Secret by Brigid Kemmerer

Secret by Brigid Kemmerer
Release Date: January 28, 2014
Publisher: Kensington Teen
Pages: 352
Series: Elemental #4
Review Source: Netgalley

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)

EARTH. FIRE. AIR. WATER.

Nick Merrick is stretched to breaking point. He's trying to keep his grades sky-high or he won't get in to college. He's trying to keep his brother's business afloat or the Merricks will be out on the street. He's trying to keep the secret of where he's going in the evenings from his twin brother Gabriel - or he fears he'll lose his family. And he's trying to keep his mind off the hot, self-assured dancer who is his 'girlfriend's' partner.

And then Quinn takes to hanging around his sworn enemy, and an Elemental Guide is counting the hours until he can try again to kill the Merrick brothers. Storms are brewing. On all sides.

SECRETS IN THE WIND. DANGER IN THE AIR.

My Thoughts:
Secret is the fourth full novel in Brigid Kemmerer’s Elemental series, and it primarily focuses on Nick, the twin brother of Gabriel, who narrated Book 2, Spark. Secret is also largely Quinn’s story, giving the book a female perspective as well.

I have to say that Secret is possibly the most romantic book of the series yet, telling the story of Nick and Adam. These two have an awesome connection, one where they share their deepest secrets and thoughts. Throughout the book I was just aching for Nick, watching him learn to accept himself and struggling to do what he wants instead of thinking of others first. Probably the most painful part to read is Nick’s fear of how his family will respond to his sexuality. Even as he comes to terms with his identity internally, this fear remains rooted deep inside.

Quinn is a character who we've seen through Becca, her best friend, and also through Gabriel, who can't stand her. Personally I never found her to be a likeable character at all. But seeing her perspective? Wow! In this book I just fell for her character, wanting to sweep her up and protect her. It almost physically hurt to see the way her mother and brother treated her, and I wanted so badly for her to find the love and acceptance that she so deeply craved. I won’t spoil it, but I was intrigued by the person who challenges Quinn and forces her to be honest about her situation. This is a character who has hidden depths that you never would have expected.

While this book is primarily focused on the relationships and internal struggles of Nick and Quinn, there's always the feeling of being watched and the fear of what could be next in the Elemental struggle. The prologue of the book features the new Guide in town, and while it’s not until close to the end when things ramp up action-wise, the whole book definitely has an intense feel to it.

Brigid Kemmerer gets better and better with each book. Her characters are ones that leap to life on the page, coming across like real people who you care about. The Elemental series is one of my favourites, and I can’t wait to see what happens next with the Merrick clan and with the struggle against the Guides.

The Cover:
The only thing about this series that is less than fabulous? The covers.

Rating:
[5/5]

Purchase Links:
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The Secret of Isobel Key by Jen McConnel (Excerpt & Giveaway)

The Secret of Isobel Key by Jen McConnel
Release Date: December 19, 2013
Publisher: Bloomsbury Spark
Pages: 185
Series: n/a

Synopsis:

Lou is in the middle of a quarter-life crisis. Fresh out of college, she’s unemployed and unsure of herself. But when she gets the chance to escape to Scotland with her best friend, it could be the answer to her quest for self-discovery. The trip is not at all what she expected, especially when her tour guide turns out to be the dreamy historian Brian, and together they embark on a hunt for information about Isobel Key, a woman accused of witchcraft in the seventeenth century.

They set out to learn the truth of the condemned witch, but Lou isn’t prepared for the knowledge that awaits her. She must face her own demons if she has any hope of righting the wrongs of the past. Flashing between the seventeenth century and modern day Scotland, The Secret of Isobel Key is a mystery that will please readers of all ages.

Purchase Links:
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EXCERPT:

“All right, you folk. Today we’ll be travellin’ out to Skye, the loveliest island anywhere in Scotland, or the world for that matter.” The soothing accent of their handsome tour guide carried through the small bus via the microphone, and Lou sat back in bliss, letting the words roll over her. The accents here in the Scottish Highlands almost made up for the dreary, damp weather, and she loved listening to the locals say just about anything. Admittedly, she would listen to Brian say anything, even without his accent. The tall, red-haired Scot reminded Lou of the men on the covers of the romance novels she’d sold at the bookstore, and she kept her eyes pinned on him as the bus bounced along. His khaki cargo pants rested casually on his hips, and he looked like a cross between a fashion model and the boy next door with his navy blue fleece zipped partway up. The green collared shirt he was wearing underneath the jacket was plain and simple, but Lou kept staring at the neckline, watching for any telltale curls of chest hair. Did his body hair match his flaming red head? Lou blushed at the thought and closed her eyes, wondering what it would be like to run her hands across Brian’s broad chest. Would he feel like sandpaper or satin under her fingertips?

A cymbal-shaking jolt of thunder abruptly pulled Lou out of her fantasy, and she blushed, glancing at Tammy. Her best friend seemed oblivious to her daydreams; Tammy was reading furiously in her guidebook, probably trying to learn everything about wherever they were headed. Lou glanced at Brian once more and then turned her attention to the window. The landscape was a brilliant emerald green, but the sky had begun to resemble heavy slate waiting to crush the unsuspecting earth beneath it. “It would be really beautiful, if it weren’t always raining,” Lou muttered to herself. Tammy looked up from her guidebook, her green eyes unfocused.

“What’dya say? Is it raining again? Aw, Lou, you remember what Brian said on the first day of the tour; everything’s more dramatic in Scotland!” Tammy sounded annoyingly perky for someone who would soon be hiking across a muddy landscape toward whatever rustic destination the tour would take them on today. Not only did she sound perky, Lou considered, but she looked perky: perky and perfect. Her silken blonde hair looked tousled just enough to be sexy, and her skin seemed to be drinking up the moisture around them; her cheeks were dewy and soft. Lou wished she looked half as at ease as Tammy, but she knew that her lumpy hat and wild hair made her look more like a hobo than a hot college student on vacation, and she sighed. Traveling with Tammy wasn’t as much fun as she’d thought it would be.

Shifting in her seat, Lou gazed out the window at the rivulets of water cascading down the bus. “What would they call it if the sun came out? Just for a minute.”

“We’d call it a miracle,” a deep voice beside her shoulder answered. Lou’s heart sped up as she whipped around, red in the face. Brian, the tall, ruddy tour guide, was standing in the bus aisle beside her, smiling.

About Jen:
Jen McConnel first began writing poetry as a child. A Michigander by birth, she now lives and writes in the beautiful state of North Carolina. When she isn’t crafting worlds of fiction, she teaches college writing composition and yoga. Once upon a time, she was a middle school teacher, a librarian, and a bookseller, but those are stories for another time. She is the author of The Secret of Isobel Key (NA 2013) and Daughter of Chaos (YA 2014).

Where to find Jen:
Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

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Uninvited by Sophie Jordan

Uninvited by Sophie Jordan
Release Date: January 28, 2014
Publisher: Harper Teen
Pages: 384
Series: Uninvited #1
Review Source: Edelweiss

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)

The Scarlet Letter meets Minority Report in bestselling author Sophie Jordan's chilling new novel about a teenage girl who is ostracized when her genetic test proves she's destined to become a murderer.

When Davy Hamilton's tests come back positive for Homicidal Tendency Syndrome (HTS)-aka the kill gene-she loses everything. Her boyfriend ditches her, her parents are scared of her, and she can forget about her bright future at Juilliard. Davy doesn't feel any different, but genes don't lie. One day she will kill someone.

Only Sean, a fellow HTS carrier, can relate to her new life. Davy wants to trust him; maybe he's not as dangerous as he seems. Or maybe Davy is just as deadly.

The first in a two-book series, Uninvited tackles intriguing questions about free will, identity, and human nature. Steeped in New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan's trademark mix of gripping action and breathless romance, this suspenseful tale is perfect for fans of James Patterson, Michelle Hodkin, and Lisa McMann.

My Thoughts:
My first notes for writing this review = “Soooo good!!” That basically sums up how I feel about this book. It was amazing, and you should all definitely check it out. You want to hear more? Alright, I’ll try to describe all the things I loved about Uninvited. I picked up the book because I was completely intrigued by the concept, however I know that a great concept does not always equal great execution. Thankfully Sophie Jordan plays out the concept in such an awesome way, and the book totally lives up to how it sounded.

I love it when books raise all kinds of questions, and that is totally the case here. It’s all about nature versus nurture, and the role that science plays. You have statistics which show that people with a particular gene are more likely to become killers, but you also see our main character, Davy, who is just a normal girl. The way that people treat carriers of the gene is terrible, ostracizing individuals who, before the test results, were their best friends, their family, their neighbours. It’s interesting to see how this gene almost becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, with carriers put in positions where lashing out is the lesser of evils, or their only choice, really.

This book worked so well for me because of all the emotions it brought about. I felt so much for Davy, her being someone who starts off very privileged and is suddenly a second class citizen. As a reader you’re outraged on her behalf, completely appalled at the way she and other carriers are treated. Meeting the other carriers was an interesting thing. You see those individuals who have a sense of “bad” about them, and you can see why society would want them locked away, but then you also have those like Davy who have been thrown into this craziness without doing anything wrong.

I loved Davy’s character because she doesn’t always react how you would expect her to, as our heroine. She’s a bit of an "everygirl", someone who tries to be brave, but doesn’t always want to step out. Davy worries about consequences and doesn’t like to stir the pot. She was refreshing to read about, actually, because I think that her responses (wanting to stay under the radar up until that isn’t possible) are like how regular people would behave in that situation.

Overall this was such an enjoyable book, one that really takes you on a journey. I’m so excited for the sequel, to see where Sophie Jordan will take readers next.

The Cover:
Seems cool but kind of regular until you see her hair. LOVE!!

Rating:
[5/5]

Purchase Links:
Kobo | Amazon.ca | Amazon.com | Chapters-Indigo | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Live by Mary Ann Rivers

Live by Mary Ann Rivers
Release Date: January 21, 2014
Publisher: Loveswept
Pages: 352
Series: Burnside #1
Review Source: Netgalley

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)

Mary Ann Rivers kicks off a new contemporary romance series—sure to please readers of Ruthie Knox, Kristan Higgins, and Jill Shalvis—where love can be found unexpectedly.

If there’s an upside to unemployment, Destiny Burnside may have found it. Job searching at her local library in Lakefield, Ohio, gives her plenty of time to ogle the hottest man she has ever laid eyes on: the sexy wood-carver who’s restoring the building. But as the rejection letters pile up, Destiny finds an unexpected shoulder to cry on. With his rich Welsh accent, Hefin Thomas stirs Destiny so completely that, even though he’s leaving soon, she lets herself believe the memory of his scorching kisses will be enough.

Hefin can’t help but notice the slender, confident woman with ginger hair who returns each day, so hopeful and determined. So when the tears start to fall, his silence—penance for a failed marriage—finally cracks. Once he’s touched her, what Hefin wants is to take her back to Wales and hold her forever. But Destiny’s roots run too deep. What they both need is each other—to learn how to live and love again.

My Thoughts:
Live is a very emotional story, one with evocative language that pulls you in a la Laura Florand. It’s a book about the connection between two people: the little things that make them right, that make them fit together. It explores how finding a partner can be worth sacrificing other aspects of your life. It’s also about the things that can build you up when you're in a time of mourning, and just how much it can mean to have someone truly see you and love you.

I fell deeply in love with Mary Ann’s first published work, The Story Guy. I thought it was gorgeous and practically the most beautiful romance ever. So, in retrospect, I think I had a bit too high of expectations going into Live. The thing is, I definitely liked this one, but I thought it was too meandering and too introspective. The main character, Destiny, was all about being selfless, and yet the book is full of ruminations on love, community, and family. What worked in novella format (flowery language, something a bit offbeat) became a tad too much in this full length book. I would have preferred more dialogue and more action.

If you’re looking for a slower paced romance, one that’s more about concepts and ideals of romance than a busy plot, then perhaps you’ll enjoy Live even more than I did.

The Cover:
Okay, but kind of boring.

Rating:
[3.5/5]

Purchase Links:
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Avalon by Mindee Arnett

Avalon by Mindee Arnett
Release Date: January 21, 2014
Publisher: Balzer & Bray
Pages: 432
Series: Avalon #1
Review Source: Edelweiss

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)

A ragtag group of teenage mercenaries who crew the spaceship Avalon stumble upon a conspiracy that could threaten the entire galaxy in this fascinating and fast-paced sci-fi adventure from author Mindee Arnett.

Of the various star systems that make up the Confederation, most lie thousands of light-years from First Earth-and out here, no one is free. The agencies that govern the Confederation are as corrupt as the crime bosses who patrol it, and power is held by anyone with enough greed and ruthlessness to claim it. That power is derived from one thing: metatech, the devices that allow people to travel great distances faster than the speed of light.

Jeth Seagrave and his crew of teenage mercenaries have survived in this world by stealing unsecured metatech, and they're damn good at it. Jeth doesn't care about the politics or the law; all he cares about is earning enough money to buy back his parents' ship, Avalon, from his crime-boss employer and getting himself and his sister, Lizzie, the heck out of Dodge. But when Jeth finds himself in possession of information that both the crime bosses and the government are willing to kill for, he is going to have to ask himself how far he'll go to get the freedom he's wanted for so long.

Avalon is the perfect fit for teens new to sci-fi as well as seasoned sci-fi readers looking for more books in the YA space-and a great match for fans of Joss Whedon's cult hit show Firefly.

My Thoughts:
Avalon has been hailed as “Firefly in YA book form”, and there's definitely something to be said about the correlation between the two. The characters have similar vibes, and it’s set in space where the governing system is similar to the Alliance on Firefly. However, while Firefly hooks you in right from the beginning with complex characters, witty banter, and an intelligent plot, I didn’t feel the same about Avalon. There was just something lacking.

I definitely didn’t wholly dislike the book, but I didn't feel the passion and emotion toward the characters like I should have. I was interested in the story, but even when the stakes were extremely high I just wasn’t wholly invested. By all signs this is a book that should have been a “me book”, but I ended up feeling fairly neutral toward it: nothing really bad to say, but nothing really good either. I guess this is one you’ll have to check out for yourself and see if you can find the “it factor” that I thought was missing. If you can relate to the characters or connect with them in a way that I didn’t, then I definitely think this is a book that you could fall for.

The Cover:
Love!

Rating:
[A basic 3/5]

Purchase Links:
Kobo | Amazon.ca | Amazon.com | Chapters-Indigo | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

A Little Too Hot by Lisa DesRochers (Review, Character Interview, & Giveaway)

A Little Too Hot by Lisa DesRochers
Release Date: January 21, 2014
Publisher: William Morrow Impulse
Pages: 284
Series: A Little Too Far #3
Review Source: Edelweiss

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)

If you play with fire…

Tossed out of college and cut off by her parents, Samantha West is in pretty dire straits. So when her rocker best friend hooks her up with a job dancing at a gentlemen’s club, who is she to turn it down? Plus, there are rules to dancing at Benny’s: No touching, keep your clothes on at all times, and never get closer than three feet. Unfortunately for Sam, her first private client makes her want to break every single one of them.

Harrison Yates is scorching hot, but he’s got a past that involves being left at the altar not too long ago. Sam is determined to make him forget about his ex, but when she makes her move, it flings her life into a spiral of chaos she never saw coming.

Because Harrison Yates isn’t who he seems to be. And his secret will probably get her killed.

My Thoughts:
I’m a huge fan of the first two New Adult titles from Lisa DesRochers (A Little Too Far & A Little Too Much), so I was very much looking forward to reading this one. Thankfully, it didn’t disappoint. What I really appreciate about these three books is that they each had very different plotlines and feels to them. A Little Too Hot has more of an action and suspense feel to it than the previous two. Without giving too much away, we see Sam thrown into a situation that’s way over her head, and the majority of the book is about dealing with that danger.

Sam is such an intriguing character. In the first book she definitely came across as unlikeable, especially if you were really rooting for Lexie and Trent. Because of this, it was interesting to have her as the protagonist, seeing things from her perspective. I love when you can identify with a character you previously disliked: I think it takes a lot of talent from the author. Seeing how Sam feels about past events you can almost place her as the victim, especially when you see how she regrets certain events. I couldn’t relate to Sam in her partying ways, but I could definitely identify with her questioning what was next in her life, and empathize with how she felt abandoned by her friends and family.

Lisa DesRochers is fabulous at writing romantic chemistry, and it’s totally off the charts here. When the characters are stuck in close quarters and have to deal with their forbidden feelings you can feel the sparks between them. If you're looking for a little bit of something different from New Adult (romantic suspense!), I would definitely recommend you check out A Little Too Hot.

The Cover:
=(

Rating:
[Strong 4/5]

Purchase Links:
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(Amazon links are affiliate links)

Praise for A Little Too Hot:
“Every page is deliciously breathtaking, wickedly sexy and sensational. A LITTLE TOO HOT is wonderfully unique and a LOT HOT! I am a HUGE Lisa Desrochers fan.”
— Katy Evans, New York Times bestselling author of REAL, MINE, and REMY

“Lisa is brilliant at creating sizzling sexual tension and impossible circumstances that make the reader hold their breath all the way to happy ever after. Sam and Harrison are more than A Little Too Hot, they are scorching!"
— Jay Crownover, New York Times bestselling author of RULE, JET, and ROME

“Lisa Desrochers’ best yet! A LITTLE TOO HOT is hotter than hot with all the emotional punch to back it up!”
— Sophie Jordan, New York Times bestselling author

Character Interview with Sam

Hi, Sam. Tell us a little about yourself. How have you changed since A Little Too Far?
Getting cut off by my parents after getting thrown out of college has been a little sobering, not to mention almost getting killed (twice) so, yeah, I’ve changed some. In hindsight, I guess I’ve always kind of taken things for granted, so I guess change isn’t a bad thing, but I’d have preferred to skip the nearly-getting-me-and-my-friends-killed portion of the life lesson. The good news: After everything that happens in A LITTLE TOO HOT, I think I finally have my priorities straight. And my best friend back.

You're into self-defense and karate. What appeals to you about these activities?
Seriously? They’re kick-ass. (Literally.) I love the power and control. I also love being able to empower other women by teaching them to defend themselves. It’s a really great feeling.

You come across an interesting guy in A Little Too Hot. Without getting spoilery, how would you describe Harrison?
Oh, geez. Harrison is…just…incredible. Lame, I know, but it’s totally true. He’s tough, but also the most caring person I’ve ever met. He can keep up with me (and maybe even beat me) in martial arts, and I know for a fact, because he’s demonstrated it on more than one occasion, that he’d protect me at any cost. And let’s not even talk about the accent. That cowboy can ride me anytime he wants. ;-)

New Adult books have a lot of awesome love interests, but they also have fabulous female protagonists (such as yourself!). Are there any New Adult characters you'd like to meet or could see yourself becoming friends with?
I hang out with Shaw, Ayden, and Cora from Jay Crownover’s hot boy novels, RULE, JET, and ROME all the time because they definitely know how to have a good time, and our authors are in author love. (Just ask Jay ;p) I’d also love to hang out with Bliss from Cora Carmack’s LOSING IT, because she’s a little goofy (like a female version of my rocker BFF, Jonathan) and everyone needs a little goofy in their lives.

Your creator, Lisa Desrochers, has talked about theme songs for the guys of the A Little Too Far books. Do you have your own theme song or a musical artist you particularly identify with?
This was a little bit of a bone of contention with me and Harrison at the beginning. He’s a country boy, and I couldn’t get my mind around the appeal. But I have to say, country music is starting to grow on me. I used to be all about pop, but now I’m kind of into more crossover sounds, like Colby Caillat and Lady Antebellum. I still love my Bruno Mars, though.

What would you like to tell readers about A Little Too Hot? What do they have to look forward to?
Oh…there’s the thing about Harrison that no one seems to see coming—including me. There’s also…well…Harrison, who’s worth reading about all by himself. Because he’s…you know…smokin’ hot. And there’s my buddy Jonathan, who I love with all my heart, especially when he sings to me…or, you know… takes a bullet for me and stuff like that. There are swimming pool scenes and kitchen scenes and balcony scenes…yeah…a lot of scenes. And did I mention Harrison…?

Thanks for stopping by, Sam!

Don't her answers make you want to pick up the book??

About Lisa:
Lisa Desrochers is the USA Today bestselling author of A LITTLE TOO FAR , courtesy of HarperCollins, and companions, A LITTLE TOO MUCH (Nov 12, 2013), and A LITTLE TOO HOT (Jan 21, 2014). Also in stores is her YA PERSONAL DEMONS trilogy (Macmillan).
She lives in central California with her husband and two very busy daughters. There is never a time that she can be found without a book in her hand, and she adores stories that take her to new places, and then take her by surprise.

Where to find Lisa:
Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

GIVEAWAY:
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