Book Review: Black Hellebore by Nicole Zoltack

Black Hellebore, by Nicole Zoltack
2013, 271p, Paranormal Romance
My Rating=4 stars
Content: Mild swearing and violence
Source: Copy provided by the author for an honest review

Once a year for the past decade, Nicholas Adams returns to Falledge and leaves a black hellebore on his girlfriend's grave. While departing Falledge, he chases after a man sneaking into the laboratory and dies for his trouble. A witch brings him back to life, but Nicholas soon realizes he's not the same man. Turns out, magic combined with a black hellebore in his pocket changed him into a kind of a super man.

His girlfriend's twin, Julianna Paige, is Falledge's deputy, struggling to solve several murders. Nicholas, and his alter ego the Black Hellebore, helps her, even as she helps him move on and even start to love again.

Unfortunately, Nicholas wasn't the only one changed in the laboratory explosion, and now there's a supervillain bent on destroying Falledge, and killing the Black Hellebore. But falling in love might prove more dangerous than any supervillain. (Goodreads) 

This is a book I really enjoyed! It had been a while since I had read the synopsis and when I started reading it, I didn't go back and review it but just started in. I had no idea what this book would be about and that made it more interesting to me. Nicholas Adams came back to Falledge and it starts out saying that he hates the town and everything about it so I knew right away there was some history to be learned. We also meet Julianna Paige who is surprised to see Nick back in town and she has some pain she's dealing with. They meet at Justina's grave, Julianna's twin sister who died ten years ago. Their conversation doesn't go well and Nick tells her he's leaving town again. While leaving, he sees someone sneak into the laboratory and chases after him. At the end of the chase, he gets seriously injured and dies. He wakes up, expecting to see Justina (the twin who died) but instead meets Gavina, the witch who brought him back from the dead.

He soon learns that he's now a super man of sorts due to the black hellebore he had in his pocket while he was being brought back to life. His new strength comes in handy as he helps Julianna, who is now in law enforcement, to figure out who broke into the lab and what happened to him. They need to work together but is that such a good idea? 

I enjoyed all the mystery surrounding Nick and Julianna. They each had their secrets and their reasons for keeping them from each other. They also learn that Justina had a secretive side and through the course of the book, they are able to learn the truth about her death. They are each in pain and find it difficult to completely trust the other one. I liked watching their relationship progress. 

The superhero aspect seemed a little over the top to me at times but I still enjoyed it. The supervillain (named Skull Crusher) was creepy and scary and I felt myself cheering the good guys on to figure out a way to defeat him. There were some good interactions with him and he's someone I would definitely never want to meet. There are also some other good interactions with Gavina, the witch, and Ginny, the grandmotherly town gossip who convinces Nick to stay with her while he's in town.

This is a clean read with some mild swearing and violence. The ending wasn't a cliffhanger but hinted at much more to come and I'm looking forward to reading more about the Heroes of Falledge!

About Nicole Zoltack: 

Nicole Zoltack loves to write fantasy/paranormal, romances, horror, historical, for adults and young adults, novels, short stories, and flash pieces. She doesn't want to get boxed in by genre -- she might be claustrophobic! She's also an editor for MuseItUp Publishing and works as a freelance editor.

When she isn't writing about girls wanting to be knights, talking unicorns, and zombies, she spends time with her loving family. She loves to ride horses (pretending they're unicorns, of course!) and going to the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire, dressed in period garb. Her favorite current TV show is The Walking Dead.

To learn more about Nicole and her work, visit her website at www.NicoleZoltack.com or her blog at http://NicoleZoltack.blogspot.com.

Author website: http://www.nicolezoltack.com

Blog: http://nicolezoltack.blogspot.com/

Twitter @nicolezoltack: https://twitter.com/NicoleZoltack

Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/AuthorNicoleZoltack

Google+: https://plus.google.com/112850281244279638997/posts

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2887586.Nicole_Zoltack

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolezoltack

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/nicolezoltack

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Nicole-Zoltack/e/B00304YARW/

Book Review: Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Everneath, by Brodi Ashton
2012, 370p, Fantasy, Mythology
My Rating=5 stars
Source: Audiobook borrowed from the library 

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath. Now she’s returned—to her old life, her family, her boyfriend—before she’s banished back to the underworld . . . this time forever. She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can’t find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these precious months forgetting the Everneath and trying to reconnect with her boyfriend, Jack, the person most devastated by her disappearance—and the one person she loves more than anything. But there’s just one problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who enticed her to the Everneath in the first place, has followed Nikki home. Cole wants to take over the throne in the underworld and is convinced Nikki is the key to making it happen. And he’ll do whatever it takes to bring her back, this time as his queen.

As Nikki’s time on the Surface draws to a close and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she is forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole’s queen.

Everneath is a captivating story of love, loss, and immortality from debut author Brodi Ashton. (Goodreads)

This is a book I've had on my TBR list for a while. And I seriously love the cover! I decided to borrow it on audiobook from the library and once I started listening to it, I couldn't stop. When I listen to audiobooks, it's usually in my car and I have about a half hour at a time and that's usually fine with me. However, for this book, I found myself putting my headphones on every chance I got and actually cleaned my house since I like to be doing something while I'm listening. 

Nikki Beckett disappeared a year ago and has now returned. She's been in the Everneath with Cole for a hundred years (in Everneath time) and only has six months before she has to go back there. She came home to say goodbye to her family and friends. And to see Jack.

This story is based on the myths of Persephone and Hades and Orpheus and Eurydice. It shifts back and forth between the time before the feed and now. I loved the unfolding of the story as we got little bits and pieces that made me keep listening so I could learn more. 

I hate Cole and how he manipulates Nikki to do what he wants her to. And I love Jack who is devastated that she left and has a hard time moving on. I hated the events that led up to her leaving with Cole and wanted to scream at her. Yes, I felt strong emotions with this book which is probably why I loved it so much!

There are still questions and the ending left me wanting more! Thank goodness book 2 is already out and book 3 will be coming out in January so I don't have too much longer to wait! I don't remember any objectionable content. This is a book I highly recommend!!

Blog Tour: Shudder by Samantha Durante

The Highlight Tour with Prism Book Tours

& Samantha's Summer Tour

The second installment in the electrifying Stitch Trilogy, Shudder follows Samantha Durante's shocking and innovative debut with a heart-pounding, paranormal-dusted dystopian adventure sure to keep the pages turning.

Shudder

348 pages

Published June 15, 2013

-- Book 2 in the Stitch Trilogy --

It's only been three days, and already everything is different.

Paragon is behind her, but somehow Alessa's life may actually have gotten worse. In a wrenching twist of fate, she traded the safety and companionship of her sister for that of her true love, losing a vital partner she'd counted on for the ordeal ahead. Her comfortable university life is but a distant memory, as she faces the prospect of surviving a bleak winter on the meager remains of a ravaged world. And if she'd thought she'd tasted fear upon seeing a ghost, she was wrong; now she's discovering new depths of terror while being hunted by a deadly virus and a terrifying pack of superhuman creatures thirsting for blood.

And then there are the visions.

The memory-altering "stitch" unlocked something in Alessa's mind, and now she can't shake the constant flood of alien feelings ransacking her emotions. Haunting memories of an old flame are driving a deep and painful rift into her once-secure relationship. And a series of staggering revelations about the treacherous Engineers - and the bone-chilling deceit shrouding her world's sorry history - will soon leave Alessa reeling...

Oh, my! Dystopia at its finest! A quick word on Stitch (book 1): It had been a while since I'd read what it was about so I just started reading. It seemed like a nice time travel romance with a hint of something else and then BAM!, in came the dystopia element. At that point, I couldn't put it down. And when I got to the end, I was glad I had book 2, Shudder, ready to start.

Shudder takes off right out of the gate and doesn't stop. We get the perspective of different people. First up are the Engineers who are running Paragon. We find out more about their motives and what they are hoping to accomplish (scary!). Then we are taken to one of the rebels who is being punished for her part in the rebellion. We're not sure who she is for a while, though. Next up is Alessa and Isaac, newly reunited, who leave Paragon to try to find a new headquarters for the rebellion. It's not an easy task and there are lots of struggles along the way. And finally, we hear again from a character in Stitch that we haven't heard from in a while who is back in prison. He starts communicating with his neighbor through notes and it's someone we know but don't find out her identity for a while, either.

I loved all the back and forth and it wasn't confusing at all. I had a hard time getting anything done since I just wanted to keep reading to see what would happen next. Hearing lots of different perspectives moved the book along at a fast pace and I was engrossed in this story. The interesting part of dystopia is that the people in charge seem to start out with good intentions but in their quest for control, they forget that most people desire freedom and the chance to live life the way they want so it never turns out well. I enjoy reading about those willing to fight back. 

Alessa goes through quite a bit as she struggles with wanting to no longer be involved with the rebellion to her feelings for Isaac as she can't seem to stop thinking about Joe. She also has some physical issues to deal with as she tries to figure out what's happening to her. And then the ending--I was not happy that I didn't have book 3, Stuck, ready to start (there is a sneak peek at the end of Shudder, and I think I will love this one, too). If you are looking for a fantastic dystopian series, this is one I would highly recommend!!

My Rating=5 stars
Content: Some sex (without any details) and mild swearing

Here's what others are saying about this book:

Praise for Pacing

Review at The Caffeinated Book Reviewer 

The tale moved at an even clip until the final chapters where I found myself turning the pages at a frantic pace as all of the threads came together and we moved to the climatic ending. We as the reader are now privy to things the Rebels do not know and the set up for book three created suspense and anticipation. With its powerful world-building this tale has me excited to read the conclusion of this trilogy.

Review at Michelle Chew Writes

I'm totally captivated by the intense storyline and how the story slowly unravel and explains some lingering questions from Stitch. I love how the author did that and even maintaining the smooth flow of story.

Review at Little Hyuts

Despite how popular dystopian YA has become, Samantha Durante was able to bring something fresh to the genre. This series is in no way cookie cutter dystopian. Shudder jumps right back into the story, taking place only days after book one ended. Fast paced with not a single dull moment, this book will have you turning pages until the end. And believe me you are going to be upset Stuck isn't here yet. I highly recommend this series!

Review at From the Writer's Nest

This dystopian/post-apocalyptic sci-fi world still manages to surprise and shock. The pacing is faster and the action scenes had me on the edge of my seat! With plenty of suspense and a downright scary future world, this is a sequel you don’t want to miss!

Review at The Minding Spot

The action, suspense, compelling characters and deftly built world mesh together to create a stunning installment that has me waiting, somewhat impatiently, for the next one!

Goodreads * Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Smashwords

Also available in the iTunes store, Kobo, and wherever e-books are sold!

As an avid lifelong reader of fiction of all sorts, there’s nothing I find more engrossing than an epic sci-fi/fantasy/romance series. I’ve whiled away countless weekends of my life immersed in richly-woven worlds that someone else was kind enough to put on paper... about the author

Samantha Durante lives in Westchester County, New York with her husband, Sudeep, and her cat, Gio. Formerly an engineer at Microsoft, Samantha left the world of software in 2010 to pursue her entrepreneurial dreams and a lifelong love of writing. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania's Jerome Fisher Program in Management & Technology, Samantha is currently working full time for her company Medley Media Associates as a freelance business writer and communications consultant. The Stitch Trilogy is her debut series.

Website * Goodreads * Facebook * Twitter

Stitch

314 pages

Published August 1st, 2012

Her heart races, her muscles coil, and every impulse in Alessa's body screams at her to run... but yet she's powerless to move.

Still struggling to find her footing after the sudden death of her parents, the last thing college freshman Alessa has the strength to deal with is the inexplicable visceral pull drawing her to a handsome ghostly presence... Goodreads

Tour-Wide Giveaway:

5 Winners. August 24 - September 16, 2013. See Rafflecopter for restrictions.

* Signed print copy of Stitch & Shudder for you and two friends (USA only)

* Signed (via Authorgraph) e-book copies of Stitch & Shudder for you and two friends (Int'l)

* Signed Stitch & Shudder bookmarks + e-book copies of Stitch & Shudder (Int'l)

* $10 Amazon Gift Card (Int'l)

* $5 Amazon Gift Card (Int'l)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Highlight Tour

Sharing Top Highlights from the Summer-Long Tour!

August dates:


24 - The Reading Diaries - Review

- The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl

- Rose & Beps Blog

25 - Chapter Break - Review

- Wonderings of One Person - Review

- Mortal Moments

26 - A Tiffyfit's Reading Corner - Review

- Kindred Dreamhart


27 - YA Book Addict - Review

- The Bookish Daydreamer

- Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf


28 - Library of a Book Witch

- Mommasez... - Review


29 - Mel's Shelves - Review

- Fundinmental


30 - Green Mountain Couple

- Literary Meanderings


31 - Donnie Darko Girl - Review

- My Devotional Thoughts


Sept. 1 - The Book Rogue


GRAND FINALE

Book Review: The Frog Prince by Jenni James

The Frog Prince by Jenni James
2013, 87p, Clean Romantic Fairytale
My Rating=5 stars

A prince disguises himself to find true love—

Prince Nolan has had enough of Princess Blythe—the woman to whom he has been betrothed since infancy—and her simpering letters. Does the princess truly not have a brain in her head? Never before has he communicated with someone who seemed so childish and spoiled. It was time he met her for himself, to decide if he could actually follow through with this marriage. But to do it right, she must not see how handsome he is. He needs a disguise—something that would show him her true nature.

Nolan asks an old herb woman to transform him into a creature that is disgusting to any female—a frog. The spell will last thirty days unless the princess does the impossible and kisses him. Now the true test begins. Will Blythe prove to be as monstrously annoying as he believes she is, or will he learn to see past his judgments and find a loving princess waiting for him? (Amazon)

I have loved every Jenni James book I've read and this one is no exception! Prince Nolan isn't excited about marrying Princess Blythe so he decides to visit her disguised as a frog to see what she's really like. He may have to dig a little deeper to learn the truth and see if she's really as shallow as she comes across to him in her letters.

This is such a fun, quick read and a unique take on a classic fairy tale. I enjoyed reading Prince Nolan's thoughts as he realized that turning into a frog might not have been the smartest idea. I also like how they get to know each other and, since she doesn't know who he is, she doesn't hold any of her feelings towards Prince Nolan back. They get to know each other and discover if they want to move their relationship forward or not. How will Princess Blythe react when she finds out who the frog really is? I laughed quite a bit and enjoyed the witty dialog. I highly recommend this to anyone that loves fairy tales!



And be sure to check out the rest of the Jennie James Faerie Tale Collection!

Beauty and the Beast
Sleeping Beauty
Rumplestiltskin
Cinderella
Snow White
Hansel and Gretel
Jack and the Beanstalk
Snow White

Next up: The Twelve Dancing Princesses (chapter 1 included at the end of The Frog Prince)

Book Review: Ashes Ashes by Julie Coulter Bellon

Ashes Ashes by Julie Coulter Bellon, 2013, 219p
Content=Clean, My Rating=5 stars
Source: Provided a copy by the author for an honest review

Are you ever really innocent until proven guilty?

Sophia Naziri is wanted for questioning in the murder of a U.S. senator. She’s worried the police will show up on her doorstep any moment, but when Detective Colby Black appears, it’s to help her put out a kitchen fire, not take her in. Yet. His easy smile and persistence in getting to know her pushes all her troubles to the back of her mind, until a hit man tracks her down. Getting arrested becomes the least of her worries and the handsome detective could be her only way out---if she tells him the truth.

Colby Black’s sniper skills have been a blessing and a curse to him. As a member of a Hostage Negotiation Team, he can use them to save people, but sometimes he can’t protect the innocent despite his best efforts. When a hostage situation goes bad, he tries to put it behind him by helping out his mysterious next-door neighbor, Sophia Naziri. But she pulls Colby into a web of lies and conspiracy that will force him to use every skill he has in order to survive. Faced with the moment of truth, can he trust anyone around him---including the woman at the center of it all? (Goodreads) 

This is the second book in Bellon's Hostage Negotiation Team series. I haven't read the first one yet, All Fall Down, but I definitely want to now! What I like is that I didn't feel lost since I haven't yet read book one but I've met the characters now and want to read their story so I can get to know them better. 

Colby Black has had a rough day at work. The hostage situation that he was involved in didn't end well and he arrives home to the smell of smoke coming out of his neighbor's house. It's a renter he hasn't met yet so he runs over and helps stop the kitchen fire. He then meets his beautiful neighbor Sophia, who is grateful for his help but doesn't want anything to do with him when she finds out he's a detective. Colby isn't going to be deterred and brings her back some takeout food since her dinner was burned and offers to come back the next day to help her clean up. 

We learn more about Sophia's background and what she's running from which is serious and dangerous and also explains why she doesn't want to become too cozy with Colby. Colby does get pulled into her situation and has to decide if he believes her or if she's playing him. And then he needs to figure out what he's going to do about it.

There isn't anything I didn't like about this book and this is my favorite type of book to read. It moves at a fast pace which makes it difficult to put down, the dialogue is well written with no swearing--a major plus, and there are characters I love and ones I hate (and some I wasn't sure about until the very end). There's also the romance: I knew they cared about each other and they let their feelings be known and the romance was just the right amount to me. If you enjoy a fast-paced, clean, romantic suspense novel, you must read this book!! I'm looking forward to reading book 1 and hope there are several more books to come in this series!

You can enter to win a copy of this book on Goodreads through June 18, 2013 by clicking HERE.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Julie Coulter Bellon loves to write international romantic suspense novels because she gets to travel to distant lands to research and add an authentic feel to all of her books. Her favorite cities so far are Athens, Paris, Ottawa, and London. She taught journalism at BYU for fourteen years and that kept her on the cutting edge of current events and world news---which is where she gets her story ideas.

Julie offers writing and publishing tips, as well as her take on life on her blog http://ldswritermom.blogspot.com You can also find out about all her upcoming projects at her website www.juliebellon.com or you can follow her on Twitter @juliebellon