Carries Book Reviews

Shaman’s Curse
Suzannah Daniels
(Vampire’s Bane #2)
Publication date: June 2016
Genres: Dystopian, Paranormal, Young Adult

Maylin Kavanagh is on a mission.

After escaping the Warwick Vampires, she’s sworn that the only thing that can stand between her and reaching St. Louis for the next phase of The Program is death itself.

Determined to discover her purpose, her allegiance is with the human race. But the humans aren’t the only ones who want her.

Creed’s people claim that she’s the key to their prophecy and the cure for their curse. So why did he try to kill her?

And if that weren’t enough to ponder, she fears the vampires will hunt her—not for her blood, but for revenge.

As Maylin tries to find her place in a world filled with the supernatural, she realizes it’s not always easy to recognize the lies from the truth, the friends from the enemies. And maybe the hardest thing of all is being able to reconcile her head with her heart.

But it’s a fight for survival, and Maylin intends to win.

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Author Bio:

Suzannah Daniels has had an affinity for words for as long as she can remember. She grew up in North Georgia with four brothers, so she learned at an early age to admire snakes and motorcycles. When she wasn’t pestering her brothers, she could usually be found reading or writing.

She is the author of the Whiskey Nights series (new adult contemporary romance), the Dangerous Trilogy (young adult contemporary romance), Vampire’s Bane (young adult paranormal), Ghostly Encounter (young adult paranormal romance), and Viking’s Embrace (historical romance).

Currently, she lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee with her husband of twenty-nine years. Her children live nearby. The family pets include a Lab mix named Achilles, a Basset Hound named Annabelle, and a Shih Tzu named MooMoo.

Visit her website at http://www.SuzannahDaniels.com.

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Pressure by Brian Keene
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

World-champion free diver and marine biologist Carrie Anderson had been called to help investigate the cause of an ecological catastrophe, just off the coast of Mauritius the ocean’s floor is collapsing.
The scientific expedition team had gathered to try to find a cause and put a stop before the incident turned into a huge disaster.

Carrie and her dive partner however run into trouble with Carrie barely surviving and her partner never resurfacing. Something happened under the water and Carrie is determined to go back down and figure out just what it was she saw and what had happened. Gathering up a new team Carrie heads back into the depths of the ocean only to discover something more horrific than she ever imagined.

Pressure by Brian Keene is one of those books I debated on picking up not being completely sure if I could enjoy it or not. When finished I’m certainly glad I decided to take the chance with this one. It’s billed as a mix of Jaws and Alien and since I like both of those I figured what the heck and I do see the influences of both while this took on a whole new life of it’s own.

The first half of this story is incredibly intense as we dive down deep into the depths of the ocean to find out what horrors await the characters. Then the book turns into a land based thrill ride of a read as the characters try to come to terms with what was found. It became a nice mix of a horror read and thriller when finished.

I completely enjoyed the imagery in this one too as just starting off the descriptions of the ocean depths had me nearly holding my breath as it brings you down into the depths. The characters were also great. Carrie was strong and fierce not giving up until she got the answers she was looking for. Extra points for the naming of this character too!

Overall, a great read that I’d definitely recommend checking out.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Tempting Death
Elizabeth Holloway
(The Grim Trilogy #1)
Publication date: May 30th 2016
Genres: Paranormal Romance, Young Adult

The truck should have turned Libbi Piper into a Libbi pancake, but a mysterious boy named Aaron saved her life. The problem? Aaron’s the local Grim Reaper. The bigger problem? He saved Libbi’s life so she can take over his job.

Libbi has just days to choose between dying like she was supposed to or living a lonely life as Death Incarnate. The choice only gets harder when she learns Aaron’s reasons for wanting out of the whole morbid business. Basically, his job sucks.

Still, when Aaron looks at her, there’s something more in his eyes. Something dark and secret. Something he’s hiding. Libbi will be damned if she’ll die without figuring it out. And she’ll be damned if she lets him go.

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EXCERPT:

The creep is back.

I may not be able to see him, but I know he’s here, somewhere. Call it intuition. Or maybe it’s just the eerie memory of when the guy stared me down last night. I don’t know, but I’m not taking any chances.

I hunch over my history final and release my thick hair from behind my ears. It swings forward like a dark-brown curtain and hides my face.

Show’s over, buddy.

I can’t look around, not with Mr. Winkler on “cheater duty.” Hopefully, the guy will get bored and go wherever the hell he went last night when he took off.

The final is what’s important. I need to focus on this test.

I read the next question on the page, but the loser’s gaze bores through my dark shield of hair and my arms erupt in gooseflesh. Before I can skim the multiple choice answers, my eyes betray me and shoot up to scan the classroom.

Mr. Winkler sits at his desk scratching at some poor schlub’s paper with his red pen of doom. His bald head gleams in the harsh fluorescent light. God, I hope it’s not my paper he’s destroying. I can’t afford another bad grade in this class.

I quickly scan the rest of the classroom through the part in my hair, but everyone is working. Eerie feeling or not, nobody’s looking at me.

But I know someone is watching. Just like last night, I can feel his stalker stare.

This is ridiculous. I shake my head and rub my arms to dispel the goose bumps. This guy has freaked me out so much I’m imagining his eyes on me now. I don’t have time for this. I have an exam to finish.

The tip of my pencil hovers over the letter C, and something in my peripheral vision shifts. I snap my head up and finally see him.

The guy I caught staring at me at the art show last night, the guy who warned me something bad was going to happen to me today, stands at the tiny rectangular window in the door. He tilts his head and his ice-blue eyes lock on mine, sending a shiver through my body.

Shake it off, Libbi, I tell myself. He’s just a crazy boy with a crush.

Actually, with his tousled black hair and his nose pressed against the glass like that, he looks a little like a lost puppy. If he wasn’t so creepy, I’d almost feel sorry for him. But couldn’t he choose a better time than the middle of my history final to eyeball me? Plus, he said he wanted to talk to me alone, and this is most certainly not alone.

I point to my partially finished test and mouth, “Final exam.”

He nods. A half-smile lifts the corners of his lips.

“Bye.” I wave my hand.

“I need to talk to you,” he mouths.

“No,” I reply, but he continues to stand at the door.

Dude, catch a clue already. I spin away from the door, sneak a peek at Mr. Winkler, and shove the eraser of my pencil between my teeth. I yank the eraser out of its metal holder and flick it at the back of Haley’s head. Her chair squeaks as she jumps and whips around to glare at me.

“What?” she whispers.

“Look.” I point over my shoulder with my pencil to the classroom door. “That crazy guy I told you about is at the window.”

We turn to the door together, but the window’s empty. He must be a shy creeper.

“Where?” Haley says.

“Never mind. He’s gone.” I slump back in my chair. At least I can finish my test in peace.

Author Bio:

Elizabeth Holloway is a writer of young adult fiction living in Southern Pennsylvania with her two teen children and their growing number of pets.

In addition to writing, she is a registered nurse, an avid reader, an out-of-practice artist, a karaoke singer, and a music lover. She is still trying to decide what she wants to be when she grows up.

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A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Conor and his mother have lived alone since his father had remarried and moved overseas with his new family. Now Conor’s mother is battling cancer and that has left Conor with trying to deal with his mother illness and feeling alone.

Just after midnight one night Conor has a dream about a monster coming to visit him. Or was it really a dream? The monster wants to tell Conor three stories and then after the third he wants Conor to tell his own story but it must be his truth.

A Monster Calls is one of those books that you really need your tissues handy as soon as you start this book. Conor is only thirteen and dealing with things that someone his age just shouldn’t have to deal with. He’s trying to be the best son he can be and hold out hope for his mother to just get better as he feels he doesn’t fit in with anyone but her.

The monster visiting Conor is teaching so much to Conor in his stories and letting a young boy be what he should be, still a child. Conor slowly learns to deal with everything in his life through the visits of the monster. Just such a touching story all throughout with such heartbreaking subject matter.

Saved by a Soldier
Alison Mello
(Love Conquers Life, #1)
Published by: Limitless Publishing
Publication date: June 2016
Genres: Adult, Romance

Patricia Ann Fitzgerald is no man’s arm candy…

Refusing to entertain her mother’s ridiculous notion that she should become the perfect little housewife for her ex-boyfriend Ben, Patty escapes to her father’s lake house to focus on what matters most to her. She has to break through her writer’s block and start her next book.

Medically discharged from the service and suffering from PTSD, Carter Montgomery is still trying to get his life back in order…

When Carter’s father Jackson suggests a week at the lake, it’s not only so he can gain a little clarity about his future. Jackson has other plans for his recovering son, intending for him to watch over his best friend’s daughter while she’s on a solo writing retreat—an idea that doesn’t please Carter at all.

Patty finds it hard to get any work done when her attention keeps diverting to the handsome stranger next door…

Patty is persuaded to attend a charity event, despite knowing her ex will be in attendance. When Ben rudely interrupts Patty’s dance with her father and drags her off the floor, Carter is quick to intervene. He’s tired of admiring Patty from afar, and refuses to see her treated that way. Ready to ditch the stuffy event, Patty escapes with her savior someplace where they can finally talk.

Ben always gets what he wants, and he isn’t willing to let Patty slip away…

Patty fights to preserve her blooming relationship with Carter from the critical eyes of her mother and the scheming ways of her ex. Will Carter manage to get his life back in order in time to save Patty from the life she never wanted?

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*Cover designed by Deranged Doctor Design*

Author Bio:

Alison Mello is a wife and stay at home mom to a wonderful little boy. She lives with her amazing family in Massachusetts. She loves playing soccer, basketball and football with her son.

After having her son, Alison started reading again and fell in love with Contemporary Romance. Reading made her happy and gave her something to do when she had downtime. As she started to read more, she started to noticed things she really enjoyed in a book and things she didn’t. She began to have ideas for writing one of her own. One day she literally woke up and started writing. She realized that if there was ever a time for her to write, it was now. She had a part time job to give her something to do. The hours at work were slow and she was bored with what she was doing, so while her son was off enjoying his friends over summer vacation she got started.

Alison finished the first book in two weeks and decided that she really enjoyed writing, so she kept going. She already had ideas in mind for books two and three, so she kept writing. That is how the Learning to Love Series was born. Somewhere along the line, one of my Beta readers convinced me that Michael, a character from Finding Love, needed his own story. That is when Alison added the fourth and final book. Alison hopes you enjoy her books as much as she enjoyed writing them.

She’s so glad she started this writing journey and hopes you will stay with her for the ride. Chasing Dreams is scheduled to release in April and the first two books of the Love Conquers Life series will be out this summer!

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