Book Review: Entice by Jessica Shirvington

SUMMARY: Violet Eden is Grigori - part angel, part human. Her destiny is to protect humans from the vengeance of exiled angels. 

Knowing who to trust is key but, when Grigori reinforcements arrive, it becomes clear everyone is hiding something. Even Lincoln. The only thing Violet does know: Phoenix's hold over her is more dangerous than ever. 

The race to find the one thing that could tilt the balance of power brings them all to the sacred mountains of Jordan, where Violet's power will be pushed to the extreme. And the ultimate betrayal exposed.


OPINION:

This series falls under the "book crack" category. Despite the problems with them, despite the fact that they are so frustrating and even overdramatic at times, there is something so addicting about them. They are so hard to put down, and also leave me feeling satisfied. Admittedly, I do feel like they are too hormone/lust driven, and rely too much on jealousy for the main momentum behind the character's choices. Still, I love the angel lore Shirvington has pulled into these, and particularly in Entice, the depths of everything that is shown, and the new characters we meet.

Despite how they get on my nerves a little too often, I love the cast. With some new characters introduced this time, each with a strong personality of their own, and some interesting abilities thrown into the mix, readers get to see not only more of the Grigori world but who Violet is as well. Her character continues to grow, even with some faults and kick backs of her own still happening, making her very relatable. She continues to be headstrong, and determined to take care of herself, even at the expense of herself. There is something so likeable about Violet, even when she's making me want to hit her a little. Then there's a new boy named Spence, who is quite possibly my favorite character, with his wit and charm and trouble-making ways, second only to Phoenix, the brooding, basically bad guy who I still hold out hope isn't all bad.

While I did feel like the "big twist" with this one was obvious, the build up to it and the ways it happened are well executed and thought out, lack of secret aside. There are some great elements pulled into this one, and Shirvington does a fabulous job of keeping her angels and exiles in a more gray category, rather than purely good or purely bad. Shirvington keeps the pacing up in this installment, having several story lines weaving throughout, and tying many of them up despite the cliffhanger ending. One of my favorite elements of this book, apart from the intricacies to some of the plot details, is the specifics of Violet's power we get to see, particularly in the way she's forced to expand and hone her skills. Add in the easy to fall into writing with a great flow to it, and Entice hits the spot.

Details:

Source: ARC received from publisher in exchange for an honest review 

Reading level: Ages 13 and up 

Hardcover: 464 pages 

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire 

Publication Date: September 4, 2012

Meet Wes from Embers & Echoes + Contest

 Out this week is Embers and Echoes, the second book in Karsten Knight's Wildefire series, and to celebrate, I've got a little sneak peak at the book, and more importantly, at a brand new character who shoes up in this installment! His name is Wes, and he's definitely Boy Closet material. So as if the amazing plot, already awesome character, ohmygodWHAT ending of Wildefire, and the stunning writing weren't enough to run out and grab Embers and Echoes, there's this guy:


The suited man slapped the prisoner’s face lightly. “Oye, amigo,” the man said to Wes. “All I want to know is why you were snooping around Mrs. Vanderbilt’s boat like a little bloodhound before we caught you.”

“Mrs. Vanderbilt’s boat?” Wes said with mock surprise. “Shit, I thought I’d climbed aboard a Disney cruise.”

His interrogator actually laughed. “You’re a funny man, stranger.” He slipped on a pair of brass knuckles he’d taken from his pocket. “It almost pains me to have to knock some seriousness into you.”

He turned fast and slammed his armored fist into Wes’s stomach. With a spasm of pain the boy’s body convulsed upward into a macaroni shape before gravity ironed him back out into a straight line.
“Okay, okay...but first...” Wes wheezed between breaths. “Just...answer me...one question.”

The man leaned closer so he could hear the boy.

Wes cocked his head upward. “How long...did it take you...to grow...that mustache?”

That's the first time Ash gets to meet Wes... and also a pretty darn good display of just the kind of guy he is. I mean, what's a little interrogation without some humor, even if it means getting punched more?

Embers and Echoes is on shelves now, so trust me when I say you do not want to miss this one. 

Want more of Karsten? Find him on twitter or his website, and you can find out all the details about Embers and Echoes on Goodreads.

You can find out all the blog tour details and meet Lucy here, and for those of you wanting even more of these characters, meet Aurora and Thorne, and tomorrow you can get a look at Ash and oh so sexy Wes together here.


To celebrate Karsten's release, we've got 2 sets of his books up for grabs! Enter below, but please only enter once - this form is the same on the blogs participating in his release celebration. US only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Author Guest Post: Gretchen McNeil

Dropping in today is Gretchen McNeil, author of Possess and the upcoming thriller Ten, to talk about what exactly makes something scary.



What is scary?

Is it a giant spider lurking under you bed, just waiting for you to crawl in before it silently creeps out into the darkness of your room to envelope you in it's deadly web?

Is it a waking up to find yourself buried alive in a close, black coffin, utterly sightless in the dark, the only sound a muted thud of shovelful after shovelful of dirt as it's tossed onto your living tomb?

Is it a darkened stretch of forest you must walk through that seems to breathe with living creatures that dart and flutter just out of sight?

Is it getting a flat tire on a deserted mountain road, where the nearest structure for fifty miles is a dilapidated farmhouse that appears to have no phone, cable or electricity lines, just a trickle of smoke rising from a toppling brick chimney?

So many different levels of scary. The things we fear most come in a variety of shapes and sizes, from the physical – like spiders and sharks – to the esoteric – like claustrophobia and paranoia – to the otherworldly – like demons and vampires and witches (oh my!).

When I wrote POSSESS, I chose something that I actually found terrifying – demonic possession – and tried to convey that terror to readers who might not have the same sensibilities. In TEN, I wrote about something I don't intrinsically find scary – being trapped on an island with a killer, but also tried to portray the tension and horror. To me, conveying fear isn't just about describing a situation, object, or person that someone might find scary, but giving a blow-by-blow of the event and actually detailing the fear reaction in the characters.

We all know exactly what it feels like to be scared. First you have the anticipation: What's behind that closed door? What's making that scratching noise in the attic? What's lurking in the deep, dark waters? It's the tensing of muscles like you're expecting a blow, that stretching of all your senses, trying to see/feel/hear/smell danger before it pounces on you. The higher the tension is pitched, the bigger the wallop.

Next, the reveal. The door opens to expose a dead body that spills out on top of our poor heroine the moment she turns the doorknob. The scratching noise in the attic inexplicably moves through the ceiling, down the stairs and manifests in a dark, demonic entity. The dorsal fin of a great white shark breaks the surface of the water in which you're swimming. The terror has been revealed in one jarring, scream-inducing moment!

But that's not scary enough, not for the expectant reader. You need the next step in the process – experiencing the fear through the eyes of the main character. We need to feel their bodies tremble as they break out into a cold sweat. We need to hear the blood-curdling scream that explodes from their mouths. We need to internalize the sick, sinking feeling in their stomachs as death closes in around them.

And lastly, the action. Our heroine's panicked flee from the house, our hero's desperate attempt to out maneuver a man-eating shark. Will they survive? Will they escape? Hearts pound in anticipation with every turn of the page!!!!

What it is scary?

The answer, I think, is anything. If you tell it right. ;)


So what do you guys think, is Gretchen right? Judging by the books she's written, both with a great creep factor to them, I'd say she definitely knows what she's talking about. Ten is the perfect kind of thriller that gets in your head, and keeps you on your toes. Also, there's hot boys. Yay.

Ten is hitting shelves September 18, so make sure you check it out! You can find the full book info on Goodreads (and add it to your shelf!) as well as find out more about Gretchen (and all the ways you can stalk, I mean contact her) at her website or twitter! And be sure you check out all the tour stops Gretchen is doing, leading up to Ten's release!

Character Interview: Quinn from If I Lie

Today I've got Quinn, the main character from Corrine Jackson's (utterly breathtaking) debut If I Lie stopping in to answer some questions!


What's your favorite photograph you've ever taken?

Hm. There’s one of George that I love. He’s interviewing Don Baruth, though the focus is entirely on George’s face, wrinkles and all. That’s the great thing about George. He’s not afraid of wrinkles. I can’t remember what Don was telling him when I took the picture, but I know it must have been horrible because George looks so sad that I want to hug him every time I see that picture. It's honest.

If you could say one thing to your dad, what would it be?

Do you still love me even a little? Nothing. What good would it do?

Despite the fact that it was the kiss that caused so much trouble for you, what's it like to kiss Blake?

Oh, geez. Is he going to read this? Because he will never let me forget this. Can I make something up? No? Okay, honest answer. Here it is. *takes a deep breath* *opens mouth* *hesitates* No, I can’t do it. The truth is I don’t talk about these things. It’s too private. Okay, I will say this. Imagine someone kissing you with their eyes open, really seeing you, faults and all. Focusing on just you. Caring about you and wanting you because they like everything that makes you YOU. That’s what kissing Blake is like. Heat infinity.

What's your best memory with Carey?

Carey is so interwoven into my life that it’s hard for me to pick one memory. He’s a part of me. He’s been there through every important thing that’s ever happened to me. Even through a lot of unimportant ones. If I was to pick a good memory, though, it would be a silly, nothing moment. A lazy Saturday afternoon when we were sitting around his backyard. His parents were wandering from the kitchen to the back patio, getting ready to barbecue lunch. Carey and I were in the pool – the above ground kind, mind you because no way could his family afford the other kind – and we drifted on rafts, while we talked about our future and daydreamed about what it would be like. Carey smiled a lot that day, and he held my hand to keep me anchored. We floated and floated, and I was happy.

What kind of shoe would you describe yourself as?

A good pair of leather riding boots. Sturdy. Strong. Purposeful.



Thank you, Quinn, and congrats, Corrine.

If I Lie hits shelves today, so make sure you pick it up. This one is totally emotional and gutting, but so stunning and provoking. Definitely one of my favorites for this year! Also, this is one of my favorite covers, so between the two, admit it, you want this one.

Author Interview: Michelle Gagnon

Dropping in today is Don't Turn Around author Michelle Gagnon to discuss her new book, her writing process, and dinosaurs.


What would you do if you found yourself strapped to a bed with an IV in your arm, and no memory of how you got there?

I’m prone to freaking out, so the first few minutes would definitely be spent having a good old fashioned panic attack. After I finished hyperventilating, I’d like to think that I’d have the presence of mind to remove the IV and get the heck out of there, but doubt that I would have been as self-possessed about it as my heroine, Noa.

Which character did you enjoy writing the most?

Hmm, that’s tough—like trying to choose a favorite child. And since I have both a hero and heroine in the story, I’d feel terribly guilty picking between them. But as far as the supporting cast goes, I love Cody—he’s so sweet, and the way he comes through for Peter, serving as a surrogate brother for him, was lovely. A few of the characters who basically have walk-on roles were a lot of fun to write, too—especially Otis (the geeky college student who helps Noa in the library) and Pam (Cody’s downtrodden downstairs neighbor).

What was your drafting and revising process like for Don't Turn Around?

This book basically wrote itself—even with the hacking and medical research involved, I tore through the rough draft, finishing it in about eight weeks. Of course, it was very rough at that stage, and my incredible editor Karen Chaplin provided notes that helped me hone in on what worked and what didn’t. All in all, it was a relatively smooth process—after her initial notes I did a fairly heavy revision, then another one that was mainly tweaks. After that, all that remained was to review the copy-edits and line edits (and the Harper copy-editing team was phenomenal, their attention to detail really blew me away!)

If you could pair Noa and Peter with any character from any book, who would you pick for each?

Another tough one! Okay…I think that Peter would get along really well with Alex from Katie Crouch’s Magnolia League series. Despite their different upbringings, they both have a laid back approach to life and a wacky sense of humor. Noa’s the tricky one, since she doesn’t generally play well with others. But I think that she and Perry from Veronica Rossi’s UNDER THE NEVER SKY would really understand each other.

What kind of dinosaur would you describe yourself as? 

An alligator, because they refused to become extinct when the rest of their species perished. I’m all about perseverance.

Thanks, Michelle, for stopping in!

Want to know more about Don't Turn Around? Check it out on Goodreads and add it to your shelf! And be sure to find Michelle over at Reading Lark for another interview!

Book Review: Glass Heart by Amy Garvey

SUMMARY: Wren can do things that other people can only dream of. Make it snow on a clear, crisp day. Fly through an abandoned tunnel. Bring a paper bird to life.

Wren knows her abilities are tinged with danger—knows how easy it is to lose control—but she can't resist the intoxicating rush. And now that she has Gabriel by her side, someone who knows what she can do—what she has done—she finally feels free to be herself.

But as Wren explores the possibilities of her simmering powers, Gabriel starts pushing her away. Telling her to be careful. Telling her to stop. The more he cautions her, the more determined Wren becomes to prove that she can handle things on her own. And by the time she realizes that Gabriel may be right, it could be too late to bring him back to her side.


OPINION:

I have to admit, this one let me down in some ways. A little too focused on the romance, this one didn’t have quite the same emotional pull as Cold Kiss. Still, I enjoyed seeing more of Wren, and appreciate the new twists thrown into this one.

I like Wren. I think she’s a great character, and I feel for her with her struggles over her magic. Taught to hide it, and scared in some ways to use it, she is also curious and wanting to know more. Wren is the right mix of obedient and defiant, and while I felt like the changes she went through in Cold Kiss didn’t necessarily transfer to this one, it was also great to see her more into things now that she’s put Danny to rest, both figuratively and literally. She just has something about her that makes me want to side with her and root for her, and her development in this book takes some big strides.

One complaint I do have about this book is how much I felt like the main idea was to just find ways to keep Wren and Gabriel apart. From little arguments to new friends, the problems that arose between these two felt too convenient and even contrived. Though I want to say I love these two together, in some ways, honestly, I kind of don’t, at least not after this installment. Gabriel is too protective, too sure that what he thinks is right, and that’s where I find fault. Wren is understandably torn between what she wants, and making things nice with him again, and I admit, I didn’t always get why Gabriel was being stubborn. The focus on their relationship, in the face of everything else, didn’t sit quite right with me.

Apart from that, however, I enjoyed the new things Garvey has thrown into this one. Letting both Wren and readers find out more not only about her magic, but the bigger world of magic, and taking some dark turns as well, Glass Heart pulls in some good elements. Giving more substance behind the notion of her magic being dangerous, and having some pretty wrenching scenes, this one takes some known elements and blends to something new. With the same quietly engaging writing as before, and some great descriptions, Glass Heart is a good, quick read.

Details:

Source: ARC received from publisher in exchange for an honest review 

Reading level: Ages 13 and up 

Hardcover: 320 pages 

Publisher: HarperTeen

Publication Date: September 18, 2012