Meet the author: Susan Gregg Gilmore

Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen and The Improper Life of Bezellia Grove are two highly entertaining books written by Susan Gregg Gilmore, an author born in Nashville. You can feel her love of the South from within the pages of her books. She wrote for The Los Angeles Times, The Christian Science Monitor and the Chattanooga News-Free Press and others before finding her home in fiction.

How long have you been writing?
Wow. I can't remember when I wasn't writing. But I always wanted to be a journalist not a novelist. And that's what I did for many years. I wrote for newspapers including The Los Angeles Times and the Christian Science Monitor.

What inspired you to write your first book?
Do you want the honest answer or one that makes me look like an inspired artist wanting to pusher her craft to new places?? OK, honestly, I wrote a big long article for a newspaper that took months to research and then was paid $450.00. I looked at my husband and said, "I gotta find a new gig." I tried a few other things first - screenplay writing among them - but then literally fell, kicking and screaming into fiction. 50 pages into my first novel I realized I was doing what I was meant to do. I had finally found my place!

What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?
When I finished the first one, I thought it would be the happiest day of my life. That lasted for about a minute. Then I grew very sad. I really missed all the characters in Ringgold, GA. They had become so real to me that I felt as though they had left behind to live on my own. I really really missed them and was not prepared for that. Simply put, I was homesick!

Are any of the things in your books based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?
Sure. Some things are rooted in real life experiences. Particularly in Dairy Queen and some in Bezellia. Bezellia was more about me trying to come to terms with a period in our country's history and my own personal history that had left me feeling very sad. I was not unaware of racial inequality growing up in the South. Far from it. But moving back home after 30 years and seeing some of the same issues, well, I had to deal with it in my own way, telling a story.

Which of your characters do you relate to most and why?
Hmm. Probably Bezellia. I think she was a girl who always wanted to do the right thing but sometimes didn't have the courage to shout it from the mountaintops, so to speak. As a young girl, she really felt the most familiar to me. Funny thing, both Catherine Grace and Bezellia have a younger sister. I am the youngest with two older sisters and one older brother. Maybe in these books, I finally wanted to have the voice to boss somebody else around!

What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I love to take long, long walks with my husband ( like 10 - 18 miles long) and I love hanging out with my daughters. They've totally gotten me into playing Bananagrams so we usually have a match before or after supper.

If your real life as a teenager was a Young Adult book, what would you, the main character, be like?
I'd be a girl who dreamed big but was sometimes afraid to take a chance. More specifically, I'd be the Coca-cola drinking, hot-french-fry eating, pimply-faced girl who buys every dead plant at the school fair because she feels it's her responsibility to take them home and nurse them back to life.

What book have you read too many times to count? and why is it a favorite?
I am far from the first to say this but, To Kill a Mockingbird, because Scout has a spirit about her that I would have loved to have called my own. I also love that about Ellen Foster.

What is the best piece of writing advice you ever received?
READ! As much as you can. Read what you like, read the masters, read it all! And do not be afraid to rewrite - it really is the best part - that's when your words will begin to sing!

A special thank you to Susan Gregg Gilmore for taking the time to answer these questions.


To learn more about Susan Gregg Gilmore, visit her website. Also, follow her on Twitter and Facebook.
You can also read this interview on Examiner

Book Review: The Survivors by Amanda Havard

Genre: Young Adult (Paranormal Romance)

The Blurb:

In 1692, when witch trials gripped the community of Salem, Massachusetts, twenty-six children were accused as witches, exiled, and left for dead. Fourteen of them survived. The Survivors is the first installment of the tantalizing tales of the fourteen ill-fated Survivors and their descendants, who have been content in hiding for over three centuries. Isolated on a Montana mountainside, only Sadie, the rogue daughter, dares to abandon the family's sacred hiding place. But no matter how far Sadie runs, something always pulls her back. On a muggy summer night in Tennessee, she witnesses a shocking scene that will change her life forever. It is the first in a sequence of events that will drag her from the human world she's sought to belong to for over a century and send her back to her Puritanical family and into an uncertain future filled with cunning witches, mysterious nosferatu shape-shifters, dangerous eretica and vieczy vampires, millennia-old mythology, and the search for her own mortality. After all... HOW DO YOU KILL A SURVIVOR? The Survivors will steal your heart and invade your mind. Fall into the pages of Sadie's life, a world so frighteningly similar to your own, you'll find yourself wanting to go to the Montana mountains to find the Survivors for yourself. And it is only the beginning.

My Review:
The Survivors is the intriguing first book in what will be a series of five by Nashville author, Amanda Havard. The Survivors begins with twenty-six children accused of being witches in 1692 Salem, Massachusetts. The children were left to die in the middle of winter. Fourteen of them survived. Three centuries later, Sadie Matthau runs away from their isolated Montana community. During a late night run, she sees something so startling it changes everything she thought she knew and leads her on a route of self-discovery, meeting various paranormal creatures along the way, and maybe even finding love.

The Survivors blends mythology, history, and fiction so well, you will find yourself doing research of your own to find out what is real and what came from the mind of the author. I found the book to be highly original and was introduced to some creatures I had never heard of before. It is a fast read. As one chapter ends, you can't help but to keep reading so you know what will happen next.

Check out my reviews of  Book 2: Point of Origin & Book 3: Body & Blood 

 

Amanda Havard entwines fashion, social networking, travel, and even music into her storytelling as well. She co-wrote the first single and theme song from book one of the THE SURVIVORS Series with Deanna Walker. The song, "Pretty Girl", is performed by Chris Mann. Be sure to check it out at Amanda Havard's You Tube page.

The second single,"Breaking", was released this morning. "Breaking" was performed by Jess Moskaluk and written by Amanda Havard and Deanna Walker as well.You can also view this at Amanda Havard's You Tube page. Both songs can be purchased from iTunes.
The next installment of The Survivors is expected in Spring of 2012. Fans can pass the time waiting by visiting their favorite characters on Facebook. You can read updates from Sadie Matthau, Corrina Meyer Williams, Ginny Winter, Mark Winter & Everett Winter on their very own Facebook pages. It doesn't stop there. You can also find many of them tweeting back and forth on Twitter as well, using the same names they use in the book.

About the Author:

Amanda Havard thinks in stories. She writes books and songs, tells stories to people over coffee or in elaborate iPad apps, in short films or subtle photographs. Stories are her life. THE SURVIVORS: BODY & BLOOD is her third novel, and is an amalgamation of all of her storytelling love combined. Originally from Dallas, Texas, she now lives in Nashville, Tennessee, a place where creativity drips from the sap of the trees, radiates from the attitude of the population, and seeps from the concrete. The inventor of the Immersedition™ interactive book app, Havard is always looking for the next best story-- and the most innovative way to tell it. Check out my interview with Amanda Havard!

To learn more about Amanda Havard and her books, visit her website.You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, and Twitter.

Source: I won a paperback copy of this book through Bookies.

Meet the author: Amanda Havard

Amanda Havard is the amazing new author of THE SURVIVORS. THE SURVIVORS is the unforgettable first in what will be a series of five books. The novel follows Sadie Matthau who is descended from what was originally twenty-six children, accused of witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts. These children were left in the wilderness to die in the cold of winter in 1692, but fourteen survived.

Havard grew up in Dallas, Texas before moving to Nashville to obtain her Bachelor's and Master's degrees from Vanderbilt University. She wrote THE SURVIVORS in twenty-seven days during grad school. Havard recently returned home to Nashville after another trip to explore and research Salem as well as Danvers in Massachusetts. I'm very thankful that she took the time to answer a few questions about herself and her highly addictive series.

How long have you been writing?
I've been writing forever. I've made up stories with elaborate details and told them to anyone who would listen since before I could write those stories down. Storytelling is in my blood. THE SURVIVORS is my first published book, though.

What inspired you to write your first book?
I actually wrote a book before THE SURVIVORS that will likely never see the light of day. I was inspired to write it, though, because I wanted to play with the idea of twisting reality in just the right number of ways to make a crazy story. It was a fantastic exercise in immersing myself in a story world, creating characters who were so real that they were sometimes harder to love than they were to hate, and in interweaving plot elements in a way I can promise you'll see in the rest of the series of THE SURVIVORS.

When you first started writing The Survivors, did you plan for it to be a series?
Definitely. The very night I got the idea for THE SURVIVORS, I knew it would be a series, and I knew roughly how it would end. By the time I was done writing the first book, I had the outlines for the next four complete.

Can you tell us a little something about the sequel?
The sequel is totally amped up in comparison to the first book. The stakes are higher for Sadie as she leaves the first book-- she's facing a lot of uncertainties and yet a lot of certain dangers. People are getting hurt and she feels responsible, and this time, when she goes traveling the world seeking the stories of other supernaturals, she has a lot more to lose. I was thrilled to be able to incorporate a lot more history and some new elements of mythology into the story as well. And at least one person asks me this every day, so I can say confidently that there's a lot more of our human love interest, Cole. I'm thrilled to be able to share it with everyone!

Which of your characters do you relate to most and why?
I relate to all of my characters in some way, even the villains. I did create them all... But in reality, each character embodies a major or several major characteristics that I embody too, even in tiny increments. My humor and attitude are probably most like Mark's, but my life is strangely similar to Sadie's in some ways. But I don't have a single character in my books whose eyes I can't look through and recognize parts of myself.

What is a secret about Sadie that nobody else knows?
What a question! Let's see... I think Sadie thinks of things in a really black-and-white sense, and so every experience she has defines her in an exaggerated way. A great example of this: the first time she had a human boyfriend, Todd, she expected a certain kind of magic (like we all do). When that magic didn't come, I think a little part of Sadie stopped believing that that magic even existed. It doesn't seem like it, and she pretty much never talks about it in the books, but I think that time she spent with Todd before we ever met her in the pages of THE SURVIVORS really affected her in a way she may never totally recover from.

If your real life as a teenager was a Young Adult book, what would you, the main character, be like?
Like many teenagers, my teenage life was full of uncertainty. I have a strong, even unwavering sense of self now, but when I was 15, I didn't know myself from Adam. The main character would ask a lot of questions, make a lot of mistakes, and fumble through realizing a little bit more about herself with each step-- and misstep.

What book have you read too many times to count?
The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

What is the best piece of writing advice you ever received?
Write what you know.

Amanda Havard entwines fashion, social networking, travel, and even music into her storytelling. She co-wrote the first single and theme song from book one of the THE SURVIVORS Series with Deanna Walker. The song, "Pretty Girl", is performed by Chris Mann. Be sure to check it out at Amanda Havard's You Tube page.


The second single,"Breaking", was released this morning. "Breaking" was performed by Jess Moskaluk and written by Amanda Havard and Deanna Walker as well.You can also view this at Amanda Havard's You Tube page. Both songs can be purchased from iTunes.

Book Review: The Survivors by Amanda Havard


You can learn more about Amanda Havard's astonishing series and purchase "THE SURVIVORS" through her website. Also, follow the series on Twitter and Facebook.

You can also read this interview on Examiner

Meet the author: D. Apodaca

D. Apodaca (now known as E.M. Jade) is the author of Captivated, An Affliction Novel. It's a story of love, secrets, and vampires. I'm not talking about the innocent vampires next door that are so popular these days either. After reading 'Captivated', I was eager to learn more about what this new, talented author had in store for us, and she kindly agreed to an interview.

How long have you been writing?
Three LONG years! Well, it took me two years to write 'Captivated' and another year of revisions.

What inspired you to write your first book?
I read a series and thought the ending was crap, so I decided to write my own story that I would be happy with. Plus, I don't like the vampires that are out there today...I want them to burn in the sun like the good ol' days.

When you first started writing Captivated, did you plan for it to be a series?
Yes, I had a scene pop in my mind (the ending) and from that, I knew there had to be more.

What can you tell us about the sequel?
It's going to be fun! And emotional. Poor Dean has his struggles and he has his friends to help him through it. (I'm trying not to give too much away...lol)

Which of your characters do you relate to most and why?
Well, I relate most to a new character that comes in the second book. She says everything I want to say out loud. Like when someone is standing so close to you in line that you can feel them breathing on your neck...this character says what we all want to say out loud, but never do. She's fun and daring. I'd give you her name, but nothing I've come up with seems to suit her right now.

What is a secret about Dean that nobody else knows?
He's actually a fun guy....when he's happy. He can joke around, smile, and can be a softy sometimes.

If your real life as a teenager was a Young Adult book, what would you, the main character, be like?
That's a tough one. Ummm... I don't know, I think I would still be me. Sarcastic, talkative, scared to go near drugs. I would have gone out more, that's for sure. The only time I went out was to go to my friend’s house to work out. My answer isn't all that great, but it's all I could come up with. Sorry!

What book have you read too many times to count?
None, I have so many books on my 'to be read' pile. With kids, a husband, crafts, and writing...I don't even have time to read as much as I'd like. But if I could, I would read Hush Hush or The Nighthuntress Novels by Jeanine Frost.

What is the best piece of writing advice you ever received?
To believe that your characters are real and they will become real to everyone else. They're so real to me, that I see them playing out the story in my head. I just can't type fast enough! I thought there would only be three books, but they won't let the story end. Now I have five playing in my mind. I can't wait!

I can't wait either! Thank you for taking time out of your crazy schedule to answer some questions.


If you haven't read her amazing book yet, check out my review of Captivated, An Affliction Novel.
You can learn more about D. Apodaca (now known as E.M. Jade) and where to purchase her books from her website.

Book Review: Passion by Lauren Kate

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Romance

Passion is the third book in the Fallen series by New York Times Bestselling Author, Lauren Kate. Luce uses announcers to travel through time in search of a way to break the curse and learn the depth of her love with Daniel. Though he always manages to be a step behind, Daniel chases after her, afraid she might change the past. One wrong move could destroy them both.

I started reading Passion with the impression it would be a prequel to Fallen and maybe show us how Luce and Daniel fell in love from the very beginning. In one sense, it was a prequel in that we get to watch Luce and Daniel fall in love in many different time periods through history. At the same time, it wasn't your typical prequel either, because present day Luce and Daniel were still the main characters. I enjoyed traveling through time and meeting the different versions of Luce and Daniel though. Some versions of the Luce of the past were very different from the Luce we have all grown to love in the first two books in the series. The book also offers a tiny taste of Cam's history as well. You will be able to understand why he is the way he is just a little bit better.

Ultimately, I had many expectations and questions already in my head before starting this book. Upon finishing it, I don't feel like many expectations were met and my questions certainly weren't answered. There are many things that don't add up or simply don't make sense to the story. However, there is a fourth book on the way. I enjoyed the previous two books in the Fallen series, Fallen and Torment. I hope with the release of Rapture in 2012, all lose ends will be brought together nicely.

To read more about this series and the author, visit the Lauren Kate Website.

Check out my reviews of other books in this series & by this author!

Meet the author: Daniele Lanzarotta

Daniele Lanzarotta is the author of the Young Adult series, Imprinted Souls. She also wrote the newly released, Wide Awake: Academy of the Fallen. She was kind enough to take some time away from working on Blood Bound, the fourth novel in the Imprinted Souls series, to answer a few questions.

How long have you been writing?
I really started taking writing seriously in 2008 when I wrote Imprinted Souls, but if you count short stories written just for myself… I would say for as long as I can remember!

What inspired you to write your first book?
Other YA novels were definitely an inspiration. I got lured into the paranormal world and once I started working on Imprinted Souls I could not stop. Not long after that, my own characters became a major part of my inspiration. I’m way too attached to my fictional people. *laughs *

When you wrote Imprinted Souls, did you plan for it to be a series?
Not when I first had the idea, but from the moment I started writing it, yes. I got attached to the characters right away, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to let them go anytime soon. I guess I will just always be a ‘serial writer’, but I truly believe that character development is crucial to any story. Being attached to the characters just makes the writing so much more fun!

Which of your characters do you relate to most and why?
*Laughs * I always get the feeling that this answer will make me sound bad, but… it is Nicholas. Yeah, I know… he has a bad reputation, so let me explain... I have Nicholas’ sense of humor and sarcasm. I also have this thing with speaking whatever is on my mind.

What is a secret about Nicholas that nobody else knows?
Let’s see… one secret about Nicholas… He just has so many! *Laughs * Clearly he is hiding a lot, and there is a lot more to him than it seems, but I promise you will get the answer to this question in Blood Bound, the fourth book in the Imprinted Souls Series.

If your real life as a teenager was a Young Adult book, what would you, the main character, be like?
Wow. I definitely have never been asked this question before. I think I would be a mix of many main characters that are out there at the moment. Let’s see… I would be the girl who gets along with everyone… plays sports even though she hates it *laughs *, is a member of school clubs, has crush on the bad boy, dates best friend for like a week, but then goes back to being friends… you know… the usual stuff.

What book have you read too many times to count?
Well… If you see my TBR list you will understand why I only read books once. *laughs* Usually I have a pretty good memory too. I guess you could say that the books that I have read too many times to count are my own, but that is what happens when revisions start.

What is the best piece of writing advice you ever received?
To not worry about writing the chapters in order. I know a lot of authors follow an outline and write chapter by chapter, but truth is, there are days when you are in the mood to work with certain characters. I also tend to write the final chapters and then go back to the beginning. Just write what you feel like writing at the moment, and then it is just a matter of putting the pieces together.
You can learn more about Daniele Lanzarotta and where to purchase her books at her website and blog.

Also, you can follow her on Twitter as well as like her fan pages, Imprinted Souls Series and Academy of the Fallen on Facebook.

Book Review: I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

 Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction

I Am Number Four revolves around Number Four, who we know as John Smith, and Henri, his guardian called a Cepan, who are from the planet Lorien. Lorien was taken over by another alien race called, Mogadorians, that used up all of their own planet’s resources. John is Number Four out of nine who escaped their planet with their Cepans. John and Henri have moved from place to place hiding from the Mogadorians who knew of their escape. In the town of Paradise, Ohio, John finds love, friendship, and doesn’t want to leave, but will his legacies (special powers) develop in time to help him fight against the Mogadorians?

The story was entertaining even though highly predictable. I would like to have seen more development of the characters through the story. I found myself adding personality to them as I read. There was enough action to keep you turning the pages, and will probably look great as a movie which I plan on seeing very soon.
The story doesn’t just stop with the book itself. I Am Number Four is written under the name Pittacus Lore. “Pittacus Lore” is an Elder from Lorien who has stayed hidden on Earth while preparing for war.
I Am Number Four is book one in what is expected to be a series of six books. Book two is called the Power of Six and from the book summary it appears to be told from the point of view of Number Seven, who we have not yet met in book one. Fans will be excited to know they can learn about what Number Six has been doing and where she has been before she meets John in stores later this month with the release of I Am Number Four: The Lost Files: Six’s Legacy.

To read more about this series and the author, visit the Pittacus Lore website.

Book Review: Captivated (An Affliction Novel) by D. Apodaca

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Romance

Captivated is the first Affliction novel written by D. Apodaca (now known as E.M. Jade). This book definitely does not follow the current trend of friendly vampires. Captivated revolves around Mindy and Dean, who were childhood best friends until a catastrophe happens causing Dean to withdraw from Mindy and everyone else around him. As time goes by, Mindy meets new friends and moves on with her life. Marcus, Mindy's new best friend, plays a large role in the story after he witnesses Dean murder two people behind a club. He tries to figure out exactly what is going on by following Dean around. Mindy doesn't know what to believe especially since it seems the bodies have disappeared and she is starting to fall in love with Dean. They are about to embark on something that will change all their lives forever.

Once you see the beautiful cover art for this book, you won't be able to ignore it. It is not at all misleading. You will indeed be captivated. The story combines humor with romance and suspense. There are moments you will be on the edge of your seat clutching the book because you can't read it fast enough. The ending is completely unexpected, and for those of us who are less then patient, we will be in agony waiting for the next book to be released.

You can learn more about D. Apodaca (now known as E.M. Jade) and where to purchase her books from her website.

Book Review: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Genre: Young Adult (Dystopian)

In my opinion, a book is only as good as its ending which can either make or break a book, or in this case, a series. Mockingjay is the kind of book that makes you wonder how the whole story can be wrapped up in just one final little book. There is so much going on and so many twists and turns on the adventure that is reading this trilogy. While reading, it seemed like a fourth book would be inevitable. I felt a smorgasbord of emotions that literally left me in a daze after finishing it. To give a single detail might accidentally reaveal a spoiler to those who have not read the previous two books yet. Needless to say, Suzanne Collins has outdone herself once again! A fourth book was just wishful thinking on my part because the ending left me with a good taste in my mouth right down to very the last line.

Visit Suzanne Collins' website to learn more about the author and this amazing trilogy.

Book Review: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

 Genre: Young Adult (Dystopian)

The Hunger Games was the first book in the trilogy of the same name written by Suzanne Collins. It was followed by Catching Fire, which takes a little more time to get the action started. Once the plot takes off, it very similar to The Hunger Games. In reading it, you can see that it is clearly setting you up for the last book in the trilogy. Like many other books out there, this trilogy does include a love triangle, but it's refreshingly different in that you are not consumed by love story alone. There are so many other issues to be dealt with, and they are all meticulously woven together into a book that ends with the kind of cliffhanger that makes you run to a bookstore at eleven o'clock at night to get Mockingjay.

Visit Suzanne Collins' website to learn more about the author and this amazing trilogy.

Authors Cassie Clare, Holly Black, Sarah Dessen Dish On Favorite Dystopian Novels

Just because some of our favorite YA authors write about shadowhunters, curse workers and everyday girls (and not survivalist teens battling in a wilderness arena) doesn't mean they haven't jumped on the dystopian bandwagon. As part of our final Dystopian Week proceedings, we asked a few non-dystopian writers to weigh in with their favorites from the genre.



"Absolute favorite dystopian books... I love 'Shipbreaker' by Paolo Bacigalupi and his adult book, which is called 'The Windup Girl,' said "Mortal Instruments" author Cassie Clare. "I've been enjoying 'The Hunger Games.' I've been enjoying the new batch of YA dystopian that's been coming out. I think it's kind of a fun thing to see. I really enjoyed 'Wither' by Lauren DeStefano and 'Matched' by Ally Condie. And the really classic dystopians. It's really a look back at early sci-fi. I think 'City' by Clifford Simak and books like that... I really like 'Uglies' by Scott Westerfeld, it's one of the ones that tops my list."

Good friend and book tour mate Holly Black (author of the "Curse Workers" series), also appreciated a few of the classics but had a yet-to-be-released book to recommend, in addition. "Well, I certainly love the classics. Your '1984,' your 'Brave New World,' your 'Lord of the Flies,'" she said. "Actually, 'Beauty Queens' by Libba Bray, which is coming out in May [24], is this great—imagine if 'Lord of the Flies' was told with ladies who were beauty queens. It's absolutely fantastic and a shade into dystopian."

Sarah Dessen, whose latest "What Happened to Goodbye" comes out May 10, admitted that she isn't a huge dystopian buff, but she did have one great read to recommend. "Megan McCafferty’s new book, 'Bumped,' it’s crazy," she said. "It’s kind of a mix of 'Teen Mom' and this weird dystopian society. Girls have become incredibly valued because they’re the only ones who can have babies. It sounds so crazy, but it’s this cutting satire and incredibly funny but also—I’m surprised that people aren’t already protesting it in some way too. I’m just kind of waiting to see how it’s going to go down as far as school districts and everything. It’s a really interesting book, so I’d say that is my pick if I’m stepping outside of my comfort zone to something that’s very unlike what I’m doing."

And then there's "Hush, Hush" author Becca Fitzpatrick, who seems to have gotten her hands on every hot YA dystopian read. "I read the 'Hunger Games' series—well I haven't read the last book, 'Mockingjay.' I don't know if I want to. I want it to end on a happy note, and I've heard rumors that it's not the happiest of endings. I don't know if I can handle it right now. And 'Matched,' by Ally Condie, I've read that one. That was really good, because it wasn't what I was suspecting. It wasn't this loud novel full of action and suspense. It was very quiet, but at the same time chilling. I really loved 'Matched.' I just started 'Delirium.'

Phew! Lots of amazing book recs. What are you waiting for? Get reading!

Which of these novels will you be picking up?

SOURCE

Book Review: City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

Genre: Young Adult (Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy)

City of Fallen Angels is the fourth novel in The New York Times Bestselling series, The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare. City of Fallen Angels is a book of new beginnings. Simon is learning the ropes of his new life as a vampire. Since he is a Daywalker, Shadowhunters and Downworlders alike want him on their side pulling him in different directions. Clary is training to be a Shadowhunter. Lastly, Jace and Clary can finally have a relationship. Of course, all is not well for long once members of the Circle are mysteriously murdered.
After enjoying the previous three books in this series, this one was a very disappointing read. The wit, humor, and action that is loved about this series was noticeably absent from City of Fallen Angels. It seemed the writing was forced, and left me wishing the series would have ended as a trilogy like it was originally planned. Should this keep you from reading the book? No, many others have enjoyed it. Plus, we can look forward to City of Lost Souls set to be released May 1, 1012 and City of Heavenly Fire set to be released September 1, 2013. Hopefully, City of Fallen Angels was just a small bump in the road on the way to enjoying more wonderful books by Cassandra Clare in the Mortal Instruments series.
Check out another series by Cassandra Clare called: The Infernal Devices.
Visit The Mortal Instruments website to learn more about the series and the upcoming books.

Check out my reviews of a few other books in this series!

Have you read the Infernal Devices Series yet? I LOVED this trilogy! Check out my reviews!


Don't Forget The Dark Artifices!

Book Review: Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Romance

Nightshade is the intriguing debut novel by International bestselling author, Andrea Cremer. It is the first book in the Nightshade series. Calla is a shape shifting Alpha wolf who has known since she was a child that she is destined to be the mate of Ren, another Alpha. Calla represents a strong female whose dedication to her pack and family is unwavering. After saving the life of a human boy, she triggers events and emotions that make her question things she has known her whole life.

The character building was much like meeting people in real life. As the story unfolds, I felt like I was really getting to know the main characters. Different aspects of their personalities are gradually revealed throughout the story. Just like in real life, first impressions may not always be correct.
The twists and turns in this book, kept me reading chapter after chapter very quickly. Thankfully, there are two more books set to be written in this series plus a companion novel. The next book, Wolfsbane, is scheduled to be released July 26th of this year. I am anxious to read the rest of this series.

Read Nightshade and ready for the next book? Check out my review of Wolfsbane!

Visit Andrea Cremer's website and blog to learn more about the author and her upcoming books. You can also find her on Twitter and Tumblr.