BOOK REVIEW: Touch of Steel (Clockwork Agents #2) by Kate Cross

The Wardens of the Realm are a group with extraordinary abilities, dedicated to protecting England from any threat. But in this steam-powered world, there’s a fine line between enemy and ally…

Reeling from her brother’s death, beautiful American spy Claire Brooks has vowed revenge on the member of The Company who she believes to be responsible: Stanton Howard. But when she chases the man to London, Claire is captured by the Wardens of the Realm and placed in the custody of the Earl of Wolfred, the dashing Alistair Payne.

Seeing the prospect of retribution slipping away, Claire convinces Alistair that she has defected and will help him take down The Company. As they travel via steam liner, Claire and Alistair must pretend to be engaged. Claire can’t deny the growing attraction she feels for her pretend husband, but when Howard is finally within her reach, she will have to decide whether her true loyalties lie with The Company or with her heart…


Claire Brooks and her brother Robert had been American spies for the The Company since they were young. But when her brother died, she vowed revenge even if it meant she has to find the culprit herself. She believes Stanton Howard is responsible and follows him to England. However, she is captured by the British spy agency, The Warden's. In exchange for the valuable information she can give them, she is given under the custody of the Earl of Wolfred, Alistair Payne. Together, they will find the men involved, discover the truth about the spy agencies, and fight the dangerous attraction they feel toward each other.

I have read steampunk books before. I love the costumes (Victorian dresses) and the combination of history and modernity. In the past, I haven't liked how the mechanical terms takeover the story; sometimes it's hard to focus on the narrative. However, with TOUCH OF STEEL, romance and steampunk are perfectly balanced.

Kate Cross did a wonderful job describing a vivid world of fan knives, metals, spies and historical England. The story flowed smoothly luring readers in the world she created. The terms used did not interfere with the story. The world building is done well, dropping the right amount of information just at the right time.

The main characters, Claire and Alistair, are both epic spies, they are deadly-badass! But also, they showed weaknesses. Claire suffers as a result of her brother's death and Alastair is still wounded from his former lover that betrayed him and left him for dead. Both have their share of tragedies and yet they still fight for good and their loved ones. I enjoyed the slow burn of love between these two, coupled with witty remarks and full-packed action, what more could I ask for?! For me, they are a perfect couple, one where a simple kiss could make their romance steamy and sensual.

Also, the secondary characters are unique and interesting, each has his own story to tell. Besides that, in this book you'll never guess who's good or right, each has his own agenda; each of them will do anything to get whatever that agenda may be.

Even though this is the second book, it is a stand-alone. I can't wait for Breath of Iron this summer and if ever there's a chance I will read the first book, Heart of Brass.

TOUCH OF STEEL is a not just steampunk but an action-adventure full of spies, revenge, loyalty, twists, steamy scenes and love. It's a new world of wicked spies that I'm not willing to leave yet.


copy provided by Fresh Fiction

BOOK REVIEW + Chapter 1 : Echo (The Soul Seekers #2) by Alyson Noel

"A rush of romance will sweep you away in this hauntingly mystical read. I'm already as addicted to Daire and Dace as I was to Ever and Damen!" –Justine magazine

She inherited a magical destiny—and a mission to stop a powerful family of dark sorcerers. She never expected to fall in love with one of them.

There’s still so much Daire Santos has to learn about being the last Soul Seeker….and about herself.  As her magical training becomes more intense, so does her relationship with Dace.  But when she learns that his connection to the evil Richter family goes far deeper than she ever imagined, she begins to question if love really can conquer all.

Dace is painfully aware that he wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for the Richters’ dark magic—and now his brother Cade is determined to use his love for Daire against him.  Dace is willing to sacrifice anything to protect the girl he loves —including his own life.  But will Daire allow it?  And what if defeating Cade costs not only his life, but his soul too?

Enchanting, haunting, romantic, Echo is the second book in the Soul Seekers series by #1 New York Times bestselling author Alyson Noël!



ECHO picked up where Fated ends. But unlike Fated, the second book doesn't dwell more on backstories and information, Echo jumps right into the plot. ECHO centers more on Daire and Dace's dangerous mission to save the Lowerworld from being corrupted by his twin evil brother Cade. The story is told both from Daire and Dace's perspectives. Daire continues with learning her different abilities, surpassing the challenges and understanding what it really means to be a Soul Seeker and understanding herself. A new character, Phyre is introduced, she is shown at the end having a meaningful conversation with her father, which tells us, they have a bigger role in the books to come.

But I really believe what makes ECHO so gripping is the main characters' relationship; their love has become stronger as well as the complications and danger that comes with Daire as a Soul Seeker and Dace as the Echo. It's so heartbreaking to see them perfect for each other but they cannot be together for the greater good.

Daire does a lot of growing in ECHO, in the earlier part, she is naïve and afraid but eventually she becomes confident, braver and the warrior her Abuela believes she should be. Dace opens himself through his own POV. We get to learn his thoughts, his fears, and his love for Daire.

I was actually thinking that Cade would play the Jacob or the bad-boy-who's-in-love-with-Daire part in the second book,ECHO but I was totally wrong. Cade became the personification of evil in this story. I just wish that we got to know more of him, like what's he really thinking, because although he was the topic of the main characters, he doesn't really showing up that much in ECHO.

The descriptions of the elemental song and the majestic scenes make this book entertaining.

However, I must admit that there are boring parts but it won't deter a fan from continuing.

This book had lots, and I mean lots of turns and twists. Decisions made, choices undertaken and the consequences that result are all surprising. The book ends with a beautiful and frustrating cliffhanger that reveals nothing but more questions. ECHO will surely make you wish Mystic is out already.

ECHO is an epic, fast-paced, magical page-turner that leaves the reader captivated and enthralled. It ends with chills, shivers, goosebumps and an insatiable want to read what's next!


Copy provided by Fresh Fiction 

Chapter 1
 
Daire's POV

Horse carries us across an expansive terrain with Raven riding high on his neck. His steps measured. Sure. The sound of his hooves meeting the earth resulting in a satisfying shuffle and crunch that always makes me feel as though we’re getting somewhere. Making progress. Despite the fact that we’ve been hunting for weeks with no sign of the enemy.

That’s what I call them—the enemy. Sometimes I switch it with intruders or even interlopers. And when it’s been an especially long day of hunting that has me feeling punchy, I refer to them as fiends.
Though I never call them by their real name.

I never refer to them as Richters.

They may be undead Richters, but they’re still Richters, and Paloma warned me to never inform Dace of his dark origins. Claimed there’s no need for him to know his existence stems from magick of the blackest kind. And even though being the keeper of such a horrible truth makes me feel dishonest at best and disloyal at worst, I can’t help but think that my grandmother’s right.

If anyone should tell him, it’s Chepi, his mother. But so far she’s kept silent.

I loosen my hold on Dace’s waist and sigh as I look all around. Taking in a spread of gleaming tall grass—the blades bending and flattening under Horse’s forged path—the grove of tall trees that mark the perimeter, providing shelter to birds, monkeys, and the occasional nut-seeking squirrel. My gaze cutting through the fading afternoon light—searching, always searching. But as always, there’s no sign of corruption, no sign of their presence.

Maybe the Bone Keeper found them?

I clasp the thought tightly, liking the feel of it. Not wanting to release it no matter how improbable. While I’ve no doubt the skull-faced, serpent-skirt-wearing, star-eating queen of the Lowerworld is more than capable of capturing them, if not obliterating them, I also know it won’t be that easy.
Having made this mess, it’s mine to fix.

“It still seems odd.” I press my lips to the nape of Dace’s neck, the words muffled by his long glossy sheet of dark hair. “You know, this perpetual cycle of night and day. It seems too normal, too ordinary for such an extraordinary place.”

I study the late-afternoon shadow that appears to be stalking us. An unlikely, elongated silhouette of a raven with a spindly stem of a neck, and two ridiculously tall people sitting astride a horse with legs so stretched and skinny they hardly look able to support us—the exaggerated shape heralding a night soon to fall.

Though the truth is, what qualifies as night in the Lowerworld isn’t much more than a trifling fade, falling far short of the heavy, black, star-dusted New Mexico sky I’ve grown used to. Though, I’m glad for its arrival all the same. Glad to have this day reaching its end.

I rest my chin on Dace’s shoulder, picking up where I left off. “Not to mention there’s no sign of a sun—so how’s it even possible? How can it rise and set when it doesn’t exist?”

Dace laughs in response, the sound throaty, deep, and so alluring I inch my body closer until it’s pressed hard against his. Determined to conform to every valley and curve of his back, wanting him to be as aware of me as I am of him.

“Oh, there’s a sun.” He cricks his neck until he’s looking at me. “Leftfoot’s seen it.” His icy-blue eyes capture mine, reflecting my long dark hair, bright green eyes, and pale skin until I look away, dizzy with the sight of it.

“And you believe him?” I frown, unable to keep the skepticism from creeping into my voice.
Convinced it’s yet another of the old medicine man’s fantastical tales he told Dace as a kid.

“Of course.” Dace shrugs. “And if we’re lucky, maybe someday we’ll see it too.”

I rub my lips together and slip a hand under the hem of his sweater. My fingers are chilly, his flesh is warm, and yet he doesn’t so much as flinch. Rather he welcomes my touch by urging my palm flat against him.

“The only thing I want to see now is…” I try to push my mind back to the job we’ve set out to do, but it’s not long before the thought fades along with my words.

The lure of Dace is too strong, and he must sense my mood because the next thing I know, he’s turning Horse around. Nudging him back over the wide, grassy slope, heading toward a favored destination of ours.

copyright @Alyson Noel

BOOK REVIEW: Dance of Shadows (Dance of Shadows, #1) by Yelena Black

• Series: Dance of Shadows
• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens; First Edition edition (February 12, 2013)
• Language: English

Vanessa knew that dance was in her blood, but she had no idea the world of elite ballet was center stage for the darkest of secrets—until her sister mysteriously disappeared from the world-renowned New York Ballet Academy.

Three years later, Vanessa follows in Margaret's footsteps, lands the role most girls at NYBA would kill for . . . and gets trapped in a sinister spiral of secrets. Back-stabbing bunheads, a fiercely unrelenting choreographer, and the sexy male lead of the troupe—they all want something from Vanessa. And though she revels in the attention, what Vanessa truly craves are answers. Instead, she feels as though she is losing her footing at every turn. Is she doomed to relive her sister's strange fate?

Riveting and sexy, Dance of Shadows twists the cutthroat world of ballet with a psychological thriller, in a dance you won't be able to resist.

I have to admit that this book is in my top list of beautiful covers. It's eerily beautiful to see the lone ballerina in that pose surrounded by fog and red petals. Her tutu is stunning beyond compare. Although, it has bright colors, it brings dark foreboding. Plus, this cover speaks what the plot is all about.

DANCE OF SHADOWS is all about 15 year old, Vanessa Adler attending the prestigious ballet school, New York Ballet Academy. Although she is a natural-born ballerina, she's not really into dancing, she attended the school to investigate what happened to her missing sister, Margaret, who happened to be a ballerina in the said school, years before Vanessa. But Vanessa feels a strong pull to ballet because everytime she dances, she loses herself and the world fades into oblivion thus it's a given that she landed the lead role in Firebird. But then the girls started to get missing again. Soon, Vanessa isn't just the investigator, she has been entangled in the dark secrets of the school, secrets that are far from her reality.

This book had a very promising plot indeed. It was genius to combine something as elegant as ballet with mystery and supernatural. The notion that dancing=magic is really cool and that there is a right dancer for a dance, can transcend dimensions and is capable of unleashing forces is beyond awesome. Plus the author made the dance dark, intriguing and sinister. But sadly, the execution didn't live up to the reader's expectations. The first chapters were good, but as the book progresses; the pacing was so slow on unimportant parts and too fast on vital ones plus the characters frustrated me.

I found the main character Vanessa likeable enough but too frustrating. She may be selfless, good and friendly but she's naïve and stupidly stubborn. As for me, I really like strong characters, those that can stand up on their own or maybe just those who realize things at least. But who knows, there's still room for Vanessa's character to grow in the sequel.

As for the other characters, I wish we were given more of their backstories, and not just tell the reader who the character is. I guess one could never root for a character who's just a face.
The romance, although there were three love interests, it's pretty obvious that Vanessa likes Zep, or Zeppelin (weird name). It's insta-love actually and although there's a hint for a love-triangle, it doesn't really feel like it, when Justin --the guy who has the only common sense in school acts as a jealous jerk

Given those flaws, DANCE OF SHADOWS has some good points too. I love the mystery entwined with the reality aspect. The twists throughout the story (disregarding the said flaws) kept me on edge and to continue reading until the last page. The fast wrap-up in the story shed some light on the mysteries surrounding the school. It brought the darkness of the story to light and made me experience what Vanessa experiences.

I believe that given more practice, the author could definitely write her future books with more depth, style and passion. Plus she really has this good idea, good plot that could turn into a best-seller with proper care. I would still like to read of her future books and this series ( I do love ballet and wish this plot all its best)

*review copy provided by Freshfiction
To see full review. visit Freshfiction.com

BOOK REVIEW: Stormdancer (The Lotus War #1) by Jay Kristoff

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books (September 18, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1250001404
• ASIN: B00C80XYFI

One girl and a griffin against an empire.

Griffins are supposed to be extinct. So when Yukiko and her warrior father Masaru are sent to capture one for the Shõgun, they fear that their lives are over – everyone knows what happens to those who fail the Lord of the Shima Isles. But the mission proves less impossible and more deadly than anyone expects. Soon Yukiko finds herself stranded: a young woman alone in her country's last wilderness, with only a furious, crippled griffin for company. Although she can hear his thoughts, and saved his life, all she knows for certain is he'd rather see her dead than help her. Yet trapped together in the forest, Yukiko and the beast soon discover a bond that neither of them expected.

Meanwhile, the country around them verges on collapse. A toxic fuel is choking the land, the machine-powered Lotus Guild is publicly burning those they deem Impure, and the Shõgun cares for nothing but his own dominion. Authority has always made Yukiko, but her world changes when she meets Kin, a young man with secrets, and the rebel Kagé cabal. She learns the horrifying extent of the Shõgun's crimes, both against her country and her family.

Returning to the city, Yukiko is determined to make the Shõgun pay – but what can one girl and a flightless griffin do against the might of an empire?




When I read STORMDANCER, I wasn't reading the words, I was in the story together with the characters, the words are just a blur, I felt the story and that is more than enough for me to consider this book as one of the best, fantasy-steampunk I've ever read- I guess that's what matters.

The story ends with a cliffhanger—that will truly want you to grab the next book just to continue where you left off. I can't wait to read Kinslayer, the next book in the series.

STORMDANCER is very intense, unique, enthralling and riveting. It's one of a kind story that features friendship that surpasses beliefs and prejudices. It's definitely a book I would highly recommend!

Book Review + Random Giveaway: Clobbered by Camembert by Avery Aames

Cheese store owner Charlotte Bessette is setting up for the town's Winter Wonderland fair. Then, when an old friend is found dead in the cottage of Charlotte's assistant Rebecca, a suspicion falls on Rebecca's boyfriend, a honeybee farmer. While the town buzzes with gossip, can Charlotte catch the culprit without getting stung herself?

• Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Berkley; Original edition (February 7, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 042524587X
• ISBN-13: 978-0425245873

 I think this a good mystery, I actually didn’t really guessed right who the murderer is, not until the same time Charlotte realized who’s the murder. But unfortunately, this was more on conflicting love story about a denying heroine, a remorseful ex and the boyfriend who has lots of secrets to spill.

The writing is good, the story flowed smoothly, although I expect more action and plot development and not talking and internal conflict. There are the interesting suspects, tension, conflicts, a vivid description of winter, fair and county life.

I love so much that there are recipes and descriptions of cheeses in the book. It makes me hungry for food and revelations all the more..:D I liked the idea and it’s refreshing to have a book set up in a county, much more a county fair with cheese as the main theme.

I believe the author has great potential, this book isn’t perfect, but it also has good attributes. CLOBBERED IN CAMBERT is a fast, clean read, has a good mystery coupled with love conflicts, drama, intrigue and murder. Would love to read more mystery from this author.

Full review on FreshFiction

RANDOM GIVEAWAY

Flukes by Nichole Chase

E-book copy

INT

Leave a comment with your preferred format and email. Double entries for followers :)

THIS IS A NEW ADULT NOVEL AND SHOULD BE TREATED AS SUCH. SOME CONTENT MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR YOUNG READERS.

Meena has a secret guarded closely by her family—a secret as dangerous as the sea, and buried just as deep. When court appointed community service workers are assigned to Flukes, the family-owned animal sanctuary, everyone is on high alert. It doesn’t help that Meena finds herself attracted to sexy-as-sin Blake Weathering, one of the new workers. If he wasn’t so distracting, she might be able to land Flukes a much-needed cruise line contract.

Blake Weathering, the first in his family to attend public school, has developed a tough image. Unfortunately it lands him in trouble. Now banned from his high school graduation ceremony, getting his diploma is dependent upon a community service gig cleaning fish crap. No diploma, no trust fund fortune—and no way to escape his overbearing father. The last thing he needs is the distraction of a mysterious girl with teal eyes who pulls at his heart strings.

When Blake discovers Meena’s secret, they are both thrown into a desperate search for information about her past. Two worlds pull them in opposite directions, and they will have to fight to hold onto all that really matters.

ARC REVIEW plus a random giveaway: Claws by Mike Grinti

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Chicken House (May 1, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1908435127
• ISBN-13: 978-1908435125

In a contemporary fairytale as irresistible as catnip, one girl discovers that some magic cuts deep... Emma's sister is missing. Her parents have spent all their savings on the search. And now the family has no choice but to live in a ramshackle trailer park on the edge of the forest, next door to down-and-out harpies, hags, and trolls. Emma wonders if she'll ever see Helena, and if she'll ever feel happy, again.
Then she makes a friend. A smooth-talking, dirty-furred cat named Jack. He's got a razor-sharp plan to rescue Emma's sister. He just wants one small favor in return...

Goodreads

 The book is very fast-paced, there’s no boring chapter. The characters are kept to minimal. The plot is wonderfully weaved that you get to understand it at the end but not overly neat. CLAWS is lively, fun, short and sweet. An original fantasy, light read about magic, cats, fae, harpys, elves, family, friendship. It all wraps in the end, but Emma could have more adventures.

I’m 19 already, but it still feel good to read a book targeted for middle school readers. I believe this could be for parents too or anyone who enjoys a good read about magic and adorable talking cats.

I highly recommend this to anyone who loves taking animals (cats), and if ever there’s a series, I can’t wait to read more from this.

Full review on: FreshFiction

Random Giveaway:

 Heart's Storm by Julia Sherman  

pdf 

INT

Just leave a comment below. Double Entry for Followers

Elizabeth Shulman, a twenty-seven-year-old Russian Jewish immigrant, would like nothing better than not to die a corporate accountant working at a Fortune 100 company. She wants to walk away from the corporate rat-race, but...she’s still holding onto the painful memories from her poor past—from the days her family came to America with nothing so that their children could have a free life.

But soon one day’s event turns Elizabeth’s world upside down and inside out. With her bubble burst, Elizabeth decides to take the first step, quit her job. However, her bullying boss from HELL offers her a promotion and a big raise. But there’s a hitch. She must also agree to do pro bono work to bolster the company’s image. Her pro bono assignment: tutor unprivileged kids in a Southwest Chicago elementary school. And there, in school, her life begins to change when she gets a peek at a different type of world from her own.

Heart’s Storm is a bitter-sweet romantic comedy about love and career, family and friends, immigration and hardships, betrayal and forgiveness, and the promise of the American dream

Book Review + Read Online: Hunter's Season by Thea Harrison

Hunter's Season by Thea Harrison

• File Size: 290 KB
• Print Length: 105 pages
• Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd. (September 18, 2012)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0098ZYB3U

A Novella of the Elder Races

Duty. Devotion. Desire. When fate brings two isolated people together, love is in the cards.

As a palace guard and assassin for the Dark Fae, Xanthe always wore a mask, hiding her emotions to do her duty. But when her identity is compromised, she trades undercover work for guarding Queen Niniane—a position that often brings her in contact with Chancellor Aubrey Riordan.

Aubrey’s trust is shattered. A year ago his wife tried to assassinate their new queen in his name, a betrayal of everything he believes in. And now an attack on his life is proof the dark conspiracy is not yet over. Although injured and weak, Aubrey can’t help but be drawn to this shy assassin and loyal protector. Xanthe is everything Naida wasn’t, and the passion she stirs in him is something he thought had long passed him by.

Warning: Take a man recovering from an assassination attempt, the assassin sworn to protect him, add in a magical Tarot card deck and an isolated cabin, and watch the sparks fly!

I can’t believe this is the last book in the arc of The Tarot’s Journey. I’m very disappointed in myself that this is my first and last chance with this story, however I’m glad I enjoyed HUNTER’S SEASON.

Like I said, I haven’t read the previous books in the novella and although other reviewers said Xanthe and Aubrey appeared in previous books, I think their past/history was given well in the story that I need not to ask. A standalone book really serves its purpose.

Xanthe is an assassin that’s sworn to protect a Chancellor who was injured from an attack. She could kick ass, she’s fierce, but when it comes to Aubrey (chancellor) she’s so emotionally vulnerable. Worse, she was asked to take him under her roof! Aubrey, still broken and hurt from the betrayal of his wife by trying to assassinate the queen, is in risk. Unable to trust quickly as he did before, he’s on guard from Xanthe but can’t deny the feelings she arouse in him whenever she’s around. Can he realize his errors in time, to give their growing attraction time to blossom? Brought together by a very wise plot of Queen Niniane who noticed Xanthe’s tenderness for Aubrey, they now have their sweet little time together to explore each other’s feelings.

This novella, is a nice break from fantasy/paranormal stories, in here, we have pure romance. The adventures were mentioned but it does not occur between the main characters. There’s the mystery, action but it happened off the page. All we have is two people who had their own little bubble outside the world. Not that I’m complaining!

Their love story is a slow dance that I enjoyed well, it’s not instantaneous although the attraction is already there. Every minute, every exchange of words, is romantic. It’s nice to see Xanthe belittles herself that Aubrey wouldn’t like her and Aubrey always proves her wrong, not only he recovers from his injury but also from a broken heart that only Xanthe could fix. The characters were engaging and complements one another.

One thing though, since this my first glimpse of the Tarot’s journey, I may not feel as connected to the other characters that were mentioned before. However, based on my romantic side, this is a very good book, that would leave you breathless and thankful. Highly Recommended if you’re looking for sweet/hot romance!

View all my reviews

DISCLAIMER: I received this pdf  from FreshFiction in exchange of my honest review. First appeared on FreshFiction.

READ ONLINE: 

ARC Review + Read Online: Shadow of the Wolf by Dana Marie Bell

Shadow of the Wolf by Dana Marie Bell

• File Size: 419 KB
• Print Length: 207 pages
• Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd. (September 18, 2012)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B008QWCSTK
• Strike a match, light the candle…and fall into the spell.
  Heart’s Desire, Book 1
  
  Christopher Beckett is from an ancient line of wizards, but with one aspect that sets him apart. His wolf. Right now that wolf is howling for a mate. Knowing it’s only a matter of time before the wolf’s needs override everything else in his life, Chris casts the spell all the Becketts have used to call their mates to them.
  
  His wish list is short: She must be of a lineage at least as old as his own. And she must accept his wolf. When his mate appears, he realizes his list should have been one item longer.
  
  Alannah Evans, a powerful witch of the Evans Coven, has no problem with Chris’s wolf. It’s the wizard part that sticks in her magical craw. Witches and wizards have always been at odds, so by rights, she and Chris shouldn’t be striking sparks of attraction this bright. But Chris will not be denied, and gradually she finds herself trusting him—then falling into the fire of desire.
  
  When it becomes clear an old enemy has targeted them both for death, Chris charges into a duel that could cost him his life. Or worse: Lana.
  
  Product Warnings
  Product contains explicit sex, graphic language, magic, mayhem, and a wet, naked wolf shifter bearing hot chocolate. Mmm… chocolate.
  

SHADOW OF THE WOLF is a modern story of a wizard Christopher Beckett who casts a spell to bring him a mate. He also happens to be cursed as a werewolf due to his ancestor’s misbehavior in jilting a witch. So, to grant the desire of the wolf form, he must find a mate who’s willing to accept the wolf in him. And to aid him in selecting his mate, his wish list includes: she must be of a lineage as old as his own. Bonus if she’s a beauty.

And then here comes Allanah Evans who, as it seems got stuck in the middle of nowhere. Everything seems to say she can’t go home just yet—her car won’t run, her phone’s lowbatt, no one’s around to call for help, the storm’s getting worse. Little does she know that she was called to be the mate of a powerful wizard. Yes, she came from a lineage as old as his own, the only problem is, she’s a witch. And as far as everyone knows, wizards and witches don’t mix well together. Add to their conflicting romance, is the evil plot of an old enemy who wants Chris dead, or rather both of them dead.

From the moment I read the synopsis, I know that this book is for me. I have always been fascinated with witches, their spells and their magic. Luckily, I wasn’t disappointed since we’re not only treated for poetic spells (sometimes funny), but also with lots of magic-fighting scenes, distorting spells and sensuous romance.

The characters are funny—I always caught myself laughing at their banters, especially Chris’ brothers, I think humor’s their surname :D. Also, each of the characters is unique and easy to relate to. Dana Marie Bell really gives them life.

And Chris’ brothers? They’re kind of immature, but totally swoon-worthy. I would love to read more from each of them in the upcoming books.

SHADOW OF THE WOLF, is a fun, sexy, magical, read, of two people who learned to love each other despite their differences and willing to sacrifice their lives just to save the other.

View all my reviews

DISCLAIMER: I received this pdf  from FreshFiction in exchange of my honest review. First appeared on FreshFiction.

READ ONLINE:

ARC Review + Chapter 1: Wake by Amanda Hocking

Wake by Amanda Hocking

• Paperback
• Publisher: Pan Macmillan
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1447205723
• ISBN-13: 978-1447205722

Gorgeous. Fearless. Dangerous. They're the kind of girls you envy; the kind of girls you want to hate. Strangers in town for the summer, Penn, Lexi and Thea have caught everyone's attention—but it’s Gemma who’s attracted theirs. She’s the one they’ve chosen to be part of their group.

Gemma seems to have it all—she’s carefree, pretty, and falling in love with Alex, the boy next door. He’s always been just a friend, but this summer they’ve taken their relationship to the next level, and now there’s no going back. Then one night, Gemma’s ordinary life changes forever. She’s taking a late night swim under the stars when she finds Penn, Lexi and Thea partying on the cove. They invite her to join them, and the next morning she wakes up on the beach feeling groggy and sick, knowing something is different.

Suddenly Gemma is stronger, faster, and more beautiful than ever. But her new powers come with a terrifying price. And as she uncovers the truth, she’s is forced to choose between staying with those she loves—or entering a new world brimming with dark hungers and unimaginable secrets.

Hocking's brought to life her characters with their depth and unique personality. In WAKE, the characters develop as the story goes on. The descriptions were vivid and mysterious enough to keep me going. Some readers might find the pacing a bit slow, but it is the first book in a series, so I believe that Hocking is giving the details we will need as the series progresses. The conversation meanwhile, is genuine and humorous.

WAKE, although a mermaid folktale, is more a tale of sisterly bond, that no matter what, a sister is a sister, it's a bond that can't be broken by differences, tastes, or myth. Creepy, beautiful with a different take on mermaid lore, WAKE ends in a cliffhanger that will make everyone crave for Lullaby---the next book in the series.

read more on: Fresh Fiction

View all my reviews

One
Midnight Swim

The engine made a bizarre chugging sound, like a dying robot llama, followed by an innocuous click-click. Then silence. Gemma turned the key harder, hoping that would somehow breathe life into the old Chevy, but it wouldn't even chug anymore. The llama had died.
"You have got to be kidding me," Gemma said and cursed under her breath.She'd worked her butt off to pay for this car. Between the long hours she spent training at the pool and keeping up on her schoolwork, she had little time for a steady job. That had left her stuck babysitting the horrible Tennenmeyer boys. They put gum in her hair and poured bleach on her favorite sweater.But she'd toughed it out. Gemma had been determined to get a car when she turned sixteen, even if that meant dealing with the Tennenmeyers. Her older sister Harper had gotten their father's old car as a hand-me-down. Harper had offered to let Gemma drive it, but she declined. Mainly, Gemma needed her own car because neither Harper nor her father readily approved of her late-night swims at Anthemusa Bay. They didn't live far from the bay, but the distance wasn't what bothered her family. It was the late-night partÑand that was the thing that Gemma craved most.
Out there, under the stars, the water seemed like it went on forever. The bay met the sea, which in turn met the sky, and it all blended together like she was floating in an eternal loop. There was something magical about the bay at night, something that her family couldn't seem to understand.
Gemma tried the key one more time, but it only elicited the same empty clicking sound from her car. Sighing, she leaned forward and stared out at the moonlit sky through the cracked windshield. It was getting late, and even if she left on foot right now, she wouldn't get back from her swim until almost midnight.
That wouldn't be a huge problem, but her curfew was eleven. Starting off the summer being grounded on top of having a dead car was the last thing she wanted. Her swim would have to wait for another night.
She got out of the car. When she tried to slam the door shut in frustration, it only groaned, and a chunk of rust fell off the bottom.
"This is by far the worst three hundred dollars I ever spent," Gemma muttered.
"Car trouble?" Alex asked from behind her, startling her so much she nearly screamed. "Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."
"No, it's okay." She waved it off and turned around to face him. "I didn't hear you come out."
Alex had lived next door to them for the past ten years, and there was nothing scary about him. As he got older, he'd tried to smooth out his unruly dark hair, but a lock near the front always stood up, a cowlick he could never tame. It made him look younger than eighteen, and when he smiled, he looked younger still.
There was something innocent about him, and that was probably why Harper had never thought of him as anything more than a friend. Even Gemma had dismissed him as uncrushworthy until recently. She'd seen the subtle changes in him, his youthfulness giving way to broad shoulders and strong arms.
It was that new thing, the new manliness he was beginning to grow into, that made her stomach flutter when Alex smiled at her. She still wasn't used to feeling that way around him, so she pushed it down and tried to ignore it.
"The stupid piece of junk won't run." Gemma gestured to the rusty compact and stepped over to where Alex stood on his lawn. "I've only had it for three months, and its dead already."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Alex said. "Do you need help?"
"You know something about cars?" Gemma raised an eyebrow. She had seen him spend plenty of time playing video games or with his nose stuck in a book, but she'd never once seen him under the hood of a car.
Alex smiled sheepishly and lowered his eyes. He had been blessed with tan skin, which made it easier for him to hide his embarrassment, but Gemma knew him well enough to understand that he blushed at almost anything.
"No," he admitted with a small laugh and motioned back to the driveway where his blue Mercury Cougar sat. "But I do have a car of my own."
He pulled his keys out of his pocket and swung them around his finger. For a moment he managed to look slick before the keys flew off his hand and hit him in the chin. Gemma stifled a laugh as he scrambled to pick them up.
"You okay?"
"Uh, yeah, I'm fine." He rubbed his chin and shrugged it off. "So, do you want a ride?"
"Are you sure? It's pretty late. I don't want to bother you."
"Nah, it's no bother." He stepped back toward his car, waiting for Gemma to follow. "Where are you headed?"
"Just to the bay."
"I should've known." He grinned. "Your nightly swim?"
"It's not nightly," Gemma said, though he wasn't too far off base.
"Come on." Alex walked over to the Cougar and opened his door. "Hop in."
"All right, if you insist."
Gemma didn't like imposing on people, but she didn't want to pass up a chance at swimming. A car ride alone with Alex wouldn't hurt, either. Usually she only got to spend time with him when he was hanging out with her sister.
"So what is it about these swims that you find so entrancing?" Alex asked after she'd gotten in the car.
"I don't think I'd ever describe them as entrancing." She buckled up her seat belt, then leaned back. "I don't know what it is exactly. There's just...nothing else like it."
"What do you mean?" Alex asked. He'd started the car, but stayed parked in the driveway, watching her as she tried to explain.
"During the day there are so many people at the bay, especially during the summer, but at night...it's just you and the water and the stars. And it's dark, so it all feels like one thing, and you're part of it all." She furrowed her brow, but her smile was wistful. "I guess it is kind of a entrancing," she admitted. She shook her head, clearing it of the thought. "I don't know. Maybe I'm just a freak who likes swimming at night."
That was when Gemma realized Alex was staring at her, and she glanced over at him. He had a strange expression on his face, almost like he was dumbfounded.
"What?" Gemma asked, beginning to feel embarrassed at the way he looked at her. She fidgeted with her hair, tucking it behind her ears, and shifted in her seat.
"Nothing. Sorry." Alex shook his head and put the car in drive. "You probably want to get out to the water."
"I'm not in a huge rush or anything," Gemma said, but that was sort of a lie. She wanted to get as much time in the water as she could before her curfew.
"Are you still training?" Alex asked. "Or did you stop for summer vacation?"
"Nope, I still train." She rolled down the car window, letting the salty air blow in. "I swim every day at the pool with the coach. He says my times are getting really good."
"At the pool you swim all day, and then you want to sneak out and swim all night?" Alex smirked. "How does that work?"
"It's different." She stuck her arm out the open window, holding it straight like the wing of a plane. "Swimming at the pool, it's all laps and time. It's work. Out in the bay, it's just floating and splashing around."
"But don't you ever get sick of being wet?" Alex asked.
"Nope." She shook her head. "That's like asking you, Don't you ever get sick of breathing air?"
"As a matter of fact, I do. Sometimes I think, Wouldn't it be grand if I didn't need to breathe?"
"Why?" Gemma laughed. "Why would that ever be grand?"
"I don't know." He looked self-conscious for a minute, his smile twisting nervously. "I guess I mostly thought it when I was in gym class and they'd make me run or something. I was always so out of breath."
Alex glanced over at her, as if checking to see if she thought he was a complete loser for that admission. But she only smiled at him in response.
"You should've spent more time swimming with me," Gemma said. "Then you wouldn't have been so out of shape."
"I know, but I'm a geek." He sighed. "At least I'm done with all that gym stuff now that I graduated."
"Soon you'll be so busy at college, you won't even remember the horrors of high school," Gemma said, her tone turning curiously despondent.
"Yeah, I guess." Alex furrowed his brow.
Gemma leaned closer to the window, hanging her arm down the side and resting her chin on her hand as she stared out at houses and trees passing by. In her and Alex's neighborhood, the houses were all cheap and run-down, but as soon as they passed Capri Lane, everything was clean and modern.
Since it was tourist season, all the buildings and trees were lit up brightly. Music from the bars and the sounds of people talking and laughing wafted in through the air.
"Are you excited to get away from all this?" Gemma asked with a wry smile and pointed to a drunken couple arguing on the boulevard.
"There is some stuff I'll be glad to get away from," he admitted, but when he looked over at her, his expression softened. "But there will definitely be some things that I miss.
"The beach was mostly deserted, other than a few teenagers having a bonfire, and Gemma directed Alex to drive a little farther. The soft sand gave way to more jagged rocks lining the shore, and the paved parking lots were replaced by a forest of bald cypress trees. He parked on a dirt road as close to the water as he could get.
This far away from the tourist attractions, there were no people or trails leading to the water. When Alex cut the lights on the Cougar, they were submerged in darkness. The only light came from the moon above them, and some light pollution cast off by the town.
"Is this really where you swim?" Alex asked.
"Yeah. It's the best place to do it." She shrugged and opened the door.
"But it's all rocky." Alex got out of the car and scanned the mossy stones that covered the ground. "It seems dangerous."
"That's the point." Gemma grinned. "Nobody else would swim here.
"As soon as she got out of the car, she slipped off her sundress, revealing the bathing suit she wore underneath. Her dark hair had been in a ponytail, but she pulled it down, shaking it loose. She kicked off her flip-flops and tossed them in the car, along with her dress.
Alex stood next to the car, shoving his hands deep in his pockets, and tried not to look at her. He knew she was wearing a bathing suit, one he'd seen her in a hundred times before. Gemma practically lived in swimwear. But alone with her like this, he felt acutely aware of how she looked in the bikini.
Of the two Fisher sisters, Gemma was definitely the prettier. She had a lithe swimmer's body, petite and slender, but curved in all the right places. Her skin was bronze from the sun, and her dark hair had golden highlights running through it from all the chlorine and sunlight. Her eyes were honey, not that he could really see the color in the dim light, but they sparkled when she smiled at him.
 "Aren't you going swimming?" Gemma asked.
"Uh, no." He shook his head and deliberately stared off at the bay to avoid looking at her. "I'm good. I'll wait in the car until you're done."
"No, you drove me all the way down here. You can't just wait in the car. You have to come swimming with me."
"Nah, I think I'm okay." He scratched his arm and lowered his eyes. "You go have fun."
"Alex, come on." Gemma pretended to pout.
"I bet you've never even gone for a swim in the moonlight. And you're leaving for college at the end of the summer. You have to do this at least once, or you haven't really lived.""I don't have swim trunks," Alex said, but his resistance was already waning.
"Just wear your boxers."
He thought about protesting further, but Gemma had a point. She was always doing stuff like this, but he'd spent most of his high school career in his bedroom.
 Besides, swimming would be better than waiting. And when he thought about it, it was much less creepy joining her swimming than watching her from the shore.
"Fine, but I better not cut my feet on any of the rocks," Alex said as he slipped off his shoes.
"I promise to keep you safe and sound." She crossed her hand over her heart to prove it.
"I'll hold you to that."
He pulled his shirt up over his head, and it was exactly as Gemma had imagined. His gangly frame had filled out with toned muscles that she didn't completely understand, since he was a self-professed geek.
When he started to undo his pants, Gemma turned away to be polite. Even though she would see him in his boxers in a few seconds, it felt strange watching him take off his jeans. As if it were dirty.
"So how do we get down to the water?" Alex asked.
"Very carefully."
She went first, stepping delicately onto the rocks, and he knew he wouldn't stand a chance of copying her grace. She moved like a ballerina, stepping on the balls of her feet from one smooth rock to the next until she reached the water.
"There are a few sharp stones when you step in the water," Gemma warned him.
"Thanks for the heads-up," he mumbled and moved with as much caution as he could. Following her path, which she'd made look so easy, proved to be rather treacherous, and he stumbled several times.
"Don't rush it! You'll be fine if you go slow."
"I'm trying."
To his own surprise, he managed to make it to the water without slicing open his foot. When he reached the water, Gemma smiled proudly at him as she waded out deeper into the bay.
"Aren't you scared?" Alex asked.
"Of what?" She'd gone far enough into the water to lean back and swim, kicking her legs out in front of her.
 "I don't know. Sea monsters or something. The water is so dark. You can't see anything." Alex was now in a little over waist-deep, and truthfully, he didn't want to go any farther.
"There's no sea monsters." Gemma laughed and splashed water at him. To encourage him to have fun, she decided to challenge him. "I'll race you to the rock over there."
"What rock?"
"That one." She pointed to a giant gray spike of a rock that stuck out of the water a few yards from where they swam.
"You'll beat me to it," he said.
"I'll give you a head start," Gemma offered.
"How much?"
"Um...five seconds."
"Five seconds?" Alex seemed to weigh this. "I guess maybe I couldÑ" Instead of finishing his thought, he dove into the water, swimming fast.
"I'm already giving you a head start!" Gemma called after him, laughing. "You don't need to cheat!"
Alex swam as furiously as he could, but it wasn't long before Gemma was flying past him. She was unstoppable in the water, and he'd honestly never seen anything faster than her. In the past, he'd gone with Harper to swim meets at the school, and there had rarely been one that Gemma didn't win.
"I won!" Gemma declared when she reached the rock.
"As if there was ever any doubt." Alex swam up next to her and hung on to the rock to support himself. His breath was still short, and he wiped the salty water from his eyes. "That was hardly a fair fight."
"Sorry." She smiled. Gemma wasn't anywhere near as winded as Alex was, but she leaned onto the rock next to him.
"For some reason, I don't think you really mean that," Alex said in mock offense.
His hand slipped off the rock, and when he reached out to steady himself again, he accidentally put his hand over Gemma's. His first instinct was to pull it back in some kind of hasty embarrassment, but the second before he did, he changed his mind.
 Alex let his hand linger over hers, both of them cool and wet. Her smile had changed, turning into something fonder, and for a moment neither of them said anything. They hung on to the rock like that for a moment longer, the only sound the water lapping around them.
Gemma would've been content to sit with Alex like that, but light exploded in the cove behind him, distracting her. The small cove was at the mouth of the bay, just before it met the ocean, about a quarter mile from where Gemma and Alex floated.
Alex followed her gaze. A moment later, laughter sounded over the water and he pulled his hand away from hers.
A fire flared inside the cove, the light flickering across the three dancing figures that fanned it. From this far away, it was difficult to get a clear view of what they were doing, but it was obvious who they were by the way they moved. Everyone in town knew of them, even if nobody really seemed to know them personally.
"It's those girls," Alex saidÑsoftly, as if the girls would overhear him from the cove.
The three girls were dancing with elegance and grace. Even their shadows, looming on the rock walls around them, seemed sensual in their movements.
"What are they doing out here?" Alex asked.
"I don't know." She shrugged, continuing to stare at them, unabashed. "They've been coming out here more and more. They seem to like hanging out in that cove."
"Huh," Alex said. She looked back at him and saw his brow furrowed in thought.
"I don't even know what they're doing in town."
"Me neither." He looked over his shoulder to watch them again. "Somebody told me they were Canadian movie stars."
"Maybe. But they don't have accents."
"You've heard them talk?" Alex asked, sounding impressed.
"Yeah, I've seen them at Pearl's Diner across from the library. They always order milk shakes."
"Didn't there used to be four of them?"
"Yeah, I think so." Gemma squinted, trying to be sure she was counting right. "Last time I saw them out here, there were four. But now there's only three."
"I wonder where the other one went."
Gemma and Alex were too far away to understand them clearly, but they were talking and laughing, their voices floating over the bay. One of the girls began singingÑher voice clear as crystal, and so sweet it almost hurt to hear. The melody pulled at Gemma's heart.
Alex's jaw dropped, and he gaped at them. He moved away from the rock, floating slowly toward them, but Gemma barely even noticed. Her focus was on the girls. Or, more accurately, on the one girl who wasn't singing.
Penn. Gemma was sure of it, just by the way Penn moved away from the two girls. Her long black hair hung down behind her, and the wind blew it back. She walked with startling grace and purpose, her eyes straight ahead.
From this distance in the dark, Penn shouldn't have noticed her, but Gemma could feel her eyes boring straight through her, sending chills down her spine.
"Alex," Gemma said in a voice that barely sounded like her own. "I think we should go."
"What?" Alex replied dazedly, and that was when Gemma realized how far he'd swum away from her.
"Alex, come on. I think we're bothering them. We should go."
"Go?" He turned back to her, sounding confused by the idea.
"Alex!" Gemma said, nearly shouting now, but at least that seemed to get through to him. "We need to get back. It's late."
"Oh, right." He shook his head, clearing it, and then swam back toward the shore.
When Gemma was convinced he was back to normal, she followed him.
Penn, Thea, Lexi, and Arista had been in town since the weather started warming up, and people assumed they were the first tourists of the season. But nobody really knew exactly who they were or what they were doing here.
All Gemma knew was that she hated it when they came out here. It disrupted her night swims. She didn't feel comfortable being in the water, not when they were out in the cove, dancing and singing and doing whatever it was they did.