Midnight Bites: Stories of the Morganville Vampires by Rachel Caine (review)

Midnight Bites: Stories of the Morganville Vampires by Rachel Caine is based on one of my very favorite vampire series and all 22 of the stories in this book remind me of the author’s ability to immerse the reader in a chilling world that values humans only for their ability to produce an acceptable quantity of blood or perform menial tasks. I’m not a big horror fan, but somehow, no matter how horrific the acts described, I am still mesmerized by the struggle by humans (and vampires) who refuse to be forced into a life (with or without a beating heart) contrary to what they believe in. The charm of this series is the depiction of the ability to survive unspeakably awful events and (eventually) continue to live a useful life. This is a wonderfully chilling collection of tales about those eerie inhabitants of Morganville that fleshes out some of the books and reminds those like myself who haven’t caught up with all of the series that there are gaps to be filled in and books to be read! Visit Morganville…you’ll never leave…just like the rest of the humans…


This paranormal read is a wonderful collection of stories that remind one of all of the wonderfully quirky and dark elements of this series. The prologue to each indicates where in the series the action is taking place so this isn’t the volume to read if you haven’t caught up with all of the books because there are spoilers for earlier volumes. Those who are familiar with all of the factions and frenemies and true enemies of Morganville will get intriguing glimpses of the motivations behind some of the occurrences. I enjoyed discovering different facets of vampires such as Myrnin and Oliver, who each feature in stories that give their perspective on life with humans. And the surprise of realizing that Monica Morrell…almost…could be something other than a witch of the first order, the fun of seeing how Shane got his car ‘murdered’, seeing events from behind Eve’s Gothed-out eyes, plus a view of the love and bonding between the four inhabitants of Glass House, makes this a remarkable collection of stories.

A copy of this book was provide to me for review and a version of this review was submitted to Night Owl Reviews


Amazon link


The first four (of fifteen) titles in the series:

              

Ghostsitter by Shelly Brown (review)

Ghostsitter

by Shelly Brown

(note:  This title will be published later this year) link

Blurb:  Tiffany Hart dreams of one thing, to be class president. But dreams turn to nightmares when she ends up almost dead in an abandoned slaughterhouse and develops the gift of ghost-seeing. Unfortunately she only knows one person who can help her shake her ghoulish problem, her neighbor and the weirdest boy at school, Justin Henderson. Justin has been seeing spirits since he was nine, a creepy claim that has earned him the privilege of eating lunch by himself for years. Together they start to unravel a mystery with dead orphans, a white witch, and phantom spiders. To save their lives (and afterlives of innocent children) they must face a terrifying specter and a ghastly woman who isn't afraid of hurting kids, dead or alive.

Amazon link

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My review:

4.25 out of 5 stars

Ghostsitter by Shelly Brown is a young adult paranormal story that features Tiffany Hart, who discovers that Justin Henderson’s may not be as weird as she thought, because she is also having very odd experiences.  She refuses to let anything stand in the way of her quest to become class president, and that includes ghosts who shriek at her and an issue with asthma, and a persistent neighbor who elicits mixed reactions in her parents!

This fun story portrays the angst and challenge of being a fifth-grader with the additional complications of dealing with ghosts.  Justin’s method of coping is not appealing to Tiffany, who is obviously a young girl who does things the way she wants.  The relationship between these two twelve year olds is both sweet and awkward, but the brutal honesty that Tiffany displays toward Justin is balanced by his persistent adoration of her that he has a lovely metaphysical explanation for. 

I enjoyed the gradually unfolding mystery that required Tiffany to undergo a complete transformation of belief and the descriptions of the challenges that had to be overcome.  I like that not everything was a success and that both of the main characters had a chance to face adversity and grow, and learned to look at events from a different perspective.  I wasn’t quite enamored of Tiffany’s parents because their reactions seemed a bit caricaturish to me but I loved the overall story and would love to read more by this author. I think this story would appeal to children in the pre-teen to early teen ages who like tales that border on being a little spooky and have an intriguing mystery to solve.

A copy of this title was provided to me for review

Revealed, plus Kalona's Fall by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast (reviews)

These books are from a very entertaining young adult vampire series, that started with the novel, Marked   I have included the covers of the first two below, but there are lots more for your reading pleasure if you are new to the series.  The second title reviewed below probably would be best appreciated once you have gotten into the series a bit, that way you can get a feel for the characters.

Revealed by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast is part of the ‘House of Night’ series that centers around a group of young vampyres who have dealt with a considerable amount of upheaval that results in some startling revelations. Just as they are trying to recover, evil regroups and strikes a serious blow which not only results in two unexpected deaths, but prompts humans to try to interfere with the vampyres’ autonomy. Zoey is learning to wield her powers as High Priestess and her friends Aphrodite and Stevie Rae are also settling into their roles but emotions and past ties threaten to upset the fragile equilibrium that has been established and the House of Night may be unable to recover from the attacks which are escalating against them.


This new adult paranormal series is written by a wonderfully talented mother-daughter team who have created a fascinatingly textured universe with humans and vampyres coexisting. The youngsters in this particular corner of the world have experienced extreme highs and lows that mirror the history of their Goddess, and death and betrayal has sabotaged their path but has not prevented them from gradually beginning to mature into their roles. This was a great blend of a recap of Neferet’s journey and the metamorphosis of the Tulsa House of Night, even as major forces start shifting the balance of power. Familiarity with the series is important, as each story builds on the one before, and it was especially intriguing to learn about Neferet’s history after reading about the history of Kalona, Erebus and Nyx in “Kalona’s Fall”. An exciting addition to a series that blends age-old issues such as greed, jealousy and envy, with traditional elements of mythology in a modern twist that intrigues and entertains, with a startling cliffhanger that makes one anxious to read more in the series.




Kalona's Fall, written by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast and illustrated by Aura Dalian, depicts the history behind the formation of the Gods, Goddesses, and Fey, and the evolution of events which resulted in the formation of humans and eventually, the Nightkind. The tale of Nyx and her complicated relationship with Erebus and Kalona is described as patterns of mistrust and betrayal set the stage for the eons of conflict to follow.

This intriguing introduction to the mythology that underlies the vampyre society that is part of the ‘House of Night’ series provides a fascinating perspective of some of the key characters. The twist on certain aspects of traditional mythology and the events that gradually unfold holds one spellbound as events build to the inevitable conclusion that one knows is coming yet can do nothing to prevent. It was amazing to get a sympathetic view of a tortured individual and enlightening to see what transpired to cause this. A great and informative addition to the series.


© Night Owl Reviews 

I received a copy of these titles in return for an honest review.


    

 

Deviation by Christine Manzari (New cover reveal, excerpt, GIVEAWAY) GFT

This post is part of a cover reveal for the re-release of Christine Manzari's DEVIATION. One randomly drawn winner will be awarded a $25 Amazon/BN gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Being a Sophisticate of the Program seems like it’d be a pretty sweet deal: a little genetic alteration and anyone can be smarter, faster, and stronger. It’s a dream come true. All you have to give up is your freedom.

Cleo is a Sophisticate and she has a bright future in the Program. But she has a secret. When she gets upset, bad things happen. Explosive things. Things she can’t control.

When her secret is discovered, she’s sent to the Academy to train in the military branch of the Program. She’s destined to be a human weapon in the war that’s been going on since Wormwood occurred nearly 30 years ago. She soon learns that although her ability is unique, there are others like her — other Sophisticates with lethal skills and odd code names like Archerfish and Mimic Octopus.

Immersed in a dangerous game of supernatural powers and dubious motives, Cleo doesn’t know who to trust. Ozzy, the annoyingly attractive cadet who has perfect aim in weapons class and deviant lips behind closed doors, begs her not to use her powers. He’s the golden boy of the Program, but can she trust him? Or will she find herself a target, caught in his crosshairs?

Enjoy an excerpt:

“Late on your first day?”

I turned to find the dark haired boy still leaning against the wall. The top button of his shirt was undone and his tie was slung over his shoulder. He wasn’t wearing his jacket and his shirt sleeves were rolled up, revealing his tan, muscular forearms. His tousled hair hung across his forehead, nearly falling into his eyes, and it appeared he hadn’t bothered to shave this morning.

“You’re late, too,” I pointed out. I also wanted to point out that his uniform was far from uniform or acceptable according to St. Ignatius policy.

The boy shook his head and then ran his hand back through his messy curls, trying to tame them into submission. “Not late. Sick.”

“Sorry to hear that,” I said, because I couldn’t think of any better response. It was obvious the boy wasn’t sick, he was skipping class. “Look, I really have to go. It was nice meeting you.”

“But we haven’t met,” he responded.

“What?” I asked, confused.

“We haven’t actually met yet,” he explained, pushing away from the wall. “Name’s Ozzy,” he said, holding out his hand.

I looked at his hand. “Is it contagious?”

He tilted his head causing the unruly curls to tumble back across his forehead. “I don’t follow.”

“Your sickness, I don’t want to catch anything.”

“Right,” he said, a wide grin dimpling across his face as he pulled his hand back and returned it to his pocket. “Well then, I should let you get to class I suppose.” He turned and walked down the hallway, the opposite direction from my classroom. “It was nice meeting you, Clementine,” he called back over his shoulder.

“I never told you my name,” I said calmly, even though I was a little unnerved that he knew my name.

“You didn’t have to.”

“Apparently, I do,” I retorted. “I don’t answer to Clementine.”

Ozzy chuckled without turning around. “See you around, Cleo.” 


Buy the book at Amazon, Smashwords, or Barnes & Noble.


About the Author:

The first thing Christine does when she's getting ready to read a book is to crack the spine in at least five places. She wholeheartedly believes there is no place as comfy as the pages of a well-worn book. She's addicted to buying books, reading books, and writing books. Books, books, books. She also has a weakness for adventure, inappropriate humor, and coke (the caffeine-laden bubbly kind). Christine is from Forest Hill, Maryland where she lives with her husband, three kids, and her library of ugly spine books.

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The next title in the series is:


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Cold Burn of Magic by Jennifer Estep

Cold Burn of Magic

Black Blade #1

Jennifer Estep

Releasing April 28th, 2015

KTeen, imprint of Kensington Publishing

THERE BE MONSTERS HERE…

It’s not as great as you’d think, living in a tourist town that’s known as “the most magical place in America.” Same boring high school, just twice as many monsters under the bridges and rival Families killing each other for power.

I try to keep out of it. I’ve got my mom’s bloodiron sword and my slightly illegal home in the basement of the municipal library. And a couple of Talents I try to keep quiet, including very light fingers and a way with a lock pick.

But then some nasty characters bring their Family feud into my friend’s pawn shop, and I have to make a call—get involved, or watch a cute guy die because I didn’t. I guess I made the wrong choice, because now I’m stuck putting everything on the line for Devon Sinclair. My mom was murdered because of the Families, and it looks like I’m going to end up just like her…

Pre-Order

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New York Times bestselling author Jen­nifer Estep is constantly prowling the streets of her imagination in search of her next fantasy idea. Jennifer is the author the Mythos Academy young adult urban fantasy series for Kensington and the Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series for Pocket Books. She is also the author of the Bigtime paranormal romance series. 

Jen­nifer is a mem­ber of Romance Writ­ers of Amer­ica, Sci­ence Fic­tion and Fan­tasy Writ­ers of America, and other writ­ing groups. Jennifer’s books have been fea­tured in Cos­mopoli­tan, Enter­tain­ment Weekly, South­ern Liv­ing, and a vari­ety of other publications. 

To learn more about her, visit www.jenniferestep.com . You can also sign up for Jennifer's fan page on Facebook and follow her on Twitter and Goodreads.

Soul Slam (Soul Force Book 1) (guest post, review, GIVEAWAY, GFT)

I have the wonderful opportunity to have a guest post by the Allie Burton, the author of Soul Slam (Soul Force Book 1), a Young Adult book available January 5, 2014.  She shares her thoughts on character creation.

How are Characters Created?

by Allie Burton

There’s not one answer to that question.
 
Characters from books are created in a variety of ways. Some authors start with an idea for a plot and pick characters that will provide the most conflict for that plot. Other times, a character comes first and then a story is created around that character. I’ve done it both ways.
 
For example in Soul Slam I started with the plot. I knew I wanted someone to inherit the soul of King Tut. But who? And how would they inherit this long lost soul? I decided the main character should be a thief and I thought a female thief would be more interesting. Then I had to figure out how she became and thief and why. You have to read the book to learn the rest.
 
There are three books in my Lost Daughters of Atlantis series. The first book, Atlantis Riptide (Lost Daughters of Atlantis), I started with a character. The old saying about “running away to the circus” came to mind and I twisted it. Who would run away from the circus and why? That’s actually the first line in the book.
When I developed the characters in Atlantis Red Tide and Atlantis Rising Tide , I already knew the plots because of the first book so I had to find archetypes that would fit the story.

One time I saw a girl riding a motorcycle and thought that was different. I wondered what type of a teenage girl would ride a motorcycle and why. Did she like the danger or couldn’t she afford a car? Was a motorcycle easier to park where she lived or worked? I created an entire story around this one image.

I’ve gotten characters from magazine photos, newspaper articles, a hobby or talent, and just things I’ve witnessed or experienced. Plus, I have two teens of my own who are always coming up with interesting things.
 
Do you have an idea for a character? Where did you get the idea from?
 
Thanks so much for hosting me!
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Blurb:

A sixteen-year-old on her first heist to steal an ancient Egyptian amulet inadvertently receives the soul of King Tut…and the deadly curse that comes with it.

And Olivia is not alone at the museum.

A member of a secret Society, Xander believes it is his place to inherit King Tut’s soul and justly rule. He knows nothing about the society’s evil plan to control the world or the curse. Now, he must deal with the female imposter who stole the amulet.

Xander convinces Olivia they must form a temporary partnership. The two teens develop a connection, and together they must figure out how to end the curse before it turns deadly. On the run, unable to touch because of the curse, and dealing with a male soul inside her female body, Olivia must learn to trust Xander. As the mystery surrounding the amulet unfolds, Olivia and Xander start to fall for each other. But is love enough to save them and the world from destruction?

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Excerpt:
(from Chapter Twenty-Seven)

My spot of defiance hadn’t stopped him. My elation plummeted like my spit. X now had the final ingredient.

Smoke rose from the cup. Colors swirled, mixing and combining like a wacky rainbow. My gaze followed the motion unwillingly entranced. I couldn’t take my gaze off of this creation. The contents glowed with a strange aura.

A light flashed sending a bolt of lightning through the room. I flinched from the heat.

The goons’ hold loosened. X watched with an awed expression on his face.

A sphere formed in the cup. Colors of red and blue and yellow shaped the orb. The colors flamed and burned into a bright yellow. The shiny ball rose on a layer of smoke like the sun on a cloudy day.

I’d never seen anything so fantastical. I held my breath as the orb rose above the alabaster cup and floated like a balloon.

X stepped toward the globe. “Did you know glass was first developed around the time of King Tut’s reign?” He angled his head examining the glass globe of sun. “The golden glass will act like a controller.”

“You can’t control a king.” Or a pharaoh. Or me.

“While I was promised to host King Tut, the conditions weren’t right the year I turned sixteen.” X’s voice grew bitter. His eyebrows came together in a straight line mourning the loss of his own power. “The Society didn’t even read the chant, already knowing through advances in science that an eclipse would not happen on the summer solstice of that year. I became a regular person, just another man in the Society.”

Having the power had been cool, but not if I couldn’t control it. Not if I couldn’t touch the people I loved. Xander’s name whispered through my chest.

“I was promised the soul and the power but never told about the burn out until later.” X’s voice rose higher, angrier. “The Society betrayed me, betrayed every Xander throughout the centuries.”

“Then why are you doing this to me?”

Buy links:

Soul Slam (Kindle version)
Soul Slam (paperback version)
Kobo 
Nook

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Allie Burton

Allie didn’t realize having so many jobs would become great research material for the stories she writes. She has been everything from a fitting room attendant to a bike police officer to a professional mascot escort. She has lived on three continents and in four states and has studied art, fashion design, marine biology, and advertising.

When her kids asked, “when are you going to write a story we can read?” she switched from adult novels to Young Adult and Middle Grade and hasn’t looked back.

Allie is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators, Romance Writers of America including the Young Adult, Dallas Area Romance Writers and Heart of the Rockies chapters. She is also a member of Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. Currently, she lives in Colorado with her husband and two children.


Author links: 
 
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Giveaway:

One randomly chosen commenter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card.  Please leave a comment with a valid e-mail address and share what talent you would find most intriguing about having the power of the sun (e.g. repel water, shoot flames from your mouth, stun with a touch, affect the tides, etc.) or what scent you would like the most for an essential oil. Don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter!


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Please join the tour at other stops:

December 30: Deal Sharing Aunt
December 31: Andi's Young Adult Books
December 31: Lisa Haselton's Reviews and Interviews
January 1: Kit 'N Kabookle
January 2: Books and Other Spells
January 3: Cabin Fever Book Reviews
January 3: Shooting Stars Reviews
January 6: Theresa M Jones
January 6: Live To Read ~Krystal
January 7: Our Wolves Den
January 7: LizaOConnor
January 8: Dana's YA Bookpile
January 9: My Tangled Skeins Book Reviews
January 10: the bookish owl
January 10: Blood Red Shadows
January 10: Nickie's Views and Interviews
January 13: Hazel West's Character Purgatory
January 13: Book- Marks The Spot
January 14: Long and Short Reviews
January 15: Books in the Hall
January 16: Full Moon Dreaming
January 16: Gin's Book Notes
January 17: Book Briefs
January 20: Margay Leah Justice
January 20: Author Jinni James
January 21: Rogue's Angels
January 22: Sandra's Blog
January 22: Room With Books
January 23: Sun Mountain Reviews
January 23: Emraz The Spark
January 24: Writer Wonderland
  

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My Review:

3 3/4 out of 5 stars

“Soul Slam” by Allie Burton is Book 1 in the ‘Soul Force’ series and tells the story of Olivia, a 16-year-old thief who discovers that her assignment to steal the Mighty Amulet of Aten is more complicated than she ever dreamed.  Inadvertently becoming host to the spirit of King Tut, Olivia must join forces with Xander, the teen who had trained for the honor, and find a way to prevent her newly acquired powers from burning her out even as they seek to prevent the misuse of the powers by several factions.  A treasure hunt all over San Francisco helps them learn more about each other and the implications of the powers but they must each decide who to put their faith in--each other or the authority figures in their respective lives?  And who will survive and to what purpose will the powers be put to?

This fun young adult fantasy story combines intriguing parts of Egyptian history with certain aspects of its mythology.  There are some facets of the power of the sun that give an interesting twist to Olivia’s powers but some of her powers don’t seem to be related to the sun and there are inconsistencies in how her newly acquired powers impact the natural world.  The clues for the hunt that lead the teens around San Francisco provide entertaining puzzles to be solved but the action is a little erratic and there are quite a few events that strain credulity a bit or that could use a bit more explanation and I thought that the romance between the two main characters was a little forced.  Nonetheless, this is an imaginative story and its exciting conclusion definitely provides a framework for future stories involving this intrepid couple.


 

Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective and Secrets and Lies (spotlight, review and GIVEAWAY)

                                      






Cassie Scot, Paranormal Detective
Secrets and Lies

Cassie Scot Mystery Series
by Christine Amsden

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BLURB:

Book One
Cassie Scot: Paranormal Detective

Cassie Scot is the ungifted daughter of powerful sorcerers, born between worlds but belonging to neither. At 21, all she wants is to find a place for herself, but earning a living as a private investigator in the shadow of her family’s reputation isn’t easy. When she is pulled into a paranormal investigation, and tempted by a powerful and handsome sorcerer, she will have to decide where she truly belongs.

Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective (Amazon link)


Book Two
Secrets and Lies

Cassie Scot, still stinging from her parents’ betrayal, wants out of the magical world. But it isn’t letting her go. Her family is falling apart and despite everything, it looks like she may be the only one who can save them.

To complicate matters, Cassie owes Evan her life, making it difficult for her to deny him anything he really wants. And he wants her. Sparks fly when they team up to find two girls missing from summer camp, but long-buried secrets may ruin their hopes for happiness.


Secrets and Lies (Amazon link)

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EXCERPTS

FROM BOOK ONE

Excerpt One:

My parents think the longer the name, the more powerful the sorcerer, so they named me Cassandra Morgan Ursula Margaret Scot. You can call me Cassie.

I've been called a lot of things in my life: normal, ordinary, and even a disappointment. After the Harry Potter books came out, a couple of people called me a squib. Since I haven't read them, I have to assume it's a compliment.

Personally, I prefer normal, which is why the sign on my office door reads: Cassie Scot, Normal Detective.

You have to understand that around here, when your last name is Scot, people are easily confused. Not only are my parents powerful practitioners, but I have six talented brothers and sisters. Plus, my family hasn't always been known for its subtlety. When weird stuff happens around here, the people who are willing to believe in magic are prone to suspect the Scots.

The day I opened for business I got a call from an old woman who swore her cat was possessed by the devil. She also swore she'd read my web site, which clearly stated the types of work I did and did not do. Exorcisms were on the No list, and while I hadn't specified pet exorcisms, I would have thought it was implicit.




FROM BOOK TWO


Excerpt Two:

Somehow, I knew it was Evan as soon as his fist hit the door. But unlike my father, I couldn't put him off because he'd set the wards. This meant he could go through them. Even if he hadn't, he could have commanded me to let him in.

Framed by the doorway, he looked impossibly large, though he was only half a foot or so taller than me, probably 6'1” or 6'2”. He had a lean, well-muscled frame, usually garbed in fitted, designer jeans and t-shirts. Today, the t-shirt was in his favorite shade of forest green, with a plea for people to recycle on the front. He wore his hair long, to just past his shoulders, making it longer than mine at the moment. (I had recently lost a lot of my hair to a fire.) Somehow, it heightened his masculinity, framing his hard face, and highlighting his blue eyes.

He looked good. He always looked good, only now the sight of him caused an odd fluttering in my stomach. Twice I had felt his lips on mine, and the result had been... intense. I was ashamed to realize that part of me wanted to feel them again.

Dangerous. I summed him up with that single word. Most of the town would agree, although until recently, I had never thought of him that way. He had been my friend, even my best friend at times, but now, thanks to a magical debt, he was my owner.

He was also the last thing standing between me and a completely normal, magic-free existence: A powerful, handsome roadblock who could make me forget my resolve with a kiss. I had wondered how long he would stay away before returning with all his considerable charm. He was a man who got what he wanted. Now, he wanted me.


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DELETED SCENE

Deleted Scene


A couple of years ago, when I was attending a local junior college, I had a friend named Jen who loved to read fantasy novels. Despite her best efforts, she never got me to read them, but she loved to tell me all about the adventures of sword and sorcery and, to a lesser extent, tales of modern fantasy.

I told her stories about my family, too. On more than one occasion she would burst out laughing and tell me I ought to write my ideas down.

I guess she never actually believed that I come from a long line of sorcerers. Considering how normal I turned out, I suppose I can't blame her.

One day, as we were chatting after class, my mom sent me a text message asking if I could pick up a couple dozen eggs on the way home from school. I mentioned the message to Jen, who got an oddly pensive look on her face. Then she said, “If your mom's a sorcerer, why's she texting you?”

I drew a blank. “Because she's out of eggs?”

“No,” Jen said, “I mean, doesn't magic cause modern things to break or something?”

“Why would it do that?” I suspected that whatever she was on about had something to do with the books she liked to read. Though I'd never been interested in those types of stories myself, I was truly intrigued by the idea that magic and modern technology might not work well together.

“Well, because magical energy and things like electricity might interfere with one another.”

“You are aware that our bodies send out lots of electrical impulses, right? I mean, it's just a force of nature, like heat or sound.” I was picturing someone having a heart attack every time they managed to cast a spell.

Jen frowned. “I hadn't thought of that. I guess it's not electricity, then, just modern gadgets.”

“So what, anything invented after 1353?”

“All right, all right, I get it,” Jen said. “But why would a sorcerer use a text message when she'd have magical alternatives?”

“You mean, like a journey book, where she writes a message on her end and it shows up on mine?”

“Yeah, something like that.”

“Well,” I said, drawing out the answer for effect, “I guess it's because a journey book requires human blood and the cell phone company just wants a two year contract and a monthly service fee.”
 
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My reviews:


4 out of 5 stars

Cassie Scot:  ParaNormal Detective


Cassandra Morgan Ursula Margaret Scot prefers to be called Cassie (and no wonder).  She is the eldest child of two powerful magic users but is the only one of the magical seven who has no powers.  Her decision to become a detective after her short-lived career as a sheriff’s deputy results in a less than lucrative business but at least it gets her out of the magic-filled household that reminds her of her lack.  Her friendship with Evan Blackwood, scion of a family that has a traditional antipathy for her own, is complicated by the fact that he is one of the most powerful sorcerers in town but she no longer feels quite comfortable in his presence.  A case that she accepts ensnares her in the magical and vampiric machinations in town and somehow Evan becomes more important in her life, despite her relationship with her intermittent boyfriend, Braden.  A serious upheaval in the Scot family coincides with an increase in danger to Cassie with the unforeseen result that she becomes indebted to Evan more than she ever dreamed she would be or wants.


This entertaining and imaginative story provides an intriguing twist on some of the traditional views of magic even as it addresses the concepts of inferiority and sibling competition.  Cassie is a delightfully down-to-earth heroine even though she has traditionally existed in a bubble of privilege that she wasn’t aware of.  Her complex relationships with her parents, her friend Evan and her siblings highlight the difficulties of being unable to be completely truthful with one another as everyone has an agenda that can be at cross-purposes and even detrimental to one another.  I am not too thrilled by the actions of those who supposedly care for Cassie even though she will undoubtedly become a stronger person (if she survives long enough) in response to the wrongs perpetrated on her.  There are intriguing and unexpected developments that hopefully will be explained in subsequent stories and I look forward to reading more of Cassie’s adventures.


4 out of 5 stars

Secrets and Lies by Christine Amsden is the second book in the ‘Cassie Scot’ series and continues immediately after the momentous events in the first book.  Cassie is still reeling from the actions of her parents and the obligations she owes Evan Blackwood even as she struggles to find a way to support herself.  An investigation into the disappearance of two girls who have ties to the Scot and Blackwood families forces Cassie to work with Evan despite her misgivings about not belonging to either the magical or the normal world around her.  The hostilities between the two families have only escalated due to Cassie’s circumstances and her relationship with Evan is even more tortuous than ever.  Unfortunately, Cassie discovers that the secrets surrounding the missing girls are not the only ones she needs to uncover and she may never recover from the shock of her discoveries.

This young adult paranormal tale is best read after the first in the series so that one has the full background on certain extreme changes in the heroine’s life.  There is a wonderful combination of mystery and magic in this tale mixed with a variety of tangled life choices that complicate the actions of many of the individuals in Cassie’s life.  There are explanations for certain behaviors but I am not totally convinced that they provide sufficient justifications for apparently irrational decisions.  There is again a surprising development at the very end of the story which will definitely whet one’s appetite for the next book in the series.  I particularly enjoyed the new twist on the “kiss and frog” relationship which reflects this author’s sly humor that is demonstrated in many of Cassie’s solutions for her problems and I look forward to learning more about the remarkable people who populate the unusual town of Eagle Rock.





AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Award-winning author Christine Amsden has written stories since she was eight, always with a touch of the strange or unusual. She became a “serious” writer in 2003, after attending a boot camp with Orson Scott Card. She finished Touch of Fate shortly afterward, then penned The Immortality Virus, which won two awards. Expect many more titles by this up-and-coming author.


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Blog: http://christineamsden.com/wordpress/?page_id=200

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GIVEAWAY:

The author will be awarding a $50 Amazon or BN GC to one randomly selected commenter.  Please leave a valid e-mail address and a comment on the magical talent you would most want to have and don't forget to use the rafflecopter.  Visit other stops on the tour for more entries.  A list can be found at this link.

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