Book Shelf: Crystal Magic (Clearwater Witches #1) by Madeline Freeman

Nothing is safe around Kristyl Barnette. Windows break. Books rocket across the room. Lights flicker. Strange occurrences follow the sixteen-year-old everywhere.

When tragedy forces her to move to the small town of Clearwater, Michigan, with her estranged aunt Jodi, Kristyl tries to leave her past behind. But Clearwater has secrets of its own—a mystical history that intersects with Kristyl’s life and might shed light on the inexplicable events that plague her.

When a mysterious illness threatens her aunt’s life, Kristyl will do anything to cure her. Enlisting the help of witches could save Jodi, but is dealing in magic worth the consequences?

More info on Goodreads.....


Review:

Crystal Magic by Madeline Freeman is a bewitching and magical story that will easily entertain and leave the reader ready for more with its fun storyline, romance and friendship!

I have to say, Crystal Magic was a really fun book to read. It was light and entertaining and easily kept me reading along; it was just an all-round good book to read. Madeline Freeman’s writing was flowing and detailed and easy to read. The story was well plotted and weaves friendship perfectly with the magical element that encompasses the story. 

Following sixteen year old Kristyl Barnette a young woman who has spent the last few years of her life as an outcast and social pariah thanks to the things she can do and the strange occurrences that seem to happen in her presence, Crystal Magic sees Kristyl move to the small town of Clearwater when a tragedy forces to move in with her estranged aunt. Still reeling from her loss, Kristyl finds unexpected friendship and understanding at her new home and as Kristyl learns the truth about what she can do, the possibilities seem bigger than ever before.

I really enjoyed following Kristyl, also known as Krissa in this book. She was a likable heroine and Freeman tells her story well. Freeman weaves many different magical elements into Crystal Magic and I found it to be well thought out and plotted. Centering on Kristyl and this new stage of her life, Crystal Magic expectedly features the traditional teen drama and focuses a lot on Kristyl’s day to day life. Yet I didn’t find this in any way boring, and instead enjoyed the languid, but still entertaining, pace Freeman has set. 

Kristyl finds herself faced with two very different groups of people in this novel and I thought their differences we notable, but also very minor. Owen, Lexie, Bria, Felix and West are the first to accept Krissa and welcome her into their circle of friends. Own proves to be an adorable romantic interest of Krissa and I like seeing her experience her first crush. Crystal, Brigit, Fox, Griffin and the others on the other hand appeal to Krissa’s magical side and can understand her in a way others can’t and yet there’s something about them that doesn’t sit well with me—I feel Freeman has a lot in story for Krissa and her acquaintances.

My only issue with this book is that despite it’s many surprises towards the end and the shocking ending, Crystal Magic didn’t answer some of the questions I had in the beginning of the book. Freeman sets things up well for the next installment, but still leaves me not completely satisfied, and yet ready for more! 

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by Xpresso Reads and the author (Thanks Giselle and Madeline!)
Format: Kindle ebook
Buy it: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
My Recommendation: Looking for some light fun? Crystal Magic will be perfect for you
Cover: It's pretty.
Will I read sequel/continue with series: Yes, I'd like to read more!

Waiting on Wednesday #69

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking The Spine where you can spotlight an upcoming release that you're eagerly anticipating.

This week I'm waiting on.....  

A Wicked Thing by Rhiannon Thomas
Releases on: February 24th 2015
Add on Goodreads!

A spinning wheel. A prick of a finger. A terrible curse.

One hundred years after falling asleep, Princess Aurora wakes up to the kiss of a handsome prince and a broken kingdom that has been dreaming of her return. All the books say that she should be living happily ever after. But as Aurora understands all too well, the truth is nothing like the fairytale.

Her family is long dead. Her “true love” is a kind stranger. And her whole life has been planned out by political foes while she slept. Everyone expects Aurora to marry her betrothed and restore magic and peace to the kingdom before revolution tears it apart. But after a lifetime spent locked in a tower for her own safety, Aurora longs for the freedom to make her own choices. When she meets a handsome rebel, he tempts her to abandon everything for a different kind of life.

As Aurora struggles to make sense of her new world, she begins to fear that the curse has left its mark on her, a fiery and dangerous thing that might be as wicked as the witch who once ensnared her.

With her wedding day drawing near, Aurora must make the ultimate decision on how to save her kingdom: marry the prince or run.

Thoughts:
I actually saw this book on someone else's WOW a few weeks and ever since I've been desperate for it to be released! I just adore fairytale retellings and this one just sounds beyond incredible. I just love the concept and if the stunning cover didn't have me adding it to my TBR list, the idea of a different kind of sleeping beauty tale totally would!

What do you think of A Wicked Thing? Does it sound like something YOU would read?

And what are YOU waiting on this week?

Book Shelf: Four Seconds to Lose (Ten Tiny Breaths #3) by K.A. Tucker

When a gorgeous young dancer walks through his door, a strip club owner must decide whether to follow his rules or his heart in the third novel by the author of One Tiny Lie and Ten Tiny Breaths.

Owning a strip club isn’t the fantasy most guys expect it to be. With long hours, a staff with enough issues to keep a psych ward in business, and the police regularly on his case, twenty-nine-year-old Cain is starting to second guess his unspoken mission to save the women he employs. And then blond, brown-eyed Charlie Rourke walks through his door, and things get really complicated. Cain abides by a strict “no sleeping with the staff” rule. But being around Charlie challenges Cain’s self-control…and it’s been a long time since any woman has done that.

Twenty-two-year-old Charlie Rourke needs a lot of money, really fast, in order to vanish before it’s too late. Taking her clothes off for men makes her stomach curl but Charlie tells herself that at least she’s putting her acting and dancing skills to good use. And though her fellow dancers seem eager to nab their sexy, sophisticated, and genuinely caring boss, she’s not interested. After all, Charlie Rourke doesn’t really exist—and the girl pretending to be her can't get distracted by romance.

Unfortunately, Charlie soon discovers that developing feelings for Cain is inevitable, and that those feelings may not be unrequited—but losing him when he finds out what she’s involved with will be more painful than any other sentence awaiting her

More info on Goodreads......


Review:

Four Seconds to Lose is the stunning third instalment in K.A. Tucker's impressively emotional Ten Tiny Breaths series and is a beautifully told story of sensual romance and surprising depth.

Man, I’m seriously in love with this series! Every book is brilliantly written and depicts an addictive story that is impossible not to get lost in! K.A. Tucker is fast becoming one of my favourite NA authors thanks to the beautiful way she writes her stories and the enigmatic bunch of characters she has introduced us to in this series. I already have a list of characters whose stories I would love to see; I just know these individuals have their own tale’s to tell and I’m hoping Tucker capitalizes on this fact and makes us readers very happy.

Finally telling Cain’s story, the alluring and contradictory strip club owner who won our hearts back in book one, Four Seconds to Lose is the first book in the series so far that is told in dual POV—featuring the voices of both Cain and his lady love, Charlie. While I’ve loved how Ten Tiny Breaths and One Tiny Lie were written, I honestly think this dual POV helps enhance the reading experience in Four Seconds to Lose. Personally, I’ve always preferred dual POV in this kinds of books and I think reading through both Cain’s and Charlie’s eyes makes it easy to understand how the character are feeling.

Cain has always been an enigma for me. He’s a delightful contradiction that I loved getting to uncover during Four Seconds to Lose. Ever since we were introduced to Cain back in Ten Tiny Breaths Cain has been a mystery I’ve wanted to solve. A strip club owner with honour and integrity, Cain has blown me away time and time again with his unexpected kindness and mercy. A man who looks after his girls and who wants nothing more than for them to escape the dark world of adult entertainment they find themselves in, Cain goes above and beyond to help them out; providing a safe place for them to live and work.

Honestly, Cain is just a beautiful person. He doesn’t take advantage of people and he’s honourable to a fault. This is the kind of man who wants to save everyone; going out of his way to help when he can. He’s tough as nails; he’d have to be in his industry, but he’s such a good person. Basically he’s just an amazing character and I’m so thrilled to see him find love in Four Seconds to Lose.

I have to say, when I pictured Cain falling in love, I’m not sure Charlie is what I had in mind for his match. And yet now seeing them together, I can’t imagine him with anyone else. Charlie is sweet and soft and very gentle but she’s also got guts. This is a girl is a surprising past and a difficult present and any woman who can pack up her life and take up a new identity the way Charlie does to escape a difficult situation is an incredibly strong person in my eyes. Charlie is younger she appears but she’s also very mature considering everything she’s been through and is involved in. I like that K.A. Tucker didn’t allow all of this to make Charlie jaded; she’s too much of a great character for that to happen to.

Despite their differences, or maybe because of them, Cain and Charlie compliment each other so well. From the very beginning the attraction between them is there and K.A. Tucker does a great job building on that until their relationship blossoms. The physical, and sexual, aspect of their relationship is perhaps a bit more graphic than the couples in the previous books, but this wasn’t something that bothered me as I felt Tucker still depicted things tastefully. Charlie makes Cain endlessly happy and Cain does the same for her—basically they’re a great couple and I’m thrilled they found each other.

Continuing to include the previous characters we’ve loved in the storyline, K.A Tucker does an expert job telling this story. Exploring hard issues like drug trafficking and adult entertainment, Tucker manages to humanize the people who are a part of it whom really don't have a lot of options; giving them voices and life. Four Seconds to Lose is a brilliant read that fans of the New Adult genre will not want to miss!

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by Simon & Schuster (Thank you guys!)
Format: Paperback
Buy it: Bookworld | The Nile | The Book Depository | Amazon
My Recommendation: As one of the best NA series out there, this is a MUST read!
Cover: Perfect!
Will I read sequel/continue with series: YES!

Owl Post #39

Inspired by The Story Siren's In My Mailbox, Owl Post allows us bloggers to showcase the books we've bought, won or received throughout the week and is hosted by Brodie over at Eleusinian Mysteries. We all know that the Owl Post is the fastest way to send and receive mail and they certainly make me happy every time they drop a book off.

Hi guys,

 

Have a look at all the fabulous books I received last week with this weeks Owl Post--lots of amazing stories to read I don't know what to read next!

 

For Review:

   From Harper Collins:

- Ghost House by Alexandra Adornetto

Despite the fact she's an Aussie author this will be the fist book of Alexandra Adornetto's I've read, but I'm soooooo excited for Ghost House; it sounds incredibly good!!

 

......Thank you Amy!

____________________________

 

From Bloomsbury:
- Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas
I really enjoyed the first book in this series, but I'm afraid I'm yet to read the second book in this series. Guess I'll have to catch up so I can read this third book :)

......Thanks Sonia!
_________________________________

From Simon & Schuster:
- Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover
I'm quickly becoming a Colleen Hoover fan and am really excited to read this book--it looks fab!

.......Thanks so Jennifer!
_________________________________

From Allen & Unwin:
- Starring Jules by Beth Ain
In all honesty it often throws me when I receive middle grade books for review.....I'm a little too old to be reading them, LOL.

.....Thank you guys!

I Bought:

 

- Opposition by Jennifer L. Armentrout

This is the 5th and final book in Armentrout's amazing Lux series and I'm so excited (and nervous) to read the final book starring Katy and Daemon--this series is amazing!

 

- Article 5 by Kristen Simmons
I've been meaning to get a copy of this book for a while--I've heard such great things about it. Can't wait to read it :)

- Altered by Jennifer Rush
I've been wanting to read this book for a while; I was just waiting for it to come out in paperback!

- Taken by Storm by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
I really loved the first 2 Raised by Wolves books and I've been unsure whether I want to read the final book (I've heard some heartbreaking spoilers) but I've finally caved and gotten a copy.

- How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire by Kerrelyn Sparks
I'm always after a great PNR series and having recently finished the Immortals After Dark series I've finally decided to read the Love at Stake series. I know it's popular. Hope I like it. Anyone out there a fan?

And that's me! Lots of great books to read.
What did you receive this week?

 

Book Blast: Earth Warden by Mina Carter- Giveaway

 

Today I'm participating in the Book Blast for Earth Warden by Mina Carter thanks to Book Monster Promotions!

________________________________

 

***Currently being edited for re-release. Formerly known as Hawk’s Warden***

What do you do when you’re magically inept in a world where your worth rests on your magical ability?

This is the question that has haunted magic-less Warden Lyssa all her life. So when injured Warrior Hawk mistakes her for a full Warden and claims sanctuary she agrees, thinking she can hide the truth for just one night.

Unfortunately it’s not so easy with a Warden execution squad on her tail and then a steamy encounter with her handsome warrior challenges everything Lyssa thought she knew about herself…

Add on Goodreads or purchase on Amazon!

Mina was born and raised in the East Farthing of Middle Earth (otherwise known as the Midlands, England) and spend her childhood learning all the sorts of things generally required of a professional adventurer. Able to ride, box, shoot, make and read maps, make chainmail and use a broadsword (with varying degrees of efficiency) she was disgusted to find that adventuring is not considered a suitable occupation these days.

So, instead of slaying dragons and hunting vampires and the like, Mina spends her days writing about hot shifters, government conspiracies and vampire lords with more than their fair share of RAWR. Turns out wanna-be adventurers have quite the turn of imagination after all...

Visit Mina:

Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Shelf: Forever (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #3) by Maggie Stiefvater

then.
When Sam met Grace, he was a wolf and she was a girl. Eventually he found a way to become a boy, and their loved moved from curious distance to the intense closeness of shared lives.

now.
That should have been the end of their story. But Grace was not meant to stay human. Now she is the wolf. And the wolves of Mercy Falls are about to be killed in one final, spectacular hunt.

forever.
Sam would do anything for Grace. But can one boy and one love really change a hostile, predatory world? The past, the present, and the future are about to collide in one pure moment - a moment of death or life, farewell or forever.

More info on Goodreads.....


Review:

Forever is the lingering conclusion to Sam and Grace’s story in The Wolves of Mercy Falls series and will leave the reader with nothing but hope as their riveting tale comes to an end in true Maggie Stiefvater style!

Maggie Stiefvater never ceases to amazing me with her lyrical writing and her whimsical tales. I honestly don’t know why it’s taken me so long to dive into the third installment in this series—perhaps I wasn’t ready for it to end, but as usual Stiefvater managed to win me over by her spectacularly written story and depth of emotion from the very opening page.

Since the beginning of Shiver, readers such as myself have been entranced by Grace and Sam’s haunting story. Although, Stiefvater’s Books of Faerie series is still my favorite of hers to date, I’m still very much in love with this series and have enjoyed getting lost in Mercy Falls with each and every book.

Told through the varying POV’s of Grace, Sam, Cole & Isabel, Stiefvater weaves so much pain and angst into Forever, and really the whole series in general. Emotionally rich, Forever picks up almost two months after Linger concludes with Grace now a wolf and Sam struggling to pick himself up. Add in Cole who continues to battle his own demons; all the while trying to find a cure for the werewolf syndrome that plagues the wolves of Mercy Falls and you’re bound to find an emotional and exhausting story.

I’ve very much loved following Grace and Sam since the beginning of the series and was excited when Cole and Isabel’s voices were introduced to the series too. I’ve fallen in love with Sam and Grace as individuals and enjoyed reading their difficult and at times heartbreaking romance.

Stiefvater pleased me to no end with her unique and different take on werewolves. The wolves in this series are unlike anything else out there and I commend Maggie Stiefvater endlessly for managing to give something seen often a new and fresh twist.

Cole and Isabel have been intriguing characters to follow since we began to follow them in the last book; adding even more angst and drama to the series. And as Forever comes to a close, Maggie Stiefvater does nothing to resolve their story, instead choosing to set up an excellent beginning for their own tale, something I look forward to focusing on in Sinner, the final Wolves of Mercy Falls book, a story that features solely around Cole and Isabel.

As we bid goodbye to Sam, Grace and the wolves of Mercy Falls, Maggie Steifvater leaves her readers with not exactly closure, but more the possibility of a beautiful future as she ends her books as only she can; bittersweet, beautiful and achingly emotional.

Rating:
Source: I bought
Format: Hardback
Buy it: Bookworld | The Nile | The Book Depository | Amazon
My Recommendation: This series is amazing and definitely worth a read!
Cover: Perfect with the others in the series
Will I read sequel/continue with series: I'll always read anything Maggie Stiefvater puts out and I'm looking forward to reading the companion novel to this series, Sinner!

Book Blast: The Right Song by Shane Morgan- Excerpt

 

Today I have The Right Song by Shane Morgan on the blog with a fantastic opening excerpt and all the book details! This book sounds quite good and I just LOVE that cover :)

_______________________________________

A young girl hopes to conquer her fears and experience the full force of love and music

 

Release date: July 31st 2014

Publisher: TSW Books

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

Purchase: Amazon

 

Pain never truly goes away, until you find something deeper and meaningful that cures the heart and fills it with love. That is what eighteen-year-old Aurora desperately wants to believe. That somehow her music can save her, or even touch the unreachable heart of the guy she has liked for years. Rora yearns for his attention and wants to experience this so-called love that could possibly end her long suffering and inspire her to chase after her dreams. In deeply understanding the feelings of others and herself, will Aurora give up on ever finding true happiness, or will an intriguing soul teach her about the greatest song ever written?

From The Right Song.......

PROLOGUE

The crowd roars. Some chant my name while others sing the lyrics to the song that brought me to this moment. It sets off a wild party of butterflies in my stomach. My heart starts racing and my knees shake. The music rises throughout the arena—my cue to take the stage.

I look behind at the guy that inspired me to reach this point, giving his hand a soft squeeze. He smiles, then nods approvingly for me to go for it.

 

A wave of confidence washes over my body; I slip out of the safety of his grasp and walk out in front of the many eager fans waiting to hear me sing.

 

Taking center stage, I clasp my hands around the microphone stand, close my eyes, and inhale a deep breath.

 

As the electrifying guitar riffs blast off, accompanied by the haunting melodies of the keyboard, I part my lips and allow the words to seep out of my heart.

 

I open my eyes to glance over the crowd. A smile makes its way to my lips as I notice they’re singing along with me.

 

We escape into the lyrics, united in this moment of bliss. It warms my heart, knowing I’ve touched theirs.

 

This is why I’ve worked so hard. I’m here now. And it’s only the beginning.

Want more? Be sure to grab a copy of The Right Song....

Shane Morgan is a twenty-something bestselling author of Young Adult and New Adult Fiction. Shane lives in the beautiful town of Narragansett, Rhode Island, where she spends her days blogging, reading, and escaping in her stories.

Visit Shane:

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram