James Patterson's "Maximum Ride" Series Comes to a Surprising End

"Nevermore" gives fans much more than they could ever ask for with a finish that will have you smiling, crying and cheering. This final ride is a bumpy one. Hold on and get ready to amazed.

For anyone who is new to the series, I'll try to sum up the premise to catch you up. Maximum Ride is a 15-year-old hybrid kid. Scientists and evil geniuses have been experimenting on kids mixing human DNA with bird DNA. The result is Max and her "flock" of kids ranging from 5 - 15. Max, Angel, Fang, Gazzy, Iggy and Nudge. Each have a different enhanced ability along with the wings they were fitted with during one of the many terrible experiments they underwent in "The School." A facility where they were held in dog crates and tortured with many bad news procedures. The kids escape with the help of father figure Jeb who helps them stay hidden until one day he just disappears. Max must become leader and mother to her flock while getting news, via a voice in her head, that the world is coming to an end and she must be the one who saves it. Along the way there are betrayals, first loves, explosions, kidnappings and new insights into the who, why and how these kids came to be.

To fully catch you up - Max and Fang figure out they have feelings for each other, Max meets her biological mother (Max was taken from her when the experiments began) and finds out there is an evil group looking to destroy anyone not "superhuman" like Max and her flock. In a move that he feels is helping Max, Fang leaves the flock to start his own "gang" and we are introduced to Dylan, a teenager who has been created to be Max's perfect other half. Fang's Gang brings us a "Max Clone" named Maya and 4 other hybrid kids. The two groups meet up in Paris to prevent a catastrophic event that ends up separating the flock further when Angel is captured.

In "Nevermore" Max's flock (minus Angel) has survived one of the many attempts to recapture them to further experiment and enhance them and they are finally feeling somewhat normal - going to a real school like real kids. But like all of the Maximum Ride adventures the normalcy lasts about 3 days tops. Max must once again go on the run to save herself and her family from further damage, deal with Fang's return to the flock and find Angel who has been spotted at a facility just a few short flight hours from where Max and the kids have been living. Saving Angel is their only goal but they get much more than they bargain for. Characters we thought were gone for good return, the group hoping to kill the humans is even closer to reaching their goal and the fight between Dylan and Fang for Max's heart escalates even further.

The final chapter of the Maximum Ride series gives you everything you want - answers, closure, action. But you'll never see the end coming.

For more about the Maximum Ride series and to order your copy (digital or physical) visit http://www.jamespatterson.com/books_max.php#.UEY5e0LlFAU

Maximum Ride on Facebook and Twitter

"Jonathan" Inspires Youth to Overcome Life's Obstacles

SYNOPSIS: Jonathan He'klarr, a teenage boy from Colorado, didn't think he had a purpose in life. His mother was murdered when he was a child and his alcoholic, abusive father is hard to avoid. But under the influence of close friends, Jonathan begins to turn his life around.

However, just when things start to look up for him, his life is torn apart. The school bully is more sinister than he seems. Jonathan finds three mysterious books about a land existing only in the human mind. And a destiny is thrust upon him by a creature symbolic of courage and bravery. A destiny to change his life and save our world from creatures born of nightmares and evil...

Author Alesa Corrin wrote "Jonathan" as a creative writing assignment in her junior year of high school. The story was inspired by her admiration for the strength, symbolism and majesty found in mythology. She has been writing stories that "made her teachers cry" since middle school. She is now 20.

Our Review: "Jonathan: the Griffin Prince" brings together themes of battling high school popularity and bullies with figuring out who you are and what you will take away from your experiences in life. Some of us find we are writers, artists, bankers, teachers, politicians...for Jonathan, he's found out he's a prince. And not just any run of the mill one either...he's a Griffin. Half man, half lion, all heart. Alesa's takes a unique approach to storytelling as she gives readers a a first person account of the events as someone would write them in their journal, diary or blog.

Jonathan: the Griffin Prince is available in Hardcover, Paperback and Digital forms at Amazon.com or at a bookstore near you.

Now that you know a little about Jonathan, let's find out a bit about the author!

5 Questions with...Author Alesa Corrin

What inspired you to write this story?
I was doing a creative writing assignment in high school about vampires, werewolves, and griffins (I just randomly chose those three creatures). The purpose of my assignment was to present what these beasts reveal about human beings; for example, vampires could represent the darkness in mankind - the urge for vampires to suck blood could be equated to a person's desire to hurt others and drain them of their goodness. What I discovered about griffins fascinated me: that they were symbolic of Christ (being half lion, king of the land, and half eagle, king of the skies) and the saints. That they supposedly guard the tree of life in the Garden of Eden, and that they are good and virtuous creatures. So an idea just came to me about how a boy my age (at that moment in time) could turn into a griffin and somehow not only come to terms with who he was personally, but to grow and show others that he was much more than they gave him credit of being. And I decided to make the bad guys and the setting of the story not so much flesh-and-blood reality, but based largely within the minds of humanity. It was very fun to write!

Tell us a little bit about your writing process.
First I put together an outline on paper, a general list of where I want the story to go and how I want it to end, with scattered notes on characters, locations in the stories, some good phrases, important items and the like. Then I literally write the story, ink on lined paper, with pictures I've drawn at the end of the chapters to kind of keep my motivation and the creative juices going. Finally I type it up and save it on a U-drive.

What made you choose this genre?
With fiction-fantasy, there are absolutely no rules! I could take my story in any direction I wanted and I think that's not only extremely exciting for me, but my readers as well!

Do you have any advice for up and coming writers?
I would advise future writers to definitely double-check grammar and punctuation in their writing, as it makes reading the story much more fluid and absorbing. It's hard to get into a book when incorrect spelling holds up your eyes! Also, I would say don't think about the future, like, "What are people going to think of my book?" Because that will just distract them from what really matters; which is what message they are trying to tell the world (what they want readers to get out of their story).

What are you currently reading?
I am just finishing up a series about unicorns (a trilogy starting with a book called Birth of the Firebringer), and then I'm going to move on to Inheritance, the last book in the Eragon series.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone
Author: Laini Taylor

SYNOPSIS: Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky. In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low. And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war. Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out. When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself? For more check out www.daughterofsmokeandbone.com

The Shattering
Author: Karen Healey

SYNOPSIS: Seventeen-year-old Keri likes to plan for every possibility. She knows what to do if you break an arm, or get caught in an earthquake or fire. But she wasn't prepared for her brother's suicide, and his death has left her shattered with grief. When her childhood friend Janna tells her it was murder, not suicide, Keri wants to believe her. After all, Janna's brother died under similar circumstances years ago, and Janna insists a visiting tourist, Sione, who also lost a brother to apparent suicide that year, has helped her find some answers. As the three dig deeper, disturbing facts begin to pile up: one boy killed every year; all older brothers; all had spent New Year's Eve in the idyllic town of Summerton. But when their search for the serial killer takes an unexpected turn, suspicion is cast on those they trust the most. As secrets shatter around them, can they save the next victim? Or will they become victims themselves? For more check out www.karenhealey.com

"True Grime" Takes a Unique Look at Empowering Teens Faced with Tough Challenges
Author: Natasha Deen

SYNOPSIS: Urban Fantasy/Mystery Grime cop and teen fairy Pepper Powder lives for one thing: protecting the human species from magical zealots who seek to eradicate them with Violent Illness of Unusual Resistance and Strength (humans call them “viruses,” but their mistake is understandable. The very young often get their words wrong.). When a terrorist leader releases a necrophage bomb, it not only decimates Grime headquarters, it turns Pepper into the magical world’s first fairy amputee—but she’s not going to let a little thing like a missing leg stop her. To catch her criminal, and prevent him from unleashing a V.I.U.R.S in one of the human world’s biggest shopping centers, West Edmonton Mall, she goes undercover as a human. But once Pepper's theories of humanity collide with the reality of bullies, cliques, and environmental destruction, will she still believe humanity's worth saving? (From the author's web site). Find our more here: www.natashadeen.com

Our Review: Mixing fairy mythology with human elements like love, respect, and resiliance, "True Grime" is all about never giving up. Despite circumstances, despite confusion, and despite odds being less in her favor, Pepper never once wavers in her desire to save humanity, herself, and her partner Harley. The story immediately draws you in, and slowly evolves into something more than just overcoming odds to save the day. Natasha Deen has a unique take on the world of fairies and mixes their world with just enough of what we know of human life to keep things moving at a fast pace.

Find the Mysteries Behing The Great Wall with "Chang Cheng: The Mystery Within"
Author: Fernando Bascuñán Jr.

SYNOPSIS: Have you ever dreamt of exploring one of the world’s greatest landmarks in a way no man has ever explored it before? In Fernando Bascuñán Jr.’s Chang Cheng: The Mystery Within, you can. In his new book, Fernando writes an enchanted, action-packed story about the quest of two young modern-day boys chosen to save a cursed, long-forgotten Chinese civilization dwelling secretly underneath the Great Wall of China. Fernando invites readers of all ages to explore this incredible lost city along with Sam and Min as they unravel the mysteries from the ancient curse cast upon a Chinese alchemist and his people from more than 2,500 years ago. “Chang Cheng: The Mystery Within is the result of having spent night after night writing as if the main character, Sam, was speaking through me.” Fernando says. “My imagination ran wild to create a story based off my experiences within different cultures and my passion to explore unknown territory and become a writer.” Much like the adventure stories of Harry Potter, Narnia and Lord of the Rings, Chang Cheng: The Mystery Within will captivate you while weaving the tale of Sam and Min with the story of the Chinese alchemist and his underground society. When their worlds collide, Sam and Min must face their worst fears to not only return to the surface, but also, to save the Chinese civilization underneath the Great Wall of China. To learn more about Fernando’s fiction adventure novel, Chang Cheng: The Mystery Within, visit www.changchengthemysterywithin.com.

The Highly Anticipated Sequel to I AM NUMBER FOUR is Almost Here! While You Wait for the 2nd in the Lorien Legacies Series, Check Out Six's Story Available Online Now!

I AM NUMBER FOUR: The Lost Files: Six’s Story

SYNOPSIS: In the beginning they were a group of nine. Nine aliens who left their home planet of Lorien when it fell under attack by the evil Mogadorians; nine who scattered on Earth and went into hiding; nine who live among us and look like ordinary teenagers, but who have extraordinary skills. The Mogadorians found and killed Numbers One, Two, and Three. Then they found Number Six. They followed her, they hunted her down—and they caught her.

Taking place before the adventures of the New York Times bestseller I AM NUMBER FOUR, I AM NUMBER FOUR: The Lost Files: Six’s Story is the riveting story of Six’s harrowing capture and eventual escape from the Mogadorians. Perfectly timed to get fans excited for THE POWER OF SIX and custom-made for the those who loved the I AM NUMBER FOUR ebook, I AM NUMBER FOUR: The Lost Files: Six’s Story is a novella-length digital original available exclusively as an ebook.

Check out an exerpt from the book here

To follow Sarah and for more information visit the official I Am Number Four Website

THE POWER OF SIX

SYNOPSIS: In the beginning they were a group of nine. Nine aliens who left their home planet of Lorien when it fell under attack by the evil Mogadorians, who scattered on Earth and went into hiding, who look like ordinary teenagers, but who have extraordinary skills. The Mogadorians killed Number One, Number Two, and Number Three. They tried to kill Number Four, John Smith ...and failed.

Following a massive battle at the end of I AM NUMBER FOUR that proved that the Mogadorians have found him at last, John joined forces with Number Six. Now the fate of Lorien—and Earth— rests in the hands of these two teens.

Already John and Six have inspired a fellow Lorien—Marina, Number Seven—who has been hiding in Spain. She’s been following the news of what’s happening in the US, and she’s certain it’s the sign she’s been waiting for.

THE POWER OF SIX is available on August 23.

Our Review: Pitticas Lore is back to tell us more about the Lorien Legacies and the extraordinary teens living among us here on Earth. The Power of Six introduces us to Marina, who is living in a convent somewhere near South America. She is desperately searching for more like her, and she finds John Smith through Internet blogs and news pieces. Meanwhile John is still on the run after the Mogadorian's found him in Texas, blew up his high school and killed his handler.

John, his human best friend Sam, and Lorien alien Number Six continue to hide from the evil that is hunting them, and we learn more about who they are and what they can do. The Power of Six is action-packed, heart-wrenching and entertaining all in one. You find yourself rooting on the characters and craving more knowledge of their planet and how each came to be searching for each other now that they are here on Earth.

Check out the trailer:

For more check out the official Facebook Page

Who Says Girls Can't Have Fun In Science? Girl Power Meets Quantum Physics in New Book!

In John Nielsen’s new young adult sci-fi thriller, Timehole, Stacy Carver, a 17-year-old English schoolgirl with a knack for quantum physics and creating black holes in her bedroom, is just the role model that science-encouraging moms, dads and teachers everywhere have been looking for.

A whirlwind of action, quantum physics, fun and feminism, Timehole pushes the boundaries of young adult fiction - and the science fiction genre - and turns our decades-old fascination with time travel on its head. Starring a willfully strong, whip-smart young female protagonist the likes of which this genre has rarely – if ever – seen before, Timehole explores the following educational and entertaining themes, amongst others:

• Girl power!
• A strong feminist message that will inspire young women everywhere to dream, create and achieve the impossible
• Why the words ‘science’ and ‘boring’ need never be used in the same sentence…ever again!
• Good versus evil: a moral framework that teaches the importance of doing the right thing, even in the face of great adversity
• Positivity, persistence and purpose: how to stay grounded in a world that values money and success over truth and fairness

New Book Brings Modern Twist to Classic Struggle of Young Love

In a society that bases future success on teen achievements, a new book is bringing fresh perspective to the struggles of youth who have few choices. In Crow’s Row, author Julie Hockley brings readers a love story that interweaves social class division with the relevant and controversial issues of drug legalization and gang wars. When Emily, a young college student, is abducted after witnessing a murder, the book catapults readers into the middle of a young love between the “bad boy” and the “good girl,” both seeking to avoid their predetermined destinies. “This is a love story in a thriller setting within the drug and crime culture,” says Hockley. “Dramatic and intense, but still believable to the core.”

Highlighting the timelessness embedded in the notion of divided classes and obsessive young love even in modern days, Hockley was drawn to writing by her simple motivation to create something she herself would want to read. She hopes Crow’s Row will encourage others to write. “Anytime someone finds out I’ve written a novel because it seemed fun, they gush, ‘I’ve always wanted to do that,’” says Hockley, a young mother and lawyer. “Why don’t they? Why has it become such a crazy thing? Inspiration can come from anywhere. There is a novel in everyone.”

For more information, visit www.juliehockley.com.

5 Questions With...

Our next round belongs to Tara Hudson. She is the author of "Hereafter," a book that asks the question - can there be love after death? Born in Oklahoma, Tara graduated with a law degree, but she knew that being a writer is where her heart was. Here's what she had to say about writing and being on tour with the Dark Days series.

What inspired you to become a writer?

I've wanted to write for as long as I can remember. Probably because I'm such a reader. When I read a great line or an interesting scene, I can't help but want to write my own!

Tell us a little about your writing process.

Find the tiny pockets of time in which to write, and use them! Seriously, I'm writing with a full-time job and a newborn, so I don't have the luxury to choose my writing moments. I have to steal them whenever I can. Which is advice anyone can take: if you love something, you'll make the time.

What has it been like meeting fans of the series?

Incredible. Humbling. I don't think I'll ever get over that moment when someone walks up and tells me how much they connected with Amelia, or Jillian, or Joshua. It's pretty awesome to be able to entertain people.

What are you looking forward to most about the Dark Days Summer tour?

I wasn't looking forward to one particular thing – after all, how can you choose between meeting fans, meeting bookstore owners, seeing your book on shelves, etc.? But I can say that one of the absolute best things about the tour was meeting the other authors. Not only are they talented and smart, they are an absolute blast.

What is the best advice you have received in regards to writing?

If a scene or idea isn't working, cut it. If there is a character with which you are struggling, or an episode of dialogue that you just aren't digging, there's probably a reason: it doesn't need to be there! You don't necessarily have to junk it. I keep a Word document full of discarded sentences and plot points, in case they someday find a better home in my writing.

For more about Tara check out her Web site and for further coverage of "Hereafter" here at EnterTeenment click here.

5 Questions With...

EnterTeenment has been given the opportunity to speak with some of the popular authors who contributed to the recent Dark Days of Supernatural Summer Series.

First up is Aprilynne Pike whose series of books focus on the world of Faeries. The third book in the series, "Illusions," continues Laurel's story of being caught between two worlds and two boys who love her. Here's what April had to say about being a writer and meeting all of you!

What inspired you to become a writer?

I have always written little stories (sometimes big stories!) and when I was little my family all called me the Queen of La-La Land because I was always off in my own world making up stories. However, truth was, I wanted to be a doctor. I didn’t really consider writing “for real” until I got to college, started majoring in Human Biology in preparation for med school, and discovered that science and I didn’t have quite as intimate a relationship as I had previously thought. I sat back and looked at what would work better for me, and decided to major in Creative Writing instead. I’ve never looked back!

Tell us a little about your writing process.

I am a religious outliner who has to plan not only the entire book, but the entire series, before I write it. The first couple of days of writing I write up my outline and get all of the points in there that I need, and then I write linearly. That means I write from page one to page 350 without either skipping scenes or jumping ahead. I lovelovelove writing endings and have learned that I need to keep that ending dangling in front of me like a carrot to keep my momentum up through the rest of the book. When I am done with my (usually very quick) first draft I generally spend that much time over again editing it. When I feel like I am done, I give it to my husband who is a fabulous editor and he generally gives me another couple of weeks’ worth of work.:) When I’ve finished that I usually send it to my sisters and they give me good cheerleading! (Every writer needs that!) Then it goes to my agent for a final sign off, then to my editor.

What has it been like meeting fans of the series?

Amazing! And, admittedly, a little daunting. Teenagers get so passionate about books and I love to meet with fans who love my series! But I also feel a lot of pressure for the next book to be just as good or better. I think it’s good pressure, positive pressure—but pressure nonetheless.

What are you looking forward to most about the Dark Days Summer tour?

This is the third year I have done this group tour and I always look forward to meeting the new authors! Writing is my life now and I love hearing the stories about how other authors got into the business and discussing writing with people who are as passionate about it as I am. I still communicate regularly with authors I met on the Supernatural tours.

What is the best advice you have received in regards to writing?

Several people have said this to me, and I really believe that it’s true: there is no right way to write a book. Even you guys asked me about my writing process and although I can share what works for me, it may be completely different than what works for someone else. Additionally, what works beautifully for me for one series, may not work so well on the next one. Writers need to be flexible and not force themselves into a method just because they heard how well it worked for someone else.

For more about Aprilynne check out her Web site and for further coverage of "Illusions" here at EnterTeenment click here.

More Summer Reading Suggestions from Little, Brown Teen

Pretend You Love Me
Julie Anne Peters

In this fresh, poignant novel, Mike is struggling to come to terms with her father's suicide and her mother's detachment from the family. Mike (real name: Mary Elizabeth) is gay and likes to pump iron, play softball, and fix plumbing. When a glamorous new girl, Xanadu, arrives in Mike's small Kansas town, Mike falls in love at first sight. Xanadu is everything Mike is not -- cool, confident, feminine, sexy.... straight.

Julie Anne Peters has written a heartbreaking yet ultimately hopeful novel that will speak to anyone who has ever fallen in love with someone who can't love them back.

Our Review: Author Julie Anne Peters' words create a world filled with tangible sights, smells, emotions, and characters you cannot imagine not wanting to know. She builds a story to the point where your emotions are exactly in line with the character's. In "Pretend You Love Me" Peters paints the picture of a small town, a young woman trying to figure herself out, and a love that feels so real and is just so far out of reach. Heartwarming, heartwrenching and real, "Pretend You Love Me" will make you laugh, smile, get angry and cry as if you were experiencing each moment yourself.

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She Loves You, She Loves You Not
Julie Anne Peters

Seventeen-year-old Alyssa thought she knew who she was. She had her family and her best friends and, most important, she had Sarah. Sarah, her girlfriend, with whom she dreamed with about the day they could move far away and live out and proud and accepted for themselves, instead of having to hide their relationship.

Alyssa never thought she would have to make that move by herself, but disowned by her father and cut off from everyone she loves, she is forced to move hundreds of miles away to live with Carly, the biological mother she barely knows, in a town where everyone immediately dismisses her as "Carly's girl." As Alyssa struggles to forget her past and come to terms with her future, will she be able to build a new life for herself and believe in love again? Or will she be forced to relive the mistakes that have cost her everything and everyone she cared about?

National Book Award finalist Julie Anne Peters has written a compelling novel about coming out, finding love, and discovering your place in the world. Alyssa's story will speak to anyone who has known the joy and pain of first love and the struggle to start over again.

Check back here for our review coming soon!

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Happyface
Stephen Emond

Cute girls dig him. He has his own fan club

But he wasn't always this awesome. He used to be Mr. Comic Book, a resident of Lonelyland. So when he swtiched schools, he slapped on a grin and went from big nerd to big shot. Meet Happyface.

This is his journal. This unique combination of text and fully integrated art follows the journey of a dorky, quiet, artsy kid as he reinvents himself after moving to a new town, where he's nicknamed Happyface. Peek in his journal and see the world through his hilariously self-deprecating eyes as he learns to shed his comic-book-loving, computer-game playing ways. Join him as he makes new friends, tries to hide from his messy past, forgives the people who have hurt him most, and ultimately learns to face the world with a genuine smile.

Our Review: "Happyface" is your average tale of teen woes, but not. It is a unique look at divorce, fitting in at a new school and meeting new people while dealing with the past. "Happyface" takes us into his world through writing and drawing in his journal. There he tells us what it has been like for him to deal with the things many of us have dealt with or are currently dealing with. "Happyface" is a heartwarming, truthful look from the male perspective.

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Forgotten
Cat Patrick

Each night at precisely 4:33 am, while sixteen-year-old London Lane is asleep, her memory of that day is erased. In the morning, all she can "remember" are events from her future. London is used to relying on reminder notes and a trusted friend to get through the day, but things get complicated when a new boy at school enters the picture. Luke Henry is not someone you'd easily forget, yet try as she might, London can't find him in her memories of things to come.

When London starts experiencing disturbing flashbacks, or flash-forwards, as the case may be, she realizes it's time to learn about the past she keeps forgetting-before it destroys her future.

Our Review: Have you ever woken up with a memory you wish you could forget? Or maybe you'd like to live every day like it is the first time ever? Well. You might not feel that way after reading "Forgotten." London Lane's memory wipes might seem like a true gift to some of us who have experienced things we'd like to forget, but she'd really like to not have it happen anymore. Cat Patrick captures London's excitement of "meeting" Luke each time with new eyes, helps the reader understand what it is like to not know what yesterday has to do with tomorrow, and gives so many unseen twists and turns you might find yourself reading the entire book in one sitting. Sit back and experience London's life as she does. You'll be happy you got to know her.

Summer Heats Up with the Dark Days of Supernatural Book Series and Tour

Seven new novels have been added to the popular Dark Days series and the authors will be signing autographs and speaking about their books on a big summer tour. Check out the titles below and click on the logo in the news & notes section on your left for tour dates and locations!

The Trailer:

The Books:

ILLUSIONS
Author: Aprilynne Pike

Synopsis: "I don't do patrols, I don't go hunting, I just stick close to you. You live your life. I'll keep you safe," Tamani said, sweeping a lock of hair from her face. "Or die trying." Laurel hasn't seen Tamani since she begged him to let her go last year. Though her heart still aches, Laurel is confident that David was the right choice. But just as life returns to normal, Laurel realizes that a hidden enemy lies in wait. Once again, Laurel must turn to Tamani to protect and guide her, for the danger that now threatens Avalon is one that no faerie thought would ever be possible. And for the first time, Laurel cannot be sure that her side will prevail.

Book Excerpt: Illusions

Our Review: Laurel is caught in the middle of everything. Her choices. Her safety. Her two worlds. And she's not sure what to do about any of it. In the "Illusions" we learn more about he world of faeries, how they live among us, their history in the tales we've been told. We follow Laurel as she continues her journey to learning what it is to be a fall faerie, who her friends are, who her enemies are, and what it's like to be in love - complications which she could do without when her life is in danger. Aprilynne Pike's storytelling is compelling and fun, easy to get caught up in and hard to put down. If you haven't read "Wings" or "Spells" (books 1 and 2 of this series) it is recommended you do so before picking this one up, but it is not completely necessary. Though some things might be confusing, Aprilynne does a good job of giving a little backstory for those that might be new to Laurel's world.

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DIVERGENT
Author: Veronica Roth

Synopsis: In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself. During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her. Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the literary scene with the first book in the Divergent series—dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.

Book Excerpt: Divergent

Our Review: Chicago is divided into five factions based on the personalities the inhabitants are meant to display. Beatrice is about to make the choice that will decide her entire life. Veronica Roth paints the perfect landscape of a dystopian Chicago and takes the reader on a trip through the ups and downs of one’s choices as Beatrice (new name “Tris”) redefines herself and finds that her actions could not only change her forever, they can change her family and everything around her as well. Readers will experience the painful truths, feel Tris’s fears coming to life and follow as an unlikely love story unfolds amidst such stressful and trying times.

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DIE FOR ME
Author: Amy Plum

Synopsis: My life had always been blissfully, wonderfully normal. But it only took one moment to change everything. Suddenly, my sister, Georgia, and I were orphans. We put our lives into storage and moved to Paris to live with my grandparents. And I knew my shattered heart, my shattered life, would never feel normal again. Then I met Vincent. Mysterious, sexy, and unnervingly charming, Vincent Delacroix appeared out of nowhere and swept me off my feet. Just like that, I was in danger of losing my heart all over again. But I was ready to let it happen. Of course, nothing is ever that easy. Because Vincent is no normal human. He has a terrifying destiny, one that puts his life at risk every day. He also has enemies . . . immortal, murderous enemies who are determined to destroy him and all of his kind. While I'm fighting to piece together the remnants of my life, can I risk putting my heart—as well as my life and my family's—in jeopardy for a chance at love?

Book Excerpt: Die For Me

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VAMPIRE KISSES 8: CRYPTIC CRAVINGS
Author: Ellen Schreiber

Synopsis: The morbidly monotonous Dullsville has finally become the most exciting place on earth now that Raven is madly in love with her hot vampire boyfriend, Alexander, and a crew of vampires has taken residence in Dullsville's old mill. Raven discovers Jagger's plan to open a new club, the Crypt, right here in Dullsville. But is it her dream come true or her worst nightmare? Raven and Alexander have to figure out what the nefarious vampire has in store for Dullsville's teen and vampire population. Can Raven convince Jagger to listen to her plans to make the Crypt the morbidly magnificent dance club it could be? Will it be safe for mortals and vampires alike? And as Sebastian and Luna's relationship heats up, Raven wonders about her own amorous fate: Will Alexander ever turn her? Does he crave her and does he want to spend eternity together? And what does she really want? With cryptic secrets and cravings, this eighth installment in the Vampire Kisses series is a romantic and mysterious thrill ride.

Book Excerpt: Vampire Kisses 8: Cryptic Cravings

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SOMETHING DEADLY COMES THIS WAY
Author: Kim Harrison

Synopsis: I'm Madison Avery, in charge of heaven's hit squad . . . and fighting it all the way. When Madison died the night of her prom, she knew her life would never be the same. Now she has a powerful amulet, a team of rogue angels by her side, and the ability to flash forward into the future to see the shape of destiny. And of course, now she's finally with Josh—a perfect boyfriend who doesn't even mind that she's dead. But being dead has its disadvantages, too. Madison feels caught between the light and the dark, and between her real life and her timekeeper status. When Madison has the opportunity to get her body back—to be alive again—she faces her most difficult decision yet. If she claims it, she could return to being a normal girl—and have a chance at a real relationship with Josh. But would having the one thing she wants most in the world also mean giving up everything she's worked so hard for?

Book Excerpt: Something Deadly Comes This Way

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STARCROSSED
Author: Josephine Angelini

Synopsis: How do you defy destiny? Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history. As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.

Book Excerpt: Starcrossed

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HEREAFTER
Author: Tara Hudson

Synopsis: Can there truly be love after death? Drifting in the dark waters of a mysterious river, the only thing Amelia knows for sure is that she's dead. With no recollection of her past life—or her actual death—she's trapped alone in a nightmarish existence. All of this changes when she tries to rescue a boy, Joshua, from drowning in her river. As a ghost, she can do nothing but will him to live. Yet in an unforgettable moment of connection, she helps him survive. Amelia and Joshua grow ever closer as they begin to uncover the strange circumstances of her death and the secrets of the dark river that held her captive for so long. But even while they struggle to keep their bond hidden from the living world, a frightening spirit named Eli is doing everything in his power to destroy their newfound happiness and drag Amelia back into the ghost world . . . forever. Thrilling and evocative, with moments of pure pleasure, Hereafter is a sensation you won't want to miss.

Book Excerpt: Hereafter

Our Review: Amelia is sure of two things. Her first name and that she drowned. Tara Hudson’s haunting tale of a young woman who is trying to find her place in the afterlife is both mysterious and heartwarming. Readers get to go on Amelia’s journey to figuring out who she was before she became incorporeal along with her, and watch as she falls in love with a living boy who not only helps her find out who she is but brings her to life, in what little way she can in her state of being. “Hereafter” is a ghost story that will warm your heart.

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I Am J Brings Topic of Teen Sexual Identification to the Forefront

From the book jacket: J had always felt different. He was certain that eventually everyone would understand who he really was: a boy mistakenly born as a girl. Yet as he grew up, his body began to betray him; eventually J stopped praying to wake up a "real boy" and started covering up his body, keeping himself invisible - from his family, from his friends...from the world. But after being deserted by the best friend he thought would always be by his side, J decides that he's done hiding - it's time to be who he really is. And this time he is determined not to give up, no matter the cost.

Author Cris Beam has written non-fiction books about the world of transgender teens, and has decided to bring us the story of J in fiction form. This story of self-discovery is powerful and inspiring, and something many teens will relate to.

Our review: J is seventeen. He was born female to a Puerto Rican mother and a Jewish father. He never felt like a girl. Not even before he knew what the words “girl” and “boy” meant. “I Am J” is the story of J’s journey to finding himself, while helping others find him as well.

Cris Beam tells the heart-wrenching story of J’s transition from female to male with blatant honesty. As she takes us through J’s extreme highs and even more extreme lows, we feel what he feels. If you have ever been uncomfortable in your own skin in any way, you will relate to this story. “I Am J” is a must read for teens (and adults) of all genders, sexualities, races and religions and anyone questioning where they fit in.

"I Am J" is available now where all books are sold. Order it on Amazon.com

Get One Last Look Inside the Limelight with the Finale of the Highly Successful "Secrets of My Hollywood Life" series - "There's No Place Like Home" is Available Now!

After her brilliant run on Broadway and surviving the harsh concrete jungle of New York City, seventeen-year-old Hollywood "It Girl" Kaitlin Burke is back in L.A. starting a sitcom with her former-nemesis-now-BFF, Sky. The show is a huge success! In fact, maybe a little too huge, Kaitlin realizes, after a bad run-in with aggressive paparazzi puts her boyfriend Austin in danger. She wishes, once again, that she could have a normal life.

But what Kaitlin doesn't realize is that her Hollywood life has had a positive influence on just about everyone she loves, and it takes a minor car accident and a nasty concussion to truly grasp how lucky she is. In Jen Calonita's sixth and final Secrets of My Hollywood Life novel, Kaitlin learns at last about the price of fame, the unending upside of friendship, and that there really is no place like home-even if it's Tinseltown.

For more, check out the official Secrets of My Hollywood Life site

Joanna Philbin's "The Daughters" Series Continues to Shine

Joanna Philbin, daughter of popular morning talk show host Regis, has drawn from her own experiences growing up as the child of a famous person, and turned it into a successful book series. The Daughters series follows three young adults as they travel through life under the watchful eye of the public. In the first novel "The Daughters," we read along as Lizzie dealt with her issues of beauty and self-image and took the modeling world by storm. In "The Daughters Break the Rules," the second installment of the series, we get a glimpse of the rich and lavish lifestyle of Carina Jurgensen. Spunky Carina has a love/hate relationship with all things money, loving her private jet trips around the world while despising the way others kiss up to her and her father. After making a huge mistake, leaking a story about her father to the press, Carina is cut off from her father's wealth and must try to make her own way, without the influence of her father's fortune.

"The Daughter's Break the Rules" is available April 5.

Educator's New Young Adult Book Inspires Age Old Values Through Epic Tale of Good vs. Evil

The greatest legacy we can leave our children is happy memories ~~ Og Mandino

One of the life’s greatest joys is watching a young child fall asleep. For many parents that includes a nighttime story, and nothing captures a child’s imagination more than a story with the main character named after the child.

For Paul Mills (I), author of the The Warrior Sage, his story began as a nighttime tale featuring his son and ended as a novel for young adults full of adventure and magic, intertwined with life lessons about honoring one’s family and heritage. Starring characters of African descent, they battle evil sorcerers, witches and dragons in a classic tale of good vs. evil complete with castles, enchanted forests, and epic battles.

A former teacher and owner of a tutorial program in Toronto, Mills called upon the harshest of critics when he was developing The Warrior Sage: his students. Taking their criticism to heart -- and they were brutally honest -- Mills fine-tuned his story into one sure to delight adults -- both young and old.

The Warrior Sage:

Gives boys and girls positive super-heroes to emulate
Shares life lessons through the wisdom of elders
Reinforces the value of family and ethnicity
Encourages us to find the courage and flame within us all to fight for what is good
Reminds us to help those less fortunate

With characters named after Mills’ own children, The Warrior Sage begins in the Middle Ages as a story of Chael, a young adolescent, looking for his missing sister, and ends with Chael helping an almost forgotten people fight for their very existence. Outwitting conjurors of black magic as well as eluding unrelenting armies, Chael and the Sages search for the three faces of the sorcerer’s ring to save his sister and their people.

“The Warrior Sage gives adolescents heroes to cheer for and emulate,” says Mills. “In a world where positive role models are hard to find, the Sages are heroes others can turn to for guidance and direction allowing readers to come away feeling inspired and good about themselves.”

Author's Official Website: http://paulmillsauthor.com/

The Warrior Sage is available on www.amazon.com and www.barnesandnoble.com.

"Red Riding Hood" Reviewed

Books and movies. Movies and books. They have always gone hand in hand. Hollywood has been turning to the written page to create their biggest films for years and years (most of our readers have read the “Twilight” and “Harry Potter” series’ right?). But writers have been inspired by movies too, as is the case with “Red Riding Hood.” In this epic retelling of the classic children’s story of a young girl, her grandmother and a big bad wolf there is a new twist, a love triangle, a village tormented by a werewolf, and a young woman dealing with it all.

The movie was directed by Catherine Hardwicke (she directed “Twilight” as if you didn’t know!) and stars Amanda Seyfried as Valerie, a young woman whose life is about to be turned upside down.

Valerie is not like any of the girls in her village. She’s tougher, she’s mysterious, and she’s not interested in falling in love. That all changes when a long lost friend returns to the village 10 years after leaving under bad circumstances. His return brings a whirlwind of emotions for Valerie, as she finds herself in the midst of a love triangle, being betrothed to the town’s rich young blacksmith Henry. While all of this is happening, a large black wolf has been stalking the little village and just as things are getting confusing for Valerie, they get even worse. Valerie’s older sister Lucie is killed by the Wolf. The first human tragedy in years. The village had been giving the Wolf animal sacrifices which were holding the beast off until Lucie’s death brought the town to a terror filled halt.

At the midst of it all is Valerie, in love with her bad boy former best friend, forced to be engaged to Henry whom she does not truly love, dealing with the loss of her sister, and then, the unthinkable happens. The Wolf talks to Valerie, telling her she must sacrifice herself or watch as more of the people she loves dies.

Writer Sarah Blakley-Cartwright puts together this book using well-crafted words that help bring the images of this roller-coaster of a fairy tale to life. Based on the screenplay written by David Leslie Johnson, Sarah is able to bring the movie to the page in a way that makes you want to read more and more.

The book is available now at bookstores and for eReaders. The eBook has extras that fans will be clamoring to get their eyes on:

An introductory video with Catherine Hardwicke, Sarah Blakley-Cartwright, and screenwriter David Leslie Johnson
Audio of Catherine Hardwicke reading her introduction
Short animated video showcasing the scribe’s book
Audio discussion about the set design and architecture
Video of Sarah Blakley-Cartwright discussing her writing process
Blueprints, photos, and sketches of the set
Sketches of the costume design with designer comments
Audio discussion of paintings featured in the film Audio discussion of the film’s historical research and props
Storyboards from some of the film’s action sequences
Images of the visual effects from the film

After reading the final chapter, fans will be excited to find that the story does not really end on that page. When the film is released on March 11, fans will be treated to even more revelations from the book, and a bonus chapter will available for a free download on March 14 at www.redridinghoodbook.com.

“Red Riding Hood” is published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers and will be released in theaters by Warner Bros. Pictures on March 11th.

For more information on the movie and to check out the trailer, click here

"Red Riding Hood" Novel and Enhanced eBook News

Image courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

LITTLE, BROWN BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS PUBLISHES RED RIDING HOOD NOVEL AND ENHANCED EBOOK IN CONJUNCTION WITH UPCOMING CATHERINE HARDWICKE RED RIDING HOOD FILM

Final chapter of novel will be available for download on March 14, 2011 to coincide with film’s release

The romance, suspense, and horror of the highly anticipated Red Riding Hood film from Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke is brought to life in the deluxe,compelling eBook and novel RED RIDING HOOD by Sarah Blakley-Cartwright, with an introduction by Catherine Hardwicke (Poppy; January 25, 2011). Debut author Sarah Blakley-Cartwright has crafted a lyrical thriller, adapting the movie’s story into a stunning stand-alone work that will have readers eagerly anticipating the film’s opening. Blakley-Cartwright wrote RED RIDING HOOD from a unique and coveted vantage point — she was on set every day with Hardwicke weaving in details from the world created for the film.

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers has also created a spectacular enhanced eBook that features exclusive behind-the-scenes content from the film, including:

· An introductory video with Catherine Hardwicke, Sarah Blakley-Cartwright, and screenwriter David Leslie Johnson
· Audio of Catherine Hardwicke reading her introduction
· Short animated video showcasing the scribe’s book
· Audio discussion about the set design and architecture
· Video of Sarah Blakley-Cartwright discussing her writing process
· Blueprints, photos, and sketches of the set
· Sketches of the costume design with designer comments
· Audio discussion of paintings featured in the film
· Audio discussion of the film’s historical research and props
· Storyboards from some of the film’s action sequences
· Images of the visual effects from the film

The final revelations of RED RIDING HOOD will be unveiled to readers at the time of the film’s release on March 11, 2011. A bonus final chapter will be available for download at www.redridinghoodbook.com on March 14, 2011 at 9 o’clock AM eastern time.

A dark and riveting new version of the classic fairy tale, RED RIDING HOOD is the story of Valerie, a young woman caught up in a love triangle, living in a village that guards a horrifying secret: They must appease the Wolf with a monthly sacrifice. Suddenly, though, no one is safe as the villagers discover that the Wolf is among them — and that Valerie is the only one who can hear its voice. The Wolf tells her to surrender herself, or everyone she loves will die.

"The Dark Days of Supernatural" Series Comes to Bookstores

Romance. Supernatural phenomenon. Angst. It's all here in this 5 book series from Harper Teen.

The Trailer:

The Books:

ONCE IN A FULL MOON
Author: Ellen Schreiber
Available Now

Synopsis: An accessible and clean paranormal series about werewolves—and the popular girl who loves one. Celeste hangs with the popular crowd at Legend’s Run High and is being wooed by Nash Hunter, the football quarterback, but doesn’t really feel that she belongs. She only comes in contact with the new and enigmatic student, Brandon Maddox, when she passes him in classes, the hallway, and at lunch, but she suspects there is something different about him other than that he is a Westsider and comes from the wrong side of town. On a dare, Celeste and her friends go to a psychic’s shop for a reading. When it is Celeste’s turn for a fortune, the psychic grabs Celeste’s hands and warns, “Beware of a kiss under the full moon.” Celeste and her friends laugh and mock the fortune teller. But on her way home from their outing, Celeste is blinded by a blizzard. Disoriented, she finds herself deep in the woods bordering town. She is overcome by snowfall and unable to see anything. Above her hovers the glow of a full moon. Just then, she sees beady eyes staring back through the falling flakes. She finds herself in the midst of a pack of hungry wolves. The wolves begin to howl. She can’t outrun them, and the shortest tree branch is out of reach. They slowly approach her. At the last moment, a stranger pulls her from the hungry pack. He grabs a branch and fights the pack of wolves until they retreat. In the scuffle the stranger is bitten. It is Brandon Maddox. Celeste is enamored by her hero and can’t get him out of her mind. Where Nash is a hero on the field and court, Brandon is a hero in reality. Celeste steals away from her friends to find Brandon, and they meet on a hilltop near his home. A cloudy sky lingers above them, and Celeste realizes she has fallen in love with a Westsider. But in the next few moments, Celeste will face an even bigger challenge than falling for a guy from the wrong side of town. As the two lean in to kiss, the clouds pass, exposing the glow of a full moon. Brandon feels strange and pulls away. Something is about to change—him.

Our Review: Celeste Parker’s life is going along as it should be, according to her friends. She’s dating one of the most desirable guys at Legend’s Run High. Her two best friends are dating his best friends. They’re happily living the good life on the Eastside of town, in the suburbs. And then something strange happens. Brandon Maddox moves to Legend’s Run. An event that changes both his and Celeste’s lives forever. Brandon lives on the Westside, the other side of the tracks to many. Celeste is drawn to him, despite her friend’s protests and when Brandon saves Celeste’s life, putting his own in danger, the two cannot see how they can be apart. There’s only one problem. Brandon is a werewolf.

During a trip to a psychic, on a dare from their boyfriends, Celeste is warned of a “kiss under a full moon, a stranger and wolves.” Not believing in the business of predictions and paranormal, Celeste blows off the warning as garbage. But when she goes to thank Brandon for saving her life, and they lean in for their first kiss, the moon is as full as they come, and Brandon is about to change in ways neither of them imagined. Could it be that her psychic warning is coming true right before her eyes? Celeste is determined to find out if what she saw, and was warned about, is really true. And her deep feelings for Brandon continue to pull her to him forcing her to keep secrets from her friends. And you thought your social life was complicated…

“Once in a Full Moon” is an exciting story about going against what you are supposed to do, living for yourself and finding the heart and soul of a person despite what they might become when the moon is full. Writer Ellen Schreiber captures the angst of wanting to please your friends, holding on to deep secrets and falling in love for the first time. There are twists and turns melded into this typical teen novel about falling in love with someone (or something) we should not love, and finding out what you would do to maintain that love.

Book Excerpt:Once in a Full Moon

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UNEARTHLY
Author: Cynthia Hand
Available Now

Synopsis: Clara has known she was part–angel ever since she turned fourteen two years ago. But now she is finally getting visions of what her Purpose—a rite of passage for every part–angel—is to be, and it happens to involve a gorgeous guy. Of course, there is the raging forest fire surrounding them, too. When Clara’s Purpose leads her family to Wyoming, Clara finds the boy of her visions, Christian, but complicating her mission are her growing feelings for another guy, Tucker. As the day in her visions draws closer, Clara discovers that her Purpose may play into a larger struggle between angels and Black Wings—fallen angels who spread sadness and misery wherever they go. But when the fire erupts and both Christian and Tucker are in danger, who will she choose to save? From debut novelist Cynthia Hand comes a riveting tale full of supernatural powers, forbidden romance, and the choice between fulfilling your destiny or following your heart.

Our Review: Have you ever thought that you just might not be from this realm? What if it were true? Clara Gardner is a typical teen with the usual social issues. She has trouble meeting new friends at the new school in the small town she and her family moves to, and it isn’t long before she is having boy trouble. Just your typical story. Except for the part where Clara is an Angel. Her mother told her about her angel-blood when she was fourteen. Now sixteen, her purpose on Earth has been shown to her in visions and dreams. She has to save a boy from a fire. Which is why she and her family have been uprooted from their home in California to this country town of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Complicated right? Well. It only gets more complex from there.

Writer Cynthia Hand spins a tale of love, responsibility, faith in yourself and higher beings and doing what it takes to live up to everything you are meant to be. This is not your typical story about a love triangle and a young woman caught in the middle. And yet it is. Cynthia takes readers on Clara’s journey of learning that every choice has a consequence and every person has a purpose. It is easy to get caught up in the pages and one cannot help but want to skip ahead to find out what happens next.

Book Excerpt: Unearthly

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ANGELFIRE
Author: Courtney Allison Moulton
Available Now

Synopsis: When ordinary seventeen-year-old Ellie starts seeing reapers—monstrous creatures who devour humans and send their souls to Hell—she finds herself on the front lines of a supernatural war between Angels and the Fallen, and faced with the possible destruction of her soul. A mysterious boy named Will, who has been waiting sixty years for her return, reveals she is the reincarnation of an ancient warrior, the only one armed with angelfire, and capable of fighting the reapers. He is an immortal sworn to protect her in battle. Her soul has been reborn again and again over the centuries to fight the reapers, and he’s been there for five hundred years to protect and fight alongside her. Now that Ellie’s powers have been awakened, a powerful reaper called Bastian has come forward to challenge her. He has employed a fierce assassin to eliminate her—an assassin who has already killed her once. At the same time, Ellie is falling in love with Will, even though they know their relationship should be impossible. While balancing her dwindling social life and reaper–hunting duties, she and Will discover Bastian is searching for a dormant creature believed to be a true soul reaper. Bastian plans to use this weapon to destroy Ellie’s soul forever, not to mention the devastating ramifications for human souls. Now she must face an army of Bastian’s most frightening reapers, prevent the soul reaper from consuming her soul, and uncover the secrets of her past lives—including truths that may be too frightening to remember.

Our Review: Ellie is about to turn seventeen. For her birthday her father has agreed to buy her a car, her friends are getting ready to have a huge blow-out party to celebrate, and she’s about to find out she’s got a power no one else in this world will ever have. Ellie is a warrior for the good in the battle of good vs. evil. She has no idea this fate falls in her hands. Until she meets Will, a mysterious young man who she slowly begins to realize she has known for several lifetimes. Will was sent to awaken Ellie’s full powers just as she celebrates her big day. What awakens between them could send them and the entire realm into a spiral of epic proportions.

As she begins to remember who she is and what her destiny asks of her, Ellie uncovers more than just centuries of past lives she’s lived. An evil reaper named Bastian is searching for an ancient power that can devour human souls, not just send them to Hell as the reapers are known to do. It is up to Ellie, and Will, to make sure Bastian does not get his hands on this power. Along the way they must fight what they are realizing within themselves. Over centuries of time, they have fallen in love. A love that could destroy them both if they let it.

“Angelfire” gives the reader a look at what it is like to find your potential and use it. It is a “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” like tale set in the world of Angels and Demons. Imagine if Buffy had supernatural powers and you will know Ellie. Determined to carry out what fate has put in front of her. Learning about life’s dangers, both monstrous and completely teenaged. Can she keep her secrets from her friends? Can she finish high school and go to college? Can she beat the evil Bastian and save existence from the Apocalypse? Go ahead. Find out for yourself…

Book Excerpt: Angelfire

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AFTERLIFE
Author: Claudia Gray
Available Now

Synopsis: In AFTERLIFE, having become what they feared most, Bianca and Lucas face a scary new reality. They must return to Evernight Academy, Lucas as a vampire and Bianca as a wraith. But Lucas is haunted by demons, both personal and supernatural. Bianca must help him fight the evil inside him-and find the power to claim her destiny at last. Readers have fallen in love with Bianca and Lucas, and they will be thrilled to read this exciting conclusion to their romantic adventure.

Our Review: In "Afterlife," the final book of Claudia Gray’s “Evernight” series, Bianca and Lucas are forced to return to Evernight Academy to help Lucas deal with becoming what he feared most – a vampire. Their return means danger for both he and Bianca, as Bianca has become a wraith, her return being forbidden by the head of the academy, Mrs. Bethany. Bianca must remain in the shadows, never showing herself to anyone but the close group who know about her already. While Lucas deals with his inner demons about becoming a “monster,” Bianca must deal with the decision of showing herself to her parents - two vampires who have expressed strong hatred toward the wraiths.

As they both deal with the dangers of returning to a place they never imagined they would go back to, Bianca and Lucas discover there are more dangers than being a new vampire amongst humans and being a hated wraith. Mrs. Bethany has big, evil plans for them both. The drama and danger constantly test Bianca and Lucas’s love for each other but their bond never breaks.

Fans who have followed Lucas and Bianca through their storm-filled romance will get everything they have been hoping for in this conclusion of the series that taught readers about being in love, being loyal and never believing what is on the surface.

Book Excerpt: Afterlife

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DESIRES OF THE DEAD
Author: Kimberly Derting
On Sale 3/8/11

Synopsis: Violet and Jay are finally dating, but adjusting to the new relationship is not as easy as Violet anticipated. Especially when she has to split Jay’s time and attention with his new best friend, Mike, and Mike’s pesky younger sister—who happens to be obsessed with Jay. Meanwhile, when Violet’s special abilities lead her to the body of a young boy, her tip to the police puts her on the radar of the FBI. Violet tries to fend off the FBI’s questions while maintaining the semblance of a normal life, but somebody’s leaving her threatening notes and an echo around Mike’s house reinforces that all is not right. Violet is forced to admit that perhaps the only people who can help her figure it out are the very people she’s desperate to avoid—the FBI.

Our Review: Violet has a gift. She hears the echo left behind when someone dies before their time. Sounds like a gift you might want to return to the giver right? There are times when Violet would like to do just that. But most of the time she wants to help these people. You see, not only can she hear the echoes of the dead, she can hear the corresponding echoes of those that killed them. In the first book, “The Body Finder,” we met Violet as she was juggling new feelings she’d found for her best friend Jay, while she followed the echo of a serial killer whose victims had called out to her and been found. In this book, the second in the series, Violet and Jay are a couple. The serial killer has been caught and she is back to normal. Or whatever is normal for her.

On a trip to Seattle, Violet hears the echo of a young boy who had been trapped in a shipping crate on the wharf. Anonymously tipping the cops to his location attracts the attention of the FBI, something she has been trying to avoid at all costs. There are only a handful of people who know about Violet’s unique gift. And she would like to keep it that way. But when things start to get strange (well, stranger I suppose) in her world, Violet must decide if her vow of secrecy is really worth it after all. Someone is sending Violet messages. And they are not of the cute secret admirer nature.

Who is after Violet? What does Jay’s new best friend Mike have to do with it? What will Violet decide to do about the FBI? Suspense and mystery surround the story in this page-turner. You will find yourself fighting the urge to skip ahead to find out what happens next. “Desires of the Dead” is fascinating, exciting and heartwarming all at the same time.

Book Excerpt: Desires of the Dead

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