Everspell by Samantha Combs

Story: 10
Presentation: 10
Total: 20
Publisher: Astraea Press
Young Adult
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Blurb: Book Two in the Spellbound series continues the love story of Logan and Serena.  Having previously dispatched Christophe, the dark demon trying to capture and kidnap Serena for her special witch DNA in Book One, the two lovers believe they are now free to plan and live their lives together.  Or are they?

When an innocent mistake made by their newlywed friends frees the way for Christophe to return, their idyllic attempt at happiness is marred by the nightmare they must outsmart, finally, to achieve the happily ever after they deserve.

They know they can rely on their coven to be there for them, and some new friends and additions to the family, as they once again embark on an epic battle that will secure their life, their love, and their future together.  Once, they were Spellbound, now their story continues, for love, forever, for Everspell.

Review: The continued story of Logan and Serena is amazing. At first they and the rest of their family/coven thought they had gotten rid of the demon who tried to kill Serena, but they were wrong. In this story they have to face a lot more to stay alive and together. There are so many things that happen in this story such as a marriage that was kept in secret, a pregnancy that no one knew about and with all of that going on they have to figure out a way to make demon Chris gone forever! Logan's and Serena's love survived the first time but can they do it again with a lot more going on? You never know where the author is going to go with the story and I am so happy she went about it the right way. Everyone has a up hill battle they have to go through and it makes you wonder if everyone will live through it and how people can keep secrets. Not to mention the return of someone else! I am in love with this series and I can only hope that Samantha will bring us more of Logan's and Serena. This book, this series is a must read for anyone who want to know what true love can concour and if everyone you love can survive.

Spellbound by Samantha Combs

Story: 10
Presentation: 10
Total: 20
Publisher: Astraea Press
YA Paranormal
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Blurb: Logan Daniels has always led a sheltered life in sleepy, predictable Lancaster, New Hampshire. But when beautiful Serena suddenly appears at school one day, his comfortable existence becomes anything but as he finds himself falling in love with her. There’s something special about Serena Starr. He realizes what it is when he sees her unleash her spells. Soon, a mysterious and foreboding presence settles over his placid home.

Logan and Serena find themselves battling darkness and evil with an ominous mission: it wants Serena and will stop at nothing to have her. Tearing apart Logan’s town, threatening his friends, even causing harm to his family, the demon will spread its doom over every facet of Logan’s once placid life. Logan matures in ways he could never have imagined as he struggles to protect those he loves, including Serena. But he can't do it alone.

Serena hails from a long line of able and powerful women who will aide in the battle and perhaps settle a score of their own. The strength of the coven and Serena's love will be behind him, but ultimately this is Logan’s fight to win. But, will he?

Review:  There is a boy name Logan whose dad died when he was younger so its just his mom, Lilly and his sister Jade all who has normal lives then there is Serena who one day just appears at Logan's school. Logan is very interested in finding out everything he can about Serena from the moment he saw her. He feels drawn to her somehow he doesn't know why, but when some stuff starts happening like magic. So Serena is a witch who tell Logan what she is and he doesn't care that she is a witch, he actually takes it very well. But soon someone is after Serena, they are not sure why until a bigger secret if uncovered about Logan's family.

When that secret is uncovered, Jade (Logan's sister) and Sully (Jade's boyfriend and Logan's best friend) are kidnapped by the people who want Serena. Everyone must battle this evil if they are to survive and get everyone home safely. Makes you wonder if Logan and Serena's love can survive and can they come out of this battle alive. This battle will determine their lives and everyone elses.

I absolutely loved this book, it has so much going on not one boring part, it kept you interested in it til the very end. You never knew what was going to happen. I would re-read this book over and over and still wouldn't believe that some of the stuff happened. Amazing writing too everything was in detail that you could understand, you could actually feel the love that Logan and Serena had for each other. Amazing!

Of Light and Darkness: The Vampire's Daughter by Shayne M. Leighton

Story: 3
Presentation:5
Total: 8
Publisher: Decadent Publishing
YA Paranormal Romance
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Blurb: When one human stands before an army of impossible obstacles, the likelihood of overcoming them in this coming-of-age modern fairytale may result in war between light and darkness.

Abandoned as an infant in Prague, naive and strong-willed Charlotte Ruzikova was raised by one of the last Vampires left alive. As a human, she knows no other home than the one nestled deep in the woods of Eastern Europe, where Witches drew spells of enchantment, Phasers threw tea parties, and Elves are the closest in kin. Charlotte has lived her life in the dark with her Guardian, content to having him to herself and reveling in his attention, until she's realizes she wants more...

Resident medical doctor and Vampire, Valek Ruzik fears the day his ward would come of age and blossom into a fine woman, and he is forced to confront his own motives as time is of the essence once his past catches up to him, and their lives become endangered...

As genocide and war threatens their secret society, the dictator in power is ready to wipe out Valek's race, but Charlotte will not allow that to happen. Fighting for the only one she's ever loved and truly believed in, she will do whatever it takes to save their love...before the sun comes up and light takes over.

Review: I didn't like this book at all.

I had to force myself to finish it because I found it to be too boring, not enough action and when there was action it was poorly describe. From what I gather this book was about Charlotte who was Abandoned by her parents and was raised by a vampire named Valek. Valek is the last of his kind, they live in Prague. War basically breaks out where they live and force them to find feelings for each other that they never knew they had. That's all I really took away from this story.

Like I said the book wasn't that good, I mean I loved the idea of the story but not the way it was presented. And when combined with editing and spelling errors...it just didn't do it for me.

New Blood: Vampire in the City -- Book One by Donna Ansari

Story: 9
Presentation:9
Total: 18
Publisher:
YA paranormal/romance
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Blurb: Emma Hammond is a normal young woman living in New York City whose life changes forever when one misstep brings her very close to death. Luckily, Alex Thompson, a handsome stranger (who also happens to be a vampire), jumps in to save her, turning Emma into a vampire. She quickly discovers the numerous advantages (no more allergies, glasses, or acne) and slight drawbacks (wanting to eat her boyfriend) of joining the ranks of the creatures of the night. But Emma soon finds out her new undead life isn't all it's cracked up to be when she gets pulled in to an age-old dispute between two feuding vampire clans.

Review: Emma was just a women who worked at an ad agency as an artist, she had her best friend Tammy and her lame boyfriend of 7years Stu,but when she comes across a man being mug everything changed. She save that man from being mug and from being beat up, then went home and thought she would never see Alex (the man being mug) again until the day she got hit by a car and almost died. When she woke up in Alex's home with no memory she freaks out. Alex starts to explain what she is, a vampire and what happened to her. Then the leader of the vampires, Michael finds out that she was turned without his permission or knowledge he gives her a tasks she must perform or her and Alex are both dead. Thats when things get interesting.

I abosolutly loved this book! It only took me 2 hours to read it and it was some 300 pages! Then when I was finished with it I went on the computer to look up the second one! This book had me on the edge of my seat for the longest time. Not to mention the ending! WOW! Now that is an ending its was and ending I didnt expect to happen. I have to read the second book! So I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone who loves a great vampire story with a little romance and some action. Did I mention the amazing ending?!

Ghostly by Samantha Combs

Story: 8
Presentation: 8
Total: 16
Publisher: Astraea Press
Young Adult
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Blurb: High school has never been effortless for social misfit Juice Zander and her sophomore year is proving to be no exception.  Having a new boy in homeroom actually pay attention to her might be a start to all that changing.  But there are some big issues brewing.  That fact that Shane Elliot has revealed himself to be a ghost isn’t her biggest problem.  Neither is the fact that he wants her to help him find a “host body” so he can be a real teenager again.  It’s not even that when she does find a possible donor for her supercute ghost, it’s another so-not-ugly guy who for some unprecedented reason likes her.  No, her real problem is that after years of platonic friendship, she discovers one of her best buddies has feelings for her, and she’s afraid those feelings might be mutual.
 Enlisting the help of her tight group of best friends, Juice sets out to 1) find the perfect host for her ghost, 2) figure out her surprising new relationship with her longtime friend and 3) maybe discover she’s not such a social misfit after all.

Review:  Captivating til the end. Will keep you wondering what the outcome will be. A good read for young paranormal readers. Will take you from one character to another and yet to another as the story line unfolds. Recommend!

Wrestling with Desire by DH Starr

Story: 9
Presentation: 9
Total: 18

Publisher: Featherweight Publishing

GBLT Young Adult

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Blurb:  Derek Thompson is a senior, a wrestler, and has a secret. He's gay. Scott Thayer is a new student who has just moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts from Iowa. On the first day of school Derek and Scott meet and their lives change in an instant. As Derek and Scott discover the things they have in common, they enter into one of the closest and most loving relationships either of them has ever experienced. When unexpected circumstances threaten their relationship, they both have to make a decision. Do they protect their secret and separate? Or fight for what they want...each other?

Review: I admit, I’m not a reader of young adult books. I prefer to read about adults with lots of sex to titillate. I’m a changed reader. Wrestling With Desire has angst, grit, tenderness, and emotion. And it has sexual tension between two young men that melts smoothly into your mind as you read. Derek and Scott deal with typical high school situations. Fear of failure, fear of disappointing their parents, fear of the unknown. But together they have found more than a deep friendship. Together they have the strength to face any challenges from wrestling to their sexuality.

I think some of my favorite parts of the story were when Derek and Scott went running. The easiness of being together was clear long before any declarations were made of the attraction they had for each other. The story is told through Derek, but DH Starr does such an excellent job of revealing Scott and the secondary characters, that nothing was lacking by not knowing their inner thoughts. The vividly described actions and poignant dialog revealed everything I needed as a reader to get the full development of all the characters. The story was brilliantly told. I’m a fan and look forward to reading more from DH Starr.

All That's True by Jackie Lee Miles

Story: 8.5
Presentation: 9
Total: 17.5
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Contemporary Young Adult
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Blurb: "My life was close to being perfect until my brother Alex got killed. Then my mother started drinking and my father started having sex with Donna, my best friend’s stepmother. She’s not even thirty years old."


With an equal mix of joy and sorrow, All That’s True follows Andi’s poignant—and sometimes laugh out loud—journey to young adulthood, where she struggles with the elusive nature of truth and the devastating consequences of deception.

Review: LOL! All I can say is WOW. I love to read. I don't box myself into one genre, I like to read a variety. My main thing is the blurb. It has to grab me. With this one, not only did the blurb catch my interest but the story was a hoot to follow.

I really enjoyed tagging along on this youngsters journey and seeing how she dealt with all the things that came her way. A wonderful, insightful story that really captured the "feel" of youth and what it is like to grow up when things are not all peaches and cream.

Ms Miles has done a wonderful job sharing this youthfull tale with readers. Not only did it capture...and keep my attention, but it was totally entertaining and hit on many points that can and do face our youth. Great Read!!!

Mistletoe Magyk by Linda Palmer

Story: 8
Presentation: 8.5
Total: 16.5
Publisher: Wild Horse Press
Paranormal Sweet YA
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Blurb: Jordyn meets Rio by accident, literally, but the two are drawn to one another from the beginning. When they are thrust together over the Christmas holidays, anything is possible - even a little mistletoe magyk.

Review: This was a light, sweet, easy to read holiday story with just enough magyk it make the paranormal pop. The “I love you’s” came a bit fast for me. Even though they both question their intense love that seems to have sprouted so fast, I wasn’t rolling my eyes and groaning. :)

All in all it was a cute fast read that made me smile. Ah young love …ok, love at any age is great, but it is especially sweet during the holidays…even when the dad’s evil girlfriend is trying to drain his powers :)

Everything worked out and all is right in the world again. Just the way I like it.

Trick to Treat by Kimberlee R. Mendoza

Story: 8.5
Presentation: 9
Total: 17.5
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
YA
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Blurb: Sarah Bradley has wanted to hang with the popular kids since her freshman year, and now she has the chance. All she has to do is survive a Halloween scavenger hunt with the "in" crowd. When the girls lock her in a haunted mansion, she feels the trick is on her. Then she meets Matt and begins to believe that maybe she got a treat after all. But what if "love" is part of the game?


Review: I really enjoy a good YA, and this is one I really enjoyed.

I wasn’t cool in high school….as opposed to now, right? ;) I recall the feeling of wanting to fit in, to be accepted, to be popular. High school sucked for me. This story really hit a cord with me. All the questions…why don’t they like me? Why don’t I fit in? What I wouldn’t do just to be accepted.

Ms Mendoza has done a fab job of putting those feelings and emotions in this cute little Halloween story :) SNAPS!!!!

Grounded by Sandra Cox

Story: 8
Presentation: 8
Total: 16
Publisher: Class Act Books
YA Fantasy
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Blurb: On the surface, Gillian Stone has it all: wealth, beauty, and the freedom to come and go as she pleases…at least from sunset to dawn. From dawn to dusk, she’s grounded in several hundred pounds of marble. And if that’s not bad enough, her life expectancy is preordained to be short…unless, she can find a certain genie and reverse the wish-spell.

Review: This was a really good story. Well developed characters and plot. Interesting and engaging premise. All delivered with a bang.  With all the problems that most young women face, who needs problems like this. Great secondary characters only added to the dynamic of the story and gave it a very well rounded feel. Very nicely done Ms Cox.