The Madness Underneath (Shades of London #2) by Maureen Johnson

Publication: February 26, 2013
Publisher: Speak / Penguin Group
Source: Bought/Own

After her near-fatal run-in with the Jack the Ripper copycat, Rory Deveaux has been living in Bristol under the close watch of her parents. So when her therapist suddenly suggests she return to Wexford, Rory jumps at the chance to get back to her friends. But Rory's brush with the Ripper touched her more than she thought possible: she's become a human terminus, with the power to eliminate ghosts on contact. She soon finds out that the Shades--the city's secret ghost-fighting police--are responsible for her return. The Ripper may be gone, but now there is a string of new inexplicable deaths threatening London. Rory has evidence that the deaths are no coincidence. Something much more sinister is going on, and now she must convince the squad to listen to her before it's too late. In this follow-up to the Edgar Award-nominated THE NAME OF THE STAR, Maureen Johnson adds another layer of spectacularly gruesome details to the streets of London that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

So Rory is back at home with her parents, trying to come to terms with what happened to her with the whole Ripper thing. But that’s not going so well for her at the moment. Because of the contract she signed, she can’t discuss what happened to her. Though it’s likely they wouldn’t believe her if she did tell them anyways, but still.  One day when she is out around town, she spots a ghost and tries to talk to him, but ends up making him disappear when she touches him...sending him into oblivion...She has become a terminus.

Stephen ends up discovering what she can do, and he pulls strings to get her to come back to boarding school. Once there, Rory begins investigating a string of murders that she believes to be connected, which leads her to some unusual situations and suspicious characters.

Because I liked The Name of the Star so much, I was really hoping to love The Madness Underneath. Unfortunately I did not like it as much as the first book, but I did enjoy reading it. It felt like it took a really long time for the story to pick up and for things to happen. I did like the surprises that popped up throughout the story. The one thing I wasn’t so keen on? That ending. I don’t want to say what happened and spoil it for those who have not read it yet, but I really wish things would have turned out a little differently. That being said, I am curious to see how everything plays out in The Shadow Cabinet; the third book in the series.

RATING: 3 out of 5.

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The Winter People by Rebekah L. Purdy

Publication: September 2, 2014

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Source: Publisher

An engrossing, complex, romantic fantasy perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore or Maggie Stiefvater, set in a wholly unique world. Salome Montgomery fears winter—the cold, the snow, the ice, but most of all, the frozen pond she fell through as a child. Haunted by the voices and images of the strange beings that pulled her to safety, she hasn't forgotten their warning to "stay away." For eleven years, she has avoided the winter woods, the pond, and the darkness that lurks nearby. But when failing health takes her grandparents to Arizona, she is left in charge of maintaining their estate. This includes the "special gifts" that must be left at the back of the property. Salome discovers she’s a key player in a world she’s tried for years to avoid. At the center of this world is the strange and beautiful Nevin, who she finds trespassing on her family’s property. Cursed with dark secrets and knowledge of the creatures in the woods, his interactions with Salome take her life in a new direction. A direction where she'll have to decide between her longtime crush Colton, who could cure her fear of winter. Or Nevin who, along with an appointed bodyguard, Gareth, protects her from the darkness that swirls in the snowy backdrop. An evil that, given the chance, will kill her.

I began reading The Winter People without much expectation except for an interesting story. That is exactly what it was...interesting and unique. I don’t believe I have ever read a story quite like this one.

Years ago, when Salome was a little girl, she had a tragic accident and almost died in a frozen lake but was miraculously saved. Fast forward seventeen years later and not only is Salome afraid of winter, but she also keeps hearing voices. Sometimes there is a voice that is speaking directly to her. That would make anyone feeling as if they were going crazy, and Salome is no exception.

There is a mysterious boy named Nevin that Salome meets one day. She begins to feels a connection develop between them, but Salome has an additional two love interests in this story, Colton and Gareth. I wasn’t a big fan of the love triangle. It was okay. It seemed to work well enough in the story; I just don’t always like them.

Salome’s grandmother could have been more upfront with her about what was really going on. I know there was a reason for everything, but still.

The Winter People is filled with Fae, magic, romance, secrets, and mystery. It was a fun and original story to discover and get into. And it definitely got me in the mood for all things winter. Especially with all of this crazy humid heat we have going on in California.

RATING: 4 out of 5.

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Pivot Point by Kasie West

Synopsis:

Knowing the outcome doesn't always make a choice easier . . .

Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.

In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through . . . and who she can’t live without.

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I have to admit that I have never really been one for stories with alternate realities or time traveling of any sort. That is until I read Pivot Point. The cover made me take a look, the synopsis piqued my interest, but the actual story…made me fall in love.

Addison Coleman is not a typical teenager. Being a Searcher, has the ability to look into the future and see what will happen. Most people wonder what their lives would be like if they chose a different path, but Addison gets to see both outcomes.  How awesome would it be to have that ability?  Living in a compound facility surrounded by people with special abilities, like her mom who is Persuasive and her dad is a Discerner (can tell if someone is lying), life is kept interesting.  

As she tries to figure out if she should stay with her mom or dad of the divorce, she decides to do a Search. Both futures alternate back and forth (each with a different love interest) between chapters which I thought would be confusing, but I found it easy to follow along.  There is no clear cut answer for her as both results have positives and negatives.

I was not expecting to like Pivot Point as much as I did. It is a nicely paced story filled with a combination of romance, paranormal elements, and mystery. All of which kept me thoroughly entertained.

So glad there will be a sequel since I need to know what happens next with Addie! 

Pivot Point releases today, so be sure and check it out :) 

Rating: 4 ½ out of 5.

** I received this book from HarperCollins Publishing / HarperTeen in exchange for nothing, but my honest review. Thank you!** 

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A Dance with Darkness by Courtney Allison Moulton

From Goodreads:

There were shadows in this alley that no light touched, and where there was no light, anything could hide.

At the end of the fourteenth century, angelic reapers struggle to defend London against a legion of the demonic who have their sights set on claiming human souls and ancient relics for a dark purpose. Madeleine, a young but powerful warrior, is duty-bound to fight the demonic, and she lives for this pursuit above all else. Then, on a routine night of tracking, she is ambushed by a cadre of reapers and, though she defeats them all, she is left wounded and at the mercy of their lord, the notorious Bastian.

Madeleine is astonished when Bastian lets her live. She goes deeper into the world of the demonic and is shocked to meet him again-this powerful reaper whose touch makes her restless and gives her a thrill unlike anything else. When they fall into a dangerous clandestine affair, her head and her heart must wage their war: can their love overcome his demonic nature? Will her dance with darkness burn her or bring Bastian into the light?

With scorching romance and fantastic action, this original novella is a prequel to Courtney Allison Moulton's gripping and epic Angelfire series.

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This novella is a prequel to the Angelfire series.

A Dance with Darkness tells the story of a forbidden love affair between Bastian, an extremely powerful demonic reaper and Madeleine, a very skilled angelic reaper. Cadan and Nathaniel also make an appearance in this story as well. Bastian and Madeleine are the parents of Will, whose story begins in Angelfire.

Bastian and Madeleine’s love happens pretty rapidly. When they are together they feel things for each other that despite their obvious differences makes it hard for them to deny.

This story is a prime example of how opposites really do attract and how affairs of the heart can lead them down a thrilling yet dangerous road.

I enjoyed Courtney Moulton’s writing. The world and the characters she creates are awesome. Even though it was short, it was still entertaining and easy to get into.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

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Guardian (A Halflings Novel) by Heather Burch

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Vigilance. The mission to safeguard Nikki Youngblood depends on the fragile alliance of two half-angel, half-human guardians, both struggling with intense feelings for the girl who has been assigned to their care. Mace, steadfast and deeply in love, wants to protect Nikki at all costs, while Raven's loyalty to Nikki finds him advocating for her independence and battling his own darker inclinations. At the same time, Nikki finds it harder and harder to choose between the two heavenly beings she may never have. Dangers intensify, and tensions between Mace and Raven flare as the purpose of their mission becomes clear. Can their defenses hold up to master manipulator Damon Vessler and the powerful secret he holds regarding Nikki's heritage? Can anyone protect Nikki from her true purpose and destiny?

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Guardian is the sequel to Halflings by Heather Burch. It continues the story of Nikki Youngblood and the Halflings (half humans/half angels).  It’s an exciting teen/young adult paranormal romance novel that follows seventeen year old Nikki, as she and the Halflings fight in a war between good and evil while trying to decide between two amazingly gorgeous Halflings guardians.  To better prepare her for what lies ahead, Nikki attempts to improve her fighting skills as well as her skills as a Seer.

 The love triangle between these three takes up a good portion of the book. She seems to feel for them in separate ways.  Now granted Nikki has been through a lot recently, with her parents’ death, finding out she is a Seer, and having to fight off evil that is somehow drawn to her. I get that her emotions are most likely running on overdrive by now, but it felt like she was playing a game of never ending Ping-Pong regarding her feelings about Mace and Raven. After a certain point, I just wanted her to make a final decision and choose a guy already…preferable Raven (My favorite).  I’m a sucker for the “bad” boy types I guess. Raven isn’t perfect, but he does not try to be. He uses situations to his advantage, can be a bit of a jerk as well as overconfident when it comes to Nikki, but if she needs him, he is there for her. He understands her. Their similarities and differences help to balance each other out and call me crazy, but I think fit perfectly together.

He took a step closer. “I just want to hear what you think I smell like.” Nikki closed her eyes and pulled a deep breath in through her nose. And with it, it seemed Raven invaded every cell of her being; a beautiful scent, an inviting scent. One part snowcapped mountains and one part black pepper. “You smell like danger, Raven. Like trouble…”

“What else?” Raven insisted. Nikki started to turn and walk away, but once again her feet wouldn’t obey her mind. She wouldn’t tell him what else he smelled like. She wouldn’t even think it again. In fact, she’d forget the sensation that accosted her, forget the one word it brought to mind. Forget that it was exactly what he’d said to her. “What else?” he said again. Freedom. Like the first rev of her motorcycle, or the wind on a summer day, rich and alive and filled with possibilities. Like rain after a long drought.”   – Heather Burch, Guardian: They chose to protect her. But forgot to guard their hearts. (A Halflings Novel)

Mace and Raven both feel very strongly about Nikki as well and because of this, things become tense between them which make the situation ten times more difficult and uncomfortable for everyone involved.  

Even though I liked Nikki, there were some moments were I was irritated by her behavior and I questioned some of the choices she made and what her reasoning was for them.  Apart from that I liked that there was a good amount of suspense and action thrown into the story, it kept things interesting.  When I started reading it, I wanted to keep reading to find out what was going to happen next. It literally kept me on the edge of my seat. I am definitely buying the third book in this series, Avenger which is slated to be released on March 19, 2013.

Rating: 3½ out of 5

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** I received this ARC from Zondervan via NetGalley in exchange for nothing, but my honest review. Thank you.** 

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