YA Adventure

Learning IT’S A WONDERFUL DEATH–Review & Giveaway

its a wonderful death tour banner final
Hi there! Today I’m sharing my review for a contemporary YA adventure from Sarah J Schmitt that’s just in time for Halloween. IT’S A WONDERFUL DEATH is a cross between Mean Girls, Defending your Life, A Christmas Carol, and It’s a Wonderful Life. I did enjoy this wild ride of one miscollected soul.

Drop down and make sure to enter the big Prize Pack giveaway.

its a wonderful death bigAbout the book:
Seventeen-year-old RJ always gets what she wants. So when her soul is accidentally collected by a distracted Grim Reaper, somebody in the afterlife better figure out a way to send her back from the dead or heads will roll. But in her quest for mortality, she becomes a pawn in a power struggle between an overzealous archangel and Death Himself. The tribunal presents her with two options: she can remain in the lobby, where souls wait to be processed, until her original lifeline expires, or she can replay three moments in her life in an effort to make choices that will result in a future deemed worthy of being saved. It sounds like a no-brainer. She’ll take a walk down memory lane. How hard can changing her future be?

But with each changing moment, RJ’s life begins to unravel, until this self-proclaimed queen bee is a social pariah. She begins to wonder if walking among the living is worth it if she has to spend the next sixty years as an outcast. Too quickly, RJ finds herself back in limbo, her time on Earth once again up for debate.

RJ is a snarky, unapologetic, almost unredeemable, very real girl. Her story is funny and moving, and teens will easily connect with her plight. Prepare to meet the Grim Reaper, who’s cuter than you’d expect; Hawaiian shirt–wearing Death Himself; Saint Peter (who likes to play Cornhole); and Al, the handler for the three-headed hound that guards the gates of Hell. This cast of characters accompanies RJ through her time in the afterlife and will do their best to gently shove her in the right direction.

My Review:
Mean girl RJ is in the wrong place at the wrong time. She’s getting her fortune told at a Halloween carnival when the gnarled gypsy tosses her at the Grim Reaper. Gideon can’t undo the damage now that he’s collected RJ’s soul–even if it’s a mistake. She has no choice but to ascend to the Lobby with him. There, she watches as group after group of souls called to Judgement. She encounters a fellow soul unwilling to advance, Sandy, who’s awaiting her beloved James to arrive. Throughout, RJ is professing her frustration over being miscollected–and being a bit of a diva over it. Naturally, as RJ is a diva over everything.

She raises, in this case, holy hell, and it leads to an unprecedented Tribunal of angels who must decide if RJ’s worth the trouble of unraveling time to re-insert her into her timeline. And, honestly, the verdict is no. She’s been a nasty, mean, lying, conniving wretch of a girl–all in the pursuit of popularity. Her two Guardian angels help to plead her case, that she’s young a redeemable, but it is Death Himself who arranges a series of tests–to verify if RJ would make the right choices given the chance. She has spirit guides from her own life (ala A Christmas Carol) leading her back to three key times when RJ departed from a good path.

RJ is quite a character. She is unashamedly self-centered and made many, many wrong choices with her life, but she is adamant that she’ll do better. And, in many ways she does. The bulk of the book is her arguing her case to all and sundry, begging to be heard. And, even when she is heard, those in charge will likely not do as she wishes. Why should they, after all? She is not a worthy soul, in their opinion. And, they’re right. But this tough girl makes even her Grams proud as she meets and exceeds Death Himself’s challenges.

I will admit to being frustrated by the ending. I wanted so much for RJ to live the life I pictured for her, and sadly it’s not the case. That said, this was a fantastic redemption tale with a very human, and believable, main character. Her journey was quite a wild ride, and how she made amends was thoroughly believable. For all the Heaven and Hell parts of this book, it’s not preachy and it’s not churchy. Again, like A Christmas Carol, RJ must ponder the parts of her life that went wrong. She has to overcome her Mean Girls training and fight for the right to live a better life than the one she was collected from. I adored how the angels were honest. Brutally honest. RJ is little more than a pest, in their view. Turning back time is a huge undertaking–and opens the gates for other souls to complain that their time should not have been up. Oh, the legalities of final Judgement!

Interested? You can find IT’S A WONDERFUL DEATH on Goodreads and Amazon

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Early Praise for It’s A Wonderful Death
“Fun, Funny and Full of Life” – Kirkus Review

“A snarky joyride of a book with a deep moral core; long after you’ve finished laughing, you’ll still be thinking about RJ’s journey and perhaps asking yourself: What defines a life well lived?” – Mike Mullin, author of Ashfall

“It’s a Wonderful Death is a wonderful gem.  Both snarky and uplifting, it sneaks inside you and makes you smile and cry at the same time.”
-Sarah Beth Durst, award-winning author of Vessel and Drink, Slay, Love 

“It’s A Wonderful Death is a great mix of mirth, myth and metaphysics; I enjoyed it greatly and I’m certain that YA readers will as well.”
– Daniel Waters, author of Generation Dead

“Mean Girls meets A Christmas Carol! Smart, sassy, and humorously original with clever world-building and a host of interesting characters, It’s a Wonderful Death will have you laughing out loud and rooting for RJ from the first page!”
– Amalie Howard, best-selling author of Bloodspell

“Just the kind of story I love — full of snark, heart, and contemplation about the meaning of life! It’s a Wonderful Death will get you thinking about what you want to leave behind and how you want to live until then.”
– Kristen Lippert-Martin, author of Tabula Rasa

“RJ’s witty narrative had me both laughing out loud and weeping into the pages. It’s a Wonderful Death is a delightful read that questions the butterfly effect of choices made…and unmade.”
– Danielle L. Jensen, author of Stolen Songbird

“You know a story’s going to be good when Death shows up as a surfer! I loved every bit of this funny and heartwarming tale of second chances.”
-Lisa Maxwell, author of Sweet Unrest

Sarah J. SchmittAbout the Author
Sarah J. Schmitt is a K-8 school librarian and Youth Service Professional for Teens at a public library who, in addition to planning a variety of events, enjoys opening up the world of books to reluctant readers. She runs a teen writing program that combines Skype visits from well-known authors and screenwriters and critique group style feedback.

Prior to immersing herself in the world of the written word, Sarah earned her Masters of Science in Higher Education Administration and Student Affairs from Indiana University where she worked with first year college students as they acclimated to college life. Sarah lives outside of Indianapolis with her husband, two kidlets and a cat who might actually be a secret agent. She is an active member of SCBWI, ALA and the Indiana Library Federation and is a regular participant at the Midwest Writer’s Workshop. Her debut novel, IT’S A WONDERFUL DEATH, is newly released from Sky Pony Press.

You can find Sarah online on her website, Goodreads, Twitter, and Facebook.

Happy Book Birthday to THE FOXGLOVE KILLINGS! Excerpt and Giveaway

foxglove killings blitz bannerHi there! Today I’m sharing in the release day blitz for Tara Kelly’s YA suspense novel THE FOXGLOVE KILLINGS. This one looks fascinatingly creepy. Don’t forget to pop down and enter the giveaway.

foxglove coverAbout the book:
Gramps always said that when the crickets were quiet, something bad was coming. And the crickets have been as silent as the dead. It started with the murdered deer in the playground with the unmistakable purple of a foxglove in its mouth. But in the dying boondock town of Emerald Cove, life goes on.

I work at Gramps’s diner, and the cakes―the entitled rich kids who vacation here―make our lives hell. My best friend, Alex Pace, is the one person who gets me. Only Alex has changed. He’s almost like a stranger now. I can’t figure it out…or why I’m having distinctly more-than-friend feelings for him. Ones I shouldn’t be having.

Then one of the cakes disappears.

When she turns up murdered, a foxglove in her mouth, a rumor goes around that Alex was the last person seen with her—and everyone but me believes it. Well, everyone except my worst enemy, Jenika Shaw. When Alex goes missing, it’s up to us to prove his innocence and uncover the true killer. But the truth will shatter everything I’ve ever known about myself—and Alex.

How about a little taste?

Alex saw it first.

We were cutting through Neahkahnie Park, the morning sun warm on our backs. I was telling him we should take his grandpa’s El Camino SS and drive down the coast to California for the summer.

“He left that car to you,” I said. “You know he did.” I reached over to muss his light brown hair. It always stood straight up afterward, as if he’d been electrocuted.

“We can’t, Nova. I—” He stopped walking, his eyes widening at the playground.

Clumps of fur blew across the grass, like the cotton blooms did in July. I didn’t think it was real at first. Some kid’s stuffed animal, maybe.

But the stench was unmistakable. I’d practically been raised in my grandpa’s diner. I knew the smell of meat past its prime. Raw. Metallic. Even a little sweet.

A deer’s carcass was a twisted heap in the playground, its legs jutting out like winter branches. Bits of flesh, ranging in color from pink to dark red, were strewn across the wood chips. The head of the deer sat on the middle bucket swing. A misty film covered its eyes, and its mouth was open, as if it were gasping for air.

My stomach muscles began to knot.

I saw a dog get hit by a semi once. The scene replayed in my mind for months. The thud of the impact, the way he’d yelped. The last second of that dog’s life seemed to echo forever.

This was worse. Someone planned this. Put it on display, like it was entertainment.

“What the hell…” Alex said, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Don’t look.”

Alex had been on an animal-saving crusade since birth. He’d tried to bring a rabbit back to life the day I met him.

In fifth grade he’d called the police on his neighbor for yelling at her cat.

This wasn’t something he could handle. Especially not now.

“There’s nothing you can do,” I said, the words slipping out automatically.

“I know. I’m not nine anymore.” He glanced down at his busted Vans. Years of skateboarding had turned them from black to gray.

“I didn’t mean it like that.”

“Yeah, you did.” He held my gaze this time. His eyes looked almost yellow in dull light. Usually they were green.

I knew whatever came out of my mouth wouldn’t be the right thing to say. He’d been so weird since his grandpa died last month. Happy one minute. Pissed off the next. Sometimes he didn’t talk at all.

I slowly moved toward the deer, wishing I could ignore its vacant eyes, the drone of the flies pecking at its belly. My gramps used to clean up crime scenes back in the day. He swore by downing a few dozen peppermint Tic Tacs, claiming it obliterated his sense of smell. He was also a chain smoker…

A handful of mints wouldn’t take this image out of my head. Nothing would.

“We should call someone,” Alex said behind me.

Neither of us had a cell phone. He couldn’t afford one, and my mom thought they caused brain cancer.

I held my breath, trying not to gag. If I wanted to be a detective one day, this was the crazy shit I’d be dealing with. Too bad I’d inherited my mom’s weak stomach.

Something bright purple sat on top of the deer’s limp tongue. Darker spots peppered the inside, like a rash.

As I leaned closer, I realized it was a wilted foxglove. Or deadmen’s bells, as Mom called them. They were bell-shaped flowers that grew all over coastal Oregon. When I was little, she told me not to eat them or I’d end up like Sleeping Beauty. I used to think they belonged to the fairies. The evil ones, anyway.

A chill swept across my skin, the kind that came from inside.

Click here to continue reading Chapter 1!

Interested? You can find THE FOXGLOVE KILLINGS on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo Books.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on the Rafflecopter link for your chance to win one of three prize packs from Tara Kelly!
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Good luck and keep reading my friends!

foxglove authorAbout the Author:

Tara Kelly adores variety in her life. She’s an author, one-girl-band, graphic designer, editor, and photographer. She lives in Sin City with her beloved guitars, sound design master husband, and a fluffy cat named Maestro.

Find Tara online on her website, Goodreads, and Twitter, and Facebook.

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New Dangers in THE DUALITY BRIDGE–Review & Giveaway

Singularity 2
Hi there! Today I’m so excited to share my review for THE DUALITY BRIDGE, a YA sci-fi book about artificial intelligence and the quest for immortality from a fave author Susan Kaye Quinn. This is the second book in a series, and you should read THE LEGACY HUMAN first. Don’t forget to scroll down and enter the $25 GC giveaway.

Duality BridgeAbout the book:
What does it mean to be human? Elijah Brighton is the face of the Human Resistance Movement. He’s the Olympic-level painter who refused an offer of immortality from the ascenders—the human/machine hybrids who run the world—in solidarity with the legacy humans who will never get a chance to live forever.

Too bad it’s all a complicated web of lies. Worse, Eli’s not even entirely human. Few know about the ascenders’ genetic experiments that left him… different. Fewer know about the unearthly fugue state that creates his transcendent art—as well as a bridge that lets him speak to the dead. But the Resistance is the one place he can hide from the ascender who knows everything the fugue can do. Because if Marcus finds him, he’ll either use Eli for his own nefarious purposes… or destroy him once and for all.

The Duality Bridge is the second book in the Singularity series and the sequel to The Legacy Human. This thrilling new young adult science fiction series explores the intersection of mind, body, and soul in a post-Singularity world.

How about a tiny taste?

Delphina is watching me from outside the holo matrix… along with Kamali, whose wide brown eyes hold silent judgment for the things she thinks I’ve done. Forbidden things, like being a love toy for my ex-patron and current-rebel-ascender, Lenora. Who happens to be standing right next to her. While Kamali’s graceful dancer body is hidden under the black military garb of the resistance, Lenora’s perfect bodyform is barely covered in scintillating ascender-tech fabric. The thing is, I’ve never so much as kissed Lenora. Except in my dreams, which really shouldn’t count against me. Any seventeen-year-old guy would have those kinds of thoughts. But the truth is Kamali’s not wrong to judge me.

My feelings for Lenora have always been… complicated.

My Review:
This series of books takes place in a future Earth where humanity is the minority of the population and the Ascenders are humans who long ago put their knowledge and consciousness into a computer matrix called Orion. They exist in artificial bodyforms are are essentially immortal–replacing parts but not awareness over the years. Eli is a legacy human, part of a cultivated population comprised of the progeny of people who chose not to ascend over a hundred years ago. He has earned a modest living as an artist due to the payments of his Ascender patron Lenora, but his true goal was to win Ascendance at the Olympics that just ended. His goal was two-fold: he would be ascender and could pursue Lenora, for whom he always pined, and his mother, who is sick with lymphoma and unable to be cured with the limited medicines humans are allowed to take, would also ascend and she would be cured in the process.

In the previous book, THE LEGACY HUMAN, Eli’s plans did not succeed. And, he has learned that his humanity–which he ofttimes cursed–is not complete. Lenora had a hand in Eli’s conception, with a number of other Ascenders who were hoping to determine if Ascenders in fact had souls. Eli has fits, fugues, where he loses his active consciousness and sees scenes that may be future or past. He paints within these fugue-states creating art that is transcendent, but he now realizes that his visions in the fugue are far more than art–they are communion with Orion, outside of Ascendency.

Eli is a poster child for the Human Resistance, factions of humans who want Ascendency to be a right, not a privilege to “win” but, at the moment, Eli isn’t a believer in their cause. He isn’t human, but his sick mother is–and the rebels are willing to cure his mother for his cooperation. Unfortunately, their camp is compromised and Eli is singled out as a security risk. Eli and his friend Kamali (a human girl he’d like to actually date) fight to save the captured members of their camp, while also keeping Eli’s secret. It’s getting harder and harder to keep his genetic origins secret, however, especially as they are captured by human True Believers–God worshippers in the darkest sense–and other Ascenders, including Marcus, who believe Eli’s origin to be a mistake that needs to be rectified.

The plot takes amazing twists, between the harsh reality of human life in New Portland and the surreal nature of Eli’s fugues which are becoming more frequent and more detailed. Eli’s able to discern the true nature of all creatures he meets in the fugue, and his fears over some are more warranted than others. He’s also forced to make alliances that do not best suit him, in order to save the people he loves–sacrificing himself is not a viable option for his protectors and friends, however.

I really enjoyed the detailed world-building and the depth of the plot, which (naturally) features a character bent on world domination. Shame this character has such close ties to Eli. The characters within the story are fantastically crafted, with real motives and drives that cause alliances that are not always permanent. The secondary characters, Kamali, Cyrus, Lenora, Marcus and others, have true roles to play in Eli’s journey. The resolution of this novel is sufficient to remove any cliffhangers, but readers know there is more of the story to come. Can’t wait!

Interested? You can find THE DUALITY BRIDGE on Goodreads and Amazon.

legacy human
The Legacy Human by Susan Kay Quinn

What would you give to live forever? Seventeen-year-old Elijah Brighton wants to become an ascender—a post-Singularity human/machine hybrid—after all, they’re smarter, more enlightened, more compassionate, and above all, achingly beautiful. But Eli is a legacy human, preserved and cherished for his unaltered genetic code, just like the rainforest he paints. When a fugue state possesses him and creates great art, Eli miraculously lands a sponsor for the creative Olympics. If he could just master the fugue, he could take the gold and win the right to ascend, bringing everything he’s yearned for within reach… including his beautiful ascender patron. But once Eli arrives at the Games, he finds the ascenders are playing games of their own. Everything he knows about the ascenders and the legacies they keep starts to unravel… until he’s running for his life and wondering who he truly is.

The Legacy Human is the first in Susan Kaye Quinn’s new young adult science fiction series that explores the intersection of mind, body, and soul in a post-Singularity world… and how technology will challenge us to remember what it means to be human.
You can find my review for the THE LEGACY HUMAN here and pick up the book on Amazon.

Praise for The Legacy Human:
“This book is Hunger Games (without the violence or controversy) meets Divergent.”
“This story is so intense I felt I couldn’t get a proper breath.”
“Science fiction with philosophical depth!”

$25 Blog Tour giveaway

$25 Blog Tour Giveaway

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win a $25 Amazon eGift Card or Paypal Cash.
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(Ends 9/6/15. Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com eGift Card or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.)
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

SusanAuthor Susan Kay Quinn
Susan Kaye Quinn is the author of the Singularity Series, the bestselling Mindjack Trilogy, and the Debt Collector serial, as well as other speculative fiction novels and short stories. Her work has appeared in the Synchronic anthology, the Telepath Chronicles, the AI Chronicles, and has been optioned for Virtual Reality by Immersive Entertainment. Former rocket scientist, now she invents mind powers, dabbles in steampunk, and dreams of the Singularity. Mostly she sits around in her PJs in awe that she gets to write full time.

Website * Facebook * Twitter

She Is THE OCCASIONAL DIAMOND THIEF–Review and Giveaway

Hi there! Today I’m sharing in the blog tour of JA McLachlan’s THE OCCASIONAL DIAMOND THIEF. This YA SciFi adventure is a well-written tale about a girl who makes the best of the worst in her life–her lack of family and love. You can check out other stops on the tour here for even more good stuff including excerpts, reviews, vlogs and author and character insights. Make sure to drop down and get in on the giveaway!

The Occasional Diamond ThiefAbout the Book:
What if you learned your father was a thief? Would you follow in his footsteps, learn his “trade”? If you were the only one who knew, would you keep his secret?

When 16-yr-old Kia is training to be a universal translator, she is co-opted into traveling as a translator to Malem. This is the last place in the universe that Kia wants to be—it’s the planet where her father caught the terrible illness that killed him—but it’s also where he got the magnificent diamond that only she knows about. Kia is convinced he stole it, as it is illegal for any off-worlder to possess a Malemese diamond.

Using her skill in languages – and another skill she picked up, the skill of picking locks – Kia unravels the secret of the mysterious gem and learns what she must do to set things right: return the diamond to its original owner.

But how will she find out who that is when no one can know that she, an off-worlder, has a Malemese diamond? Can she trust the new friends she’s made on Malem, especially handsome but mysterious 17-year-old Jumal, to help her? And will she solve the puzzle in time to save Agatha, the last person she would have expected to become her closest friend?

Kia is quirky, with an ironic sense of humor, and a loner. Her sidekick, Agatha, is hopeless in languages and naive to the point of idiocy in Kia’s opinion, but possesses the wisdom and compassion Kia needs.

My Review:
This an interesting SciFi YA adventure, and I loved that it features a MC of color. The worldbuilding is cool, too. Kia is a native of the dry arid planet Saffara. He father owns a tradeship, and has mastered many languages in his role as captain, but he’s been ill since he returned form a far-flung rescue mission to Melam, twelve years ago. In his fever dreams he speaks Melamese, and Kia learns this language in order to help her father–only it has the opposite effect: hearing the language makes him distraught and on his death bed he confesses the location of a rare treasure–a Melamese diamond he is forbidden to possess. On Melam the diamonds are a personal treasure, passed only to an infant from his/her parents. An Off-worlder caught with one would be executed.

Kia believes her father stole this diamond, and she begins to “steal” other jewelry to pawn for money to go to language school. She is determined to get the heck away from her emotionally-distant mother, but ends up stealing more in order to provide for her mom when a medical emergency arises–which puts Kia smack into the grasp of the religious Order of Universal Benevolence. Agatha, a Select of the OUB, is a confidante and peacemaker of this intergalactic organization, one charged with brokering and assisting peace. She is also trained to seek the truth in all situations.

Agatha encounters Kia in the midst of a theft, and encourages her…to make more benevolent choices. Still, it is Kia who is chosen to accompany Agatha to Melam, site of her father’s illness and the planet where she will undoubtedly be killed if they discover her father’s Melamese diamond. Oh, and the Melamese are supremely distrustful of Off-worlders ever since factions from a neighboring planet deliberately unleashed a virus that decimated their population–the same virus that afflicted Kia’s father.

Melam is a cold, wet, gray world–nothing like sunny Saffara–and Kia never plans to stay with Agatha when they arrive. I really enjoyed the banter between Agatha and Kia. Agatha’s a bumbling language learner, and Kia’s desperate not to be killed by her faulty phrasing. Observing the Friday afternoon Justice on their second day on Melam–including a mutilation for theft and a beheading for treason–Kia is even MORE freaked out. But the queen has taken notice of her, and the High Priest has taken notice of the the queen’s notice. Yep. We got a classic power struggle on Melam.

While Agatha seeks to guide the Melamese past their grief, Kia is the girl in the middle–and often in the middle of a cozy cell. She does manage to make some important friends who help her get free, and Kia directs the bulk of the action, which was great. She’s not the most likable character, but she is honest…for a thief. Her skills as a safecraker/lock picker come in handy quite often especially while saving sick children, and the daring Agatha.

The pace of the book was a bit slow, at first, but really picked up steam as the ship landed on Melam and both Agatha and Kia were embroiled in the political stew. There are elements of a romance, but no love story. Expect double-crossing priests, courageous Melamese, a bitter queen, and a stalwart Select whose skill at interplanetary relations far outshines her fluency in Melamese. Kia was great, and I did enjoy her. She is comfortable in her outsider role, yet broke through and made lasting connections to people who believe she matters. The story ends, but it’s clear the door is open to another Kia-Agatha buddy tale.

Interested? You can find THE OCCASIONAL DIAMOND THIEF on Goodreads and Amazon. EDGE Publishing has a Thank You gift for anyone who buys the print version of the book. If they send an email to events@hadespublications.com with their Amazon receipt, they will receive a copy of a short story that features Kia.

More praise for The Occasional Diamond Thief by J. A. McLachlan
“J. A. McLachlan is a terrific writer — wry and witty, with a keen eye for detail. I’ve been following her work with interest and delight since 2003. In a world where young-adult fiction is booming, The Occasional Diamond Thief propels McLachlan to the front of the pack.”
— Robert J. Sawyer, Hugo Award-winning author of FlashForward

“The story is full of humor, danger, fun, and adventure. This is Science Fiction anyone would love.” — J. Jones, VINE VOICE

“Flawless–The Occasional Diamond Thief was one of those rare stories where I found myself hanging onto every word. McLachlan delivers a fast-paced, unpredictable story with perfectly-executed twists. Descriptions were succinct and epigrammatic with no room for boredom. It felt so real, it was almost like being in the theater with a surprise treat at the end. Much like the theater, once the credits have started to roll and the crowd starts to thin, there was a snippet at the end that you do not want to miss.” — BittenbyBooks.com

“Loved it! I haven’t read a heroine I loved this much since Katniss Everdeen. McLachlan’s Kia is smart, tough and hilarious, and pairing her with serene, forgiving Agatha left me laughing long after I finished the story. The settings were vivid, the plot raced along, and the themes kept me turning pages. McLachlan combines her love of science fiction, ethics and good, old-fashioned storytelling in The Occasional Diamond Thief, and the results couldn’t be better. I loved every page.” — < b>Amanda Darling, Screenwriter

“J. A. McLachlan is a remarkable creator of worlds, a remarkable creator of character, a master of suspense. In short, a remarkable storyteller. You don’t have to be a young adult to love this book.” –
– Sheryl Loeffler, Writer, A Land in the Storytelling Sea

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win a $10 Amazon giftcard.
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Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Author

J. A. McLachlan was born in Toronto, Canada. She is the author of a short story collection, CONNECTIONS, and two College textbooks on Professional Ethics. But speculative fiction is her first love, a genre she has been reading all her life, and The Occasional Diamond Thief is her second in that genre, a young adult science fiction novel, published by EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing. After over a decade as a college teacher, she is happy to work from home as a full-time author now.

You can find Jane online on her website,  Goodreads, twitter, and Facebook.

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Cephalopod Coffeehouse March 2015–MY BEST EVERYTHING

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Hi there! Welcome one and all to the Cephalopod Coffeehouse, a cozy gathering of book lovers, meeting to discuss their thoughts regarding the tomes they enjoyed most over the previous month. Pull up a chair, order your cappuccino and join in the fun.

As part of the Coffeehouse I’m obligated to share the best book I read this month. And this time it’s a YA adventure/romance newly released from Sarah Tomp.

My Best EverythingAbout the book:
“You say it was all meant to be. You and me. The way we met. Our secrets in the woods. Even the way it all exploded. It was simply a matter of fate.

Maybe if you were here to tell me again, to explain it one more time, then maybe I wouldn’t feel so uncertain. But I’m going back to the beginning on my own. To see what happened and why.”

Luisa “Lulu” Mendez has just finished her final year of high school in a small Virginia town, determined to move on and leave her job at the local junkyard behind. So when her father loses her college tuition money, Lulu needs a new ticket out.

Desperate for funds, she cooks up the (definitely illegal) plan to make and sell moonshine with her friends, Roni and Bucky. Quickly realizing they’re out of their depth, Lulu turns to Mason: a local boy who’s always seemed like a dead end. As Mason guides Lulu through the secret world of moonshine, it looks like her plan might actually work. But can she leave town before she loses everything – including her heart?

The summer walks the line between toxic and intoxicating. My Best Everything is Lulu’s letter to Mason – though is it an apology, a good-bye, or a love letter?

My Review:
This is an excellent coming-of-age YA story that is light on the romance and heavy on the message.

At first I was struck by the narration. The MC, Lulu Mendez, addresses a “you” in her constant speech. At first I wasn’t sure if I’d fallen into that elusive “2nd Person” narrative, but I quickly recognized the book is written as if it’s a letter, or communication, to another character in the book, Mason Malone. This immediately upped the tension for me, because it was clear that here was a separation between Lulu and Mason, but I didn’t know if that separation was distance or death. I will say that this question is raised on the first page and answered on the last page, and it boiled in my brain for all the pages between.

Lulu is a smart girl, living in Dale, a tiny town in the rural mountainous area of southwest Virginia. Dale is a place of hillbillies, hicks and moonshiners and Lulu cannot wait to escape it. It has long been her plan, and she has just the summer to endure before she moves to sunny San Diego for college. Lulu has always been the straight-laced good girl, avoiding drugs, drinking and boys, but she intends to cut loose a bit with her BFF, Roni, and Bucky–Roni’s boyfriend and Lulu’s good friend, too. Lulu has far bigger dreams than Roni (who wants to get married to Bucky) and Bucky (who wants to stay in Dale despite his college scholarship, he’s not ready for marriage like Roni however). Trouble is, college costs money, and Lulu’s dad has just dropped the bomb that his business is struggling and he can’t afford her tuition. She is outraged and sullen and desperate, as a result.

Lulu and Roni work at a local junkyard, and when a confiscated still turns up, it sparks an idea that is just crazy enough to work. Moonshining is a lucrative, yet dangerous and illegal, activity. Lulu, Roni and Bucky could all use money, but they can’t work a still–they have no experience of these things. Mason Malone, however, does.

Mason is the youngest of the Malone boys–and his family is known for its moonshine. Thing is, at 21, Mason is out of the family business. He’s a recovering alcoholic and can’t even bear to be around alcohol, let alone make it. Lulu is persuasive, and not in a bad way. She proposes that Mason help them set everything up, and that she, Roni and Bucky will manage the rest. Thing is, Mason’s been moonshining his whole life but for the past two years of his sobriety. His family, a collection of serious and functional alcoholics, no longer trust him, and pretty much have shunned him. He is rebuilding his lif, taking odd jobs and attending AA meetings. He makes furniture and does carpentry on the side. He does not associate with drunks–including his own family–ever.

He agrees to assist, knowing that it will be more than he can bear, also knowing he will do anything to help Lulu escape Dale, VA. As one can imagine, three teens and Mason making moonshine in the backwoods of VA, this goes more than haywire. Moonshine is made, sold, stolen, exploded and destroyed. Money is made, and plans resurrected and blown to kingdom come. The relationships that were so central at the beginning of the story become strained and reformed. Lulu and Mason have a precarious romance that can’t even cross the border to West Virginia on account of Lulu being 17 and Mason knowing he can’t take a minor over state lines. Mason’s very much aware of the legalities of life, and the moonshine business. With all his family connections, Mason is able set up buyers for their product, but this is a very slippery business–it brings out the ire of his scorned family, for one.

The language in this book is outstanding. I truly felt as if I was coasting down the Bottoms on a raft, and hiking through a midge-filled forest to stir the mash in Aunt Jezebel, the still. The characters leap off the page, from Mason’s quiet grace, to Lulu’s agoraphobic mother, to sassy Roni who finds a path she never fathomed in her high school imaginings. Lulu is a faithful narrator, and her insight is slightly self-deprecating. She acknowledges her faults and tries to atone for them, with explosive results.

And, as I mentioned at the beginning, the final page reveals the whereabouts of Mason, recipient of Lulu’s love and apologies and musings. It all ends on a high note, though this not a typical Happily Ever After. It is a mostly innocent book (expect an off the page issue with contraception) with nothing more than making out between our characters for the readers to see. There are lots of moral questions posed, and answered, and a whole lot of growing up being done. A solid teen read.

Interested? You can find MY BEST EVERYTHING on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.

Thanks for popping in, and don’t hesitate to check out my fellow bloggers on the Coffeehouse. I find lots of new reads this way!

1. With Every Letter 2. mainewords
3. Stephanie Faris, Author 4. Two Square Dogs
5. WOMEN: WE SHALL OVERCOME 6. The Armchair Squid
7. Trisha @ WORD STUFF 8. StrangePegs — The Scarlet Plague
9. V’s Reads 10. StrangePegs — Assholes (a theory)
11. A Creative Exercise 12. StrangePegs — Living with a Wild God
13. Wishbone Soup Cures Everything 14. StrangePegs — the curious incident of the dog…
15. StrangePegs — Lyon’s Legacy 16. Life Before the Hereafter

The Spy Life Is All WAISTCOATS & WEAPONRY-A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for Gail Carriger’s third Finishing School novel, WAISTCOATS & WEAPONRY. I just adore this steampunk world! I have read and enjoyed both Etiquette & Espionage and Curtsies & Conspiracies, which tended to be more “tween” in tone. With this third installment the storyline has taken a decidedly YA turn. Yay!

Waistcoats & Weaponry (Finishing School, #3)About the book:
Sophronia continues second year finishing school in style — with a steel-bladed fan secreted in the folds of her ball gown. She, best friend Dimity, sweet sootie Soap, and charming Lord Felix Mersey stow away on train to return classmate Sidheag to her werewolf pack in Scotland. No one suspects what or who would be aboard the suspiciously empty train.

My Review:
This is the third book in the YA steampunk Finishing School series. It is best to read these books in order.

World note: the story takes place in a steampunk setting, in 1850’s England, where vampire and werewolves are a part of society.

Sophronia is a 16 y/o student at Mlle. Geraldine’s Finishing Academy for Young Ladies–which is in truth a training school for female spies. This year, Sophronia’s education includes lessons in seduction…

“Seduction in its purest form is a never-ending acquisition of knowledge about another individual. Every male is a new challenge, every occasion warrants a different approach Take the greatest of care when applying these techniques, for they can be more dangerous than actual weaponry.”

The girls all straightened. Lady Linette’s lessons were always interesting, but seduction was supposed to be the best. What young lady didn’t want to know how to manipulate a man? This was what finishing school was all about!

Sophronia has a BF, Dimity who is more interested in a normal life after school, but Sophronia knows she has several options in front of her. She has an unknown (but she suspects royal) patron who pays her schooling. Plus, she receives regular gifts from a rogue vampire Lord Akeldama high in London society. She has a bosom friend in Lady Kingair “Sidheag” whose family is a pack of werewolves in Scotland.

It is when Sidheag receives notice that her beloved pack is in disarray and her great-great-grandfather has challenged for Alpha of a London pack, that life goes wonky. Sidheag flees to London to intercept Lord Kingair accompanied by the werewolf arms training teacher, Captain Niall–which will absolutely ruin Sidheag.

Meanwhile, Sophronia and Dimity are released from school to attend the engagement ball of Sophronia’s brother. Who also has garnered invitations? Dimity’s brother Pillover, and Felix– Lord Mersey–both of whom attend the companion school, Bunson’s School for Evil Geniuses. Pillover isn’t much of a fan of Felix, and neither is Sophronia’s (inappropriately close) acquaintance Soap. Soap is a black boy who works as a sootie at Mlle Geraldine’s, tending the boilers and boys who also work below decks.

It seems that Soap and Felix have a bit of a tendresse for Sophronia, thought Sophronia’s of mixed opinion on them. She knows Soap is an unsuitable mate; he has no family, and even worse prospects. But Felix, despite being son of an Earl, is also allied with the Picklemen–a secret society which despises the supernaturals in society and wishes to control communication across the nation. As a friend to Sidheag, and receiving aid from a vampire, Sophronia is not opposed to the supernatural, and the Picklem tried to kill her and Dimity in previous books, so she’s decidedly against Picklemen.

Felix, on the other hand…

And then he was bending down, looking as if he might actually kiss her–in the back of an open cart!

Turns out that this love triangle intensifies as Soap stows away to keep Sophronia from falling into Felix’s affection. Pillover settles this rather succinctly:

He addressed Soap, “Although I respect the courage of a man who wears satin breeches THAT tight, but in the end you’ll have to cede to Lord Mersey. He’s too much of a peer, you understand? And a bit of a prick, as well.”

Interruption of the engagement ball by Sidheag and two werewolves is almost a welcome distraction. Especially when all the mechanicals of the house go absolutely bonkers. Sophronia, Dimity, Sidheag, Felix and Soap depart to bring Sidheag to Scotland, so she can help her uncles in the pack who are likely to be slaughtered now that they have no Alpha and are accused of treason. The ladies dress as boys (scandalous!) to ease travel, and stowaway aboard a train. The trip is entirely eventful.

There are two gunshot victims, two vampire drones tossed over, and three females trained for espionage who pretty much save the day. Felix is “rescued” by his father, the Duke and upstanding Picklemen, but not before declaring himself…

“Ouch, darling, must you be so rough?”
“Just stoppering up your silly mouth.”
“I know a better way.” He pursed his lips at her.

Soap isn’t quite as lucky. Though he does live to see another day.

This series is a hoot, for real. I love the wit, and the banter. It’s truly fun, and the new advent of more teen-speak is welcome. Sophronia’s world is one of strict social mores, but what does one do when confronted by a naked aristocratic werewolf in all his hairy…dangly, glory?

How on earth was Dimity going to react to dangly bits? Will she faint? She’ll probably faint.

Spoiler alert: She didn’t faint.

Still, the book ends with the love triangle slightly bent, Sophronia with a direct patron, and a lot of ‘splainin’ for Felix, Lord Mersey. Can’t wait to find out more…

Interested? You can find WAISTCOATS & WEAPONRY on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and your library shelves.

Gail Carriger
About the Author:
Ms. Carriger writes steampunk urbane fantasy comedies of manners to cope with being raised in obscurity by an expatriate Brit and an incurable curmudgeon. She escaped small town life and inadvertently acquired several degrees in Higher Learning. She then traveled the historic cities of Europe, subsisting entirely on biscuits secreted in her handbag. She now resides in the Colonies, surrounded by a harem of shoes, where she insists on tea imported directly from London and cats that pee into toilets. Her books are all New York Times Bestsellers.

You can find her on her website, Goodreads and twitter. Gail has a fun newsletter the Monthly Chirrup, and you can sign up here.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

Hard Life For a SEEKER–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for the first book in a planned YA fantasy series. SEEKER, by Arwen Elys Dayton, is an interesting look at mystical power and the people who can wield it, but I’m not sure I’d recommend it.

Seeker (Seeker, #1)About the Book:

Quin Kincaid has been put through years of brutal training for what she thinks is the noble purpose of becoming a revered ‘Seeker’.

Only when it’s too late does she discover she will be using her new-found knowledge and training to become an assassin. Quin’s new role will take her around the globe, from a remote estate in Scotland to a bustling, futuristic Hong Kong where the past she thought she had escaped will finally catch up with her.

My Review:

The blurb indicates this is Quin’s story, but the POV is actually that of four teen-ish characters: Quin, John, Shinobu and Maud. Quin, John and Shinobu are all training to be Seekers, while Maud is a Dread. In this world are some futuristic weapons and old artifacts, most importantly the athame, a stone dagger which directs navigation through space.

The apprentice Seekers are told their role is to be defenders of humanity, but this is not the case under the current trainer: Briac, Quin’s father. Briac is a mercenary who uses his power to kill for pay. John already knows this–Briac had attacked his own mother years ago and stolen his family’s athame. It is John’s sworn duty to get it back.

Briac holds John apart in the training, however, neglecting to complete it. John is banished, and urges Quin to run away with him, as they are a clandestine couple. Quin won’t; she believes in her noble purpose as a Seeker and is elated to proceed and learn to work the athame, as is Shinobu–until they discover they will be compelled into murder-for-hire. There’s a whole lotta angst, what with being an assassin at age 15…

Maud is a different creature than a Seeker. As a Dread she is to oversee the Seekers, and make sure they use the athame for the good of humankind. She had been trained (for centuries) by her master, but he is resting between planes and his apprentice is overseeing her–with extreme brutality. She can help the fledgling Seekers, but isn’t sure if she should.

John returns to claim his athame, leaving Quin’s home and family in tatters and bleeding. The rest of the book is a chase through the space of their world for John to regain his athame, Quin to lose-then-regain her memories, Shinobu to become an opium addict then redeem himself, sorta, and Maud is finally able to make the proper choices to right the wrongs which occurred while her master slept.

In truth, I have a low threshold for liking fantasy, but this was a convoluted book. Many times I stopped to read something else, and I can’t say–even after finishing–that I’m glad I completed it. The threads of this book were woven too loosely for me to see the tapestry. Too many breadcrumbs leading toward later parts with no real cohesiveness. The end was cliffhangery, with a resolution that left the remaining players in pursuit of each other, which was frustrating after such a long read. I know there’s a sequel planned, but I’m not sure I’ll pick it up. There was nothing wrong with the writing, but the story never grabbed me. There was no trust between people who should have developed a rapport; every character was some awful shade of bad. Parents lie to their kids, knowing it will do them harm, because of a sworn oath? I call BS on that. Sorry. No oath is going to force me to make my kid a murderer. Not one of the adults in his story had one scrap of decency. And, the kids? Quin and Shinobu fall apart. John’s the only one with a backbone, and I’m still not sure if he’s capable of doing the right thing.

It’s just my opinion, but this book was more hype than story, for me.

If you’re interested, you can find out more about SEEKER on Goodreads and it’s for sale today on all the major retail outlets. I received a review copy via NetGalley.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends.

Discover HENGE! Blitz, Review and Giveaway

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a new YA urban fantasy from Realm Lovejoy. HENGE is a modern retelling of Camelot’s myths, with a kick-butt girl who’s bent on being the best sorcerer King Aurthur has ever seen…


About the book:
Modern-day Camelot. Where knights no longer carry swords. Magic is dangerous. And those who seek control are not to be trusted.
Sixteen-year-old Morgan le Fay is a fire user. An ordinary girl with an extraordinary skill, she has the ability to create and command fire at will. Her dream is to become the Maven—the right hand of the future King Arthur. In the chance of a lifetime, Morgan is selected to join Arthur’s Round, an elite group of young magic users from which the new Maven will be chosen.

But Morgan has a secret—years ago, her mother was executed for using fire magic, and Morgan’s desire for justice makes her more than ready to take on the challenge before her. Can she prevail in Camelot’s tests of survival and magic?

Only time—and Morgan’s powerful fire—will tell.

 "Camelot meets Hogwarts meets Panem in 
this intriguing, well-written beginning to a 
planned YA series."
--Kirkus Reviews

My Review:
This is a very strong YA urban fantasy, bringing a contemporary twist to the Camelot story.

Morgan La Fay is a fire user, a fact her father has tried to hide her entire life. Morgan’s mother, Morgause, was executed a decade before for the murder of her husband–while in self-defense–but no one would hear Morgan’s testimony. It seems that Morgan’s father wasn’t Morgause’s husband, and Morgause took great pains to keep Morgan’s identity secret.

Still, Morgan has a lot of anguish over losing her mother, and she’s unhappy about the restrictions placed on all magic users in the realm. She wants to be the Maven, or head magic user charged with protection of the next king, Arthur. As Maven, Morgan would use her power to help magic users have a better life.

Morgan auditions for a spot in Arthur’s Round, the selection cycle for Arthur’s Maven, and comes up against some talented magic users. Morgan and Guinivere, who has healing energy, become friends, but Morgan suspects something about water-user Merlin that isn’t straight up. There are others, and the plot thickens when Morgan learns her mother was a member of the Luminary–a rogue group of magic users who attempted to kill King Uther, Arthur’s father, fifteen years before. This attack resulted in the sweeping crackdown on magic use under which Morgan now exists.

There are some definitely dangerous goings on, with Morgan sometimes smack in the middle of what appears a plot to incapacitate, or even kill, her. It also becomes clear that powers are working behind the scenes to promote Merlin ahead of Morgan–when Merlin doesn’t even want to be Maven. Morgan struggles to figure out whom is responsible, and keeps coming up just short, but her determination and craft catapult her into the neck-and-neck race for Maven.

There’s significant mystery here. Morgan isn’t a dishrag; she fights hard for all she believes, risking her very life to save others. The tension is real, though I sometimes felt the story jumped too fast. The end is a fierce resolution with plenty more story to tell…in the next book.

I definitely would read on in this series. A great start with believable drama and well-crafted characters. Innocent, excepting, well, the grisly deaths of a couple baddies. So, safe for all ages.

Interested? You can find Henge on Goodreads and Amazon.

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Goodluck and keep reading my friends!


About the Author

Realm Lovejoy is a writer and an artist. She was raised in Washington State and the alps of Nagano, Japan. Her father is a Japanese ex-monk and her mother an English teacher from Rhode Island. Her art is influenced by both the East and the West.

Realm aspires to tell stories through her writing and art. She is agented by Jessica Regel. Her YA Sci-Fi book CLAN was released in 2013.

Author Links: photo iconwebsite-32x32_zps1f477f69.png  photo icongoodreads32_zps60f83491.png  photo icontwitter-32x32_zpsae13e2b2.png  photo iconfacebook-32x32_zps64a79d4a.png  photo icontumblr-32x32_zps959818ca.png

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No Escape From THE WALLED CITY? A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing my review for a YA thriller (with a hint of romance) recently released by Ryan Graudin. THE WALLED CITY is a fast-paced story of rescue and redemption in the gritty slums of a fictional Chinese town.

The Walled CityAbout the book:

730. That’s how many days I’ve been trapped.
18. That’s how many days I have left to find a way out.

DAI, trying to escape a haunting past, traffics drugs for the most ruthless kingpin in the Walled City. But in order to find the key to his freedom, he needs help from someone with the power to be invisible….

JIN hides under the radar, afraid the wild street gangs will discover her biggest secret: Jin passes as a boy to stay safe. Still, every chance she gets, she searches for her lost sister….

MEI YEE has been trapped in a brothel for the past two years, dreaming of getting out while watching the girls who try fail one by one. She’s about to give up, when one day she sees an unexpected face at her window…..

In this innovative and adrenaline-fueled novel, they all come together in a desperate attempt to escape a lawless labyrinth before the clock runs out.

My Review:
I got sucked into the blurb on this one. I’ve not read a lot of books with a Chinese cast and setting, and it wasn’t clear at first if this was reality or dystopia, but, upon reading I decided that didn’t matter so much. It actually is reality-based, but the reality of this world–this lawless slum on the edge of a bustling city–is rather dystopian.

Jin Ling is a teenaged girl posing as a boy in Hak Nam, the ruined fort abutting Seng Ngoi. She has been here, living on the streets, stealing to survive, for two years–ever since her father sold her beautiful elder sister, Mei Yee, into prostitution. Their father was an abusive drunk who saw no use in two daughters on a failing rice farm–but Jin and Mei Yee have a deep love for each other, and a survivor spirit.

Mei Yee, due to her beauty, has captivated a very rich man, Ambassador Osamu, who pays for her to have the best room in Longwai’s brothel, and to be kept for his use only. It is the best life Mei could hope for, but hope is not allowed in her life.

Dai is a young man looking for a second chance. Two years ago he was a wealthy man’s son, enrolled at the best boarding school, and selling drugs for fun. Then, a drug run went bad, leaving Dai with a smoking gun and three dead bodies. His parents helped him to escape to Hak Nam, where the police are not allowed due to a treaty, and where Dai has lived/survived by keeping his head down. Thing is, the treaty is due to expire in 18 days, and the police want to capture Dai–one of the dead drug runners happened to be the mayor of Seng Ngoi’s son. Dai has two choices: 1-flee China and bring further disgrace on his family or 2-get the dirt on Hak Nam’s crime boss Longwai.

Dai makes an arrangement with Longwai–running drugs–so he can gain access to Longwai’s inner circle and find the ledger which contains evidence for conviction, but he cannot do it alone. He recruits Jin, who accepts because she is a super fast runner, and because Longwai’s brothel is the only one to which she hasn’t been able to gain entrance to search for Mei Yee. Meanwhile, Dai strikes up a friendship with Mei Yee, in the interest of gaining inside information on Longwai and his men.

During he 18 day countdown, these three survive some pretty lethal encounters. Mei Yee is abused and nearly turned into a heroin addict. Jin is hunted by a street gang and stabbed. Dai puts his freedom in jeopardy leaving Hak Nam to get the help he needs to complete his impossible task.

It took me a bit of time to get used to the narrative, which cuts between three points of view, and the content–the experiences of each narrator are horrifying, all the more so for their realistic setting. It is easy to sympathize with Jin and Mei Yee, but Dai required more warming-up-to. I really got engaged in the story maybe ten chapters in, mostly because the immediate violence and callous environment isn’t appealing, to me as a reader. There is a touch of romance–Mei Yee and Dai have an unrequited attraction–which becomes a hindrance to Mei’s service to her wealthy patron, but the one thing uniting all these desperate characters is hope. Hope that life will not always be this horrible, lawless, parentless, loveless experience. Hope that, one day, a girl could just be a girl, not a possession to be bought, sold or discarded. Hope that a child could escape the slums and frolic in the sea or gaze at the unpolluted starlit sky. Hope that a son could redeem his past, and build a better future.

I ended up staying up way past my bedtime to finish this one, and wasn’t disappointed.

Interested? You can find THE WALLED CITY on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble. I received a review copy via NetGalley.

About the Author:

Ryan Graudin grew up in Charleston and graduated from the College of Charleston with a degree in Creative Writing in 2009. She is the author of All That Glows and The Walled City. She resides near Charleston with her husband and wolf-dog. You can find her online on her website and twitter.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

Just A Matter of WHEN–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m reviewing a newly released YA book that captivated me from the first page. Victoria Laurie’s WHEN centers on Maddie, an ordinary girl with an extraordinary gift–she can see the death dates of every person she meets.

WhenAbout the Book:

Maddie Fynn is a shy high school junior, cursed with an eerie intuitive ability: she sees a series of unique digits hovering above the foreheads of each person she encounters. Her earliest memories are marked by these numbers, but it takes her father’s premature death for Maddie and her family to realize that these mysterious digits are actually death dates, and just like birthdays, everyone has one.

Forced by her alcoholic mother to use her ability to make extra money, Maddie identifies the quickly approaching death date of one client’s young son, but because her ability only allows her to see the when and not the how, she’s unable to offer any more insight. When the boy goes missing on that exact date, law enforcement turns to Maddie.

Soon, Maddie is entangled in a homicide investigation, and more young people disappear and are later found murdered. A suspect for the investigation, a target for the murderer, and attracting the attentions of a mysterious young admirer who may be connected to it all, Maddie’s whole existence is about to be turned upside down. Can she right things before it’s too late?

My Review:

Maddie has a had a traumatic life. Seeing the death dates of every person she meets, or on any close-up picture she sees, is personally horrifying, but she’s also forced to rely on this macabre talent in order to support herself and her alcoholic mother. She’s only 16 and didn’t realize the significance of those funny numbers on people’s foreheads until her father’s number was up. That was ten years ago and she and her mother are now limping along in a bedroom community about 90 minutes from Manhattan.

When she informs a client that her son will die in the coming week, the client freaks out. Maddie attempts to call a second time, urged by her best friend “Stubby” Shroeder, to impress the seriousness of the situation–and is rebuffed, with hostility. That is, until the young boy goes missing. Only, Maddie knows he’s not just missing–he’s dead. The Feds are in on the case, and Maddie finds herself at the center of their investigation. Her Uncle Donny, a slick lawyer, does his best to cast suspicion away, cautioning Maddie against doing any further readings–but she inadvertently sees a local girl with a looming death date–and Stubby insists they try to help.

Their interference only lands both of them in huge trouble, and the Feds are mounting a case file that could put both Maddie and Stubby in jail for a good long time. Meanwhile, Maddie fights the system, trying to prove that her “gift” is what gives her insight, as small as it is. She’s got the added trouble of bullying at school, and her mother going on increasingly more dangerous benders. I honestly got chills reading about Maddie peeling her mom off one floor, or another, and putting her back to bed safely–when her mom managed to make it home.

Maddie’s world has become an even more frightening place as strange trucks chase her down dark streets and yet another child is kidnapped. The FBI is, at first, hostile, but Maddie fights to win their support against Uncle Donny’s wishes–he’s sure they’re going to set her up. Proving her gift is legit is nearly as hard as proving the Tooth Fairy exists, however.

Still, Maddie never gives up trying to demonstrate her (and Stubby’s) innocence. Not when her mom takes a turn for the worst. Not when Stubby’s the lead suspect. And not when it seems the FBI wants to name her as an accomplice to a serial murderer. It’s a taut, emotional drama that moves with grace. Several suspects exist, all of whom are equally likely, keeping the reader guessing until the closing scenes.

The adults are very real people, not simple characterizations. Maddie’s mom is pathetic and sympathetic. Uncle Donny is a champ, and keeps the Feds from steamrolling two awesome kids. Stubby is the kind of best friend I would dream my kids find–selfless, kind and cheerful to a fault.  Even the FBI agents who threaten Maddie at every turn aren’t as ruthless as they first seem. I expected the ending, but that’s like chocolate sprinkles on the thriller sundae. When, not if, WHEN is turned into a movie, I’m gonna get an extra large popcorn and enjoy it again.

Interested? You can find WHEN on Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble. And, no doubt, other vendors. Probably going to see this one everywhere. I received a review copy via NetGalley.

Victoria LaurieAbout the Author:

Victoria Laurie is the New York Times bestselling author of 26 books and counting. Victoria divides her time between her two adult mystery series, (The Psychic Eye Mysteries, and The Ghost Hunter Mysteries), and a Y/A thriller, When.

As a professional psychic, Victoria’s protagonists – psychic Abigail Cooper, and spiritual medium M. J. Holliday – tackle the tricky world of the paranormal while fighting bad guys and demons with plenty of plucky humor and determination. And using that keen understanding of the paranormal, Victoria also created the character of Maddie Fynn, a teenager with the unique intuitive ability to predict the exact date of someone’s death.

To showcase her writing range, Victoria has also penned a children’s epic adventure series, The Oracles of Delphi Keep.  Victoria loves to connect with her fans, and you can find her on Goodreads, her website, twitter and Facebook.

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!