Shadow Falls: The Beginning

Have you heard about Kylie Galen?  How about Shadow Falls, the camp for supernaturals and paranormals of all types?  If you haven't, then here's your chance to get into the story from the very beginning. 

You'll get...

..and...

...in this neat little package!

While I love and adore the splendid natural beauty of the first two books, this is a great opportunity to take advantage of and get two books for the price of one!  Pretty sweet deal, right? 

So if you know someone who loves supernaturals or if you've been dying to get into the Shadow Falls series, now's your chance to get the first two books! 

Shadow Falls by C.C. Hunter

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Review: The Raven Boys

Title:  The Raven Boys (Raven Cycle #1)
Author:  Maggie Stiefvater
Pages:  408
Genre:  Young Adult Fantasy
Publisher:  Scholastic Press
Obtained:  Book Signing
Summary:  "There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark's Eve," Neeve said. "Either you're his true love...or you killed him."

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them--not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can't entirely explain. He has it all--family money, good looks, devoted friends--but he's looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she's not so sure anymore.

The Dish:  I cannot always put into words how I feel after reading one of Maggie Stiefvater's books.  They always leave an impression on me once I close the cover and mull over what I thought about the story.  While I loved Shiver and The Scorpio Races, there is something entirely different about the writing in The Raven Boys.  And I think I loved it even more because it shows how much Stiefvater's writing has grown.

As with most books, what I really enjoyed was meeting the characters and watching their development.  Blue is one of those girls that I'm sure most people knew in school as the "odd girl" but rather than let her "oddness" get her down, she lets it define her.  Given her family's peculiar set of skills as psychics, particularly her own mother Maura, her worries when she isn't thought of as odd seem justified.  I would have liked having her as a friend when I was a teen. 

What I found most intriguing was the unique medley of Raven Boys that Blue comes into contact with by what some would call sheer chance though her family would disagree.  Hot-blooded and alcoholic Ronan, studious yet resentful Adam, calm and soft-spoken Noah, and obliviously condescending Gansey.  By all normal rights, these boys would have no reason to be seen with each other, but they are friends because of Gansey and his ambition.  Fortunately, like Blue, the reader is treated to a small unraveling portion of the enigma that is Gansey's group, and that really drove me further in my reading. 

The going felt a little slow at first when I started reading the book, but after about one-third of the book, it began to pick up gradually.  With all of the introductions needing to be made within Blue's household and then with the Raven Boys, the slow reading felt real.  The reader needs time to learn about each character and their background, and I appreciated the time Stiefvater took with each person and even when describing 300 Fox Way (Blue's home), Monmouth Manufacturing (Gansey's apartment), and the Pig (Gansey's 1973 Camaro).

Readers should definitely look at The Raven Boys as a beginning to a greater story, and while a few questions are answered by the last page, there are many that remain a mystery.  And personally, I'm looking forward to the journey Stiefvater will take her readers on in order to solve those mysteries.

Purchase your own copy from:  

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Texas YA Author Love Giveaway Winner Announced!

Since the annual Texas Library Association conference is just around the corner, I'm hosting a giveaway to show all of our Texas YA authors just how much their readers love them.  You can win TWO paranormal books of your choice from the list of titles below. 

Congratulations to Natasha! 

She has chosen Taken at Dusk by C.C. Hunter and Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey as her prizes.

Review: Dating the Undead by Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe

Title:  Dating the Undead
Authors:  Gena Showalter & Jill Monroe
Pages:  160
Genre:  Paranormal, Supernatural Romance
Publisher:  Harlequin
Summary:  They're drop-dead handsome-and we're not kidding! Welcome to the first and only guide devoted to loving the immortal man in all of his furry, feathery, fiery glory. Here is a forbidden-fruit salad of features, fiction, fashion, and more, including: "Lipstick on His Collar: Is your immortal just a little bit immoral?"; "Angel in the Kitchen: Heavenly dishes that don't take an eternity to prepare"; "A Kiss is Not Just a Kiss: Immortals we crave divulge their lip-smacking turn-ons"; "Undead & Well-Read: What's hot between the covers this month"; "A View from a Guy: Zombie Jack's turn"; "Immorstrology: Our indispensible guide to heavenly bodies."

The Microwave Dish:  I adore Gena Showalter, and I could see her doing something off-the-wall like Dating the Undead.  It would be really fun to see unique "books" like it a bit more often especially from other authors in order to get their take.  Readers get hilarious advertisements, fantastical dating advice, even cocktail recipes in this gem of a magazine (that I sometimes wish was available in subscription just for the ads).  I thought the concept was unique, whimsical, and quite enjoyable.  Those who adore paranormal creatures or are avid Gena Showalter or Jill Monroe fans should get a real kick out of this title.

Review: Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Title:  Everneath
Author:  Brodi Ashton
Pages:  370
Genre:  Supernatural Young Adult Literature
Publisher:  Balzer & Bray
Summary:  Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath. Now she's returned--to her old life, her family, her boyfriend--before she's banished back to the underworld... this time forever. She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these precious months forgetting the Everneath and trying to reconnect with her boyfriend, Jack, the person most devastated by her disappearance--and the one person she loves more than anything. But there's just one problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who enticed her to the Everneath in the first place, has followed Nikki home. Cole wants to take over the throne in the underworld and is convinced Nikki is the key to making it happen. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back, this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time on the Surface draws to a close and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she is forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's queen.

The Dish:  There's been a pattern in my recent reads (save one exception), and Brodi Ashton's debut is one of the most fascinating takes on mythology.  Not only does she recreate the Persephone myth, she also relates it (briefly) to the Egyptian myth of Osiris and Isis.  I definitely like the idea of bridging myths of different cultures and societies.

The storyline is written in two parts entwined together, what is happening now in the present after Nikki has Returned from the Everneath and what happened then before she was taken.  This form of storytelling is a unique way of revealing what happened in the past while also relating to Nikki's time on the Surface while "settling her affairs."  It is both this means of storytelling that really drew me into Everneath, making it a smooth read.

Nikki, Jack, and yes even Cole were the most riveting characters who easily moved the story along.  I felt for Nikki's situation even when I thought she had made some definite mistakes before going into the Everneath.  However, given her age, I would chalk that up to establishing her as a believable teenager who makes hasty decisions.  Jack also made some decisions that I questioned but I found him to be a wonderful young man.  The reader can doubtlessly see why it was his memory that Nikki clung to while in the Everneath.  Now we approach Cole.  Cole.  I could describe him in so many words and probably earn the ire of every girl who adored this bad boy.  So I won't mince words when I say, "What a jerk and how I would love to punch him in so many ways."  And that's all I'll say on him until I read the second book.

Overall, this was an excellent debut filled with dynamic characters, mystery plot and background, and an ending that will leave readers wanting more.  I would highly recommend Everneath to those who enjoy mythology-based literature and supernatural mysteries, and I'm waiting on pins and needles for what Brodi Ashton has in store for her readers in Everbound.

Book 3

In My Mailbox (26)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren where bloggers post about the books they have received in the past week whether for review, purchased, or checked out from the library. ^_^

Bought:

Lord of Rage (Royal House of Shadows Book 2) by Jill Monroe

This one was such a bear (pardon the pun) trying to find in any bookstores, so I snatched it up once I spotted it!

Soulless Volume 1 by Gail Carriger and illustrated by Rem

I'm actually more inspired to read the series now that I've read the first volume.

A Sliver of Shadow by Allison Pang
Yep, I just had to get this one since I enjoyed A Brush of Darkness so much.

Won:

Mozart's Last Aria by Matt Rees

Won from Reading Lark's Emptying the Nest Contest

That's all for me this week. What did you get in your mailbox? 

Lunar Love Giveaway Hop Winner!!!

 

Thank you to everyone who entered the contest, and definitely be on the look out for another giveaway next month!

We have a confirmed winner of The Savage Grace by Bree Despain!

In My Mailbox (25)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren where bloggers post about the books they have received in the past week whether for review, purchased, or checked out from the library. ^_^

Bought:

 Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Ebooks:

 Grave Mercy by R.L. LaFevers (Thanks to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

The Sorceress's Orc by Elaine Corvidae

My Enchanted Life by Laura Eno 

(Both thanks to Smashwords sale!)

What did you get in your mailbox this week? ^_^

Lunar Love Giveaway Hop: March 8th to 13th

Lunar Love Giveaway Hop

March 8th through 13th

Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & Bookworm Lisa

Being a fanatic of werewolves, who are true lunar lovers, I think it only right to offer a copy of The Savage Grace by Bree Despain.

Review: Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey

Title:  Shattered Souls
Author:  Mary Lindsey
Pages:  326
Genre:  Paranormal Young Adult
Publisher:  Philomel Books
Summary:  A thrilling debut story of death, love, destiny and danger. Lenzi hears voices and has visions - gravestones, floods, a boy with steel gray eyes. Her boyfriend, Zak, can't help, and everything keeps getting louder and more intense. Then Lenzi meets Alden, the boy from her dreams, who reveals that she's a reincarnated Speaker - someone who can talk to and help lost souls - and that he has been her Protector for centuries. Now Lenzi must choose between her life with Zak and the life she is destined to lead with Alden. But time is running out: a malevolent spirit is out to destroy Lenzi, and he will kill her if she doesn't make a decision soon.

The Dish:  There are only two words I can use to describe Mary Lindsey's debut... completely amazing.  It's always exciting when an author hits the mark the first time with story, characters, and pacing, and Mary Lindsey definitely hit it dead-on.

The story was a concept that hasn't been explored as much as others, and it was refreshing to read such a unique story involving reincarnation.  Lenzi is simply an amazing girl, and I adored her right from the beginning of the book to the very last page.  She really became more than what she originally thought she was capable of in the first chapters while still trying to overcome her persistent doubts.  It was both fascinating and frustrating watching how Alden's attempts to help her overcome the doubts sometimes caused even more doubts, but that is the mind of a teenage girl, even one who has apparently lived many different lives through the centuries.

There were times that I wondered what was going through Lenzi's head when she made decisions that placed herself in danger, but that added to the realism of her character.  She is a teenager, and teenagers don't always make the best of decisions (trust me, I remember being a teen and making bad decisions, too). Given the traits of her past self, that Alden and others like them knew as Rose, which were gradually revealed to Lenzi as well as the reader, her decisions did make sense.  When it came to Alden, I thought she did ultimately make the right decisions.  Oh, Alden... a swoon-worthy boy if ever I did see one, though sometimes he did take his orders a bit too seriously.  It's no wonder that Lenzi became so frustrated with him, but in the end he also made the right decisions for her.

With the story really being about Lenzi coming to know who she is by learning who she was, the pacing had the pages turning at a consistent rate.  It always astounds me how authors find the balance that keeps baiting the reader to keep moving on to read even more.  There were some areas of the story that were left open to a possible sequel, however I'm not sure if one will happen.  Even without a second book, I am impressed and delighted to have found such a wonderful author and storyteller in Mary Lindsey.  I look forward to reading more from her in the future.

Bottom line: You must read this book.  If you are a Texas YA blogger, then you MUST read this book.

Book 1

Review: A Brush of Darkness by Allison Pang

Title:  A Brush of Darkness
Author:  Allison Pang
Pages:  343
Genre:  Urban Fantasy/Paranormal
Publisher:  Pocket Books (A Simon & Schuster Division)
Summary:  The man of her dreams might be the cause of her nightmare. Six months ago, Abby Sinclair was struggling the pick up the pieces of her shattered life. Now, she has an enchanted iPod, a miniature unicorn living in her underwear drawer, and a magical marketplace to manage. But despite her growing knowledge of the OtherWorld, Abby isn't at all prepared for Brystion, the dark, mysterious, and sexy-as-sin incubus searching for his sister, convinced Abby has the key to the succubus's whereabouts. Abby has enough problems without having this seductive shape-shifter literally invade her dreams to get information. But when her Faery boss and some of her friends vanish, as well, Abby and Brystion must form an uneasy alliance. As she is sucked deeper and deeper into this perilous world of faeries, angels, and daemons, Abby realizes her life is in as much danger as her heart--and there's only one she can trust to save her.

The Dish:  When it comes to selecting books (and series) to read, oftentimes it's all in the taglines and what quotes really stand out that will draw readers.  For me, I have to say it was after reading a quote from the author's website that almost made me spit water onto my monitor that I knew I had to read Allison Pang's A Brush of Darkness.

I'm beginning to realize just how picky I can be when it comes to series, particularly urban fantasy or paranormal series.  It's no fault of the authors because they're definitely doing their jobs of delivering great books, but I hadn't really felt the need to invest time into an UF series... until now.  Abby Sinclair is adorable, quirky, unsure, fallible, all traits I really adore in a herione because they show that she is indeed human.  I enjoy reading about confident, kick-butt, lets-get-er-done main characters, too, but finding one at the beginning of her journey and needing to learn more about herself is just as enjoyable.  Granted, sometimes that means being tossed into the water without a paddle, and Abby is definitely swimming with the sharks throughout the story.

After going through a great deal of tragedy within the past six months, I can relate to how Abby feels within this strange world that she's only recently learned about.  And believe me, there is a lot to take in knowing there are forces of the supernatural living alongside our own human realm.  Seeing it through the eyes of someone new helps to move the story along quite nicely because as Abby learns more about these celestial, faerie, and daemonic beings so does the reader.  When her own faerie boss disappears, it's no wonder Abby's not quite sure what to do in the situation, so she just tries to roll (or duck) with the punches.  I will admit, she does take some risks that surprised me and made me shake my head at her inexperience, but fortunately, she does have those willing to help her.

What amazes me most is how Pang has been able to bring together so many different supernatural creatures in such a smooth manner.  With some books that try to take on too many supernaturals, the story might be full of exposition just to clarify the existence of all of these otherworldly beings, not to mention readers might not really get to know the important characters because there are so many.  I loved how Pang picked out certain supernaturals to introduce, expand upon, and show that they are more than powerful non-humans while at the same time introducing others without necessarily going into great detail about backgrounds.

Brystion is definitely a favorite character, and who can blame me since he is a sexy-as-sin incubus?  (And between you and me, readers, I think incubi are slowly becoming the new supernatural, the one to see in future titles.)  Even with learning as much as possible about him, Brystion still has that air of mystery about him as well as the dark, brooding persona.  I wanted to slug him a few times in the story, yet he still somehow managed to have me warming back up to him.

It makes me happy when an author can really end a book on a satisfying note without necessarily closing the book completely.  Namely, I was satisfied with the ending but I definitely want to read more because I know this is only the beginning.  When a first book in a series leaves the reader with that sort of feeling, you know you've found one you want to stick with.  And I aim to stay on track with Abby's story.  Lucky me, A Sliver of Shadow is due to be released come the end of February.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Katana by Cole Gibson

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's "Waiting On" Wednesday selection is:

Katana

By: Cole Gibson

Publish Date: March 8, 2012 by Flux

From Goodreads~

Rileigh Martin would love to believe that adrenaline gave her the uncanny courage and strength to fend off three muggers. But it doesn't explain her dreams of fifteenth century Japan, the incredible fighting skills she possesses, or the strange voice giving her battle tips and danger warnings. While worrying that she's going crazy (always a reputation ruiner), Rileigh gets a visit from Kim, a handsome martial arts instructor, who tells Rileigh she's harboring the spirit of a five-hundred-year-old samurai warrior. 

Relentlessly attacked by ninjas, Rileigh has no choice but to master the katana--a deadly Japanese sword that's also the key to her past. As the spirit grows stronger and her feelings for Kim intensify, Rileigh is torn between continuing as the girl she's always been and embracing the warrior inside her. 

Being a martial artist and a lover of Japanese culture and art, this book is definitely up my alley.  It sounds like an exciting story, and I'm looking forward to seeing how Rileigh will grow after knowing that she has the spirit of a samurai warrior within her.  Here's hoping March will get here soon!  Plus, that cover looks seriously awesome.

What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Review: Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Title:  Raised by Wolves
Author:  Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Genre:  Paranormal YA Literature
Pages:  418
Publisher:  Egmont USA
Summary:  At the age of four, Bryn watched a rogue werewolf brutally murder her parents. Alone in the world, she was rescued and taken in by the mysterious Callum, the alpha of his werewolf pack. Now fifteen, Bryn's been raised as a human among werewolves, adhering to pack rule (mostly). Little fazes here. But the pack's been keeping a secret, and when Bryn goes exploring against Callum's direct orders, she finds Chase, a newly turned teen Were locked in a cage. Terrifying memories of the attack on her mom and dad come flooding back. Bryn needs answers, and she needs Chase to get them. Suddenly, all allegiances to the pack no longer matter. It's Bryn and Chase against the werewolf world, whatever the consequences.

The Dish:  First and foremost... how could I have taken so long to read this amazing book?  With Barnes' take on the werewolf pack mentality along with well-developed characters and a nail-biting plot, it's very easy to see why so many readers were as thrilled as I was with the first of the Raised by Wolves books.  Bryn is a human girl that was Marked, basically claimed, by Callum, the alpha of a werewolf pack, at age four after a devastating attack upon her family.  She has known no other life beyond the rules and ways of the pack even while attending a "normal" school.  All that she's known to be truth is changed after meeting Chase, the victim of a werewolf attack that resulted in his being Changed into one.

Right from the beginning, I knew I'd love Bryn as one of my favorite characters.  Her voice is so very honest and real, and you can definitely tell from the change in her narration tone just how much she herself changes over the course of the story.  She has been through many ordeals not only at the beginning of when her parents were taken from her but of also what she had to endure as one of the few humans part of a werewolf pack.  That's definitely not an easy feat considering what was expected of her.  Being made to believe a lie by one of the people she trusted most was another contributing factor in how Bryn was different from others.  To see how she grew and developed as a person having discovered this truth was a gradual process, making it a believable process.  It wasn't as if the change was overnight, and I give my compliments to Barnes in how she was able to make such transitions in Bryn.

What really made me impressed and happy with Raised by Wolves was all of the characters.  Callum was a leader doing what he thought was best for his pack and for Bryn, and I definitely liked him throughout the book.  Sometimes I found myself questioning his motives, but perhaps that was partially due to Bryn's thought process and how she had been deceived.  Devon was the support system that Bryn needed in a best friend as well as one of the more powerful werewolves of the pack.  To have such an ally within a pack that wasn't always favorable towards a human had to mean something to the others.  I really look forward to seeing him more.  Lake was the most rambunctious, "let's get 'er done" girl, and as one of few female werewolves, I can see the motivations in her behavior... and I loved her as much as Bryn and Devon.  I was a little sad she wasn't more present in the book, but here's hoping for the next book.  I enjoyed getting to know those who were introduced, and I definitely look forward to seeing more of their development in the coming books, Trial by Fire and Taken by Storm.

This is one of the best werewolf books I've read and also one of the most insightful of how this particular pack dynamic works.  If you enjoy a paranormal mystery and female-empowering stories, I highly recommend Raised by Wolves.  There is an inkling of romantic intentions, but I would definitely classify it more as Young Adult Paranormal.  It's a lengthy story, but definitely worth the read.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Awake at Dawn by C.C. Hunter

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's "Waiting On" Wednesday selection is:

Awake at Dawn

By C.C. Hunter

Publish Date: October 11, 2011, by St. Martin's Griffin

From Goodreads.com~

Now that she's settled in at Shadow Falls Camp, Kylie Galen's determined to discover the extent of her supernatural abilities.  But with a ghost insisting someone Kylie loves is about to die, a rogue vampire on a murdering rampage, and her sixth sense telling her someone is watching her, Kylie's quest for answers is quickly put on hold.

To make matters worse, just when she's about to give her heart to Derek, a half-fairy, he starts pulling away.  When Lucas, a werewolf with whom Kylie shares a secret past, returns, Kylie feels more conflicted than ever.  Her weekend with her mom should have been the break Kylie needs, but it turns out to be her breaking point.  Someone from the dark side of the supernatural world has plans for Kylie--and it'll take all her resources to get back to Shadow Falls alive...

I'm so happy about Awake at Dawn being released soon, and just in time for Halloween!  Born at Midnight was a great introduction to Hunter's supernatural world and I enjoyed it thoroughly as seen by my review.  It will be interesting to see how much Kylie will learn within this next chapter of her story.  With all of these happenings though, I wonder just how much she'll be able to learn.  We'll just have to wait and see!  

What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Half-Blood

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's "Waiting On" Wednesday selection is:

Half-Blood

By Jennifer L. Armentrout

Publish Date October 18th by Spenser Hill Press

From Goodreads.com~

The Hematoi descend from the union of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi-pure-bloods-have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals-well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or becomes servants in the homes of the pures. Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she might end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1: Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden. Unfortunately, she's crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn't her biggest problem--staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck.

Yet another awesome school-based book only featuring a new type of half-blood when it comes to gods and mortals.  I'm all for books that involve unique supernatural beings, and Alexandria sounds like a girl who will kick some serious butt!  I'd like to get my hands on the prequel, Daimon, if possible!  If anyone has read Daimon, please tell me your thoughts. ^_^

What are you waiting on this Wednesday? ^_^

Special Side Dish: Be sure to check out the Glow Giveaway over at Books Beside My Bed!

Review + 100 Follower Giveaway: Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter

Title:  Born at Midnight
Author:  C.C. Hunter
Summary:  One night Kylie Galen finds herself at the wrong party, with the wrong people, and it changes her life forever.  Her mother ships her off to Shadow Falls--a camp for troubled teens, and within hours of arriving, it becomes painfully clear that her fellow campers aren't just "troubled."  Here at Shadow Falls, vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, witches and fairies train side by side--learning to harness their powers, control their magic and live in the normal world.

Kylie's never felt normal, but surely she doesn't belong here with a bunch of paranormal freaks either.  Or does she?  They insist Kylie is one of them, and that she was brought here for a reason.  As if life wasn't complicated enough, enter Derek and Lucas.  Derek's a half-fae who's determined to be her boyfriend, and Lucas is a smokin' hot werewolf with whom Kylie shares a secret past.  Both Derek and Lucas couldn't be more different, but they both have a powerful hold on her heart.

Even though Kylie feels deeply uncertain about everything, one thing is becoming painfully clear--Shadow Falls is exactly where she belongs...

The Dish:  It seems I'm giving a lot of love to Texas authors, and I'm happy to continue that love with C.C. Hunter's Born at Midnight.  Kylie Galen has just been sent to a summer camp for supernaturals, and she definitely has something to say about that.  Namely that she's at the wrong camp.  She's determined to prove to the camp leaders that's she's not one of them, but everyone seems to believe the opposite, especially when she keeps seeing the ghost of a soldier always following her.  Hard to argue with that logic that she is indeed supernatural, which makes her stuck where she is.  With a vampire and a witch for roommates that always seem to bicker with each other along with a half-fae who's very interested in her, a werewolf who knows Kylie from the past, and a sneaky shape-shifter, life at this camp is far from ordinary.

Readers have to look at Born at Midnight as an introduction to Kylie's life and the supernatural world that Hunter has created.  The story is about Kylie's journey in finding out just who and what she is as a supernatural along with meeting those who will help her in discovering that truth.  Fortunately for Kylie, she has many people who not only assist but to just have time to be a teenage supernatural.  Take Della and Miranda, the vampire and witch that she rooms with.  While Della can be a bit cold especially when it comes to Kylie's aversion to even saying the word "blood," the vampire is willing to stand up for her roommate against a troublesome she-werewolf.  Miranda is a boy-crazy witch with dyslexia that always seems to be "in-the-know" on camp news.  Readers get insight into how the vampire and witch dynamics work in this world, and despite their constant arguing, Della and Miranda are there for Kylie when she needs friends most.

Then there are the two males vying for Kylie's attention namely in Derek, the half-fae who has the ability to sense others' emotions and Lucas, the werewolf who knew Kylie from when they were children and whom she thought did a great misdeed to her.  Their dynamic in the story is...interesting to say the least.  When one is not spending time with Kylie, it seems the other is.  It doesn't seem that their "conflict" is as realized save for one confrontation when Derek and Kylie are on a "Meet Your Campmates Hour" activity when Lucas comes out of nowhere after Kylie screams when she sees a water moccasin.  As characters both males intrigue me since you have Derek's almost "boy-next-door" charm and then there is Lucas's "mysterious-speak-only-when-necessary" demeanor.  However, on a personal note, werewolves tend to trump fae with me (apologies to those who favor the fae, it's just my preference).

When you get to pacing of the story itself, it is a steady flow of Kylie's experiences both at camp, coming to grips with her parents in their divorce while she's trying to prove she's not supernatural, and also when dealing with the ghost, "Soldier Dude" as she named him.  There is a LOT going on in her life, so it's understandable that the story have a more relaxed yet inquisitive feel to it.  I definitely did not feel rushed though I did want to learn more of the different situations at Shadow Falls and involving Kylie's parents, determining whether they were supernaturals or not.

Most of the action doesn't get going until close to the end of the book, but as I mentioned before, readers should look at this book as an introduction to Kylie's world.  With Born at Midnight being the start of The Shadow Falls series, the main conflict cannot be revealed nor can the climax come at the beginning of the overall story.  Lucky for readers, Awake at Dawn is coming out in October of this year, and I'll be looking for that in stores to read more of Kylie's story.

UPDATE: The Giveaway is Closed! Check back for future giveaways!

Giveaway Time:

Now for the fun part!  To celebrate both reaching 100 Followers and also to show my love for Texas author, C.C. Hunter, I'm giving away a new copy of Born at Midnight to one of my awesome readers.  Rules are as follows:

1.  To enter please leave a comment with your paranormal of preference (werewolf, vampire, witch, fae, shapeshifter, etc.) along with your email address.

2.  You don't have to follow my blog to enter, but if you are a follower (old or new) please leave a second comment.

3.  The winner will be chosen using a random number generator on July 31st.

Good luck, everyone! ^_^

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Supernaturally by Kiersten White

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's "Waiting On" Wednesday selection is:

Supernaturally

By Kiersten White

Publish Date: July 26, 2011 by HarperTeen

From Goodreads.com~

Evie finally has the normal life she's always longed for. But she's shocked to discover that being ordinary can be...kind of boring. Just when Evie starts to long for her days at the International Paranormal Containment Agency, she's given a chance to work for them again. Desperate for a break from all the normalcy, she agrees.


But as one disastrous mission leads to another, Evie starts to wonder if she made the right choice. And when Evie's faerie ex-boyfriend Reth appears with devastating revelations about her past, she discovers that there's a battle brewing between the faerie courts that could throw the whole supernatural world into chaos. The prize in question? Evie herself. 


So much for normal.

I loved reading the first part of Evie's story in Paranormalcy, and it will be exciting to see how normal life is for her and Lend.  And I can't wait to see more of the paranormals, both old and new characters.  Plus, can you believe how beautiful the cover is?

What are y'all waiting on this Wednesday? ^_^

Review: Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Title:  Paranormalcy
Author:  Kiersten White
Summary:  Weird as it is working for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, Evie's always thought of herself as normal.  Sure, her best friend is a mermaid, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she's falling for a shape-shifter, and she's the only person who can see through paranormals' glamours, but still.  Normal.  Only now paranormals are dying, and Evie's dreams are filled with haunting voices and mysterious prophecies.  She soon realizes that there may be a link between her abilities and the sudden rash of deaths.  Not only that, but she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.  So much for normal.

The Dish:  Four words really braced me for this story... pink taser named 'Tasey.'  After reading that, I knew this would most likely be a great book.  Kiersten White delivers a different type of paranormal story, and readers cannot help getting caught up in the novel due to an almost personable writing style.  The narrator's voice sounds so real especially with the humor associated with teenagers known as sarcastic wit.  This style made for a great and enjoyable read as we learned Evie's story.

Evie has only ever known life within the International Paranormal Containment Agency center as being a normal among many paranormals.  When your best friend can only live underwater and your faerie ex-boyfriend is still fixated on you, it's probably hard to find some sense of normality.  However, Evie manages to maintain her somewhat stable life for eight years until a strange and unknown paranormal is caught breaking into the center.  After that incident, a chain of events is set off and the "normal" world she has built is sent spiraling through the air.

I can understand the need for stability when it seems as though each day is a whirlwind of activity, and Evie never knew where she might be sent.  To have that steady familiarity ripped from her was almost heart-breaking for me.  People think they need a change due to the tedium of the everyday, but when confronted with it head-on, it can be a frightening thing.  Evie not only has to come to terms with the idea that the people she felt were 'family' have not been completely honest with her but also that there is something darker within the world of the paranormals.  And it's searching for her while killing those who are dear to Evie.

Evie's warmth and care for those around her really rang true through White's storytelling, and when someone dear to her was killed, it felt as though I had lost that person, too.  I felt so close with all of those that Evie loved, Raquel, Lish, Jacques, Lend, and even Reth, though he took awhile to really impress me.  Until now, the fae have not been part of the paranormal worlds I've seen in other books, so it was interesting to see my first recent example of the faerie world.  Reth annoyed me to no end throughout the book because I thought he was one of those trying to cause grief for Evie.  He still annoys me though not as much right now, and I'm eager to see what his role will be in the sequel, Supernaturally.  Lend was one of my favorites next to Evie despite my initial gasp when he first entered the story.  It would have been nice to hear some of the story through his voice, but Evie's opinions seem to influence my own...and you can't help adoring the sweet shapeshifter.

Overall, White's writing impressed and pushed me to read the book quickly, which I would have finished earlier had I not been preoccupied with a visit from my beau over the weekend.  I'm sure Evie would understand that, and I look forward to hearing more of her story in July.