Review: Imposter by Susanne Winnacker

Imposter by Susanne Winnacker
Publisher: Razorbill
Release date: May 28th, 2013
Purchase: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Can Tessa pose as Madison . . . and stop a killer before it’s too late? 

Tessa is a Variant, able to absorb the DNA of anyone she touches and mimic their appearance. Shunned by her family, she’s spent the last two years training with the Forces with Extraordinary Abilities, a secret branch of the FBI. When a serial killer rocks a small town in Oregon, Tessa is given a mission: she must impersonate Madison, a local teen, to find the killer before he strikes again.

Tessa hates everything about being an impostor—the stress, the danger, the deceit—but loves playing the role of a normal girl. As Madison, she finds friends, romance, and the kind of loving family she’d do anything to keep. Amid action, suspense, and a ticking clock, this super-human comes to a very human conclusion: even a girl who can look like anyone struggles the most with being herself.

My Thoughts:
This wasn't exactly what I was expecting and I am so angry with what I am left with.  The first thing I am angry over is that even though I really didn't care for this book I know I am still going to read the sequel GAH!  Seriously I can 't even explain it but I am because the writing pulled me in and even with the lack of love for this book I am just too dame curious and I have to see what happens!  Don't you just hate when that happens??!!

My second anger point is the characters.  I have read many many books and I have never been so irritated with a bunch of characters before!  Tessa makes some really stupid decisions and so does Alec.  I swear I wanted to throw this book across the room a dozen times and the first time was only about 30 pages in.  Luckily my hope was answered with that one and Tessa was caught, but she needed way more reprimanding in my opinion.  You just don't do what she did!  Also the whole push and pull between Tessa and Alec got to be too much.  I know there was a reason why he was with Kate and I really wanted to know what that reason was. I hoped that by the end we would learn more but unfortunately we get nothing.  I am left thinking that Alec and Kate really were a couple and that he was just a jerk for what he did throughout the book.  The one reason we are given about his restraint was not good enough.  He says that Tessa was too young and that was never an issue between them, I could see if he was 22 and she was 16 but she was 16 and he was 18.  I have seen way bigger age differences and it never became an issue.  I think we the readers should have been given the main reason not a cop out.

Okay moving on my next big gripe, the whole showdown at the end.  I won't go into details since I don't want to give too much away, but when the time came for a certain someone to use their variation it wasn't there.  The whole book is about variations and how bad arse they are and yes we are told from the beginning that they can be finicky but I expected after so much training this certain someone would have had a grip on theirs.  The fact that they had to use certain emotions to call upon their variation bothered me too.  I think this gives that other person too much importance and I just didn't care for it.

My other gripes are smaller, but no less important.   For instance, the identity of killer wasn't really kept secret.  It felt like the author laid too much out on the table and I would have liked for the killer to have been more of a surprise.  Also I can smell a love triangle and I don' t like it!  After all the pinning and wanting that Tessa did I hoped that if her and Alec ever got together it would stick, but a certain other someone looks to be in the picture and I am not looking forward to seeing how all that unravels.

So you see I wasn't a fan of this book, but I will read the sequel.  Imposter ended in such a way that will make every single one of its readers want to read the sequel. I have to know more about Abel and I have to know more about Devon!  Ms.Winnacker knows how to keep her readers wanting more!  My rating is for the story and ending alone.  I really enjoyed the actual world that was created and well that ending deserves a snowflake even though I really wish a particular scene would have taken place a somewhere a little more intimate.

2.5 snowflakes

Blog Tour- Review & Giveaway: Motocross Me by Cheyanne Young

Today WinterHaven Books has the pleasure of participating in the blog tour for Motocross Me by Cheyanne Young, hosted by Itching for Books.

Motocross Me by Cheyanne Young
Publisher- 336 Love
Release- June 4th 2013
Purchase- Amazon / B & N

When Hana Fisher moves to the small town of Mixon, Texas to live with her dad, she dreads having to work at the boring pile of dirt he fondly calls a motocross track. But when she gets there, she finds the rinky-dink dirt bike track from her childhood has grown into the most respected racing track in the state.Now popular by association, Hana endures the pain and sweat of working in the summer heat in order to fit in with a sport she’s growing to love. She gets a real family, a best friend and not just one, but two of the fastest racers trying to win her heart.When Hana abuses her status as the track owner’s daughter to help the gorgeous Ryan Russo cheat in the biggest race of the year, she risks more than just losing her job. Every good thing in her life is at stake now- her friends, her dad’s trust, and Ash Carter- the kind-hearted racer who may not be as alluring as Ryan, but is proof that nice guys don’t always finish last.

My Thoughts:

Motocross Me, starts off with Hana on the road after a fight with her mom and not sure where to go next. She ends up in the town of Mixon at her dad's house hoping that she isn't intruding on his new family. But as it turns out they're thrilled to see her and invite her to spend the summer and even work with her dad at the Motocross Park- the dirt bike track. Not wanting to deal with her irresponsible mother and her new fiance, she accepts. 

Hana remembers the track from when she was younger but she had no clue of the booming success it's been since then. She's surrounded by hard work, hot days and even hotter guys, two who are veering for her attention. For the first time in a long time, Hana feels like she found a real family. The Motocross family, but when she accidentally helps one of the competitors cheat on the biggest race of the season, Hana fears that she may have lost everything that she never knew she cared about, till it was already to late. 

Wow, what a fun read! The minute I heard about this book I knew I wanted to read it. My hubby has always been into...well, anything with a motor in it, so I figured since I'm very familiar with racing and the mechanics of it all, what better way to spend a lazy afternoon then reading something I knew about with a promise of some romance thrown in. I couldn't have been more pleased. Motocross Me turned out to be a delightful summer escape.

I really fell in love with Cheyanne Young's writing. It's strong and confident and the flow and pace was perfect. I was instantly drawn into this book from the first sentence till the very last. This is the kind of story-line that is right up my alley. I've always enjoyed sport themes in my reads and dirt bike racing can get pretty extreme. I loved how Young goes into vivid details about the bikes and the races and rules of it all. Not only did I find myself understanding everything, I also found myself nodding along in agreement. But the sports is just one part of the story, we also have some family issues and some romance complications that made the plot sizzle with entertainment and excitement.

I was amazed how fast I felt connected to all these characters. They were all well developed and I enjoyed the parts they played. Hana's dad, Jim, her step-mom, Molly and her step-brother, Teig are all solid to the ground good people. They believe in their dreams, hard work and are a fair family who support each other.

~Hana is a wonderfully flawed character who makes real mistakes. There were a few times I wanted to shake her straight, but for the most part I liked her honest voice and the fact that she at least tries. She's had a hard go of it since her parents divorce and her mother hasn't been the best role model, but with her dad and Molly and Teig and her new friends, she finally feels like she belongs. Positive energy truly goes a long way. Then we have the guys, Ryan and Ash. Hana may not be very smart when it comes to relationships but these boys even had me spinning a few times.

~Ryan Russo is the best dirt bike racer and his cool blue eyes, washboard-abs and killer smile makes him an easy can't-breath-gorgeous catch that all the girls fall far. Hana included.

~Then we have Ash Carter. Ash sports long dread-locked hair and makes grunge look sexy. He's Ryan's only competition and an old history between them makes them natural enemies. 

Both guys may be gorgeous, but it's not very hard to figure out which is the better man. One is a total jerk and uses Hana while the other is a real sweetheart. I'm not gonna say which is which or who Hana ends up with, but I will say that the ending made me smile that stupid happy grin.

All in all, this book really impressed me. The writing is great, the characters are heart felt and real and the story line is exciting and fun. This has a great lesson when it comes to the heart and also has a wonderful sense of family unity, new found friendships, acceptance and self discovery. A great summer escape and a fabulous debut! Young has a new fan!

                                                                    4.5 Snowflakes

                                                                About the Author

                              Cheyanne is a native Texan with a fear of cold weather and a coffee addiction that probably needs an intervention. She loves books, sarcasm, Xbox and paid holidays. She lives near the beach with her daughter, one spoiled rotten puppy and a cat who is most likely plotting to take over the world.

Goodreads / Website

One lucky follower will have a chance to win this wonderful debut. Good luck!

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Stacking the Shelve (51)

A weekly meme hosted by, Tynga's Reviews, that features the books we bought, borrowed, were gifted, and were given for review.

Our recap!

Reviews:

Shutdown by Heather Anastaisu--blog tour hosted by Itching for Books

Pan's Whisper by Sue Lawson

Intuition by C.J. Omololu

Interviews:

C.J. Omololu

Giveaways:

The Rules of You and Me by Shana Norris

Promos:

Spread the Word 

The Rules of You and Me by Shana Norris

Haven by Laury Falter

WinterHaven Fun:

Teaser Tuesday

Waiting on Wednesday

What landed in our happy hands this week!

For Review:

Stalked by Death by Kelly Hashway

Perfection by J.L. Spelbring

Breaking Glass by Lisa Amowitz

More Than This by Patrick Ness

Losing Hope by Colleen Hoover

Bought:

Spirit and Dust by Rosemary Clement-Moore

*Special thanks to Spencer Hill Press, Candlewick Press, & Atria Books*

Blog Tour (Review & Giveaway): Fall From Love by Heather London

Today, we are excited to join xPresso Book Tours for the Fall From Love Blog Tour. For our stop, we have the book details, a review of this wonderful story and a tour-wide giveaway. Enjoy!

Fall From Love by Heather London
Published May 21st 2013

Purchase Links: Amazon  | Barnes & Noble

Struggling to put her life back together after a tragic mountaineering accident kills her college sweetheart, twenty-one-year-old Holly Treadwell is trying to set aside her grief, forge ahead in school, and find herself again.

When Carter Hansen, a guy who brings back horrible memories from the night of the accident, finds his way back into her life, Holly’s unsure if she should let him in. He terrifies her in more ways than one and invokes feelings in her that she thought were buried forever. Regardless of her fears, she knows she must face him in order for her heart to heal.

Everyone tells Carter that what happened on the mountain that night was just a terrible accident, but even then, he can’t help but carry around the guilt and is unable to forgive himself. He’s drawn to Holly and being near her helps ease his conscience and gives him the release he needs.

As Holly and Carter’s relationship grows, they begin to realize that the more time they spend with one another, the more their wounds begin to heal—her grief and his guilt. But when Holly learns the details about the night of the accident—what everyone has been keeping from her—it will rip open old wounds and tear apart what they’ve both worked so hard to overcome…

My Thoughts
"I can't lose you because most days, you're the only thing holding me together."

What a wonderful story that blends life, love, loss and most importantly friendship to masterfully create an experience that left me feeling hopeful and happy. Heather London did a great job of bridging carefully crafted characters with a realistic plot that was both believable and magical.

In Fall From Love, Holly is about to begin her final year of college when her boyfriend, Adam, of two years suffers from a fatal accident during a mountain rescue. One of Adam's fellow rescue crew is charged with the heavy burden of informing Holly of this tragic accident. When Holly fell apart and Carter attempted to console her, that night began a difficult journey for both of these characters. Holly struggled with overcoming the loss of her boyfriend and Carter festered a guilt over the accident. After months of avoiding each other, circumstances force them to face one another and what begins as a friendship, soon develops into so much more. All of that threatens to fall apart when the details of that tragedy slowly unfold.

Now I have to give it to Heather London for doing a fabulous job of creating that slow building tension between Holly and Carter. Their stops and starts, and mainly their friendship, ultimately made their love feel real. They each carried some difficult burdens on their shoulders and my heart ached for both of them as they tried to put the pieces of their lives back together.

"For some reason, hearing her voice and seeing her face is the only thing that seems to pull me out of the darkness." ~Carter

"The one thing I know for sure is that Carter brings up old memories and forces me to face things that I want to bury forever. I know that in order to get on with my life, though, I am going to have to face those memories... and that means facing him." ~Holly

The secondary characters including Josh and Jenna were a great balance to the story because they brought the right amount of levity needed to lighten up some tense moments. They were both great friends to Holly and Carter and I enjoy seeing how the dynamics between the four played out.

Overall, Heather London managed to captivate me with her story and I can't wait to try another novel by this author. I truly enjoyed Fall From Love. Well done!

"I've learned that you've got to grab hold of the people you love and love them every second that you can because you never know when it will be their last, or yours." ~Holly

4 Snowflakes

About the Author

Heather London is a young adult and new adult author who loves to write stories full of romance, fantasy, and science fiction. She is a lover of only the finest of coffee and premium craft beer, but will settle for anything chocolate, regardless of its quality. Heather lives with her husband in Dallas, TX where she is currently working hard on her next project.

Follow this Author

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

Don't forget to enter the tour-wide giveaway for a chance to win a signed paperback copy of Fall From Love by Heather London. This giveaway is open internationally.  See rafflecopter for details.

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WinterHaven is not responsible for selecting or contacting the winner, nor distributing any prize. This giveaway is being hosted by xPresso Books Tours and Heather London. You may review the rafflecopter for details or contact the tour host.

Spread the Word!

WinterHaven Books is teaming up with Jess Watkins to spread the word to help sick Teens with Cancer. 

Waiting on Wednesday, #42

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases we can't wait to get our hands on.

Here's my selection for this week...

Uncharted by Tracey Garvis-Graves

Expected Publication: July 2, 2013

Publisher: Penguin

Tracey Garvis Graves - and Anna and T.J. - return in this companion novella to the New York Times bestseller On the Island

When twenty-three-year-old dot-com millionaire Owen Sparks walked away from his charmed life, he had one goal in mind: get as far away as possible from the people who resented his success, or had their hand out for a piece of it. A remote uncharted island halfway around the world seemed like a perfectly logical place to get away from it all.


Calia Reed wasn't part of Owen's plans. The beautiful British girl - on holiday in the Maldives with her brother, James - made Owen wonder if getting away from it all might be a lot more enjoyable with a carefree girl who didn't know anything about the life he left behind.


But Owen had no idea how much his carefully detailed plans would go awry. Nor did he realize that a decision he made would have such a catastrophic effect on two passengers who boarded a plane in Chicago.


And when Owen shows up at Anna and T.J.'s door with an incredible story to tell, everyone involved will learn just how much their lives are intertwined.

At the risk of melting some snowflakes here at WinterHaven, I just had to spotlight Unchartered for this week's WoW. I love.love.loved Tracey Garvis-Graves first novel "On the Island," and if this book is anything like her first, I know I'll be locking myself in my room with this story. I can't wait for this second book by an author that left an impact on me almost a year ago. Also, to hear we get a glimpse of Covet in this book... I'm even more excited!! I can't wait to get my hands on this book!!

Sooo, what book are you waiting on? Be sure to link me up!

Blog Tour Review: Shutdown by Heather Anastaisu

Today WinterHaven Books is participating in the blog tour for Shutdown by Heather Anastasiu hosted by Itching for Books. We have a very special giveaway to share with you as well so don't forget to check that out!

Shutdown (Glitch #3) by Heather Anastaisu

Publisher: St. Martins Griffin

Release Date: July 2, 2013

Purchase: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

The battle is all but over, and hope seems to be lost. Zoe and her fellow Resistance fighters are on the run, having lost their home, their protection, and their leader. They are outnumbered and outmatched by the powerful corporation that controls the world, and the cruel Chancellor is inches away from completing a scheme that would kill most of humanity. Zoe's only remaining option is to chase the impossible dream of upending the Link system, freeing the world from the hardware that controls their thoughts and emotions, and hope it will trigger a revolution.

The plot requires a nearly impossible mission to infiltrate the dangerous Community, and it is a task that Zoe must unfortunately complete alone. With challenges and surprises at every turn, nothing goes according to plan. Adrien's visions of the future now show two possible outcomes: one in which they succeed, and one in which humanity falls. It all lies in Zoe's hands.

Full of romance, high-adrenaline action and shocking twists, Shutdown is a heart-pounding conclusion to an exciting sci-fi adventure trilogy for young adults.

The thrilling conclusion to an action-packed sci-fi trilogy

My Thoughts:
This was a great conclusion to what has become one of my favorite series of all time.  Heather Anastasiu delivers a stunning ending that leaves her readers filled with hope for her characters and the world that she created.

Shutdown takes off almost right where Override left off.  Zoe is now the head of the Rez and nothing is as it was before.  Everything is slowly falling apart and her attempt at a mission that would free the drones fails.  She isn't sure how she will end the war and save the millions of people that need her help.  To go along with this pressure Adrien, her love, has just come back after being rescued from the Chancellor only he isn't who he once was.  After enduring endless torture Adrien has no feelings anymore, he remembers the past but he just has no emotions toward these memories.  That is tough for Zoe since he was the one that taught her how to love. Zoe has to find a way to save her people and make Adrien love her again, not so simple.

I love this authors writing.  With just a few simple words I was completely sucked into the story again and I didn't stop reading until I read the very last word.  This never happens to me.  Typically I put a book down to think, but I just couldn't with this one.  I had to know what was going to happen it was all too important.

Even though I truly did love this book I did feel there were a few storyline points that I wished had been different.  One was the resolution between Zoe and Adrien.  I really wanted more from that conclusion and in the end it all felt a bit rushed. I understand what the point was, but I really wanted more discussion between the two.  Adrien was different and that needed to be addressed more.

Another small point that bothered me was Max and his conclusion.  Now I know these all have to do with the main characters, but in the overall story these things really did seem minor to me.  For Max I really wanted something different for him. I really can't go into what happens to him or really anything about his scenes, but if you read this you will understand.  I think this book felt a little rushed and that is why they endings weren't what I had expected.  Well let me clarify, the endings I guess don't really bother me its just the lead up to those endings.  I wanted more explanations and more interaction that dealt with the relationship problems.  I think if there had been more of those scenes I would have understood the conclusions a little better.

With all of that being said I really did enjoy the story and the writing.  It was a great ending to the overall story and like I said it leaves me with hope and a feeling of closure with the characters.  What they all went through was not easy and what they have to look forward to next won't be easy, but in the end I really couldn't have asked for a better ending.

4 snowflakes

About the Author:

  Heather Anastasiu grew up in Texas and recently moved to Minneapolis with her family. When she's not busy getting lost exploring the new city, she spends most days writing at a café or daydreaming about getting a new tattoo.

Website / Twitter

Other books in the Glitch series:

For this blog tour we are excited to share an amazing tour wide giveaway!  One lucky reader will win all three books in the Glitch series!  Just fill out the rafflecopter form below!
Good luck!

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New Release & Giveaway: The Rules of You and Me by Shana Norris

The Rules of You and Me by Shana Norris 

Release Date: June 17, 2013
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Hannah Cohen has always lived her life by a set of carefully constructed rules to maintain the image of perfection. But now, the rules aren't helping control the chaos that is quickly taking over.

Opting out of spending the summer in Paris with her mom, Hannah instead heads to the mountains of North Carolina to stay with her aunt. The Blue Ridge Mountains provide a barrier between Hannah and the rest of the world, a safe haven where her secrets can be forgotten.

When Hannah crosses paths with Jude Westmore, a guy who hangs a different shirt from the tree in his front yard every day, she finds herself breaking out of the comfort of her rules and doing things she had never dared before. As the summer passes, Hannah and Jude grow closer and make up their own rules for dealing with life.

But when the secret Hannah has tried to forget is finally revealed, even the new rules can't save her from possibly losing everything--including Jude.

This young adult romance is a standalone companion novel to Shana Norris's The Boyfriend Thief.

Book Excerpt

I caught sight of a shirt hanging from the same tree on the corner again and I slowed to a stop on the empty street to study it. It could have been just a shirt that was hung there and forgotten, maybe leftover from a yard sale. But I could have sworn that the shirt I’d seen before was red plaid. Today, a blue button up shirt hung from the tree branch, the sleeves flapping back and forth in the wind.

My gaze focused just beyond the tree and I saw a familiar dusty gray truck parked in the driveway of the house. The hood was up and as I watched, a figure emerged from the other side of the truck, wiping his hands on a dirty rag.

Jude Westmore. Shirtless.

He obviously didn’t spend his spare time laying around on the couch watching TV. Lightly muscled arms led up to a pair of broad shoulders that met a chiseled chest and abs. He had the kind of tan you got from working outside in the sun. The tattoo on his arm was a band, some kind of tribal design that wrapped around a nicely shaped bicep.

I leaned forward, my hands gripping the steering wheel until my fingers started to tingle.

BEEP!

I jumped back, slamming the back of my head against my seat and held my hands up away from the steering wheel. My gaze darted back toward the gray truck, hoping by some miracle he hadn’t heard me accidentally blare my car horn at him.

But no such luck. Jude straightened, shielding his eyes with one hand as he looked directly at me. Would I look too much like a stalker if I sped away? Did he remember that this was my car?

I lifted one hand and gave a small wave. I didn’t know what else to do.

About the Author

Most days, Shana Norris still feels like she's stuck at sixteen, which is probably why she enjoys writing about teens. She lives in a small town in eastern North Carolina with her husband and small zoo of pets, which currently includes two dogs, five cats, and five chickens.

Follow this Author

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Be sure to fill out the rafflecopter for a chance to win (1) eBook copy of The Rules of You and Me. Books will be available in mobi and epub formats. Open international.  Giveaway rules and details are listed in the Terms & Conditions section of Rafflcopter.

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Teaser Tuesday, #34

 

Welcome to Teaser Tuesdays! Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: Grab your current read Open to a random page Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teaser Tuesday is for the following...

 

 

Indelible by Dawn Metcalf

Expected Publication Date: July 30, 2013

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

 

Teasers from ARC pages 187 & 183

 

"Why in the world are you wearing your Bloat Pants to school?" She asked. "Might as well stand up on the table and announce you're packin' Tampax."

 

"When I saw that you were hurt, I felt it--" he tapped his chest  "--here." Ink's voice trembled like a plucking string. "I still do."

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Teaser Tuesdays post, or share your ‘teasers’ in a comment here if you don’t have a blog Thanks!

Review: Pan's Whisper by Sue Lawson

Pan's Whisper by Sue Lawson

Published: October 1, 2011

Publisher: Walker Books

When you’re fighting to forget, what would make you remember?

Pan Harris is brash, loud and damaged. Ordered into foster care, Pan is full of anger at the mother who abandoned her, and the older sister who kept her from her father. Pan is certain that she knows the reality of her past – until she meets Hunter, the boy who understands her story better than anyone else, and who just may be the key to unlocking the truth of Pan’s memories. But are some memories best left forgotten? And is Hunter worth Pan breaking her most important rule – Never. Trust. Anyone.

My Thoughts

Let me just say upfront that I’m probably not going to have much to say about this book because I know I’ll run the risk of sounding repetitive. Maybe I should qualify that statement by clarifying that Pan’s Whisper is written by Sue Lawson, an Australian author. For those of you that know my reading preferences and the fact that I declared Aussie books as their own genre in 2011 that should say heaps about how I felt about this story.

I loved it to pieces! The characters felt real, the storyline was full of raw emotion, and as soon as I turned to the last page of this book I immediately missed just about everyone in this book.

I want to tell Pan she’s not self-absorbed and her erratic jumping to conclusions is okay by me… I understand. I want to know that Morgan will be okay. I want to just say to Hunter that he’s a great guy and an awesome friend to those that need him. I want to hug that little hurricane Zara and tell her to settle down and relax, she’s safe. Oh! And I want to wish Livia good luck on her play. See, that’s what Aussie books make me feel… connected to the story and Pan’s Whisper is no exception.

A must read for those that love Aussie perfection. It was everything I expected and more. That is all...

5 Snowflakes

New Release: Haven (Apocalypse Chronicles, Part I) by Laury Falter

Haven (Apocalypse Chronicles, Part I) by Laury Falter 

Release date: June 22, 2013
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Haven, the first book in the Apocalypse Chronicles...

On an ordinary day in early September, Kennedy Shaw leaves for school unaware that within a few minutes the world she knows will be gone - succumbed to an outbreak of epidemic proportions. After finding a safe haven inside the security of her enclosed high school, she learns that four others have survived, one being a bold, mysterious transfer student from Texas whose unruffled demeanor harbors more than a cool interest in her. As they struggle to survive the dead fighting their way inside, will Kennedy discover there is more to life than survival? And will she and the others find a way to live in this terrifying new world?

Book Excerpt

"I'm different, Kennedy." Those words seemed to sting as they left his beautiful lips.

"We're all different, Harrison. I have steel throwing stars in my pocket, and I know how to use them. Do you know any other eighteen-year-olds who do that?  You asked that same question this morning, remember? Not one. Not a single one." I paused to meet his stare directly, ensuring my last point was heard. "I don't think you're any more different than the rest of us."

He laughed under his breath. "You don't now, but you will eventually."

In a way that made me think he was trying to prove his point, he opened the refrigerator door wide, so that I could clearly see inside. It was stocked, but not with fruit, vegetables, and Yoo-Hoo drinks. Bags of raw meat were crammed into every shelf and drawer available. That was it, just bags of raw meat. He began shoving as many of them as he could fit into his duffel bag, stuffing it so tightly it couldn't zip closed. When he straightened up and turned, he discovered that I hadn't moved.

"You underestimate me," I said.

He seemed surprised that I wasn't bowled over by his brazen display of how odd he was. "Why are you so determined to like me?" he countered.

"Why are you so determined to push me away?"

"Like you do with others?" he retorted, striking at the one thing he knew I couldn't deny.

My only response was to press my lips together as the uncomfortable silence stretched between us.

Obviously, he'd seen me sitting alone in the library during lunch and he knew that I was short on friends. I was also pretty sure he'd heard my story through one of the many strings of gossip that seemed to surround me. He laughed under his breath again, this time with thick sarcasm. "We are similar, Kennedy. We keep to ourselves, preserving that preciously safe space around us, denying others entry. We make it painful for others so they won't think about invading it. We make ourselves invisible or unreceptive so they won't consider trying. I've watched you do it for a year. But we do this for different reasons. You do it so that others can't hurt you. I do it so that I can't hurt others." He slung the duffel bag over his shoulder effortlessly despite the weight it held.

"So that's it?" I said, causing him to halt. He kept his back to me as I asked, "That's why you never asked me out, why you're being…reticent now? You think you can hurt me."

His shoulders lifted as he drew in a deep breath. "Kennedy," he exhaled wearily, "it's the only reason that could keep me from you."

About the Author

Laury Falter is the author of the bestselling Guardian Trilogy. She writes young adult paranormal romances and urban fantasy when she's not taking her stray dogs for a walk or enjoying a date night with her husband.

Laury has released two series, the Guardian Trilogy and the Residue Series (a spinoff of the Guardian Trilogy books), and is currently releasing her third series, the Apocalypse Chronicles.

To learn more about Laury and her novels, visit her at:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads