Tuesday, December 5, 2017

The Tower

Book Review

The Tower

Title: The Tower
Author: Nicole Campbell
Rating: 
Date Published: June 21st, 2017
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: YA Contemporary/Paranormal
Page Count:  345
Follow Author: websiteInstaFBTwitter


Synopsis:

"On our sixteenth birthdays, our kind is gifted with awesome powers. Except no, not really because this isn’t Narnia, or Hogwarts, or whatever other mythical realm where witches supposedly live. This is Elizabethtown, Illinois, and much to the chagrin of the local chapter of Susie-Homemakers, we live here."

All witches understand that the universe is a scary sort of powerful on a good day. On a bad day? Well, that’s when The Tower card shows its face during a reading. As summer draws to a close before the beginning of junior year, Rowyn Black is tired of seeing that card stare up at her from the table. Rowyn, Reed, and Rosalyn have made it through just about every dramatic storm their sarcasm could weather during their seventeen year friendship, and it would be nice to have a quiet semester. Rowyn hopes that the only thing The Tower foretells is the frightening sight of the school parking lot come the first day- full of more jacked-up trucks and cut off shorts than a Luke Bryan video. True to its nature, however, the universe doesn’t care much for hopes and wishes, and when the promise of The Tower comes crashing down, they might fall right along with it.


My Thoughts:


I was sent a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.



This book had my emotions all over the place, I laughed, swooned, got mad, cried, ugly cried and then cried some more! I absolutely loved this book and every character in it! It was not what I was expecting, it was better! Nicole has become one of my favorite authors and has loved to make me cry, but I am not mad because this book was so real and raw! It dealt with friendship, loss, grieve, first love, depression, and family relationships; it tackles so many things that we go through when we lose a loved one and the author did it so well, she did not try to sugar coat it one bit.



Rowyn, Reed and Rosalyn families are in the same circle so, these three have known each other since they were in diapers, they have learned spells together, and now they're all in high school trying to figure life out together! I really liked all these characters, but my favorite must be Reed, I know, I know, I am adding another book boyfriend to my ever-growing list. I absolutely loved everything about him how he treated his friends, the way he joked, how he put Row before himself. Rosalyn was another one of my favorites she was so bubbly, and it was impossible to now feel bubbly reading her chapters. I really liked Rowyn, but I really did feel like shaking her around in some chapters, but at the same time I knew exactly where her emotions where coming from, learning to cope with loss is not easy especially when you are a teenager, she went through such amazing character growth and towards the end I absolutely fell in love with her characters flaws and all. 


The author tackled the topic of grieve so well, like I said above she left nothing out! The emotions the characters were feeling, and the way they were acting was so raw and real. She also talked about how the characters got bullied because they were different, I really enjoyed how the author dealt with those situations.  The author also when into depth about the catchers beliefs, I learned so much about paganism what they believe in, the holidays they celebrate, how they learn about spells and so much more! I absolutely adored this novel and miss the characters so much. If you are looking for a good contemporary look no further this is the book for you and even if you are not looking for a contemporary, I highly recommend it to anyone!

SandraTheBookWorm



Tuesday, October 24, 2017

After Death

Book Review


After Death (Cemetery Tours #3)

Title: After Death
Author: Jacqueline Smith
Rating: 
Date Published: October 6th, 2015
Publisher: Wind Trail Publishing
Genre: Paranormal Fantasy
Page Count: 250
Follow Author: WebsiteFBBlogInstagram  
Buy Novel! Amazon





Synopsis:

Welcome to the Circus of the Dead.

When Michael Sinclair receives an invitation to the grand opening of Cirque Somniatis, he figures it will be a good opportunity to get away from ghosts, potential in-laws, and the seemingly endless stream of rejected job applications... And a chance to spend a romantic weekend at the circus with Kate. 

But nothing is as it seems as Michael, Kate, and ghost-hunter extraordinaire Luke Rainer venture onto the haunted fairgrounds in the small town of Hugo, Oklahoma. New rivals, theatrical psychics, and a Ringmaster with a dark secret of his own all wait for them under the Big Top. 

Come one, come all. Do not forego. 
Step inside, enjoy the show...



My Thoughts:

I was sent a copy by the author in exchange for an honest review.
I had missed these characters so much, it was so much fun revisiting them! this is the fourth book I've read by Jacqueline and she never lets me down; she had me laughing, crying and at the edge of my seat before the book was over. 
I was so happy to read that she had brought the whole gang together. I have always loved the main character Michael; his humor is so much like mine and I just connect with his character so much. Kate is so bubbly, that is something I have always loved about her, she is always the one to lighten the mood in a tense situation; well her or Luke, Luke is the one to have me rolling on the floor laughing with the crazy things he says. Finally, is Brink, he must be my favorite character of the whole series and my love for him grew so much more after reading this novel.




This new adventure was set in a circus which is said to be haunted, when the crew gets to the carnival strange unexplainable things begin to happen to them.  I really loved the Circus setting, they are already creepy so sending someone who sees spirits just amped up the creepiness. I liked the new characters that were introduced, they really brought the creepy vibe and made me suspect of everyone. Jacqueline is a master when it comes to writing these paranormal stories, this one was no exception; she even managed to break my heart, and make me cry. I absolutely love this series and cannot wait for the next book in the series. If you have not picked this series up, please do! It is the perfect Fall/October read.


SandraTheBookWorm

 





Wednesday, October 11, 2017

The Witches of Hant Hollow

Book Review

The Witches of Hant Hollow


Title: The Witches of Hant Hollow
Author: D.F. Jones
Rating: 
Date Published: October 14, 2017
Publisher: Jones Media
Genre: Paranormal Fantasy
Page Count: 264
Follow the Author: WebsiteFBTwitterInstagram
Buy Book: Amazon



Synopsis:

Wickedly thrilling fast-paced tale of a family of witches power struggles over light and dark magic, and how one mortal man gets caught in the crosshairs of the feud causing upheaval in not only Jasmine's love life but rife within the American Mage Alliance.

Will Jasmine save Jonathan at the risk of losing the one she love most?



My Thoughts:

I was sent an ARC by the author in exchange for an honest review.

I've read every single one of author D.F. Jones books, and I have enjoyed every single one! So, when she asked me if I wanted to read her new novel, I immediately said yes, and just like the rest it did not disappoint.

This novel is the perfect read for this month! It has all the paranormal elements you look for in a good October read witches, vampires, wolfs and so much more. The novel revolves around the witches and their power struggle over dark and light magic, our main witches name is Jasmine and oh, how I loved her character! She was so sweet, but she was also a rebel that took crap from no one, especially her dear grandmother who may I add was one crazy witch; I also loved how selfless she was. Jonathan is the poor mortal and love interest, I absolutely adored him! He was quite the southern gentleman and any girl would be lucky to have him by her side.



This book is very fast paced and grips you from the first chapter! I really enjoyed how Jones tackled the prejudice that witches had against mortals and vice versa, as the book progresses Jones shows us how those prejudices evolve for the better and how they come together to help each other. The novels plot thickens several times and it had me at the edge of my seat. I love romance in my novels and Jones made sure to provide us with plenty of it, and even though some holes were blown on my ship, I still loved the ending. The only thing I wish had been done a little different was how rapidly the characters fell in love, I’m just a sucker for a slow burn romance. Other than that, this novel was a great paranormal read, and has me hoping for a sequel because I just need more of these characters.


SandraTheBookWorm




Sunday, October 1, 2017

Trapped in Silver

Book Review

Trapped In Silver (Eldryn Chronicles #1)



Title: Trapped in Silver
Author: Emily Snowden
Rating:  
Date Published: February 7, 2017
Publisher: OfTomes Publishing
Genre: YA Fantasy
Follow the Author: websiteTwitterInstagram
Buy it! AmazonB&NBook Depository


Synopsis:

To seventeen-year-old Ava, wild woodcats, hungry stragglers, and simple-minded townsfolk are the evils she’s grown accustomed to. But when Ethan, an unusual man with eyes of smoke and fire opal, enters her world she quickly understands that there are worse things out there than drunken men and carnivorous forest creatures. She’s a specialised liar and a hell of a fighter, but against a group of animalistic men called Berserkers she struggles to survive the encounter as the desperate swing of a dagger is all it takes to change her life for good.
Half-dead and hunted by the Berserker’s leader when he forms a monstrous obsession with her, Ava escapes his pursuit in an unfamiliar land full of impossible creatures, unlikely allies, and the man she doesn’t know whether to kiss or kill.
But after dreadful news of her missing brother surfaces, Ava becomes more involved in the centuries-long war and begins to unravel the reasons behind her relentless nightmares, discovering truths long-buried in a violent history of love, loss and betrayal.
 

My Thoughts:

I was sent an Ecopy by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This novel sunk its claws into me with the first sentence and didn’t let me go until the very end. I absolutely loved this book, it had a couple of flaws, but I easily got past them because the story line was phenomenal! I felt like I could not devour it fast enough. Trapped in Silver is a paranormal fantasy novel, it brings demons, vampires and several other creatures that go bump in the night.



Our novel is told in somewhat dual perspective by somewhat I mean, it is mostly told from Ava’s, but we do get a couple of chapters from Ethan’s. Ava is such a strong female character, I really loved her sarcasm and boldness! I also really liked how flawed the author made her, she wasn’t the best fighter, but she held her own and kicked ass when she could; it made her seem more human and I really liked that. The only thing that bothered me a bit about her was how careless she could be at moments with her safety and otters. Ethan, what can I say about him, he is the arse I fell in love with, and can’t get enough of; to be completely honestly, I really wish we would have gotten more of him! I’m really intrigued by his backstory and just him in general. The main side characters were very likable and some were well let’s just say they’re not my favorite.



The world Sowden created was so well done, I could easily transport myself there and fight alongside Ava, Ethan, and the others! She made a dangerous place sound so beautiful and made me overlook all the dangers so much so that I would not mind living there; especially if I had those amazing characters by my side cough, cough Ethan. The twists the author added in there were good, but a bit predictable, I saw them coming, but that didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of the book. The love interest is there, but is a slow burn and I really enjoyed that, insta-love isn’t for me so, I like when an author allows characters to get to know each other before they confess their feelings. The ending blew my mind, I saw it coming, and it still blew me away! I’m so excited for the next installment in the series. If you are looking for a good October read this is it!! It has the monsters and the creepy factor is there. 


SandraTheBookWorm


Friday, September 15, 2017

Sinister Souls and Dead Things Cover Reveal!!!

Title: Sinister Souls & Dead Things
Author: Martina McAtee     
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance

Hosted by: Lady Amber's PR
Blurb: Seventeen-year-old Ember Lonergan has made her pack a promise: To go after their enemies before their enemies can come for them. It was a bold statement that she has no idea how to back up. She hasn’t mastered driving on the highway, much less how to take down a hostile system of government. What’s worse, half her pack is crazy, and the other half is broken…possibly forever.

But none of that matters anymore. Ember isn’t just Ember anymore. Ember and her cousins are the prophesied Trinity, foretold to take down the druids and break the curse that’s plagued witches and reapers for centuries. The Oracle has been gathering their allies—laying the groundwork for their return—for decades, but all of that work is destroyed in an instant when Ember’s betrayed by somebody she thought she could trust.
  
Alliances are crumbling. Humans are missing. People are dying. The High Inquisitor has arrived. Witches have taken over the school, and they are instituting new policies every day.
Their new message is clear:
If you fight for the Trinity, you burn with the Trinity.
Martina McAtee lives in Jupiter, Florida with her teenage daughter, her best friend, two attack chihuahua's and two shady looking cats. When she isn't writing young adult books about worlds with reapers, zombies, werewolves and other supernatural creatures she's reading or watching shows that involve reapers, zombies, werewolves and other supernatural creatures. Her debut novel Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things released in August of 2015. Her second book in the Dead Things series, Dark Dreams and Dead Things, will release July 15, 2016.
Author Links: Facebook: www.facebook.com/MartinaMcAtee1
Buy Links: Children Shouldn’t Play with Dead Things: http://amzn.to/1Z4L4NH Dark Dreams and Dead Things: http://amzn.to/1Z4KVtH

Saturday, August 19, 2017

Cover Reveal!



Hello Bookworms! Today I have the pleasure of sharing the beautiful cover of Blood Revenge the sequel of Blood Treason! The cover is gorgeous! 

Title: Blood Revenge 
         The Blood Trilogy: Book II
Author: Lily Serafina
Genre:YA Fantasy
Cover Design: Ashley Michel/AM Creations
Release Date: September 29, 2017

Teaser Synopsis: 

The castle is a place where everyone wears many faces and where the darkest of desires come to play. It’s where someone you thought you knew, might turn out to be someone you don’t know at all.
Aura broke all the rules when she fell in love with a vampire and it cost the lives of everyone she loved. Now, trapped in the hell that Tristan has created for her, who will hear her cries for help?  And who will even care?
Isa tore apart lives when she lusted after a prince, a mistake she paid for with her life. In more ways than one. She’ll stop at nothing to satisfy her craving for retribution.

The only thing sweeter than revenge? Blood.






Author Bio

Lily Serafina spends her days with her two cats, creating stories as they come to h
er mind. A lifelong, avid read and writer, Lily began writing novels at the age of thirteen, later on becoming a teacher. Lily has since left the classroom in pursuit of becoming reunited with her true love, writing. She and her kitties are nestled in the beautiful mountains of East Tennessee. 
Lily writes Young Adult Fantasy, as well as Young Adult Dystopian novels. Her debut novel, BLOOD TREASON, was given a number of glowing reviews by book bloggers

Follow The Author



Monday, August 14, 2017

Paintbrush

Book Review

Paintbrush


Title: Paintbrush
Author: Hannah Bucchin
Rating: 
Date Published: July 11, 2017
Publisher: Blaze Publishing
Genre: YA Contemporary
Follow the Author: WebsiteFacebookInstagram
Buy the Book: Amazon


Synopsis:

Mitchell Morrison and Josie Sedgwick have spent their whole lives at the Indian Paintbrush Community Village, a commune full of colorful characters tucked in the mountains of North Carolina, and they aren't particularly close--at least, not anymore. Josie wishes she could spend all of her time at Paintbrush planting tomatoes, hiking the trails, or throwing giant communal birthday parties, while Mitchell can’t wait to escape the bizarre spiritual sharing and noisy community dinners. Luckily for both of them, high school graduation is just around the corner.

But when Mitchell’s mother makes a scandalous announcement that rocks the close-knit Paintbrush community, and Josie’s younger sister starts to make some dangerously bad decisions, the two find themselves leaning on each other for support – and looking at each other in a whole new light. Their childhood friendship blossoms in to something more as they deal with their insane families, but as graduation approaches, so does life in the real world, forcing Josie and Mitchell to figure out what, exactly, their relationship is – and if it can survive their very different plans for the future.


My Thoughts:

I was sent an eArc by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

My summer has been filled with contemporary reads and I have loved it! Paintbrush was one of my summer reads and I fell in love with it! Josie and Mitchell have lived in the Paintbrush Community and known each other for as long as they can remember, but they could not be more different! Mitchell cannot wait to graduate so he can leave Paintbrush, and never comeback. Josie loves the community and feels like she needs to take care of her sisters since her mom likes to be more like a friend than a mother.


I really liked the idea of the Paintbrush Community, they were like a big family, even though they weren’t related they took care of each other like they were; I’m not going to lie though just like any family some of them were kind of a little out there. I have always like the friends turned to lovers’ trope because it shows how the relationship built up and how the characters fell in love! I really loved Mitchell, I completely understood his desire to leave Paintbrush to go to college and travel to different places, it’s something I have always wanted to do and I just found his character so relatable. Josie’s development trough out the story was very well done, I loved the way she cared for her mom and sisters, but I was so happy that she figured out that she needed to do what made HER happy. The author did an amazing job building the character relationships and adding the perfect amount of drama to keep me turning the page. The ending was perfect and I cannot wait to read more about these two characters and see where their stories go. 

SandraTheBookWorm



Wednesday, August 9, 2017

The Carver

Book Review

The Carver


Title: The Carver
Author: Jacob Devlin
Rating: 
Date Published: July 19, 2016
Publisher: Blaze Publishing
Genre: Fantasy
Page Count: 370
Follow the Author: WebsiteTwitterInstagram
Buy the Book: AmazonB&N


Synopsis:

THE GIRL IN THE RED HOOD has been looking for her mother for six months, searching from the depths of New York’s subways to the heights of its skyscrapers . . . 

THE PRINCE looks like he’s from another time entirely, or maybe he’s just too good at his job at Ye Old Renaissance Faire . . . 

THE ACTRESS is lighting up Hollywood Boulevard with her spellbinding and strikingly convincing portrayal of a famous fairy. Her name may be big, but her secrets barely fit in one world . . . 

Fifteen-year-old Crescenzo never would have believed his father’s carvings were anything more than “stupid toys.” All he knows is a boring life in an ordinary Virginia suburb, from which his mother and his best friend have been missing for years. When his father disappears next, all Crescenzo has left is his goofy neighbor, Pietro, who believes he’s really Peter Pan and that Crescenzo is the son of Pinocchio. What’s more: Pietro insists that they can find their loved ones by looking to the strange collection of wooden figurines Crescenzo’s father left behind. 

With Pietro’s help, Crescenzo sets off on an adventure to unite the real life counterparts to his figurines. It’s enough of a shock that they’re actually real, but the night he meets the Girl in the Red Hood, dark truths burst from the past. Suddenly, Crescenzo is tangled in a nightmare where magic mirrors and evil queens rule, and where everyone he loves is running out of time.

My Thoughts:

I was provided with an Ecopy by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

If you have been following my blog or my bookstagram you know that I love a good fairy tale retelling and would read every single one if I could. When I read the synopsis for The Carver I knew I was going to be hooked; what intrigued me the most was that it was not a retelling of just one character, but instead the author brought several of our beloved fairy tale characters together and wrote a wonderful story. 

Crescenzo the son of Pinocchio is our main character. Enzo is like any teenager, moody and at first the way he treated his dad and Pietro aka as Peter Pan bothered me a bit, but as the story progressed his attitude got a lot better and he slowly began to win me. As for his companion Pietro, I liked him from the get go it just made sense for Peter Pan to grow up, but keep his innocence and goofiness. I really liked how he brought lightness to the story. The novel jumps from present time New York and back to the old world, which is the world were all the fairy tale characters live, the authors world building was wonderfully done, I could see myself there with the characters. The villain of the story took me by surprise and I absolutely loved it! I'm a sucker for the hero turned villain trope. I almost forgot about Rosana! What a blasphemy, since I absolutely love her! Rosana is Alice's daughter and such a strong willed doesn’t let anyone tell her what to do and always trusted her instinct character; I loved what she brought to the story and I'm just a sucker for anything related to Alice and Wonderland. 




This novel did remind me of the very popular show Once Upon a Time because of all the fairy tales characters coming together, but that is where the similarities end. The author made this story his own and I really enjoyed it. I cannot wait to dive into the sequel and see what new adventures Jacob will be taking us on. If you're in the mood for a different and refreshing fairy tale retelling then this is the book. 

SandraTheBookWorm