Review: Forbidden (The Sazi of Luna Lake #1) by Cathy Clamp

A Brand New Series in the Sazi Universe!

Who else is bouncing in their favorite reading spot, just dying for a new Sazi book?  Because once I found out that Cathy Clamp was continuing with a new series of Sazi, I squee'd like a fangirl.  I don't do that very often, but I loved the original series by C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp.  Cathy decided to do more books as a solo project and although she's published a good number of books with C.T. Adams - the team using the pseudonym Cat Adams for their Bloodsinger series - this is her first solo full-length novel publication.  I was so excited to start reading this new Sazi novel that the day the ARC came in the mail, I popped open the cover to read.

As this was a new series of Sazi, I was so incredibly tempted to go back and reread the old series so that I could refresh my memory.  However, I did not because I wanted to start the series as if I hadn't read the original Tales of the Sazi series to see if the previous series was needed to enjoy the book.  

So all of you who are NOT familiar with the Sazi series, don't stress, you can and will enjoy this novel without knowing what had gone on before.  Also for all of you unfamiliar with the Sazi series, I should point out, the Sazi are shifters.  Just like you're thinking of: werewolves, were-hyenas, were-pythons, oh my.  Heck, polar bear and cougars and owls!  

Of course, if you're OCD like I am, I do tend to prefer to read books in order, too.  Which you can do!  I'll include the previous series at the end of this post!

Forbidden (The Sazi of Luna Lake #1)

USA Today bestselling author Cathy Clamp reboots the Sazi universe in Forbidden, a tightly-paced, high-tension urban fantasy thriller.

Ten years have passed since the war that destroyed the Sazi Council and inflicted a horrible “cure” on thousands of Sazi, robbing them of their ability to shapeshift.

Luna Lake, isolated in Washington State, started as a refugee camp for Sazi orphans. Now it’s a small town and those refugees are young adults, chafing at the limits set by their still-fearful guardians.

There’s reason to fear: Sazi children are being kidnapped. Claire, a red wolf shifter, is sent to investigate. Held prisoner by the Snakes during childhood, Claire is distrusted by those who call Luna Lake home.

Before the war, Alek was part of a wolf pack in Chicago. In Luna Lake he was adopted by a parliament of Owls, defying Sazi tradition. The kidnappings are a painful reminder that his little sister disappeared a decade ago.

When Claire and Alek meet, sparks fly–but the desperate race to find the missing children forces them to set aside their mutual attraction and focus on the future of their people.

Release Date:  August 11, 2015

Preorder:  Amazon
Add to TBR List:  Goodreads

Review - 4.5 stars!

Wow!  Just... wow!  I was so extremely thrilled to be one of the few people to get an opportunity to read and review this book that I do believe I told everyone I know I got the ARC copy.  I bounced around with it even.  Hugged the book a few times.  Squealed more when I saw it was signed.  If I could have married it, I probably would have.  I was that freaking excited.

Once I started reading, I quickly found out that I was not going to be disappointed.  

My copy is an uncorrected proof, so I won't do my usual comments on major technical writing issues.  Not that there were many or anything.  But it's irrelevant to this review.

I am even more thrilled once I learned Cathy kept the food smells to describe emotional scents the Sazi can pick up on.  I absolutely loved how original that was - and EXTREMELY descriptive to us poor humans with poor noses who are reading the novels.  It was the best innovation in a shapeshifter novel I had ever seen when it first showed up in the very first Sazi novel.  However, I did notice that after the first quarter of the book the mentioning of food scents for emotions tapered off a bit.

Now, storywise...

I LOVED it.  Cathy went above and beyond in the mystery department in this novel.  I had no freaking idea who the bad guys were (or even WHAT they were) until the end of the story.  Seriously!  She surprised me with who was the big bad in this story and let me tell you, that is hard to do.  I usually suspect who or what or even when and what happens a lot.  In TV, movies, AND books, this happens to me a lot.  That Cathy took me by complete surprise is a-freaking-mazing.  I have to applaud her talent for suspense (or mystery) there!

As for characterization, once again I wasn't disappointed.  Or at least not much.  I loved Claire and felt and understood her and even related to her quite a lot.  Alek on the other hand, started out great!  But I felt he was a lacking through the middle of the novel, but then it picked up to great by the end of the novel, with his distraction and reason for it.

All of the supporting characters were awesome, especially the elderly Sazi that kicked some serious ass.

Now, I'm pretty sure the story of Claire and Alek continue in the next novel, Illicit, simply because it seems a bit unfinished.  Since I can't explain why it seems a bit unfinished without giving away anything, and as usual I try not to give spoilers, so I'm sorry, there you go.  No idea if Illicit is the continuation of Claire and Alek or not.  But I am willing to bet it is, following in the tradition of the Tales of the Sazi series.  

Now I am dying to know if the issues get resolves, or learn why Alek's little brother is such an asshat to Claire a bit more, the explaination in the book didn't feel finished to me.  All these unfinished issues are why I didn't rate this five stars, because I'm not positive it was continuing or if it was a single couple per book type series.  If it is complete and moving on to another couple without finishing the issues, it's a 4 star book.  If it continues on to resolve this issue, it is definitely a 5 star book!

I received a free ARC of Forbidden in exchange for an honest review.

AND because I loved the original series so much, here's all the info you need to pick them up on Amazon. Hunter's Moon is about to be re-released with a brand new Trade Paperback cover, so look for it soon and buy it!

I'll have to review the whole series (as I read them long before I became a reviewer) soon. After I finish up my reviews of Katerina Martinez's series and a finishing up my reread of Kristen Ashley's Rock Chick series. Look for them soon!

Tales of the Sazi Series by C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp

Hunter's Moon (Tales of the Sazi #1)

HER ONLY OPTION IS DEATH

Sue Quentin has reached the end of her rope-she's desperate, and there's only one way out. Her plan doesn't include falling for Tony, the mysterious hit man she hires. He listens when she speaks and somehow convinces her that maybe her problems aren't entirely insurmountable. He even thinks her little potbelly is sexy. So he's a werewolf--everyone has flaws!

Sue enjoys being coddled by Tony, and, for his part, Tony likes the way Sue moans when he touches her. She begins to think she and Tony might have a shot at a future together, despite his unorthodox profession . . . and even though she doesn't know his real name.

But when Tony's enemies-not all of whom are fully human-decide Sue makes a perfect target, will Tony risk letting his darker side out during the day to save her?

Buy:  Amazon








Moon's Web (Tales of the Sazi #2)


Tony Giodone made his living as an assassin--until one of his marks ripped his throat out and turned him into a werewolf. Now he's the best hired killer there is.

When a curvy woman in an expensive suit tries to hire him to kill her, his wolf senses insist that she is his mate. One kidnapping, a plethora of gunfights, a psychic coma, and two faked deaths later, Tony and Sue have new identities and are hiding in a community of Sazi shapeshifters. All seems well, until Sue begins to pull away from Tony and he realizes that if he can't be more open with her, he's going to lose her.

To add to his problems, Tony is getting flashes of other peoples' lives. He doesn't know if they're memories or fantasies--but he wants it to stop, because he's learning things he shouldn't about his friends and neighbors.

What's more dangerous than a psychic-powered werewolf assassin? Whatever it is, it's kidnapping and killing female Sazi . . . after it sucks out their powers. Its latest captive is the girlfriend of Carmine, the Mafia don who used to be Tony's boss. To get her back, Carmine will make war on all the Sazi--and while the Sazi would win, they can't afford to be exposed to humans.

Now it's up to Tony to save Carmine's girlfriend--and all of the Sazi.

Buy:  Amazon



Captive Moon (Tales of the Sazi #3)


World-class entertainer and Sazi councilmember, Antoine Monier has taken his big cats all over the world without any trouble--until his latest trip to Stuttgart, where one of his tigers is stolen and killed. To Antoine's surprise, the German police have another tiger in custody--a tiger who is actually a lovely Turkish-American woman, Tahira Kuric.

Like Antoine, Tahira is a shapeshifter, but of the Hayalet Kabile, the ghost tribe of shapeshifters. And despite their immediate attraction, Tahira wants nothing to do with Antoine--the Sazi are the enemy of the Hayalet Kabile.

But Tahira doesn't have a choice, because she and Antoine have discovered that she is a fabled "power well," able to store magical energy from other shapeshifters--and something is hunting her, eager to use her powers for itself.

Only if they can set aside their peoples' ancient rivalry and rely completely on each other--body and soul--can Tahira and Antoine save themselves and their people.

Buy:  Amazon

Howling Moon (Tales of the Sazi #4)


He's a wolf… She's a jaguar…

Raphael is a former agent of the shape shifter secret police, forced into retirement after a very public scandal. Now he's assigned to help the victim of a hideous crime -- a woman who has been attacked by a serial killer, and accidentally turned into a were-jaguar.

Worse yet, Catherine turns out to be Raphael's fated mate. But the serial killer is still on her trail, and perhaps even worse, Raphael's pack wants her dead.
Caught between destiny and duty…

Raphael must make his choice -- and, in doing so, perhaps lose his pack -- in this tale of obsession, revenge, lust, pack politics, and true love.

Buy:  Amazon

Moon's Fury (Tales of the Sazi #5)


Cara Salinas has been leading the small Mexican red wolf pack in Tedford County, Texas, since she was thirteen.

Adam Mueller, formerly a beat cop from the toughest part of Minneapolis and now the new county sheriff, must find a way to integrate his exiled Minnesotan wolves with Cara's red wolves.

Cara and Adam clash in the way only fated mates ever do--and both refuse to accept their destiny. But when a pack of vicious Sazi raptors start to feed on the wolf-children of both packs, Cara and Adam must learn to respect each other, and embrace their future together to save the future of the Texan wolves.

Hailed as the "premiere authors of paranormal romance" and "true genre luminaries" by Romantic Times BOOKreviews, and winners of the 2006 Romantic Times Award for Best Werewolf Romance forMoon's Web, Cathy Clamp & C. T. Adams are back with another tale of shapeshifters, passion, and pack politics in Moon's Fury.


Buy:  Amazon



Timeless Moon (Tales of the Sazi #6)Josette Monier is a legend among the Sazi.

One of the most powerful, beautiful, and oldest Sazi in existence, she lives in self-imposed exile. Her gift of sight is so strong that to be around other living creatures is to be in pain.

What Josette has experienced lies beyond the scope of the Sazi, for her mate is in love with someone else. But when her gift of sight reveals trouble for her community, she knows that she has no choice. She must set aside her personal pain and save her people. And perhaps save herself and find love again.



Buy:  Amazon













Cold Moon Rising (Tales of the Sazi #7)

TONY IS BACK

Former Mafia hit man Tony Giodone has been through a lot--he's turned into a werewolf, with a human mate and a pack leader tougher than his old Mob boss. And he's developed a powerful psychic ability--he can see into the past through other people's memories.

Being mated with a human is difficult in more ways than one. Tony and Sue's relationship is full of struggle. Adding to Tony's trouble is a new problem with some old mobster "friends"…who also happen to be a cabal of Sazi mass murders trying to extinguish the human race.

Only one man might be able to help Tony and the Sazi stop the cabal: Ahmad, the leader of the snakes. He and Tony have a deeper psychic connection than Tony has with anyone else--even his mate! Now Tony is along for the psychic ride of his life as the crown prince of an ancient empire is faced with his deadliest enemy: a woman he once loved, whom he was forced to betray . . . one who may now betray Ahmad, Tony, and all of humanity.


Buy:  Amazon

Serpent Moon (Tales of the Sazi #8)


Eric Thompson's wolf howl can ruin electronics and send aircraft tumbling from the sky. Considered dangerous even by his fellow Sazi, Eric has become a lone wolf, living in self-imposed isolation. Yet when the very foundations of Sazi life come under attack, Eric knows he must defend his fellow shapeshifters at any cost.

Attacked by a band of vicious Sazi, Holly Sanchez should have died. Instead, she survives, emerging as a powerful Sazi healer. Sent to return Eric to the Sazi world he rejected, Holly finds herself by his side as the lone wolf tracks the monster that is killing the Sazi. Holly soon realizes she must make a choice--between a Sazi life with Eric, and life as a "normal" human being. But first, she must survive long enough to make that choice--and she must save her people, and the world, from evil.


Buy:  Amazon

About Cathy Clamp

(From the Author's Website)

Hi, I’m USA TODAY and Nielsen Bookscan bestselling author Cathy Clamp. I write urban fantasy/paranormal romance for Tor Books, including the Tales of the Sazi (shapeshifter urban fantasy romance) series, The Thrall (vampire) trilogy, the Blood Singer (urban fantasy, as Cat Adams) series—through book 6, and the new Novels of the Sazi series, beginning in August, 2015.

I’ve won a bunch of awards for my books over the years. My favorite was the Career Achievement Award for Paranormal Romance in May, 2008 from RT Bookreviews Magazine. I also shared the win for several co-authored books with C.T. Adams of the Book Buyer’s Best Award, the RT Bookreviews Reviewer’s Choice Award, the Reviewers International Award of Excellence, the Texas Gold Romance Award, the Write Touch Readers Award, and several others. It’s gratifying and humbling to win awards for books that you put your heart into, and I hope you enjoy them as much as other readers have!

I’ve also written several stand-alone novels, not in series, including my very first novel, The Road To Riches, an historical fiction about a railroad race in Colorado’s Silver Boom period, and Magic’s Design, the first urban fantasy published as Cat Adams.

I also write short stories, which is a whole different kind of writing.. I like writing in a lot of different genres, and it’s in short stories where I let my wings spread. I have published short stories in horror, science fiction, mystery, literary, Young Adult, romance, thriller, fantasy and western.


Stalker Info:

Website
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn


(so much more on her site including her stating her love of 80's hair bands which makes me even MORE in love with Cathy than I was. I mean, I keep getting crap for my taste in loving the late 80s/early 90s music, like say, Guns N' Roses? So that Cathy states this information with pride makes me super happy. I mean really, the best in rock and roll before it became so.... bleh. My favorite song from that era changes depending on my mood, but right now? November Rain. Long-ass song, but it is amazing.)

Trailer Reveal: The Casquette Girls by Alys Arden

 

 

 

The Casquette Girls by Alys Arden 
(The Casquette Girls #1)
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

Synopsis:

Seven girls tied by time.
Five powers that bind.
One curse to lock the horror away.
One attic to keep the monsters at bay.
* * *
After the Storm of the Century rips apart New Orleans, Adele Le Moyne and her father are among the first to return to the city following the mandatory evacuation. Adele wants nothing more than for life to return to normal, but with the silent city resembling a mold-infested war zone, a parish-wide curfew, and mysterious new faces lurking in the abandoned French Quarter, normal will have to be redefined.

Events too unnatural – even for New Orleans – lead Adele to an attic that has been sealed for three hundred years, and the chaos she unleashes threatens not only her life but everyone she knows.

Caught suddenly in a hurricane of eighteenth-century myths and monsters, Adele must quickly untangle a web of magic that links the climbing murder rate back to her own ancestors. But who can you trust in a city where everyone has a secret, and where keeping them can be a matter of life and death – unless, that is, you’re immortal.

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

AUTHOR BIO:

 

ALYS ARDEN grew up in the Vieux Carré, cut her teeth on the streets of New York, and has worked all around the world since. She still plans to run away with the circus one day.

www.facebook.com/TheCasquetteGirls
www.thecasquettegirls.com
www.alysarden.com

Trailer

Guest Post, Interview, & Giveaway: Kate Triumph by Shari Arnold

Kate Triumph by Shari Arnold

Publication date: October 16th 2014

Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

Synopsis:

Normal is so overrated. At least that’s what seventeen-year-old Kate Triumph tells herself everyday. But the truth is she lives in constant fear that someone will discover how not normal she really is. With her startling speed and her unusual ability to heal, Kate believes she’s something of a freak.

Then Andrew Shore arrives.

He claims he’s her father, sticks around for a few days and leaves her a plane ticket. “Come to Mercer Island,” he says. “Give me a chance to get to know you.” Soon Kate is floundering in a world of new: new address, new car, new high school and, of course, new father. Not to mention Zack, her intriguing new neighbor, who makes her want to abandon her steadfast rule of never allowing anyone to get too close. But when she discovers someone is trying to kill her, life for Kate gets a bit more complicated. And a lot less normal.

Goodreads

Purchase:

Amazon

B&N

Excerpt:

Husky Stadium is crowded. The University of Washington’s purple flags flap loudly like applause as I stride up the stadium steps. High school students draped in their school colors are swarming the stadium in droves. Their eyes search out familiar faces and occasionally I hear my name called but not once do I acknowledge it. It’s always some other Kate, some other girl’s face that lights with recognition and smiles or waves in response.

I put my earbuds in so I don’t hear them, those other Kates and their friends. I turn the volume to loudest and jog in place.

And then I see her, one of my many ghosts. Her blonde hair is pulled back in a ponytail. She’s smiling at someone I don’t know. Their conversation is animated and fun, whatever they tell each other is so hilarious they throw their heads back or double over with laughter. You can’t fake that kind of happy. She catches me watching her when she turns to grab her backpack off the ground.

It’s not her, I tell myself. It’s never her.

And just like that I’m seven years old again.

“Don’t look down, Kate,” she’d said that day in her yard. “You’ll chicken out if you look down.”

“I’m not scared!” I yelled back. I had no reason to be.

The tree wasn’t that tall, and its branches had always held us before. My mother explained it again and again when I asked why, WHY? and why some more.

Perhaps it was the storm the night before that had weakened the tree. Or perhaps it was simply more evidence that life isn’t fair.

But Alice’s mother needed more explanation than that. She needed to know why her daughter spent three weeks in a coma due to severe head trauma while I — the girl who cushioned her daughter’s fall by hitting the cement first — didn’t even need a check-up.

“It’s just one of those things,” my mother explained first to the doctor and then over and over again to every person who asked. “A freak accident,” she called it.

But all I heard was “freak.” The word got caught up inside my head, bouncing back and forth like a tennis ball, until I thought I might go crazy.

When Alice did wake up she wasn’t the same. She had to learn how to talk, walk and eat again. And during rehabilitation she discovered her only friend had unexpectedly moved away.

“Kate?”

The voice is so close I jump. My eyes focus back on my surroundings and I notice the girl I thought I knew has moved on toward the lockers. I don’t have to look again to see it isn’t Alice. Alice was smaller, darker. And from what I’ve heard she gets around now with a cane.

“Kate?” the voice says again. “Kate Triumph?”

“Yes?” I turn and find a dark-haired girl about my age smiling at me.

“I thought it might be you. I’m such a fan,” she reaches out and touches my arm.

“What do you want?” I say.

This sets her back a bit. Her smile slips in the corners, but she soldiers on. “Seriously, everyone on my team worships you. My coach, Coach Thom over there,” she points toward the stadium at a tall, bald man who, when he notices we’re staring at him, waves a clipboard in the air. “He’d really like to meet you. He’s been talking about you all year. He keeps a chart with all of your winning times up on the wall of our gym so we know what to aim for.”

“I’m sorry,” I interrupt. “Is there something you need?” This isn’t the first time I’ve been approached by someone at a track meet. But I’m not looking to make friends today. No point. Friends are complications. And complications are something I’ve got enough of already.

The girl shifts her feet and forces her smile back in place with an enviable effort. “I just wanted to introduce myself. I’m Lyla.” She holds out her hand and I take it reluctantly.

“And this is my friend, Todd.”

Suddenly there’s a guy at her side. I didn’t even notice him. He must have been standing just behind me.

“Hi, Kate,” Todd’s voice is deep. Like he’s swallowed something heavy. His eyes move down my body and get stuck somewhere between my waist and shoulders. I should tell him my eyes haven’t been at the height since I was seven, but I honestly don’t care.

“It’s nice to meet you,” I say, “but I really need to check in with my coach.” I try to move away when Lyla reaches out and grips my arm. Her fingernails dig into my skin.

I glance down at her hand, more than slightly annoyed, but she doesn’t release me.

“I understand, Kate. But can you, please, promise to come say hi to my teammates? It would really mean a lot to them.” Her eyes are pleading, her voice is pleading. I wonder if Lyla ever hears the word, no. I look at Todd to find the answer but he’s moved over to a large group of boys standing near the fence.

“Sure, okay,” I say. But it’s a lie.

Guest Post:  Best Male Characters

Whether I’m reading YA or women’s fiction I have to admit, I love a little romance in my story. And when it comes to the best male characters I’ve read I definitely have a list.



Patch

If you are in need of a rebellious fallen angel than go pick up Becca Fitzpatrick’s Hush, Hush series. The strong, dark, and not-so-silent angel type really works for him.



St. Clair

Oh, boy. St. Clair is probably one of my favorite characters ever! There is something so genuine and real about him that after reading Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins I completely believed he was someone I knew in real life. Or wanted to know.





Robin Hood

I am a huge fan of Robin Hood EVERYTHING. But A.C. Gaughen’s Scarlet series is for reals. There is no better Robin Hood out there. Like, seriously. If I ever discover that the real Robin Hood was anything other than how she wrote him I will be VERY disappointed.



Noah

So, yeah. Michelle Hodkin’s Mara Dyer Trilogy is insane, but in a good way. And her Noah is breathtaking. He is intriguing, intense and mysterious. OH! And also very loyal. Need I say more?



Edward

Yeah, yeah, I know. But I’m talking about the Edward from the book not the movie. The movie Edward wasn’t nearly as good as the book Edward. Sorry, guys. But that’s my opinion. And if I’m being completely honest I will always love Twilight’s Edward the best. Not the Edward from the other three books that followed. Just the first one.



Who are your favorites?

Interview

When did you first know you wanted to write?



I used to write poetry as a child. I was seriously obsessed with Shel Silverstein. And then as I got older the stories I told myself got longer and more complicated. Telling stories is something I’ve always done, whether through photography or writing novels. I’m completely intrigued by people and what they do with their time. And I believe that everyone has a story. I don’t always want to hear it, but I’m intrigued nonetheless.



What are some of your favorite YA novels?



I’ve found that some of my favorites are trilogies. My sister and I always tease how some of the characters we love are like our friends and when you get to continue to hang out with your friends it’s a very good thing. My favorite trilogies I’ve read recently are: Rae Carson’s Girl of Fire and Thorns, Sarah J. Maas’ Throne of Glass and Veronica Rossi’s Under the Never Sky.



Do you ever experience writer’s block?



There are a few things I try when I’ve hit a wall. Showers or walks usually help the ideas flow for me and music is a huge part of my writing. I can’t start writing until I’ve found just the right “feeling” for the story and that ALWAYS comes from a song or a couple different songs. With KATE I found my feeling in the song 23 by Blonde Redhead.



Will there be a KATE TRIUMPH 2?



There will definitely be a second KATE. There is so much more to her story. So very much more.








Author Bio:

Shari Arnold grew up in California and Utah but now resides in Connecticut, with her husband and two kids, where she finds it difficult to trust a beach without waves. She writes Young Adult fiction because it's her favorite. And occasionally she takes photographs.


Author links:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4575223.Shari_Arnold
http://shariarnold.blogspot.ca/
https://twitter.com/ShariLArnold

Giveaway

One (1) ebook copy of Kate Triumph

Open Internationally

I make it easy for these types of giveaways.  All I want you to do is leave a comment or question for the author.  Open until November 28, 2014.

Review, Guest Post, & Giveaway: Chasing the Sun by Sasha Abernathy

Chasing the Sun

An Earth Relic Novel

Book 1

Sasha Abernathy

Genre: Paranormal Romance


Publisher: Crimson Frost Books
Date of Publication: October 21, 2014

ISBN: TBD
ASIN: TBD

Cover Artist: Suzannah Safi

Hunted by Chaos. Protected by Death. Guided by Fire.



Terran is now the key to a world she never knew existed.

Normal was what Terran did best – house, job, dog, friends – rinse and repeat. She never knew demigods existed, or that you could journey to other realms, manipulate nature with your mind, or that the dead weren’t really gone at all, but instead existed in the Underworld. No, she lived the mundane life of any twenty-seven-year-old Alaskan girl…until she met Aiden, the complicated and gorgeous new local art gallery owner.


As their fiery relationship evolves into something more, Terran finds herself surrounded by a world of nightmares and gods, when the mysterious Aiden proves to be more than a simple man. Soon, Terran finds that she is not so simple herself. As an ancient evil threatens to escape and unleash all Hell, Terran must dive into a magical world she never knew existed to save them all…even if that means giving up her life to do it.

Excerpts

"Aren't these Aiden’s pieces?" Micah had caught up to me and seemed as perplexed as I did.



"Yeah, I guess so.”


“Who would have thought he'd donate his work?" Micah commented and then lost interest, walking away as she saw someone she recognized.


I stayed, staring in shock.


"Don't look so surprised. Your friend Jon's charity is truly for a good cause."


I shouldn't have lingered. By now I should have known to avoid anything having to do with Aiden. Many of the contributing artists were here to help promote their pieces so I should have known. But somehow he always caught me off guard.


"Actually, I'm surprised you have a heart at all." My disdain oozed off my words as I gave him the biggest scowl I could muster.


However ugly I thought his attitude, I couldn't say the same about his appearance. Aiden cleaned up nicely in his all-black tuxedo. His hair had been gelled down, but you could still see the natural wave of it. His tux looked as if it had been custom-made, which made me curious. How many black-tie events did he go to in order to have purchased a custom tux?

But, who cared? With my shoulders back, chest raised, and chin up I turned my head, grabbed my dress on the sides and walked away. Screw him.


I got about three steps away before I heard him.


"You look beautiful," he said to my back. It stopped me, my heart thumping loud in my chest. An immeasurable amount of time had passed since someone besides my friends had told me I was beautiful. I could feel him staring at me, but I didn't move. I only stood there, frozen.


"Terran," His voice was soft with yearning. It was then that I gained enough courage to walk away. I had already made up my mind about him. He was too complicated and I was tired of the ups and downs of his mood. This man would break my spirit, at least what little of it I fought to keep.

Review - 3.5 Stars!

 

While the idea of having gods and demigods interacting in the mundane world isn't unique, I did want to pick this one up.  I wasn't sure exactly what called me to it, but I highly suspect it was the name Aiden.  It is one of my favorite names of all time.  For a man, anyway.  Plus Terran is a pretty high ranking favorite girls name for me as well.  Maybe that was it?  Either way, the synopsis was interesting, but I felt didn't quite do it justice.

The plot was interesting in that it kept me reading throughout the day of my internet hiccups.  I'm not exactly sure how some of Terran's tragedy will end up playing out in the next installment of the series, or quite a few other unanswered questions you are left with by the end of the novel.  That was perfectly done to keep the reader coming back for book two!  What happens to Aiden?  Micah and Jon?  Seth?  Terran herself?  Even strange Marlo?  I did feel the first half of the book moved a tad slowly, and then instead of doling out information as most writers do, Aiden just WHAM explained all in one swoop everything she needed to know for the rest of the book.  I wished it had came out differently.

Now, character wise, I felt it was a bit lacking.  I didn't really connect much with Terran's emotions throughout most of the novel.  Not her grief, her anger, or interest in men.  About the only time I really did feel her emotions got across very well was a scene with Terran and her friend Jon after the fancy party.  That I could feel just reading.  The rest seemed a bit disconnected.  I liked her just fine, I just couldn't connect with her.

Micah was kind of annoying, but in a good way.  Aiden I honestly DID like because of his hot and cold behavior that never quite got explained, although there were excellently well-done hints throughout the novel.  I didn't however feel much tension between Aiden and Terran, and maybe it's because I couldn't really feel her emotions much as I read.  Heck, towards the end when the book's climax was happening, even I was like "Woah, why is she so upset like that?"  I mean, throughout the whole book you never got the feeling of anything resembling emotion for Aiden except slight attraction and irritation.

As I was reading an ARC and there were some corrections in it, I won't comment on any grammar errors or anything.  There weren't many anyway, and not sure what the finished product will look like.  However, the writing was very well done.  The dialog was decently done - even if I couldn't connect with most character's emotions.  There was a few times where I felt Terran's reactions were off by her dialog, but it wasn't like "No one talks like that" bad.  It was just that disconnect I felt.

Overall, definitely want to check out book two.  3.5 stars!

Top 5 Reasons to Visit Alaska by Sasha Abernathy

I'm excited to introduce you to a part of Terran's world. I spent a few years in Alaska in my late teens/early twenties and I miss it every day. Alaska is one of the most incredible places I have ever lived. If you love being surrounded by nature, a visit to Alaska is a definite 'Bucket List' item. Here are my top 5 reasons to visit Alaska!

1. The Alaska Bald Eagle Festival

Celebrate the largest gathering of bald eagles in the world! In Haines, Alaska, where over 3,000 bald eagles gather in the early fall and winter, the American Bald Eagle Foundation hosts its annual Alaska Bald Eagle Festival. When exploring Alaska, this festival is a must. 

 Photo taken by Jeannine Bryan

2. The Aurora Borealis (The Northern Lights)

According to www.Alaska.org, the best times to see these magical dancing sky's is from September to April, anytime between 12am and 4am. These solar particles that are blown into the earth's magnetic field and give off colors ranging from greenish-yellow all the way to blood red. Those indigenous to Alaska believed that the lights had mystical powers. This is perfect for Chasing the Sun.

Photo taken by Jeannine Bryan

 

 Photo taken by Jeannine Bryan

3. The Moose

My favorite animal, the moose are not only found along trails and in the mountains, but also on your own front porch. These handsome animals may seem sweet and friendly, but they are not to be taunted as they have been known to charge both people and vehicles when spooked. But still, isn't this guy so cute!??

 

Photo taken by Jeannine Bryan

4. Anchorage, AK

Holding about 44% of the state’s population according to the 2010 census, Anchorage is located in south-central Alaska and has excellent access to several glaciers nearby. Travel down the Seward highway with the mountains to one side and the ocean to the other. From spectacular farmers markets, to an indoor water park, Anchorage is wonderful little city to live in and visit.

 Photo taken by Jeannine Bryan

 5. Mt. McKinley Flightseeing

Mt. McKinley, the highest mountain in North America, has its highest point around 20,237 feet (6,168 meters) above sea level. This stunning mountain is also the third most prominent mountain in the world. Fly above the unexplored backcountry of Denali National Park, while getting a first class view of the majestic Mt. McKinley.

 Photo taken by Jeannine Bryan 

Thanks for taking a peek into Terran's home state! Can you blame her for believe that Alaska is one of the best places in the world?

About the Author:

Born in Germany to a Puerto Rican mother and All-American Military father, who saw fit to give her a Russian name, Sasha Abernathy has always loved storytelling, traveling, and doing all things silly. Raised in Oklahoma, but eventually moving everywhere from Alaska to Spain, Sasha has finally settled in the beautiful state of Colorado. With her loving husband, two wild sons, and neurotic labradoodle, Sasha is surrounded by way too much testosterone and escapes through her mysteriously whimsical and romantic novels.

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Twitter: @EarthRelic

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