Book Review, Author Q&A & Giveaway: The Devil's Flower by: Lisa Collicutt

Title: The Devil's Flower (Eternal Beings, #1)
Author: Lisa Collicutt
ISBN: 1620073838
Genre: YA, Paranormal Romance, NA Romance
Theme(s): Angels, Demons, Motorcycle Clubs
Length: 278 pgs
Binding: Paperback
Published: 19 November 2013; Curiosity Quills Press
Buy: Amazon.com, BN.com

Synopsis:

In a town called Nowhere, Colorado angels and demons battle for salvation. Who will win? And what will be the cost?

Killing isn’t exactly on Rosalie Lockwood’s list of things to do when she runs away from home. But despite her search for peace, guns and motorcycles become her latest fashion accessories as Divine interference leads her to Steele, co-leader of the Fallen Paladins motorcycle club.

Leathered and tattooed, Steele’s presence scares off most people he comes in contact with — but not Rosalie. She’s immediately drawn into the dangers of his biker world—and into his heart.

But Steele guards a secret that if Rosalie knew, could shatter their new love — along with destroy the human race. And the truth comes at a price.

Will Rosalie risks her soul to prove her loyalty to Steele?

The Dark and Light Realms collide as Rosalie chooses between life, death, and the ever-after to become that which she is fated to destroy.

My Rating:

My Review: We've read about angels. We've read about demons. We've read about angels vs. demons. But how about angels vs. demons and Motorcycle Clubs? The Devil's Flower by Lisa Collicutt is what I like to think of as a wildcard. The cover art is eye catching and sexy. The synopsis gives you the illusion that you are treading into familiar territory but you can't deny there is a sense of mysteriousness. You decide to give it a whirl out of sheer curiosity, albeit very skeptical and find yourself in a bit of shock by the time you come to the last page. These type of novels, these "wildcards", tend to be my favorite kind.  On a side note and I'm not sure why, but The Devil's Flower reminds me of the cult classic movie The Lost Boys. Even though this book has nothing to do with vampires, I think it shares the concept of innocence and perception. Both have a young, naïve person in a unfamiliar town that is drawn to a group of strangers. Instincts scream for them to stay away, but there is one in the group that they can't seem to stay away from and will eventually risk their very own life for. Definitely an interesting connection between the two.

Here is what I liked. The Devil's Flower is a refreshingly original novel. I know that may be hard to believe, considering there are very familiar elements on the surface. But what makes this story unique is how the author blends all of these pieces together. In the beginning, the story reads like a contemporary romance. Then somewhere around the 100 page mark, the paranormal element is introduced. This is an absolutely brilliant technique and here's why. Before even adding in the paranormal component, readers that are fans of contemporary romance, New Adult, MC (motorcycle club), even Young Adult, will find The Devil's Flower appealing. Not a fan of paranormal romance or new to the genre? This is the perfect novel to start and try because the transition from contemporary to paranormal is smooth and natural as strange as that may sound. The only complaints I've read are from hardcore paranormal readers that felt there wasn't enough of that particular element in the story. But I am confident this novel will appeal to paranormal enthusiasts who grow weary of reading the same type of story over and over again and are looking for something fresh and different.

The story itself was well written; great description, distinct character voices (and names), and had no issues with the pacing-- all topics that sometimes writers struggle with when writing the first novel in a series. I liked the third person narration and the switch in perspectives. The formatting and paragraph breaks signaled that a change in POV was coming, therefore eliminating any kind of confusion which sometimes happens.  Speaking of the format, the layout, font, and overall style of the book (including the chapter titles) created a very aesthetically pleasing reading experience.

I really enjoyed the romance between Rosalie and Steele. There definitely was an instant attraction, but a good portion of the novel was about Steele trying extremely hard to fight it. Part of it was to protect Rosalie from himself and the unsavory kind he surrounds himself with. He also feels that he is undeserving of her love and acceptance. The other part of his struggle to hide his growing feelings for her is to show no signs of weakness since he is the leader of the Fallen Paladins MC. There is also another reason he tries to hide his feelings, but I want to leave some mystery! There is some good sexual tension building between Steele and Rosalie, although the sex scenes themselves are more alluded to then explicitly shown which surprisingly works in this novel.

I found the angel/demon mythology in The Devil's Flower interesting and original. For example, in order for a half demon to become immortal, it would need 3 things: a) tear of an angel, b) blood of an angel, and c) death of an angel. Also, angels have souls but demons and half demons do not. If a half demon should mate with an angel, the angel would lose its soul to the demon. The use of the drug heroin plays a very creepy, yet important part in the story as well. These mythological elements add up to create some very tense, suspenseful moments in the novel.

Overall, Lisa Collicutt has spawned some very interesting characters, but I will admit, there were 2 that I struggled (won't reveal their names to avoid spoilers) with until I had a light bulb moment. These characters took Rosalie under their wing, taught her some survival tactics and how to fit within the MC. But then, out of nowhere, Steele starts thinking to himself that he has to protect Rose from them. At first I just didn't get the sudden wariness from Steele towards these particular characters when they did nothing to warrant his suspicious behavior. But then it dawned on me. The devil comes in many disguises and is a master of manipulation, seduction, and lies. It's this attention to detail that elicited my admiration for the author to grow even more.

I only had a few issues with The Devil's Flower, most of which were a bunch of small things that added up to annoyances rather than huge problems, so I will be going through them rather quickly.

First, I found Rose's statement here a bit startling: "...the fact that she was actually in a relationship with this person, a near stranger, hit her." She is obviously talking about her and Steele, but what bothered me is the fact that they have never talked about being together or being in a relationship. It's like the statement came out of nowhere. No declarations of love, other then Steele saying she can trust him and he wouldn't let anything happen to her as long as she is with him. And once you read that part, you will see why he says that. I'm also curious as to why Steele is so adamant about calling Rosalie "Rose" since the very beginning of the story. I get why Lithium calls her "Rosebud", but Steele is quick to correct people that she is to be called Rose instead of Rosalie, at least in the beginning. It's never revealed why and I am probably just looking too deeply into it, but it definitely left me pondering.

Second, I felt that Rosalie's stay with her grandmother was rushed and glossed over when in fact we learn the time she spends there plays a pivotal part in the story. This is where she discovers who and what she really is, what she is capable of and what is expected of her. When she meets back up with Steele, she is a wiser, stronger version of herself that apparently can now kick some ass. But we never get to see her training. We just hear about it in a sentence here and there when she is filling Steele in on her time away. I also didn't understand why she started college while at her grandmother's.  I'm not sure if she was biding her time, waiting for divine intervention, but the college thing bothered me since she ended up leaving to go back to Nowhere, Colorado. It just felt like an unnecessary detail.

Lastly, while I enjoyed the assortment of characters as I stated above, I did find Rosalie to be quite infuriating at times. I get that she is innocent and naïve (for more reasons that one) but I can only take the damsel in distress syndrome so much. Don't get me wrong, I love a strong alpha hero that comes to his woman's rescue-- it's sexy and it shows that Steele loves her and feels fiercely protective of her. But Rosalie puts herself in some really stupid and dangerous situations, especially with the drinking. Even when she knows the drinking got her into trouble before and she swears she will never drink again-- she still drinks AGAIN. Yeah, that's when my eyes start to roll and irritation sets in.

The Devil's Flower is a unique blend of contemporary and paranormal romance that doesn't fit into one specific genre. For this reason, it broadens its allure and I can see just about anyone picking this novel up and finding it an enjoyable read. This may also appeal to the YA crowd, since the female main character is 18. However, I would caution and recommend The Devil's Flower to  mature YA readers (16+) since there are some disturbing scenes including, drinking, drugs, and sexual situations (although not terribly explicit). Lisa Collicutt has given us a gem and I absolutely cannot wait to see the continuation of this story in book 2, The Demon's Wrath.

best wishes,mia

AUTHOR Q&A With Lisa Collicutt

1. Angels. Demons. Motorcycle Clubs? What inspired you to merge these very different elements together to create The Devil's Flower?

This is a great question I love to answer. Up until I wrote The Devil's Flower, all my books were about witches (my favorite supernatural beings). Then one day I had a vision of demons wearing leather riding motorcycles in the sky. Okay, so I didn’t put my leather-wearing, motorcycle-riding demons in the sky; I kept them on the roads where they belong. But the vision gave me the idea of writing a story about angels and demons. And at the same time, my husband suggested I write about an all female motorcycle club, because he thought it had probably not been done. So, I put his motorcycle idea together with my angel/demon one, and came up with The Devil's Flower.

2. One of the things I enjoyed the most about The Devil's Flower is the angel/demon mythology. I'm also fascinated with the MC culture which plays a pivotal part in your novel. What kind of research (if at all) did you do in order to write this story?

As with all things I write, I did loads of Google research. In fact, I swear I spent more time researching than actually writing. Having been around bikes since I was a teen, (my husband rides, I sit on back and think up story scenes) I had the biker thing down, but picked his brain on throttles, and clutches. Not belonging to an MC, made for a lot of patch research. And thanks to—I won't mention the name of the MC who displayed the different patches and rankings on their website—I became well informed. Because I've never been to Colorado or Texas, I did loads of research on them, but I chose to set the story in the fictional town of Nowhere. That way I could do what I want with the town and not offend anyone. But I still had to pinpoint Nowhere on the map and know roughly how many miles from there to Amaretto, Denver, and certain other places, even if they never show up in the story. Angels and demons are the paranormal aspect of the story, so you would think I could do what ever I want with them, and I can, but I still have to make them seem "real"; so a lot of research went into them as well. I wanted angel and demon names that were unique, and certain ethereal markings that made sense. And now I have to share; the weirdest thing I researched for this story—probably any story to date—was how to use heroin. I literally spent an entire weekend watching You Tube videos and reading case studies, along with forum posts of actual users. I can't say it was fun, in fact, some of it was downright disturbing, and all for a few lines in a book, but it shed some light on the subject, of which I otherwise knew nothing about.

3. The Devil's Flower is the first in a planned series and I am very excited and anxious to see how this new angel/demon/MC world and characters develop. Have you started writing book 2? Is there anything you can tell us about it? Tease us with?

I'm about a third into book two (The Demon's Wrath), and hoping for an autumn release, but have temporarily put it aside to finish the last book in The Serendipitous Curse series. Budding relationship over and fully into the MC life for Rose—book two gets darker in all aspects. You'll find more graphic intimate scenes, as well as more violence, all in keeping with the paranormal theme, which doesn't overwhelm the story. There are new and interesting characters as well.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lisa likes to write dark and twisted tales of magic and romance. She has a passion for Young Adult and New Adult Paranormal. When she's not conjuring tales about witches, demons, and other magical beings, she can be found leathered, and bound to the back of her husband's Harley, touring her homeland of Nova Scotia, Canada.

Enter Lisa's imagination where light ends and fantasy begins. But heed these warnings . . . it's dark, it's magical, you may experience tingles.

Connect With Lisa

Blog | Wordpress | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

GIVEAWAY

US & Canada: Enter for a chance to win 1 paperback copy of The Devil's Flower by Lisa Collicutt + Swag Package shown above! Ends 3/22

Worldwide/International: Enter for a chance to win 1 E-book copy of The Devil's Flower by Lisa Collicutt! Ends 3/22

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4507f611/

Book Review: Hollyweird

Title: Hollyweird
Author: Terri Clark
ISBN: 0738719250
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: YA, Paranormal Romance
Theme: Angels & Demons
Binding: Paperback
Length: 240 pages
Published: 8 May 2012
Buy: amazon.com, bn.com
My Rating:

Synopsis: Aly King is about to fall for the fallen.

My best friend, Des, and I totally freaked when we won the contest to meet THE Dakota Danvers in Hollywood. But now we’re finding out he’s SO not the angel everyone believes him to be. In fact, Dakota is the son of Satan, wreaking havoc on Hollywood and creating an evil army hellbent on world domination.

Lucky for us, Dakota’s super-cute personal assistant, Jameson, is a fallen angel trying to get his wings back, and he’s working undercover to squash his demon boss’s plan. If Jameson hadn’t taken me under his wing I’d be in serious trouble, because I’m a total newb when it comes to conquering evil. But, truth be told, that sexy angel’s got me all aflutter and may be one temptation I can’t resist.

My Review: Overall, I think Hollyweird by Terri Clark was a super fun, quick read. If you find yourself overwhelmed after reading books with heavy topics and you are looking for a story that is entertaining, will make you laugh, and doesn't require putting on your thinking caps, then this book is definitely worth picking up.

Hollyweird's premise is simple. Aly King wins a contest that was being promoted in EnterTEENment Magazine. What does she win? A once in a lifetime opportunity to meet Dakota Danvers, the hunky star of a popular CW show called Paranormal P.I. With her gothy, best friend Des and 21 year old sister/soap star wannabe Missy (who serves as their annoying, diva chaperone) in tow, they head to Hollywood. Never in their wildest dreams did they ever imagine their teen idol is actually a demon in disguise (the son of Satan to be exact) and that they would have to work closely with an undercover fallen angel named Jameson (who is trying to earn his halo back) in order to save the world from evil. Yes, it's as funny as it sounds!

If you haven't figured it out yet by my little summary, Terri Clark has created some memorable characters. By far my favorite has to be Des, Aly's best friend. I'm not sure if it's because she reminds me of my old goth days or if it's because Des doesn't fit the typical stereotypes that most goth characters fall under. There is this big misconception that goth kids wear all black because they are depressed, worship the devil, only listen to Marilyn Manson, and wouldn't be caught dead with "normal" looking teens. Des is proof that just because you have a few piercings and wear darker clothes doesn't mean you are an unhappy, Satanic worshiping outcast. Even though Aly and Des have completely different styles, they don't let outer appearances get in the way of who they are on the inside.

I love Des's sense of humor and her crazy words and phrases she comes up with, which Aly affectionately adds to her mental "Des Dictionary". A great example is in the beginning of the book when Aly and Des arrive in Hollywood. Des is so nervous that she pukes a little in her mouth which she calls "interna-hurl." "Guystraction" (being distracted by boys), "tattegory", and "pierconify" are just a few of the many other words she creates.

Let me not forget to mention how funny the text messages were from God to Jameson. When Aly and Des figure out the truth about Dakota, Jameson is torn as to whether he should reveal his own identity. Suddenly, a "Stairway to Heaven" ringtone goes off on his phone. When he checks to see who texted him, the message says:

From: God
"Maybe Zeppelin was a little obvs?"

Sooo funny! Also, Jameson must check in with the archangel Michael from time to time. What cracks me up is how Jameson calls him "Mikey". Who knew that giving God a sense of humor would work so well? Then again, I am not sure why I'm so surprised. Maybe it's because the last few books I've read have been more serious in nature. It just came to me yesterday that Hollyweird's humor reminds me of the movie Little Nicky starring Adam Sandler. If you liked Little Nicky then you will love this book!

Here are a few things I had issues with. While I loved the alternating chapter perspectives between Aly and Jameson, I felt that about halfway through the book, the voices of the two merge together. What I mean is, in the beginning, I could easily tell which chapter was in Aly's POV and which was in Jameson's without the chapters even being labeled at the top. But somewhere in the middle of the book, their distinct voices as characters fade away. I would be reading and easily forget who's head I was in. I'm not sure what happened since the story and characters started off strong.

I also felt that the way the girls find out about Dakota's true identity was a bit rushed and sudden. I get that the book is only 240 pages, so things do have to move along. Also, this may sound strange, but I guess I didn't care for the revelation that other supernatural creatures like werewolves and witches also exist. Obviously this has a lot to do with how the story ends, so I won't go any further.

My last complaint is the romance and chemistry between the two main characters. While I loved Aly and Jameson as a couple, the whole "I-would-sacrifice-everything-for-you, even-risk-never getting-my-halo-back" formula doesn't work, especially since they have only known each other, oh like, FOUR DAYS! Don't get me wrong, I am not a complete "instant love" hater. I just feel that there wasn't much development between Aly and Jameson due to the craziness going on in the book. Maybe if there had been some more scenes between them, more tender moments, I could believe the "I-would-die-for-you" kind of love. But the romance is quite lacking, the heat factor is...well, cold. I can't even remember if they kissed. Isn't that sad?

Hollyweird's cover art and synopsis were spot on as to what I expected from this book! The story was light-hearted, hilarious, and never takes itself too seriously. If you keep these things in mind, you will enjoy this book immensely!

Author Spotlight & Giveaway: Alicia K. Leppert, Author of Emerald City

A little over a week ago, I posted my review for Emerald City by debut author Alicia K. Leppert. If you missed it or are new to my blog, feel free to check it out HERE. But in a nutshell, this is what I thought about it:

Emerald City was not a bad read. I think the author captures the realistic and ugly stages of grief, depression, and suicide. I liked that the paranormal elements were introduced a bit later in the book. It was a nice change to see the relationship between two characters take its time to develop rather then using the instant love formula that we see so much in YA novels. Great characterization, interesting angel mythology held the story together. But a few plot holes such as poor editing, combined with the terrible marketing of this book is why it only gets a 3 out of 5 star rating. I think paranormal romance fans will miss out on Emerald City because they won't know about it. Thank God I am open minded! Someone who picks up this novel thinking its a contemporary romance may leave a worse review simply because they felt misled.

After I posted my review, I was pleasantly surprised to receive a message from the author. Alicia not only liked my critique, but she was nice enough to clarify my confusion over some of the issues I had stated in my review. How many people get that opportunity, right? So I took it a step further. I asked her if she was up for a quick Q & A and I am so happy she said yes! Oh and there is more! Alicia not only was gracious enough to answer my questions, but she also is allowing me to host a giveaway! After the Q&A, check out the rules so that you can enter for a chance to win an E-book (pdf format) version of her novel Emerald City!

Enjoy and Good Luck!

Author Spotlight:

10 Things You Should Know About Alicia K. Leppert & Her Debut Novel Emerald City

http://www.aliciakleppert.com/

1. How long has the process been from the time you started writing Emerald City to it being published?

About four years. It took me about three years to write, but that was very off and on. There were sometimes months at a time that I wouldn’t write at all. A year ago I was signed by Cedar Fort and it took a year for the re-writes, edits, and actual publishing of the book.

2. To clarify, what reading level/genre is Emerald City considered?

It is being marketed as a Young Adult paranormal romance. I wrote it with adults in mind and wasn’t particularly comfortable with the idea of it being marketed as YA because of the suicide and depression factor, but I had no say in what genre it would be categorized in. It’s very confusing to people, I know.

3. I saw on your website that you started and abandoned 10 stories before coming up with the idea for Emerald City. What inspired you to write about such sensitive topics as depression suicide?

When I decided to write a book, I knew three things right from the start: that it would be a love story, it would take place in Seattle, and it would be about a girl suffering from depression. This is a very personal topic for me, as I’ve suffered from anxiety and depression my entire life, although I’ve never had experience with suicide. I wanted to tell a story that would give people an idea of what depression sufferers go through on a daily basis. A lot of people don’t think it’s a “real” thing, or that it can be willed away. But it’s a very real disease and extremely debilitating. I hope that those who are suffering from it might find hope from my story, and those who aren’t will have a better understanding of those who are.

4. Where did the idea for the paranormal element come from?

I actually never set out to have any fantasy aspect to my story. In fact, I fought against it for a long time. But when I just wasn’t coming up with any solid ideas for my book, I finally started toying with the idea and suddenly I knew I had my story. I’d been reading a lot of fantasy/paranormal stories at the time (still am) and it suddenly seemed like the natural way to go.

5. I’m sure you are aware of the love/ hate debate over the “Instant Love” formula in some novels. Some readers love it when 2 characters “instantly” fall in love and others hate it, wanting to watch characters fall in love over the course of a novel. According to the story you mentioned about how you and your husband “met and were married” in less than 3 months, I would say your relationship falls into the “Instant Love” category. But Jude and Olivia take their time getting to know each other. What are your views on the instant love formula? Feel free to talk about your own relationship and also Olivia and Jude’s relationship in your novel.

I am on the hate side of the love/hate debate over instant love. I can’t stand stories where the love interests meet and within a day would give their lives for each other. I think it’s totally unrealistic and way overused in books today. I have a hard time finishing books with these kinds of relationships. My goal in writing Emerald City was to create a very realistic, believable romance that slowly built up so that by the time the characters finally got together, the reader was just dying inside. Now, this does make me sound like a horrible hypocrite given the way I met my husband, which was, yes, virtually instant. But it wasn’t love at first sight. In fact, we never saw each other at all. We met online and fell in love getting to know each other through chat in a matter of a week. We got engaged over the phone before ever seeing pictures of each other or meeting in person. After meeting, we got to know each other in person over the course of three months as we planned our wedding. We’ll be married 12 years in July. So here is my official stance on the “instant love” thing: I know it can happen in real life, in rare cases. However, I don’t buy it for a second in every single novel that seems to be put out these days. I think it’s formulaic and cheap and doesn’t invoke any feelings of romance from me when I read them, which is saying a lot for this die-hard romantic!

6. Like I said in my review, I know that some authors have little to no choice in choosing their book cover art, book synopsis/blurbs, etc. How much creative freedom did you have with the final book art, book blurb, etc?

Typically, you are right. Most authors don’t have any say in what goes on the cover of their book. I, however, was an exception, in that I know someone very well who works at the company that published me, and because of that I had the rare opportunity to write my own blurb, synopsis, and even to approve my cover (which I did immediately, they did a FABULOUS job). I know some people find it frustrating that my blurb and synopsis are so vague and that the cover and title give absolutely nothing away about the story and more specifically a paranormal aspect, but actually that was intentional. I love an air of mystery, and I wanted the reader to be as surprised as possible when they read the story. I know for some people this made them dislike my book, not knowing what they were getting into, but I don’t regret it for as second. Soon everyone will know what the book is about and for the sequel I won’t have to be so secretive. It was fun while it lasted.

7. So in my review, I stated my confusion over the title of the book and book cover and how it relates to the story. You were kind enough to contact me and clarify. Can you explain why you chose Seattle as the setting of your book, why it is called “Emerald City”? And any other significance behind the title?

Yes, this was a case of me assuming too much. I knew not everyone would know that Emerald City was Seattle’s nickname, but I assumed more people did than actually do. And it, stupidly, never occurred to me to mention it in the book for those who didn’t know. Rookie mistake. I chose Seattle because I have always had a sort of love affair with it. I was born there, and my birthstone is the emerald. I’ve only ever lived in two places, Seattle and where I live now and if you saw where I lived now, you’d understand why I chose Seattle as the setting. Besides, I always envisioned Olivia’s story in a big city and Seattle is the only one I know well enough to write about. As far as choosing it for the title, I don’t know, I just loved it. I thought it sounded perfect and I still get tingly when I hear it. There really is no other significance behind it other than that it means Seattle.

8. One thing I forgot to add in my review is how the book ends. While things are pretty much wrapped up, I couldn’t help but feel that this book could lead to a sequel or two. Any plans to expand on Emerald City?

Yes, a sequel is definitely in the works. It will be called Sin City, taking the characters to Las Vegas. The books will be a series, although I don’t know how many books there will be yet. I tried to write Emerald City so that it could stand on its own as a book, but also leave it open to a sequel. I do know I left a few things unfinished though, so…watch for the sequel!

9. What’s one thing you love about Emerald City? Is there one thing you could go back and change?

I love the raw, powerful way that Olivia’s emotions are portrayed. I’ve been told by many readers that it sucked them in and they could feel everything she was feeling. I’m very proud of the way I wrote her. There are, of course, things I would change about it, but they’re mostly minor. The biggest thing would probably be the ending. The general consensus seems to be that it happened too fast. If I could go back and redo it I’d draw it out, take more time on it.

10. Now that Emerald City is out on bookshelves, what are you doing now? Any new projects or future plans?

Oh boy. I’m so busy promoting Emerald City, with book signings and speaking events. But I am starting Sin City, the sequel, and that will be my focus from here on out.

Thanks for the interview! I loved answering your insightful questions!

EMERALD CITY E-BOOK GIVEAWAY!

The Giveaway is open WORLDWIDE!

1 (ONE) winner will be chosen. The winner will receive an e-book (PDF format) version of Emerald City!


Please read the following rules/instructions carefully. All responses must be left in MY comment section of this post.

---- ---- ---- ---- ----

RULES/INSTRUCTIONS

1.. Must be a follower of my blog through GFC and/or Networked Blogs (must leave GFC name/username in the comment section of this post so I can check you joined)

2. Leave your name and email address in the COMMENT section of this post.

3. Must answer this question: Why do you want to read Emerald City?

Optional/Bonus: Add/Follow me on Twitter and Facebook! :)

My Twitter
My Facebook

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Giveaway ENDS: Thursday, May 10th (last day to enter) and the winner will be chosen and contacted by Friday, May 11th. Winner(s) will have 48 hours to respond to my email. If I don't hear from you, a new winner will be chosen. So please make sure you leave your correct email addresses in the comment section!

For any comments, questions, or concerns about this giveaway, feel free to email me: famulan23@gmail.com


Good Luck!

Book Review: Emerald City

Title: Emerald City
Author: Alicia K. Leppert
ISBN: 1599558645
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Theme(s): Angels, Suicide, Depression
Binding: Hardcover
Length: 320 pgs
Published: 10 April 2012; Cedar Fort, Inc.
Buy: amazon.com, bn.com
My Rating:


Synopsis: Olivia Tate is a broken shell of a girl haunted by the tragic events that fill her past. She has closed herself off from the world, each day grasping at something—anything—to live for. Convinced there will never be a way out, she seeks solace in the depths of her medicine cabinet. When she wakes up days later in the hospital she is introduced to Jude, the quiet stranger responsible for saving her life. She never could have guessed then that her mysterious rescuer would end up saving her life a second time, while simultaneously turning her world upside down.

My Review: I am not sure what it was about the synopsis of Emerald City that caught my attention. Yes, I am a sucker for romance and "mysterious" heroes, so maybe it was that aspect of the summary that made me click the "request" button on netgalley. I definitely don't regret it, even though this debut novel by Alicia K. Leppert turned out to be quite different then what I expected it to be.

As the synopsis states, the story opens with a harrowing scene of attempted suicide. Olivia is a 20 year old shell of a young woman, broken down by losing everyone that has meant something to her. Abandoned by even her best friend, Olivia has attempted to eke out her own life by working and owning her own apartment. But she lives like a robot, going through the motions without truly seeing or feeling, barely eating or full-filling other social or physical needs. After a particularly bad day at work, swallowing a bottle of anxiety pills becomes her answer to her problems. One minute Olivia feels nothing and is greeted by white light, the next she is waking up in the hospital, told she has been saved by her mysterious neighbor named Jude. And so Olivia's journey begins, her fight back to mental and physical wellness, finding something worth living for... Sounds like a pretty straight forward, contemporary novel, right?

I battled back and forth on how much I should reveal about Emerald City in my review. But after some careful thinking and seeing that other reviewers have talked about what I wanted to reveal, I decided to go for it. If you haven't figured it out already, Emerald City is actually a paranormal romance and our mysterious hero, Jude, is an...angel! Now hold that thought.

Here is what I liked about the novel. I think the author did a great job with capturing the realistic nature of depression and suicide. I completely disagree with another reviewer in regards to how long it takes to heal after suffering a great loss. In the book, Olivia's mother killed herself a year before. Another reviewer felt that her depression lasting a year over the death of her mother felt unrealistic. They felt that after a couple of months, Olivia should have been able to start healing from her loss. Seriously?? Who puts a limit on the grieving process? Everyone deals with loss differently, so I thought the author dealt with the subject conscientiously.

Emerald City is filled with great characterization. The author really takes her time to build the relationships between her characters. While some other reviewers felt it may have taken too long for the relationship between Olivia and Jude to begin to really blossom, I thought it was a nice change from some of the typical "instant love" romances out there. I also like the fact that the author didn't bog the story down with tons of secondary characters. Not that I have issues with secondary characters, but Alicia K. Leppert does a great job making the characters she has three dimensional. One of my favorites is Hal, the mysterious homeless man that Jude always goes to when he needs to borrow materialistic things, like a truck, money, etc. I know, sounds weird, right? How can a homeless man have those kinds of connections? Read to find out :)

Even though the paranormal element wasn't really evident until about halfway through the book, I liked the angel mythology that was introduced. In Alicia K. Leppert's world, her angels don't have any wings. Heaven is not located in the sky, but is hidden in some sort of alternate dimension. Spirits are kept separate from angels. There are also many different kinds of angels, like ones that comfort you before you pass on, those that guard you, etc.

Now to my issues with Emerald City. A few are minor and are just thoughts/questions I had while reading. Olivia owns her own apartment in Seattle, but only works at a cafe shop. Is that realistic? Olivia swallows a whole bottle of pills but somehow Jude convinces the hospital it was an "accident". Really?? Apparently he did not use any of his "heavenly" influences to convince the hospital staff that it was an accident. It doesn't sound plausible.

When Olivia is at one of her therapy sessions, she thinks to herself that she doesn't want to reveal that Jude is the one that saved her. She tells Dr. Robinson that she has been spending time with a guy and that he is her neighbor. Then later in the conversation, she mentions that her savior the night she tried killing herself was her neighbor. Wait, didn't she just give it away??? I think it was one of those unconscious errors the author made and the editor didn't catch it. A little proof reading and rewording would have solved that mistake.

Also, without giving away too much, there is a part where Olivia is able to "meet" Jude's mother on the other side. I thought this was a bit odd since I would have thought that if the author was going to go in that direction with the story, it would be Olivia's mother that she would be able to see. Considering the fact that she has regrets about her mother's death and wishing she had the chance to talk with her one last time, I'm not sure what purpose was gained by making it be Jude's mother whom she meets. Again, maybe it slipped the author's mind, but I thought adding Jude's mom to the mix was a bit of an odd angle.

Lastly-- and this is my biggest issues and sadly, I don't think this is the author's fault-- I think Emerald City was completely marketed wrong. Back to my earlier comment, I first went into this novel thinking it was going to be a contemporary YA novel. Then I started reading it, and with Olivia's age being revealed at 20 and the serious/grimness of the depression and suicide attempt, I thought wow, maybe this is more of an adult novel. Then the angel concept was intertwined and I came to the conclusion that this is a YA paranormal romance for older teens. On top of the genre confusion, throw in a completely ambiguous cover art and book title, and you have yourself a hot mess of confusion. Now, I have talked to enough authors to know cover art is usually completely out of their hands. But I am still stuck on the title. Sometimes authors have a say, sometimes they don't. Other then Jude's green eyes which are mentioned quite a bit throughout the novel, I can't figure out what "Emerald City" means. And it absolutely does not help market the book at all.

Emerald City was not a bad read. I think the author captures the realistic and ugly stages of grief, depression, and suicide. I liked that the paranormal elements were introduced a bit later in the book. It was a nice change to see the relationship between two characters take its time to develop rather then using the instant love formula that we see so much in YA novels. Great characterization, interesting angel mythology held the story together. But a few plot holes such as poor editing, combined with the terrible marketing of this book is why it only gets a 3 out of 5 star rating. I think paranormal romance fans will miss out on Emerald City because they won't know about it. Thank God I am open minded! Someone who picks up this novel thinking its a contemporary romance may leave a worse review simply because they felt misled.

Book Review: When Copper Suns Fall

Title: When Copper Suns Fall
Author: KaSonndra Leigh
ASIN: B0065QYXQA
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Futuristic
Theme: Dystopian, Angels
Binding: ebook
Length: 266 pgs
Published: TriGate Press; First Edition 6 Dec 2011
Buy: Amazon.com
My Rating: 2 1/2 stars


Synopsis: In fifteen-year-old Chela Prizeon’s city, alchemy is forbidden and angels hide among the mortal. With a deadly virus ravaging the globe, Chela’s nightmarish memories compels her to experience a past riddled with gloom, and now her brother is infected.

Chela’s only hope is the Caduceans, slayers sworn to protect the last seven Light Keepers and the ancient memories they share. A group led by the sometimes elusive, sometimes infuriating boy who intrigues Chela. But can she trust this boy with the mysterious past, someone who can influence her memories?

With the Caduceans aid, Chela races to defeat her rivals, to unearth dark family secrets, desperate to find a cure…only to discover the glutovirus is far more than a simple disease.

In this haunting debut, KaSonndra Leigh offers an escape into a world as intriguing as The Mortal Instruments and a story as chilling as Enclave. Full of celestial creatures, fascinating villainy, high-stake choices, and a secret romance, When Copper Suns Fall, is a fresh and original urban fantasy—with a dystopian twist—that will take readers on an unforgettable adventure.

My Review: I signed up for this e-book through goodreads.com's "Read It & Reap" section under the group "Shut Up and Read". This story had such an interesting premise and me being a lover of angel themed books, I was really excited at the prospect of reading a different take on angel mythology. I was also excited when the synopsis mentioned it was as "chilling as Enclave." If someone is comparing it to Ann Aguirre's Enclave, then I am game! So you can imagine my disappoint When Copper Suns Fall did not live up to my expectations.

First with the positives. I thought the beginning was engaging and heartfelt. Chela, our main character, is sitting by the bedside of her twin brother who is in a coma from the glutovirus. In this dystopian world, there is no cure and Dr. Van Meter tries to convince Chela to give up hope and allow them to use Micah's body for critical research since he'd make a "strong vessel". But Chela stands firm, knowing deep down inside something isn't quite right and vows silently to herself that she will find the cure and the answers to her troubling questions.

The mythology and new world the author creates is interesting and different. In this futuristic world, the Tribunal now governs and the citizens are given new rules to abide by in order to help rebuild what was lost during the "Great War." Children must now take "ale-meds" in order to protect their immune systems, when really it is to do something entirely different. It is forbidden to associate with Caduceans and the Tainted-- light and dark celestial creatures (angels) that are blamed for the "Great War".

All of these important factors are introduced in the beginning of the book and combined with the well written opening scene, I thought I was in for a real treat. But that is the big problem with this story. The author gives us the elements but doesn't EXPLAIN them! What happened during the "Great War"? I am not the type of reader that needs everything spelled out for me-- I like some mystery, drawing my own conclusions-- BUT, if you are going to introduce everyone to a new world and a new mythology, some sort of background story is a must if you want your reader to connect.

My other issue was the characters. It's not that I hated Chela or any of the other characters, it's that I didn't really feel a connection with them. Here we go with that word "connect", right? Don't get me wrong, I was really feeling her turmoil in the beginning, but somewhere along the way I just lost interest :/ Oh and the love interests? I did love the scene where Faris was introduced. I liked the chemistry between the two. But then Seth came into the picture...then later you find out that Jalen has feelings for her....really? I guess I am just tired of that type of love triangle. Or is that a love square? Why do all the guys have to fall head over heels for the one girl? And if you are going to do it, then do it right because there are soooo many authors that have written GREAT love triangles, so much so that you can tell the difference between the good ones and the bad ones.

Oh and since we are on the topic of Faris...okay, I love alpha males. If you've been reading my reviews, then you already know this. HOWEVER, there was way too much "wrist grabbing" if you get what I mean. Literally. Faris was constantly taking her by the WRIST instead of hand, or when she pulled her arm away, he would grab her arm/hand again. I love an alpha but not a caveman and if I notice hand grabbing in a book, then you know there is just way too much.

I give When Copper Suns Fall a 2 1/2 star rating. I give the author a lot of credit for creating a unique world and new angel mythology to go with it. But without some back story to fill in the holes, to really make me feel like I was there and to better understand the characters plight, I found myself bored. I know this book is the first in a series, but I highly doubt I will be picking up book 2. I thank the gang at the goodreads.com group "Shut Up & Read" for giving me this opportunity to read and review this book.

Cover Art Friday: Something Old & Something New...

Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a new way of living—one without massacres and torn throats and bonfires of the fallen, without revenants or bastard armies or children ripped from their mothers’ arms to take their turn in the killing and dying.

Once, the lovers lay entwined in the moon’s secret temple and dreamed of a world that was like a jewel-box without a jewel—a paradise waiting for them to find it and fill it with their happiness.

This was not that world.

Have you figured out what this is??? If you guessed the highly anticipated sequel to Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke & Bone, then you are right!!!! I am OVER THE MOON ecstatic about this news! I knew there was going to be a book 2, but I had no idea we would be getting information this soon about it, because guess what?? Days of Blood & Starlight has a publish date around fall of 2012! It sounds soooo far away, but at least it's within this year! *does a dance* I'm even more excited about the movie buzz surrounding Daughter of Smoke & Bone. I just pray to the high heavens that they cast Akiva right! *stares off into the distance and drools*

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Since we are on the topic of hot angels (still drooling over Akiva!)....I couldn't resist posting this absolutely gorgeous cover art of Wicked Nights, book 1 in the Angels of the Dark series by one of my favorite adult romance authors, Gena Showalter. Wicked Nights will be released on June 26th, the day before my BIRTHDAY, woohoo! Happy Birthday to me! Yeah, we have awhile, but at least we have something to stare at until then! Happy Friday! ~Mia~

From the New York Times bestselling author who brought you the Lords of the Underworld comes a dark, seductive new series featuring angels poised at the brink of destruction…

Leader of the most powerful army in the heavens, Zacharel has been deemed too dangerous, too ruthless, and if he isn’t careful, he’ll lose his wings. But this warrior with a heart of ice will not be deterred . . . until a vulnerable human tempts him with a carnal pleasure he’s never before known.

Accused of a crime she did not commit, Annabelle Miller has spent four years in an institution for the criminally insane. Demons track her every move, and their king will stop at nothing to have her. Zacharel is her only hope for survival, but is the brutal angel with a touch as hot as hell her salvation—or her ultimate damnation?

Book Review: Immortal City

Title: Immortal City
Author: Scott Speer
ISBN: 978-1595145062
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Supernatural, Paranormal Romance
Theme: Angels
Binding: ARC Paperback (advance reader copy)
Length: 368 pgs
Published: 3 April 2012
Buy: amazon.com, bn.com
My Rating:



Synopsis: Jackson Godspeed is the hottest young Angel in a city filled with them. He is days away from becoming a full Guardian, and people around the world are already competing for the chance to be watched over by him. Everyone's obsessed with the Angels and the lucky people they protect - everyone except for Madison Montgomery. Maddy's the one girl in Angel City who doesn't breathlessly follow the Angels on TV and gossip blogs. When she meets Jackson, she doesn't recognize him. But Jackson is instantly captivated by her, and against all odds the two fall in love. Maddy is swiftly caught up in Jackson's scene, a world of glamour, paparazzi - and murder. A serial killer is on the loose, leaving dead Angels' wings for the police to find on the Walk of Fame. Even the Guardians are powerless to protect themselves in the face of this threat … and this time it's up to Maddy to save Jackson.



**The Following Review May Contain SPOILERS**

My Review: I won an early reviewer's copy of this book through Kristin's blog called GrowingUp YA which I am eternally grateful for.

Unlike the angel YA book I read before this one (Temptation of Angels) which was a complete disappointment, Immortal City was a fun, addictive read. The first chapter was a great opener and sets the tone of the story right away. Imagine this: a drunk rich kid (or young man) driving erratically down the road at night. Just as he weaves around a bend, he realizes too late that his car is about to hit into a truck. As the vehicles collide, he is suddenly pulled through his wind shield to safety by his guardian angel. His angel informs him that other then some superficial cuts and bruises, he will be fine and that the money for saving his life has already been transferred out of his account-- in the amount of $100,000 dollars. When the rich kid asks about the unfortunate driver of the truck whom he hit, the angel shrugs, stating simply, "He didn't have coverage." And thus begins the funny yet creepy premise of Immortal City-- angels are now "out of the closet" and only save those who can afford their prices in exchange for their services.

Along with Scott Speer's original and refreshing plot, so is his unique world building. Instead of pages and pages of angel mythology, the author explains his theories through Maddy's history class aptly called "History of Angels in America". So it almost makes the reader feel like they are learning this information with the characters. The fact that the history of angels has been added to high school curriculum also shows how important angels have become in modern society-- even if their significance has become misconstrued in many ways.

So now you are probably wondering not only why angels decided to reveal themselves to man, but how they could possibly save only those who can afford to be saved. Why would they charge people for their services? Well that is for you to find out. However, to sum things up, angels grew tired of seeing mankind self destruct. This idea is not that original and has been used in many books and movies before.

This leads me to my few minor issues with this book. I get that the angels somehow symbolize how we today obsess and idolize celebrities and put them on pedestals. It's a clever plot device. What left me confused is the whole religious aspect-- or lack there of. I'm not saying that every angel book has to mention God or choose a "side" or become preachy. However, I couldn't help but wonder where God is in all of this. Or is there no God, only angels? If God does exist in Scott Speer's mythology, then how can he sit back and allow angels to save only those who can afford their astronomical fees? How does it make them any better than demons and dark angels? God or any other higher entity is not mentioned in the book and I find that puzzling.

My other issue is Maddy's relationship with her uncle Kevin. She was just a baby when her parents were killed and Kevin took over as her guardian. Maddy calls him Kevin instead of uncle Kevin. Also, she thinks to herself at one point, "She loved Kevin dearly, but the fact of the matter was, he wasn't her parent. Some things were just private." Really?? I could see if her parents had died when she was 10 and then she had to live with her uncle. But for someone who has no recollection of her parents and has always lived with her uncle, I would think they'd have a closer bond.

My last gripe is the lack of romantic development between Maddy and Jackson. I am cool with authors who use the "love at first sight" technique. That doesn't bother me so much. However, there does have to be some sort of growth between the characters as the story progresses. The moment they shared in the back office of the diner was not a bad start. They both share the loss of a parent. Sadly, that is pretty much it for their similarities. Most of the novel is Maddy being angry or argumentative towards Jackson and Jackson occasionally wondering why she keeps popping into his head. While I think Scott Speer did a great job developing them as characters individually, their relationship seemed a bit...shallow. I guess what I am trying to say is I really wanted to like them as a couple but wasn't completely sold, even when things started to get more intense at the end.

Despite these things, I think Immortal City is a solid first book in what is sure to be a series based upon how it ended. I give this book a 4 out of 5 star rating because I have faith that the author can smooth out the kinks in the 2nd novel, such as more angel background and spending some more time developing the relationship between Maddy and Jackson.

~Mia~