He’s saved her. He’s loved her. He’s killed for her.

Eighteen-year-old Archer couldn’t protect his best friend, Vivian, from what happened when they were kids, so he’s never stopped trying to protect her from everything else. It doesn’t matter that Vivian only uses him when hopping from one toxic relationship to another—Archer is always there, waiting to be noticed.

Then along comes Evan, the only person who’s ever cared about Archer without a single string attached. The harder he falls for Evan, the more Archer sees Vivian for the manipulative hot-mess she really is.

But Viv has her hooks in deep, and when she finds out about the murders Archer’s committed and his relationship with Evan, she threatens to turn him in if she doesn’t get what she wants… And what she wants is Evan’s death, and for Archer to forfeit his last chance at redemption.

Every once in awhile you come across that story that you just don’t want to put down. This was one of those books for me. It was a page-turner that I found so intriguing. The description above tells more of the story than what I was originally going to touch on in my review. I intended on doing a little teaser about Archer and his feelings for Evan, but it really lays it all out for you. What the description only gives hints at, is how much this book really shows a deeper look at relationships than the angsty teenage love we see so much of in books today. Although part of that may be that these characters are in college and the time for angst has passed, for the most part.

Archer and Vivian’s relationship has been getting stronger since they were young. There is just as much as a brotherly love her for has there is physical attraction. He has decided that by killing off all of the people that have ever hurt her, that she will eventually be able to take control of her life and live a better one, hopefully with him. She has not had a very good life, and now finds herself in an abusive relationship.

Every time something happens to her, she runs to Archer for support and comfort, but never for love. When Archer finds a friend in Evan, the fact that Vivian may never love him the way he loves her, has started to become realized. When he opens his mind up to how much Evan cares, his own emotional needs are finally getting to be met.

The murder scenes become more intense as well as each one happens. Archer has been carefully planning for a long time, how to make them all look like accidents. He is very calm when questioned by the police because of his connections with all of the people and until things start getting out of control we see a very calm and intellectual person in Archer. But as his hit list becomes shorter and his attraction to Evan becomes stronger, things begin spinning out of control, fast.

It was like watching a movie, the events and plot twists all add up to an intense and unexpected ending. A deep story about relationships, family and hate.

Paperback, 260 pages

Expected publication: December 6th 2011 by Entangled Publishing

ISBN 139781937044749



Cover: Laying hands upon the injured and dying, Avry of Kazan assumes their wounds and diseases into herself. But rather than being honored for her skills, she is hunted. Healers like Avry are accused of spreading the plague that has decimated the Territories, leaving the survivors in a state of chaos.

Stressed and tired from hiding, Avry is abducted by a band of rogues who, shockingly, value her gift above the golden bounty offered for her capture. Their leader, an enigmatic captor-protector with powers of his own, is unequivocal in his demands: Avry must heal a plague-stricken prince—leader of a campaign against her people. As they traverse the daunting Nine Mountains, beset by mercenaries and magical dangers, Avry must decide who is worth healing and what is worth dying for. Because the price of peace may well be her life….

This new series takes place in the same world as Mara V Snyder’s Poison Study series, The Fifteen Realms. The Fifteen Realms has been ravaged by plague and the rulers have deemed the healers responsible. Healers are on the verge of extinction because the rulers have ordered them to be killed.

A group of bandits have saved Avry from being hung and in return she must heal Prince Ryne. The trip they take to reach the Prince is not easy and there are many stops along the way. Each of her decisions becomes a matter of life or death (and for those who helped her). Avery and Kerrick’s interactions with each other are both stressful and apprehensive at the same time. He is the leader of the group and they must learn how to travel together and keep each other alive. He also becomes a love interest later on in the book. There are 5 members of the group and all have great personalities and hopefully we continue see them all throughout the whole series.

Romance is on the back burner in this story and it’s focused more on the building of trusting relationships. As Avry is believed to be the last healer alive, she is in a very tricky position of not knowing who to trust.  We get to see many different characters come in and out of the story during their travels. Avery must lay low, but finds her need to heal those who are sick are constantly pulling at her to help, and she cannot refuse. Each time she heals somebody she takes their illness into herself, she then has to heal herself before they can travel again.

All of the characters are very entertaining. Each has a purpose and a memorable role in the story. The reader will learn to love and hate personality traits in each of them. Avery is very kind hearted, sympathetic and a strong person. I like to think that her life as a healer has made her that way, and at the age of 20 in a time of castles, kingdoms and magical powers she seems wise beyond her years. It is noticeable in this story that more a more modern day language is used. It made it easier to read and understand, but some may miss the historical aspect.

The world-building is so well written, you will be drawn into it immediately. The concepts and ideas of the world were explained flawlessly and easy to understand. Several elements come into play and the way it seems to all revolve around magic, leads to an overall very entertaining read.

It’s fast paced with a lot of adventure, great characters and new challenges every step they take. The book also comes with a map so you can track their travels as they go.

I think that overall Maria V Snyder is known for her world building and well rounded, likeable characters. If you have read and liked her previous works and like fantasy novels, I don’t think you will be disappointed in this new series.

Favorite Quote “…things happen that are out of your control.’
Kerrick gave him a tight smile. ‘You mean I’m not omnipotent?’
‘You’re not even semi-potent.’
‘Is that even a word?’ Kerrick asked.
‘He probably means you’re impotent,’ I offered.”

Paperback, 400 pages

Expected publication: December 20th 2011 by Mira

ISBN0778313077 (ISBN13: 9780778313076)



After a summer of training with her grandmother Vovo, in Brazil. Yara has returned to attend Pendrell Academy for her senior year. She is still as smitten with her boyfriend as she was last year and after a summer away, things are looking good. But upon meeting a stranger with some dangerous secrets and a very angry ghost on her first day back home, things start to go downhill for Yara and her friends too fast. Moving back to Pendrell has Yara’s family concerned for her life, but this time Brent’s life is the only thing Yara is concerned about.

There are changes happening at the school: the construction of a new building on the site of the old haunted grounds; a new headmaster who seems to have taken a personal interest in Yara and her friends. Not to mention the fact that Yara can feel others projecting and she knows it’s not her or Brent doing it. When the mysterious stranger turns up attending her school, things are looking bad and Yara knows she’s being followed. Let’s not forget the angry ghost, Sophia, who has decided to make Yara’s life a living Hell. Yara will have to make some very difficult decisions to try to save not only her life, but those of all her loved ones.

The second book in the trilogy blew me away, it has an immediate grab on the reader with the introduction of the clues and action right away. It’s a paranormal mystery that really focuses on  the school and its history. All the characters play a part in this puzzle and the 2nd book takes off right into the continuation of the story from the previous book. It’s all one story that continues to grow and become darker and more intense with each volume. Now that Yara and her friends are graduating this year, it will be interesting to see where the third book takes us—and I have my hopes up to maybe see a little bit of Brazil in the final chapter of this trilogy.

Indelible by Lani Woodland
Hardcover, 416 pages
Expected publication: September 27th 2011 by Pendrell Publishing
ISBN 0982729723 (ISBN13: 9780982729724)
series The Yara Silva Trilogy #2



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