Teaser Tuesday # 63 REMNANTS by Lisa T. Bergren

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...


REMNANTS (Season of Wonder) by Lisa T. Bergren
Publication Date: April 8, 2014

*Teasers are from an Advanced Readers Copy. Quotes are subject to change in final copy*


Teasers from page: 272

"Angels, huh?" I said.
"You see them too," he said, hope lacing his tone. 
I smiled. "No. But I can feel your emotion, brother. And your heart tells me what my eyes cannot."

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: Darkbound by Scott Tracey

Darkbound by Scott Tracey 
Published- Flux
Released- April 8th 2014
Purchase- Amazon / B & N

Malcolm has seven days to unravel a twenty year old mystery, find a body, capture a killer and keep a demon at arm's length.No one hates being a witch quite like Malcolm. But if there's one thing worse than being a witch, it's being a Moonset witch. There are very few things in his life that he can control, and after a fight with his siblings, he's losing his grip on what he's got left.A creature as old as Hamelin has crept out of the Abyss, and its siren song has infected the teenagers of Carrow Mill compelling them, at first, to simply be swept away in love. But love soon turns dangerous, as passion turns to violence and an army of sociopaths is born.
The Pied Piper isn't just a story, and he's got his eyes set on Malcolm, promising a life of freedom from magic and the shackles of the Moonset bond. As Carrow Mill burns, Malcolm must make the hardest choice of his life: family? Or freedom?

My Thoughts:
Switching point of views are always a little tricky, especially with paranormal genres. 

Once the reader falls in love with a particular voice, it’s sometimes hard to let anyone else in the spotlight. While I'm always curious enough to accept a change in character's perspective, I still go into it a little weary. Moonset, the first book, was told in Justin’s pov and is the reason I really fell for this series. Not only was he easy to connect with, but he had this really sharp way he held himself. Smart but sarcastic witty but warm and while he’s always known that his coven bonded ‘family’ is screwed, he was at least optimistic about it. Malcolm? Not so much.

Going into this book, I must admit, I wasn't prepared for how really dark Malcolm could be. I had known that he liked to rely on his physical strength more then his magical ones, but I didn't know just how much he despises, well, everything. He hates magic and everything that comes with it. He hates the fact that he has to constantly live in the shadows of his parents sins and that he can’t have any kind of normal life. He also hates that he’s stuck to his ‘adopted’ siblings because of some magical coven bond and is against learning how to control it. He’s cynical, jaded and pissed off. He wants his freedom but will it cost him the only family he has?

While I didn't always like Malcolm’s attitude, I still have to admit he was a real force in this one. Tracey knew what he was doing. Malcolm may be the oldest of the Moonset children but not the wises. He had to find his own path and his own way of dealing with the pressures of this magical life he never asked for and struggle with his haunted history that he wants to overcome. Still, this was cleverly done and I ended up really enjoying the darker side of this Moonset teen and his journey of self-worth.

I really loved the plot line, it was very well crafted. Tracey continues to thrive with dedication to historical detail for this world as well as giving us the magical madness that I crave in my books while adding a seriously sadistic Prince demon that was both unhinged and riveting. The storyline was less action packed then the last book, but it’s definitely more suspenseful and fascinating. I loved diving deeper into the history of the original Moonset and the monsters that wrecked havoc during their rein. The Abyssal Prince demon was crazy consuming. He offered Malcolm something that he wants more then anything. His freedom, and for added measure to insure Malcolm see things his way, the Prince started to infect the witches of Carrow Mill with dark spells, twirling the town with deadly seduction and warping their every thought. When one of the Moonset brothers gets hurt, Malcolm has no choice but to make peace with Jenna and work together to find a way to stop the Princes evil doings and uncovers long buried secrets along the way.

Justin, Jenna, Malcom, Cole and Bailey are so much stronger when together. I love how they play off one another in banter and devotion. They were bonded together for a purpose, even if they don’t understand why and it’s those moments I find myself enjoying the most. But for this book, it’s really Malcolm’s story and the journey he needed to take to finally accept what he is and what he has to do. However,  I was surprised that Jenna was featured in this one so closely to Malcolm since these two particular characters don’t really like each other and don’t get along very well, despite them being ‘siblings’. Still, it was really great to see them put their differences aside and work together for the greater good. But I think my favorite part is when all the Moonset children come together, uniting their magic through the coven bond at the end of the story. It was a very defying moment for Malcom, for the reader and what it means for future books. I also really loved the Abyssal Prince. This guy was seriously creepy and unnerving. Tracey wrote him good.

All in all, I really enjoyed myself with Darkbound. The writing is really very smart and I loved that Tracey kept me on my toes throughout the entire story. If you’re looking for a magical read with a unique twist in paranormal, then I would recommend this series as a solid entertaining escape. There is so much more to the story and I look forward to seeing what Tracey has in store next for this world and the Moonset children who can’t escape their fate. Well done!

Find the author:

Goodreads / Website                               4 Snowflakes

Review: The Last Best Kiss by Claire LaZebnik

The Last Best Kiss by Claire LaZebnik
Publisher- Harper Teen 
Released- April 22nd 2014
Pre-Order- Amazon / B & N 

Anna Eliot is tired of worrying about what other people think. After all, that was how she lost the only guy she ever really liked, Finn Westbrook.Now, three years after she broke his heart, the one who got away is back in her life.All Anna wants is a chance to relive their last kiss again (and again and again). But Finn obviously hasn’t forgotten how she treated him, and he’s made it clear he has no interest in having anything to do with her.Anna keeps trying to persuade herself that she doesn’t care about Finn either, but even though they’ve both changed since they first met, deep down she knows he’s the guy for her. Now if only she can get him to believe that, too....

My Thoughts: 
When you like someone, it shouldn't matter what anyone else thinks about him right? That was Anna Elliot's first mistake. She cared to much. Liking Finn Westbrook was easy to Anna. They had an instant connection in 9th grade carpooling to school and eventually they started to date, but Anna wasn't quite ready to share him with her friends yet since he wasn't on the social radar and would be defined as your typical nerd, so Anna kept him her little secret, that is till the dance where she humiliated Finn in front of all her friends. Feeling awful for the way she acted, Anna wanted to make it right between them but never had the chance since Finn’s family moved away that summer, leaving Anna with a heart full of regret and sadness. Fast forward three years later and guess whose back in town? Be gone is the old nerdy Finn with no fashion sense and geeky glasses and is replaced with a taller, brooder, more confident and collected sexy Finn Westbrook and he’s caught the attention of every girl in school, including Anna's best friend. But Finn also hasn't forgotten what Anna did to him, no matter how sorry she was for treating him like an embarrassment. Can Anna prove that she’s grown up since then and can Finn forgive her enough to give her a second chance? Or has the damage already been done?

For the most part, I really enjoyed The Last Best Kiss. The plot was really cute and very realistically portrayed. Everyone at one point in there lives makes mistakes when you’re young and desperate to fit in. Everyone wants to feel accepted and is scared that if you’re dating the loser in school then you won’t be. Everyone has regrets or things they aren't proud of, but it’s what you do to mend those mistakes that really matter. Guilt looked really good on Anna, it’s good for the soul and means there’s hope for her yet. I liked that she owned up to her mistakes and tried to make things right and it was good to see her morals strengthen through her experiences.

Finn was super cute back in 9th grade. He was thoughtful and funny and smart and I really couldn't blame him for being hurt and for how he treated Anna when he came back to school. This was his little way of getting back at Anna and even though he wasn't exactly mean, he was still pretty cold and somehow that makes it even worse. I’m glad he didn't put up that act to long and managed to be civil long enough to be friends again.

Anna and Finn are really quite adorable together, they bring out the best in each other and I really enjoyed their moments throughout the entire novel.

So, I liked the storyline, the writing was strong and the pace and flow was smooth. I liked Anna and I liked Finn, but I had a really hard time liking or connecting with everyone else. Family and friends in any story usually compliments the plot or leaves some sort of impression or impact for the leading characters. Or at the very least, they usually provide some kind of entertainment, support or comic-relief, but in this case, Anna’s family was just terrible and quite strange. Besides her one sister Molly, I found her parents and her other sister Lizzie to be a very negative part of her life. I never understood the bond between their dad and Lizzie and I really don’t understand the whole Ginny thing, it was kinda creepy actually. As for her friends, I didn't find any of them to be very likable either. They all felt fake and into their own drama. It just seemed that Anna didn't really have any stable or solid figure to depend on and yet she was still able to grow and mature enough to own up to her mistakes and change into the person she wants to be.

With that said, this may not be a favorite, but I still thought this was a cute and sweet book. It’s an easy quick read that takes you back to when you were young and acceptance was a pretty scary word. Claire LaZebnik delivers a strong message about peer pressure, self discovery, regrets, forgiveness and second chances with strong voices and a heartwarming plot that a lot of readers will be able to relate to. All in all, a decent read.  

Find the author:

Goodreads  / Website                                3 Snowflakes 

Review: Daughter of Chaos by Jen McConnel

Daughter of Chaos by Jen McConnel
Publisher: Month9Books
Release Date: March 25, 2014

Witches must choose the path they will follow, and Darlena Agara is no exception. She’s been putting it off long enough, and in her case, ignoring it has not made it go away. In a moment of frustration, Darlena chooses to follow Red Magic, figuring she had outsmarted the powers that be, since there’s no such thing as Red Magic. But alas, Darlena’s wrong (again) and she becomes a newly declared Red Witch.

Her friends are shocked and her parents horrified by the choice Darlena has made. As a Red Witch, she now governs one third of the world’s chaos. She is the walking personification of pandemonium, turmoil, and bedlam, just as the patrons of Red Magic would have it to be.

But Darlena believes there must be more to Red Magic than chaos and destruction, and she sets out on a journey to achieve balance. Only doing so puts her at odds with the dark goddess Hecate, who simply will not allow Darlena to quit. She encourages Darlena to embrace who and what she is and to leave good magic to the good witches. If only Darlena could, life would be simple, and she would not be the Daughter of Chaos.

My Thoughts:
This book and I have a love/hate relationship.  There were a few things that I loved, but there were a lot of things that just didn't work at all for me and I am left feeling kinda ho hum about it all. 

Darlena is a witch and when the time comes for her to declare a path for her studies she chooses Red thinking that the made up path will give her time to figure out what she really wants to do.  Unfortunately for her Red is real and not only is real but very dangerous.  Now she is front and center in a battle with the most powerful witch Hecates and hardly anybody on her side.  Darlena must figure out how to control her new magic and also stay alive without killing anybody else.

This story really had great promise.  I loved the beginning and I thought wow this is going to be good.  I love Greek myth and so I was thrilled with all the myth that was sure ot come my way.  After the first chapter though things kinda fell flat.  Darlena wasted more time and energy hoping that everything was a dream and would just go away.  I wanted her to fight for answers and learn what she needed to learn.  Basically just own what she chose and make it work for her even if she had to stand up to all the big bad goddesses. 

Unfortunately she didn't do this and the story felt like a lot of filler.  We would get glimpses of this chaos causing magic, but that was really only in the first few chapters.  The majority of the story centered around Darlena trying to get her ex boyfriend to love her and trying to make everything just disappear.  Even when the story would finally switch back to magic I wasn't very impressed. The things that Darlena did I wouldn't say were chaos.  Two things she chose to do stopped chaos, but all the practicing she did was really just ordinary magic that her parents could do.  I didn't understand what made her magic different from any others especially after it was revealed others could use some of the same powers only she was supposed to be able to use.

I wasn't fond of the romance either.  Justin was fine as the love interest but it all just didn't fit.  I guess it was just the timing of it all.  It took up too much of the story and I honestly screamed at Darlena for what she did mid way through the book..  What she did was unforgivable in my book and I was mad at her for going that far. 

I think though that this might have worked if the story was more of a contemporary novel.  If you drop all the magic aspects you have a romance that is angsty, a female lead that needs help solving a life changing puzzle, a best friend who her parents don't approve of, and a crazy family that always wants something from her.  See sounds contemporary right?  I might have enjoyed it if it were written that way but as it is I just wasn't that into it.

Oh and one more thing her parents! I am so sick of all these parents just running for their lives and letting their teenagers save them.  My gawd you are supposed to protect your children at all costs don't run!  I would have preferred for her parents to die protecting her than see them just turn and run.  I had a few problems with her parents but this was my main one. 

I am going with 2 snowflakes...1 for the first chapter and all its creepiness and 1 for the fun myth that was woven throughout the story.

2 snowflakes

Review: Half Bad (Half Life, #1) by Sally Green

Half Bad (Half Life, #1) by Sally Green
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Release date: March 4, 2014
Purchase: Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Half Bad by Sally Green is a breathtaking debut novel about one boy's struggle for survival in a hidden society of witches.

You can't read, can't write, but you heal fast, even for a witch.

You get sick if you stay indoors after dark.

You hate White Witches but love Annalise, who is one.

You've been kept in a cage since you were fourteen.

All you've got to do is escape and find Mercury, the Black Witch who eats boys. And do that before your seventeenth birthday.

Easy.

My Thoughts:
I loved this! Will it be for everybody no, but if you are looking for something a little out there and not the norm then this is for you. I am always on the lookout for books that are different and Half Bad was definitely that. With its interesting storyline and amazingly fun writing style this book delivered in more ways than one.

Nathan is a witch. Not an ordinary witch though, he is part black witch. This puts him in dangerous category that could wind up killing him. After basically being kidnapped he sets out on a journey to find the one person who can help him. This person though is evil and all signs say that Nathan should just run away, but the inevitable happens and BOOM things go from crazy to just downright explosive.

When this book first started I thought it was from a girls POV so I was shocked to learn it was actually a guys. Especially considering the setting of that first chapter. I loved the way it started too. It was so creepy and dark and intense!! Ms. Green did an amazing job setting up the story and drawing the reader in. I was hooked by page 2! I really liked Nathans voice. It was strong and he did what he needed to do to get what he wanted. He isn't the sharpest pencil in the box, but what he lacks in knowledge he makes up for in courage. I rooted for him right up til the end and I so desperately wanted a certain romance to work out. I still have my hope though since there will be a sequel. Nathan is just the type of character that you root for.

The writing I will admit might turn some people off but I love this writing style. I'm not sure what it is called, but I have read a few other books that are similar (Mind Games by Kiersten White) and it just really works for me. I don't as much filler throughout with this type of writing and that makes the book feel like a fast moving train with no end in sight.

One thing and I am sure it is probably just me, but with the whole bad witch/good witch and magic users/non-magic users I kinda got a Harry Potter type vibe. Nathan is even bullied by his sister and well it all just felt influenced by Rowling. Is this a bad thing, not really I did enjoy the Potteresque stuff and there was enough original ideas to make the story stand on its own. I just feel like I should say something that way its out there and well if anybody else feels the same way you know you aren't alone.

This was a great start to what I know will be an amazing series. I cannot wait to get my hands on the sequel!

4 snowflakes