Book Review: Majix: Notes from a Serious Teen Witch by Douglas Rees

Majix: Notes from a Serious Teen Witch Author: Douglas Rees
Released: July 2010
Publisher: Harlequin
Pages: 192
Target Age: Young Adult (my opinion is younger Young Adult)

Summary from Barnes and Noble:
My name is Kestrel.

Kestrel Murphy.

Never call me Susan.

Who ever heard of a witch named Susan?

A year ago, I was on the white-magic side. Lately, I've been leaning toward the black. I blame the universe. What's the point in being a nice little white witch in the universe I've got? If I could choose my own universe, I'd be a white witch in it. But black makes a lot more sense in this universe.

Not that I'm complaining. A witch never complains. But if I did, I'd have a lot to complain about. For instance: Richard Milhous Nixon High.

What's a teen witch to do when she's stuck in the most unmagical high school in the universe? Create her own "majix." Take notes. And above all, avoid nasty classmates, heartless grown-ups and boys who may prove a little too distracting for a serious teen witch to handle….

This was a very charming story for the most part. Kestral's father has a massive heart attack and he feels that he needs peace and quiet to recover. This means that Kestral has to go live with her father's sister. The same sister that her father doesn't even really like. That was very strange to me, as a parent I would never send my kids off to someone I didn't like or respect. Especially since Aunt Ariel is a witch and Kestral's father doesn't believe in witches or witch craft, only science. Being sent away makes Kestral pretty angry with her parents, which I totally understand. Kestral is sure that she will hate living with her Aunt and at first she does. However Aunt Ariel is an amazing woman and witch, and teaches Kestral that being a witch doesn't necessarily mean what everyone thinks it means. I loved the characters in this book. Jose and his family are so cool and I love how close they all are. Aunt Ariel is exactly what an aunt should be. I loved the whole law of attraction feel of this story as well. A very feel good book.

Douglas Rees is a librarian who resides in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is also the author of Grandy Thaxter's Helper, Uncle Pirate and Uncle Pirate to the Rescue, as well as two novels for older readers, Lightning Time and Vampire High. Visit him online at DouglasRees.com

I received a review copy of this book through NetGalley. I received no compensation to read or review it.

Interview with Emma Micheals Author of The Thirteeth Chime

Tonight I am super excited to bring you all my very first author interview with Emma Micheals. Emma's debut YA novel The Thirteenth Chime is scheduled to be released on Friday August 13th.
Shari~ Tell us about Emma Michaels. What makes you tick? What gets your creative juices flowing when you sit down to write?

Emma~ Chocolate! It is both my reward and guilty pleasure *laughs* Actually, I am a very firm career and goal-oriented person. I want to one day get on the "New York Times Bestsellers List" and to stay at the top for as long as I can! Almost anything inspirational can get my creative juices flowing from a devotional to a piece of music that touches my heart in the right way. I love to write and I use every opportunity I can get.


Shari~ What made you want to be an author or who inspired you to want to be an author?

Emma~ Tamora Pierce. Meeting her changed my life with books and I have loved them ever since I read the first page of her novel "In the Hand of the Goddess".

Shari~ How would you describe The Thirteenth Chime?

Emma~ Here is a fun teaser:

No one knew of its existence until it was removed from the attic upstairs.

In a beautiful house that overlooks the sea, an antique clock has the power to change the course of their lives.

The power the clock resonates will not only force Destiny and ex-boyfriend David on a journey into the depths of one man's mind long dead, but into the mind of a man filled with hatred and bent on revenge.


With the only clues to the nature of the clock having disappeared into the sea, Destiny and David must retrace the steps the man had taken into the darkness, before they fall prey to the trap he had set in motion over half a century ago.


Hatred never dies.


Shari~ Can you tell us a little about what motivated you to write The Thirteenth Chime, what was your inspiration for this story?

Emma~ I had several inspirations for the book. The state I live in is absolutely beautiful and it is full of inspiration for me every day. Here, you can lose yourself in a rain forest one day and then hike up a mountain the next, or sail around an island and then travel through the desert. I came here two years ago and I have fallen in love with this land. It is my hope that I will be able to touch the hearts of others through my writing the same way this amazing area has touched my heart.

Shari~ Can you give us any information about the main characters without giving anything away?

Emma~ Yes, I can share with you a bit about the main characters. David is currently working as an EMT while pursuing his masters. Destiny, his ex-girlfriend, is finishing up her final year of college and decided to take up her roommate Stephanie on her offer for a vacation on the West Coast. It is there that the story of "The Thirteenth Chime" takes place, and where a trap that was set in motion almost fifty years ago will be lying in wait for them.

Shari~Will this book complete the story or will there be sequel?

Emma~ This book can tell the complete story, or it can become only a chapter in a series of stories. It is my hope that potential fans will come to love the events within "The Thirteenth Chime" enough that they will want to read more. I can promise any readers who want more I will definitely deliver!


Shari~ What do you think makes The Thirteenth Chime different or exciting compared to the other Young Adult novels out there right now?

Emma~ Currently, there is no other story like "The Thirteenth Chime" out on the market. It is a new, original idea that I am very proud to be able to offer as my debut novel. It is a story that is suitable for YA or adults, and yet brings out all the suspense and emotions that any reader could desire.

Shari~ What made you decide to write a Young Adult novel versus an Adult novel?

Emma~ I fell in love with the genre years ago through books like Tamora Pierce's "In the Hand of the Goddess" and it helped me while I was very sick. It is my wish to be able to help others as I was helped through writing.

Shari~ Will you be touring or making any appearances that you would like us to know about?

Emma~ I'll be sure to keep you updated on my schedule. Check on my website periodically for new updates! I am having an amazing blog tour set up for me by Harmony from Harmony's Radiant Reads which you can find more information on in the third tab over at my blog:
http://EmmaMichaels.Blogspot.com

Emma, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to grant me this interview. I know I am anxiously awaiting Friday the 13th for the first time in a long time!

Thank you for having me Shari and I would just like to say to everyone reading, thank you so much for your support and to everyone who has been helping me spread the word. It means the world to me and together, we can make my dream of getting onto the top 100 New York Times Bestsellers list a reality!!!!

Good Luck Emma!! Best wishes for a hugely successful novel!

Book Review: Shadow of the Vampire by Meagan Hatfield

Shadow of the Vampire Author: Meagan Hatfield
Released: July 2010
Pages: 361
Publisher: Harlequin
Target Age: Adult

Summary from Barnes & Noble:

Vampire princess Alexia Feodorovna has been undead for 125 years, so it's been a while since any man has made her pulse race. Until Declan Black. One look at his bronzed body and a fire like no other consumes her. Then she discovers that he's a dragon lord come to take revenge on the vamps who killed his parents. And claim a crystal said to imbue its owner with incredible powers.

Alexia is ordered to torture and kill the dragon lord. Yet with each reckless encounter, she finds herself consumed by his fiery passion. A passion Declan battles, as well. Will he be able to resist the fire of lust she kindles within him and keep revenge in his heart? Or will he risk everything to quench the burning desire and claim the vampire as his own?

Meagan Hatfield writes a steamy novel! By page 25 things were heating up in the steamy department. While I really enjoyed the spark between Alexia and Declan, I was a tiny bit confused about what was going on sometimes. However, by the time I finished the book a lot of the issues I was confused about were explained and the book ended with me feeling much more informed on the politics of the whole Vampire/Dragon shifter's past. I think I would have loved this book if there had been a little more about what had been going on with these two very different clans. I felt that we really got to know and care about the Dragon shifters and I was very much in love with them and rooting for everything to work out in their favor. The vampire's that we were introduced to were mostly soldiers or insane, power hungry, evil vampires. Maybe that is why I was rooting for the dragon shifters! I am keeping my fingers crossed for another novel, because there was definitely another story line brewing toward the end of Shadow of the Vampire. Whoa~ I just saw that a novella called Dragon Warrior was released that actually gave background information to Shadow of the Vampire. Oh! if only I had known about this novella. My advice is READ Shadow of the Vampire but I'm thinking maybe you should read Dragon Warrior first, I'll be reading it to see if I think that I would have been a little less confused which would have made my experience top notch. I'll let you know.

I was sent a review copy of this book through NetGalley and Harlequin. I received no compensation to read or review it.

Waiting On Wednesday (8/4/2010)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we are anxiously awaiting. This week I've found this book that looks oh so intriguing. What do ya think?

Crusade
Author: Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie
Being released: September 7, 2010
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Target Age: 14 & up
Summary from Simon & Schuster: The ultimate battle. The ultimate love.

For the past two years, Jenn has lived and trained at Spain's Sacred Heart Academy Against the Cursed Ones. She is among the few who have pledged to defend humanity or die trying. But the vampires are gaining power, and the battle has only just begun.
Forced to return home after death takes a member of her family, Jenn discovers that San Francisco is now a vampire strong-hold. As a lone hunter apart from her team, Jenn is isolated—and at risk. She craves the company of her fighting partner, Antonio: his protection, his reassurance, his touch. But a relationship with Antonio comes with its own dangers, and the more they share of themselves, the more Jenn stands to lose.
Then Jenn is betrayed by one who was once bound to protect her, causing her to doubt all she had held as true. To survive, Jenn must find the courage to trust herself—and her heart.

Told you it sounded good. What are you waiting for?

Book Review: Dead Is A State Of Mind by Marlene Perez

Dead Is A State Of Mind (Dead Is Series)
Author: Marlene Perez
Released: January 2009
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Pages: 192
Target Age: Young Adult
Summary from Barnes and Noble
Welcome to Nightshade, California—a small town full of secrets. It’s home to the psychic Giordano sisters, who have a way of getting mixed up in mysteries. During their investigations, they run across everything from pom-pom- shaking vampires to shape-shifting boyfriends to a clue-spewing jukebox. With their psychic powers and some sisterly support, they can crack any case!There’s a gorgeous new guy at Nightshade High: Duke Sherrad, a fortune-teller claiming to have descended from Gypsies. Even though she’s psychic herself, Daisy is skeptical of Duke’s powers. But when a teacher who was the subject of one of his predictions ends up dead, she begins to wonder if Duke is the real deal after all. Maybe if Daisy can track down the teacher’s killer, she can find out the truth. The only trouble is, all signs point to the murderer being of the furry persuasion. Is Daisy any match for a werewolf? Maybe she is . . . in more ways than she bargained for!

I really enjoyed the first book in this series(Dead Is The New Black) and was anxious to move onto the second and I'm so glad I did. This series so far has just been a lot of fun to read. Daisy is such a great teenager to read about mostly because, for the most part she acts like a teenager. Duke Sherrad shows up at Nightshade High and instantly sets his sights on Daisy. This definitely causes some teenage male jealousy for Ryan, Daisy's best friend gone boyfriend. Of course Daisy is feeling more and more insecure about her relationship with Ryan because he has been very secretive lately. Plus prom is coming up quick and Ryan still hasn't asked Daisy to go with him or mentioned it at all. Now throw in a ghost disrupting the Council meetings and a new murderous werewolf in town and you've got another great Dead Is novel. I checked this book out from my fabulous local library and received no compensation for my glowing report of this book. If you've read Dead Is A State Of Mind let me know what you thought.