REVIEW: Love Me To Death by Allison Brennan

I read this book because Felicia (The Geeky Blogger) started a book club at Stonebriar Barnes and Noble with DFW Tea Readers and this was one of the book we had to read. Like most people in my life the first part of this year has been non-stop, so I was not able to make it to book club so I thought I would share my thoughts about this book with you. This was my very first Allison Brennan novel and I hate that it has taken me this long to read her books. Thank you Felicia! Love Me To Death was a non-stop page turner and while I hope you read my review the bottom line is I loved this book. It is definitely "O'Boyling" hot!

Title: Love Me To Death


Author: Allison Brennan (Check out her website or follow her on twitter)


Publisher: Ballantine Books


Pages: 481

BOOK BLURB

Six years ago, Lucy Kincaid was attacked and nearly killed by an online predator. She survived. Her attacker did not. Now Lucy's goal is to join the FBI and fight cyber-crime, but in the meantime, she's volunteered with a victim's rights group, surfing the Web undercover to lure sex offenders into the hands of the law. But when the predators she hunts start turning up as murder victims, the FBI takes a whole new interest in Lucy. 

With her future and possibly even her freedom suddenly in jeopardy, Lucy discovers she's a pawn in someone's twisted plot to mete out vigilante justice. She joins forces with security expert and daredevil Sean Rogan, and together they track their elusive quarry from anonymous online chat rooms onto the mean streets of Washinton, D.C. But someone else is shadowing them: A merciless stalker has his savage eye on Lucy. The only way for her to escape his brutality may be another fight to the death. (Taken From Goodreads)

MEET ALLISON BRENNAN

New York Times and USA Today bestseller Allison Brennan is the author of eighteen novels and several short stories. A former consultant in the California State Legislature, she lives in Northern California with her husband Dan and their five children. Crime fiction, mysteries, and romantic suspense have always been Allison's favorites, so it's no surprise that her romantic thrillers have a dark suspense edge. Writing three books a year is more than a full-time job, and so is raising five kids, but Allison believes life is too show to be bored. When she's not writing, she's reading, playing video games, watching old movies or new television shows, driving to or attending volleyball/ basketball/ football/ soccer games, and on occasion even makes it to the gym where she enjoys people-watching more than exercise. (Taken from Brennan's website) 

MY REVIEW

This novel kept me guessing right up to the end. It was refreshing to not know who the bad guy was immediately. Brennan gave you plenty of time to suspect all the wrong people. When we come into the story Lucy Kincaid has already survived so much that you know she is going to be a kick-A character. Her love interest, Sean Rogan, is complete man candy and worthy of joining my potential book boyfriends list. I would definitely pull out some lady claws to claim him as my own. All the characters are so well developed, even the minor background ones. The story just flowed for me. A definite cannot put down book. It was a book version of Law and Order SVU, which is one of my favorite shows.

My Rating: 5 Stars

Please go out and pick up this book. You will not be disappointed. Come back and tell me all about what you thought about it. If you are a huge fan of Allison Brennan then I would love to know which book is your favorite. Also, if you are in the DFW area and want a book club to join filled with lots of amazing people let me know. I will get you set up. Let's get this chat started.

Happy Reading!


Michelle

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REVIEW: Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Thanks to Lisa with DAC Tours, I was able to read this book before its release. This is the second book I have read this year from a debut author and I have to say they are bringing the heat. Brodi Ashton's first book is hot and dark with little bits of sexy here and there. 


Title: Everneath


Author: Brodi Ashton (Check out her website or follow her on twitter)


Publisher: Balzer + Bray


Pages: 373


Release Date: January 24, 2012

BOOK BLURB

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned -to her old life, her family, her friends - before being banished back to the underworld...this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath come to her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back - this time as his queen. (Taken From Goodreads)

MEET BRODI ASHTON

Because of two parents who were Greek myth geeks, I grew up thinking the latest fashion trends were inspired by Aphrodite, and a good conversational opener was, "So which mythological character do you most resemble?" Despite these social shortcomings, I found a great husband who's always my first reader. We live in Utah with our two young boys, who still have no idea why I'm at computer all the time. I received a Bachelor's degree in Journalism from the University of Utah and a Master's degree in International Relations from the London School of Economics. (Taken from Ashton's website)

WATCH THE TRAILER

MY REVIEW:

The main character, Nikki Beckett, has spent 100 years in Everneath (The Realm of the Shades) with a boy named Cole (an immortal). Cole offered Nikki the option to rid herself of all her emotions and she took it. Cole now has another 100 years to live thanks to feeding off Nikki. During "The Feed," all that kept Nikki connected to her life was the thought of Jack, the boy she fell in love with. It is only after 100 years of having her emotions cannibalized by Cole that she wishes she could go back to the moment she made the worst, life-altering decision and do it differently.  She can't. Nikki has 6 months to make it right for leaving without a single goodbye, but she hasn't found the words yet. 

Everneath had those moments where you travel back in time before "The Feed" and remember how your life played out. Sometimes the memories are surprisingly good and other times you wish you could change everything. Brodi Ashton brought out the emotional depths of her characters. You could feel the despair oozing off the page. The darkness of the story is what made me want to read it, but the writing and voice of Ashton is what will bring me back for the next book. Now because, contrary to my husband's opinion, it totally matters which guy team you are on --> I'm on team Jack! Why? He loved Nikki first and that love was pure with no strings attached. Whereas, Cole's "love" was based on need and for centuries he has sacrificed others lives for his own. 

My Rating: 4 Stars

This book is ready to be picked up at your local bookstore or nearest e-reader, so go out and get it.  Also if you would like to see what others on this DAC Tour had to say about the book check out the other reviewers on the Everneath Book Tour:

Emilia (The Story Seekers)

Cindy (Oodles Of Books)

Jennifer (Ficticious Musings)

Lindsay (Just Another Book Addict)

Happy Reading!


Michelle

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REVIEW: Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

Welcome to the 4th stop in the Incarnate Book Tour. Thanks to Once Upon A Twilight I was able to read this book before its release date, January 31st. I am so glad I did not have to wait to read the highly anticipated book Incarnate by Debut Author, Jodi Meadows.

Title: Incarnate

Author: Jodi Meadows (Check out her website)

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (imprint of Harper Collins)

Ages: 13 and up

Pages: 384

Release Date: January 31, 2012

BOOK BLURB

New soul.

Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

No soul.

Even Ana's own mother thinks she's a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she'll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

Heart.

Sam believes Ana's new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana's enemies - human and creature alike - let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else's life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all? (From HarperTeen)

MEET JODI MEADOWS

"Jodi Meadows lives and writes in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, with her husband, a Kippy*, and an alarming number of ferrets. She is a confessed book addict, and has wanted to be a writer ever since she decided against becoming an astronaut." *A Kippy is a cat.(From Jodi Meadows Website)

MY REVIEW:

Incarnate is definitely one of those books that leaves you wanting more, but in a good way. You want more of this world Meadows has created that is filled with soul tellers (machines that map out souls), reincarnated souls, dragons, sylph, walls with heartbeats, and of course Ana (the New Soul). At the center of this story is this tragic girl who has been told her whole life she is nothing, a "nosoul." From day one Ana is an outcast. After being abandoned by her father, she is brought up believing that abuse is normal by her mother. At 18 Ana heads out on her own for the city of Heart to find out why she is the first new soul in 5,000 years. Then she meets Sam who treats her with kindness. It was like watching a TV show where someone rescues an abused dog. They are skittish at first but they steal your heart away before you know it. I felt Sam's hesitation and Ana's reluctance. Meadows does a great job of reminding the reader of all the small things that make up a person long after they are gone. People have this natural ability of keeping things that are important to them, that after they are gone, remind others that they were there, that they mattered. For Ana, who may only live one lifetime while others live many, she is faced with her own mortality at a young age. Her greatest fear is not being remembered, but isn't that the fear we all share? Do we all not strive to leave behind a legacy whether that be in our work, our kids, or just our on family? I thought Incarnate was a nice book to set you up for the second book in the series. It left me wanting more! Meadows does a great job of making you truly hate some characters (Li and Meuric), yet fall in love with Sam, Ana, and Stef. I hope to learn more about some of the other characters and life outside of Heart in the next book.

My Rating: 3.5 Stars

WINTER DARK DAYS TOUR 2012

Want to meet Jodi Meadows? Well Texas will get their chance soon because Jodi Meadows is part of the Winter Dark Days Tour 2012 along with Cynthia Hand (Hallowed), Brodi Ashton (Everneath), and Courtney Allison Moulton (Wings of the Wicked). 

February 16, 2012 at 5pm: Barnes and Noble in Southlake, Texas

February 17, 2012 at 7pm: Barnes and Noble in Austin, Texas

February 18, 2012 at 4pm: Blue Willow Bookshop in Houston, Texas

I do hope that you will go out and pick up a copy of Incarnate by Jodi Meadows on January 31st and keep your eye out for the next book in the Newsoul series currently set to release in 2013. Also if you would like to see what others had to say about the book check out the first three stops on the Incarnate Book Tour:

First Stop: Rachel's Book Reviews

Second Stop: Lauren Gets Literal 

Third Stop: Eli To The Nth

Happy Reading!


Michelle

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REVIEW: Double Clutch by Liz Reinhardt

What happens when you fall for the perfect guy...twice...in one day? Brenna Blixen spent her freshman year homeschooling in Denmark; now that she's back in the States, she's determined to make her sophomore year unforgettable. And by unforgettable, she imagined awesome classes, fun friendships, and maybe a little romance. What she got was a whole lot of romance, and all at once. (Taken from Goodreads)

Title: Double Clutch

Author: Liz Reinhardt (Check out her blog)
Publisher: CreateSpace 
Pages: 466

Teasers:

"She had a mom's neurosis about the internet, basically seeing it as a huge pool where pedophiles swam and lured unsuspecting children in their little floaties to the scary deep end." - pg. 104


"Every word he said, every action he made would be to trip me up, keep me on my toes. And I was positive he would get happiness from it, perverse or real." - pg. 135


"I don't know what made me angrier; his arrogance or the fact that I'd done exactly what he expected." - pg. 157

My Review: 

Double Clutch is the perfect title for a teen love triangle novel. Two guys in, but only one gets the girl. Reinhardt has this beautiful way of telling the story of Brenna Blixen, a girl who has the looks, the smarts, and the boys, but none of the "I've got it all" attitude. Brenna has this easy going way about her and a loving family so you are just waiting for the ball to drop, but Reinhardt does not take the easy way out. She shows you just what it would be like to have this close relationship with your parents and struggle with how to talk to them when you are trying to become an adult yourself. Just when you are in love with how she develops Brenna, then you are introduced to the boys of the story - Saxon McClean and Jake Kelly. Saxon is your typical intimidating guy who is good looking, has a nice car, a great athlete, and really smart, but that does not want others to know it. Jake on the other hand is this sweet gentleman, who works hard, is a little country and thinks he is stupid even though he really is not. It does not take you long to start forming your boy lines. Just so we are clear, I am totally on Team Saxon so if we could get a little more steamy Saxon action in the next book that would be great. He is pushy, but I feel like there is a refinement about him waiting to be discovered and I have always had a thing for tall, dark, and handsome. Jake on the other hand is more of a project and the project guy can be exhausting after a while. If you want to know who Brenna ends up with you will have to pick up Double Clutch for yourself. You will not be disappointed.  

Things I Loved:

Great first chapter! You know those moments when you just are on a conversation roll and you have no idea who is talking, whether it is you or your alter ego, well that is Double Clutch chapter one for me. I found myself relating to Brenna in so many ways. I have been to every variety of school: homeschool, public, private, technical and even online. A lot of what she experienced I have felt too, just in my own way. It is an amazing feeling when you connect with a character like that as a reader. Another thing I really enjoyed was that Reinhardt created characters that read. I think it is a great way to lead readers to other authors/books. I also loved how she captured the teen girl emotional roller coaster.   Obviously not every girl gets all high and low on you, but a lot do. Reinhardt's favorite candy is Raisinettes, which happens to be Brenna's favorite candy too. I thought it was a cool way of putting a bit of herself into the character. Finally, I loved that Brenna made an effort to reach out to those others would otherwise not notice (Devon). I think that is a powerful message to teens who would read this book.  

Warning: This is definitely an older YA read because there are some physical scenes that younger readers may not be ready for just yet.  

My Rating: 4 Stars

Keep your eye out for the next book in this series, Junk Miles, which is available now at Amazon.


Disclosure: Double Clutch was given to me by the author in exchange for my honest review.

GIVEAWAY

Just so you know there is still an opportunity to win a copy of this book. This giveaway is part of the Double Clutch Tour hosted by Missy's Reads & Reviews. I want to make it easier for people to enter, so if you have entered on the Interview Post you cannot enter here but comments are always welcomed. 

Rules are simple:

1. Name you want announced when you win.
2. Your email address or twitter handle. (So I can contact you when you win)
3. Answer to one of the following questions: Who inspired you to read? OR Which author made you love reading again?

Contest ends 12/11/2011. Winner announced 12/12/2011. International Giveaway.

Happy Reading!


Michelle

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