Review:Devil's Kiss by Sarwat Chadda

Summary-

Bilquis SanGreal grew up knowing she would have to make sacrifices to be in the Knights Templar. Sacrifices like losing her mother to the Templar's ongoing battle against the Unholy; sacrifices like trading her childhood in for relentless training; sacrifices that keep her completely isolated from the world of a normal teen girl.

Billi's lone wolf status is challenged when her childhood friend, Kay, returns from his psychic training in Jerusalem. Kay manages to stir things up quickly -- he's gorgeous, arrogant, and wants to slide right back into his old place in Billi's life. Billi is skeptical, but interested, until she meets Michael -- an ethereally handsome guy who seems to understand her like no one before him, and effortlessly stakes a claim in her heart.
Just as Billi's starting to enjoy this pleasant new twist to her life, Kay ruins everything. In a moment of bravado, Kay uses the last of the Templar's treasures, King Solomon's cursed mirror, drawing the attention of one of the most dangerous of the Templars' enemies -- The Angel of Death.
Only with the mirror can the dark angel unleash his full powers, and now that he's heard the call of the mirror, he'll stop at nothing to get it. To save London from catastrophe, Billi will have to make sacrifices greater than she'd ever imagined.

Review-
Killing him should be easy; He's only six."

I know right! One heck of an opener!! That sentence had me hooked. I finished it in two days. SO...Billi falls for Michael...OK first problem. There was no love story there! He met her...had a date...she's in love?? How? Ok Second problem now! There is Kay! (I love Kay!!! (So does Billi.)) There needed to be way more to that relationship as well. There was nothing to make me think she actually loved these guys and there should have been!!! It ties into the plot! I expected ALOT more from this book. I read the summary and was "OH MY! I HAVE to read this!" Little did I know I was set up for disappointment when it came to the love story. Now onto better aspects of the book!! I really loved the relationship between Billi and her dad. There was hard feelings between them. I don't want to say hatred because she didn't hate him, she just didn't like him. Like most teenagers lol. The plot in this story was really good. I loved and hated the ending at the same time! I hated it for one obvious reason but, loved it because of the same. My heart went completely out to her at that point but I was also like "Nooooooo!!!! That can't be right!!!!" But it was :( Any Hoo... All in all a good read. I loved it besides the lack of the love story.

Publisher-Hyperion Books
My Score: 4 Stars
Reviewed by~Sarah

Review:Nightshade (Nightshade #1) by Andrea Cremer

Summary-
Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything- including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?


Review-
Okie Dokie Lets start with the cover....Can we say Breathtaking! It is an absolutely gorgeous cover! This book captured and held my attention from the start. I finished it in two days! I love Ren!! She totally needs to ditch Shay and pick Ren....Stupid Shay! I knew Ren truly cared for Calla even if he was a prick at times. He was jealous of Shays attention from Calla. I am dying to read the next part! This is on my 10 star list!

Publisher-Philomel
My score: 5 STARS!
Reviewed by~Sarah

Author Profile: M. Lighton and her new book Madly

The Book

Madly is your average nearly-eighteen year old girl—for a mermaid princess, that is.
Madly James is thoroughly enjoying her internship in Slumber when the unthinkable happens—there’s a prison break in Atlas, Madly’s home beneath the sea. A traitor has set free eight Lore, the spirits of what humans know as fairy tales, and they are making their way to Slumber to awaken their descendants.
The first spirit to arrive is that of Ulrich Wolfhardt, a man that was once obsessed with wolves and a young maiden he would follow through the woods. After a bite from a wolf, Wolfhardt’s obsession with the girl became an unnatural hunger and the young maiden’s grandmother cursed him with a fate worse than death. And now he’s back…with a vengeance and a bite that can infect others as well.
Madly must learn the identity of Wolfhardt’s descendant and stop him before he kills again and spreads his curse across the earth. But the only person strong enough to help Madly is Jackson, the Sentinel who vowed to protect her and the one person capable of breaking her heart. Can Madly resist forbidden love long enough to save the world from Wolfhardt? Or will she have to sacrifice her heart and her destiny to save the ones she loves?



FIND Madlys story on  Amazon Here!
FIND AT Barnes & Noble Here!

                                                                        The Author

M. Leighton is a native of Ohio, but she relocated to the warmer climates of the South, where she can be near the water all summer and miss the snow all winter. Possessed of an overactive imagination from early in her childhood, Michelle finally found an acceptable outlet for her fantastical visions: writing fiction. Six of Michelle's novels can now be found on Amazon, as well as several other sites. She's currently working on sequels, though her mind continues to churn out new ideas, exciting plots and quirky characters. Pick one up and enjoy a wild ride through the twists and turns of her vivid imagination.



OTHER M. LEIGHTON BOOKS
Blood Like Poison: For the Love of a Vampire
Blood Like Poison: Destined for a Vampire
Caterpillar
The Reaping
Wiccan


FIND MICHELLE
Blog http://mleightonbooks.blogspot.com
FB http://www.facebook.com/pages/M-Leighton/189192087759491#!/pages/M-Leighton/189192087759491
GR http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1152263.M_Leighton
Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/mleightonbooks
EM m.leighton.books@gmail.com

Author Interview: Paradise Rules by Jimmy Gleacher

 
Today we have the pleasure of having Jimmy Gleacherr stop by our blogtoday to give  us a great intewrview!.
1. How did you come up with the concept for this book?
I was inspired to write PARADISE RULES by an actual person who performed and achieved great successes in high school even though his home life was atrocious. I was so impressed I wanted to write a book with a main character who could do the same.

2.How did you come up with the names for the characters?
I name the small characters after I people I know because people usually get a kick out of it. For important characters I use a stranger’s name to keep it fresh.

3.How much are you and the characters alike?
Many of my characters mean well, have good intentions but are also flawed and make mistakes, so in that respect we are exactly alike.


4.Do you read a lot and what are you reading now?
I read every night before bed. Right now I am reading IMPERIAL BEDROOMS by Bret Easton Ellis.

5. What made you decide to go golf instead of a different sport?
I chose golf because I love the game and am very familiar with it. It’s also a very individual sport that requires honesty and strategy and thematically that fit with the book.

6. How did the cover come about?
The talented people at Simon & Schuster did the cover for PARADISE RULES so I can’t take any credit for it. I love it though. Most authors don’t have a say in what their covers will look like, they just have to hope, so I got lucky I got such a good one. I did get a chance to design the cover of my second book, SILLY LITTLE RICH GIRL, but that’s because it was published by a small press.

7. So what is your next project and when is it due out?
The book I’m working on right now is titled, THE CURSE OF KAUFT and it’s about a burned out pro golfer who makes a deal with the devil to get one more chance to make it on the PGA Tour, a decision that quickly begins to bring him trouble.

8. Do you have a daytime job or are you a full time writer?
I teach creative writing part time.

9. How did you get into writing novels and were you worried about peoples reactions to your books?
I wrote my first book when I was studying to get my Masters in Fine Arts in Creative Writing. I never worried about peoples reactions because I was enjoying writing so much.

10. One last thing do you collect anything personally?
Sea glass that I find on the beach

~Thanks Jimmy ffor stopping by and sharing some info on your new book Paradise Rules! Feel free to stop by anytime~

Ted Saves the World by Bryan Cohen Blog Tour

Harry and Carrie
By Bryan Cohen
Today I went to see the last Harry Potter movie on the big screen with a trio of comedians. It's always an amazing experience getting to see a blockbuster flick with friends who have a huge sense of humor. An unintentionally silly scene (Voldemort's laugh in front of Hogwarts towards the end comes to mind) causes a whisper giggle riot when among such company. One of these comedians, who happens to be my favorite female comic in the city of Chicago, Carrie, also went through an entire container of tissues due to a never-ending stream of tears.
Comedians in Chicago are an interesting bunch. Having been involved in so many ridiculous scenes during improvisational and sketch comedy scenes, it's hard for something to really impact us emotionally. I looked over at Carrie and thought, "J.K. Rowling made a comedian weep. That's amazing!"
Obviously, the author of the best-selling series of the century has touched a nerve with many people. It wouldn't be breaking all sorts of book sales and movie box office records if it hadn't. But the fact that even in people who tend to have guarded emotions, this series breaks through to the heart is a true achievement.
In creating a series of my own, starting with i laugh. I wanted the characters to be entertaining and for their adventures to make people want to keep turning the pages. As the series continues, I want to make sure I keep in mind my weeping comedian friend. If an audience is truly invested in a character, it actually feels the emotions that the characters are feeling. Readers will laugh and cry right along with those characters.

Ted Saves the World includes some fun characters that I hope will touch audiences over the course of multiple books. While they may not reach the pinnacle of a connection between Harry and Carrie, I will always have that fantastic reader to character relationship to draw from for inspiration.

Description of Ted Saves the World (Available for just $0.99):
A possessed cheerleader. A cursed gang of criminals. Mysterious telekinetic powers. An angry ex-girlfriend in gym class? One second, sophomore in high school Ted endures his first breakup in his favorite place in town. The next, a mysterious blue light turns him into a worldwide superhero sensation for taking down a posse of grisly murderers. As his views on YouTube increase and his friend Dhiraj tries to capitalize on the marketing potential, his dangers increase as well when a presumed-dead cheerleader begins taking a personal interest. Can Ted survive his first week as a superhero in the public eye? This novella is the first taste in a series of full-length novels about the adventures of Ted Finley and Erica LaPlante. The book is also available on Barnes & Noble and Smashwords for $0.99.


Giveaway:
Bryan Cohen is giving away four $25 Amazon gift cards, one for each week of his month long blog tour. To enter, simply comment with your e-mail address (feel free to substitute @ with (at) or other tricks to stop spammers from getting it). Bryan will draw the four names at the end of the tour, picking one entrant at random from each week’s set of blog posts. Entries will be counted through Monday, August 15th, 2011. Enter on as many sites as you want, follow the tour at Build Creative Writing Ideas. If Ted reaches the Top 100 on Amazon at any point during the tour, a fifth $25 card will be added to the giveaway.

Biography:
Bryan Cohen is a writer, actor and comedian from Dresher, Pennsylvania. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2005 with degrees in English and Dramatic Art and a minor in Creative Writing. He has written seven books including 1,000 Creative Writing Prompts: Ideas for Blogs, Scripts, Stories and More. Contact Bryan through his Ted Saves the World blog, his Build Creative Writing Ideas site or Twitter.

Review: A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly

Summary-

Mattie Gokey has a word for everything. She collects words, stores them up as a way of fending off the hard truths of her life, the truths that she can't write down in stories.

The fresh pain of her mother's death. The burden of raising her sisters while her father struggles over his brokeback farm. The mad welter of feelings Mattie has for handsome but dull Royal Loomis, who says he wants to marry her. And the secret dreams that keep her going--visions of finishing high school, going to college in New York City, becoming a writer.
Yet when the drowned body of a young woman turns up at the hotel where Mattie works, all her words are useless. But in the dead woman's letters, Mattie again finds her voice, and a determination to live her own life.
Set in 1906 against the backdrop of the murder that inspired Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy, this coming-of-age novel effortlessly weaves romance, history, and a murder mystery into something moving, and real, and wholly original.

                                     Review-
I enjoyed reading this book, although the early 1900's time period where the story is set may seem boring to some. The plot was exciting and very interesting, and I could hardly wait to find what would happen next. Aspiring writers and book lovers would especially love this novel and could easily connect with the feelings of the main character, who also aspires to be a writer.

Publisher-Harcourt Children's Books
My Score: 4.5 Stars-Great Book
Reviewed by~Molly Maugans (Student at Franklin High School)
       Thank you to the Author for donating this book!

Review: Those That Wake by Jesse Karp

Summary-

New York City’s spirit has been crushed. People walk the streets with their heads down, withdrawing from one another and into the cold comfort of technology. Teenagers Mal and Laura have grown up in this reality. They’ve never met. Seemingly, they never will.

But on the same day Mal learns his brother has disappeared, Laura discovers her parents have forgotten her. Both begin a search for their families that leads them to the same truth: someone or something has wiped the teens from the memories of every person they have ever known. Thrown together, Mal and Laura must find common ground as they attempt to reclaim their pasts.

                                       Review-

This book totally dddrrraaagggeeeddd! I was so happy to be done with this so I could just move on. This book jumped characters so much I just couldn't keep up. There was also a lot of stuff I just didn't understand. Its a very complicated book. Wait this is a young adult book? Are you kidding me?!? Lets not get started on how many time the F-bomb and G.D. is dropped. Totally not appropriate. I'm glad I didn't waste my money on this book. Over all if you can't fall asleep and need some help this is your ticket.

Publisher-Harcourt Children's Books

My Score: 2 Stars :(
Reviewed by~Sarah
                                              Thank you to the publisher for this book!

Review: Friendship on Fire by Danielle Weiler

Summary-

The first few days of year 12 are disastrous for school captain Daisy Brooks.

But Daisy’s life takes a sudden turn when she is dared by Skye, the leader of the Blonde Brigade, to meet the mysterious, drop-dead gorgeous stranger, Nate, from rival school Addison Grammar. Daisy’s instant attraction to him disrupts her world. But what about her best friend Roman? How will he respond to this intruder?
Daisy is a vulnerable, yet fiery girl going through the chaotic phase between teenage and adulthood. She is about to discover the complexities of relationships, the etiquette of friendship and, most of all, her development as a woman.
Is it too late for Daisy to realise that the choices she makes shapes who she is and who she will become

                                                                         Review-

    So this was an Aussie young adult book I got a chance to read. I loved that the story related to a lot of issues that young teens are experiencing.  The Aussie slang threw me off and I had to keep hitting the Internet to look them up to see what they meant. The story was very well written. I loved the humor in this book. I was so caught up in the story that I couldn't get out till it was over! I loved that the end didn't leave you hanging really bad like a lot of books seem to do anymore. All in all a great read for Young adults.

Publisher-Sid Harta Publishers
My Score: 4 Stars
Reviewed by~Sarah
                                               ~Thank you to the Author for this book~

Review: The Lost Hero (The Heroes of Olympus #1) by Rick Riordan

Summary-
Jason has a problem. He doesn’t remember anything before waking up in a bus full of kids on a field trip. Apparently he has a girlfriend named Piper and a best friend named Leo. They’re all students at a boarding school for “bad kids.” What did Jason do to end up here? And where is here, exactly?

Piper has a secret. Her father has been missing for three days, ever since she had that terrifying nightmare. Piper doesn’t understand her dream, or why her boyfriend suddenly doesn’t recognize her. When a freak storm hits, unleashing strange creatures and whisking her, Jason, and Leo away to someplace called Camp Half-Blood, she has a feeling she’s going to find out.
Leo has a way with tools. When he sees his cabin at Camp Half-Blood, filled with power tools and machine parts, he feels right at home. But there’s weird stuff, too—like the curse everyone keeps talking about. Weirdest of all, his bunk mates insist that each of them—including Leo—is related to a god.
Join new and old friends from Camp Half-Blood in this thrilling first audio book in The Heroes of Olympus series.(less)

Review-
I loved this book.  It is a great cross between Greek and Roman mythology.  It is also a great spin-off of the Percy Jackson Series, one of my favorites.  It gives mystery, action, and romance throughout the entire book.  It also gives sadness and excitement.  You meet so many minor gods in these series, not just the major gods like in the Percy Jackson Series.  The reading was great and it kept me on the edge of my seat.  I can't wait until Son of Neptune comes out!

Publisher-Hyperion Books for Children

My Score: 5 STARS! -Loved the Book!
Reviewed by~Patti

Review: Ashfall (Ashfall #1) by Mike Mullin

Summary-

Under the bubbling hot springs and geysers of Yellowstone National Park is a supervolcano. Most people don't know it's there. The caldera is so large that it can only be seen from a plane or satellite. It just could be overdue for an eruption, which would change the landscape and climate of our planet.

Ashfall is the story of Alex, a teenage boy left alone for the weekend while his parents visit relatives. When the Yellowstone supervolcano erupts unexpectedly, Alex is determined to reach his parents. He must travel over a hundred miles in a landscape transformed by a foot of ash and the destruction of every modern convenience that he has ever known, and through a new world in which disaster has brought out both the best and worst in people desperate for food, water, and warmth. With a combination of nonstop action, a little romance, and very real science, this is a story that is difficult to stop reading and even more difficult to forget.

Review-
This book was awsome.  It wasn't really inticing when I read the back, but Mullin did an excellent job with this novel.  The struggle of a teenage boy going through a land that he isn't familiar with and going miles to find his family is inspiring. Mullin's plot catches you in an instant and his imagery makes you feel like you are in the middle of the aftermath of a volcano.  This book was a great read and it is suitable for anyone.

Publisher-Tanglewood Press
My Score: 5 STARS! Loved the Book!
Reviewed by~Patti