Blog Tour: From the Earth to the Shadows

About the Book:
Title: From the Earth to the Shadows (Valkyrie #2)
Author: Amanda Hocking
Pub. Date: April 24, 2018
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Pages: 336
Rating: 4/5 stars

Synopsis:

Malin’s mission to avenge her mother's murder has uncovered dangerous secrets. As a Valkyrie-in-training, Malin must slay immortals who’ve had their time, to maintain balance between humans and immortals. But her quest could destroy earth’s stability – and unleash chaos.

Just when she needs to focus, her friend Asher is in grave danger. He’s been dragged into the underworld, where vengeful immortals plot revolution. Malin believes her feelings mustn’t distract from her goal – but is desperate to rescue him. So she ventures into the darkest of realms, knowing she may not survive. With new allies at her side and new enemies ahead, Malin will face terrible choices. She’ll have to keep her head – or be ruled by her heart. 

Buy the book here!

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Books-a-Million  |  IndieBound  |  Powells 

About the Author:

Amanda Hocking is the author of over twenty young adult novels, including the New York Times bestselling Trylle Trilogy and Kanin Chronicles. Her love of pop culture and all things paranormal influence her writing. She spends her time in Minnesota, taking care of her menagerie of pets and working on her next book.

Author Links: Website |  Twitter |  Facebook |  Blog

Review:

From the Earth to the Shadows was an exciting finale in the Valkyrie duology! The story picks up right where the previous book leaves off, and we dive right into the story. Amanda Hocking has crafted yet another imaginative, wondrous story that sucks you right in. Her continued world-building was fantastic and the characters experience a lot of growth over the course of the story.

The stakes are much higher this time around for not only Malin, but the entire world. The Underworld is in a state of unrest, which means the threat is looming for the Underworld to rise up and cause chaos on Earth. And it's all up to Malin and her friends to stop that from happening. Meanwhile, Malin's heart is not only torn with Asher being missing/possibly dead, she now has formed a fragile bond with her ex. Now, Malin is not only trying to protect the world but also those she cares about the most. I loved that we saw a different side of Malin throughout this story. She became more vulnerable and open. We already know that she's tough as nails, but this was a refreshing addition to her character. She realized that she didn't need to keep everything all bottled up inside. 

The pacing was a little all over the place in this book, which was a little frustrating. There were times when the book was incredibly fast-paced and non-stop excitement. However, there would be these extended periods of time where the story would lag a bit. Even though the story was still interesting, given the urgency of the plot, these scenes just didn't fit with the story as a whole. I kept waiting for them to remember they had a world to save, but they just took their grand ol' time in certain parts. Overall though, there was a lot more action and excitement in this novel than the first book. The action scenes were brilliantly written and were seriously epic.

My only other complaint with the novel was the ending. Everything felt a little rushed and a bit anti-climactic. The resolution to everything almost was a "blink-and-you-miss-it" type thing which upset me. The whole book had been leading toward this epic conclusion and then it just ended. I wanted a little more from this. However, this being said, I did love how much the characters grew over the course of the novel and how much more mature they were by the end. Additionally, I absolutely adore the world that Amanda Hocking has created and it's such an excellent mix of sci-fi, Norse mythology, and fantasy.

I definitely would recommend checking out this sequel/finale in the Valkyrie series. It was a great conclusion to the series, and while I wanted a bit more out of the ending, I was still happy with how the book turned out. If you are a fan of Amanda Hocking, you do not want to miss this one!! I can't wait to see what she writes next!

Happy reading :)

~Cassie

ARC Review: Legendary (Carval, #2)

About The Book:

  Title:  Legendary (Caraval, #2) 

  Author: Stephanie Garber 
  Pub. Date: May 29th, 2018 
  Publisher: Flatiron Books 
  Pages: 416 

  Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy 

  Rate: 4/5 stars 

Synopsis :

A heart to protect. A debt to repay. A game to win.

After being swept up in the magical world of Caraval, Donatella Dragna has finally escaped her father and saved her sister Scarlett from a disastrous arranged marriage. The girls should be celebrating, but Tella isn’t yet free. She made a desperate bargain with a mysterious criminal, and what Tella owes him no one has ever been able to deliver: Caraval Master Legend’s true name.

The only chance of uncovering Legend’s identity is to win Caraval, so Tella throws herself into the legendary competition once more—and into the path of the murderous heir to the throne, a doomed love story, and a web of secrets…including her sister's. Caraval has always demanded bravery, cunning, and sacrifice. But now the game is asking for more. If Tella can’t fulfill her bargain and deliver Legend’s name, she’ll lose everything she cares about—maybe even her life. But if she wins, Legend and Caraval will be destroyed forever.

Welcome, welcome to Caraval...the games have only just begun.

Review:

Legendary. This is going to be so hard to write. I guess I'll start by saying Caraval was my favorite book that was published last year. I loved every piece of it, because it was a giant magical puzzle. And I really liked Legendary too. While it didn't have the same action flow Caraval did, it had a uniqueness that made it special in its own right.

"As fantastical as Caraval might feel, these next five nights are very real." 

We left off Caraval on quite of a cliff-hanger with Tella. While Caraval was really Scarlett-based, Legendary is mostly Donatella-based. And I do have to say, I like Tella better than I like Scarlett. While Scarlett is safe and more reserved, Tella has a sharp tongue and is more quick-witted. Tella made some hasty decisions in Caraval that we see affect her in Legendary. We ended Caraval with a mysterious note from a 'friend' and we do find out pretty quickly who that friend is and exactly what he wants from her. Spoiler Alert: it's not good. It was great seeing the world of Caraval from another point of view, though. I think it made Legendary so much better because it adds the perspective of things that weren't revealed from the first book. We also meet a new cast of characters. Some of them I loved, while others I felt we didn't see enough from them to get a good snapshot of their characters and motives. 

Legendary has an entire new setting, which is quite exciting. There is a new game but the base on which it's played is an entire new plot line that involves Legend as his history. I loved the power-struggle between the two big bads and the stakes of the game. I think my biggest turn-off from Legendary is that it left me with more questions than answers. I'm sure this is a good thing for many, but I wanted some closure before more plot doors were opened. The next book could go in a million different ways, but I'm worried that all will not be answered by the conclusion of the series.

It's true, Legendary is not Caraval but it's not supposed to be. I will say that when you pick up this book you get the warm fuzzy feeling you get when you read stories about your favorite characters. This book sucks you right in just like Caraval did, and when you finish it you're going to miss Scarlett, Donatella, and Legend. I wish that it had answered a little bit more questions that it brought up during this sequel, but I'm hoping it's just leaving them open for a fantastic and heart-stopping follow-up. Have you read Caraval? How stoked are you for Legendary? 

- Jocelyn

Book Review: First Grave on the Right (Charley Davidson, #1)

About The Book:

  Title:  First Grave on the Right (Charley Davidson, #1) 

  Author: Darynda Jones 
  Pub. Date: February 1st, 2011 
  Publisher: St. Martin's Press 
  Pages: 310 

  Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance 

  Rate: 3.5/5 stars 

Synopsis :

This whole grim reaper thing should have come with a manual.
Or a diagram of some kind.
A flow chart would have been nice.

Charley Davidson is a part-time private investigator and full-time grim reaper. Meaning, she sees dead people. Really. And it's her job to convince them to "go into the light." But when these very dead people have died under less than ideal circumstances (like murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice. Complicating matters are the intensely hot dreams she's been having about an entity who has been following her all her life...and it turns out he might not be dead after all. In fact, he might be something else entirely. But what does he want with Charley? And why can't she seem to resist him? And what does she have to lose by giving in?

Review:

I picked this book up for the sole reason that I heard it was similar to the Sookie Stackhouse novels. Which as everyone knows, is my favorite book series! I enjoyed this read even though i didn't think it was super similar to that series. I enjoyed Sookie because I loved the small-town charm and interesting characters. Charley Davidson is more akin to Sookie in the fact that bore are sort of mystery/crime-based.

Charley is the grim reaper, only she isn't the grim reaper as we know it. Instead of being the harbinger of death, she sort of assists in letting the dead who are in limbo pass to other other side. So she does have the ability to talk to the deceased, which makes it really convenient when she helps her uncle solve crimes. Which is exactly the plot of this book. Basically, she helps her uncle solve a string of murders that happened while she also tries to figure out who this handsome man is who comes to her in her dreams. The plot was good for an urban fantasy and I liked the writing. I didn't care much for the whole solving crimes thing just because detective books aren't really my preference, so I'm hoping that falls to the wayside as the series progresses.

I hated Charley as a character. I found her extremely irritating. She was arrogant, flippant, and an airhead. She flirted with everyone and wasn't particularly good at fighting crime, she was just good at evading getting hurt. When people would question her abilities, she was so pretentious in her responses as if this sort of thing happened every day and she shouldn't justify herself to anybody. I did love the other characters, though. Her love interest, Reyes, was most certainly swoon-worthy and made up for some of her characters. At least in my eyes, it did. I also loved her caring and fun-loving neighbor, Cookie.

This series will not replace my love for the Sookie Stackhouse series, but I did enjoy it. I'm hoping to pick up the second book soon. I'm also hoping Charley Davidson becomes a lot less annoying because I think that will make me enjoy the series more. Sometimes I get an urge to read a good urban fantasy, and this is definitely the new series I'm going to binge. What are your favorite urban fantasy reads? Mine are The Sookie Stackhouse novels and The Fever series. Both are amazing!

- Jocelyn

Book Review: Batman: Nightwalker (DC Icons, #2)

About The Book:

  Title:  Batman: Nightwalker (DC Icons, #2) 

  Author: Marie Lu 
  Pub. Date: January 2nd, 2018
  Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers 
  Pages: 272  

  Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Superheroes 

  Rate: 4/5 Stars 

Synopsis :

Before he was Batman, he was Bruce Wayne. A reckless boy willing to break the rules for a girl who may be his worst enemy.

The Nightwalkers are terrorizing Gotham City, and Bruce Wayne is next on their list.

One by one, the city's elites are being executed as their mansions' security systems turn against them, trapping them like prey. Meanwhile, Bruce is turning eighteen and about to inherit his family's fortune, not to mention the keys to Wayne Enterprises and all the tech gadgetry his heart could ever desire. But after a run-in with the police, he's forced to do community service at Arkham Asylum, the infamous prison that holds the city's most brutal criminals.

Madeleine Wallace is a brilliant killer . . . and Bruce's only hope.

In Arkham, Bruce meets Madeleine, a brilliant girl with ties to the Nightwalkers. What is she hiding? And why will she speak only to Bruce? Madeleine is the mystery Bruce must unravel. But is he getting her to divulge her secrets, or is he feeding her the information she needs to bring Gotham City to its knees? Bruce will walk the dark line between trust and betrayal as the Nightwalkers circle closer.

Review:

When I heard that there was going to be an entire series based on DC Superheroes, I was instantly excited. I find the Justice League infinitely more interesting than the Avengers. However, last year when I started reading Wonder Woman: Warbringer, my hopes plummeted. I didn't like it and actually DNF'd it. This was so disappointing to me because not only do I love Wonder Woman, I LOVE Leigh Bardugo! But, when I hear Bruce Wayne is doing community service at Arkham Asylum, I obviously have to pick up the book.

In this rendition of Batman, Bruce Wayne is a teenager and gets in trouble with the police for disobeying orders. His punishment? Community service at Arkham Asylum. It is here that he meets Madeleine Wallace - uncategorized member of the Nightwalkers, and she will only talk to one person - Bruce. The Nightwalkers have been wreaking havoc all over Gotham by stealing from and killing the wealthy. Bruce believes that if he can get her to open up to him, he can help stop the Nightwalkers. 

"You have a heavy heart, for someone with everything" 

I really liked this novel. The plot was very fast-paced and I buzzed through this book in a day and a half. I thought it was a pretty accurate vision of Bruce Wayne as a teenager, though he seemed a tad more upbeat and merciful than I thought Bruce would have been. It was fun seeing appearances from Harvey Dent, Alfred Pennyworth, and Lucius Fox and getting a crash-course in the awfulness that is Arkham Asylum. 

This was my first novel I read from Marie Lu and I definitely enjoyed it! I have all of her others on my TBR, I just haven't gotten around to reading them yet. I know this is the second book in this series, and there are two more coming involving Selina Kyle and Clark Kent. I do wonder, though if there will be more to the series? I could only hope because I'd love to read more about these heroes as teenagers! If you are a fan of the superheroes, especially the Justice League I definitely recommend this book to you! It's a fun, fast read that you will for sure enjoy! 

- Jocelyn

Book Blitz: Wings of Flesh and Bone

About the Book:
Title: Wings of Flesh and Bones
Author: Cathrina Constantine
Publication date: April 13th 2018
Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult

Synopsis: 

An Angel. A Witch. A Demon. And A Choice.

Creatures from outer realms suck, as any gatekeeper worth their salt will tell you. Welcome to Rogan’s life, an orphaned seventeen-year-old who lives and trains with other misfits under her uncle’s roof, keeping Earth safe from non-human realm jumpers. Rogan’s biggest issue concerns her uncle’s short leash with her freedom—that is of course, until she’s taken by a notorious witch, and her life begins to unravel. Soon, the supernatural beauty discovers there’s a reason her uncle kept such a tight lock on her whereabouts, and that she has more than angel blood running through her veins.

Eighteen-year-old Max is an angel, and Rogan’s mentor and guardian. He’s well aware of her tenacious inability to obey orders, though he also knows she’s a fierce fighter. When he’s involved in a scheme that ultimately gets Rogan kidnapped, he must battle his way back to her in an attempt to save her from the darkness threatening to possess her.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

I’m breaking Castle’s rules. Do I care? Not really—not yet.
Rogan’s skin prickled as she snuck through the portal leading to the city, exhilarated to be patrolling on her own for once. She walked along the sidewalk on her way to Pink, a dance club for teenagers. Although, her choice in destination would not involve dancing or enjoying the hyperactive ambiance. No, she was primed and ready to release bottled-up steam threatening her peace of mind. Deviants would be mingling with humans, and she’d be there to put a stop to it.
Crisp autumn air stirred. Inhaling its musky scent, she noticed the lengthening shadows, and prayed to be home before she was missed. I’m seventeen, she thought with pride, a gatekeeper. At least, that was what she’d been training for.
Keeping her eyes peeled for anything out of the ordinary, she tossed her braided hair over her shoulder, catching a few heads turning to look at her. You’d think they’d never seen a girl wearing leather and boots before.
A pungent odor pressed in on her, which stopped her in her tracks. Up ahead, blocking the sidewalk, was a giant of a man. The fortuitous encounter took her by surprise, sending her creepster vibes off the charts. With her legs rooted in a rigid stance, she flexed her fingers. As if the giant had been awaiting her arrival, he approached in a blur of motion, whipping his knuckled fist and clipping her on the chin.
Grimacing, her eyes watered as blood pooled over her tongue. She spat a mouthful onto the sidewalk and moved her throbbing jaw from side to side.
She recognized the Vorg towering over her, jutting his demon chin at a superior angle. To humans, he looked like an unnatural hulk of a man, but Rogan saw past his artificial veneer.
“Had enough, sweetmeat?” His sandpapery voice rubbed her the wrong way.
“Screw you.” Fast as a snap, she jerked her elbow, smashing him in the jaw.

Author Bio:

Cathrina Constantine is the Best Selling author of Don't Forget To Breathe. Her book won Readers' Favorite International Book Award for 2015. New Apple Medalist for 2016. Literary Classics Gold Award. Literary Classics Seal of Approval. Her Paranormal Fantasy, Wickedly They Come has been awarded the 5 Star Seal from Reader's Favorite. Tallas from her dystopian series received Literary Classics Silver Award and Literary Classics Seal of Approval.

Cathrina resides in Western New York. I am blessed with a loving family and forever friends. My world revolves around them. 

I grew up in the small village of Lancaster, NY, where I married my sweetheart. I'm devoted to raising 5 cherished children, and now my grandchildren.

I love to immerse myself in great books of every kind of genre, which helps me to write purely for entertainment, and hopefully to inspire readers. When not stationed at my computer you can find me in the woods taking long walks with my dog.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

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~Cassie

Blog Tour: Dreamer (Traveler #2)

About the Book:
Title: Dreamer (Traveler #2)
Author: L.E. DeLano
Published by: Swoon Reads
Publication date: April 10th 2018
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Rating: 4/5 stars

Synopsis:

This thrilling sequel to Traveler doles out adventure and heartbreak in equal measure as it takes readers through a kaleidoscope of intricately crafted worlds of wonder, discovery, and danger.

You’re still you no matter where you go.

Jessa has learned the hard way that traveling to alternate dimensions isn’t all delicious, glittering desserts and fancy parties: it also means accidentally running into people she thought she’d never see again. Still mourning a devastating loss, Jessa isn’t really prepared for the arrival of a reckless version of someone she once loved who is now bent on revenge. Add an increasingly complicated relationship with her best friend Ben, the reappearance of an old enemy, and the threat of the multiverse collapsing, and Jessa’s got a lot on her plate. She may be destined to help save an infinite multitude of worlds… but in the end, all Jessa really wants to do is save her friends.

In Dreamer, the young adult fantasy follow up to Traveler, author L. E. DeLano delivers a gripping, emotional story that will leave readers on the edge of their seat.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

Author Bio:

L.E. DeLano is a YA novelist rep’d by Barry Goldblatt Literary agency, author of the upcoming “Traveler” (Swoon Reads/MacMillan 2017) and lifelong writer. Her work has been featured on various online outlets and she lives in Pennsylvania with two very adventurous kids and two very ridiculous cats. In her spare time, she writes (of course) and binge-watches way too much Netflix.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Review:

Dreamer was an excellent sequel and final book in the Traveler duology. The story picks up several weeks after the end of Traveler. Jessa is trying to figure out what to do and where to go from here after losing her Finn and still dealing with the big bad threatening to end the world she knows and loves. L.E. DeLano delivered another thrilling story that leaves you breathless until the very end!!

There are many twists and turns throughout the book that you never see coming and made the book and edge-of-your-seat page turner. There was enough action to keep me satisfied but also a good focus on Jessa's personal life and how everything with the Dreamer/Traveler world has affected this. While some people might not like this, I think it was an important part of the story. I also liked the return of Pirate Finn. While he's not the original Finn, I (like Jessa) was fascinated by his character in the first book and I was excited for his return. He and Jessa definitely have something special and I loved how he was right there with her and supporting Jessa no matter what. Don't get me wrong, I love Ben and how he is with Jessa, but there's just something about Finn that I love more. Ben is definitely a great friend to Jessa, but I never felt that same spark or connection that exists between Jessa and Finn. However, I am glad that Ben and Jessa gave it a shot in this book. 

Again, I loved Danny in this book but I do wish his character was a little more present in the novel. He has such an understanding of the world that Jessa is apart of, yet no one else realizes and I would have loved to see him play maybe a bigger role in the grand scheme of things. However, I did love that Olivia was finally brought into Jessa's world. This was something very important to me that I wanted to see, so I was happy when her character made an appearance. 

The ending was an non-stop thrill ride!! I did think the ending was slightly anti-climactic but it was still a great ending to the story. I loved how things were resolved and how Jessa truly was the key to everything. She trusted herself and she instinctively knew what to do. I would love to see the ending in a movie because I think it would be a beautiful scene. 

I would definitely recommend checking this book out if you were a fan of the first novel. I'm sad to see this set of novels come to an end but I do hope that L.E. DeLano writes more books in this world or maybe does a novella or two to keep us updated on our favorite characters. As a side note...isn't the cover absolutely gorgeous!! Seriously, so eye-catching!! Anyway, pick this up as soon as it's released, you won't regret it!

Happy reading :)

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~Cassie

Blog Tour: The Shadow Weave

About the Book:
Title: The Shadow Weave (Spell Weaver #2)
Author: Annette Marie
Publication date: January 12th 2018
Genres: Adult, Urban Fantasy
Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis: 

Clio might be a nymph living in exile among humans. And she might possess the rare ability to mimic any magic she sees. And she might have just seriously ticked off the most powerful family of spell weavers in the Underworld.

But she is not in love with an incubus.

Lyre is the rebellious black sheep of said weaver family, and he’s the only reason she survived her recent Underworld “vacation.” He’s also the sexiest thing she’s ever seen. Together, they have to track down a catastrophically dangerous magic—a magic he created, she sort of stole, and they both lost—before his family gets their hands on it. And that means fighting alongside him in a desperate attempt to avert complete disaster.

But she is definitely not in love with him. At least, she’s pretty sure she’s not.
Mostly sure. Maybe sure? …Crap.

Goodreads / Amazon

Author Bio:

Annette Marie is the author of the Amazon best-selling Steel & Stone series, which includes Goodreads Choice Award nominee Yield the Night, and fantasy trilogy Red Winter. Her first love is fantasy, but fast-paced adventures and tantalizing forbidden romances are her guilty pleasures. She lives in the frozen winter wasteland of Alberta, Canada (okay, it's not quite that bad) with her comparatively sensible husband and their furry minion of darkness—sorry, cat— Caesar. When not writing, she can be found elbow-deep in one art project or another while blissfully ignoring all adult responsibilities.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Review:

Annette Marie has done it again!!! She has given another thrilling installment in the Spell Weaver series and I can't get enough. I absolutely loved this book and it was exactly what I needed to get out of my head for awhile. The story is just so enthralling and I loved every single second of it. 

Clio is such an excellent character and she just has been getting better and better as the story progresses. She is very goal-directed and focused, and still maintains that easy relatability. Her character is incredibly well-written and her character development is absolutely fantastic. Clio knows how to get things done...even if that means she kind of fumbles her way through it. But that's exactly what makes her character so amazing, she's so real. Lyre will always have a special place in my heart, but I love that we get his POV in this series. We understand so much more about him and see why he is the way he is. He has that edge to him that we only start to fully understand when we read from his perspective, which I love. Lyre is such a mystery but he opens up much more throughout this book and I loved learning more about him.

The world is also further developed upon throughout the book which was amazing. We learn more about the magic, the incubi, and a new caste which was very fascinating. Honestly, one of my favorite things about this series is the magic element. Annette Marie has created such a unique world and I love going into that world every time I pick up one of her books. Plus, I give her major props for taking the incubi and elevating them to more than just "sex fiends." 

Definitely pick this up if you are a fan of Annette Marie, the Spell Weaver series, or the Steel and Stone series. This book was absolutely fantastic and sucks you in instantly. I can't wait to see what happens in the next book and where she takes the story next!! Check this out now!

Happy reading :)

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~Cassie

ARC Review: The Perfect Mother

About The Book:

  Title:  The Perfect Mother 

  Author: Aimee Molloy
  Pub. Date: May 1st, 2018 
  Publisher: Harper
  Pages: 336

  Genre: Adult, Mystery, Thriller, Fiction

  Rate: 4/5 stars 

Synopsis :

They call themselves the May Mothers—a collection of new moms who gave birth in the same month. Twice a week, with strollers in tow, they get together in Prospect Park, seeking refuge from the isolation of new motherhood; sharing the fears, joys, and anxieties of their new child-centered lives.

When the group’s members agree to meet for drinks at a hip local bar, they have in mind a casual evening of fun, a brief break from their daily routine. But on this sultry Fourth of July night during the hottest summer in Brooklyn’s history, something goes terrifyingly wrong: one of the babies is abducted from his crib. Winnie, a single mom, was reluctant to leave six-week-old Midas with a babysitter, but the May Mothers insisted that everything would be fine. Now Midas is missing, the police are asking disturbing questions, and Winnie’s very private life has become fodder for a ravenous media.

Though none of the other members in the group are close to the reserved Winnie, three of them will go to increasingly risky lengths to help her find her son. And as the police bungle the investigation and the media begin to scrutinize the mothers in the days that follow, damaging secrets are exposed, marriages are tested, and friendships are formed and fractured.

Review:

The Perfect Mother is an adult thriller surrounding a group of mothers in Manhattan, who all gave birth during the month of May. They dubbed themselves "The May Mothers". On a hot evening in July, The May Mothers decided to go out for drinks and leave their little bundles of joy at home so they can spend a much needed night out with each other. However, during that night out, Winnie's baby goes missing from his crib. Three other members of the group; Nell, Francie, and Collette are determined to figure out who snatched baby Midas from his crib.

Since I have a 5 month old baby boy, this novel hit particularly close for me. It covered topics that new moms have to deal with like postpartum depression.anxiety and mom-shaming, while confronting a parent's biggest fear - having their baby taken. This novel was extremely fast-paced and unfolded over the course of only about two weeks. Secrets The May Mothers thought they kept hidden are revealed, and they start to believe they don't have as much support as they thought. Their seemingly perfect lives become unraveled as the search for Midas continues. The characters are fantastic. I love Francie and Nell the best. They are flawed and believable. I definitely think all women can relate to some part of them.

This novel represents many powerful women, which at this point in history, is so great to see in a book. Many women will see themselves within the characters of this book, and relate to the struggles they are going through. More exciting new surrounding this novel is that it was optioned for a movie by Kerry Washington! This is for sure to be another hit like Gone Girl or Girl on the Train, so if you enjoyed those you definitely want to pre-order this book! It is original, dark, and twisty. And I can't wait to see the characters brought to life on the big screen! This is for sure to be one of the best thrillers of 2018.

Thank you to Harper for providing
this book in exchange for my honest review

- Jocelyn

Book Blitz: The Blood Curse

About the Book:
Title: The Blood Curse
Author: Annette Marie
Publication date: March 30th 2018
Genres: Adult, Urban Fantasy

Synopsis:

When Clio conned her way into the Underworld, her job was to steal magic that could protect her homeland. Instead, she escaped with the rebel son of a notorious spell weaver family.

And in the process, she exposed his most calamitous spell, putting her people—and all magic—in peril.

Now she and Lyre face two impossible feats: recover his creation, and do it before his family catches up to them. But when the spell is unleashed with devastating results, caution is no longer an option.

Clio and Lyre’s only chance lies in combining their strength, but to make it out alive, they’ll need magic more dangerous than they’ve ever wielded before. And if they fail, the realms will pay the price.

Goodreads / Amazon

The complete SPELL WEAVER Trilogy:

—

EXCERPT:

They came to the door of the ladies’ club and Ash reached for the handle. Before he could touch it, the door flew open and Lyre fell out, still dressed in the white waiter “uniform” and his arms full of his clothes and weapons. Shouts burst from the building’s interior.
“There you are!” Lyre blurted, wild-eyed. “Time to go.”
“What happened?” Ash barked.
Clio was still gawking when Lyre launched down the alley, leaving her and Ash to rush after him.
“Some women react poorly to rejection,” Lyre explained breathlessly. “Especially when they’ve paid a lot of money to not be rejected.”
“You blew your cover by rejecting her?” Ash snapped. They fled down several alleys before Lyre skidded to a stop and whirled on Ash, still clutching his belongings.
“I’ll dress up in stupid costumes,” the incubus snarled with unexpected temper, “and I’ll pretend to be a paid whore, and I’ll even let a crucial informant pinch and paw at me.” He thrust an accusatory finger at Ash. “But I will not allow that nasty old hag’s tongue anywhere near me, not even to save the damn world!”
Ash blinked. Scowling blackly, Lyre shoved his armload at Ash, then pulled a dagger from the pile and cut his leather-
strap top off. “Next time, you can do the nasty stuff and I’ll kill people.”
Ash blinked again, seemingly at a loss for words. Lyre continued to mutter angrily as he dragged the pants off and redressed in his black outfit. Clio stood a few steps away, her hand pressed over her mouth to hide her smile. Even with most of his face covered, Ash looked off-balance for the first time she could remember, a wrinkle between his dark eyebrows.
“Was she that disgusting?” he ventured, sounding a lot less like a hardened mercenary than usual. He normally seemed years older than Clio, but she was pretty sure he was actually a little younger.
“Worse,” Lyre growled. “Whatever you’re imagining as ‘disgusting,’ make it about ten times more revolting.”
The draconian winced as though he had pictured it, and the mental image had hurt. “I never saw her myself.”
Lyre slung his quiver over his shoulder and buckled it. “Be glad you didn’t.” His anger faded and he smirked. “It’s fine, Ash. Hardly the most scarring thing I’ve ever done. And”—his smile sharpened predatorily—“the banshee was a goldmine of information.”
“Good.” Ash straightened, all business again. “Then it’s time for phase two of the plan.”

Author Bio:

Annette Marie is the author of the Amazon best-selling Steel & Stone series, which includes Goodreads Choice Award nominee Yield the Night, and fantasy trilogy Red Winter. Her first love is fantasy, but fast-paced adventures and tantalizing forbidden romances are her guilty pleasures. She lives in the frozen winter wasteland of Alberta, Canada (okay, it's not quite that bad) with her comparatively sensible husband and their furry minion of darkness—sorry, cat— Caesar. When not writing, she can be found elbow-deep in one art project or another while blissfully ignoring all adult responsibilities.

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