Review: Never Mind My Thigh Gap

 

Never Mind My Thigh Gap by Bronte Huskinson and Sarah Newton

Book Description:

“One ordinary girl, one extraordinary moment”

There are three things everyone notices about Alice. 1. Her super-hot rugby boyfriend. 2. Her sophisticated, totally gorgeous best friend. 3. Her very noticeable 38-inch long legs.

Alice is tall — just under six feet to be exact — but her self-esteem couldn’t be smaller. When her relationship starts wavering, Alice’s perfectly beautiful best friend somehow convinces her to join a modelling competition, “for a confidence boost.” But Alice is just a normal girl; she loves ice cream too much, has an unhealthy addiction to American TV and lusts after the elusive thigh gap. She can’t even walk in heels, let alone in a bikini, but she finds herself joining Runway Models anyway.

The finale is only a few months away.

Will Alice catwalk her way to self-confidence or fail, proving everyone right?

People can surprise you.

*This book was provided by the author or publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

My Review:  Sometimes a book can surprise you. This kind of book usually isn’t my thing. I like my teen angst and drama with a side of supernatural- fantasy- death and destruction. It’s also told in first person present which I can’t stand but once I began reading it was hard to stop because I wanted to see Alice succeed. I wanted her to realize she was more than she thought she was.

Alice is charming once you get to know her. I have never been in Alice’s shoes regarding appearance (she doesn’t think she’s as pretty as her friend) but I think we can all relate to her in one way or another. We all have things we are self conscious about. We all have issues that we need to overcome. I enjoyed watching Alice become empowered and take control of her destiny. And when she tells Oscar (you’re going to love him) to stop acting like his talent is nothing, I knew for sure she was changing.

I liked Alice’s mom. Early on in the book her mom tells tells her that she can’t let a boy control her and that she needs to do what makes her happy. I liked that she flat out said it. She didn’t give it a soft sell. She was direct and honest. I think it’s hard to be that direct and honest with another adult, I can’t imagine what it’s like to give advice to a child.

This book is for anyone who wants to be something more than they are. This is a beautiful story about proving that you can believe in yourself and the transformation that takes place once you do. Don’t allow the title to make you think this book is about thigh gaps. It’s about a great deal more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Background Image: Pink by StockSnap

Red by Alyxandra Harvey

Red

by Alyxandra Harvey

Book Summary: 

Bad girls burn hot…

Red is the color of Kia Alcott’s hair.
It’s her temper, which blazes hot and always gets Kia into way too much trouble.
And it’s the color of fire. Fires that Kia can start…just by thinking about them.

When her latest “episode” gets her kicked out of school, Kia is shipped off to her grandmother, who works for the wealthy Blackwoods. It’s an estate shrouded in secrets, surrounded by rules, and presided over by a family that is far from normal…including the gorgeous and insolent Ethan Blackwood.

Ethan knows far more about the dangers of the forest surrounding the estate than Kia can ever imagine. For this forest has teeth, and Ethan is charged with protecting the outside world from its vicious mysteries.

But inside, even the most vibrant shade of red doesn’t stand a chance against the dark secrets of the Blackwood family…

My Review: 

This is my first book by Alyxandra Harvey and I was impressed. The writing was very good and the story drew me in and kept me reading; all through the night in fact. Think Little Red Riding hood meets the big bad wolf, but in a completely different way and not at all what you expect.

Kia is your typical misunderstood teenager.  But unlike other kids her age she is a firestarter and she doesn’t know how to control it. Her father sends her to live with her Grandmother at the Blackwood estate.  There she finds a strange world full of rules she doesn’t understand and happenings that don’t get explained to her.  So like any person would when shrouded in secrecy she starts trying to figure out what is going on.

Then there is Ethan.  He is the brooding, poor rich boy who is the heir to Blackwood.  Turns out he does have a very hard life.  His father and the parents of some of his friends have gotten involved in the Cabal.  The woods surrounding Blackwood are full of magical creatures and Ethan is one of those tasked with keeping them in check.

When Kia finds out everything that is going on things take a turn and surprises arise everywhere.  If your looking for a good paranormal YA Romance then this is it.   

Royal Date by Sariah Wilson

Royal Date

by Sariah Wilson

Book Summary:

This Cinderella didn’t plan on a prince . . .

Kat MacTaggart is a girl who has a plan for everything—including her holiday ski trip to Monterra with her best friend. Everything is going according to plan until she finds herself careening out of control down a mountainside and being rescued by a guy who looks like Superman’s hotter Italian cousin.

HRH Prince Nico is intrigued by the woman he saved on the slopes and her refusal to date him. He offers Kat a deal—let him show her his country and he’ll pay her to write articles that will help Monterra’s tourism industry. Kat agrees, but given her past and lingering distrust of men, she has one condition—absolutely no kissing.

Thanks to the claims of a jealous British noblewoman and the schemes of a meddling paparazzo, Kat’s rule doesn’t seem to be a problem at first. But the more Kat gets to know Nico and the people around him, the harder it is to remember her keep-your-distance plan. Should she stick to it or risk everything for a chance at happily ever after?

My Review:

Having read “The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back” by Sariah Wilson I just had to vote for this book when I saw it on Kindle Scout, and I am glad I did.

Sariah Wilson has a way of drawing you in and keeping you reading.  Her stories are nice, clean romances. The characters are believable.  They struggle with common things, but on a much grander scale as Nico is the future king. His family has suffered loss, heartache, his father is confined to a wheel chair and ready to relinquish the throne, which Nico is not ready for, and his sister struggles with a drug addiction.

Kat struggles with a promise she made to herself.  She is falling in love with Nico and in today’s society that leads to intimacy, but Kat has promised herself that she would not before marriage. She is also struggling with the past, a childhood that was less then ideal and guilt about what people with think of her when they find out.  She is consumed by the world wind Christmas vacation from college and a misunderstanding that breaks her heart.

There romance is sweet.  It starts out slow and through their growing friendship they find love.  They have great chemistry.  This story is funny and sarcastic.  As far as YA romances go this is one of my favorite. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Original background image by Piotr Wojtkowski at publicdomainpictures.net

 

Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter

Alice In Zombieland by Gena Showalter

Book Description: She won’t rest until she’s sent every walking corpse back to its grave. Forever.

Had anyone told Alice Bell that her entire life would change course between one heartbeat and the next, she would have laughed. From blissful to tragic, innocent to ruined? Please. But that’s all it took. One heartbeat. A blink, a breath, a second, and everything she knew and loved was gone.

Her father was right. The monsters are real.

To avenge her family, Ali must learn to fight the undead. To survive, she must learn to trust the baddest of the bad boys, Cole Holland. But Cole has secrets of his own, and if Ali isn’t careful, those secrets might just prove to be more dangerous than the zombies.

 

My Review: Part of the reason why I like Alice in Wonderland so much is that it is magical. I enjoy that so many authors have found inspiration in it. I love to see how different authors interpret this fairy tale. I find it endlessly fascinating. That’s why I keep reading them. That’s why I will continue to read them. Alice In Zombieland is a great example.

I really enjoyed this book. It was fun to see how all of the characters manifested. All of the usual suspects are present. Alice is obvious, as is Kat, but my favorite was the white rabbit. The Mad Hatter is there in a really fun way. So is the Queen. These are my own observations. I could be completely wrong but, like Kat, I’m not.

My favorite character by far was Kat. She is vivacious and very funny. She would make the perfect best friend. That is a good thing since she is Alice’s best friend. Kat is in love with Frosty and Frosty is in love with Kat. These are the two characters that I was rooting for.  It is unfortunate that Frosty is a slayer and couldn’t tell Kat about being a slayer or the zombies. Kat spends most of the story completely in the dark about the zombies. Sadly it means that she spends most of the story believing that people are lying to her. It’s a good thing that I believe in true love for fairy tale characters.

I really liked Alice too. She is a strong female character to be proud of. She holds her own with the zombies and the slayers. She takes quite the journey in this story and I’ll be interested to see where she ends up by the end of the series. Her relationship with Cole is intense. They have very intense visions and an intense physical attraction. That’s all I’ll say about.

The zombies in this story are mindless but they are organized. I really like the mythology with the bloodlines. I also liked that the zombies weren’t the only thing the slayers had to worry about. There is a corporation that has it’s own plans for the zombies. I thought that was inventive and different.

This is where I ran into a problem. Why don’t the slayers have body armor? If the zombies bite why do the slayers use the antivenin stuff and not take preventative measures such as body armor? That didn’t make sense to me. I’m willing to let it go though. The mythology was enough to keep me entertained even though Cole was very stingy handing out information to Alice.

All in all I liked this book and I can’t wait to read the next one. So if you still have this one in your e reader pull it out for Halloween you won’t be sorry.

 

 

 

Things between Alice and Cole are intense.

 

 

 

 

 

Try these other books:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Background image: Woods by David Wagner from PublicDomainPictures.net

 

The Shadow Prince by Stacey O’Neale

The Shadow Prince

by Stacey O’Neal

Book Blurb:

Every sacrifice has consequences.

Sixteen-year-old Rowan has spent most of his life living among the mortals—learning to control the element of fire, impatiently awaiting the day his vengeful mother, Queen Prisma, will abdicate her throne. When he finally returns to Avalon for his coronation, his mother insists he must first prove his loyalty to the court by completing a secret mission:

Kill Kalin, the half-human, half-elemental daughter of the air court king.

Willing to do anything to remove his mother from power, he agrees to sacrifice the halfling. He returns to the mortal world with his best friend, Marcus, determined to kill the princess. But as he devises a plan, he starts to question whether or not he’s capable of completing such a heinous task. And what price he will pay if he refuses?

My Review: 

This is a prequel Novella to Stacey O’Neale’s first novel Mortal in the Mortal Enchantment series.  I think it was a good start.  While I had some issues with it I won’t be to critical.  Roman’s character is a little cocky, a little sarcastic.  I’m guessing a product of growing up in the human world rather than in Avalon. His best friend is a Gabriel Hound, the servants of his people.  Admittedly this part confuses me.  If the Gabriel Hounds are the servants of his people and he grew up on earth how did they become best friends and how did his mother (who is a cruel woman) allow this.

Roman is sent to kill Kailin the daughter of the King of the Air court.  A girl no one has ever met because she has also grown up in the human world with her mother. His mother believes she is the next akasha (someone who controls all four elements) so she must die.  Roman knows it is wrong, but in order to save his people from his mother’s cruel reign he agrees.

We don’t know a lot about Kailin at this point.  She is living on earth with her Mother until her 16th birthday when she will then return to Avalon and assume her position by her Father’s side. I am guessing, based on the novella there will be a love interest her between her and Roman. But for right now she is just the King’s daughter.

There is a lot of action for a novella and the plot is thick. I am not sure it drew me in enough to run out and buy the novel when it comes out, but if you like elements, and hell hounds you might want to check it out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

PG – It’s a YA novel and other then some death and dismemberment which isn’t to graphic it is pretty clean.

 

 

 

Stacey O’Neale started her career in publishing as a blogger-turned-publicist for two successful small publishers. She loves to write stories with swoony paranormal heroes, snarky heroines, and lots of kissing.

When she’s not writing, she loves blogging and fangirling about books on twitter. Occasionally, she leaves her computer to go outside.

Lovely Vicious by Sara Wolf

Lovely Vicious by Sara Wolf

Isis Blake is awesome.  I want to be her when I grow up.  Let’s get started because this book has to be experienced to be believed.

Book Summary:

Seventeen-year-old Isis Blake hasn’t fallen in love in three years, nine weeks, and five days, and after what happened last time, she intends to keep it that way. Since then she’s lost eighty-five pounds, gotten four streaks of purple in her hair, and moved to the Buttcrack-of-Nowhere Ohio to help her mom escape a bad relationship.

All the girls in her new school want one thing – Jack Hunter, the Ice Prince of East Summit High. Hot as an Armani ad, smart enough to get into Yale, and colder than the Arctic, Jack Hunter’s never gone out with anyone. Sure, people have seen him downtown with beautiful women, but he’s never given high school girls the time of day. Until Isis punches him in the face.

Jack’s met his match. Suddenly everything is a game.

The goal: Make the other beg for mercy.

The game board: East Summit High.

The reward: Something neither of them expected.

**This book contains language, some of which may be unsuitable for younger readers.

My Review:

This book was something else.  The main characters are outrageous.  Isis and Jack try very hard to destroy each other by whatever means necessary.  They do a very creative job of it.  What Isis does to get Jack suspended is terrible and inspired all at the same time.  It also shows that she has skills that exceed the average person.  I wouldn’t know the first thing about breaking into a locker.  Isis doesn’t have boundaries.  She starts out the book going to a party.  She rescues a girl that had been drinking.  Jack the most beautiful boy in school insults the girl and Isis so she punches him in the face.  Trust me he deserves it.  Even I wanted to punch him.  He won’t apologize to Kayla so Isis declares war.

The war escalates.  I loved that they kept trying to out do each other.  It was like watching a train wreck but not knowing where it was going to crash.  Jack and Isis are equally matched.  Many of the characters say that Jack and Isis are the same.  Much like Sherlock and Irene in Eva Morgan’s Locked; Isis and Jack offer a distraction for each other.  She’s had a painful life.  Isis evokes emotion in Jack. We find out that Jack has just been going through the motions of life.  The question is: Can they save each other?

What I liked about the end of the story is that, like Shannon A. Thompson‘s Minutes Before Sunset, Sara Wolf changed the rules.  She took away the heroine instead of the hero and she did it in an unusual way.  Book two, Savage Delight, is going to be a blast.  I can feel it.  By the end of book one Jack is in an undesirable position.  Isis meets someone unexpected and I bet that what led Isis to the unexpected someone has far reaching consequences.  You really want to read it now right?  You’ll love it.  I did.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PG-13  They are not kidding about the language in this book.  It isn’t over the top and annoying but it does exist. Use caution.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Check out these other reviews with strong female characters:

Choices by Sydney Lane and Fate by Sydney Lane

Choices 

by Sydney Lane

Book Blurb:

Fate brought her here, but will her choices destroy her dreams?

Quincy Priest made all the right choices in her small town, black-and-white life. But being perfect is tiring. So. Very. Tiring.

Wanting desperately to step out of her sister’s shadow, Quincy jumps at the opportunity to attend college with her best friend. The quiet bookworm with family secrets comes out of her shell. But when Quincy meets not one, but two perfect guys, she has to make a choice. In doing so, she might forfeit the relationship she secretly longed to find.

Declan. Sweet, handsome, and perfect. He makes her feel cherished for the first time in her life.

Brody. Sexy, hot, and irresistible. He could tear down her carefully built walls.

Before she can become the woman she wants to be, Quincy will make mistakes. And suffer one unimaginable loss.

My Review: 

This book pulled at your heart strings in so many ways.  Quincy has had a hard life.  Not in the way you usually think but with her older sister having Bipolar disorder and needing so much of her parents attention and teacher at school comparing her things haven’t always been easy. Quincy doesn’t really have much experience in the dating world and now off at college she is pulled by two very different yet equally compelling men.

Declan is all that is good.  He has a strong faith, he’s a good listener, and he wants only good things for Quincy.  When they are together she is happy and content.

Brody is like a fire.  He ignites things in Quincy that she never knew existed. She is drawn to him and he to her.  When they are together everything is perfect, but when they are apart they both let there past and their insecurities come in.

I laughed, I cried, and I couldn’t put it down.  Quincy’s story with her sister rips your heart out but it is so much more.  This is a book that you really should read.

R – There are some steamy scenes.

Word of Warning:  If you haven’t read Choices and Do Not want to know who Quincy ends up with do not read any further!

 

Fate 

By Sydney Lane

Book Blurb:

I’m used to getting what I want. I’ve always taken what I wanted. No apologies. No excuses.

I know what it feels like to be betrayed, when someone else is calling all the shots. I’ve been down that road, and I’m not going there again. I’ve got my family, my friends, and the brotherhood. That’s all I need.

I believe in Fate. Everything happens for a reason. But what do you do when Fate kicks you in the gut, plays a cruel joke on you?

When I met Quincy Priest, she was a flame I couldn’t put out. A freakin’ wildfire. She blew in to my life, blazed a trail of destruction, then left me standing in the ashes. Gone as suddenly as she came. I’m not sure if I should love her or hate her… But I don’t hate her. I could never hate her.

What do you do when the person who broke you may be the only person who can put you back together?

Can you run from Fate?

Do you even want to?

My Review: 

This is Choices but from Brody’s point of view.  Is it possible to love a book more?  Hearing the story from Brody’s prospected was everything I hoped it would be and more. I enjoyed Brody’s character in Choices and hoped that Quincy would end up with him, in Fate I absolutely fell in love with him. Probably because he reminds me of my husband.

Brody’s been burned and struggles with his own guilt. As a result he is having fun because he knows he hasn’t met the right one. Enter Quincy. The passion that ignites in these two when they are together is incredible.

Brody is drawn to Quincy in a way he has never been drawn to anyone and as you watch his internal struggle over a girl he knows should be his but his “Brother”, friend, and roommate is very much into you can’t help but feel bad for him.  Ultimately he can’t stay away.  Thank goodness!! Quincy and Brody are met to be together! Poor Declan never stood a chance.

You can not read Choices without immediately following up with Fate.  It opens your eyes to so much more of the story!

R – same steamy scenes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author:

Sydney Lane lives in Nashville, TN with her husband and children. Growing up in Smalltown, USA, Sydney dreamed of being a writer. After spending an outrageous amount of money to go to college, Sydney finally decided to follow her heart. With her babies in bed and husband neglected, she worked by the light of her laptop and wrote Choices. Sydney is very active in charity work for anti-bullying and depression awareness groups.

Author Interview with Shannon A Thompson

We have a great interview with author Shannon A Thompson to share with you.  We just reviewed Minutes Before Sunset and her new novel Seconds Before Sunrise will be out on March 27th.  We are really excited to find out what happens.  Read our review to find out why.  It’s a great book.  Our first questions are silly ones but she gave us great answers to all of our questions.  She has an amazing website with tons of information.  It doesn’t matter if you’re an aspiring writer or an avid reader who wants to know how authors do what they do, her website has great information.  If you have fun questions that you would like to see us add to our list of icebreakers send them to us.  We would love to see them.  Now, our interview with Shannon A. Thompson.

 

 

1. Do you kill bugs or set them free?

 

“Depends on the bug? Lady bugs must be set free. Wasps must be vacuumed with the hose from a distance.” 

 

2. If you weren’t human what would you be?

 

“Oh! Now that is a question. I think a magical, forest creature of some sort – as long as I was also nocturnal.”  

 

3. What is your favorite color?

 

“A deep red, like Merlot. I actually painted my bedroom in college this color, and I matched it with black and gold furniture with black and white posters from my favorite 50’s movies.” 

 

4.  If you were a fairy tale character who would you be?

 

“I grew up with the Grimms’ Fairy Tales, so I’m not sure I would want to be one of those characters. They always end up dismembered. But if I could choose from Disney, I think Mulan is my favorite (although the legend of Hua Mulan is very different from the Disney version.) I’m starting to think that I’m over-thinking this.” 

 

5. If you were that fairy tale character fighting a dragon and the dragon gave you a choice between saving your love and saving a nearby village from its wrath which would you choose?

 

“I would save my love, because I would’ve already saved the village people – making the village empty and only houses would be destroyed. (See? Happy endings.)” 

 

 

1.  Why did you choose to write about Shades?

 

“Well, for one, I like writing about creatures beyond the norm, and the shades were based off of what I saw in the dreams I based the novel off of. I wasn’t sure what to call them, but I ultimately decided on shades when writing the second novel. I actually explained my decision on my website” here: http://shannonathompson.com/2013/09/16/writing-tips-creating-the-paranormal/ where I discuss the method of combining old tales with new ideas in order to create a refreshing twist on overused creatures.

 

2. In your book the Shades have a human form.  Were you worried that would be confusing to the reader?

 

“I think most authors are worried about everything being confusing to the reader, but I trust the reader. Of course, juggling two identities with every character wasn’t easy when writing, so I knew it wouldn’t be easy when reading it, but sometimes that is the point – the challenge yourself and the reader to focus on the separation of identities in order to grasp what the trilogy is stating about identity in general.”

 

3. What do you hope your readers take away from this series?

 

“Other than being entertained, I hope readers can relate to the characters and appreciate the challenge of stereotypes and archetypes. For instance, light is normally good, and dark is bad, but I flipped them. I wanted readers to ask, “Why do we continue to use these same symbols in our literature over and over, and do we have to continue using them?” In terms of stereotypes, I wanted to create characters that teens could relate to in order to find comfort in their own identity. For instance, Crystal dresses in a style most would consider “punk,” but she is ambitious and girly in her own way. I wanted readers to see themselves – or their classmates – in that. A punk doesn’t have to be this “negative punk.” A punk can be a hardworking student that goes to prom.” 

 

4. How is writing a series different than writing a stand alone novel?

 

“I wrote about this on my website, too. I do a lot of writing, editing, and publishing tips. But, anyway, here’s the link: http://shannonathompson.com/2013/09/05/writing-tips-sequel-trilogy-series-etc/ I think both require a lot of attention and planning, but a series is much longer, and they must tie together, which can add complications. I enjoy writing both, but I recommend new writers to begin with a stand-alone novel before moving onto series.”

 

5. What can you tell us about book two in The Timely Death Trilogy?

 

“Seconds Before Sunrise releases on March 27, 2014. While the first book was focused on being in the Dark, this novel will revolve around what it is like to be human in a paranormal world. But don’t worry! There’s plenty of action, romance, and twists ready to be revealed and explored. I will give you one hint: the novel takes place from the middle of August to the middle of December.” 

 

6. Who is your favorite author?

 

“That is an impossible question, but I will try to narrow it down to a few. Billy Collins is my favorite poet, and Cassandra Clare is my current obsession within the YA genre (but I also LOVE Lauren Oliver and Meg Cabot and…okay, I could go on forever.)”

 

7. What books have influenced you and your work?

 

“I wouldn’t say that any specific books have influenced my work, but I would say that an abundance of reading all different kinds of novels inspired me to write in a variety of genres. That being said, I always admired Meg Cabot’s young-adult fiction. She isn’t afraid of breaking boundaries with her protagonists, allowing them to be both tough and girly, intellectual and human, as well as many other things.”  

 

8. What has writing taught you about yourself?

 

“Writing has allowed me to realize what is most important in this world: helping and inspiring others. I always thought my dream was to be a published author, but that happened, and I knew that wasn’t the main goal I was working toward. Ultimately, I dream of being able to open an affordable art school. It may not be accredited, but I think it would be better if it was simply a place where new artists could meet acclaimed artists in their field – like networking – and grow with their art in order to make it into a career at an earlier age.” 

 

9. What has it taught you about life?

 

“Life is short. I know. I know. How cliche. But there’s a reason it’s cliche – it’s true. 

My love for writing was only taken seriously after my mother died, and I knew I had to spend my life spreading the love for achieving dreams, because – quite frankly – I won’t be here forever, but art will be. It may not be my art – but if I can influence another artist to try, I think my life will be worth it. Art is immortal, and it teaches the soul to those of the future.”

 

10. What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

 

“My mantra is “Write with passion; succeed with self-discipline.” It helps me get through the bad and the good days. It’s okay if you have to remind yourself how much you love what you do; you just have to keep doing it. It may take years, even decades, but following your dreams is worth more than wondering what it would be like to try.”  

 

11. Is there anything that you would like to share with our readers?

“My website – http://shannonathompson.com – includes writing, publishing, and editing tips, but I’m here to help anyone! I’m also giving away free copies of Minutes Before Sunset in exchange for an honest review. Feel free to email me at any time with questions or comments (or even just to chat.) I’m at shannonathompson@aol.com. I would love to hear from you!”

We would like to thank Shannon A. Thompson for taking the time to answer our questions.  Don’t forget to pick up Minutes Before Sunset.

Wine Glass Image: Red Red Wine by Theswedish from freeimages.com

All images of Shannon A Thompson can be found on the authors web site.

Rival by Lacy Yager

Rival by Lacy Yager

 

 

Barnes and Noble

Smashwords

Emily Santos wants to go in to the family business of being a chaser.  A vampire chaser.  She wants to fight the monsters that killed her father and turned her mother into someone who is to afraid to leave the house.  Her mother is firmly against the idea of her becoming a chaser and has put her foot down.  The only problem with her mom’s plan is that Emily is turning eighteen and will be free to make her own choices.  She just needs to convince her uncle Felix she’s worthy.  To do that she has to win the martial arts competition at her dojo that she’s been training for all year.  Winning the previous year doesn’t guarantee anything because this year she’s up against Brett Carlson.  They are equally matched on the mat and with the number of secrets they keep.

This was a great novella.  It moved quickly and switched between the two characters points of view smoothly.  Almost every chapter is flip flopped between the two characters telling the story.  More and more books that I’m reading lately are structured like that.  It used to be a no- no but I’m embracing it.  It makes for a well rounded experience.  It provides balance.  If you don’t trust the character telling the story or you think there is more to it than what they can see you have another view point to compare it to.

This novella doesn’t retread ground though.  The throttle is open from beginning to end.  There isn’t time to go back so instead the author uses the other characters reactions to tie the story together.

Even the relationship that develops between Emily and Brett is balanced.  He has been in love with her for years.  She has hated him for years.  She starts to see him, however, in a new light after a vampire attack in a parking garage.  She begins to admire his talent and appreciates his willingness to keep the secrets that he doesn’t understand.

My favorite part of this story is that Emily Santos is a strong independent young woman that knows herself.  Even more importantly she isn’t fearless.  She isn’t a super hero.  She fears for the people she loves.  She worked for her black belt.  Emily Santos shows us that what’s important is that possessing blind courage deep inside yourself is far better than having blind faith in someone else.  Emily doesn’t wait to be rescued.  She doesn’t second guess the abilities she has worked so hard for.  She honed them and she knows how to use them.  Anyone looking for strong female characters should read this novella.

This is another story that is movie worthy.  There is plenty of action.  Plenty of parental drama.  There is also plenty of moments that we get to watch the main characters process the secretes they share with one another.  I really enjoyed it.

PG   Emily and Brett kill vampires.  There is plenty of blood to go around.

Another book that has a strong female main character is Starling by Lesley Livingston.  I gave it four stars as well.

Cursed (Voodoo Nights) by Lizzy Ford

Cursed       Book 1. Voodoo Nights

By Lizzy Ford

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This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This book was great.  If someone doesn’t make this into a movie it will be a miscarriage of justice.  It blended elements of religion, racism, and class to create a balanced story.

There wasn’t a vampire anywhere and still I read with ravenous delight.  There may not have been any vampires but there was a different take on zombies and I’m all for that.

I wanted this book to last forever and it just may since it’s part of a series.  It has strong characters as well.  There isn’t a cliché among them.  They are all complex and complete from the seventeen year old main characters all the way through to the mambos (healers).

Jayden is a golden boy.  An all American football playing, good grades getting, takes care of his recovering addict mother, good guy.  He wants to spend his senior year thinking about football and college.  He also wants to dodge his ex-girlfriend Kimmie if he can.  She’s a piece of work by the way.  She’s completely crazy and goes to a bokor, a person that sells black magic to anyone who can pay, to put a love spell on Jayden.   This eventually messes things up because Jayden likes Adrienne.

Adrienne is new to New Orleans and only going to the same fancy school Jayden goes to because of a music scholarship.  Adrienne’s family is really poor but she can sing.  The fancy school has a fancy vocal coach and Adrienne is pinning all of her hopes and dreams on being a successful singer one day.  She sings in church every Sunday even gaining an admirer in Rene.  Rene is my favorite character.  He is stuck in the middle of an impossible situation.  Adrienne’s sister was killed five years before Adrienne goes to live with her dad in New Orleans.  From the day she arrives to live with her father, in the same room Therese lived in, she begins receiving notes.  She doesn’t know who they’re coming from or why.  All she knows is that she needs to solve her sister’s murder.  It feels impossible to her until she get a package in the mail that contains Therese’s diary.  She learns that her sister was being targeted by the Red Man.  There is also the small matter of the curse, the very same curse that is on Jayden’s family.  The first born in the family always dies.  Adrienne thought she was safe until the mark appears on her shoulder.  All of that is why she needs Rene’s protection.

To further complicate matters Jax, Rene’s brother, is the leader of a Voodoo street gang (the same one Rene is in).  Jax was in love with Therese and he’s been making a gigantic mess since she died.  Rene finds out what his brother has been up to and has to decide how to handle things.  That’s why he’s my favorite.  He’s stuck between doing the right thing.  The thing that everyone else in the Voodoo community knows is right and loyalty to his brother and his family.  He’s also a bit of curmudgeon and who can resist that?

It all comes to a head when Adrienne finally discovers the truth and has to make a really hard choice that isn’t much of a choice at all.  Does she sacrifice herself and countless others or does she stand and fight the people that lied to her, people that she really cares about?

I was surprised by how much a liked this book.  It isn’t my usual fare.  I can tell that this is going to be one of those series that I mark on my calendar so that I can stare down the days until the next one.

The use of Voodoo wasn’t suffocating.  I never felt lost when things were being explained.  I don’t have any knowledge of real world Voodoo so I don’t know how the Voodoo in the book stacks up.  I can say that I didn’t have to suspend my disbelief to the extreme.  This is a well rounded book with enough nooks and crannies to keep you reading late into the night like I did.  Cursed comes out February 9th 2014.

PG-13  Hello. Zombies. How do you think they got that way?