Romeo Redeemed by Stacey Jay ~early review

Romeo Redeemed
by Stacey Jay
Series: Juliet Immortal #2
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Publication date: October 9, 2012
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon/Book Depository

Cursed to live out eternity in his rotted corpse, Romeo, known for his ruthless, cutthroat ways, is given the chance to redeem himself by traveling back in time to save the life of Ariel Dragland. Unbeknownst to her, Ariel is important to both the evil Mercenaries and the love-promoting Ambassadors and holds the fate of the world in her hands. Romeo must win her heart and make her believe in love, turning her away from her darker potential before his work is discovered by the Mercenaries. While his seduction begins as yet another lie, it soon becomes his only truth. Romeo vows to protect Ariel from harm, and do whatever it takes to win her heart and soul. But when Ariel is led to believe his love is a deception, she becomes vulnerable to Mercenary manipulation, and her own inner darkness may ultimately rip them apart.

Romeo Redeemed is the follow-up to Juliet Immortal and brings us Romeo’s story. I was captivated by Stacey Jay’s retelling of the Shakespeare tragedy Romeo and Juliet and was pleased to receive an early copy of book two. It is a beautiful love story, a tale of redemption and the power of forgiveness. I quickly became immersed in the tale and walked away feeling all warm and fuzzy. It was the perfect Sunday afternoon read.

The tale picks up after immediately after book one ends. Romeo now cursed is walking around in a rotting corpse and for the first time in almost eight hundred years, he feels. He feels pain, hunger, cold, and loneliness. Despite this, he feels his curse is deserved. He was able to save Juliet and undo his wrong and for this he would do it again.  He is approached by Nurse and offered a chance to join the Ambassadors; a chance to redeem his soul. There is a condition; He must prove himself worthy and will have to complete a mission. If successful he may save the world and join the Ambassadors. He readily agrees to her terms.  He must travel back in time and save Ariel Dragland. To save her he must make her fall in love with him and turn her towards the light.  Unbeknownst to Ariel she is an important key to both the Mercenaries and the Ambassadors. If he fails, he will return to his rotting corpse. When Romeo is transported back he finds himself once again in Dylan’s body. He is in the car with Ariel, seconds before she grabs the wheel.  Now he has to convince her, that he isn’t an arse and make her fall in love. He has three days to win her heart. The tale that unfolds was delicious. It was filled with twists and turns that had my heart racing.

I really like Romeo in all of his flawed, smexy glory. Yep, he was a bad boy, perhaps shallow but we get to see the continuation of the transformation that began in book one and it was lovely. Ariel blossoms in this version and I liked her. She doesn’t accept crap from anyone and begins to stand up for herself. She sees sadness in Romeo and feels he needs her. She suffers from nightmares and voices, and releases them through her art.  Ariel is constantly tested throughout this tale by her friends, enemies and her own doubts. At times she wavered in her beliefs but overall  I was impressed with her character. The romance was sweet, beautiful and believable. I loved the depth and wonder they experienced. Jay made me feel it, I wanted them to conquer all and get their HEA.  Juliet, Rosaline and Ben make appearance, and weave back into the tale. The roles of the Ambassadors and Mercenaries become clearer. I loathed the Friar and the sickly sweet Nurse.  

Filled with messages of forgiveness, redemption and the power of love, Jay does a fantastic job of engaged the reader. I loved the paranormal woo-woo she weaved into this tale and dare I say it, I actually liked Romeo Redeemed better than book one..Eep..It’s true! Maybe because we understood more of the back-story and the characters were more fleshed-out. Whatever the reason, fans of the first will love this one. The tale is told from three POV’s and I felt it added to the suspense and depth of characters. The storyline has a great pace, but at times it felt a wee bit messy. None of it was enough to distract me from the overall tale and at times I blamed my own eagerness. We get an action packed, and suspenseful ending. Jay did a great job of tying up all the plots and I was well satisfied.   

I recommend Romeo Redeemed to fans of Juliet Immortal and retellings. I thought this was a delightful, face-paced, action-packed read with a romance that left me breathless. The paranormal elements weaved into the tale made this unique and the characters made it surreal.  Stacey Jay is an author whose works I would try again.

I want to thank Random House for providing this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review. *Purchases made through the buy links result in a small commission which we use to fund giveaways.

I gave this 4.5 coffee  cups out of 5. 

My review of Juliet Immortal 

Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay

Juliet Immortal
by Stacey Jay
Series: Juliet Immortal #1
Publisher: Delacorte Books
Publication date: August 9, 2011
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon/Book Depository

Fans of Maggie Stiefvater's "Shiver" and Becca Fitzpatrick's "Hush" will relish this intense paranormal love story featuring Romeo and Juliet, literary history's most tragic couple, who meet again, not as true lovers, but truly as enemies.

The most tragic love story in history . . 

Juliet Capulet didn't take her own life. She was murdered by the person she trusted most, her new husband, Romeo Montague, a sacrifice made to ensure his own immortality. But what Romeo didn't anticipate was that Juliet would be granted eternity, as well, and would become an agent for the Ambassadors of Light. For 700 years, she's fought Romeo for the souls of true lovers, struggling to preserve romantic love and the lives of the innocent. Until the day she meets someone she's forbidden to love, and Romeo, oh Romeo, will do everything in his power to destroy that love.

"These violent delights have violent ends

And in their triumph die, like fire and powder,

Which as they kiss consume."

"--Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare

Within the pages of Juliet Immortal, you will find a dark paranormal tale about what really happened to Shakespeare's fated lovers, Romeo and Juliet. I immediately fell in love with Jay’s writing style and found myself completely immersed in this breathtaking tale.

The tale begins when we learn what really happen to poor Juliet. Flash forward to present day and Juliet Capulet Montague finds herself in the body of high school senior, Ariel Dragland. Ariel has just been in a car accident with a boy named Dylan. As Juliet comes to, in Ariel’s body; Ariel’s memories come flooding in. Only seconds before, Ariel tried to kill Dylan and herself . She had just learned he went on a date with her because he bet his friends he could sleep with “the freak.” As Juliet learns about Ariel’s life, she vows to make things better for her while she completes her mission. As she struggles to get out of the car, Dylan wakes up…only it’s not Dylan its Romeo and he’s come to kill her! She manages to escape but Romeo is fast on her heels. She gets to the road and jumps in a car belonging to Ben. As Ben takes her home Juliet feels safe and at ease with this young man. They share an intense moment. The tale that unfolds held me spell bound as Juliet works to complete her assignment, stop Romeo and keep her own feelings in check. 

Juliet is an agent for the Ambassadors of Light. Since her death she has been fighting against Romeo and the Mercenaries. She fights to help soul mates and preserve true love. This trip to earth is different for Juliet because she starts to fall for Ben. I really liked Juliet and connected with her as she tried to set thing right. Romeo realizes what he did to Juliet was a mistake and tries to fix things before it’s too late. Unfortunately his ideas of fixing things only complicate things. To make matters worse his leaders are unhappy with him and intend to stop him. My feelings were all over the place with regard to Romeo. I assumed one thing only to have it revealed that I was wrong, wrong, wrong! I loved the ride the author took me on concerning him. Ben was sweet and complicated. I will admit I was a little smitten with him. Gemma was Ariel’s only friend and I wanted to smack her upside the head one minute and hug her the next.

The tale takes place over a span of three days. While this kept the pace moving, it also led to confusion at times. I love world building and a lack of details, can keep me from getting lost within the pages. It’s an element I love and at times throughout the book I screamed for more detail and depth. When I finished  reading and sat back to digest  the story that had just unfolded, I found myself pleased that the author kept me in the dark. All the highs I felt as the story unfolded were because of this shroud of mystery. Jay’s writing style was delightful and she provided the pieces as we needed them despite my eagerness. The tale she spun was believable and flowed beautifully from pen to paper. I am not a fan of insta-love but I do believe in soul mates and it was necessary for this tale. Now the ending has two climatic scenes. One was downright cheesy.  I do not require an ending where things are tied up in a neat little bow. I am perfectly comfortable imagining my own.  I can spend hours creating one in my mind. I know a lot of you do not like open endings and will be delighted this one comes wrapped up for you. For me it felt wrong and forced almost like it wasn't the authors original ending. Now the second ending was fantastic. It has a cliff-hanger albeit a small one. It’s just enough to have me excited about Romeo Redeemed.

I recommend Juliet Immortal to fans of paranormal romances and retellings. This was such a fresh and delightfully dark look at Romeo and Juliet.  Romeo Redeemed will be available October 9, 2012. Look for my review to post in September.

I gave this novel 4 cups of coffee out of 5. 

*books purchased through buy links on this site result in a small commission and help support giveaways.

Sweet Savage Blood by Carolina Courtland

Sweet Savage Blood
by Carolina Courtland
Part 1: Reunion
Publication date: March 6, 2012
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
Purchase: Barnes and Noble/Amazon 

Dominique is a typical teen in a boring Texas town, where the most exciting thing is the annual turnip green festival. When the charismatic Caden Hanover enrolls in her high school, her life takes a heart-pounding turn. From the moment she sees Caden, she is irresistibly drawn to him. She has no idea that not only is he a vampire, but that he knows she is the reincarnation of his human wife—the wife he hasn't seen in almost two hundred years. He is determined to reestablish their passionate love. He won't stop until he claims Dominique as his own—and eventually makes her his vampire bride. Sweet Savage Blood is a story of undying love sweeping across time from the 19th century to the 21st century.(synopsis from Goodreads)

Sweet Savage Blood by Carolina Courtland is the first of three novels. This is an epic YA romance that spans nearly two hundred years. It is also the story of a vampire hunter, a witch and reincarnation. I quickly consumed this novel in a single evening and look forward to continuing this saga.  

The tale begins as we meet both Dominique and Caden. She is walking across the street and he stopped at the red light. As she crosses, Caden Hanover immediately recognizes her as the reincarnation of his human wife. A wife named Dominique, who died almost two hundred years ago. He follows her and enrolls in her school to reestablish their love. Dominique is irresistibly drawn to Caden. The tale that unfolds is complicated as Dominique’s best friend Madison is a vampire slayer. Filled with suspense, romance, vampires and slayers I quickly became immersed in this world.

The characters in this novel are complex. Dominique lives with her irresponsible mother and pot smoking younger brother. She has to take on the role of mother to accommodate her mother’s long work hours and boyfriend addiction. She begins having dreams about another time and a strange man, who she has mixed feelings for. When she awakes, she finds bite marks on her neck. She quickly hides them and wonders if she is losing it. She is a typical insecure sixteen year old who wants to be asked to the dance. She is instantly drawn to Caden and seeks him out in the crowds. Caden looks like he is in high school but has the experience of a two hundred year old vampire. He has looks that make woman swoon but he only has eyes for Dominique. The story on how and why he became a vampire was bittersweet. Madison was awesome. I really liked her and her vampire killing techniques. While she has supernatural abilities and lives a double life, she is still very much a teenage girl. She fears her own death, is a fashionista and wants romance. Quentin is Caden’s uncle and a vampire. He doesn’t get true love or soul mates but cares for Caden and agrees to help him. He is a real ladies man and when he steps in to distract the vampire slayer he gets more than he bargained for. The romances that developed were sweet, complicated and kept me completely enthralled.

The world-building was interesting as several stories were taking place at once. Told from multiple POV’s Courtland takes us into the minds of each of the characters. There were two separate story-lines, one involving Caden, and the other Madison the vampire slayer. The two intertwine, adding suspense and the fear of discovery. The tale wasn’t without flaws but as a first novel for this author it was exciting to read. None of the issues distracted from the overall story. The tale flowed at an even pace with action-packed scenes, danger and excitement. I became invested in the key players and look forward to continuing the tale. It ended with a cliff-hanger and I am anxious to begin the next book.

I recommend Sweet Savage Blood to fans of paranormal romance. The next books are currently available in eBook format. They are Sweet Savage Blood (Part II:Revelations) and Sweet Savage Blood (Part III: Blood Ties). Sweet Savage Blood (Part 1: Reunion) is currently available in both eBook and paper formats.

I want to thank the author for providing this finished copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

I gave this novel 4 coffee cups out of 5. 

Lies Beneath by Anne Greenwood Brown

Lies Beneath
Series: Lies Beneath #1
by Anne Greenwood Brown
Series: Lies Beneath #1
Publisher: Random House
Publication date: June 12, 2012
Genre: YA Paranormal/ Fantasy
Purchase: Barnes and Noble/Amazon/ Book Depository

Calder White lives in the cold, clear waters of Lake Superior, the only brother in a family of murderous mermaids. To survive, Calder and his sisters prey on humans, killing them to absorb their energy. But this summer the underwater clan targets Jason Hancock out of pure revenge. They blame Hancock for their mother's death and have been waiting a long time for him to return to his family's homestead on the lake. Hancock has a fear of water, so to lure him in, Calder sets out to seduce Hancock's daughter, Lily. Easy enough—especially as Calder has lots of practice using his irresistable good looks and charm on ususpecting girls. Only this time Calder screws everything up: he falls for Lily—just as Lily starts to suspect that there's more to the monsters-in-the-lake legends than she ever imagined. And just as his sisters are losing patience with him.(synopsis from Goodreads)

Lies Beneath is the debut novel of Anne Greenwood Brown. Forget everything you know about merpeople as Brown gives us a glimpse into the darker side of the mermaid-myth. When I began reading this, I thought it was going to be a dark tale and I was really excited. It turned out to be lighter than I anticipated but I still ended up enjoying this tale. Lies Beneath has elements of danger, romance, family struggles and revenge.

The tale begins when we meet protagonist merman, Calder White. He is spending time alone before his family sends the signal that they must migrate. We learn that merpeople in Brown's world feed of humans, absorbing their energy in order to survive. Sadly this kills the human. Calder is different, as he has avoided feeding all winter. Despite the urges he is uncomfortable with feeding. He receives a call from his sisters telling him they have located Jason Hancock. They will spend the summer seeking revenge against the human they blame for their mother’s death. The tale that unfolds is suspenseful as Calder, struggles between honoring his mother, breaking free of his sister and falling in love. As they plot revenge, the Hancock family is moving in to the old family estate located on the shores of Lake Superior.

The characters in Lies Beneath are all unique. Calder is unbelievably handsome, independent and a mer-misfit. He doesn’t enjoy feeding on humans and prefers to swim alone. Despite this he agrees to help hunt and trap the man responsible for his mother’s death. When he meets the Hancock’s things change, as he begins to like this family. We witness his internal struggle as the tale is told from his point of view. I didn’t completely connect with him, but I think part of it was because he wasn’t completely human and his thought process was different. At times he was overly cocky and awkward. His sisters; Tallulah, Pavati, and Marisa behaved exactly as Brown described merpeople. They hunted and fed as needed. They freely used their abilities and I found myself both liking them and being repulsed by them. I didn’t feel any love connection between the siblings. The only connection seemed to be revenge. The only human we really got to know is Lily, although other characters help tell the tale. Lily is unique; she likes English poetry and dresses in her own creative style. She dreams of being a poet or writer. She is bright and quickly begins to piece things together. I liked that despite others efforts she manages to see through drama and form her own opinions. 

The world-building was fascinating and reminded me of old siren tales, long before the popularity of the Little Mermaid. There have been a slew of mermaid-books of late, and I found Brown's take refreshing. It has a lot of dark elements and I would have liked to have seen more of it. The romance between Lily and Calder was sweet and ultimately changes Calder. The back-history, unique abilities and mer-life style were original and I enjoyed reading it. Brown’s take on how merpeople reproduce was both interesting and frightening. I easily consumed this as the pace and writing style flowed well. While the plot was predictable, I enjoyed the ending nonetheless.  

I think fans of paranormal romance and merpeople will enjoy Lies Beneath's originality. Book two, Deep Betrayal, told from Lily’s perspective will be released in 2013. I have added Anne Greenwood Brown to my authors to watch list and look forward to continuing this story.

I want to thanks Random House and netGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

I gave this novel 3.5 coffee cups out of 5.

Anne Greenwood Brown

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Spectral by Shannon Duffy ~Blog Tour Review

Today I am delighted to be a part of Tribute Books Spectral Blog Tour. Grab a cup of coffee and check out my review:

Spectral
by Shannon Duffy
Publisher: Tribute Books
Publication Date: April 10, 2012
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
Buy: Barnes and Noble / Amazon

Convinced she’s a part of the witness protection program, sixteen-year-old Jewel Rose is shuffled around the globe with her family like a pack of traveling gypsies. After arriving at lucky home twenty-seven, she stumbles upon a mysterious boy with magical powers claiming to be her guardian . . . and warning of imminent danger. Despite the obvious sparks between them, Jewel discovers a relationship is forbidden, and the more she learns about dark, brooding Roman, she begins to question who she can even believe—the family who raised her, or the supposed sworn protector who claims they’ve been lying to her all along.

As she struggles to uncover who her family has really been running from, she is forced to hide her birthmark that reveals who she is. With new realities surfacing, unexplained powers appearing, and two tempting boys vying for her heart, Jewel battles to learn who she can trust in an ever growing sea of lies, hoping she’ll make it through her seventeenth birthday alive.(synopsis from Goodreads)

Spectral is the debut novel of author Shannon Duffy. This young adult paranormal romance offers us a delightful looks at witches, covens and the power of celestial events. This was a beautifully written, fast paced tale that kept me engaged. Spectral is sure to delight fans of paranormal, suspense and mystery as we travel from a small town in the Midwest, to Russia and Italy.

The tale begins with Jewel and her family moving yet again. Jewel and her family are in the witness protection program and she along with her seven year old brother Jayden have moved with her parents just about twice a school year. There are those who wish to harm them, and it’s never safe. She was just starting to make friends at her old school when her Dad whisked her away in the middle of class. When they arrive, they pick new names and head off to their new school…but not before their parents go over the rules. 1. What are your names? 2. Our names?  3. Where did you moved from and 4. The biggest rule of all for Jewel; let no one see your scar! The tale that unfolds was engaging and suspenseful as Jewel begins to discover things about who she is.  

The characters in Spectral were interesting. Whether I loved them or hated them they felt genuine. Jewel is a typical seventeen year old, who adores her brother and tries for their own safety to obey her parents. I questioned why she didn’t demand more information about why they had to keep running, but the human mind is complex and I know plenty of people who choose to ignore the pink elephant in the room. Despite this, I liked Jewel; she was brave, sweet and loyal. This novel presents a love triangle. Ugh! However Jewel does indicate her choice, but we all know that could change with the stroke of a pen. First we have Chase, school athlete, tall and gorgeous he befriends Jewel and makes his intentions known. Then there is dark and mysterious guitar carrying Jacob. He knows about Jewel and her family; he has been tracking them. Both boys are completely swoon- worthy and I adored them both. I will leave you to decide which team you will join. Now the characters I loved to hate…you will meet a snotty, stuck-up female bully and an Aunt straight from the movie Matilda. A Grandma that reminded me of Raymond’s mother Marie from Everyone Loves Raymond. She was all sweet and gooey on the outside and sour in the middle.

The world-building was exciting in Spectral. I loved Duffy’s take on witches, the covens and of course Jewel. At times it had elements that reminded me of the DaVinci Code and I loved it. While I am so not a fan of love triangles, Duffy did a great job with it. To complicate matters she mixed in a little insta-love and forbidden romance! I know by now you are seriously scratching your head but all of these elements are present and it was believable. While the plot leaves room for sequels, this book would work well as a standalone.

I recommend Spectral to fans of paranormal romance, suspense and witches. I read Spectral in a few hours and found it to be an entertaining and delightful tale. I have added Duffy to my list of authors to watch. 

I gave this novel 4 coffee cups out of 5. 

Shannon Duffy

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Shannon Duffy writes young adult and middle grade fiction. She grew up on the beautiful east coast of Canada and now lives in Ontario, Canada. She is the mom of one boy, Gabriel, her angel. She loves writing, reading, working out, soccer, and the sport of champions-shopping. She is the author of the young adult paranormal romance, SPECTRAL. Her upcoming middle grade fantasy novel, GABRIEL STONE AND THE DIVINITY OF VALTA is scheduled for a January 2013 release.

Slide (Slide #1) by Jill Hathaway

Vee Bell is certain of one irrefutable truth—her sister’s friend Sophie didn’t kill herself. She was murdered.  Vee knows this because she was there. Everyone believes Vee is narcoleptic, but she doesn’t actually fall asleep during these episodes: When she passes out, she slides into somebody else’s mind and experiences the world through that person’s eyes. She’s slid into her sister as she cheated on a math test, into a teacher sneaking a drink before class. She learned the worst about a supposed “friend” when she slid into her during a school dance. But nothing could have prepared Vee for what happens one October night when she slides into the mind of someone holding a bloody knife, standing over Sophie’s slashed body.  Vee desperately wishes she could share her secret, but who would believe her? It sounds so crazy that she can’t bring herself to tell her best friend, Rollins, let alone the police. Even if she could confide in Rollins, he has been acting off lately, more distant, especially now that she’s been spending more time with Zane.  Enmeshed in a terrifying web of secrets, lies, and danger and with no one to turn to, Vee must find a way to unmask the killer before he or she strikes again.(synopsis from Goodreads)

Slide is the debut young adult novel of author Jill Hathaway. Hathaway delivers a suspenseful murder mystery complete with twists, romance and a unique paranormal ability.  Slide was an enjoyable read and I got caught up in solving the mystery. I was able to finish this in just a few hours and found it to be a delightfully suspenseful tale. 

The protagonist is Vee Bell.  She suffers from narcolepsy. (A disease that causes a person to fall asleep, anywhere at any time) This would be a horrible problem to deal with for anyone, but Vee has an even bigger problem. When she has an episode she slides. Sliding causes her to slip into someone else’s mind and experience what that person is experiencing through their eyes. Vee has learned that this occurs when she is touching an object that the other person owns or touched. As a result, she is very careful not to touch things. Vee’s ability is a dark secret she hasn’t shared with anyone. When it first began happening, shortly after the death of her mother, she confessed to her Dad. The next thing Vee knew she was seeing a shrink and being medicated. Vee quickly learned not to talk about it.  My feeling for Vee waivered back and forth, but ultimately I came to like her. She hasn’t had it easy, pops too many caffeine pills and has way too much responsibility for a girl her age. Her disease has made her a social outcast, and placed her in some serious situations. Her best friend Rollins saved her from one and she depends on his friendship to ground her. Rollins has feeling for Vee, and she knows it, but doesn’t act. A new boy named Zack begins school and flirts with her. Vee is attracted to Zack and their relationship is filled with some cute moments.

While there is high school drama and a love triangle the tale primarily focuses on a murder mystery. This occurs when Vee accidently slides into someone she cannot identify and realizes she has witnessed a murder. The victim turns out to be her sister’s best friend Sophie. The police and everyone else think Sophie’s committed suicide. Vee knows the truth and she struggles with what to do with this knowledge.  The tale that unfolds involves death, suspense and secrets.  In order for Vee to solve this and prevent any more victims, she needs to slide and take control of her ability. I enjoyed watching her put the pieces together. Hathaway cleverly lays clues which have you thinking one thing, only to discover something else entirely.

Slide was a unique mystery, and Hathaway has a gift for weaving a suspenseful tale. I highly recommend this to fans of young adult paranormal mysteries laced with romance.  Slide will be published on March 27, 2012. It will be available in paper and eBook formats.  I am looking forward to reading book two of this series entitled, Impostor. It is expected to be released in 2013. Hathaway is on my authors to watch list.

I want to thank HarperCollins and netGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

I gave this novel 4 coffee cups out of 5. 

Author's website: Jill Hathaway

Buy it at Barnes and Noble here:

Or from Amazon here: 

Until Next Time (The Angel Chronicles #1) by Amy Lignor Blog Tour

Welcome I am happy to be a part of 

Tribute Books Blog Tour of

Until Next Time by Amy Lignor

How does a girl choose between the one who steals her heart and the one who owns her soul? Matt and Emily were created for a specific job. Raised and trained as the ultimate angel/warrior team, they are sent down to save, defend, judge and forgive, depending on the 'life' they've been assigned. What they don't realize is that the power of human emotions, such as love, anger, passion and fear can take over even the best of souls, causing them to make mistakes and follow paths that lead to confusion and heartache. When the reason for their training is finally revealed, the angel/warrior team find themselves thrust into a world they know nothing about. Matt takes over the life of Daniel, a young man with a great deal of baggage. Emily becomes Liz, a girl living in a remote village who relies on nothing more than her own strength to survive. A violent storm erupts one night, and framed in the window of Liz's establishment is a frightening face. Let in by the soul of a Good Samaritan, the two visitors bring with them a past full of secrets that could literally change an angel's path and a warrior's plans. From murder to redemption, this angel/warrior team must find a way to keep the faith they have in each other in a world that's ripping them apart.(synopsis from Goodreads)

Amy Lignor’s Young Adult novel, Until Next Time, is a paranormal romance that will tug at your heart.  Matt and Emily were raised as the perfect team. She is an angel and he is a warrior. They spend eternity traveling to Earth to save, protect, forgive, and defend humans.  Lignor offers us a beautiful love story of soul mates, laced with humor and heartache as we travel with her characters between heaven and earth.

When we meet Emily and Matt, they are in heaven along with some of the most famous angels in history. We learn they have been training for their mission on earth. The time has finally come and they will be placed in shells. (Souls bodies who have expired before their time). They are shocked to learn that when they enter these shells they will forget all the training they have had, but will still possess some of their heavenly powers.  Emily is thrust into the life of Liz. A young orphaned woman who together with her friend Faith run a small bar and restaurant in rural Ireland.  Matt enters Daniel, a troubled soul, who finds comfort in Liz’s friendship.  As Liz, Emily helps Daniel cover up a horrible secret and saves two souls during a storm. The tale that unfolds is delightful. The characters have such depth and I grew attached to the secondary characters as well. The romance that develops with Liz(Emily) is believable and beautiful. It truly touched me. 

At times I was confused as the key characters moved between heaven and their shells. It took me a little while to establish a rhythm, but I loved the plot so much, that it was only a minor glitch. I absolutely loved the archangels and the way in which they started clichés, played practical jokes, and cared about Emily and Matt.  This novel had me experiencing a wide range of emotions from laughter to all out crying. I cannot wait to see where Emily and Matt travel to next.

I highly recommend Until Next Time to fans of fantasy, romance and angels.  I am looking forward to the second book in this chronicle. Lignor, currently has four distinct works published. The novel, Until Next Time is currently available in eBook format.

I want to thank Tribute Books for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I gave this novel 4 coffee cups out of 5. 

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Meet Volition author Shawn Marvel and Win a Copy of one of her Books

author Shawn Marvel


Please help me welcome 
author Shawn Marvel to the blog. 
Today I will be featuring her 
YA paranormal series Volition
and her literary fiction novel The Wanderer.  

Thanks so much Shawn!

                 Kimba  

Her biography:

Shawn Maravel was born in a small New Jersey town located between somewhere and nowhere. She fled the country looking for adventure while following her heart and the love of a soldier.

Shawn started writing when her husband joined the Army in 2008. It started out as a way for her to cope with the long periods of time that they spent apart but slowly took on a life of its own, becoming something she did for herself. Having always enjoyed writing and dabbled in it from time to time in previous years, the military lifestyle really provided her with the opportunity and an outlet to explore the passion further.

Volition is her first novel and was written during her husband's year-long deployment to Iraq. It is the first of a two book series, followed by Severance. She recently published her third novel, The Wanderer.

Her blog: Shawn Maravel

Twitter: @ShawnKMaravel

Her Facebook:Shawn Kirsten Maravel

 Message from the author:

To my readers and to future readers,

 I just wanted to say thank you. Not for buying or even reading my books. But for sharing the experience and the stories with me. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I would ever reach as many people as I have with my work. It has been a true blessing and I hope to continue writing and proving to others that if you can dream it, you can do it.            

                   -  Shawn Maravel

Her published works:

Volition  see my review:here
Charlotte Rush would be the first to admit that her life is no rollercoaster ride. Her days are laced with ordinary and at times boring monotony. But with a heart that finds itself frequently broken she's happy to say that she's content.  When her friends convince her to spend the night out at a club to let loose and maybe even find a guy, she finally admits that her life might be missing something. No sooner does she let go of her inhibitions does she find herself waking up in a dark hotel room in the presence of Joel, a man who carries mystery in his eyes and familiarity in his smile. Against reason Charlotte decides to trust him based solely on one thing. Somehow, she is sure that she knows him. In a race against time to find answers and to solve the crime committed against her Charlotte finds herself falling for him. However, with nothing but mystery surrounding him she can't even be sure that he's the hero at all. While knowing all of the right things to say he still manages to tell her nothing. As a battle is waged over the innocence of her cryptic stranger, Charlotte discovers that much greater danger awaits her. And the mysteries behind who and what Joel is will lead Charlotte to discover that heaven and earth are not so far apart.(synopsis from Goodreads)

Severance 

Severance is the bone-chilling, adrenaline-filled sequel to Volition. Charlotte finds herself hoping against reason that her life couldn't really have taken the devastating turn that it has. With Joel still dangerously out of the picture, and no signs that he may ever come back, she finds herself up against an even more dangerous threat. A sexy and cunning threat that is bound to tear what she has always known to be her reality down for good. When things finally start to look up, another curve-ball is thrown her way, promising to give her what she'd hoped for since meeting Joel, an answer it seems that came a little too late. What Charlotte thought she'd once known to be the truth filters through her fingers, leaving her to believe that her world and the afterworld are much more tangled than she'd originally expected. She comes to find that love and lust are no longer the sole deciders of her fate, but revenge. A lifetime of secrets unfold and Charlotte discovers that Joel hasn't been the only one watching over her all of these years.(synopsis from Goodreads)

The Wanderer

After getting out of the Army, Landon Bradley packs up his motorcycle and heads North West in hopes of closing up old battle wounds and maybe even settling down. Not accustomed to staying in one spot for too long, he's not certain that he'll ever find a place that he can truly call home.

When he finds himself stranded in a small Wyoming town, Landon meets Maxine Abrams, more affectionately known as Max. Her blunt honesty and humble generosity make him feel closer to home then he ever has before. But when his feelings for her grow too strong, the reality that, like everyone else, he could easily lose her too, Landon feels the ever present urge to leave again. And Landon must decide which call to heed. His heart or the open road.(synopsis from Goodreads)

Shawn has  graciously agreed to give away

 two eBooks of the first book in her series entitled Volition 

and one eBook copy of her fiction The Wanderer.

Enter to win one of these fabulous books. Just follow the rafflecopter instructions below. Contest ends at midnight on February 12, 2012 (EST) Winner will be notified by February 13, 2012. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway