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Al Capone at the Blanche Hotel: Guest Post and Giveaway!

Thursday, October 31, 2013
People are sometimes surprised when they find out that I wrote a work of historical fiction entitled Al Capone at the Blanche Hotel. I suppose they expect a woman of a certain age to be writing Regencies or some other more traditional form of romance. But they would be wrong, because my work does not fit that mold. While romances play an important role in all of my stories, love is life after all, the relationships are not the driving force behind the premises. I'm glad someone came up with the term "with romantic elements"!  When folks get to know me, they discover that I have had relationships with real gangsters through my work as a secondary school assistant principal, but that has no relation to my writing. I wrote Al Capone at the Blanche Hotel because I had some themes I wanted to explore. The Deep South is a place of great contradictions. Our reputation for friendliness, courtesy, and hospitality is known around the world, yet so many painful, inhumane things have happened in our midst. Writing about this dichotomy was cathartic for this child of the South. The fact that I once lived in Lake City, Florida and stayed at the Blanche provided the vehicle for my exploration. Knowing Capone really stayed at the Blanche sealed the deal. I wanted a catchy title and Al Capone at the Blanche Hotel fit the bill.

When the cover of Al Capone at the Blanche Hotel scrolled into view for the first time, my heart actually did a little flip. I think it was the combination of the gangster's sexy eyes and seeing my vision come to life. From the beginning, I knew I didn't want the traditional romance cover of an embracing couple because my plot involved so much more than the romantic relationships in the novel's two timelines. I also wanted something that would represent the Blanche and Capone. I asked the cover artist to create  a snapshot of a gangster that looked like it was printed in 1930, then superimpose it over a picture of the hotel. Fiona Jayde, the artist, went one step further by adding a photograph of the current day Jacksonville, Florida river front in the background. Initially I didn't understand why she chose Jacksonville when the story is set in Lake City and Gainesville, but then it dawned on me. A pivotal moment for Liz, my modern heroine, takes place in Jacksonville. The choice now seems inspired.

My two female main characters are dear to my heart because they are loosely based on women in my own life. My modern timeline heroine, Liz, is a rock star in her professional life, but her personal life is a disaster. She is intelligent, innovative, productive - everything she should be and more as a university professor and researcher. Sadly, she has an unfortunate personal tick when it comes to her romantic relationships. She is drawn to glamourous bad boys. Perhaps you have known women like this? I have some friends who fit this mold. Watching these accomplished women make poor romantic choices and get hurt time after time makes my head spin. Why, oh, why girls, do you do it? I can't change my friends or make their choices for them, but I can with my characters. Liz let me make life turn out as it should, not how it usually does.  

Meg, my 1930 heroine, is an homage to the strong women in my life who were young during the Great Depression. Despite the economic conditions and the discrimination women faced, my mother and my mother-in-law left the farm and managed to work their way through college. Several of my aunts did as well. The 1929 Wall Street Crash and its aftermath left their marks on these women, but they did not let circumstances beyond their control defeat them. They survived and went on to help win World War II from the home front. These women, and so many like them, are the unsung heroes of the 20th Century.

How about you? If you wanted to honor someone by making her a character in your story, who would it be and what part would you assign her?

Author Bio:


I have been in love with the past for as long as I can remember. Anything with a history, whether shabby or majestic, recent or ancient, instantly draws me in. I suppose it comes from being part of a large extended family that spanned several generations. Long summer afternoons on my grandmother's porch or winter evenings gathered around her fireplace were filled with stories both entertaining and poignant. Of course being set in the South, those stories were also peopled by some very interesting characters, some of whom have found their way into my work.

As for my venture in writing, it has allowed me to reinvent myself. We humans are truly multifaceted creatures, but unfortunately we tend to sort and categorize each other into neat, easily understood packages that rarely reveal the whole person. Perhaps you, too, want to step out of the box in which you find yourself. I encourage you to look at the possibilities and imagine. Be filled with childlike wonder in your mental wanderings. Envision what might be, not simply what is. Let us never forget, all good fiction begins when someone says to herself or himself, "Let's pretend."

I reside in the Houston area with one sweet husband, one German Shorthaired Pointer who thinks she’s a little girl, and one striped yellow cat who knows she’s queen of the house.

Favorite quote regarding my professional passion:  "History is filled with the sound of silken slippers going downstairs and wooden shoes coming up." Voltaire  


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

Website:  http://www.lindapennell.com/

Twitter:  @LindaPennell

Buy link:  http://amzn.to/16qq3k5

GIVEAWAY:

Linda will be awarding a $15 Amazon or BN GC to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour, and a $25 Amazon or BN GC to a randomly drawn host.

Outback Affair by Annie Seaton Book Blast and Giveaway!

Monday, October 28, 2013



BLURB:


Jessica Trent wants to be a full-time writer for Cuisine magazine, but in order to land the gig she has to snare a one-on-one with the reclusive Alessandro Ricardo, a man hell-bent on staying out of the limelight. The last thing she expects as she heads to Crocodile Springs resort in northern Australia is to end up traveling across the Outback with a rugged and far too sexy barramundi fisherman.

Ex lawyer Alex Richards protects his privacy and his heart in equal measure. So when a Yankee bombshell in need of a ride turns up and threatens both, he decides to teach her a lesson. As they make their way through the wild country together, the attraction between them ignites. Alex must choose between his heart or letting go of his past … and will Jessica understand why he lied once she finds out who he really is?




EXCERPT :


“May I have the check-in form, please?”


She gasped as a large tanned hand whipped past her arm and grabbed her keys. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Jess tried to keep her voice level as he dangled the keys rudely in front of her face.


“I’ll move the car for you. Janet here will get you all checked in,” he said. “Which cabin, Janet?” He turned to the woman behind the counter. “I may as well park it for the sweet young lady.”


Jess was at a loss for words. No way did she want this unkempt hulk knowing her room number.


“Last one on the left down by the boat ramp,” Janet called after him as he strode to the door. “And watch out for the crocodile. There’s been a biggie hanging around the ramp all day. The rain might get him wandering.”


“Oh, and by the way.” He paused in the doorway and looked back over one shoulder. “Don’t look at me as though I’ve just crawled out of the slime. The back of your pretty shirt is covered in grease.”


The door slammed shut behind him Jess looked up at the woman behind the counter. “Are all Australian men so…so rude?”




AUTHOR Bio and Links:


Annie Seaton lives with her husband, and ‘Bob’ the dog and two white cats in a house next to the beach on the east coast of Australia. She sits in her writing chair, gazing at the ocean and writing stories.  Their two children are grown and married and she loves spending time gardening, walking on the beach and spoiling her two grandchildren. She has always been fascinated by all things romantic and has found her niche in life writing romance novels, ranging through contemporary, historical, suspense and paranormal...but all with romance of course.
Her love of reading and history began at an early age and she was a child who always carried a book (or two) no matter what she was doing. Several of her favourite books were confiscated from beneath her desk by teachers who had no understanding of her capacity to read while she was doing her schoolwork!


Her working life has seen her through several major career changes and Annie has now retired from the world of full time work and has fulfilled her lifelong dream of becoming a published author.


Annie’s debut full length novel, Holiday Affair, a contemporary romance set in the South Pacific was released as part of Entangled Publishing’s Indulgence line in March 2012 and has been a best seller on both Amazon, and Barnes and Noble. The sequel Italian Affair was released in June 2013, and will be followed shortly by Outback Affair. Annie has more books being released in 2013 and 2014 with Entangled Publishing in the Bliss, Entangled Ignite and Covet imprints.


Annie loves to hear from readers at: annieseaton26@gmail.com










https://www.facebook.com/pages/Annie-Seatons-Affair-Series/365004260285896?ref=hl

https://twitter.com/annieseaton26

GIVEAWAY:
Annie will be awarding $10 GC and an Aussie Calendar to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway This product or book may have been distributed for review, this in no way affects my opinions or reviews.

Covet Release Day! (GIVEAWAYS!)


As long time readers of this blog know, I absolutely love all things Paranormal. So much so, that when the position for the Publicity Director of Entangled Publishing's Paranormal Romance line, Covet, opened up, there wasn't even a moment's hesitation in knowing this position was perfect for me. Covets have all the sexiness, emotion, and happily ever after that readers have come to expect and love from Entangled. They are firmly grounded in the contemporary world, but each novel brings in supernatural twists, breaking the contemporary and paranormal rules, alike. To find out more about our titles, chat with authors, participate in special events, and to find out what books you’ll be coveting next, visit the Entangled website, follow us on Twitter, and LIKE our Facebook page.

I love being able to combine work and play, so today I'm featuring our August releases. Make sure to check them out and enter the fabulous giveaways!!



Bad Cop by Angela McCallister
Bad Mouth Sequel

A cop who tosses the rulebooks to get his way…

Vampire Ian McCready doesn’t care for Alice Capshaw’s opinions about his version of justice. Her humanity makes her off-limits, but that does nothing to lessen his overwhelming desire for her. To Alice, Ian is just another bad cop as detestable as the one who destroyed her family. She’s attracted to him, yes, but he threatened his way into her agency’s murder case and has too many secrets.

When a new case resurrects ghosts Ian believed long dead and buried, his law-bending ways might result in his execution. The second Alice becomes a target, his cold heart flares into blinding existence. But following the law for her sake may end with devastating results.




Four Weddings and a Werewolf
Seattle Wolf Pack #2

To have and to howl…

Logan Black, former Marine and bodyguard for the Seattle Wolf Pack, hates weddings and has no plan to walk the path to matrimonial misery. But when he’s hired to protect a hot-to-trot wedding planner with a werewolf stalker, he’s forced to put his feelings aside. Not such an easy task when the damsel can turn him on with a single smoldering glance.

Wedding planner Veronica Vale knows werewolves exist, but hates them. One bit her sister, changing their lives forever. When a sexy Marine shows his gorgeous face at one of her wedding appointments, Veronica finds it hard to focus on the task at hand.

The chemistry drawing Logan and Veronica together seems fated, but with Logan’s playboy attitude, Veronica’s hatred for werewolves, and a stalker lurking in the shadows, these two need more than passion to keep them together.




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Altered by Gennifer Albin : Review and Giveaway!

Wednesday, October 23, 2013


Life. Possibility. Choice.
All taken from Adelice by the Guild—until she took them back.

But amid the splendid ruins of Earth, Adelice discovers how dangerous freedom can be. Hunted by soulless Remnants sent by Cormac Patton and the Guild, Adelice finds a world that’s far from deserted. Although allies are easy to find on Earth, knowing who to trust isn’t. Because everyone has secrets, especially those Adelice loves most. Secrets they would kill to protect. Secrets that will redefine each of them. Torn between two brothers and two worlds, Adelice must choose what to fight for.

In this thrilling sequel to Crewel, Adelice is about to learn how tangled up her past and future really are. Her parents ran to protect her, but nothing can save her from her destiny, and once she uncovers the truth, it will change everything.

Goodreads Summary

This book contains all of the elements perfect for a teen/young adult Halloween read.  I loved Adelice's strong character and I did like readin and about her once again.  However, this book threw me for a loop.  I was surprised to find that the plot that I was used to in the first book had completely and ironically altered.   I did eventually adjust to this, but I was surprised for the first few chapters.  This plot involves Adelice going on a mission to discover the truth-while this might not sound like a new concept, the author handles it in such a way to keep the reader avidly reading.  

Adelice is likable, as always, but I wished that she would make more difficult decisions.  It seemed like she was a little too indecisive at times.  I did enjoy most of the other characters.  I think that the author spent a lot of time developing characters and I am grateful for this.  The world-building in this novel was fantastic.  The details were intricate and I could literally picture everything in my mind.  This book is perfect for fans of the series and young adults/teens.

4 Stars



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WHO'S GOING TO ALA MIDWINTER???

Tuesday, October 22, 2013
I am! I'm going! YAY ME! I'm so pumped; got my plane and hotel tickets and good to go. I'm making this post to see who else I'll be meeting there.

I'm also going to video tape everything for my YouTube channel RayKayBooks... tell me what you want to see. I'll film the crowed, authors, booths, fun events, signings, talks, ect! Just let me know and I'll do my best to capture the fun.





IT'S TIME FOR THE FINAL COUNTDOWN WITH SPONGEBOB... TAKE IT AWAY, MAN!



Looking for a hotel room for ALA Midwinter? - WE GOT YOU COVERED!

Monday, October 21, 2013
Hello, Live to Readers!

Krystal and I are going to ALA Midwinter and are looking for people to share a hotel room with. We have one and if we get two more people it will be $105 for all four days. It's 7 blocks away from the convention, very close to the post office, and it's at the Radisson Blu which has a 4/5 star rating. Free wifi will be provided and we're SUPER FUN PEOPLE!

If you're looking for somewhere to stay, please contact me - Rachel - at silberman.rachel(at)gmail(dot)com. When you email, please tell me about yourself. If you've gone to conventions before, if you're a part of a blog, what your favorite color is, what day you'll be arriving/leaving, and anything else you think I need to know.

Thanks!

Wind and Shadow by Tori L. Ridgewood: Excerpt and Giveaway!

Tuesday, October 15, 2013


Rayvin Woods, photographer and natural witch. She just wanted to start her life over again after a series of misadventures. She didn't count on rekindling a lost love when she came home to Talbot...or battling a malevolent vampire and his coven for her life.

Grant Michaels, police officer. He thought Rayvin was a murderer. He will do whatever it takes to protect the community he loves from danger...but will he learn to trust his heart, and the word of a witch, before it's too late?

Malcolm de Sade, cunning vampire, imprisoned underground for a year by Charlotte Fanning and Pike Mahonen ("Mist and Midnight", Midnight Thirsts). His accidental release unleashes his hunger and ambition on a small, sleepy town…

***

Facing the past can be a nightmare. It's worse when a vampire is stalking you.

Goodreads Summary



Excerpt from Wind and Shadow: Book One of the Talbot Trilogy by Tori L. Ridgewood


Rayvin’s teeth were grinding together. The pretty little waitress, her head cocked while she smacked her gum and smiled saucily, didn’t know with whom she was dealing. Rayvin’s hand itched to wipe those too-red lips off her freckly face; her magick boiled inside her, making the room spin slightly with its intensity. Maybe the little bitch wanted those braces to be permanently glued to her teeth? Or every freckle to spontaneously morph into ugly, enormous, oozing pimples?
Rayvin had had enough of being nice. She had held her tongue while Asshole Wilson had made his insinuations, in front of everyone. She had been good, waiting with utmost patience while Grant Michaels, of all people, had risen somewhat to her defense. He had impressed her, just when she didn’t want to feel or be impressed, which put her in even more of a bad mood. Everyone kept assuming they knew everything, just like this dumb bitch behind the counter, who had smiled blandly when Rayvin had tried explaining her relationship to Andrea.
“Sorry, I don’t know you, I wasn’t on shift last night.” She snapped her gum. That particular habit had always driven Rayvin crazy. “I could lose my job if I let you have the necklace.”
“Is the assistant manager here?”
Snap. Chew. “Nope. Sorry. She’s busy.”
“Look, maybe I haven’t made myself clear—” Rayvin checked her name tag. “Susan.”
“Suzie.” She smiled brightly, flipping a long brown pigtail over her shoulder and thrusting her shirt forward.
“Whatever. You don’t seem to understand—”
“Hey, there, Suzie-Q!” Michaels eased his way between Rayvin and the counter. Inwardly, she seethed at his interference and at herself for feeling relieved. She had already fought this battle with herself; she did not need his help. So why was her breast still tingling where his chest had brushed against it while moving her aside?
As he smoothly explained the situation, again, Rayvin crossed her arms and scowled at the patrons watching with interest. Once more, she was getting attention that she neither needed nor wanted. Tapping her foot to focus some of her negativity, she looked away as Michaels continued to flirt with the girl behind the counter.
Susie was now leaning against her arms to reveal her assets at their best angle, beaming up at the tall dark off-duty cop who had to be twice her age. Her giggles clawed up Rayvin’s back. She saw a dimple flicker within the light dusting of bristle on Michaels’ face as he grinned down on the little girl.
She couldn’t look away. She’d seen him grin like that before, for his friends, but not for her. Her heart ached, remembering a flash of a grin she’d thought was directed toward her in high school. And the crushing embarrassment when she’d realized he was looking at someone behind her. It was ridiculous, really, that the man had this ability to affect her in this way, after ten years. Stupid.
Impatiently pacing to the door and back, she couldn’t decide what irritated her more; the entirely age-inappropriate crushing going on, or her reaction to it. Her hackles had gone up in a decidedly defensive manner. It shouldn’t matter that he wasn’t interested. He’d made the boundaries in their relationship painfully clear. She shouldn’t even use the word, ‘relationship.’ She was essentially a subject in an investigation, and the enemy of his best friend. And yet she needed him to get what Andrea needed. Michaels could talk to people in a way that she could not, and it was clearly working. She grudgingly appreciated the effort, on Andrea’s behalf, but still . . . did he have to be so obvious?
As long as he was able to get the necklace, then they could go their separate ways, and she wouldn’t have to watch him smiling at a pretty girl. She wouldn’t have to pretend that he might, in some small way, want to move forward. His offer of coffee had felt like a truce of sorts, and for a moment she had nearly believed that they were just two ordinary individuals, catching up after years of separation. But as much as she wanted to believe in the possibility and enjoy something of a reunion, or something more, because she had to admit that the man made her weak in the knees and always had, she knew it could never happen. There was too much history between them. Now, there was too much at stake. Whatever heartache and loneliness she might feel, she would have to bury it, for Andrea’s sake.
Rayvin swallowed her feelings, and resumed her post behind Grant, glowering at her former high school crush and the flirtatious waitress.
The door opened again, this time admitting an icy wind as well as an individual in dirty jeans and a torn and grimy black jacket. He pulled the door shut firmly against the breeze. Rayvin couldn’t see his face for the curtain of greasy black hair under his dismal grey trucker’s cap.
The patrons closest to the entrance reacted to the unexpected gust of cold air, grabbing for their coats and scarves. The newcomer stood by the door, rubbing his grubby hands vigorously. It was a hint of the winter to come, Rayvin reflected, shivering through her own thick woollen sweater. If it was as cold as that wind suggested, she was going to have an uncomfortable journey home, whether it was walking or riding with Officer Michaels. Constable Michaels. Whatever he was called now. She rubbed her arms, waiting for the brief burst of chill to dissipate with the warmth of the restaurant.
It didn’t.
In fact, as waitress Suzie twirled her hair around her finger and dipped below the counter to retrieve the necklace for Michaels, Rayvin noticed a distinct odour pervading the room. A couple behind her left off eating their soup, noses wrinkled wrinkling in distaste.
“Does it seem darker in here to you?” Michaels asked.
Before Rayvin could respond, Suzie called out, “Do you have a penlight or something? I can’t see down here.”
Obligingly, Michaels removed the tool from an inner coat pocket, and turned around.
Rayvin had noticed that the lights seemed dim, and the small votive candles on each table were giving off faint blue hues. Not that any of the diners picked up on their supernatural glow; they were putting on coats or sweaters against the chill that continued to spread, or using menus and napkins to try wafting away the stink that ruined their appetites.
She stepped toward the stranger who had walked in, sensing the source of the problem. For a brief instant, as he lifted his chin, her eyes met his in the shadow under the brim of his filthy hat.
Suddenly, it felt like the walls were closing in; the world tilted around her, her head pounded, and her vision exploded. Sickening lights and horrifying, demonic faces leered at her as the floor slanted under her feet. The breath left her lungs in a whoosh, as though she’d been punched in the stomach. Rayvin reached out, blindly, hands grasping for something solid, and found Michaels’ arm.
“We have to get out of here, now,” she whispered, clutching his wrist.
She turned her head away from the shadows and that elongated and loomed over her to gesture at the door, where the decorative lights shimmered and stretched into a matrix of fantastic threads snaking through the air to bind and trap her. They blinded her against the dark figure, but she could hear his malevolent laughter. It echoed all around her, drowning out the words she knew Grant was speaking; she could feel his chest against her back, an island of stability in the chaos, rumbling gently as he spoke. Her knees trembled, nearly giving way under the onslaught. The arm encircling her waist took her off-guard, and she fought against it at first, until touch revealed it to be Michaels’ muscle, sinew, and bone holding her steady.
As one, they moved toward the entrance. His grip tightened as Rayvin staggered under the weight of the malevolence bearing down on her. Black, dark, evil energy sank down along her shoulders and spine, cloaking her with icy tendrils and muffling her senses even as her feet shuffled toward the threshold, until she felt the contours of the door under her palms. The vile blanket lifted from her with the first brushes of crisp, fresh air against her face; she tilted her chin up, letting the calming breeze wash over her eyelids, her nose, and her lips. Exhaling, she let him steer her down the sidewalk a few paces. She felt like a swimmer who’d barely escaped drowning. Stopping at a low stone wall, Rayvin leaned her elbows against its frosty, pitted rough surface, and immediately missed the warmth of Michaels’ touch when his hand let go of her body.
“What the hell happened in there?” Michaels was standing a step away, his hands fisted on his hips.
She looked up, rubbing the back of her hand against her forehead. The pain banding her skull from temple to temple was starting to ease, but when she opened her eyes, halos of energy stood in bright relief around the living entities and made her head ache anew. Michaels moved into her field of vision. She flinched, but instead of the burst of agony she was expecting, his aura flooded her with calm. He stepped closer, and with relief, she felt herself opening to his vibration, warm and healing. She felt his concern, his confusion and frustration, and more.
“I . . .” Rayvin hesitated, unable to hold his gaze. She looked back the way they had come, down the sidewalk at the seemingly ordinary restaurant. Another couple was just coming through the doors, holding hands and laughing, oblivious to whatever had attacked her.
“It’s hard to explain. I felt something . . . wrong, really wrong. Something powerful, that came at me, like it was attacking me, or about to. It wasn’t safe to stay. I couldn’t see, couldn’t breathe . . .” She shuddered, bowing her head, and felt him move a step closer.
“Well, I thought you were going to faint,” Michaels noted. “And you’re still pale. Are you on anything? Any medications, herbs, or . . .” He cut off when she glared at him blearily. “What you experienced could logically be the result of a hallucinogen of some kind.”
Cradling her chin, he pulled out the penlight again to check her pupils. She jerked her head, trying to get away, but he refused to let go. The touch of his hand made her breath come more quickly. The sensation of his fingers brushing against the sensitive skin, just below her jawline, weakened her defences. Or was it his nearness, the way his eyes met hers, his lips so close to her own that hers trembled in response? Rayvin’s stomach was still clenching in reaction to fear, and her fingers were numb with shock; her instinct was tearing her in three directions. She wanted to run back in and fight the creature. She wanted to run for her own life. And she wanted to stay right here in the safety of this man’s arms.
She would never know who moved first.



Bio:

After her first heartbreak, Tori found solace in two things: reading romance novels and listening to an after-dark radio program called Lovers and Other Strangers. Throughout the summer and fall of 1990, the new kid in town found reading fiction and writing her own short stories gave her a much needed creative outlet. Determined to become a published author, Tori amassed stacks of notebooks and boxes of filed-away stories, most only half-finished before another idea would overtake her and demand to be written down. Then, while on parental leave with her second baby, one story formed and refused to be packed away. Between teaching full-time, parenting, and life in general, it would take almost seven years before the first novel in her first trilogy would be completed. In the process, Tori finally found her stride as a writer.


At present, on her off-time, Tori not only enjoys reading, but also listening to an eclectic mix of music as she walks the family dog (Skittles), attempts to turn her thumb green, or makes needlework gifts for her friends and family members. She loves to travel, collect and make miniature furniture, and a good cup of tea during a thunderstorm or a blizzard. Under it all, she is always intrigued by history, the supernatural, vampire and shapeshifter mythology, romance, and other dangers.

Tori L. Ridgewood’s new book Wind and Shadow: Book One of the Talbot Trilogy, published by Melange Books, was released on June 20, 2013. For more information, visit http://torilridgewood.wordpress.com/.

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Monsters by Ilsa J Bick: Review and Giveaway!

Monday, October 14, 2013


The Changed are on the move. The Spared are out of time. The End...is now.

When her parents died, Alex thought things couldn't get much worse-until the doctors found the monster in her head.

She headed into the wilderness as a good-bye, to leave everything behind. But then the end of the world happened, and Alex took the first step down a treacherous road of betrayal and terror and death.

Now, with no hope of rescue-on the brink of starvation in a winter that just won't quit-she discovers a new and horrifying truth.

The Change isn't over.
The Changed are still evolving.
And...they've had help.

With this final volume of The Ashes Trilogy, Ilsa J. Bick delivers a riveting, blockbuster finish, returning readers to a brutal, post-apocalyptic world where no one is safe and hope is in short supply.

A world where, from these ashes, the monsters may rise.

Goodreads Summary

I've loved this series so far and this book definitely did not disappoint!  Perfect for Halloween and filled with suspense, readers should run to pick up Monsters.  Alex, the main character, greets readers for a third time in this series.  She has been saved from the change by a tumor in her head and must figure out how to survive in this new world.  When the "Changed" were on their own it seemed possible to beat them, but now that Alex has discovered that they are receiving help...from humans...something must be done.  

Alex's character is wonderful.  The author does not make her into a wimpy, crying damsel in distress. Instead, she is headstrong and quick on her feet.  She is not reliant on anyone's help.  I really enjoyed her character more than any other aspect of the novel.  The setting and plot of the novel simply blew me out of the water.  I found the description of the Changed's habits and ways of killing to be chilling and spooky. I thought that the author managed to really build up and maintain the suspenseful feeling throughout the novel.  So many questions are being asked as loose ends are slowly being tied up; young adult/teen readers will love this novel!

4 Stars









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This product or book may have been distributed for review, this in no way affects my opinions or reviews.