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Erin Irvin-Interview and Giveaway with the Author

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ERIN IRVIN-Interview and Giveaway with the Author

From Erin Irvin’s Blogsite  As you probably know, I’m the author of the Lone March Series. I write all sorts of things, though much of it tends to be in the YA Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Paranormal Romance genres.

Besides writing books, I am a singer-songwriter/musician. My songs, which I generally refer to as quirky anti-folk, are accompanied by my guitar, affectionately known as Bertram, who’s been with me for ten years. I’ve also made one music video and if you look to the right of this page, you should see it around the middle of the right-hand column.

Some years ago, never mind how long precisely, I spent the most glorious year of my life to date in England, studying at the University of Leeds, as an exchange student from the University of North Texas, where I will soon graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree in General Studies. My three areas of concentration are Music, Film/Theatre Arts, and Creative Writing. I am a complete nerd for all these subjects. I only mention England because if you’re paying attention, you’ll find out pretty fast that I’m a serious anglophile.

Also, if you care, I make very poor doodles and, for reasons I can’t fully explain, post them on Deviantart→

Let’s Get Started

TRC: Hi Erin and welcome to The Reading Café.  Congratulations on your latest release in the Lone March series MOON-SWELL. We would like to start with some background information.  Would you please tell us something about yourself?

Erin: Sure. Let’s see…Well, I’ve been writing since I was about four years old. My first “book” was called Sally’s Party. It was about a girl named Sally having a birthday party. As I’m sure you can guess it was very imaginative. I wrote about what presents she got and illustrated the whole thing. My mom drew the line at letting me staple the pages together though—she insisted on doing that part for me.

TRC: Many authors develop their love of writing at an early age.  What was the catalyst that sparked your desire to write?

Erin: I don’t think there was a specific catalyst. I honestly can’t remember a time that I wasn’t telling stories in some way or another. I was singing delirious, make-it-up-as-you-go songs when I was probably two or three, I was creating whole worlds with my dolls, filling spirals with doodles and poems, and play-acting with my siblings or by myself. I don’t know how to live day-to-day without these creative outlets.

TRC: What difficulties have you faced as an author?

Erin: Growing up, I had a lot of trouble finding a story that had traction. I had ideas coming out my ears but I was sort of all over the place and my brain was still developing so I would get bored easily and want to move onto some other creative pursuit, or at least some other story. That’s why I loved poetry and songwriting so much because those forms allowed for my shorter attention span to flourish! I didn’t complete a story until I was thirteen (other than Sally’s Party, of course) and even after that it was a struggle. I wrote hundreds of pages of stories when I was in high school but couldn’t seem to finish them. After high school, I wrote a [very poor] one-act play, a couple of short stories, more poetry, and lots of songs. It wasn’t until I was 24 that I completed my first novel. But now that the finding traction issue has passed, I would say my biggest difficulty is being able to step back from a story and see it as a whole, to find its weak spots and flaws. If it’s a series, that gets harder the further on you get because there’s just more going on and there’s more at stake the further in you are. But I like a good challenge so it’s worked for me!

TRC: Your bio states that you are also a musician.  Do you use music as a means to help you write and if so how?

Erin: I do actually. I’ve sometimes written songs to help me get inside the head of a character before I write a particularly difficult scene with that character. And I’ve also done the flipside of that, where I’ve been inspired to write songs based on scenes from my books, or at least based on the emotions of a character in that scene. “Ancient Glass” and “The Pure” are two songs that come to mind just off the top of my head, but the latest one is “Just Two” which is especially interesting—since I’ve never done this with either songwriting or novel writing—because I actually did them both simultaneously; I started the scene, then stopped to write a couple of lines that would end up being the first in the song, then wrote a little more in my chapter, then wrote some more of the song. It was strange but it worked on both ends.

TRC: Would you please tell us about your ‘addiction’ to Dr. Who? 😉

Erin: *Ahem* How did you know about that? How did this get out?? Oh, I guess I have talked about it in both of my blogs a couple of times… So you want me to tell you about my—did I use the word ‘addiction’ myself—did I actually admit to that, or is that your inference from my shamelessly nerdy blogging? Either way, I suppose it’s true. Well, do you have a few hours? Because I can hash this out right now, if you really want me to. I could get into all the specifics of why I love that show but I will no doubt bore 98% of your readers to death. If anyone wants to know—and if you are a sci-fi nerd, or a writer—or even just a lover of good story-telling then I advise you to watch it and find out for yourself. It may be my favorite show, second only to Twin Peaks.

TRC: Would you please tell us about the premise of the Young Adult  LONE MARCH series?

Erin: The Lone March Series is about a girl named March Howe, who finds out she’s the last female were-wolf on earth. At first she’s scrawny, sickly, and very, very sheltered, so therefore, kind of immature. But as her were-wolf traits start coming out, she goes through a lot of physical changes, and by the end of her first Full Moon cycle, she’s sort of blossomed into a young woman. Her maturation is still slow but her position as the last female of her kind pretty much forces her to grow up (at least a little bit) with each book. There’s a lot of mystery about her past, a lot of things the wolves in her pack aren’t telling her, and, I have to say, there are some gritty things in this series, like some heavy issues she has to deal with, pertaining to the fact that she is the last she-wolf. But there is also humor and romance—though it’s always unsettled; March’s romantic life is uncertain and almost always in flux. I think that’s enough to get people going. If I say much more I’ll start giving too much away.

TRC: Your latest book in the series is MOON-SWELL.  Would you please tell us about the premise?

Erin: Why don’t I give you the last paragraph of the official synopsis? This sums it up pretty well:

In Book Four of the Lone March Series, March Howe has to figure out who she can trust, and who’s pretending. In her evolving love triangle, she must decide who’s best for her. And when strange things reveal themselves, it’s time for her to finally come to terms with the fact that she’s different. Will these secrets earn her the trust and respect she deserves from her pack or will the last of the were-wolves go beyond protection…and lock her up once and for all?

So there you go. And I guess I should say this one has more…graphic content, shall we say? It definitely deals more with the romance aspect of March’s life. For those of you who are already readers of Lone March, just know: this book is different from the first three. I like to call Book #4 the beginning of “Act Two” in the Lone March series.

TRC: How many books do you have planned for the series?

Erin: At least eight. But I can’t say for sure because I never know exactly how long it’s going to take me to tell the story of any given installment. It could be nine. Oh, and there is also one novella planned for after the series ends.

TRC: March is a very angry young woman/werewolf and at times she risks the lives of everyone with whom she has contact, yet Avery Harper (her guardian) seems to take much of it in stride.  Is there an Avery or March in your life that you have based these characters upon?

Erin: Not really. I guess it would be a more interesting answer if they were based on real people but no. I will admit March has a lot of me in her. Not the angry part—that’s all her and her were-wolf hormones—but definitely her awkwardness, her thought progressions, her general fear and doubt. Those things are all very much me. Avery was completely independent of real life. I’m going to sound crazy when I say this, but he created himself. In the beginning, I had a very clear idea of who Avery was going to be and what purpose he would serve in the story—he even had a different name back then—but over the course of writing the first few books, I would get these…what can I call them that won’t make me sound insane?…little whispers that would sneak up out of nowhere. (Yeah, that’s not crazy at all, is it?) But it’s true, as I wrote him, he would make these inferences on his own character and his actions and I felt very compelled to trust that and respect the character’s independence. I’m really not crazy, I promise (well, maybe a little). It’s hard to explain—even some other writers I’ve spoken with don’t get what I’m talking about. But for lack of better phrasing, I let my characters tell me who they are. And Avery’s not the only character to straight-up tell me no and demand his own way!

TRC: If you could virtual cast the Lone March series, which actors or models would best represent the major characters?

Erin: Ah! I’m always afraid of this question—and I have to answer it so many times! I should just come up with a finalized list and make it a rote recitation. But I can’t ever decide. It used to be Emma Roberts as March, but I guess she’s getting too old now. Maybe Chloё Grace Moretz would make a good March? She’s about the right age and has definitely demonstrated both a gentle, innocent side, and a darker, angsty side, in the movies I’ve seen. March needs both, for obvious reasons. She’s got to be able to pull off a major sense of weakness and fear, as well as strength and courage. It’s a hard mix. As for the others…I don’t know…Adrien Brody has a very raven-like quality so he would make a good Avery. I know one for sure—I have always pictured Quinn, from the moment of his conception, as Kris Kristofferson. Hands down, he would make the perfect—well, he IS Quinn. Funnily enough, Adam Brody (no relation to Adrien that I am aware of) is who I pictured for Deckard, albeit a younger version of him—more like when he played Dave Rygalski in Gilmore Girls. That’s all I know—I’m tapped out.

TRC: There are certain ‘unwritten’ guidelines for writing Young Adult storylines but sometimes the lines blur, especially knowing many of the readers are adults.  Where do you think the lines should be drawn as it pertains to sex and violence (graphic or otherwise) in young adult storylines?

Erin: Oh, I don’t know. I mean I have a running debate with myself about where to draw the line; I think about it all the time. It’s a very blurry line—it’s a blurry subject. A large part of me says it’s my story and I have to tell it how I want to tell it without worrying about what everyone will think—because if you worry about other people’s opinions all the time you’ll drive yourself crazy and end up hitting a wall in your writing. But there is another part of me that does feel an obligation—or, more accurately, a responsibility to represent what I believe to be good morals and decision-making in my main characters. And if he/she screws up, then I feel a responsibility to make them pay for their mistakes or at least face them and learn from them. For Lone March, we’re talking about were-wolves, so there have to be some elements of the grotesque, the macabre, anger and violence, and overcharged hormones. It’s just in their nature. What fun is a were-wolf who never has the urge to thrash around and engage in some mild sexual activity? The answer is no fun at all.

TRC: What difficulties did you face getting this series to publication?

Erin: For Moon-Linked, I had more trouble than with subsequent books. I saved up a lot of money to get it in print by self-publishing and to pay for a professional cover. That was quite a hurdle for me, being, at the time, a broke, full-time college student with no job. And it took a while to find a cover artist, and then when I did, he was far away and I’d never met him in person, so it was difficult to communicate what I wanted in emails. The cover turned out great but after that, a friend volunteered to do the others, and he’s such a talented (Emmy-award-winning) genius that I never have to communicate anything twice; he just gets it and turns my simple idea into something way cooler than I could possibly imagine.

TRC: Many authors bounce ideas with other authors, family and friends.  With whom do you bounce ideas?

Erin: First, my sister, Lauren, who is a writer too. (She’s working on a series that has a fairy princess as the main character—but she’s not what you think of when you think ‘fairy princess’ in the least. She’s a total badass. My mouth was hanging on the floor for nearly every page of reading that book because she was so arrestingly fearless and powerful and hardcore!) Anyway, we have major idea-bouncing sessions with each other. Second, my dear friend, with whom I share my first name, Erin. She’s also a writer. (And she’s working on an amazing graphic novel trilogy, of which she’s doing the artwork herself, and which is also very fantasy-based and has a really beautiful and inspiring message.) We bounce ideas every time we talk on the phone or see each other. And third, my fiancé, Travis. He gets the brunt of the idea-bouncing. All three of them are very helpful and encouraging. And they’re all smarter than I am so that helps!

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Erin: I am about 75% through the first draft of Lone March #6. I have another YA paranormal series—it’s actually a trilogy—and a middle grade four-book paranormal series, both of which I will be able to dive back into once I finish Lone March. I’m just too immersed in March’s world to focus on anything else at the same time.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Erin: Yes—I want to thank all my amazing readers, who are coming along with me and March through her turbulent journey. You guys are awesome!

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food: Pizza

Favorite Dessert: Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Favorite TV Show: Twin Peaks

Favorite Movie: Matilda

Last Movie you Saw: In Theaters: The Master; At Home: Deathly Hallows Part 1.

Dark or Milk Chocolate: Dark!

Last Vacation Destination: San Diego, for Comic-Con 2011.

TRC: Thank you Erin for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on the new release. We wish you all the best.

Erin is offering a paperback collection of books 1-4 in her Lone March series to one lucky member at The Reading Cafe.

1.  You must be a member at The Reading Cafe to qualify for the giveaway.  If you are not a member, please register using the log-in at the top of the page or by using one of the social log-ins.

2.  If you are using a social log-in such as Twitter or Google, please post a comment along with your email address as Twitter etc does not allow for email information (if we have to contact you as the winner).

3.  The giveaway is open to USA only.

4.  Giveaway runs from November 28 to December 1, 2012

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Lone March series by Erin Irvin-a review of books 1-4

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LONE MARCH YA series by Erin Irvin-a review of books 1-4

 

MOON-LINKED (Lone March #1)

MOON-LINKED is the first storyline in Erin Irvin’s young adult Lone March series focusing on 15 year old March Howe and the discovery she is not human. The basic premise is interesting-March finally reaches puberty at the age of 15 and in a 24 hour cycle, she gets her period, develops unusual body hair, increased hearing and sight, falls in love and grows several inches. And to complicate matters, her new boyfriend’s father has taken a dislike to March. But what March will discover is that Ethyn Harper’s father knows exactly what has been happening to March and why.

March will discover that she is a shape shifter- and the last of her kind. There are several different species of ‘were’ including raven, cougar and wolves, but March is the last surviving female of her clan due to a war between the species. Every female was eradicated to ensure the species did not continue, but we will learn that March did not meet the same fate as the other females.

The first 2/3 of the book we follow March as she tries to figure out what is happening to her body, and the last 1/3 she must follow the dictates of her new clan and the impending full moon. Her first shift isn’t pretty and what she discovers is that she will become the pawn in a war between the clans. The clan with the female holds the power.

I had a couple concerns with Moon Linked but one in particular involved a ‘real’ wolf and its need to be with March.  Yes, I know this is a paranormal storyline that involves shifters and werewolves (What? Werewolves are NOT real? ) but it made for a few uncomfortable moments.  Everyone knows I am NOT a prude and I do not have too many issues with the content in most storylines, but this one had me a little–unsettled.

MOON-LINKED is an interesting and different look at a ‘were’ shifter series. There is some humor as our heroine tries to deal with her new and improved body. There is a potential for the requisite YA love triangle and of course, the popular and cool crowd wants nothing to do with March and her friends. I suspect there are others of varying species about to evolve and manifest in the halls of the local high school. The writing is simple, the storyline is fast paced and easy to read and, Erin lets the reader in on her version of the ‘were’ myth and how it has affected the varying species on earth.

ORDER NOW: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / KOBO

MOON-ACHE (Lone March #2)

MOON-ACHE is the second storyline in Erin Irvin’s Lone March series. It has only been a few days since March’s first change and already the ‘were ‘world is very much aware of her existence. When her new pack ran into some internal troubles, March would find herself back with the Harper’s. Running from the pack only made sense when the new self-proclaimed alpha was determined to make March his mate. But life wasn’t about to get any easier, when she discovers that the only family she has known is gone and social services has placed her with a religious zealot who doesn’t stop at anything to keep March in line. Once again, escape is her only option and this time she will find herself back with the Harper’s. When Avery Harper reveals to what extent her new pack has had to endure because of her existence, March decides that to take matters into her own hands.

Meanwhile March’s personal life runs into a little trouble. The requisite YA love triangle has emerged. We all saw it coming. As the only female of her species, she is wanted and hunted by all of the clans, and life as a breeder is not on her agenda. But when a young were from her pack begins to have feelings for March, territorial instincts will kick in and March’s high school boyfriend will become the victim of a jealous rage. Knowing her presence in his life could possibly lead to further problems and attack, it is March’s decision to let go and move on with her new life.

MOON-ACHE reveals the existence of a few more ‘were’ species and further develops upon the animosity between the groups. There is still no revelation about what has happened to create such hatred between the supernatural powers but we are closer to discovering why this has occurred. And the were-ravens-all I can say is Victorian England probably never looked so stuffy—“quoth the raven-Nevermore.”

ORDER NOW: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / KOBO

MOON-BURN (Lone March #3) by Erin Irvin

MOON-BURN will find March on the run with an unwelcome partner. Knowing his intentions towards March are for personal gain and power, she takes control of the situation from the start- using gun power at every opportunity- the former alpha wanna-be becomes her personal target. The girl should not be allowed to hold a gun but we will discover that she had a good reason to keep him under control. At this point and throughout most of this particular storyline March’s anger is out of control, but it is explained away as wolf-rage. When March attempts a rescue of the pack, Avery Harper will once again drop in like the super hero and help March save the day. But March will remain the number one person on every were-wolf’s hit list. Whoever is in possession and marks the female, has power over the other packs. And there are other packs looking to claim March as one of their own.

To complicate matters, everyone at school is now treating her like a celebrity. With at least 2 abductions (and a runaway) to her credit, March has topped the A-list for wannabes cliques and one-time enemies seeking information. But it is her ‘relationships’ with Ethyn and Greyson that amped up my angst. She continues to play a game with their hearts. Her Jekyll and Hyde persona is disconcerting for both me, as the reader and the storyline characters. Werewolf rage is not pretty, and definitely, not an easy read.

One thing that made me uncomfortable in this particular storyline- March has developed sexual feelings towards her guardian Avery Harper. Avery is the father (and were-raven) of her on-again/off-again boyfriend Ethyn and at every opportunity March is throwing herself into Avery’s embrace. To say the least, when a 15year old girl has a fascination with an older man, it becomes more than uncomfortable in a young adult storyline.

MOON-BURN divides the storyline between her life with the pack and her life back in school. There is no easy solution in the short term, but some major anger management is definitely something that has to be considered.

ORDER NOW: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / KOBO

MOON-SWELL is the latest (November 2012 release) storyline in the Lone March series and with it comes some major revelations. We follow March as she travels between pack den and the Harper household but her feelings become conflicted when she believes everyone is hiding secrets-and they are. Not knowing what the future holds, she is fully aware that the pack is preparing to go to war to protect the only remaining female werewolf. There is a feud between the species, and the wolves are at the center of it all.

March’s relationship with both Ethyn and Greyson will hit some rough patches as she learns to deal with her wolf hormone-induced aggression. Her friends will eventually turn their backs on March and, Greyson’s decision to leave will force March to take another look at the damage she has inflicted, but it won’t take long before the young shifter finds another target for her affections and finally gives in to her hormonal drives. But this new target is more than just human and his involvement with March will bring out another side that can only be explained by the very people keeping her true heritage under wraps. Although the sexual encounter was not graphic in content, there was a sexual encounter-none the less.

March’s relationship with Avery will continue to be uncomfortable for me. Avery reveals his feelings for March –that of a father to a daughter, but with that realization, March is once again conflicted with her own emotions towards the man who has sworn to protect her from the others and in most cases, from herself.

March in many ways is your typical rebellious teen but with the added difficulty of being a shape-shifter and the only female were-wolf in existence. But that doesn’t excuse her self-centered attitude and self-appointed god-like status. She actually considers herself royalty among the wolves. The history of the ‘were’ will reveal some major turn of events, when the players involved are closer to March than she could have imagined. This is a story of stereotypes, racism (as in species) and prejudiced attitudes to towards anyone with a differing set of DNA.

MOON-SWELL continued to run up my YA love triangle angst, especially when March continues to deny any responsibility or culpability for her actions towards the opposite sex. She is in a perpetual state of anger, rage and arousal, and lashes out without thinking about the consequences of her actions to others and especially her friends.

Once again, the storyline is fast paced although I would like to see more interaction between March and her pack. There are also some Harper family secrets that have yet to be revealed when Avery’s flock of ravens alludes to some major indiscretions in his past. Moon-Swell is another interesting storyline and look at a shape-shifting phenomenon.

ORDER NOW: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Overall, The Lone March series is an interesting and fascinating read.  Erin Irvin has put her own spin on the shape-shifter genre centred on the ‘lone’ survivor of a war between the species. Erin has written a series that takes many of the human problems of hatred and animosity between race and religion, and applies the same to the varying species in her shifter world.

But as you can guess, I had a couple of issues as it pertained to the Young Adult storyline and the heroine’s need to  ‘have sex’ and ‘mate’. The storyline tells of a young, 15 year old (turned 16 in Moon Swell)  shifter girl adjusting to life as an angry, hormonal female wolf but I did not consider her behavior with the boys (and men including her guardian) as role model material for the YA genre. I am especially concerned with her attempts (to) and fascination with seducing her boyfriend’s father. The series is directed at young adult females and the sexual aggression and actions of the 15 year old female heroine were disconcerting and uncomfortable (for me).  

Copies supplied by the author.

Reviewed by Sandy

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Bitter Blood (Morganville Vampires #13) by Rachel Caine-a review

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Bitter Blood (Morganville Vampires #13) by Rachel Caine

Bitter Blood by Rachel Caine

Bitter Blood (release date November 6, 2012) is Book 13 in The Morganville Vampire Series

Blurb:

For years, the human and vampire residents of Morganville, Texas, have managed to co-exist in peace. But now that the threat to the vampires has been defeated, the human residents are learning that the gravest danger they face is the enemy within…

Thanks to the eradication of the parasitic creatures known as the draug, the vampires of Morganville have been freed of their usual constraints. With the vampires indulging their every whim, the town’s human population is determined to hold on to their lives by taking up arms. But college student Claire Danvers isn’t about to take sides, considering she has ties to both the humans and the vampires.

To make matters worse, a television show comes to Morganville looking for ghosts, just as vampire and human politics collide. Now, Claire and her friends have to figure out how to keep the peace without ending up on the nightly news… or worse.

Review:

Bitter Blood picks up a few months after the draug were defeated in Black Dawn. Michael and Eve are married, much to everyone’s dismay, human and vampire alike. The only support they get are from their best friends and housemates, Claire and Shane.

Rules are changing in Morganville. Oliver seems to have become inseparable with Amelie, the Founder. And his influence is showing. And Claire is not happy about it. Upon receiving their new “registration” cards in the mail, Claire, Shane and Eve discover that they now have to carry an I.D. card that gives all of their vital information. They are not excited about the cards, but when Eve opens Michael’s and they discover the new rules for the vampires, it hits the fan. Seems the vampires have some new rules as well, namely, they can now legally “hunt” one time a year. And that goes over like a lead balloon.

Claire and Shane go to Amelie to try and dissuade her from allowing the vampires to hunt, but Oliver is there and his influence over Amelie is undeniable. And, seemingly, ironclad. Everyone in Morganville seems on edge. Myrnin comes to Claire to tell her to get out while she can, but she refuses to leave her friends. (Due to Claire’s saving the vampires several times, the Founder has told her she can leave any time she chooses)

The Glass House, where Claire, Shane, Michael (Glass) and Eve live, is attacked by people who are NOT happy about the marriage between Michael and Eve. Both sides, vampires and humans, say it’s not natural. And the tension just keeps getting worse. To add to the tension, a television show crew shows up wanting to see if they can find some paranormal activity. Ironic, right? Well, let’s just say things aren’t always as they appear.
Things go from bad to worse quickly in Morganville. Eve is brutally attacked. Myrnin is missing. Michael is not himself, nor, for that matter, is Oliver. And, some folks just won’t stay dead. There is a play for power. Can Amelie survive this latest move? Will our fab four survive all of the fallout? What about Myrnin? Did he just up and leave Morganville and Claire? You’ll have to read and find out.

Everyone knows how much I looooove this series. And, I hate to say it, but this one fell just a little short for me. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good book, but I expect more from the residents of Morganville. This one wasn’t action packed like the previous few books. Oh, there are revelations, some attacks and a few surprises, but just not what I was expecting. We do finally get to hear a few things from Myrnin’s POV and it made me love him even more. Two of the fab four (Claire, Shane, Michael & Eve) disappointed me to the point where I wanted to climb into the book and hit them on their heads. I know, I know!! It is YA, but dang!! All in all, a good story. I just expected more.

LINKS TO ORDER:  Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository / Amazon

Reviewed by Vickie M.

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Black City by Elizabeth Richards – a Review

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Black City by Elizabeth Richards – a Review

Description:
Dark and tender post-apocalyptic love story set in the aftermath of a bloody war.

In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable—they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection that causes Ash’s long-dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they’re caught, they’ll be executed—but their feelings are too strong.

When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.

Review:

Black City by Elizabeth Richards is another YA Dystopian story.  I have read many of these this year, and most of them were excellent.  Richards’ Black City is now being added to the excellent dystopian novels of the year that I have read.

Black City is city in ruins, with the city divided by the Sentry, who are in charge; the humans, who want to revolt against the government and their horrible living conditions; and lastly, the Darklings, who are living in worse conditions, and most are segregated by a wall, that separates them from the rest of the people. What is a Darkling you ask?  They are sort of vampires, as they are pale, have fangs, and need blood.  Their taking of human blood, gives humans a high, like a drug.  There are different kinds of darklings, but most live in peace, until their lives where threatened by this government.  Now they want to fight back for their freedom.  Black City is on the brink of war, and the government is determined to eliminate all the dissidents

We meet our hero and heroine almost from the start.  Natalie Buchanan has only been in Black City for a short time; she is the Emissary’s daughter, which gives her a privileged life.  Natalie’s mother was sent to Black City by Purian Rose, the leader of this world, to clean up the budding revolution against the evil Rose. Natalie isn’t happy, as she sneaks out at night to wander the streets, and sees all the destruction, and unsettling conditions. 

It is there she meets Ash Fisher, a half Darkling; he is a twin blood; with a human father and a darkling mother.  Ash, lives in poor conditions, with his human father, and nightly he goes out to sell his blood to give humans a drug high.  This is what he does to help his family survive.  If he is caught, he will be put to death.  Natalie sees Ash taking the blood of a young girl, whom she didn’t realize was paying for the drug high.  Both start off on the wrong foot, neither trusting each other.  Ash, warns Natalie, if she tells anyone, he will kill her.  She says nothing, and hurries back home before anyone notices her missing.  The days ahead she sees Ash at school, and they both ignore one another. 

We also learn early that Natalie’s life isn’t as easy as people may think.  Her father was killed by the government for information, as he watched his other daughter Polly be tortured, and was subsequently killed anyway.  Her mother, who is working for the evil Purian Rose, is very hated in Black City, as she is manipulating, sadistic, and cold hearted.  Natalie has no relationship with her mother, and is always forced to have guards with her, since being part of the Sentry and being the Emissary’s daughter puts her in danger.  One of the guards is her ex boyfriend, Sebastian, who becomes a major character, though not a good one in this story.

Natalie being lonely at a new school, becomes friends with Day, who lives in poor conditions, but has high hopes of becoming part of the Sentry.  Beetle is Day’s former boyfriend, and Ash’s friend, and he is also part of the Human group fighting the government.  Though Day hates Ash, since she feels he made Beetle an addict giving him his blood for a Haze high. But, they all become friends, which pushes Natalie and Ash to be together more often, and their dislike of each other begins to change. 

Elizabeth Richards does a wonderful job bringing Natalie and Ash together, despite their so many differences.  It turns out to be a beautiful romance, that at first is slow to build, but wonderfully done, as they both felt the sparks straight to their hearts.  I loved Natalie and Ash together, and how despite the difficulties for them to meet, as their romance was forbidden, they would find a way…since they were Blood Mates.  There were quite a few surprises and twists along the way.  But the crux of the story, besides their love, was the dangers involved; the developing unrest that would put Ash’s life in danger more then once, was the discovering of the conspiracies by the government that threatened to destroy them all. Natalie at first torn, sees the evil plotting that her mother, the Sentry and Purian Rose are plotting, decides to help Ash, Beetle, find out the truth. 

Elizabeth Richards has also created some amazing villains, from the evil Purian Rose, who is terrible dictator; Natalie’s mom, who will let nothing stand in her way to her own reasons, which we learn later on; Sebastian, who slowly is becoming an evil disciple of Rose; and the horrible Gregory, who I wanted to kill from the start.  Very well done by Richards, in creating these villians. 

The ending was very exciting, wild, and very emotional. I can’t tell you much more without being a spoiler, other then it was an emotional train wreck that left you drained.  Things do get tied up, but enough is left open for the next book to continue this series.  Black City was an excellent first novel for Elizabeth Richards, and I cannot wait for the next book.  

Reviewed by Barb

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The Better to Bite (Howl Trilogy #1) by Cynthia Eden

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The Better to Bite (Howl Trilogy #1) by Cynthia Eden

THE BETTER TO BITE (Howl Trilogy #1) by Cynthia Eden

THE BETTER TO BITE is the first installment (November 2012 release) in Cynthia Eden’s new young adult Howl trilogy. This is Cynthia’s first foray into the genre of YA literature introducing the town of Haven and its’ magical inhabitants of werewolves, witches and hunters.

The woods are not safe but Anna Lambert is drawn to the eerie darkness and the unknown. Hunted and stalked by the very creatures of her nightmares, Anna will be rescued not once, but twice, by local bad boy Rafe, when he is inexplicably present whenever a wolf attack is imminent. And Rafe’s attraction to Anna will garner some unwanted attention at school.

‘Cursed’ with the ability to find ‘lost’ things, Anna has always known she was different, and the move to Haven is supposed to help Anna and her father start a new life. But horrific memories of her mother’s murder continue to haunt Anna and the move to Haven will fuel the anger of the townsfolk when it is revealed that Anna and her family have a connection to the town. With her ability to find the lost, Anna’s father (Haven’s sheriff) reluctantly uses his daughter’s powers to help locate the missing and dead victims in and around the town of Haven, but in doing so, will reveal his daughter’s special talent to the very people who were hoping her family heritage had long been buried and gone. Anna’s father had hidden a family secret that he had hoped would never be revealed and the town of Haven held more secrets than Anna ever thought could exist. Sheriff Lambert’s love for his daughter is never questioned and her safety is his number one priority, but the lives of the townspeople are threatened and Anna is the only person with the ability to ‘find the lost’.

16year old Anna is new to Haven, and like any beautiful teenaged girl, she draws the eye of every young man at the local high school including Rafe’s ex best friend and former girlfriend. Keeping her ‘curse’ a secret will be a problem when Anna finds herself a victim of a set-up and her powers will be revealed when she must retrieve the missing item.

There is a love triangle (sigh) developing, and tempers flair when Anna is warned to stay away, but the attacks against Anna will come from an unlikely source, when the identity of the wolves would reveal the true nature of the killings and their connection to Anna, her father and the town of Haven.

THE BETTER TO BITE is a fast paced storyline with a few twists and plot turns that will keep you turning the pages until the very end. Cynthia has drawn together a fascinating group of characters, and like most YA storylines, the young adults take center stage most of the time. I liked that Cynthia did not make the adults a series of cartoon replicas and accorded them with respect. Magic and the supernatural are the underlying cause of many of the town of Haven’s problems, and the resulting prejudices and stereotyping will force a young woman into a lifestyle she was hoping to avoid. THE BETTER TO BITE is a welcome addition to the young adult category and I am looking forward to THE BETTER TO HOWL in 2013.

LINK TO ORDER: Amazon

Reviewed by Sandy

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Deviants by Maureen McGowan – a Review

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Deviants by Maureen McGowan – a Review

Deviants is Maureen McGowan’s first book in her The Dust Chronicles series, which is a YA dystopian novel.  I read this book in one day, as I could not put it down. Here is a description from her website:

Description:
In a post-apocalyptic world, where the earth is buried by asteroid dust that’s mutated the DNA of some humans, orphaned, sixteen-year-old Glory must hide and protect her younger brother. If their Deviant abilities are discovered, they’ll be expunged—kicked out of the dome to be tortured and killed by the Shredders. Glory would give anything to get rid of her unique ability to kill with her emotions, especially when Cal, the boy she’s always liked, becomes a spy for the authorities. But when her brother is discovered, and she learns their father, who was expunged for killing their mother, is still alive, she must escape the domed city that’s been her entire world.

Outside in the ruins, they’re pursued by the authorities and by sadistic, scab-covered Shredders who are addicted to the lethal-to-humans dust now covering the planet. Glory’s quests to transport herself and her brother to safety make up the thrilling and fascinating first volume of The Dust Chronicles.

Review:

Deviants immediately introduces our heroine, Glory, as she is scrounging prohibited places for rats.  Why rats?  Because she is starving, and she needs to feed her younger brother, so when you are desperate, rats are food.  This is a dystopian story, and the world as we know it has been destroyed, and those survivors live inside a dome called Haven.  No one is allowed outside, where the dust will kill you, unless the evil Shredders get to you first.  The conditions for the majority are poor, as they live in close encounters. The Comp rule the Haven. 

Glory hunts, with her friends, Jayma, Cal and Scout.  We find out early, that Glory has a secret power, which she is trying to learn to control.  No one, other then her brother Drake, knows about this power.  Glory can kill with her eyes, which she uses only to kill the rats.  Glory and her brother are Deviants, people who have various powers, and they are also hunted by the Comp.  When Deviants are found, they are expunged to the outside world, where the Shredders will kill them. 

Glory hides her brother, as he is crippled, due to a horrible accident three years ago. Her mother was murdered by her father, and her brother was crippled.  Glory knows her father was expunged and is now dead.  But she hid her brother, since he too came into his Deviant power, but being crippled, he cannot do much on his own.  If he is found, he will be killed.

Glory has a crush on Cal, and just when they start to date, she becomes concerned when he tells her he knows about her brother.  Around that time, Glory meets a stranger, who tells her that her father wants to talk to her.  She doesn’t believe the stranger and runs away. A short time later, when she goes home, she finds the stranger taking her brother with him. He tells her they are in danger, and he must take them to safety.  At that time, she hears the Comps searching her area, and she panics and goes with the stranger.  From here on is a very exciting adventure, which takes them outside the Haven, which puts them in constant danger against the Shredders, the elements, and other survivors who are very much interested in Glory.  At first she did not trust Burn (the stranger), but he treats her and her brother with kindness, and helps fight off the enemy.  Along the way, Glory begins to see that life at Haven, and the outside world was not what they were led to believe.  However, when Glory meets her father, she realizes he is alive and all that she believed was a lie. 

There are so many twists and turns along the way.  So many truths to discover, and betrayals. Glory does get to know Burn, and his Deviant and dangerous ability. They both become close, and she realizes that she has begun to care about him. They go through so much, in helping each other save their lives.

They will eventually meet their destination, a settlement which is run by the Freedom Army. But there are so many surprises & twists during the last ¼ of the book, and they will change the game drastically.  McGowan takes a surprising turn, that was very unexpected, and it leads to a cliff hanger, that will put Glory in more danger then she has has ever been before.  I for one cannot wait, as Maureen McGowan has created a wonderful new dystopian adventure that should not be missed.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by publisher

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HIDDEN (House of Night #10) by PC and Kristin Cast-a review

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HIDDEN (House of Night #10) by PC and Kristin Cast-a review

HIDDEN (House of Night #10) by PC and Kristin Cast

HIDDEN is the tenth full-length novel (October 16, 2012 release) in PC and Kristin Cast’s young adult HOUSE OF NIGHT series focusing on 16 year old Vampyre Zoey Redbird and her gang of misfit vampyres with affinities to the elements. When last we saw Zoey and her friends, Zoey’s mother had been killed by the High Priestess Neferet, Aurox had just killed Weapons Master Dragon Lankford during the reveal ceremony and Kalona swooped in to save his ½ raven ½ human son Raphaim. Oh, and everyone on the High Council now knows that Neferet has aligned herself with everything evil. It took ten books for the Council to pull their heads out of the sand, but finally Neferet’s true nature has been revealed.

The Goddess Thanatos (Death) is now in charge of the Tulsa House of Night where Zoey and the vampyres are schooled. With Thanatos in charge, she makes it her responsibility to ensure that the young vampyres follow the path of good, but when Neferet defected to the ‘dark side’ she left a path of destruction and betrayal. Blood sacrifices called forth the beast known as Aurox and while we all know his true identity, the vampyres at the House of Night only know that he was created from Darkness to destroy Zoey and her friends.

To be honest, the storyline does not progress much further than the previous book and only about 2-3 days in total. Neferet continues to feed the ‘dark tendrils’ using her blood and the blood of immortals, but it is her power and control over Aurox that will waiver when his humanity begins to usurp the beast buried beneath the human façade. And it will be the power of the elements that will help Aurox control the beast and with Zoey’s magical seer pendant, Aurox’s true identity will be revealed to everyone at the House of Night but not before Neferet devises one final plan to bring Zoey down.

Within this particular storyline Kalona and Aurox, once puppets ruled by Neferet, will see the error of their ways and the Goddess Nyx will begin to show some compassion for two of her lost children. A newly marked red vampire will be gifted with ‘the sight’ and with the ability to read colors and auras she will become a valuable member at the House of Night much to Aphrodite’s chagrin.

The usual cast of characters return with a young fledgling defecting to the ‘dark side’ but what I noticed is that some of the Cast’s writing has changed and matured (not all) which was a pleasant and welcome surprise. In the past, the negative, immature and derogatory name calling and comments from many of the characters was becoming unbearable and pushed this particular series into the –”not sure if I want to continue pile”! There is still quite a compilation of immature theatrics from a couple of characters including the high and mighty Aphrodite, who can’t seem to stop the swearing and rude behavior. How many times can one character use the term f***tard in one chapter?  But overall, many of the characters appear to have stepped up to the plate (so to speak).

The writing style continues to be stilted. The storyline will flow along and then all of a sudden falter, but we know there are two writers for this particular series. Similar to all of the other storylines, the books stumble whenever the characters enter into what seems to be a forced conversation with one another. Sometimes it is like reading two different books.  And there is plenty of repetition as it pertains to Zoey’s thoughts and comments. IBS anyone?  

I would like to add that if anyone has not read the HON novella Lenobia’s Vow, I would suggest that you check it out. Lenobia’s Vow is a short story revealing the past life and love of the horse mistress Lenobia Whitehall and the story will come full circle within the pages of HIDDEN. If you are a fan of the House of Night series, the novellas are of a much better quality of writing and speak with more maturity and grace.

Overall, I enjoyed HIDDEN much more than many of the previous storylines. Perhaps it is the change in the maturity level of the writing or the fact that many of the characters are no longer struggling with their own identities and have stopped ‘pushing’ themselves into the storyline at every opportunity.

Reviewed by Sandy

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Wicked Sense by Fabio Bueno – a Review

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Wicked Sense by Fabio Bueno – a Review

 

While there may be an overflow of Young Adult Paranormal Romance books, the fact that it’s “cool” to read again should be celebrated by all.  What I find particularly disturbing in YA books, as I read many, is the dystopia theme running so rampantly.  Wicked Sense, the debut novel by Fabio Bueno, was a breath of fresh air!  PNR without a doubt, the heroine is a 17 year old witch searching for the elusive “Singularity” (the witch at the pinnacle of their practice), but the dialogue, the interactions between characters, and the love story…all very normal and age-appropriate.  It reminded me of my own teen craze, but without the cringe.  It made me hopeful for what my own daughters are [not too] soon to face.

Skye is the only daughter of a famous, Oscar award-winning British actress who also happens to be a witch.  In keeping with the “business”, Skye travels with her mother A LOT.  They have a beautiful house In London filled with staff, but it’s always felt like a movie set; not a welcoming home.  

When a witch comes into her powers at the approximate age of 15 (which Skye implies are disguised debutante balls & quinceaneras), there is an outburst of magical energy, aka Daybreak.  They inherit two (2) charms:  Athleticism, Shifting, Intimidation, etc…  Skye inherited the Allure and True Sight (a more precise ability to detect or sense another witch).  The Singularity’s Daybreak was so thunderous; it was felt across the entire West Coast!  As a result, witches from covens world-wide, known as the Sisterhood, are searching for the witch in an effort to learn what makes her so unlike everyone else.  Hey…someone transfer Skye across the pond to Greenwood High School in Seattle! 

The Sisters aren’t trying to constrain or stifle the Singularity; they fear such an expulsion of energy will result in revealing the Veil, their basic protection of the craft.  If such an event is revealed to the public, fear of the unknown can result in magic criminalization or worse:  modern day witch trials.  So why won’t the Singularity tow the line and reveal herself?  A witch so powerful, she is masking her unique signature to avoid all interested parties.

Enter swoon-worthy Drake, a non-competition swimmer who decides to approach new-girl, Skye, before his more experienced friends make their move.  To their mutual surprise, the connection between Drake and Skye is instantaneous.  They are both shy, but interested in letting their attraction develop gradually.  Level-headed thought processes at this age?  Not only a resounding YES, but they’re both very careful with each other’s feelings and sensitive to those around them.  Where was MY Drake 25 years ago?! 

Before long, episodes of magic take root and accelerate.  A classmate and fellow Sister named Jane approaches Skye who is none too happy with her presence and basically tells her to keep her distance (her resentment is off the charts).  While teaching Skye a short-cut through the park during a storm, Drake is struck down by a tree.  Unable to carry Drake’s unconscious body (let alone get cell service to call 911), Skye relies on her magic to stem the flow of blood from Drake’s head wound, but she doesn’t realize that Drake is unconsciously committing that to memory.  When someone intentionally exchanges Skye’s facial moisturizer with a blinding potion in the locker room, leaving her in the most vulnerable position after her shower, you can imagine the result.  Could these acts be those of the Singularity, trying to fend off Skye’s approach or could there by another Sister vying for the ultimate conquest herself?  Perhaps she should ask the Overseer of the Seattle Sisterhood if there have been any sightings on the whereabouts of the Singularity?  Oh, no wait — he’s Skye’s ex-boyfriend…awwwwkward. 

Turmoil is a minimum in spite of Skye’s true nature and mission to locate the Singularity.  Drake handles the knowledge and pressures well.  The pair intelligently navigates through insecurities and peer pressure (both narrate the story; alternating chapters are from Drake and Skye’s POV) amidst a supportive cast of friends.  The two male friends come across as “good cop” “bad cop”, but they add a comical element to jab at Drake’s innocence.  Skye’s BFF has an immodest reputation, but she proves steadfast and indispensable.  

The Singularity’s identity is revealed, but the reason behind the concealment was my only criticism of the book.  Skye redirects attention, **I won’t spoil it for you!** but this will undoubtedly give cause for an investigation.  And then where will Skye be?  Hey…NOT thinking things through…VERY YA!!! 😀

I was pleasantly surprised by Wicked Sense.  And truth be told, I WANT the investigation into the “irregularities” to begin sooner than later.  Why?  I WANT to revisit Skye and Drake!  I was so fond of this well-crafted couple, they are worthy of carrying a sequel.  I know we have tons of books on our To Be Read list, but this book merits attention by every demographic.  I look forward to future stories by Mr. Bueno.

Reviewed by Carmen

Copy provided by Author

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