Book Review: Nightfall Gardens by Allen Houston

Title: Nightfall Gardens
Author: Allen Houston
Series: Nightfall Gardens Book 1
Publisher: Flycatcher Books
Date of Publication: May 8  2013

Source:  Received from author in exchange for my honest opinion.
Genre: Young Adult, fantasy, Kindle edition, 249 pages

Goodreads Synopsis:

Vain Lily Blackwood and her shy brother Silas wonder if their family will ever settle in one place long enough to lead a normal life. When a mysterious stranger arrives claiming to be their uncle, they discover their parents have been hiding a secret that turns their world upside down.

The two are kidnapped to Nightfall Gardens, the family’s ancestral home, a place shrouded in ancient mystery, where they meet their dying grandmother and learn of an age-old curse placed on Blackwood females.

Lily must take over as protector of the house and three haunted gardens that hold mythical beasts, fairy-tale nightmares and far worse. If she doesn’t, the evil trapped there will be unleashed and bring on a new dark age.

While she deals with malevolent ghosts inside the house, Silas is put to work in the gardens, where one wrong step means death.

Along the way, they search to unlock the secrets of the house and to stop the creatures in the gardens before time runs out and the world is destroyed.

My Thoughts:

I received a copy of Nightfall Gardens for my honest opinion of it.  I wasn't sure if it would be my type of story; I was afraid it would be too much for the kids and not exciting enough for myself.  I shouldn't have worried!  This book is amazing!
Before I get to the actual story can we talk about the cover?
I love when the illustration conveys the story perfectly and this cover definitely does it!  I also love that it is in just black and white and the contrast is between the shadows and the light.  It's just beautiful!
Just as the cover is foreboding, so is the first chapter.  It really grabs you and pulls you in right away.  There is no lag in the story; no boring parts.  We are able to glimpse Lily and Silas' life before the Gardens just enough to understand their personalities.  
Lily Blackwood, our female protagonist, is the more vain and self centered one of the family.  She believes the world revolves around her and she deserves the theaters of Paris and beyond.
Silas Blackwood is more of a dreamer.  He lives for his writing and I  think, a good book too.  But he is kind and generous too.
The introduction of the their long lost Uncle ,one they never knew they had, comes into play it makes for even more exciting reading.
I found the Uncle enjoyable; although, probably everyone else sees him as the bad guy.  I don't know; I think he is admirable but committed to the safety of others as well.
As the plot goes through we get to see each character, Lily and Silas, mature into a more well rounded person as they go through their own path.  Each one adds a crucial element to the story that makes the book much more enjoyable for girls and boys.   Neither one overshadows the other one; instead they compliment each other from the love they feel for each other.

The world building was also a major plus too.  Mr. Houston creates this niche in the world that essentially is what is holding the world's worst nightmares and evil from being let loose on humanity. I love that there is three gardens: White, Shadow and the Labyrinth, and each one has your different baddies in it.  The nerd in me would love a drawing of the different gardens; a map if you will.  Ohh! And wouldn't it be cool to have like every different creature that resides there and what myth they come from contained in a list?
Aww that would be awesome!

I was simply astounded at the creativity that was put into making Nightfall Gardens.  I am also into having a mesh up of the different mythologies.  I have also wondered what would happen if we had different creatures and the different gods from the old myths come together.  Mr. Houston wove an exciting tale that flows smoothly throughout the story.  I really had a hard time putting the book down.
I am pretty much obsessed with this series now.  As soon as I finished this book, I ran to order book 2 and have already started it.  I also plan on picking up the whole series in print form to go on our "favorite books" bookshelf.  And as soon as my 11 year old twins finish the books they are reading, I know they will devour this one too.

I highly suggest giving this book a try.  It has so much to offer for both kids (12+) and grown ups too! It is a truly creative fantasy with so much action, you might find yourselves reading it through the night!

Get your copy at: 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble|

Connect with the Author:

Goodreads | Twitter | Website | Facebook |

Book Review: The Demon Stone by Christopher Datta

Today I'm excited to bring you a Guest Post and Kind Fire Giveaway from Chris Datta.  His first Novel Touched with Fire was a number one best-seller in the Historical Fiction category, and this supernatural thriller lives up to the high expectations readers have for this talented author.

The Demon Stone by Christoper Datta

The Demon Stone is a powerful supernatural thriller that leads you from the killing fields of Africa to the quiet Boundary Waters of Northern Minnesota. In braided narratives, Datta spins a terrifying story about the spiritual forces—both real and supernatural—that incite the basest, bloodiest and most frightening of human behaviors.

"Reading Chris Datta is like riding a rollercoaster. It’s a fast ride filled with twists and turns. His Demon Stone is scary fun. Stephen King, watch your back!"

-Richard Rashke, author of The Killing of Karen Silkwood

Review of The Demon Stone

Title: The Demon Stone

Author: Christopher Datta

Publisher: Dystel & Goderich Literary Management

Date of Publication: May 4 2014

Source: received from author & Novel Publicity for review in exchange for my honest opinion

Book Summary:

The Demon Stone is a powerful supernatural thriller that leads you from the killing fields of Africa to the quiet Boundary Waters of Northern Minnesota. In braided narratives, Datta spins a terrifying story about the spiritual forces—both real and supernatural—that incite the basest, bloodiest and most frightening of human behaviors.
When Kevin volunteered to travel to a war-ravaged country in Africa to help out his childhood buddy, Bill, now a physician with Doctors Without Borders, he knew he might face danger. But he could not have envisioned the brief, nightmare encounter that would rob him of his friend, his principles, and quite possibly his sanity. When he returns to his family in the United States, he carries with him not only survivors’ guilt, but, according to a grizzled old juju man in the service of a warlord, a powerful demon.
Liz cannot understand why, precisely, she agreed to go camping with her old college friend Kevin and his sullen teenage daughter, but it was clear that in the wake of his sudden divorce and a horrific family tragedy, Kevin needed someone to lean on. The canoeing trip in the Boundary Waters was supposed to be an escape, an opportunity to bring back the old Kevin. But once in the forests, Kevin’s behavior grows increasingly off-kilter, and Liz feels a growing sense of unease, one that ripens into fear. As the trio glide further into the wilderness, it becomes clear that someone, or something, is stalking them

My Thoughts: 

This story just jumps right in with the horror factor and grabs you in the first few pages!  You find yourself asking yourself "Why is this happening?" before you even understand what is truly happening.  

The Demon Stone had some huge symbolism connected with it concerning the evil that is haunting our main characters.  It makes us question the things we see in the world now as compared to what is happening in the story line too.  Was the stone truly evil or was it the people in possession of it that was the monsters?  These are some intriguing questions that makes you think throughout the story as you delve deeper into the darkness.  

The characters are interesting enough, although, a few did irritate me personally.  Kevin, our main character, was infuriating because he seemed to flip flop a lot on so many things.  I thought him running to Africa to see a friend that he seemed to harbor mixed emotions for and leaving his family behind was crazy but he obviously craved something more in his life as well.    Then there was Bill.  I understand he was helping people and that is wonderful but he had this attitude that just got on my nerves.  He seemed so judgmental.  

Liz was likable enough and the one I seemed to connect with the most.  I also dislike camping and would not have been out in the middle of nowhere for my friend who was seriously creeping me out.  But hey, she was the most caring of all the characters, it seemed.  

The settings flip back and forth between the past and present.  Every other chapter explains the situations that happen in Africa, causing Kevin to come in contact with the demon stone.  Then, the opposite chapters are what is happening while they are camping in the woods.  These two places seem to be the perfect settings for terror to take true form.  Africa is a dangerous world, mixed with folklore and military evils; and the woods can have their own eeriness too.  

I would have liked a few more personal chapters with Morgan, Kevin's ex wife.  I enjoyed the dive into her darkness that we see but it would have been even more terrifying if we could have stayed with her as she goes through the different stages of releasing her darkness through the stone.  I also pitied her immensely, though I don't condone how she handled things in the end.  

What an interesting and scary conversation between Liz and Abgado!!!  That was a very enjoyable part of the story and I am super glad that it was in it.  

We had a very centralized theme throughout the story.  It seemed to be the question, Where does evil truly come from?  that kept running through my brain as I read The Demon Stone.  The stone was a symbol for what we as a society blame the darkness and wickedness that we see in our lives.  

Overall, The Demon Stone was a disturbingly riveting thriller that had moments of extreme terror but also moments of deep reflection.  I may not have enjoyed  all of the characters but I was invested in the plot enough that I found it hard to put down.  If you love horror but also love a novel that forces you to think about where the terror is originating from, then I encourage you to give The Demon Stone a try.  

But be warned: you might find a little darkness inside yourself.

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author

Debut author CHRISTOPHER DATTA is no stranger to civil conflict or the still-extant scourge of slavery. Most recently the acting ambassador to the Republic of South Sudan where he helped end a war in April of 2012, he has spent a distinguished career moving from one strife-torn country to another, including Lebanon, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. A lifelong student of the American Civil War, his research for Touched with Fire is exacting and based in part on a true story.

Blog Tour: Book Review: Hedge Witch by Simon Kewin

Hi All!  This is my stop on the Blog tour for Hedge Witch by Simon Kewin.  I want to thank the author as well as Xpresso Book Tours for allowing me to be a part of this fun event!  And don't forget to click on the banner to go to the list of tour stops along the way!  Have fun!

Title: Hedge Witch
Series: The Cloven Land Trilogy {Book 1}
Author: Simon Kewin
 Date of Publication: April 2014
Source: received from author, Xpresso Book Tours 
Genre: fantasy, young adult


Book Synopsis:

Fifteen year-old Cait Weerd has no idea she’s being sought by the undain: sorcerous creatures of necromancy that feed off the spirit of the living. She doesn’t know the undain need her blood to survive. She doesn’t even know she’s a witch, descended from a long line of witches. Cait Weerd doesn’t know a lot, really, but all that’s about to change.
At Manchester Central Library she’s caught up in sudden, horrific violence. In the chaos she’s handed an old book that’s been hidden there and told to run, hide the book or destroy it. It contains all the secrets of the undains’ existence. They and their human servants want to find that as much as they want Cait.
What’s more, she learns that the fate of two worlds is at stake here. Just what she needs. Along with definitely-not-a-boyfriend Danny, she has to decide what the hell to do. Run, fight or just hope it all goes away.
It’s only then she learns who she really is, along with the terrible truth of what the undain have been doing in our world all this time …

My Thoughts:
The cover alone is pretty darn amazing!  I love the abstract piercings and the blue hair/eyebrows!  I think the cover really does the story justice and hooks you in with the beautiful artwork on it.  I also love that the main character thrives with individuality.  I really enjoyed the story line, especially with the parallel world that is there to help our main character, Cait, as well as hinder her too.
Who doesn't want a basement of old and rare books?  Yes, please!  That is a pretty cool scene and the action literally starts up in just the first few pages, grabbing our attention and not letting go.
I liked Cait but I wished she believed in herself more at the beginning of the story, as well as toward the middle.  I would have liked for a little bit more confidence from her.
I also loved the Old World tone to it.  As I read it, I felt like it was written as a classic, instead of this day and age.  I think it was the authentic British slang used throughout it.  I really felt like I was a part of the English culture, and loved having that feeling.  This story just had this cozy feel to it as I read it.  But that isn't to say it read slowly.  On the contrary, there were fast paced scenes in it with lots of action and other scenes that really captured my imagination.  The plot line flowed easily for me and was really easy to get caught up in the story threads.
I have always been a fan of witches and the lore that surrounds them.  I love that Hedge Witch built upon that and also bringing in its own magical essence too.

All in all, Hedge Witch is a great book with some very interesting characters that will make you laugh and groan all at the same time!  The Grandmother is pretty cool and I love the witches from the other world as well.  I can't wait to see how everything plays out in this series!  And way to go on such a cliffhanger ending!! How can you leave us like that??? How???

 Purchase your copy at:
| Amazon |


Connect with Simon Kewin at:
Website| Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads |

A little about our Author:

Simon was born on the misty Isle of Man but now lives deep in the English countryside with his wife and two daughters.
He writes science fiction and fantasy as well as some stories that can’t make their minds up.
Find out more on his website at simonkewin.co.uk.

Book Review: The Bird Eater by Ania Ahlborn

Title: The Bird Eater
Author: Ania Ahlborn
Publisher: 47 North
Date of Publication: April 1, 2014
Source: Kindle Firsts book program, ARC
Rating: Horror, adult

Goodreads Description:

Twenty years ago, the mysterious death of his aunt left Aaron Holbrook orphaned and alone. He abandoned his rural Arkansas hometown vowing never to return, until his seven-year-old son died in an accident, plunging Aaron into a nightmare of addiction and grief. Desperate to reclaim a piece of himself, he returns to the hills of his childhood, to Holbrook House, where he hopes to find peace among the memories of his youth. But solace doesn’t come easy. Someone—or something—has other plans.
Like Aaron, Holbrook House is but a shell of what it once was, a target for vandals and ghost hunters who have nicknamed it “the devil’s den.” Aaron doesn’t believe in the paranormal—at least, not until a strange boy begins following him wherever he goes. Plagued by violent dreams and disturbing visions, Aaron begins to wonder if he’s losing his mind. But a festering darkness lurks at the heart of Holbrook House…a darkness that grins from within the shadows, delighting in Aaron’s sorrow, biding its time.

My Thoughts:

I first came across The Bird Eater from the Kindle First program.  I was able to pick one book to read that hasn't been published yet and buy it at a discounted price.  (Click on the link to find out more)

When I came across this book, that name really stood out.  Then after I read the synopsis, I figured I needed to grab this one up soon.  And whew boy!  This book had me scared witless a good amount of the time.  

You know how you watch a scary movie with one hand in front of your face (I do anyways) and you are peeking through your fingers at the good (terrifying) scenes?  Well imagine that....but with a book.  And it's really hard to read with one hand in front of your face.  

I usually don't watch the horror movies with ghosts, or those "based on a true story" ones, like Paranormal Activity or Insidious, because I know I will be up all night watching out for anything that looks or sounds suspicious.  

But a book?  I figured I could get through okay with a book.  

Yeah.  Right.  

The Bird Eater just throws you right into the mix.  Right into the "hey lets scare the hell out of you right now!!" scenes; and there is no where you rather be.  The first chapter I was already hooked and just had to keep reading to find out what would happen next.  

The plot was amazingly terrifying and intensely creative for me.  But again, I am more of a vampire, zombie, or werewolf kinda girl - not the evil little kid terror ones.  So, this was definitely out of my comfort zone but I feel like I have found an author that I have to read more of now.  Ania Alhborn is a force to be reckoned with in the horror genre indeed.  

As the plot goes through, we find out little tidbits of the Holbrook House and the inhabitants of it as more crazy and weird things seem to happen.  The author doesn't flood us with the past all in the beginning; instead we found out information here and there through the dreams and other people's experiences through the whole book even towards the end.  It is definitely a climatic buildup for the terror you experience as the characters deal with the paranormal activities that surround them.  

Besides being frightening, though, the story is thought-provoking too.  It makes you question the reasons some kids have this evil demeanor about them compared to just simple bullying.  This kid in the book is the true essence of evil but even that isn't the surprise that awaits us in the story.  The Bird Eater has so many twists and turns  in it that you really won't figure out everything until the last page of the book.  And even then?  I still have questions that made me stay up late into the night trying to answer for myself.  

The only issue I really had with the book was the time lapse between Chapter 1 and Chapter 2.  Instead, I wished there was a Prologue perhaps?  And at the end too, maybe there could have been an Epilogue instead.   I think that would have helped us with the transition more .  

Other than that, The Bird Eater was a wonderfully terrifying look into what really lurks behind those creepy houses and the people that live there.  Is it creepy because of just its look? Or is it a feeling that makes you realize it is truly sinister?  

If you are a fan of horror and love a story that leaves you jumping at every darkened corner and creaking noise, while you read then you have got to grab The Bird Eater!  

Hell, I still need someone to go with me to the bathroom at night time now.  But I can't wait til I read another Ania Alhborn story.

"Fear was supposed to be born of nightshade and thunderstorms; it wasn't supposed to exist beneath the blue of a summer sky."

The Bird Eater, Chapter 16, 69%

Pick up a copy at:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository |

Connect with Ania Ahlborn:
Goodreads | Website | Twitter |

Book Review: Fallen by Lauren Kate {Book 1: Fallen Series}

Title: Fallen
Author: Lauren Kate
Series: Book 1 in Fallen Series
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Date of Publication: Dec. 8, 2009
Source: bought, 452 pages


Goodreads Synopsis:

There’s something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.
Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price’s attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah. He’s the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.
Even Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce – he goes out of his way to make that very clear. But she can’t let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, Luce has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret...even if it kills her.
Dangerously exciting and darkly romantic, FALLEN is a page-turning thriller and the ultimate love story

My Thoughts:

This is one of those books that I really liked and really didn't.  
Yeah...I was torn.

So just imagine how hard this reveiw was to write when a part of me wants to gush about the book; and another part of me just wants to moan about its shortcomings.  

Well, let me just jump into it then shall we?

First, I loved that it was set in Georgia.  I am a huge lover of backgrounds in Georgia.  There is just something very special about the feeling while in the swamplands of the GA.  Okay, so I am little biased being that I am from GA born and raised but there is something magical about Savannah and the area around it.  
So I was totally stoked to know it took place in my beloved homeland.  

I also fell in love with the fact that it had this major "good vs. evil" scenario running through the course of the entire book.  And some of the characters screamed evil while others took a lot more figuring out.  
I also thought that the twists and turns in it was done rather superbly and I loved the foreshadowing in all its glory.  

But.....

I found myself inwardly groaning at some of the decisions Luce, our main protagonist, made during the book.  I guess I just found myself groaning at Luce.  She did have some positive features but for the most part, she really just grated on my nerves.  
Especially, when it came to letting one guy she wasn't interested in him.  I mean come on!!! If you don't like someone, you do not get into a strange car to go tell them you don't like them!!! Okay I wouldn't but maybe that isn't how girls in this age do that?  I mean if I really don't like someone, I tend to stay the hell away from them.  Its better for both parties involved.  

And so when Luce insists on following him around just to let him know she wasn't interested it just really pissed me off.  Sorry.. but it did.

I don't know; maybe I'm just not giving her enough credit.  Maybe I just didn't like here to start with and I am grabbing at straws but in the end I found Luce extremely hard to swallow.  

There was also another area that I felt was really forced.  In some of the chapters it felt like the writing was drawn out, striving to make a word count.  I just felt like took a lot of energy to read when I felt some things could have been shortened. 

Now, although it seems like I hated the book I swear I didn't.  
I actually liked it due to some really awesome supporting characters like Arriane, Penn, and others at the Sword and Cross school.  
The descriptive ways the author shared her vision of the ancient cemetary and the school really made me  yearn to be there sharing in the visionary bliss that she was able to portray in her writing.  
It also took me a while to figure out the entire plot until the very end.  I had grasped bits and pieces but there were some areas that totally had my mind blown.  I love that Kate could keep me guessing for that long and still be intrigued with the story, even after I wasn't too fond of the main character.    That is some really good writing to have me invested in the story, even when I can't love the main protagonist.  


Overall, I found myself torn between loving Fallen, and at the same time, disliking it.  Perhaps, that in and of itself, is a reason to have respect for the book that it can illicit such strong polar opposite emotions in me it leaves me confused and intrigued all at the same time?  I may not have been completely in love with Luce,  I did appreciate the other characters around her that made her seem less annoying and more just lost.  

I have to give Fallen 3 hearts but I do look forward to reading the second book in hopes for some redemption.   

Connect with the author:
Goodreads | Twitter | Website |
Get your own Copy:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | 

Book Review: The Hallowed Ones by Laura Bickle {The Hallowed Ones # 1}

Title: The Hallowed Ones
Series: The Hallowed Ones # 1
Author: Laura Bickle
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Date of Publication: Sept. 25, 2012
Genre: horror, YA, paranormal, Fiction
Source: bought, Kindle, 320 pages
Links to Buy: Amazon |Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository |

Goodreads Synopsis:

Katie is on the verge of her Rumspringa, the time in Amish life when teenagers can get a taste of the real world. But the real world comes to her in this dystopian tale with a philosophical bent. Rumors of massive unrest on the “Outside” abound. Something murderous is out there. Amish elders make a rule: No one goes outside, and no outsiders come in. But when Katie finds a gravely injured young man, she can’t leave him to die. She smuggles him into her family’s barn—at what cost to her community? The suspense of this vividly told, truly horrific thriller will keep the pages turning.

My Thoughts:

The wonderful and very amazing Jen from YA Romantics  had recommended this book to me telling me how scary good it was.  That was back around Halloween (I know it took me a long time to finally get it) but I finally picked it up and I am so glad I did.  This book puts the frightening back into vampires!
There is definitely no sparkly brooding vamps here people.  Nope!  These are the vampires that will be just as happy eating your face off as they will draining you of your entire blood supply.  But these guys are mindless killing machines either; they are smart and clever killing machines.

Laura Bickle has taken a turn for the more traditional storyline with the terrifying vampires that decide to go after everything.  And I love her for this.  Don't get me wrong:  I love the brooding sexy vampire that hates what he/she truly is as much as the next guy.  But....there is just something about the scary as hell vampires that love being what they are and love hunting down their food source like a predator.
A good comparison for these vampires are the ones from 30 Days of Night.

But there is a lot more to this story than just vampires; sorry I really dig those guys though.  Our main protagonist, Katie, is a very different heroine but definitely one I truly love indeed.  Katie is an Amish girl  impatiently waiting for the chance to go out on her Rumspringa, which is basically like Spring Break for the young Amish people.  It's where they go out into the world and experience the secular world and decide if they want to stay or come back to their people.

This is where we see how completely cut off from the world this Amish community truly is because the Outside world is in complete disarray while life continues to move along at a slow and steady pace for them. But they finally see the upset that is happening when it comes to close for comfort at their doorsteps.
I really loved Katie as an character.  She was curious; always questioning her elders and the rules they set in place as the world went further into turmoil.  Katie is also very strong and handled the apparent threats in the town much better than I think anyone else would have.  But we also see that Katie can be fragile as glass at other points in the book.  I think I really enjoyed the well roundness of her personality.  Even her faith, while some of the closed mindedness she exhibited when she learned other religious groups could try to battle the evil by saying:

"God cannot be everywhere. Not everyone is right."

did upset me, I found that Katie was much more devout than some of the elders with her faith because of her undying need to protect those who needed it.  No matter if they were Amish or not.
She didn't have that snobbery that most of the other Amish elders and families there in the community had against outsiders.

These two dynamics: the Amish and vampires, are definitely an original idea to me.  I think it was an awesome idea to take these two seemingly vast opposites and put them into a book where it seems the world may very well be coming to an end in the most evil way possible.  Then we get to see how these two play against each other as well compliment each other too.
I was completely hooked from the first minute I started reading this book.  I always had this ominous feeling about me as I read it; like someone was going to jump out at me and scream "BOO!" any moment.  I love that feeling, just like when you watch a scary movie.  It was just amazing for me that I got it from reading a book.  I hardly ever have that creepy feeling and when I find a book that takes my breath away with that kind of energy I know I have found a truly special thing!  I loved The Hallowed Ones and I cannot wait till I can't get my hands on the second book.
I give it .........................

Connect with Laura Bickle:

Goodreads | Website |  Twitter | Facebook |

Book Review: The Immortal Circus by A.R. Kahler

Title: The Immortal Circus
Author: A.R. Kahler
Publisher: 47North
Date of Publication: Dec. 4, 2012
Source: bought, Kindle, 236 pages
Genre: Fantasy, New Adult, Romance, Paranormal
Fall In Love with Your Own:  Amazon | 



Goodreads Summary:

Murdered contortionists aren’t exactly what Vivienne signed up for when she ran away to join the circus. But like most things under the big top, nothing is what it seems. With a past she can't quite remember, Vivienne finds that running away forever might not be as appealing as it once sounded—especially not when she realizes the devilishly attractive ringleader Mab is the Faerie Queen of legend…and that she and the rest of the troupe are locked in an age-old rivalry between the otherworldly Courts.Aided by her friends Kingston—a feisty stage magician whose magic is quickly stealing her heart—and his smart-ass assistant Melody, Vivienne finds herself racing against the clock to discover the culprit behind a series of deaths that should be impossible. However, the answer she seeks might reveal more about her own bloody past—and future—than she bargains for.
The show's just beginning.

Step right up…

My Thoughts:
This is a fast paced, sexy as hell, romantic supernatural mystery that combines so many magical elements it creates this thrill ride that you hope will never end!

Wouldn't it be wonderful if the circuses we grew up on had this type of allure to them?  Magicians that capture our minds with spells, while the fey like performers capture our eyes with their graceful moves.  Oh what a wonderful world indeed that would be!

Lucky for us, Mr. Kahler created a world with these very powerful beings who can transform everything around us with just a blink of the eyelid.   From the very first page, we are thrust right into the dark world of the Cirques de Immortales where a performer has been murdered.  Right away, we get a glimpse of the dangerous side to this profound group of circus performers.  
It is told from Vivienne's standpoint, so we are kept in the dark, only learning things as she learns them.  There are a few times we are privy to certain conversations between other characters that help us see a little bit more into everyone's parts that they are destined to play.
I liked Vivienne for the most part.  There were times she seemed a little naive concerning the background info on the other members of the circus, but in her defense she had a lot on her plate so I guess that could be understandable.  
Besides our main character, the others are an interesting lot too.  Kingston is a heartthrob indeed!  Every time I hear his name, I imagine this tall gorgeous man wearing a top hat (magicians have to have  their top hats) and an overcoat with no shirt open.  Oh goodness me!
I, personally, love our leader of the Immortal Circus, Mab of the Winter Court.  She is sexy incarnate.  She is dark, deceptive, and yet I feel drawn to her like a magnet.  Mab has this pull which is probably why everyone found their way to her; she knew their weakness and this is how she is able to get the "contracts" from them.  

The plot threads in the story are addictive.  Everyone knows that The Winter Court despises the Summer Court and yet things are not as they seem.  I wouldn't label Mab as good in the book; but I could not give the Summer Court Fey this title either.  Both courts are devious and only interested in their own means.    After reading the book, though, I found it hard to root for the Summer court.  The winter court had some very amazing creatures helping them, even though they could have been terrifying, it still was enjoyable to see them working together helping the circus.  

There is so much more to come in these books I am going to be biting my nails waiting on the next book to come out.  Mab has many dark secrets up her sleeves and I am terrified for what Vivienne  has to play in the future of the Immortal Circus.  

I highly suggest you come to the circus, where your inhibitions can be released as you experience a magically induced sensual journey into one of the most secretive and dark fantasies to come to the pages of a book.  

I wholeheartedly give The Immortal Circus five hearts!  

Connect with A.R. Kahler:

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Book Review: The Fallen Star by Jessica Sorensen

Title: The Fallen Star
Series: Fallen Star Book 1
Author: Jessica Sorensen
Publisher: CreateSpace (self)
Date of Publication: April 11, 2011
Source: bought, ebook, paperback 449 pages
Get Your Own Here: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Goodreads Description:For eighteen year-old Gemma, life has never been normal. Up until recently, she has been incapable of feeling emotion. And when she's around Alex, the gorgeous new guy at school, she can feel electricity that makes her skin buzz. Not to mention the monsters that haunt her nightmares have crossed over into real-life. But with Alex seeming to hate her and secrets popping up everywhere, Gemma's life is turning into a chaotic mess. Things that shouldn't be real suddenly seem to exist. And as her world falls apart, figuring out the secrets of her past becomes a matter of life and death.

My Thoughts:

Everyone knows how I love to judge a book by its cover~and yes I know how wrong that is~so I have to give praise for the beautifully illustrated cover.  When I do my reviews, I try to pick up on one of the most important colors, whether it be vital to the storyline or just a color that stands out on the cover art, and I use a color closest to this as my headers.  
I tried to do this for The Fallen Star too.  It really is such a beautiful color too.  So of course that is the first thing that stands out for me; plus the fact that the color is pretty important as well in the story.  
I was torn with this story.  I loved Sorensen's writing style, the beautiful prose she seems to put down that has me trying to capture the essence of what she is saying in my mind, along with the plot line that is an unique idea unto itself.  She pulls creatures that we hear stories about all the time: vampires, angels, demons; and then creates other characters that seem to come out of nowhere.  Like Gemma.  Gemma is an enigma.  A girl that isn't supposed to feel anything, begins to have the prickling sensations that alert her to new emotions coming to her.  We find ourselves being drawn into Gemma's world; her loneliness that eats her up.  
And this is probably why Alex, the new boy that comes into her life, isn't on my favorites list.  I don't know I just cannot like him.  Yes he is gorgeous, but this seems to be the standard for all YA paranormal books.  I am not complaining; just stating a fact here.  He is brooding and mysterious too.  But he is just so damn rude.  And it isn't that he is a smart-ass either, that I could handle.  He is just....rude.  
For example, if he doesn't want to hear what Gemma has to say anymore, he covers her mouth with his hand.  Sorry dude, but if you did that to me, you would probably be coming back with a nub.  
The other characters aren't really that memorable for me either.  Well except one.  Laylen is pretty cool.  And there is an elf dude that I think has potential.  But sorry Alex is just not the one I can root for in any of this.  
Besides my total dislike for our main male lead, I also notice the story does seem to lag in some areas.  It wasn't totally boring but I did find myself wanting to skip ahead at certain places.  Especially when it seemed certain visions needed repeating.  
Other than all of that though, I did enjoy The Fallen Star.    Like I said before, Sorensen's writing style is lyrical.  It floats by and is easy to fall into getting lost in the translation of this different world from everyday life here.  
It is always fun to read about the underground world that lives right among us, with magic all around us.  This is what keeps me interested in reading book 2 and so on.  The magic that is captured on paper, that consists of Gemma's fate.  
It definitely isn't Alex or his influence on her.  
I gave it 3 stars because I liked The Fallen Star.

Connect with Jessica Sorensen:

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter |

Review: Dark Seraphine by KaSonndra Leigh

Title: Dark Seraphine
Series: Seraphine Trilogy # 1
Author: KaSonndra Leigh
Publisher: Createspace
Date of Publication: October 21, 2012
Source: received copy for my honest review of it

Goodreads Synopsis:"Mom always says the angels walk among us. She forgot to tell me that sometimes they're not all fluffy and nice."
Seventeen-year-old Caleb Wood has seen people he calls the walkers since he was a baby. It didn't take long for him to realize something…no one can see these strangers but him. They never stuck around or tried to touch him. And they never said a word. That was until one day on the first day of class in his senior year when an incredibly gorgeous girl strolls into his life…and things are never the same again.
Soon Caleb realizes he has stepped into the middle of a growing conflict between two ancient groups. And his ability to see the invisible ones, the half-breeds that want to modify the human race, just might be the only hope both he and the mysterious, but infuriating, Gia, have of making it out alive

My Thoughts:
 I really really am crazy about this author, KaSonndra Leigh, and her adult novel, Haceinda Moon.  I loved that book so much and it was a ghost story too *(not usually my thing but lately it fits).  She is a great writer and can really spin a tale of torture, suspense, and love.
With that being said, Dark Seraphine, just wasn't for me.  I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either.  It was just blah for me.  Nothing really stood out for me.  I like Caleb but he wasn't a spectacular character that I immediately fell in love with, but instead he was just likable.  It is typical high school drama with the slew of characters: you have the nerds, the cheerleaders, the outsiders, and then, in this case the Walkers.
The plot is a interesting one and especially coming from a guy's point of view too.
There is action in it to keep guys occupied.  I actually liked that Caleb taught self defense; this makes him even more lovable to the reader.
I think the story line is a great idea but I just couldn't get into the story try as I might.  A lot of the characters fell a little flat for me and half the time I was confused as to what was going on.
I did think our author did a great job of keeping us in the dark along with Caleb as far as who Gia really is and what she is really doing there.
There is a love triangle in this story but I felt like it was forced because so many other YA novels have it there too.  Erica was complicated.  We were able to see she was different than what the school believed her to be but then she just ticked me off when she acted so nonchalant about Caleb.   And then of course there is Gia.  She is our mysterious girl that is always there when Caleb gets his temper going but can never give us a straight answer.  I did wholeheartedly love the fact that Gia is this awesome girl skateboarder who the school is totally crushing on.

This story wasn't for me but I wouldn't pass it up totally. The author is a wonderful writer and has some great stories out there right now.  I just wasn't feeling this one but if you are really into a male's pov, love triangles, mysterious girls, and many magical moments then you should definitely give it a shot!
I gave it 2 hearts.

Get your own copy at:  Amazon | Barnes & Noble | 

Connect with KaSonndra Leigh at : Goodreads | Website | Twitter | 

Book Review: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor {Book # 1}

Title: Daughter of Smoke and Bone
Author: Laini Taylor
Series: Daughter of Smoke and Bone
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
Audio: Hachette Audio
Date of Publication: Sept. 27, 2011
Format: audiobook, hardcover, paperback
Source:  free download from Sync
Get Your Own Copy: Amazon | The Book Depository |         

Goodreads Blurb: 
Around the world, black hand prints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.
In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grows dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages—not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.


When one of the strangers—beautiful, haunted Akiva—fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?                              

My Thoughts:
As I sit here, deciding how to start this review, I find myself having a hard time getting my feelings out.
Why? (I am sure you are asking..)
Most people would think it is because I couldn't relate to the book or the characters, right?  But I am here to tell you that is completely the opposite here.

I FREAKING FELL IN LOVE WITH THIS STORY!! I MEAN HEAD OVER HEELS IN LOVE!

The reason I am having such a hard time is because I feel like there isn't really words to describe this wonderful piece of literature.  I wish I could pluck millions of shiny stars from the sky to bestow upon this book, instead of just a few five.  So forgive me if I sound like a fangirl swooning over some hot number, but I have to say this is has made my list of one of my favorite books of all times.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone takes this doomed love situation and puts a heart wrenching unexpected twist upon it, creating an amazing fairy tale for young and old to enjoy.  It really has the most basic and simple plot line: a "Romeo and Juliet" type scenario of forbidden love, but then Ms. Taylor tells it from such a unique perspective that you find yourself immersed in a rich and complex story that is anything but simple.

The characters are strong proud beings, some having to work through their faults and broken past, while others are so evil you can just feel the darkness lurking inside of them.  No matter what you will have some very strong emotions towards all the characters in this book.
Karou is such an interesting female heroine.  I adore her so much!  Not once does she irritate me and I feel like we learn so much with her (and from her) as she learns more about her history.  She is a strong persona, even though she feels like there is something missing from inside her life, and accepts the strangeness of her family with a wholeness that is something to admire.  I love that one of her passions is sketching; I feel like this adds even more to her already artistic surroundings.  She seems like she would be  a wonderful friend, loyal and true, fun yet serious, and did I mention she has blue hair?  Yeah she is that great!
Akiva is our male counterpart to Karou and has many of the same strong traits as she does.  He is brave, loyal, and yet has this terrible grief that keeps him a broken mess of a man. Or angel.  Just as the reader is drawn to Karou's mesmerizing personality, Akiva finds he cannot stop thinking about the strange girl with blue hair.  It is an obvious tear jerker to see how Akiva tries to cope with these emotions he has toward Karou and seeing the turmoil in him because he doesn't want to feel anything anymore.
Besides watching the dynamics between these two powerful lead characters, Taylor gives us some very unusual and personable supporting characters, like Brimstone and Zuzana, that add even more heart to this already heartfelt story.

Then we move on to the world building in Daughter of Smoke and Bone that helps create this magically exceptional place where humans coincide with supernatural beings without even realizing it.  Prague, in itself, sounds mysterious just by the name, but then we get to explore some of the maze like streets there with Karou and we find ourselves being swept away to a dreamland place.  A place where people feel comfortable searching for ghosts, where the architectural designs are based off ancient civilizations beautifully restored, and where people are content to appreciate the beauty that surrounds such a magical place.
The descriptions of the real and unreal areas are so well maintained, even now I can close my eyes and bring each and every detail to mind, like I am being transported there right now.  It is like a world within a world within a world...so forth and so on.
Taylor uses such descriptive and powerful imagery it feels like the Chimera and the Seraphim could just jump right off the page (or in my case through the headphones) into my living room.  When she describes Brimstone's dusty old shop, it isn't hard to picture him at his desk, counting teeth, the silence hanging in the air like an old friend, as Karou sits with him enthralled at his detailed work.
I also love how every little detail and plot thread comes back to the bigger idea or main plot. Basically everything ties in and you don't have any nonsense threads leading to nowhere.  There are no fillers but everything is there that should be there.
There is a lot of flashbacks in this story, which normally gets on my nerves, but for Daughter of Smoke and Bone , it seems like the flashbacks help us learn just what we need to instead of overloading us with too much information too soon.  We also get the story told from Akiva and Karou's perspectives so that helps us see it from two different sides: angel and Chimera / human.
It is a metaphorical fairy tale that forces us to take a long hard look at what we consider good and evil and then realize that there is always exceptions to this rule.  Especially when true love is involved.  Speaking of the love aspect, I found it not to be the "insta-love" sensation but instead we get to see the relationship build along with the nerves, and the butterflies that new lovebirds experience.

Audiobook Review:
The narrator, Kristine Hvam, is the most amazing storyteller I have ever heard! The feeling she puts behind the different character voices makes an already thrilling story that more creative.  The way Hvam disguises her voice, from an angel solider to a young woman, to a Czech art student to a hulking beast of a Chimera, she has this quality to make you get lost in her voice and disappear into the prose.    I honestly felt like an old friend, listening in to Karou's conversations, laughing with her, grieving with her, and more importantly, falling in love too.

All in all.....this was the most amazingly crafted work of art I have ever read.  It was magical, entertaining, and had me spellbound from the minute I heard Hvam's interpretation of Karou's voice.  I highly recommend listening the audiobook version of it.  Even if you are not a fan of audiobooks (I wasn't at first either) Daughter of Smoke and Bone is the one audio book that will make you a fan of them.  It literally took my breath away!

Coming Up

I have been truly busy this week!  Helping the boys prepare for their CRCT's, finishing up with school, writing myself, and of course reading!
The reading is an escape for me; a time I can relax and just breathe while reading about some great characters.
So far I am working on:

Both of these goodies are by Robert J. Crane.  He has a great fantasy series called Sanctuary that has everything we have come to associate with a compelling fantasy: elves, trolls, wizards, druids, and yes, there is some humans in there.  Savages is a short story of this series and helps you understand a little more about the lovable troll Vaste, and our protagonist, Cyrus.    

The other book by Crane is Alone.  This is his young adult series, The Girl in the Box.  Book one is Alone and it introduces us to our main character, Sienna, who has unique abilities in a world she is not used to.  So far, I am really liking this book.  I can tell you that there are lots of different people in it that are powerful and  more than what they seem.  I can't wait to finish this book so I can get my review up and posted.  

The one thing I do love about Crane's writings; he know how to create a fight scene.  It is so descriptive it feels like you are right there, blocking punches, and throwing your own jabs in.  

Another book I am almost finished with is:

This story is a unique take on mythology. Basically, you have these people that are not human, but are descendants of the different Greek gods.  Our protagonist is a healer and is also rumored to be the prophecy come to life to help stop the evil rule of the ones in charge.  I can't wait till I get my review posted for this one too!  

So these are some great books that I know many of you would love to read!  

Until next time:  I hope you read to your heart's content!