Review: Foretold

FORETOLD
Sisters of Fate #1
Rinda Elliott
Paranormal Young Adult
310 pages
HarlequinTEEN Digital
Available Now
Source: e-ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
It is written that three Sisters of Fate have the power
to change the world's destiny.
But only if they survive…

The Lockwood triplets have had the prophecy drummed into their heads since birth. Still, Raven, the eldest of the sisters, can't believe it's really happening. She's the reincarnation of a Norse goddess? One of the sisters is destined to die? When it starts snowing in summer in Florida, the sisters fear the worst has come to pass. Ragnarok, the Norse end of the world, has begun.

Raven finds herself the secret protector of Vanir, a boy with two wolves, a knowledge of Norse magic and a sense of destiny he can't quite explain. He's intense, sexy and equally determined to save her when it becomes clear someone is endangering them. Raven doesn't know if getting closer to him will make a difference in the coming battle, but her heart isn't giving her a choice.

Ahead of the sisters is the possibility of death at the hand of a warrior, death by snow, death by water or death by fire.

Or even from something else…

Sisters of Fate
The prophecy doesn't lie: one is doomed to die.

MY THOUGHTS
Foretold drops us into a world on the brink of destruction and keeps us on the run from beginning to end, engaging our minds with prophetic puzzles while warming our cheeks with a romance helped along by the heavy hitters of Norse mythology. Because we hit the ground running in this tale–or rather flat out sprinting–confusion and unease are what dominate in the opening chapters (as they're clearly meant to), our timeline with Raven jumping from present day to a few days prior when a massive snowstorm and the suspicious disappearance of the girls’ mother throws their world into chaos. Pieces of a prophecy are spoken of casually, and because we haven’t grown up with it as the girls’ have, it takes us a little while to mentally organize all the information that’s so quickly distributed. Before too long though we’re right there with Raven, ready to save the world and get swept off our feet as we do so.

Raven is the eldest of the three girls (by minutes given they’re triplets, but still), sent to track down one of the three warriors she believes is capable of fulfilling the prophecy that’s dictated how she and her sisters have lived their entire lives. She’s easy to like from the moment we meet her, slightly adrift and somewhat unsure of what her next moves should be even though she’s known Ragnarok has been coming for years; feelings that help form a connection to her given they're mirrored in us as we read. She has a surprising desire to tell the truth to Vanir and his brothers, something that’s not always the case in supernatural situations, and while for most of the book various events prevent that truth from coming out in full, it’s still a relief simply to have a desire for honesty present. She does keep the most important tidbit to herself until the very end, which, while a touch frustrating, thankfully doesn’t result in a colossal blowup that derails everything she and Vanir have worked toward up to that point.

The romance could be described as the one of the instant attraction variety, but the paranormal element of the story acts as a balm to soothe whatever irritation tries to flare up at their quick connection, granting us a bit more patience when it comes to the two of them than we might have otherwise. Their relationship, though important and prominent, doesn’t take over the entire story and turn a deeply interesting mythological mystery into a superficial teenage drama, rather the two elements nicely combine to keep things moving forward while at the same time ensuring our hearts are one hundred percent in the game. We’re left in a good place, no cliffhanger waiting to emotionally eviscerate us on the last page and with enough of our questions answered that we feel content to wait for the next installment, geared up to follow Raven’s sister Coral as she tracks down the next of the prophesied warriors.

Rating: 4/5
 

Find Rinda:

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This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Review: Spirited

SPIRITED
Tidewater #1
Mary Behre
Paranormal Romance/Romantic Suspense
294 pages
Berkley Sensation
Available Now
Source: Finished copy from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
She’s running from who she is…...

All Jules Scott wants is to live a normal, quiet life—preferably one that doesn’t include ghosts. Jules’s talent for communicating with the dead has brought her nothing but trouble. Despite her best efforts, needy spirits always find her and draw her into their otherworldly drama. When one implicates her in a series of deadly crimes, she may need to entrust her secrets to the person least likely to believe her.…

He’ll do whatever it takes to catch her.

Detective Seth English can’t get distracted from the big case he’s working on, not even by his alluring new neighbor. He doesn’t believe that Jules had anything to do with the string of robberies-turned-murders that he’s investigating, but when she keeps showing up in all the wrong places, his gut tells him she knows more than she’s letting on. To solve his case, he’ll need to expose what the sexy redhead is hiding—no matter how impossible the truth may be….

MY THOUGHTS
Spirited draws us in with an intriguing premise, a young woman gifted (or crifted as she calls it – cursed and gifted) with an ability to talk to spirits destined to find herself smack-dab in the middle of a homicide investigation led by a man in a profession not prone to believing in things that can’t be proven concretely. The mystery itself is well-executed, a fairly impressive red herring or two keeping us beautifully distracted so the true culprit can blindside us in the end, and we can’t help but smile when our guesses are proven to be so spectacularly wrong.

Where the murders and Jules’s ghostly interactions keep us on our toes throughout, there are a few small niggles with the relationship between Jules and her sexy cop neighbor, Seth, that keep the romantic aspect of the story from being as successful as the mystery. Jules is an enjoyable heroine, understandably on edge around police officers given a painful past with her ex-husband, but aside from the one very large secret of her ghost-communicating ability she’s upfront with Seth about the other aspects of her life. While we can’t help but like her, we don’t necessarily fall madly in love with her either, content to read her story without being fully absorbed by it.

For his part, Seth is of course attractive and protective, making it easy to root for him to be the one person who proves not all people will react the way Jules’s ex-husband did when they learn of her gift. One small personal issue is his use of the nickname “precious” for Jules, something that will certainly not bother everyone, but for me came across as a bit young and condescending even when he clearly never meant it to be so. He also has a mildly frustrating tendency to continually inform Jules that he’s a cop and therefore his time spent with her is in a professional capacity rather than a personal one, but at every opportunity he’s the one who always pushes their interactions across that line before taking a step back again and issuing Jules yet another reminder of their respective roles.

Spirited ends in a flurry of action as the killer’s identity is revealed and all the final puzzle pieces slot into place in wonderfully dramatic fashion, but just as is the case throughout, the romance ends in a far more lackluster way. Jules’s secret finally comes out in the concluding chapters, but because it’s revealed to Seth so late, there’s hardly any time for the two of them to deal with the fallout before everything is wrapped up nicely and neatly. Given the emotional scarring resulting from her previous relationship, her quick forgiveness of Seth’s reaction lacks a bit of believability, but it doesn’t hugely detract from the excitement of the final showdown with the murderer. Overall, Spirited is an enjoyable read, perfect for a quick afternoon read when entertainment is the sole goal.

Rating: 3.5/5
 

Find Mary:

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This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Guest Post: Liz Long + Burned

I'm pleased today to welcome author Liz Long to the blog to tell us a little bit about the world building in her paranormal Donovan Circus series. The second book, Burned, is available now. Welcome to Supernatural Snark Liz!

Thank you so much to Jenny for hosting me on her blog today! I’m lucky to know good people :) I thought for today’s post, we’d run away to the circus together. The Donovan Circus, that is!

In my first book GIFTED, the protagonist, Lucy Sullivan, is thrown into a world full of gifted beings – that is, people with special powers like Telekinetics, Empaths, Runners, Levitators, and many, many more. Lucy is a Firestarter, meaning she can create and control fire at her will. Her gift is a dangerous one, and it’s pushed to the limits in GIFTED.

Many readers often tell me how they think the concept of this world is so neat – because the story takes place in today’s real world, the idea of supernatural beings hiding right in plain sight at the circus is pretty unique! When first introduced to the Donovan Circus, Lucy is overwhelmed by the bright lights, loud colors, and whirlwind of activity – just read about her first hour there:

“We followed the already worn walkway around a corner, where a sea of activity blinded me. Whereas the campers were quiet, the actual circus grounds thrived with members preparing for the day.
 
My senses hit overdrive—colors, smells, and sounds assaulted me. Costumes covered in sequins and feathers were traded off between artists; my nose detected popcorn machines, sawdust with hay, and sweat, both human and animal. And the sounds! It was so loud between the people yelling, animals’ screeches, and equipment in use to set up stands and booths. I would have to shout at Delia to be heard.

I suddenly became very aware of why Sheffield and Delia warned me against being surprised. People made no secret of their gifts in safe company. I saw another Runner dart in and out of the crowd while Levitators floated seamlessly between the bodies. Birds flew all over, carried messages or small objects such as tools or costume props. The air filled with sounds of conversation, animals protested their displeasure of cages, and men barked orders on the best way to get tents up fast.”

See what I mean about being overwhelmed? There’s a lot going on in that show! I have to admit, I’d be totally intimidated if it were me, but to Lucy’s credit, she dives right in and does her best to work hard and belong to the group.

The second book in the Donovan Circus series is called BURNED and while we see a bit of Lucy’s familiar circus grounds, you’re soon introduced to the Grayson Circus, another show that Lucy visits in order to gain support. When a vicious Shapeshifter named Medved attacks her on the Donovan grounds, ringmaster Sheffield Donovan insists she and her friends travel to Grayson’s circus in order to make friends and allies in case of another attack.

The catch? The Grayson Circus is nearly the opposite of the Donovan Circus. Lucy is used to being around lots of gifted, but there are even more humans in the Grayson show, so gifts aren’t quite so in-your-face there. Things are much quieter there, the equipment and tents older, the people more frightened. See?

“The Grayson Circus vibe was not uncomfortable so much as it was different. Their grounds were clean enough, but all of their equipment and games looked old-fashioned, with plenty of wear and tear. Maybe they were going for that vintage look, but it felt older than the Donovan property.
 
The two circus groups couldn’t have been more different. When I walked through the Donovan grounds, there were always noises, colors, passersby running into and cursing you. Here, colors weren’t so bright; the overcast weather made for a dull, gray backdrop. Many things were in need of a new paint job. Our tents were red, black, and white, the Big Top like a striped candy cane. Their worn, dingy gray tents showed the years of use and travel. Several of the lights on their games were out and half the booths looked slapped together with plywood and haphazardly placed nails.

The grounds and people were quieter; instead of meeting my eyes to glare at me (like most of Donovan did when I arrived), they looked away or eyed the ground until I passed them. No one stood tall and proud, no smiles told me they were happy to be here. A handful of stares met mine; only some could hide their fear. These people seemed terrified of us…of me.”

It’s obviously going to be hard for the Grayson group to trust Lucy, not just because she’s a Firestarter, but because it’s difficult for circus folk to trust anyone outside their own shows. Even worse, the differences between them might mean an unwillingness to cooperate. Will Lucy be able to get the Grayson group on her side when things are so vastly different between them?

I hope you enjoyed the brief look inside the Donovan and Grayson Circuses. Thanks again to Jenny for hosting me today! And in case you’re interested in checking out the books, GIFTED is currently on sale for 99 cents, while BURNED is just $2.99.

Gifted • Burned

• • • • • • • • • • • •

LIZ LONG

Liz Long is a ridiculously proud graduate of Longwood University with a BA in English. Her inspiration comes from action and thriller genres and she spends entirely too much time watching superhero movies. Her fabulous day job as a social media editor includes writing for a publishing company in Roanoke, VA.

Her first book, Gifted, is the first book in the Donovan Circus series. Her second book Witch Hearts, a story about a serial killer hunting witches for their powers, is available at Amazon on Kindle and paperback.

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads • Amazon

Review: The Assassin's Blade

THE ASSASSIN'S BLADE
Throne of Glass #0.1-0.5
Sarah J. Maas
Young Adult/Fantasy
448 pages
Bloomsbury
Available Now
Source: Finished copy from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Contains all five novellas.

Celaena Sardothien is Adarlan's most feared assassin. As part of the Assassin's Guild, her allegiance is to her master, Arobynn Hamel, yet Celaena listens to no one and trusts only her fellow killer-for-hire, Sam. In these action-packed novellas - together in one edition for the first time - Celaena embarks on five daring missions. They take her from remote islands to hostile deserts, where she fights to liberate slaves and seeks to avenge the tyrannous. But she is acting against Arobynn's orders and could suffer an unimaginable punishment for such treachery. Will Celaena ever be truly free? Explore the dark underworld of this kick-ass heroine to find out.

MY THOUGHTS
This review is going to be a touch different from my standard essay-style reviews (I can’t help it, the essay format was drilled into me in high school and college and it’s just how my reviews normally come out when I start typing!) because I need to preface this review with a confession. Throne of Glass, book one in this series, was a huge challenge for me. I didn’t care much for heroine and self-proclaimed badass assassin Celaena until the very end, mostly because there was a lot of talking about how amazingly deadly and how deserving of her reputation she was, but yet I saw no evidence of it on page. There were hints of past jobs done here and there, but for the most part Celaena seemed to have a high opinion of herself unsupported by action.

I was told by many that I really should have started with the prequel novellas before tackling Throne of Glass, but it seemed strange to me that I would need to start a series prior to book one in order to care for the main character. When the opportunity to review all five prequel novellas presented itself however, I thought it was more than time to give Celaena a second chance.

I couldn’t be happier I did. The young woman in the five novellas comprising The Assassin’s Blade is the Celaena I expected to find in Throne of Glass. The Celaena I'd been hoping for all along. She still has an undeniably inflated ego, but over the course of these stories it becomes clear she has a heart to match it in size, and she more than proves her ability to put her fists and her blades where her mouth is. She has moments where her young age gets the best of her and a perceived slight causes her to lash out with some unnecessarily sharp words, but she shows growth and maturity with each novella, and I repeatedly found myself with an evil grin on my face whenever someone made the mistake of underestimating her physically or mentally.

Each novella gets progressively darker, building up to something those who’ve read only the synopsis of Throne of Glass would pick up on through the notable absence of a certain character, but even knowing it was coming didn’t fully prepare me for the delivery of such a brutal blow. The cold young woman who seemed as though her ego could use a check or ten in Throne of Glass suddenly made much more sense; the loss she struggles with at the end of The Assassin’s Blade leaving her with her guilt and her former sterling reputation–dulled from its previous shine–wrapped tight around her like armor against the person who betrayed her. It’s with vengeance and a need for retribution to match Celaena’s own that I closed the back cover of The Assassin’s Blade, eagerly anticipating the moment when the man who cost her everything will inevitably find himself on the lethally right side of Celaena’s blades.

Rating: 4/5

Find Sarah:

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This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Perilous Sea

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking The Spine and is a fun way to see what books other bloggers just can't wait to get their hands on!

THE PERILOUS SEA

The Burning Sky #2

Sherry Thomas

Young Adult/Fantasy

Releases September 16th from Balzer + Bray

After spending the summer away from each other, Titus and Iolanthe (still disguised as Archer Fairfax) are eager to return to Eton College to resume their training to fight the Bane. Although no longer bound to Titus by a blood oath, Iolanthe is more committed than ever to fulfilling her destiny—especially with the agents of Atlantis quickly closing in.

Soon after arriving at school, though, Titus makes a shocking discovery, one that makes him question everything he previously believed about their mission. Faced with this devastating realization, Iolanthe is forced to come to terms with her new role, while Titus must choose between following his mother's prophecies—and forging a divergent path to an unknowable future.

I absolutely adored The Burning Sky last year, it was one of the books that fully cemented my new found love of the fantasy genre and I simply cannot wait to get back to Titus and Iolanthe. Sherry Thomas writes outstanding characters in my opinion, and I was completely mesmerized by the world itself and the way the friendship and eventual romance unfolded, so this sequel really cannot release fast enough for me! *stares longingly at calendar*

Review: Sekret

SEKRET
Sekret #1
Lindsay Smith
Young Adult/Historical/Paranormal
337 pages
Roaring Book Press/Macmillan
Available Now
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
An empty mind is a safe mind.

Yulia's father always taught her to hide her thoughts and control her emotions to survive the harsh realities of Soviet Russia. But when she's captured by the KGB and forced to work as a psychic spy with a mission to undermine the U.S. space program, she's thrust into a world of suspicion, deceit, and horrifying power. Yulia quickly realizes she can trust no one--not her KGB superiors or the other operatives vying for her attention--and must rely on her own wits and skills to survive in this world where no SEKRET can stay hidden for long.

MY THOUGHTS
Sekret is a story that creeps forward slowly rather than leaping from the gate with a great deal of speed and intensity, the intricacies of the mind a focal point that forces us to pay close attention and stay sharp even as our attention sometimes wants to wander. It's a tale that's clearly well-researched and well-thought out, but some of the Russian names and plot intricacies–particularly those that focus on historically significant events like the space race between Russia and the US–do occasionally trip us up as we try to figure out how they tie into Yulia's ability. The various missions she and the other young men and women like her execute can also be a touch confusing, the gifts each of them possesses at times muddying the waters given how tricky it is to tell whose psychic eyes we're seeing through as events unfold.

Yulia has the ability to touch people or objects and see events and conversations linked to them, something she's only recently come into when we meet her. We're therefore almost as out of sorts as she is from the beginning and have the pleasure of asking questions and figuring things out right along with her, ensuring we're connected to her throughout. She's clever and knows to keep her guard up even around those who appear to be friends, and while that doesn't always keep her from being hurt when someone manages to slip past her defenses, we can't help but admire her sense of self-preservation.

The romance is an extraordinarily minor element and one that's very low on the drama scale, something we're certainly grateful for but at the same time it's hard not to wish for a touch more. It's almost so minor an element as to be unnecessary to the overall plot, though having said that, there's no instant attraction or angst that makes it feel as though it was an element simply tossed into the story to appease those of us who crave love in their young adult fiction. In fact there's no mention of love at all, it's much more of a quiet friendship that eventually leads to more, and though it is undoubtedly a beautiful relationship full of music and hope, it doesn't strike that emotional chord that has us flipping the pages with added speed just to get to the next scene between them.

Overall, Sekret will be hugely appealing to those who love historical fiction, especially the politics and the power games between the United States and Russia in the 1960's. The added supernatural element provides an extra layer of tension, but at the same time it can be difficult to sort through all the contrasting psychic inputs to figure out which pieces of information are ones we need to take careful note of, slowing the pacing down overall. We're certainly left with questions, but they're not of the tear-your-hair-out variety, rather we're content with where Yulia is and hopeful that those questions will find answers in the next installment.

Rating: 3.5/5

Find Lindsay:

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This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.