Spotlight: The Things They’ve Taken by Katie McElhenney

The Things They’ve Taken 

by 

Katie McElhenney

 

Published by Entangled Teen 

Genre: YA Fantasy / paranormal 

GoodReads 

Summary
All Lo Campbell wants is to be a normal teenager—to go to one high school, live in one place, and have one real friend. Instead, she travels the country with her mother, chasing the unknown, the “what else” that’s out there…

Until one day, the “what else” chases back.

Determined to rescue her mom from whatever supernatural being took her, Lo will need more help than a badly dressed demon obsessed with country music. She’s going to need a Tracker—and lucky for her, she finds one. Shaw is strong, good-looking, possibly available, and utterly infuriating. Sure, he may have secrets, and his help costs more than a brand-new car, but she’ll have to deal with him if she wants to find her mother—and get her home alive.

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Amazon | B&N

Book Teasers

About the Author

 

Katie McElhenney was born in Philadelphia into a big family of curious kids and patient adults. A voracious reader and unapologetic daydreamer, she knew she wanted to become a writer someday. With the support of an amazing family, great friends, and some truly spectacular teachers she has written short stories, poems, and novels. A solar-powered human, she now lives in Los Angeles and uses the great weather for year-round trips to the beach and long runs (where the best inspiration happens). Find out more about her at katiemcelhenney.com

Find her on social media:

Website: katiemcelhenney.com

Facebook: Katie McElhenney

Instagram: katiemcelhenney

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Book Review: Harmful Rush A Stand-Alone Novel (Remedy #3) by Debra Doxer

Harmful Rush 

A Stand-Alone Novel 

(Remedy #3) 

by 

Debra Doxer

Published 

April 19th 2017

GoodReads 

Summary
Harmful Rush is a standalone, full-length novel set in the Remedy world. You do not have to read the first two books to read this book. 

Skylark Samuels has a secret. 

She’s not a normal teenager, although she plays one in real life. Pretending to be something you’re not isn’t easy, especially in high school where gossip is gold. For years, Sky manages to hide her uniqueness, until one fateful day when she exposes her gift, her curse, and all her fears come to pass. Now instead of going to college near home like she planned, she has to leave town and go someplace where the rumors can’t follow. The plan when she gets there: keep to herself and stay under the radar. 

But blending into the background is impossible when local heartthrob Dylan Parks notices her. Even though Sky keeps her distance and doesn’t act like one of Dylan’s adoring fans, he goes out of his way to talk to her. Her. The girl who wants to be invisible. 

Sky isn’t immune to Dylan’s charm, but getting close to him is a bad idea. It goes against the promise she made to herself. Besides, if Dylan knew the truth, he wouldn’t want her. If he discovered her secret, he’d treat her differently and possibly fear her. It’s happened before. But the more Sky gets to know Dylan, the harder it is to resist him, until fate intervenes. 

A tragic event forces Sky to reveal herself to the one person she’s come to care for, and his reaction is unexpected. For the first time, she doesn’t feel so alone. But what she doesn’t realize is that she’s never been alone. When she finally lets her guard down, someone comes along who threatens to unravel everything, because being normal was never Sky’s destiny.

Gifts That Help Ought To Not Be Taken Advantage of

My, my, my, goodness. It has been a very long time since I’ve been in the world of the Remedy Series. Harmful Rush delivers one hundred percent. This is marked as a standalone but I knew there had to be a connection to my beloved Ray. Doxer has a way with words that will absolutely enthrall you. Her characters are not only relatable but they feel real. Hands down I feel like I know this wonderful cast but at the same time they are a wonderful escape. I’m not certain who Doxer has doing her covers but they are obviously Magic. Hands down her covers are always exceptional and just as enthralling as her writing. I could stare at them all day and I dare you to argue! Is it selfish to say I want more? I hope not because I do…That’s the best part of re-reads…The trio of books in the Remedy series are definitely books I could see myself visiting again. 

The Story, get ready to fall in love with all things. This book starts off with a bang and let me tell you! Nothing else will get in the way of finishing this book. I fought life, hunger, sleep all the things just so I could finish this book. The beginning was so captivating and different from any other reads, I was hooked. I got slapped across the face with this book so fast that I didn’t even have time to post about it on GoodReads. I went to my currently reading…then to my read…and lo and behold it was still sitting in my to read shelf! I digress Sky was wonderful her life has been very sheltered and she doesn’t know who she is or why she is. She has a heart that bleeds for everyone a betrayal will change all of her plans and everything she knew. 

The Characters, Sky harbors a secret and learning to trust is very difficult for her. I enjoyed her humanitarian heart but also her spark and fire. She is not one to back off and she holds her ground when others would falter she is steadfast. Her adoptive father was very protective of her secret and he begged Sky never to let it leave her lips again. I just adored the dynamic she had with her newfound friends. They were actually the ones always wanting to include Sky and make her feel like she was truly loved and welcome in their little duo. Cue the ultra-awesome stud muffin aka Dylan! He saw Skylark and he felt a pull so strong he would stop at nothing to know her better. I loved the banter they had, I loved the way their relationship developed and I LOVED how he was with her. I could not get enough of these two! 

The End, this is a standalone but the connections I mentioned earlier all spring up towards the end. Throughout the whole book I kept wanting to guess ahead to figure out what would happen…I did not figure it out but when its revealed man all the feels…All of the magical holy smokes I want more feels came pouring to the surface. This is where the rubber meets the road. Sky takes a huge risk and reveals all of her cards. A confrontation will have you gasping through the pages! I didn’t devour this book I inhaled it…one sitting…and done. Adios…something very touching brings Sky much needed closure and I could not be happier for my girl! The connections and the closure is there. I don’t know if this is the end of the Remedy series because it could very well be but as a major fan I hope it’s not. I want More More More!!! 

My Rating
4.5 Always love with all of your heart filled stars!

Purchase Through

Amazon

About The Author

Debra Doxer was born in Boston, and other than a few lost years in the California sunshine, she has always resided in the Boston area. She writes fiction, technical software documents, illegible scribbles on sticky notes, and texts that get mangled by AutoCorrect. She writes for a living, and she writes for fun. When her daughter asks when she’ll run out of words, her response always is, “When I run out of time.”

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Book Review: Until I'm Yours (The Bennetts #4) by Kennedy Ryan

Until I'm Yours
The Bennetts #4

By:
Kennedy Ryan

Release Date:
Feb. 2, 2016

Publisher:
Forever Romance

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Goodreads

Source:
eARC from publisher in exchange for a honest review

GR's Summary:

The world knows her face . . .

Mean girl. Goddess. Bitch. Supermodel Sofie Baston has earned those labels . . . yet they don't scratch the surface of who she really is. Before she can follow her own dreams, Sophie must do her daughterly duty and reel in a "fish" for her father's business-a tall, brown-eyed entrepreneur who immediately hooks her. He's a big guy with an even bigger heart . . . but will that heart be open to Sofie once her darkest secret is revealed?
 

. . . but only one man knows her heart

To Trevor Bishop, Sofie is a beautiful mystery he would gladly spend his life solving. He figures her tough demeanor is armor against a world that's hurt her too many times. Then Sofie's deepest wounds are reopened by the powerful, ruthless man who made them. When she musters the courage to take him down, her world shatters. Now Trevor is determined to help Sofie pick up the pieces so they can build a future together. The challenge will be convincing his ice princess that it's safe to melt in his arms . . .

The Bennetts

Our Review of When You Are Mine 

Here

Our Review of Loving You Always 

Here

Our Reviews of Be Mine Forever 

Here & Here

  Lindy's Review of Until I'm Yours 

Here

 

 

*Add this Series to Goodreads Here

Passion and Fire Collide

I was hoping this book would come!! I knew there was more to Sofie and I knew Ryan could deliver. I have been following Kennedy Ryan’s books for a very long while and I can honestly say the Bennett series has been my favorite. The closing of a beloved series is always bitter sweet because you want to know what happens to everyone but it’s sad because it means the end. Ryan’s books always play out in my head like 4K ultra quality. She manages to take word and create crisp clear images in her readers mind but the magic doesn’t stop there…Ryan adds an element of emotion that bleeds through the pages.

The Story, we are following Sofie grade A jerky beautiful butt. Isn’t funny though often times the meanest people are the ones who need a hug the most? Sofie grew up with Walsh(My Favorite!) but her parents warped and manipulated her into believing her only task in life was to marry and continue the Bennett empire. King and Queen at the top but something happens to her that shakes her foundation and she takes on a different path. Fast forward to present day even though her family lacks kindness she tries to be dutiful. Meeting Trevor was unexpected but very welcome not shy Sofie takes to task. Suddenly the past crashes into her life and she ones again is thrown off kilter. Intrigued by something that he sees Trevor begins to unravel the puzzle that is Sofie Baston. I loved the chase and development of this installment I cannot say I’m surprised though because this is what I’ve come to expect from this all star author.

The Characters, as I mentioned before Sofie has a difficult situation growing up. Several events from her past have been catalysts that resulted in the person she became. The reader gets to see a very special part of Sofie that the rest of the world does not. She has always been labeled and regardless of the negativity she made her own way and succeeded. Trevor was swoon worthy! Giving and wanting to change the world he meshed well with Walsh and reminded me quite a bit of him as well. Trevor quite successful in his own right has always had a gift to see what a person is really about pretty quickly. He is a hard charger and does not give up easily. Every quality he posses is one Sofie truly needed in a person. We see some cameo’s from our favorite characters of books past. Some pretty great and some not so much but understandable given the situation.

The End, beautiful and sweet the epilogue was perfect and a culmination of all the things I wanted for Sofie and Trevor. I loved the HEA. Some things remained difficult but a difficult life doesn’t transform to perfection with a snap of the fingers. Trevor was perfect for Sofie and the growth he brought out of her was wonderful to see. As I mentioned earlier her past is full of pain and she let that pain rule and define her. Once she found her fire and confronted the monsters of the past she was able to soar above everything and everyone. I loved getting to know Sofie’s inner workings and seeing her fight and figure everything out was fabulous. Until I’m Yours can be read as a standalone but seriously do yourself a wonderful service! Pick up these books now.

My Rating

4.5 These books have been wonderful get away reads chalk full of love and romance that will stay with you filled stars!

Book Teasers:

Purchase At:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

About Kennedy Ryan:

I just can't write about myself in third person for one more bio! I'm a wife, a mom, a writer, an advocate for families living with autism. That's me in a nutshell. Crack the nut, and you'll find a Southern girl gone Southern California who loves pizza and Diet Coke, and wishes she got to watch a lot more television. You can usually catch me up too late, on social media too much, or FINALLY putting a dent in my ever-growing To Be Read list!

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Blog Tour: True North By L. E. Sterling

True North

(True Born Trilogy #2) 

by 

L.E. Sterling 

Expected publication: April 4th 2017 

by Entangled: Teen

GoodReads

Summary
Abandoned by her family in Plague-ridden Dominion City, eighteen-year-old Lucy Fox has no choice but to rely upon the kindness of the True Borns, a renegade group of genetically enhanced humans, to save her twin sister, Margot. But Nolan Storm, their mysterious leader, has his own agenda. When Storm backtracks on his promise to rescue Margot, Lucy takes her fate into her own hands and sets off for Russia with her True Born bodyguard and maybe-something-more, the lethal yet beautiful Jared Price. In Russia, there's been whispered rumors of Plague Cure. 

While Lucy fights her magnetic attraction to Jared, anxious that his loyalty to Storm will hurt her chances of finding her sister, they quickly discover that not all is as it appears…and discovering the secrets contained in the Fox sisters' blood before they wind up dead is just the beginning.?? 

As they say in Dominion, sometimes it’s not you…it’s your DNA.

Hidden Secrets don't Stay Hidden Forever

Get ready for another wonderful read! I could not wait to jump back into the world of Dominion City! Lucy and Margot...Two pieces of a puzzle, I could not wait to find out what secrets they hold. Sadly, yet expectantly not all is revealed in the second installment but much is! Everything is bleak with the world and looking bleaker still. There is just enough backstory to refresh the readers mind of what happened in the last book but not too much where it becomes redundant. This story still contains all the delicious elements of the first and maybe adding a dash of mystery. I am very good about figuring things out quickly and I am still at a loss. This is very exciting for me because I am sitting at the edge of my metaphorical seat and will remain there until the next installment. I don’t see how everything will tie together I just hope beyond the stars above that we get a HEA.

The Story, Storm is back Lucy is still here though her heart has fled along with her sister. There is a plan, Lucy will help Storm and Storm will help Lucy. Quid pro quo right? Wrong! So wrong, it is not funny…Not one bit. The story picks up right after the ending of the first. Margot went willingly to Russia but Lucy knows better she knows the sacrifice her sister made was to keep Lucy safe. Though Lucy is the rule follower and fixer of the Fox sisters something has changed. Fundamentally what used to drive Lucy is no longer there. She knows something nefarious is going on and she will stop at nothing to find out exactly who she and her sister are. Things are moving albeit slowly but just when it seems like attentions will turn to finding Margot a new distraction arises amongst the remaining population and Lucy is let down again. This prompts her to make a rash decision that she cannot turn away from. Thankfully she has made a strange alliance and she is not alone.

The Characters, this may be a bit of a spoiler but we don’t see the vile parents in this installment. I will also say the reader learns much about them and it is beyond mortifying. I want them to explain themselves and pay for their evil actions. Egads this installment picks up the steam factor between Lucy and her love. One thing I don’t understand is why they are dancing around their true emotions for each other. Both are hooked to each other! Just get married already and have superhuman super cute panther shifting babies already! Yeesh! Lol! The tension and attraction is very well written I feel what Lucy feels so I want her happiness. Key characters have secret agendas and there is a lot of mystery surrounding everyone from the most malevolent to the most benevolent.

The End, the reader sees firsthand the plans that have been laid out for years that are now coming to fruition. I’m happy to report there is a lot of action and explosions and shocking revelations. I’m going to say that again in the event you missed it the first time. There are SHOCKING REVELATIONS!!! The Dominion City rubber meets the Russian road in an eerily plausible way that is sure to delight readers everywhere. Lock and key let anyone try to control one of these girls and get ready for a fight. Lucy may not know exactly what happened to them and why but she will fight with every ounce of her being to protect her other half. I don’t know how everything will come to a close but what I do know is I’ve become very attached to these characters and I can’t wait to see what is next! I also can’t wait to find out more about Lucy’s new mysterious friend.

My Rating

4.5 The world is coming to an end and I can’t wait to see what happens next…I need answers like water for a parched throat. I also need Lucy to accept her feelings for Jared who dare I say gets even more amazing and steals my heart!!! Last but in no way least I need to know all of the answers 4.5 filled stars!

True North - Excerpt

“Let me finish. I have a job to do. I’m obliged to do the best job I can. Not just because I work for Storm but because that’s who I am. That job is to protect you, Lu.”

I turn my head, unable to bear even another second. I’ve had my fill of Jared’s merc routine. Gentle fingers coax me back again until I’m just inches from Jared’s glittering eyes. They look feral in the moonlight.

“But Lu.” He breathes my name like it’s a full sentence. “It’s a good thing that’s my job, because… Don’t you know I can’t even help myself?” He’s so close it’s as though the boundaries of our flesh have disappeared. And within one breath and the next, his lips are on mine. Soft, warm, molding me to his mouth. Then, hungrier, he pulls me closer, seeking more.

I’m dizzy with the taste of him on my lips, in my mouth. When my strength gives out, I slump onto his chest and he holds me tighter. I can barely react to the blazing warmth of his body full down the length of me, the scratchy feeling of his shirt decal under my fingers. There’s a fire in me, too, and with his sudden nip to my lip, it ignites. I’m feverish for him. Jared’s chest is molten rock under my hands. I’m struck with a desire to run kisses up his neck, to just behind his earlobe, just to hear the quick suck of his breath. I grab his hair and pull him tighter still. My lips sting from trying to get closer, closer, and rubbing too hard up against his teeth. Jared tries to hold them back but I can feel his incisors sharpen, his growl deepen, his eyes flip to a luminescent green in the darkness of the garden as he drinks me in.

And just as suddenly as it started, he takes me by the shoulders and pulls me away. I sway on the patio bench like a rag doll, cold and dazed. The garden hums with some secret life, bugs and frogs, but it’s just Jared and me here.

Touching a finger to my swollen lips, I watch him. He pants as though he’s kicked the living tar out of someone, a glassy expression to his feline eyes. He doesn’t take his hands off me, but he isn’t going to bring me close again, either. And that’s what makes me explode.

“What kind of game are you playing with me, anyhow?” I scream at him, thankful that the garden is empty for my tirade.

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About the Author

L.E. Sterling had an early obsession with sci-fi, fantasy and romance to which she remained faithful even through an M.A. in Creative Writing and a PhD in English Literature – where she completed a thesis on magical representation. She is the author of two previous novels, the cult hit Y/A novel The Originals (under pen name L.E. Vollick), dubbed “the Catcher in the Rye of a new generation” by one reviewer, and the urban fantasy Pluto’s Gate.

Originally hailing from Parry Sound, Ontario, L.E. spent most of her summers roaming across Canada in a van with her father, a hippie musician, her brothers and an occasional stray mutt – inspiring her writing career. She currently lives in Toronto, Ontario.

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