Review: Another Little Piece By Kate Karyus Quinn

Another Little Piece by Kate Karyus Quinn
Published by HarperTeen on June 11, 2013
Pages: 432
two-stars

The spine-tingling horror of Stephen King meets an eerie mystery worthy of Sara Shepard’s Pretty Little Liars series in Kate Karyus Quinn’s haunting debut.

On a cool autumn night, Annaliese Rose Gordon stumbled out of the woods and into a high school party. She was screaming. Drenched in blood. Then she vanished.

A year later, Annaliese is found wandering down a road hundreds of miles away. She doesn’t know who she is. She doesn’t know how she got there. She only knows one thing: She is not the real Annaliese Rose Gordon.

Now Annaliese is haunted by strange visions and broken memories. Memories of a reckless, desperate wish . . . a bloody razor . . . and the faces of other girls who disappeared. Piece by piece, Annaliese’s fractured memories come together to reveal a violent, endless cycle that she will never escape—unless she can unlock the twisted secrets of her past.

As I sat down to write this, I kind of felt like I had a brick sitting in my stomach. I dreaded writing this review. But what it came down to was: this book fell way below my expectations. Maybe because I had heard so many wonderful things about it, or maybe because everyone was giving it 4 and 5 stars – or maybe both. I thought to myself, “What’s wrong with me? Why I don’t I like this book, when everyone else seems to?”

The book is described as “spine-tingling horror” and an “eerie mystery.” I didn’t think it was either of those. If anything, it was choppy and confusing. The poems were annoying. I’ve never been good at interpreting poetry, so they just felt like a distraction and like I was missing something by not understanding them. The memories, too, were confusing; they came out of nowhere, sometimes with no warning, and it was hard to distinguish present-day vs. past life memory. I wish these sections had been better distinguished from the present-day parts of the story.

The memories also felt so scattered. They happen often, yet are too vague to piece together. I feel like the memories are the places where we should learn a lot and, maybe collectively, we do. But taking each individual memory, they’re just confusing interruptions into the story.

Dex was my favorite part, and I actually did really enjoy his role in the story. His relationship with Anna is grim and twisted, yet oddly perfect. For some reason, I feel the urge to compare Dex and Anna to Romeo and Juliet. I don’t know if that fits, but it is what comes to mind for me. However, as much as I love Dex, his part in the story was not enough to make up for the confusing story as a whole.

The ending was so confusing (Notice a pattern?). I have way too many questions – Even if there was going to be a sequel (which, I have no clue…), and the ending was purposely left open-ended for said sequel, I still feel it’s just too scattered and has too many loose ends.

Overall, I was really disappointed. I went into this book, excited to read it and excited to see what so many people were gushing about. Maybe my expectations were too high, and that’s why I feel so let down? Either way, I struggled to get through this book, almost from page one. I didn’t enjoy it and I don’t agree with the description. There were so many other little things that bugged me, but I feel bad enough that I had to write such a negative review. So I’ll just leave it at that.

15 Day Book Blogger Challenge: Day 3

Jul11

The 15 Day Book Blogger Challenge is hosted by Good Books and Good Wine. The third challenge on the list: Who are your blogging BFFs?

I almost didn’t participate in the Day 3 Challenge, because I’ve only been blogging for two weeks and I don’t know if I’m qualified to answer this. But then I realized, so many amazing people have helped me out in these last two weeks, that to NOT do this challenge would feel – to me at least – like I was snubbing them. Without the support and advice of the following people, Pandora’s Books would never have happened:

(In no particular order)

1. Nikki from Fiction Freak. Honestly, I’m terrible at designs, HTML, Photoshop, etc. I’ve been practicing and getting better. But if it hadn’t been for Nikki, who offered to help me get started, this blog would NOT exist right now. She designed the beautiful background and all the essentials. All I did were the posts themselves, and some of the side-bar things. She also designed the GORGEOUS blog button for me. So, thank you Nikki!!! Seriously, I don’t think you realize how grateful I am!

2. Monica at Cover Analysis. Monica was so friendly and welcoming, just chatting about random things, sometimes blog-related. She was the first comment I ever got on my blog, and that meant a lot – even if it sounds silly! So thank you, Monica, for being awesome!

3. Emily at On Emily’s Bookshelf. I don’t know what it is, but Emily and I just clicked and we constantly email each other and chat about random things. It’s awesome to have someone to just rant to, so I really appreciate that! Thanks for reading my really long, babble-filled emails and still responding!

4. Tahereh at Books As You Know It. Another friendly, welcoming blogger who was always there to just talk about random book-related and blog-related things. She’s also always so great when I have questions, especially when they’re silly!

5. Stacee at Adventures of a Book Junkie. Ohhhh, Stacee probably regrets saying I could go to her whenever I had questions! I’ve been bugging her like crazy the last few days, but I seriously, with every fiber of my being, appreciate it! You’ve been awesome!! And if you ever get tired of me, just tell me to shut up!

I know there are a few others who have been incredibly awesome and kind, and I’m probably missing so many of you! Honestly, the book blogging community is so welcoming and helpful, if I tried to name everyone, I’d have a list 15-people long.

Quick shout-outs to others who have been either helpful, welcoming, or both:

Rachael at The Book Muncher
Hafsah at Icey Books
Kate at Froze8’s Blog
Stormy C at Book Blog Bake
Meredith at Meredith’s Musings

And again, to anyone I missed, you all rock and thank you so, so much for making me feel so welcome!

So, who are your Blogger BFFs? Share it with me in the comments below!

(PS: If I messed up your blog name or link, let me know and I’ll fix it ASAP!)

Waiting on Wednesday (#3): Perfect Lies by Kiersten White

Jul10

Hey everyone. Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine. Its purpose is to highlight upcoming releases that we’re dying to get our hands on.

Title: Perfect Lies (Mind Games #2)
Author: Kiersten White
Release Date: February 2014

The sisters have been manipulated and controlled by the Keane Foundation for years, trapped in a never ending battle for survival. Now they have found allies who can help them truly escape. After faking her own death, Annie has joined a group that is plotting to destroy the Foundation. And Fia is working with James Keane to bring his father down from the inside.

But Annie’s visions of the future can’t show her who to trust in the present. And though James is Fia’s first love, Fia knows he’s hiding something. The sisters can rely only on each other – but that may not be enough to save them.

I’m a big Kiersten White fan, have been since the beginning. I read the Paranormalcy Trilogy when it first came out, and I completely loved Mind Games. I thought it was raw and emotional. How can you not like a book about supernatural espionage? I felt so bad for Fia and Annie, but even more so for Fia. The ending blew my mind, so I’m really excited to read this thrilling conclusion to the duology. I just don’t know how I’m going to make it to February…

15 Day Book Blogger Challenge: Day 2

Jul10

The 15 Day Book Blogger Challenge is hosted by Good Books and Good Wine. The second challenge on the list: What’s Your Bedtime Reading Routine?

First, something you guys need to understand: I’m still living home and my mom and I are very close – always have been. So at the end of the day, once errands, chores, dinner, clean-up, etc are done (usually between 7pm – 8pm), she and I sit in the living room to watch TV and read – Our way of de-stressing after a long day. So I do a lot of reading at night to begin with, prior to my bedtime routine.

With that said, I actually used to have a set bedtime reading routine. I would come to bed anywhere between 10pm and 12:30am. I would get my room ready for bed first (Fix the sheets, mark the day off on the calendar, straighten up if my room my messy). Then, after doing whatever I needed to do on the computer, I’d settle in on my bed with my book, comfy pillows and, even in the summer, some big, soft blankets. Once I was all settled in, I’d read until my eyes were blurry and I had to re-read pages to take it in, until I couldn’t remember what I’d just read. And then I’d put my book away and go right to sleep. Usually, this was anywhere from 1am – 3am.

Then, something weird happened. All of a sudden, I was just really tired all the time. I still can’t figure out why, but I was exhausted and I was coming to bed and just going to sleep by 10pm, 10:30pm… Usually, no later than 11pm. I was basically too tired to read once I finished my bedtime routine, and fell right to sleep.

So, I kind of got out of the habit of reading before bed. Don’t get me wrong, I still read while sitting in the living room, usually for several hours. But not right before bed anymore. Now-a-days, I usually don’t go to bed until 2am or 3am, but I’ve been distracted a lot by Twitter and this beautiful blog, so I tend to tool around on the computer until I’m tired and go to sleep.

Except, guess what? I’ve been sleeping terribly lately, and I’m starting to wonder if taking reading out of my bedtime routine is the culprit. Starting tomorrow (possibly tonight…) I’ve decided I’m going to try to incorporate reading back into my bedtime routine, and see if I start sleeping better.

I’ll keep you posted, guys! Now, tell me, what is your bedtime reading routine? Share it with me in the comments below!

15 Day Book Blogger Challenge: Day 1

Jul9

The 15 Day Book Blogger Challenge is hosted by Good Books and Good Wine. The first challenge on the list: Make 15 Book Related Confessions.

So here are mine, in no particular order:

1. In love triangles that include the MC, the friend she’s known for years and the new guy, I almost always root for the friend. So far, there’s only ever been one exception to that.

2. I’m a big fan of trilogies.

3. I used to judge books by their covers, but I’m trying really hard not to. From entering so many giveaways lately, and from the short time I’ve been blogging, I’ve received/heard of books that I otherwise might not have read based on their covers, and I’m really glad I have the opportunity to read them now.

4. If I buy the first book in a series in hardcover, I have to have them all in hardcover – it’s just the way I stack the books on my shelves. But if book one is paperback, then I don’t care what format I buy the others in. If I’m being totally honest, I prefer all hardcover.

5. I’m still not a huge fan of eBooks. Recently, I’ve bought a LOT of books, and I’m running out of room, so I’m starting to see the sense in it, but I’m stubborn and I really don’t want to jump on the bandwagon yet. I do have an iPad with a Kindle app, though, and I did recently buy three eBooks…

6. I’m really not into silly love stories. I don’t mind romance as part of a book, but I can’t really stand books that revolve around romance. It needs more substance than that for me, some kind of major conflict, drama, horror elements, something.

7. When I was younger, I made the mistake of trying to tell some classmates (we were doing group work) that I liked to read and write books about aliens, ghosts, and vampires — Needless to say, I got made fun of. Despite being involved on Twitter, Goodreads, and now with blogging, I still get embarrassed when people ask me/see what I’m reading. The humiliation has been hard to shake

8. When buying books, I’m insanely anal about making sure the book is in PERFECT condition. I’ll pick up and examine every single copy to make sure I’m getting the best one. When reading the book jacket, I’m careful not to crack the spine AT ALL. It’ll happen eventually, but I don’t want it to happen until I’ve started reading it.

9. I won’t pay full price for a book. Especially from Barnes & Noble. I’ll wait until I have coupons, and I usually shop online. I love the Strand in NYC, but I don’t get there often.

10. I have a bookcase headboard where I keep my TBR pile. I have three distinct piles that I separate the TBR pile into: “Immediate Reads,” “Once I’m done with Immediate Reads,” and “Whenever I get to it.” And I get upset when the three piles overflow into each other – that means I’m WAY behind and need to catch up, ASAP.

11. I had the privilege of going to books signings for Stephenie Meyer (Twilight) and Cecily Von Ziegesar (Gossip Girl) before anyone really knew who they were, so the crowds were smaller and the signings more personal. Both were incredible experiences that I will treasure forever.

12. I AM a Twilight fan. I bought Twilight the first week it was released, before it got so popular. When people ask me if I’m a fan, sometimes I still feel embarrassed to say yes. I try not to, I try to be proud of my reading choices, but sometimes insecurities rear their ugly head (See confession #7).

13. Even if I don’t enjoy a book, I’ll finish it. I’ve only not finished maybe 3 or 4 books in my entire life, and I feel too guilty when I don’t finish a book, so I just try not to do it.

14. I feel guilty when I get rid of books. I try to give them to the library, but then I regret it after. I also feel guilty when I buy new books, despite having so many I still haven’t read. Especially when I think about the books I gave to the library. I could have read those, but instead I bought new ones… Immense guilt.

15. I live SO CLOSE to NYC, yet almost never get there. And I haven’t been to nearly enough signings, despite so many of them being in NYC. I need to correct this, because I love meeting and interacting with authors.

Wow, those were hard to write, some more than others. So what are your book confessions? Share them with me in the comments section!

Want to Win an ARC of These Broken Stars by Meagan Spooner and Amie Kaufman?

Jul8

There are some truly amazing books coming out this year. I’m excitedly adding them all to my TBR list! For now, though, I’d like to bring your attention to one book in particular:

Title: These Broken Stars
Authors: Meagan Spooner and Amie Kaufman
Release Date: December 10, 2013

It’s a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone.

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help.

This book looks so amazing for so many different reasons. It’s science fiction and fantasy, and it’s set in space. Those two things alone have me wanting to read this book! Also, it has a gorgeous cover!

So, the lovely Meagan Spooner is doing a really cool giveaway in celebration of her birthday. She’s giving away a signed hardcover of two of her books, Skylark and Shadowlark, as well as a pre-order of These Broken Stars, which she co-authored with Amie Kaufman. Exciting right? Only one Grand Prize winner, but there are also some cool prizes for second and third place!

So what are you waiting for? Click here to enter!

Review: Second Chance by Heather Brewer

Jul7

Second Chance by Heather Brewer
Series: Slayer Chronicles #2
Published by Dial on October 16, 2012
Pages: 272
Format: Hardcover
five-stars

The stakes are life or death

The summer after Joss failed to kill the vampire Vladimir Tod, he gets a second chance to prove himself as a Slayer. He is sent to New York City to hunt down a serial killer that the Slayer Society believes is a vampire. It is up to Joss to lead his Slayer team, and through their detective work, they discover that there are actually four vampire brothers who are on the killing rampage. Joss must use all his skill to save the innocent people of New York City from the murderers. Joss’s status as a Slayer depends on it.

The Slayer Chronicles can be read alongside The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod or entirely on their own. This second installment gives readers even more insight into the nightmares that drive Joss the Slayer.

Once again, Heather Brewer has written an amazing and entertaining book. I’ve grown to really care about Joss as a character and as a person. You really don’t get to know him in The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod – All we know if he’s trying to kill Vlad, and we hate him for this. But seeing his backstory has really changed my opinion of him.

The first chapter was a great introduction. It recapped the first book without being boring and without info-dumping. Brewer jumps right into the story; it’s fast-paced and full of action, right from page one. Sometimes, it takes at least 50-100 pages before the story really gets going, which can make it feel like it’s dragging. But with Second Chance, the action is immediate.

I feel really bad for Joss and his non-relationship with his family. Worse still, his fractured relationship with Henry is heart-breaking. And as much as I hate how Abraham treats Joss, I hate Joss’s father even more. I hate that Joss blames himself for his family’s fractured state.

Joss’s dreams about Cecile are getting so creepy. They seem very realistic, and sometimes I had to turn back a page or two, just to find the spot where it said Joss blacked out or fell asleep, to make sure it really was just a dream. The torment Joss feels over his sister’s death is obvious, the guilt laying a heavy burden on him.

Joss takes on a lot of responsibility in Second Chance, though much of that responsibility is forced on him by the Slayer Society and Abraham. Joss has grown to be wise and confident, though he doesn’t always feel this way. His growth from book one to book two is very obvious. He doubts himself much too much, though he still does a great job of accepting his role in Second Chance. He throws himself into his duties, and manages to do more, learn more, and fight more than his older and wiser team members. At the same time, he struggles with finding his place as a slayer, as well as with his resignation to kill vampires, to see them all as evil.

Morgan quickly became one of my favorite characters. He was always loyal to Joss, helping him and teaching him in any way he could. He treats Joss as an equal, like a brother. He doesn’t dumb things down for him. My fingers are crossed that he continues to play a significant role in the series, mostly for Joss’s sake. I don’t think Joss can handle another betrayal.

We get a lot of insight into what Joss was thinking the night he staked Vlad. Seeing his guilt, his confusion, gives the reader the opportunity to understand Joss’s feelings regarding Vlad and how he feels about being a slayer. I also loved seeing Otis, and the exchange between Otis and Joss was intriguing.

I still want to punch Abraham for how he treats Joss, and some of my favorite scenes are when Joss stands up to Abraham. It shows character and determination; Joss refuses to let Abraham step all over him, refuses to let Abraham treat him like a child.

Overall, I really loved this book. I mean, it’s Heather Brewer. What’s not to like? The end was epic and Joss really – in my opinion – proved himself. The end was a bit ominous and chilling, though, and there are a few characters I don’t fully trust. Second Chance definitely sets things up for an incredible ending in Third Strike. I’m excited to read it and see what happens!

Also, as a side note, I loved the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reference!

Review: First Kill by Heather Brewer

Jul6

First Kill by Heather Brewer
Series: Slayer Chronicles #1
Published by Dial on September 20, 2011
Pages: 320
Format: Hardcover
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
five-stars

Joss McMillan’s perfect life crashes down the night he witnesses his sister’s murder — at the hands of a vampire. He then finds out his family’s secret heritage: They are part of the Slayer Society, a group whose mission is to rid the world of vampires. Joss is their new recruit. As Joss trains, bent on seeking revenge for his sister, he discovers powers that could make him the youngest, strongest Slayer in history. But there is a traitor in the Society, one whose identity would shake Joss to the core . . . if the traitor doesn’t kill him first. The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod is still sinking its fangs into new listeners every day. Now, bestselling author Heather Brewer brings us the other side of the story, from the perspective of Vlad’s former friend turned mortal enemy: vampire slayer Joss McMillan. This is the first in a series of five books that can be listened to alongside Vlad Tod or entirely on their own.

I’ve been a Minion (term for fans of Heather Brewer and the Chronicles of Vladimir Tod series) since Eighth Grade Bites (Vladimir Tod #1) came out in 2007. So, forever, basically. I’m ashamed of myself for not reading this awesome spin-off sooner! The prologue caught me right away and I knew this book would refuse to let me go until the very last page.

I already knew some of the back-story from reading The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod – we don’t learn a lot about Joss, but enough to know why he was driven to become a part of the Slayer Society. Seeing the whole story, from the beginning, from Joss’s point of view, definitely makes me feel more sympathetic towards him and the things he did in The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod.

My heart breaks for Joss throughout much of the story. He’s a dutiful big brother, yet he feels like “the invisible boy,” both at school and at home. He’s a loner with no friends, for no reason other than the fact that he’s a little bit stronger, a little bit faster.

I really liked Malek. He’s calm and funny, yet serious and dedicated. He treated Joss like a son. At one point, he called Joss a kid, but it felt affectionate, not condescending as it did when Abraham said it. Honestly, I thought his fate was a trick at first – a test Abraham had concocted for Joss. My heart grew heavy when I realized this wasn’t the case. In his absence, I quickly became fond of Sirus, but of course, that didn’t end well, either.

Another great character, in my opinion, is Kat. Unfortunately, I can’t describe why I like her without getting too spoiler-ish, so I’ll just leave it at that. I liked her a lot, though, all the way to the end.

About halfway through the book, even though I still hated Abraham, I could kind of see the method in his madness. Near the end, there’s a scene between Abraham and Joss that has a lot of shocking revelations, and it provides a lot of insight for the reader.

Two of my favorite moments were when Joss stood up to Abraham and when he kicked Abraham’s butt. Loved it! Absolute favorite scene? At one point, Kat slaps Abraham. I died laughing.

Joss goes through so much during training – mentally, physically, and emotionally. He breaks a few times, but he always picks himself up. His growth as a character is obvious; he’s wise beyond his years – wise beyond even that of his fellow, more well-trained Slayers.

The ending was insane. I don’t know how else to put it. There are so many twists, turns, and shocking revelations, one after another. There are a lot of character revelations, especially, that had me on the edge of my seat. And we are introduced to two characters, as well, who will be familiar to anyone who has read the Chronicles of Vladimir Tod. With one character, we are shown the events that led up to Joss’s appearance in Bathory.

In all, I absolutely loved First Kill. It’s Heather Brewer – what’s not to love?? I finished this book, and was eager to get right into the second book. Also? Reading Joss’s story really makes me want to re-read the Vlad books, if for no other reason than to re-read the parts with Joss.

Review: Dead Silence by Kimberly Derting

Jul5

Dead Silence by Kimberly Derting
Series: The Body Finder #4
Published by HarperTeen on April 16, 2013
Pages: 400
Format: Hardcover
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
three-half-stars

Sometimes the Dead Can't Be Silenced.

Violet thought she had made peace with her unique ability to sense the echoes of the dead and the imprints that cling to their killers . . . until she acquired an imprint of her own. Forced to carry a reminder of the horrible events of her kidnapping, Violet is more determined than ever to lead a normal life. However, the people who run the special investigative team she works for have no intention of letting her go.

Violet will do whatever it takes to keep her loved ones safe—even if it means lying to her boyfriend, Jay. But when an echo calls to her, she stumbles upon a murder scene unlike anything she's ever witnessed. The murders are frenzied and twisted, and the killer left a disturbing calling card for all to see—a brimstone cross sketched in blood on the wall. And Violet finds herself pulled into a deadly hunt for a vicious madman with an army of devoted followers.

Violet has survived dangerous situations before, but she quickly discovers that protecting those closest to her is far more difficult than protecting herself.

I don’t even know where to start with this one. Dead Silence had its moments where I loved it and I was like, “This is absolutely my favorite book!” But then there were moments where I hated it, and had trouble getting through it. Unfortunately, the bad moments really dragged the book down and overshadowed the good moments.

The prologue was intense. It foretold of something terrible happening – something that would have really ruined the books for me, to be honest. So I wasn’t sure how to feel about reading on. I was more than a little apprehensive.

There were a lot of major character-related revelations that shocked me. I can’t say who or what or I’ll spoil it, but I was – for the most part – pleased with the things we learn in Dead Silence. Derting shows us a different side to many of the characters and we also get to learn more about characters that might not have been front and center in previous books.

Violet learns a lot about her ability in Dead Silence, and we get to know more about Violet’s grandmother, who also had the ability to sense echoes. This was a nice glimpse into the past, and we learn some fascinating – yet creepy – things about the ability.

The “killer” in Dead Silence was a little more complex than in some of the other books. I guess the best way to describe the killer is by comparing the killer to the one in The Last Echo, as far as their motives, inner thoughts, and family life. I felt sad for this killer, sympathetic. And then, as with the killer in The Last Echo, I felt dirty and slimy for sympathizing with a killer. I definitely feel Derting does an incredible job with these little sections of the books. Getting a glimpse inside the killer’s head really makes you think.

I’ve been up and down with how I feel about Jay throughout this entire series. And I feel really bad about this, but I just don’t like him. He was better in The Last Echo, kinder and less possessive. And he gave Violet the chance to explain and tell her side of the story. But in Dead Silence, he was back to being this angry, jealous, over-protective… butt-head. And as if Jay’s attitude wasn’t bad enough, Violet takes the things he says as gospel – like she was completely in the wrong and needs to beg for forgiveness. It almost felt like an abusive relationship. Personally, I’m still Team Rafe.

The ending was… interesting. Honestly, this is the part where I feel the most conflicted. On the one hand, the ending felt incomplete, like there were a lot of loose ends to tie up. And on the other hand, everything really was wrapped up nicely. Kimberly Derting actually did a blog post explaining why the book ended the way it did. FAIR WARNING: That post contains MASSIVE spoilers, so don’t read it unless you’ve read the entire series.

After reading the post, I honestly felt more confused. I finished the book, and right away I thought, “Man, that ending was NOT satisfying and it left a lot of loose ends.” And then I read the blog post and was like, “Oh… Well, when Kimberly Derting puts it that way, everything really WAS tied up nicely.”

So, in closing, all I can say is I honestly did enjoy Dead Silence. I’d rank it as my second favorite in the series. But I also feel like there should be one more book; I don’t feel like I was satisfied by this ending. I feel like some of the revelations in this book only lead to more questions, and I want those questions answered.

Waiting on Wednesday (#2): Frozen by Melissa de La Cruz

Jul3

Hey everyone. Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine. Its purpose is to highlight upcoming releases that we’re dying to get our hands on.

Title: Frozen
Author: Melissa de la Cruz and Michael Johnston
Release Date: September 2013

Welcome to New Vegas, a city once covered in bling, now blanketed in ice. Like much of the destroyed planet, the place knows only one temperature—freezing. But some things never change. The diamond in the ice desert is still a 24-hour hedonistic playground and nothing keeps the crowds away from the casino floors, never mind the rumors about sinister sorcery in its shadows.

At the heart of this city is Natasha Kestal, a young blackjack dealer looking for a way out. Like many, she’s heard of a mythical land simply called “the Blue.” They say it’s a paradise, where the sun still shines and the waters are turquoise. More importantly, it’s a place where Nat won’t be persecuted, even if her darkest secret comes to light.

But passage to the Blue is treacherous, if not impossible, and her only shot is to bet on a ragtag crew of mercenaries led by a cocky runner named Ryan Wesson to take her there. Danger and deceit await on every corner, even as Nat and Wes find themselves inexorably drawn to each other. But can true love survive the lies? Fiery hearts collide in this fantastic tale of the evil men do and the awesome power within us all.

First of all, I’m a huge Melissa de la Cruz fan. I enjoyed the Blue Bloods series so much, I’m looking forward to the Blue Bloods spin-off, and I absolutely can’t get enough of the Witches of East End. So, it goes without saying that I’m excited for this new series!

I really enjoy books and movies with severe climate changes and catastrophic geological events. Frozen kind of reminds me of The Day After Tomorrow (a movie with Jake Gyllenhaal, for those who don’t remember). At the end of the movie, over half of the United States (the Northern States, to be specific) is covered in ice and snow, with temperatures so far below freezing, a person (or animal) would freeze to death the second they went outside.

Also, it’s Las Vegas (Or, as it’s called in Frozen, New Vegas). There’s something exciting and dangerous about Las Vegas. Having the City of Sin as the backdrop for this book sets the reader up for a wild ride with high expectations – at least, in my opinion.

Frozen releases in September, and I’m counting the days!