Swoon Thursday (21): Hallowed and Tangled Tides

It's that time again! We created a HOT meme, and if you're new to the game, here's how to join in the fun:

From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering.

Shout it out on Twitter with the hashtag #YABound, post it here in the comments, or grab the adorable button above and share it on your blog! We want to know :-)

Here's ours:

RACHEL: His fire and mine combine, and it's greater than any forest fire, hotter than the hottest part of flame.--Hallowed SWOON #YABound

And here's the extended bloggy scene that was too long for Twitter. This was a bit harder because I don't want to do any spoilers with any names--don't want to disappoint either Team Tristan OR Team Christian fans--but I still think this is pretty hot!

His fire and mine combine, and it's greater than any forest fire, hotter than the hottest part of flame. Any walls I've tried to build between us crumble down. His heart pounds beneath my palm.

If I could've extended the scene even more, and said names, this would've been even swoonier, but I hope you get the point. Cynthia Hand knows how to bring the steam :-) 

TRISH: He pulled me on top of him and we floated upward, locked in a kiss. When his lips traveled down to my neck I lost control-Tangled Tides SWOON #YABound
  
NOW IT'S YOUR TURN: In 140 characters, SWOON us!

Spotlight on Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Hardcover, US, 400 pages

Expected publication: January 3rd 2012 by HarperCollins

Buy From Amazon Here

Aria is a teenager in the enclosed city of Reverie. Like all Dwellers, she spends her time with friends in virtual environments, called Realms, accessed through an eyepiece called a Smarteye. Aria enjoys the Realms and the easy life in Reverie. When she is forced out of the pod for a crime she did not commit, she believes her death is imminent. The outside world is known as The Death Shop, with danger in every direction.

As an Outsider, Perry has always known hunger, vicious predators, and violent energy storms from the swirling electrified atmosphere called the Aether. A bit of an outcast even among his hunting tribe, Perry withstands these daily tests with his exceptional abilities, as he is gifted with powerful senses that enable him to scent danger, food and even human emotions.

They come together reluctantly, for Aria must depend on Perry, whom she considers a barbarian, to help her get back to Reverie, while Perry needs Aria to help unravel the mystery of his beloved nephew’s abduction by the Dwellers. Together they embark on a journey challenged as much by their prejudices as by encounters with cannibals and wolves. But to their surprise, Aria and Perry forge an unlikely love - one that will forever change the fate of all who live UNDER THE NEVER SKY.

Wow. This story started with a bang. The action gripped me right from the start, and then the world and characters wouldn’t let go. I was truly impressed by the originality. At first it was hard to envision the Smarteye those inside the dome wear, but being able to see it from Perry’s POV helped clarify. Normally I’m not a fan of third person narrative, as it tends to distance me from the characters. But Rossi did an amazing job bringing the reader into this world, and her writing style is clear and descriptive, making it easy to relate and sympathize with Aria and Perry.

The chaotic world under the Aether sky was brilliantly executed. Rossi created a turbulent environment that scared me and made me want to live there at the same time. The buildup between Aria and Perry was wonderful, too. I loved how their relationship began, the distrust and loathing they held for one another. It was comical at times--others passionate. I felt it was perfectly paced, and I can’t stress enough how much I adore Perry. This is an amazing story, with real, vivid characters, and one that you don’t want to miss out on.

MINIVIEW with Veronica Rossi

Sunrises or sunsets? 

Summer sunsets and winter sunrises.  

Rock or Pop, or some other crazy type of music we've never heard of? 

Glam rock. Kidding. Actually, I'm not. I do love a good 80s ballad, but I'm totally omnivorous when it comes to music. I love it all.

Name one book that no matter how many times you read it, you always cry like a baby. 

Hmm. Tough one. I reread Austen quite a bit, but I don't necessarily cry. I think the last time I teared up in a book was when Prim died in Mockingjay. That was brutal.

Author Website | Goodreads | Twitter 

Live Chat: Author Jordan Dane

Join us January 5th at 7:00 PM EDT for a live chat with author Jordan Dane as we discuss her new YA ON A DARK WING and announce the WINNERS of the blog tour. Make sure to visit the stops on the tour and enter the contests!

Book Deal! Spectral by Shannon Duffy

December has been an amazing month! And we're so excited to announce a new book deal for our agency sister and critique partner Shannon Duffy! Her YA SPECTRAL sold to Tribute Books this month, with a tentative release date around April 10, 2012. Congrats, Shannon! We're super happy that this amazing story will be out in the world! Check out the blurb for SPECTRAL below:

Blurb: Convinced she’s a part of the witness protection program, sixteen-year-old Jewel Rose is shuffled around the globe with her family like a pack of traveling gypsies. After arriving at lucky home twenty-seven, she stumbles upon a mysterious boy with magical powers claiming to be her guardian . . . and warning of imminent danger. Despite the obvious sparks between them, Jewel discovers a relationship is forbidden, and the more she learns about dark, brooding Roman, she begins to question who she can even believe—the family who raised her, or the supposed sworn protector who claims they’ve been lying to her all along.

 

As she struggles to uncover who her family has really been running from, she is forced to hide her birthmark that reveals who she is. With new realities surfacing, unexplained powers appearing, and two tempting boys vying for her heart, Jewel battles to learn who she can trust in an ever growing sea of lies, hoping she’ll make it through her seventeenth birthday alive.

 

You can find Shannon Duffy in these places: 

Website | Twitter | Goodreads

Cover Reveal: Channeler's Choice by Heather McCorkle

 

Hardcover, First Edition

Expected publication: February 27th 2012 by Compass Press 

 

With her parents’ murderer’s dead, Eren can finally concentrate on fitting in at Spruce Knoll High, not to mention figuring out what it means to be a channeler. If only it were that easy. It turns out she isn’t normal even among channelers - she may be a legendary warrior meant to protect the earth in a last great battle.

But Mayan prophecies are the least of her worries as she involuntarily starts to gather her own Society, another girl moves in on Aiden, her powers rage out of control, and worst of all, someone is stalking her. To top it all off, Eren discovers she doesn’t have to be a channeler after all - she has a choice.

As an old threat closes in and she risks ending up like her parents, she is forced to decide. Be a normal teenager and leave the legendary warrior stuff to someone else, or embrace a dark destiny? 

Goodreads | Author Website | Twitter

Releasing This Week

On A Dark Wing by Jordan Dane

Paperback, 384 pages

Expected publication: December 27th 2011 by Harlequin Teen

Buy From Amazon Here

  

The choices I had made led to the moment when fate took over. I would learn a lesson I wasn't prepared for. And Death would be my willing teacher.

Five years ago, Abbey Chandler cheated Death. She survived a horrific car accident, but her "lucky" break came at the expense of her mother's life and changed everything. After she crossed paths with Death—by taking the hand of an ethereal boy made of clouds and sky—she would never be normal again.

Now she's the target of Death's ravens and an innocent boy's life is on the line. When Nate Holden—Abbey's secret crush—starts to climb Alaska's Denali, the Angel of Death stalks him because of her.

And Abbey finds out the hard way that Death never forgets.

After I read IN THE ARMS OF STONE ANGELS, I KNEW I had to get my hands on more of Jordan Dane’s YA. She has an amazingly real way of creating characters that I connect to, and that I feel for.

Abbey was endearing to me. I remember crushing so hard on guys in HS and never having the guts to admit it to them, so this was easy for me to relate to. Abbey has built Nate up in her mind to be an escape from her reality. With a father as the town mortician, and living with the self-inflicted guilt of her mother’s death, she’s isolated herself away from others—all except for her best friend Tanner. Nate is where she can lose herself in desires for herself without the guilt of being happy. Tanner I think I loved even more. Being in a wheelchair hasn’t stopped him from living his life, yet he clings to Abbey because she doesn’t see him as others do—a boy in a chair. These two were simply amazing together.

I loved the Alaska setting. I don’t think I’ve read any other books that have described it in this great of detail. Especially when we join Nate on a mountain climb. I believe after reading DARK WING I might be able to climb one myself. Though I don’t think I’m as brave. I’d rather live through my book characters lol. Dane did a fantastic job of putting her readers right in the action, and making me feel as if I was a part of this trek right along with Nate.

Death’s character was complicated. In a way I was rooting for him. I understood what he desired and how he connected with Abbey, and I even melted during certain scenes, wishing for a way his dreams could be realized. But in the end, I’m a Team Tanner girl. How Tanner defended Abbey and protected her, I’m just a sucker for that type of guy.

Abbey battled a lot of emotions through her journey. I don’t do spoilers, but I’ll say that I loved how her story concluded. I was satisfied with the outcome, and Abbey grew leaps and bounds over a short period in her life. She faced Death, twice, and came out the victor. Love her! If you’re looking for something original and fresh, with awesome characters and a paranormal twist, don’t miss out on this fantastic read.

Prized by Caragh M. O'Brien

Hardcover, 368 pages

Published November 8th 2011 by Roaring Brook Press

Buy From Amazon Here

Striking out into the wasteland with nothing but her baby sister, a handful of supplies, and a rumor to guide her, sixteen-year-old midwife Gaia Stone survives only to be captured by the people of Sylum, a dystopian society where women rule the men who drastically outnumber them, and a kiss is a crime. In order to see her sister again, Gaia must submit to their strict social code, but how can she deny her sense of justice, her curiosity, and everything in her heart that makes her whole?

Okay, I’ll admit this. I’m not proud, but I did not read BIRTHMARKED. Everyone close your gaping mouths. It’s kind of painful sometimes being a writer. And not being able to read every book you want when you want is one of the hard parts. But when I saw that NetGalley had PRIZED, I requested promising myself I would read BM first. Wrong. I got caught up with craziness, instead. Then I only had a few days left to either read this or not. So I chose to at least suck this one down.

I’m so glad I did! I was scared that reading the second book in the series would confuse me. But from what I’ve read on other reviews, both books could very well stand alone. I believe that. I LOVED this book, and I didn’t feel like I was missing anything. It just makes me want to read BM that much more. I fell in love with Leon, and I have to find out how his and Gaia’s relationship began. There’re a couple touchy subjects in this story. One that deals with abortion and the other drugs. Probably some other ones, too, but I’m not easily offended. It didn’t bother me, but I just pointed it out for those that may have a problem. I felt the MC handled the situations very well, and she thought long and hard and weighed the pros and cons. So I was satisfied with how she dealt with these issues.

Now, the romance. Oh yes. There is no love triangle here. That’s for newbies. We have a full on quadrangle. I was really only into two guys. The third for me was kind of just there. But he was still nice eye candy. Leon was who I was rooting for the whole time. Even though I didn’t see how Gaia met him and their relationship developed in the first book, I still felt how much they cared for each other—how much they had gone through to get to this point. I also felt the romance was well balanced with the plot and the dystopian world. There was so much information and rules to this new land, but the author did an amazing job weaving all these elements together. A world where girls rule? Yes! I’ve always wanted a book like this. It was awesome. I simply loved it, and now I can’t wait to read more!

Cover Reveal: The Vicious Deep by Zoraida Cordova

Set against the backdrop of a Coney Island summer comes The Vicious Deep, the story of sixteen year old Tristan Hart whose life is turned upside down when the mermaids make an unscheduled return to land in search of their new king.

When a sudden storm pulls Tristan from lifeguard duty into a deadly riptide, he discovers what he really is—a prince of the Sea Court. Turns out, his girlfriend hopping and talents as a swimmer aren’t caused by his teenage prime hormones after all.

In this modern Arthurian tale with a twist, when all a guy wants to do is get The Girl and enjoy the freak show that is a Coney Island summer, Tristan has to fight for his life, the lives of his friends, and his humanity, if he still wants it, as he’s caught in a race for a throne that is as ancient as the gods.

Goodreads | Author Website | Twitter

Blog Tour: Existence by Abbi Glines

ebook, 194 pages

Published December 13th 2011 by Wild Child Publishing

Buy From Amazon Here

What happens when you are stalked by Death? You fall in

love with him of course. Pagan Moore doesn’t cheat Death, instead, she falls in love with him.

Seventeen year old Pagan Moore, has seen souls her entire life. Once she realized the strangers she often saw walking through walls were not visible to anyone else, she started ignoring them. If she didn’t let them know she could see them, they left her alone. Until she steps out of her car on the first day of school and sees an incredibly sexy guy lounging on a picnic table, watching her with an amused smirk on his face. Problem is, she knows he's dead. Not only does he not go away, when she ignores him he does something none of the others have ever done; he speaks. Pagan is fascinated by the soul. What Pagan doesn’t realize is that her appointed time to die is drawing near and the wickedly beautiful soul she is falling in love with is not a soul. He is Death and he is about to break all the rules.

With a name like Dank, how can you not like this boy? Ah, I mean Death. Dude, some people didn’t like the name, but I really do. Maybe it’s because I come from the old-school and see the hidden innuendo ;) But anyway, yeah, so thought this book was going to be a bit creepier, but I really enjoyed it being a straight shot of romance.

Pagan (love that name, too) see souls. The souls of dead people, and they pretty much leave her alone for the most part and she ignores them, until Dank comes along and breaks all the rules. I love me a bad boy rule breaker. It was a close call between Leif and Dank. I liked what each one had to offer Pagan, and her feelings for each one varied. I liked the slow build with Leif. I like it when the characters take their time to get to know one another, but I also have a wild side where I love when the characters rush in all abandon with steamy passion. Abbi Glines does both of these things very well.

If you’re looking for a romantic read light on the paranormal with two hawt guys for the Holidays, this is a great read that will keep you fanning yourself.

Cover Reveal: Chosen Ones by Tiffany Truitt

What if you were mankind’s last chance at survival?

            Sixteen-year-old Tess lives in a compound in what was once the Western United States, now decimated after a devastating fourth World War. But long before that, life as we knew it had been irrevocably changed, as women mysteriously lost the ability to bring forth life. Faced with the extinction of the human race, the government began the Council of Creators, meant to search out alternative methods of creating life. The resulting artificial human beings, or Chosen Ones, were extraordinarily beautiful, unbelievably strong, and unabashedly deadly.

            Life is bleak, but uncomplicated for Tess as she follows the rigid rules of her dystopian society, until the day she begins work at Templeton, the training facility for newly created Chosen Ones. There, she meets James, a Chosen One whose odd love of music and reading rivals only her own. The attraction between the two is immediate in its intensity—and overwhelming in its danger.

            But there is more to the goings-on at Templeton than Tess ever knew, and as the veil is lifted from her eyes, she uncovers a dark underground movement bent not on taking down the Chosen Ones, but the Council itself. Will Tess be able to stand up to those who would oppress her, even if it means giving up the only happiness in her life?

Goodreads | Website | Entangled Publishing

Swoon Thursday (20): The One That I Want & Prized

It's that time again! We created a HOT meme, and if you're new to the game, here's how to join in the fun:

From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering.

Shout it out on Twitter with the hashtag #YABound, post it here in the comments, or grab the adorable button above and share it on your blog! We want to know :-)

Here's ours:

RACHEL:

Chill bumps broke out all over my skin. Then he slid his hand down to my waistband.-The One That I Want SWOON #YABound

And here's an extended bloggy extra scene that I couldn't make work for Twitter, but am determined to post anyway (I'm nothing if not stubborn LOL)

As he watched me with his black hair hanging in his dark eyes, he had never looked more sexy, and I had never been more in love with him. Slowly I worked his T-shirt over his head and off him. I straddled his lap with his strong, bare arms encircling me and kissed him again.

Love that Jennifer Echols!

TRISH: I can't break this scene up this week. Sorry! I wish I could write this whole chapter so you could see what happened before. But I'm going with the scene that made me melt the most:

With unhurried restraint, he kissed her softly, and long, and slow, until she was a tangle of melting pleasure and frustration. "That," she murmured, stopping to swallow and catch her breath. "Is not fair."
     "Good," he said. He kissed her again, only not so softly anymore. --PRIZED SWOON #YABound

  
NOW IT'S YOUR TURN: In 140 characters, SWOON us!

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Hardcover, 387 pages

Expected publication: January 3rd 2012 by Feiwel & Friends

Buy From Amazon Here

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

Okay, so I knew I had to read this when I heard it had cyborgs. I’m always looking for the most original YA stories, and CINDER was just that. I had no idea how the author was going to pull this off—a Cinderella cyborg—but she did. Not only did she pull it off, it was just simply amazing. And beautiful and emotional all at the same time. I can’t gush enough over how much I loved CINDER.

The world was awesome. Futuristic with hints of old world customs. I was impressed with the New Beijing. The world has now seen four world wars, and everyone is living in peace for the most part. Technology has advanced so that people are given a second chance at life if something horrible happens, like an accident that takes limbs and body parts. They are given robotic replacements, turning them into second class citizens—cyborgs. Cinder is one of these citizens who are frowned upon, and after a plague sweeps over the world, it’s the cyborgs that are chosen to be tested on to find a cure.

But that’s just one part of this story. Something that completely blew my mind was the introduction of the Lunas. The moon people. People who live on the moon, and who have mutated. They have powers of persuasion, and can make people see and do what they want. Awesome. The different elements of the story come together to form an amazing plot. The romance between Prince Kia and Cinder was wonderful, too. No, hey, I just met you and I love you and will die for you. They became friends first. They had a slow build toward reaching their feelings for one another, and I loved every minute of it. The cliffhanger at the end killed me. I need more. NOW. Anyone who is looking for something amazingly original and beautiful at the same time has to pick this up. You’re in for an adventure that will change how you look at Cinderella forever.

MINIVIEW With Marissa Meyer:

Do you prefer fires outside (campfires) or in the fireplace?

Fireplace, no contest. I like to be snuggled warm inside with a cat and a cup of cocoa.

Vampires or angels?

Normally I'd go with vampires here, but I just started reading The Daughter of Smoke and Bone and the "angel" has me rather hooked...

Stefano or Damon?

Don't shoot me, but I've never read the books or seen the show! On looks alone though, I'd have to go with Damon. They're both pretty hot though. Maybe I should start watching...

Website | Twitter | Goodreads

Book Sale! Touch of Death by Kelly Hashway

We are so stoked to announce the sale of our agency sister, Kelly Hashway! Her YA, TOUCH OF DEATH, has sold in a two-book deal to Spencer Hill Press. Yay! Congrats, Kelly! Its predicted release date is January 15, 2013. The second book in the series, STALKED BY DEATH, is TBA.

Here is the blurb from Publishers Marketplace:  Kelly Hashway's TOUCH OF DEATH, about a teenage girl born under the thirteenth sign of the zodiac with a kiss that kills and a touch that can bring the dead back to life, pitched as Shatter Me meets The Walking Dead, to Kate Kaynak at Spencer Hill Press, in a nice deal, in a two-book deal, for publication in January 2013, by Lauren Hammond at ADA Management Group.

So our waiting on Wednesday is a year in advance, but it’s worth the wait! The title alone has us dying to get our hands on it. But that short pitch is awesome!

Kelly is an amazingly talented author, and she’s just the most awesome person to know. We're so happy for her!

You can find out more about Kelly here at her blog, and follow her on Twitter and give her a congrats shout out! 

 &

Released into the wild: Embrace by Cherie Colyer

Happy book birthday to EMBRACE! Cherie Colyer is my pub sister, and I can't wait to read this book! Check out the celebration going on here, at the virtual book launch!

Published December 20th 2011 by Omnific Publishing
Buy From Amazon Here


 Sometimes you end up hurting the ones you love.
You find you can't save them or yourself.

Madison is familiar enough with change, and she hates everything about it. Change took her long-term boyfriend away from her. It caused one of her friends to suddenly hate her. It’s responsible for the death of a local along with a host of other mysterious happenings. But when Madison meets a hot new guy, she thinks her luck is about to improve.

Madison is instantly drawn to the handsome and intriguing Isaac Addington. She quickly realizes he’s a guy harboring a secret, but she’s willing to risk the unknown to be with him.

Her world really spins out of control, however, when her best friend becomes delusional, seeing things that aren’t there and desperately trying to escape their evil. When the doctors can’t find the answers, Madison seeks her own.

Nothing can prepare her for what she is about to discover.
Dangerous, intoxicating, and darkly romantic, Embrace is a thriller that will leave you spellbound.

Goodreads | Website | Twitter

Destiny's Fire by Trisha Wolfe Cover Reveal

Blurb: It’s the year 2040, and sixteen-year-old Dez Harkly is one of the last of her kind—part of a nearly extinct race of shape-shifters descended from guardians to the Egyptian pharaohs. Her home and her secret are threatened when the Council lowers the barrier, allowing the enemy race to enter the Shythe haven. 

As the Narcolym airships approach, Dez and her friends rebel against their Council and secretly train for battle. Not only is Dez wary of war and her growing affection for her best friend Jace, but she fears the change her birthday will bring. When Dez’s newfound power rockets out of control, it’s a Narcolym who could change her fate… if she can trust him.

Dez’s guarded world crumbles when she discovers why the Narcos have really come to Haven Falls, and she's forced to choose between the race who raised her and the enemy she's feared her whole life. 

(It feels kind of cool to do my own cover reveal ;) Thanks to everyone for being so supportive!

Goodreads | Website |  Twitter | Omnific Publishing

Essay Contest! Win A Free Critique - Book Wish Foundation

Win a literary agent or acclaimed author's feedback on your unpublished manuscript for young adult or middle grade readers.  This rare opportunity is being offered to the six winners of an essay contest recently announced by the literacy charity Book Wish Foundation.  See http://bookwish.org/contest for full details.

You could win a manuscript critique from:

• Laura Langlie, literary agent for Meg Cabot

• Nancy Gallt, literary agent for Jeanne DuPrau

• Brenda Bowen, literary agent and editor of Karen Hesse's Newbery Medal winner Out of the Dust

• Ann M. Martin, winner of the Newbery Honor for A Corner of the Universe

• Francisco X. Stork, winner of the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award for The Last Summer of the Death Warriors

• Cynthia Voigt, winner of the Newbery Medal for Dicey's Song and the Newbery Honor for A Solitary Blue

All that separates you from this prize is a 500-word essay about a short story in Book Wish Foundation's new anthology, What You Wish For.  Essays are due Feb. 1, 2012 and winners will be announced around Mar. 1, 2012.  If you win, you will have six months to submit the first 50 pages of your manuscript for critique (which means you can enter the contest even if you haven't finished, or started, your manuscript).  You can even enter multiple times, with essays about more than one of the contest stories, for a chance to win up to six critiques.

If you dream of being a published author, this is an opportunity you should not miss.  To enter, follow the instructions at http://bookwish.org/contest.

Good luck and best wishes,

Logan Kleinwaks
President, Book Wish Foundation

What You Wish For (ISBN 9780399254543, Putnam Juvenile, Sep. 15, 2011) is a collection of short stories and poems about wishes from 18 all-star writers: Meg Cabot, Jeanne DuPrau, Cornelia Funke, Nikki Giovanni, John Green, Karen Hesse, Ann M. Martin, Alexander McCall Smith, Marilyn Nelson, Naomi Shihab Nye, Joyce Carol Oates, Nate Powell, Sofia Quintero, Gary Soto, R.L. Stine, Francisco X. Stork, Cynthia Voigt, Jane Yolen.  With a Foreword by Mia Farrow.  Book Wish Foundation is donating 100% of its proceeds from the book to the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, to fund the development of libraries in Darfuri refugee camps in eastern Chad.

Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey

Hardcover, 336 pages

Published December 8th 2011 by Philomel/Penguin

Buy From Amazon Here

A thrilling debut story of death, love, destiny and danger

Lenzi hears voices and has visions - gravestones, floods, a boy with steel gray eyes. Her boyfriend, Zak, can't help, and everything keeps getting louder and more intense. Then Lenzi meets Alden, the boy from her dreams, who reveals that she's a reincarnated Speaker - someone who can talk to and help lost souls - and that he has been her Protector for centuries.

Now Lenzi must choose between her life with Zak and the life she is destined to lead with Alden. But time is running out: a malevolent spirit is out to destroy Lenzi, and he will kill her if she doesn't make a decision soon.

I can say with all honesty that this is one of my favorite books. I did not want to give this book up to the next person on the tour. I wanted to hide it away so I could read it again. And I did reread many scenes, just so I could relive them and sear them into my brain.

First off, Mary Lindsey’s writing is clear, fresh, and descriptive. I lost myself in the words and had to force myself to slow down, as I wanted to take my time, but the writing was so easy to inhale. I was gripped into the story from the first scene of the book. It was haunting and sent chills down my spine. Then Lenzi fast became a friend. I loved her logic, and I connected with her easily. Don’t get me started on the romance. As much as I loved and devoured the plot, the romance is where it’s at. I love the buildup in the relationship, and the tension of Lenzi trying to discover who she was and what Alden means to her.  Alden—swoon. More. Now.

I love when I don’t see an ending coming. Though I was all prepared for it to complete the way I saw in my head, and felt that would be a satisfying conclusion, I was reading with my jaw on the floor by the last chapters. I didn’t see it coming at ALL. No spoilers, so you will just have to read and see what I mean. Fantastic read with amazing characters, SHATTERED SOULS was a powerful debut, and one that I’ll be reading again and again.