Review: Blindsided - Natalie Whipple

What price would you pay just to look in a mirror?

It's junior year of high school, and Fiona has definitely had enough of being invisible. It's pretty hard to have a normal relationship when the only photos of her and Seth show him kissing thin air.

On top of that, old Arizonan gang tensions are threatening to spill over at any minute, which could put them all in serious danger.

So when Fiona realises that she and her friends know something that could change everything, she has to decide whether working with the criminal syndicates is too high a price to finally be seen.

Transparent Series:
Transparent
Blindsided

Visit Natalie Whipple's blog for more information

Review:
I enjoyed reading Transparent so I was looking forward to reading Blindsided. The story picks up three months after Fiona made a deal with her father to keep her family safe from his crime syndicate and she's been enjoying living a normal life with her friends. However, she should have known it was too good to last, especially since she's living inside another syndicate's territory. She was never going to be able to remain hidden forever and now Juan has sent his men after her, convinced that she has information he needs to help him start producing the radiasure drug again. As if it wasn't bad enough having a gang hounding her for information it doesn't take long before the army arrives in town taking over the old radiasure factory and Fiona's school. The army also thinks Fiona is the key to finding the information they need and now she has not just one but two enemies on her trail. The army aren't wanting to create more of the drug though, they're looking for a cure and offering Fiona the one thing she's always dreamed of - a life where she will finally be able to look in a mirror and see her own face. Can Fiona's dreams come true? If so, how much would it cost her?

One of the things I enjoyed most about the first book was the group of friends that Fiona made, they all have useful abilities and they are very protective of each other so it was no surprise that they were willing to stand by her side again. I'd really enjoyed the romance between Fiona and Seth in the first book but I think what I liked most about it was that it didn't take away from the plot. I have to admit I was a little disappointed with the way their relationship was handled in this book. They go from being really close in the first book to alternating between snapping at each other or ignoring each other in this one. They are both so stubborn and childish that it drove me crazy and I wanted to bash their heads together and tell them to just TALK to each other. Their arguments were constantly making their friends uncomfortable and they did the same to me too and I started to skim read sections with the two of them. I wanted to read a book about cool teenagers with superpowers fighting against the criminal syndicates but that side of the story almost took a back seat to the teen angst.

I also found Fiona was much more annoying in this book, she constantly makes stupid decisions because she never thinks anything through and that just puts herself and her friends at risk. OK so she usually manages to get them out of trouble afterwards but that's not such a great thing if she's the one getting them in it in the first place. I could understand why she wanted to find a cure for her invisibility but she was so whinny for the majority of the book that I started to lose all sympathy for her. I think she really just needed to grow up and realise that we can't always have everything we want, sometimes you have to suck it up and do the right thing for everyone else even when it means missing out on something you wanted. She does make some important realisations towards the end of the book so while it was a little too late for this book it does give me hope that she wouldn't irritate me as much in a third book (I have no idea if the author plans to write another or not though so that may be a moot point).

Blindsided wasn't all bad, there is still plenty of action and I did enjoy seeing Fiona and the others take on both Juan's gang and the army. Fiona also starts to make progress with her mum and her brother Graham too which was nice to see. There are a few surprises in store for the gang when they realise that their enemies may be closer than they think but they work together to figure things out. I may not have enjoyed this as much as Transparent but just glancing at the ratings it looks like I'm in the minority there so fans of the series will probably still want to give this one a try. If Natalie Whipple does write a third book then I'd be willing to give the series another go because I do like the world she's created and I think there are a lot of different adventures she could send these characters on.

Source: Received from Hot Key in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Transparent - Natalie Whipple

High school is hard when you're invisible.

On the run from her crime lord father, Fiona has to blend in to keep herself, her family and her new friends safe.

But even in a world where everyone has a superpower, being completely transparent means that it's impossible to disappear.

An invisible girl hiding out. Go figure.

Transparent Series:
Transparent
Blindsided

Visit Natalie Whipple's blog for more information

Review:
The minute I heard Transparent described as X-Men crossed with the Godfather I knew I had to read it and in a lot of ways that is a completely accurate description of what I got. This is a fun and fast read that I was able to devour in a couple of hours and as long as you don't take it too seriously it's a really enjoyable read.

Fiona was born in a world where anti-radiation drugs caused all sorts of interesting genetic mutations across the population. Although the drugs are now illegal and very hard to get hold of these mutations have continued into subsequent generations only growing more and more diverse as the years go by. Normal everyday people have abilities that can range anywhere from an unusual skin or eye colour through to super strength, psychic abilities or even the power to fly. In Fiona's case she is completely invisible - the only person in the world born with that ability. In a world where the governments are failing and gangs have taken over control of their territories anyone with a strong ability is in high demand and it's not like they have the option of saying no. Especially when they're the daughter of a mob boss like Fiona.

Her father has exploited her invisibility since she was a child, starting her off on pickpocketing and gradually training her to become a top spy, but that isn't the worst of his plans and now he wants more than she is prepared to give him. Fiona's father has a mutation that makes him irresistible to all women, when he asks them to do something they are powerless to refuse and even Fiona isn't completely immune which makes escaping his clutches incredibly difficult. Fiona and her mother have tried to escape before and failed but they have to make one last desperate attempt before Fiona is forced to cross a line she'll never be able to come back from. They flee from Las Vegas to a remote town in Arizona and can only hope to stay off of her father's radar because if he finds them he'll never give them another opportunity to escape.

I have to say I absolutely loved all the weird and wonderful abilities Natalie Whipple has come up with, every character has a different skill that they bring to the table and I enjoyed seeing all the variations she has come up with. I also enjoyed seeing Fiona go to school for the first time, the author has obviously thought out all the little problems that being invisible would cause and she makes you look at the ability in a new light. As much as it might be fun to be able to turn invisible on command Fiona doesn't have the option of turning her power off, she has never seen what she looks like, she has no idea what colour her hair or eyes are and she is sick of people looking through her or assuming that because they can't see her she isn't a real person with thoughts and feelings just like them. It makes you think about how often you rely on reading someone's facial expression to get an idea what they're really thinking and wonder how hard it would be if you were talking to thin air! I really enjoyed getting to know the group of friends that Fiona makes. Bea, Seth and Brady are all fab and I enjoyed the banter between them and Bea's other brothers. They are a close knit group and they quickly welcome Fiona into their hearts and treat her like a member of the family.

As much as I had a lot of fun reading this novel there were a few things that I disliked. The main one was the way Fiona treated her mother and there were times I wanted to reach into the book and give her a good talking to. Considering Fiona's father is addictive to women and his ability completely robs them of their freewill I was annoyed that Fiona was so hard on her mother for not escaping sooner and for always going back in the past. Fiona tends to either ignore her mother, snap at her or walk out without telling her where she is going, she just generally acts like a little cow and it made me struggle to like her at times which is a shame because I enjoyed seeing her with pretty much every other character. Just once I wanted Fiona to act like a grown up and talk to her mother and I would have really loved to have seen more development in their relationship.

The other issue I had was to do with the way they didn't even make any attempt to hide their identity. If you're on the run from a mob boss the last thing you do is go and enrol at a school using your REAL name. Come on, this guy runs half the country and you seriously don't think he'd be able to run a search on school databases looking for you? She doesn't even attempt to deny that she's related to him when people ask her about it. I do kind of get that as far as the world knows there is only one invisible girl but I do think she would at least have tried to keep her name on the down low. If you can ignore that one issue (which I was able to put aside fairly easily) and go with the flow then Transparent is a really fun read. It's light hearted and has a little of everything - action, humour and a touch of romance. In general I liked most of the characters and I had fun in the world the author has created so I'm very much looking forward to reading the sequel Blindsided.

Source: Received from Hot Key in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Forever - Judy Blume

Michael stopped the car and kissed me again. "You're delicious," he said. No boy had ever told me that. As I opened the car door all I could think of to say was, "See you . . ." But that wasn't at all what I meant.

Katherine and Michael meet at a party. The attraction is instant and pretty soon they're going out - and making out. Katherine is a virgin, but as their relationship grows deeper and more intense they both want more. This is love, and love is forever - right?

But love isn't simple - and when Katherine's parents make them spend the summer apart, forever begins to feel like an awfully long time . . .

The classic novel of first love, first sex and first heartbreak.

Discover Judy Blume - the original queen of teen.

Visit Judy Blume's website for more information

Review:
Forever was first published in the 1970's and was surrounded by a huge amount of controversy because of Judy Blume's realistic (and fairly graphic) portrayal of teenage sex and relationships. Compared to the kind of YA books we see published today it doesn't have the same shock factor that it did at that time but even when I first read the story (back in the 90's) it was one of a very small minority of books aimed at teenagers. As a teen I knew that picking up a book by Judy Blume I was going to get a story with characters who I could relate to and about relationships that were relevant to the things I was experiencing at the time so I read all of her books over and over again.

I was nervous about reading this book again now, after all it's been 20 years since I read it last and I was worried that it would be outdated. To be honest in a lot of ways it is, there is no mention of mobile phones or the internet, something that didn't matter when I first read it because they weren't common then either but that teenagers today will probably raise their eyes at! I don't think you get many 17 year olds meeting up to play backgammon and scrabble at fondue parties with their friends these days (even the dirty word variety) when they could be on the PlayStation or Xbox or out clubbing instead so there are some parts of the story that new readers won't necessarily connect to.

However, the important part of the story, the realistic look at first relationships - falling in love and thinking it will last forever, deciding when you're ready to have sex for the first time, how to deal with heartbreak - all of that is still just as relevant today as it was in the 70's. The latest version has a note from the author at the beginning talking about how birth control methods have changed and raising the point that it just as vital to protect from diseases by using condoms as it is to protect from pregnancy by using the pill (which is the method most girls prefer in the story) but what I enjoyed most was that it shows a much more lifelike version of sex than most novels.

The sex in Forever isn't perfect, it's messy and complicated but that's what makes it true to life. Most people's first time isn't all sunshine and roses, even if you're with a partner you love - especially if you're both fairly inexperienced. Boys don't always last forever and girls don't always orgasm but there is nothing wrong with that. This is the kind of book that will give teenagers realistic expectations about sex and how even if the first few times are a disaster that doesn't mean it won't get better. Practice really does make perfect in this case, especially if you're with someone who is willing to work at it!

I also love the message that Judy Blume sends about never letting anyone pressure you into doing something you're uncomfortable with. You are the only person who can decide if and when you're ready to take that step and there is nothing wrong with wanting to wait. Kath's reaction to her ex-boyfriend says it all:

"Sex was all he was ever interested in, which is why we broke up - because he threatened that if I wouldn't sleep with him he'd find somebody who would. I told him that if that was all he cared about he should go right ahead."

There are so many books aimed at teenagers these days that talk about similar issues and probably do so in a way that modern teenagers will find easier to relate to but Judy Blume had such a huge impact on teenage me and I will always love her for that.

Source: Received from Macmillan in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Burn for Me - Lauren Blakely (+ Giveaway)

She’s the one fire he can’t put out...

Jamie Lansing has had it bad for firefighter Smith Grayson for as long as they’ve been friends. Yes, he’s ridiculously charming and she might stare a little too long at his abs, but his dirty-talking, rough-around-the-edges ways aren’t for her. Plus, she knows that as a serial dater, Smith isn’t the type to settle down. But then a terrible, fantastic, mind-blowing mistake leaves her body craving more than one night.

Smith Grayson has only ever had eyes for one woman in town—his best friend Jamie. But convincing her a relationship between them will work is next to impossible with her refusing to see beyond his past. But when she asks for a week of no-strings-attached sex to get him out of her system, Smith knows this is his one chance to prove he’s not just the man she needs in her bed, but the man she needs in her life.

Fighting Fire Series:
Burn for Me
Melt for Him
Consumed by You

Visit Lauren Blakely's website for more information

Review:
There is a lot to like about Lauren Blakely's latest spicey novella Burn for Me and I enjoyed reading it. As with any book in Entangled's Brazen line there is plenty of heat to this story, Smith sure is one sexy fireman and Jamie is a lucky, lucky girl!

Jamie and Smith have been friends since he moved to town a few years ago, they spend a lot of time together going bowling, drinking and just generally having fun. As much as Jamie loves Smith as a friend and is incredibly attracted to him she just doesn't see him as relationship material. Her sister married a man just like him and it ended in disaster when he broke her heart so Jamie is incredibly wary of dating a player. Smith may have dated quite a few women but he never makes promises he can't keep and he's remained friends with all his ex-girlfriends because of that. He has been crazy about Jamie for a long time and all he wants is a chance to prove to her that he's really her perfect man. After they finally give into their lust for each other Jamie asks Smith for a week long fling hoping she can get him out of her system but Smith is determined to use that week to prove to her just how good life would be if they were a couple.

I love a friends to lovers story and I have a bit of a thing for firemen so I knew I wanted to read Burn for Me the moment I heard about it. Having read Lauren Blakely's novel Night After Night I was expecting some fantastic chemistry and really hot sex and I wasn't disappointed. I loved the connection between Smith and Jamie, both the emotional one and their physical attraction. I did find myself getting frustrated by Jamie's continually changing thoughts about them as a couple though, on one page she'd start talking like she wanted more and I'd think she'd made a breakthrough but then the very next page she'd be doubting him again. I wouldn't have minded this happening a couple of times but it went on for way too long and then there was some completely unnecessary drama thrown in at the end just to cause extra tension. It was so obvious that Smith was a nice guy and not the kind of man who would cheat on a girlfriend and considering Jamie has been friends with him for such a long time I struggled to believe she would think so badly of him. I wanted more of them spending time together and having fun and could have done with less of the back and forth.

That's not to say I didn't enjoy the story though and I think the things I had an issue with won't bother everyone as much as they did me. Burn for Me was a solid start to the series and I liked the side characters we were introduced to (who I believe will be the main characters in the next book). I'll definitely be checking out the next book when it is released and in the meantime I'm planning on reading more from this author's back list.

Source: Received from Entangled Publishing in exchange for an honest review

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Giveaway Details:

As part of the blog tour Entangled Publishing are giving away a $25 Victoria Secret Gift Card. The winner will be announced via Rafflecopter and be contacted directly by Entangled so they can arrange sending out the prize.

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If you like your heroes hot, the sex hotter, and a swoon-worthy romance to swoop in and save your happily ever after, Brazen has the story for you. Sinfully sexy soldiers. Alpha cops who demand control. Sweet guys with a naughty side in the bedroom. At Brazen, they've got the hero destined to melt your... heart. Visit the Entangled website, the Brazen Blog, follow them on Twitter, Like their Facebook page, and follow them on Pinterest.

Introducing Brazen's June 9th releases:

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1 Wedding--4 Hot Stories

When four bridesmaids dare one another to find lust—or maybe even love—at the destination wedding event of the year, the groomsmen don’t stand a chance. But little do the women know, the men are onto their game, and sparks will fly alongside the bouquet.



Four bridesmaids. Four groomsmen. Five New York Timesand USA TODAY bestselling authors. Long-carried torches, sizzling new attractions, and forbidden conquests will ensure a wedding never to be forgotten.

She's the one that got away.
He's the one she can't forget.



Find out more!     

He'll own her from
the very first touch.



Find out more!

She has a plan.
He's about to change it. 



Find out more!

     

How far can

one favor go...



Find out more!

Don't miss where it all began...

Dare to Resist by Laura Kaye




And follow the Group Tour

Plus don't miss the epic lip sync off battle

But wait, there's more... Lauren Blakely kicks off her new Firefighter series with Burn For Me.

She's the one fire he can't put out...



Find out more!


(Lauren is donating 10% of the release

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Review: Born in Blood - Alexandra Ivy

Sergeant Duncan O’Conner has seen it all before. A beautiful erotic dancer is found murdered in her home—no suspect, no motive. But there’s one clue: she’s missing her heart. It’s enough to make the hard-bitten Kansas City cop enlist the help of a necro—one of the dead-channeling freaks who live in the domed city of nearby Valhalla. It’s a long shot, but desperate crimes call for desperate measures.

Unlike the other “high-bloods” in Valhalla, Callie Brown considers her abilities a gift, not a curse. But when she reads the dancer’s final thoughts, she senses a powerful presence blocking her vision. This is no ordinary homicide. This is the work of a legendary necromancer who controls souls. A ravenous force that will put Callie’s skills to the test, O’Conner’s career at risk, and both their hearts on the line…literally.

The Sentinels Series:
Out of Control (Novella in the Predatory anthology)
Born in Blood
Blood Assassin (2015)

Visit Alexandra Ivy's website for more information

Review:
This is the first book I've read by Alexandra Ivy, I've heard great things about her Guardians of Eternity series though so when I saw this Born in Blood, the first book in her new Sentinels series, available for review on Netgalley I jumped at the chance of reading it. I have to say I enjoyed the world set up, you have normal humans and then you have the high bloods who all have various different psychic abilities. The high bloods tend to keep themselves to themselves living in their own enclosed city called Valhalla and the regular humans consider them freaks. The humans may not trust them but that doesn't mean they aren't willing to call on them for help when they need it.

Callie is a powerful necromancer, her abilities make it possible for her to see the last few minutes of a dead person's life which makes her very useful when it comes to solving murders. Callie is willing to work with the humans but she has to face prejudice from them every time she leaves Valhalla. She works alongside a Sentinel whose sole job is to protect her and keep her safe from harm but for this case she is also partnered with a human cop Duncan. Callie and Duncan have worked together before and there is an intense attraction between them but Callie has never considered taking things further, after all Duncan is a human and he's not going to want to get to close. Duncan however has other ideas and he's determined to show Callie just how special he thinks she is. Their latest case brings them up against a dangerous and powerful enemy, someone who is powerful enough to block Callie's attempts to read the memories of their victims and both of their lives are on the line if they fail to stop him.

Alexandra Ivy has created an interesting world and I liked both of the main characters. Duncan has all the protective instincts of an alpha male but I loved the fact that he respected Callie enough to let her stand on her own two feet. It makes a nice change to see a woman who is the one running from the potential relationship, Duncan knows exactly what he wants but Callie is terrified of the though of meeting his human family and she doesn't think they could possibly accept her. She does work on resolving her issues though and I loved seeing Duncan help her build her self confidence.

There were a few things that stopped this from being a fantastic read rather than a good one but the main problem I had was how easily things were resolved in the end. Everything falls into place a little too quickly and easily and most of it is done off the page and we only find out about it through later conversations. Don't get me wrong, there is some action, but I wanted more of that. I would have liked to learn more about the different Sentinel abilities and to have seen them take more of a central role in saving the day.

Born in Blood is still a good start to his new series though and I'm definitely interested enough to want to carry on reading it. I also enjoyed Alexandra Ivy's writing style so will be checking out more of her back list when I have a chance.

Source: Received from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

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Review: One Wish - Michelle Harrison

One wish only, understood? There are rules, so listen good . . .

The Spinney Wicket Wishing Tree can grant your heart’s desire – just wish out loud, or hang a message from its branches. It sounds as though the Wishing Tree is just a sweet old tradition, but Tanya is only too aware how real its magic could be.

Tanya can see fairies, and would love to meet someone else can see them too. When she meets Ratty and his cheeky fairy, Turpin, it seems at last she’s found them. But Ratty has a secret, and a dangerous enemy who'll stop at nothing to get to him.

Tanya must use her one wish to save her new friend - but wishes should be used wisely . . .

Thirteen Treasures Trilogy:
One Wish
The 13 Treasures
The 13 Curses
The 13 Secrets

Visit Michelle Harrison's website for more information

Review:
One Wish is a new prequel story for Michelle Harrison's Thirteen Treasures series so it's ideal for fans of the series or anyone who is new to this author. This whole series has been incredibly fun to read and One Wish is no exception to that, it has all the magic and wonder you could hope for from a fairytale and is full of great characters and fun adventures.

Tanya is a young girl with the second sight which allows her to see the fairies and other fae creatures. This rare ability often gets her in trouble, the fairies don't like to be seen and they take great pleasure in tormenting her by causing mischief and because Tanya's mother can't see them it is always Tanya who gets the blame for the things they do. Tanya is thrilled when she meets a young boy called Ratty and realises that he has the same ability as she does, not only can he see the fairies but he also has ways to protect himself against them and he's willing to teach them to Tanya. When Ratty is kidnapped it is up to Tanya, along with Ratty's mischievous fairy guardian Turpin, to rescue him but that is going to be easier said than done.

One Wish is an incredibly whimsical tale full of colourful characters. My favourite would have to be Turpin, she's such a tricky little pest but her heart is in the right place and she would do anything to protect her Ratty. I also really enjoyed the Wishing Tree who always speaks in rhyme. Tanya is a fabulous main character and I've enjoyed following all of her adventures.

Source: Received from Simon & Schuster in exchange for an honest review

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