The Bo0ki3

Touch of Death

Kelly Hashway

Touch of Death Book One

Young Adult, Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Paperback, 235

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Release Date: January 15, 2013

Overall Rating: 4/5

Jodi is deadly to the living and even more deadly to the deceased…

            Jodi Marshall isn’t sure how she went from normal teenager to walking disaster. One minute she’s in her junior year of high school, spending time with her amazing boyfriend and her best friend. The next she’s being stalked by some guy no one seems to know.
            After the stranger, Alex, reveals himself, Jodi learns he’s not a normal teenager and neither is she. With a kiss that kills and a touch that brings the dead back to life, Jodi discovers she’s part of a branch of necromancers born under the 13th sign of the zodiac, Ophiuchus.

It took me a while to start writing my review because I wanted to let everything I read sink in so my review would be better, but I’m pretty sure that didn’t help at all. Honestly Touch of Death wasn’t what I thought it would be and it surprised me, in a good way. Jodi! Let’s start with her I loved her, she was such a great character. Starting out I liked her but then she really grew on me and I loved her, plain and simple. She was relatable and even though she was different it was easy to connect with her. She wasn’t quick to believe the unbelievable like any of us she needed proof and a minute to get herself together. Then there was Alex who I adored. I have a thing for the mysterious, hot, sort of bad boy. He was great, he was dangerous, unknown, hot and just really likable. There was something about Alex that made you want to know all you could about him.

The story itself was really good, well written, solid plot, there was enough mystery and thrill to keep you guessing. As far as first books go, this was great, everything you could ask for. I loved the action and the humor, the only thing I didn’t like was how fast the two fell in love but aside from it was a great start. Greek mythology has a special place in my heart it was the main reason I even stopped to look at the book and I’m so glad I did. What I really enjoyed was the added used of the fairly new thirteen sign of the zodiac. Great start to a new series can’t wait to see how Ms. Hashway follows up with Stalked by Death.

I’d recommend this book to everyone, you won’t go wrong with this one. 

{Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Spencer Hill Press for an honest review. All opinions presented here are my own.} 

Spencer Hill Press is offering a prize package to one winner throughout the Touch of Death blog tour. Enter blew for your chance to win. Good luck. 

Nothing stops Bancroft Enterprises from developing the best in scientific technology, despite the harsh competition. At the height of its power, biomedical technician Clark Ravensdale performs the nearly-impossible: raising six New Testament figures. Though criticisms from the religious and scientific communities persist, both groups use this project as an opportunity to advance their agendas. In midst of division, Clark shies away from discussion, hoping that the fierceness resides and won’t deter his workaholic life.

However, those mixed feelings change. While some have characterized the disciples as primitive, others like Clark notice the abnormal behaviors and uncanny intellect. As more time is spent living with the disciples, a realization comes to mind: perhaps there is more truth to the New Testament than some thought.

While I usually shy away from Christian fiction the idea behind this book seemed interesting to me, I mean come on biblical figures in our world, I mean anyone from the past coming to the present is something I want to read about. I love reading the way everyone acts in those types of situations. The way they talk, think, move, act, view things, react to things eg, music, art, even religion, it’s all very fascinating to me.

One thing that made me take notice was the belief of the disciple. It was so strong and utterly simple and straightforward that it left no room for doubt. In the world today we have so many believers but after reading about the disciples it makes you wonder is the belief today absolute? It was different and not really in a bad way to compare between the disciples and the people of the world today how much and the way believe.

One question in the story stood really stood out to me and while I can’t answer it I want to point it out. What would happen to religion if we could resurrect and/or clone the disciples of Jesus?

Makes you wonder doesn’t it?

The one thing I found the story lacking was character development. When I read I like to feel as if I truly know the characters, Clarke, it seemed to me was just there, sure we knew some but there could always be more. Then there was the disciples who didn’t seem to have individual thoughts or personalities, they were more a group than separate people.

So, while this book could have been a little better it wasn’t bad. I would recommend it people who don’t shy away from Christian fiction and people like to push the “what if” envelope.

Waterfall

Lisa T. Bergren

River of Time Book One

Paperback: 384 pages

Young Adult, Historical Fiction

Publisher: David C. Cook

ISBN: 978-1-43476-433-1

Release Date: February 1, 2011

Overall Rating: 5/5

Gabi is an American girl who spends her summers in Italy with her family and she’s always bored out of her mind. Instead of seeing the sites or meeting cute Italian boys the Betarrini sister spend their time on the site of archaeological digs, with their parents. That is until while exploring an ancient tomb the sisters place their hands in a set of handprints they find in the tombs and that’s when things get crazy. They find themselves in the Fourteenth Century, separated, confused, lost, in the middle of a war and no idea how to get home.

Usually I tend to stay away from books about time-travel but I received this book for review, so I told myself I would read the whole thing through. I was hooked from chapter one, and I couldn’t put it down. I read fast I can finish a book in a few hours if I really like it and this was one of those books. I loved everything about it. Gabi was a fun and awesome character to read about, she was smart, strong, fearless, gentle, sweet, brave, and not without weakness. Even when she was scared and had no idea what to do she still pushed on and faced those fears head-on.

This book was great, it had a strong female lead, handsome men, swords fights, a love triangle (though sometimes I hate those), mystery, and bit of unexplained magic. The guys in this book were awesome Prince Marcello, his cousin, sir Luca (a knight), and even Marcello’s sick older brother Prince Fortino. What I loved most about Waterfall was the fact that I believed what I was reading. The words made you believe what you were reading was real. I loved that the character were believable, they felt happiness, felt sadness, felt pain, they were scared and unsure, at times they were hurt, and they didn’t always win the fight. The character were really human and I believe that’s something really important in a story. The adventure in this book was amazing and had me holding my breath the whole time, waiting to see how Gabi and Lia were ever going to get home.

One thing I absolutely hated about this book was the fact that it ended. When I turned the page and realized it was over I sat there and looked at the book for a moment. Thinking maybe if I stared at it long enough more pages would appear but as you can guess that didn’t happen. The only thing that made up for the fact that book was over so was that I know there will be a second book. I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book, I NEED to know what happens next.

I recommend this book to anyone no matter what kind of books they read. This is one you don’t want to miss.

{Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book enable my review. All opinions presented here are my own.}

To learn more about Lisa T. Bergren and her books please visit her website.

Ruby Red

Kiersten Gier

Precious Stone Trilogy book one

Hardcover: 324 pages

Young Adult, Historical Paranormal Fiction

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.

ISBN-13: 978-0805092523

Release Date: May 10, 2011

Overall Rating: 4.5/5 stars 

Gwyneth Shepherd family always knew that Gwen’s beautiful, sophisticated, older-by-one-day cousin Charlotte had the time travel gene in the family. Charlotte has been training for the moment when she’ll be sent back in time her whole life. But when Gwen instead of Charlotte travels back Gwen finds jealousy, cruel remarks, lies, mystery, and a whole bunch of unanswered questions are brought to light. Now Gwen must learn in no time at all the things Charlotte had a whole lifetime to work on. Try to understand why her mother lied about that day of her birth, find a way to take some of the suspicion away from her. Now Gwen along with Gideon, a time traveler from another family whose time travel gene is passed down through the male line, have to figure out who’s going back in time and changing the past, and most importantly whose trying to kill them.

I found myself really enjoying this book. Gwen is the type of girl readers can relate to and she had the way about her that makes you want things to go really well for her. It was wonderfully written and it was great start to a series. Everything about this book was so good. I loved the whole mystery about everything, I wanted to know everything, no I needed to know everything. The book never got dull, there was even a little romance, and I feel the tingling of a love triangle coming up in the second book. The biggest mystery I found came at the end of the book making sure that you make your calendars for book two. A lot of questions in the book were answered and a lot were making sure that book two is just as good or even better. The only thing I can say I didn’t like about this book was the fact that it wasn’t longer.

This is Ms. Gier’s American debut and I say this book will make a splash. I recommend it everyone and you better believe I will be telling my friends about this book. And I look forward to the day when I’m holding both Sapphire Blue and Emerald Green (books 2 & 3 in the trilogy) in my hand.

{Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book enable my review. All opinions presented here are my own.}

Wake Unto Me

Lisa Cach

Paperback: 304 Pages

Young Adult, Paranormal Fantasy

Publisher: Speak

ISBN-13: 978-0142414361

Release Date: March 31, 2011

Overall Rating: 5/5 Stars

Caitlin leaves her home and everything she’s even known back in the America to attends a boarding school in France, Chateau de la Fortune. Caitlin a good and plain girl (so she thinks) who goes to school thinking everything would be ordinary and just like every other school, only to realize she was wrong. There are new friends, new divas, love, death, ghost, vivid dreams, and whole bunch of other things you can’t even begin to guess.

I loved this book. Well it did start a little slow in the beginning and I put the book down but when I picked it up again I found that it got faster and better. I found Caitlin to be a great character, she was likeable and not once did I want to punch her in the face (I’ve felt like that before in other books), I found Caitlin someone I could relate to. I mean who hasn’t felt confused or out of place at one time or another. What I really loved about this book was the fact that I couldn’t even guess what was going to happen next, usually I can tell how a book will end but this one had me on my toes, and wrong so many times. Lisa Cach took a cliché (girl goes to new school, finds out there’s something special or different about her. And she falls in love with amazingly handsome boy) and turned in something different, unique, and amazing. I found that in this book the small details that you really don’t care about are the things that make the biggest impact, and are the most important.

I can honestly say the only thing I didn’t like was the fact that I don’t have a Raphael of my own, so I’m a little jealous. Wake Unto Me was more than I had hoped for and I hope there will be a part two. I would recommend this book to anyone, I don’t care what kind of books you normally read, Wake Unto Me is one that you don’t want to miss.

{Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book enable my review. All opinions presented here are my own.}