Review: The Naturals

Title: The Naturals
Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Publisher: Quercus
Released: 7th November 2013
Rating: 3 stars

Cassie Hobbs doesn't think anything of her ability to read people.  It's just always been something she does, without even having to really think about it.  That's until she gets hired by the FBI to train as a profiler and help solve cold cases.  Nor is she the only one - this is a programme that consists of Naturals, people - teens - particularly adept at a certain skill.  At first this brings a sense of achievement and purpose, but that soon changes to simple danger.  Somewhere out there is a new serial killer who's getting uncomfortably close to home...and Cassie in particular.  The Naturals aren't simply solving cases anymore.  They have to survive this one.

The Naturals was generally an enjoyable read.  Jennifer Lynn Barnes has written a novel both easy to read and engaging, seeming to move effortlessly from humour to downright creepiness.  Such a compelling mix couldn't fail to keep me glued to the pages.  Though I knew this to be a thriller, there have been very few books that have truly disturbed me, even those claiming to be horror, making the darker parts of the book even easier to appreciate.  Those laugh-out-loud moments, too, were a delightful aspect, perhaps not something you'd expect with murder as a key theme.  Speaking of murder...Did anyone else see that ending coming?  I didn't.  All my theories, all my guesses...every one of them were wrong.  This author really does know how to write a thriller.  What does bother me, however, is that I still don't know whether this is meant to be a thriller pure and simple, or whether this has an element of the paranormal.  Are the Naturals' gifts otherworldly, or simply stronger versions of otherwise perfectly regular abilities?

My thoughts on the characters are mixed.  On the one hand, they're likeable - or at least, the one who you're supposed to like are - and somewhat interesting, especially in terms of their abilities.  On the other, I'm not sure how memorable they are.  Abilities aside, there's nothing in particular that makes them stand out.  Then, of course, there's the love triangle.  Immediately I felt exasperated.  Having said that, I do think there is potential for this one.  I like Cassie and I like Michael, and I think I may favour him as a love interest.   The relationship between Cassie and Dean I feel could be something more complex.  I'm hoping that Barnes will pull this out of a triangle and make something more interesting out of it, but we shall have to see.

Despite its flaws, I did like The Naturals, and I suspect it's a book easier to enjoy in the moment.  Looking back on it now and thinking of other books I've read it may perhaps not be amazing, but nevertheless it has very appealing qualities, and I look forward to entering this world again.

Book Blitz: Tell Me When

TELL ME WHEN

By Stina Lindenblatt and Carina Press

Coming 20th January, 2014

New Adult Contemporary Romance

Pre-Order Amazon | Pre-Order Barnes and Noble

 

Amber Scott should be enjoying life as a college freshman. She should be pursuing her dream of becoming a veterinarian. She should be working hard to make sense of her precalculus math class. She shouldn’t be waking up her college roommate with screaming nightmares. She shouldn’t be flashing back, reliving the three weeks of hell she barely survived last year. And she definitely shouldn’t be spending time with sexy player Marcus Reid.   But engineering student Marcus is the only one keeping Amber from failing her math course, so she grudgingly lets him into her life. She never expects the king of hookups will share his painful past. Or that she’ll tell him her secrets in return, opening up and trusting him in a way she thought she’d never be able to again. When their fragile future together is threatened by a stalker Amber thought was locked away for good, Marcus is determined to protect her. And Amber is determined to protect Marcus…even if that means pushing him away.

 

Excerpt

Amber (Chapter 1)

 

I'm inspecting a delicate fairy with wings like autumn leaves when the chimes above the store door ring.  Two guys, maybe twenty-one or twenty-two, enter.  Both are good-looking and have the tall muscular bodies of basketball players.  That's where the similarities between them end.

 

The dark-haired guy has that bad-boy vibe some girls find appealing, with his military boots, jeans and black leather jacket.  His blond-haired friend is the kind of guy most girls feel safe with.  He's wearing sneakers, jeans and a blood donor T-shirt.  The clothes and his friendly expression make him look trustworthy.  Like he won't break your heart or your body or your soul.

 

But I've long since learned appearances are never what they seem.  Either man could be sweet or he could be dangerous.  The trick is to never let them get close enough for you to find out the truth the hard way.

 

Blond guy walks to the counter and chats with the storeowner, a man not much older than us, with tattoos covering his arms.  Neither pays attention to me.  I go back to studying the wall.

 

From the corner of my eye, I notice the black-haired guy walking toward me.  Instead of checking out the designs on the wall, his gaze roams over my body, taking in the view.  Jerk.

 

A one-sided smile slides onto his face.  He's the kind of guy who uses his good looks to his advantage, the kind of guy whose sole mission in life is getting laid.

 

My hand tap-tap-taps against my right thigh, keeping pace with my heart, which has picked up speed as the jerk continues staring at me.  I narrow my eyes at him, silently telling him to find another girl.  He's wasting his time with me.

 

The men at the counter laugh.

 

"Dude, that's the first I've seen you got shot down by a female," blond guy says, still chuckling.

 

Dark-haired guy flips him the finger and points to the fairy.  "This would look hot on you right" - he strokes his finger against my lower back - "here."  His voice is low, the words slow and practiced.

 

I jerk away and stride to the back of the store.  The other two men laugh even louder.

 

"Give up, Marcus," blond guy says.  "She's a lot smarter than your usual girls.  I like her already."

 



About the Author
Born in England, Stina loves to travel, and has lived in England, the US, Canada, and Finland. She spent a semester in graduate school living in central Finland, and a summer during her undergrad degree working in Helsinki. She has a Master’s of Science degree in exercise physiology and has worked with elite athletes. In her free time, Stina is a photographer, mother of three adorable kids, and devoted wife. She currently lives in Calgary, Canada.

Website/blog | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads

Cover Reveal: Seeking Her

Title: Seeking Her (Losing It #3.5)

Author: Cora Carmack

Publisher: William Morrow Impulse

Released: 28th January 2014

A few months after being honourably discharged from the military, Jackson Hunt is still struggling to adjust back to the real world. He needs to get a job and find a sense of normalcy if he’s going to keep his own demons at bay. The job that falls into his lap, though, is anything but normal.

Bodyguard (and baby-sitter) to spoiled-rich-girl Kelsey Summers isn’t exactly what he’d been looking for, but it’s a chance to travel, to get away from the home that has felt stifling ever since his return. It would be a pretty sweet gig if it weren’t for the fact that Kelsey’s father doesn’t want Kelsey to know she’s being followed. Hunt feels guilty (and a little bit creepy) as he watches her from afar. She’s vibrant and infuriating, exciting and reckless, mysterious and familiar. When he sees her falling into the same patterns that he suffered years ago, he decides it’s time to stop watching and help her instead. But getting to know her is more difficult than he thought, especially because the more he knows her, the more he wants her.

November Release Day Blitz & Giveaway

Today we're celebrating the release of Entangled Teen's November books! Read about them and enter to win the giveaway below! 

Infinity (The Chronicles of Nerissette #3)
by Andria Buchanan 
Publication: November 5th, 2013 by Entangled Teen

Although she’s still stuck in the magical world of Nerissette, Queen Allie is finally ready to build a relationship with the half hottie, half dragon next door, Winston. But all isn’t really fair in love and war.

Unrest is quickly forming at the borders and soon Allie realizes that the Fate Maker wasn’t the only one who wanted her crown. When her trusted aunt Bavasama sends her troops into Nerissette on a campaign of murder and mass destruction, Allie has a tough decision to make.

She can’t take the chance of letting more people die or letting those she’s lost disappear from memory, but there is more at stake than even she knows. Still, Allie has to do something. And in the process she’ll discover what she’s truly made of when faced with a series of options…each more horrible than the last.

GoodReads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes and Noble

In the Blood 
by Sara Hantz
Publication: November 5th, 2013 by Entangled Teen

For seventeen years Jed Franklin’s life was normal. Then his father was charged with the abuse and murder of four young boys and normal became a nightmare.

His mom’s practically a walking zombie, he’s lost most of his friends, and the press camps out on his lawn. The only things that keep him sane are his little sis; his best friend and dream girl, Summer; and the alcohol he stashes in his room. But after Jed wakes up from a total blackout to discover a local kid has gone missing—a kid he was last seen talking to—he’s forced to face his greatest fear: that he could somehow be responsible.

In a life that’s spiraled out of control, Jed must decide if he chooses his own destiny with Summer by his side or if the violent urges that plagued his father are truly in the blood…

 

GoodReads | Amazon | Amazon UK

 

Spring Moon (Indiana Teller)
by HRH Princess Sophie Audouin-Mamikonian
Publication: November 5th, 2013 by Entangled Teen 

Amid the expansive plains of Montana, the Lykos Ranch stretches for miles. The inhabitants who live in near isolation from the outside world are members of the most powerful clan of werewolves in North America. Among them lives just one human: Indiana Teller.

Grandson of the clan’s leader and offspring of a werewolf father and a mysterious yet human mother, Indiana is rejected by his peers and heads to the University of Montana to find a normal life. Despite warnings from his grandparents, he falls in love with a beautiful human, Katerina.

Before too long, he is the victim of an accident that would have killed him had he not miraculously vanished at the moment of impact. Are these strange occurrences just chance or the machinations of a hidden enemy out to destroy him? Facing his destiny, Indiana will have to choose who to believe, and who to love.

GoodReads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes and Noble 

Olivia Twisted
by Vivi Barnes
Publication: November 5th, 2013 by Entangled Teen 

Olivia
He tilts my chin up so my eyes meet his, his thumb brushing lightly across my lips. I close my eyes. I know Z is trouble. I know that being with him is going to get me into trouble. I don’t care.
At least at this moment, I don’t care.

Tossed from foster home to foster home, Olivia’s seen a lot in her sixteen years. She’s hardened, sure, though mostly just wants to fly under the radar until graduation. But her natural ability with computers catches the eye of Z, a mysterious guy at her new school. Soon, Z has brought Liv into his team of hacker elite—break into a few bank accounts, and voila, he drives a motorcycle. Follow his lead, and Olivia might even be able to escape from her oppressive foster parents. As Olivia and Z grow closer, though, so does the watchful eye of Bill Sykes, Z’s boss. And he’s got bigger plans for Liv…

Z
I can picture Liv’s face: wide-eyed, trusting. Her smooth lips that taste like strawberry Fanta.
It was just a kiss. That’s all. She’s just like any other girl.
Except that she’s not.
Thanks to Z, Olivia’s about to get twisted.

GoodReads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes and Noble 

To celebrate the launch of these books, Entangled Teen is giving away three ebooks. Check out the Rafflecopter giveaway down below for more information!

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Review: The Woken Gods

Title: The Woken Gods
Author: Gwenda Bond
Publisher: Strange Chemistry
Released: 3rd September 2013
Rating: 2 of 5 stars

With promises of Egyptian mythology and sudden disappearances, the wait for this book was a difficult one.  I find mythology in general to be a fascinating thing, and that combined with plot elements and characters would make this a wonderful read...Which was why, by the end of this, I was even more disappointed.

Gods, the Society of the Sun, relics...these are features of the new Washington, D.C.  Features that are a part of Kyra's world, but that she has no direct experience of until she's approached by two tricksters one day after school.  That one encounter marks the start of a new life, one that consists of searching for her father and the relic he stole, working with Society operatives and actively getting involved with the gods.  The consequences of not finding her father and getting that relic back don't bear thinking about.

My difficulties with this novel began almost as soon as I started.  To begin with, I wasn't sure if it was the book itself or simply me, but as I progressed further I realised these problems weren't going away.  That's not to say it still isn't me; I have been known to hold black sheep status on several occasions, after all.  But one of the big issues for me was the world-building.  For something so central to her plot, Bond's world-building was unfortunately lacking.  While there were numerous mythological gods, their presence for the most part felt static; I didn't get a sense of who they were individually, nor did I understand their relations with Kyra's society.  This confusion then fed into my reaction to the actual plotline.  That in itself was not particularly impressive, either.

Added to this was the fact that a lot of it seemed flat.  To give credit where credit is due, and aware as I am of how critical this review has become, there were scenes and sections that Bond wrote quite well, actually enabling me to connect with what I was reading; passages that stood out and had me sitting up with renewed interest.  Sadly, though, this wasn't enough for me to truly enjoy it.  My feelings toward Kyra were non-existent.  I didn't love her, hate her, or anything in between.  I thought Oz sweet enough, Ezra intriguing enough, but ultimately the line separating them from everyone else was very thin.  The interactions between the characters, too, felt flat and awkward, as did the different POVs.  It was just quite jumpy and ill-flowing, and it all left me feeling somewhat dissatisfied.

For all my criticisms, The Woken Gods wasn't unbearably bad.  There were parts well-written, and it was engaging to a point.  I can't deny, however, that I did not get on with this novel, and that I am disappointed given the amount of potential it has.  Other people have had better luck than I (including my awesome reading buddy and blogging friend, Rebekah at Reflections of a Bookworm), so do go and see what they have to say.  For my part, I won't be revisiting this world anytime soon, unfortunately.

Strange Chemistry Cover Reveals!

Guysguysguys!  Look at all the pretty that Strange Chem have released into the world! *drools*  I shared The Almost Girl with you before, and I'll put it up again because honestly, it looks awesome...And the cover for Shadowplay is finally out!  Eeeep!  I leave them, and others, here so you can also drool and stare and wish desperately you were holding them in your hands.

The Almost Girl by Amalie Howard

For readers of Beth Revis and Patrick Ness this is an SF novel that can’t be missed.

17 year-old Riven comes from a world ravaged by a devastating android war, a parallel world to Earth. A Legion General, she is the right hand of the young Prince of Neospes. In Neospes, she has everything: rank, responsibility and respect. But when Prince Cale sends her away to find his long-lost brother, Caden, who has been spirited back to modern day Earth, Riven finds herself in uncharted territory. Thrown out of her comfort zone but with the mindset of a soldier and in a race against time to bring Caden home, Riven has to learn how to be a girl in a realm that is the opposite of what she knows. Will Riven be able to find the strength to defy her very nature? Or will she become the monstrous soldier she was designed to be?

Shadowplay by Laura Lam (Pantomime #2) For all fans of Robin Hobb and Tamora Pierce, this extraordinary crossover fantasy features a truly unique central character. The circus lies behind Micah Grey in dust and ashes. He and the White Clown, Drystan, have taken refuge in the decaying Kymri Theatre, home to the once-great magician, Jasper Maske. Though no longer a circus performer, Micah must still conduct a balancing act between his past and his future, while both avoiding the renewed and embittered rivalry of the magicians of Ellada, and the Policiers who are convinced Micah played a part in the death of his old Ringmaster. A tale of phantom wings, a clockwork hand, and the delicate unfurling of new love, Shadowplay continues Micah Grey’s extraordinary journey.

Emilie and the Sky World by Martha Wells (Emilie #2)  A Girl’s Own Adventure in the spirit of Jules Verne  When Emilie and Daniel arrive in Silk Harbor, Professor Abindon, an old colleague of the Marlendes, warns them that she's observed something strange and potentially deadly in the sky, a disruption in an upper air aether current.  But as the Marlendes investigate further, they realize it's a ship from another aetheric plane.  It may be just a friendly explorer, or something far more sinister, but they will have to take an airship into the dangerous air currents to find out.  Emilie joins the expedition and finds herself deep in personal entanglements, with an angry uncle, an interfering brother, and an estranged mother to worry about as well as a lost family of explorers, the strange landscapes of the upper air, and the deadly menace that inhabits the sky world.

Under Nameless Stars by Christian Schoon (Zenn Scarlett #2) Zenn Scarlett’s novice year of exoveterinarian training on Mars isn’t quite going to plan… After facing a plot to destroy her school and its menagerie of alien patients, could things get worse? Yes, they could: her absent father has been kidnapped. Desperate to find him, Zenn stows away aboard the Helen of Troy, a starliner powered by one of the immense, dimension-jumping beasts known as Indra. With her is Liam Tucker, a Martian boy who is either very fond of her, very dangerous to her, or both. On the verge of learning the truth about her father, Zenn’s quest suddenly catapults her and Liam thousands of light years beyond known space, and into the dark heart of a monstrous conspiracy. Braving a gauntlet of lethal environments and unearthly life forms, Zenn’s courage is tested as never before. With the fate of entire worlds in the balance, she is racing headlong into trouble... again.

Feather Bound by Sarah Raughley In contemporary New York, a swan girl must help her enemy destroy her best friend or risk being sold to the black market. When Deanna’s missing friend Hyde turns up at his father’s funeral to claim his corporate empire and inheritance, she is swept into his glittering world of paparazzi and wealth. But Deanna has a secret - and somebody knows. Someone who is out to get Hyde. And if she doesn’t play along, and help the enemy take Hyde down…she will be sold to the highest bidder in the black market for human swans. Now Deanna is struggling to break free from the gilded cage that would trap her forever…

Review: The Bone Season

Title: The Bone Season (The Bone Season #1)
Author: Samantha Shannon
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Released: 20th August 2013
Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to my obnoxiously frustrating mood lately, it took me far longer than it should have done to read The Bone Season.  Through no fault of its own, three chapters in it was ungratefully cast aside so my restless mind could settle on other things - other books - until I actually forced myself to go back to it.  This time I pushed through; finally my mind calmed and I was able to lose myself in what is an undoubtedly exceptional read.

We find ourselves first in the heart of London, where the Seven Seals reside.  In a world where clairvoyance is illegal, this syndicate must ensure they keep their abilities secret.  Paige Mahoney in particular is a rare type of clairvoyant; she is a dreamwalker, with the ability to break into and explore the minds of others.  The last thing she needs is for the Scion to find out, the ruling force and the reason behind the sudden disappearance of so many clairvoyants.  But then she's caught, and she finds herself in the voyant prison in Oxford.  Except here there are creatures even worse than the Scion: the Rephaim.  To them, clairvoyants are good for something: fighting.  Unknown to the rest of the world, there is a war going on, and the Rephaim see the clairvoyants as soldiers.  Paige subsequently finds herself without any freedom.  She has a Master, Warden, and if she wants to survive she'll have to take care.  But at the same time she has no plans to stop fighting for her freedom, and doing so will meaning learning more about this man who seems to have many secrets of his own.

Of course one of the most significant achievements of Shannon here is the absolutely incredible world building.  I loved the alternative version of London she presented, the idea of Oxford being this ancient, barely acknowledged place and shrouded in mystery.  There is a lot of variety to be found here.  We have the term 'clairvoyant', yes, but there are so many kinds; this is a world truly thought out.  Unbeknownst to me, there was a glossary at the back (I was reading it on Kindle), so it was somewhat confusing at first.  Admittedly trying to take in everything is a bit of a task, since there's just so much.  After a while, though, I was used to it and everything was starting to make sense.  The mix of both old and new, familiar and unfamiliar, was done in a manner entirely appealing.  There is also a level of complexity and suspense that made this book all the more delicious.

Paige, our heroine, was a character easy to appreciate.  She's a strong, independent person, and realistically so.  Her voice is such that it doesn't just recede into a background hum with loads of other protagonists; it stands out and becomes something familiar, something welcoming, something you want to hear more of.  Warden, too, is someone I found impossible not to like - except there is an extra layer of complexity to him that leaves me eager to know even more.  My trust of him was a slow thing; naturally, I was intrigued from the start, but Shannon draws you in, pulls you along slowly so that you're as wary as Paige.  There are so many aspects to him, some of these simply hinted at, so that while the reader is offered a good impression of who he is, it is still too vague.  I mean this in an entirely positive sense.  The romance, which was gloriously slow, still allowed for two separate individuals, each with their own distinct personality.  The dynamics changed constantly, and each of the characters, and their relationship, were all written masterfully.

All in all, Samantha Shannon has come out with an excellent debut.  With her truly astonishing world building and vivid characters, this is an author you don't want to miss, and her book leaves me itching for more.