Spooktacular Giveaway Hop

It's that time of year again!

For last year's Spooktacular Giveaway Hop, I paid homage to my favorite supernatural character - the vampire. This year, I'm going to be looking closer at a different character. One that, honestly, hasn't compelled me much until recently.

Ghosts

When I started compiling my list of examples of books that feature ghosts prominently, I realized the appear in many more of my favorite stories than I had realized. One of my favorite series - the Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost - includes ghosts not as main characters but in a supporting role. Other series, like Jeri Smith-Ready's Shade series puts ghosts in a starring role. Ghosts can be helpful, like in the Charley Davidson series. Or remorseful like in Aprilynne Pike's Life After Theft.

So, for this year's Spooktacular Giveaway Hop, I'm offering any book you like that prominently features ghosts in some way (as long as the Book Depository ships to you).

So, if you're interested, you know what to do! Fill out the Rafflecopter, then keep on hopping!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

REVIEW: Crash Into Me (Shaken Dirty #1)

Crash Into Me (Shaken Dirty #1), by Tracy Wolff
Published October 14, 2013
Publisher: Entangled Brazen
Format: e-book, obtained from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Genre:  adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Rating:  4 STARS

(From Goodreads) Jamison Matthews has lusted after Ryder Montgomery since she was a preteen. But now that Ryder and her brother's band, Shaken Dirty, has made it huge, she's just one of many pining for the brooding lead singer. Too bad Ryder still sees her as a little sister. Not that it matters. Her brother would never allow it, and the last thing Jamison wants is to be another notch on a rock star's bed post. Even if it's Ryder's.

Ryder doesn't deserve happiness. After his fame destroyed his last girlfriend, he swore he'd never fall in love again. So when Jamison, the girl he's been in danger of loving for years, joins the band on the road, he'll do anything to deny the sparks between them--even after one hot night together. But Jamison is determined to show Ryder that he's worthy of love--her love--and that she's all grown up and ready to play.

I've made no secret about the fact that I have a total obsession with rock stars. They are, hands-down, my favorite type of bad boy. So, when Entangled Brazen offered to let me read and review Crash Into Me a few weeks ago, I said, "Why yes, I would very much like to read Tracy Wolff's new book about the hot lead singer of a famous rock band who falls in love with his lead guitarists' (and best friend's) sister, thankyouverymuch." (Seriously - thank you, Entangled Brazen!) 

Jamison is having a really bad week - she lost her job, her car and her boyfriend, and then to top it all off, she is almost raped backstage at a concert in which her brother's band is playing. Luckily, she's saved by Ryder, the lead singer of her brother's band, Shaken Dirty, and the object of her lust for the past 10 years or so. After finding out her situation, Jared convinces his sister to come on the road with the band for seven weeks. With no other options, Jamison agrees, even though it puts her in VERY close proximity to the one guy she wants but can't have. 

Like most rock band series, Crash Into Me focuses on one member of the band - the lead singer Ryan - but it introduces the other members of the band because I'm assuming we'll see books on each of them in the series. The groundwork is being laid, so a certain amount of time is spent on the back stories of all the band members. Wolff still gives us plenty of time with Ryder and Jamison, though.

I loved Ryan's and Jamison's relationship. I really love the romances where the two involved started out as friends first. These two have known each other since they were kids. That adds an extra layer of complexity to the situation. Neither wants to mess up the friendship, yet they're now having a really hard time denying what more they could have. It's great because they know each other well enough to engage in some really fun banter and to tell each other off when they feel the need. Yet, the feelings are new, so there's a certain amount of awkwardness between them too.

Jamison is a cool character. She's got a strong work ethic and doesn't easily let circumstances get her down. She's been pining after the same guy for a decade for crying out loud. She's a fighter, for sure. And, Ryder is totally swoony. He's a lead singer in a rock band... hellooo?? But, beyond that, I just LOVE how he loves his friends. He looks after them and only wants the best for them - Jamison included. This guy is a total class-act. 

There were several side stories going on at the same time as Ryder's and Jamison's. They focused mostly on Jared, the lead guitarist and Wyatt, the drummer. They didn't detract from the main story, though. 

The ending did feel a little rushed - I wish the author had taken another 50 pages or so to expound on some of the stuff that happened. A lot of stuff happened toward the end, and it all was crammed into not a lot of pages. I would've liked a bit more time and words to process it all. 

I can say for sure that I'm eagerly awaiting the next installment of Shaken Dirty. I want to know who those characters were that were introduced in the epilogue. I want to see Jared and Wyatt happy (I hope Wyatt's story is next!). I want to learn more about the other two members of the band. This series is definitely on my watch list. 

REVIEW: Paranormalcy (Paranormalcy #1)

Paranormalcy (Paranormalcy #1), by Kiersten White
Published August 31, 2010
Publisher: HarperTeen
Format: audiobook, borrowed from the library
Genre: YA paranormal
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Rating:  3 STARS

(From Goodreads) Evie’s always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals’ glamours.

But Evie’s about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

So much for normal.

I've had Paranormalcy on my TBR list for quite a long time. While perusing my library's audiobook selection one day, not really looking for anything in particular, I saw it there and immediately decided it was time to take it off the dusty bookshelf. You know that feeling you get when a book you've been waiting a long time to read finally gets read, and you're just not as in love with it as you thought you'd be? Yeah - that was me. 

Evie is a 16-year-old teen soap watching, pink boot wearing officer for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, or IPCA. She has a particularly unique skill that helps them with their task of rounding up rogue paranormals and tagging them. But, when a new type of paranormal infiltrates IPCA, Evie starts to question everything she's been brought up to believe. And fall in love too. 

I thought the overall concept was really cool. And, there were definitely parts of Paranormalcy that intrigued me. But, to be honest with you, I just could not connect with Evie at all. I don't really know why, either. I couldn't bring myself to care much about her. And, most of the time, I thought she was annoying and totally immature. 

I mean, I get it. The girl is only 16 and has lived a sheltered life. But she carries around a pink, bedazzled taser and named it Tasey, for cripes sake. She throws tantrums when she doesn't get her own way. She makes decisions without consideration for others. 

I really did like Lend, though. I enjoyed trying to figure out what sort of paranormal he was. I liked the paranormals that hung out with Lend and his dad too. 

Perhaps my overarching problem with Paranormalcy is that it really seems like it's geared toward the lower end of the YA age scale. Evie is only 16, yet she acts like she's 13. Her internal monologue is all about whether Lend will hold her hand and, if he does, what does it mean? And, what are her favorite characters going to do on tonight's episode of Easton Heights? I love a good middle grade book from time to time. But, I wasn't expecting it with Paranormalcy, so it wasn't entirely welcome. 

The ending, however, was pretty explosive. I really loved the showdown between Evie and her creepy ex Reth. Which, of course had to happen during the prom. How very Buffy. It was pretty cool, though, with some dark and foreboding parts that intrigued me. 

I think that if you're into books that skew a little younger, Paranormalcy would be a good read for you. It's full of silly banter and cute boys and action and suspense. If not, you might want to keep looking.