on Chase. These sequences were written in such a way that there were times where reality and dream blurred, which created a deliciously tense atmosphere knowing that Chase wasn’t really safe anywhere. One of my favorite parts is when Merrick introduces new demons in a new dimension, I was completely baffled by the dialogue and it kept me glued to the pages to figure out what was going on.

An interesting aspect to include was Chase’s flashbacks of Riley, it showed a completely different side to Riley and makes me wonder what pushed him into doing all of this in the first place. Merrick definitely did it again with Shift, it’s an action packed thrill ride with some out-of-left-field, game changing secret reveals that leaves the reader wondering where this rag tag team will go next! 

Rating: 5/5 Steaming HOT cups of Tea!

It was a great sequel and it just leaves me bouncing on my seat waiting for the third installment! 

So Valerie over at Stuck In Books just finished reading the first book Exiled by M.R. Merrick and she loved it so much she's giving away a copy of Exiled to her blog readers here: Stuck In Books: Exiled by M.R. Merrick + Giveaway

So I figured I'd give Shift away to complement it! Especially if you've read Exiled already and you have Shift on your To-Read list- it needs to move up your list, fast! So here's your chance to win it! Just fill out the Rafflecopter form, and if you haven't read either one, visit Valerie at her awesome blog and maybe you'll get lucky and get both!

a Rafflecopter giveaway