Review: Cold Shadows (Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper #2) by J.L. Bryan

Title: Cold Shadows (Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper #2)
Author: J.L. Bryan (website)
Publication Date: November 28, 2014
Source: Via the author in exchange for review.

Footsteps in the attic. Toys that play by themselves. A dark presence in an upstairs room. 

Paranormal investigator Ellie Jordan faces a difficult new case. Her new clients are a family haunted by multiple ghosts and a poltergeist that wrecks their home at night. Their seven-year-old son’s invisible friends may not be imaginary at all, but the restless spirits of dead children. 

To clear her clients’ house of the dangerous entities, Ellie must unravel the mysterious deaths of another family who lived in the old mansion more than a hundred and sixty years ago—and she must do it before the ghosts can carry out their malevolent designs on her clients and their children.

AMAZON / KOBO / GOODREADS

Cold Shadows is the second book in the Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper Series. Cold Shadows was another great read by J.L. Bryan. This story features a whole ghost family who haunts the old house of Ellie's new client. Cold Shadows has suspense, thrills and a twist ending that I did not see coming!

I still love Ellie's character. She is a girl on a mission but never misses the chance to throw in a bit of sarcasm. And Stacey, bless her heart, she is a trip. I love watching her grow into the job of ghost trapping. Its fun to still see her quirky, came from money side show through at times. And the fact that she is all about some Jacob! I would definitely be OK with these two getting together. I wouldn't object to seeing more of Jacob in this series.

Now, this story started out not blowing my mind. It was still super interesting to read about but I just wasn't feeling it as much as the first book. This little ghost family is more self contained. Their history is just about them. While they had a tragic story to tell, it just didn't get my engine going. That is, until the end. Even I, miss self proclaimed horror buff who can predict everything, didn't see this one coming. 

And that is what makes for an excellent book.

I've heard that there is going to be lots more to come in the lives of Ellie, Stacey, Jacob and their boss (dear lord, I can't remember his name!). I already have my little paws on Book 3, The Crawling Darkness (which comes out on February 5th) and I can't wait to dive in a little deeper!

If you love anything and everything about ghost stories, pick up the Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper series. You can thank me later. :)

4 Hearts!

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It's Monday! What are you reading?

It's Monday, What Are You Reading is a fun weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey where we share what we've read and reviewed over the past week and what we plan to read next.

I apologize for not posting last Monday. But I was pretty much still reading what I posted the week before! So I didn't think it'd do much good just post about the exact same thing. Here it is a brand new year and I'm already having trouble with my reading. I want to read, I do. I just can't seem to make myself sit down and actually do it! But, I'm gonna work on that and hopefully things will get smoother. 

I also missed posting a review last week. My grandfather hasn't been doing to well and I spent most of my time helping my parents get things ready for him. He's lived with them for a few years now, but recently was put on Hospice. So we had to make room for a hospital bed and all that jazz. He seems to be doing a little better but He is also 98 years old. So we think his time is getting close. Prayers and good thoughts are always appreciated!

Until a month ago, eighteen-year-old Ven had never set foot outside the windowless warehouse where she was created. An Imitation of Raven Rogen, Ven spent her days confined in the lab, studying videos of her Authentic, all so she could step into Raven’s life at a moment’s notice. 

Now, Ven lives in Raven’s penthouse apartment, kisses Raven’s boyfriend, and obeys every order from Raven’s dad, Titus Rogen—the very man who created her. But Ven has a secret plan. She doesn't want Raven’s life. She wants her own.

In the action-packed sequel of Imitation, Ven wages a dangerous war against Titus. First she’ll free herself, then she’ll free every last Imitation. . . . 

This is a new release of the previously self-published title.

So what are you reading this week?!

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Review: Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper by J.L. Bryan

Title: Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper
Author: J.L. Bryan
Publication Date: August 27, 2014
Source: Via the author in exchange for review.

Ellie Jordan’s job is to catch and remove unwanted ghosts. Part detective, part paranormal exterminator, Ellie operates out of Savannah, Georgia, one of the oldest and most haunted cities in North America.

When a family contacts her to deal with a disturbing presence in the old mansion they’ve recently purchased, Ellie first believes it to be a typical, by-the-book specter, a residual haunting by a restless spirit. Instead, she finds herself confronting an evil older and more powerful than she’d ever expected, rooted in the house’s long and sordid history of luxury, sin, and murder. The dangerous entity seems particularly interested in her clients’ ten-year-old daughter.

Soon her own life is in danger, and Ellie must find a way to exorcise the darkness of the house before it can kill her, her clients, or their frightened young child.

AMAZON / BARNES & NOBLE / KOBO / GOODREADS

I thought Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper was fantastic! J.L. Bryan weaved a fascinating story of ghosts, the occult and survival. I'm a huge fan of horror, but never so much of ghosts. That didn't matter with Ellie Jordan, I was sucked in from the beginning.

Ellie Jordan is a ghost hunter. She works for a small paranormal investigating firm. She's taken on a new partner named Stacey to help out. Ellie likes to work alone. She's open to bringing Stacey along but doesn't hold out much hope for her working out. Watching the friendship bloom between these two through out the book is fun. It reminds me a lot of myself. I don't take very well to new people and tend to push them away at first. 

Ellie is a beast. She gets scared but never shows any fear. There is no way I could make myself do half the things she did. She has one mission and that is to get rid of the ghost, no matter what. Stacey comes from money but wants to branch out on her own. She gets started working with ghosts accidentally but ends up loving it. She is spunky and funny and I really enjoyed her character. 

I actually don't want to reveal to much of this story because it's more fun for you to uncover it own your own! Ellie Jordan has many twists and turns and discoveries that you are constantly questioning what the big picture is. And the ending? Awesome. I almost think it was the best part of the whole book. 

Some of the plot line is kind of predictable. I've spent most of my life watching horror movies, so it wasn't hard for me to guess the outcome of certain happenings. But that didn't take any of the enjoyment away. I literally ate this book up in one sitting. I just couldn't put it down!

You will not be disappointed with picking up Ellie Jordan: Ghost Trapper. J.L. Bryan's writing is fantastic and this story is one that you don't want to miss out on!

5 Hearts!

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REVIEW: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Title: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
Author: Ransom Riggs
Publication Date: June 7, 2011
Source: Purchased my own copy.

A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of very curious photographs.

It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.

AMAZON / BARNES & NOBLE / KOBO / GOODREADS

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is a magical story about love, friendship and family unlike any you have read before. I fell so completely in love with this book, that I wanted to cry when I turned that last page.

The concept of this story is brilliant. It's rare to find a non-children's book that has pictures through out. I loved it! Mr. Riggs allows you to still use your imagination while giving you an extra boost in experiencing the characters.

The story follows our main character, Jacob, as he deals with his grandfathers death. Jacob grew up hearing all the tales of curious children his grandfather grew up with. After the accident, Jacob begins to question if his grandfathers "tales" were really true. So he sets off on an adventure in search of Miss Peregrine and some answers. He never expects what awaits him on that mysterious island.

I will admit that going into this, I never even imagined that the story would contain the things it does. Magic, time travel, monsters. I guess I really thought it was about peculiar children. I was blown away by the way Mr. Riggs wrote this story. The writing itself is fantastic. There are so many twists and turns and shocking moments that I lost count. (Not that I was really counting..)

Mr. Riggs also paints a picture in your mind that you'll never forget. There are so many characters that I can't even begin to talk about them all. But each one is special and peculiar in their own way. You can't help but fall for each and every one.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is not just a book, it's a journey. One that you are not prepared for. But a journey that will leave a mark on your soul. (CHEESE! Are you understanding me when I say I love this book??)

Read it. Now. Quick, fast but not in a hurry. And prepare yourself for Book 2, Hollow City. I for one can't wait to get my hands on that!

5 Hearts!

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COVER REVEAL: Losing It: A Collection of Vcards

Losing It: A Collection of VCards coming Feb 11, 2015!

22 Bestselling YA authors reveal what went on behind the curtain in your favorite YA novels! From paranormal to contemporary, this collection features over 200 pages of ALL NEW CONTENT full of deleted scenes, extended endings, and more from the young adult series’ you love. 

In this YA/NA crossover collection all of your favorite heroines are cashing in their VCards! YA just got steamy, sexy, and not afraid to go all the way!

(Due to the graphic nature of some content, this collection is recommended strictly for mature readers.)

Stories include excerpts and extended material--ALL NEW CONTENT featuring the following YA novels & authors:

The Grimoire Saga by SM Boyce

The Death Series by Tamara Rose Blodgett

Penny Black Trilogy by Stacey Wallace Benefiel

Dirty Blood series by Heather Hildenbrand

The Mythology Series by Helen Boswell

Stories About Melissa Series by Bethany Lopez

Keegan’s Chronicles by Julia Crane

The Tate Chronicles by K.A. Last

Fragile Creatures by Kristina Circelli

The Spellbound Trilogy by Nikki Jefford

Judgement of the Six Series by Melissa Haag

A Dark Faerie Tale Series by Alexia Purdy

The Double Threat Series by Julie Prestsater

The Elsker Saga by S.T. Bende

Ovialell Series by Tish Thawer

The Runes Series by Ednah Walters

The Cornerstone Series by Misty Provencher

The Waiting Series by Ginger Scott

Forged Series by A.O. Peart

The Arotas Series by Amy Miles

Funeral Crashing Mysteries by Milda Harris

The Wolf Trilogy by M.R. Polish

1-click yours now! Pre-order available for Kindle here.

The Good Girls Have Gone Wild!!

Don’t want to wait? Want a sneak peek NOW behind the curtain with these authors? Request access to the Champagne Room on FB, a private, VIP group where you’ll get excerpts, giveaways, and the dirty details about the VCards we’ve cashed in…in our stories, of course!

Request exclusive access here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/332424686965271/

*Must be 18 to enter

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REVIEW: Enamoured by Shannon Curtis

Title: Enamoured
Author: Shannon Curtis
Publication Date: May 1, 2013
Source: Via Netgalley.

Once Upon a Crime…

Melanie wants to get incriminating information on her evil stepfather and she’ll get it —even if it means giving in to an odious toad’s demands. Cole is undercover, and when the opportunity arises for him to get closer to the criminal he’s investigating, using the man’s beautiful stepdaughter, he grabs it.

Esmerelda is a Fairy Godmother Enforcer charged with getting the Frog Prince fairy tale back on track. But fate has saddled her with a partner, and Rumpelstiltskin — with his sexy bad boy swagger — has a hidden agenda of his own.

In the Fairy Isle, nothing is as it seems… 

AMAZON / BARNES & NOBLE / KOBO / GOODREADS

A fairy tale retelling in the modern world? I'm a sucker for fairy tales. I mean Once Upon a Time is one of my favorite TV shows. But I have to say that Enamoured just didn't cut it for me.

Our story is centered around Melanie and Cole. Melanie's stepfather is evil, controlling, abusive and shady. She's determined to find something on him so she can get rid of him once and for all. Cole is an undercover cop. HIs target? Melanie's stepfather. As their paths cross, Melanie and Cole begin working together. But it doesn't take long for romance to strike.

Esmerelda is a fairy godmother. Her current job is to watch over Melanie and make sure her "tale" plays out as its supposed to. The problem? Cole is not part of the tale. She also has been given a partner for this particular case. Rumpelstiltskin. He's on a sort of probation and this job will tell his fate.

Now all of this seems like the setup for a pretty good story. But I was just left feeling kind of confused. It seems Ms. Curtis has tried to jumble as many fairy tales into one story as she possibly could. Add in the fact that Enamoured is a novella and it's just all to much. We've got a reversed Cinderella situation, a frog prince hint with Melanie's real love partner and Cole, who just doesn't belong.


Enamoured was a quick read to fit in between books, but I felt like it just fell short. Melanie and Cole's chemistry was fun and sexy. Esmerelda and Rumple's situation was comical. Give the chance to expand into a longer book, Enamoured might be improved upon. But as it stands, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. Unless you just have to see for yourself. But you know what they say, "Curiosity killed the cat.."

2 Hearts!

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It's Monday! What are you reading?

It's Monday, What Are You Reading is a fun weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey where we share what we've read and reviewed over the past week and what we plan to read next.

Last week I didn't get as much read as I planned to. So I'm still working on 2 of my picks last week! It was my birthday weekend, so I'm gonna use that as my excuse to not reading much. LOL. Anywho, I'm gonna throw one more into the mix this week and see how I do.

Footsteps in the attic. Toys that play by themselves. A dark presence in an upstairs room. 

Paranormal investigator Ellie Jordan faces a difficult new case. Her new clients are a family haunted by multiple ghosts and a poltergeist that wrecks their home at night. Their seven-year-old son’s invisible friends may not be imaginary at all, but the restless spirits of dead children. 

To clear her clients’ house of the dangerous entities, Ellie must unravel the mysterious deaths of another family who lived in the old mansion more than a hundred and sixty years ago—and she must do it before the ghosts can carry out their malevolent designs on her clients and their children.

 

What are you reading this week? I hope y'all are doing better than me!

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REVIEW: Amaranth (The Resistance Trilogy #1) by Rachael Wade

Title: Amaranth (The Resistance Trilogy #1)
Author: Rachael Wade
Publication Date: July 27, 2011
Source: Via the author in exchange for review.

Hoodoo-influenced Southern Louisiana seems like the perfect place for Camille to escape her abusive past and dysfunctional family. She doesn’t expect to fall in love with the handsome Gavin Devereaux and plummet into the world of Amaranth, a place of exile for reformed vampires.

Wrestling to escape a deadly ex-boyfriend while giving Gavin a chance, Camille is confronted with decisions that threaten not only her life, but the lives of her inhuman friends she has come to love. Entangled in her friends’ quest for freedom, she dives into their realm and faces the threats of Amaranth’s ruler—the mother of all vampires—and her own inner demons.

Now Camille must decide whether she will derail her life and make the ultimate sacrifice for the monsters that interrupted her bumpy path back to sanity—what she still wants so desperately—or escape with Gavin before it’s too late for both of them.

AMAZON // BARNES & NOBLE // KOBO // GOODREADS

I went into Amaranth with magical expectation. Southern Louisiana, Hoodoo and Vampires sounds like perfection to me. But I finished feeling a little bit let down.

Our main character, Camille, settles down in Southern Louisiana after running from an abusive relationship. After 2 years and another abusive boyfriend in her new home, she meets an unexpected stranger. Once Camille and Gavin's paths cross, her world is turned completely upside down. She's introduced to another place and creatures that she never knew existed in real life.

I wanted to like Camille, I really did. But I found her really hard to relate to. She's gone through so much abuse in her lifetime. I just couldn't understand her ability to fall in love with Gavin so easily. Especially when he always acted so shady. I did like Gavin. He always had good intentions, He just didn't execute things properly.

I felt like the story progressed to quickly. Once Camille found out the Gavin was a vampire, BAM!, we're thrown into the fight of our lives. Amaranth is the hidden world for reformed vampires and they believe that it also holds the cure. Amaranth was very fast paced and a quick read. I made it through in one sitting. I absolutely loved the plot for this story. I just closed the pages feeling like I could have learned so much more!

Rachael Wade's writing style was easy to follow. The only real "peeve" I had was that the story contains the phrase, "I let out the breath I didn't realize I was holding." TWICE! I loathe that phrase.

Overall, Amaranth was a good read. It has a great story line and some really good characters. I just wish we'd had the chance to learn more about them. This is a series, so perhaps that's something that improves in the next couple books.


At some point I may continue on with The Resistance Trilogy but for now, I'm good with stopping at Amaranth.

3 Hearts!

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Challenges for 2015!

This will be my first year attempting Reading Challenges, except for the Goodreads one. And I have epicly failed that one for the past 2 years. So I'm aiming high with a goal of 100 books for 2015. That really shouldn't be that hard to do as long as I don't hit a reading slump like I did this past year. You can add me on GR if you'd like and we can keep up with one another's progress! Aside from Goodreads, I'm participating in 2 other challenges.

 

The Read Your Freebies Challenge hosted by The Book Vixen. I'm really digging this one because I have so many books on my iPad that I've purchased from Amazon for free. SO MANY. And I haven't read a single one yet. So I'm excited to now have some motivation to dip into these books that looked so good! I'm shooting for 36 books this year. I feel like that is a decent amount to start with. And it helps knock down that GR 100 book challenge! You can get more information about this challenge over at The Book Vixen and keep up with my progress on my Challenge Page!

The Library Challenge is hosted by Book Journey. This one really stood out to me because I miss going to the Library. I practically lived there growing up but haven't been a whole lot in the last 10 years or so. I'm planning to change that! I'm committing to 20 books for this challenge. Maybe more, who knows? I'm just excited to get back into my local Library! You can get more information about this challenge at Book Journey and keep up with my progress on my Challenge Page!

And that pretty much sums it up. Sweet and Simple. So, what challenges are you participating in this year? How many books are you wanting to read in 2015?

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REVIEW: Whisper by Heather Hildenbrand

Title: Whisper
Author: Heather Hildenbrand
Publication Date: August 13, 2014
Source: Via the author in exchange for review.

The Cherokee believe when a person dies, their soul is reborn. Life is repeated. An endless cycle of lessons to be learned, love to be found, destiny to be fulfilled. For the past six months, in every flower, every bird, I've imagined my parents, relieved of their human forms. Now, after five months at the Skye View Wellness Center, it was summer. A time for parties and friends, but that's the last thing I want to do. So when my best friend Erin convinces me to attend a bonfire at Eagle Point, I can't handle the crowd full of sympathetic stares or drunken class clowns who would use my tragedy as a way into my heart - or my pants. The solitude of the woods offers an escape, until I stumble upon a boy, unconscious and bleeding, his pockets stuffed not with identification but with poetry illustrating the beauty of dying. I've seen enough death. I will not leave this boy's side. Even after he wakes, when the only thing he can remember are visions of events that haven't happened yet... 

AMAZON // KOBO // GOODREADS

Whisper by Heather Hildenbrand is an amazing story of love and grief. I turned the last page feeling all the feels. Not many books can do that to me. I have a heart of stone...

Whisper is a cCherokeegirl who experiences the tragic loss of her parents. She suffers to the point of attempted suicide and being admitted to a mental hospital. After being released and knowing how to cope with her grief, she tries to move on with her life. Then enters Dylan. A boy she finds badly hurt and helps nurse him back to life. Dylan awakens things in her that she didn't know existed. He is the key to her life, past, present and future.

Once again, Heather has blown me away. Not only is her writing captivating, but she knows how to pull you into her stories. You don't just read Heather's books, you live them.

I completely fell in love with every character in Whisper. From Whisper herself, to even the bad guy. Whisper is strong, caring and independent. She has been through hell, but she came out on top. She stood for what she believed in and took no crap from anyone. Her instant connection with Dylan was fantastic. In the process of saving his life, he saved hers. Dylan was everything. Gorgeous, protecting and loving. He awakes from his injuries with amnesia. The journey of him remembering who he is, is fascinating. One of my favorite book boyfriends to date!

Heather tackles so many issues in Whisper. Attempted suicide, tragic loss, murder, the list goes on. Whisper is full of Cherokee folk lore, magic and a sense of family that lasts hundreds of years.


I could talk about Whisper for hours, but I won't. What I will say is do yourself a favor and get your hands on this book. I absolutely loved it and I know you will too!

5 Hearts!

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It's Monday! What are you reading? (#1)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading is a fun weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey where we share what we've read and reviewed over the past week and what we plan to read next.

Since we are starting a new year, I'm kind of starting fresh with my reading. I've been in sort of a "not wanting to read" mood the last couple of months. So I don't have any recently read books to tell you about today. Only current and upcoming!

Ellie Jordan’s job is to catch and remove unwanted ghosts. Part detective, part paranormal exterminator, Ellie operates out of Savannah, Georgia, one of the oldest and most haunted cities in North America.

When a family contacts her to deal with a disturbing presence in the old mansion they’ve recently purchased, Ellie first believes it to be a typical, by-the-book specter, a residual haunting by a restless spirit. Instead, she finds herself confronting an evil older and more powerful than she’d ever expected, rooted in the house’s long and sordid history of luxury, sin, and murder. The dangerous entity seems particularly interested in her clients’ ten-year-old daughter.

Soon her own life is in danger, and Ellie must find a way to exorcise the darkness of the house before it can kill her, her clients, or their frightened young child. 

(My copy was provided by the author in exchange for a review. Be sure to check back on the 20th to see what I thought!)

  

That's about it for my first round of It's Monday! Short and sweet. So what are you guys reading this week? I'd love to hear! I'm always looking for more books to add to my ever growing TBR pile!

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