The Spirit Box - by JH Glaze

Beginning with a story in a story it grips you as much as the unwilling woman and the shopkeeper. It’s almost like you’re sucked into the legend too. When you seek power from lies and cons you play right into the devils hands. Alron had been a survivor of war that had destroyed his own people, fleeing those lands he stole the robes of the Shaman before he left. Insinuating himself among the people of Krag as a Dark Holy Shaman with word from the gods gained him high position. But when the time came to make good on a promise to the king all the power Alron had masqueraded as his own would manifest in his body, but it would be the power of the spirit riding him. After witnessing the power of The Sprit Box the woman realizes just what it is she has bought into but how far would she be willing to go?

Isn’t it amazing how you can set out to solve one thing only to stumble into something totally different? Well that is what happens to John Hazard. As he searches for a killer the trail leads him to a case much larger than anyone could have suspected and what he is bound to find is far more grisly than just one murder scene. Walt had never remembered his childhood and his mother was always having to fill in the memories for him. Work wasn’t anything spectacular for Walt but at least it was a job. So when his mother dies and he is fired from his job he isn’t left with many options. Finally with time on his hands he decides to research a dream he’d been having, so he goes into his mother’s shop in search of the object and low and behold it really exists. But what could be so important about this box that could cause Walt to dream about it?

This is a fabulous story written in such a way that it will have you in its grips to the end. Once I picked it up this morning I didn’t put it down till I was done. The great thing is that you get to find out all the answers to every question you have in this story. Even though this book is only book one of a series we aren’t left with any cliffhangers, which is really a nice turn of events and at the same time you are still excitedly awaiting the next book. The sequel is actually about to be released and it’s called NorthWest so you don’t have to wait long for more of John Hazard. So if you haven’t already read The Spirit Box go grab your copy and if you have be on the lookout for NorthWest:)

Forever (the sequel to Guardian)- by Gillian Joy

With Phelip on the run and unable to be found Hannah’s life still hasn’t seemed to find a settled state. She keeps having a reoccurring nightmare where she drowns and it’s causing Hannah to lose sleep. Her mum is terminally ill and her daughter is discovering way more about crudelitas than Hannah ever wanted. Plus with Sam off being part of the Vampire Custas it was now all on Hannah’s shoulders, she had the kids, the house, and her mom to care for not to mention a particular Fairy Prince who kept showing up. The Mermaids are also getting in on the action in this book with the only two members in Australia begging for Hannah to come swim with them and bringing up some reference to others who want to meet Hannah. So where could this lead? What’s worse in the whole aspect of things was the fairies have found out where Hannah lives and they also know about the children. Is there a chance that other crudelitas could know about them as well?

They always say that no good deed goes unpunished and for Hannah in the fairies case it seems to be true. Even though all she wants to do is help things end up going all pear-shaped with the fairies and things take a drastic change. It was like life just couldn’t seem to get its grip to settle back down and now Hannah was going to have to give in and swim with the mermaids.  She just can’t keep being sleep deprived. But who were these others the mermaids kept speaking of and new challenges would await?

Well WOW! I should say I expected some kind of surprise but in reality I didn’t. I thought we had hit the insanely cool twists in the last book but leave it to Gillian to hit another one in this book too. For me this is a series that just keeps on giving. You dive into a wonderful storyline that keeps you pulled in, addicts you to the characters and keeps you just wanting the pages to never end. The wait for the third book is undoubtedly going to drive me nuts…and it will you too, but it’s oh so worth it to read something this great:)

Guardian - by Gillian Joy

In the 1600’s being 12 years of age wasn’t so young, in fact it was practically grown. People didn’t live as long as they do today and even minor illness could cause death. Superstitions also ran rampant and many things we take for entertainment like vampires, werewolves, and witches were the cause of real fears. But instead of being like every other girl her age Hannah knows that not only all of the superstitions positively real but she and her mother are from a long line of Guardians those who are here to keep all the crudelitas (supernatural) beings in line. But even with the power to destroy a crudelita with a single thought couldn’t help her from the jealousy and greed of normal humans.

Who knew just having a best friend would cause such problems but when your best friend’s father is truly cruel and vicious person it can lead to trouble. From one little kiss between Gabriel and Hannah, life would change drastically. Hannah would lose not only her mother but Gabriel as well…and the real question would always remain who was really behind it all because Gabriel’s father hadn’t been the only responsible.

Now 300 years and one whole lifetime later Hannah is finally on track to get the person who set up her mother and who had taken Gabriel from her for so long. Now with 3 Vamps, a witch, and a warlock on her side, Hannah is going to try to get revenge and try to keep everyone she loves safe.

This story is one of those that you pick up and you can’t put down, it’s just that great! I mean page 136 practically killed me and was one of the last things I expected. Not many people can catch me that off guard and it was one heck of a surprise. It’s like you don’t want to see the page numbers getting higher because it coming close to the end of the book and you don’t want the story to stop. I am dying for the sequel, I just have to know what happens next. This is one of those must reads…so go read it!

S.P.I.R.I.T Fire Storm - by Dawn Gray

So what could be freakier than waking up at the scene of an explosion who knows where and in clothes that aren’t yours? Not much really, but at least for Samantha, Zander is by her side. Zander is the man she has never known before but with whom she has an instant bond and connection with and as long as he’s by her side she feels as though things will be alright. 

Only things never do seem to right themselves. From one twist to a hard right turn that you come to find has spun you left the story takes you through discoveries of monsters, parallel dimensions, duplicate towns and the discovery of the powers Samantha and Zander hold within themselves. One thing we know for sure in the all of the chaos is how much Sam and Zander need each other and it leaves no doubt of the love that’s growing between them.

There were times when I felt like I couldn’t keep up with the story but it’s so action packed that it kept me in its grips. From one discovery to the next it’s like life has kicked into high gear for Sam and Zander and there is no speed limit. Can they set things right in order to fix the craziness going on around them? You’ll have to read to find out!!! Oh and guess what? There is a sequel in the works too:)

Night Myst and Night Veil - by Yasmine Galenorn

I had already read these books long before I started my blog. I just didn't want to write a review based on my memory so I just figured that I would re-read them so it would be fresh in my mind. In all intentions I was just going to read Night Myst then review it then re0read Night Veil but of course it didn't turn out that way. It was like seeing an old friend and getting sucked into a long conversation. Once I started reading I couldn't put the series down! The books are AMAZING!!!
Cicely finally is ready to go home even though it isn't under the best of circumstances. Life has gotten crazy around the town of New Forest, the only place she had ever called home. Everyone who was born with magic blood was being killed or disappearing and even the strongest witch in the area had been murdered. What's worse is that the town law enforcement wasn't going to help anyone not even when regular people began being killed.
But returning home would prove to be much more difficult than Cicely could imagine. Not only did she have to try to sort things out with her long lost love but she had to figure out what was plaguing the town. From what it seemed no part of her life was going to be easy but it never had been. Her mom had been bloodwhore and junkie who had dragged her along for the druggie ride. Now it seemed she would have even worse on her plate.
A war between supernaturals was brewing and Cicely was going to be the fulcrum for the events. With Vampires on one side, Fae playing around in the pieces, and the dark vampiric fae all wanting various pieces of her for various reasons Cicely's life would never be her's as long as the war was going to rage. So what could be done so everyone could come out alive?
Well we don't know but I sure want to! We are only on book two of the series and already Im eating it up. I just can't wait for the next book and while it may seem like there wasn't much of a review for two books it simply because there is so much that needs to be revealed in it's own time.
Cicely and her love for Grieve and his for her transcends lifetimes and lots of people want that. The best thing about their relationship though is that it isn't sappy for as strong as it is. They have such a hard time being together and trying to have a life. I mean everything stands in their way and yet no matter what it is always them fighting to be together...that's love.
Lannan, well what can I say. I kind of have a soft spot for him that I am hoping to be right about. I mean if he is who I suspect behind the asshole exterior he will be a force to be reckoned with for Cicely's affections:) Leo is Douche, nuff said.
Peyton, Luna, and Rhia all have so far to go to come into their own and each one will be a powerful force in her own right. The development of each of them will be a pleasure to read no matter how it come about. I have been truly impressed with each of the women in this series even Myst herself.
The strong female characters are just awesome and well written in a way that they are easy to relate to on so many levels. I hate superficial and Cicely, Rhia, and Peyton are not. There are just so many wonderful facets to this story that I couldn't address them all. I mean these books have everything in it, vampires, Fae, hybrids, humans, witches, and all sorts of twisted or lovely creatures. I guess the real question is how far do you want to let your imagination take you because these books will take you to a wonderful world full of everything you could want from a book. The only warning I give you is that the next book isn't due out till July 3rd and these books will leave you wanting to read more!!!!

Last chance to enter GIVEAWAYS

There are two giveaways going on now but this is you last chance enter!!!
One is here at Jinxie's World: http://jinxiesworld.com/2012/04/17/its-contest-time/

The other is here at Best Books: http://bestbooks1.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/2000-likes-mega-giveaway.html?showComment=1331941900248

Creatura - by Nely Cab

A truly amazing and unique read. Creatura is nothing like you would expect from any book out now.
Before I even read this book I threw all my preconceived notions out the door because I had read a few reviews of this book saying it would be truly unique and boy were they right. I had started reading it before I left for my Chicago weekend and was so busy while there I didnt have time to get to it. So last night I thought I would read a few chapters before bed....hmph. Yeah right! I ended up staying awake to finish the whole book. From the characters to the story line the book gets you pulled in.
While Isis might be a normal teenager she is really easy to identify with. She has a group of friends but isnt over the top popular, she comes from a single parent family, and she isnt extreme in any way but she has her own problems. You see the way she cares for people and the way her friends and family care for her, she is such a 3 dimensional character that you could picture her as a real person. Then there is David and while he is so not normal, let me tell you the awwwww factor will just grab you and not let go! I mean OMG ladies, its like "Can we please make this a real guy, oh and uh can he just give classes on romance?" David is simply AMAZING!!! Without giving anything away, ladies, you will want this man:)
Let me just say that in no way is it limited to just David and Isis but the cast of characters is just so wonderful you really dont want to miss just reading it for yourself. I know I havent really said much about the story line but trust me when I tell you that its for your own good!!! LOL. There are twist and wonderful turns that I just cant and wont spoil for you. What I will say so you dont think Im cruel is that the end is the biggest, baddest, most cliffy-cliffhanger ever!!! Ive already sent my tweet to Nely asking her if I can read her brain so I dont have to wait till the next book. Im betting she going to keep all that wonderfulness to herself and I will have to wait with the rest you. Its okay though, I will EAGERLY await the sequel and so will you!

RT & TVD Conventions

So I have to say I just had the best weekend EVER!!! I got to meet Charlaine Harris who if you don't know is the creator of the Sookie Stackhouse series without which you wouldnt have True Blood. She is an amazing woman and so incredibly friendly. The line for her signature was super long and limited but thanks to my wonderful other half, he held my place while I collected other signatures and I managed to be one of the ones that made it. I even got a picture with her which of course made me feel special since time for her was scarce. I had a huge fangirl moment over this and she didnt mind a bit. Of course none of the authors seemed to. I also got to meet the most wonderfully talented and amazing Yasmine Galenorn who writes The Indigo Court series as well as Sisters of the Moon/Otherworld Series. I had seen a little piece of her tattoos in a pic but she told me she had lots of ink. Yasmine was not kidding, she has tons. I love tattoos so that was just super cool. She signed some books or me from her sereis and I got a few minutes to talk with her. She is going to be doing an amazing project with her fans called the Street Team for more on that you can visit her blog here: http://yasmine-galenorn.blogspot.com/p/street-team.html I have to say I am a huge fan of hers and it was just so amazing to meet her and get the chance to talk with her in person.

Now for the TVD convention. First off let me say this Daniel Gillies (Elijah), Jamie Cristlow (Ian Somerhalders doppelganger), and Paul Wesley (Stefan) are the most amazing people. I got a few extra seconds with Daniel on two separate occasions and both times he was just so easy to talk to and so very sweet. When I went to get my photo with him and Micheal Trevino (Tyler), Micheal had known the girls in front of me so he was talking to them and Daniel just stuck his hand out like and was like "Hi, Im Daniel." after my brain kicked back in I was like "Hey Im Christina." and we just talked for a few minutes. Mostly about twitter but still it was fun. When Michael finally turned around he almost ran into me and I was like hey and we posed for shot but that was cool too. I didnt really didnt get to interact too much with Michael but his panel was funny. I missed Mat Davis's (Alric) panel because I was at the RT convention but I had really just wanted to hear him say I love you Pooh Bear which is from his movie Legally Blonde. I did get the chance to get my pic taken with Paul, Zach Roerig (Matt), and David Anders (Uncle John) and that was pretty amazing. Zach was dancing and singing to the music in between photos in his red jeans and blue shirt it was really funny. I got everyones autograph except Torreys which was disappointing but hers was too late for me to make it home. I almost had to miss out on all of Sundays autographs because of a time cruch but luckily I managed to score one the banners that put you at the front of the autograph line. Now I have a ginormous Zach Roerig banner with his awesome signature right across it!

I have to discuss with all Jamie Cristlow. For anyone who doesnt know who he is, he is an actor who looks just like Ian Somerhalder. I mean people were getting confused all weekend...lol. But I have to tell you he is the most sweetest man ever along with Daniel. I mean he did free photos with everyone, was making sure all the little girls that were fans got pics, he was even pushing one fan around in his wheel chair to get pics! At one point he was on stage doing a panel with TV After Dark and a little girl was on stage with him and he dropped down to one knee so he was her height. It was like "Awwwwwww" If you ever hear about him or any projects he is doing he deserves tons of support!!! He didnt have to be there, he wasnt even part of teh cast but he still did this for everyone that shows a huge heart right there. Again I cant say enough how amazing he is and how much time he took with everyone. If you ever read this Jamie...THANK YOU!

To wrap it up I have to say it was pretty clear this past weekend at TVD who the real starts of the show were and who actually care about their fans. They showed up and gave us great panels and were awesome enough to do autographs and pics too. Its wonderful that the cast members realize its the fans that make their show a hit and that they took the time to share with us.

The Conduit - by Stacey Rourke

The Conduit is about three siblings whose lives will be changed forever. Starting with the death of their father things had just gotten worse. From Gabe’s loss of his football scholarship to the break-ins in their neighborhood things just weren’t looking up. Their mom being the only parent around decided it would be better to send the kids to a small town in Tennessee to their live with their Grandma. Yet little did she know that’s where things would take a real turn; but for better or worse was the question?

One of my favorite things about this story is the fact that when the characters all do get their powers they don’t just immediately accept it and know what to do. It is a slow build-up of acceptance and understanding. In fact two of my favorite parts are all about the sibs either being scared or freaked out about what’s happening to them. When Celeste first finds out about herself before the others have any clue about what’s going on, she freaks and tries to run away from the one person who can help her. That piece was written perfectly. You could feel her freaking out and understand where she was coming from. It gave you a connection with the character because it made her actions more real. There aren’t many people who would just accept that kind of occurrence. The second part is when Keni has just come in after being lifted off the ground while kissing Keith. That’s when all of them really clue into what’s happening and boy is Celeste in trouble for knowing about anything initially. Again you see where the wonderful writing gives you real interaction that would exist between siblings. The defiant younger sister and the ticked off big brother, yet both of them protective of their youngest sib, I love it!

The backstory in this is wonderful as well and really gives you an understanding of Alaina and the things she has dealt with and seen. It tells you that these kids aren’t just getting powers for no reason and that this is something in their lineage. I don’t know if it is just the wonderful way that Stacey weaves the tale or if I would feel this way about all books but I just love that there is a reason for it all and not just random act of kids getting these supernatural powers. Honestly though if that were to happen, of all their powers I would want Gabe’s. It just seems the most amazing to me. It would be interesting to see who different people identify with and whose powers they would choose.

I have to say I am eagerly awaiting the sequel and loved every minute of reading this one. Stacey you write an amazing story Kudos to you =}

Stacey Rourke FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000212063686

The Conduit on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Conduit-Gryphon-Series-ebook/dp/B007H7UMR0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1334152289&sr=1-1