Blog Tour Book Review: The Hunt (Devil's Isle #3) by Chloe Neill

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Chicagoland Vampires Novels—the hunter becomes the hunted in a New Orleans devastated by a Paranormal war…. When bounty hunter Liam Quinn discovered that Claire Connolly was a Sensitive and infected with magic, he should have turned her in to be locked up in the prison district known as Devil’s Isle. Instead, he helped her learn to control her power and introduced her to an underground group of Paranormals and humans who know the truth about the war and those who fought it.

Now the weight of Liam’s own secrets has forced him into hiding. When a government agent is killed and Claire discovers that Liam is the prime suspect, she races to find him before the government can. But she’ll discover proving his innocence is no simple matter. Their enemies are drawing closer, and time is running out….

Click to read the first chapter!

Buy Links

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks 

Indiebound | Powell’s | Books-A-Million

I have been dying to read this book. Much anticipated as it was, I had high expectations. My expectations were met, for the most part. The Hunt picks up several weeks after the events of The Sight. Claire is on the lam, and she's not the only one. Liam got the hell out of dodge at the end of The Sight, presumably to sort out his issues. I understand why he ran off and Claire gets it too, but his abandonment pretty much destroyed any progress the pair of them made to becoming the OTP (original true pairing, a.k.a. couple numero uno). To get the plot moving in the right direction, Liam's brother lets Claire know that there is an arrest warrant out for Liam, after the death of a government officer. With Liam being the prime suspect and despite how much he hurt her, Claire goes looking for him. Sparks and tingles are still there, so I genuinely believe that they will somehow get over this little speed bump and get together. For the Chicagoland Vampire fans, if you recall, Merit and Ethan didn't get together right from the get-go, so why would Claire and Liam get a pass? Overall, I did enjoy the book. The pacing in the beginning was a little slow, but all in all, I liked how everything turned out. Now, I eagerly wait Wild Hunger, the first book in Chloe's new Heirs of Chicagoland series. I. CAN'T. WAIT.

I, myself, will be giving away a packet of Chloe Neill goodness. The packet will include:

• Devil’s Isle tote bag
• Devil’s Isle sticker sheet, coaster, and bookplate
• Chloe Neill pen and “Brainstorms” notebook
• Signed Chloe Neill book
• Bookmarks

TO ENTER MY GIVEAWAY, ENTER VIA THE RAFFLECOPTER WIDGET

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**FOR THOSE WHO ENTERED VIA THE COMMENT BOX, I'LL MANUALLY ADD YOUR ENTRIES***

• The fun doesn’t stop here. Want more chances to win? You can also enter THE HUNT Grand Prize Giveaway, which runs September 18 through September 29 on Chloe’s website.

What is the Grand Prize Giveaway prize?

• Fleur de Lis Intaglio Heart Pendant & Chain from New Orleans’ own Mignon Faget!
• Amazon Kindle and $50 Amazon gift card
• Cajun Grocer Taste of New Orleans Gift Basket
• Signed Chloe Neill books
• Tote bag containing Devil’s Isle and Chicagoland Vampires swag

THE HUNT Blog Tour Schedule

Week One

Monday, September 18 – Novel Knight Book Reviews

Tuesday, September 19 – Angel’s Guilty Pleasures

Wednesday, September 20 – Wicked Cool Flight

Thursday, September 21 – Booklovers For Life | The Book Nympho

Friday, September 22 – Consummate Reader

Week Two

Monday, September 25 – Paranormally Yours

Tuesday, September 26 – Saucy Wenches | Fang-Tastic Books

Wednesday, September 27 – Goldilox and the Three Weres

Thursday, September 28 – Parajunkee | Desert Divas Book Addiction

Friday, September 29 – YA Reads

About the Author

Photo by Dana Damewood

Chloe Neill is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Devil’s Isle, Chicagoland Vampires, and Dark Elite series. She was born and raised in the South, but now makes her home in the Midwest.  When not writing, she bakes, knits, Pins, and scours the Internet for good recipes and great graphic design. Chloe also maintains her sanity by spending time with her boys–her favorite landscape photographer/husband and their dogs, Baxter and Scout. (Both she and the photographer understand the dogs are in charge.)

Chloe is represented by Lucienne Diver of The Knight Agency. Chloe is a member of the Romance Writers of America. 

Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads

#12DaysOfGiveaways: The Young Elites & The Rose Society by Marie Lu

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Legend series 

I am tired of being used, hurt, and cast aside.

Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood fever. A decade ago, the deadly illness swept through her nation. Most of the infected perished, while many of the children who survived were left with strange markings. Adelina’s black hair turned silver, her lashes went pale, and now she has only a jagged scar where her left eye once was. Her cruel father believes she is a malfetto, an abomination, ruining their family’s good name and standing in the way of their fortune. But some of the fever’s survivors are rumored to possess more than just scars—they are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts, and though their identities remain secret, they have come to be called the Young Elites.

Teren Santoro works for the king. As Leader of the Inquisition Axis, it is his job to seek out the Young Elites, to destroy them before they destroy the nation. He believes the Young Elites to be dangerous and vengeful, but it’s Teren who may possess the darkest secret of all.

Enzo Valenciano is a member of the Dagger Society. This secret sect of Young Elites seeks out others like them before the Inquisition Axis can. But when the Daggers find Adelina, they discover someone with powers like they’ve never seen.

Adelina wants to believe Enzo is on her side, and that Teren is the true enemy. But the lives of these three will collide in unexpected ways, as each fights a very different and personal battle. But of one thing they are all certain: Adelina has abilities that shouldn’t belong in this world. A vengeful blackness in her heart. And a desire to destroy all who dare to cross her.
 
It is my turn to use. My turn to hurt.

indieBound  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Amazon  |  Book Depository

~*~*~*~Check out my review here!

The Sequel!!!!

Once upon a time, a girl had a father, a prince, a society of friends. Then they betrayed her, and she destroyed them all.

Adelina Amouteru’s heart has suffered at the hands of both family and friends, turning her down the bitter path of revenge. Now known and feared as the White Wolf, she and her sister flee Kenettra to find other Young Elites in the hopes of building her own army of allies. Her goal: to strike down the Inquisition Axis, the white-cloaked soldiers who nearly killed her.

But Adelina is no heroine. Her powers, fed only by fear and hate, have started to grow beyond her control. She does not trust her newfound Elite friends. Teren Santoro, leader of the Inquisition, wants her dead. And her former friends, Raffaele and the Dagger Society, want to stop her thirst for vengeance. Adelina struggles to cling to the good within her. But how can someone be good, when her very existence depends on darkness?

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |   Book Depository

Giveaway

Up for grabs are signed copies of The Young Elites and The Rose Society! Open internationally and ends on 12/28/15. 

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About the Author

I write young adult novels, and have a special love for dystopian books. Ironically, I was born in 1984. Before becoming a full-time writer, I was an Art Director at a video game company. Now I shuffle around at home and talk to myself a lot. :)

I graduated from the University of Southern California in '06 and currently live in LA, where I spend my time stuck on the freeways.

Blog  |  Twitter  | Goodreads  | Facebook  |  Deviantart

ARC Review: The Young Elites by Marie Lu

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Legend series 

I am tired of being used, hurt, and cast aside.

Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood fever. A decade ago, the deadly illness swept through her nation. Most of the infected perished, while many of the children who survived were left with strange markings. Adelina’s black hair turned silver, her lashes went pale, and now she has only a jagged scar where her left eye once was. Her cruel father believes she is a malfetto, an abomination, ruining their family’s good name and standing in the way of their fortune. But some of the fever’s survivors are rumored to possess more than just scars—they are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts, and though their identities remain secret, they have come to be called the Young Elites.

Teren Santoro works for the king. As Leader of the Inquisition Axis, it is his job to seek out the Young Elites, to destroy them before they destroy the nation. He believes the Young Elites to be dangerous and vengeful, but it’s Teren who may possess the darkest secret of all.

Enzo Valenciano is a member of the Dagger Society. This secret sect of Young Elites seeks out others like them before the Inquisition Axis can. But when the Daggers find Adelina, they discover someone with powers like they’ve never seen.


Adelina wants to believe Enzo is on her side, and that Teren is the true enemy. But the lives of these three will collide in unexpected ways, as each fights a very different and personal battle. But of one thing they are all certain: Adelina has abilities that shouldn’t belong in this world. A vengeful blackness in her heart. And a desire to destroy all who dare to cross her.
 
It is my turn to use. My turn to hurt.

PRE-ORDER ME! 

indieBound  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Amazon

Marie Freakin' Lu. I absolutely love her and her books. This lovely lady is a local author and quite an artist. I managed to get a copy of her upcoming book, The Young Elites, at this year's San Diego Comic Con. This book is full of fantasy, hate, love, grief, betrayal, death, darkness, throne climbing and character growth. Set in the country of Kenettra, the story centers around several characters and shifts between first person and third person. Adelina Amouteru is a scarred (literally) young sixteen year old girl who is among the thousands of people who came down with a blood fever (of unknown origins) that spread across Kenettra. 

On Marie's website there's a mini blurb about TYE that's basically summarizes the entire story in a nutshell, "The Young Elites (available everywhere Oct. 7, 2014) is the origin story of a villain. It is set in an alternate fantasy version of Renaissance Italy. After the equivalent of the Black Death sweeps through the world, a few survivors come out of the illness with supernatural powers. The main character, Adelina, is essentially the teenage girl version of Darth Vader or Magneto—the story chronicles her downfall into darkness."

Despite the fact that Adelina is the proposed "villian," I couldn't help, but feel only empathy and heartache for her. As a female, she has no power over herself, which goes along with the time period of misogyny and male dominance. Adding to the mix, her only surviving parent is an abusive, cruel, and self-serving monster. There were so many times where I wanted to throttle her father. Adelina wasn't the only one who came down with the fever in her family. Her younger sister did as well and  unlike, Adelina, Violetta recovered without a scar to mar her beautiful features. There is some jumping to and fro between flashbacks, but at the current moment, the blood fever has passed through Delia, Adelina's hometown, and some survivors are rumored to have developed powers. In an era where religion reigns supreme, this does not bode well for the survivors, also known as malfetto, abominations. For those who do not follow this line of thinking, the survivors are known as the young elites.

Ever since she has recovered from the blood fever, her father has done everything imaginable to Adelina to bring out any powers she might have received from the blood fever. After eavesdropping on her father's private conversation with a mysterious stranger, Adelina packs up her few belongings and runs away from home. She doesn't make it far, when her father catches up with her. There's a struggle and she snaps. All of the stress, anger, and hatred boils up inside her and her power is finally reveal and leaves her father dead.  At the risk of sounding bloodthirsty, I cheered at this! I was glad that he was her first kill. Despite her godly powers, Adelina has a mortal heart and the guilt from her father's death is her constant companion. 

Caught by the palace guards and sentenced to be burned at the stake. Here we are introduced to Teren Santoro, the leader of the Inquisition Axis. Officially he works for the king, but he also has his own motives and ambitions. He definitely plays a key role in Adelina's fall into darkness throughout the story and we'll definitely see more of him in the future. Things look bad for Adelina, but she is rescued by a band of young elites and spirited away. She may have escaped the clutches of Teren for now, but she might have traded one prison sentence for another. The Dagger Society, as they are called are comprised of young elites from all walks of life and social classes. Their leader is Enzo Valenciano, also known as The Reaper. Charming, but calculating. He's not someone you mess with. Just like Teren, his motives are many and he won't hestitate to kill Adeline if she doesn't help further his cause. Under the watchful eyes of the Dagger Society, Adeline begins to train in fighting and exploring the limits of her powers, or rather the lack of them. As Adelina's story unfolds and entwines with those of Teren and Enzo, we'll see how much one can take before giving in to the darkness within.

Without going into too much detail, the cast of the Dagger Society are solid individuals with their own backstories that  will hopefully be revealed in the second book. There are other major players besides Teren and Enzo, however they were only briefly touched upon. The plot twist near the end put me through an emotional wringer. I hope it isn't permanent and that it will be fixed in book two, but we shall see what Marie has planned. In a Q & A during a signing, Marie stated that Magento was her favorite and this book definitely reflects that. This was another great addition to Marie's resume and a definite addition to my bookshelf. A solid 5 star rating. You did well, Marie. Now hurry up and write book two already. :)

5 stars!!!!

About the Author

I write young adult novels, and have a special love for dystopian books. Ironically, I was born in 1984. Before becoming a full-time writer, I was an Art Director at a video game company. Now I shuffle around at home and talk to myself a lot. :)

I graduated from the University of Southern California in '06 and currently live in LA, where I spend my time stuck on the freeways.

Connect with Marie: Blog  |  Twitter  | Goodreads  | Facebook  |  Deviantart

Giveaway

Up for grabs is a hardback copy of The Young Elites. It isn't officially on sale until October 7th, but I'm giving a copy away once it the date arrives. The book will be sent to you separately from the miscellaneous swag pack and SIGNED San Diego Comic Con bookplate by Marie herself. This giveaway ends on the 30th of September and for residents of the USA only. 

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Also be sure to enter my other giveaway for a kindle paperwhite!   http://bit.ly/1s7r3dI

Promo Post: Carrots by Colleen Helme

Shelby Nichols is an average woman who is married to the only guy she ever fell for. Her life is organized and predictable, revolving around her husband and two children. All that changes the day she stops at the grocery store for some carrots. As the cashier rings up her purchases, a gunman is busy robbing the bank inside the store. When a customer grabs the robber's mask, he is shot and everyone runs for cover. Everyone except Shelby, who finds herself face to face with the killer. The next thing she knows, she's lying on the floor with a bullet wound to her head. Luckily, the bullet only grazes her scalp, and she doesn't suspect any lasting affects until later, when she suddenly 'hears' what people are thinking. With this uncanny ability, her life takes on a whole new dimension. Her kids think she's bossy and too old to understand them, but that's nothing compared to her husband. He says he loves her, but what is it about the redhead at work that he doesn't want her to know? As if that isn't enough, the gunman knows she can identify him, and he's out to silence her forever. In her fight to stay alive, she is saved from certain death by a handsome hit-man with ties to organized crime. This pulls Shelby even deeper into danger, where knowing someone's thoughts can not only hurt her feelings, but get her killed.

Available for purchase at 

     

About the Author

 A long career as a wife and mother while juggling several part-time jobs gave Colleen the ambition to dream of being a published author, where she could put her imagination to good use. Now instead of making up stories to tell her children, she writes books they love to read. Hopefully you will too. She is the author of three romantic fantasy novels, Songbird, Flame of Destiny and The Relic. Her Shelby Nichols Adventures include Carrots, Fast Money, Lie or Die, Secrets That Kill, and Trapped By Revenge coming soon!

         

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