Devon Ashley's Blog, page 25

Clockwise (Clockwise #1)
Elle Strauss

Synopsis: Casey Donovan has issues: hair, height and uncontrollable trips to the 19th century! And now this—she’s accidentally taken Nate Mackenzie, the cutest boy in the school, back in time. Awkward.

Protocol pressures her to tell their 1860 hosts that he is her brother and when Casey finds she has a handsome, wealthy (and unwanted) suitor, something changes in Nate. Are those romantic sparks or is it just “brotherly” protectiveness?

When they return to the present, things go back to the way they were before: Casey parked on the bottom of the rung of the social ladder and Nate perched high on the very the top. Except this time her heart is broken. Plus, her best friend is mad, her parents are split up, and her younger brother gets escorted home by the police. The only thing that could make life worse is if, by some strange twist of fate, she took Nate back to the past again.

Which of course, she does.
OMG! This was absolutely ADORABLE! Casey Donovan has been taking trips back to the past since she was nine. Sometimes she's there for a few hours, sometimes a few days, but she always returns to the present the exact moment she left. Once she accidentally took her best friend Luce to the future and realized simply touching someone's skin drags them along with her. So she's made it her mission in life not to touch people. Unfortunately that goes out the window when hottie Nate asks her to dance and BAM! - they both travel to the past.
Nate thinks it's all a joke she and his friends are playing, but after a few hours he begins to realize Casey's not joking. She's forced to take him to the Watson homestead where she works for room and board everytime she jumps - and passes him off as her brother. Being the 1800's, they wouldn't be allowed to be alone together if they were anything but siblings, and Casey needs him close so she can grab him when it's time to go back to the present.
As the days go by, Casey and Nate get to know each other...and develop a little interest for one another. Of course it doesn't hurt that a local wealthy man has set his eyes on Casey and wants to marry her, so keeping Casey within arm's reach becomes even more enticing for the jealous Nate. There is a little drama in the novel I won't spoil that involves a few more characters, but it's the romance that really makes this book shine. I started Clockwise one evening and stayed up till two in the morning to finish, so yeah...it's definitely worth checking out!

Novel provided by author for honest review.

Sidebar banners for my books are now available on my site. Just go here for the codes.

Also, paperbacks for Ordained, Metamorphosis and Falling In Between are now available on Amazon for the United Kingdom, France, Denmark, Spain and Italy.

The winners of the Writer's Block giveaways for May are:

Elemental Reality: Nicole
Preordained: Aleksandra, Sarah and Pragya
Veronica Blade Books: Kristen A., Neika Embrace You Morgan, Helen B. and Aylin A.
Mayfair Moon: Nikki M. and Proserpine Craving

The Spring Fling winner is: Linda H

May's Previously Loved Giveaway winner of Shiver is....   

Michelle L.



 
All winners have 72 hours to respond to their winning emails or new winners will be chosen. And now,
June's Book Giveaway

 A paperback of City of Bones by Cassandra Clare. Wanna enter to win? Head over to my giveaway page.

Today at the Writer's Block I have Cole Gibsen, author of Breathless and Katana, seen below with a pretty darn good impersonation of Bellatrix LeStrange. Dr. Seuss lover.  Mountain Gal. And ya better not be rude to her at the Comicon cause she'll most likely show up as Phoenix and incenerate your @ss.



Website
Twitter
GoodReads

What was your favorite book as a kid? Bunnicula. Seriously, is there anything better than a vegetable juice sucking vampire bunny? I submit that there is not! LOL! I recently won this in a giveaway. Hope my son comes to love it too. :)
Tell us your favorite quote. “Be who you are and say what you feel because the people who mind don’t matter and the people who matter don’t mind.”Dr. Seuss
What is your favorite genre to read and what makes it so awesome? Hands down, my favorite genre is young adult. I love YA because it’s an age full of ‘firsts’and emotion is so very raw.
Tell us your favorite author. Which book is your total fave from that author? Dr. Seuss. The man was a genius. My all time favorite is Oh, the Places You’ll Go!
Any pet peeves you'd be willing to share? Rudeness. There is no reason for not being kind to your fellow man/woman. We’re all neighbors here on this planet.
What was your most favorite pasttime as a kid? Horseback riding. I grew up around horses and I find them to be extremely therapeutic. There’s almost no problem that can’t be dissolved on top of a horse.
Take us through a typical writing day for you. Do you have anything quirky - like you have to have a certain pen to write  with, or the desk laid out in a particular manner, does it need to be raining, do you require a certain food/drink/candy to work by? Will you have an absolute   meltdown if the atmosphere isn't what you like?  Ahahahaha! Oh, how I wish I had some type of structure to my writing, or routine. No. I have a four-year-old, so my day consists of jotting a few words down between episodes of strawberry shortcake, play-dough craft time, swimming lessons, and laundry.
What do you do when you experience that lovely problem called writer's block? I log onto www.writeordie.com and set punishment level to kamikaze and GO!
When you were little, what did you think you'd be when you grew up? My family is very political. My grandmother’s held elected positions on the city council and my uncle is a US congressman. Growing up in this atmosphere, I was sure I wanted to follow in my uncle’s footsteps and become a politician. *shudder* Thank goodness I grew out of that. In fact, I became so burnt out on elections and government that, while I still believe what I believe, I’m the first one to walk away silently if a conversation turns to politics.
If you could live anywhere in the world you'd like, where would that be and why? Oh gosh, too many to list. But I’m a mountain girl. Put me on a big pile of rock and I’m happy-happy. That said, I’d love to visit Mt. Fuji and the Himalayas some day.
Do you have a secret obsession you'd be willing to share?< wink, wink> Sewing and comic books. And sometimes I throw the two together and make ridiculous *ahem* I mean epic costumes that I wear to conventions.
What food/drink would absolutely devastate you if they stopped production on? Coffee. Omigosh, my world would be over if I didn’t have my coffee.
If you could step into the shoes of any fictional character for one day, who would it be and why? My favorite superhero Phoenix. Seriously, who wouldn’t want the power to incinerate the world when you’re having a bad day?
Do you like to listen to music when you read or write? Tell us a few of your favorites. I have a station I created on Pandora that keeps me plied and sated with depressing indie ballads. The more depressing the music, the better the scene comes out—that’s how I roll.
Did you do anything special to celebrate your first book release? Absolutely! Hibachi!!! YUM!
Which book are you most looking forward to reading this year? Oh my goodness, so many! I’m a member of the Apocalypsies—a group of 2012 debut children’s authors—and the amount of amazing books being released this year is amazing! There’s no way I could choose just one.
Which do you prefer: ebook, hardback or paperback? I kind of went into the digital age kicking and screaming. I bought my first ereader a month ago and I still haven’t downloaded anything on it. My favorite book format remains the paperback. I love how versatile it is. You can throw it in your purse, leave it in a hot car, and take it into a bath tub with you without having to worry about ruining it.

This or That
Underworld or Twilight - UnderworldOriginal or Remake - I guess it depends…I’ll take the original 21 Jump Street over the joke of the movie any day. But the remake of Batman and Superman blew the others away.Sweet or Salty Also depends. Am I PMSing? If so, I’ll take both, please.Drama or Comedy - Again, am I PMSing? Usually, I like comedy. But every so often I’m in the mood for a good cry.Fantasy or Romance - Can’t I have both? ;)Spring or Autumn - Autumn. The fall colors in the Midwest are amazing.Michael Jackson or Whitney Houston - I used to have the biggest crush on Michael when I was younger. But I also performed Whitney’s “I Wanna Dance (With Somebody)” for my first grade talent show—so I’m calling this one a toss up.Walter Mathau or Jack Lemmon - Walter Mathau. There are days when I can totally relate to his grumpy demeanor. Dirty Dancing or Footloose - Dirty Dancing. Nobody puts baby in a corner.American Idol or X-Factor or The Voice - Um, can you pass the remote so I see what else is on?Movie Theatre or Loveseat - Movie Theatre. The popcorn is so much better there.Tea or Coffee - Coffee. Or as I like to call it, COF-WHEEEEEEEEEEEEE!Rain or Sunshine - Sunshine.Skiing or Surfing - Zumba! I like to shake my booty and I try to avoid sports where I’ll more than likely fall on my face.Tree House or Man Cave - Which one has wifi?

And now for the giveaway! Miss Gibsen is offering a combo of a SIGNED BOOKMARK and a 'GOT FIN?' BRACELET to FIVE winners. :) How awesome is that? Just fill out the rafflecopter below and pick up her books at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Books-A-Million, Indigo or IndieBound. And don't forget to check out my review of Breathless.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Today at the Writer's Block I have Cole Gibsen, author of Breathless and Katana, seen below with a pretty darn good impersonation of Bellatrix LeStrange. Dr. Seuss lover.  Mountain Gal. And ya better not be rude to her at the Comicon cause she'll most likely show up as Phoenix and incenerate your @ss.



Website
Twitter
GoodReads

What was your favorite book as a kid? Bunnicula. Seriously, is there anything better than a vegetable juice sucking vampire bunny? I submit that there is not! LOL! I recently won this in a giveaway. Hope my son comes to love it too. :)
Tell us your favorite quote. “Be who you are and say what you feel because the people who mind don’t matter and the people who matter don’t mind.”Dr. Seuss
What is your favorite genre to read and what makes it so awesome? Hands down, my favorite genre is young adult. I love YA because it’s an age full of ‘firsts’and emotion is so very raw.
Tell us your favorite author. Which book is your total fave from that author? Dr. Seuss. The man was a genius. My all time favorite is Oh, the Places You’ll Go!
Any pet peeves you'd be willing to share? Rudeness. There is no reason for not being kind to your fellow man/woman. We’re all neighbors here on this planet.
What was your most favorite pasttime as a kid? Horseback riding. I grew up around horses and I find them to be extremely therapeutic. There’s almost no problem that can’t be dissolved on top of a horse.
Take us through a typical writing day for you. Do you have anything quirky - like you have to have a certain pen to write  with, or the desk laid out in a particular manner, does it need to be raining, do you require a certain food/drink/candy to work by? Will you have an absolute   meltdown if the atmosphere isn't what you like?  Ahahahaha! Oh, how I wish I had some type of structure to my writing, or routine. No. I have a four-year-old, so my day consists of jotting a few words down between episodes of strawberry shortcake, play-dough craft time, swimming lessons, and laundry.
What do you do when you experience that lovely problem called writer's block? I log onto www.writeordie.com and set punishment level to kamikaze and GO!
When you were little, what did you think you'd be when you grew up? My family is very political. My grandmother’s held elected positions on the city council and my uncle is a US congressman. Growing up in this atmosphere, I was sure I wanted to follow in my uncle’s footsteps and become a politician. *shudder* Thank goodness I grew out of that. In fact, I became so burnt out on elections and government that, while I still believe what I believe, I’m the first one to walk away silently if a conversation turns to politics.
If you could live anywhere in the world you'd like, where would that be and why? Oh gosh, too many to list. But I’m a mountain girl. Put me on a big pile of rock and I’m happy-happy. That said, I’d love to visit Mt. Fuji and the Himalayas some day.
Do you have a secret obsession you'd be willing to share?< wink, wink> Sewing and comic books. And sometimes I throw the two together and make ridiculous *ahem* I mean epic costumes that I wear to conventions.
What food/drink would absolutely devastate you if they stopped production on? Coffee. Omigosh, my world would be over if I didn’t have my coffee.
If you could step into the shoes of any fictional character for one day, who would it be and why? My favorite superhero Phoenix. Seriously, who wouldn’t want the power to incinerate the world when you’re having a bad day?
Do you like to listen to music when you read or write? Tell us a few of your favorites. I have a station I created on Pandora that keeps me plied and sated with depressing indie ballads. The more depressing the music, the better the scene comes out—that’s how I roll.
Did you do anything special to celebrate your first book release? Absolutely! Hibachi!!! YUM!
Which book are you most looking forward to reading this year? Oh my goodness, so many! I’m a member of the Apocalypsies—a group of 2012 debut children’s authors—and the amount of amazing books being released this year is amazing! There’s no way I could choose just one.
Which do you prefer: ebook, hardback or paperback? I kind of went into the digital age kicking and screaming. I bought my first ereader a month ago and I still haven’t downloaded anything on it. My favorite book format remains the paperback. I love how versatile it is. You can throw it in your purse, leave it in a hot car, and take it into a bath tub with you without having to worry about ruining it.

This or That
Underworld or Twilight - UnderworldOriginal or Remake - I guess it depends…I’ll take the original 21 Jump Street over the joke of the movie any day. But the remake of Batman and Superman blew the others away.Sweet or Salty Also depends. Am I PMSing? If so, I’ll take both, please.Drama or Comedy - Again, am I PMSing? Usually, I like comedy. But every so often I’m in the mood for a good cry.Fantasy or Romance - Can’t I have both? ;)Spring or Autumn - Autumn. The fall colors in the Midwest are amazing.Michael Jackson or Whitney Houston - I used to have the biggest crush on Michael when I was younger. But I also performed Whitney’s “I Wanna Dance (With Somebody)” for my first grade talent show—so I’m calling this one a toss up.Walter Mathau or Jack Lemmon - Walter Mathau. There are days when I can totally relate to his grumpy demeanor. Dirty Dancing or Footloose - Dirty Dancing. Nobody puts baby in a corner.American Idol or X-Factor or The Voice - Um, can you pass the remote so I see what else is on?Movie Theatre or Loveseat - Movie Theatre. The popcorn is so much better there.Tea or Coffee - Coffee. Or as I like to call it, COF-WHEEEEEEEEEEEEE!Rain or Sunshine - Sunshine.Skiing or Surfing - Zumba! I like to shake my booty and I try to avoid sports where I’ll more than likely fall on my face.Tree House or Man Cave - Which one has wifi?

And now for the giveaway! Miss Gibsen is offering a combo of a SIGNED BOOKMARK and a 'GOT FIN' BRACELET to FIVE winners. :) How awesome is that? Just fill out the rafflecopter below and pick up her books at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Books-A-Million, Indigo or IndieBound. And don't forget to check out my review of Breathless.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Breathless
Cole Gibsen

Synopsis: Obituary-reading emo girl Edith Small is broken - the end result of forcing herself inside a mold that doesn't fit. All she wants is to conform to her strict sergeant stepfather's rules long enough to make it to graduation day.

But a boat accident threatens to unravel the life Edith has worked so hard to keep. After waking up in a hospital with a lacerated shoulder, Edith fakes amnesia. Because admitting she received her injuries from a blue-haired girl who breathes underwater is all the reason Sir needs to send Edith on the first bus to military school.

Safe at home, Edith struggles to put the nightmare behind her. But the mysterious creatures that live in the ocean aren't about to let her forget.

After meeting Bastin - a strange boy with silver hair and black eyes - on a secluded dock, Edith learns about the war raging undersea to end human existence. A war that Edith, unwittingly, has become the key to winning.

In a world where death is an ever-present shadow and motives are as dark as the bottom of the ocean, Edith must decide if her life is worth risking for a love that can't survive past the shore.
Poor Edith is just trying to make it to graduation so she can get the hell out of her dysfunctional home. Her little brother died some time back, but her family never recovered. And it seems to be Edith's fault...or at least they have no problem making her feel that way. Her step-father no longer allows her to call him father - it's Sir now - and the way he treats Edith and her mother was even emotionally draining on me as the reader. I was quite enraged with Sir, and it sometimes made it difficult for me to read at times, because I just wanted to beat the crap out of him since Edith and her mom were too emotionally damaged to do it themselves. It's kind of sad as a reader because Edith comes off as such a weakling at times, and I don't particularly care to read about characters that just roll over like that.

Luckily, Edith's new friend Morgan helps her become a little more defiant and shake loose some of this weakness. As does Bastin, a merman who begins appearing at her window soon after she's involved in a collision at sea where she's pretty certain she saw some things she shouldn't have - like mermaids ripping the people in the water a new one. Fear gets her to ignore him for a few nights, but once he leaves a gift for her, she's suddenly willing to speak to him. Uh - hello! Can you say bait? {Ladies! Never fall for a pretty trinket. It'll only get you into trouble later! As Edith will prove...}
Bastin's a little weird to me in the physical sense - like really long silver hair - so it's hard for me to relate to Edith when she finds herself so attracted to him...but hey, to each his own. He finds himself drawn to her as well and they spend every night hanging out. Of course this doesn't go unnoticed for long, not by his people - who detest humans and who ache to flood the world to drown them all - or by Sir, who's itching for any little mistake so he can validate shipping her off to military school. The jerk even has her bag packed and won't let her unpack it...he just leaves it in her room, taunting her every day and reminding her she's as good as out the door. But Sir's the least of her problems right now. Since the mermaids have become wise to his attraction for her, Edith becomes bait to force Bastin, the future king of one of the tribes, to trade something precious for her survival: the tool necessary to flood the world. So it leaves Bastin forced to choose between the life of the girl he's come to love, or life of all humanity. No pressure or anything...
Breathless is a pretty good read with an absolutely gorgeous cover. My only issues are the interactions with Sir and his desperation to get rid of his remaining child, and a mother that does nothing to heal their family dynamic. I look at my little boy and I couldn't ever imagine pushing him away and denying him love like that. I guess that's why the family interactions are so hard for me to stomach. But check it out anyway!


Novel provided by author for honest review.

The first two books in the Immortal Archives series is now available at Kobo and Diesel too. Apple Itunes store is still pending.



ORDAINED (#1)
Paperbacks available on Amazon US, UK, DE and FR, and my E-Store.eBooks available on Kindle US, UK, DE, FR, IT and ES, Nook, Kobo, Diesel and Smashwords.
METAMORPHOSIS (#2)
Paperbacks available on Amazon US and my E-store.
eBooks available on Kindle US, UK, DE, FR, IT and ES, Nook, Kobo, Diesel and Smashwords.

[image error]

Howdy folks! Today I have the adorable J.A. Redmerski for the Writer's Block segment. So many crazy things....which to address. Hmm... Addicted to Starbucks (aren't we all?). :) Obsessed with Brothers Grimm fairytales. And as you can see below, is willing to go shopping in her work-out clothes! Let's take a few minutes to get to know this cool chic!
Website
GoodReads
Facebook
Twitter

Tell us your favorite quote. “Love is a trick that Nature plays on us to get us to reproduce.” – Callisto – Xena Warrior Princess – I’m not against love or anything like that, I’ve always just been awed by that quote. Not to mention, Callisto was awesome!
Tell us your favorite author. Which book is your total fave from that author? I would have to say Neil Gaiman (though it’s so tough because Anne Rice is right up there, too!). Neil Gaiman is like the rock star of the literary world and he doesn’t limit himself to one genre. My favorite book by him would have to be Neverwhere.
If you could meet any dead person, who would you choose? Any particular reason why? Whoever *really* destroyed the Ancient Library of Alexandria in Egypt. I would ask that person why they did it and then tell them to point me in the direction of all the artifacts from it that they hid.
If the Earth suddenly became uninhabitable, would you rather live under the sea or in space? In space! I’m obsessed with the Universe. Besides, the thought of living in the ocean sort of terrifies me….
What was your most favorite pastime as a kid? Fishing and playing in the wooded creek at my grandparents’ house in Greer’s Ferry, Arkansas. I wish I could do that today, but since I live more than an hour from there, I have to settle for memories.
If you could live in any time period other than the present, which would you choose and why? A couple of years ago I would have answered any various time periods from the past, but these days I’m more fascinated with the future and space exploration. So, I guess my answer would be I’d love to live in the future, maybe even on another planet. Oh! And whatever ship I travel in MUST have a Holodeck!
What do you do when you experience that lovely problem called writer's block? I’m all about prevention. It’s easier to do the right things to prevent a horrible disease such as Writer’s Block, than it is to cure it. And the way I prevent it (most of the time) is by always stopping in the middle of a scene, even a sentence, and calling it a day. For me, this keeps my mind fresh and buzzing, because all I can think about is that scene. By the time the next day arrives and it’s time to start writing again, for obvious reasons it’s easy to just dive right in. But also, that time away from the manuscript is often great because more ideas about what’s going on in that scene tend to arise and a lot of times, I already have the next scene fully mapped out in my head.
If you could live anywhere in the world you'd like, where would that be and why? Sorrento, Italy. For my very first novel (one that is not published), I did a lot of research on Sorrento and fell in love with it. It’s absolutely beautiful and I kind of feel like I’ve lived there for a short time because I spent so much time reading about it.
What food/drink would absolutely devastate you if they stopped production on? Starbucks Venti Vanilla Iced Latte – Oh the horror! I don’t want to think of life without it! K
Which is your favorite fairytale? I like the Brothers Grimm fairytales. I’ve always been more attracted to the dark and weird stuff.
Which do you prefer: ebook, hardback or paperback? Definitely paperback, hands down. I have a Kindle and I’m not fond of it. Hardbacks can’t be held comfortably (yes, I bend the spines! I’m totally guilty!). I can’t imagine a world without physical books. It’s depressing to imagine, actually.
This or That
Underworld or Twilight - Underworld Original or Remake - Original
Sweet or Salty - Salty
Drama or Comedy – Drama
Fantasy or Romance – Fantasy
Spring or Autumn – BOTH!
Michael Jackson or Whitney Houston – Michael Jackson
Walter Mathau or Jack Lemmon – Walter Mathau
Dirty Dancing or Footloose – Dirty Dancing (love that movie!)
American Idol or X-Factor or The Voice – Meh! I can’t stand shows like that.
Movie Theatre or Loveseat – Movie theatre for awesome stuff, loveseat for all the rest
Tea or Coffee – Tea
Rain or Sunshine – I love both
Skiing or Surfing  - Water skiing
Tree House or Man Cave - Tree house


Choose a challenge...if you dare!
Write a sentence using all these words: joker, fireball, backpack, sticker, hula hoop. The joker pulled a fireball from his backpack and whirled it around his body like a flaming hula hoop, all to win a stupid sticker.
Write a sentence using all these words: wolf pack, mirror, pop rocks, cuckoo clock, Edward Cullen, hairspray. Edward Cullen stared in the mirror eating pop rocks while the wolf pack snuck in through the back and stole his hairspray and cuckoo clock.Write a sentence using all these words: love birds, Twizzlers, fireworks, Ferris wheel, turtle. The turtle met the love birds while standing in line for the Ferris wheel and he shared his Twizzlers with them as they watched the fireworks.

And now for the giveaway. But seriously, pick up this book regardless. J.A. Redmerski is generously offering a paperback for US residents and an ebook copy (Kindle, Nook or pdf) for my international peeps. Just fill out the rafflecopter below. Good luck! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mayfair MoonJ.A. Redmerski

Synopsis: After a nightmarish encounter with a werewolf, seventeen-year-old Adria Dawson loses her sister, but gains the love of a mysterious young man and his legendary family.

Strange and tragic things begin to happen in the small town of Hallowell, Maine: residents come down with an unexplainable ‘illness’ and some disappear. In the midst of everything, Isaac Mayfair is adamant about keeping Adria safe, even from her sister whom he has warned her to stay away from.

As unspeakable secrets unfold all around Adria, impossible choices become hers to bear. Ultimately, no matter what path she takes, her life and the lives of those she loves will be in peril. As she learns about the werewolf world she also learns why her place in it will change the destinies of many.
I've noticed the reviews comparing this book to Twilight alot...and it so is! At least in terms of the romance moving a little fast and leaving you wondering why the attraction is so strong after so little; but in terms of the story, The Mayfair Moon is soooo much freakin' better! Seriously. And I kinda hate that I just read this...cause if I had waited a little bit longer, I wouldn't have to twiddle my thumbs the next several months waiting for Kindred to come out!
<twiddles thumbs...Is it ready yet?>
Adria and Alex are incredibly close sisters, that is until they're attacked by what appears to be a werewolf. Both tend to keep to themselves in the beginning while they deal with the shock, but their sudden beat-up appearance in a home people know have an unstable step-father gets them removed and sent to their aunt and uncle in Maine. But trouble seems to follow. Alex won't come out of her room and shuts Adria off completely. Then one night Adria witnesses her sneak out, meet up with a group of creepy guys and doesn't come back. And since Alex is eighteen, no one can do anything.
Adria tries to move forward, but things around her are weird, especially this group of people that moved to Maine right after she did - the Mayfairs...who apparently have more than blood relatives in their family. Every month they disappear for a week with no other reason than being sick. People in the community are coming down with mysterious illnesses as well, some resulting in death. When Adria's world begins to mix with the Mayfair family, she finds a close friend in Zia and a love interest in Isaac. But as her love life gets better, every other aspect goes to crap.
The Mayfair Moon was filled with unexpected surprises and it had a little bit of the gore I've been missing in other werewolf books. And Redmerski gives us a great peek into the life of a werewolf clan, first from the outsider's perspective, then from the insider's perspective, which makes it all more enjoyable to find out what exactly it is their protecting.
<Seriously...is Kindred freakin' ready yet?!!!!>
But seriously, if you were addicted to Twilight in any manner, you're gonna love this book. Sadly, I hate comparing The Mayfair Moon to Twilight because I think it's so much better. I don't know if Redmerski tried submitting this to literary agents, but if she did, this fell through the cracks big time and those agents should be smacked!
And I KNOW what Isaac did in the last few pages of the novel! GASP! Oh, I can't wait to see the fallout for that one!
<Come on, Kindred, come on!>

Novel provided by author for honest review - Thank the Lord!

The Weepers (The Other Life #1)
Suzanne Winnacker
Exp. Pub: May 15, 2012 TOMORROW!!!

Synopsis: 3 years, 1 month, 1 week and 6 days since I’d seen daylight. One-fifth of my life. 98,409,602 seconds since the heavy, steel door had fallen shut and sealed us off from the world

Sherry has lived with her family in a sealed bunker since things went wrong up above. But when they run out of food, Sherry and her dad must venture outside. There they find a world of devastation, desolation...and the Weepers: savage, mutant killers.

When Sherry's dad is snatched, she joins forces with gorgeous but troubled Joshua - an Avenger, determined to destroy the Weepers.

But can Sherry keep her family and Joshua safe, when his desire for vengeance threatens them all?
Remember Will Smith in I Am Legend? Yeah, it's a lot like that.
Sherry and her family managed to live in their LA bunker for more than three years before they ran out of food. Their part of the country was ravaged by a new strain of rabies, one that only one in ten were immune to. The other nine? Well, if they were lucky, they died. But a lot turned into a rabid, intelligent version of a zombie (the infected actually remind me of those in I Am Legend)

Not gonna lie. I'd wet myself just thinking I'm gonna run into this guy. Hope it's some place dark so I won't see it coming!
So Sherry and her dad are forced to go topside. Not only do they need food but it's been a few months since they've managed to reach anyone on their transistor radio. They encounter a few Weepers in the local Wal-Mart and Sherry's dad does a disappearing act. The only reason Sherry survives the Weepers is Joshua. He takes her to a place outside of town called the Safe-Haven. Sounds safe, right? Heh heh. If I spent the past three plus years hiding out in a bunker, I'd be a little weary about sleeping in a bed all by myself with a window in a farm house in the middle of nowhere. I'm no fool - I'd be sleeping like this:

But hey, that's Sherry's mistake. I value my life and a decent night's sleep.
The rest of the novel is spent trying to move her family to new location and searching the known Weeper nests for her father, who she hopes is still alive. There's a little romance brewing between Sherry and Joshua. Normally I would say relationships that begin under extreme circumstances never work out (yes, I'm quoting Speed here) but seeing how the population has pretty much dwindled to nothing, I'm thinking these two may find a way to make it work. As for the plot, there's not really much there in the way of sub-plots and the main plot is less than stellar and been done before. But I will say that The Weepers was a fast read that kept my attention, and I pretty much read it in one sitting.

Novel provided by publisher via NetGalley.