Rare Form by Jen Crane Book Review + #Giveaway

Rare Form

Descended of Dragons

Book #1

Jen Crane

Genre: New Adult Romantic Paranormal Fantasy

Release Date: October 6, 2015

Publisher: Carpe Noctem Publishing

ISBN: 9780996575614

ASIN: B0116EHJIO

Pages: 228

Goodreads Rating:  4.75

My Rating: 4.5

Book Description:

A Secret Past
Fiery redhead Stella Stonewall can’t decide between a margarita and a manhattan. The rest of her life? Please. Stella has never really fit in, and her pretty world comes crashing down when she learns it was never her world at all.

Rowan Gresham is domineering, brooding, and as sexy as chocolate-dipped sin. When he transports Stella to the magical realm of her parents she recognizes her rightful place immediately. Gresham’s motivations are less clear.

A Scorching Chemistry
The enigmatic Gresham aids in Stella’s metamorphosis and their chemistry ignites, though a long-time girlfriend and a significant age difference stand in the way.

A Battle for the Rest of Her Life
Stella’s life fast-tracks to extraordinary when she enrolls at Radix Citadel for Supernatural Learning, an enchanted college whose students turn furry on the regular. As Stella learns to navigate the magical new world of Thayer she must also find her animal form, a task as elusive as her ancestry. Stella soon faces an even greater challenge: staying alive long enough to learn to manipulate an animal form she never knew she possessed.

My Take:

Sonofabitch

Holy hell, that was a great book. When you start the book, though are introduced to Stella, a strong willed sometimes pain in the as red head who was under the impression that she was a boring ole human. Enter Rowan Gresham, swoon, who tells her there is more to this world than she could ever dream.

What I liked most, was not the romance though that was great, but the story development. You really get to read Stella's story. There are time gaps but it's something that's done in a very nonchalant manner. It's not glaringly obvious that an extended amount of time between scenes had passed it's almost like an afterthought. But even with those gaps of time, you really get to know Stella and her group of friends, all while getting a pretty vivid glimpse at Thayer and her new school and life.

Hey romantic life is not at the forefront of the story and while there is a slight attempt at what can only be called a love triangle, it's kinda not really a thing because as I just said, romance isn't these point of this story. She had 2 suitors but neither are mentioned in that context more than a handful of times. I am of course on a team but both guys are adorable and mysterious so its not like you know more about one or the other. It all comes down to chemistry and she had that with both of them. Even so, it doesn't even really feel like a love triangle in the normal sense.

I'm also a fan of the odd names of these characters, it makes this new world seem more tangible and real. Believable.

 4.5 Quills

It's a fast read. They chapters are not very long, but they are informative and enthralling. I'm really excited by this promising new series and really liked the glimpse into the next book. As always, stay tuned for more reviews... I definitely plan on continuing this journey with Stella and friends and I'll be sure to post my thoughts here!

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About The Author

Though she grew up on a working cattle ranch, Jen Crane has been in love with fantasy and science fiction since seeing a bootleg tape of Quantum Leap in the 90’s.

She has a master’s degree, and solid work histories in government and non-profit administration. She’s been published in reputable newspapers and magazines.

One day, though, she said, “Life’s too real for nonfiction. I’m gonna write about love and magic.”

Jen is happily living out her dream in The South with her husband and three children, striking that delicate balance between inspiration and frustration.

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 “I received a free copy of the book from the author/publisher for my honest opinion. I was in no way compensated for this review and all opinions are expressly my own”

Darkness Watching by Emma L. Adams Review

Darkness Watching

Dark World Series

Book #1

Emma L. Adams

Genre: New Adult Paranormal Fantasy, Urban Fantasy

Release Date: October 10, 2013

Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press

ISBN: 978-1620073629

ASIN: B00FQXND14

Pages: 207

Goodreads Rating:  3.87

My Rating: 4.5

Book Description:

Eighteen-year-old Ashlyn is one interview away from her future when she first sees the demons. She thinks she's losing her mind, but the truth is far more frightening: she can see into the Darkworld, the home of spirits– and the darkness is staring back.

Desperate to escape the demons, Ash accepts a place at a university in the small town of Blackstone, in the middle of nowhere - little knowing that it isn't coincidence that led her there but the pull of the Venantium, the sorcerers who maintain the barrier keeping demons from crossing from the Darkworld into our own world.

All-night parties, new friendships and a life without rules or limits are all part of the package of student life - but demons never give up, and their focus on Ash has attracted the attention of every sorcerer in the area. Ash is soon caught between her new life and a group of other students with a connection to the Darkworld, who could offer the answers she's looking for. The demons want something from her, and someone is determined to kill her before she can find out what it is.

In a world where darkness lurks beneath the surface, not everyone is what they appear to be...

My Take On The Book:

I’m not sure what I expected when reading this book but I do know that I really enjoyed it. It was an interesting mix of demons, magic and college life (Uni for the English). It was slightly reminiscent of my first review on this blog, a book titled “Dark Souls” by author Ketley Allison.

In this book you’re introduced to your main character Ashlyn ‘Ash’. I think I liked her originally solely based of her name. I grew to love her because of her spunk and ability to keep going even when she thought she was losing her mind. It also doesn’t hurt that her character loves books as much as I do ;)

The Great (Pros):

• Demonology. The demons and the story behind them were badass ‘nuff said. No but seriously I like all the thought put into the demons, their world and how they came to be in this world.

• Magic. Sucker fro a good story ith awesome magically elements and this title was no different. It was something that took over the whole story but the author gave you just enough to tease you pallet.

• Friendship. I liked the friendships in this book and how the author worked them into the story. You have a young woman who moves away for college and yet she still has a close friendship with her best friend and she forges some pretty awesome friendships with new people.

• Story and Romance. While there is a hint of the romance… this story is about a lot more than that so its not a huge focus. By doing this the author allows the development of the main character as something other that part of a twosome. There is no lide altering, mind blowing love just your run of the mill dating. Girl likes boy, boy likes girl and some flirting here and there.

• Unpredictability. At times you are 110% sure you know where the story is heading, but then you’re proved wrong and it kinda awesome. It’s a classic case, well not classic with all the demons running amok, but it is a case of ‘who done it’. I loved the mysetery of the story almost as much as the magic and demonology.

The Not So Great (Cons):

• Dating. There just isn’t enough of it lol. While I’m happy it was a paranormal read oozing with romance, I do with there was more happening on the dating front. Give us a bit more of the college life dating fun. You can keep it PG, I think I prefer it that way because the story is definitely strong enough without the promiscuity.

• Gaps. I felt like the story moved in an odd pace. I’m not exactly sure how describe it but it felt sort of dream like which might have been the goal but it completely threw me for a loop. The story flowed just fine but it felt jumbled somehow like we as the audience reading the story is Ash’s POV were missing something crucial.

 

4.5 Quills

As I stated before, it reminded me a lot of ‘Dark Souls’ by Ketley Allison so my recommendations is the same… A must have with writing  comparable to Jana Oliver ‘Demon Trapper Series’, Kim Harrison ‘The Hollows’ and Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie ‘Wicked Series’. Seriously its just that good. It’s a solid read that’s both mysteriously captivating and slightly haunting. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself feeling ‘watched’. I look forward to book 2.

About The Author 

Emma spent her childhood creating imaginary worlds to compensate for a disappointingly average reality, so it was probably inevitable that she ended up writing fantasy novels for children and young adults. She was born in Birmingham, UK, which she fled at the first opportunity to study English Literature at Lancaster University. In her three years at Lancaster, she hiked up mountains, skydived in Australia, and endured a traumatic episode involving a swarm of bees in the Costa Rican jungle. She also entertained her creative writing group and baffled her tutors by submitting strange fantasy tales featuring dragons and supernatural monsters to workshops. These included her first publication, a rather bleak dystopian piece, and a disturbing story about a homicidal duck (which she hopes will never see the light of day).

Now a reluctant graduate, Emma refuses to settle down and be normal. When not embarking on wild excursions, she edits and proofreads novels for various publishing houses and reads an insane number of books. At the age of 21, she signed a publishing contract with Curiosity Quills Press for the first book in her creepy urban fantasy Darkworld series. DARKNESS WATCHING was published in October 2013, and four more novels and a novella will follow. She chats about writing and other book-related things at her blog, From the Writer’s Nest, and looks forward to sharing more tales from the bizarre depths of her imagination.

Author Links:

Blog | Website | Twitter

Thanks for stopping by,

 “I received a free copy of the book from the author/publisher for my honest opinion. I was in no way compensated for this review and all opinions are expressly my own”

A Review of Discovery (Electi #1) by Brina Courtney

Dicovery

Electi Series

Book #1

Brina Courtney

Genre: NA Paranormal Fantasy

Release Date: October 21, 2013

Publisher: Laurelis Press 

ASIN: B00FXFESHS

Pages: 170

Word Count: About 45,520

Goodreads Rating: 3.45

My Rating: 3.5

Book Description:

Discoveries can be dangerous. Discoveries can be deadly. 

Nine months ago, Teagan Matthews' boyfriend disappeared and took her sense of stability with him. But when the opportunity to live with her aging grandmother in Salem arises, she decides it's time to get on with her life. A new home, new job, and new friends are adding up to a beautiful summer...

...until a young girl's body shows up one night in town, wearing a pentagram necklace exactly like Teagan's.

Now a guy looking remarkably like her missing boyfriend has arrived in Salem along with a mysterious stranger who may have some answers that Teagan has desperately been searching for. Teagan must now decide who to trust. It's a matter of life... and her death.

*This book was previously published as Summer in Salem. The book has gone through major re-edits and a changed plot line.* 

My Take On The Book:

This was genuinely a tough book for me to review for many reasons… I enjoyed the storyline and thought is was very unique. I liked many of the characters and their ‘story’ but there was a lot missing from this book. But a love for some characters isn’t enough to keep a person interested or invested. The most memorable characters in this book by far is the male love interest Seth and the new best friend Lark. I personally did not like Teagan or her personality. She reacted to situations in a way that I didn’t find to be believable at all. Which kept me from forging any type of bound. There was no emotional connection or a need to see her succeed. Even her heartbreaks didn’t affect me.

First off, the story, as I said earlier was unique and one I enjoyed but the writing style is what I didn’t like. It was written in first person, and as I mentioned before, that is a tricky thing to do but then the ‘voice’ changes and it’s even more muddled. The writing seemed too choppy and rushed and it took away from what could really make the story stand out. I felt like I was in a race to the finish line and I felt tired and winded half way through. A fast pace is good in certain aspects of certain books but not throughout the entirety.

Another thing about the story that threw me off was the lack of descriptions. As I reached, chapter 15 I realized that I could not immerse myself into the book as I hoped and I started evaluating why that was. Due to the choppiness and the pace, you just feel rushed and you have no time to really acclimate yourself to the story and its inhabitants.

Once again let me stress that the story and the idea behind it was really enjoyable, almost brilliant but the writing style is what threw me off. Also the timelines aren’t completely cohesive. For example, the synopsis mentions a man that appears to be a replica of her missing boyfriend and that he is accompanied by a dark mysterious stranger that hold all the answers to her questions and yet before the actual ‘meeting’ of Teagan and this mysterious stranger and look a like there is mention of him. Its confusing and indecisive.

After some searching, I came across the Goodreads page and noticed the note on the bottom of the description, which would explain so of the inconsistencies, I found while reading this but at the same time leaving me wondering why it was release if it was not ready so to speak. Plot changes are tricky subjects when dealing with published books and re publications, as many times you will find that the author does not re write the book in its entirety and just re writes certain aspects. Those types of rewrites are what lead to inconsistencies in books. Its my belief that this may be the case with this book. It’s a shame really because not only is the cover appealing but the synopsis had such promise, I just couldn’t get on board with it. In addition, keep in mind that because of these plot changes the book description isn’t 100% accurate and slightly misleading.

3.5 Quills

In truth, the storyline while a bit clichéd it what saved this book. I liked it but I’m not crazy about it and I probably wouldn’t pick up the next if it is part of a series (I know the first version was) as I didn’t really find it memorable. Personally from what I’ve read online I think I might enjoy the first version more ‘Summer in Salem’ even so, it might be more of my liking to Seth and the storyline that kept me reading.

About The Author 

Brina Courtney is a young adult author obsessed with chocolate, crime shows, and fantasy movies. She's spent the last few years as an elementary teacher and a high school cheering coach. She lives in a small town in Pennsylvania with her husband and two very loud, small dogs. 

Thanks for stopping by,

 “I received a free copy of the book from the author/publisher for my honest opinion. I was in no way compensated for this review and all opinions are expressly my own.”