My Soul to Lose/My Soul to Take

Description: It was supposed to be a fun day, shopping at the mall with her best friend. Then the panic attack started and Kaylee Cavanaugh finds herself screaming, unable to stop. Her secret fears are exposed and it's the worst day of her life. Until she wakes up in the psychiatric unit. She tries to convince everyone she's fine-despite the shadows she sees forming around another patient and the urge to scream which comes burbling up again and again. Everyone thinks she's crazy. Everyone except Lydia, that is. Another patient with some special abilities... -Amazon

Author: Rachel Vincent

Release date: July 1, 2009

Publisher: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.

Pages: 63

Source: My personal copy

Reading level: Young Adult

Teaser Sentence(s): '"They don't lock up people with the flu, Aunt Val." Not unless it's the bird flu or Stephen King's end-of-the-world flu.'

Description: She doesn't see dead people, but... She senses when someone near her is about to die. And when that happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder. Literally. Kaylee just wants to enjoy having caught the attention of the hottest guy in school. But a normal date is hard to come by when Nash seems to know more about her need to scream than she does. And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason, only Kaylee knows who'll be next... -Amazon

Author: Rachel Vincent

Release date: August 1, 2009

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Pages: 384

Source: My personal copy

Reading level: Young Adult

Teaser Sentence: 'Weirdest. Tuesday. Ever.'

My thoughts: First off, My Soul to Lose is a short introduction to the Soul Screamers series. The novella goes through a short period of time where Kaylee is placed in the psych ward at the local hospital. A few things happen, but nothing that is detrimental to the story line. The stay in the hospital is referenced in My Soul to Take, but you could absolutely skip this reading and start at book one. The only real information you will acquire from the story is what happens when Kaylee has a 'panic attack'.

 Now, on to My Soul to Take. This was a really refreshing read for me. I love vampires, weres, witches and other supernatural elements in the books I read, but I cannot recall a time I read one about bean sidhes (banshees). It was definitely different to have the Irish folklore, and I enjoyed that. There were some really predictable happenings in this book I saw coming from the beginning. I was almost disappointed then I was thrown a surprise. You proved me wrong, Rachel Vincent, good job! And then again I was hit with a little tidbit of information I had not anticipated in the slightest. Another good job, Rachel Vincent! I know that's all very vague, but *does her best River Song impersonation* no spoilers!

This book does contain some insta-love which usually turns me off-I am more into the agonizing suspense. But with the type of story this was it fit, so it did not get to me bad. I didn't want My Soul to Take to end. I can't wait to order the next book in this series. I really want to know what kind of crazy bean sidhe family drama happens next. 

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Daimon / Half-Blood

Description: "Love in my world usually ended up with someone hearing 'I smite thee!' as she was cursed to be some lame flower for the rest of her life." For three years, Alexandria has lived among mortals-pretending to be like them and trying to forget the duty she'd been trained to fulfill as a child of a mortal and a demigod. At seventeen, she's pretty much accepted that she's a freak by mortal standards... and that she'll never be prepared for that duty. According to her mother, that's a good thing. But as every descendant of the gods knows, Fate has a way of rearing her ugly head. A horrifying attack forces Alex to flee Miami and try to find her way back to the very place her mother had warned her she should never return-the Covenant. Every step that brings her closer to safety is one more step toward death... because she's being hunted by the very creatures she's once trained to kill. The daimons have found her. -Amazon

Author: Jennifer L Armentrout

Release date: May 6, 2011
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Pages: 86
Source: Free copy from Publisher's website. Get it here.
Reading level: Young Adult 

Teaser sentence: 'Matt would go to school on Monday and tell everyone how I'd gone Xena Warrior Princess on the douchebags.'

Description: The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi-pure-bloods-have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals-well, not so much. Half-Bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures. Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1: Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden. Unfortunately, she's crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn't her biggest problem-staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck. -Amazon

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Release date: October 18, 2011

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Pages: 304

Source: My personal copy

Reading level: Young Adult

Teaser sentence(s): 'The grin increased to a full smile. And... oh, man. He had dimples. The air in my lungs died.'

My thoughts: Okay, here is a list of things I am obsessed with: (1) Jennifer L Armentrout (2) Greek and Roman mythology (3) A great Young Adult Novel (4) and probably my most favorite, Forbidden Love. The Covenant series has all of those things and more. I was a very happy girl when I finished Half-Blood. 

  Daimon (pronounced DEE-mun) is not a necessary read. You could start the series off at book one, Half-Blood, and you would not be too confused. The novella does give you incite to what happens in the few weeks before the story actually starts, and there are referrals to some of these events in Half-Blood. All-in-All I do not think it would ruin the story if you couldn't get your hands on a copy of Daimon. 

  So far, I haven't read anything by Jennifer L Armentrout that I haven't went all fan-girl over. I love her writing style and I love her kissing scenes. Alex is a great kick-ass girl character, and I completely fell for Aiden. The characters are great, the story is great. Half-Blood gets the rarely given 5 star-rating. I cannot wait to get my hands on a copy of Pure. If I had it, I would be reading it right now!

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All Over You / Devoured

Description: Before Sienne was devoured, before Lucas was consumed, they were all over each other... Lucas Wolfe is used to getting what he wants-from everyone but one person, that is-so when he meets the wardrobe assistant hired to work his band's newest video, he's got to have her. From the moment Sienne first obediently whispers "Yes, Mr. Wolfe", he knows she's perfect for him. Three Days. And he'll have her stripped down and bound to his bed.

Set two years before the events of 'Devoured', All Over You is a 17,000 word novella which tells the story of Sienna and Lucas's first encounter. -Amazon

Author: Emily Snow
Release date: Decemeber 31, 2012
Publisher: Emily Snow Books
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Pages: 54
Source: my Kindle copy
Reading level: Adult -sex and language

Teaser Sentence: 'And that's the precise moment when she's no longer the wardrobe girl with the tight body who won't be anything to me but a brief encounter within a few minutes.'

Description: Sienna Jensen had no plans to return home when she graduated college last spring-after all, her dreams lie in California. But when she discovers her grandmother's Nashville home has been foreclosed, and the new owner has started the eviction process, Sienna has no other choice but go back to Music City. And she comes face to face with the flawed, gorgeous man she never thought she's see again. The man who now holds the deed to her grandma's estate. When millionaire rock star Lucas Wolfe finds the outspoken redhead glaring at him from across a courtroom, he's both infuriated and intrigued. He still can't get the night Sienna almost spent with him out of his mind, and the chemistry between them is as undeniable as it was two years ago. He craves Sienna more then ever. And just like everything Lucas hungers for, he's determined to have her.  Now, Lucas will do whatever it takes to lure Sienna into his bed, even if that means making a deal with her: ten days with him, playing by his rules, and he'll hand over the deed to her grandmother's home. Though she agrees to the arrangement, Sienna is conflicted, because of her duty to her family. Because of promises she's made to herself and a past that still haunts her. And as Lucas's game of seduction continues, and Sienna is introduced to his dark, erotic world and even darker background, she realizes that at any moment, she could be devoured. -Amazon

Author: Emily Snow

Release date: October 8, 2012 

Publisher: Emily Snow Books

Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.

Pages: 223

Source: my Kindle copy

Reading level: Adult -sex and language

Teaser Sentence: 'Lucas Wolfe is all muscles and tattoos and sexiness, but it's his music that as a way of getting to me.'

My thoughts: First off, if you try to read Devoured without reading All Over You first, you are going to be confused about what happened in their past. Devoured does not give you enough information alone. I love a hot, tattooed guy in a rock band. I just can't help it, I am married to one. The cover model of these books is what sucked me in. I was a little disappointed in these books. They were not nearly dirty enough. Yes there was some hot scenes, but most of the book is just Lucas chasing after Sienna. I won't give away the ending, but being the rock-star wife I am, I was jealous at the sweet act he came up with to try and get her back. All Over You is written from both Sienna and Lucas's point of view. I really liked getting to see some of what Lucas's was thinking. I was a little upset that Devoured was all from Sienna's view point. I was really hoping for more of an idea about how Lucas thinks and why he is the way he is. There is another book yet to come out in this series. Hopefully, it will be steamier and tell us more about Lucas's past with his ex-wife. There were lots of unanswered questions when I reached the end of this book.

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Sacrifice In Stone

Description: In 1758 Britain, a blood curse imprisons solder Garrick Lawson in the form of a marble statue as a sacrifice to bring prosperity to the Rushworth family. Fighting madness inside his stone prison, Garrick awaits a release that may never come. Over two centuries later, he hears a voice that makes him hunger for love as well as freedom. Mara, the Rushworth heiress, feels irresistibly drawn to the statue. She dreams of hungry kisses in the arms of a soldier with eyes the color of melting chocolate. When Mara discovers an antique journal, revealing her family's crime, she knows the man of her dreams awaits and she must risk the wrath of her devious uncle to free him. Using her blood, Mara brings Garrick to life and awakens his desire to claim her as his woman. But even as fiery passion burns between lovers, the journal reveals that Garrick's freedom has a price...Mara's life. -Amazon

Author: Patricia Mason
Release date: October 26, 2012
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Pages: 42
Source: Free download from Amazon
Reading level: Adult - contains some violence and sex

Teaser Sentence(s): 'Her fingers slid through his hair and she felt the change. What had been silky now felt course and gritty.'

My thoughts: This is one of those random books we all download for free and let sit on our e-readers until we are tired of looking at it. This book was very rushed, but I guess that's what you get with a short story. I liked the idea and the story, but it would have been better as a full length novel with a little more information and back story on the characters. I would love to know more about Garrick's life before he became imprisoned in the stone.

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