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Category: Paranormal

Review: Siren by Tricia Rayburn

[ 7 ] August 24, 2010

Reviewed by Cal C.

Siren, Tricia Rayburn’s first novel aimed at Young Adults, falls pretty squarely into a familiar genre for its audience: supernatural romance. Vanessa Sands has always played second fiddle to her gorgeous, fearless, outgoing older sister, Justine, but they were still remarkably close. One night, however, after a fight at home that reveals Justine’s relationship with Caleb Carmichael to her whole family, Justine runs away… and washes up on the beach the next morning, dead, leaving Vanessa and the rest of her family bereft and confused. While Vanessa’s family returns home, she opts instead to return to Winter Harbor for the remainder of the holiday season to try and piece together any explanation she can for why her sister might have killed herself.

The romantic aspect is pleasantly underplayed for the first two-thirds of the book as Vanessa investigates Justine’s death and Caleb’s subsequent disappearance with Caleb’s older brother, Simon. The investigation keeps the plot moving along at a healthy clip, but Rayburn smartly keeps the pacing extremely measured, more concerned with introducing and building up all the important characters and locations than with revealing and combating the titular monsters. Vanessa and Simon have an easy chemistry, but it’s the scenes where Vanessa is alone, facing her fears without her big sister for the first time, that really sell the character.

Unfortunately, however, the final third feels extraordinarily rushed. Relationships that had been building slowly are suddenly laid bare, while conflicts we had only just begun to understand consume the whole story. The climax seems rushed and a bit cluttered, and the villains are given extremely short shrift. Finally, a late-game twist doesn’t entirely mesh with what we’ve seen before, and casts some characters in an entirely different light.

Ultimately, Siren is an enjoyable mystery/romance that falters as it approaches the finish line, but remains a satisfying read. Rayburn displays confidence and skill when approaching the book’s quieter moments, which makes her handling of an underused and potentially fascinating mythology all the more disappointing. Despite its flaws, however, Siren is a quick, engaging book you won’t want to put down.

Check out Tricia’s blog, Maggie Musings & More.

Cal is a young, underemployed librarian and a frequent contributor to Read/RANT comic book reviews. He’s currently living in the suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio, with his family and using the post-grad-school grace period to read and write as much as he can.

This book was provided free of any obligation by EgmontUSA. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Giveaway: “Shiver” by Maggie Stiefvater

[ 237 ] June 21, 2010

Catch up with a copy of Shiver before you read Linger!

Read our review of Shiver. Here’s what you have to look forward to in Linger:

This is the story of a boy who used to be a wolf and a girl who was becoming one.

Just a few months ago, it was Sam who was the mythical creature. His was the disease we couldn’t cure. His was the good-bye that meant the most. He had the body that was a mystery, too strange and wonderful and terrifying to comprehend.

But now it is spring. With the heat, the remaining wolves will soon be falling out of their wolf pelts and back into their human bodies. Sam stays Sam, and Cole stays Cole, and it’s only me who’s not firmly in my own skin.

Linger will be available in bookstores on July 20th! Visit Maggie Stiefvater’s website to learn more about this talented author and her books.

Giveaway:
1 lucky winner will receive a copy of Shiver!

Mandatory entry: Please comment on this post with your e-mail address.

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This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. Deadline to enter is midnight on July 5th.

Giveaway copies were provided free of any obligation by Big Honcho Media. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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“Shiver” by Maggie Stiefvater

[ 6 ] June 17, 2010

Reviewed by Vera (Luxury Reading)

Attacked by wolves and dragged from her swing into the woods, young Grace is rescued by a mysterious wolf with penetrating yellow eyes. Years later, Grace remains devoted to this wolf who watches her from the edge of the woods that lines her parents’ property. While her parents are absorbed in their own lives and largely absent from hers, the wolf is a strange source of comfort that Grace relies on. She dreads his disappearance during the warm months, and knows that he’ll always be there at Christmas time.

When Grace’s classmate Jack is attacked by the local wolves, the community fears for their safety and forms a hunting party to drive the animals out. Arriving home after an aborted attempt at saving the wolves, Grace is shocked to find a boy on her deck – naked and bleeding from a gun shot. It defies all logic, but Grace knows without a shadow of a doubt that this boy, Sam, is her wolf. She has suspected that there was something human about the pack of wolves, and Sam’s yellow eyes are the confirmation she needs.

His unexpected switch is as much a surprise to Sam as it is to Grace, and he struggles to stay human and to stay with a girl he’s loved from afar for so long. Their connection is undeniable and although they’ve really only been together for days, both feel that their feelings are rooted in the years they’ve spent watching each other while in different forms. As their bond grows stronger, Sam fears that his human days may be numbered while Grace refuses to give up on finding a way to keep Sam with her. Will their love conquer all or will they be forever doomed to watching each other from afar?

Many YA books fall short in the development of the parental figures, and unfortunately Shiver is no exception. Grace’s parents were very conveniently too occupied to notice that their teenage daughter was harboring a teenage boy in her room for weeks – something that I feel even the most absentee parents would notice at one point or another. Their continuous absence also felt too contrived, as if the author just did not want to deal with the challenges that more attentive parents would present for the story line.

Shiver is another take on the human-supernatural relationship made popular by the Twilight series, and while it has its flaws, it’s certainly entertaining and definitely better written. Some secondary characters provide the necessary conflict and drama, but it’s Sam’s and Grace’s trials that really drive the plot. It was easy to become engrossed in their forbidden/impossible love and root for them to find a cure for Sam’s “handicap”. I, for one, am eagerly awaiting the sequel, Linger.

Watch for Linger book trailer and the Shiver giveaway next week!

This book was provided free of any obligation by Big Honcho Media. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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"Claire de Lune" by Christine Johnson

[ 5 ] May 21, 2010

Reviewed by Jennifer J.

16-year-old Claire’s poolside birthday party is a success–until a werewolf’s murder spree results in all of Claire’s guests leaving early to get safely behind doors. But who cares about werewolves when Matthew Engle has just asked Claire out? As if going through puberty wasn’t enough, Claire starts going through changes that she’s sure aren’t normal. Suddenly she is growing hair at an accelerated rate on the backs of her hands and the tops of her ears. Claire’s mother Marie finally reveals to Claire that she is turning into a werewolf, and introduces her into the werewolf pack she’s kept secret from Claire for the last 16 years–a secret that Claire must keep from all of her friends, including Matthew.

To make matters worse, Matthew is the son of a bloodthirsty scientist who will stop at nothing to rid their town from werewolves. Forbidden from dating Matthew, Claire tests her mother’s and her new pack’s boundaries as she chooses to follow the lure of her very human heart. When Claire’s mother is captured pursuing the rogue werewolf, Claire is forced to jeopardize her own secret identity to save her mother. Matthew is the only one who can help Claire, but can she trust him?

Claire de Lune by Christine Johnson is an exciting, new twist on werewolves. In Johnson’s imaginative world, only females can ever be werewolves. If a werewolf becomes pregnant with a male child, it will abort itself. Werewolves worship a Goddess, the Creator, instead of the Christian God, and participate in rituals that have something of a Wiccan feel to them. Some of the mystery behind the werewolves is taken away when the author tries to describe how the werewolf teaches herself to shift between wolf and human form. I would have preferred if the author had left this part out, however, to add to the mystery and magic behind werewolves.

I enjoyed the innocent flirtation and budding romance between Matthew and Claire, and can’t wait to see how it is developed in future novels. Both Matthew and Claire have complicated relationships with each of their parents, which will certainly add thrill and suspense to plot development. Though I didn’t care much for Marie, Claire certainly does, despite their differences. There is room for improvement in the dialogue exchanges between Claire and Marie, though some of it could be attributed to English most likely not being Marie’s first language. Though it might be premature to say, Claire de Lune just may do for werewolves what Twilight did for vampires.

For more information, please visit Christine Johnson’s website.

Jennifer graduated from the University of Utah with a BA in English. She occasionally dabbles with her own fiction writing, particularly with the Young Adult and Paranormal genres. She currently resides in Utah with her husband and daughter.

This book was provided free of any obligation by Simon Pulse. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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"The Book of Illumination" by Mary Ann Winkowski and Maureen Foley

[ 0 ] March 23, 2010

Reviewed by Claudia R.

Mary Ann Winkowski and Maureen Foley collaborate to produce a fun, fast paced, entertaining detective/ghost story. Any fans of the show Ghost Whisperer will surely enjoy this tale filled with spiritual drama, crime, loss, love and humor.

Anza is a single mother of a five-year-old boy living in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Her passion is books, and the restoring of priceless manuscripts for the continued viewing pleasure of others; her power is the ability to see and speak to ghosts. Her ex, the (very) married father of her son, is on the police force, and in the past, Anza has used her abilities to help him solve crimes. This time, however, she turns to him for help when a priceless manuscript is stolen from the museum where she works as a bookbinder. With the help of some ‘otherworldly’ friends, Anza and company unravel and solve the mystery that unfolds and interlinks with other aspects of Anza’s life, providing a satisfying read for a cold, blustery night.

As someone very familiar with Boston and it’s back roads, I found The Book of Illumination indulgent provender, as Mary Ann and Maureen competently and precisely take their readers ‘home’, delivering a thorough and decadent taste of Beantown. The anecdotic descriptive of the tale allows the reader to sigh and sink in to the plot, dissolving any ‘could never happen’ issues from the outset.

Fast paced, witty and straightforward, The Book of Illumination provides a quick, quirky and pleasant read. It doesn’t require much more from the reader than their attention and an open mind. For fans of the Ghost Whisperer, it will feel like a favorite pair of slippers, well loved, comfortable and familiar.

Claudia lives on Cape Cod with her husband and two children. She entertains her passion for reading in between providing services to help empower and improve the lives of low-income residents.

This book was provided free of any obligation by Three Rivers Press. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Giveaway: "Num8ers" by Rachel Ward

[ 0 ] March 7, 2010
Book Synopsis

Ever since she was child, Jem has kept a secret: Whenever she meets someone new, no matter who, as soon as she looks into their eyes, a number pops into her head. That number is a date: the date they will die. Burdened with such awful awareness, Jem avoids relationships. Until she meets Spider, another outsider, and takes a chance. The two plan a trip to the city. But while waiting to ride the Eye ferris wheel, Jem is terrified to see that all the other tourists in line flash the same number. Today’s number. Today’s date. Terrorists are going to attack London. Jem’s world is about to explode!

Please visit the Num8ers website for more information.

Giveaway
I have 3 hardcover copies of Num8ers for the lucky winners!
To enter, please comment on this post with your book choice and an e-mail address.
Extra entries (please post each entry separately, i.e. 2 posts for subscribing):
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This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. Deadline to enter is midnight on March 22nd.

Giveaway copies were provided free of any obligation by Big Honcho Media. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Giveaway: "My Soul to Take" and "My Soul to Save" by Rachel Vincent

[ 0 ] January 24, 2010

Book 1 of The Soul Screamers series — My Soul to Take — was released this past summer, and readers found out why Kaylee Cavanaugh screams bloody murder when someone’s about to die.

In Book 2 – My Soul to Save – when teen pop star Eden croaks on stage and Kaylee doesn’t wail, she knows something is dead wrong. She can’t cry for someone who has no soul.

The last thing Kaylee needs right now is to be skipping school, breaking her dad’s ironclad curfew and putting her too-hot-to-be-real boyfriend’s loyalty to the test. But starry-eyed teens are trading their souls for a flickering lifetime of fame and fortune in exchange for eternity in the Netherworld—a consequence they can’t possibly understand.

Kaylee can’t let that happen, even if trying to save their souls means putting her own at risk.

Soul Screamers: The last thing you hear before you die.

Visit the official Soul Screamers website and learn more about Kaylee by downloading the free Soul Screamers prequel My Soul to Lose here.

Giveaway
One grand prize winner will receive both books in the Soul Screamers series: My Soul to Take and My Soul to Save!

Two additional winners will receive copies of My Soul to Save!
For the first entry, comment on this post with your e-mail address.

Extra Entries (please post each entry separately, i.e. 2 posts for subscribing):
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This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. International readers may enter if they have a friend in the U.S. who can accept the prize for them.

Deadline to enter is midnight on February 10th.

Giveaway copies were provided free of any obligation by Big Honcho Media. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Guest Post & Giveaway: "Wish" by Alexandra Bullen

[ 0 ] January 13, 2010
Summary
Nothing can change the fact that Olivia Larsen’s twin sister, Violet, is gone…until a mysterious, beautiful gown arrives on her doorstep. The dress doesn’t just look magical—it is magical. It has the power to grant her one wish, and the only thing Olivia wants is her sister back.
Olivia’s wish will be granted.
With Violet again by her side, both girls get a second chance at life. And as the sisters soon discover, they have two more dresses and two more wishes left.
Please welcome Alexandra Bullen, author of Wish, to Luxury Reading!
One of the best parts of writing Wish was that it gave me an excuse to do something I’d always really wanted to do: Spend a few months living in San Francisco.

There’s a scene early in the book where Miles asks Olivia if she drove all the way from Boston to California, and Olivia shudders at the thought. In real life, I did make the cross-country trip, with lots of stops along the way. Luckily, I had company. Here I am with my travel buddies, somewhere between Nashville and Sedona:

As you can see, I did most of the driving.

Since Olivia is new to San Francisco, I spent a lot of time trying to see the city through her eyes. I got to know the neighborhood where the Larsens live (Dolores Park and the Mission), where Olivia goes to school (the Haight) and all of the famous landmarks that Soren shows off on his mini-tour of the city (The Ferry Building, Fisherman’s Wharf, Coit Tower and Telegraph Hill…oh my!)
It was a great excuse to be a tourist, day after day. But since I was there for three months, I was eventually able to settle into a routine of my own. I found my favorite neighborhood yoga studio (Yoga Tree on Stanyan), the greatest sandwich shop in the universe (Ike’s Place in the Castro—the Dirty Sauce is addictive!), and spent hours browsing legendary bookstores (I miss you, City Lights!)
Now that I think about it, it’s probably time for another extended visit. You know, for research…

Extra Goodies: Visit the beautiful dedicated Wish website and Alexandra Bullen’s blog. Mouse over to YouTube to watch the book trailer.

Check out Alex’s next blog tour stop at The Compulsive Reader on January 15th, where she will be doing an interview.

Giveaway
Scholastic has graciously offered to send one lucky reader a signed copy of Wish!
For the first entry, comment on this post with your e-mail address.
Extra Entries (please post each entry separately, i.e. 2 posts for subscribing):
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This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.
Deadline to enter is midnight on February 2nd.
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