Book source ~ Tour

Isabel Sanborn and Diego Nadales broke up over a decade ago, but neither has gotten over the other. A chance meeting in Denver right after Isabel signs her divorce papers puts them on a precarious path to love. And destruction. The only way to save the world is for Isabel to go back in time, but there’s no return ticket and no guarantee the plan will even work. Will she take that quantum leap?

I’ll admit to being a tad confused in the beginning, but things are soon sorted out. Then there’s a bombshell (almost literally) and then I’m back to being confused. But that’s probably just me. There’s a reason why I don’t read many time travel books anymore and it’s because I can’t figure them out. They make my head hurt. Lol However, there are things in this story that are never explained or fleshed out. Some are just dropped in like a bomb, others are mentioned and then never heard from again. Or maybe I missed them? Not sure. Anyway, it isn’t until about 20% that I really became invested in the story. After that it’s a race to the end, to see if our world is saved. Or not.

There are three POVs and the story switches between Isabel, Diego, and a physics professor named Matt Hudson. I’m not sure I totally understand what was going on in The Magic Kingdom (it’s a nickname for a place, not really Disney Land), but the sci-fi mumbo jumbo takes a back seat to the characters and the world they are living in. I couldn’t help but cheer them on because they really needed the cheering. What a mess. Yikes! Plus, I really wanted Isabel and Diego’s story to have a HEA because of everything they had been through.  Do they? You’ll have to read to find out how it all ends.

Book source ~ Tour

Rune Jenkins and Grey Malteer have crossed over into Eon, a parallel world where all the things fantasy are actually real. They’ve been recruited by the Council because they are Venators, and Tate, a Venshii, is the one who retrieved them. Rune’s twin Ryker has also crossed over, but he’s in the hands of Zio. The Council hates Zio and that hate is mutual. But is one side really good and the other bad? Or is this world just totally fucked up? I’m forming an opinion, but won’t share yet.

Rune and Grey are knee-deep in secrets and politics of a world they have no idea how to navigate. It is nothing, I mean, nothing like Earth. Well, ok, the sneaky politics are the same, but think about if you could add magic and powers and otherworldly beings to our world and then you have an inkling of what Eon is like. Rune and Grey keep thinking they are back in Kansas (metaphorically) and this leads to serious trouble for them.

Ryker is another story. Man, I don’t know that this guy is going to be salvageable after staying with and believing everything Zio says.

When Grey’s dumb ass goes running into enemy territory and becomes the captive of Feena the Fae Queen, well, I can’t say I felt sorry for him. Rune also has me wanting to slap her around because seriously? How stupid do you have to be?

This book is at times frustrating and at others intriguing. I get that the characters are YA and in over their heads AND not by their own choice. But they are supposed to be smart. Not to say smart people don’t do dumb things, but after nearly dying in book 1, you’d think book 2 would see some epiphany billboards being lit up. However, the frustration is rewarded by character growth during the course of this book, so I’ll allow it. Every other character is fabulous. Every single one has an agenda and I don’t know what they are yet. I’m fully invested in finding out how all these pieces are going to fit together. Also? Beltran is perhaps my favorite character so far.

I will end this review with one thing that bugged the shit out of me. There is a moment, when Grey is off doing his stupid thing, that he leaves his boots by a river. Verida and Rune see those boots later. That’s how they know he did the stupid thing. But for the rest of the book, Grey suddenly has his boots on. This is the kind of thing I notice and it drives me nuts.  Other than that, I recommend this book. It has danger, action, sexual attraction, magic, and intrigue. Layer upon layer of intrigue. Bring on the next book!

Book source ~ Tour

Marcie Horton has connected once before with a spirit when she was thirteen. But that was four years ago and she feels like she’s missing something by not having any further contact with anything…other. She’s hoping a summer working on her mother’s archeological dig will distract her from a feeling of missing out on something big. Joined by her older brother Eric and his girlfriend Renee, they barely get settled in when two graduate students let the three of them and another student, 19-yr-old Leo, in on a secret. There is much more out there than any of them realize. Marcie is about to get her wish - something incredible is about to happen. The real question is: Is she ready for it?

This is a book heavy on how humanity is shitting where we eat. Too graphic? How about how we are killing the very thing that supports us? Too dramatic? Too bad. We are. If you don’t like books that point out this fact, even if it is a fictional book, then you may not enjoy this as much as I have. Now, to the story itself…

Marcie is a pretty level-headed 17-yr-old. She’s had a life-altering encounter with a spirit when she was 13, so maybe that has something to do with it. In any case, the story is told from her POV so it helps she’s not an over-emotional idiot. Side characters are interesting even if Renee makes me want to slap her upside the head occasionally. And don’t get me started on Leo. Marcie is more forgiving than I would be. Oh! Did I not mention there’s a little hotness going on between Marcie and Leo? Ah. Summer love.

Lorraine and Zeke are a bit irritating in their roles, but I get it. And you will, too. I find the idea of a Universal Energy Field fascinating. I want it to be a thing. In fact, my belief is, since we are mostly water and energy then when we die our energy goes back out into the ether and comes back as another being. So, I guess I believe a bit in reincarnation. And that’s why I believe in ghosts. That energy can get stuck and next thing you know, wooohoooo things going bang. Anyway, I enjoyed this journey of Marcie’s and hope she and the others can bring about some change before it’s too late.

Book source ~ Tour

Philip Engel has died twice. The first time was a mistake when the boy Lucifer picked for his heir is supposed to die, but Philip does in his place. After he’s restored to life he dies a second time when Mortimer (or Death) needs his help to find his lost Die. Now, Philip is back on Earth (again) when he has to die (again) in order to save the school bully (now his friend) from a death that he caused. So, Philip dies and when he goes to the Underworld he has to find Sam. Except the Underworld is vast and it’s next to impossible to find Sam on his own so he enlists the help of friends he’s made there. Except, even they can’t find Sam. Lucifer suggests that God should know where Sam is so off they go for a quick visit in Paradise. But their journey doesn’t end there. Grab a copy and join Philip on his 3rd death adventure.

This story just gets better and better. You’d think it would get a bit repetitive, having Philip die so many times, but it doesn’t. Not for me anyway, since I’m a Supernatural fan and we all know how many times people die and come back to life on that show. Anyway, Philip’s journey this time is a good one. He has to fix what he screwed up (Sam’s death) and I got to see way more of the Underworld than in previous editions. There’s trouble brewing in Hell, Paradise isn’t what everyone thinks, and in the end, Philip’s personal journey takes a huge leap. So huge that I’m dying (hehe see what I did there?) for the next book!

Book source ~ Tour

Meet Lola Nox. She is the daughter of famous filmmaker Nolan Nox. Her mother, Lorelei, played the lead character in Nolan’s most celebrated horror film, Nightjar. Set in Harrow Lake, Indiana, the birthplace of Lorelei, but she took off when Lola was five so she doesn’t really remember her. Nearly as long as she can remember it’s just been her and Nolan. And Larry, Nolan’s right-hand man. When Nolan is near fatally attacked in their New York City apartment, Larry ships Lola off to her grandmother in Harrow Lake. A grandmother she has no knowledge of. The moment Lola gets there strange things begin happening and Lola needs to figure things out before she goes crazy. Or ends up dead.

Okay. This is one weird and disturbing tale of a 17-yr-old girl with a strange family set up. Told entirely from Lola’s POV it’s not always clear what the hell is going on in this creepy town. She’s never been to her mother’s birthplace so she doesn’t know anyone, not even her grandmother. Odd things keep happening, the town is disturbingly obsessed with the slasher movie that put it on the map, and women disappear from it with no explanation. On top of all that, there are signs that the town will once again slide into a sinkhole like it did before but was rebuilt. And the cherry on top? There’s a scary story about a guy named Mr. Jitters who turned cannibal when he was caught in the first sinkhole and he’s still around after nearly 100 years. Creepy much? The story is twisty and turny and has a great ending, but I feel the execution is lacking. At times, the story just stops then jumps ahead without any transition. Maybe that’s just the style of this author, but it feels incomplete to me. However, don’t let that stop you from reading this tale straight out of your nightmares.