Cover Reveal ~ Under his Skin

Today Wolf Majick Reviews is happy to participate in the Cover Reveal for...

Under his Skin by Stacey O'Neale

Book Blurb:

Earth girls are never easy. But they're worth it.
Bakery owner Annabelle Sparks' business is booming ever since she won reality TV's Cupcake Wars. The one thing deflating her happy soufflé? The extremely sexy Kaden Chance only sees her as a best friend-and Annabelle wants so much more. After waiting a year for him recognize their chemistry, she's giving up and dating other people.
What she doesn't know is Kaden's heart doesn't actually beat. He's not human. Heck, he's not even from Earth. To retain his intergalactic immunity, no one can ever know he is an extraterrestrial. But when Annabelle starts dating, something strange happens to Kaden's unmoved heart: it begins to beat. Now he faces an impossible choice-tell Annabelle the truth and be deported-or lose his last chance at love.

Release Date: September 21, 2015 

Pre-order Here: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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Game board of the Gods ~ Richelle Mead

Gameboard of the Gods by Richelle Mead
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow, All I can say is I loved this book. I have so many comments to make but they are all huge spoilers. So you have been warned.

Summary:
In a futuristic world nearly destroyed by religious extremists, Justin March lives in exile after failing in his job as an investigator of religious groups and supernatural claims. But Justin is given a second chance when Mae Koskinen comes to bring him back to the Republic of United North America (RUNA). Raised in an aristocratic caste, Mae is now a member of the military’s most elite and terrifying tier, a soldier with enhanced reflexes and skills.

When Justin and Mae are assigned to work together to solve a string of ritualistic murders, they soon realize that their discoveries have exposed them to terrible danger. As their investigation races forward, unknown enemies and powers greater than they can imagine are gathering in the shadows, ready to reclaim the world in which humans are merely game pieces on their board.

Gameboard of the Gods, the first installment of Richelle Mead’s Age of Xseries, will have all the elements that have made her YA Vampire Academy and Bloodlines series such megasuccesses: sexy, irresistible characters; romantic and mythological intrigue; and relentless action and suspense. 



My Take:First off the characters were interesting and dynamic. There were definite times that I wanted to just smack Justin off the back of the head, which proves how real each character felt. I also enjoyed the slow build for each character. We learned subtly more about each one in such a way that it was like getting to know a new friend.

The world that they live in play a huge role in the novel. Its a nation that has given up huge chunks of freedoms to be safe and healthy. They have essentially traded their worship of "Gods" as a higher power to one of the Runa being the higher power. This future world really makes the reader step back an think. Would you give up religious freedom and reproductive choices if you knew it was the only way to have a healthy human race. Would you rather have someone tell you how many children you can have but in tern know those children will grow up safe with a quality education in a society where every school teaches the exact same curriculum? Where secondary school is free? What about a society where technology has soared? Is it worth a little freedom of choice then? Richelle Mead has done a fantastic job with a fantasy novel that touches upon some of the political extremes we see debated every day. A few of the religious ones as well. This novel has sparked some interesting conversations in my house, another mark of a well written book.

I also found a few twists and turns at the end to be just what the story needed. Although I hope Justin smartens up in the next book!

Ready to Die ~ Lisa Jackson

Ready to Die by Lisa Jackson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It looks like I missed a book in this series, book 4 I think because this one picks up after Alvarez is back to duty from a shooting.

Summary:
Sheriff Dan Grayson lies near death after a shooting, and the police department of Grizzly Falls, Montana, is in shock. Alvarez, torn between a new relationship and her loyalty to Grayson, works with Pescoli to whittle down the list of suspects. The deeper they go, the more personal and dangerous the case becomes. Then a prominent judge's body is found and the killer sends a sinister warning to the press: "Who's Next?"

My Take:
 I do enjoy Lisa jackson as a writer. Her characters are clever and have depth. Even some secondary characters have back stories. The only trouble with this particular series is that its book five and so this is the fifth serial killer in a relatively small town. If I lived around there I think I'd move, and fast. I did have a question in regards to a timeline issue. I'm wondering if anyone else picked that up? The nieces are only eight but Dan's ex's daughter is a teen?
Looking past that it was a good book. Fast paced with a twist ending if you enjoy shows like Law and Order you will enjoy this series for sure.

Wild Things ~ Chloe Neill

Wild Things by Chloe Neill
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am extremely behind on this series! Luckily thanks to Amazon I have the next few waiting on my shelf, now to find some time.. Anywise back to me review.

Summary:
Since Merit was turned into a vampire, and the protector of Chicago’s Cadogan House, it’s been a wild ride. She and Master vampire Ethan Sullivan have helped make Cadogan’s vampires the strongest in North America, and forged ties with paranormal folk of all breeds and creeds, living or dead…or both.

But now those alliances are about to be tested. A strange and twisted magic has ripped through the North American Central Pack, and Merit’s closest friends are caught in the crosshairs. Gabriel Keene, the Pack Apex, looks to Merit and Ethan for help. But who—or what—could possibly be powerful enough to out-magic a shifter?

Merit is about to go toe to toe, and cold steel to cold heart, to find out


My Take:
 I always really enjoy these books. Chloe Neill does an excellent job with them keeping the stories fast paced and interesting. This one was no different in that respect. I also enjoy the fact that you could pick up almost any book in the series and enjoy it without the book before it. That being said there is defiantly a building story arc here for those of us who are interested in the series as a whole.

*spoilers* In the aftermath of all the GP issues Ethan finds himself on the Chicago's most wanted list and ends up seeking refuge with the Shifters. Of course things could never be that easy and after a few magical catastrophes Merit and Ethan find themselves arm deep in other supernaturals troubles. The only way out is through some investigative work and maybe a little blackmail. *spoilers*

Overall this was a fun book and we were able to spend time with some favorite characters from earlier in the series, which is always nice. I've just started the next one and hopefully will have more time to get it finished in a reasonable timeframe.


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Night Broken~ Patricia Briggs

Night Broken by Patricia Briggs
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Patricia Briggs is undoubtably one of my favorite authors. Her novels are always well thought out and interconnected in ways that continue to amaze me. Her characters are always true to themselves in a way that is very hard to pull off, especially in Urban Fantasy series.

Summary: An unexpected phone call heralds a new challenge for Mercy. Her mate Adam’s ex-wife is in trouble, on the run from her new boyfriend. Adam isn’t the kind of man to turn away a person in need—and Mercy knows it. But with Christy holed up in Adam’s house, Mercy can’t shake the feeling that something about the situation isn’t right.

My Take:
This novel proved to be everything I hoped it would be. We find Mercy in a jam again, of course, and are able to spend some time with old friends. And Coyote. I have to save I love Coyote and any chance to find out more about him and Mercy's place in the world. Speaking of her place in the world we get a chance to see Mercy's place in the pack and the trouble she has to deal with to keep it that way. This novel also gives us a little more insight into how the world is handling the Fae and how the Fae are handling the world. I can't wait for the next book in the sister series to come out to see how that whole situation progresses.
Overall this is a great story with characters we as readers already love and a world we've invested ourselves into. I had a hard time putting it down and that is saying a lot because I haven't been all that into reading lately. Night Broken is for sure a contender for the best book I've read in quite a while!

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Netflix Movie Review : Stonehearst Asylum

Stonehearst Asylum

4 Stars

A recent medical school grad who takes a position at a mental institution soon finds himself taken with one of his colleagues -- though he has no initial idea of a recent, horrifying staffing change.

My take:

This movie was based on a short story written by Edgar Allen Poe called The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Feather. Originally names Eliza Graves the story follows a young Doctor who comes to finish his practical work at a famous countryside Asylum. Once there he is instantly attracted to the beautiful Mrs Graves. True to any Poe story it was filled with twists and turns. Some expected and some very surprising. This was a fun and fast paced movie with exceptional actors. Its worth the red box fee but now since its on Netflix you can probably watch it for free.

Gooseberry Island ~ Steven Manchester

Gooseberry Island by Steven Manchester
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've been lucky enough to review a few of Steven Manchester's books over the past few years. One thing I can say is that he never disappoints.

Summary:
They met at the worst possible moment...or maybe it was just in time. David McClain was about to go to war and Lindsey Wood was there at his going-away party, capturing his heart when falling for a woman was the last thing on his mind. While David was serving his country, he stayed in close contact with Lindsey. But war changes a person, and when he came home very little had the same meaning that it had before – including the romance that had sustained him. Was love truly unconquerable, or would it prove to be just another battlefield casualty?


My Take:
His characters are always extremely relatable and very, very real. As usual he brings us on an emotional journey that makes the reader search for a piece of themselves in the characters and maybe some part of the two "lovers" struggles. How many times has a chance meeting changed the course of your life, or ended up changing just enough to make a difference? Will David and Lindsey overcome distance and the brutal changes war can have on one psyche ? Or will their friendship that helped keep them going be just that and end as quickly as it began?
Settle yourself in to read this one straight through. You will be glad you did!

City of Heavenly Fire ~ Cassandra Clare

City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

So as you may no I was a little hesitant to start this book. Let me start off by saying how much I loved the first trilogy. As a reader I was just a little upset that the happy ending we got in book three was completely thrown out the window in book four.

Summary :
Sebastian Morgenstern is on the move, systematically turning Shadowhunter against Shadowhunter. Bearing the Infernal Cup, he transforms Shadowhunters into creatures out of nightmare, tearing apart families and lovers as the ranks of his Endarkened army swell.


My Take:
Putting this aside I have finally made it through the rest of the series and was pleasantly surprised.
This novel finds Clary and Jace back in the thick of things. Their relationship is at a standstill due to the Heavenly Fire. As Jace struggles with controlling the fire Clary is forced to face the fact that she is Valentines daughter. Growing up is all about deciding who you are going to be, no matter where you came from. Clary's character has a lot of growth in that respect this time around.

Sebastian is up to no good, as usual. Only this time he has some pretty important company. Controlling the world seems to be his number one goal, even if he needs to burn it to the ground. He constantly flaunts his intelligence by being one step in front of the Shadow hunters at all times.

 The story line is filled fighting and the typical teenage drama. Overall it was a solid ending, which I hope is an ending, to a story line I did enjoy. You could probably wait till it comes out in paperback, since if you haven't read it yet it can't be all that pressing. Either way add it to your TBR list. The Mortal Instruments is a series worth reading.