Waiting on Wednesday: Third Grave Dead Ahead by Darynda Jones

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Book Description

Publication Date: January 31, 2012

Third in the award-winning paranormal series that’s “hilarious and heartfelt, sexy and surprising.”
—J.R. Ward

Paranormal private eye. Grim reaper extraordinaire. Whatever. Charley Davidson is back! And she’s drinking copious amounts of caffeine to stay awake because, every time she closes her eyes, she sees him: Reyes Farrow, the parthuman, part-supermodel son of Satan. Yes, she did imprison him for all eternity, but come on. How is she supposed to solve a missing persons case, deal with an ego-driven doctor, calm her curmudgeonly dad, and take on a motorcycle gang hellbent on murder when the devil’s son just won’t give up?

About the Author

Winner of the 2009 Golden Heart(R) for Best Paranormal Romance, DARYNDA JONES lives in the Land of Enchantment, also known as New Mexico, with her husband and two sons.

BOOK TRAILER TUESDAY: Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

BLOG TOUR & REVIEW So Far Away by Chrstine Hartmann

Book Description

Publication Date: November 18, 2011

Christine Hartmann's mother valued control above all else, yet one event appeared beyond her command: the timing of her own death. Not to be denied there either, two decades in advance Irmgard Hartmann chose the date on which to end her life. And her next step was to tell her daughter all about it. For twenty years, Irmgard maintained an unwavering goal, to commit suicide at age seventy. She managed her chronic hypertension, stayed healthy and active, and lived life to the fullest. Meanwhile, Christine fought desperately against the decision. When Irmgard wouldn't listen, the only way to remain part of her life was for Christine to swallow her mother's plans--hook, line, and sinker.

Christine's father, as it turned out, prepared too slowly for old age. Before he had made any decision, fate disabled him through a series of strokes. Confined to a nursing home, severely impaired by dementia and frustrated by his circumstances, his life epitomized the predicament her mother wanted to avoid. 

So Far Away gives us an intimate view of a person interacting with and reacting to her parents at the ends of their lives. In a richly detailed, poignant story of family members' separate yet interwoven journeys, it underscores the complexities and opportunities that life presents each one of us.

About the Author

Christine W. Hartmann, Research Health Scientist, ENR Memorial Veterans Hospital, Bedford, Massachusetts, and Assistant Professor, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, received her PhD at the Bryn Mawr Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research. She has published numerous articles on healthcare quality improvement, focusing particularly on long-term care. 

Hatmann should be thanked for publishing this important story about her own loss and relating the discussions she had with her mother about suicide.  There are so many people right now that this same story is happening to since baby boomers are experiencing 

Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Vanderbilt University Press (November 18, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 082651796X
• ISBN-13: 978-0826517968

SOURCE:  AUTHOR

MY THOUGHTS
LOVED IT

Christine Hartmann's mother. Irmgard, tells her that she plans on committing suicide when she turns seventy.  No matter how many discussions mother and daughter have about it, the fact remains that Irmgard does not want to live through a painful end.  After watching her brilliant father descend into dementia and suffer strokes, her mother is determined not to share the same fate.  Hartmann has recreated her conversations with her mother to tell her about the loss she suffered when both her parents pass.  This is a very emotional memoir that will hit home with anyone who has lost a parent. 

Hartmann should be thanked for publishing this important story about her own grief and loss of her parents.   It is a story that everyone can relate to that has elderly parents and one that should open discussions about your own end of life choices with your children.  I was truly heartbroken by the end of the story when her mother actually follows through with the act.  Even though it was discussed, I don't think Hartmann actually ever thought that her mother would go through with it.  This is something all parents and children need to talk about before life gets to a point where you can't make an informed choice. 

AND THE WINNER IS: Gratitude Giveaway

A Tourist Guide to Lancre: A Discworld Mapp for me, please.
Thanks for the giveaway :)
GFC follower - Rad Hall

emi3mle 


 
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GIVE@WAY: A Texas Christmas by Jodi Thomas

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2011

In the Texas Panhandle, the winters are long, the storms fierce--and the Yuletide nights are sizzling. New York Times bestselling author Jodi Thomas along with Linda Broday, Phyliss Miranda and DeWanna Pace, bring you one tempting holiday delight. . .On the eve before Christmas a blizzard arrived, transforming a small Texas town into a night to remember. Four ladies desperately in need of saving, four hard-ridin' cowboys who aim to please. . . When a lone farmer strides to a pretty store owner's rescue, their deepest wishes just might come true. . . A brave heiress can't believe a rugged angel is riding out of the night to save her and her fellow train passengers--until she gets him under the mistletoe. . . A quiet loner wants to help a stranded widow have a holiday to remember. . . And a female saloon owner tired of being scorned by respectable folk gets some very naughty help from a handsome greenhorn. . .
"Readers couldn't ask for a finer quartet of heroes. . ." --Romantic Times on Give Me a Texas Ranger
"Will warm your heart and bring a smile to your lips." --Love Western Romances on Give me a Cowboy

WANT TO WIN A COPY OF THIS BOOK? 

 Contest is open to anyone over 13 years old with a reliable mailing address
(PO Boxes OK!)
This ends 12.6.11 midnight Pacific Time and the winner will be chosen by Random.org on 12.7.11.
Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen
This giveaway is sponsored by Kensington Publishing and me for ONE WINNER.


Complete the form below!
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AND THE WINNER IS: In Other Worlds by Margaret Atwood

MONIE G

Be sure to stop by READING WITH MONIE here 

JONATHAN 

Be sure to stop by I READ ONE BOOK ONCE here



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Happy Thanksgiving

If you were expecting turkey, you will be disappointed.  Schatze got it all!

REVIEW: Night Walker by Lisa Kessler *

Description

He gave up his soul for a second chance to love her...
Two and a half centuries ago, Calisto Terana lost everything when a zealous priest murdered the woman he loved. Now, desperate for another chance to love her, he wants redemption for the mistake that cost her life.


She's haunted by dreams of her own death...

After catching her fiance with another woman, Kate Bradley returns to San Diego to clear her head. The last thing she needs is romance, but after meeting Calisto she's drawn to him in ways she doesn't understand.

They've waited in the shadows for centuries...

Calisto has no doubt Kate is the reincarnation of his lost love, but the Fraternidad Del Fuego Santo has a new watcher with dark ambitions of his own. As old enemies reemerge and a new threat arises, the betrayal that enslaved Calisto to the night might destroy the only woman he's ever loved again.

About the Author

I have always loved to make up stories. My first published work was The Wonders of Unicorn Creek in 6th grade. The 9 page epic was published by my tiny elementary school. When I m not writing, I also sing. I'm a professional vocalist, performing with the San Diego Opera as well as other musical theater companies. I'm married to an incredible man who is also a great writer, and we live with our two teens in sunny San Diego, California. 

Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 335 KB
• Print Length: 267 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1937044130
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publisher: Entangled Publishing, LLC; 1 edition (July 27, 2011)

SOURCE:  AUTHOR
MY THOUGHTS
LOVED IT

***slight spoilers***

Kate Bradley has strange dreams that seem to occur at the same time each year, but after her parents passed, she finds them recurring constantly.  The strange thing about the dreams is that they seem so real and are about the same thing,her own death and a man that seems to possess her love and she returns the affection. After she catches her fiance with another women, she runs away from her teaching job as a choir director in Reno and returns home to San Diego to sell her parents' house.  She goes to church where she meets a handsome man that she feels an immediate connection to and they keep meeting in different places.  The man is Calisto Terana and she has been dreaming about him for years, but she just doesn't realize it yet.

Calisto is a Night Walker, a shape shifting vampire that has a heart and he has waited for centuries for his one true love to come back to him.  Kate is that love and she is physically marked for Calisto to find.  Calisto is a former Catholic priest and the Church knows of his existence and wants to exterminate his kind as an abomination.  This in turn puts Kate in danger and Calisto must protect her from harm.  There is a lot of mixed metaphors and bits of Native American lore woven through.  Rather than rely on a typical vampire romance, Kessler brings in a new twist through the use of reincarnation of Calisto's true love, Tala.

The story is told via flashbacks to the 1770's and I really enjoyed the historical California aspect of this.  Those chapters that showed Tala and Gregorio (Calisto) as lovers were my favorite in the whole book.  Calisto really reminded me of Ricardo Montablan who had a lot of girls my age crushing in our tween years.  Kate was likable, but at times I wanted to shake her and have her move on with her life.  I was glad she finally got it together by the end of the book.  Overall, this is a promising start to a series by a new to me writer and I look forward to another one in the series.

AND THE WINNER IS: Conversations & Cosmopolitans by Robert Rave & Jane Rave

KRISTIN D.

Be sure to stop by KRITTER'S RAMBLINGS here

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AND THE WINNER IS: The Christmas Wedding by James Patterson

 LEE H.


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Waiting on Wednesday: The Yoga Club by Cooper Lawrence

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Book Description

Publication Date: December 20, 2011

Chatting it up with bendy WASPs is the last thing on Coco Guthrie’s mind during her 8:30 a.m. yoga class. Having made her fortune as the world-renowned inventor of Butt-B-Gone derriere cream, Coco still doesn’t feel like she belongs among the upper class— until she attends the swankiest Halloween soiree in Greenwich, Connecticut, where three of her fellow morning yogis shared her brilliant idea to appear as Sarah Palin. Soon it’s clear that a love of stretching isn’t all this accidental sorority—which includes a single mom with echolalia, an entertainment reporter who charms the pants off handsome stars, and a drama-prone producer with a taste for drag— have in common. When the four mischievous Sarahs wander away from the party to sneak a peek at the mayor’s neighboring estate, they are stunned to find him adorned in leather and latex, and rolling up a woman’s body in a Persian rug. To make matters worse, someone has spotted the spying Palins. Someone who threatens to expose their torrid affairs in business and the bedroom. Now the unlikely foursome must use all their wits and wiles to get to the bottom of the kinky crime. But will their budding friendship be strong enough to protect their deepest secrets?

 Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Gallery Books; Original edition (December 20, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1439187274
• ISBN-13: 978-1439187272

I am seriously curious about who wrote this book...is it a pen name for one of my favorite authors?  HMMMM....curious minds want to know.  

BOOK TRAILER TUESDAY: The Joy of Cooking TURKEY!

AND THE WINNER IS: Christmas at Timberwoods by Fern Michaels

CINDI H

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Cool Authors, Haute Dogs LINDSAY FRUCCI

Zoe

 PLEASE WELCOME LINDSAY AND ZOE

Web Address: lindsayfrucci.com

Do you have another book in the works?
Not yet. 

What are you reading right now?
I’m rereading one of my favorites, To Kill A Mockingbird

How many books a year do you read?
I’m not sure – been a busy year, so maybe 30?

What does your dog like to do while you write  or read? 
Sleep at my feet.

What is your dog’s favorite activity?  
She loves going for long walks with my husband and me.

Synopsis: Determined to help her family back to financial stability after a bankruptcy, the author sets out to sell “better for you” brownies to the masses. The fairy tale is the story of a multi-million dollar business. The reality is a wild roller coaster ride of personal growth with an unexpected ending.

An excerpt of the book is available on my website, lindsayfrucci.com and the book is available in both paperback and ebook formats on Amazon.com and is now available in ebook format for the Nook on bn.com.

AND THE WINNER IS: Alkward Family Pet Photos

 Brunette Librarian

Be sure to stop by The Brunette Librarian HERE 

Hmmm AND it looks like she has a DACHSHUND!


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Friday PhoDOGraphy

Don't worry PETA -- the hat is fake fur, the rest, well, it is all natural baby!

Don't forget to check out Fridays With Fred over at Mina Burrows' blog HERE

GIVE-AWAYS The Great Scots & Highland Heat Tour with Margaret Mallory & Amanda Scott

Book Description

Series: Return of the Highlanders 2 | Publication Date: November 1, 2011

THE RETURN OF THE HIGHLANDERS: BOOK 2Four fearless warriors return to the Highlands to claim their lands and legacies. But all their trials on the battlefield can't prepare them for their greatest challenge yet: winning the hearts of four willful Scottish beauties.

IRRESISTIBLE DESIRE

Alex MacDonald is known for his skill as a warrior, his prowess with women, and his vow to never take a wife. But now his chieftain has asked him to make the ultimate sacrifice: wed Glynis MacNeil, a lass famed throughout the Highlands for her exquisite beauty-and defiant ways.

Familiar with heartbreak, Glynis refuses to fall for another handsome scoundrel. Yet when Alex's past sins force an unlikely union, Glynis gives in to temptation and becomes his wife. Will their newfound passion be strong enough to fight the enemy that threatens their home, their clan, and their very lives?

About the Author

MARGARET MALLORY abandoned a career as a lawyer to become a romance novelist. Why this surprised everyone, she doesn't know. Who wouldn't rather have thrilling adventures with handsome Highlanders than write briefs and memos? Margaret lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her husband, a goofy dog, and a crabby cat. With her children off to college, she spends most of her time working on her next book in the RETURN OF THE HIGHLANDERS series. Margaret loves to hear from readers. You can contact her via her website @www.MargaretMallory.com. 

Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Forever; Original edition (November 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446583103
• ISBN-13: 978-0446583107

Book Description

Series: Scottish Knights | Publication Date: October 1, 2011

LADY IN DISGUISE
Lady Marsi Cargill refuses to marry a man who wants her land rather than her love. To escape her arranged betrothal, she disguises her noble lineage and accompanies her young cousin--the future King of Scots--on a secret journey across the Highlands. Their guide is a mysterious knight known only as Hawk. Heat flares between the beautiful maid and the brooding warrior, but when Marsi's true identity is revealed, Hawk's desire gives way to fury...

KNIGHT AT THE READY
Summoned by the King to guard his son, Sir Ivor "Hawk" Mackintosh now has two royals to protect. This daring, willful woman has invaded Hawk's every thought, and laid siege to his heart. Soon the solitary soldier is yearning for a life with Marsi at his side and in his bed. But as their passion grows, so too does the danger surrounding them. Powerful enemies watch their every move, and to survive, Hawk and Marsi must fight for Scotland's future-as well as their own new-found love.

About the Author

Amanda Scott is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She has won the Romance Writers of America's RITA/Golden Medallion awards and both a Career Achievement Award and the Reviewers' Choice Award for Best Scottish Historical (for her 2008 novel Border Wedding) from Romantic Times. She began writing on a dare from her husband. That resulted in her first book, The Fugitive Heiress. ­­Highland Hero is her fifty-sixth book.

Amanda is a fourth-generation Californian who was born and raised in Salinas. She has a Bachelor's Degree in history from Mills College in Oakland and a Master's in History from San Jose State University. She has long specialized in British history and is a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. Amanda lives with her husband in northern California and has a married son, who is a firefighter. You may visit her Web site at http://www.amandascottauthor.com.

Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Forever; Original edition (October 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446574309
• ISBN-13: 978-0446574303

WANT TO WIN A SET OF THESE BOOKS? 

 Contest is open to anyone over 13 years old with a US or Canadian mailing address
(Sorry, no PO Boxes)
This ends 12.5.11 midnight Pacific Time and the winner will be chosen by Random.org on 12.6.11.
Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen
This giveaway is sponsored by FOREVER ROMANCE Publishing for THREE WINNERS.


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AND THE WINNER IS: Maryann for DEWEY'S NINE LIVES by Vicki Myron

 

 Maryann Drapkin

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GRATITUDE GIVE-AWAYS: Your Choice from the Book Depository

Welcome to the Gratitude Giveaway Hop! 

This hop is hosted by I Am a Reader, Not a Writer (HERE) and All Consuming Books (HERE)

There are hundreds of blogs participating and each has their own entry rules and geographic limits, so be sure to read the rules for each one.  This hop starts November 17th and and runs through November 27th, midnight. This hop is to thank all of my followers that have joined me over the years in my love of books and reading. 

HERE IS WHAT I HAVE FOR ONE LUCKY WINNER:

A book of YOUR CHOICE, up to $15 USD.  

How to enter:

Leave a comment with a way to contact you (twitter, email) and the title of the book you would most like to win.

Rules:

*You must be over 13 years old

*Reside in the Book Depository's free delivery area

Waiting on Wednesday: Carrie Goes off the Map by Phillipa Ashley

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

 Description

Publication Date: December 1, 2011

Phillipa Ashley is a bestselling women's fiction author in the UK with over 50,000 books sold and the kind of funny, accessible British voice that U.S. audiences love.
Carrie Brownhill, recently dumped by her fiancé, is determined to get away from men forever. Yet she finds herself stuck in a VW camper van careening through the English countryside with the intriguing Matt Landor, MD, and he seems to be just what the doctor ordered for a broken heart...

About the Author

Phillipa Ashley read English language and literature at Wadham College, Oxford before working as a freelance copy-writer and journalist. Her first novel, Decent Exposure, won the 2007 RNA New Writers' Award and became a Lifetime TV movie, The 12 Men of Christmas. She lives with her husband and daughter in Staffordshire, England.

Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark (December 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1402241453
• ISBN-13: 978-1402241451

BOOK TRAILER TUESDAY: Out of Oz by Gregory Maguire

This series changed the way I thought about books.  I had previously only read romance novels, sci fi, historical fiction and memoirs and it opened my eyes to whole new genre of books. 

WANT THIS BOOK? Christmas at Timberwoods by Fern Michaels

ANOTHER HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY!

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2011

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…and for Heather Andrews, security manager at Timberwoods Mall, undoubtedly the busiest. But this Christmas, Heather has more to contend with than frazzled parents and disgruntled Santas. Angela Steinhart, a young woman who designed the mall’s spectacular holiday displays, has had a premonition that tragedy will strike on Christmas Eve. And Angela’s visions have a habit of coming true. Heather would love to dismiss the warning as holiday stress. But the more she gets to know the quiet, lonely Angela, the more she trusts her. In Lex, her boss, Heather finds an ally — and the glimmer of something more profound. And as the days count down, it will take all of her wits, hope, and unflagging courage to stop someone from destroying the season in one split second...

About the Author

FERN MICHAELS is the USA Today and New York Times bestselling author of the Sisterhood series, Mr. and Miss Anonymous, Up Close and Personal, and dozens of other novels and novellas. There are over seventy million copies of her books in print. Fern Michaels has built and funded several large day-care centers in her hometown, and is a passionate animal lover who has outfitted police dogs across the country with special bulletproof vests. She shares her home in South Carolina with her four dogs and a resident ghost named Mary Margaret.

Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Zebra; Original edition (October 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0821775871
• ISBN-13: 978-0821775875

WANT TO WIN THIS BOOK? 

 Contest is open to anyone over 13 years old with a US or Canadian mailing address (sorry, no PO Boxes)
This ends 11.20.11 midnight Pacific Time and the winner will be chosen by Random.org on 11.21.11
Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen
This giveaway is sponsored by ME for ONE WINNER


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CONGRATS TO FERRETVAMP14 for Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

 ferretvamp14


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REVIEW: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Description

Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

In this electrifying debut, Tahereh Mafi presents a world as riveting as The Hunger Games and a superhero story as thrilling as The X-Men. Full of pulse-pounding romance, intoxicating villainy, and high-stakes choices, Shatter Me is a fresh and original dystopian novel—with a paranormal twist—that will leave readers anxiously awaiting its sequel.

About the Author

Tahereh Mafi is a girl. She’s 24. She writes books and reads books and drinks way too much coffee. SHATTER ME is her first novel, and the first of a trilogy, coming from Harper/HarperCollins on November 15, 2011. Film rights have been optioned by 20th Century Fox.

Details

• Reading level: Ages 14 and up
• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (November 15, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062085484
• ISBN-13: 978-0062085481

SOURCE:  AROUND THE WORLD ARC TOURS

MY THOUGHTS
ABSOLUTELY ADORED IT, LOVED IT, WANT MORE

***one slight spoiler -- highlight to read***

Juliette wants desperately to be an ordinary girl, instead she feels she is a murderous monster.  After trying to comfort a small child by picking him, he dies a horrible death from her touch.  The world she lives in has been destroyed by too many chemicals, overpopulation and disease causing people to abandon society, and so a dictator named Warner has been elected to run what is left of the country.  The army keeps complete control over the citizens keeping them starving, poor and with little or no medical care.  There are factions that see through the plans of The Reestablishment and want to overthrow the current status quo.

When I first picked up this book, I had no idea what it was about.  I had heard the online buzz about it and started following the author on twitter and her blog and fell in love with her use of words and humor.  I thought that if she writes half as good as she tweets and blogs, then I would be in store for a real treat!  And I was.  I was in tears by page nine and by the end of the book I was laughing.  What makes a solid hit for me, is exactly that ability in an author to make me feel emotions both good and bad and I was dragged around quite a bit with Mafi's debut.  She made me care deeply about Juliette and want her to actually live a fulfilling life that seemed literally out of reach for her.  Her romantic foil of Adam was a perfect match in both strength and caring that had developed in their childhood..

There is also quite a bit of comic relief and Kenji, a fellow soldier with Adam is flat out funny.  Some of his one liners seem like bad come ons, but they never failed to make me giggle.  Adam is just the sweetest guy once you get past his killing machine exterior.  Warner, the chief bad guy and dictator dude was pretty comical as well and definitely drawn from some all time comic book villains.  I know you have probably heard around the web the comparisons to X Men, but that is only the end of the book and to me only a way to set up the next book.  I think these characters have the beginnings of depth you wouldn't find in ordinary comics.

Seriously, why am I writing so much when I try to keep my reviews to two paragraphs?  Because you really, really need to read the amazing combinations of letters and words Mafi comes up with.  The writing is just gorgeous and almost poetic.  It just flows -- sigh -- perfectly.  OH, now I bet I have to wait a year for the follow up....please write faster! Plus, she proves that there is intelligent life in the OC. 

WANT TO WIN THIS BOOK (ARC)? 

Check out my YA blog HERE