{Review} A Witch's Handbook of Kisses and Curses by Molly Harper

A Witch's Handbook of Kisses and Curses by Molly Harper
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

GENRE: Paranormal Romance
THEME: Witches, Vampire, and Shifters
RECEIVED: Edelweiss
AUTHORS BLOG: Molly Harpers' Site

BLURB:

Nola Leary would have been content to stay in Kilcairy, Ireland, healing villagers at her family’s clinic with a mix of magic and modern medicine. But a series of ill-timed omens and a deathbed promise to her grandmother have sent her on a quest to Half-Moon Hollow, Kentucky, to secure her family’s magical potency for the next generation. Her supernatural task? To unearth four artifacts hidden by her grandfather before a rival magical family beats her to it.

Complication One: Her grandfather was Mr. Wainwright and the artifacts are lost somewhere in what is now Jane Jameson's book shop.

Complication Two: her new neighbor, Jed Trudeau, who keeps turning up half naked at the strangest times, a distraction Nola doesn't need. And teaming up with a real-life Adonis is as dangerous as it sounds, especially when he’s got the face of an angel and the abs of a washboard—can Nola complete her mission before falling completely under his spell?

REVIEW:
I adored Molly Harpers Naked Werewolf series, I’m always looking for paranormal romances with a great sense of humor and Harper is the go to author for that. I hadn’t read the first in the Half Moon Hollow series but was easily pulled into this fun and humorous world without feeling lost. This series does mention many characters from the Jane Jameson series, fans of that series will be excited but don’t worry the new characters are the main focus.

A Witch’s Handbook of Kisses and Curses follows Nola Leary, a witch who travels to Half-Moon Hollow to keep her promise to her grandmother. She is searching for special artifacts that will secure the magic in her family for the next generation. But she has a couple of obstacles in the way; one being a rival family of witches, two that the artifacts are hidden in who knows where in town, and three her very attractive new neighbor. Nola has a time limit, the clock is ticking and the enemy is getting closer.

Nola is such a fun character that is definitely overwhelmed with trying to keep a secret from her boyfriend, meet long lost relatives and accidentally ending up with two jobs. As always in Harpers books the humor is my favorite and Nola has some great one-liners and scenes. I loved her friendship with everyone she meets in town, especially her neighbor Jed. What frustrated me the most was she obviously wasn’t feeling that connection to her boyfriend; he doesn’t even like her family, I wanted her to see that this guy wasn’t for her a little sooner. But nonetheless I adored Nola as characters on a mission and her journey as she discovers more about herself and that her enemies may surprise her.

Jed was a unique character; I knew he was up to something and that he was a supernatural in some manner. This guy will surprise you in every way, I had know idea there was going to be such a shocker with his character. He always seems to catch Nola at some funny moments; of course she can’t seem to get this guy off her mind. The relationship between the two was paced well with lots of banter and chemistry that made me love this couples development.

Overall Harper does a fantastic job introducing characters into an already evolved town from another series. I didn’t feel that I needed to read the other series to understand because Nola was the focus. I loved every character, they all brought something special to the plot and of course humor. In the end I’ll definitely be coming back to this world and can’t wait to see what happens next with Nola and what new characters Harper introduces.

RECOMMENDATION:
This is an adult novel with lots of humor, steamy moments and unforgettable characters. Fans of authors Katie MacAlister and Lynsay Sands will love this series.

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{Blog Tour} Review + Giveaway for Terra by Gretchen Powell

Seeing Night Reviews is the next stop in the Terra Blog Tour for Gretchen Powell.

Terra by Gretchen Powell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

GENRE: YA Dystopian
THEME: Science Fiction, Romance
RECEIVED: Blog Tour
AUTHORS BLOG: Gretchen Powells' Site

BLURB:

A broken and desolate Earth. A young girl struggling to survive. A lost boy with a powerful secret.

A discovery that will change everything.
In the distant wake of a plague that has decimated the Earth's population, humanity is split in two: The rich and powerful live in skycities that float overhead, while those who remain on the ground have gathered in settlements strewn across a dying planet. Eighteen-year-old Terra Rhodon is a terrestrial--a denizen of the barren groundworld--who makes her living as a scav. Long abandoned by her father, her caregivers gone, Terra supports herself and her younger brother, Mica, by scouring the earth for discarded scraps and metals to recycle for profit. One day, while on a routine scavenging run, she discovers something that shocks her home settlement of Genesis X-16. When the value of her discovery is revealed, Terra's world is turned upside down.
Terra suddenly finds herself asking questions no one will answer. Her search for the truth leads her to Adam--a beguiling skydweller unlike any she has ever met. But Adam has secrets and a quest of his own, and with him by her side, the world Terra thought she knew begins to unravel. Soon her discoveries unearth a terrifying conspiracy that has the potential to shatter everything--a revelation that will test the bonds of loyalty, family, and love.

REVIEW:
Even with the heavy amount of dystopian novels that have come out recently I was excited to read Terra because it focuses on science fiction. The characters are easy to connect too, the plot has many surprises and the romance is sure to hook the readers.

Terra follows a young terrestrial girl named Terra; she is the sole provider for her and her brother Mica. Meaning she must put herself in danger each day to scavenge for anything that she collect to trade for money. But on one scavenge she discovers an unusual object that changes everything. Being apart of the poor people that live on earth she never seen much money until she trades in the object. With that she begins to ask questions, until she meets someone who has all the answers.

Terra fits the bill to most dystopian female protagonist, with her tough exterior and survival instincts. She is the main caretaker and will do anything to keep her brother safe. Taking on a role as the provider, it was interesting to see how she and her brother Mica interact. Their relationship is strong, even though he gives her a hard time at some moments. He’s only thirteen but extremely smart and knows that his sister is taking in a lot on her shoulders. She is someone who wants answers to everything, especially when collections day comes and she’s given more money than she could ever dream of for some scrap she found. Her questions lead her to danger and that where she meets Adam.

Adam is one big mystery; he’s also the most fascinating character and my favorite. He clashes with Terra a bit in the beginning, she slowly begins to trust him after he helps her a couple of times. I do have a pet peeve about characters relationships going from banter to insta-love; I wish it was paced a little more evenly to evolve. But nonetheless I loved their interactions and how Adams secret give her one heck of a wake up call. In the end the readers will find out how important Adam is and that Terra might be in a little over her head now that she’s met him.

Overall get ready for a science fiction thrill ride, the plot may have that dystopian aspect that sounds familiar, but the science fiction twist adds a punch to excite any reader. With mystery, romance, conspiracy, family love and great character development this is a story that I was glad to read. What I found interesting was how the rich and poor were divided by sky and land; it was original along with the plot that kept me reading in one sitting. The ending isn’t so much a cliffhanger as it’s a beginning to something big and exiting. I can’t wait to see what’s next for Terra, Mica and Adam.

RECOMMENDATION:
This is a young adult science fiction novel with some minor violence and kissing but overall a book for everyone. Fans of The Host by Stephenie Meyers and Taken by Erin Bowman will enjoy Terra by Gretchen Powell.

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About the Author
Half-Chinese and the daughter of a US diplomat, Gretchen Powell spent her childhood growing up in far-off places. She made it all the way to her mid-twenties whilst maintaining her deep-seated love for young adult novels, so she decided to write one of her own.

Her creative process involves copious amounts of Sour Patch Kids and sleeping fitfully. Her many interests include anything with polka dots, Harry Potter, and playing the ukulele.

When she isn't crafting devastated futuristic worlds and fiery heroines, Gretchen also writes a healthy living blog, entitled "Honey, I Shrunk the Gretchen!"

She lives in Northern Virginia with her two adorable miniature schnauzers. They wear many sweaters.

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Chapters 1 & 2 are available to read online

A signed copy of the book and three signed bookmarks to ONE WINNER.

The giveaway is US ONLY.

{Blog Tour} Review of The Watcher by Lisa Voisin

Seeing Night Reviews is the next stop in The Watcher blog tour for Lisa Voisin.

The Watcher by Lisa Voisin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

GENRE: YA Paranormal
THEME: Angels, Demons, Romance
RECEIVED: Author
AUTHORS BLOG: Lisa Voisins' Site

BLURB:

Millennia ago, he fell from heaven for her.
Can he face her without falling again?

Fascinated with ancient civilizations, seventeen-year-old Mia Crawford dreams of becoming an archaeologist. She also dreams of wings—soft and silent like snow—and somebody trying to steal them.

When a horrible creature appears out of thin air and attacks her, she knows Michael Fontaine is involved, though he claims to know nothing about it. Secretive and aloof, Michael evokes feelings in Mia that she doesn’t understand. Images of another time and place haunt her. She recognizes them—but not from any textbook.

In search of the truth, Mia discovers a past life of forbidden love, jealousy and revenge that tore an angel from Heaven and sent her to an early grave. Now that her soul has returned, does she have a chance at loving that angel again? Or will an age-old nemesis destroy them both?
Ancient history is only the beginning.

REVIEW:
I was thrilled to be asked to be apart of The Watcher tour; I’m always looking for new and exciting series in the paranormal genre, especially with some romance mixed in. The Watcher is filled with mystery, romance, and paranormal tidbits with angels and demons that will make the reader fly through the pages.

The Watcher follows Mia a young girl who is always on edge after a frightening incident and shadowy figures chased her in the woods. After seeing a mysterious boy in the woods after everything that happened, it surprised her even more to find out he attends her school. Mia can’t seem to get it out of her head that she’s met Michael before and the closer she gets to him the more dangerous her life becomes.

Mia was a little hard for me to connect too; these days I feel all the lead female characters are starting to sounds repetitive. She does get a bit whiney at times and unfortunately that’s one of my pet peeves. Mia faces many challenges and is trying to put the pieces together of how she knows Michael and why she’s drawn to him. I really enjoyed unfolding Mia’s past; there is so much about her character that will surprise the reader. I also liked that even though the story focused highly on her relationship with Michael she stayed a true friend to Heather and Fiona. Mia’s relationship with Michael is complicated but has so many sweet and insanely hot moments that the readers will be rooting for these two all the way through.

Michael I felt was the more complex character and the readers will definitely enjoy the history and unfolding mystery behind his presence. He’s the broody type at the beginning but slowly Mia peels back the wall and finds her way to get him to open up to her. I loved every scene with them together, even though it frustrated me with Michael pushing her away and sometimes I felt he really needed to explain more to her.

Voisin creates a well thought out angel and demon history, that ties both Mia and Michael together. Where Michael is a fallen who is trying to recover from his past mistakes, Mia is the one piece of the puzzle Michael can’t let go. It’s a story of forbidden love between and angel and human and a darkness that doesn’t want them to be happy.

Overall I enjoy The Watcher, each character is well developed with a detailed history that will shock the reader but creates an interesting twist in the plot. The villain is both intriguing and dangerous, actually one of my favorite characters in the book. He adds some fun and complications that will keep the readers guessing on just how bad he is. My only issue was that a lot happens in the last half of the book, where the first half was a bit slow; I wished it were a more even pace. But nonetheless I enjoyed the romance; plot twist, angel lore and a great start to a new series.

RECOMMENDATION:
This is a young adult paranormal novel that brings to life a unique angel love story. Fans of The Collector by Victoria Scott and the Hush Hush series by Becca Fitzpatrick will enjoy The Watcher by Lisa Voisin.

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Find it: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon.CA | B&N | Indie Bound | Inkspell | Kobo | Chapters / Indigo

AUTHOR BIO:
A Canadian-born author, Lisa Voisin spent her childhood daydreaming and making up stories, but it was her love of reading and writing in her teens that drew her to Young Adult fiction.

A self-proclaimed coffee lover, Lisa can usually be found writing in a local café. When she's not writing, you'll find her meditating or hiking in the mountains to counteract the side effects of drinking too much caffeine!

Though she’s lived in several cities across Canada, she currently lives in Vancouver, B.C. with her fiancé and their two cats.

Find her: Twitter | Facebook | Website | Blog

Lisa Voisin and Inkspell Publishing are giving away print (US/Canada/UK) and eBook (INT) copies of The Watcher as well as this lovely angel wing necklace.

{Spotlight of the Week} Q&A + Giveaway of Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness

This weeks spotlight of the week is Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness to celebrate the release of the paperback on may 28th. Check out the must read Q&A plus enter the giveaway!

A CONVERSATION WITH DEBORAH HARKNESS

Q: A Discovery of Witches debuted at # 2 on the New York Times bestseller list with publications following in 37 countries. What has been your reaction to the outpouring of love for A Discovery of Witches? Was it surprising how taken fans were with Diana and Matthew’s story?

A. It has been amazing—and a bit overwhelming. I was surprised by how quickly readers embraced two central characters who challenge our typical notion of what a heroine or hero should be. And I continue to be amazed whenever a new reader pops up, whether one in the US or somewhere like Finland or Japan—to tell me how much they enjoyed being caught up in Diana’s world.

Q: Last summer, Warner Brothers acquired screen rights to the trilogy, and David Auburn, the Pulitzer-Prize-winning writer of Proof, has been tapped to pen the screenplay. Are you looking forward to your novels being portrayed on the big screen? What are your favorite casting ideas that you’ve heard from friends and readers?

A. I was thrilled when Warner Brothers wanted to translate the All Souls trilogy from book to screen. At first I was reluctant about the whole idea of a movie, and it actually took me nearly two years to agree to let someone try. The team at Warner Brothers impressed me with their seriousness about the project and their commitment to the characters and story I was trying to tell. Their decision to go with David Auburn confirmed that my faith in them was not misplaced. As for the casting, I deliberately don’t say anything about that! I would hate for any actor or actress to be cast in one of these roles and feel that they didn’t have my total support. I will say, however, that many of my readers’ ideas involve actors who have already played a vampire and I would be very surprised if one of them were asked to be Matthew!

Q: SHADOW OF NIGHT opens on a scene in 1590s Elizabethan England featuring the famous School of Night, a group of historical figures believed to be friends, including Sir Walter Raleigh and playwright Christopher Marlowe. Why did you choose to feature these individuals, and can we expect Diana and Matthew to meet other famous figures from the past?

A. I wrote my master’s thesis on the imagery surrounding Elizabeth I during the last two decades of her reign. One of my main sources was the poem The Shadow of Night by George Chapman—a member of this circle of fascinating men—and that work is dedicated to a mysterious poet named Matthew Roydon about whom we know very little. When I was first thinking about how vampires moved in the world (and this was way back in the autumn of 2008 when I was just beginning A Discovery of Witches) I remembered Roydon and thought “that is the kind of identity a vampire would have, surrounded by interesting people but not the center of the action.” From that moment on I knew the second part of Diana and Matthew’s story would take place among the School of Night. And from a character standpoint, Walter Raleigh, Christopher Marlowe, George Chapman, and the other men associated with the group are irresistible. They were such significant, colorful presences in Elizabethan England.

Q: In SHADOW OF NIGHT, we learn more about the alchemical bonds between Diana and Matthew. In your day job, you are a professor of history and science at the University of Southern California and have focused on alchemy in your research. What aspects of this intersection between science and magic do you hope readers will pick up on while reading SHADOW OF NIGHT?

A. Whereas A Discovery of Witches focused on the literature and symbolism of alchemy, in Shadow of Night I’m able to explore some of the hands-on aspects of this ancient tradition. There is still plenty of symbolism for Diana to think about, but in this volume we go from abstractions and ideals to real transformation and change—which was always my intention with the series. Just as we get to know more about how Elizabethan men and women undertook alchemical experiments, we also get to see Matthew and Diana’s relationship undergo the metamorphosis from new love to something more.


Q: SHADOW OF NIGHT spans the globe, with London, France, and Prague as some of the locales. Did you travel to these destinations for your research?

A. I did. My historical research has been based in London for some time now, so I’ve spent long stretches of time living in the City of London—the oldest part of the metropolis—but I had never been to the Auvergne or Prague. I visited both places while writing the book, and in both cases it was a bit like traveling in time to walk village lanes, old pilgrim roads, and twisting city streets while imagining Diana and Matthew at my side.

Q: Did you have an idea or an outline for SHADOW OF NIGHT when you were writing A Discovery of Witches? Did the direction change once you sat down to write it?

A. I didn’t outline either book in the traditional sense. In both cases I knew what some of the high points were and how the plot moved towards the conclusion, but there were some significant changes during the revision process. This was especially true for SHADOW OF NIGHT, although most of those changes involved moving specific pieces of the plot forward or back to improve the momentum and flow.

Q: A Discovery of Witches begins with Diana Bishop stumbling across a lost, enchanted manuscript called Ashmole 782 in Oxford’s Bodleian Library, whose secrets Diana and Matthew are still trying to uncover in SHADOW OF NIGHT. You had a similar experience while you were completing your dissertation. What was the story behind your discovery? And how did it inspire the creation of these novels?

A. I did discover a manuscript—not an enchanted one, alas—in the Bodleian Library. It was a manuscript owned by Queen Elizabeth’s astrologer, the mathematician and alchemist John Dee. In the 1570s and 1580s he became interested in using a crystal ball to talk to angels. The angels gave him all kinds of instructions on how to manage his life at home, his work—they even told him to pack up his family and belongings and go to far-away Poland and Prague. In the conversations, Dee asked the angels about a mysterious book in his library called “the Book of Soyga” or “Aldaraia.” No one had ever been able to find it, even though many of Dee’s other books survive in libraries throughout the world. In the summer of 1994 I was spending time in Oxford between finishing my doctorate and starting my first job. It was a wonderfully creative time, since I had no deadlines to worry about and my dissertation on Dee’s angel conversations was complete. As with most discoveries, this discovery of a “lost” manuscript was entirely accidental. I was looking for something else in the Bodleian’s catalogue and in the upper corner of the page was a reference to a book called “Aldaraia.” I knew it couldn’t be Dee’s book, but I called it up anyway. And it turned out it WAS the book (or at least a copy of it). With the help of the Bodleian’s Keeper of Rare Books, I located another copy in the British Library.

Q: Are there other lost books like this in the world?

A. Absolutely! Entire books have been written about famous lost volumes—including works by Plato, Aristotle, and Shakespeare to name just a few. Libraries are full of such treasures, some of them unrecognized and others simply misfiled or mislabeled. And we find lost books outside of libraries, too. In January 2006, a completely unknown manuscript belonging to one of the 17th century’s most prominent scientists, Robert Hooke, was discovered when someone was having the contents of their house valued for auction. The manuscript included minutes of early Royal Society meetings that we presumed were lost forever.

Q: Unlike Twilight’s Bella and Edward—hormonal teenagers who meet in the halls of a high school—your leading characters Matthew and Diana are established academics who meet in the library of one of the most prestigious academic institutions in the world. This is a world where vampires and witches drink wine together, practice yoga and discuss philosophy. Are these characters based on something you found missing in the fantasy genre?

A. There are a lot of adults reading young adult books, and for good reason. Authors who specialize in the young adult market are writing original, compelling stories that can make even the most cynical grownups believe in magic. In writing A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES, I wanted to give adult readers a world no less magical, no less surprising and delightful, but one that included grown-up concerns and activities. These are not your children’s vampires and witches.

SHADOW OF NIGHT picks up exactly where A Discovery of Witches left off: Diana Bishop and Matthew Clairmont, a witch historian and vampire geneticist respectively, have timewalked to Elizabethan England on their hunt for a magical alchemical manuscript, Ashmole 782—its sudden appearance and sudden disappearance have upended the delicately ordered world of magical creatures (witches, vampires, and daemons), threatening to unleash unprecedented metaphysical chaos.

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{Review} of Once by Dana Michelle Burnett

Once by Dana Michelle Burnett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

GENRE: Fantasy
THEME: Magic, Mystery
RECEIVED: Author
AUTHORS BLOG: Dana Michelle Burnetts' Site

BLURB:

Beautiful. Secretive. Magical. You envy their freedom, but you are distrustful of their ways. A strange carnival has come to Corydon, Indiana and the Irish Travellers have captured the small town's attention--but it's Harmony who's attracted theirs.

Harmony sees the Travellers everywhere and just like everyone else in town she's curious. But once she meets the mysterious and captivating Kieran, Harmony's life takes an exciting and chilling turn.

Up until now, Harmony never believed that fairy tales or myths were real, but Kieran and his family belong to an ancient tribe called the Tuatha de Dannan and someone else has discovered their secret.

An ancient battle is about to begin again, and now no one is safe, especially Harmony. Can Kieran resist the urge to be with her or will his feelings put her in the crossfire?

REVIEW:
Once is a quick read with a magical touch and romance that the readers will remember. This is the first book in the Gypsy Fairy Tale series, so there is no doubt that I can’t wait to read the next book after the ending left me wanting more.

Once follows Harmony a young woman who has just lost her grandmother and the only person left in her family. She takes over her grandmothers feed store in her small town and tries to move forward. But when the carnival comes to town, it not only brings light to her lonely life but Kieran the one man who changes her life forever.

Harmony has lost enough in her life and is easily intrigue by the carnival and the people apart of it. But she doesn’t know that she’s caught the eye of one of the performers. She is just a normal girl trying to keep her business, the only thing has left afloat. Harmony can’t help but fall for Kieran, the carnivals magician, who is keeping a big secret from her. I loved watching their romance grow and the mystery behind who Kieran is comes to light. Kieran is a character full of mystery and charm. The readers will easily be capitated by him and his fellow travelers. The town people themselves are great secondary characters, with the gossipers and stories they spread, add to Harmony’s intrigue.

This story I felt was more of a novella, with how quickly is moved through the plot. I wished it was a little bit longer, but the details and characters did get enough page time that I didn’t feel like it was rushed. Harmony’s character is put in a difficult situation and a war that is unknown to many, I feel this will be a great start to move into the next book. I don’t want to get into much more detail as I feel with the length of this book; I will give away too much. If you’re looking for romance, magic, mystery and characters that will grasp your interest right from the start, then this is the book for you.

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{Review} of The Mist-Torn Witches by Barb Hendee

The Mist-Torn Witches by Barb Hendee
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

GENRE: Fantasy
THEME: Magic, Mystery, Adventure
RECEIVED: Publisher
AUTHORS BLOG: Barb Hendees' Site

BLURB:

In a small village in the nation of Droevinka, orphaned sisters Céline and Amelie Fawe scrape out a living selling herbal medicines in their apothecary shop. Céline earns additional money by posing as a seer and pretending to read people’s futures.

But they exist in a land of great noble houses, all vying for power, and when the sisters refuse the orders of a warlord prince, they must flee and are forced to depend on the warlord prince’s brother, Anton, for a temporary haven.

A series of bizarre deaths of pretty young girls are plaguing the village surrounding Prince Anton’s castle. He offers Céline and Amelie permanent protection if they can use their "skills" to find the killer.

With little choice, the sisters enter a world unknown to them — of fine gowns and banquets and advances from powerful men. Their survival depends on catching a murderer who appears to walk through walls and vanish without a trace — and the danger around them seems to grow with each passing night.

REVIEW:
This was my first book by Barb Hendee and definitely won’t be my last. The Mist- Torn Witches is her latest series that dives deep into a creatively mysterious fantasy world that was not only wonderfully written, but also brought to life many memorable characters to which I cant wait to follow in the next book. I love stories that surprise me by easily hooking me right at the start, before I knew it was was half way through the book and didn't want it to end.

The Mist-Torn Witches follows sisters Celine and Amelie from a young age of loosing their mother and learning to survive on their own. Celine follows in her mother’s footsteps as an Apothecary and so-called seer. Though her mother had the true gift, Celine pretends to be a seer to keep her sister and she afloat. But that is until one reading changes everything and Celine soon realizes she’s not pretending anymore.

Celine takes over her mothers Apothecary shop with her sister Amelie, they both have learned how to keep each other safe and stay away from trouble. Celine has a vision that changes everything. She is a go with what her gut/vision type of girl. I enjoyed watching Celines character mature, she has a lot to learn about herself and her gift. She isn’t perfect but she is follows the rules and tries to do what is best and help when she can. The only true person she trusts is her sister and their dynamic, and differences were so believable. For me having a sister myself I was able to connect to them both.

Amelie is the opposite of her sister; she is the more tomboyish one and always read to battle. Throughout the story she and her sister learn a lot about their mother and their family history, it was interesting to see how she connects to the magic and mystery behind their family. I liked how Amelie was never wanting to get all dressed up, she had the tougher attitude and she beat all the men in a game of cards.

There is a lot of magic and mystery, the plot take some interesting twists; the sisters must help a young prince who is surrounded by a darkness. There was action and spooky moments, I never knew who was behind all the terrible occurrences, but the sisters kept on helping until they could find out the truth. There are slight hints of romance; just attractions between the sisters and two men that I feel may get focused on in the next book. Hendee knows how to hook her readers with beautiful detailed settings, and. This could be read as a stand-alone since the story ends at a solid note and a great beginning to enter into the next book. After reading this in one sitting, I will gladly be continuing this series and look forward to reading more from Hendee.

RECOMMENDATION:
This is a fantasy series that will allow you escape to another world while you read it. Fans of Robin LaFevers His Fair Assassin series and M.J. Scott’s The Half Light City series will love The-Mist Torn Witches series by Barb Hendee.

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{Book Blitz} Guest Post + Giveaway for Shucked by Megg Jensen

Seeing Night Reviews is excited to spread the word about Shucked by Megg Jensen. A Young Adult Contemporary novel. Don't miss the guest post by Jensen and a giveaway.

The experts always say, “Write what you know.” That’s a tip I’ve largely ignored during my writing career. I mean, really, who wants to read about the things I know? My life is boring! That’s one of the big reasons I’ve always stuck with writing fantasy.

But Tabitha’s story in Shucked is really a reflection of what I know – because I grew up on a farm and went to school in a tiny farming community. I didn’t live with my grandparents or have a globetrotting archaeologist mom, but the flavor and lifestyle in Shucked is 100% authentic. It’s what I know and what I treasure most from my childhood.

In Shucked I wanted to convey the hilarious realities of farm life while mixing in the toughness that comes with growing up in a place where everyone knows everything about everyone else. There’s little privacy, but there is a whole lot of love.

And speaking of love…I wanted to give Tabitha an unusual, unexpected love interest. In the Midwest, you’ll occasionally find adoptees. They stick out because most people in small farming communities are whiter than bleached underwear. It’s not about prejudice, it’s usually just generations of the same families for hundreds of years. There isn’t much movement, or new blood, trickling into these communities.

Alex stands out to Tabitha. As a Korean adoptee, he looks completely different from every other boy in the school. Yet Tabitha, who grew up traveling around the world with her archaeologist mom, is used to guys who are exotic. Seeing him the first day school turns her attitude on its ear. She has a lot of expectations for what school will be like, mainly because her only exposure to American teens has been through reality TV. She finds out fast that while some of her expectations are completely wrong, unfortunately a few are true.

Tabitha has a lot to learn about life, American teens, and, especially, herself. Her layers are stripped away one by one as she learns to trust people. It’s not just because she’s new to attending school or hanging out with teens. Every kid goes through this process in one way or another while in high school. It’s part of the experience. Tabitha just happens to come from a totally different world of experience.

Shucked by Megg Jensen
Publication date: April 14th 2013
Genre: YA Contemporary

Synopsis:
Suburgatory meets Indiana Jones...on a farm

Fifteen-year-old Tabitha has had the kind of life that would impress even the greatest adventurers. She's escaped a croc attack in the Amazon, walked the length of the Great Wall of China, and earned a black belt in taekwondo in Korea. She owes her worldly experience to her mother's career in archaeology, but when her mother takes on a dangerous new assignment, Tabitha is devastated to learn she can't tag along.

Instead, she's forced to live on a midwestern farm with her grandparents where she'll have to attend a full year of public school. It's Tabitha's greatest nightmare, because despite all her adventures, she has no practical experience with the one thing that frightens her the most - other teenagers.

Her math teacher is her mom's old high school boyfriend, she can't tell the friendly girls from the mean ones, and she develops a major crush on a boy she knows she can't trust. And just when she thinks she'll never get the hang of this normal teenager thing, an attack brings the danger of her previous life right up to her midwestern porch. Who could have ever guessed getting totally shucked would bring her face-to-face with her most exciting adventure yet?

Goodreads

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AUTHOR BIO

I've been a freelance parenting journalist since 2003 and began writing YA novels in 2009. I co-run DarkSide Publishing, am a member of SCBWI, and I blog about writing while juggling freelancing, volunteering, and family life. I live in the Chicago suburbs with my husband, two kids, and our miniature schnauzer, Ace.

Author Links: Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter 

(1) ebook copy of Shucked (Mobi or ePub only) & 3 bookmarks

{Book Tour} Review + Giveaway of Playing Hooky by Rita Webb

Seeing Night Reviews is the next stop in the Playing Hooky blog tour for Rita Webb.

Playing Hooky by Rita Webb
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

GENRE: New Adult Fantasy
THEME: Romance, Magic
RECEIVED: Publisher
BLURB:

Valentine’s Day.

And my 21st birthday.

Whoop-de-doo.

Just another college day full of classes and more homework than is humanly possible.

…until Jason, my best-friend-since-kindergarten, shows up to take me out for the day.

Like old times: the two of us on a wacky adventure, playing hooky from real life. With his lopsided grin and tickets to a circus full of misfits and monsters, he introduces me to a whole new world—one full of magic and mystery—and turns my reality upside down.

Except nothing goes as planned, and we end up running through the city to find a missing siren before someone brews a love potion with her blood.

Sirens and love potions, witches and elves, and Valentine kisses. Nothing will be the same for me again.

REVIEW:
Playing Hooky follows Emma on her 21st birthday, as always she’s excited to spend this day with her best friend Jason on some sort of adventure. But Jason has a special day planned for her that she’ll likely never forget.

Emma is a typical college girl; she’s not perfect and seems to be the total opposite of her pretty and perfectly sweet sister. But her friend Jason, likes her for who she is. Which is rough around the edges and ready for adventures. Jason introduces her to what he’s grown up knowing is real, magic. Emma actually takes the news of his secret with stride and not as many questions as I would have. But I guess it might have to settle in a bit more.

Jason has been best friends with Emma since they were kids, always harboring a soft spot for her. On her birthday he wants to tell her one of his big secrets and introduces her to a world he’s tried to tell her about for forever. But things take a turn when a mystical creature goes missing and they set off looking for it. I loved how much he cared for Emma, they had some cute moments of chemistry and you can just see the sparks.

The hard part about this story is that since it’s a novella, the readers only get a sneak peak into this magical world. We do learn a little backstory about Jason and of course some great chemistry with Emma and him. Luckily this is only the beginning, as with this being a series, I can’t wait to find about more about Jason and this world he’s brought Emma too. I don’t want to say much more since it will spoil the story.

Overall this was a great introduction, I can’t wait to see more chemistry bloom with Emma and Jason, plus get more of a background story. There were a lot of unique characters introduced that I can already tell they’ll be coming back in the future books. We do get a very shocking villain and I so can’t wait to get more detail about that one. In the end a fast read with mystery, romance, magic, and a promising start to a new series.

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Playing Hooky by Rita Webb
Series: Paranormal Investigations #1
Publication: January 21st 2013
Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance
Length: Novella (100 pages)

GOODREADS | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

AUTHOR BIO
Leaving the house to go to school, I had schoolbooks spilling out of one hand, the other holding my place in a Nancy Drew novel, and bunny slippers still on my feet. My mom was a wee bit upset.

I haven't changed much. Still always have a book (or two) in my hand or creating stories in my head, and although I don't have any bunny slippers, I love writing in my jammies and snuggly slipper socks.

When I grow up (maybe a hundred years from now), I'd like to be a superhero, but for now, saving the day, one page at a time, suits me just fine.

With my husband TJ (my own cuddly werewolf), I home-school our three girls, who keep us busy with art, science projects, books to read, dance classes, and walks about the park.

Author Links:
Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

{Review} of Bronze Gods by A.A. Aguirre

Bronze Gods by A.A. Aguirre
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

GENRE: Urban Fantasy
THEME: Steampunk, Fae
RECEIVED: Publisher
AUTHORS BLOG: A.A. Aguirres' Site

BLURB:

Hy Breasil is grimmer than it used to be.

Before the Architect closed the door, there were regular crossings, and a great war decimated both humans and Ferishers. The native fae who refused to treat with the invaders faded; their bodies withered and died, stranding them as hungry, angry spirits that haunt the countryside.

That means there’s always trouble brewing in Dorstaad.

Janus Mikani and Celeste Ritsuko work for the Criminal Investigation Department, keeping citizens safe from things that go bump in the night. He’s a hardboiled cynic with an uncanny sixth sense; she’s determined to justify her promotion as the first female detective in her division. Together, they’re trying to keep a black tide from drowning the city.

But when the second body surfaces, murdered with the same type of infernal device, the entire CID must face the truth. There’s a madman on the loose, twining magic and blood… and only Mikani and Ritsuko can unravel the intricate, lethal conspiracy before the Royale killer completes his macabre plan, unleashing old, forbidden magic on an unsuspecting populace. If the maniac succeeds, it could mean the end of everything…

REVIEW:
Aguirre has done it again! She has sucked me into another one of her creatively detail edworlds and two lead characters that carried so much spark. This is one heck of a mystery story with lots of steampunk elements mixed with some Fae folklore and magic.

Bronze Gods follows Janus Mikani and Celeste Ritsuko, two CID inspectors who have been brought in on a missing persons case. But when the case take a turn for the worse and both inspectors began a hunt for a madman that has created an unusual machine that has now killed. With magic and chaos missed in they will stop at nothing until they catch this murder, even if it means they maybe come face to face with death.

Janus Mikani is one heck of a charmer with the ladies but also a fine inspector who has an unusual sense that helps him with cases. He’s definitely the act first aggressor, while his partner Ritsuko does all the logical thinking. His ability helps him see impressions and heightened sense while at crimes scene or when interviewing. It was an interesting dynamic with Mikani and Ritsuko, she is his number one supporter and always understands when he needed her.

Celeste Ritsuko is one smart girl who is trying to do a “mans” job. She is the calmer half in the duo, making sure to smooth things over when her partner steps on some toes along the way. Both of them are work alcoholics and determined to take down this murderer. I like how she becomes more independent the longer shes around Mikani, he makes her stronger and feel safe.

What I loved most about these two working together was that they really enjoy their work, they want to stop the bad guys, but they have such great respect for each other. The humor and sarcasm create such a fun dynamic between the two and some intensely great scene of chemistry. The possibility of romance is hinted, kind of like the television show Castle, its focused on and they both are trying to figure out their true feelings.

The folklore, the backstory is brought to life through dreams in each chapter. The main point is that ships with humans came to the land that was once ruled by the Ferishers aka Fae people. But a war came that needed to be stopped and the compromised was of a fae prince and human married. This created the Houses and those who have some Ferisher blood with unique abilities (Like Mikani).

Overall I loved this intense mystery, the steampunk is very lax and only focused on with the machine the murder created. I loved that the mystery took so many twist and turns, introducing many secondary characters that took the reader more into the Fae storyline. There is a lot of humor, romantic chemistry, fantastic mystery, and one heck of an ending. This of course is only the beginning of the series and some questions still need to be answered, I can’t wait to continue on the next mystery adventure with this entertaining duo.

RECOMMENDATION:
This is adult urban fantasy with lots of mystery; fans of Rachel Vincent’s Unbound series and Kim Harrison’s Hollow series will love Bronze Gods by A.A. Agurrie.

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