Review & Giveaway ~ Taken at Dusk

Taken at Dusk
Author:  C.C. Hunter
Released:  April 10, 2012
Publisher:  St. Martin's Press
Pages:  380

Summary from Goodreads:

Step into Shadow Falls, a camp for teens with supernatural powers.  Here friendship thrives, love takes you by surprise, and our hearts possess the greatest magic of all. Kylie Galen wants the truth so badly she can taste it. The truth about who her real family is, the truth about which boy she’s meant to be with—and the truth about what her emerging powers mean.  But she’s about to discover that some secrets can change your life forever…and not always for the better. Just when she and Lucas are finally getting close, she learns that his pack has forbidden them from being together.  Was it a mistake to pick him over Derek? And it’s not just romance troubling Kylie. An amnesia-stricken ghost is haunting her, delivering the frightful warning, someone lives and someone dies. As Kylie races to unravel the mystery and protect those she loves, she finally unlocks the truth about her supernatural identity, which is far different—and more astonishing—than she ever imagined.

 Review:
I have completely fallen for the characters of Shadow Falls and can't get enough of them.  Taken at Dusk picks up shortly after Awake at Dawn ends and once again finds Kylie in some tough situations.  Kylie is still trying to figure out what she is and through one of the ghosts that haunts her, she finds some answers and more questions.  I don't want to give away anything, but she does know more at the end of the book, though knowing also creates more questions.  My heart did break a few times and I still can't decide who I like better for her, Derek or Lucas.  Part of me wants her to be with Lucas because he's like her since they were kids, but I think Derek could truly like her for what she is.  As with Born at Midnight and Awake at Dawn, Taken at Dusk is full of action and romance, and not just for Kylie.  One of the things I have enjoyed about this series is how C.C. explores the emotions and lives of secondary characters.  We continue to see how the friendship between Kylie, Della, and Miranda grows and of course there is the "tension" between Holiday and Burnett.  For me, Taken at Dawn is a 5 star book and I can't wait to see what happens next in Whispers at Moonrise.

And now for a giveaway!  I just happen to have an extra SIGNED copy of Taken at Dusk up for grabs.  You must be 16 or older and a US resident, just fill out the form below.  Good Luck!

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C.C. Hunter On-line:  Website  Twitter  Goodreads  Facebook

My Reviews of Born at Midnight & Awake at Dawn 

Review ~ Michael

Michael (Airel Saga #2)
by Aaron Patterson & Chris White
Released:  June 15, 2012
Pages: 400
Publisher: StoneHouse Ink.

Summary from Goodreads:

Michael did the unthinkable to save Airel from death, but now must live with the choices he has made, good and evil. Tortured by his past and haunted by his future, Michael seeks redemption. Airel drank in new life only to find that old wounds and deep scars do not heal overnight. Can she forgive her love or lose him forever in her mind?

Review:
Michael is a good follow up to Airel.  There is more action in this book and a few twists thrown at you with one heck of a cliffhanger at the end.  There were times when the chemestry between Airel and Michael didn't seem to be as effortless as in Airel, but I was still pulled into their story.  There was something that I had suspected early on and was happy to have my suspission confirmed.  As someone who loves happy endings I really can't wait to see what happens in the next book, Uriel.  If you are a fan of paranormal books then I'd give the Airel Saga series a try.  My rating for Michael is 3.5 stars.  I'll be keeping an eye out for the next book so I can see where the cliffhanger leads.

Stalk the Authors On-line:

Chris- Goodreads  Aaron-Goodreads   Twitter   Website


Check out my review of Airel (Book #1) HERE

Review ~ Chained

Chained
Author:  Lynne Kelly
Released:  May 8, 2012
Publisher:  Farrar, Straus, and Giroux
Pages:  242


Summary from Goodreads:

After ten-year-old Hastin’s family borrows money to pay for his sister’s hospital bill, he leaves his village in northern India to take a job as an elephant keeper and work off the debt. He thinks it will be an adventure, but he isn’t prepared for the cruel circus owner. The crowds that come to the circus see a lively animal who plays soccer and balances on milk bottles, but Hastin sees Nandita, a sweet elephant and his best friend, who is chained when she’s not performing and hurt with a hook until she learns tricks perfectly. Hastin protects Nandita as best as he can, knowing that the only way they will both survive is if he can find a way for them to escape.

Review:

An emotionally charged middle grade book that readers of all ages will learn from.  I liked how the main character is a boy.  Hastin has to be the man of the house since his father died and he is willing to make the biggest sacrifice so his mom doesn't have to work in unfavorable conditions.  I really felt like I had an emotional connection to Hastin and the other characters of the book. Even though his father is not present, it's obvious the impact he had on Hastin and I enjoyed seeing how his influence shaped decisions and actions throughout the book.  I would highly recommend you have your middle grader read Chained as it opens the eyes of the reader to a different part of the world and a different way of life.
I rated it 5 stars.

Stalk the Author On-Line:

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Class of 2k12     The Apocalypsies

Check out Lynne Kelly and other great authors

 at Tweens Read this October! 

Reveiw ~ Airel

Airel
by: Aaron Patterson & Chris White
format: ebook
(paperback is 379 pages)
Released: August 2011

Summary from Goodreads:

All Airel ever wanted was to be normal, to disappear into the crowd. But bloodlines can produce surprises, like an incredible ability to heal. Then there’s Michael Alexander, the new guy in school, who is impossibly gorgeous…and captivated by her. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she can hear the sound of pages turning, and another, older story being written. It is the story of an ancient family, of great warriors, of the Sword of Light, and the struggle against an evil so terrible, so far-reaching, that it threatens everything. Airel knew change would be an inevitable part of life. But can she hold on when murder and darkness begin to close in and take away everything she loves? Will she have what it takes when the truth is finally revealed?

My Review:  

     I received a copy of Airel for my honest review.  I’m a sucker for a pretty cover and the summary sounded like it was something that would interest me.  I also appear to be drawn to stories about angles and demons or those with a little paranormal twist. 

     Airel appears to be your normal teenage girl, but when the hot new guy shows up, she starts feeling weird.  Not just butterflies in her stomach because he is cute weird, no, more like the she can’t keep anything down weird.  Through a series of events Airel finds herself out on a date with Michael and then the action kicks up.  Their first date didn’t end like most first dates, and I’ll leave it at that because I don’t want to give away too much. 

     Airel discovers she is meant for a greater purpose and has developed skills she never imagined.  Through emotional and physical challenges, Airel will have to figure out who she is and who she can trust.  Not only will friendships be tested, but love.  Can she forgive the ones she loves, even if someone betrayed her? 

     Throughout the book the chapters alternate from present day, Airel’s story, to Kreios’s story set in ancient BC.  It’s not every chapter that it switches and the back story is important to what is now going on in Airel’s life, though the cliffhangers that were left when it switched chapters left me holding my breath until I found out what happened next.  This switching times wasn’t bad, it just took some getting used to and like I mentioned it’s not every chapter. 

     Airel is a different take on the descendant of angels versus demons stories that I have read and I would recommend you give it a try.  Since summer is approaching, I’d suggest this as a great beach or road trip addition to your e-reader.    

My rating: 4 stars

The Authors' online presence:

Arron Patterson Website         Chris White Website 

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Publisher: StoneHouse Ink