5 STARS | Bring Me to Ruin by Tess Rider

Title: Bring Me to Ruin
Series: The Haunted Hollow #1
Author: Tess Rider
Age Group: Adult
Genres: Science Fiction, Paranormal, Romance, Suspense, Historical, Erotica, Cyberpunk, Steampunk
Elements: Witches, Fae, Ghosts, Banshees, Undead Things, Time Travel
Publisher: The Life Romantic Press
Format: Electronic ARC
ASIN: B01BEKT6NG
Published: April 12th, 2016
Source: The Killion Group | NetGalley
Events: Review Request
Rating: ★★★★★

“You and he are fated to love. Nothing in this universe can stand between that kind of attraction. It crosses time, space and everything else in between… Love is a force of nature.”

The last thing Thea Maloney expects the day after her first love, Gerard Wyatt, is executed for a crime he didn't commit, is a chance to travel to the 22nd Century to a place called the Haunted Hollow. There time has splintered into hundreds of timelines and a savage ghost war has ravaged the planet. One man stands between what remains of the human race and extinction, a man known only as The General. A man who also happens to be another version of Gerard. Thea’s mission in this haunted place is to solve the riddle of the broken timelines and show the General the power of love before he makes a choice that will doom them all. But how do you convince a man who already thinks you’re the enemy and who’s known only horror his entire life that you’re his soulmate?

Raised in the trenches of the Great Ghost War, the General lives and breathes only one thing. Death. His enclave of ghost hunters and refugees is all that’s left of the human race and he will do anything to reverse humanity’s fate, even if it means rewriting history in a bold gambit to turn back time. What he doesn’t count on is the arrival of Thea Maloney, a woman who makes him feel things he’s never experienced before. He knows he should keep his distance from her, but it gets more difficult with each increasingly sensual encounter. Was she sent to seduce and spy on him, or worse, sabotage the enclave from the inside? Or could she be the one person who can save them all?

What can I say about Bring Me to Ruin? It was an amazing, heart-wrenching time travel story filled with love, hate, war, duty, loss, tragedy, faith, just everything. This book gave me so many feels. It's hard to express what I'm feeling right now. I loved all the wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey time travel stuff in Bring Me to Ruin. I loved the romance that crosses time and dimensions. Thea and the General! Those two drove me nuts at times, but their love just melted me heart. The only thing I perhaps didn't like about Bring Me to Ruin was how long it was. It's a very long book, but the mind-blowing story more than makes up for how long it takes to read the book. I was sucked into the story and I'm really wanting the next book, like right now.

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Tess Rider lives with her wonderfully eccentric husband of almost fifteen years in the San Francisco Bay Area. She’s an accountant by day, a novelist by night and an artist at heart 24/7.

Tess holds a B.A. in Art History and did her thesis on Remedios Varo, one of the lesser known female Surrealists, whose deeply personal work brings an exciting dreamworld to vivid life. Tess has long been interested in the impact of dreams, myths and the transcendental on the creative process. Later in life, while spending a year living in New Orleans, Tess had the opportunity to explore the religions of the Caribbean and found in their pantheons and histories inspiration for her writing and art.

Today, Tess is an active member of the San Francisco Area chapter of the RWA and is working hard on the next books in the Haunted Hollow series.

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5 STARS | Until November by Aurora Rose Reynolds

Title: Until November
Series: Until #1
Author: Aurora Rose Reynolds
Age Group: New Adult
Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Erotica, Suspense
Publisher: Aurora Rose Reynolds
Format: Kindle Edition
ASIN: B00FAYSNAK
Published: December 26th, 2013
Source: Aurora Rose Reynolds
Events: Book Tour
Rating: ★★★★★

November is looking forward to getting to know her father and the safety of a small town. After leaving the big apple and her bad memories for Tennessee, November starts working for her dad at his strip club doing the books. The one time she’s allowed there during club hours she runs into Asher Mayson. He’s perfect until he opens his mouth and makes assumptions. November wants nothing to do with Asher but too bad for November fate has other plans. Asher Mayson has never had a problem getting a woman that is until November. Now all he can think about is making November his and keeping her safe.

THE STORY:

UNTIL NOVEMBER revolves around a young woman named November trying to make a new life for herself and forget the hurts of her past. The source of her pain is her abusive mother and cheating ex-fiance. She finally feels free once she moves to Tennessee to live with her dad. Meeting her estranged paternal family and the frustrating Asher Mayson, help her begin a new, happier life. But that happiness is disrupted when her past invades her present, and it's not only November in danger this time.

It's really hard to talk about the story without giving something away, so there might be some tiny spoilers here. November was attacked in an alley in New York, and when she starts receiving threatening "presents" from some creepy stalker, she feels that the two events are connected in some way.

There are two main story lines in UNTIL NOVEMBER. There is the search and capture of November's stalker, and the love story between her and Asher. So on one hand you have suspense and on the other you have romance. Aurora Rose Reynolds wove these two aspects perfectly. Add in a cast of characters that I couldn't help but love (except the baddies), and UNTIL NOVEMBER quickly won my heart.

I loved how November termed all the women that the Mayson brother were involved with as their "harem." And it's no exaggeration, either. There are so many women flocking to them and that they've been involved with that they really could create their own harem. And if you think about it, whether they realize it or not, they did. This "harem" creates some interesting interactions between various characters.

The family aspect and the "Mayson Curse" are parts of the story that I really liked. The Mayson family is really close, and I liked how they all took care of each other, and opened their arms wide to November. It's really close-knit family and that's something that really drew me into the story too.

THE CAST:

The Guy: Asher Mayson is the oldest of the Mayson boys, and although he seems like what you would think of a playboy as, he's had his fair share of pain in his life. A lot of women just like the status of having been with a Mayson, and would go to deceptive means to make that happen. Asher has had run-ins with false pregnancy claims, entrapment, and women cheating on him with one of his brothers. He knows that when he meets the right woman, he needs to make her stay. I really liked Asher. He is Alpha in all it's definition. He's possessive, assertive, and easily jealous. But he's also really sweet, sincere, and devoted. And I think that he's the kind of man that November really needed in her life after what happened with her ex-fiance.

The Girl: November has had a tough life. Her mother was mentally and emotionally abusive to her as she was growing up. Constantly making her feel less than what she is. But I really liked that even though her mother was a terrible parent, that November still became a strong woman. She doesn't take crap from no one. She's also been unlucky in love. Her ex-fiance cheated on her with her mother. I mean, who does that? Only a sick and depraved man would cheat on his fiance with her mother. But then she meets Asher once she moves to Tennessee, and though she has some insecurity in their relationship, she knows that Asher is not like her ex-fiance and that she can trust him. November surprises Asher and his brothers. She's not like any of the other women they've been with. She's not prissy, and has no problem getting muddy or rolling around with her dog, Beast. I think that is one of her traits that really drew Asher in.

THE VILLAIN:

This is definitely the section I can't say too much about without giving away who the baddie is. All I'll say about who it is, is that it's someone from November's past. The baddie does your classic stalker terrorizing things. Her place in broken into, she's left creepy poetry, and flowers. Once she feels like she's free of this baddie, something else shows up. So November is definitely always on edge, and that's one of the goals of such terrorizing activity. I honestly don't know how she would handle it all without her family and Asher helping her.

THE ROMANCE:

This is where the "Mayson Curse" comes into play. Apparently one they first lay eyes on The One, it's like, BOOM, instant love. And for Asher, that is November. And he does everything in his power to make her his.

Their first meeting was one of my favorite scenes in UNTIL NOVEMBER. November had gone to her father's strip club to get the lay of the back office, since she'd be working for him doing the books, and Asher saw her there with her father, "hanging all over him and calling him 'Daddy!'" as he put it. When he finds out that November really is Big Mikes daughter his reaction is priceless and November enjoys the moment immensely since he was being so rude to her. I was cracking up just imagining Asher reaction. The moment was just to hilarious and ridiculous. Asher allowed his anger and jealousy to cloud his senses.

November and Asher both have past relationships that ended because of deception and mistrust, so they both have trouble at first really trusting each other. Asher is bossy and pushy, but November has none of that, although she does seems to be manipulated into doing what he wants in the end.

I loved how November didn't allow the women in the "Mayson harem" to get to her. Asher has women throwing themselves at him all the time, and it does annoy November, but it doesn't really make her jealous. She even tells one particular women where to shove it, when she attacks November's father and his business.

I just really loved the dynamic between November and Asher. They compliment each other and I really do believe that they were meant to be together as the "Mayson Curse" dictated.

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Aurora Rose Reynolds is a navy brat whose husband served in the United States Navy. She has lived all over the country but now resides in New York City with her Husband and pet fish. She's married to an alpha male that loves her as much as the men in her books love their women. He gives her over the top inspiration everyday. In her free time she reads, writes and enjoys going to the movies with her husband and cookie. She also enjoys taking mini weekend vacations to nowhere, or spends time at home with friends and family. Last but not least she appreciates everyday and admires its beauty.


Disclaimer: This review was originally posted in 2013 to my book blog, A Bibliophiles Thoughts on Books; and originally posted in 2014 to my book blog, Booksniffer Book Reviews.

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5 STARS | Wanted by Amanda Lance

Title: Wanted
Series: Wanted #1
Author: Amanda Lance
Age Group: New Adult
Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Dark, Suspense, Mystery, Thriller
Publisher: Limitless Publishing LLC
Format: Kindle Edition
ASIN: B00CJ178Z8
Published: April 25th, 2013
Source: YA Bound Book Tours
Events: Book Tour
Rating: ★★★★★

Considering she’s a girl who calculates everything, Addie Battes knew the statistical probability of being abducted in her lifetime—too bad she never analyzed the odds of falling in love with her captor.

While stopping at a crowded rest area one summer night, seventeen-year-old Addie accidentally catches a truck hijacking in progress. Desperate to rid the crime of its only witness, one of the thieves kidnaps Addie. Yet surprisingly, when a renegade thief attempts to silence her for good, Addie is saved by the very man who abducted her. Now, forced on board a cargo ship in the middle of the ocean, Addie finds herself surrounded by international smugglers who want nothing more than to throw her overboard.

All except the artistic and intriguing Charlie Hays, whose strange protectiveness convinces Addie to trust him, even when common sense tells her otherwise. Yet, despite her doubt, and his unrelenting temper, their relationship develops into something much more. But, Charlie’s scorned colleague has stowed away, and as he seeks revenge against his coworker, Addie and Charlie are forced to put their new love—and lives—at risk.

I really loved Wanted. It was a strange situation that Addie--she was kidnapped and then fell in love with her captor. I was stuck between screaming that Addie and Charlie needed to be together and that they shouldn't because it was just weird to fall in love with the man who kidnapped you. But in the end, I fell just as much in love with Charlie as Addie did. I really wish that there were more to this book. I loved all the characters, even Reid, who wasn't very nice. And Polo was just so adorable. I would love to read more about the other characters. Ben is an interesting character, he's kind of enigmatic. But yeah, I love love LOVED this book!

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A native of New Jersey and lifelong nerd, Amanda Lance recently completed her Master in Liberal Arts at Thomas Edison State College after her BA in English Literature and AFA in creative writing. As an avid reader of all genres, some of her favorite authors include Hemingway, Marquis de Sade, Stevenson, Bukowski and Radcliffe.

When she isn’t writing or reading, Amanda can found indulging in film noir or hiking with her other half and their extremely spoiled dog. She is obsessively working on her next book and trying to tame her caffeine addiction.


Disclaimer: This review was originally posted in 2013 to my book blog, A Bibliophiles Thoughts on Books.

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5 STARS | Kings & Queens by Courtney Vail + Guest Post

Title: Kings & Queens
Series: Kings & Queens #1
Author: Courtney Vail
Age Group: Young Adult
Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Romance, Suspense, Contemporary
Publisher: Little Prince Publishing
Format: eBook
ASIN: B005AJMCY8
Published: July 4th, 2011
Source: SupaGurl Tours
Event: Book Tour
Rating: ★★★★★

In Cedar Creek, forget baseball... Violence is the new celebrated pastime.

Seventeen-year-old Majesty Alistair wants police to look further into her father's fatal car wreck, hopes the baseball team she manages can reclaim the state crown, aches for Derek...or, no...maybe Alec...maybe. And she mostly wishes to retract the hateful words she said to her dad right before slamming the door in his face, only to never see him again.

All her desires get sidelined, though, when she overhears two fellow students planning a church massacre. She doubts cops will follow up on her tip since they're sick of her coming around with notions of possible crimes-in-the-works. And it's not like she cries wolf. Not really. They'd be freaked too, but they're not the ones suffering from bloody dreams that hint at disaster like some crazy, street guy forecasting the Apocalypse. So, she does what any habitual winner with zero cred would do...try to I.D. the nut jobs before they act.

But, when their agenda turns out to be far bigger than she ever assumed, and even friends start looking suspect, the truth and her actions threaten to haunt her forever, especially since she's left with blood on her hands, the blood of someone she loves.

Courtney Vail's Kings & Queens has a complex and vivid story. At times, I found myself confused about some of the events that took place and how they came about. The characters and their individual POV's are just as complex, but each is really unique. I didn't really understand what was going on with the dreams of disaster--were they real premonitions or just their minds playing off the events happening in real life? And there were times when we are fed so much information that it can be overwhelming sometimes.

It may seem like I only have negative things to say about Kings & Queens, but there's an equal amount of positive things about this book as well. Though there were moments when I was confused and overwhelmed, the story itself is so intriguing that I kept wanting to read more. The mystery and suspense surrounding the events of the story keep you on the edge of your seat. The characters and their stories each have a depth that makes them unique and very likable--you can relate to the characters. So there's this huge mass of interconnecting stories that all meet with the main plot of the Kings and Queens and their mission. This book's complexity is what makes it worthwhile to read. Sure, it can be confusing at times, but it's also so engaging you won't be able to stop reading.

Courtney Vail has a sequel to Kings & Queens, Sapphire Reign, coming out that takes place 10 years in the future, and Majesty's world is a lot more dangerous and darker. It is not a Young Adult book, but I'm going to make sure to read Sapphire Reign to sate my curiosity about Majesty's life after Kings & Queens.

HOW DREAMS AND OTHER WEIRD THINGS AFFECT ME:

Hi. I’m the author of the YA suspense novel, Kings & Queens. I love dreams. They are a well-spring of inspiration for me. A dream is what kick-started my plot for Kings & Queens actually. I overheard two guys in the woods planning a church massacre and escaped them in this little town, and that’s where my story was born. Dreams also factor into my plot in different ways.

My parallel protagonist, Derek, has a reoccurring nightmare of a past mistake he can’t shake. He doesn’t acknowledge the guilt of what happened, because that’s weakness to him, and he can’t speak of it since he’s blood-bound to silence, so in his sleep, it taunts and haunts him. He tries to bury it, but in his sleep, he can’t escape it. But, something happens to create a glitch in his dream, and the event shockingly changes to something else entirely, and the difference ends up changing him.

Majesty, my main protagonist, can’t squelch sick feelings in her stomach that terrible things are going to happen. The first time she brushed off a major nudge, her father ended up near-headless in a ditch under a blanket of safety glass, so she begins to take the ominous more seriously. Soon, her dread over other tragedies somersaults into bloody nightmares.

Warren Niles, resident Goth, dreams of a church shooting, but he’s left without much detail and more questions than answers. He hopes to just chalk it up to nothing but a dream, but it won’t let go. What if his anger actually drove him there, to that ugly, vicious place? Or what if it happened, not of his hand, and he’d done nothing to stop it? How could he live, knowing?

Most of my books have been inspired by dreams. In addition to Kings & Queens, its sequel, Sapphire Reign sprung from this dream about a little girl who was psychically linked to a serial killer, and my short story Carousel also came from that dream too. It was originally the prologue to a story about this art therapist, Vivien, nicknamed Evie, but that was before I saw the light. I was working on two stories separately, but they fit together beautifully in tone and concept, and a literary merger took place and resulted in Sapphire Reign. And Dropping Like Flies came from a noise right on the cusp waking up. I heard this intercom noise that sounded like hospital chatter and that was just enough to stir my mind.

Usually when I dream, I don’t take them as real or prophetic, but the dreams that spawn inspiration are different than my others. I’m not always in them or they are more vivid or strange. If a dream was premonitory, I believe I’d know because weird things happen to me all the time.

Like, I do sometimes dream things before they happen and get slapped with déjà vu. It’s usually bland stuff, nothing major, conversations mostly. And I won’t know until the moment has passed in reality, but it will be a couple days later, and I’ll shake my head or shudder knowing, wait, I dreamed this. Like, one time in high school, people were talking about sheep. Um, sheep do not come up in conversation every day. They just don’t, so I flipped. I had dreamt that exact conversation days before. Or I’ll be with people in a dream, and I’ll see them days later in the same clothes they were wearing or at the same location.

An example of a weird thing: in my newswriting class in college the course book was packed with info you had to turn into articles. Sometimes you’d get names of people but not always. I always made up names, but one time, I was like, you know what, I’m just gonna use the name of someone I know. The story was about a hero, and Guy McCaslin, my high school basketball coach, guidance counselor, Bible teacher--Hey, it was Christian school. Whadaya want. Those guys are spread thin for squat pay. Pretty heroic if you ask me--seemed like a winner. Anyway, the day after I turned in my paper, my prof asked me to stay after class. So, nervously, I did.

He said, “Who is Guy McCaslin?”

Um, yeah, I told that same stacked bio.

He said, “Well, that’s weird. He’s best friend’s with my son, and my wife and I are good friends with his parents. We all lived in Oregon. I’ve known him since he was a little tyke in my Awana’s class.”

Wait! What??? That’s weird??? Weird? That’s like THE understatement of the century. This is so beyond weird!!! Here I was in Virginia, far, far away from my home in Massachusetts & Mr. Guy Smiley, and they’re all from OREGON, AND the FIRST time I use a REAL name, I pick the ONE guy HE knows???? And he knows him well? What are the freaking odds? One in a million? Or billion, maybe. I don’t know, I suck at math. But, I mean, think of all the people you know or know of, all the names you could choose from. I have social photographic memory, I never forget anyone, so I have a lot, A LOT of names in there. The odds are totally insane and mind-blowing. Yeah, I’m going to repeat insane because it IS. It was like winning the lottery. I FREAKED. I dashed back to my dorm and prayed up a storm for him and his family. It can never hurt to pray, and usually, if something like that happens, I assume it’s for a reason, so, that’s what I did. Just in case. But, I mean, it still to this day trips me out.

I’m a practical joker and can somehow totally rock an innocent vibe at the same time, so I mostly come out unscathed. This is what tells me there is a God, and that He has a sense of humor. Even though my victims may skip on the payback, God always gets me back, and I’m sure he’s laughing.

Weirdness like that happens to me all the time. So, if I dreamt something truly prophetic or meaningful like any of my characters have, I’d take it for premonitory. I’m sure it would feel different from other dreams, and I would pray and do whatever I could to help out in the situation.

Do weird things happen to you, or do you find dreams inspirational, meaningful or premonitory?

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COURTNEY VAIL writes totally twisted YA and adult suspense. She enjoys braiding mystery, suspense & romance with some kind of weirdness. Her addictions to crazy coffee concoctions, Funny Bones, Ben & Jerry's, and bacon keep her running and writing. She currently lives in New England with a comedian stud and a wild gang of kidlets.

Disclaimer: This review was originally posted in 2012 to my book blogs, Zodiac Book Reviews and A Bibliophiles Thoughts on Books.

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5 STARS | Hunted by Cheryl Rainfield

Title: Hunted
Author: Cheryl Rainfield
Age Group: Young Adult
Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Science Fiction, Dystopian, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Suspense
Elements: Psychic Abilities
Publisher: WestSide Books
Format: eBook
ISBN-13: 978-1934813621
Published: December 15th, 2011
Source: JKSCommunications
Events: Book Tour
Rating: ★★★★★

Caitlyn is a telepath in a world where having any Paranormal power is illegal. Caitlyn is on the run from government troopers, who can enslave, torture, or even kill her, or make her hunt other Paranormals. When Caitlyn settles down in a city, she falls for Alex, a Normal (someone without Paranormal powers), which is dangerous because he can turn her in. And she discovers renegade Paranormals who want to destroy all Normals. Caitlyn must decide whether she's going to stay in hiding to protect herself, or take a stand to save the world.

In a world full of fear and hate, Caitlyn and other Paranormals are persecuted for their abilities. On the run since the Riots that took her father and brother from her, Caitlyn only has her mother. When they finally settle in a city, it's one of the most dangerous towns they could have chosen. What Caitlyn doesn't expect is the support she gains in Alex and Rachel. And when someone from her past resurfaces, Caitlyn's going to need all the help she can get.

In quite a few dystopian stories I've read with supernatural elements that paranormals are out in the open with acceptance or mild persecution., but in Hunted the persecution is anything but mild. The world of this book is brutal; Paranormals are enslaved, beaten, killed, and even forced to turn on their own if they want to live.

I admired Caitlyn's strength in the face of adversity and her determination to do what's right. Even when she's pressured by her long-lost brother to help in a revolt that would turn the persecution on to the Normals, Caitlyn refuses to cause that kind of pain for someone else, even a Normal. She knows that not all Normals hate Paras, which is evident in her friendship with Alex and Rachel.

Something that I really enjoyed in Hunted that made the story unique was how it was sibling VS. sibling. It's not very often you see siblings fighting such a deadly battle against one another. Caitlyn's fight with Daniel is really bittersweet and emotional.

Hunted is chock-full of action and emotion. I really loved this book and I think that with the way it ended it could easily be made into a series. I'm left wondering what kind of changes were brought about by the events at the end of Hunted.

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I love to read. Books nurture me, helped me survive the abuse I endured as a child and teen. I also love to write. I write fantasy books and edgy, realistic fiction for teens.

My fantasy books often hold hope that I need, and feel others might need, too, while my realistic fiction is gritty, intense, and emotional. All of my books have fragments of the abuse I experienced. I write about some of the harsh things teens go through...things that I think shouldn't be hidden. But I also write about healing, hope, and love, and finding courage and strength.

In SCARS (WestSide, 2010), Kendra must face her past and stop hurting herself before it's too late. It's my arm on the cover. There's a lot of me in SCARS; like my main character, Kendra, I am an incest survivor, I used self-harm to cope, and I'm queer. In my teen paranormal fantasy/dystopian, HUNTED (WestSide, Oct 2011), Caitlyn is a telepath in a world where that is illegal, and she must choose between saving herself or saving the world. Like Caitlyn, I know what it's like to have my life threatened, to face oppression, to experience torture, and to break free from cult or from a group of oppressors. And I know what it's like to have to decide between hiding my true self or being who I am, even if that means danger to myself. I drew on my experience with cults and ritual abuse in creating the world that Caitlyn lives in.

In STAINED, my upcoming YA novel from Harcourt (2013), Sarah, who has a port wine stain and some body image issues, is abducted and must find a way to rescue herself. Like Sarah, I was often imprisoned for long periods of time as a child, had my life threatened, and had to rely on my own strength to survive.

Books were my survival during my childhood, and my journey into myself. Books give me hope. I hope mine will give you hope, too, or something that you need.

Disclaimer: This review was originally posted in 2012 to my book blogs, Zodiac Book Reviews and A Bibliophiles Thoughts on Books.

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5 STARS | Deadly Little Voices by Laurie Faria Stolarz

Title: Deadly Little Voices
Series: Touch #4
Author: Laurie Faria Stolarz
Age Group: Young Adult
Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Mystery, Romance, Suspense
Elements: Psychic Abilities
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH
Format: Hardcover
ISBN-13: 978-1423131618
Published: December 6th, 2011
Source: Library
Rating: ★★★★★

Camelia Hammond thought her powers of psychometry gave her only the ability to sense the future through touch. But now she has started to hear voices. Cruel voices. Berating her, telling her how ugly she is, that she has no talent, and that she'd be better off dead. Camelia is terrified for her mental stability, especially since her deranged aunt has just moved into the house. As if all of that weren't torturing enough, Camelia's ex-boyfriend, Ben, who has similar psychometric abilities, has started seeing someone else. Even her closest friends, Kimmie and Wes, are not sure how to handle her erratic behavior.

With the line between reality and dream consistently blurred, Camelia turns to pottery to get a grip on her emotions. She begins sculpting a figure skater, only to receive frightening premonitions that someone's in danger. But who is the intended victim? And how can Camelia help that person when she is on the brink of losing her own sanity?

In Deadly Little Voices, Camelia's psychometric powers are stronger than ever and the voices that come with this latest premonition are mean and malicious. As Camelia struggles to differentiate what's real and what's not, she feels her sanity slipping and all the while someone is in serious danger. Camelia must find who she can trust to help her before it's too late--for herself and the girl in trouble.

Laurie Faria Stolarz's Touch series has a creepy factor to it's suspenseful story, and she doesn't disappoint with Deadly Little Voices. If anything, I'd say she upped the creepiness. Not only are the voices and visions scarier, but in this book, there's a sort of theme with Jack and Jill. There are two people--the victim and the victimizer--who write letters or diary entries telling their parts of the story and signing them Jack and Jill. Also, the victimizer sings these rhymes that he's made up to the Jack and Jill tune, which like I said is creepy, but not unusual for a psychopath.

(Possible spoilers in the next paragraph.)

When it comes to Camelia and Ben, I have to say that I'm kind of glad that they broke it off. Camelia deserves someone who will make her happy and she's just not getting much of that from Ben. Although, Ben's moment with Camelia--she's unconscious--that we see through the last diary entry of "Jill's," when he takes Camelia's hand and places it over the tattoo on his thigh and swears to love her forever, is really sweet. The only problems are that Camelia was unconscious, Ben lets Adam take credit for the rescue and then walks out of her life again. I'm glad that, in the end,Camelia choose to be happy with Adam.

A big thing that Camelia realizes in this book is that she has choices. She can choose how to handle her psychometric ability. She can choose how to be happy and live her life. She learns that there is always a choice and it's up to her how to make those choices.

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Laurie Faria Stolarz grew up in Salem, MA, attended Merrimack College, and received an MFA in Creative Writing from Emerson College in Boston.

Laurie Faria Stolarz is an American author of young adult fiction novels, best known for her Blue is for Nightmares series. Her works, which feature teenage protagonists, blend elements found in mystery and romance novels.

StolarzBIFN" series have sold over 500,000 copies collectively.Stolarz has also announced a graphic novel entry into the series titled Black is for Beginnings, which she published in summer 2009.


Disclaimer: This review was originally posted in 2012 to my book blogs, Zodiac Book Reviews and A Bibliophiles Thoughts on Books.

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