PORTRAITS OF CELINA

by Sue Whiting

February 19, 2015 by

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

PORTRAITS OF CELINA by Sue WhitingPortraits of Celina by Sue Whiting
Published by Switch Press Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Thrillers
Source: Publisher
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ReviewedbyDani

Celina O’Malley was just sixteen years old when she disappeared. Now, almost forty years later, Bayley is sleeping in Celina’s room, wearing her clothes, hearing her voice.What does Celina want? And who will suffer because of it?

 

Bayley is haunted by the ghost of Celina O’Malley, a young girl who vanished 40 years before.  But now Celina is  back, and she wants revenge for her unsolved murder. Nothing and no one could stop Celina from getting revenge, even if it means risking Bayley’s life in the process.  I enjoyed the suspense, thrill, and the plot. I liked Bayley’s character she was easy to relate to. I also liked her relationship with Oliver. It took me a while to get into the book and when I did I couldn’t put it down. I’d recommend this book to my friends.
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PRINCESS OF THORNS
by Stacey Jay

February 8, 2015 by

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

PRINCESS OF THORNS by Stacey JayPrincess of Thorns by Stacey Jay
Published by Random House Children's Books on 2014-12-09
Genres: Young Adult
Pages: 400
Source: Publisher
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ReviewedbyDani

Game of Thrones meets the Grimm’s fairy tales in this twisted, fast-paced romantic fantasy-adventure about Sleeping Beauty’s daughter, a warrior princess who must fight to reclaim her throne. Though she looks like a mere mortal, Princess Aurora is a fairy blessed with enhanced strength, bravery, and mercy yet cursed to destroy the free will of any male who kisses her. Disguised as a boy, she enlists the help of the handsome but also cursed Prince Niklaas to fight legions of evil and free her brother from the ogre queen who stole Aurora’s throne ten years ago. Will Aurora triumph over evil and reach her brother before it’s too late? Can Aurora and Niklaas break the curses that will otherwise forever keep them from finding their one true love?

Aurora and her brother are the twin children of the Sleeping Beauty legend, whose fate went awry when she was awakened early. Aurora is the key to stopping the trolls, including her evil stepmother, from taking over. Yet, she must face the trolls because they’re holding her brother hostage.

Princess of Thorns had many elements to the story that I liked. It has a character in disguise (Aurora pretending to be her brother). Aurora’s companion on her quest is Niklaas, a prince from a neighboring kingdom who is desperate to marry her (which is awkward, since he thinks she’s her brother). He’s living out the story of the seven swans, and only has a short time left as a human. However, he’s not willing to just give up his secrets, which makes his life more difficult.

Princess of Thorns is a compelling read for any fairytale fan. It stitches several together including Little Red Riding Hood while still managing to do its own thing. I would recommend Princess of Thorns to my friends.

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THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE OF LARA CRAFT by Lola Salt

February 8, 2015 by

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE OF LARA CRAFT by Lola SaltThe Extraordinary Life of Lara Craft by Lola Salt
Published by Alula Press Genres: New Adult
Source: Publisher
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ReviewedbyDani

Lara Craft’s life involved quite a bit of tribulation. No job, no boyfriend in fact nothing was going right for her and she needed a serious change. So when Lara was offered a job that would allow her to travel around the world,  she jumped at the opportunity given to her. What followed was a story filled with Lara’s hilarious escapades as she embarked on her exciting new career. I absolutely LOVED Lara. She was such a funny, crazy character. Trouble seemed to follow her around every corner. The scenarios that she found herself in were funny and she seemed to meet the most eccentric of characters. With every new job, came another entertaining adventure. There was never a dull moment. If you are in need of a good laugh and want a book to put a smile on your face, I would recommend The Extraordinary Life of Lara Craft to you.

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SOULPRINT by Megan Miranda

February 8, 2015 by

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

SOULPRINT by Megan MirandaSoulprint by Megan Miranda
Published by Bloomsbury Publishing on 2015-02-12
Genres: Love & Romance, Science Fiction, Young Adult
Pages: 368
Source: Publisher
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ReviewedbyDani

“Maybe there will be a consequence for my choices in the next life. But right now, this is the only one that matters.”
Seventeen year old Alina Chase has been confined all her life for her own protection, so she is told. Protected from people that want revenge for her past life. Revenge for what her soul did as June Calahan a brilliant, charismatic criminal that blackmailed and stole private information from the soul database. Technology that can reveal our past lives. Information that people would pay or kill to protect or forget. But now Alina is paying the price for what June did. Alina lives under constant supervision on an island with no family or friends or way out. Until Casey and Cameron, two strangers with their own set of secrets and motives, come busting into her safe, little world. Casey and Cameron pull Alina out of her bubble. Out into the world to chase after answers and clues about soul-printing that June may or may not have left for her. I loved this tech filled scavenger hunt. This wasn’t my favorite book by Megan Miranda but I still loved it, I love all of her books and I would recommend this to everyone.

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SUSPICION by Alexandra Monir

February 8, 2015 by

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

SUSPICION by Alexandra MonirSuspicion by Alexandra Monir
Published by Random House Children's Books on 2014-12-09
Genres: Horror & Ghost Stories, Mysteries & Detective Stories, Young Adult
Pages: 304
Source: Publisher
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ReviewedbyDani

Suspicion is a dark romantic YA story full of mystery and secrecy.
The book starts with the very end of the story where the main character starts retelling how she has come to be this situation. The beginning is all about a tragedy no less: the death of Imogen’s family and keeps going until we have unraveled all the mysteries and secrets that Rockford Manor has held for some years now. However, in all this turmoil of not really knowing what’s happening, we get to meet the “teenage side” of the main character. She has had a crush all her life on Sebastian, who she left years ago at Rockford Manor.  He has started dating her cousin.  There is some magic behind the story and related to the maze, as the cover promises, and Rockford Manor. I really liked all of the plot twists, and I loved the mystery.
I highly recommend Suspicion to everyone who likes mysteries, this book definitely blew me away.

 

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BEWARE THE WILD
by Natalie C. Parker

January 6, 2015 by

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

BEWARE THE WILD by Natalie C. ParkerBeware the Wild by Natalie C. Parker
Series: Beware the Wild #1
Published by Harper Collins on 2014-10-21
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Social Issues, Young Adult
Pages: 336
Source: Reviewer Purchase
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Reviewed by Dani

Southern Gothic gets a whole new twist in this debut novel, sure to appeal to fans of the New York Times bestselling Beautiful Creatures series. The swamp in Sterling's small Louisiana town proves to have a power over its inhabitants when her brother disappears and no one but Sterling even remembers that he existed. Now Sterling, with the help of brooding loner Heath, who's had his own creepy experience with the swamp, must fight back and reclaim what—and who—the swamp has taken.Beware the Wild is a riveting and atmospheric page-turner readers won't want to miss.

It’s an oppressively hot and sticky morning in May when Sterling and her brother, Phin, have an argument that compels him to run into the town swamp — the one that strikes fear in all the residents of Sticks, Louisiana. Phin doesn’t return. Instead, a girl named Lenora May climbs out, and now Sterling is the only person in Sticks who remembers her brother ever existed. Sterling needs to figure out what the swamp’s done with her beloved brother and how Lenora May is connected to his disappearance — and loner boy Heath Durham might be the only one who can help her.

I can’t even explain how much I loved this book. Sterling’s brother Phin goes into the swamp and he doesn’t come out but Lenora May does. Sterling is the only one in town who remembers her brother even existed, but she gets a little help from Heath the only person who believes Sterling and doesn’t think she’s crazy. I just related to Sterling so much and I was rooting for her to find brother. I didn’t like Lenora, because when she climbed out of the swamp she thought she belonged there, and I was like where is Phin? I also really liked the relationship between Sterling and Heath it was really sweet that he believed her even when others didn’t. The setting and the swamp were just creepy but I loved it. I would recommend this book to others in a heart beat!

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EVERY UGLY WORD
by Aimee L. Salter

January 1, 2015 by

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

EVERY UGLY WORD by Aimee L. SalterEvery Ugly Word by Aimee L. Salter
Source: Publisher
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Reviewed by Dani

When seventeen-year-old Ashley Watson walks through the halls of her high school, bullies taunt and shove her. She can't go a day without fighting with her mother. And no matter how hard she tries, she can't make her best friend, Matt, fall in love with her. But Ashley also has something no one else does: a literal glimpse into the future. When Ashley looks into the mirror, she can see her twenty-three-year-old self.
Her older self has been through it all already--she endured the bullying, survived the heartbreak, and heard every ugly word her classmates threw at her. But her older self is also keeping a dark secret: Something terrible is about to happen to Ashley. Something that will change her life forever. Something even her older self is powerless to stop.
When Ashley looks in the mirror, she can see herself six years in the future.  This made Every Ugly Word so unique and intriguing. I loved Ashley’s interactions with “Older Me.”  They made me remember my high school years, which were not always great, the emotions of both present-day Ashley and future Ashley jumped off the pages. I found myself tearing up several times while reading Every Ugly Word, because of how worried I was about Ashley. The growth in Ashley and the Emotion was great. I would recommend this book to my friends.
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DREAM STUDENT
by J.J. DiBenedetto

January 1, 2015 by

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

DREAM STUDENT by J.J. DiBenedettoDream Student by J.J. DiBenedetto
Series: Dream #1
Published by Writing Dreams on 2013-03-20
Genres: Paranormal, Thrillers
Pages: 287
Source: Publisher
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Reviewed by Dani

What would you do if you could see other people's dreams? What if you could watch their hidden fantasies and uncover their deepest, darkest secrets...without them ever knowing? What if they could get you killed?  Sara Barnes thought all she had to worry about was final exams, Christmas shopping and deciding whether she liked the cute freshman in the next dorm that has a crush on her. But then she starts seeing dreams that aren't hers and learns more than she ever wanted to know about her friends, her classmates...and a strange, terrifying man whose dreams could get her killed.

College junior Sara Barnes thought her life was totally under control. All she had to worry about was her final exams, Christmas shopping, applying to medical school – and what to do about the cute freshman in the next dorm with a crush on her. Everything was going according to plan, until the night she started seeing other people’s dreams.
It’s bad enough that Sara is learning more than she ever needed to know about her friends and classmates, watching their most secret fantasies whether she wants to or not. Much worse are the other dreams, the ones she sees nearly every night, featuring a strange, terrifying man who commits unspeakable crimes. Now Sara wonders if she’s the only witness to a serial killer – and the only one who knows when and where he’s going to strike next.

Sara is a college student who can see other people’s dreams.  Some of their dreams are pleasant, others aren’t as pleasant. Dream Student will draw you in as you follow Sara in her everyday college life and also her Dreams. I could not wait to see what was going to happen; if Sara could solve the mystery before it was too late. Once you begin Dream Student you will not want to put it down. After you finish reading Dream Student you’ll want to read the next book in the series Dream Doctor.

*Currently Free On Amazon

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SEE ME by Susan Hatler

December 1, 2014 by

I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

SEE ME by Susan HatlerSee Me by Susan Hatler
Series: Zombie Love #1
Published by Hatco Publishing on 2014-11-21
Genres: Action & Adventure, Love & Romance, Paranormal, Young Adult
Pages: 181
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Reviewed by Dani

Amy Love, a high school junior, plays a Ouija board with friends one night and unintentionally connects with someone whose, well, not visible to the naked eye. When her body’s taken over and her soul is stuck watching helplessly—she’s terrified. When the zombie guzzles bologna that she will have to work off at the gym—she’s angry. And, when her zombied body pulls up a news article on her laptop about a boy named Jonathan Miller who was recently in a car crash—she’s . . . intrigued. When the zombie chooses another host, Amy learns that the zombie is actually teen Jonathan Miller, son of the famous Maisy's Meow comic creator Jacob Miller. Jonathan tells Amy he doesn’t know whether he’s dead or alive, only that when he’s not in a body, she is the only one who seems to know he exists. Amy decides to help Jonathan discover what happened to him and, when they can’t find his body, they try to find a substitute—preferably one that isn’t occupied. On the journey, Jonathan leads Amy into all kinds of danger. To her surprise, he also leads her heart to somewhere unexpected. She’s always heard of love at first sight, not love at first fright, but how can Amy be falling for a boy she’s never even seen?

Amy and her friends play with a Ouija board and weird things start to happen to Amy, like pencils moving, and feeling like someone is watching her. When Amy’s body is taken over by a ghost she tries to figure out what it wants. The ghost pulls up an article about a boy named Jonathan Miller, Amy is interested and decides to help Jonathan find his body.  However, when Amy and Jonathan can’t find his body they end up on an adventure to find one that he can use. I loved See Me it’s a Must Read. It was a short and captivating read. Once I really got into it I couldn’t stop reading it. I fell in love with Amy and Jonathan especially how their connection grew during their journey of trying to find Jonathan a body. I also liked Amy’s friends even though they didn’t believe Amy at first they stuck by her side and helped her. The ending was AMAZING! See Me is a book I would read again I would recommend this book!

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HYSTERIA by Megan Miranda

November 5, 2014 by

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

HYSTERIA by Megan MirandaHysteria by Megan Miranda
Published by A&C Black on 2013
Genres: Love & Romance, Mysteries & Detective Stories, Young Adult
Pages: 326
Source: Reviewer Purchase
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Reviewed by Dani

Mallory's life is falling apart. Her boyfriend was stabbed. He bled to death in her kitchen. Mallory was the one who stabbed him. But she can't remember what happened that night. She only remembers the fear . . . When Mallory's parents send her away to a boarding school, she thinks she can escape the gossip and the threats. But someone, or something, has followed her. There's the hand that touches her shoulder when she's drifting off to sleep. A voice whispering her name. And everyone knows what happened. So when a pupil is found dead, Mallory's name is on their lips. Her past can be forgotten but it's never gone. Can Mallory live with that?

After the incident Mallory’s parents decide to send her to Monroe a prep school to get away from everything back home. However, she can’t help but feel that her ex-boyfriend’s ghost has followed her. She can hear his heartbeat. She has the impression of a hand indented on her shoulder from where she’s being grabbed by his ghost. Not long after Mallory arrives, another pupil is found dead in her room. Mallory claims she was sleeping and can’t remember anything. I really liked Mallory as a character and Reid, her new love interest, is a great, loyal guy. The thing I loved most about the book is the face that Mallory doesn’t really remember the details of the night she killed Brian but throughout the book she has flashbacks of that night. I’m pretty sure there won’t be a sequel to this book but if there was I would buy it. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes Romance, Thriller, and Mystery.

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Filed Under: Reviews