“Do you love me?" I asked gravely. Title: Downcast Author: Cait Reynolds Publisher: Booktrope Publication Date: May 28th, 2015 Genre: YA,Paranormal, Mythology Format: eARC My Rating: 4/5 stars Blurb: What would you do when faced with an impossible truth? Written with heart and passion, Downcast by Cait Reynolds is ripe with twists you never saw coming and love that defies the odds in this intense new Paranormal Romance retelling one of mythology’s greatest love stories. It’s the start of Stephanie Starr’s senior year of high school, but sadly, this is no life of the prom queen. Stuck at the bottom of the high school social totem pole, Stephanie is forced by her domineering mother to wear lumpy linen dresses and eat organic tofu for lunch in a world of mini-skirts and pizza. What Stephanie doesn’t anticipate is gorgeous and cocky Haley Smith who breaks social convention and pursues her with a determination that is both terrifying and flattering. Afraid that Haley is simply trying to set her up for massive humiliation, Stephanie does her best to push him away. But the more attention he pays to her, the more she runs, and the more everyone else begins to notice. Instead of a loving family to support her as the mean girls make their play, Stephanie’s mother begins to unravel mentally, her possessiveness of Stephanie spiraling to new and frightening extremes. Stephanie is forced to grow up, find herself, and learn the truth about her past in order to save her mother, her friends, and her town. When the truth is revealed, nothing can prepare her for the outrageous reality of her existence…and nothing can save her from her fate. Except Haley. My Review: I received an eARC from the author in exchange with my honest review. Up until the first 20% of the book, I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy it. BUT, I definitely liked Downcast ! So if you are one of those people who give up on a book easily, keep on reading ! Trust me, you will miss out on a lot of the creativity that has been poured into this book ! The story begins with a typical high school girl who has an over protective mom, basically 2 friends, and of course belongs to the bottom class in the so called Popularity. Things becomes more interesting when two new boys arrive, and everything begins to change. One of my favorite things in this book is the description. The way nature was described , or symbolized something else was magnificent. Once Haley appears in the picture, I was not able to put the book down. Not just because of the romance in this book is perfect, but also the series of events that follows are so thrilling. Since it was a retelling, you can make predictions on how the story ends, but Cait takes a very creative road to reach that end. I absolutely liked Downcast, and I can't wait to read next book in the series ! I give it 4/5 stars Top Ten List Cait's Favorite Creatures of the Greek Underworld The most interesting thing about the Greek concept of the “Underworld” is that it isn’t “Hell” in a traditional Judeo-Christian sense. Oh, sure, there were parts of the Underworld that had the requisite boiling oil and everlasting torture, but like any good European trip, you had to go through the whole rigmarole of customs and immigration before checking in to your assigned destination. Everybody who dies goes to the Underworld. It’s like a New York Times Central Station for the dead. You go there, and then you get sorted as to where you end up. If you are good, you get to go to the Elysian Fields where the blessed dwell in harmony for all eternity (which may include endless feasting in the halls of ancestors, reuniting with lost loves, or just passing the time enjoying the supernatural sunshine). If you’re bad, well, the Underworld has stuff for that, too. The Underworld is in my mind kind of a steampunk-ish mosh pit of all the stuff the ancient Greeks couldn’t figure out how to fit into Olympus or on Earth. This makes it quite the place for wheeling and dealing, and it’s full of creatures and characters with unique motivations and flaws. Where Olympus is bathed in daylight and dressed in white clouds and ropes of sunshine, the Underworld is full of cobblestone shadows, damp, drippy corners, and some pretty over-the-top displays of wealth like the palace of Hades (well, if you rule all the gems and gold in the ground, you might as well flaunt it). My top ten favorite characters of the Greek Underworld are like my favorite misfit children in all of literature. They’re quirky, powerful, strange, a little lonesome, and have a dark sense of humor. Without any further ado, let’s begin. 10. Thanos (Death) – Make no mistake, Hades is the ruler of the Underworld, but he is not Death. Thanos is Death, and it’s just a little creepy that his brother is Sleep. Dreams come from the Underworld, too, according to Greek mythology, so, sleep well tonight. You’re welcome. 9. Charon – He’s the ferryman who takes the souls of the dead across the river to the shores of Tartarus. But, be sure you are buried with your fare money on your lips, or it’s the shadowy shores of twilight forever for you. Charon is busy. Charon doesn’t have time for your excuses. Cousin Anaxander forgot to leave the coins on your lips? Not his problem. Sister Phrygia figured you’d never amounted to much in life, and probably wouldn’t in death, either, so those obols might as well buy her a new ivory hair comb. Charon doesn’t care. 8. Cerberus – You gotta love a three-headed, dragon-tailed immortal guard dog that can be bribed with a nice steak. Seems like dogs don’t really change much, whether they are guarding the “adamantine” gates of Tartarus or begging at the dinner table. Steak will get you everything. 7. The Judges of the Underworld – If only they had live taping back then. Judge Judy and Divorce Court would have been put to shame because everybody came up against Minos, Rhadamanthus, and Aeacus, the judges of the dead. Interesting side note: all three of these guys were sons of Zeus and various mortal women. Seems like a family business if ever I saw one. 6. Minthe – This little trollop of an Underworld nymph had a couple-of-eons stand with Hades and thought she had him hooked. But, when Persephone came along, Hades dropped Minthe like a bad habit. However, girlfriend couldn’t take a hint and started trash-talking Persephone and how Hades was going to get tired of her and come back to her. Funny enough, it was Demeter who got tired of this upstart and turned her into an herb. That’s right. That’s where we get “mint” from. Enjoy that with your next mojito. 5. Hekate – If the weird sisters from Macbeth ever put up fan girl posters in their rooms, it would be of this badass chick. Hekate is the goddess of magic, but don’t make the mistake of thinking of her as some second-tier, stand-in goddess on the sidelines. Hekate knows (quite literally) where it’s at. She is one of the earliest goddesses and one of the most powerful. Even Zeus pays homage to her power and knows to respect this lady. There’s no fooling her, because as a goddess with three faces, you can be sure she’s got at least one eye on you at all times. 4. Hades’ Palace – Okay, technically, this isn’t a character, but it’s one happening place. It’s like the hottest club in the whole Underworld meets the Hotel California, and everyone is wearing togas to the party. The descriptions we know for sure are that the palace is immense and rich, with many gates. There are innumerable guests (aka warriors and heroes who get the privilege of telling the same three stories of their exploits for all eternity…pass the amphora, please), and the party literally never ends. On the upside, that means no hangover in the morning. 3. The Rivers Acheron, Lethe, and Styx – Again, not technically characters in the Underworld, these three bad boys of bodies of water represent sorrow, forgetfulness, and bad hair bands of the 80’s…erm…unbreakable oaths. There’s a lot of stuff about crossing these rivers that’s very deep and philosophical. But, Charon doesn’t care. Forgot about him, did you? Yeah, that’s what they all say, especially your brother-in-law Demetrius when he showed up half a drachma short last year. 2. The Furies – And you thought your aunts were judgy? These three females are some of the most feared mythical beings in all of the Greek pantheon. They are justice visited upon the sinner. If they were to have a logo with a tagline, it would look sometime like a head with snakes for hair (Medusa called, she wants her hairstyle back), with “unceasing, grudging, vengeful destruction” written underneath. Basically, if the Furies are out to get you, you’re screwed. 1. Hades – Of course, I couldn’t leave the very best-thing-since-sliced-bread off this list! Hades as a god is pretty unusual and therefore pretty misunderstood. He’s not death (he’s got Thanos for that). He doesn’t judge the dead (he’s got Minos, Rhadamanthus, and Aeacus for that). He doesn’t even guard the gates to the Underworld (he has the three-headed, steak-loving bowwow for that). He doesn’t mess around with mortals, and aside from a couple of late night bad decisions with Minthe, he doesn’t even have a lover until he takes his queen, Persephone (unlike the rest of the gods who have their own version of ye olde Tinder in mythology). He is strict but fair, and he feels his responsibility deeply for the souls in his care and won’t let anyone mess around with them. Even Zeus. Plus, what’s not to like about dark loner with secrets and the ultimate VIP party going on at his house? About the Author : Cait Reynolds lives in Boston area with her husband and 4-legged fur child. She discovered her passion for writing early and has bugged her family and friends with it ever since. When she isn’t cooking delicious meals, running around the city, rock climbing like a boss, or enjoying the rooftop deck that brings her closer to the stars, she writes. Reynolds is able to pull from real life experiences such as her kidney transplant, and her writing reflects her passion for life from having to face the darkest places and find the will to laugh. Find Cait Online On Twitter On Goodreads
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Title: Engage ( Ignite 2.5) Author: Erica Crouch Publisher: Patchwork Press Publication Date : May 5th, 2015 Genre: Paranormal, YA, Angels and Demons My Rating: 5/5 stars Blurb: Kalaziel is a terrible guardian angel: her temper’s shorter than she is, she swears, she’s missing a wing, and she sees no problem with letting man make their own choices—no matter how questionable. That’s what free will is all about, right? Her overseers disagree. After she mishandles an assignment, Heaven strips Kala of her title and throws her back into training, hoping to reinforce the covenant of vows she swore to uphold as a guardian. But the angels’ motives aren’t as pure as they appear: they want to eradicate any opinions that conflict with Heaven’s code. With a mass cleansing on the horizon, Kala discovers she is not alone in her insubordination; there are other angels who are restless with the stasis of Heaven and ready for change. Progress doesn’t come easily, though, especially when it means uniting ancient enemies to fight for a common cause. Engage is a novella that prequels Kala and Ana’s story in Incite. My Review: I received an eARC of Engage from Parchwork Press via NetGalley in exchange with an honest review. I absolutely loved Klaziel's story ; everything starting from character building to her actions in the book are amazing . I disagree with the fact she is a terrible angel ! How she reacted to a man's choice shows great wisdom. Obviously her Overseers disagree, and this where the story begins. The story focuses on how Kala and Ana met, which I believe was something that all of the Ignite series fans were highly anticipating, and Erica didn't disappoint ! My favorite part was when the angels were falling. Erica was able to depict such a tragic yet beautiful scenery that I kept on replaying in my mind over and over again. I was able to fill a lot of of time gaps, since Engage happens during between both the first book and the first half of the second book. This was really interesting because I got to connect all the pieces of the Ignite puzzle while reading Engage . The book ends with most perfect epilogue that kept me wishing Infinite (Ignite #3) was out already. I really enjoyed reading Engage and gave it 5/5 stars. Haven't Heard About the Series :O ?? Start with Ignite and Incite !
A belated happy book birthday to Erica Crouch and her Novella 'Engage"
Title: Engage ( Ignite 2.5)
Author: Erica Crouch Publisher: Patchwork Press Publication Date : May 5th. 2015 Genre: Paranormal, YA Blurb: Kalaziel is a terrible guardian angel: her temper’s shorter than she is, she swears, she’s missing a wing, and she sees no problem with letting man make their own choices—no matter how questionable. That’s what free will is all about, right? Her overseers disagree. After she mishandles an assignment, Heaven strips Kala of her title and throws her back into training, hoping to reinforce the covenant of vows she swore to uphold as a guardian. But the angels’ motives aren’t as pure as they appear: they want to eradicate any opinions that conflict with Heaven’s code. With a mass cleansing on the horizon, Kala discovers she is not alone in her insubordination; there are other angels who are restless with the stasis of Heaven and ready for change. Progress doesn’t come easily, though, especially when it means uniting ancient enemies to fight for a common cause. Engage is a novella that prequels Kala and Ana’s story in Incite.
About the Author :
Erica Crouch is a young adult and new adult author from Baltimore, Maryland. She has a strange blended aesthetic of cute and spooky, and her books reflect her ever changing mood. (You may find romance, you may find gore—sometimes both in the same book, but probably not at the same time. Probably.) Erica is the cofounder of Patchwork Press, an author-powered publisher of middle grade, young adult, and new adult titles. She is the head of editorial services and design, with over fifty projects to her name. Website • Blog • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads |
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