(ARC Review) Dead To You by Lisa McMann

Dead To You
Author: Lisa McMann
Source: Amazon Vine
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Simon Pulse
 (February 7, 2012)
ISBN-13: 978-1442403888

SUMMARY:

Ethan was abducted from his front yard when he was just seven years old. Now, at sixteen, he has returned to his family. It's a miracle... at first. Then the tensions start to build. His reintroduction to his old life isn't going smoothly, and his family is tearing apart all over again. If only Ethan could remember something, anything, about his life before, he'd be able to put the pieces back together. But there's something that's keeping his memory blocked. Something unspeakable...

MY THOUGHTS:

I am a huge fan of author Lisa McMann after reading her Wake trilogy last year.  So when I heard about this book through other readers and noticed it was available through the Amazon Vine program, I jumped on the chance to read and review it early.  I did the fan girl squee and clicked accept on my Amazon page.  When it arrived, I dropped everything to read this book and even stayed up late just to finish it.

When we start with the first chapter, we are reading about Ethan being reunited with his family after being abducted nine years ago.  To say that it is an emotional reunion is an understatement.  You can feel the pain that the parents have gone through and have dealt with over the years.  They are so excited to have him home that they even accept him on looks alone without agreeing to do the DNA test that the social worker offers to them.  When you are reading the book, we are reading from Ethan's point of view and the emotions that he is struggling with.  He doesn't remember anything from his time before the abduction and he is desperate to remember anything.  He studies the family photos and tries to make something click in his brain so he has something real to remember instead of shared memories from family and friends.

When his younger brother Blake starts studying genetic traits in his science class at school, he starts to piece together some disturbing facts about Ethan.  Blake never truly believed that Ethan is the real Ethan.  Reading the story, you don't really know what to think about this.  At some points you are like Blake and questioning Ethan's true identity, but other times you are believing that it truly is Ethan. When it is revealed at the end of the book, you are shocked and frustrated with the close of the story.  It is left in a cliffhanger-like ending that makes you wish there were at least a few more chapters of closure. At this time, I do not know if the author is going to write a sequel to this book, but after the ending she has left the reader with, I hope she seriously thinks about writing it!  I would love to learn more about Ethan and his story that follows after the reveal at the  end of the book.

MY RATING:

Outstanding book that will stay on my bookshelf for rereading!

* I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

Sin Undone by Larissa Ione

Sin Undone
A Demonica Novel #5
Author: Larissa Ione
Source: Personal Purchase
Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
 (August 24, 2010)
ISBN-13: 978-0446556811

SUMMARY:

HER TOUCH IS DEADLY 

As the only female Seminus demon ever born, master assassin Sinead Donnelly is used to being treated like an outcast. She spent decades enslaved, and now vows she'll die before she'll relinquish her freedom again. Then Sin's innate ability to kill her enemies goes awry: She creates a lethal new werewolf virus that sparks a firestorm of panic and violence. 

HIS HUNGER CAN'T BE DENIED 

Half-werewolf, half-vampire Conall Dearghul is charged with bringing in Sin to face punishment for the plague. And she's no stranger: He's bound to her by blood, and the one sexual encounter they shared has left him hungering for her raw sensuality. Worse, Sin is the underworld's most wanted and Con soon learns he's the only one who can help her...and that saving her life might mean sacrificing his own.

MY THOUGHTS:

Oh my goodness! This author sure knows how to keep a reader engaged in a story!  After finishing the last book in the series, I was anxious to find out how Sin was going to adjust to not only having more siblings, but she was going to have to deal with being the only girl as well.  On top of that, she is also the new leader of an assassination team.  Talk about having too many things on your plate at once.  Add in a very sexy dhampire, and a horrendous disease, stir until boiling over and you have Sin Fever that can be taken several ways!

When Sin unknowingly unleashes a disease that is threatening the werewolf community and it is wreaking havoc on the whole demon world.  Con, who is half werewolf / halfvampire, must try and figure out a way of stopping the virus while trying to keep Sin from being killed.

After Con has sex with Sin after a bet, they both try to put on the front that they despise each other.  They loathe working together but they both feel the sexual tension that is building between the two.  Con also has to fight the fact that he is getting addicted to Sin's blood which could send him over the edge as well.

I so enjoyed this book.  I might have to say that it is possibly my second favorite of the series only because Wraith's book is still my favorite.  He will always hold that number one spot I think.  This book though, I found myself  laughing, cheering, and crying right along with the characters.  There were so many emotions that I went through due to this story that just proves the wonderful skill that the author has with her writing.  This was the last book in the series, as far as I know, but I do understand that she has a spin off series that intertwines with the Demonica Series.  We are even introduced to a few characters that are going to be portrayed in the spin off in Sin Undone.  I personally can't wait to dive into those stories as well. What a ride these books have been and one I don't want to stop!

MY FAVORITE QUOTES:

“Sort of. I can feel the arrangement of the virus or bacteria or whatever. And once I learn it, I can replicate that specific disease." She shot Conall a smirk. "Khileshi cockfire is a favorite."
Wraith laughed. Conall paled. Eidolon looked at her like she was responsible for every case of the excruciating, dick-shriveling venereal disease he'd ever treated. The guy was so freaking uptight he probably starched his freaking underwear.

“Yeah, I need sex or I die. So stop with the obnoxious chaperone shit, because I really don't want you anywhere nearby while I'm doing it, and I don't think you want that either."
She gave them the sweetest smile.
"And know that the second you're gone, I'm going to ride Con until he begs for mercy."
Eidolon sighed. Shade swore. And Con muttered something that sounded strangely like "Mercy". 

“Kiss me again without my permission, " she whispered against his lips, "and I'll geld you and sell your balls to a Ruthanian specialty meats shop. Understood?"
"You won't do that," he whispered back. "You'd miss them too much."
Sin snorted and made the blade disappear into her pocket as she stepped back.
"Men are always overestimating the worth of their genitals."
~Sin to Con

MY RATING:

Outstanding book that will stay on my bookshelf for rereading!

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Ecstasy Unveiled by Larissa Ione

Ecstasy Unveiled
A Demonica Novel #4
Author: Larissa Ione
Source: Personal Purchase
Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Forever
 (February 1, 2010)
ISBN-13: 978-0446556828

SUMMARY:

A DEMON ENSLAVED


Lore is a Seminus half-breed demon who has been forced to act as his dark master's assassin. Now to earn his freedom and save his sister's life, he must complete one last kill. Powerful and ruthless, he'll stop at nothing to carry out this deadly mission.

AN ANGEL TEMPTED


Idess is an earthbound angel with a wild side, sworn to protect the human Lore is targeting. She's determined to thwart her wickedly handsome adversary by any means necessary-even if that means risking her vow of eternal chastity. But what begins as a simple seduction soon turns into a passion that leaves both angel and demon craving complete surrender.


Torn between duty and desire, Lore and Idess must join forces as they battle their attraction for each other. Because an enemy from the past is rising again-one hellbent on vengeance and unthinkable destruction.

MY THOUGHTS:

In novel number four of the Demonica series by Larissa Ione, we are introduced to the newest brother of the group.  After not knowing about Lore and vice-versa,  the brothers are still coming to terms with the new family addition.  While in the process of this, Lore is also having to deal with the fact that his new assignment is to kill their good friend Kynan.  Lore has no choice but to follow these orders since his boss that holds the contract for his life also holds the contract on his twin sisters life.

Enter an angel named Idess.  She is basically a guardian angel and has been assigned Kynan as her human to protect.  Even though Kynan is charmed and untouchable, he still is in danger and Idess needs to keep guard on him.  If she succeeds,  she earns her wings and can be with her family in the Heavens.  While protecting Kynan, she meets Lore and they both feel the attraction.  As they decide to work together in finding a loophole, Idess is shocked to discover that she now must protect Lore as well.

While I enjoyed the story of this book, I wasn't a big fan of Idess.  I just couldn't connect with her like I have with the previous females in the series.  Lore was sexy and charming, but Idess just didn't seem to be a good fit for him in my opinion.  I could see him more with a character like Gem.  He needed someone rough, tough and less angelic.

Out of all the books so far in the series, this is my least favorite.  I still enjoyed it, but it just wasvnot as wonderful as the previous books.  I am still excited though for the next book that features Sin who just happens to be a rare Seminus demon because she is female.

MY FAVORITE QUOTES:

“Tayla cursed under her breath. "I was just explaining to Eidolon that Sin is a Smurfette."
Wraith swung his big body around to study Sin with blue eyes that were very different from Shade's, E's. and Lore's. Sin's, too. "Nah. Smurfette is way hotter."
"What the fuck is a Smurfette?" Eidolon was seriously getting annoyed now.
"There's this cartoon called The Smurfs," Tayla explained, slowly, as though Eidolon were the child here.
"They're these little blue people, and they're all male. But one day a female shows up. She shouldn't exist, but she does."
Eidolon considered that for a second. "How did she get there?"
"An evil wizard named Gargamel made her," Tayla said. "In a lab or something."
"So you're suggesting that an evil wizard made Sin?"
"Of course not, silly. I'm just saying she's a Smurfette. A lone female amongst males."
Eidolon frowned. "Did the Smurfette mate with the males?"
"Dude." Wraith grimaced. "It's a cartoon.” 

MY RATING:

Very Good! I would recommend this book!

Passion Unleashed by Larissa Ione

Passion Unleashed
A Demonica Novel #3
Author: Larissa Ione
Source: Personal Purchase
Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Forever
 (March 31, 2009)
ISBN-13: 978-0446401050

SUMMARY:

FORBIDDEN TEMPTATIONS 


Serena Kelley is an archaeologist and treasure hunter-and a woman with a secret. Since she was seven, she's been the keeper of a powerful charm that grants her health and immortality . . . as long as she stays a virgin. But Serena isn't all that innocent. And when a dangerously handsome stranger brings her to the brink of ecstasy, she wonders if she's finally met the one man she cannot resist. 


FATAL DESIRES 


Wraith is a Seminus demon with a death wish. But when an old enemy poisons him, he must find Serena and persuade her to give him the only known antidote in the universe-her charm. Yet, as she begins to surrender to his seductions and Wraith senses the cure is within his grasp, he realizes a horrible truth: He's falling for the woman whose life he must take in order to save his own.

MY THOUGHTS:

I have been waiting for Wraith's book since the beginning and I had a hard time not skipping to his book!  When a bad boy hero can get under your skin within the first few chapters of the first book in a series,  it is hard not to want to read about his story right away.  This was definitely worth the wait!

When Wraith becomes infected with a demon virus with no cure, he doesn't have much time to seek out the only option he has left.  He must find a charm that will protect him from the disease.  One problem he doesn't expect is finding it securely around the neck of an irresistible female who happens to be human as well.  Wraith has never craved human women for sexual pleasure or food.  Now that he has met Serena, he has fallen under her charm though.  He craves her and doesn't want anyone else to come near her.  As his feelings grow for Serena, he must decide to if he really wants to take the charm -- and doom her to death -- or if he will sacrifice himself for the love of a human female.

Up until this book, Wraith has always been the bad boy vamp/demon that you grow to love.  He is irresponsible, deadly at fighting, and all around bad as they get.  He instantly captures your interest and demands your attention when he appears on the pages.  I loved Wraith in this book because not only did we get his usual personality, but we also got to see a tender and protective side of him as well.  He has to fight his natural instincts and decide who is of greater importance -- Serena or himself.  This book again takes your heart on an emotional roller coaster not knowing what exactly is going to happen.  The author likes to tug at your heart strings until the very last possible moment.  Again another great book in the Demonica Series that is quickly becoming one of my favorite series ever!

MY FAVORITE QUOTES:

“You're been out a few hours. E and I have been taking turns staying with you. Tayla's here. And Gem. Luc. Kynan. Reaver. Our other brother, but he's in chains. He's also a total dick. You'll like him."
---(Shade telling Wraith)

“No. It was because it was the first time I made love to anyone. You can call me a liar or anything else, but do not doubt me on this. And I swear to you that you were the first, and you will be the last."
---Wraith

MY RATING:

Outstanding book that will stay on my bookshelf for rereading!

A Devil Named Desire by Terri Garey

A Devil Named Desire
The Devil's Bargain #2
Author: Terri Garey
Source: Publisher
Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Avon
 (January 31, 2012)
ISBN-13: 978-0061986406

SUMMARY:

Forbidden fruit is always the sweetest... 


...and no one knows that better than Sammy Divine, High Prince of Darkness. Once an angel, now cast down, Sammy's out to prove he's not the only angel who can be led into temptation... 


Hope Henderson's sister has disappeared without a trace, and Hope will do anything to find her--even make a deal with the Devil. An ancient text holds the key to unspeakable power, and it's the Archangel Gabriel's job to make sure it stays hidden, even if he has to become human to do it. Lives, love and the fate of the world hang in the balance, as Hope and Gabriel learn that when passion's involved, it may be impossible to withstand a devil named desire.

MY THOUGHTS:

Oh Sammy Divine, finally we meet again.  First of all can we all take a look at that fine looking man on that cover?  Okay, now that we have drooled and hoped that those pants would slip a little further down, lets get down to the details of the book.

It seems like I have waited forever to read more about Sammy Divine -- or The Devil -- and the bargains he would be making with the next unfortunate soul on Earth.  This time not only is he going to be tormenting a human soul on Earth, but he is going to throw in his 'brother' Gabriel as well. Gabriel is always trying to convince Sammy that there is hope for him at redemption.  Sammy doesn't believe it and decides to teach Gabe a lesson.  So Sammy convinces Hope to become a pawn in his game by striking a 'bargain' with her.  He blackmails her at her lowest point in life -- at the suicidal point -- and tells her he will give her what she wants in the form of her missing sister if she will translate a book of spells to open the doors to Hell on Earth.  She agrees to the bargain and Gabe is thrown into the mix when he realizes she is being followed by evil.  As an angel of the Heavens, he becomes her Guardian and swears to protect her.  Together they try to find her sister and find a way out of the deal with Sammy.

I really enjoyed this latest installment in the series.  The only problem I had with it was the fact that it was suppose to be about Gabriel and Hope but  instead it seemed that Sammy had more page time than them.  Don't get me wrong, I loved what little time we got to read about Gabe and Hope, but Sammy seemed to be the bigger focus this time around.  As you get closer to the end though, you start to realize why Sammy was such the dominant character in this book.  Instead of Sammy teaching Gabe a lesson, it seems the the Higher One is actually teaching Sammy a lesson and pointing him on the true path of redemption.

I am looking forward to the next book in the series and I hope we get to read even more of Sammy and his bargains.  I do hope that when the series continues to progress, Sammy will get his own book and hopefully love with a happily ever after.  You never know, maybe the Devil can even have the coveted true love and happy life.

MY RATING:

Very Good! I would recommend this book!

* I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

The Alchemy of Forever by Avery Williams

The Alchemy of Forever
Author: Avery Williams
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books
 (January 3, 2012)
ISBN-13: 978-1442443167

SUMMARY:

After spending six hundred years on Earth, Seraphina Ames has seen it all. Eternal life provides her with the world's riches but at a very high price: innocent lives. Centuries ago, her boyfriend, Cyrus, discovered a method of alchemy that allows them to take the bodies of other humans from jumping from one vessel to the next, ending the human's life in the process. No longer able to bear the guilt of what she's done, Sera escapes from Cyrus and vows to never kill again. 


Then sixteen-year old Kailey Morgan gets into a horrific car accident right in front of her, and Sera accidentally takes over her body while trying to save her. For the first time, Sera finds herself enjoying the life of the person she's inhabiting--and falling in love with the boy who lives next door. But Cyrus will stop at nothing until she's his again, and every moment she stays, she's putting herself and the people she's grown to care about in danger. Will Sera have to give up the one thing that's eluded her for centuries: true love?

MY THOUGHTS:

Whew! Talk about a book that can force you to forget about daily chores!  Seriously, when I first received this book, I just thought it was going to be another young adult paranormal to add to my list of reads without any more thought.  However, once you start reading about Sera and Cyrus you forget everything else just to find out what is going to happen.

The first part of the book features Sera and Cyrus.  It goes into detail on how the two met and how they have come to be immortal.  Cyrus learned of a way to become Incarnate through the study of Alchemy.  Science is his passion and belief with no interest in anything spiritual.  What started out as love between the two, has now evolved into ownership and control.  Sera is desperate to escape the clutches of Cyrus and their fellow Incarnates and has even been hoping for a chance to come along.  When the body starts to die out after 10 years or so, they are forced to find another lonely soul to claim.  They take a life to save their own and Sera has grown tired of it.  She is feeling remorse and just wants to finally move on to the next step of Heaven or Hell.  When she gets her chance to escape she takes it.  While on the run from Cyrus and the group, she decides she is going to do one last redeeming thing in the hopes to at least show how sorry she has been for taking souls.  She tries to save a girl who is near death, but ends up taking her body and soul in mistake.  Now she is forced to live as Kailey and pray that Cyrus cannot find her.

I really enjoyed this story of Immortality.  It is based on something scientific but it also has some paranormal touches to it as well.  I did feel sorry for Sera in this book as she comes to terms of what she has done.  She is also trying to figure out how Kailey lived as well.  She finds herself enjoying the life Kailey had at home and finds out that she wasn't always the best person to some people.  She tries to change Kailey into a person that everyone could like and in turn falls for her childhood friend.

If you are looking for a new read in this genre and topic, then this is a fresh new read that will keep you in suspense.  Be prepared for an ending that will frustrate you, but also leave you anxious for more.  I personally can't wait for the next book in the Incarnation series by this author.  I still can't believe the ending was left the way it is, but it definitely leaves you craving more!

MY RATING:

Outstanding book that will stay on my bookshelf for rereading!

* I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

Tales From the Crib by Jennifer Coburn

Tales From the Crib
Author: Jennifer Coburn
Source: Author Submission
Genre: Adult Fiction
Publisher: Kensington
 (February 1, 2008)
ISBN-13: 978-0758209832

SUMMARY:

Lucy and Jack are about to become parents.


Lucy is pregnant-and she can't wait to surprise her husband with the good news. But she's the one in for a shock when she discovers that Jack has some surprising news of his own. It seems he wants a divorce. At least he did, until he found out they were having a baby. Now he's convinced they should stay married and raise the baby together...as friends.


But will they stay husband and wife?


Only Lucy doesn't want to be just friends. Sure, their marriage has hit a rocky patch, but she still believes in happily ever after. Besides, she wants them to be a family. But she's agreed to give this kooky arrangement one year which means she has exactly twelve months to win back the heart of the man she married. Unless, of course, someone else shows up to sweep her off her swollen feet first.

MY THOUGHTS:

I really wanted to enjoy this book especially after reading the prologue and the opening chapter.  I laughed at the envisioned dinner Lucy was going to share with her husband and tell him the exciting new of her pregnancy.  Then the bubble burst and her reality dinner was much worse than she hoped.  The first chapter even had me laughing out loud at her therapist who decides to go into hiding and not return the couples calls because he just doesn't want to deal with their problems.  Seriously? Any time a therapist fires the patient, you know there is good reason and usually a good story behind it.

After the first few chapters though, the fun kind of wore off for me.  The book started to decline and hit bottom with no ladder of hope in returning to the top.  I really wanted it to, but it just didn't have the steam to keep going.  This book is definitely a chick lit book with witty dialogue, funny characters and no paranormal in sight, but it did lack something even if I can't put my finger on it.  It just seemed to stall for me.  It does have a good ending and it leaves the reader with the feeling of everything being wrapped up nicely.

If you are just looking for a quick chick lit read with lots of laughter and eccentric characters, then give this book a chance.  This might just be what the therapist ordered to get your funny bone laughing again.

MY RATING:

Okay book, but it left me wanting more!

*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

Shot Through the Heart by Niki Burnham

Shot Through the Heart
Author: Niki Burnham
Source: Author Submission
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Summer Road Press
 (December 1, 2011)
ISBN-13: 978-0984706914

SUMMARY:

At Eastwood High, love is a battlefield. * * * From the RITA-Award winning author of ROYALLY CRUSHED and SCARY BEAUTIFUL, an all-new romantic comedy! 


Two guys, two girls, two thousand dollars, and one epic water gun battle. 


Senior year? It's all about Senior Assassin, a yearly water gun tournament where the last team standing receives a cool two grand. Connor wants nothing more than to split that prize with his best friend, Josh. When their mission is put in jeopardy by Molly--thanks to her crush on Connor--Josh comes up with a plan to thwart her, one that involves his sister, Peyton... 


Peyton's deepest desire is to score entry to MIT. She's working her tail off to achieve her goal, but when she's dragged into Connor and Josh's water gun tournament, their antics threaten to leave her high and dry. As Peyton's forced to choose between chemistry class and chemistry with Connor, will the super student and the super athlete discover they have more in common than they imagined? 


One thing's for certain: When Connor, Peyton, Josh, and Molly load their weapons, someone's bound to get shot through the heart.

MY THOUGHTS:

Every once in awhile, I love a quick and uplifting read to get me through reading slumps.  When the author sent me this book for review, I knew it would help out in the laughter department and give me that feel good feeling I enjoy with contemporary books.  What made it even better was that it was young adult and the cover put a smile on my face before I even started reading it.

The book is told from several points of view.  That in itself was fun because we got to read what each character was thinking and feeling.  With winning the prize of $2000 being one of the main plots of the story, you shouldn't expect anything else except fun, sweet romance and lots of snickering at the characters personalities.

While the book was fun and kept me reading straight through until the end, I couldn't help but wonder at how much a reader will expect from the book.  Fun and laughter? Yes.  A compelling plot point that has mystery? No.  What I can say is that it will lift your mood while reading about the characters and you too might find yourself smiling by the last page!

MY RATING:

Very Good! I would recommend this book!

*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

Empty by Suzanne Weyn

Empty
Author: Suzanne Weyn
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult Dystopia
Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks
 (February 1, 2012)
ISBN-13: 978-0545172790

SUMMARY:

A dystopic look at what happens to one American town when all the fossil fuels run out...


Civilization has just run out.


It's the future - the very near future - and the fossil fuels are running out. No gas. No oil. Which means no driving. No heat. Supermarkets are empty. Malls have shut down. Life has just become more local than we ever knew it could be.


Nobody expected the end to come this fast. And in the small town of Sage Valley, decisions that once seemed easy are quickly becoming matters of life and death. There is hope - there has to be hope - but there are also sacrifices that need to be made, and a society that needs to be rethought. Niki, Tom, and Gwen may find what they need to survive. But their lives are never going to be the same again.

MY THOUGHTS:

For such a short read, this book pulls out all the punches!  When it first arrived in my mailbox, I wasn't too sure I wanted to start reading another Dystopia right now.  I seemed to be leaning toward dystopia lately and I didn't want to get burnt out on them just yet.  When I saw that it was a short read though I went ahead and gave it a go!

Imagine ten years from now the price of gasoline being $20 a gallon.  Not hard to imagine with the way gas prices have been climbing the last few years.  Now imagine the price of oil being in the $500 a barrel range.  Are you starting to form a picture in your mind yet?  Without oil, our country would be in a world of hurt and that is what this book presents to the reader.  What would our country be like with low amounts of oil available and gas prices so high that only the super rich could afford to drive anywhere.  In turn, this causes electricity to sky rocket to where heat and cooling becomes something of the past.

This book is told from three different point of views involving Gwen, Tom and Niki.  While the characters were okay, they weren't outstanding.  They were pretty plain and basic within the realm of characterization.  They were the typical teens thrown into the element of survival.

If you are looking for a quick read in the dystopia world of young adult reads, then give this one a chance.  It may not be as amazing as some of the other books out right now, but it does give you a real look into what our world could be like in the future if things don't change now in the real world.

MY RATING:

Okay book, but it left me wanting more!